The Express.
London, England, 1851-04-26 00:00:00

BELGIAN GOODS.

A considerable area of the building is occupied by the
Belgian exhibitors, comprising a compartment on the
ground floor in both the northern and southern divisions,
to the cast of the transept, and abuttinz, appropriately on
the French department ; while there is a further display in
the gallery above, consisting, fur the st part, of that
staple fabric of Belgium—lace. On the north sidle there is
an extensive display of pianos and household furniture.
The former arc of the most (may workmanship. They are
constructed of various kinds of wood—rosewood, appa-
rently, preponderating ; we say apparently, because snotty
are as yet involved in wrappers, which forbid a close
survey. Furniture in the chifronnii,re and escritoire style
is also included in this collection. There is an article of
doubtful utility, though certainly cumbrous enough, which
is said to be designed as a receptacle for music, or rather
for musical compositions. A number of square shelves are
joined at the ends to circular flaps, as large as the top of an
ordinary 100 table; the shelves are placed cqui-distant, liko
the planks of a water-wheel; and the article is so con-
structed that a slight efrort will cause the shelves to re-
volve, and place either in a convenient position for use•
The exterior of each flap has glass panels converging to-
wards the centre, like the spokes of a wheel. On the
whole this specimen may be described as a laborious and
ungainly attempt to save disorderly musicians the trouble
of .properly arranging their materials. There are in this
department some good specimens of elaborate carving, in
floral, spiral, and other forms; a black marble chimney-
, piece; a case of violins and double-bass instruments; seve-
ral coils of spring iron wire, eoppered and white, also of
telegraph galvanized iron wire; and some stove apparatus.
There is a curious wooden utensil interesting to brewers
and publicans, with three compartments, the upper one a

cylinder; the centre one a liquor barrel divided, having, it
is presumed, five circular divisions, as there arc five brass
taps, and over them the words "Anise," Ilrandy,"
"Rum," "Punch," " Mint ;" while the lowest compart-

anent is a wsift-tub.
A little beyond the space thus occupied by Belgian furni-
ture and the other articles already enumerated is the area
allotted to Belgic machinery, of which only a rapid glance
could be had amidst a chaos of funnels, cogs, et hoc genus
wane. The workmen belonging to the exhibitors were
busily employed in fitting and arranging, scouring and
cleaning, the separate parts of the various machines brought
over fur exhibition, including railway steam engines, arid
cotton machines, in their veritable dimensions. The for-
mer looked so natural, with the stoker and fireman in
their customary position,thatone might well have imagined
that the bell would shortly be heard as the signal for start-
ing. Amongst the machinery ready fur exhibition was a
" liumectator," or moistener, fur moistening every species
of corn, which was warranted to execute its cooling tank at
the rate of at least 2,500 killogrammes per hour ;
while the opposite virtue was set forth in the following
words Grains tent-fres tors Vies ; Anglice, "'fender corn
torrefied." The moistening is effected by means of a jet of
water from infinitesimal holes, after receiving which the
corn passes into a wire cylinder. The subject of ship venti-
lation has long been one which has excited great interest,
both among naval meu and the emigrating public. It has
not, it appears, been neglected in Belgium. There is here
a model of a ship of GOO ton., to which is adapted a system
of ventilation, designated as the " Atmospherical Regu-
lator," the pure air being circulated by means of one set
of pipes and the impure expelled by means of another.
The machine department also includes the following : The
model of a machine to accelerate the grinding of
corn so as to avoid the heating of the mill-
stones, and to prevent blacks, grain, dust, insects, Bce.,
from introducing themselves with the sound corn between
the working parts of the millstones ; a large machine far
peeling (,ipeler el grocer) rice; a similar machine for pearl
barley ; and there is also a model of a tunucl, with state-
ments as to the result of certain experiments with regard to
weight and pressure.
On the southern side of the building, and in close
proximity to the French exhibitors, there is what may
fairly be termed a Belgian armoury, so extensive and va-
ried is the display of warlike weapons. The collection be-
gins with piatolets of the most diminutive proportions,
though richly decorated, and thence ascends till it has em-
braced almost every article included in the generic
term " fire-arms." There is a beautiful little case
of Lilliputian pistols, in which are to be found
all the materials requisite for actual service, not
excepting the manufacture of bullets. A doubled-barrelled
pistol of beautiful workmanship on examination was found
to be provided with a two-edged knife of most fearful ap-
pearance, ready fur instant use after the deadly barrels had
. _

discharged their contents ; and the exhibitor informed us
!that it was meant for "fa domestique." The domestics
of Belgium must be far less timid than ours if they could
look at it, not to say handle it, without a disposition to
faint. Many of the rifles will not fail to attract those who
love to examine articles of this kind. There is a remarkable
one amongst them, the woodwork of which is ebony, and
which is altogether a painted devil."
There are a great number of specimens of the natural
productions of Belgium, including some pieces of coal, and
mingled with these are massive blocks of fancy soap, sugar
loaves and drugs. Some good marble top 4 of tables were
amongst the importations, but of four of these which were
seen, all had been broken in their passage to the building.
, The Belgian articles not exhibited below, are deposited
I in a portion of the northern gallery, contiguous to the Bel-
l Mum department on the ground floor. Upstairs, lace is
the prominent feature, chiefly in the form of veils, hand-
kerchiefs, caps, collars, and horders. A wax figure, repre-
senting a lady, and inclosed in a glass case, is entirely
arrayed in an attire of costly lace. Perhaps one of the
most beautiful articles in lace, is the black-point
Lace shawl, exhibited by E. J. and F. Van
Loo, of Ghent. It has already attracted much
attention, both on account of its being, as is stated
the first production of the kind—white lace alone having
been hitherto employed in the manufacture of lace shawls
—and on account of the great beauty of the design and the
, intense labour of the execution. The flower which forms
r the principal feature of the design is • tasteful blending of
e the rose, the shamrock, mad the thistle. What is techni•