The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-21 00:00:00

[PRICE (DOUBLE SHEET) FOURPENCE.

THE VISIT TO BIRMINGHAM.

BIRMINGHAM, THVHFIGAT NIGHT.
The proceedings of to-day have constituted an
event in the history of the midland metropolis. The town
was favoured with a visit from the royal commissioners,
foreign commissioners, executive committee, jurors, and
others interested in the management and success of the
Great Exhibition. In the first instance, it was intended to
entertain Prince Albert and his colleagues to a splendid en-
tertainment in the Town Hall, after the manner, if not
upon the magnificent scale, of the York Festival; but his
Royal Highness having, for various urgent reasons, declined
the invitation forwarded to him by William Lucy, Esq., the
Mayor, the exhibitors of Birmingham, together with a
numerous body of its merchants and manufacturers, deter-
mined to do honour to the executive of the Exhibition in
such a manner as would best suit their personal conveni-
ence, and be most in accordance with the occasion
upon which their company was respectfully soli-
cited. With a view of carrying this object into effect,
an influential committee was appointed, and a correspond-
ence opened with the principal officers of the industrial ex-
hibitors. The result was, the commissioners promptly ac-
cepted an invitation to inspect the principal manufactories
of the town, to partake in the festivities of a fac champetre,
at the Botanic Gardens, and subsequently to attend a soiree
at the Town Hall. So soon as the determination of the

commission•rs was made known every preparation was
made to receive the distinguished visitors with becoming
relay. In addition to funds already in hand, subscriptions
to the amount of several hundred pounds were freely ten-
dered, and no fears were entertained that the Mayor of
Birmingham would be subjected to the same unpleasant
annoyance as that of which the Lord Mayor of York so
justly complained. A special train was engaged at Euston-
square to convey the visitors to and from Birmingham, and
the entire expense of conveyance and entertainment de-
frayed by the Birmingham contributors. Of the 360 invi-
tations issued, 290 were accepted. The arrangements were
superintended with indefatigable attention by the Mayor,
actively assisted by W. Chance, Esq., Captain Tindal, J.
F. Ledsam, Esq., It. Winfield, Esq., C. Shaw, Esq., John
Ratcliffe, Esq., F.R.S., and Mr. Kettle, the secretary to
the committee.

This, the day of the flte, was fortunately a most auspi-
cious one; at 16 minutes past eight the train left London
with 252 visitors; the journey down was longer than usual,
in consequence of the heaviness of the train ; it was a few
minutes after twelve when itarrived in Birmingham, where
the visitors were received by William Lucy, Esq., the
mayor; John Ratelitllt, Esq., F.R.S., the Low Bailiff;
Charles Shaw, Esq., Frederic Ledsam, Esq., R. L. Chauce,
Esq., and a number of the local authorities.

Immediately on their arrival, the guests were entertained
at a handsome de:ironer served up by Mr. Bacon, at the
(IRMO'S Motel, who threw open his splendid suite of drawing
rooms for the reception of the visitors; amongst whom
were: Col. Granville, Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth Dilke,
Baron C. Dupin, Col. Moran, Dr. Seyffarth, M. Petersen,
M. Sherer, M. Santillana, Count Kcrzolay, Mr. Villiers
Shelley, M.r., M.Sallandrouzc de Is Mornaix, Mr. Cubitt,
Capt. Inglefield, Mr. Mechi, Col. Challoner, Professor An-
sted, Mr. Nicholay, Mr. Redgrave, Mr. Felkin, Capt. Abdel
named Nuber Bey, Professor Corridi, Capt. Owen, Capt.
Gibh, Capt.Collinson,Col. Lloyd, Mr. Godwin, Mr. Bowring,
Mr. Owen Jones, Signor Tribbi, Mr. Crocco, Mr. and Mrs.
Cole, Mr. Cattley, Dr. Lankester, Mr. Fox, Mr. Field
Gibson, Lieut. Ward, Dr. Seliefenit, Mr. Fairbuirn, Lieut.
Pasley, Mr. Wentworth, Dr. Arnott, Messrs. De Is Rue,
Mr. Wallis, Chevalier Leneesa, Mr. Dighy Wyatt, Mr.
Smedley., Mr. Von Viebahn, Count Laborde, M. Le
Gcutil, &e.

So soon as the visitors had partaken of this elegant repast
they divided into parties, and proceeded to visit some of the
principal manufactories and show-rooms of the town. It is
to be regretted, however, that owing to the brief space
of time allowed for inspection, many of the largest and
most interesting establishments were overlooked, and it may
be safely assorted, without any disparagement of the vari-
ous manufactories visited, that foreigners could have from
what they saw but a very inadequate idea of the manufactur-
ing power and resources of Birmingham. The list of manu-
factories announced as open to view were: Messrs. Bacchus
and Son, flint and coloured glass works ; C. IL. Collis and
Co., manufacturing gold and silversmiths, electro-
platers, medallists, &c. ; W. Elliot and Son, button

manufacturers; Elkington, Mason, and Co., electro-
platers and manufacturers of silver and plated wares;
Joseph Gillett, steel pen manufacturer; the government
proof houses; Rice Harris, flint glass manufacturer; Rinks
aad Co., steel pen makers ; Jenners and Betteridge, papier
mach* works and japan goods ; Thomas Lane, papier machi
and patent pearl glass works; F.Osler and Cu., show-rooms
for glass chandeliers, lustre', and table glass ; It. W. Win-
field, manufacturer of patent metallic bedsteads, tubing,
rolling metals, and general brass foundry. To the noble
works of Messrs. Fox and Henderson, at Smithwick, the
illustrious strangers flocked in no small numbers, and many
a wish was expressed that the great works at Spon-lanc—
the scene where all the crystal for the splendid palace was

prepared—could have been visited; the pressure of time,
however, left the visitors no alternative but to forego that
pleasure, and so numbers turned aside regretting. For
similar reasons the magnificent establishments of Ratcliffe
and Co., of Lowden, of Yates, and others, remained un-
visited. To the visitors at Mr. Winfield's, the greatest
brass-foundry establishment in the world, the following
address was read:
"My lords and gentlemen, upwards of ono year has
elapsed since the clerks and workpcople in the employ of
Mr. It. W. Winfield, of the Cambridge-street Works, Bir-
mingham,
met together in order to express their approba-
tion of the plan of the then intended Exhibition of the In-
dustry of All Nations; to manifest their desire to assist by
preparing objects suitable for exposition, and by their
pecuniary contributions to aid in realising the truly mag-
nificent conception of his Royal Highness Prince Albert.
They meet now under circumstances more satisfactory : the
Exhibition of 1851 has been accomplished, the Fairy
Palace of Paxton rears its majestic form in Hyde-park, the
colours of every nation float from its pinnacles, its
interior is thronged with the natural products of
every country, and the industry of every clime.
A proud evidence is this of the faith of all nations
in the honour and reputation of our native land, and
proof to us convincing that your labours have been earnest,
unceasing, and untinag. Our intention in the present in-
stance is to congratulate you in connexion with the execu-
tive committee upon the success of your labours, to convey
to you our admiration of the manner in which you havo
fought the good fight, overcome indifference, put an end
to doubt, and manfully subdued opposition. In tendering
this our humble tribute of the estimation in which we hold
your efforts, we do so with respect; we know your exer-
tions have been lauded by those with whom we may not
for one moment compare ourselves. The Exhibition of
18.51 is, however, but onegreat history of Industry, written
by Labour on metals, on stone, on clay, on silk, and on cot-
ton, bound up in iron, glass, and timber, and as
supplying a page in the volume, we are emboldened to
approach you, for in that assemblage of all that is useful,
rich, and rare, it is proved that indeed " all is the gift of
industry—rich power." For the first time the varied skill,
talent, and industry of England and Englishmen have been
rendered apparent to themselves and to the world: labour
has been elevated by collecting together its results • the
whole is replete with instruction to this and all succeeding
generation' ; it presents and will present a spectacle unsur-
in moral grandeur in the history of the universe.
rel Let us, then, to present to you our acknowledgments,
and to repeat our convictions that, but for your united ex-
ertions, the Exhibition of 1851 would have remained an
idea only; we avail ourselves of your visit to these works
to convey to you these our impressions of the services ren-
dered by you, in calling into existence the Exhibition of
18.51. May you long he spared to see the good resulting
therefrom, is the prayer of yours, &e.
At three o'clock in the afternoon all the guests were re-
ceived at the Botanic Gardens, the scene of the fete.

There were assembled to meet them the thousands of this

nezion with industry. Of the entertainment itself, it may
be said, there was no pretence—all was substantial—.

English—hospitable. And this over, and the Mayor having
given the health of her Majesty, and that of her consort,
Prince Albert, with appropriate eulogy, his Worship next
proceeded with suitable brevity and compliment to pro-
pose the health* of " Earl Granville and the British Com-
missioners."

Earl GRANVILLE said—l beg, Mr. Mayor, to tender
you my best thanks for the manner in which you have pro-
posed my health and that of my colleagues, and also I must
thank this company for the manner in which they have
received that compliment on this remarkable occasion. I
regret that the pressure of business in London should have
prevented there being even a fuller attendance at this
meeting in honour of the royal commissioners; but I cannot
allow it to pass over without saying, with regard to
you, Mr. Mayor, I must bear my testimony to your
awfulness ta the royal commissioners in furthering in every
way the carrying out the Great Exhibition. (Hear.) At
onetime there was a difference as to the manner of carrying
out some of the arrangements; the mayor of this town
pressed his views with great firinneas, zeal, and tact, and as
soon as the question was settled against him he never said
another word—he dropped the subject, and was as warm •
supporter of our plans as any of her Majesty's commis-
sioners. (Cheers.) It has been my good fortune on many
occasions to acknowledge a toast somewhat similar in cha-
racter to this: I have always had to thank our entertaiuors
for their hospitality. I have before felt that strongly—cer-
tainly to-day it almost completely pervades my min.l. (Ap-
plause.) It was in the town of Birmingham that the at-
tempt at an exhibition on a large scale was first made, and
was successful. It was here shown that these exhibitions,
if well managed, might be self-supportiug. It was
shown, too, that here where so much of the useful
has been achieved, there is not so much of back-
wardness in design as was perhaps expected. (Been
hear.) It was here demonstrated, too, how largely the
community can be induced to participate in such an intel-
lectual pleasure as exhibitions of this kind. (11car, hear.)
And when Mr. Paxton sent in that admirable design which
has been since carried out in Hyde-park, whence tame its
erection but from a firm at Birmingham? (Applause.)
And if I may be permitted, in the presence of this distin-
guished company, I will narrate an anecdote in connexion
with the erection of the building for the Great Exhibition.
(Hear, hear.) At the time it became necessary to give the
order for the work, the royal commission was not au incor-
porated body, and consequently they had no power to give
such an order; it was felt by the royal commissioners that
Prince Albert (although willing) ought not to take upon
himself the responsibility consequent on the crecti in of so
large a building, especially as the royal commissioners were
themselves—some of them—substantial men. 14 there cirr
cuntstances I was desired by Prince Albert to Ray when the
plan of Messrs. Fox and Henderson was prepared, that I
thought it very probable when the royal commission became
a corporate body, that the plan then submitted on paper
would be ordered—that in fact such a building was what
they would require. (Hear, bear.) Messrs. Fox and Hen-
derson immediately said that that order was sufficient—( much
Charing)—and in a few hours they gave such orders that
resulted in the achievement of Mr. Paxton's design, with
additional excellencies, and realising it so completely that I
verily believe, if it had not been for Mr. Cubitt, they
would have covered the whole of Hyde-park. (Ap-
plause.) So much for the intellect and perseverance
of Birmingham in that respect. (Hear.) NVheuee came
the material:? (Hear.) I am an imam:aster. (Groat
applause.) Yes ; and I know that from your neighbourhood
it came ; here that commodity is in abundance, aid hens
as elsewhere, unfortunately, it is now very cheap.
(Laughter.) With regard to the glass, why I beli.!ve there
is only one establishment in the world having the means to
produce such a quantity as was required for the Crystal Pa-
lace in such a short time, and that glass was produced by a
distinguished firm whose name is honoured in your town,
(Cheers.) And as I tun talking of glass, 1 may just
compliment Birmingham on the progress it has made in
glass-making since those restrictions were taken off which
impeded its development, and to that most useful
result we are indebted to an illustrious statesman, who has
passed front us, most unfortunately, and bat for which ca-
lamitous event (such was the interest he took in everything
connected with the Great Exhibition), that, I have no
doubt, he would have been with us toslay. (Hear, hear.)
With regard to the Great Exhibition itself, I must content
myself with saying, that such is the rapidity with which we
have been brought here, and such the satisfaction in our visit
--(I believe I may say so much for your foreign guests)—and
our pleasure at all we have seen, that our heads are full of
machinery—certainly mine is ; but at the same time I cannot
help regarding the Great Exhibition in the light of
a registry of the advance of civilisation. (Cheers.) I may
liken his Royal highness Prince Albert to those inventors
who, seeing a thing in partial use, so develop it that it is
improved and carried on an extended wale—made servicca-
bleiu &much wider range, and so far available to the service
of mankind, thereby, to a certain extent, giving it the
aspect of a new invention. The Royal Commissioners I
liken to a body of engineers, engaged in arranging and
carrying out the machinery; and all the other officers (espe-
cially the foreign commissioners, whose exquisite specimen
of temper I have witnessed) have discharged their duties
nobly and well. (Cheers.) I need not dwell on the
fainter tracings of the machine ; these have been developed
in broad lines showing the advance of industry in the world,
and our national progress, and that science and art are con-
taminated by the touch of the meanest object.—After some
other observations the noble lord concluded his speech
amidst loud cheers, thanking the Mayor and his friends
cordially for their hospitality.

Tho toast of the " Foreign Commissioners" was acknow
lodged by M. Tom VIEBAUN, and that of " The Jurors,'
by M. DI:PIN. Both gentlemen spoke most eloquently.
Tho " Mayor's" health was subsequently given by Lord
finsisvtu.s, and at 6 o'clock the company adjourned to
the Town-hall, where the soiree toak place, and at 9 o'clock
the special train left Birmingham.
All parties declared themselves delighted with the enter-
tainment, which passed off without a cause for regret.

CONTENTS OF TIIE GLASS PALACE.
MANUFACTURES LN PORCELAIN AND
PARIAH.
(Second Notice.)
In close proximity to the stand upon which Mr.
Minton has arranged his costly wares, is the collection of
Mr. Copeland, which is in truth a gallery of statuary por-
celain. It will be observed that here we drop the term
Parian" iu obedience to the nomenclature of the manu-
facturer, although in reality the statuary porcelain of Mr.
Copeland is the same material as the parian of Mr. Minton.
There may be some difference in the proportions of the
component parts, and also in the mode of handling, but
they are not of sufficient importance to constitute the two,
separate articles, or their manipulation, separate arts. It
appears that, like the birth-place of Homer, the parentage
of parian is a question upon which the authorities are some-
what conflicting. In our former notice on this subject we
stated that Mr. Minton claimed the merit of introducing
this beautiful material of art-manufacture to the notice of
the British public, whereas now we find that Mr. Copeland
considers that he was the happy discoverer, and so it is with
every exhibitor who produces specimens. The question is
not of much importance, except in so far as the amour
propre of the individuals is concerned; all that we have to
consider is the amount of excellence which each has suc-
ceeded in attaining.

____ _-- ---- .- -- -- —.— -
great industrial hive, and from thence - the foreign visitors Taking the question in that point of view, we can hardly
saw at once some fine English scenery—the fertile fields of award anything less than the front rank to the beautiful
Worcestershire, and away in the distance the hills of creations which crowd the glass eases of Mr. Copeland.
Malvern, with the vales which enrich the scene. They see all from the best models, and, with the exception
At four o'clock the Mayor received his guests in a tent, of size, leave nothing to choose between themselves and the
and there sat down to the entertainment prepared some originals. Holding a prominent place, we find " Inc and
six hundred persons, including all the men of " rank and the Infant Bacchus," from Foley's well-known group in the
likelihood" in the town. At the chief table the Mayor Earl of Ellesmere's gallery. This porcelain is beautifully
presided, supported by Earl Onsnville, Baron Dupin, and statuesque, the outlines are as clear as if done with th
other distinguished persons. At the two side tables there skilful chisel and the colour and texture are ex , e
sat at the head Mr. Winfield and Mr. Alderman James, both of the finest marble. This effect, which is .• ,
splendid examples in their fortunes of successful industry. tinguishing feature of Mr. Copeland's produ is. 'f...-•
The principal vice-chair was filled by Mr. Radcliffe, the Low result of • secret in glazing, stated to be lalivesti "...'r::„
Bailiff, Mr. Kittle, sad Mr. Elkingtou. There were, too, the known to the firm. The " Prodigal's Benne' -414,0*.
.._) V
Van Warts, and the Chances, and Mr. Fox, and the heads final design by Theed, and is full of int/ •Irr". • 1 orl
of all the great firms that in this district are known In con- minim The gran expression of the father's f low* cp, .
1,•32
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