The Express.
London, England, 1850-04-25 00:00:00

THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851.

A public meeting of the inhabitants of Chelsea,
convened by the Rev. C Kingsley, Enter of Elt. Luke's,
on a requisition signed by upwards of GOO householders,
took place last evening, at the Commercial Hall, King's-
, road, her t,e pupas* of promoting the forthcoming exlxtbi•
tiou of arts and inthafeetares. Tne hall was well filled on
the ocessioe, mad amongst the audience was • number of
ladies.
Mr. FIRLDIR, the 111010 ell churchwarden
iuin the absence
of the reeve) was called on to preside. He trodaged the
badness by brief', statists the abject of the meeting.
Mr. GEORGE DOWNING moved:
That the proposition of Ms loyal Mphness Prince Albert to bold
an exhibition of the works of Industry of all nations in MI is en-
titled to the support of this meeting. as tending to promote arts,
agriculture. manutactseee, End trade.
Mr. M CULLAG LI, M-P., said he seconded the resolu-
tion with great pleasure. Already the Exhibition had
rallied viand it a great movement; but, unlike other move-
spots, it had nothing to overthrow, but was meant to
establish all (Hear, hear.) Other movements were tem-
porary, and their victory was their death. This movement,
if sucesssfel, would only be the beginning of a ..eries of
annual experiments of the lame kind. (Applause.) Other I
ny.vs meets appealed only to one clan of the community;
this embraced all.
The resolution was then put end unanimously carried, as
was each of the esecsedirl ones.
Mr IIASELDINE moved—

That the es►lhitton will be direst advantage to all classes whether
as pieducera, distributors, or consumers.
As s manufacturer of this parish he felt no danger or
difficulty in emtending with foreigners. The assemblage
of such a mus of products would soften the minds of the
lower orders, make them more rt &Mitre, and send the..
back to their workshops with lighter hearts and mere cheer-
ful countenances. He knew many manufacturers who
feared they should suffer from the exhibition. He did not
believe it.

Mr. H. WHITEHEAD seconded the resolution.
Toe Rev. C. DRISCOLL moved—
That the exhibition is esprcLiLy calculated to promote the we
of the working climes by offering examples of excellence and stimu-
lating production.
He observed that just in proportion as nations common'.
cated was the march of science and invention quickened
here* it was the intention of Providence that nations should
approximate. There wee a growing opinion in favour of the
peace principle moos mankind ; and the proposed exhibition
would greatly prostate it.
Mr. FRANCIS LLOYD, in seconding the resolution,
said the extiitoisions of 1.1, din, Paris, and Vienna, were more
for the sake of displaying particular tradesmen's goods; but
the proposed exhibition would take higher ground, and be
mere mow, heady*. It would prove the sympathy felt by
trie rich for the poor. Abut 8,000 articles were contained
in the French exhibition ; and such was the liberality exhi-
bited towards Englishmen, that free admia.ione were given
to a body sr 600 va-iters to Paris, of whom he was chairman.
(Hear, bear.) He hoped the example would be followed in
this country.
The Ilqn. A1.701.78T88 LIDDELL moved—
That all nations being invited to waist in the exhibition, will tend
to the promotion of pesos throughout the utilised world.
Mr. WHITEHEAD, ia seconding the resolution, dwelt
on the advantages st hid% ovoid result from the exhibition
as promotive of universal peace.
Mr. W. GRIFFITH moved the appointment of a local
committee to assist in earning out the exhibition. He wao
confident the utmost Mimeos would prevail in judging the
merits of the various productions.
Mr. KB sl P seconoed the resolution.
Mr. WENTWORTH DILKE, one of the royal commis.
'donut, moved the appointment of treasurer., collectors, and
secretary. He observed that so determined were the cow
missions!' disc the exhibition should not be made a fair,
that they would not allow tickets even to be atfized to the
articles. (Hear, hear) After alluding to the various exist-
bitioos which had token plate in France since 1797, he ob-
served that they had been sanctioned under every form of
govern neat which had sifts prevailed in this country, a
proof that they were thought advantageous to the country.
That they were no lees advantageous to the manufacturers
was proved by the het of the number who exhibited having
increased from shoat 80 to 4,494. (licar, hear.) No doubt
our own manufacturers would derive equal advantage; he
was coofi lent, from what he had seen in his travels over
great part of the e 'adman, that there were very few articles
in which the Entlish could be beat. (Applause.) The
last French exhibition covered a space of 4; acres;
here the CC 11101i11100CPS proposed, if they received adequate
' local support, to appropriate a space of about sixteen acres.
(Heer, hear ) The greatest benefits might be anticipated
to the working elms, from the opportunities that would be
afforded them of inspecting different productions Already
subecriptions to the amount of 1501. had been received in
Chelsea. ("medium.)
Mr. BARNES seconded the resolution.
Mr. LLOYD moved a resolution recommending to the
commissioners to enlarge their basis by the admission of
eminent manufacturers of experience from different districts,
and to restrict the exhibition to manufacturen or
inventors of articles. A recommendation of a similar charm-
' ter had been forwarded from the Birmingham committee.
It was due to the manufacturer,, from whom the bulk of
the subscriptions already announced had come. that they
should have a voice in the preliminary arrangements. He
thought it d Mehl@ that they should have a conference in
some central town, the result of which might be forwarded
to the royal commissionen. (Hear, hear.)
Dr. BENNER si conded the resolution.
Mr. DILKE said that the subject of the Birmingham reso-
. lotion had been actively canvassed by the commission. The
gommitrionere were doing all in their power to surmount
I the difitoulties with which they had to contend ; but it
should ber remembered that the undertaking was an entirely
new one. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Lloyd said that, his object being answered of obtain-
ing an explanation from the aosainissionen, he would with-
draw his resolution.

The proceedings then closed with a Tot. of thanks to the
chairman.

WORKING MAWS RBIDING-ROOM AND LIBRARY.—
A sleeting, which was attended by upwards of 2,000
working men, was held last night at the School-rooms,
Whitecespel-road, for the purports of celebrating the open-
ins of a readistroom and library for the lahotuing classes
resident= the pariahs( Wkitechspel. Lord Athley,llC.P., pre-
sided, and in his opening address stated that the aecomphah-
meat of the object which they had assembled to celebrate
had been effected by the munifictsee of a benevolent lady,
who had entrusted to him a large sum of money for charit-
able purpose, and which, with the sanction of their
esteemed rector, had been devoted to the establishment of
this library and reading-room. The Bey. Mr. Champ:keys,
the rector, and Mr. C. Fry addressed the meeting, and
thanked the noble lord for the boon he had granted to the
working men of that part of the metropolis. It being stated
that the room would be opened on onday,andthat the
library of books at present was sufficient to accommodate
180 members, a vote of thanks was posed to th, noble
chairman, which being acknowledged, the aunties broke up.
THE IRON, HARDWARE, AND METAL TRADES
Passim( Sociwnr.—Yesterday the anniversary dinner
of this society was hold at the Albion Tavern, Al-
arms; Mr. 0. B. Hornicroft, of Wolverhampton,
ire, took the chair, and la giving the
Mart el the evening, " Prosperity to the Iron, Hard-
ee.% and Metal Trades' Pension Society," said he was
glad to be able to announce that there was now an
opportunity held out to the Staffordshire iron masters
to join the London Society, an opportunity which he
knew they would not allow to escape. He promised
them that when he returned to Staffordshire he would
tell the ironmasters there the advantages that could be derived
by their joining a society such as this one, over which ha
had the honour that night to preside. The chairman con-
cluded by remarking that nothing could be more generous
or more clarion= than the objects of the society, which
were to grant permanent relief to deserving and necessitous
members of those trades, and to their widows, by pension
or etherwiw. The toast was cordially responded to. The
health, of the Mayor of Birmingham, Kr. Lucy, the vice-
president, the treasurer, the secretaries, and the committee,
were then drunk and responded to. It was announced to
the meeting by Mr. Notts's, that during the last year the
earn of 1,3001. was subscribed to the society, and according
to the calculation which he made of the subscriptions which
had been given in addition on that day, there wee a sum
amounting to about 4001. and 6004 A vote of thanks hav-
ing been given to the chairman, the party separated.
MELANCHOLY ACClDlNT.—Testerda7 forenoon the
following accident happened at the premises belonging to
Mr. Down, No. 3, Lincoln-court, Drury-lane, which there is
no doubt will terminate (litany. The third floor back was
occupied by two young women, who obtained a living e
tailonag, sad whilst they were sitting at their work, '.ue
dress of one of the females, named Mary Wilson, homy..
ignited, and the poor creature in her fright rasheil. dews
stain, and the draught caused the flames to mount hera her
head. Her piercing screams brought amides so, but the
clothes of two or three other persons also took lire, sad they
narrowly escaped being similarly burned. Awe mash
trouble, the are about the unfortunate yi;,,ung woolens was
extinguished, but not
burned until she was dreburned.rs
mly burned. Mrs.
Dews was also severely in ren•asting sostetioses. Miss
Wilson was forthwith removed to the hospital, whale she
reimalme without hopes of recovery.