The Express.
London, England, 1861-11-13 00:00:00

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 1862.

Whilst the contractors are actively pushing
their works at Kensington, the Royal Commis-
sioners are equall busy with the arrangements at
Chariug-trues. The quantity of space to be given
to each class of goods has been decided on, and will
be handed over in groat to the various committees,
on whom will devolve the nut very enviable task of
dividing it among the intending exhibitors. For
one of these committees only an easy task is in
store, namely, that one (class not transpired) to
which the demand for space has beau exactly one
cubic foot. It is hardly necessary to add that this
very moderate demand was. at once acceded to by
the commissioners. Two of the courts are to be
given to England and two to foreign nations, and of
the latter, one, we believe, exclusively to France.
A similar arraugewent will be carried out in the
nave, one-half of which is to be devoted to British
and the other to foreign exhibits, and the same
proportions will most probably be observed in every
part of the building. For room in the picture.
pllery the contention is tremendous amongst
foreign nations, Italy alone modestly demanding
one-tenth of the whole spire. The intention of the
Italians is, we believe, if room can be found, to ex-
hibit • complete series of their national painting
and sculpture from its revival with Canova in 1784
down to the present time. Holland, Hanover and
Belgium also make large demands, the king
of the last-named country proposing to see
all the royal pictures. From Prussia we are
to be enriched with the chefs-d'aiseres of the
great Dusseldorf school, and Russia promises
the treasures of the Hermitage and the Winter
Palace. Austria is far to surpass her show at the
Paris Exhibition, -is she proposes to send us the
contents of all her palaces, whereat to Paris she
sent only the pictures of the Belvidere ; and France
will spare even her Battle of Bolferino by Horace
Vernet to enrich our gallery. It will be seen,
therefore, that if the Exhibition of 1862 had no-
thing but its pictures, it would be far more attrac-
tive than any of its great predecessors.
A very important portion of the arrangements
will be tho catalogues, and we are glad to learn
that the illustrated one has so far progressed as to
leave no doubt but that the greater portion will be
ready by the opening day. This will be an im-
mense advance on the mode of publication in 1851,
when three thick volumes were issued just at the
close of the Exhibition, and were, of course, quite
useless as guides to the visiting public. This time
the catalogue is to be divided into parts, and each
part will be sold for • shilling, so that any
person interested in a particular department,
or class, can purchase the necessary information
without encumbering himself with an immense
volume. The illustrations, it is expected, will be
very valuable and complete, Hunt and Roskell,
Hancock, Elkington, and the other heads of the
goldsmiths' trade having promised designs of the
ornamental metal work ; Copeland, Minton, Pellet,
kc., of the pottery and glair; is addition to which
all the great cabinet makers have promised to
illustrate their costly trade. As there is a great
demand for space for ecclesiastical furniture and
stained glass, it is expected that the makers of these
articles will not neglect the chance of obtaining
a place in the catalogue ; and as for machinery,
agricultural implements, philosophical hritruments,
and hardware, there is no doubt but the illustra-
' tions of the catalogue will be most valuable and
complete. Taken altogether, then, the rapid pro-
gress of the building, the eagerness of the exhi-
, bitors, and the exertions of the Royal Commissioners
and their staff; there is every reason for believing
that the present prospects of the Great Exhibition
are of the most auspicious kind.

The first of the winter series of lectures pro-
aided by the Young Men's Christian Association was de-
livered yesterday evening, by Mr. bre Taylor, I. the
large resat of Ezeter•ball, to a crowded seessibly, the sub-
jam of the lecture bring " Fratee and Wand eighty yen
ago." The chair war taken by Mr. S. Marley, who Wady
opened the proceediap.

The Dillon Company's mail steamship Dane
Captain Holman, arrived at Southampton yesterday alter:
aeon at 5 o'clock'. She left Idadeini at 2 p.m. on the 15th ;
es the 10411 she la the Bay, the Bntish ship Moaning
Bear, of The Dane brings a law letter begs, but
M sup or pllllllllllllllll.