The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-07 00:00:00

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION,

Every day, almost every hour. now makes on
evident change in the internal arrangements and
fittings of the Exhibition. It seems to grow with,
a progress to whiCh the rise of the fabled beanstalk
was as nothing. The space which on one day is
allotted to shavings and straw is during the next
covercd with counters and filled with cases, and
dosing the third buds forth the promise of its
rature glories; in bronzes, rare textiles, iron
work, pottery, or glass. The progress which
English exhibitors have lately made has been
most praiseworthy, and already they are now far
in advance of the foreign department which but
a fortnight ago was as much in advance of them.
We are sorrow, however, to learn on the best autho-
rity that within the last few days they have ranch
relaxed their efforts, and most especially in unpack-
ing their eases. The building is now actually so lum-
bered up with cases of all kinds that it is with the
utmost difficulty a way can be found through them.
Already they are becoming obstructions in the way
of other exhibitors whowish to arrange their coun-
ters, and for the convenience of all it is necessary
that steps should be taken to at once abate what is
becoming a nuisance. Most especially do these re-
marks apply to the exhibitors in the Western an-
nexe, for machinery in motion, where ponderous
cases, containing each many tons of metal, have
been poured in with such profusion that they now
act as a positive obstacle to the reception of any
more. We believe an urgent remonstrance on this
subject has already been sent out by the Commis-
sioners, and still more stringent measures will be
adopted if this warning is disregarded. It is said
that owing to this cause the railway stations are at
present crowded with packages of machinery, which
cannot be delivered until exhibitors have moved
the packages already in the shed out of the way.
At the urgent representation of Mr. Clark, the
superintendent of this class, the Commissioners have
decided to give him additional help to complete the
work which the exhibitors ought to have effected
long ago ; and for this purpose Captain Maynard,
with several gangs of seamen riggers, will to-day
undertake the labour of removing the packages, if
not to the sites they are to occupy, at least out of
the path of others. The French are fixing a large
marine engine in this shed, which, as a specimen of
mechanical construction, is not likely to find many
imitators in this country ; but, with the exception
of this machine, the other portions of this Court are
unoccupied ; as are also those allotted to Belgium,
the Zollverein, and Austria. In fact, as a general
rule, the foreigners are far less forward than our-
selves. The English picture gallery is almost
finished ; hardly any of the foreign pictures are
hung ; the English goods are fast getting ready for
display, while not more than half the foreign
goods are in the building. It is abs3lutely ne-
cessary that no public time should be lost in these
deliveries, for until all are completed the entrances
into the building cannot be filled up, nor the cranes
removed, nor the paving of foot or roadway pro-
ceeded with. Of course, everything cannot be in
finished order by the Ist of May,but the fewer there
are of unsightly external deficiencies the better.
The raised dais under each dome is nearly com-
pleted, and on that under the eastern dome is being
erected the huge orchestra for the musical perform-
ance at the opening. This orchestra is to contain
1,600 vocal performers, formed of the choir of the
Sacred Harmonic Society, a selection from the Me-
tropolitan chores of the Handel Festival, and the
choirs of the Chapels Royal. The whole orches-
tra and stage are to be completed before the 18th,
and the rehearsals will take place in Exeter-hall.
It has been decided that invitations to distin-
guished personages in this country to assist at
the opening ceremony will not give admission to
the building unless those invited are also holders
of season tickets. For any person so invited
a seat will also be provided for one lady,
who, like the gentleman, must also be a season-
ticket holder. These reserved seats will be in
the galleries and transepts overlooking the Eastern
dome, where the ceremony, snob as it is, will take
place, and, what is likely to be far more attractive,
the fine selection of music will be performed. Mem-
bers of the House of Peers will, we believe, attend
either in uniform or in their robes, and other per-
sons who occupy reserved seats are, from the word-
ing of the invitation issued, evidently expected to
appear in uniform or Court costume. The opening,
therefore, is likely to be much more brilliant as a
spectacle than that of 1851. A desire has also been
very generally expressed in various quarters that,
in consideration of the national character of the
ceremonial, the day should be kept as much as pos-
sible a holiday throughout the metropolis, but on
this point nothing has been decided.
We take this occasion to resume our notices of
the chief objects which visitors may look for in the
various classes. Classes 6, 31, 32, and 86 are all
placed under the charge of Mr. T. Wright, who is
using his long experience in various exhibitions to
secure the finest possible show in his departments.
Class 6 comprises carriages not connected with rail
or tram road, and this section will include every
possible variety of carriage from a Bath chair to a
velocipede, and from a four-in-hand to a perambu-
lator or a self-propelling bathing-machine. There
are barouches, landaus, single and double brough-
ams, Eugenics, sociables, and phaetons, broughams
under I cwt., Stanhopes;phaeton waggonettes, dio-
rophas, and one ambitious vehicle which is a a
baronage, sociable, coach, and landau" all in one.
Among the novelties is a cart to form either a cart
or sleigh, and the model of a plan for the preven-
tion of all accidents to carters. Mr. Evans, of
Liverpool, shows, an improved Hansom cab, which
is designed as the London vehicles ought to be, but
certainly are not, to accommodate two persons
a very handsome Fitzroy phaeton comes from North-
ampton,constructed with malleable steel and wheels
of hickory. Mr. Mulliner, of Leamington, is send-
ing a four-wheel dog-cart, which folds open and
forms a waggonette. Shillibeer is to exhibit an
improved omnibus—a vehicle which is a capable of
improvement as anything that runs on wheels.
This is described as a vis a vie omnibus, with sepa-
rate seats inside, the outside seats on the roof and
box being reached from the interior. Starey, of
Nottingham, shows a landau with :flat fall of head,
with elastic springs and noiseless wheels in chain
tires ; Vezey, of Long-acre, sends a carriage with
noiseless springs in indiarubber bearings. On the
whole, the show in this class will be, of its kind,
equal to any in the building. Class 31 is for iron
goods and general hardware of all kinds. In this
class Birmingham has a large and very handsome
Court of its own, though, of course, goods from that
town belonging to other classes are shown indis-
criminately among those of other exhibitors. This
i
Court s situate midway between the central aye-
nu. e and the eastern transept. The sides are occu-
pied by Peyton and Peyton, who chiefly show
verities of handsome metallic bedsteads, while in
the centre of the court is a canopy, from which will
be suspended a number of beautiful chandeliers.
Messenger and Baas, 0. J. Phillips, Rennie, and
Adcock, and other of
the principal manufacturers,
show f a immense
metal assortment
thislacosfs,useful and orna-
mental
eismalmviorske.
Messrs. betties
shovialssoom, tehboeuaguhtinfuot
in this Court, l
brass-work chandeliers, while. m. the glass Court they
are likely to take the highest honours.
Crystarll:haeniragrweialtl
in the
chandelier is a perfect temple, of
certainly be one of the finest °Dints of • .
of the pas Exhibition. It is no less than 22 feeltt4l
high and 14
grqs are 3
feet diameter at the base ; some
lass columns
feet 6 in length, and the Ott glass still
which adjes,,, the
larger. In the Sheffield Court,he
eastern transept, will be found all the great makers
kingdom. There
of cutlery and steel goods in the
tin spngs,
are steel cranks and piston-rods, railway
steel tires, ingots of steel, cast-steel disc wheels,
and " scalping knives."
The show of steel g
really
rates,
stoves, fenders, and fi re-iron ornaments will be
beautiful in' itself from its own artistic and manu-
facturing merits, and made still more attractive from
the admirable and most tasteful manner in which
the exhibitors are setting their goods off to the best
advantage. To the south of this Court is another
Court, one side of which is allotted to the Walsall
carriage builders' and saddler? ironmongery. The
rest is given up to the Wolverhampton exhibitors
of hollow ware, such as locks, safes, and general
ironmongery. In this class Loveridge and Co. and