The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-18 00:00:00

THE NEW YORK EXHIBITION.

NEW YORK, AUGUST 2.
The New York newspapers all devote a large space
every day to the Crystal Palace, but not a single analy-
tical article has yet been written on the Exhibition, nor
can much be said that would be of service to your readers
untl

the exposition approaches ~a far greater degree of
completeness. The directors are every day discovering
their mistakes, and with commendable diligence and can-
dour are trying to correct them. The arrivals from
Europe still continue, and, as fast as space is required,
objects of no excellence, art, or interest, are to give room
for better things. The management wisely reserved to
itself the right to remove any articles after their admis-
sion whenever they should require the space. In this
manner, objects which had no claim to attention will be
set aside and when this winnowing process is complete
the Exhibition may be worthy of the inspection of men
of science and learning. Strange as it may seem, the
American department is likely to be the last to fill up.
A vast number of curious and valuable home inventions
were refused admission in the beginning, chiefly, it was
alleged, for lack of room. But the directors have learnt
by experience that Transatlantic agriculturists, manu-
facturers, inventors, and men of science attached far
greater importance to that class of inventions and pro-
ducts than to almost everything else, since it was in that
department mainly that they anticipated the elements
of successful competition with European energy, ex-
perience, and skill. I was a day or two ago informed
by a very intelligent English gentleman, that he had al-
ready seen more labour-saving machines and inventions
of American origin outside the Palace (all the fruits of
the last two years) than he had supposed could be pro-
duced by the combined genius of the world in a quarter
of a century.
So far as the chief contributions of European nations
go, we shall have few objects of interest which were not
exhibited in London. Indeed, upon a very large num-
ber of these cases we see the announcement that to the
proprietor the medal had been awarded, and, in many
instances, the medal itself forms a part of the display.
So far our Exhibition is but a repetition of yours of '5l.
There might naturally be expected an extensive and
bulky display of uninteresting objects from most coun-
tries, but nobody could have calculated with much pre-
cision the deluge of second and third rate works of art
from all quarters. 'What the gallery of art when com-
plete may show we can hardly yet say ; but not five
pictures or sculptures yet exposed aro above mediocrity.
Scarcely five European artists of established fame have
sent anything, and they who have contributed have, for
the most part, sent feeble copies, and generally of their
minor works. But they may congratulate themselves
upon a successful riddance of their rubbish ; for in this
case, as in all parallel ones, the rich New Yorkers are
glad enough to buy whatever bears the prestige of Euro-
pean celebrity. Our own artists of true genius, and the
modesty which always attends it, have, for the most
part, declined any competition in this "Babel of fine
art ;" and yet it is well known that we have men who
have won golden opinions with the pencil, the graver,
and the chisel from the schools and connoisseurs of
Europe.
So far the speculation has not paid. The receipts
have hardly averaged 3001. per day--a sum barely suffi-
cient to cover daily expenses. The interest generally
felt in this country is declining ; and I presume the
number of visitors never will equal the expectations o 4
the projectors of the Exhibition. But some results we-

come out of the entefprise, the importance of which can
be measured by no narrow standard ;-
1. Europeans whose arts, manufactures, and indus-
tries are wholly, or in part, sustained by our markets,
will, by their personal observations and direct inter-
course with our people, derive great advantages from
this Exhibition. They will carry away with them all
the new ideas America has elaborated in machinery and
mechanism, and they will find shortly a very full expo-
sition of these results in the American depot of the Crys-
tal Palace. They will learn definitively what we are
doing and are likely to do in which they cannot expect
to offer any profitable rivalry. They will thus, by keen
and intelligent foresight, modify their business plans for
a considerable time to come. They will also make ex-
tensive and more kadvantageous arrangements for the
disposal of their products in our markets, without the
intervention of multiplied agencies, all of which increase
expense and embarrass commercial transactions. They
will also, in the Crystal Palace, where they are
in almost constant attendance, have an excellent
school for learning American tastes what our peo-
ple like, and what is likely to suit them best. Al-
ready the great houses of Europe adapt fashions
and styles to our markets, with special reference to the
prevailing tastes of the country. But they will be able
hereafter to do this more effectually. Besides, by
making new acquaintances, and learning more about
their former agents and correspondents, they will put
their American business on a more advantageous footing
in all respects.
2. It is equally evident that Americana of all classes
will be made more familiar with the arts and industries
of other nations. Every day groups of serious, hard-
thinking, and often hard-working men are seen carefully
inspecting everything in the Exhibition which marks
the progress of Europe in the arts of design and utility.
It is reasonable to suppose that so acute and astute a
people as the Americans are known to be will not allow
such an opportunity to pass without reaping from it the
very highest advantages.
3. A vast impulse is likely to be given by this Exhi-
bition to the cause of the freedom of commerce. I
hear much said on this subject, and the British Com-
missioners have not been a little surprised to perceive
how rapidly the American mind is approaching the
conviction that absolute freedom of commercial in-
tercourse forms the life of trade, multiplies the gua-
rantees of peace between nations, and diffuses liberal
and enlightened sentiments and opinions through-
out the world. On this subject I shall dwell here-
after, for I am disposed to think that this Exhibi-
tion will prove to our country a very high and bene-
ficent agency for changing and perfecting our financial
policy. It takes place, too, at an auspicious period.
We are at peace with all the world ; our tariff of 1846,
which our most celebrated statesmen predicted would
mark the decline of our foreign commerce, and begin the
most serious embarrassments to our treasury, has mul-
tiplied our commercial transactions with every country,
given us a profitable balance of exchange with many,
filled the national treasury (we now have 23,000,000
surplus on hand), and worked good, and only good, and
that continually. The other clay a leading Whig news-
paper gave us an estimate of the amount of iron this
country would require merely for the completion of our
railways, making the quantity vastly larger than Great
Britain and our own furnaces and forges could supply ;
and then the editor, after speaking of the high prices
iron must long command, asks, "Can we ask any longer
duties on iron ?"
The summer months witness nearly all our scientific
and literary conventions, and the commencements of all
our universities, colleges, and public schools. From
their proceedings generally, thus far, it is clearly ob-
servable that the standard of American scholarship is
rapidly rising, while the number of scholars who are
passing through a regular and thorough curriculum is
increasing beyond a parallel.
The only political excitement now grows out of the
organisation of an opposition to General Pierce's Ad
ministration. This opposition promises to be quite for-
midable. Many of the ablest Democrats in the Con-
()Tess, which is to assemble next December, openly pro-
claim' their hostility to General Pierce. His Adminis-
tration has, thus far, disappointed all parties ; he has
given satisfaction to no section, faction, or interest, and
he finds himself without friends and without support.
No President has ever lost his popularity so soon after
his inauguration, and nobody supposes that he can reco-
ver his ground without a choice of new Ministers
and the establishment of a policy which will be under-
stood and approved by the mass of thTehneateihonie,f unless,
r
lastresort wtioth
save Mexico,hi
s
indeed, he is saved by some unforeseen event which
will bring new issues between parties at home, or a
collision with a foreign country.
is,or so
thantleheotmheary
setter,oilasusa ina quarrel
wbietihngforeign made
sinking fortunes. Little or no progress is
in the negotiation of any of those questions
countries which have given uneasiness to the public
knew tAhlel thewprhoegieredssipwleasmaartireeesteerdpsonthey would be
4th
mrbeeicenadlause
led, and few, if any, of their acts approved. But
their successors have not yet left for their posts, and
everything is at a dead stand. It is to be hoped that no
evil may grow out of this unprecedented state of things ;
but it is most deeply to be regretted that General Pierce,
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who wshenotulidnthoatvheetPurrenseiddeonutitatootTee under auspices so
e so weak, irresolute,
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his policy will be nobody