The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-31 00:00:00

MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 3l, 1851.

be looked upon as the standard edition of it, having
passed under the hands of its author shortly before his
lamented decease, and having besides this been very
carefully edited by his son, the distinguished repre-
sentative of Buckinghamshire.

A POPULAR NARRATIVE of the GREAT
_EXHIBITION. By Peter Berlyn. James
Gilbert.
Within the compass of an elegant pocket volume, the
compiler of the present narrative has contrived to fur-
nish his readers with a very copious history of the
origin, progress, and prospects of the Great Exhibi-
tion. Throughout the work he has written with an
especial regard at once to'sitnplicity and perspicuity, so
that we rest satisfied his labours will prove eminently
successful, the book being incontestably the narrative
of the great Industrial Exposition. Beginning with
all those preliminary particulars which are absolutely
essential for the comprehension of the entire scheme
of the Prince Consort, the narrative describes very
lucidly the growth of the first crude idea to its present
gigantic dimensions. The share taken in the project
by the Society of Arts is duly celebrated, and the in-
fluence of the successive expositions of French in-
dustry especially notified. One paragraph is eminently
deserving of quotation. It runs as follows :
"On the 30th of June, 1849, Mr. Cole and Mr.
Fuller, with Mr. Scott Russell, attended by his Royal
Highness's command at Buckingham Palace, where Mr.
Thomas Cubitt was summoned to meet them. It was at
this meeting that his Royal Highness communicated his
views fully with regard to the formation of a Great Col-
lection of Works of Industry and Art in London in
1851, for the purpose of exhibition, and of competition
and encouragement. It was at this meeting also that
his Royal Highness first stated the four great divisions—
of Raw Material—Machinery and Mechanical Invention
—Manufactures—Sculpture and Plastic Art—of which
he proposed the Exhibition should consist. It was at
this meeting also, June 30, that his Royal Highness
gave to the proposed Exhibition that great feature of
universality which has ever since formed the chief cha-
racteristic of his plan. His Royal Highness considered
that, whilst it appears an error to fix any limitation to
the productions of machinery, science, and art, which
are of no country, but belong as a whole to the civilized
world, particular advantage to British industry might
bo derived from placing it in fair competition with that
of other nations.' Thus it will be seen that although a
Great National Exhibition had been proposed and aimed
at over and over again, yet it was reserved for the
Prince to give the finishing stroke to the structure
which had been gradually rising, by making the propo-
sition that the Exhibition should comprehend the In-
dustry of All Nations."
From this it will be sufficiently apparent that his Royal
Highness was literally and actually the originator of
the whole undertaking, and that as its originator
he is, beyond all others, entitled to congratulation
in regard to its successful development. The different
meetings held in the metropolis in furtherance of the
design, are scrupulously recorded, and the speeches
delivered upon those occasions accurately reported. Mr.
Paxton's description of the Crystal Palace is given,
moreover, in the very words in which he himself de-
livered it to the Derby Mechanics' Institution. In
like manner, we have a little further on a reprint of
the brilliant article on the same subject printed in the
weekly miscellany of Mr. Dickens. The subjoined
particulars of the building, extracted from another
portion of the " Popular Narrative," cannot fail to be
regarded with considerable interest by those not al-
ready aware of its dimensions :
" A résumé of tine statistics of this marvellous edi-
fice will best convey, at a glance, an idea of its vastness:
—lt consists of a nave 72 feet wide, and 64 feet high,
with a series of aide aisles, two of 48 feet, and six of 24
feet wide, of the respective heights of 43 and 23 feet, the
whole spreading to a width of 456 feet; the total length
is 1,848 feet: a transept, 408 feet long and 72 feet wide,
intersects the building at right angles in the centre; this
transept is covered with a semicircular roof, springing at
a height of 64 feet from the level of the ground, and
making the entire height 110 feet. The total area of the
ground floor is equal to 772,784 square feet, and that of
the galleries to 217,100 square feet. The galleries are
24 feet wide and extend nearly a mile. The table space
for exhibitors will be more than 8 miles in length. The
total cubic contents of the building are 33,000,000 feet.
In addition to the timber for joists, flooring, &c., the
glass and supports of iron comprise the entire structure;
the columns, sash-bars, and panes of glass, are similar
in form throughout. There are 2,244 cast-iron girders
for supporting galleries and roofs, in addition to 1,128
intermediate bearers, 358 wrought-iron trusses for sup.
porting roof, 34 miles of gutters for carrying water to
the columns, 202 miles of sash-bars, and 900,000 super-
ficial feet of glass, weighing 400 tons. The average
weight per superficial foot of the ordinary roofing is only
3i lb. The tender for its construction was accepted on
the 26th of July, 1850; possession of the site was ob•
tained on the 30th of July; the first column was fixed
on the 26th of September; and only 145 working days
after the commencement, but little of the vast building
remained to be finished. To give an idea of the enor-
mous extent of the building, it may be noticed, that the
width of the main avenue is within 10 feet double that cf
St. Paul's Cathedral, whilst its length is more than four
times as great. The walls of St. Paul's are 14 feet
thick, those of the' Crystal Palace'sonly 8 inches. Saint
Paul's occupied 35 yeses in building, whilst the Hyde-
park building will have necupiPti loch than half that ....-
her of weeks; the celerity of the construction has been
most remarkable. As many as 308 girders have been
delivered on the ground in one week. Seven of the great
trusses of the nave were raised in ono day. Each man
fixed about 200 superficial feet of glass per day. In
order to perform these marvels, it was necessary to de-
vise and employ various contrivances for Economising
labour, such as the sash-bar machine, the gutter ma-
chine, the morticing machine, the painting ma-
chine, the glazing machine, besides many others of an
equally ingenious nature. The average number of work-
wpalsoyweedekwlyas about 1,8,
goeos,
Even amongst
in
thewhom
pa
yamb
co
nu
tt
omfse 2,ol,tonheem workmen ingenious machinery was called into re-
quisition, by which it was found possible to make
nearly 2,000 distinct payments within the space of two
hours!"
Among the subordinate details of the enterprise, we
learn that 3,6001. has been paid as purchase money,
jointly by Messrs. Spicer Brothers and Messrs.
Clowes and Sons, for the privilege of printing and
publishing the Official Catalogue, while Messsrs.
Schweppe and Company have on their part paid
5,500/. as purchase money for the purpose of supply-
ing the refreshments. The volume is altogether a
very clever and most complete compilation.

THE CENSUS.-LAST NIGHT.

The Census-office, at Craig's-court, for the last two
or three days has been comparatively quiet, having
issued all its tons of returns and instructions to all parts
of the country. By " taking time by the forelock " the
necessary arrangements for the census of last night were
so complete, as to leave the officials a lull of repose after
their recent very pressing engagements. Some excite-
ment was experienced up to the last hour, owing to the
information which had to be given to those who had not
perfectly understood their instructions, and in conse-
quence of a pleasing fact respecting the educational de-
partment which it is very gratifying to notice.:
It appears that the estimate formed at the Census-
office, of the number of schools in the country, had been
very far below the reality, and in consequence it was
necessary to supply a largo additional number of
the forms to that department. This deficiency of
schedules applied more to England than to
Scotland, for which coontry a largo supply had
been furnished. But the estimate for that country, in
the first instance, was by no means adequate. The num-
ber of forms for day-schools sent to Glasgow in the first
instance was 800; for adult evening schools, 200; and
for Sunday•scheols, 200; but it has been found neces-
sary to increase the number for day-schools to 1,500;
for adult evening-schools to 800; and for Sunday-schools
to 1,000.

During the latter part of last week, after the issue of
the schedules, the most gratifying evidence was given of
the willingness of the public to supply the desired infor-
mation. In some cases they wished the enumerator to
fill up the schedule then and there, and offered to give
him all the information required. A few old people have
shown some lingering recollections of the poll-tax; but
they have been very few who have indicated any un-
willingness to give adequate replies to the queries
proposed. The printer had been besieged by soma
fifty or sixty persons who had mislaid their papers,
and who applied to him under the impression that ho
was the proper authority to supply the defect. The
enumerators and local registrars have reserved stores of
schedules to meet such cases, and also double schedules,
with linos for 55 names, where the household is very
large, besides being able to furnish any further quantity
that may be required. Individuals who may be at a
loss would also find their wants in this respect at once
met, by application to the head office, where, perhaps, it
would be well to report all cases of neglect or omission.
As far as has been ascertained, all parties are willing
to co-operate in producing an accurate and ample census,
whether old or young, married or single, rich or poor,
lay or clerical. An excellent example will be set by one
lady at the west-end of London, at the head of a very
large family, of some 800; who, though married, is the
head of her family, and who, through her Lord Cham-
berlain, will duly answer to all the queries of the sche-
dule, and accurately report her own age and place of
birth, with all requisite particulars as to her husband
and seven children, an example which, it is hoped, will
be readily imitated by her subjects, whose numbers are
now to be ascertained.

MR. COMPTON'S BENEFIT.—That most artistical
of our low comedians, Compton, takes his benefit at the
Olympic Theatre this evening, on which occasion lie appears
as-Dr. Pengloss in the Heir at Law, and as Paul Shack in
Peake's excellent farce Master's Rival. No actor on the
stage has won his laurels more fairly than Mr. Compton, or
is more deserving of his high reputation. We anticipate for
him a bumper.
The Duke of Brunswick and Mr. Charles Greene
contemplate another attempt to cross the Channel in the
Nassau balloon. They will start from Hastings very pro-
bably in the course of the next few days.
The services at St. Barnabas were resumed yes-
terday. and notice given that they should be continued as
heretofore. Tee interior of the church remains untouched,
and the choral service has been retained, though the old choir
is missed. The sermon was preached by the Rev. James
Skinner, late fellow of Durham University, from 1 Cur.
9. The discourse was listened to with great attention by a
crowded congregation.
SECESSIONS FROM Roma.—Two members of the
Church of Rome have recently been received into the Church
of England by the Rev. J. W. Grier. The ceremony was
performed in the presence of the congregation asierubled in
AlubltC9tt gaigch, Stcurbriclie.

COURT CIRCULAR.
Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert,
their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the
Princess Royal, the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Court,
and the domestic household, attended Divine service
yesterday morning in the private chapel at Buckingham
Palace. The Hon. and Rev. Gerald Wellesley officiated.
The Queen and Prince Albert, attended by the
Ccuutess of Desert, Lord Alfred Paget, and Colonel
Bouverie, left town at eleven o'clock on Saturday morn-
ing, and paid a visit to the Countess de Neuilly and the
French Royal Family, at Claremont. Her Majesty and
his Royal Highness returned to Buckingham Palace
shortly before two o'clock.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent arrived in
town on Saturday, attended by Lady Fanny Howard.
from her residence, Frogmore, and visited the Queen at
Buckingham Palace. Her Royal Highness partook of
luncheon with her Majesty and Prince Albert, and in the
afternoon returned to Frogmore.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert presided, on Sa-
turday afternoon, at a meeting of the Royal Commis-
sion for the Promotion of the Exhibition of the Works of
Industry of all Nations. His Royal Highness, attended
by Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey and Colonel Bou-
verie, arrived at the Exhibition building in Hyde-park,
at three o'clock.
The Commissioners present were—Earl Granville,
Lord Stanley, Lord Overstone, Sir Richard Westmacott,
Sir Charles Lyell, Sir Charles L. Eastlake, Mr. Baring,
M.P.; Mr. Bazely, Mr. Cubit:, Mr. T. F. Gibson, Mr.
Jchn Gotr, Mr. Pusey, M.P.•, Mr. Stephenson, M.P.;
Mr. Alderman Thompson, M.P.; and Mr. John Shep-
herd (Chairman of the East India Company.)
Mr. Scott Russell, Secretary to the Commission, at-
tended. Colonel Reid, Chairman of the Executive Com-
mittee; Colonel Lloyd, Special Commissioner; and Dr,
Lyon Playfair, Special Commissioner, were in attend-
ance. The meeting broke up at half-past four o'clock.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert afterwards in-
spected the building.
The Royal Family took their usual exercise on Satur-
day in the garden of Buckingham Palace.
Tho Duchess of Sutherland and Lady Constance
Leveson Gower, the Marquis of Westminster, the Earl
of Liverpool, Lord and Lady John Russell, and Colonel
the Hon. C. B. Phipps, had the honour of dining with
the Queen on Saturday.
The band of the 2d Life Guards was in attendance, in
Buckingham Palace, during dinner, and performed the
following selection:—
Overture, " Jubilee" Weber.
Fest, Polonaise
Selection from " Robert le Diable"
Waltz " Henrietta" (Ist time) T. Browne.
Pas Rede, " The Fox and the Crow"
Quadrille " Masaniello"
The " Victory" Galop Tinney.
God save the Queen.
The Queens private Band afterwards attended, and
played the following pieces:—
Overture "libella"
Air " Le Dieu et la Bayadere"
March " The Sleeper Awakened"
Duetto " Don Pasquale" Donizetti.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert honoured Mr. Wil-
liam Theed with a visit at the studio in Henrietta-street,
on Thursday last.
A Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign-office,
Downing-street, on Saturday afternoon, which was at-
tended by Lord John Russell, the Lord Chancellor, Sir
George Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Francis Baring, the
Earl of Minto, Lord Broughton, the Righ Hon. Henry,
Lebow:there, and the Marquis of Clanricarde. The Coun-
cil sat two hours and a half.
Mr. Alexander Hastie, M.P., had an interview with
Sir George Grey, on Saturday, at the Home-office.
The Agricultural Implements Committee of the Royal
Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 had a meeting on
Saturday, at half-past twelve, in the Exhibition Build-
ing in Hyde-park. There were present Mr. Pusey,
M.P. (Chairman), Hon. Dudley Pelham, Colonel Chal-
loner, Mr. J. V. Shelley, Mr. H. S. Thompson, and Mr.
Brandreth Gibbs. Colonel Reid (Chairman), and Mr.
Dilke, of the Executive Committee; and Dr. Lyon Play-
fair (Special Commissioner), attended.
Mr. Blanchard had an interview with Earl Grey on
Saturday, at the Colonial-office.
The Duke of Wellington attended the early service
yesterday in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The prayers
were read by the Rev. Dr. Wesley, and the sermon
was preached by the Rev. Mr. Jackson. At the daily,
service the sermon was preached by the Bishop of Here-
ford. Tho prayers were read by the Rev. Mr. Helmore;
the lessons by the Rev. Mr. Haden, and the Communion
Service by the Rev. Dr. Wesley.

TO THE SECRETARY OF THE BRADFORD
REFORM ASSOCIATION.
(EVERY BIONDAY AND WEDNESDAY.)
Sir,—The House on rising on Tuesday was ad-
journed till Thursday; partly on account of the late
sitting, and partly, probably, on account of the Queen's
levee.

On Thursday the 27th, motion was made for a
Committee to consider a Resolution, that it is expe-
dient to put in force the power given by the late Act
altering the Navigation Laws, whereby additional or
differential duties should be levied in British ports on
goods exported or imported in Spanish ships, sufficient
to countervail duties of the same kind levied on British
ships in the ports of Spain. The principal movers
were connected with the Northern fisheries ; and the
Free Traders replied to them effaetieely, that the
proposal went to enact, that whereas now Shetland
salt-fish was hindered from going to Spain in the
cheaper British vessel, means should be taken to make
the Spanish one also dearer than at present. The
Shetlanders appeared unable to answer this, and so
the votes went against them by 98 to 53; the strong
and substantial argument against them being, that it
was impolitic to allow the Protectionists to take a
step under the shelter of salt-fish, towards anything
like the renewal of the ancient state of things.
An effort was made on the same day to renew the
attack on the Member for bleat Surrey for his out-
spokenness on the subject of monastic institutions.
But the Speaker was stanch, and it fell to the ground
without effect.
A division took place on the salary of the Vice-
Chancellor, in which the Vice-Chancellor won. It
is not good lawyers that run away with the public
millions, but dilettanti gentlemen who build large
baby-houses of stone, which after all have not room
for the Members of the House of Commons, and
generals who please themselves with sending their
brass-headed sticks to native chieftains, as Gessler
set his hat upon a pole, and then we condemned souls
have nothing to do but pay.
On Friday a petition was considered on a question
relating to an Election, where it appeared that a cer-
tain act had taken place at an interval of fourteen
days, but not of fourteen clear days. Whereupon,
since it was not stated that the Act of Parliament said
fourteen clear days, it seems to have been properly
determined that fourteen days would suffice. At all
events the House so thought, as evinced by a majo-
rity of 204 to 79.
On proceeding to the Committee of Supply, a ques-
tion was moved on the maintenance of the Military
Hospital at Kilmainham. A listener to the Irish
orators who opened the subject, must have been
shocked with the idea that the Government con-
templated ignoring the services of all the Irish in the
army, and confiscating the revenues appropriated for
their aid. But on submitting to the rule of Audi al-
teram partem, he would piecemeal have discovered,
that the whole amounted to the facts, that Chelsea
Hospital i 3 large enough for all, that the soldiers,
English and Irish, have no great affection for being
made shows of in hospitals, and in general vastly pre-
fer ending their days among their kindred and fziends,
and that there are expenses attendant on the mainte-
nance of many hospitals for few men, which are worth
the saving, In opposition there appeared nothing but
the spirit of nationality which demands an Irish hos-
pital for Irish soldiers ; a demand which is somewhat
ludicrously taken down by the fact, that Irish soldiers
are not sent to the Irish hospital, but soldiers dis-
charged in Ireland, so that the Irishmen may be
looked for in Chelsea, and the English in Kilmain-
ham. The opposition was finally overcome, by a ma-
jority of 137 to 105.
On going into the questioa of Land Forces, the
usual kind of motion was made for reducing the num •
ber by five thousand men. If something of this kind
was not expected, the original vote might have been
found increased by the five thousand. The customary,
motion therefore acts as a useful ballast. In the pre-
sent instance the ballast was maintained by a demon-
stration of 47 against 186.
On Saturday the House met for a few minutes
to receive the Report of the Resolution on the above.
I remain, Sir, yours very sincerely,
AN OLD REFORMER.
London, 31st March, 1851.

Mss. TROLLOPE'S NEW NOVEL.—The excitement
recently created in the religious world by the proceedings of
a certain clergyman and a certain bishop, appears to have
attracted the attention of one of our ablest novelists, for
Mrs. Trollope, in her new work just published under the title
of " Second Love ; or, Beauty and Intellect," has introduced
in a very entertaining story several clerical characters, ra-
minding the reader strongly of the best passages in her popu-
lar " Vicar of Wrexhill ;" and among them is a bishop of
the Established Church and a clergyman belonging to his
diocese, whose proceedings afford a very lively view of
Church principles and Church patronage at the present crisis.
All the proceedings in the Court of Chancery, in
the case of Miss Talbot, on Friday and Saturday, were given
in yesterday morning's Observer, to the extent of six folio
columns, with editorial remarks. The Observer of March 23,
which gave three folio columns of Miss Talbot's case, has
been reprinted, and copies can yet be had at 170, Strand,
On Sunday next, April 6, a gratuitous supplement to the
Observer. Price of the Observer and supplement, 6d.

The trustees of the Cholmondeley charities,
through their treasurer, have presented a donation of 25/, to
the Royal Dispensary for Diseases of the Ear, Dean-street,
Soho-square.
All ruins are delightful. Antiquity is a mighty
sorceress, that flings a beauty and an interest around what-
ever she touches, hallowing even the most common-Pia" ob-
jects to the contemplative eye.—Eliza Cook's Journal.
ELOQUENCE OF THE HAMMEL—An auctioneer in
South Durham announced for sale last week, an eel-spear,
which he grandiloquently
trident with which Neptune persuades his dolphin coursers
described as "a match for the
in their gambol speed through the labyrinths of his ocean!"
He also had a miscellaneous lot of " books, boards, bottles,
posts, props, pump-handles, and a pretty paradigm of pots,
pans, and pantry pipkins!".—A pretty paradigm!---Gates-
head (lbservcrt