The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-12 00:00:00

THE GREAT EXHIBITION.

Yesterday morrieg her Majesty and Prince Albert
resumed their inspection of the Crystal Palace and
their reception of the exhibitors. They were attended
in their survey by Mr. alike, Colonel Reid, Mr. Pcx,
and the other leading men connected with the Eebi-
bition, and proceeded first to view the Russian colloc-
Uwe, which was explained to them by M. Karninehy,
the Commissioner from that country. The Royal
party admired exceedingly the very attractive and
beautiful objects with which this compai talent is fur-
nished, end the malachite ornaments, the display of
plate sand of jewellery, each in turn elicited from them
the highest expressions of praise. They then directed
their steps to the section of machinery in mction, and
proceeded with the inspection cf a vast number of
remarkable objects which they had not seen during
their last visit. Here they were again attended by
Mr. Cabitt and Mr. Hensman, who, with the exhibi-
tors themselves, explained to them the leading features
of the different machines. Commencing with the tools
exhibited by Whitworth, of Manchester, they spent
some time in examining that really wonderful collec-
tion. They then passed in review the meritorious con-
tributions of Sharpe, the wire-drawing process of John-
son, Hicks's illustrations of the power obtainable by the
hydraulic press-punch, the method of proving cast-
iron beams exhibited by Cottam and Hallam, Ryder s
remarkable machine for forging spindles, Holzapffel's
ingenious specimens of turning in the lathe, Mends-
lay's new coining press, by which during their stay
some medals were struck, the fine models of marine
engines by the same maker, and the rope-making
machine exhibited by Crawhall, of Newcastle, dis-
pensing with the long gallery hitherto required in
that manufacture. The Royal party also paid marked
attention to .Lawson's extensive display of flax ma-
chinery, and to the beautiful specimens of linen which
he produced al examples of its efficiency. The hemp
machinery of Plumber was much noticed ; and the
canvas loom, with its products, exhibited by Mr. B.
Brow,ne. Pestling by the lace and silk machinery in
the meantime her Majesty and the Prince proceeded
to inspect the printing presses; and here, of course,
their chief attention was directed to Applegarth's in-
vention, which is exhibited by Mr. Ingram, of the
Illustrated London News. They also greatly admired
M'Clure's lithographic press, and the contributions of
Napier, Waterlow, and others. It was half-past
eleven o'clock before they took their departure from
the building, and, as on previous occasions, they were
most affable and condescending to the numerous body
of exhibitors with whom they conversed.
The weather was moderately fine yesterday, and
after the disappointments of the two previous days it
was anticipated that there would be an unusually
large influx of people, but, strange to say, the police
returns and the receipts at the doors both show a con-
siderable decrease as compared with Tuesday, the
money taken being only 2,1601. 195., and the number
of visitors 47,754. It is a singular fact that the only
public attraction which seems to have any power in
diminishing the tide of curiosity which has set in
towards Hyde-park is that of a flower show. Epsom
and Ascot exercised no perceptible influence in this
respect, but the Chiswick fate on Saturday did, and
again yesterday the display at the Botanical Gardens
was strongly felt. Had it not been for this, the more
genial weather, coupled with the leisure of holiday
times, would no doubt have drawn increased, instead
of diminished numbers of visitors to the Exhibition.
Undoubtedly, of late the popular element has been
becoming more and more conspicuous among the
throng of spectators, and there is no longer any diffi-
culty in finding among the vast concourse humble
dresses and faces brown with exposure to the eon, and
hands hardened by toil. 'The preseace of mothers with
their infants, too, and luncheons emerging from
homely-looking hasketaguring the intervals of rest—
these and a hundredaather signs indicate that the Is.
admission does not operate as a harrier to the curiosity
of the industrial classes ; yet from some unexplained
cause the masses have not yet presented themselves at
the doors of the Crystal Palace, and the majority of
those who go there still belong to the upper and
middle ranks of life. It is almost incredible that the
Whitsun holidays should have closed without the
slightest detraction from the respectability of the
Exhibition as a place of public resort, and that the
actual number of visitors during a period when
labour is released from its toil should show a positive
decrease. Such, however, are the facts, and every-
body will explain them in his own way. Some
will think that the display in Hyde-park is not
popular. But an average of 50,000 spectators
daily is altogether inconsistent with such an ides.
In the minds of others it will be considered
that the limit of the sight-seeing powers of
the metropolis has been attained, and that
greater crowds do not travel westward daily
only because more cannot be spared from the
diurnal cares and toils of a busy population. Here
again, however, facts rise up to discredit such a
theory. On Thursday last, there being no holiday,
55,000 people visited the Exhibition, and yesterday
week there were 55,250, both larger numbers than the
returns of the last three days, when so many of the
working classes were disengaged, when excursion
trains are coming in from all parts of the country,
and when, according to immemorial custom, an irre-
sistible tendency is felt by the million to spend in
pleasure and enjoyment a portion at least of their
hard earnings. A vast accession of visitors was ex-
pected, and their non-appearance would by many
have been attributed to the weather merely had it not
been for the experience of yesterday. What, then,
is the explanation of this anomaly? We believe that
a number of causes have been in operation, and among
them the weather, of course ; but the self-denying
patience of the people, their habitual tendency to
postpone pleasure to business, and their little inclina-
tion to rush madly forward in quest of what can be
seen as well or better a week or a month hence—
these seem to us the most natural and the truest solu-
tions of a result which surprises even the police.