The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-06 00:00:00

THE

SUN,

LONDON,

TUESDAY

1851.

THE GREAT EXHIBITION.
Yesterday the price of admission to the Crystal Palace fell
from 1/. to 55., and in consequence the receipts at the doors
rose from 5001. to about 1,5001. or 1,600/. The sale of reason
tickets also, to use the language of the Stock-Exchange,
" continues active," and the total receipts of the Commission
during the day considerably exceeded 2,000/. The financial
success of the Exhibition, therefore, promises to be as great
as its warmest supporters could desire, and hopes begin to be
entertained that not only will the whole undertaking pay,
but that, after the discharge of every liability, the Crystal
Palace may remain over an acceptable present to the country
for whatever useful public purposes its peculiar construction
qualifies it to fulfil. This is more than could have been anti-
cipated, but the immense sensation which the opening has
created, and the unqualified admiration which the whole dis-
play has elicited, the extent to which season tickets have al-
ready been purchased, and the large and increasing receipts
at the doors, all seem to justify the sanguine expectations
now formed with reference to the pecuniary results of the en-
terprise.
The appearance of the building yesterday was strikingly
indicative of the reduction that had taken place in the price
of admission, the number present being fully three times as
many as on either Friday or Saturday. Notwithstanding
the many thousands who promenaded through the avenues
yesterday, we did not during our visit observe any obstruc-
tion in the narrowest passages. The mass of visitors were
scattered over the building in those departments which
saited their several tastes, and this distribution left the circu-
lation everywhere free, the immense extent of the accommo-
dation which the glass house affords being in this way ren-
dered obvious in a very satisfactory manner. During the
early part of the day his Royal Highness Prince Albert, with
a single attendant, visited the Exhibition, and appeared to
be much interested in noting the progress made in com-
pleting the decorations. He passed through the naves and
entered several of the compartments, and afterwards visited
the galleries. A very amusing mistake occurred on the open-
ing day which we have not yet seen noticed. Two persons whose
appearance indicated that they were not exactly of the class
of three-guinea ticket-holders, were observed in the middle
of the crowd in the transept carefully scrutinising every one
about them; their conduct had Co much that was suspicious"
about it that an active detective of the Birmingham police
who was present; and Who had been watching them for nearly
an hour, seeing that they took apparently . little interest in
the magnificent spectacle that was paesing in their imme-'
diate neighbourhood, and that they looked harder than, in
his opinion, honest men ought, at the watches and other
trinkets so profusely displayed, advanced and took' them
into custody. The strangers turned out to be Frenchmen;
but their explanations, whatever they were; being 'perfectly
unintelligible to the Birmingham officer, he cenducted them
into one of the private offices of the building and -Searched
them. It was satisfactorily ascertained by documents tonifid.
on them that-they were French police•officers, and a series of
mutual explanations, if they may be so termed where
neither understood the other, ensued—the strangers were
readily satisfied, and the Birmingham detective got a prac-
tical lesson in the old Scotch proverb, that "Hawks munna
pick out hawks' een."
We proceed to glance at the vast and heterogeneous con -
tributions of the states of the Zollverein. Mach taste is
visible in the arrangement of the ordinary articles of every-
day use; and without over-crowding, the whole of the compart-
ments may be said to be well filled. The specimens of stained
glass for windows, and coloured glass vases, cups, goblets,
urns and other decorative ornaments in which this manufac-
ture is so extensively employed, and with such unrivalled
effect in Germany, are numerous and highly typical of good
taste and judicious manipulation. The ores, smelts, and
pigments used in these and other manufactures, form an in-
teresting addition to this portion of the display. Although
German mirrors have not, generally speaking, so high a re-
pute as the " true British " plate, there are some ' large
and well-silvered specimens, the surface perfectly true; and
in connexion with these is a large And elegantly-carved look-
ing-glass frame, adorned with birds, cupids, flowers; rod
other ornaments. A wine-cooler, in terracotta, contributed
by M. Schler, of Berlin, is an example of the amount of good
taste and intellectual study that may be e
it xpended upon a
somewhat ordinary material, so as to give a deservedly
high value as a work of art ; the composition, drawing, and
general arrangement is in the very best taste. Even the
every-day meerschaum, the first necessity of German life,
although net supposed to be susceptible of much embellish-
ment, is one of the favourite studies of the young artists, and
much ingenuity is frequently exhibited in their carving
and decoration. The collection is rich and varied in style
and material, varying from the most ordinary to the most
artistic. A silver-mounted one, by Held, of Nuremburgh,
representing the combat between St. George and the
Dragon, is a beautiful specimen of ornamentation. In
carton plan there are a number of brackets, medallions,
frames, and mouldings, very elaborately finished.
Ties specimens of porcelain from the Royal manufactory at
Meissen have for a long period borne a high character for
their beauty and the fanciful nature of the decorations and
embellishments. Some of the vases are relieved by floral
and bouquet groups and festoons. Two of them exhibited,
which stand nearly five feet high, are exceedingly grace-
ful in form, and decorated in a fine and chaste style
of art. Some imitations of the antique Grecian, de-
corated with enamelled paintings, and filled with porce-
lain flowers, are of great elegance and beauty, and
maintain the high character of the Dresden china.
Berlin iron castings have long been celebrated all over
the world. The illustrations commence with the rough
iron ore. The carbonate and hydrated oxide., are con-
tinued to the production of specular steel iron. Then we
have cutlery in infinite variety, and in many quaint and
novel designs; and thence we proceed to the production in
metal of works of the very highest order of art. Metal-
liferous ores and earthy minerals in the raw and manufac-
tured state are also shown. Some cast-iron bracelets, by
Devarrannes, of Berlin, are highly meritorious; and there is
a large collection of necklaces, brooches, bracelets, pins,
from the same manufactory, which are perfect as works of
art. It is singular that some of the finest of the specimens
are made from English iron, and the delicacy of finish ob-
tained in the casting, the article never being afterwards
touched
whichby
thea tool,
molten is owingm e
ta
lto i
sthe
poured.peculiar
Annaitruorne
pillar
filltaier
fromc 1 clay
i
the Royal foundry of Berlin, surmounted by an Amazon
group, from a design of Professor Fischer, will challenge
general admiration. The base is a claw tripod, from which
rises a shaft, encircled by a triad of graceful figure, terminat-
ing with a highly-ornamented capital. The dark tone of
the metal is delicately relieved by an inlaid thread of silver.
A companion metal table is equally graceful. The table we
refer to has a series of figures in bas-relief, forming a sort
of entablature below its surface, supported by four winged
demi-figures springing from the shaft, moulded and orna-
mented with considerable elegance. Some of the muskets,
fowling-pieces, pistols, daggers, &c., are also elegantly
and appropriately decorated with metal work. The
bronzes are a large and interesting class, and many of
them are examples of elegant forms and superior finish.
Some of the larger ones are deserving of a lengthened
notice, and we may instance the group of Victory standing
on a rock and throwing a wreath to the victor, and another
of Victory recording the triumphs in the book of history of
the victors she has crowned, as fine examples of mixed
metal eastings. Among the miscellaneous contributions we
may instance booe and bookbinding machinery, leather
manufactured into ladies' baskets, writing cases, and a nu-
merous collection of articles of this class. They are much
more elegant looking than the leather and gutta-percha
castings of which some specimens may be seen occasionally
with our manufacturers. Musical instruments, delicately-
caived ivory toys and chessmen, card and fancy note paper,
with some elegantly-arranged samples of German metal
button manufacture, are among the number. Those inte-
rested in this manufacture will do well to contrast them with
the extensive and varied display from Birmingham in the
west nave. The German buttons are made of much thinner
metal, and, from the low wages paid to the workmen, can
be sold at a much more moderate price ; but they are by no
means equal in point of finish to some of our home manu-
factures, the dies of which have all the accuracy of relief of
medallions.
h
Imperial the
Ther
and objects
e isaselection
Government
which are among the moat interesting and curionccon
of
printingestablishments
a tfro
Vienna,
contri-
butions to the Exhibition, and are well worth a visit.
h h'
Six
hung beside them, and also of the cheapness wit w ich
o fchromolithographsth e copies
m aarede exhibited
tia sngser ctihmeeonrsi ofg int.
ahles
being c u
they can be produced. The original paintings are valued at
25/. each, and the copies can be produced at Is. each.
Chemitypy, an application of science discovered by a native
of Copenhagen named Piil, and brought to perfection by him
in the Imperial establishment, is also illustrated. By this
invention the copper-plate style of engraving may now be
obtained from raised surfaces, like woodcuts, instead of, as
formerly, from engraved plates. The impressions thus pro-
duced are printed at a printing-press, which accelerates the
production 50 times, and cheapens it in the same measure.
The process is as follows :—A zinc plate is taken and co-
vered with etching-ground: the plate is then etched, and
the surface covered with an easily fusible (negative) metal.
The plate is then scraped so as to leave the metal in the
hollow parts produced by the etching. The surface of the
plate is then again etched, to remove part of the zinc plate
for the elevation of the design. The plate is now, like a
wood-cut, fit for printing. If the plate thus produced be
multiplied by the galvanic process, millions of copies may
be printed.
A pedigree of the alphabets of the whole globe commences
the series of typographical curiosities. On the one ban:
from the Chinese Characters, to which are added the Korea
and Japanese characters, and on the other hand fropyrehd
African hieroglyphic signs, which are immediately f 110
ebiygntsh eofPh
writing.oe n ici an
Allcha characters, rier
rest
hoifchuliesprael spebnatth lrst:k
origin from these, and then branch out into
mifications, which are traced up to the chara
throughout the world at the present day.
field of foreign
The most remarkable production in ion of the, Lord's
languages is presented by Auer's 0
c lec6oB languages and
Prayer, printed with Roman type
I:dually contains 206
dialects, the second section of which
characters developes a
languages and dialects. numbs
cterkr Ise sus° theirrtelci
hininteesreest. The 80,000 signs of
the same manner as music is
newthat T h
formed with move e teype; according to the typometrical
ilenanvegneonmtaigeboinnaaortfei combination
erinio fhitalxibeiesaCt
air
40diorector of the establishment. This
points and strokes ; and although
ne
vs
etnatki
oe
nn
oi
fn
importanceto printingaccount,
w stillth the
hv irbe
resent
teendt
systemstyh setet
typesntrouble
advantage
uocbf°l
le:sotios: fr
Gutenberg'sAaouniPen e"' nsgt l manifestly of the greatest when we
move-
able the immense number of Chinese characters.
consider
We understand that 3,000 cwt., or 150,000,000 of letters,
have been cast in the foundry of this establishment in a
single day. Among the curiosities of typography exhibited
are specimens of different languages, printed on folio sheets.
These commence with the German language of
day ; then follow the letters used for printing during the
middle ages, the forms of which arerepresented by moveable
types to the sixth century. The series progresses until we
meet with the Gutenberg types, the gradual development of
the character of the letters used at the present day being
distinctly :hewn. A folio page of the Gutenberg Bible in a
frame has been imitated with types which bear a most de-
ceptive resemblance to the original, so that the original can
scarcely be distinguished from the copy.
From the oldest specimen of printing of the Gutenberg
Bible we arrive at the department of woodcut-printing,
otherwise called Xylography. The most ancient woodcuts
occupy the first place, and lead us to the different coats of
arms, to Albrecht Dilrer's triumphal gate, the cuts of which
have been collected, with the exception of a very few', by the
sent of the es-

ultimate decision of the matter will of course rest with th •
Royal Commission. Other subjects begin to engross atten-
tion. In the midst of public curiosity the duties and the
claims of hospitality are not forgotten. A grand entertain-
ment is talked of to be given by the local committee• of
this country to the commissioners of foreign Powers; and a
banquet on a still greater scale is contemplated, at which
native exhibitors shall act as hosts, and contributors front
abroad as guests.

13ATT Y'S HIPPKODOME.
The inauguration of the marvellous Crystal "Casket, in
which the contributions of the various nations of the earth
are arranged for the inspection and admiration of myriads of
all sorts and conditions of men, has not been unaccompanied
by the production of novelties and contributions to the
public entertainment such as have hitherto been unexampled
in the metropolis. Amongst such attractive developments
of artistic skill the unique and gigantic structure at Ken-
sington. opened on the memorable Ist of May, under the aus-
pices of Mr. Batty, is eminently entitled to popular notice.
An unroofed oval area, measuring 500 feet by 400, is sur-
rounded by an amphitheatre rising in seven rows of seats,
and capable of affording accommodation to 14,008 spectators,
all of whom have equal facilities for an unobstructed
vied of the performances, although divided into
four classes at as many different prices of admission.
The nature and diversity of the amusements presented to the
frequenters of this hippo-dramatic nonpareil may be gathered
from the following outline of the feats which, in company
with a few thousand sight-seers, we have had the pleasure
of witnessing. First of all, the crimson hangings at the
southern extremity being drawn asi e, there issued forth
a royal procession—heralds glittering in embroidered ta-
bards, knights armed cap-a-pie for the tournament, and
gorgeously dressed dames on champing palfreys, preceding
a car in which his Majesty King Henry the Eighth of
uxorious memory, and his briefly-beloved consort, Anne
Boleyn, were seated in grave majesty. Behind them, on
Jerusalem ponies, rode a pair of jesters ; and thrice tra-
versing the periphery of the arena in solemn splendour,
the pageant vanished whence it came. Next our nervous
admiration was commanded by a slack-rope acrobat,
who performed fearful pranks at a dizzy elevation,
and, on the safe dessent of the ecenobates, a race ensued be-
tween two charioteers in classic garb, the one in scarlet robs
being the Automedon of four bay coursers yoked abreast,
and after an exciting neck and neck contest, bearing the
palm from his competitor, who" in verdure clad" smote the
flanks of a similar team of greys. Then came a race right
gallantly run between three modern jockeys at a slapping
pace, and next, wondrous to behold, a contest between two
ostriches, mounted by Arab youths, producing an effect as
singular as novel. Four equestrians, each bestriding a pair
of coursers, then displayed their prowess, and were succeeded
by a beautiful horsewoman, who-e well-trained chesnut dis-
played an ear for music fully equal to that of the
ebon mare who was wont to caracole beneath
the hand of Pablo Fanqui. After a struggle between
four Spanish muleteers, each borne by as many
quadrupeds, a chariot and pair race, beautifully contested by
three Roman ladies—an equestrian display by sundry apes,
who cling like grim death to their ponies' backs —and a
hurdle race excellently done by six impersonations of Di.
Vernon, in scarlet habits, the wonder of the ring
appeared, the master of the globe ronlante. For
wards and backwards, up and clown the sloping
planks, with happier fate than the ever-toiling Sisy-
phus in Hades, he pedally rolled the magically-progressing
ball, which seemed in bulk and material to be such a one as,
in days gone by, was shot from a mighty culverin by the
jealous guardians of the Dardanelles at Duckworth, when his
noble fleet paid an unwelcome visit to their sacred waters.
This exploit alone is well worth the payment of the entrance
fee, and the second meed of approbation we assign to the
vivid struggle between the female charioteers. The sports
concluded with a " Corso" race, in which ten riderless steeds,
discriminated by `scarfs of several colours, contendel
the mastery with evident self-enjoyment. The entertain-
ments were enlivened by the strains of two efficient brass
bands, stationed in galleries at each extremity of the major
axis of the ellipse. "there is not, we can fairly say, a single
place of amusement in the capital really better worth a visit
than the Grand National Hippodrome. It is calculated to
afford a large amount of pleasure even to adult Londoners,
whilst juveniles and provincials will be fairly enchanted by
its multifarious novelties, which are produced, as Mr. Batty
with perfect truth asserts in his programme," on a scale of
extent and grandeur hitherto unexampled in England."
Paxton's Palace of Glass, Batty's Hippodrome, and Alexis
Soyer's Symposium, are the three grand metropolitan lions
of 1651.

CRICKET.
ELEVEN OF ENGLAND v. FIFTEEN GEN-
TLEMEN AND PLAYERS.
This grand match commenced at.. Lord's yesterday.
The following is the result of the day's play:—

First Inn.
IW. Martingell, hit w, b

Nixon ..:.
W. Caffyn, b Nixon 0
A. Mynn, Esq., run out 1
W. Hiflyer, not out 0
D. Day, b Grundy I

Total 3O

LTTILEN.

First Inn.

S. Dakin, b Wisden 3
J. Pollitt, not out ... ...... 3
Nixon, not out .. 4
C. Gordon, Esq.
J. Grundy
T. Warner

bl, n-b 1

Total .