The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-29 00:00:00

THE NAVAL MUSEUM AT TEE CRYSTAL

PA LACE.

Among the vast and increasing assemblage of
beautiful and instructive objects to be seen in the
Crystal Palace, the collection of ship models now
forming as a Naval Museum is not the leait, inte-
resting. The design and object of this exhibition
may be best explained by the following extract
from a circular which was issued by the directors
when its formation was first contemplated :
The directors of the Crystal Palace Company having
received for exhibition a considerahle number of models
•f ships, boats, &c., with promises of more, have resolved
to adopt measures for the formation of a Museum of
Naval Architecture, in a proper situation in the Palace.
They are anxious that a science wi:11 which the power
and greatness of this country is so intimately associated
should be represented on a scale and plan worthy of its
importance, and of the national character of the institu
tion under their direction. They therefore propose, by
a series of models, to exhibit the progress of the construc-
tion of sailing vessels from an early date, showing in
contrast the old models of such vessels, and the progres-
sive improvement which has taken place at various pe-
riods, until we arrive at the beautiful clipper ships of the
navigation they propose, in like
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sent day ; in which we can point to the gigantic struc-
tures and improved arrangements of the magnificent
steam ships of our great steam navigation companies. In
ships of war they trust also to be able to exhibit models
to illustrate the progress of that branch of -naval archi-
tecture. The various description of boats used both on
the coasts of the United Kingdom and foreign countries,
exhibiting an immense variety of form and rig, will also
have a place in the museum, as well as models of foreign
ships and craft having claim to any peculiarity of form
or superior qualities for navigation. The directors sub-
mit that there is no place in the kingdom where such an
exhibition can be made with equal advantage for exciting
the public interest, or affording instruction, as in the
Crystal Palace, where it will be brought under the
notice of millions of visitors. To enable them to carry
into effect this object they respectfully and earnestly
solicit contributions of such models and drawings as may
he appropriate to it, either on loan for exhibition, or
presentment to the museum, from the numerous indivi-
duals and associations connected with the various
branches of our vast maritime enterprise ; such as ship-
builders, shipowners,. directors of steam navigation com-
panies, marine engineers, yacht-clubs and proprietors,
boat-builders, &c. With such assistance as they hope
to receive from this source, the directors of the Crystal
Palace Company look forward to the formation in the
palace of such a comprehensive illustration of the pro-
gress of naval architecture as no other place in the world
can show. _ _

Considering that a very few months have elapsed
since this project was set on foot the collection has
attained such a magnitude as to leave little doubt
of the whole object proposed by the directors being
in a short time fully realised. A brief description
may be useful to the visitor to the palace who
may be desirous to inspect this exhibition. Let
him proceed by the north nave to the tropical de-
partment, on entering which and looking up to
the galleries on his right he will see in front of the
upper gallery a radiated gilt semicircle supporting
about a score of flagstaffs projecting in a radiated
form over the gallery, suspended from which are
the national flags of the principal countries of the
world. Ascending the staircase to the first gallery
he will arrive at the lower section of the Naval
Museum. The first object which will attract his
notice will be a mahogany ornamental frame sup-
porting a number of large glass tubes, and in each
tube the model, beautifully executed, of a mer-
chant ship. These models are twenty-four in num-
ber, and of various sizes. They exhibit the process
of ship building, from the first frame work to the
completion of a vessel, as also the launching. This
is called the Sunderland Trophy. It represents the
two principal industrial occupations of Sunderland,
ship building and glass making, and is the same
exhibition which attracted so much attention in the
Universal Exposition of Paris.
The next object which will present itself to him
is the model, on a quarter of an inch to a foot scale,
of the monster ship constructing at Millwall, and
known as the Great Eastern. Turning towards the
right, two large stages placed lengthways along the
gallery support a number of models of steam ships,
come fully equipped and rigged, and nearly all of
them on a quarter inch to a foot scale. These mo-
dels are designed to represent the progress of steam
navigation from its earliest commencement to the
present time, and the visitor will not fail to remark
the contrast in size, form, and mode of population
between the earlier constructed steamers and those
of a later date, with the progressive improvements
—the latest beautifully illustrated by the models o
the Simla and Himalaya—that of the latter cele-
brated vessel being pronounced by competent
judges the finest specimen of naval modelling which
they have ever beheld. In this part of the gallery
will be found several other models, belonging to no
particular classification, such as the Lord Mayor
of London's State Barge, a Roman War Galley, a
model of a 64-gun ship of the old school, fully
rigged, constructed by the late Admiral Sir Joseph
Yorke, and lent for exhibition by the Earl of Hard-
wicke, a model of the Kent Indiaman in frame,
&c. ; and, among the marine inventions, a model
showing Cunningham's patent apparatus for reefing
and furling sails without sending men aloft.
The visitor, however, who wishes to make him-
self acquainted with the more scientific department
of naval architecture, should ascend to the second
gallery, where he will find a numerous and classi-
fied collection of models of sailing ships, illustrat-
ing the progress of the science in the construction
and form of merchant ships for the last 50 years,
commencing with the old north country collier and
West India " sugar box," the East Indiaman of
the Company's regime, and other specimens, down
to the present smart and symmetrical clipper ships.
Among the latter may be noticed the ingenious
sectional model of the James Baines, interesting to
visitors contemplating a voyage to Australia, as
the whole of the passenger cabins and interior ar-
rangements, to the most minute particular, of a
first-rate clipper passenger ship are shown. The
half models showing the lines upon which the steam
ships of most of our large steam navigation com-
panies have been constructed, will be found very
interesting to amateurs of the science of naval ar-
chitecture. There are also models of some of the
best yachts contributed by Mr. Fincham, late of
Portsmouth Yard ; head and stern section models
of some of our " crack" ships of war, lent by the
Earl of Yarborough, and to enable the visitor to
estimate the progress made in naval architecture
from an early period, he will find here the models of
the Great Harry, a first-rate man of war of the
reign of Henry VII., of the Royal Anne, a three-
decker of Queen Anne's reign, the old Royal George,
cltc. Life and fishing boat models also figure in this
gallery, and the latter it is stated are to be increased
to show every description of boats used on the
coasts in the United Kingdom.
_

The models already in the Museum number
nearly 300, and form a tolerably comprehensive
illustration of the progress made in the construc-
tion of merchant vessels, both sailing and steam.
But the visitor will no doubt feel some surprise to
find a blank as regards the royal navy, with the
exception of the few sectional models, the property
of Lord Yarborough, above alluded to. The Ad-
miralty, it appears, were applied to by the directors
of the Crystal Palace to aid in this really national
object, but although their lordships have a back
room full of models, which none but a very few
privileged individuals can see, they declined to let
any of them be seen in the Crystal Palace. Now,
John Bull has always been proud of his navy ; he
looks upon it still as his best arm of defence ; it
has cost him an enormous sum of money ; the
blunders of its administration in the construction
and equipment of its ships, but a few years ago,
were so great as to be a subject of loud complaint
and even of ridicule. More recently this branch
of our naval ad ministration is well known to have
been greatly improved ; and surely it would be
expedient to afford the public the means of seeing
whether the improvement in the war navy has
been keeping pace with that which has been effected
by private enterprise in the mercantile marine.

Telegraphic advices from St. Petersburg state that the
railway concessions have been granted to a French com-
pany for 80 years, and that their extent is about 2,500
miles. The terms fixed by the Government are about
15,5001. per mile, under a guarantee of 4,3 per cent.,
with an additional half per cent. for a sinking fund. It
is not mentioned if the French company is the Credit
Mobilier, or a company formed by Messrs. Rothschild
and other capitalists. As to the sufficiency of the terms
nothing can be said until the surveys show if the lines
can be constructed at a considerably less cost than the
15,5001. per mile stated to bo payable. Should such not
be the case the stock will of course fail to float, Russian
Four-and-a-Half per Cents. being now only at 96 or 97.
Considerable importance will also attach tri the question
regarding the period of time over which the works are
to extend, since the total sum required—nearly
40,000,000/. sterling—will establish a drain sufficient not
only to weigh down all descriptions of Russian sec ri-.
ties in our markets, but, in some deliret4 every other
kind of enterprise.