The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-05 00:00:00

ART TR &ASU.R EXHIBITION.

MANCHESTER, MAY 4.
The arrangements for the great !event of to-
morrow have advancei so rapidly during the past
fortnight its to leave not the least shade of alarm
on the minds of those connected with them lest all
should not be concluded and in order at the re-
quired moment. Out of the chaos of preparations
which seemed to prevail so recently in every por-
tion of the Exhibition Palace the diligent and
almost incessant labours of the numerous heads of
departments and their efficient corps of subordi-
nates quickly made apparent the cert duty of com-
pletion within the time specified of everything ne-
cessary to the grand result. So confid-nt of toe
general progress were some of those officially con-
cerned in the work that the opening of the Exhibi-
tion even a week ago was not considered an impos-
sibili'y. However, a more d lib,rate and careful
termination of so many simultaneous proceedings
was, of course, more conducive to the satisfactory
state of affairs which now presents itself. The re-
mark has frequently been made during the last
month, by persons who have had experience of the
difficult preliminaries att,nding on such vast col-
lections of wealth and magnificence as have n,rw
become almost annual events, that the arrang--
ments for the Manchester Exhibition were much
more advanc,rl than those of any that have pre-
ceded it had b-en within the same time. An
inspection of the various departments to-day make,
it evileut that what has be n done in time that
was considered so ample for the purpose has been
done effectually, and that nothing beyond a few
finishing strokes are now wanting to complete
the enterprise which is to attract millions of ad-
mirers,
and will to-morrow be inaugurated with
so much splendour. The walls of the gr. at central
hall are now filled with that unrivalled display of
British portraits which is one of the great di-tinc
tons of this Exhibition. The space between the
walls is now completely furnished with the various
components of the general museum,—the glass
cases filled with costly rarities, the armoury, which
is said to surpass any other in England, except that
in the Tower, and the long lines of sculpture, at
present shrouded in protecting canvass, but all ar-
ranged iu their proper order. The great area is
filled in every part with its treasure:l Contents, and
no space is left unoccupied except what is necessary
for the passage of crowds of visitors. In anticipa-
tion of to-morrow's ceremonial the central passage
is already barked from end to end with several
rows of sects, multitudes of chairs fill every availa-
ble opening, and at the intersecton of the nave and
transepts, and surrounding the dais to which Prince
Albert and his suite will be conducted, the grand-
floor is now covered, and the galleries above will
this evening tie furnished with the requisite aco-rm-
moda i in for such a great assemblage of spectators
as is counted upon. Provision has been mad
9,000 poison?, and it is confidently reckoned thatfo
7,000 will be present. The great
the west end is all ready to receive. the 500 mu-
sicians who have been engaged for the occasion ;
and rising above it is the grand organ, graceful inits form and its decoration-, and flanked by por-
traits of her Majesty and Prince Albe t. The
roof of this end of the building is adorned with
banners brilliantly coloured, inscribed wi h the
names of great artists, and bearing also the arms
of the different countries which have given birth
to them. The long side galleries of ancient and
modern pictures want only such completaness
as a few hours will give them ; the water colours
are nearly all placed ; the Oriental Court appears
quite in its destined order ; and the photographs,
engravings, and miniatures are being hung with
great rapidity in those portions of the various
galleries, where, from some cause or another, the
conclusion of the work has been delayed till almost
the last moment. It may be mentioned, in con-
clusion of this brief summary, that the police ar-
rangements are such as to leave no fear of order
being preserved throughout the city and all along
the line of route by winch Prince Albert will pro-
ceed to open the Exhibition, and which, no doubt,
will be thronged with immense crowds of people
from one end to the other. Temporary platforms
for their reception have been erected at many
places, and the charges for these, as well as for
every other species of public accommodation, have
been confidently axed at such a scale as is sure to
t
be remunerative. '