The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-05-17 00:00:00

HISTORY OF THE EXHIBITION.

Now that the Dublin Industrial Exhibition is " a great
fact," it becomes interesting and absolutely necessary to
furnish a brief sketch of its rise and progress. If, two
years ago, any one had proposed to get up a great ex-
hibition in Britain in 1853, those who saw with wonder
the magnificent crystal palace in Hyde Park would have
booked him as a maniac ; and yet here we see- the pro-
position accomplished, and that in Ireland, of all places,
the most unhopeful ! With a drawback, and a weighty
one it has proved, in the Exhibition of 'sl—and not de-
riving any aid certainly from the prospect of the world's
show at New York in 's4—the odds against the Dublin
undertaking were indeed great ; yet, fortunately for poor
Ireland, the scheme has been crowned with success—a
success which its most sanguine friends probably never
anticipated. We have already seen enough within its
walls to satisfy us that it will be productive of great good
to this country ; for it has not only elicited a vast amount
of native skill and ingenuity, but it is likely to add many
new branches to the industrial occupations of the people,
and to impart an impulse to trade and agriculture, the
blessings of which Ireland may reap in that future
brightened by hopeful prospects.
At a meeting of the Royal Dublin Society, on Thurs-
day, the 24th June, 1852, Mr. William Dargan offered to
place £20,000, or more, if it should be required, in the
hands of a committee of twentv-five gentlemen, for the
purpose of constructing a building in which an Irish In-
dustrial Exhibition should be held, in 1853. This princely
offer was made solely with the desire to benefit Ireland,
by stimulating the genius, and enterprise, and industry of
her sons. A glow of generous enthusiasm was diffused by
the proposal, and it was at once accepted. Mr. Dargan
chose as secretary Mr. C. P. Roney, the well-known and
everywhere respected originator of the tourist system in
Treland—a man of whom it has been said, that he has
" effected more good for the real, substantial interests of
Ireland, during the last three years, than did the whole
legislative powers of Great Britain for the last half-cen-
tury." Mr. Roney at once, and without accepting emo-
lument, entered on the duties of his responsible office ;
Mr. Deane, eldest son of Sir Thomas Deane, of Dumda-
nion Castle, being chosen assistant-secretary. The com-
mittee held their first meeting, in the Board Room of the
Royal Dublin Society, on the sth July, 1852, George Roe,
Esq., chairman, and Major Fairfield, deputy-chairman.
The ordinary members were the Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor, the Lord Talbot de Malahide, the Hon. George
Handcock, the Hon. John P. Vereker, Sir John Kingston
James, Bart., Sir Edward M`Donnell, Sir Robert Kane,
Thomas Ball, Dr. William Barker, John Barlow, John
Barton, William Dargan, Lundy E. Foot, Professor Har-
rison, M.D., Nathaniel Hone, Alderman Kinahan, Wm.
Digges La Touche, John Lentaigne, J. W. Murland, John
Pennefather, Wm. Henry Porter, James Ster;ing, and
'Walter Sweetman. On the 10th of July, the popular
litterateur, Mr. T. D. Jones, was appointed to assist in
the discharge of all official duties. All was now life and
vigour. The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert placed the
house, No. 3, Upper Merrion-street, at the disposal of the
committee, for the board-room and office, and Leinster
Lawn, closely adjoining, was fixed upon as the site of the
structure. Prizes of £5O, £3O, and £2O, respectively,
were offered for the best designs. Before August 1 twenty-
nine plans were lodged at the offices ; and Mr. John
Benson, a native of the county of Sligo, was unanimously
awarded the palm of victory. The second prize was
awarded to Mr. Thomas Deane, of Cork ; and the third
to Mr. Richard Turner, of the Hammersmith Works,
Dublin—a result highly creditable to the architectural
skill of Ireland. It was agreed to forego the assistance of
a contractor, and to commence the works under the super-
intendence of Mr. Dargan himself, than whom no man was
more likely to accomplish the great undertaking conceived
by his own large heart. It was soon found necessary, on
the part of Mr. Dargan, to supply increased funds, and up
till the moment at which we ssrite he has invested not
less than £BO,OOO in the work. The labour undertaken
and accomplished by Messrs. Roney and Deane, during
the last six months, seems almost overwhelming. Not
only did the former conduct an immense correspondence
with all his numerous friends in England, and with exhi-
bitors, but he likewise was employed, in August, seeking
to enlist the cooperation of Continental powers—an object
in which he succeeded admirably. Sub-committees were
formed, and a code of laws adopted, by which all the arti-
cles shown are exhibited into four great classes—raw ma-
terials, machinery, manufactures, and fine arts, under
which heads the various products are systematically de-
posited. Mr. Robert Heron, late secretary of the Dublin
Corporation, and Mr. R. A. Thompson, were added to
the staff of officers, the latter as general superintendent.
London offices were opened by Mr. Duncan and Mr.
Harman, and Mr. Deane and Mr. E. C. Adlev visited the
various manufacturing towns of England and Scotland, to
give the requisite information to intending exhibitors.
Under the immediate superintendence of Mr. Benson, the
building rose rapidly ; the engineering department being
under the management of Mr. Faux. Some damage done
by the storm on Christmas Day was speedily remedied,
and on the Ist of March the stores were declared by the
General Superintendent ready for the reception of goods,
and six superintendents were appointed to receive the
same. During our visits on the Tuesday and Wednesday
preceding the inauguration there was still much to do,
although the work was progressing at a pace perfectly
surprising. Unfortunately the catalogue will not, it is
anticipated, be ready for some days after the opening—a
circumstance which, of course, has caused much disap-
pointment to the numerous visitors who have arrived this
week, and who will be obliged to return home without
even a copy of the catalogue as a memento of the Merrion-
square Palace.
The Exhibition building presents a front to Merrion-
square of 350 feet, and is situated on the west side of the
square on the lawn of the Royal Dublin Society. The
centre feature of the elevation consists of a semicircular
projection, which forms the eastern termination of the
great hall. This is a spacious apartment, 425 feet in
length, and 100 feet in height, covered by a semi-
cylindrical roof, upon trellis ribs, in one span 100 feet in
width. In this noble hall are placed the specimens of
statuary, fountains, two organs, &c., &c. On each side
adjoining this hall, and running parallel to it, for the
same length, is a noble compartment, 25 feet wide,
wherein is placed a choice selection of musical, surgical,
philosophical, naval, architectural, and civil engineering
instruments, over which is a spacious gallery. The
Northern Hall contains the magnificent embroidery and
lace manufacture common to the South, and Industrial
Schools of Ireland, a choice selection of glass and terra
cotta ware, and articles of clothing for common and
personal use. Beside each of these compartments is a
fine hall, 50 feet wide, and 05 high, with a domed roof,
parallel to which are another compartment and gallery
precisely similar to that adjoining the great hall. Here
are placed the splendid specimens of foreign ingenuity—
the precious gems of continental taste and elegance.
Running parallel to this compartment is the Fine Arts
Hall, in the southern extremity of the building, wherein
is placed a selection of paintings so magnificent that the
unqualified opinion is, " such a collection was never
before brought together under one roof "—and the value
of which is at the very lowest estimate £1,000,000. This
department owes its unique merits to the unremitting
exertions of Mr. Deane, to whose care it was assigned,
and who may well rejoice in the success of his peculiar
province ; while adjoining the Fine Arts Hall is another
apartment, in which are placed the rarest specimens of
archreological taste,—the whole affording an area of
210,000 square feet, exclusive of the noble refreshment
saloons.