Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-11-02

prepared for them by the attentive and excellent pro-
prietor, Mr.. JACKSON, the reputation OF whose fne
could gain nothing from any COM
of ours From the dinner table the par
ty proceeded to the exhibition rooms Of the Mary
land Institute.
The MARYLAND Institute is an association for the
promotion of the mechanic arts, which was iormed
in January, l84S, and incorporated in December
l649. Although only in the third year OF i!s eA-
istence, il numbers about seven hundred members
has wel-selected library of more than thousand
olumes has secured an annual appropriation rom
the State of five hundred dollars, and grant OF nj
teen thousand dollars from the city of Baltimore for
the purpose of erecting splendid hall. Connec1ed
with the Institute and forming one of its most USE
full features, is School of Design, to which lts
members are admitted without other charge than
their fee for membership.
That now in progress is the third annual exhioi-
ton, and we can truly say is highly credtaDie 10
the Institution and to the State.
Three floors of an extensive building wash
ington Hall) are devoted to the accommodation OF
the exhibition. The lowest one is occupied by
machinery in operation the second by the larger
and coarser products Of art; and the upper by lis
more delicate and highly finished products. A. one
end OF the lowest saloon is fixed a hne Su-horse
engine, which, by means of long shaft and nu-
merous band-wheels and.belts, drives the various
machines which are attached to it. The facility
thus afforded exhibitors to show full-sized ma
chimes in operation, has rendered the mechanical
portion of the exhibition very superior. A loom
for weaving cotton cloth machine for making
cotton cord direct from the rowing; mortsing and
tenoning machines; machine for cutting laths from
the log and the celebrated Woodwork planning
machine, are among the more prominent objects OF
interest in this department. A specimen Of iron
pipe, cast without core by the centrifugal action
impaired to the melted metal by the rotation of the
mould, attracted much attention. This invaluable
method of casting pipe is the invention of Mr.. i.
j. Lovegrove, of Baltimore. Its economy, as COM
pared with that of the old plan, may be inferred
from the fact that pipe can be furnished, as we have
been informed at cost less by five cents the run
ming foot than that cast by the latter method.
On the second floor, the first objects OF interest
on entering two fire engines Of very high finish
and costly workmanship. We confess, however,
that beautiful as they unquestionably are, could
never perceive the propriety Of lavishing SO much
expensive ornamental work upon machines which
must always be soiled, if not defaced, every time
they become useful. Associated, moreover, as they
too often are, with peace disturbed and law tram
pied upon in some of our cities, we turned from
them with pleasure to other objects.
A miniature printing press worked by treadle
attracted attention for its neat workmanship and
the rapid and excellent manner in which 1t peform-
ed its duty. The sewing machine was an object of
great interest," but we could hardly look with plea
sure at contrivance tending to supersede female
fingers, and deprive the weaker sex of their main
employment and support. The cabinet ware-an
elaborately wrought and beautiful sideboard, and
richly ornamented French bedstead, in particular,
were greatly admired. The cabinetmakers, we
were assured by Baltimore gentlemen, have sur
passed the expectations of their fellow -townsmen.
From the second floor the committee proceeded
to the uppermost saloon, at the door of which a
pretty fountain was playing. Here is the crown
ing display of all. The room is large, lofty, and
well lighted, and arranged with much taste. The
walls are adorned with paintings, and with num-
berless specimens of embroidery, worsted work,
counterpanes, and other products of female indus
try and skill. A piano of very elaborate work
manship, and arranged upon new principle, is
placed upon an elevated platform at one end of the
saloon. In its neighborhood are many daguerreo-
types, executed in the highest style of that curious
and interesting art Further on attention was di-
rected to plain and colored glassware of great
beauty. A number of flutes and cIarionets, very
highly finished with gold and silver keys and
mouthpieces of pearl, will bear comparison with
the best instruments of European manufacture.
article here arrested our attention, Ingenious valua
BILE, and beautifully executed: it was an artificial
leg and foot with spring joints to adapt their mo-
ton to the natural motion of the limb.
But we must stop somewhere. Ten times the
space we have already occupied would not suffice
to tell Of all that was interesting in this truly adm
rable exhibition. There is but one other object
which we can notice. 1t is clock of curious de-
sign and very complicated structure. 1t occupies
an elevated position in the centre Of the saoon and
excites universal attention and admiration. 1t ind
Gates the year, the month, the day of the months
and the leap.year Five minutes before the time
for striking the hour. door on the right opens and
a figure energies and places himself with upraised
hammer beside a bell placed on platform in front
Of the dial. When the hour expires the hammer
falls the requisite number of times, and the pune
tual sentinel, having performed his duty, retires
through door on the left This curious piece Of
mechanism is the production Of professional gen
tleman of Baltimore, and is, we are informed his
first effort in the use of tools.
And here we must close our account of the
Maryland Institute. We hail it as an important
acquisition to the cause of American industry.
We congratulate the State upon, the possession of
an institution endowed with such large powers for
good-good in its immediate bearings upon her in-
dustry, good in its ultimate results upon the charac
ter of her artisans.
Before the committee were able to examine as
fully as they could have desired all the objects of
interest in the exhibition the hour approached for
their return home. Previously thereto they were
4 Al ,b,-o a. sIa,tl