The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-13
The Great Exhibition.

The approaching opening of the Crystal
Palace is, naturally enough, prominent topic
of newspaper remark. On the urgent represen.
tation of the executive committee, the Queen
has abandoned the purpose, recommended by
the royal commissioners, of restricting the open
| ing of the Exhibition TO the diplomatic body,
the members of the government and royal house
hold. All are to be admitted who have pur-
chased season tickets.
The effect of this decision upon the sale of
season tickets has been very favorable In four
days the sales rose from 1000 to between | ~
600 and 2 900, the demand increasing so great
ly that it was found necessary to check it by adj
vancing the price to three guineas for ladies,
and two guineas for gentlemen. About $4,000
persons will be present at the opening.
A programme of the manner in which the in
augural ceremony is to be conducted has been
published The exhibitors attendants, having
been previously sanctioned by the executive
committee, must enter between and o'clock,
Il. M, and Immediately take their places by the
counters or objects to be exhibited.
Holders of season tickets between and half
past IL. The nave and transept (North) will
be reserved for the Queen and royal party,
where platform is erected, and thereon the
Queens chair Of state, so that when seated she
will be conspicuous. Addresses to her Majesty
and replies will occupy some little time.
The Archbishop OF Canterbury will then Of
fer prayer, invoking the divine blessing upon
the undertaking, and an anthem by the choir
will follow. A royal procession will then be
formed, which will pass through all the avenues
of the Palace, so as to be seen by all the spec
tators.
Returning to the platform, the Queen will
declare the Exhibition opened" which will be
announced by IA flourish of trumpets and the
firing of a royal salute on the north of the Ser
pentine, whereupon the barriers, which had
kept the nave clear, will be thrown down, and
the public will be allowed to circulate" and
the Queen leaving, the doors will be thrown
open.
The interior arrangements are rapidly ap-
preaching completion The compartment as
signed to India is peculiarly rich in industrial
products and jewels. The arrivals from France
are larger than from any other country. The
Germans are well up to the mark, and the Swiss
have been Iaudably distinguished by the prompt
ness which has characterized all their arrange
ments. If the Turks are most behind hand with
respect to the reception of goods, the Belgians
and French are most backward in their other ar
engagements.
Thus, the United States, which ut first had
assigned to it only 10000 superficial feet of
space less than France, and which was ranked
second in consider. ton by the royal commission,
has only contributed s78 packages, while the
States of the Iollverein send nearly 600.
Again, the consgnments of Holland and Spain
are nearly equaled by those ofTuns, and some
what exceeded by China. Belgium strongly as
serts her manufacturing and productive energy
by forwarding ,039 packages quantity which
places her above Austria and the United States
and on a par with Prussia. Brazil, New Gran.
ada, Persia, and the Society Islands each send a
solitary contribution Mexico and Peru four and
Western Africa nine
These figures east a curious light upon the
commercial enterprise of the world, and bring
out in remarkable relief the extent to which
political power and industrial energy run in par
allel lines or diverge from each other. With
reference to our colonial possessions the data
supplied are not less significant Our young
| Australian possessions send nearly three times
\ MS many contributions as the West Indies and
| from the latter the name of Jamaica is alto
gether omitted
| From Canada we have promised us display
of 345 articles, and from Nova Scotia 35 India
sends d36 contributions small quantity per-
baps compared with countries younger in the
practice OF the prod ictive arts, but great when
contrasted with the contemporaneons offerings
of other territories possessed Of MS old a stand
ing in the worlds history. The total number
of foreign and colonial packages received up to
the evening OF the 10th April was l9,0s2.