The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-26

our retiring city fathers prosecute, and let
justice be done. Let us have general settle
ment all round.
The Crystal Palace and It's Results.
Now that the exhibition has reached the close
of the period originally fixed for its duration,
and which, Notwithstanding the efforts of its
projectors to give it prolonged vitality, vir-
tually terminates its career, the time has ar
rived to inquire how far it has maintained its
claims to public support and fulfilled the OBJ
jects that called it into existence. As tinan-
cial speculation there is but too much reason
to fear that its results have by no means cor
responded with the expectations of those who
originally set it on foot; but it is now generally
acknowledged that its failure in this respect is
attributable rather to the errors committed by
its managers, in the early stages of the enter
prise, than to any deficiency of cordial co-opera-
ton on the part of the exhibitors, or of encour-
agement on that of the public. With the con-
sideration of this part of the subject, however,
it is not our intention at present to embarass
ourselves. 1t is matter which concerns the
shareholders rather than the public; and as in
all other undertakings dependent upon the skill
and energy of their conductors, they must be
prepared to pay the penalty of their mistakes.
Influenced, however, as we are willing to believe
they are, by higher motives than the mere sor-
did love Of gain, they may console themselves
with the reflection, that as far as the general
character of the enterprise is concerned, these
errors have since been nobly redeemed.
Had we to consider the New York exhibition
4 aHo 10fo ;e
private speculation, we might feel some concern
for its Deficiencies Compared in the former
light with its London prototype, it would I'M
questionably suffer by the contrast; but viewed
in the latter, it is in the highest degree credita-
BILE to the spirit and enterprise Of those engaged
in it. When we take into account that the idea
of the London exhibition originated with royal
ty itself, was developed and matured by all the
scientific talent Of the country, and was backed
by all the influence, not only that the court but
that the government could bring to bear on it,
and that here none of these auxiliaries could be
called in aid of the project, the wonder is, not
that the New York exhibition fell short of that
| Of London in the grandeur Of its conception,
and in the completeness Of its general arrange
ments, but that it approached it SO nearly in
these characteristics. Judged by the adequacy
Of the means to the ends proposed, which is the
only fair way Of estimating the relative merits
Of the two undertakings, we have no reason to
feel ashamed or dispirited at the results of the
comparison. Following in the wake of an et-
fort the most extraordinary that the world has
ever seen, the utmost that we had right to
expect from the experiment was, that it should
not be pronounced failure.
That it is entitled to somsthing 4Bsors shan
this negative merit, and that it is likely to
exercise an important and permanently benef-
cial influence on our industrial interests, must,
we think, be conceded by all who are disposed
to take candid and impartial view Of the sub
ject. The efforts made by all classes OF our
manufacturers to rise to the level Of the occa-
| sion have in themselves anticipated the tardy
development, or FASTENED the slow progress, Of
improy ements that might have slumbered on in
the brains of their projectors, or been arrested
in their road to maturity by the want Of some
stimulus to exertion such as this great oppor
tunity supplied. If there be one feature of the
exhibition more than another which bears out
the truth of this observation, it is the remark
able fecundity ofinvention displayed in the ma
chinery Of the American department. Brief as
is the interval which has elapsed since the Lon
don exhibition brought the English and Ameri-
can machinists into the arena of national COM
petition, it has suficed for our engineers and
millwrights, not only to improve upon the re-
suits OF their then experience, but to originate
and perfect multitude of Inventions all having
practical bearing on that great object of mo-
dern science as applied to the mechanical arts
economy of production.
A singular feature in the New York exhibi-
ton, and deserving Of note from the difficulty
of arriving at any satisfactory explanation Of
it, is the prominence which subjects connected
with the fine arts occupy in relation to those
which are Of purely industrial character. From
careful analysis Of the catalogue, we find that
there are in the fine art department nearly
seven hundred pictures, and about three hun
dred works in statuary; whilst in the London
exhibition the sculptures and casts were less
by one-third. and the number of paintings were
too insignificant to call tor distinct classified
ton. In the minds of some this would lead to
the conclusion that the fine arts are in -four
Isnlhg conuition III IHis counuy. anu that the
efforts OF genius meet with liberal patronage
| amongst the Weather classes of our citizens.
Much as we regret to assist in destroying this
pleasing allusion, we are compelled to record
| facts that point to different inference. Out of
| this large collection Of works of art and in
which one would suppose it would be the pecu-
liar pride of our American artists to figure,
there are not more than seventeen oil paintings
and thirty sculptures and casts by Ameri-
| can contributors. If we take this circumstance