The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-07-11
hope, however, we may never be called upon to
est the theory by practice.



p1eteness and It's Future PyoNise-Hoao Amer
sca IS Rerresented-Pr Products Of ns British
American Colonies Interesting Display Of
Enqine. of Warfare American Versus British
ArtiQe,y--Ame,ica in the Fine Arts Court, de-
The Exhibition, which was opened by the Prince
Of Wales with great pomp and ceremony, on the
9th Of May last, like immense line-of- battle
ship, is slowly getting under weigh. The building
is not yet completed, and the grounds are in an
unfinished state. Workmen are busily engaged in
adding the finishing touches to the edifce. The
ring of the artisans tools il heard on either hand
from dawn till evening; and day by day the
splendid palace assumes new, forms of beauty
and slowly dons its holiday garb. The visitor to
the palace during the first month or two of the
Exhibition leaves with an unsatisfactory impress
sion. Everything looks new and unfinished.
But all this will be mended in few weeks, and
doubt not the Exhibition will become more attrac-
tive and interesting. 1t certainly does not ap
proach in magnitude and completeness the Worlds
Fair at the Crystal Palace in New York some
years ago. Perhaps we should not expect such q
result.
The grounds about the building are certainly
very beautiful and laid out with nice taste and
an eye to pleasing effects. Broad, smooth, level
walks lead through green, grassy lawns to arch
cry grounds, artificial cascades, fountains, flower
gardens, arbors and other charming features Of
the park, afordng pleasant promenades to the
sght-seer. On the grand esplandde is the music
stand where the various military bands, some of
great excellence, discourse enlivening and classic
music during the afternoons of pleasant days, to
the edilicaton of the people.
Tralan nj ar IN bavo ;bu<ad
largely to the Exhibition. India is represented by
large number of articles, arms and armor, agri-
cultural mineral and mining substances used in
manufacture animal products, textile fabrics,
jewellery, and articles Of virtu, photographs Of
its native population, and some works of art. In
cotton she has sent eighty-two different speci-
mems, some of exceedingly fine texture and
quality, from various parts of the empire. Seventy
nine varieties of tea, and fourteen of coffee are
on exhibition--both articles said to be Of fine
quality and with delicate aroma. Nearly all the
articles from India are from the private c0llec-
tons OF the Queen; the India Museum, London;
the Lahore Central Museum and ex-Governors
Of the empire.
The colonial courts are tolerably well filed.
Canada has sent quite large number of its vari.
Gus productions mineral, agricultural and manu-
featuring. II occupies three courts, and makes q
very good show.
Nova Scotia fills large court with attractive
objects. One, an ingot Of gold, worth ten thou
sand dollars, is greatly admired, and sets the vis
tors to inqurng about the rate of passage to that
fOggy region.
The United States is very meagrely represented
Some sewing machines of Wheeler Il Wilson'S,
Singers and some one else's patent are on exhi-
bitiOn; and live Yankee of the name Of w. H.
Wood, of New York. is hand with variety Of
his own inventions, from hair pomade to a machine
for making bullets, and from his system Of night,
ho,J A,,,o~
railway cars, turntables, vcntilatOrs, sefacting
brakes and a religious essay Of his own invention.
He exhibits funny and homogeneous collection
to be sure; but it shows his originality and the
universally Of the progressive Yankee. His day,
night and fog signals really Of great value, and
they have been adopted by the Admiralty, and are
in six hundred British vessels of war. /
think he will carry off his share of prizes. The
sewing machines attract n good deal Of attention.
they being the only thing Of the kind on exhibit
ton.
In the north transept is very large collection
Of material Of war, sent by the Secretary Of State
IL embraces specimens OF Armstrong guns. the
inforced shell guns. navy style; shell mallcts,
novel parachute light or fire balls. friction tubes
and primers, round, grape and elongated shot and
shell; metal fuZcs and percussion caps for rife
projectiles. rockets, signals. small arm ammun-
ton, improvements Of various kinds and other war
material. OF the Armstrong guns hundred
FOUNDER rifle and field piece are on exhibition
The latter with carriage and caissOn complete.
Both are exceedingly complex, according to my
ideas, and inferior to best ri1cd ordnance.
to get ont of order. and am told by an English
naval officer that they are quite as dangerous to
those who attempt to use them in the night as
they could be TO the enemy.
The British government has expended immense
sums Of money on the gun, and bestowed knig ht-
hood on its inventor, and it has now about come
to the conclusion that it is not precisely the
thing, after all. The eight inch shell gun is
al. ia. IL -.
proved regulation pivot carriages, which does not
strike me being up to our naval carriages at
all. The gun itself is reinforced at the breech by
a series OF wrought iron bands, which makes the
brecch immensely massive, homely and heavy. I
think the gun weighs more than our ten inch navy
gun, and is less easily handled. AS to its capa-
bilites, am not in position to give any informa
ton; only give my impression when say ] can
see in il no special advantages over eight inch
shell gun, except in strength to gain which facility
of handling has been sacrificed to considerable
extent.
The specimens of shot and shell are not novel to
any who has participated in the sieges of Fort
Pulaski, Charleston, the bombardmcnt of Will
minGton any OF the recent fights on the South
ern coast. ] have seen every kind Of rifle projec-
tile that are exhibited here by the Secretary of
State for War OF her Majestys government on diff
fercnt fields in the United States during the rebel
lion, and they do not strike me being so iormi-
dablc and destructive as John Bull iondly imagnes
they are. If any one desires to see sectional plans
neral Cilmore's valuable work on the siege opera
tons before Charleston, and he will be gratifed.
They have all been pitched into his lines by rebel
guns, and can tell TO dot the precise sound
each one makes in travcrsng the air.
A specimen Of Boxers parachute light balls is
worthy OF attention. II consists of shell in which
is closely packed small parachute Of non famma-
BILE material to which is attached a fire ball. The
explosion Of the shell over fort or camp releases
the ball, and opens the parachute in its descent,
exploding the former at the proper time over the
head of the enemy. 1t is an expensive affair, and,
! think, of questionable utility.
In the fuse department Jaw some novel inven.
tons, altogether different in detail from those
by our ordnance corps. ! did not
notice in the whole collection plunger and cap
percussion fuse, which we found TO be the best in
use. One fuse, Of the percussion style. was
simple fuse, with silk magazine of decorating
powder, exploded on the striking Of the shell, by
the mere force of conclusion. The plan was tried
in our army; but there was much danger OF ex-
ploson through careless handling that they never
came into general use.