New-York tribune., 1873-07-03
THE UNIVERSAL EXHIBITION.
THE RUSSIAN DEPARTMENT.

| rHE INDUSTRIES or RUssh-wANT OF oRl"i-
| NALLTY-TEXTILE FABRJCs-MATERIALs OF WAR
! IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oF THE rRIBUsEJ
| VIENNA June 4.-The directing band of an intelli-
| gent government in visible all through the Russian
Department of the Exhibition. There has evidently
been effort made to present the various industries
Of that country 10 the eye OF the visitor IN such
way as to give him complete an idea as possible
Of their character and importance. without weary
/ ing him with too many details or with useless
profnsion of similar articles Unlike the Austrian,
the English, and the German Departments, the
shop keeping spirit does not obtrude itself The de-
sire of tradesmen TO advertise their goods has not
been allowed to interfere with the prime object of
| the Russian Government to give the world
favorable an opinion possible of Russian arts,
manufactures. agricnltare, and mining. There are
| but two side galleries and few yards of the main
east gallery filled with Russian goods. but the ar
rangement and classification are careful. and spec-
mems Of almost everything that Russia produces
| which is worth showing are included The merit Of
the department is chiefly in its admirable systematic
grouping and in the valuable information it affords
about the industrial resources of great nation of
whose inner life but little is known by the world at
! large. Ii also serves q striking illustration
\ of what can be done by strong, enlightened gov
/ ernment toward naturalizing manufactures within
its domains by the aid of a strict protective policy
| which, without such policy, never would have
taken root there at least not for century to come
Nine-tenths Of all the goods the Russians show in
the exhibition the results of this policy. Their
cotton and silk fabrics, their wooden goods and
carpets their hats. shoes cutlery tools hardware,
and many other articles the productions Of man
ufactures that have been dOmiciled in Russia
! in consequence Of the determination Of the
| Government not to be dependent upon
| Western Europe for everything hut food and raw
materials A Free Trader woud find some comfort
in the fact that most Of these articles inferior 10
those made in England aud other great manufao-
turing countries If not the best however, they
good in their way, and doubt answer the needs of
| the Russian people very we'll And who can doubt
| that the nation is stronger and further advanced
! IN clv!lizatiOn account of the dOmesucauOn OF
these varied industrial pursuits than if the thou
sands Of artisans engaged in them had been left TO
pursue their natural nclnations Of raising corn and
cattei
If Taleyrand had lived in t he age Of Worlds Fairs.
and had visited the Russian Department we should
probably never have had the benefit OF that witty
savlngof his: Scratch Russian and you viii hnd
! a Tartar" There Is nothing Of the Tartar IN these
lowered silks and glossy satns from the looms of
! Moscow OF IN these tine, soft cassimeres OF hun
dred different shades that line tins wall or IN these
specimens of printing. binding, and engraving.
These lovely malaehite tables and vases this grand
/ piano in its carved ebony case, these handsome
! phOtographs these maps and mathematical Instru-
I ments don't look as If they came from
Tartary Here are all the evidences of a thorough
and well-founded civilization one would say az first
sight. Yet one thing Is wanting-the perception OF
the beautifui-and in this lack she recent and ex-
terror character OF Russian civilization manifests
itself. Some degree of culture may be infused into
people by the strong hand Of Government, but they
cannOLbe given taste by any such process. In all
! Russian attempts at omamentation that are not
evidently copies from French other models there
| il something garsh and essentially barbaric. If
we look. therefore only at the bronEes, jewelry,
personal ornaments and other articles, where the
beautiful is intended TO predonlinate over the use-
full we BEGIN to think Talleyrand was night after
al only one must scratch good deal deeper 70 find
the Tartar than in his day. There are num-
ber Of bronze groups shown Of Russian hunting and
arm scenes that are admirable but their treatment
p, so papably French that one suspects that they
were made by French artists IN st. Petersburg;
and the same is true Of large silver punch-bowL
representing pond bOrdered by massive blocks of
ice. among which party Of fur-clad hunters have
surprised polar bear.
The principal manufacturing industries that are
and furs. All are we'll represented. The display of
iron, although occupying but a small space, is so
complete that nothing essential to a thorough expo
simon Of the varied products Of this industry from
the masses of different ores to the bars of railroad
and merchant iron the castings broken 70 show the
fiber and the bales Of the wOrld-fmnous Russia
shoet-Iron. Is omitted On few square yards Of
wall and floor the whole Russian iron manufacture
Is represented. Among the more advanced products
of iron ana steel the cutlery looks fair, but not rst
rate Ii rs as good the Austrian, should say
but inferior 20 the English. The tools are clumsy
but the exhibit made OF all the tools
used IN each Of the ordinary handicrafts,
fastened on boards and hung on wall, is interest
ing The display of leather Is necessarily Of little
general interest, although something Il 20 be
learned Of the process of tanning and finishing t1e
peculiar calfskin known as Russia leather which
is Of such universal fOr satches, portemonnaies,
and fancy articles The production Of this kind OF
leather is a Russian speciality but the Austrians
excel m working It up aud most of 10 Is consumed
in Vienna II is said to be tanned with the bark OF
a speeies of pine peculiar t0 Russia. The show OF
furs is exceedingly attractive, by reason Of the
beauty and variety of the skins used. and the nu-
rnerous curious articles of dress fabricated from
them either alone Orn combination with cloth. There
is an excellent display OF grains and seeds made by
the Government and a large part of one Of the side
galleries Is allied with articles of household consump-
tiou such as sugar. candles oils, soaps. &c, and
with an odd assortment of bread and cakes which
gives an unfayorable opinion of Russian culinary
skill novelty in this gallery IL kind OF con
deused soup III cakes of the consistency Of beeswax,
which a man from Arohangel on the White Sea sells
Al 80 kreutzers cake He says his business is kill
ing white ptarmigans for their wings. which are
sed for ladies hats aud that he hit npOn this way Of
utilizing the flesh of the birds. One has only TO turn
hot water upon few shavinGs OF the cake TO make