Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-08-01
COMMUNICATED.
THE CENTENNIAL.
"A Highly Interesting and Graph.
ic Sketch of the Exhibits of
the Nations of the Earth
at Philadelphia.
From our own Correspondent.
PHILADELPHIA, July, 1876.

1t were difficult and tedious TO at
tempt to trace with minuteness the
exhibits of the various countries and
nations, and / do not know that il
would be interesting to your readers.
AS you will readily comprehend, there
is necessarily, to some extent. a same
ness in the kind of articles exhibited.
aud the difference will be found in the
make and style, elabOrateness of exc
cution, and beauty Of finish.
Great Britain and her Colonies and
her dependencies are large exhibitors.
and, just as her empire. varied and ex-
tensive, and running through and en-
bracing almost every kind of manu-
facture and product of the earth, and
every kind Of beast and bird.
The Colony of Victoria, part Of Au-
stralia, presents specimens in wax of
her fruits. and If correct, az l suppose
them to be, they are luscious indeed
Some very large apples of bright hue
Cherries, Plums, and Straw berries
much larger than any we see in our
country and the most beautiful
wheat | ever cast my eyes upon, large,
full, plump grains, bothred and white,
the red said to produce 35 bushels to
the acre, and weigh G79 pounds TO the
bushel. 1t would be well for the
wheat growers Of your section to give
it . trial. You find here, also. repre-
sentations, accurate in appearance,
showing the large nuggets of gold that
have been discovered in this land
fourteen in all, averaging in value
from $500 upwards. One found June
llth, 1858, weighed 2, l95 o., and was
valued ut Sab, 10000, There was also a
fair exhibit of paintings and manu-
features, but | cannot dwell upon
them. The Kangaroo and Ostrich are
amongst her exhibits.
Queensland comes with her Leath-
er, Paintings, Books, Woods, Bark,
Textiles, Ores, Coal, ingots of Tin
and Antimony, and a pyramid, prob
ably fifteen hands high, showing the
gold exported from that country in 8
years, amounting to $1,000 600 of
dollars. ..---..
Tasmania has, besides other things
which | do not propose further to re-
fer to, specimen of the animal crea-
tion, more singular than any / have
seen or read of, called the SDuckbili
Platypus.' In general appearance it
resembled very much the mole of our
country, though six to ten times as
large, with bill like that of q duck,
and feeding in the same way, yet with
molar teeth. Eggs are formed inside
of them, but. are never "laidn the
young being brought forth alive from
the parent, and having to be fed by
the parent.
New South Wales had splendid
specimens of coal, wood and leather :;
New Zealand coal, and o monument
representing the quantity and value of
the gold exported from 1862 to 1915,
to Sl51 ,27l ,203.
In Jamaica ! noted an exceedingly
beautiful boquet, quite large, of flow
ers, mad0 from the article of the Dag
ger plant-a curiosity in its way, Of
course. Jamaica has her "rum, y
which is world wide in reputation,
and | fear equally world wide in de-
struction and also specimens of her
fruits, barks, sugars, and medicinal
plants.
From the Bahama Islands l noted
beautiful shells and elegant shell work
representing wreathes and arches
This work was really lovely, entirely
of shells, and showed great ingenuity
in construction, and fine taste in its
design.
The contrast between this and the
neighbOr epartment-"the Gold coast
of Africa"-was very great. In the
latter were the very yUieSt specimens
of the natives, mostly of wood-such
rs small, coarse drums, tlddles, spoons,
and idols.
The exhibit by the Dominion of
Canada is a very iine one, and very
and presents her before
the nations of the earth as Of the first
class. ! did not suppose that her in
habitants had made such great pro-
gress in manufacturing, but her dis
play would remove doubt on this
point. In her departments are to be
found gentlemen's wear, prints, fine
hosiery, hats, furs, saddlery, books,
leather, tiE-ware, brOoms, cutlery, fine
soaps, shoes, cigars, inlaid work, iron
safes, pianos, and sewing machines
one of the latter running by eleUtrici-
ty, and tho battery which supplied it,
as was represented to me, was sufficient
for that purpose for two years. There
were, also, abundant specimens of
ores, and of sandstone, marble, plum
bagO and coal
Spain also makes fine presenta-
ton, especially in ladies wear, and
silks and satins, really gorgeous and
very costly.
Russia has n striking exhibit in
its richness and splendor, amongst
which | noted gold cloths, centre-ta-
bles, side-boards, with tops of beauti-
fully variegated green stone, known rs
Malachite," a volcanic product, sus-
ceptible of very fine polish. The
ceINre-tables were priced at from Sld0
to 81 500, and pair of flower vases of
same material at 5000. / do not know
that | saw i'm the whole exhibition
anything more beautiful than the ar
ticles made from this material
In Austria and Hungary you will
see fine displays of Bohemian glass
ware, rich furniture, and costly jewell
ry-especially of garnett.
In Germany you will see rich lace
and damask curtains, silks and satins,
bronze statuary, &c, and an array of
dolls and toys that would enrapture
the hearts of all the little folks, and of
pipes that will suit the taste OF every
one that wishes to indulge the pleas
ures of the narcotic weed.
OF course you would expect o large
display from Great Britain and Ire
land, aud it is here. Too extensive
and various to attempt to specify with
any degree of particularly embra-
cling almost every department that
human ingenuity has exercised itself
upon, either for comfort or ornament,
and with which most persons are more
or less familiar. Passing by, there
fore but with n general reference, her
prints, cassimeres, cutlery, Liverpool