The New York herald., 1877-01-08
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.

A PAPER READ BY THE BRITISH EXECUTIVE
COMMISSIONER BEFORE THE SOCIETY OF
ARTS.
From the London Morning Post Dec 21.J
Last night an ordinary meeting Of the Society Of
Arts was held at The rooms, John street, Adeiphi,
under the presidency OF Lord Alfred Churchill
Professor Archer, the British Executive Commits.
sioner to the Philadelphia Exhibition, read paper on
the subject The exhibition took It's origin from the
desire OF the Americans celebrate some expressive
and significant manner their centennial anniversary
and he deep seated love which the hearts OF
most Americans for the memory Of our lamentcd
Prince Consort had small share in leading them to
choose what he considered festival OF peace and in
dusry the best means OF securing the cooperation
OF all other nations in their national thank sgivng
(Cheers.) The capital required to establish the
exhibition was raised by Centennial stock
and a general subscription by each State; and
the organization by which II carried out consisted
Of an executive and other subc0mmittees, including
the Women's Committee, which organized a special
exhibition for tho proper display Of women's work,
which formed unique and Interesting feature IN the
general plan. The buildings In the great
public Paramount Park The Professor then proceeded
TO give an account of the exhibition itself and its
prominent characteristics. In the Women's Pavilion
some contributions by our own gracious Queen and
Royal Processes were especially priced, and gave
great sat isiaction to the management In the Main
Building England and her colonies occupied by far the
largest amount Of space while the United States had
nearly double as much room.
ExCELLEScE or AMERICAN EXHIBITS
As general rule the American exhibits were OF such
excellent quality aud carefully displayed that the
exh hbtors were evidently alive to the importance
OF the competition. No one who had only their
expected such superior manufactures IN metal work,
textiles, and especially IN chemicals, which
shown BY them As 10 tho general success OF the ex-
hihtlon thore could be no doubt (Chcersl The at
tendance far surpassed that Of any previous sxhbi-
tion the total admissions bciog--cash admlssions
5000 274; Tree, 906 692 total 91O $685. while the
visitors al the London Exhibition OF 1852 numbered
62ll, ,l03 and OF Paris s67) $500 oo0 Those results
proved that International exh btons were not aved
out, but had still . very important part to
perform IN advancing commercial prosperity and
the general interest OF civihzaton tChcers)
After bearing testimony 70 the unbounded hospitality
of the Phadephians ard 10 the widespread kndliucss
OF feeling Tor England and Englishmen, he remarked
that lie believed that the effect of the exhibition
America would be most beneficial The grcat cities
had received a wholesome aud powerful stimulus to
strive In the race Tor higher culture
cal feeling and with The general public from al parts
the effect would have been TO dspel nnumerable er-
rors, prejudices and false estimates Let them hope
that their American brethren might realize these and
every other possible good from so well conceived and
spIeudidly managed an undertaking tha, which they
had just so successfully completed. lCheers)
GREATEST EXHIBITION EVER HELD.
The chairman said that the Exhibition Of Philadcl
pha was, without exception, the greatest exhibition
ever held IN the world, and had constituted happy
means OF celebrating the centenary Of American IN
dependence. (Checrs) 1t was exceedingly appropri-
ate TO have such paper ss Professor Archers read
before this society, for IN that hail. the auspi
ces oil Prince Albeit, the great movement started
which resulted IN the Exhibition Of 1851, and the
ciety's initiative had been followed by many OF the
civilized nations Of the world. He--the speaker
visited Philadelphia lew years ago, but he did not
stay long enough TO see much Of the place. He, how
ever, saw the great Paramount Park, which twelve
or thirteen miles round, and, being intersectcd
by rivers, the scenery was very beautiful There
could not have been better place for the exhibition.
The Americans take up bnss III wonderful way they
like TO do them on giant scale, and they certainly
hey piv free pnss
from end OF the Union 10 the other they
Visitors AT Their houses and their hotels in most
lavish manner; they ike to make Brtlshcr feel FREQ
ard this country underlying all their tall talk Indeed
there was strong undcrcurrcnt OF love Tor England
America, and IL was especially concentrated Queen
Victoria (Chcers.l II Her Majesty could visit Amer
lea there would be no bounds TO the expressions OF
respect and affection that the Americans would pay
her. loud cheers
After few remarks by Mcssrs Hyde Clarke, Botley,
Cooke Brown and others the proceedings terminated.