DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1310#0090
68 THE GREAT EXHIBITION
invention), that, in loss of friction, strength, freedom from all noise in motion, and
cleanliness, they are superior to any in England. Several of these lighter carriages are
now in use in this country, and give great satisfaction; and several more of a similar
manufacture have been recently ordered from New York. Indeed, it is not difficult to
understand why they should become favourites out of London; nor how reluctantly a
lover of quick driving would return to the heavier vehicles of city manufacture. There
were several rich sets of harness which deserved notice, in particular that which was
exhibited by Messrs. Lacy and Phillips. It was made from leather of the finest quality,
and with perfect thoroughness of work. The mountings were of solid silver, with
appropriate and graceful designs. In this, as in all the other harness shown, there was
remarkable lightness and airiness, and an obvious endeavour to do away with all super-
abundant weight.
The great use of oil in the "United States has necessarily led to many improvements in
lamps, as was evident in those exhibited from the manufactory of Messrs. Cornelius and
Co., in Philadelphia, especially in those upon the solar principle, as it is called, where
increased draught is made to bear upon the combustion, which are unknown among us.
Unpretending as these lamps appeared, it was stated that they would give an amount of
light greater, by one-half, than any others in use. The chandeliers that hung above
them were graceful, and of extreme purity of glass, and beautifully cast. The branches,
formed by arabesque scrolls, profusely ornamented with birds and flowers, delicately
sculptured, or in bold relief, with centres of richly-cut glass, claimed universal approval
for their elegance and lightness of design. This manufacture is among the latest intro-
duced in the United States, it being scarcely fifteen years since every chandelier, girandole,
mantel-lamp, and candelabra used in that country was imported from Europe; and it
argued considerable enterprise and perseverance on the part of the manufacturers, that
they attained so much excellence as to be willing to vie in the Exhibition with the oldest
and most celebrated houses in the world. On the south side of their portion of the
building, the contributors from the States exhibited, under the general classification of
raw material, many very excellent specimens. There were among these a large variety
of articles, such as Indian corn, ground, hulled, and in the ear; rye, oats, barley, wheat,
rice, cotton, tobacco, minerals, chemicals, woods, brooms, beef, pork, lard, hams, and
almost everything else identified with the productions of that country. Next in order
were to be seen daguerreotypes, paintings, herbaria, and prints, with some samples of
stained glass suspended from the galleries, and cottons, carpetings, wrought quilts, calicoes,
and needlework, tastefully displayed around. Considering the distance from which these
had to be conveyed, not only across 3,000 miles of ocean, but often from little short of
that distance inland * and considering, too, that it is not in her manufactures that
America makes her chief impression upon the world, we regard this portion of her
exhibition with great interest. In pianofortes there was a show highly creditable to the
manufacture of musical instruments in the United States. Pierson exhibited a seven-
octave grand pianoforte; Chickering a semi-grand, and other instruments of less preten-
sion but of much merit. There were two from the manufactory of Conrad Meyer, of
Philadelphia, in neat and very unpretending cases, combining all the best qualities of
the highest rank of pianos. In breadth, freedom, and evenness of tone, in promptness
and elasticity of action, and in a combination of everything that is rich and sweet in
this description of instrument, he claims to be unsurpassed.
Among cordage, boats, oars, and models of favourite ships, were exhibited two ship-
ventilators, by Frederick Emerson, of Boston. These are intended to supersede the
ordinary wind-sail now in use for sending pure air into the recesses of ships. The inventor
has given much attention to the subject of ventilation, and his success has been honoured
invention), that, in loss of friction, strength, freedom from all noise in motion, and
cleanliness, they are superior to any in England. Several of these lighter carriages are
now in use in this country, and give great satisfaction; and several more of a similar
manufacture have been recently ordered from New York. Indeed, it is not difficult to
understand why they should become favourites out of London; nor how reluctantly a
lover of quick driving would return to the heavier vehicles of city manufacture. There
were several rich sets of harness which deserved notice, in particular that which was
exhibited by Messrs. Lacy and Phillips. It was made from leather of the finest quality,
and with perfect thoroughness of work. The mountings were of solid silver, with
appropriate and graceful designs. In this, as in all the other harness shown, there was
remarkable lightness and airiness, and an obvious endeavour to do away with all super-
abundant weight.
The great use of oil in the "United States has necessarily led to many improvements in
lamps, as was evident in those exhibited from the manufactory of Messrs. Cornelius and
Co., in Philadelphia, especially in those upon the solar principle, as it is called, where
increased draught is made to bear upon the combustion, which are unknown among us.
Unpretending as these lamps appeared, it was stated that they would give an amount of
light greater, by one-half, than any others in use. The chandeliers that hung above
them were graceful, and of extreme purity of glass, and beautifully cast. The branches,
formed by arabesque scrolls, profusely ornamented with birds and flowers, delicately
sculptured, or in bold relief, with centres of richly-cut glass, claimed universal approval
for their elegance and lightness of design. This manufacture is among the latest intro-
duced in the United States, it being scarcely fifteen years since every chandelier, girandole,
mantel-lamp, and candelabra used in that country was imported from Europe; and it
argued considerable enterprise and perseverance on the part of the manufacturers, that
they attained so much excellence as to be willing to vie in the Exhibition with the oldest
and most celebrated houses in the world. On the south side of their portion of the
building, the contributors from the States exhibited, under the general classification of
raw material, many very excellent specimens. There were among these a large variety
of articles, such as Indian corn, ground, hulled, and in the ear; rye, oats, barley, wheat,
rice, cotton, tobacco, minerals, chemicals, woods, brooms, beef, pork, lard, hams, and
almost everything else identified with the productions of that country. Next in order
were to be seen daguerreotypes, paintings, herbaria, and prints, with some samples of
stained glass suspended from the galleries, and cottons, carpetings, wrought quilts, calicoes,
and needlework, tastefully displayed around. Considering the distance from which these
had to be conveyed, not only across 3,000 miles of ocean, but often from little short of
that distance inland * and considering, too, that it is not in her manufactures that
America makes her chief impression upon the world, we regard this portion of her
exhibition with great interest. In pianofortes there was a show highly creditable to the
manufacture of musical instruments in the United States. Pierson exhibited a seven-
octave grand pianoforte; Chickering a semi-grand, and other instruments of less preten-
sion but of much merit. There were two from the manufactory of Conrad Meyer, of
Philadelphia, in neat and very unpretending cases, combining all the best qualities of
the highest rank of pianos. In breadth, freedom, and evenness of tone, in promptness
and elasticity of action, and in a combination of everything that is rich and sweet in
this description of instrument, he claims to be unsurpassed.
Among cordage, boats, oars, and models of favourite ships, were exhibited two ship-
ventilators, by Frederick Emerson, of Boston. These are intended to supersede the
ordinary wind-sail now in use for sending pure air into the recesses of ships. The inventor
has given much attention to the subject of ventilation, and his success has been honoured