DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1401#0241
here f
s to omit aJJ
sdedsotij;
ifonnation, i';
THE ILLUSTRATED EXHIBITOR.
189
able designer of the Crystal Palace, itself unquestionably
the most wonderful specimen of English industry, on the
opening day headed the Royal Procession. It was at the
express desire of Prince Albert that this public honour was
paid to the architect who had erected a marvel to enshrine
so many other marvels. Thus, England, after bringing to
an auspicious termination the project of an universal Ex-
hibition, did not forget worthily to honour those who
so much contributed to its success. Could there be a
more popular sight, I would ask, than that of this
humble architect, this builder of hot-houses, walking at
the head of the Royal procession of the Queen of England
on such a day? The interior order of arrangement of
the building is also beyond all praise. The nations are
arranged in order, according to the importance of their
contributions, and are distinguished from each other
either by having the names or the flags of their respec-
tive countries displayed over their compartments. The
approach to all the stalls is perfectly easy, the circulation
everywhere free and commodious. The articles are exhi-
bited in classes—machinery, carriages, and woven goods of
the same kind being pretty generally placed together.
Each nation has had perfect liberty to fit up and arrange,
according to its own peculiar taste and fancy, the bays and
glass cases for the display of its goods. Hence a diversity
has resulted not less interesting than the goods themselves,
and which in a somewhat original fashion represents the cha-
the multitude, producing a most singular and unexpected
effect. Nothing, also, can be more striking than this
buzzing of so many different languages and the chequered
array of the many grotesque costumes of all these foreigners.
Each nation occupies an unequal space at the universal
Exhibition; and it is but just to remark, that several
among them—foremost of which is our own—are only re-
presented in a very imperfect manner. It is evident that
the North Americans have only sent to this great gather-
ing some indifferent goods, and they have had to give up
to neighbouring exhibitors a portion of the space which
was useless to them. A few ploughs, some canoes, some
very inferior maps; such is the actual stock of the North
American portion of the Exhibition; but every one ac-
quainted with the industrial skill and labourious energy of
that great people must admit that its productive powers
are not represented by these few sorry specimens.
Spain has furnished little beyond raw materials, some
wool, a few silks, and scarcely any woven goods. Cata-
lonia, the last haunt of the Protectionists of that country,
has not exhibited anything. It feared, not without reason,
being crushed by the comparison of its wretched cotton
cloths with those of the whole world, and being called to
account by the Spanish people for the tribute which it
levies upon them, almost without profit to itself. But the
experience will not be the less decisive; and, by allowing
judgment to go by default, the ashamed Protectionists will
■KICH.
tfcalci
bitect^i
n
SILVER BRACELET, REPRESENTING THE LIFE AND DEATH OF ST. LOUIS.— M.
FREMONT-MEURICE, PARIS.
tatf
W
0
+i
&
racteristics of the various nations enlisted in peaceful struggle.
England, which, as I have said before, has appropriated
to itself one-half of the entire space, had to provide, besides,
the best means of insuring the comfort of the visitors, and
the embellishments which should make the great building
worthy -of its destination. These results have been most
happily achieved by the distribution in the middle of the
principal nave of all the large casts or pieces of sculpture
contributed by Prussia, France, and Belgium, but parti-
cularly Prussia. At intervals several gushing fountains,
one of which is a magnificent crystal one, spread freshness
and animation over this vast space, through which re-
verberate the sounds of three organs erected in the most
original and picturesque fashion.
Lastly, some venerable trees, preserved as a kind of
scale by the aid of which the height of the immense fa-
bric may be measured without effort, add the charm of their
rapid vegetation to this graceful and imposing ensemble.
Such is, in its simple grandeur, the general aspect of the
Exhibition of all Nations. On the inaugural day there
were upwards of 25,000 persons present, and yet the
extremes of the building appeared like a desert. The hum
of these thousands of voices was hardly to be distinguished
and was really lost in this aerial fabric, from which an
azure glimmer, like that of the firmament, was shed upon
not be the less condemned—some for their impotence, as
in the case of Spain, others in consequence of their infe-
riority, denied t>y themselves, and from motives of cu-
pidity, as in France. At every turn in this Exhibition the
truth strikes every one.
Only look at the Sheffield cutlery ! what admirable va-
riety ! what richness! what amazing cheapness! as the
English say, with pride and with reason. And we have
also reason to say—"When our manufacturers shall have
iron and steel at more reasonable prices, they will manufac-
ture equally well." But our iron-masters will not have it
thus. Look, again, at the English carriage department,
exhibiting such variety, richness, and elegance; yet the
importation of carriages is prohibited in France, and
France is thereby deprived of the means of comparison and
imitation, which would greatly benefit the coachmakers
themselves. And so to the end of the chapter. We shall
demonstrate, beyond the shadow of doubt, that there
would be no want of superiority in our manufacturesfrom
the day when France, exempted from the tribute which is
levied upon her under the guise of protection, shall, in the
plenitude of her liberty, exert herself without undergoing
or imposing the yoke of restriction. _
This fact is especially striking on examining the Swiss
department of the Exhibition. Switzerland occupies m
s to omit aJJ
sdedsotij;
ifonnation, i';
THE ILLUSTRATED EXHIBITOR.
189
able designer of the Crystal Palace, itself unquestionably
the most wonderful specimen of English industry, on the
opening day headed the Royal Procession. It was at the
express desire of Prince Albert that this public honour was
paid to the architect who had erected a marvel to enshrine
so many other marvels. Thus, England, after bringing to
an auspicious termination the project of an universal Ex-
hibition, did not forget worthily to honour those who
so much contributed to its success. Could there be a
more popular sight, I would ask, than that of this
humble architect, this builder of hot-houses, walking at
the head of the Royal procession of the Queen of England
on such a day? The interior order of arrangement of
the building is also beyond all praise. The nations are
arranged in order, according to the importance of their
contributions, and are distinguished from each other
either by having the names or the flags of their respec-
tive countries displayed over their compartments. The
approach to all the stalls is perfectly easy, the circulation
everywhere free and commodious. The articles are exhi-
bited in classes—machinery, carriages, and woven goods of
the same kind being pretty generally placed together.
Each nation has had perfect liberty to fit up and arrange,
according to its own peculiar taste and fancy, the bays and
glass cases for the display of its goods. Hence a diversity
has resulted not less interesting than the goods themselves,
and which in a somewhat original fashion represents the cha-
the multitude, producing a most singular and unexpected
effect. Nothing, also, can be more striking than this
buzzing of so many different languages and the chequered
array of the many grotesque costumes of all these foreigners.
Each nation occupies an unequal space at the universal
Exhibition; and it is but just to remark, that several
among them—foremost of which is our own—are only re-
presented in a very imperfect manner. It is evident that
the North Americans have only sent to this great gather-
ing some indifferent goods, and they have had to give up
to neighbouring exhibitors a portion of the space which
was useless to them. A few ploughs, some canoes, some
very inferior maps; such is the actual stock of the North
American portion of the Exhibition; but every one ac-
quainted with the industrial skill and labourious energy of
that great people must admit that its productive powers
are not represented by these few sorry specimens.
Spain has furnished little beyond raw materials, some
wool, a few silks, and scarcely any woven goods. Cata-
lonia, the last haunt of the Protectionists of that country,
has not exhibited anything. It feared, not without reason,
being crushed by the comparison of its wretched cotton
cloths with those of the whole world, and being called to
account by the Spanish people for the tribute which it
levies upon them, almost without profit to itself. But the
experience will not be the less decisive; and, by allowing
judgment to go by default, the ashamed Protectionists will
■KICH.
tfcalci
bitect^i
n
SILVER BRACELET, REPRESENTING THE LIFE AND DEATH OF ST. LOUIS.— M.
FREMONT-MEURICE, PARIS.
tatf
W
0
+i
&
racteristics of the various nations enlisted in peaceful struggle.
England, which, as I have said before, has appropriated
to itself one-half of the entire space, had to provide, besides,
the best means of insuring the comfort of the visitors, and
the embellishments which should make the great building
worthy -of its destination. These results have been most
happily achieved by the distribution in the middle of the
principal nave of all the large casts or pieces of sculpture
contributed by Prussia, France, and Belgium, but parti-
cularly Prussia. At intervals several gushing fountains,
one of which is a magnificent crystal one, spread freshness
and animation over this vast space, through which re-
verberate the sounds of three organs erected in the most
original and picturesque fashion.
Lastly, some venerable trees, preserved as a kind of
scale by the aid of which the height of the immense fa-
bric may be measured without effort, add the charm of their
rapid vegetation to this graceful and imposing ensemble.
Such is, in its simple grandeur, the general aspect of the
Exhibition of all Nations. On the inaugural day there
were upwards of 25,000 persons present, and yet the
extremes of the building appeared like a desert. The hum
of these thousands of voices was hardly to be distinguished
and was really lost in this aerial fabric, from which an
azure glimmer, like that of the firmament, was shed upon
not be the less condemned—some for their impotence, as
in the case of Spain, others in consequence of their infe-
riority, denied t>y themselves, and from motives of cu-
pidity, as in France. At every turn in this Exhibition the
truth strikes every one.
Only look at the Sheffield cutlery ! what admirable va-
riety ! what richness! what amazing cheapness! as the
English say, with pride and with reason. And we have
also reason to say—"When our manufacturers shall have
iron and steel at more reasonable prices, they will manufac-
ture equally well." But our iron-masters will not have it
thus. Look, again, at the English carriage department,
exhibiting such variety, richness, and elegance; yet the
importation of carriages is prohibited in France, and
France is thereby deprived of the means of comparison and
imitation, which would greatly benefit the coachmakers
themselves. And so to the end of the chapter. We shall
demonstrate, beyond the shadow of doubt, that there
would be no want of superiority in our manufacturesfrom
the day when France, exempted from the tribute which is
levied upon her under the guise of protection, shall, in the
plenitude of her liberty, exert herself without undergoing
or imposing the yoke of restriction. _
This fact is especially striking on examining the Swiss
department of the Exhibition. Switzerland occupies m