THE EXHIBITION.

Otago Witness, Issue 25, 8 November 1851, Page 4

THE EXHIBITION.

The Exhibition becomes more popular from day to day. The question asked some months ago was, Shall the Chrystal Palace ever be pulled down ? The reply was enthusiastically in the negative. The question now is, Shall the treasures of ;the Exhibition be dispersed ? There is a general feeling, growing in intensity, "that the assemblage of articles now classified together in the long avenues, spacious courts, and elegant galleries of that marvellous edifice ought to remain — a permanent source of instruction and delight to the people of all classes — a living museum of the arts and industry of the living world. It seems likely that funds will not be wanting for the purpose, and that, after all expenses are paid, sufficient will remain to keep up the building, and to purchase the most important articles exhibited. Such a result, which no one was sanguine enough to imagine a few months ago, is now considered by sober people to be highly desirable, and not impracticable. There remains but another step in the progress of opinion to be made, and then we shall have the realisation of Mr. Paxton> idea, of a gratuitous admission of the people on certain specified days. The cosmopolitan aspect of London is striking. We have not only the " Illustrated London News" in French and German, appealing to the sympathies of our guests in their own language, telling them all about the Exhibition and other matters, but the daily papers are interlarded with French and German articles. With a kind regard for the stranger, our police find other authorities have become as polyglot as the press. An announcement in the Strand directs the German to the " Eisinbahn," and the Frenchman to the " Chemin de Fer." The Government aids the good work of fraternisation, and throws open the arsenal at Woolwich, and the great national dockyards, to the inspection of strangers ; and our great nobles throw open their picture galleries and paries to the visits of the people generally, whether native or foreign. The city of London is about to entertain the Foreign Commissioners. The artists of England have given a public dinner to Herr Kiss and other foreign artists and sculptors, whose works have tended so greatly to the beauty and utility of the Exhibition ; and other festivities of a similar kind are spoken of. All these circumstances are new and cheering, and are among the minor amenities for which we have to be grateful to the Great Exhibition. One of the most curious applications of physical knowledge of the present day is that of fixing Newton's soap bubble. Every child must have observed that when a soap bubble is blown it becomes thinner and thinner, and exhibits the most beautiful irridiscent colours till it bursts, and thereby vanishes into the air. To Mr. De la Rue, sen., belongs the merit of not only having conceived the idea, but also of having, by his own ingenuity and delicacy of manipulation, fixed this irridiscent bubble, and then rendered it applicable for the arts. To this purpose he uses a little varnish, into which are inserted various other substances. A few drops of this are allowed to thin, till it covers the water and becomes irridiscent, when by dexterous manipulation the object to be covered is raised from the basin, and draws with it the delicate film, which possesses all the properties of a soap bubble. The name he has given to this glorious triumph of physical philosophy is " Opaline ;" and having been greatly interested with the specimens shown at his stall, we have been favoured with a sight of other specimens, which have been made for different purposes. In future, the visiting card is destined to be as brilliant as the brightest mother-of-pearl, or the richly-coloured Haliotus. Our walls are to be papered with irridiscent colours, which vie with the natural hues of the birds and butterflies which flit about the tropical groves. The colours upon these papers are of the same kind with the colours on the wings of the Emperor of Morocco butterfly, the most beautiful beetle, or the brightest shell; and, curiously enough, the invention is one of the few human productions which will bear the microscope, and still gain, instead of losing, by the more minute examination, ■v At the western end of the building is Count Dunin's expanding model of a man. The cause of its manufacture is sufficiently romantic. Having in early life become involved in the j cause of the insurrection of the Poles, he was banished the country ; but, being desirous of again visiting his fatherland, and enjoying the estate of his ancestors, he betook himself to mechanical pursuits, that he might expiate his ' offence, real or imaginary, against the Emperor of Russia, by showing that he might be useful to the country if he were restored. — The figure represents a man five feet high, in the proportions of Apollo Belvidere, and from that size the figure can be proportionally increased | to six feet eight inches ; and, as it is intended to facilitate the clothing of an army, it is so

constructed as to be capable of adjustment in every part to the particular proportions of each individual. To obtain this result, the most complex contrivances are required, and the number of springs, screws, and other movements, render it a marvel of human ingenuity, The tailors regard it with admiration, but its costliness of construction renders it an instrument too expensive for them to purchase. It is a marvellous sight to see the model expand, and it is well deserving a careful inspection. The mechanism is composed of 875 framing pieces, 48 grooved steel plates, 163 wheels) 202 slides, 476 metal washers, 482 spiral springs, 702 sliding plates, 497 nuts, 8500 fixing and adjusting screws, with numerous steadying pins, so that the number of pieces is upwards of 70,000.— Illustrated News. The " Illustrated London News " of the 24th May, under Foreign Mines and Minerals, thus notices the productions of the South Australian Mining Company : — " The collections contrij buted by and on account of this Company will be found to possess great interest. In addition to copper, the district contains also vast mineral resources, as the ores of iron are abundant and very rich ; and good indications of lead, and even of the precious metals, have also been found. We would direct especial attention to the magnetic and micaceous iron ore, as promising great advantage in working." The same journal also observes — " Various parts of Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales yield stone of great beauty, and of great value for ornamental purposes. The opals are especially worthy of notice, and the white topazes may also be referred to. A magnificent specimen of opalised wood is exhibited in the nave on the east side of the colonial trophy. In addition to other articles may be noticed some promising hone-stones from Van Diemen's Land. From New Zealand, whose products are placed near those of Australia, in the Colonial court, we have samples of titaniferous iron ore, said to exist in vast quantities as sand ; other ores of iron of various kinds ; considerable specimens of coal and lignite ; some samples of sulphur, and specimens of pumice. Of these indications of mineral wealth, perhaps the most interesting at present is the coal. The quality judging from appearance, is not such as to enter into competition with that obtained from England ; but this may be partly owing to the fact, that hitherto it is only the top of the bed, where it has been long exposed to the weather, that is sent for examination. Still the quality is rather that of lignite than true coal ; it is light, hardly soils the fingers, and in some part resembles jet. With these products from the Southern Archipelago we may rank also the gritstones forwarded from Norfolk Island." The following is a description of a most extraordinary and magnificent clock sent by Mr. Charles Brutton to the National Exhibition :—: — The world is indebted for this wonderful production of ingenuity, perseverance, and mechanical skill, to Jacob Lovelace, born in the city of Exeter, 15th March 1656, who, to the disgrace of the age, ended his days in great poverty in that city, Ist April 1716, aged sixty years, having been thirty-four years in completing it. This beautiful specimen of mechanism is enclosed in an elegant cabinet, ten feet high, five feet wide, and weighing half a ton — ornamented with Oriental figures, and finely-exe-cuted paintings bordered by richly-gilded carved fretwork. The movements are — 1. A moving panorama descriptive of day and night. Day i£ beautifully represented by Apollo in his car, drawn by four spirited coursers, accompanied by the twelve hours ; and Diana in her car, drawn by stags attended by the twelve hours represents Night. Two gilt figures in Roman costume, who turn their heads and salute with their swords, as the panorama revolves and also move in the same manner while the bells are ringing. 2. A perpetual almanack, showing the month on a semicircular plane, the index returning to the first day of every month j on the close of each month, without alteration even in leap years, regulated only once in 1 30 years. 3. A circle, the index of which shows the day of the week, with its appropriate planet. 4. A perpetual almanack, showing the days of the month weekly, and the equation of time. 5. .A circle showing the leap year, the index revolving only once in four years. 6. A timepiece, that strikes the hours, chimes the quarters; on the face of which the whole of the twenty-four hours (twelve day and twelve night) are shown and regulated ; within this circle the sun is seen in his course, with the time of rising and setting by an horizon receding or advancing as the days lengthen or shorten ; and under is seen the moon, showing her different quarters, phases, ages, &c. 7. Two female figures, one on each side of the dial-plate representing Fame and Terpischore, who move in time when the organ plays. 8. A movement regulating the clock as a repeater to strike or

be silent. 9. Saturn, the god of fame, who \ beats in movement while the organ plays. 10. A circle on the face shows the names of ten celebrated ancient tunes played by the organs in the interior of the cabinet every four hours. 11. A belfry, with six ringers, who ring a merry peal ad libitum. The interior of this part of the cabinet is ornamented with beautiful paintings, representing some of the principal ancient buildings of the city of Exeter. 12. Connected with the organ there is a bird organ, which plays when required. — Hobarton Guardian.

In noticing some of the productions exhibited j from Scotland, says a correspondent of the " Edinburgh Witness," I may begin with " Auld Reekie ;" and I must confess its specimens of art and ingenuity bear ample testimony to the good taste which one expects to emanate from the " Modern Athens." But I can only notice the most prominent and interesting productions of Scottish industry, and these, too, in a very cursory manner : — Within the building there is not a more complete contribution than that of Messrs. Lawson & Son, nurserymen, Edinburgh. Anywhere out of th% Crystal Palace this might well obtain the name of a museum, as' a Museum indeed it is, of the " Vegetable productions of Scotland," for it covers an area of no less than 33,678 square feet. Seeds and grains of every variety, cereal grasses, and grasses for herbage, — turnips, carrots, and potatoes, &c, &c, — form a collection the finest of the kind I have ever seen. Then, a vast variety of native Scotch timber, both in its raw and polished state, shows to what perfection the wood grown in this country can be brought and adapted to ornamental purposes, as well as useful. I have never seen any wood in its polished state more beautiful than the specimens here of laburnum and common Scotch fir. Here, also, there are specimens of wheat in the blade and in seed, flour therefrom, and ultimately a fine loaf of bread. So also with the other grains indigenous to your country, which end in the truly national food of oat cakes and barley bannocks. Messrs. Ballantyne and Allan exhibit a very beautiful piece of stained glass in the Elizabethan and decorated style. These are deservedly admired for their richness of colour and artistic truth. There is a perfect gem in its way exhibited by Mr. Scrymgeour, upholsterer, Edinburgh, its designer and manufacturer, — the model of a State bed in the Elizabethan style, with canopy, and exquisitely carved in pine and plane tree. One magnificent bed-stead from Austria has, I believe, been sold since it came to this country for £3000 ! Messrs. Meyer and Mortimer exhibit the entire ornaments of several Highland regiments, — the dirk, the brooch, the sporan, and sword ; the varieties of tartan, and hose, and belt, and bonnet, — arranged in first-rate order and admirable taste. Messrs. Marshall & Sons also show a set of accoutrements for the Highland dress, rich and more fanciful in design, and exceedingly beautiful. Both contributions excite a considerable degree of attention and remark ; and to a person learned in the lore of Highland dress these Cockney observations must be highly amusing. There are also exhibited numerous beautiful manufactures from Paisley, Galashiels, Tillicoultry, and Bannockburn, in the shape of tartans, scarfs, shawls, and lace.

A New Life -bo at. — An item in the cargo of the American frigate " St. Lawrence," now at Southampton, is worthy of special notice. It is one of Francis's patent metallic life-boats, and has been brought over by Captain Sands, consigned to Mr. Macgregor Laird, the iron shipbuilder of Birkenhead, who is instructed by the inventor to present it to the Shipwreck and Humane Society in London ; previous to which, however, Mr. Laird has directions to have the boat drawn through the streets of London by four horses, the bottom to be entirely unprotected, so that the strength of the boat may be severely tested. After this it is to be run against the London Docks, stem on, with all the power of six oarsmen, and finally tried in the surf among the rocks of the most dangerous" coast in England. This boat is, by its appearance and general structure, a most efficient medium for saving lives in cases of shipwreck on hazardous shores. It is built of galvanised corrugated iron, has air-tight tanks forward and aft, and cannot possibly turn over or sink. Its buoyancy is so great that it will sustain in the water as many human beings as can cling to it. The boat also cannot fill with water, because there are ten or twelve plugs, which, when opened, will let out all the water that may have got in heavy weather into the boat, and that may, in consequence, remain above the line of immersion. Besides this valuable present to the Humane Society, Captain

I Sands has brought for presentation to .Captain Lord John Hay, R.N., a most beautiful model of one of Francis's man-of-war's cutters, such as have been used with great success in the United States Navy, and similar to the boats which Capt. Lynch explored the Dead Sea, when all others failed. This model is to be presented to Lord John Hay when Capt. Sands arrives in London. - - A Great Discovery. — We saw 3 some time ago, in a Pennsylvania paper, an announcement that some facts have recently come to light which entitle the statement to credit. Professor Solomon, of Harrodsborough, Kentucky, has successfully applied the power of carbonic acid as a substitute for steam in propelling engines for every purpose. The power of this gas has long been known to chemists, but their inability to regulate and govern it has prevented its use as a propelling agent. Professor Solomon claims to be able to control it with perfect safety, and asserts that it will afford a power equal to steam in one-fifth of the space, and one-hundredth part of the expense with both furnace and boilers. Experiments [ have recently been made in Cincinnati, which are said to be entirely satisfactory. — United States Banner. Yankee Clocks. — The clock factory of Chauncey Jerome, in New Haven, is by far the largest establishment of its kind in the United States. China, Hindostan, California, Peru, Turkey, and all parts of Continental Europe, are supplied more or less largely from the depots of Mr. Jerome in New York, Liverpool, and London. The "New Haven Courier" says the number of operatives employed by Mr. Jerome is something more than 260, to whom about 6,000 dols. is paid monthly. There is annually consumed in his establishment about 1,000,000 feet of pine lumber, more than a third of a million feet of mahogany and rosewood veneers, 200,000 lbs. of rolled and cut brass, 200 lbs. of glue, and 100 more of varnish, 2,000 boxes of glass, 300 casks of nails, and other necessary materials in proportion. The several parts that enter into the construction of every clock pass through about 200 different processes before they are completed. — New York paper.