THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION. [FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXII, Issue 5230, 17 July 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION. [FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

June 10 The Exhibition so solemnly opened on the 10th of Mayi is now graduilly ap proaching its completion, tli.it is to say, the numerous tardy ones ha\e filled the space allotted them, .mil .m.mged thendisplays. The slow manner in which these lite comers hue poi formed their -work lias called forth much criticism, especially in the case of the American department of Machinery Hall. A laige number of the annexes, State buildings, special buildings, &c, are also still 111 the hands of the workmen, and the grounds themselves are in a deplorable condition. Nevertheless, the exhibition is proving a decided success, and it is hoped that even financially the grave doubts expressed by so many, will prove ill-founded. The average attendance of paying visitors has been 22,000, making the receipts 11,000 dol. per day. The Nev Yotl Timo, one of our most reliable newspapeis, says that the running expenses have now been reduced to 8,000dol. per day, so that the prospects for the future are oncoui aging, especially as the rush from the countiy at large cannot be said to have set m. Through the warnings of the majority of the Press during the earlier pait of the Exhibition, a great many people prefer to wait until it is announced to them that everything is complete and worthy of their presence. They are thus exposing themselves to the greater heat of the coming months without any real advantages, as the majority of those who come have but three or four days to spend, and during these will only be able to gain a general impression and inspect more closely the most prominent features. They would therefore lose but little by the absence of some exhibits, which they would in no case have the time to devote their attention to. It is amusing to see the eager crowd in the morning, inquisitive, animated, eloquent in their praise, and then to watch the weary, tired faces in the evening when objects which would have been surveyed with rapturous joy in the early part of the day are now coldly and mutely stared at. Of all its buildings, Main Hall alone displays a really international character, whilst Machinery Hall and the other chie buildings cannot boast of numerous oii other extensii e representations of foieiyii nations. The Art Gallery and its annexe must, of course, be excluded, though it has been asserted that, though the number of objects of i art sent from Europe be great, there is, in some cases, little creditable or truly representatn e The centre of interest for the student who desires to learn the extent of the various countries' resources and their industry, and to make comparative investigations, is the main building. It is there that Australia is worthily represented by the extensive collections of the products of its soil and its mines, sent by the various colonies. The space occupied by them is north of the nave, not yery far from the western entrance. Thenneighbour to the west is Sweden, from which they are separated by a passage, and on the other hand, east, they are joined by Jamaica and Canada, who range side by side with Great Britain itself. The colonies occupy separate courts, of which Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and New Zealand face the nave, whilst Queensland and Tasmania have been placed near the northern avenue. Tasmania and South Australia have not yet completed the arrangement of their exhibits, and their courts are, therefore, closed to the public. Into the others large numbors are drawn by the attractive manner in -which the courts have been decorated, and the interest which the variety of the display commands. The court of New Zealand, the entrance of which lies on the main passage m the nave, is, as most of the others, separated from its neighbours by high partitions, which serve admirably to give full advantage to the Lu-ge number of photograps of towns, .scenery, «fcc., exhibited in most of the courts Conspicuously placed before the public, at the entrance into the court, are ranged samples of gold-du3t and nuggets, together with a number of rich specimens of gold quarts A huge model, gilded, represents the amount of that valuable metal exported from 18G2 till 1875. Amonst the other objects attesting the mineral wealth of the colony are a number of iron ores, chrome-iron ore, and petroleum. Specimens of that most valuable of all minerals, coal, are exhibited, and also some coke, showing that some varieties possess superior coking qualities. Our ladies are very much attracted by a number of very fine muffs, &c, made of the soft down of various birds. They are most beautifully finished, and I have had occasion to hear many an admiring "How sweet!" Highly interesting — and to us particularly valuable, as the only one sent by any of the colonies — is a large collection of the garments, ornaments, and weapons of native tiibes. It is to be deplored that the general classification is not such as to bring together objects which would gain much by being placed side by side with otheis for comparative investigation. As it is now, any attempts in that direction are futile. Thus, it would be of great interest to be able to compare this display of the Maori with the one we have of our own Indians ; but, as the latter is in quite another building, it is practically impossible to da so. Other objects of interest are fine specimens of polished timber, of which the peculiar totara knot especially commanded our attention. There is also a great variety of ferns, and a very fine display of wool, cordage, candles, soap, seeds, glue, gum, and saddlery fill the icxnainder of the court, which ranks amongst the finest of the Australian exhibits. On the wholo the Australian department has caused a good deal of favourable comment, and all who have examined its mineral and agricultural resources, as represented in the main building, unanimously agree in predicting to so favouied a country, populated by an energetic, intelligent, and persevering race a brilliant future, destined to eclipse many of the older producing countries.

[from papeks.] The following table shows the comparative number of visitors during the first 13 clays at the International Exhibitions at Vienna, 1873, and at Philadelphia, 1876. The Vienna figures commence with the hi st day at the regular price ; the h'rit four days, at high prices, when very few people attended, are omitted. Sundays are also omitted in the Vienna figures :

Philadelphia. Pay MsitoM. First day .. 70.211 Second day.. . 14,722 Third dny . .. 10,2. r >2 Fourth day.. ll,bf>8 Fifth day .. .. 10,89« Sivth day .. .. 7,0 r >0 Seventh day 12,117 Eighth daj . .. 11,(1.14 Ninth daj .. .. 10,100 Tenth <4ay . 18,l f ii Eleventh day . 1 ',402 Twelfth jdiy.. .. 17, '42 Thirteenth day . . 20,5,-iO Total firat 18 d»>i . . 230,734 Vienna. Pay visitors 4,14'J ll,9')0 9,511. :.,.!"> t 2,040 3,117 3,"sS 4,'JH 3,821 3,07*1 0,721 7,141 0,129 72,729