THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2689, 29 January 1881, Page 2

THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT .)

The fierce light that beata from a midsummer Bun, about the dome of the Exhition building, falls pitilessly around the temporary annexes and machinery halls, rendering the temperature somewhat too hot to be agreeable. Indeed, many of the | visitors find themselves unable to endorse all that has been sung in praiae of the Taunted Victorian climate. In fact, the heat at Carlton is often of a character that elicits the use of objectionable adjectives ; and should a breeze steal over the sunny scene, the dust speedily converts half Melbourne into a brickfield. Now a brickfield is not the most pleasant place of residence in the world, and the choice often lies between be ; ng scorched alive, or being choked to death with dust. It ia to be feared that Molbournians are somewhat wanting in standards of comparison when they indulge in superlative epithets in praise of this " land of beauty rare." Another dinner has been given by the German Commissioner ; and though comparisons are always odious, the economical principles upon which the British Government have conducted their embassy here is a subject of remark. In Paris, Vienna, or Philadelphia, the British flag waved over a handsome house, where English hospitality was kept up in a manner befitting a great nation. To Melbourne has been sent a commission of one — no staff whatever, nor any allowance for a single official dinner to help cement friendly relations and pleasant recollections. A fifthrate European state could not have done the thing in a more parsimonious spirit. Any close personal knowledge is, it may be presumed, unnecessary. By the way, one of the best things said by Lord Beaconsfield, in his new work, " Endymion," is, "that it is of the first importance in public life to know personally, those who are carrying on the business of the world ; for much depends on the character of the individual, his habits of thought, his prejudices, his social weaknesses, his health. Conducting affairs without this advantage is, in effect, an affair of stationery — it is pens and paper who are in communication, not human beings. " Altogether, the Victorian Exhibition is not marked by the festivities which usually accompany these occasions in larger communities. Perhaps there will be some tremendous dissipation to wind up with. A fancy drees ball, or something of the sort. We should like to have the selection, of the costumes for all the public men, and would guarantee, as the advertisements say, "a perfect fit"— we mean, morally ! The last time we saw any rock- boring was at the stupendous undertaking (sinoe, successfully accomplished), of boring » passage through the St, Gothard Alps. This week, at the Exhibition, we witnessed some demonstrations of the superiority of the National Rock Drill, exhibited by Messrs Osborn, Cushing and Co., the agents for the National Drill and Air Compression Company, of New York. The rapidity with which holes of 18 inches deep were bored in Malmesbury bluestone was surprising, compared with hand labor. It is certainly the moat efficient and reliable rock-drilling machine in the market. It is self-evident that, proteotod as it is by all its working parts being enclosed, (which is not the case with other inventions for similar purposes, exhibited by foreign manufacturers), it must be much less liable to get out of order, when we remember to what clouds of dust and grit it is exposed in mining operations. Ita simplicity abo renders it much less liable to get out of order, and much more easily to be repaired than more complicated Rock Drills. Also the clip, or coupling | of jacket to column, being made of tough steel, it ia lighter, takes leas room, thereby holes in drives can always be bored to advantage, i.e., can be placed "flat," only having one nut to loosen to disconnect drill from column, enabling the drill to be placed in position for boring very quickly. The top and bottom of cylinder is protected by indiarubber cushions, preventing the possibility of knocking the cylinder ends out, The piston is made of steel, having eleven punches bearing In length to cylinder. The construction of chuck obviates the necessity of the steel bits being turned up in a lathe ; any ordinary blacksmith can fit them. The point* of bits mcd are shaped in the same way as they are for) hand-boring, possessing advantages in simplicity of construction, durability, and efficiency. Power drill* have now been in use in the colonies for upwards of twelve years, and although the " national drill" has only been known here about two years, — having been seen and recommended by Mr Thureau, who saw it at work in California, — it is entirely superseding all others. Fourteen different mining companies now have thett in full use, and upwards of twenty other, have ordered them of Messrs Osborn^V Cushing and Co. The National Air Compressor, in the machinery hall, ia pro. vided with a double set of cylinder*, that the work of compression may go on steadily, and not by puUations, as is the case when one cylinder is employed. Compressed air is much to be preferred in mine* than steam, which renders the air impure, and necessitates the employment of ventilators to keep the atmo»phere wholesome. On the other hand compressed air not only is free from these drawbacks, but it* liberation in the working proves an advantage, because it augment* the supply of fresh air. At tho exhibit, the compressor is worked by steam, supplied direct from a boiler close by. The Air Receiver is connected by a flexible tube with the drill, and a pressure of 701bs on the square inch in the receiver was obtained in a few seconds, and in two minuleB 18 inches of stone were bored through. The demonstration was altogether perfectly successful, and elicited the warmeat commendation* from all pre* sent.