Part 13
The area of Hyde Park is 387 acres. " Kensington Gardens 290 " " Regent's Park 403 " " St. James's Park 83 " " Green Park 71 " " Victoria Park 160 " " Greenwich Park 174 "
making a total of 1,568 acres, while only twenty acres are proposed to be taken or the purposes of this Exhibition.
26. In conclusion, the Commissioners think it desirable to call attention to the fact, that the three last Exhibitions of this nature which have taken place in Paris have been held on a site (the Champs Elysées) very closely corresponding to our own Hyde Park in many respects, and particularly resembling it in being the most fashionable and the most frequented promenade in Paris--more frequented, indeed, than the particular spot selected on the present occasion has ever been, or is likely to be; and yet it does not appear that the Parisians have had occasion to complain of those annoyances which are now apprehended by some persons in this country. And the Commissioners are informed, that the Exhibition in Vienna was held in the Prado, the principal public place in that city; and that the Exhibition in Berlin was held in the Thiergarten, which is not only the principal public place within the city, but is remarkable as being the only open Park of any sort within several miles.
27. In the foregoing observations the Commissioners have thought it right to confine themselves strictly to a discussion of the practical difficulties which would attend a change of site. They cannot, however, but express their decided opinion, that the renouncement of the selection of the most beautiful park in London for the scene of the Exhibition may be looked upon as indicating a diminution of interest in the undertaking, and would materially detract from that appearance of hospitality on the part of England which has been one great cause for the very favourable reception which this proposal has everywhere secured.
They must add, that the possibility that the bringing the Exhibition into Hyde Park should be considered as an interference with the enjoyment of that Park by the public has never entered their minds. They have, on the contrary, always intended it as a means of recreative and intellectual enjoyment for the greatest portion of her Majesty's subjects: and they have hitherto had reason to believe that it has been so regarded by the country in general.
----
REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSIONERS,
PRESENTED TO HER MAJESTY ON THE OPENING OF THE BUILDING.
The following Report, together with her Majesty's Answer, on the occasion of the inauguration of the building, cannot fail to be interesting as a brief record of the proceedings connected with this noble undertaking up to that period:--
"May it please your Majesty,--We, the Commissioners appointed by your Majesty's royal warrant of the 3rd of January, 1850, for the promotion of the Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations, and subsequently incorporated by your Majesty's Royal Charter of the 15th of August in the same year, humbly beg leave, on the occasion of your Majesty's auspicious visit at the opening of the Exhibition, to lay before you a brief statement of our proceedings to the present time.
"By virtue of the authority graciously committed to us by your Majesty, we have made diligent inquiry into the matters which your Majesty was pleased to refer to us, namely, into the best mode of introducing the productions of your Majesty's colonies and of foreign countries into this kingdom, the selection of the most suitable site for the Exhibition, the general conduct of the undertaking, and the proper method of determining the nature of the prizes and of securing the most impartial distribution of them.
"In the prosecution of these inquiries, and in the discharge of the duties assigned to us by your Majesty's Royal Charter of Incorporation, we have held constant meetings of our whole body, and have, moreover, referred numerous questions connected with a great variety of subjects to committees, composed partly of our own members and partly of individuals distinguished in the several departments of science and the arts, who have cordially responded to our applications for their assistance at a great sacrifice of their valuable time.
"Among the earliest questions brought before us was the important one as to the terms upon which articles offered for exhibition should be admitted into the building. We considered that it was a main characteristic of the national undertaking in which we were engaged that it should depend wholly upon the voluntary contributions of the people of this country for its success; and we therefore decided, without hesitation, that no charge whatever should be made on the admission of such goods. We considered, also, that the office of selecting the articles to be sent should be intrusted in the first instance to local committees, to be established in every foreign country, and in various districts of your Majesty's dominions; a general power of control being reserved to the Commission.
"We have now the gratification of stating that our anticipations of support in this course have in all respects been fully realised. Your Majesty's most gracious donation to the funds of the Exhibition was the signal for voluntary contributions from all, even the humblest, classes of your subjects, and the funds which have thus been placed at our disposal amount at present to about 65,000_l._ Local committees, from which we have uniformly received the most zealous co-operation, were formed in all parts of the United Kingdom, in many of your Majesty's colonies, and in the territories of the Hon. East India Company. The most energetic support has also been received from the Governments of nearly all the countries of the world, in most of which Commissions have been appointed for the special purpose of promoting the objects of an Exhibition justly characterised in your Majesty's royal warrant as an Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations.
"We have also to acknowledge the great readiness with which persons of all classes have come forward as exhibitors. And here again it becomes our duty to return our humble thanks to your Majesty for the most gracious manner in which your Majesty has condescended to associate yourself with your subjects by yourself contributing some most valuable and interesting articles to the Exhibition.
"The number of exhibitors whose productions it has been found possible to accommodate is about 15,000, of whom nearly one-half are British. The remainder represent the productions of more than forty foreign countries, comprising almost the whole of the civilised nations of the globe. In arranging the space to be allotted to each, we have taken into consideration both the nature of its productions and the facilities of access to this country afforded by its geographical position. Your Majesty will find the productions of your Majesty's dominions arranged in the western portion of the building, and those of foreign countries in the eastern. The Exhibition is divided into the four great classes of--1, Raw Materials; 2, Machinery; 3, Manufactures; and 4, Sculpture and the Fine Arts. A further division has been made according to the geographical position of the countries represented; those which lie within the warmer latitudes being placed near the centre of the building, and the colder countries at the extremities.
"Your Majesty having been graciously pleased to grant a site in this your royal Park for the purposes of the Exhibition, the first column of the structure now honoured by your Majesty's presence was fixed on the 26th of September last. Within the short period, therefore, of seven months, owing to the energy of the contractors and the active industry of the workmen employed by them, a building has been erected, entirely novel in its construction, covering a space of more than eighteen acres, measuring 1,851 feet in length, and 456 feet in extreme breadth, capable of containing 40,000 visitors, and affording a frontage for the exhibition of goods to the extent of more than ten miles. For the original suggestion of the principle of this structure the Commissioners are indebted to Mr. Joseph Paxton, to whom they feel their acknowledgments to be justly due for this interesting feature of their undertaking.
"With regard to the distribution of rewards to deserving exhibitors, we have decided that they should be given in the form of medals, not with reference to merely individual competition, but as rewards for excellence in whatever shape it may present itself. The selection of the persons to be so rewarded has been intrusted to juries equally composed of British subjects and of foreigners, the former having been selected by the Commission from the recommendations made by the local committees, and the latter by the Governments of the foreign nations the productions of which are exhibited. The names of these jurors, comprising, as they do, many of European celebrity, afford the best guarantee of the impartiality with which the rewards will be assigned.
"It affords much gratification that, notwithstanding the magnitude of this undertaking, and the great distances from which many of the articles now exhibited have had to be collected, the day on which your Majesty has been graciously pleased to be present at the inauguration of the Exhibition is the same day that was originally named for its opening, thus affording a proof of what may, under God's blessing, be accomplished by goodwill and cordial co-operation among nations, aided by the means that modern science has placed at our command.
"Having thus briefly laid before your Majesty the results of our labours, it now only remains for us to convey to your Majesty our dutiful and loyal acknowledgments of the support and encouragement which we have derived throughout this extensive and laborious task from the gracious favour and countenance of your Majesty. It is our heartfelt prayer that this undertaking, which has for its end the promotion of all branches of human industry and the strengthening of the bonds of peace and friendship among all nations of the earth, may, by the blessing of Divine Providence, conduce to the welfare of your Majesty's people, and be long remembered among the brightest circumstances of your Majesty's peaceful and happy reign."
Her Majesty returned the following gracious answer:--
"I receive with the greatest satisfaction the address which you have presented to me on the opening of this Exhibition.
"I have observed with a warm and increasing interest the progress of your proceedings in the execution of the duties intrusted to you by the Royal Commission, and it affords me sincere gratification to witness the successful result of your judicious and unremitting exertions in the splendid spectacle by which I am this day surrounded.
"I cordially concur with you in the prayer, that by God's blessing this undertaking may conduce to the welfare of my people and to the common interest of the human race, by encouraging the arts of peace and industry, strengthening the bonds of union among the nations of the earth, and promoting a friendly and honourable rivalry in the useful exercise of those faculties which have been conferred by a beneficent Providence for the good and the happiness of mankind."
THE END.
SALISBURY, PRINTER, PRIMROSE-HILL, SALISBURY-SQUARE, FLEET-STREET.
* * * * * *
THE FOLLOWING INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT
NEW BOOKS AND MAPS
ARE PUBLISHED BY
JAMES GILBERT, 49, PATERNOSTER-ROW, LONDON,
Wholesale and Retail Bookseller, Publisher, and Newsvendor.
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NOW READY, in 200 pages, demy 18mo, with Illustrations, price, in fancy binding, only 1s. 6d., or post free, 2s., the SECOND EDITION,
DEDICATED TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT,
GILBERT'S
POPULAR NARRATIVE OF THE ORIGIN, HISTORY, PROGRESS, & PROSPECTS
OF THE
GREAT INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION,
1851:
With a Guide to the future Rules and Arrangements.
BY PETER BERLYN, ESQ.
----
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.
ATHENÆUM.
"A well-written volume. A useful record of the history and progressive development of the marking incident of our age and nation. Mr. Berlyn was, we believe, officially employed by the Executive Committee in the earlier stages of their labours; his statements, therefore, are on good authority and may be relied on. The narrative is sufficiently full in its details for the general public now and hereafter."
EXAMINER.
"This is a clever book, full of timely and interesting matter, and with sufficient merit as a record of the origin and history of the Great Exhibition to outlive the mere curiosity of the hour. Mr. Berlyn has had official opportunities of becoming well acquainted with the subject, and has not neglected them. He puts his materials together with spirit and intelligence, and indulges a hopeful strain of anticipation and prophecy very properly befitting his theme."
LITERARY GAZETTE.
"Within a small compass we have here gathered together all that is interesting in connexion with the great undertaking of the present year--an undertaking which must form a most important chapter in the world's history. We are bound to say that the work has been judiciously done, and the result is a very satisfactory review of all that has been effected in the way of Industrial Exhibitions up to the present time."
MORNING CHRONICLE.
"GILBERT'S POPULAR NARRATIVE OF THE EXHIBITION.--With this title a small work has just been published, written by Mr. Peter Berlyn, from authentic and official sources, tracing the origin, history, and progress, and pointing to the prospects, of the Great Exhibition. The author has carefully avoided all speculation and gossip on the subject, and has applied himself with very considerable ability to the statement and elucidation of all those facts, derived from authentic records, which bear upon the progress of this most important national movement. Many interesting facts are stated in connexion with the previous expositions which have taken place on the Continent and in this country, and the difficulties with which, upon its first announcement, the present undertaking had to contend, and the means by which the Executive were enabled to overcome them, are clearly and consecutively stated. The work also contains some valuable statistical and other information connected with the building, and copies of the most recent of the regulations issued by the Executive. We would cordially recommend this very interesting work."
EXPOSITOR.
"The volume before us has fair claim to its title of a Narrative of the Exhibition. It commences with an account of such British and foreign exhibitions as may be supposed to have led to the idea of the great international show of industry to be held in the present year. The work also contains a complete account of how the world's industrial products have come to be housed in the present building; gives all the rules and orders of the Commissioners and Executive Committee; special instructions to colonial and foreign exhibitors and Custom-house authorities; names of authorised agents for foreign countries; Custom-house agents recommended by the Royal Commissioners; and such other information as renders it a really useful volume of practical information to all exhibitors and visitors at the Exhibition."
SUN.
"Within the compass of an elegant pocket-volume the author of the present narrative has contrived to furnish his readers with a very copious history of the origin, progress, and prospects of the Great Exhibition. Throughout the work he has written with an especial regard at once to simplicity and perspicuity, so that we rest satisfied his labours will prove eminently successful, the book being incontestibly _the_ narrative of the Great Industrial Exposition. Beginning with all the preliminary particulars, which are absolutely essential for the comprehension of the entire scheme of the Prince Consort, the narrative describes very lucidly the growth of the first crude idea to its present gigantic dimensions. The share taken in the project by the Society of Arts is duly celebrated, and the influence of the successive expositions of French industry especially notified. The volume is altogether a very clever and most complete work."
WEEKLY DISPATCH.
"Works upon the above subject will become highly popular from the very necessity of the case; and consequently that which the public must chiefly look for amidst all the competition that will ensue will be correctness and compactness combined with economy. Mr. Peter Berlyn's book combines every requisite information regarding the Exhibition from first to last. Its clever compilation, tasteful form, quantity and variety of information, and the dependance that may be placed upon it for correctness, combine with its early appearance to render it one of the most valuable hand-books that are likely to be generally used."
ART JOURNAL.
"A very useful and sound history of the rise and progress of the Great International Exhibition of 1851, in which the first movements towards it are carefully and ably detailed; and a very good analysis is given of all preceding industrial exhibitions, at home and abroad, as well as a large amount of information connected with the construction of the building itself, and abstracts of official documents connected with the entire movement. The author has done justice to the efforts which have been made to interest the English manufacturer, and stimulate him in his artistic endeavours; and we feel bound to acknowledge his courteous notice of the exertions made by 'The Art Journal' in helping forward its consummation in 1851."
LEADER.
"For those who wish to know all about the rise and progress of the Great Exhibition and its Crystal Palace this neat hand-book is the very thing. Mr. Berlyn has performed his task with laudable industry. He has drawn together and arranged a large amount of scattered information regarding the Exhibition in a pleasant form. As an elegant and trustworthy hand-book, the narrative deserves to be popular."
OBSERVER.
"This neat volume gives a history of previous Exhibitions--some on small, some on large scales--that have taken place in divers parts of Europe of late years. It then points out the precise origin of the Exhibition of all Nations, snowing the share his Royal Highness Prince Albert had in it; its history and progress are thus minutely detailed, and its prospects are foreshadowed without exaggeration. We cordially recommend it as a pocket-companion necessary to all those who have not as yet mastered the chief facts connected with the erection of the Palace of Industry."
JOHN BULL.
"An able and complete history of the scheme, which we have all to accept as _un fait accompli_, and a useful guide to the transparent mazes of the Crystal Palace."
WEEKLY NEWS.
"Of the works already published, and professing to treat of this gigantic undertaking in its national, social, scientific, and artistic light, we have not met with one so completely pervaded by a spirit of universality as this book of Mr. Berlyn's. In matters of detail and relation his narrative is explicit and lucid; where he has touched on the history of an art or a manufacture he is correct in his data; and in tracing the Exhibition to its true source he has displayed a highly philosophical insight into the spirit of the age. Within the pages of his book will be found a faithful record of the most important meetings of the Royal Commissioners, as well as those convened by the corporations of cities, by societies, or by private individuals, for the furtherance of the great work in hand. To these is appended a verbatim report of the speeches delivered at these meetings by the distinguished men who were invited to preside over them; and the enlightened, liberal, and hopeful spirit which pervades their addresses forms a cheerful contrast to the ominous predictions of certain political and theological fanatics. After a full discussion of what may be termed the _business_ portion of the subject, Mr. Berlyn closes his excellent little book with a brief but eloquent and comprehensive consideration of the beneficial results which are likely to accrue from this great national undertaking, not only to ourselves but mankind in general. The entire absence of partiality or prejudice throughout the book, and the very interesting information contained in it for all matters directly or indirectly connected with the Exhibition, induce us to recommend the author to publish editions of it in the French and German languages. By this means he would be conferring a boon on our country's guests."
LADY'S NEWSPAPER.
"Mr. Peter Berlyn has produced a well arranged, clear, and concise hand book to this wonder of the world, in which he traces its origin, progress, and prospects, in a pleasing and interesting manner. This must have been a most difficult task, as the materials out of which he has formed his narrative are so widely scattered that it requires some one who perfectly and profoundly understands the subject (as we are convinced Mr. Berlyn does) to collect and arrange them in so satisfactory a manner. The ladies also will hail this work with pleasure, because, though containing every information on the subject, it is at the same time light, interesting, and infinitely superior to the dry and prosy style usually adopted in similar works. It is tastefully illustrated, has an elegant fancy binding, and forms a guide-book either for the library or the pocket."
NOTES AND QUERIES.
"A volume carefully compiled from authentic sources of information upon the several points set forth in its ample title page."
GARDENER AND FARMERS' JOURNAL.
"We do not go out of our province as horticultural journalists in noticing a work recently issued by Mr. Gilbert, of Paternoster-row. Our friends in the provinces will do well to study beforehand as many of the probable incidents of their trip as possible; and, though innumerable prints and tabular descriptions of the Exhibition Building have been issued, we have not had anything before like a connected history of the great project itself. The work before us is called 'A Popular Narrative of the Origin, History, Progress, and Prospects of the Great Exhibition of 1851; and we think the author, Mr. Berlyn, has treated his subject in perfect accordance with the title. More than this it is quite unnecessary to say as to the merits of the work; but we may just notice that the 'getting-up' has evidently been intrusted to careful hands. The binding is neat and tasteful, and, besides a ground-plan, a perspective view of the building is given."
MINING JOURNAL.