MECHANICS AND USEFUL AETS. 9 



and made every important drawing of the building, as it now stands, 

 with my own hand. These occupied me about eighteen hours each day 

 for seven weeks, and as they went from my hand, Mr. Henderson im- 

 mediately prepared the iron-work and other materials required in the 

 construction of the building. On the 26th of September we were ena- 

 bled to fix the first column in its place. And from this time I took the 

 general management of the buildings under my charge, and spent all 

 my time upon the works feeling that, unless the same person who had 

 made the drawings was always present to assign to each part as it arrived 

 upon the ground, its proper position in the structure, it would be im- 

 possible to finish the building in time to insure the opening on the 1st 

 of May ; and I am confident that if any other course had been taken, 

 or if, as is usual in the construction of large buildings, the drawings had 

 been prepared by an architect, and the works executed by a contractor, 

 instead of, as in the present case, these separate functions being com- 

 bined by my making the drawings and then superintending the execu- 

 tion of the work, a building of such vast dimensions could not have been 

 completed within a period considered by experienced persons as alto- 

 gether inadequate for the purpose." 



Continuance and Close of the Exhibition. The arrangement for the 

 exhibition of articles was effected by the division of the building into 

 courts, or areas, of 24 feet square, included between four columns, which 

 were appropriated to the different countries contributing productions, 

 or to particular classes of materials. Any attempt at description of the 

 various wonderful and curious objects exhibited, would be impossible in 

 the space allotted to the present work. Many, which were of unusual 

 novelty, or which displayed remarkable ingenuity, we have described 

 elsewhere under appropriate heads. An examination, however, of the 

 catalogue of articles exhibited, will show, that comparatively few inven- 

 tions or discoveries, originating and belonging to the history of the prog- 

 ress of science in the years 1850 and 1851, were brought forward or illus- 

 trated at the Great Exhibition. Many of the most striking objects dis- 

 played were of a class which might have been produced equally well 

 centuries ago, as at the present time ; for example, the statuary, wood 

 carving, ornamental work in gold and silver, etc. Other articles were 

 the result of patient industry only, or of processes which, although not 

 old, are yet generally familiar. All these illustrate the general prog- 

 ress of the race up to the present epoch, but have little pertaining to 

 the history of advancement during the past year. 



The exhibition, which opened on the 1st of May, continued until the 

 llth of October, when the final closing took place, accompanied with 

 the awards of the jurors, and the distribution of medals. The number 

 of prize medals awarded was 2918 ; the number of council medals, 170 ; 

 of others, honorable mention was made. The prize medals were awarded 

 for the attainment of a certain standard of excellence ; utility, beauty, 

 &c., being taken into consideration. The council medals were given 

 for such articles as might be expected, from their originality and inge- 

 nuity, to exercise a more important influence upon industry than could 

 be produced by mere excellence in manufacture. The whole number 

 of exhibitors was 17,000. 



