136 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



population and a scarcity of hands compel them to invent ; but that America 

 should send a piano which could take a premium over the three hundred fine 

 French pianos in the Exhibition is a problem which they can not understand. 

 They imagined that they furnished the United States with nearly all the 

 pianos they required, and that in consequence it was an industry not yet de- 

 veloped there, and that the people were not capable of excellence in that 

 branch." 



The following are the principal awards made at the Paris Exhibition to 

 American exhibitors: 



Grand Medals of Honor, Gold. McCormick's Eeaper and Mower ; Chas. 

 G-oodyear's Preparations of Vulcanized India-rubber. 



Medals of Honor, Gold. J. A. Pitts, of Buffalo, Thrashing Machine ; Messrs. 

 Eache & Saxton, Washington, D. C., United States Standard "Weights and 

 Measures ; Lieut. M. F. Maury, National Observatory, Washington, Wind and 

 Current Charts. 



Medals of the First Class, Silver. Col. Allston, S. C., Eaw Cotton ; John 

 H. Manny, Illinois, Eeaper and Mower ; Tounsley & Eead, N. J., Oscillating 

 Steam-Engines: Thos. Blanchard, Boston, Machine for Bending Ship-Timber; 

 T. Eichmond, Boston, Machine for Cutting Boiler Iron ; Singer & Co.. New 

 Tork City, Sewing Machines; D. King, Albany, Model of Steamboat; U. S. 

 Navy Department, Models of Vessels of War; Sam. Colt, Conn., Fire-arms; 

 Merriam, Brewer & Co., Boston, Cotton Fabrics; G-ov. Seabrook, S. C., Eaw 

 Cotton ; A. W. Ladd & Co., Boston, Pianos ; Claude Mirmont, N. Y., Violins. 



Medals of the Second Class, Mixed Commission, Silver. Hamilton Mills, 

 Lowell, Cotton Fabrics; Manchester, N. H., Print Works, Printed Fabrics. 



No part of the Great Exhibition of Paris appears to have excited a greater 

 interest on the ground of novelty, than the contributions from Algeria. This 

 territory occupies a length in Northern Africa of 700 miles from east to west, 

 and of indefinite breadth from north to south, gradually merging into the 

 domain of the mountain tribes, for its southern limits are traversed by ranges 

 of the Atlas mountains. The whole is divided into three provinces Algiers, 

 Oran and Constantine. A great portion of this country is distinguished by its 

 natural fertility ; yet the indolence of the people, the oppression of the govern- 

 ment, the want of roads and interior communications, caused three fourths of it 

 to be left uncultivated, till, in 1830, it was entirely subjugated by the French ; 

 and now Europe is astonished at the extent of the products indicative of the 

 vast resources of the country, as exhibited on the present occasion. The speci- 

 mens of wood sent from this district were extremely interesting and instructive ; 

 of the olive-tree, planks and blocks of enormous size were exhibited ; one of 

 the latter, the base of the trunk, with the bark on, would be considered very 

 large for an oak. The color and graining of the wood, and of the root-portion 

 especially, are eminently beautiful, and render it invaluable for ornamental 

 and cabinet-work. Under the name of Thuja, were shown some samples of 

 a most beautiful wood. This Thuja is common throughout Algeria, most so 

 when proceeding from east to west. Though but recently restored to notice, 

 it was highly prized by the ancients. According to Pliny, the " Citrus" (such 

 was its name among the Eomans) was so rare that tables made of it were 



