] 48 Mr. Liddell's Statistical Account of the Exhibition. 



guard against fire, which, if once begun, would have spread with fearful 

 rapidity, from the walls being almost wholly covered with cotton cloth , 

 suspended from the ceiling downwards ; and, if this had happened when 

 the place was crowded, the personal injury and loss of life might have 

 been great. Accordingly, two leather pipes, attached to fire plugs, were 

 introduced through a private entrance to the east gallery beside the 

 statuary, where two firemen were stationed, who could see every point of 

 the hall, and in a moment's notice, project large streams of water into 

 any corner of the building. Fortunately these precautionary measures 

 were not required. 



It would lengthen this paper far beyond the prescribed bounds, were 

 I to attempt giving a detailed account of the various articles exhibited, 

 the manufactures carried on, or the electrical and chemical demonstrations 

 made. The catalogue gives the names of the articles and contributors ; 

 and the "Daily Exhibitor," a paper printed in the hall, describes a small 

 portion. On this point, I have to state that the principle laid down of 

 selecting for exhibition only the very best article of its kind, was, as far 

 as possible, strictly adhered to. These articles, many of them of the 

 most splendid description, were exposed to view on tables, and on the 

 floor of the halls, and also on the walls, nearly the entire of which were 

 covered with pictures, many of them by the best masters, together with 

 woven fabrics of silk, cotton, and woollen. In addition to this, there were 

 upwards of fifty workers producing the articles of their manufacture, at 

 fifteen different trades. If to all this we bear in mind the continuous 

 busy throng, moving in regular order, guided by upwards of forty officers 

 in uniform, several gentlemen of the Committee, bearing staves of office, 

 being always present, — we have some idea of what was every day seen 

 by the visiter, on entering the large Hall by the west gallery. The 

 spacious area of the Hall, measuring 145 by 60 feet, with a lofty ceiling 

 of 31 feet, contributed much to the splendour of the scene. It will be 

 recollected that the premises were lighted with gas, by day as well as at 

 night, thus allowing the windows to be closed, leaving the entire surface 

 of the walls for pictures, woven fabrics, prints, plans, &c. Over the 

 pictures and fabrics, thus suspended on the walls, was carried all round 

 a massive cornice, with drapery of coloured cotton or woollen cloth, and 

 every empty space between the articles exhibited, was also covered with 

 cloth of the same colours. The effect of the whole, when seen from the 

 west gallery, heightened as it was by the massive sculpture tastefully 

 displayed in the east gallery, was, to use the language of an intelligent 

 visiter, more like the romance of Eastern tale, than what we are accustomed 

 to see, at least in this country. A print, giving a very correct view of 

 the interior of the Hall during the Exhibition, has been lithographed by 

 M -rs. Mack and Smith, Buchanan-Street, the firm which had its litho- 

 graphic press in operation in the Hall during the Exhibition. 



