SEVKNTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 



OF TPIE TRUSTEES OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



The undersigned Trustees, in conformity with the Law of May 

 5, 1841, beg leave to present a report of the acts of the Institute 

 for the year 1858: 



The American Institute, encouraged by the success which had 

 attended the fairs held in the Crystal Palace during the three pre- 

 ceding years, and stimulated by the very liberal act of the corpo- 

 ration of the city of New York in putting it in possession of the 

 Crystal Palace, considered it due to the public and the municipal 

 authorities, that an exhibition of unprecedented interest should 

 be provided for the year 1858. With this view, and to fulfill, as 

 far as possible, the objects for which a charter had been granted 

 by the Legislature of the State, an expenditure far beyond the 

 usual limit was ventured upon. A large sum was expended upon 

 machinery and engines, and upon other fixtures, in order that all 

 exhibited inventions in Mechanics, or in the Chemical and Physical 

 sciences, might be presented to the public in actual operation, or 

 fully tested by experiment. It cannot be doubted that this unu- 

 sual completeness of preparation Avould have been followed, had 

 fate permitted, with consequences beneficial to every section of 

 our country. 



With such full and complete preparation, the Thirtieth Annual 

 Fair was opened on the 15th of September, 1858. The prospects 

 of success appeared more favorable than those of any preceding 

 exhibition, for the attractions which it presented to the visitor 

 were unparalleled. The motive power provided for driving ma- 

 chinery was great, the machines intended to bo driven by it, 

 numerous, and worthy of admiration ; the preparations for conve- 

 niently exhibiting the products of agriculture and manufactures, 

 and the inventions of mechanical skill, were ample, and were fully 

 occupied ; the implements of husbandry were more numerous than 



