1839.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



223 



OPENING or THE EXHIBITION OF THE PRODUCTIONS OF 

 INDUSTRY AND THE ARTS AT PARIS. 



The exliibilioii of productions of industry was opened on Wednesday, 

 the 1st ult., to the public. 



The buildings constnicted in the Champs Elysecs have a front of 185 

 metres in length and 82 metres in depth ; the facade is composed of a 

 gallery parallel with the gi-and avenues of the Champs Elysees. Five 

 rooms detach themselves perpendicularly from tlii.s s'a'lery ; these are con- 

 tiguous, and separated from the others by courts. The rooms and galleries 

 are 10 metres higli, and covered with zinc. Notwithstanding the extent 

 of these buildings, they were far from being sufficient for tlie numerous 

 productions which were admitted. 



The number of exhibitors is incessantly increasing. In 18.34 it amounted 

 to one-third more than in 1827 — namely, 2,4-37. The present number is 

 3,348, and will probably increase in the coui-se of a few days. In 1827, 

 20 departments sent nothing to the exliibition ; in 1834 this negative num- 

 ber was reduced to 1 1 ; and in 1839, to 6. Those six departments are 

 those of the Lower Alps, Cantal, Cher, tiers. Lot, and Lozerc. The 

 department wliich reckons the greatest numbers of exhibitors is that of 

 the Seme ; out of 3,348 exposers, 2,047 belong to that one, or nearly two- 

 thirds of the whole. That is a large number indeed, even admitting that 

 encouragement should be shown to those manufactures based upon the 

 application of the line arts. The following departments furnish the greatest 

 number of exhibitors after that of the Seine : — The Seine Infcrieure, 96 ; 

 the Rhone, 73 ; the Gard, 58 ; the Nord, 56 ; the Upper Rhine, 55 ; the 

 Loire, 43, &c. 



Among the small quantity of tissues which we were able to see, we must 

 mention some rich silks, worked with gold, from Lyons. Some satins and 

 woollen damasks, some tine muslins of Tarare and .St. Quentin, lace of 

 Mirecour, and blondes from Caen. The exhibition of IMulhausen sent 

 some prints and mousselines de laines as remarkable for their taste as for 

 the brilliancy of the colours. Muslin is a fashionable stuff, and should 

 occupy a distinguished place in the exhibition. The shawl manufacturers 

 Dencirouse, Gaussen, &c., have also sent their contributions. 



Amongst the other objects, the most striking are the bronze statues of 

 Quesnel, the gilt bronzes of Thomire and Deni^re, which are placed in 

 front of each other, the plated goods of Balaine and Veyrat, the lustres 

 and coloured crystals of St. Louis and Baccarat, and the colossal glasses of 

 St. Gobin and .St. Quirin. There were numerous excellent specimens of 

 porcelain, partlcitlarly tkosf copied froin the English^ with tlowers in relief. 



The department of the Alier exhibited some models which rival those 

 of Paris. The Parisian jewellery had .some splendid specimens, among 

 which was a panel of silver cloth, by a new proceeding, for which M. 

 Moreau Christoplile has taken out a patent. There are as yet only a few 

 billiard-tables, which are not all in very good taste, but one deserves men- 

 tion ; it is made of ebony inlaid with coloured wood. Musical instruments 

 were abundant ; several organs v\'ere placed at the bottom of the room. 



Comfortable, and even luxurious arts, seem to prevail over what M. C 

 Dupin styles domestic arts. Magnificent carpets of the Pompadour school 

 showed the flexibility of the manufactories of Aubusson, but we should 

 prefer to see the common carpets descend to so low a price as to render 

 them more general in France. The walls were ornamented with stained 

 paper, the predominating patterns of which consisted of panels or arabes- 

 ques, with vases of flowers or Gothic medallions in the centre. 



The blinds suspended at different windows showed tlie progress of this 

 branch of manufacture. The glass manufactory of Choisy exposed some 

 bouquets of glass and paintings of the same materials, which appeared to 

 us perfect as regards the brilliancy of the coloiu's. — Le Commerce. 



The articles of Parisian manufacture occupy a conspicuous place in the 

 exhibition. They consist principally of ornamental objects, upholstery, 

 furniture, mirrors, stained paper-hangings, carpets, &c. Among the latter 

 we noticed in particular those embroidered with the needle, which passed 

 almost imperceived at the exposition of 1834, but have since that period 

 made a truly astonishing progress. Eight or ten Parisian houses exposed 

 their work this year, the most remarkable of which for their good taste and 

 execution are those proceeding from the establishment of Charles Hautrive 

 and Sisters, of No. 24, Rue du Caire, who have exposed an arm-chair en- 

 tirely embroidered aupetit point, and two magnificent screens. One of these, 

 embroidered en chenille, on silk canvass, exhibits a choice of the most beautiful 

 flowers, which rival nature in freshness and colouring. The second of 

 these screens contains an exact copy of an exquisite painting, much 

 admired at one of the last- expositions of the Louvre, and, from the finish 

 of the execution of the tapestry, it would be difficult to decide which, the 

 embroiderer or painter, displayed most talent. It is done in imitation of 

 the last works of the Gobelins. The picture is enclosed in a rich and 

 elegant frame, and, as a piece of ornament, it would not be misplaced in 

 the very first snlons of London or PimH.-^Times. 



Age of the Globe. — In a convei-sation with Dr. Larduer, stating tiow nuK-h we 

 were indebted to the discoveries in geology, demonstrating' the antiquity of the eartli, 

 he replied, that we need not resort to geology to prove the tact ; for, as it regards 

 the creation of the heavenly bodies, it eonld be proved that the fixed stars are at such 

 an immense distance, that, notwitlistanding light moves at the rate of a hundred 

 thousand miles per second, it would lake tliree hundred tlioiisand years for a r.ty of 

 it to travel through space ere it reached the earth ; so that the stars we now see 

 must have been created more than three hundred thousand years ago. — From a netr 

 wark, " Pleasanl Kecolleetjom of a DileUanle, by Wilham iiarJiner." 



LIGHTING OF THE HOUSE OF CO.MMONS. 



The experiments of the Bude lights for lighting the House of Commons 

 were repeated last night, chiefly with the view of ascertaining the effect of 

 the new plan upon the reporters' gallery. As far as that part of the house 

 was concerned, we can say tlie trial was altogether successful. Though the 

 apparatus for conveying the light to that as well as to other [larts of the 

 house is not yet complete, yet enough of its operation was seen to show that 

 when complete its superiority over the wax lights will be past all ^piestion. 

 \\'e were not preseut at the first trial of the Bode light, but we understand 

 that on that occasion the complaint was general that the glare tlirovvn into 

 the body of the house was greatly offensive to the eye, while the seats under 

 the gallery were in eomparaiive obscurity. This was explained last night 

 by the fact that the order to light up the house on the new ]>lan came before 

 the preparations were in a sufficiently forward state. He that as it may, the 

 grounds of objection have been wholly removed. The liglit is now made to 

 descend from the roof through ground gla':s plates, over which, the apparatus 

 is so contrived that the light can with ease be varied from the colour of a 

 pale moonlight to a bright sunlight, or be mellowed down into a rich 

 autumnal glow; still giving sufficient light, withoHt any unpleasant glare, 

 to every part of the bouse. The glass through which the light is sent down 

 is fitted air-tight into the bottom of the chandelier, so that no heat can be 

 generated by it in the bouse, save the slight radiation from the surface of 

 the chandelier itself, but compared with the heat and the consumption of 

 atmospheric air by the combustion (or rather the very imperfect comliustion) 

 of 240 wax candles, the heat and atmospheric combustion of the new plan 

 are not (as far as the body of the house is concerned) as 1 to 100. What- 

 ever heat may be generated by the new process will be carried oft" through the 

 roof, and never aflisct the body of the house. To those of our readers who 

 may not be acquainted with the nature of what is called the " Bude" light, 

 it will suffice to say that in Mr. Gurney's plan it consists in a number of 

 burners (in each chandelier) supplied with wick and oil, somewhat like the 

 Argand lamp, with the improvement that in this there is only one circle 

 or cylinder, while in the common Argand lamp there are two. Lighted in 

 this stale, the lamp would send off a very large and offensive mass of 

 unconsumed carbon; but to prevent this, a stream of oxygen gas is made to 

 pass through the centre of each burner, by which the total combustion of 

 the carbon of the oil and wick takes place, and the light is consequently 

 raised to a beautifully brilliant flame, the intensity of which may be in- 

 creased according to the volume of the stream of oxygen passed through it, 

 and, as we have already said, the light may be mellowed as taste, fancy, or 

 convenience may suggest. From what we saw last night we think the very 

 clever plan of Mr. Gurney a vast improvement on the present system, and, as 

 Joe Hume would say, " it is a great deal cheaper." — Times, May 24. 



LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY. 

 We have selected the following extracts from Roscoe and Lecount's 

 interesting description of this Railway, which we have before more 

 than once favourably noticed : — 



CONTRACTS, EXTENT, COST, &c. 



