432 



EXHIBITION, BKITISH INDUSTEIAL. 



since 1851. The manufacture of jute has, how- 

 ever, progressed enormously, and it is stated 

 that 40,000 tons of this material are now work- 

 ed up annually in Scotland. 



The foreign productions in flax 'and hemp 

 were pretty much on a par with those of 1851. 



Among the flax machines exhibited was an 

 improved Power Loom, by Harrison arid Sons, 

 Blackburn. It is supplied with a self-acting 

 positive letting-off motion, which delivers the 

 warp as required by the taking-up motion for 

 the cloth, which motion is also positive. These 

 two motions work in concert, and with such 

 precision that the warp is delivered from the 

 yarn beam with the same regularity when the 

 beam is almost empty as when it is full. The 

 taking-up roller of the loom is covered with a 

 patented surfacing material instead of that in 

 ordinary use, made of emery. It is also sup- 

 plied with the weft-stopping motion, and other 

 important appliances. A loom of this descrip- 

 tion is capable of weaving upward of 180 yards 

 of linen per week. 



- Silk and Velvet. The English silks made a 

 great show in themselves, and there has been 

 nothing yet displayed by foreigners which equals 

 our best specimens of loom manufacture. Grant 

 and Gask sent some gorgeous specimens of 

 English made silk curtains, where the brocade 

 fabric is interwoven with designs in spun 

 glass, as fine as silk. These tissues-de-verre are of 

 a similar manufacture to the hangings that are 

 now in the throne room at St. James's, and 

 which have been some thirty years in use, 

 though still as bright as ever. Fry and Co., 

 and Pirn Brothers, exhibited every kind of 

 poplin, either watered, embroidered, or figured. 

 One of the best examples was a copy in white 

 silk of the various forms of snow crystals work- 

 ed on a blue ground, by which, of course, an al- 

 most endless diversity of beautiful little stars 

 is obtained. Of silk, the most important man- 

 ufacture of France, the finest specimens were 

 from Lyons. In elaborately figured silks, France 

 is unrivalled in the manufacture. MM. Schulz 

 set out two pieces of white silk the one em- 

 broidered with orchids, and the other with 

 birds of paradise. The work was a perfect 

 marvel ; it was the most astonishing piece of 

 silk in the whole exhibition ; and along with 

 it were shown 300 reels of thread of various 

 tints, which had been required for the produc- 

 tion of the figures. 



The show of ribbons sent by Coventry was 

 magnificent. There are apparently very few 

 ribbons made anywhere in England but at Cov- 

 entrycertainly none which can compare with 

 them, either for fabric or design. 



The most beautiful silk fabric which the 

 French now make, and which is in common 

 use, goes by the name of chine. They excel all 

 the world in this. The peculiarity of it is, that 

 the pattern, which may display any amount of 

 coloring, is printed on the warp and on the warp 

 alone, and that as a consequence it appears, af- 

 ter the weaving .has been completed, with a 



vague and misty outline ; to produce a good 

 pattern by such means requires the nicest care. 

 Woollen and Worsted and Mixed Fabrics. 

 In these great and important industries a most 

 decided improvement is manifested in the gene- 

 ral taste of the goods and perfection of dye and 

 finish. 



On the foreign side, France, Belgium, Austria, 

 Prussia, and Saxony (the two latter as States 

 of the Zollverein) exhibited largely and effect- 

 ively alike in woollens and mixed fabrics ; and 

 marked improvements have taken place in cer- 

 tain directions. France has probably made the 

 most decided improvement in the greater sub- 

 stantiality of her woollen cloths; in shawls and 

 the more ornate mixed fabrics, her pre-emi- 

 nence in certain points remained much the 

 same. 



Carpet Manufacture. In carpets the exhibi- 

 tion is well represented, but there is but little 

 novelty either in design or manufacture. 



Tapestries of Gobelins and Beauvais. The 

 tapestries of the imperial manufactory of Gobe- 

 lins and of the sister institution of Beauvais at 

 this very day are as highly prized as when the 

 royal works were first established two centuries 

 since. Their exhibit consisted of four tapes- 

 tries and two carpets the large central tapestry 

 containing a full-length portrait figure, and the 

 two carpets are from the parent institution 

 (Gobelins), and the fruit pieces to the right and 

 left from Beauvais. 



The tapestries from Beauvais were in no 

 way inferior to those of Gobelins; yet they 

 differ so widely in character that a mere glance 

 will suffice for the distinguishing between the 

 works of the two manufactories. Those from 

 Beauvais are of still life and fruit, while those 

 from Gobelins are of an historical character. 



Kamptulicon was exhibited by Taylor & Co., 

 and is a floor cloth made of cork and India 

 rubber. It is admirably adapted for all situa- 

 tions where the floor is damp, being exceedingly 

 durable. 



Printed and Dyed Fabrics. Probably in no 

 department of the whole exhibition has there 

 been so thorough a change since 1851 as in that 

 of printed fabrics : mousselines -de - laine, 

 bareges, and other printed fabrics of kindred 

 make having been superseded by alpacas, 

 mohairs, arid various light and elegant mixed 

 fabrics. Nevertheless, the leading printers, 

 both of Manchester and Glasgow, contributed 

 little to the display. In the matter of design 

 the great body of English and Scotch calico 

 printers are pretty much where they were 

 fifteen years ago. 



The French printers made a great effort to 

 completely illustrate everything they were 

 doing, especially in the way of improvements 

 in printed fabrics : the result was, they made a 

 valuable display, and deservedly carried off" the 

 largest portion of the honors. 



A systematic illustration of the various im- 

 provements in the chemistry of calico printing 

 and dyeing since 1851 was given by Mr. Rum- 



