1844.] 



THE CIV[L ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL 



383 



of the central luminous nucleus; the period at which this nu- 

 cleus, becoming brilliant, will remain only surrounded by a slight 

 nebulosity ; and the period at which this nebulosity in its turn will be 

 condensed, and the observer will have followed the birth of a star in 

 all its phases. Other regions of thi' heavens will show by what laws 

 these same stars weaken, and end by disappearing altogether. — With- 

 out leaving our solar system, a large telescope promises discoveries of 

 another kind, not less interesting. We know very little as to the at- 

 mosphere of Venus, or of the very high mountains with which that 

 globe, nearly as big as the earth, appears covered. The snowy spots 

 which spring up, grow, lessen, and disappear periodically, sometimes 

 at one pole of rotation of Mars and sometimes at the other, according 

 as the sun is in such or such a hemisphere of the ruddy planet, have 

 not been sufficiently studied. With large telescopes what is still 

 doubtful would appear manifest, what has only been half seen would 

 become evident. Although Jupiter has not been yet assiduously ex- 

 plored by means of instruments with large openings and high magni- 

 fying powers, it is known with certainty that there exist in the equi- 

 noxial regions of that planet winds analogous to our trade winds, that 

 the atmosphere is subjected to enormous perturbations, and that the 

 clouds are sometimes carried along with a speed of 240 miles an hour. 

 If observations made in an oft-hand way, with middling instruments, 

 have led to such carious results, what may we not expect from assi- 

 duity united with power. The mysterious ring of Saturn, that con- 

 tinuous bridge without piers, 30,000 miles wide and less than 250 miles 

 thick — a bridge which at all points is 20,000 miles distant from the 

 planet it surrounds, certainly reserves capital discoveries for him who 

 can follow it in all its phases with a very high magnifying power. 

 The continual observation of the brilliant satellites of Jupiter has so 

 much enriched science that we must expect as much from the unin- 

 terrupted observation of the satellites of Saturn and Herschel. The 

 continuous examination of the movements of those microscopic satel- 

 lites is now impossible in every observatory, on account of the too 

 limited power of the telescopes. The study of the continual change 

 of form tu which comets are subjected, ought it would seein, lo en- 

 lighten us on the physical condition of the ethereal space. If this 

 study has until now made little progress, it is only attributable to the 

 want of power in the instruments with which astronomers have been 

 compelled to observe those nebulous stars. 



Let us take a rapid sketch of what may be reasonably expected 

 from the application of very large telescopes to the observation of 

 the moon. 1093 mountains on our satellite have been exactly 

 measured. Of this number 22 exceed Mount Blanc in height, and 

 that it is known is 3000 yards high. One of them, Doeifel, reaches 

 4700 yards, the top of Newton 4500 yards, and of Casatus 4300 yards. 

 The craterforra constitution of most of the regions of the moon has not 

 been studied with less care; the depth of each crater and the height 

 of the central raouad are now known with precision, and astronomers 

 have obtained these results with magnifying powers of not more than 

 two hundredfold. Should we then fear lo deceive ourselves by plac- 

 ing great hopes on a telescope of which the light will allow a magni- 

 fication of G,000 fold ; so as in fact to show the mountains of our satel- 

 lite as Mount Blanc is seen from Geneva? Last year Dr. Robinson 

 examined the moon with a reflecting telescope, 3 feet diameter, be- 

 longing to Lord Rosse, of which the light was only a quarter of that 

 which would be possessed by au achromatic telescope a metre in 

 diameter. The magnifying power was moderate, but the celebrated 

 astronomer of Armagh instantly recommended philosophers to resort to 

 Ireland, to Parsonstow u, if they wished to study the physical constitu- 

 tion of out satellite. He asserted that from such an examination 

 would result entirely new information as to the mode in which the 

 forces acted which in our globe influenced the formation of volcanic 

 districts. 



If, after having heard this long enumeration and observed the 

 various researches which large achromatic telescopes will allow to be 

 undertaken with every chance of success, the Chamber will conde- 

 scend to remark that what is unforeseen is always the most fruitful, 

 brilliant and rich, the Chamber will understand that its Committei' 

 unanimously recommend a grant to the Minister of Public Works of 

 £3,760 to be employed in completing the Observatory of Paris. 



The King of Prussia has been graciously pleased to confer on Matthew 

 HabershoD, Esq., of London, the great gold medal for science and literature, 

 ill token of His Majesty's high approbation of his work on the " Ancient 

 Half-timbered Houses of England." Mr. Habershon, who is the architect of 

 the church and other buildings erecting at Jerusalem, was honoured with a 

 long private interview with the King of Prussia, relative to those extensive 

 works, on his return from the Holy Land last year. 



NATIONAL EXHIBITION OF THE ARTS, MANUFACTURES 

 AND PRODUCTIONS OF THE ENGLISH EMPIRE. 



Energy, enterprise, competition lie at the root of commerce ; to 

 carry out a great and successful trade, we must exert those qualities 

 not merely lo maintain and extend our position, but to prevent rivalry. 

 However successful may have have been our exertions, however high 

 the position we may hold, we must labour on with the same activity, 

 unless we are willing to lose our gains; no vain pride must delude 

 us in our career. As we availed ourselves of the experience and skill 

 of those we have snpplanted, so should we be as ready to profit by 

 any action of those trying to supplant us. Holland succeeded Venice 

 and Genoa — we have succeeded Holland in commercial supremacy, 

 but we must recollect that we have many anxious and active rivals, 

 nay it is the very nature of successful enterprise to stimulate others to 

 clutch the same gains, and if we relax in our toil one moment, half a 

 dozen eager nations will push on and make way upon us in the strug- 

 gle. At the same time every individual in the commonwealth is in- 

 terested in maintaining our position. Let no one rest so securely on his 

 fancied independence as to neglect the prosecution of the general in- 

 terests ; the landholder in the decay of trade would lose his rents, 

 the stockholder his dividends, the professional man his employment, 

 although at the present moment he may scarcely feel or appreciate the 

 nature of the connection. So, too, will the increase of trade promote 

 their welfare, as its decline would threaten injury. 



These remarks have urged themselves upon us the more strongly 

 in consequence of the late triennial Expo><itiim of Arts and Manufac- 

 lurcs at Paris. France is, it is weh known, not the leading manufac- 

 turing country, but in setting up an exhibition to which all Europe is 

 invited, and which has no competent rival, she is enabled to make 

 false impressions, by which to advance her interests. On that occa- 

 sion Paris was crowded with strangers from every part of France, 

 from Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the remote parts of the continent; 

 the foreigner saw productions on, which, as he had no comparison by 

 which to weigh their value, he was inclined to place too high a value ; 

 the manufacturer received a stimulus to fresh exertion, and the 

 feeling was impressed that France was a great manufacturing country, 

 and a high character given to her among her customers abroad. Let 

 us not either neglect this point of character; are we not often ready 

 to buy French silks, French ribbons, French shoes, because French ? 

 and does not the stamp London made, Manchester, Birmingham, or 

 Sheffield made, produce an iiilluenco among the remotest tribes of the 

 earth, which rival traders are ever anxious to supplant by falsification 

 and imitation. In political economy, as in every department of morals, 

 the influence of character is great; it takes a long while to obtain a 

 character, and with common care it may be long maintained and can- 

 not readily be supplanted. To appreciate the Paris Exposition pro- 

 ])erly, we must consider that our great customers on the continent 

 were invited to witness the competency of the French to supply them 

 with produce, and the records of the transactions shew that this result 

 was produced. Many goods changed hands, many new commercial 

 connections were formed, and many merchants discovered a source 

 of supply with which they were before unacquainted. To the French 

 manufacturer it gave this benefit, that however lowly, instead of having 

 to send travellers to solicit orders for his cutlery, his cottons, his silks, 

 his machinery, in distant countries of Europe, their representatives 

 were concentrated in one spot, and he was made known to them. 

 That the system of the Exposition answers well in France we can 

 easily appreciate, for a general satisfaction is expressed with regard 

 to it, it is anticipated with national anxiety, and carried out with in- 

 creased efficiency on every successive occasion. It has now, indeed, 

 reached a pitch when we can no longer regard it without making 

 some serious exertion. When France was a close country during the 

 empire, it was nothing; while France was paralyzed, and the confi- 

 dence of its commercial classes shaken, under the restoration, it was 

 to us insignificant; but now, after the revolution of July, along peace, 

 a prudent monarch, and the predominance of the trading interests in 

 the government, the Exposition has taken a great development, in 

 common with everything which concerns the progress of the country. 

 The system, too, has been imitated, and with effect, in most parts of 

 Europe ; Berlin for Prussia and Leipzig for Saxony have just held 

 Polytechnic Unions, and even Lisbon for Portugal, while Austria and 

 Hungary contemplate the formation of a similar institution. 



To England, under these circumstances, it becomes evident that 

 some exertion must be made — local circumstances are most favourable 

 — while we have all the means of producing the most valuable exhibi- 

 tion of manufactures that can be formed, the renown of our workmen 

 will draw visitors and customers from all parts of the world, and our 



