2 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



To the President and Members of the American Institute of the City of 

 Jfew York ; 



Gentlemen — Having been honored with an appointment as a de- 

 legate to the German International Agricultural Exhibition held at 

 the city of Hamburg, in July last, I beg leave to make the following 

 report : 



That I embarked for Hamburg via Bremen, on the 20th of June 

 last, and arrived there about one week previous to the opening of 

 the Exhibition, and was received with all the courtesy due to the 

 position with which I was honored. I found the arrangements for 

 the exhibition were nearly completed, and that they had been made 

 upon a scale of great liberality, reflecting the highest credit upon 

 the Executive Committee, as well as the city of Hamburg, a large 

 field of upwards of 80 acres had been enclosed with a high substan- 

 tial fence, convenient sheds had been erected several miles in e:^tent, 

 supplied Avith water which had been brought upon the grounds, 

 and distributed in every part, by nine miles of pipe used for that 

 purpose, large temporary buildings for the convenience of the com- 

 mittees, as well as for the delegates of diiferent nationalities, with 

 suitable decorations, were erected in the central portion of the 

 grounds, the flags of all nations were flying in the greatest profusion, 

 among which, over the grand entrance, the stars and stripes of our 

 country held an honorable position. The whole effect was that of 

 a newly built town rather than the temporary fixtures of an Exhi- 

 bition. 



The untimely death of Baron Ernst von Merck, the president of 

 the Executive Committee, whose wealth and influence had been 

 freely used in this enterprise, occurring suddenly at this time, ap- 

 peared at first to render its success quite doubtful, but the energy 

 of the committee, rising with the occasion, overcame all obstacles, 

 and carried it triumphuntly through. 



To attempt a detail of the exhibition would extend this report 

 beyond all proper limits. As an idea of its extent, I would state 

 that, being upon the jury for agricultural implements and machinery, 

 it took seven days to give it a very superficial examination. About 

 forty acres of ground were covered by machinery and implements 

 of every description, of w^hich the English were much the largest con- 

 tributors ; some of tho leading English manufacturers had loaded 

 vessels, and brought large forces of men to put their machinery in 

 operation. 



Our American contributions, though small in extent, compared 

 with those of other countries, excited much interest, and were 

 generally considered arj better adapted to the wants of the people 



