EEVIEWS — CANADA AT THE TJNIYEKSAL EXHIBITION. 33 



It was a triumph of no common order to receive a public acknow- 

 ledgement of " the superiority of the Canadian collection at London, 

 as far as the mineral kingdom was concerned, to all countries that 

 forwarded their products to the Exhibition," and the "very remark- 

 able specimens of the chief varieties of Canadian timber," together 

 "with the fine supply of wheats, every sample of more than average 

 excellence," so favorably noticed by the jurors, inspired the hope that 

 Canada would be fairly represented and appreciated at the great Paris 

 Exhibition, in 1855. Nor has this hope been disappointed, when the 

 vast distance which separated us from the scene of rivalry and display 

 is considered, and the facilities which wealth, leisure, and position, 

 conferred on the majority of European Exhibitors. 



With few exceptions, it could scarcely be a subject of personal 

 pecuniary interest to the farmers and manufacturers of this country to 

 send the results of their industry or skill to compete with ages of ex- 

 perience in Europe. Even the products of our forests, though if known 

 in all their variety and excellence beyond our borders, they would 

 doubtless create a profitable market, yet, if their representation had been 

 altogether left to the unremunerated zeal of private contributors, it is 

 scarcely probable that even they would have been fairly represented. 

 Hence the Provincial Committee, appointed to secure a fitting repre- 

 sentation of the products of this Country at the Paris Exhibition, ar- 

 rived at the conclusion, that any attempt to induce voluntary efforts 

 by local fairs, such as those which were held at Toronto and Montreal 

 previous to the Exhibition of 1S51, would be fruitless, and that it would 

 be absolutely necessary that the Provincial Committee should have the 

 authority to purchase such articles as they deemed it expedient to. 

 transmit to Paris. 



In accordance with this suggestion the Canadian Government appro- 

 priated a sufficient sum to cover all the expenses of the transit and ulti- 

 mate purchase of the articles sent. It was further suggested by the 

 Executive Committee that every effort should be made to secure a 

 satisfactory representation of the great staple products of Canada — 

 Minerals, Agricultural Products, and Timber — so successfully repre- 

 sented at London in 1851 ; and also, that the manufactures of the country 

 should be exhibited in their progressive stages up to the highest point of 

 perfection. Local exhibitions were held at Toronto and Montreal, 

 and selections made as in 1851, for transmission to Paris. Hence it 

 appears that no effort was spared to have Canada properly represented, 

 and with what success we are informed by Mr. Tach6's Report of 

 " Canada at the Universal Exhibition of 1855." 



VOL. II. — C 



