THE LOIN COLLECTION OF SCIENTIFIC APPARATUS 
AT SOUTH KENSINGTON. 
T HOSE who have not yet visited the collection of apparatus at South 
Kensington can have little or no idea how vast and important it is. 
Those who have, however, will readily pardon us for not doing more for 
our readers than giving a general sketch of the exhibition, which is on the 
whole the finest that has ever been made, or in all probability ever will be 
made within our ken. At the same time we think that those who have 
superintended the work of exhibiting the various apparatus have been to 
blame in two distinct ways : 1st, in exhibiting many instruments that have 
not the slightest claim to novelty, but are merely exhibited because the par- 
ticular makers had influence over those who had to do with the matter. 
2nd, for the abominable manner in which some of the apparatus is exhibited, 
being in fact of no use whatever to students who desire its close examina- 
tion. There is also a deficiency of labels explanatory of the objects. It is all 
very well to urge upon the spectator that he can readily obtain a catalogue, 
though unfortunately such cannot be had; but an exhibition which is 
got up by Government should not have been wanting — as this one is 
sadly — in explanatory labels. Those who had the management in their 
hands should have taken a lesson from the highly satisfactory arrange- 
ment that is invariably pursued in the South Kensington collection. 
The following notes are taken from a series of valuable articles which 
appeared in the “ Academy ” (May 20, and subsequent numbers) : — Fol- 
lowing the order of arrangement in the building, the first Section is that 
under which “ Educational Appliances ” are classed ; and here the most 
striking feature is the collection forwarded from Russia by the Committee 
of the Pedagogical Museum j the models by Strembitsky, which belong to 
this series, are extremely good and very instructive. Germany has con- 
tributed largely to this section, and several private firms have sent well- 
filled cases of apparatus for teaching physical science. England is fairly 
represented, but from France there is nothing, and from Austria, Italy, Hol- 
land, and Belgium a few objects only. 
In the next section, “Applied Mechanics,” there is much to interest every 
one : the original models of steam-engines and other machines of Watt ; the 
original models of Stirling’s air-engine, and Trevithick’s locomotive engine 
atented in 1802 ; the “ Rocket ” and u Puffing Billy,” brought out from 
their retreat in the Patent Office Museum ; Brahmah’s first hydraulic press ; 
the steam-engine used onDalswinton Lake in 1788 ; and the original engine 
of the steamboat Comet. The Royal School of Mines and the Council of 
