222 FOOD PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS AT 
petition, check the tendency to high prices to which the British grown 
article is liable. 
The Zollverein wines are very inadequately represented ; some of 
the Rhine and Moselle wines are, however, excellent. The wines from 
Austria and Hungary are deserving of especial notice. There is a very 
fair collection both of red and white wines, still and sparkling, of kinds 
but little and imperfectly known in this kingdom. Their excellence in 
quality and manufacture, added to their cheapness of production, bid 
fair to make them dangerous rivals to French light wines. They are 
most agreeable, fragrant, and pure, with the further recommendations 
of novelty and cheapness. 
The food substances of the British Isles are rather inadequately re- 
presented by thirty contributors. Messrs. J. H. Gamble of Cork, ex- 
hibit several cases of preserved fish, meat, and soup. The preparations 
of this firm have long been held in great repute by travellers ; and a 
careful examination of those in the Exhibition fully proved that the 
meat and fish had really been preserved, and were very well flavoured. 
The biscuits shown by Messrs. Jacob and Co., Messrs. Baker, Simpson, 
and Co., and Messrs. Peak, Frean, and Co., present a striking contrast to 
the biscuits made twenty years ago ; they are beautifully white, and very 
fine in texture. The gelatine shown by Messrs. Cox, of Edinburgh, is 
one of the finest samples ever exhibited. The chocolate of Messrs. Fry 
and Sons is a very pure substance ; and the collection of articles illus- 
trating the manufacture of chocolate is deserving of notice. The groats 
and barley shown by Messrs. Keen, Robinson, and Belleville are particu- 
larly good. Messrs. J. and J. Colman's mustard possesses a very fine 
colour, aroma, and flavour, and is evidently the product of a most 
carefully conducted manufacture. The British wines of Messrs. Egan 
and Cottle, and of Bewley and Draper, of Dublin, are deserving of 
the highest commendation, as are also the liqueurs of the former firm. 
II. — Chemical and Pharmaceutical Products. 
In chemistry proper, the reporter has not much to note as novel. 
This may be accounted for from the fact that so short a time has elapsed 
since the last London Exhibition, and also, that there are few of the 
principal leading products of applied chemistry, — viz., sulphuric acid, 
alkalies, bleaching powder, &c, exhibited. Commercial acids and 
bleaching powders are shown in the British and Italian departments ; 
but the only exhibitors of soda ash and sodium products are J. 
Hutchinson and Co., Widnes (United Kingdom, 56), who give specimens 
of crystals of carbonate and bicarbonate of sodium (the latter pseudo- 
morphs) ; two specimens of caustic soda fused. These contain sixty 
and seventy per cent, of soda. The latter may be viewed as nearly pure 
hydrate, the theoretical quantity being 77*5. Caustic soda may be 
looked upon as one of those articles but lately introduced into com- 
