EXHIBITION OP 1862. 
179 
Lyon Plajfair, the special commissioner for juries, for the constant and ihtel- 
ligent assistance which he has rendered to us throughout our labours, as well 
as to the deputy commissioners and secretary, who have acted under his di¬ 
rection, and have afforded eflScient aid to the several juries during their in¬ 
quiries.” 
During this part of the ceremonial, thousands of persons in¬ 
terested in the awards to the several nations, had stationed < 
themselves as near as possible to* the beautifully decorated na¬ 
tional trophies which had been erected along the nave, in front 
of the exhibition courts of their respective countries, in order 
to witness the delivery of the awards; and at the conclusion of 
Lord Taunton’s report the procession re-formed, with the Duke 
of Cambridge and the foreign ministers or other special repre¬ 
sentatives who were to deliver the awards to the presidents of 
the various national commissions, at its head, and entered the 
building at the northern annexe; passing, after the delivery of 
the awards on food substances, agricultural implements, min¬ 
erals, &c., there exhibted, to the dais beneath the eastern dome, 
where were assembled, in a most interesting group, the many 
representatives of England’s far off* colonies. 
Here there was, of necessity, a protracted halt, but one 
which the entire vast multitude, who thronged the transept, 
far-reaching nave, and long lines of galleries, very greatly 
enjoyed. It was a beautiful and noble spectacle that held 
them one moment enchained, and then drew forth most glad 
and vociferous cheers. It was Victoria, Queen of the little 
sea-girt isle, calling about her the proud representatives of 
more than a score of flourishing colonies, to reward them as 
her children for their fidelity to her interests, for their contri¬ 
butions to the progress and glory of her empire, and, more 
than all, for helping to plant the standard of civilization and 
of civil and religious liberty in every quarter of the globe! 
One by one, those colonies had been begun by here a handful 
and there a handful of resolute, ambitious, brave and heroic 
pioneers, and the work of organization and development push¬ 
ed forward until some of them had grown to be strong and 
vigorous nations; and now, all together, from the bleak At¬ 
lantic coast of the North American continent—from the valley 
