EXPOSITION OF 1867. 
893 
the innovation of the mechanic arts upon the domain of every 
other art. The mechanical inventor seems to be argus-eyed. No 
field of enterprise, and no possibility of the physical forces en¬ 
tirely escapes him. If he does not succeed at once in all—and 
how, without omniscience, could he ?—yet is he early on the 
way to success and never done trying until he attains it 
One of the most attractive features of Oroup YI was the ex¬ 
ceedingly interesting demonstration of various processes of 
manufacture by operators skilled in the different branches of 
mechanical industry, using the most approved machinery of 
which the directing nations had knowledge. The making of 
boots by machinery, the manufacture of felt and straw hats, 
laces, embroideries, artificial flowers, shell combs, gilded but¬ 
tons, meerschaum pipes, carved ornaments in wood, engraving 
on wood, copper and steel, the making and mounting of opera- 
glasses, the printing and binding of books, the dressing of dia¬ 
monds, the weaving of ribbons, and a thousand other opera¬ 
tions were carried on under the eye of the throng of visitors 
who crowded the grand nave from morning till evening, never 
weary and ever intensely delighied with the wonderful precis¬ 
ion of machinery, and the only less marvelous skill of the 
workmen. 
While the activity of the past five years has produced no new 
mechanical invention, the gift of which to the world is sure to 
produce a grand and universal influence upon industry, like 
that which has followed the few leading inventions of the past 
half century, still it has been exceedingly fruitful in the way 
of improving and perfecting such as were already in use, and 
perhaps, also, in leading the way to the use of new motive 
powers, such as compressed air, water under pressure, ammon- 
iacal gas and hot air, which may yet prove of incalculable value. 
In the way of new applications, and the extension of motive 
powers already in common use, a very remarkable invention 
was offered by Mr Hern, of Logelbach, by means of which he 
not only proposes to, but actually does communicate the force 
supplied by water-powers to considerable distances, with but 
little expense and with trifling loss of power. 
