THE NEW-YOKK EXHIBITION ILLUSTRATED.

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in a remarkable manner, for his delicate task of soliciting or directing the counte-nance and support of European governments in favor of the objects of the New-York Exhibition. The result of his labors has been the securing from variousgovernments important contributions, ■which would otherwise have remained un-known in the United States.

By midsummer of last year, the corps of engineers and architects was organizedby the appointment of Mr. C. E. Detmold as superintending architect and engi-neeer; Mr. Hobatio Ali.en, consulting engineer; and Mr. Edmund Hubby, con-sulting Architect. To these gentlemen the construction of the building was con-fided, and by them it has been brought to its completion.

THE BUILDING.

Meanwhile proper steps were taken to secure a plan for the building. Thepeculiar form of the ground, and the comparative want of experience, on the partof manufacturers, engineers, and architects in our country, in the matter of ironconstruction, were among the prominent difficulties presenting themselves at theoutset, and offering serious obstacles to the movements of the Association. Wemention, with peculiar pleasure, that Sir Joseph Paxton, of Chatsworth, at anearly stage of the proceedings, (December, 1851,) in the most liberal manner, sentout for the free use of the Association a plan for a building of great beauty and simpli-city, accompanied by specifications. These designs we have the satisfaction of pre-senting in this number of the Record, as copied from the original drawings inpossession of the Association. Unfortunately, the shape of the ground selectedfor the New-York Exhibition, rendered it impossible to consider the propriety ofadopting them.

We take a melancholy pleasure in referring also to the plan proposed by thatgifted and most lamented man, Andrew J. Downing, whose memory is sweetlyembalmed in the affections of his countrymen. This plan contemplated the largeuse of wood and canvas as a part of the materials of construction, while by theterms of the charter of the Association, iron and glass were to be principally em-ployed. Mr. Downing’s design was therefore precluded, but we are enabled bythe kindness of Mr. Yaux, the business partner of Mr. Downing, to present anengraving of it to our readers, accompanied by such explanations as will render itintelligible.

Several other plans, characterized by boldness, originality, or ingenuity, or allcombined, were presented for consideration, and some of them, with the consentof their authors, we may hereafter present in our columns. One of them, that ofMessrs. Bogardus & IIoppin, is given upon page four.

After much consideration, and a careful comparison of the various advantagesof the several plans brought under the notice of the board, it was finally deci-ded, on the 26th of August, to adopt the plan proposed by Messrs. Caestensen& Gildemeistee, and' immediate steps were taken to secure its construction.

The details of the construction of the building will be found in connection withthe designs which are given elsewhere in the Record. The original plan has beenincreased nearly one-fourth by the addition of a new building for the machinery,making the total area for exhibition over two hundred thousand square feet, or aboutfive acres, and still the complaint most likely to be made is, that the building istoo small. The mechanical execution of the iron work reflects the highest crediton the skill of the mechanics who have wrought it, and proves the feasibility ofapplying this mode of architecture in the United States for ordinary purposes.The use of cast-iron had, however, already become common here for warehouses,to a degree exceeding even its use elsewhere, until a very recent period; and itssuperiority in such constructions over stone in the very important requisites oflightness and strength, will insure its continued employment wherever these qual-ities are to be combined.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT OF THE EXHIBITION.

The sole charge of the interior of the building, as respects its administration,its division, arrangements, classifications and police, has been confided, withthe sanction of the Government, to two officers of the United States Navy, Cap-tains S. F. Dupont and Charles II. Davis.

These gentlemen, who have so much distinguished themselves in the specialservices in which they have been employed, have organized their department bythe following appointments:

J. M. Batciielder, Secretary of the Superintendents.

Samuel Webber, Arrangement of Space and Classification.

Prof. B. Silliman, Jr., Mineralogy and Chemistry.

B. P. Johnson, Agricultural Implements.

Edward Vincent, Textile Fabrics.

Felix Piatti, Sculpture.

Two-thirds of the space has been devoted to foreign nations, and the remain-ing third to the United States. This third occupies the northeastern quarter ofthe building. The machinery is placed in an arcade running the whole length ofthe eastern side of the plot of ground, and the power required for the machinery

in motion, is derived from two steam-engines, whose boilers are placed in aseparate house upon the opposite side of Forty-Second street. The steam isbrought under ground in iron pipes insulated by non-conducting materials. Thedetails of the subdivision will be observed upon the plans which accompany thepresent number-.

The classification adopted is substantially the same as that used in London,with a few changes and subdivisions suggested by experience • and the rules re-garding the interior police of the building, the conduct of exhibitors, and thecustody of valuables, are also, for the most part, the same as in London.

The terms upon which contributions are admitted into the building are ex-tremely liberal. The freight is paid by the Association both to and from Ameri-ca, upon all articles from foreign countries, whenever the objects exhibited are tobe returned. The American contributors pay their own freights; but the Associ-ation covers the whole contents of the building by an insurance against fire, freeof charge to all.

EAW MATERIAL.

The Minebalogioal and Mining department occupies a distinct apartment inthe new portion of the building, and owing to the backwardness of this part ofthe construction, can hardly be opened as soon as the main building. The planadopted by the Director of this department, has been to obtain as far as possible,in the time allowed, representations from every important mine and localitywithin reach ; and to arrange- the specimens with reference to their geographicaldistribution, so that the collection will, in some degree, at least, be a mineralo-gicnl map of the country. To make such a collection in all respects complete,would, of course, demand the labor of many years. But to insure a somewhatcompetent representation of the resources of the United States,, in this departmentof her raw materials, special agents have been sent to visit the various mines,furnaces, smelting works, and mineral localities, with instructions to obtain cha-racteristic specimens from the most authentic sources. The resources of privatecabinets have also been taxed, and in most eases a truly liberal spirit lias shownitself on the part of proprietors in loaning their most valuable minerals for theuse of the Exhibition. The same may he said of some of our public collections.From foreign countries also there have been received valuable collections in thisdepartment.

From many parts of the United States and of Canada, raw materials will formthe chief bulk of the contributions. These will consist, of course, of those ob-jects for which each State, territory, or province, is most noted; of the metals,valuable minerals, building materials, agricultural productions, and all the variousproducts of the sea, the rivers, and the forest.

MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT.

Contrivances for the saving of human labor, will be found to afford muchmaterial for attentive study in the Mechanical Department of the Exhibition.

In America, the high price of human labor has led to the invention of muchcurious and useful machinery, to perform the duties assigned in the old world tomanual skill. Such machines are commbn enough, certainly, in all manufacturingcountries; but we believe it is safe to say, that they are more numerous and ofmore various application in the United States than elsewhere. Numerous exam-ples in support of the truth of this observation will be found in the Exhibition.

A single instance that occurs on the instant will illustrate it." There are not lessthan ten machines exhibited for sewing cloth or leather, and all by differentAmerican inventors (how many European ones there may be, we have not ascer-tained). Some of them employ a double and some a single thread, and some arefitted for special uses. But all are designed to substitute the strength and preci-sion of machinery for the delicate fingers of a woman. One of these machines,it is said, may easily perform the work of ten women in a day. It is worthwhile to remember,' that in the London Exhibition there were only three ma-chines of this sort, one from France (Seneciial’s, for sewing sacks); one fromAmerica (Blodgett’s) ; and one from England (Judkins’s). We shall take an earlyopportunity of discussing this subject more at length.

Nor will we omit, to mention in this connection, the Cotton Gin of "Whitney,certainly not a new invention, but not the less a corner-stone of American industry.This peculiarly national invention is represented in the present Exhibition by theoriginal model, constructed in 1793 by the hands of its inventor, and exhibited byhis son, Eli Whitney, Esq., of New Haven. No one can fail to view, withoutdeep interest, this simple apparatus, when he reflects that the greatest branch of lAmerican agricultural industry dates its origin from the day when the planterreceived this result of Whitney’s genius; that no important addition or improve-ment was ever made upon it; and that without its efficient aid in cleaning thecotton from its seeds, this new colossal product might have still remained un-developed.

Startling to Guttemberg and Faust would be the almost incredible rapidity ofthe Power Presses of our day. Although we have little to say of improve-ment in paper and typography, over the Mazarin Bible, it is certainly true,

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