The exhibition of arts, manufactures, &c., of the United States, at West Brompton, was opened yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large assemblage of persons. At half-past three the Grenadiers' band played "Hail Columbia," after which Archdeacon Farrar led the company in prayer, invoking the blessing of the Almighty upon the undertaking. The band then played "God Save the Queen," and Lord Ronald Gower, on behalf of the English Council, delivered an address of welcome to the American guests, and expressed a hope that the exhibition might be a bond of amity between England and America. Colonel Henry Russell, president of the exhibition, returned thanks, and
It is exclusively an exhibition of the arts, inventions, manufactures, products, and resources of the United States. The frankly expressed aim of its promoters is to do business. The exhibition is, in fact, a gigantic collection of commercial travellers' samples, the gardens, music, and "Buffalo Bill" being thrown in to draw customers and advertise the wares. The executive intent "to illustrate to the people of Europe and to those buyers for the Colonies and South and Central America who reside permanently in London the excellence and variety of American industrial, mineral, and agricultural products." They make no secret of the fact that this exhibition is an effort to secure new markets and to extend American commerce. A considerable number of exhibitors will be allowed not only to manufacture their wares in the exhibition, but also to sell them "as the most effective means of extending their foreign business "relations." The prospectus of the exhibition goes on to say:—"One of the first practical results of the
The main Exhibition building is in Lillie Bridge-road, close by West Brompton Station. The interior is 1,140 ft. long and 130ft. wide, and will be divided into streets and avenues running at right angles to each other, after the fashion of American towns. West of the large court is a restaurant and an art gallery, 160ft. long and 80ft. wide. The exhibits are divided into six departments, agriculture (which, in defiance of etymology, comprises that very interesting branch of American industry—fish culture), mining and metallurgy, machinery, manufactures, education, and science and fine arts. The managers have taken a hint from the Colonial Exhibition, where it was found that visitors would be entranced by any machine that was actually going round and by any workman who was actually employed in his craft. Accordingly, in the American Exhibition much of the machinery will be in motion, and in many cases the process of manufacturing the article which is exhibited will be shows. It is yet too early to criticise the exhibits, for on Saturday scarcely a single stall was in order. However, it is hoped that by working all night the Exhibition may be brought into something like order when it is opened this afternoon. In an annexe will be found an admirable zoological collection. The bears are particularly fine, and so are the elks and deer. The head of a bighorn or Rocky Mountain sheep, shown by the International Fur Company, is perhaps the most magnificent specimen ever seen. Of American art it is difficult to speak, because, in fact, there is no American school. In America artists have not yet advanced beyond the imitative stage. You see and recognise this or that style, but all the styles are familiar to you. Especially you notice what is called the academic style, which bears the same relation to original work as the essay of a clever youth trying for a scholarship at Oxford bears to an article by Mr. Ruskin or Professor Huxley. Still our connoisseurs will be greatly pleased with the American art gallery. One of the most noteworthy pictures is a full-length and life-size portrait of her
That the American Exhibition will excite considerable curiosity among commercial men and that the casual pleasure-seeker will also find in it much to entertain him cannot be doubted, but in all probability next to the "Wild West" show the gardens will prove most attractive to the average visitor. These are twelve acres in extent, and considering that only a few weeks ago they were waste ground they have been laid out with remarkable rapidity and equal success. Here the ingenuous youth of London will find an immense tobogganing slide, and there is also a "switch back" railway, the undulating and wriggling aspect of which is alone calculated to "upset" the strongest interior, and which will prove correspondingly delightful to all right-minded excursionists. Moreover there is a sodawater fountain, where that peculiar American luxury sodawater and fruit syrup can be produced in any quantity. The beds are to contain specimens of American plants, and the "corn," as they call the maize plant in America, is already growing healthily. The band of the Grenadier Guards will perform in these gardens during the time when the Exhibition is open; and besides fancy devices by Messrs. James Pain and Son, the grounds will be illuminated by 200 electric lights each of 2,000 candle power, and by nine huge "search lights" each of 10,000 candle power.