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    products of all nations which were there to be examined at one view . The colossal Annex , which stretched more than three-quarters of a mile along the banks of the Seine and stole a glorious promenade from tie Parisians , is no longer deafened , with tire -whirl of machinery . The Galerie des Tableaux has been spoiled of its splendid riches of art , and its monuments of sculpture and its treasures of painted canvas are returned to the depositoi-ies whence they cam e . All th-e materiality of the Great Exhibition of 1855 lias vanished from the scene . But the impressions -which it created will dong outlive the objects which produced them . Mind was there represented by matter , the invisible by the visible , the intellectual by the passive , the creative by the forms it called into existence . The development and progress of the Fine , as well as the Industrial Arts , in different countries could

    there be distinctly traced . Eac-ii national peculiarity , or , as we should more properly term it , style , became boldly denned by their close juxtaposition and their strong contrast ; and the defects of the one were prominently indicated by the perfections , of the other . Artists learnt from artists , and in the race of competition stimulated all their faculties to achieve their c / iefs-• d ' eeuvre . Such a combination of educated and educating minds could not t > ut be productive of beneficial" fruits . The short interval that elapsed between the Exhibition in Hyde Park and that in the Champs Elysees proved the influence which one style exercised upon another , and the same progressive influence may be noticed as in operation at the present time . Iu no instance , perhaps , is this recognizable more than , in that of Design as applied to Manufactures . We must not , however , be deceived .

    neighbours Belgium , England , and Prussia , for above 3 , 000 , 000 tons n , ft *" Belgium produces 8 , 000 , 000 tons , Prussia 31 , 000 , 000 , Austria 1 inAnnn and Spain about 242 , ^ oO ton s . Several of the other European connt ' exhibited isolated specimens of mineral fuel , most of them of the class of li " - ? or brown coal . Southern France , Italy , Styria , and Greece sent samnT The rapid progress of the manufacture of iron , will be apparent Irorn the n duction of that mineral in the following years . In 1740 were produced vi < f- ° n tons , in 1 S 40 , 1 , 248 , 781 ,. in 1854 , 3 , 069 , 838 . This was the produce of aW 555 furnaces . The annual production of the iron yvorks of France isT ? mated at 700 , 000 tons . Prussia produces an almost inappreciable quantity " whilst Belgium , by enlarged operations , within the last few years h-isr ^ Ti the annual amount to upwards of 200 , 000 tons . The produce of Ausfc ' nearly doubles this amount . Sweden , Spain , and Italy were also ren

    sented , and though the latter exported , in 1854 , 35 , 000 t ons—seven-tWftlis " of its production—the quantities are too small to demand ¦ ¦ . enumeration MTiioiy remarking on . metal work , observes with much truth that "in no country was ornamental smiths' work more appreciated than in England during the last century ; yet , during the first half of this century , t ! u ? re is probably no country which was satisfied with so low a . quality of material design ,, and execution of the iron work . " It is lamentable to see with what little taste public works are executed . As an example ,, we iuav take the newly-introduced street letter-boxes . Instead of their being elegant columnar structures , ornamented with leaves , iind scrolls , and flowers , such as we see in Paris , they are linshaped , square blocks , apparently placed in the position they occupy to prevent an omnibus or runaway cab from iuvadino- the

    pave merit . ° r r ~ We have ^ no room to notice particularly Sir David Bre-nrster's report on optical instrumeaits , Dr . Arnott on warming and ventilating Captain Fowke on civil and naval constructions , M . Leori Arnoux on ceramic manufactures , Sir William Hooker on vegetable products , " ' and Dr . lloyle on Indian and colonial products , &c . The reader will find much interesting and instructive information in the three volumes of Reports presented to both Houses of Pai'Iiament .

    *' . In these Exhibitions , " observes Mr . Redgrave in his Report , " the Manufacturers of all countries are striving to compete , not so much in works of ordinary excellence as In-the production of such as shall outvie each other And be considered markedly in advance of the taste and skill of the times , and the result of these competitive struggles must be an advance to real ¦ excellence , or a retrograde movement towards decline , as they are made on sound or on ill-understood principles . " One false principle may lead to the . greatest extravagances . ¦ Nothing is so easily vitiated as taste . This might easily be shown in a review of the different orders of style as illustrative of different epochs . Feeling the necessity of a } ust standard of taste , by

    • which to mete the purity of style , Mr . Redgrave has laid down five propositions on the elements of design , by which to regulate his judgment . He considers in the first place that style , implying some dominating influence ¦ reflecting the mind of the age in all its works ., presumes also a certain unity of character throughout ^ secondly , that the primary elements of style are constructive , and that utility must have precedence of decoration . He proceeds to show , fourthly , that the design nrust be bad which applies indiscriniinately the same constructive forms or ornamental treatments to materials differing in their nature and application ; and fifthly , that the building ^ should determine the style .

    • On the question as to whetheT England can boast of any style , he observes : — " Although to JEngli shmen there appeared so little originality in the art applied to our own manufactures at Paris , so as to incline us to regard them as devoid of any peculiar character , we were less at a loss to perceive a nationality in those produced in Germany , France , or Spain . It was some satisfaction , therefore , on various occasions , to hear the same remark from ^ Frenchmen and others on the manufactures of their own land , namely , that they could recognize national characteristics and many indications of novelty and unity of style h * British goods , these qualities being absent to them in their own ; a subject -which seemed most justly a cause of regret on their part . Our mutual remarks are therefore somewhat encouraging to each other , and we may hope that there are influences at work to raise us above the rank of mere imitators of the men of other lands and other times—and as imitators

    necessarily short-connera—and to impress the national character of our age and people on our art and cur works . The great effort tbat is now made towards a wide-spread development of art education in Great Britain—and this not alone for the upper and middle classes but for all , even the poorest —must tell upon the rising generation . Once properly instructed , there is very little doubt th at the plain good sense , the energy of will , and the dislike of mere display of our countrymen will result in works of much higher excellence in decorative art than has yet been attained in this country , while the artisan will add to his admitted manual dexterity and thorough workmanship the knowledge and taste thsit will enable him to add beauty to excellence , and to carxy out the labours which the advanced taste of the general public will demand at his hands . " May wo not rather hope that he shall attain to such excellence that , instead of being the servant of the public "taste , he shall be its jmide and instructor ?

    The Paris Universal Exhibition differed from all others which had preceded it in the extent of its productions , the variety of its objects , and the facilities afforded for the disposal of the exhibited articles at a fair market price . In fact , it was an immense bazaar , from which might be selected « vcry description of manufacture and almost every kind of produce . The mechanical department brought out especially the English strength . Our superiority over other countries in mechanical contrivances was strikingly displayed as well , it must be confessed , as our deficiencies . Wo had no mean antagonists to competo witb . France , Belgium , and America vied with us tor the honours of a prize . We ' regret to find then that in our mining and metallurgical procluctiona , Britain was inadequately represented . It was

    supposed that the exhibition of such specimens would scarcely counterbalance the inconvenience avnd cost of extraction and carriage . A general lukewannness prevailed amongst the owners and workers of mines , since it was uncertain whether the expenses incurred in the removal of specimens would be ever repaid Thus , observes Mr . Smyth , " what our neighbours mil do tor glory , we hesitate to commence , unless assured it will ' nay . '" iw £ ; lmYO Tf 30 mo ounous statistics on the subject of coals and iron in these fSKfc J » Tn ^ - 1 - ' 0-MMM 01 tons of coal wore produced then a «™ ° * Grfat ^ . tain and Polan d , representing at the mouth of down ai 2 ? W ^? 1 ? ° f \ > J 75 > 00 () L Eho "umber of collieries is put mines LS , emP 1 ° yinS about 220 , 000 persons . Franco possesses ' 280 Wve ? fa"S ^ V ^" ^' ' to 7 ' > ° 0 tons aniually .. This , Jiowevor , is insufficient for her consumption , and she is indebted to her

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    QUEDAH . Queda 7 i ; or , Stray Leaves from , a Journal in Malayan Waters . Ey Captain Skerard Osborn , R . N ., C . B . Longman and Co . Indian Archipelago literature is on the increase . A library of excellent books has been published since James Brooke wrote his first ¦ account of Sarawak—a history , a gazetteer , several narratives of travel , more than one noble volume of illustrations . Captain Osborn ' s experiences are not of recent date , but they are interesting , nevertheless . He has been , he tells us , a self-taught man , who las made his own way to knowledge , and , let us add , to distinction . The lively diarist of Arctic . adventure , the intelligent historian of the discovery of the North-West passage , he finds the far East , warmed by incessant summer , as congenial to his sympathies as the deep North , buried in umnelting winter . He admires an iceberg , but he ¦ admires also a starry island ; along the coasts of a frosty continent ^ or in a golden Indian moonlight , lie voyages with equal enthusiasm .

    Twenty years ago the small state of Quedah , on the Malay peninsula , was guaranteed to Siam by the English , and attacked by the Malays , who preferred a rival claim . T"he English took part with the Siamese , and thus it happened that Captain Osborn , then a midshipman , entered into the warfare of the Archipelago , roved among its beautiful islands , and learned something of its kings , pirates , vessels , villages , and social miscellanea . He had a variety of uncommon adventures to narrate , and he possesses a particular power of description . His sketches on sea and land are among the most picturesque , while they are among the most truthful that wo have met with in a traveller's book for a considerable time . He saw Singapore when that Queen of Malaya was still young , but even then the activity inspired by Stamford Rallies had developed itself in a nourishing town , a profitable trade , and a large concourse of population . In front of the busy quays , at

    a distance of a mile , lay a fleet of huge junks , glittering with variegated colours , an < l between these and the shore thousands of pra ' crowded the waters , leaving only narrow channels through which the li . g ht sampans anil miniature j unks threaded their rapid way . " The Chinese , Mr . Osborn tells us , Lave but one fashion in marine architecture—the junk—the shape of which is traditionally derived from an imperial slipper . The legend is this : a great Chinese emperor of ancient days having cut oil' hi > empire from the rest of the continent by building ; u vast frontier wall , w ; us anxious todiscourage navigation , in order that China might enjoy the s . ilcty of political solitude . However , he could not prevail over the reaUc . s . s enterprise of his subjects , and when a daring inventor submitted to him the model of a perfect ship , he took a slipper from his foot , and decreed , in his irritation , that it should be the type of every floating thing in the Flowerv Land .

    From Singapore Mr . Osborn went to Queduh , in command ol ' u gunboat , which , with another vessel of the same clasa and an armed pinnace , blockaded the water approaches to the town . For a time his adventures wc-rc chielly among bees , pelicans , and alligators . Sometimes , by night , ho had to follow the stealthy prahus of the Malays , ¦ ¦ which , moved by lofty mat sails that caught the faintest wind , and steering ; through the shadows of the coast , continually escaped capture . On all occasions he made the best we ol' his opportunities , visited every interesting locality within reach , ami collected useful information . He was successful in exploring a birds ' -nest cave , and writes pleasantly on that well-worn subject : —¦ One person largely engaged in the trade assured me that , on nn nveni&v , two out . of live men employod in bircls' -nosting mot with a violent death ; and , ' undor tliosu circumstances , it in not to be wondered at that a catty ( or pound and n rjii . ui . cr 12 ugU « h ) of the beat nesta costs generally forty dollnr . s , or nbout nine { . ounds sterling !

    The value of the nests depends upon their translucent whiteness and freedom from feathora or dirt ; the lirnt quality being those which evidently have not bam lined , or uh «( 1 , by tl » o unfortunate little swallows . Such nesta arc nothing 1 but , a mor-el oi pure gelatine ; and huving often oaten them in their native atute , 1 can vouch for their r > er feet taatoleasneas ; indeed , upon one occasion , after being twenty-four lioura without food , I enjoyed birda' -uoeta boiled down in cocoa-nut uailk . '

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    : 234 i ____ ' _ ____ ^^ 1 _ jl gAJg . ^ ^ - __ __^_ . Pfej : f ^* J ^ mJ * RA *>

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 7, 1857, page 234, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2183/page/18/