The first metropolitan movementvin favor of holding a national exhibition in this country was immediately after the French exposition of 1844, the results of which were so beneficial, that several.applications were made to the government requesting that the matter should be officially taken up. The government, however, as usual, proved itself to be simply executive, and did nothing. • In the meantime, the society of arts tried the experiment of holding exhibitions annually in their own building in the Adelphi; but these, though eminently successful, were not sufficient to satisfy those with whom a national exhibition had become a fixed idea. In 1849, his royal highness devoted himself thoroughly to this object, and made the happy suggestion of throwing open the exhibition to all nations. The plans, too, were suggested for raising the necessary funds and other essential points, and the scheme soon took a tangible form; and it was finally determined by the government to issue a royal commission, which was gazetted Jan. 3, 1850. From this moment the great exhibition was fairly launched. In order to enable the commissioners to enter into contracts, and otherwise incur obligations, it was necessary to procure subscriptions to a guarantee fund. The subscription-list was opened by the queen with £1000. The exhibition took place in a vast structure of iron and glass, called the crystal palace, in Hyde park, London. The edifice, planned by sir Joseph Paxton (q.v.), was opened by her majesty, May 1, 1851. It was 1851 ft. long by 456 ft. broad, and 66 ft. high; the entire area covered being 13 acres. On the ground-floor and galleries there were 8 m. of tables. The glass employed in the structure weighed upwards of 400 tons. The num ber of exhibitors exceeded 17,000. The exhibition was open 144 days, being closed Oct. 11. The entire number of visitors was 6,170,000, averaging 43,536 per day. The largest number at one time in the building was 109,760, on Oct. 8. The entire money drawn for tickets of admission amounted to £505,107; and after all expenses were defrayed, a balance of £150,000 was left over; so that there was no call on those who subscribed the guarantee fund. Popularly, this great exhibition was properly enough called the world's fair, for it attracted visitors from all parts of the world. When the exhibition was over, the building was cleared away.
The importance of this celebrated exhibition was so obvious, that other countries became anxious to have something of the same kind. An exhibition was held in Cork in 1852; although not of international character, it was the first for which any special structure was erected in Ireland, and deservedly gave great satisfaction. The home manufactures of Ireland were admirably displayed in conjunction with those of other parts of the kingdom. Dublin got up an international exhibition in 1853, and by the princely munificence or Mr. Dargan, was enabled to make an admirable display, in a building of great beauty. The Dublin society added a new feature—high art was asso ciated with industrial art, and a gallery of pictures, the finest ever brought together in this kingdom before, was there exhibited with great success. In the same year, a simi lar exhibition took place in a crystal palace in New York. France, in 1855, repeated the same experiment with immense success; both the industrial and the art collections were such as the world had nevor seen before. Though wanting the imposing magnitude of the Hyde park building, the contents of the palais de l'industrie, with its detached pic ture-gallery and its annexe, were of the choicest description, and reflected the highest credit on French taste and skill. Several other continental nations followed with vari ous success. In Europe, it has now taken root, and every country looks upon an exhibition of its industrial resources and productions, from time to time, as a grand necessity which must be met. In 1861,there was an exhibition at Haarlem, in which a
vast assemblage of admirably arranged specimens illustrated every industry followed by the most industrious and methodical people of Europe. In Belgium, also, a small industrial exhibition was held in 1861 at Brussels, consisting chiefly, however, of arti cles of use, in which taseful design was the chief consideration.
Such is a brief outline of the early history of these exhibitions, which now form a prominent feature in this era of the history of civilization. The fullness of their effects is still to be seen, but, judging a the beneficial effects they have already produced, it is not too much to say, that they appear destined to help most largely in diffusing a love of industry, and a peaceful emulation over the whole globe. Commerce may have its weak points, even its meannesscs, but it cannot be denied that few of the occupations of man are more humanizing, or tend more to teach the value of peace and good-will; and if this be conceded, certainly nothing can more assist it than these great gatherings, in which each nation shows its own specialities, and gives to others the ideas which it has accumulated through its centuries of progress in industrial art. Like the social interchange of thought, this interchange of inventive genius brings out new talents; and succeeding generations will reap a rich harvest of results from our industrial exhibi dons. To mark the advance in the arts of the interval, and promote manufacturing and commercial activity, an exhibition, on a still greater scale, was arranged to take place at Kensington, London, in 1862; in which were to be comprehended paintings in a high style from all countries. See Official, Descriptive, and Illustrated Catalogue of the Great .&Itibitz'on of 1851 (3 vols.); also Reports by the Juries (2 vols.); and the 13 vols. folio, printed by the commissioners.
Since the article on this subject first appeared in the Encyclopaedia, several interna tional exhibitions have been held—one in 1862 in London; the next in 1865 in Dublin; the third in Paris in 1867; in 1873, the great universal exhibition of Vienna; that of Philadelphia in 1876; etc. That of 1862, was held in a vast brick building, lighted by a roof and two immense cupolas of glass, designed by rapt. Fowke, ME., and erected on a large space of land acquired by the royal commissioners of the great exhibition of 1851, adjoining the beautiful garden of the horticultural society at South Kensing ton. The space covered was 1,291,800 sq. ft., or about 17 acres, including some portions of the buildings of the garden, lent-by the horticultural society, for refreshment-rooms, etc. Of this vii.o4.t spitee, 391,140 sq ft. were oceupied by objects exhibited, besides 284,670 sq. ft. of wall and other vertical space made by internal partitions, etc. : to which must be added 93,220 of horizontal and vertical space occupied by works of art, arranged in one of the most admirably constructed galleries ever designed for such a purpose. The entire cost of this gigantic affair was £321,000. This was secured against all risk of failure by a voluntary guarantee entered into by 1152 gentlemen of all ranks, who pledged themselves in various sums amounting, in the aggregate, to £450,000. Notwithstanding much opposition and ill-feeling, the international exhibi tion of 1862 proved a great success. Like its predecessor in 1851, it gave a vast impetus to trade generally, and it enabled the public to form correct opinions upon the progress of our manufactures, and their shortcomings when compared with others.