Among the expositions, many of which were international, that have been held in recent years and were devoted to some special subject, may be mentioned the following: of articles connected with the leather industry, in Berlin in 1877; of all kinds of paper and pasteboard, in Berlin in 187$; of fisheries, in Berlin in 1880; of elec trical appliances, in Paris in 1881 ; of geographi cal exhibits, in Venice in 1881; of cotton, in Atlanta, in 1581; of early data in American history, in Madrid in 1881 ; of fisheries, in Lon don in 1883; of historical matters pertaining to Columbus and the discovery of America, in Mad rid in 1882; of hygienic, chemical, pharmaceutical, and sanitary objects, in Naples in 1894; of German products and industries, in Berlin in 1896; and of fisheries, in Bergen, Norway, in 189S.
The success of many of the earlier local expositions led to the inauguration of a series of expositions of international character. the first of these, which was announced in 1549, was held under the direction of the Society of Arts in London. The exhibition was opened on May 1st, and continued until October 15, 1851, during which time 6.039,195 persons visited it. The total number of exhibitors was 13,938, of whom 6556 were from for eign countries, and the remainder from Great Britain and her colonies. The exposition was a financial success, the receipts from admission fees and subscriptions amounting to $2,444,718, while the expenses were nearly $1,000,000. The history of the exposition has been preserved in several works, and perhaps most fully in the thirteen volumes of reports issued by the commissioners. Its success led the Royal Dublin Society to make its exhibition in 1553 an international one. The exposition was opened on May 12, 1853, and for the first time the display of paintings as a regular feature was introduced. The total number of visitors was about one million, but the exposition proved a failure, as the receipts were less than one-half of the expenditures.
During the same year an Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations was held in New York City. The site chosen was on Sixth Avenue be tween Fortieth and Forty-second streets, the place being now known as Bryant Park. The principal building was in the form of a Greek cross surmounted by a dome in the centre, and the triangular spaces between the arms of the cross were roofed over at the first story for the purpose of obtaining additional space. In the
allotment of space one-fourth of the building was devoted to the exhibits of the States, one-fourth to those of Great 13ritain and Ireland, to Germany, France. and Belgium, and the remainder to the exhibits of other na tions. The exposition was opened with appro priate exercises by President Pierce on .1111y 1853. The cost of the building and running ex penses was raised by the issuing of stock to the amount of $500,000, but, notwithstanding the inlerc,;t aroused, it. was a finaneial failure.
The next exposition of importance was that held in Paris in 1855. and known as the Paris International Exposition. The site chosen was the Champs Elys&es, where the main building, in the form of a parallelogram 827 feet long by 354 feet in width, was erected as a permanent structure to receive future expositions or to serve for great public ceremonies and for civil and military files. in addition to the l'alais de Flndustrie, as the main building was called, there were separate structures for the exhibition of the fine arts, agricultural implements and products, etc. This exposition began on May 15 and continued to November 15, 1855, during which time the visitors numbered about four and one-half millions. The industrial and art ex hibits shown on this occasion were considered superior to those of all previous international expositions. The expenses amounted to upward of $5,000,000, while the receipts were scarcely one-tenth of that amount.
Several minor expositions were held in Europe during the years that followed, notably in Edin burgh and Manchester. in Great Britain, and in Munich in Bavaria ; but the next international exhibition of importance was held in London in 1862. The site chosen was a tract of land in South Kensington, covering an area of about 24 acres, where a permanent structure was erected. About one-half of the space was allotted to the exhibits of the United Kingdom and its colonies, and the other half to foreign countries, and the total number of exhibitors was 28.653. The ex hibition was opened on May 1, and closed on November I, 1862. The number of visitors is given as 6,211,103. The total cost and expenses of the exhibition amounted to nearly $5,000,000, but the receipts failed to reach that sum by a comparatively small amount.