The Great Exhibition of 1851.
But what has rendered Hyde Park historically immortal is the choice of
it as the site of the “GREAT EXHIBITION OF THE INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS,”
in 1851, an institution which was claimed to have been foreseen by
Chaucer, as evidenced by portions scattered at wide intervals over his
_Book of Fame_.[36]
“But as I slepte / me mette I was
Wythin a temple y made of glas
In whyche / there were mo ymages
Of gold / standyng in dyuers stages
And mo ryche tabernacles
And with perle / mo pynnacles
And mo ryche portretures
And quaynt maner of fygures
Of gold werke / than I sawe euer
* * * * *
Tho sawe I stonde on thother syde
Strayt doun to the doris wyde
From the deys[37] many a pyler
Of metal that shone not ful cleer
* * * * *
Tho gan I loke aboute me and see
That ther come entryng in to the halle
A ryght grete company wyth alle
And that of sondry regyons
Of alle kyns condicions
That dwelle in erthe under the mone
Poure and ryche.
* * * * *
But whyche a grete congregacioun
Of folke / as I sawe come aboute
Some wythin and some wythoute
Nas never seen ne shal be ofte.”
The Society of Arts organized a small exhibition of manufactures in
1847, at their rooms, which attracted much attention, so much, indeed,
that in 1848 they had an exhibition of pottery, and in 1849 one chiefly
of works in the precious metals. These shows were so successful, that it
was felt that something should be attempted on a far larger scale, and
it is now, I believe, generally conceded that the conception of the
Great Exhibition of 1851 was due to Mr. F. Wishaw. Secretary to the
Society of Arts. True it is that Prince Albert is generally credited
with the idea, but this arose from the fact that he took a leading part
in the movement, as President of the Society.
In this capacity he was kept fully informed of what the Society were
doing; but immediately after the termination of the Session of 1849 he
took the subject under his own personal superintendence. He proceeded to
settle the general principles on which the proposed exhibition of 1851
should be conducted, and to consider the mode in which it should be
carried out. On the 29th June, 1849, the general outlines of the
Exhibition were discussed by his Royal Highness, and a portion of the
minutes of a meeting of several members of the Society of Arts, held at
Buckingham Palace on the 30th of June, is as follows:--
“His Royal Highness communicated his views regarding the formation of a
Great Collection of Works of Industry and Art in London in 1851, for
the purpose of exhibition, and of competition and encouragement.
“His Royal Highness considered that such Collection and Exhibition
should consist of the following divisions:
Raw Materials.
Machinery and Mechanical Inventions.
Manufactures.
Sculpture and Plastic Art generally.
“It was a matter of consideration whether such divisions should be made
subjects of simultaneous exhibition, or to be taken separately. It was
ultimately settled that, on the first occasion, at least, they should be
simultaneous.
“Various sites were suggested as most suitable to the building, which it
was settled must be, on the first occasion at least, a temporary one.
The Government had offered the area of Somerset House; or, if that were
unfit, a more suitable site on the property of the Crown. His Royal
Highness pointed out the vacant ground in Hyde Park on the south side,
parallel with, and between the Kensington drive and the ride commonly
called Rotten Row, as affording advantages which few other places might
be found to possess. Application for this site could be made to the
Crown.”
Besides Somerset House, the Commissioners had to consider the merits of
other sites proposed for the Exhibition, among which may be named
Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, the Isle of Dogs, Battersea Fields,
and Regent’s Park; but they selected, after the most careful
consideration, that of Hyde Park, and the building occupied a site
between the two roads, the eastern end of the building being exactly in
the centre of the Knightsbridge Barracks, and its western end reached
very nearly to Exhibition Road; and possession of this ground was given
to the contractors on 30th July, 1850.
On January 3rd, 1850, a Royal Commission was appointed to carry out the
proposed Exhibition, and the following were the members. The Prince
Consort, Duke of Buccleugh, Earls of Rosse, Granville and Ellesmere,
Lords Stanley and John Russell, Sir Robert Peel, Henry Labouchere, W. E.
Gladstone, Sir A. Galloway (or the Chairman of the Court of Directors of
the East India Company for the time being), Sir R. Westmacott, Sir
Charles Lyell (or the President of the Geological Society for the time
being), Charles L. Eastlake, Thomas F. Gibson, Richard Cobden, William
Cubitt (or the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers for the
time being), John Gott, Samuel Jones Loyd, P. Pusey and William
Thompson. They were “to make full and diligent inquiry into the best
mode by which the productions of our Colonies, and of foreign countries
may be introduced into our Kingdom; as respects the most suitable site
for the said Exhibition; the general conduct of the said Exhibition;
and, also, the best mode of determining the prizes, and of securing the
most impartial distribution of them.” John Scott Russell and Stafford
Henry Northcote were appointed joint secretaries, and an executive
committee was formed, consisting of Henry Cole, Charles Wentworth Dilke,
George Drew, Francis Fuller, and Robert Stephenson, with Matthew Digby
Wyatt as secretary.
The story of the building is succinctly told by Sir Henry Cole in his
Introduction to the Official Catalogue. “The Committee ventured at once
to recommend that upwards of 16 acres should be covered in; a bold step
at that time (Feb. 21) when no data whatever of the space likely to be
filled had been received. It was their opinion that it was desirable to
obtain suggestions, by public competition, as to the general
arrangements of the ground-plan of the building, and public invitations
were accordingly issued.... In answer to the invitation to send in
plans, upwards of 245 designs and specifications were submitted.... All
these plans were publicly exhibited during a month, from the 10th of
June, at the Institution of Civil Engineers, Great George Street,
Westminster.... The Committee reported that, in their opinion, there was
no ‘single plan so accordant with the peculiar objects in view, either
in the principle, or detail of its arrangement, as to warrant them in
recommending it for adoption.’
“They, therefore, submitted a plan of their own; and, assisted by Mr.
Digby Wyatt, Mr. Charles Heard Wild, and Mr. Owen Jones, they prepared
extensive working drawings, which were lithographed.... The Building
Committee published in detail the reasons, both of economy and taste,
which had induced them to prepare plans for a structure of brick, the
principle feature of which was a dome two hundred feet in diameter.
Public opinion did not coincide in the propriety of such a building, on
such a site, and the residents in the neighbourhood raised especial
objections. The subject was brought before both Houses of Parliament;
and, in the House of Commons, on the 4th July, 1850, two divisions took
place on the question, whether the proposed site should be used at all
for any building for the Exhibition. In the one division the numbers in
favour of the site were 166 to 47, and, in the second, 166 to 46. The
Commissioners published at considerable length a statement of the
reasons which had induced them to prefer the site, and there can be no
doubt that the force of this document mainly influenced the large
majority in both divisions.
“Whilst the plan of the Building Committee was under discussion, Mr.
Paxton was led, by the hostility which it had incurred, to submit a plan
for a structure chiefly of glass and iron, on principles similar to
those which had been adopted and successfully tried by him at
Chatsworth. Messrs. Fox, Henderson, and Company tendered for the
erection of the Building Committee’s plan, and strictly in accordance
with the conditions of tender: they also submitted estimates for the
construction of the building suggested by Mr. Paxton, and adapted in
form to the official ground-plan. An engraving of Mr. Paxton’s original
design was published in the _Illustrated London News_, 6th July, 1850,
which, when compared with the building that has actually been erected,
will show what changes were subsequently made. The Commissioners having
fully investigated the subject, finally adopted, on the 26th July,
Messrs. Fox, Henderson and Company’s tender to construct Mr. Paxton’s
building as then proposed, for the sum of £79,800.”
The first iron column was fixed as early as the 26th September, 1850,
and the building was ready for opening on May 1st, 1851. It covered an
area of 18 acres, was 1850 feet long, 408 feet wide, and 64 feet high,
irrespective of the arched roof of the transept; and in order to put it
familiarly before people, Mr. Fox, at a dinner given to him at Derby,
June 28th, 1851, said, “I walked out one evening into Portland Place;
and there, setting off the 1850 feet upon the pavement, found it the
same length within a few yards; and then, considering that the building
would be three times the width of that fine street, and the nave as high
as the houses on either side, I had presented to my mind a pretty good
idea of what we were about to undertake.”
It was also part of the contract that the building was removed and the
site given up within seven months after the close of the Exhibition,
namely before the 1st of June, 1852; which was duly done, and the
building re-erected at Norwood, where it still is in existence under the
name of the Crystal Palace.
The Mr. (afterwards Sir) Joseph Paxton, who designed the building, was
head gardener to the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth, where the
glass-houses are the wonder and admiration of all who behold them; and
he may as well tell the story of how he came to be mixed up with the
Great Exhibition, in the same words as he told it at a meeting of the
Derby Institute.
“It was not,” said he, “until one morning, when I was present with my
friend, Mr. Ellis, at an early sitting in the House of Commons, that the
idea of sending in a design occurred to me. A conversation took place
between us with reference to the construction of the New House of
Commons, in the course of which I observed that I was afraid they would
also commit a blunder in the building for the Industrial Exhibition. I
told him that I had a notion in my head, and that if he would accompany
me to the Board of Trade, I would ascertain whether it was too late to
send in a design. I asked the Executive Committee whether they were so
far committed to the plans as to be precluded from receiving another;
the reply was, ‘Certainly not; the specifications will be out in a
fortnight, but there is no reason why a clause should not be introduced
allowing of the reception of another design.’ I said, ‘Well, if you will
introduce such a clause, I will go home; and, in nine days hence, I will
bring you my plans all complete.’ No doubt the Executive thought me a
conceited fellow, and that what I said was nearer akin to romance than
to common sense.
“Well! this was on Friday, the 11th of June. From London I went to the
Menai Straits, to see the third tube of the Britannia Bridge placed, and
on my return to Derby, I had to attend to some business in the Board
Room, during which time, however, my whole mind was devoted to this
project; and whilst the business proceeded, I sketched the outline of my
design on a large sheet of blotting paper. Well! having sketched this
design, I sat up all night, until I had worked it out to my own
satisfaction; and, by the aid of my friend, Mr. Barlow, on the 15th, I
was enabled to complete the whole of the plans by the Saturday
following, on which day I left Rowsley for London.
“On arriving at the Derby Station, I met Mr. Robert Stephenson, a
member of the Building Committee, who was also on his way to the
Metropolis. Mr. Stephenson minutely examined the plans, and became
thoroughly engrossed with them, until, at length, he exclaimed that the
design was just the thing, and he only wished that it had been submitted
to the Committee in time. Mr. Stephenson, however, laid the plans before
the Committee, and at first the idea was rather pooh-poohed; but the
plans gradually grew in favour, and by publishing the design in the
_Illustrated London News_, and showing the advantage of such an erection
over one composed of fifteen millions of bricks and other materials,
which would have to be removed at a great loss, the Committee did, in
the end, reject the abortion of a child of their own, and unanimously
recommended my bantling. I am bound to say that I have been treated by
the Committee with great fairness.
“Mr. Brunel, the author of the great dome, I believe was, at first, so
wedded to his own plan, that he would hardly look at mine. But Mr.
Brunel was a gentleman, and a man of fairness, and listened with every
attention to all that could be urged in favour of my plans. As an
instance of that gentleman’s very creditable conduct, I will mention,
that a difficulty presented itself to the Committee as to what should be
done with the large trees, and it was gravely suggested that they should
be walled in. I remarked that I could cover the trees without any
difficulty; when Mr. Brunel asked, ‘Do you know their height?’ I
acknowledged that I did not. On the following morning, Mr. Brunel called
at Devonshire House, and gave
[Illustration: “ALBERT! SPARE THOSE TREES.”
Page 103.
]
me the measurement of the trees, which he had taken early in the
morning, adding, ‘Although I mean to try to win with my own plan, I will
give you all the information I can.’”
These trees caused a happy modification of Paxton’s plan, and to them we
owe the transept, which redeemed the building from being a long and ugly
glass shed. As it was, the trees suffered no damage, and really were a
very effective feature in the Exhibition. Some other and smaller trees
were cut down, which were thus bemoaned by _Punch_.[38]
“ALBERT! SPARE THOSE TREES.
“Albert! spare those trees,
Mind where you fix your show;
For mercy’s sake, don’t, please,
Go spoiling Rotten Row.
“That Ride, that famous ride,
We must not have destroyed,
For, ne’er to be supplied,
Its loss will leave a void.
“Oh! certainly there might
Be for your purpose found
A more congenial site
Than Hyde Park’s hallowed ground.
“Where Fashion rides and drives,
House not Industrial Art;
But, ’mid the busy hives
Right in the City’s heart.
“And, is it thy request
The place that I’d point out?
Then I should say the best
Were Smithfield, without doubt.
“There, by all votes approved,
The wide world’s wares display,
The Market first removed
For ever and a day.”
Prince Albert’s academic cap is typical of his being LL.D. and
Chancellor of Cambridge; and the singular-looking being addressing him
is a staunch and bigoted Tory, whom _Punch_ delighted to caricature,
Colonel Charles de Laet Waldo Sibthorp, M.P. for Lincoln, whose
opposition to the Exhibition of 1851 amounted almost to mania. Take, for
instance, the following quotation from a speech of his in the House of
Commons on the subject (26 July, 1850):--
“Hyde Park was emphatically the Park of the People, and it was now
proposed to be devoted to purposes which he must hold to be prejudicial
to the people in a moral, religious, and social point of view. It was
sought to appropriate it to the encouragement of--what? To the
encouragement of everything calculated to be prejudicial to the
interests of the people. An exhibition of the industry of all nations,
forsooth! An exhibition of the trumpery and trash of foreign countries,
to the detriment of our own already too much oppressed manufacturers....
They were flying in the face of the rights of the public merely to
gratify the foreigner, who had no right to be here at all.”
On another occasion he said, “They might call it success, but he called
it failure. He did not wish to see that building destroyed by any acts
of violence, but would to God that some hailstorm, or some visitation of
lightning, might descend to defeat the ill-advised project.” For this he
had to sit for his portrait once again. _Punch_, 15th February, 1851.
On the opening day of the Exhibition, Parliament sat afterwards, at 6
p.m., and, in the course of a debate on the “Oath of Abjuration (Jews)
Bill,” Colonel Sibthorp told the House that “He was not present at the
Crystal Palace. He felt that his duty to God and his country demanded of
him that he should not go there, and he deeply regretted that an eminent
prelate of the Church should have been induced to invoke a blessing on
that which he (Colonel S.) considered most injurious to the interests of
the country and an insult to Almighty God.”
But if Colonel Sibthorp took a pessimistic view of the Exhibition,
others held equally optimistic opinions respecting it. It was going to
inaugurate a sort of Millennium and a general brotherhood of nations:
war was to cease, and all countries were to vie with each other in
cultivating the arts of peace. The following song will show the drivel
they used to sing about it in the streets.
CRYSTAL PALACE.
Britannia’s sons an attentive ear
One moment lend to me,
Whether tillers of our fruitful soil,
Or lords of high degree.
Mechanic too, and artizan,
Old England’s pride and boast,
Whose wondrous skill has spread around
Far, far from Britain’s coast.
_Chorus._
For the World’s great Exhibition,
Let’s shout with loud huzza,
All nations can never forget
The glorious first of May.
From every quarter of the globe
They come across the sea,
And to the Crystal Palace
The wonders for to see;
Raised by the handiwork of men
Born on British ground,
A challenge to the Universe
Its equal to be found.
Each friendly nation in the world
Have their assistance lent,
And to this Exhibition
Have their productions sent;
And with honest zeal and ardour,
With pleasure do repair,
With hands outstretch’d, and gait erect,
To the World’s Great National Fair.
The sons of England and of France,
And America likewise,
With other nations to contend
To bear away the prize,
With pride depicted in their eyes,
View the offspring of their hand:
O, surely England’s greatest wealth
Is an honest working man.
It is a glorious sight to see
So many thousands meet,
Not heeding creed or country,
Each other friendly greet.
Like children of one mighty sire,
May that sacred tie ne’er cease;
May the blood-stained sword of War give way
To the Olive-branch of peace.
But, hark! the trumpets flourish,
Victoria does approach,
That she may long be spared to us
Shall be our reigning toast.
I trust each heart it will respond
To what I now propose--
Good-will and plenty to her friends,
And confusion to her foes.
Great praise is due to Albert,
For the good that he has done,
May others follow in his steps
The work he has begun;
Then let us all, with one accord,
His name give with three cheers,
Shout huzza for the Crystal Palace,
And the World’s great National Fair!
The Exhibition was opened on the first of May, and, as over forty years
have passed since then, a good account of the ceremony will, doubtless,
be grateful to very many of my readers, whilst to those who are old
enough to remember it, it will be a pleasing reminiscence. _Forsan et
hæc olim meminisse juvabit._ The following is condensed from _The Times_
of May 2nd, 1851.
“That the ceremonial of the opening may be distinctly understood, let us
sketch, as rapidly as possible, the appearance of the interior about
half-past 11 o’clock, when the doors closed and admission ceased. In the
north half of the transept, and grouped around the throne, were
assembled the Royal Commission, Her Majesty’s Ministers, the Executive
Committee, the Diplomatic Corps, the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, and Aldermen
of the City, the Commissioners of Foreign Powers, the Special
Commissioners, Dr. Lyon Playfair and Colonel Lloyd, the architect, Mr.
Paxton, the contractors, Messrs. Fox and Henderson, and the principal
officers of the Executive, including Messrs. Digby Wyatt, Owen Jones and
C. H. Wild. A list of the great and distinguished persons present would
only be a repetition to the public of names with which they are
familiar, and we, who have watched, from the commencement, the progress
of this great undertaking, think it only justice, in describing an event
such as that which occurred yesterday, that those who, by their energy
and skill, have contributed to the success which has been accomplished,
should chiefly be remembered.
“Let us look at that assemblage for a few minutes, and see what meaning
we can gather from their movements. They are nearly all in Court
dresses, and, in some instances, the experienced eye can detect the
awkwardness of manner which such unwonted habiliments superinduce. While
they chat together, other characters appear on the scene.
“The Heralds come--a curious mixture of the ancient and modern; one half
of their _personelle_ strictly _à la mode_, the rest, a tabard covered
with mediæval escutcheons and devices. Notwithstanding recent
retrenchments, the Beef-eaters showed themselves yesterday in great
strength, health and corpulence; and some of them, for size, might bear
comparison with the giant porter of ‘Queen Bess.’ Officers of the
Household troops appeared on the scene at an early hour, their showy
uniforms heightening the effect, and giving brilliancy to the whole
assemblage. The galleries which run along the northern half of the
transept had been, to some extent, reserved for choristers and for
families of distinction.
“Almost the first person who arrived here was the Duke of Devonshire.
His name is closely connected with the design and progress of the
Exhibition, and his presence was recognized by a large number of
persons. The next arrival that attracted any interest was that of the
Duke of Wellington. It was his 82nd birthday. As usual, he came early,
and the loud cheers which announced his coming outside were enthusiastic
and protracted as he took his place in the north-eastern gallery of the
transept. Thence, after a short interval, he descended to the area
below, and, again, his presence was hailed with repeated acclamations.
After conversing for some time with the Marquis of Anglesey, he turned
his attention to the practical men, to whose well-directed skill and
energy the magnificent display before him must be attributed. He
complimented Mr. Fox and Mr. Paxton, and talked with them both for some
time. He conversed with Mr. Cobden, and was engaged in close
confabulation with the Marquis of Anglesey, when, to the immense
amusement of everybody, a Chinese mandarin, with a tail of fabulous
length, appeared before them.[39] He saluted them both in the Oriental
style, and, though he did not venture to exchange one observation with
them, he hovered around their chairs for some time, expressing, by his
looks, the interest which he felt in the presence of persons so
distinguished. This live importation from the Celestial Empire managed
to render himself extremely conspicuous, and one could not help admiring
the perfect composure and nonchalance of manner which distinguished him.
He talked with nobody, yet he seemed perfectly at home, and on the most
friendly terms with all. The great variety of uniforms and costumes worn
by the assemblage collected in the space around the throne, and the
remarkable manner in which the proportions and decorative arrangements
of the building brought out their position, rendered the spectacle which
the north side of the transept presented a very imposing one.
“Seated apart from the throng, and accompanied by his chaplains, might
be observed the Archbishop of Canterbury, and, not far off, the Bishop
of Winchester, who, in the absence of the Bishop of London, appeared as
senior suffragan of the province. The Lord Chancellor was also
conspicuous in the assemblage, and our Civic dignitaries, in their
flaunting scarlet robes, enjoyed their full share of public attention.
“A chair, selected from the Indian collection, and over which a
magnificent scarlet velvet elephant cloth, richly brocaded, was placed
as a covering, served as a throne. In front of the raised dais on which
it was placed rose the splendid crystal fountain of Mr. Osler, the
appropriate centrepiece of a Palace of Glass. This object had,
previously, been concealed from public view, and its beauty and artistic
design captivated everybody. It is 27 feet high, contains four tons of
crystal, and is a work of which its exhibitor may well be proud.
“And now let us turn from the scene which the area of the north transept
presented, to the aspect of the building generally. After all, there is
no decoration which a building can possess which equals that presented
by a vast and well arranged assemblage of people. Living masses convey
to a great structure a character of animation, which no inanimate
objects, however beautiful, can supply. The long lines of faces lighted
up with excitement, the diversities of dress and ornament, of themselves
furnish subjects for inexhaustible reflection; and when they are so
disposed that the fairer portions of humanity have the precedence, and
occupy the first rank, the scene presented appeals directly to the
gallantry and enthusiasm of the spectator. So it was yesterday. The
seats, which on either side lined the nave and its galleries, were
reserved exclusively for ladies; and thus, standing in the centre of the
building, one could see stretching from that point, east and west, north
and south, long lines of elegantly dressed women, the verge and binding
of an assemblage which comprised not less than 25,000 people.
“It was originally contemplated that the centre of the nave should
remain entirely unoccupied; but, as we anticipated, this arrangement was
found, at the last moment, impracticable; and thus her Majesty and the
State procession were left to make their progress between living walls
of loyal subjects and admiring foreigners, extending in long lines from
one end of the buildings to the other.
“The hour hands of the clocks with which the Crystal Palace is decorated
were approaching 12 when the faint huzzahs of crowds outside announced
that the Queen had arrived; the booming sound of a Royal Salute from
across the Serpentine struck faintly on the ear, and then a loud
flourish of trumpets from the north gallery of the transept told that
her Majesty had entered the building. She was conducted, at once, to the
robing room. Thence, after a short pause, and attended by her Court, she
proceeded, between flower-stands and tropical plants, past the Colebrook
Dale gates, and the fountains and statuary with which that part of the
edifice is adorned, to the throne in the centre.
“On her appearance, the vast assemblage rose to welcome her, a burst of
enthusiastic cheering broke forth from every side--ladies waved their
handkerchiefs, gentlemen their hats, and the whole scene presented was
of unusual splendour. The sun, too, for a moment, emerged from the
envious clouds that for some time previously had dimmed his lustre, and
a flood of light pouring in through the glistening dome of the transept,
illuminated this imposing spectacle of loyalty. When her Majesty
ascended the throne, attended by the Royal family and the distinguished
visitors of her Court, the organ of Messrs. Grey and Davison pealed
forth the notes of the National Anthem, and the immense choir, collected
for the occasion, accompanied the strain. This produced a grand effect,
and not a heart present could remain unmoved at a scene so touching and
so sublime. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, when the music had ceased,
joined the Royal Commissioners, who drew near to the throne, and read to
her Majesty a long report of the proceedings of the Commissioners, to
which the Queen suitably, but briefly, replied. His Grace the Archbishop
of Canterbury then approached the throne, and, with great fervency of
manner, offered a prayer, invoking God’s blessing on the undertaking.
“At the close of this prayer the choir joined in singing the Hallelujah
Chorus, and the effect of this performance may be estimated from the
fact that the Chapel Royal, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, and
St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, contributed their entire vocal strength,
while there were also present pupils of the Royal Academy of Music, part
of the band of the Sacred Harmonic Society, and many other performers,
both foreign and English. The vast area of the building left free scope
for the volume of sound poured forth, and the assembled multitudes,
their feelings already elevated by the grandeur of the spectacle before
them, listened with becoming reverence to the triumphant music of the
great German composer.
“It was at this stage of the proceedings that the Chinese already
alluded to, and whom we discover to be no less a person than the
Mandarin He-sing, of the Chinese junk, unable any longer to control his
feelings, made his way through foreign diplomatists, Ministers of State,
and the distinguished circle with which Court etiquette had surrounded
the throne, and, advancing close to her Majesty, saluted her by a grand
salaam, which she most graciously acknowledged.
“A procession was then formed, which, turning to the right, moved to the
west end of the nave on the north side, and, as it passed, the glazed
roof of the building vibrated with enthusiastic cheers. Down a deep lane
of human beings, full of loyal expectancy, it passed--her Majesty and
the Prince, preceded by the Lord Steward and the Lord Chamberlain, their
faces turned towards the Royal personages, and their feet performing
that curious movement, known only at Courts--namely, advancing
backwards.
“The _coup d’œil_ varied at every step, yet was always picturesque
and beautiful. The foreign Commissioners, whose labours had hitherto
confined them to their own department of the Exhibition, gazed with
wonder at the development of British industry by which they found
themselves surrounded. Even those most acquainted with the objects that
lay on either side the route, were surprised by the new and undiscovered
attractions which everywhere presented themselves. The Indian and
Colonial collections were left behind, the Fine Arts Courts passed, and
the procession, cheered incessantly in its progress, moved into the area
devoted to our many featured manufacturing products. Glimpses were
caught, over the heads of the spectators, on the right, of the Furniture
Court, and the massive forms of the fixed machinery beyond it. On the
left, the Colebrook Dale dome, the gigantic statues of Lords Eldon and
Stowell, the well known form of our great dramatist, and many other
objects which adorn the centre aisle, were left behind.
“Past the furs of bears and other wild animals, suspended from many a
girder, and carpets lending their brilliant colours to complete the
decorations, and clothe the narrow lines of the interior, the pageant
swept on its way. It reached the western entrance, and saw itself
reflected in the immense mirror exhibited at this point. Then wheeling
round the model of the Liverpool Docks, it was returning on the south
side of the nave, when the gigantic organ, by Willis, suddenly hurled
forth its immense volume of sound. The effect was extremely fine, but
there was so much to think of, so many points to observe, and the
admiration of all had already been so largely taxed, that each new,
telling characteristic of the progress scarcely produced its deserved
impression.
“At length the procession reached the transept, round the south end of
which it proceeded, and then swept into the foreign department of the
Exhibition. Here, immense efforts had been made to prepare for its
suitable reception. France had collected the choicest specimens of her
manufactures; and, though only two days ago her division was in
confusion, and the possibility of her taking a suitable part in the
opening pageant doubtful, one could not help admiring the tasteful
manner in which her exhibitors had decorated the portion of their
collection which was within sight. Other countries, more forward in
their preparations, were, of course, able to make a more satisfactory
appearance. The great attention which the industrial communities of
Europe bestow on matters of artistic design and of ornamental
manufactures, enabled them to decorate their divisions of the nave in a
manner more effective than we, with our utilitarian tendencies, could
hope to achieve.
“Amid a rare collection of various objects, the procession moved
forward, received everywhere with loud acclamations. The French organ,
by Du Croquet, and that from Erfurt, by Schulze, each in turn poured
forth its music: and, as the pageant rounded the eastern end of the
building, the bands of the Coldstream and Scots Fusileer Guards varied
the performance by their spirit-stirring strains. The return along the
north side of the nave renewed the enthusiasm of the foreigners and
visitors assembled there. The cheering and waving of hats and
handkerchiefs went on continuously around the building; and at last,
having completed a progress more triumphant in its peacefulness and
spirit of goodwill than the proudest warlike pageant that ever ascended
the Capitol of ancient Rome, the Queen returned once more to the
position in the transept where her throne was placed. She looked
exceedingly well, and bore the excitement of the occasion with a
firmness worthy of herself and of the people she governs. The applause
of the assemblage was acknowledged both by herself and the Prince in the
most gracious manner.
“His Royal Highness appeared less composed than her Majesty, and his
emotion was visible when the ceremony and the procession had been
happily conducted to its close. It was natural that he should feel
strongly the termination of a spectacle, the grandest, perhaps, that the
world ever saw, and with which his name and reputation are, henceforth,
inseparably associated. He wore a field marshal’s uniform, and the
Prince of Wales the Highland dress. The Queen wore a dress of pink
watered silk, brocaded with silver, trimmed with pink ribands and
blonde, and ornamented with diamonds. Diamonds and feathers formed the
headdress. Her Majesty wore the riband and George of the Order of the
Garter, and the Garter of the Order as an armlet. Her Royal Highness,
the Princess Royal, wore a white satin slip, with two skirts of
Nottingham lace, and had round her head a wreath of pale pink wild
roses. The Royal children were objects of great attention, and the
Prince of Wales received special cheers from the assemblage.
“And now the last act of the ceremonial remains to be recorded. The
Marquis of Breadalbane, in a loud tone of voice, announced that the
Queen declared ‘the Exhibition open.’ A flourish of trumpets proclaimed
the fact to the assembled multitudes. The Royal family, attended by the
Court, withdrew from the building; the choir once more took up the
strains of the National Anthem; the barriers, which had hitherto
restrained the spectators within certain limits, were withdrawn, and the
long pent-up masses poured over every part of the building, unrestrained
by policemen, and eager to gratify their curiosity.”
Thus was opened the Great Exhibition of 1851--and it speaks volumes for
the good behaviour of the crowd, that, at Westminster Police Court, in
which district the Crystal Palace was, there was, next day, only one
charge having the least reference to the Exhibition, in which a London
artizan was fined 10s. for a trifling assault upon the police, for which
he expressed his contrition.
There must have been an especial glamour about this Exhibition, probably
because it was the first of its kind, but I have never yet met with
anybody who saw it, and all succeeding ones, but who, like myself,
awards it the palm above all.
After having been open to the public for 141 days, it was closed on the
11th October. There was no ceremony, the only incident which marked the
event being that, at 5 p.m., all the organs in the building played “God
save the Queen,” accompanied by many voices in all parts of the crowded
avenues; after which, a bell was rung, warning the visitors to depart.
On the 13th and 14th it was open to exhibitors and their friends, who
were admitted by tickets, without charge. On the 15th the history of the
Great Exhibition was brought to an end, with a slight business-like
ceremony, in which Prince Albert, as the President, received the reports
of the juries, and made a speech in reply. This took place on a
temporary dais, in the middle of the transept (the crystal fountain
having been previously removed), and the whole building was crowded with
exhibitors and others, admitted by tickets. This little ceremony over,
the National Anthem was sung; after which the Bishop of London read a
prayer of thanksgiving. This was followed by the Hallelujah Chorus, at
the close of which the Prince and commissioners left the platform, and
the business of the day terminated.
In a pecuniary point of view, it was a great success, the grand total of
cash received being, according to a report of the Royal Commissioners,
6th November, £505,000, leaving an available surplus, after defraying
all expenses, of £150,000. This was invested in land at South
Kensington, where it provided a site for the Albert Hall, several
exhibitions, the Natural History Department of the British Museum, the
Imperial Institute, etc.
Concerning this money there are some curious facts. Of the money
received at the doors £275,000 was in silver, and £81,000 in gold. The
weight of the silver coin so taken (at the rate of 28 lbs. per £100)
would be 35 tons, and its bulk 900 cubic feet. The rapid flow of the
coin into the hands of the money-takers prevented an examination of each
piece as it was received, and £90 of bad silver was taken, but only one
piece of bad gold, and that was a half-sovereign. The half-crown was the
most usual bad coin, but a much more noticeable fact is that nearly all
the bad money was taken on the half-crown and five shilling days. The
cash was received by eighteen money-takers; on the very heavy days six
extra ones being employed during the busiest hours. From them it was
gathered by three or four money porters, who carried it to four
collectors, charged with the task of counting it. From them it went to
two tellers, who verified the sums, and handed it to the final custody
of the chief financial officer, who locked each day’s amount in his
peculiar iron chests, in the building, till next morning, when, in
boxes, each holding £600, it was borne off in a hackney cab, in charge
of a Bank of England clerk and a bank porter. The money was received in
all forms, ranging between farthings and ten pound notes. Contrary to
the notices exhibited, change was given. Occasionally foreigners gave
Napoleons, and these coins being mistaken for sovereigns, they received
nineteen shillings out, and liberty of admission into the bargain. The
moneys of America, Hamburg, and France were often tendered and taken.
To wind up this notice of the Great Exhibition, I may say that the total
number of visitors, from the 1st of May to the 11th of October, was
6,063,986.
[Illustration: _See page 104._]
[Illustration: decorative bar]