9

THE AMERICAN EXHIBITION

[line]

The American Exhibition has been hitherto conducted
somewhat on the principle of the old Italian proverb of
"Chi va piano va sano," and up to the present less has
been heard about it than perhaps of any instiution of its
magnitude ever undertake. But since the opening day
has now been fixed for May 9, doubtless ere long more will
be known concerning this exhibition, for only last Thursday
there arrived in the metropolis several hundred tons
weight of "posers," destined to embellish the hoardings
of the metropolis and its neighbourhood, and to enlighten
the British public as to the wonderful attractions of
Buffalo Bill and his friends. The buildings are now in a
very advanced condition. The main gallery, some 1,280ft.
in length, will be glazed in before Thursday, and Mr. Humphreys,
of Kinghtsbridge, promises to have all the ironwork
ready by to-day week. This includes a number of
extra annexes, pavilions for special exhibits, band stands,
and al fresco resaurants in the gardens. The exterior
of the edifice in the Brompton-road is
already faced with stone and duly embellished with medallions
of Washingotn, Lincoln, and Cleveland, intermingled
with [?]agles and other national devices.
A fine arts department, consisting of eight vast fire-proof
halls, has been erected on the left-hand side of the main
gallery. Thanks to the generosity of some of the greatest
art collectors in America, this will before long be filled with
the best collection of purely American art ever brought together.
One small room will be set aside for the reception
of Sully's celebrated full length portraits of her Majesty in
her coronation robes, a pitcure painted at the time of the
Queen's accession, after she had graciously granted Mr.
Sully's, the irst great American painter, if we excect
Benjamin West, no less than ten sittings. This important
work is lent by the City of Philadelphia. Americans may
be said to excell as sculptors, and an opporunity will soon
be given of judging the progress they have made in this
great branch of art since Power's "Greek Slave" took the
art world by storm at the Exhibition of 1851. There is
every reason to foresee that this fine art gallery will prove
one of the principal attractions of the Exhbition, and the
American studions at Paris, Rome, Florence, Duasuldorf,
Philadelphia, Boston, and New York are full of animation
consequent upon accepted invitations to exhibit
pictures and sculpture prepared expressly for this occasion.
The collection of manufactured goods, machinery,
fire arms, musical instruments, books, &e., will
occupy the main gallery, and will not be divided off into
States as originally proposed, but simply arranged under
four or five distinct classes. If there was at first some diffidence
felt by intending exhibitors in sending over goods
this feeling has, owing to the energy of the executive
administration under the direction of Mr. Whiteley, been
entirely reversed, and so great is now to place all the goods.
An American fruit and vegetable market will be organized,
and in the garden, on the side nearest the principal building,
will be a purely American flower garden, divided into
two sections, devoted respectively to the wild and cultivated
flora of the United States. A large conservatory
annexed will contain specimens of the tropical vegetation
of Lower California and of the Southern States. The
gardens are exceptionally extensive, and are being laid out
with much taste. Here there are to be al fresco
resturants, music stands, Indian buts, and a real
log cabin, such as delighted the elder generation
in the days when "Uncle's Tom's Cabin" was
in vogue. How to prepare and how to relish clam
baked and American oysters will also be shown here, and
naturally the "378 national drinks of the America
people" will one and all be represnted to the delights of
the thrist with a tast for "pick-me-up's, "blood and
thunderers," "mint jalleps," and "cocktails" innumerable.
Here, also, Dan Godfrey's bandsmen will remind the
public by their bright scarlet uniforms that it has not been
transported by magic to the neighbourhood of Central
Park. The garden will be nearly twice the size of those at
South Kensignton, and are divided into two distinct parts.
One is a summer garden, arranged more or less like that
which has so charmed us all for the past foru years,
and will be illuminated by electricity; the other, which is
entered over a bridge, leads to an immense amphitheatre,
which is now finished, and which can easily accommodate
25,000 persons seated and as many more standing. In the
center of the vast arena -- which already reminds one of the
interior of the Colosseum -- are placed rocks and fir
trees, backed by a panorma of Rock Mountain
scenery 500ft. long. Here Buffalo Bill (the Hon. J.
Cody) and 200 Indians, cowboys, and scouts will
illustrate teh wild sports of the Far West, assisted
by no less than 250 animals, including many buffaloes.
This entertainment, which has met with the greatest
success in New York, and has been pronounced by Mr. Henry
Irving to be the msot remarkable he has witnessed, will
doubtles prove equaly attractive in London. The famous
huntsman, "Buffalo Bill," the idol of the petit peuple of
America, arrives here next week, and ere long the Aborigines
of the Great Republic will be as familar in London
streets as need be. One of the many other principal attractions
of this exhibition will be M. Bertholdi's colossal
diorama of the city and harbour of New York. On entering
the building intended for its reception the visitor is to
imagine himself on board one of the floating ocean palaces
entering the "gateway of the New World." The illusion,
judging from what is already show, will be singularly
complete and interesting.

The opening ceremoney of the American Exhibition, as
already insinuated, is fixed for May 9. At three o'clock
the President will wire a cablegram from Washington,
and in a few moments it will be received at the Exhibition,
when the band will striek up "God Save the Queen," and
the American national anthem. This will probably constitute
the inauguration of the first purely American Exhibition
in Europe.