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OPENING OF THE AMERICAN EXHIBITION IN LONDON.

The American Exhibition was opened yesterday afternoon, at West Brompon, with Republican simplicity. Being an enterprise entirely due to private initiative and effort, no representative of the State drawn either from the Royal family or the Government, was committed to official approval of it by taking a leading part in the opening. There had indeed been some doubt entertained as to whether this bold invasion of the British market by the American manufacturers and proucers would be altogether welcome, and this and other consierations dictated an official and modest inauguration. A few thousand people gathered in the main exhibition in front of a platform. On this were assembled the principal organisers of the enterprise, headed by Colonel Henry Russell and Mr. John R. Whitley, and the chief members of the Council of Welcome, headed by Lord Ronald Gower and Cardinal Manning. "Hail Columbia," by the Grenadier Guards Band, gave the keynote to the proceedings. A prayer by Archdeacon Farrar for God's blessing on the undertaking followed, and then "God Save the Queen" was performed by the band.
Lord Ronald Gower expressed how cordially the Executive Council of Englishmen formed to welcome the Americans desired to receive them in England. This council consisted, he said, of about a thousand leading Englishmen in all walks of life. They hoped the exhibition would cement the friendship and good feeling beween the two great Anglo-Saxon peoples. (Loud Cheers.)
Colonel Henry S. Russell, the president of the exhibition, in the name of those who were present from America with their products and inventions, thanked the many Englishmen, high and low, who had given them encouragement in their effort to make a fair show of Yankee industries. It would be easy, he remarked, to dilate upon the enormous resources and produce of the United States, but their object here was merely to indicate what improvement they had made since the days when their ancestors reclaimed the American forests from the families of the very redmen who were now with them in this exhibition.
A pleasing interlude following in the shape of the "Star Spangled Banner" sung with great effect and amid indescribable enthusiasm by Madlle. Lillian Nordica. She next gave "Rule Britania."
Mr. John R. Whitley, director-general of the exhibition, next delivered an address, in which he spoke of this as the first American exhibition held beyond the territory of the Great Republic, and as the natural sequence to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, held in Philadelphia. It would, he said, give the death-blow to all suggestions of any remnants of ill-will or jealousy continuing to linger between the two great nations of the English speaking world. He mentioned that the preliminary thought and preparation for this exhibition had extended over three years, and its design was to illustrate the conditions and modes of that bright and active, that incalculably wealthy and varied section of human life, which developed its resistless energies and practically inexhaustible resources betwen the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, Lake Superior, and the Gulf of Mexico, America came to learn of England and to teach hor. (Cheers.)
The Guards band having performed the popular American air "Dixie," Colonel Henry Russell proclaimed the Exhibition to be opened, and started the machinery, "Yankee Doodle" by the hand brought the opening proceedings here to a close, and the audience trooped off to witness Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. This representation of life on the frontiers of civilisation is undoubtedly the main attraction of the exhibition, excellent though the rest of it is in all the products of a fertile country and an ingenious and industrious people. It was to the Indians and the trappers, huntsmen and hersmen of the backwoods an prairies that the visitors hastened, with the conviction that in them they would behold a spectacle entirely unique and novel. This country has had many exhibitions of the arts and manufactures of civilisation, and is fated in this year of jubilee to have many more; but an exhibition of genuine barbarism, with barbarians no interesting as tho Red Indians who have figure so largely in American history and romance is not to be seen every year in England. Hence the avidity with which the visitors hastened into "the Wild West." The grand stand was speedily filled with its 20,000 spectators, and about 5,000 more were found standing room round the immense area. This space is about a third of a milo in circumference, and afforded ample scope for the Indian movements. With rocks, trees, shrubbery, and scenery, a very realistic appearance was given to the place. A very interesting and exciting programme was gone through. The displays of great skill with the rifle have been seen in this country before, marvellous though they are, and the tiks with trained horses can be matched in an well-appointed circus, but all the rest was entirely new and unparalleled. There was the representation of an emigrant caravan, with its bullock wagon and acompanying horseman, plodding across the prairie, when suddenly with the speed of lightning a troop of red Indians, emerging from some natural cover, swooped down on the train, and would have overwhelmed it but for the resolute defence of the frontiersmen, reinforcd by the timely arrival of some mounted herdsmen, or cowboys, as they are called. The whole scene was most animated and thrilling. The Broncho horses and Indian ponies proved swift and mettlesome, though nothing could have been more unpromising than their appearance, for they are undersized, rough, and not very shapely. The Indians and frontiersmen rode very loosely in the saddle, and yet with perfec assurance of their seats and command over their bridles. Even the incorrigible "buckers" could not unseat them, after any amount of dancing in the air. Another exciting spectacle consisted in an attak on a stage-coach by a mounted detachmeut of Indians, and their repulse by scouts and cowboys, commanded by that prairie celebrity, "Bufalo Bill." the affair was arranged and managed with amazing skill, and caused immense excitement. The horses flew about in a wild gallop, while their reiders fired with rifle and pistol almost into each other's faces. It was a mock combat carried so far that the spectators almost feared it would end in grim reality, so much in ernest did the combatants appear. Still another exhibition of wild warfare was given, an isolated settler's cabin was attacked by a numbe rof Indians, who furtively approached as if they had been stalking deer, and who were only beaten off the the opportune arrival of frontiersmen. there were many other items in the programme which greatly delighted the spectators, though they exoited them a litle less than did these wild steeds. A buffalo hunt and the roping and riding of wild Texas steers, besides several examples of the antics of the Mexican mustangs, were amongst them. After this desplay the spectators spread themselves over the encampment, and took a great deal of interest in the "braves," "squawes," and "papooses," as these red-skined gentlemen and ladies showed themselves in all their finery of feathers and paint outside their tents. Most, indeed, of the visiors reserved for subsequent visits an examination of the in-door exhibition-whose principal gallery is 1,140 feet in length and 110 feet in breadth, with its fine-art annexes-and of the gardens, which occupy an area of about twelve acres, for, interesting as they all were they were not quite finished. There can be little doubt that both to the inhabitiants of the metropolis and visitors to London from the country the exhibition will be an irresistible attraction, more especially as South Kensington is not offering this year anythin in the way of active competition.

COLLIERY WARNING.- The distrubed weather of the past three weeks is being replaced by more settled conditions, an area of very high barometer readings now covering the greater part of Western Europe, the centre lying off the mouth of the Channel. With such a distribution of pressure it is advisable to be prepared for an increase of gas in mines, and to keep down the coal-dust. In shallow mines with natural ventilation the increasing temperature is likely to cause a sluggish current.

THE DOVER ABDUCTION CASE.-The charge against Colin Young, lieutenant and quartermaser of the East Surrey Regiment, of abducting Elizabeth Aspey, aged seventeen, was further investigated at Dover yesterday.-The prosecutrix, on ebing cross-examined by Mr. Mowel, for the defence, said the license of the Royal Mail Hotel had been in the name of Mr. Wyatt, who aoted as landlord for about two years. Her mother married Mr. Wyatt last Christmas. Before the marriage he used to treat witness as a daughter. Mr. Young first came to the house abotu twelve months ago. He first kissed her on the day after the ball at Canterbury, two or three months ago. Prisoner came to the house every day afterwards. Witness once went to prisoner's quarters, when Mrs. Young was away. He kissed the witness in the bed room. Witness told Mary Whitley (the servant) and Miss Oram that she was going away with the prisoner, but did not tell her mother. She would not have gone if he had not told her his uncle would give him a situation at 900 [British pounds] a year. In re-examination witness stated that prisoner said if she would not go he would shoot himself, and leave a ntoe behind that would disgrace her.-The prisoner was remanded, bail being refused.