THE BRITISH COLONIES.

We have already adverted to the great superiority of the display of the exhibitors from our Colonies to that in the Exhibition of 1851. Then the Colonies were, as a whole, almost unrepresented. The East India Company, however, made a noble display.

Our Colonial Empire is more than twice as large as the whole of Europe. The space which the colonies occupied in the Building was not a very large one-about 16,000 feet; and they were nearly all arranged in the north end of the east transept. First on the right-hand side down the steps from the eastern dome, were the West India Colonies.

JAMAICA.

There was an abundant display of specimens of the products of this colony, such as Sugar, Rum, Indigo, Cotton, Indian Corn, Rice, Bread-fruit, and Bananas; besides some rude specimens of the manufactures of the white and coloured population.

First were not less than 144 specimens of Rum of the highest proof, in bottles; of all shades, from the pale pine-apple colour to the dark purple of port wine. Near the rums was a fine collection of the Liqueurs and choice Wines of the island, most exquisite in flavor, such as the pimento, the orange, the jamboline-a delicious liqueur, closely resembling Maraschino; and there was the delicious Santa wine, with flavour like that of shrub.

The Vegetable Oils of the country were represented by fortyeight specimens, some of which are of great value in the arts and manufactures, and useful as medicine. There was the wonderful Croton oil, and the sand-box oil, still more potent in operation: and an oil called the "French Physic-nut," which is not so well known as its merits deserve; for a dozen drops will be as efficacious as an ounce of castor-oil, and its effects may be neutralized by a glass of white wine. In a glass-case was shown a dry branch of a shrub, something like that of a palm-tree, which is called the "Burwood," and is a specific against cholera: when some years since, the cholera had almost decimated the population of Jamaica, it was found that a decoction of this burwood would arrest the disease. There were some pods shown, from which the famous "Oil of Bur," used in watch-making, is obtained.

Fine specimens of the native Woods were displayed, polished, to show their markings: they included the scarlet cordia, remarkable far the richness of its colour; the lignum-vitæ, hard as iron; the yacca, of whose lace-like bark the ladies of Jamaica make dresses, and use for other ornamental work. Here, too, was the venerable trunk of a coffee-tree; and by its side a thick Bamboo, the inside of which was hollowed out to some distance, in which state it forms a vessel, in which the coloured people carry water. Sugars were

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shown in various shades of colour; and near them a collection of the starches for which Jamaica is famous, such as arrow-root, tapioca, tous-les-mois, &c. The thunburgia, made from the root of a gorgeously flowering plant, and the bitter cassava, were also shown; the latter is ground into powder, and used for bread; and in the casserope, made from its liquor, meat is stewed; this is the famous "Demerara pepper-pot.'

TRINIDAD.

The produce sent from this island consisted of specimens of its minerals; asphalte, from the famous "Pitch Lake;" glance, tertiary coal, and lignite; the latter, it is said, will bear comparison with the best lignites from any other part of the world.* The food substances included rice, ground nuts, seramum, cocoas, coffee, nutmegs, Brazil nuts, flower of bread fruit, plantains, yams, tania, sweet potatoes, curl-curl, bitter and sweet Canada arrowroots, cloves, and black pepper. There were also vegetable oils and ivory, skins of sharks, sponges, seeds, &c.; textile materials, wild and cultivated cottons; cork, and fibres of wild cane; native woods, plain and ornamental calabashes, fancy baskets, Indian wickerwork, &c. Here were also shown some good Photographs from Port of Spain.

The Mineral wealth of the island was represented by fine specimens of copper, manganese, zinc, cobalt, ironstones, barytes, arragonite, iron pyrites, sands, clays, and other matters, which had been very carefully prepared, by order of the colonial government, by Mr. Barret, geologist to the colony; and on the wall was a large map showing the geological features of the island. Turtle was shown here in its native delicacy, unadulterated by bad cookery.

The productions of British Dominica, Demerara, and of British Guiana, had much in common with those shown from Jamaica.

NATAL.

Owing to some unfortunate disputes between contending sectaries in the Cape Colony, our South African possessions were represented in the Exhibition almost solely by the contributions from Natal. The natural products of this rising colony were very fully illustrated. Sugar, in particular, within the last ten years has become one of the staple products of the country. Twelve years ago a sample manufactured from Natal canes was handed about the colony as a curiosity; but within the last two years 2000 tons, exceeding 50,000l. in value, have been exported. The specimens shown here were pronounced to be of excellent quality. The rapid development of this capability of the climate and soil for sugar-culture has led to a rise in the price of land in the colony almost unprecedented. Of Arrow-root, for which the colony has

* An account of these Lignites will be found in a monograph on the Geology and Mineral resources of Trinidad, by Messrs. Wall and Sawkins, published by Her Majesty's Government.

also a speciality, there were some fine specimens shown, as well as of Coffee, Wheat, Barley, and Maize. Within the last few years the Assam Tea-plant has been introduced into the colony, and is said to thrive with great rapidity: some samples of it were exhibited side by side with a small quantity of the Bushman's tea. The colonial Cayenne pepper is said to command excellent prices. Natal is trying her hand at producing Cotton, and some specimens were shown of fair quality. The plant grows readily here, but the chief difficulty is in finding labour. The Colonial Government is making great efforts to induce the Caffres to take to the growing of it: the cotton shown was both grown and ginned by the natives. There was also shown a sample of Wool produced from a wild plant indigenous to the country.

The walls of the Natal Court were ornamented with magnificent skins of antelopes, leopards, and other animals shot in the neighbourhood of the colony; among them was the skin of a boa, eighteen feet long. Elephants' Tusks are a considerable article of export, and one was shown here weighing 126 lb. A very interesting portion of the Exhibition was the collection illustrating the habits and modes of life of the Caffre. His great luxury seems to be snuff, and here was every variety of snuff-boxes and snuffspoons, generally carried in his back hair, along with his nosescraper and other useful articles, some of them showing considerable skill in carving. A few of them smoke; and by sticking a reed with a bowl made of soapstone at the end of it into a cowhorn, which they fill with water, they manage to extemporize a very rude kind of hookah. Their greatest ingenuity, however, is shown in their Musical Instruments. The Caffre lyre is a bent bow strung with twisted hair, which beaten with a stick will give out some four or five distinct tones; while the Macabere piano, which is a series of strips of wood, each backed by a sounding chamber formed of the rind of some dried and hardened fruit, has one or two notes very nearly approaching to the music of a cracked bell. The extraordinary top-knots which are most characteristic of the Caffre costume were illustrated by a specimen which was torn off the head of a native in a scuffle at D'Urban some little time ago. Two or three articles of red Pottery-ware, which belonged to the famous Moshes, were excellent in quality. I Timbers the colony appears to be rich, for there was a great variety shown, some of the specimens possessing durability, while others are useful only for ornamental purposes. One of them-the "Sneezewood," is of extraordinarily tenacious fibre, and stands exposure to the weather admirably, is named from the pungent qualities of its saw-wood; and the "Stinkwood" is a furniturewood somewhat resembling dark walnut, which, while green gives out a most disagreeable odour.

St. Helena, and one or two other African settlements, sent small contributions.—Abridged from the Times.

THE BAHAMAS,

The next compartment to that of Natal, offered Cotton, the Pine-apple Fibre, the Palmetto, the Banana, and other plants containing fibres useful for the manufacturer. Sponges and Liquorice berries, and shell-work, of various kinds, were arranged in the cases; and Jumbie Beans exhibited specimens of his handiwork in the production of ladies' bags and reticules.

CEYLON.

From this large and beautiful island was sent a fine collection of produce, natural and artificial. There were bows and arrows, and peacock's-feather fans; rude ploughs and yokes; carved cocoa-nut shells; native lace and gold embroidery, and musical instruments. In the centre of the Court was a spacious tent, formed of the leaves of the talipot palm. In furniture there was a pair of lyre-tables; a fine ebony foot-stool; and a jewel case. Also, a Dalada shrine, some fine specimens of kitool fibres, billhooks, and walking-sticks; and more especially interesting was a Davenport carved in ebony, in the English style, by a pupil in one of the industrial schools recently established in the island by the local government. Paddy and rice, coffee, and cinnamon and other spices, were shown; and there was a very fine collection of native gems, among which the pearl, the emerald, the ruby, were superbly represented. The native woods and serviceable fibres were also shown. A very large proportion of the articles exhibited were collected by a Committee appointed by the Government for that purpose.

Mauritius sent some fine specimens of sugar, fruits, and vege

table substances.

HONG-KONG

showed a small but interesting collection of Chinese produce and manufactures; and took under her wing a number of British merchants, officers, and some exhibitors, who showed some choice examples of Chinese industry, in silk, rich velvets, silk and gold embroidered carpets; china and enamels; and articles of raw produce.

MALTA, AND THE IONIAN ISLANDS.

The show made both by Malta and the Ionian Islands will probably surprise those whose attention has not been attracted to these countries. Malta came out very strong in her three great specialities-Lace, Silver Filigree, and Stonework. The beautiful black lace is made principally by the women in the small island of Gozo,-and an industrious worker by keeping at it assiduously may earn from a shilling to eighteenpence a day. In the patterns there is scarcely any departure from ancient ideas— though the schools of design which have been established in Malta are beginning to tell both on this and other branches of manufac

tures-but the workmanship is so excellent that for wear the lace is unsurpassable. One of its distinguishing and most valuable characteristics is that it is impossible to crease it. The rarest piece in the case—the shawl arranged over the yellow dress-will form part of a royal trousseau. The black lace is all of silk, obtained from Naples. There were also some very beautiful specimens of white thread lace, mostly made in the charitable institutions of the island. In the silver filigree work, wherein Malta takes a high stand, the delicate tracery is executed with quite as fine a finish as the best samples of the Genoese ware; and there is in addition an appearance of solidity and durability about it which the other lacks. The stonework exhibited was equally good. The forms all showed taste, and the carving of the ornaments, flowers, figures, and the like, is wonderful, when we remember that it is the work of men entirely destitute of artistic education; drawing, in general, their own designs, and working with half a dozen of the simplest tools. Here were large stone garden vases marked at half-a-crown.

From the samples of indigenous Cotton exhibited here, the whole of the last cotton-crop of the island were bought up for Manchester consumption at an average price of from 9d. to 10d. per lb.,-and the next crop, in all probability, will be secured by the same buyers. Among the cotton manufactures exhibited were very comfortable-looking Counterpanes, marked at 6s. each. The straw-work, particularly the Straw Hats, of remarkable lightness, made from rushes obtained in the Sicilian marshes, are another feature of the Exhibition which ought not to be passed. Neither should we omit to mention the imitations of the Italian pietra dura manufactories sent by Mr. Darmanin, which show great taste. There was an ample collection of agricultural products and seeds; and soup-pastes-such as Vermicelli and Macaroni made from semola-are to be bought at Malta for 24d. and 3d. per lb. Among the seeds the most remarkable was that of the Ceratonia siliqua, the "locust bean" of the Scriptures, which grows abundantly in the island.

The chief articles which the Ionian Islands offered to commercial enterprise were their Wines. In sweet wines there were qualities which could hardly be distinguished from Muscat and Alicante, though the selling price in Cephalonia is only 1s. 6d. a bottle; and amongst the dry Wines the Vostillidi and a Wine of Argostoli resembled closely the Rhine vintages. The common country Wines of Corfu and Cephalonia sell at 34d. and 44d. a bottle, and the Wine made from the Zante Currants has a flavour of peculiar delicacy. Very excellent Liqueurs too, similar to Maraschino or Curaçoa, are made on the island, and of which samples were shown. The features of the show which attracted most attention were the life-size figures of the peasants of Corfu, Paxo, and Cerigo in their holyday dresses. The embroidery is richly and tastefully worked, and some of the ornaments worn by the young ladies are very curious. In the same case were some beautiful