V.-JEWELLERY, GLASS, FICTILE MANUFACTURES.

Class 33. Jewellery, imitation gems, &c.

34. Glass.

Sub-Class a. Stained glass, and glass used in buildings and decorations.

b. For household use and fancy purposes.

35. Pottery, tiles-tessera; terra-cotta, &c.

21. Woollen and worsted, including mixed fabrics generally. "" 22. Carpets.

23. Woven, spun, felted, and laid fabrics, when shown as specimens of printing or dyeing.

24. Tapestry, lace, and embroidery.

VII.—GENERAL MANUFACTURES (HANDICRAFT).

Class 26. Leather, including saddlery and harness; manufactures generally made of leather.

THE PRIZE MEDAL.

To Mr. Maclise, R.A., was confided the designing of the Prize Medal given to the successful Exhibitors; and to Mr. L. C. Wyon was intrusted the execution of the same in bronze.

The obverse is of a more elaborate character than that of the Prize Medal of 1851. In the centre Britannia is depicted seated on a throne. In her right hand she holds a wreath, and in her left an olive branch. Emblematical figures, representing manufactures, raw produce, and machinery, are exhibiting to her their several productions. Behind Britannia, painting, sculpture, and architecture-who were to receive no reward beyond the tribute of admiration which their works induced-are seen, emblematically represented, and watching earnestly the decision of Britannia. Resting at the feet of the central figure, and occupying the whole foreground of the group, is "the British lion." The arrangement of the figures is admirable; and the whole design is worthy of the artists, and of the occasion.

The dimensions of the medal are identical with that given in 1851, as well as the material of which it is composed-namely, bronze. The emblematical figures tested the skill of the engraver to the fullest extent: for the elaboration and minute detail of their drapery and accessories are remarkable; indeed, elaboration, rather than striking effect, is the merit of the work. The reverse is a wreath surrounding the inscription.

THE EXHIBITION OPENED.

By a wonderful effort of labour, the executive staff of the International Exhibition were enabled to keep their promise to the public, and open the grand display, with all befitting ceremony, and even with more than hoped-for success, on Monday, May 1, 1862. It was altogether a more pretentious ceremonial than that at the opening of the Exhibition of 1851, which was a semi-state affair. There was, doubtless, a praiseworthy motive for investing the ceremonial of 1862 with more state than its predecessor. Well do we remember the glow of satisfaction approaching joy which mantled the countenances of Her Majesty and the Prince Consort as they entered the Exhibition Building in Hyde Park, on the morning of May 1, 1851. This interchange of delight as the royal pair advanced into the Building amidst the warm greetings of the assemblage was a touching testimony of heads and hearts working together for good.

There was no such incident of brightness-no such ray of splendour--in the ceremonial of May 1, 1862. In the words of the journalist next morning, "The day, indeed, had one dark shadow. Of the hundreds of thousands who lined the streets and thronged the building, few forgot the Prince by whom the great work of the day was encouraged and helped on-who sowed, but reaped not; and many were the kindly and regretful words spoken of the Royal lady who would have been so gladly welcomed, and who yesterday was so sorely missed. The absence of the Queen, and the cause of that absence, marred the state pageant, and produced a partial gloom which an impressive and imposing ceremonial could not wholly dispel."

In kindred spirit are written the following admirable remarks: *"No doubt, as we have more than once said, and as the universal sympathy on Thursday so unmistakeably showed, the one marked deficiency and loss in this Exhibition, especially on the opening day, as contrasted with its memorable predecessor eleven years ago, is to be found in the absence of him, the great Friend of this country, to whom we owe so much, and whose presence and power on such an occasion we so much deplore. His memory was retained by the banner which was hung at the side of a throne which will never again be filled by a proud and happy wife. Treu und Fest, however, was written not only on perishable silk, but on an imperishable memory, but Cæsar as well as Cæsar's bust was sadly missing from the ceremony. The stately form which dignified a courtly procession, and the yet more royal mind which regulated and improved a great plan, were wanting; and the very shortcomings and mistakes of the day and of the Exhibition itself, neither few nor unimportant, only more and more attest our great national loss. It is a bootless task to recall the memory, too, of the Great Captain of these latter days, who in loyal attendance on the Sove

* From the Saturday Review, May 3, 1862.

reign whom he had so long served, was a figure so conspicuous and popular in 1851. And why should we to-day recall, except for the sake of a mournful retrospect, the sight of our own good Queen surrounded by her fine family and in the very flush of happiness— surrounded, too, by emblems of universal peace, and anticipating for us all a future above which the little cloud had not yet begun to rise? All this is terribly changed. We live at quite another stage of history and life. A widowed Queen flies away to privacy, and almost solitude, from scenes which would only too forcibly recall a sad but memorable past; and though the Court assisted with all the regulation Court ceremonial at the Exhibition opening, it was not the Royal Court of which we have so long been proud."

In the out-door procession to the Building, this feeling of regret was painfully visible among the people. Immediately following the Royal Commissioners was a cortège, the mournful aspect of which impressed the spectators more deeply by its contrast with all that had gone before. It was merely a file of carriages, driving at the same pace as all the rest; but the deep black liveries of the servants, and still more the associations connected with the event that was being celebrated, struck the minds of those who looked upon them as forcibly as ever did the slave's warning in the classic triumphs, or the memento mori of later times." (Times, May 2, 1862.)

We shall quote only the leading details of the State preparations in the Building. Here the company spread themselves over the area of the nave, transepts, and galleries; a portion of the nave being railed off for the passage of the procession. Entering by the south central door, and passing along through the nave, a privileged few were enabled to reach a raised daïs beneath the western dome. Here was erected a lofty throne, hung with crimson velvet and satin, and powdered with gilded roses and stars. On each side of a rich chair of state were placed large marble busts of her Majesty and the late Prince Consort; and in front of the platform on which the throne stood were ranged in a semicircle, gilt and crimson velvet chairs. Standing on this estrade, and looking down the nave, as one looked down towards the eastern dome, the army of singers and musicians, the ladies in their variegated dresses all grouped together, formed in the dim distance an exceedingly pretty boundary to the objects which the eye took in. It was on each side of this daïs under the western dome that the more distinguished visitors were admitted. A large number of the noblemen and gentlemen were in uniform and Court dresses, and the scarlet robes of the Doctors of Divinity, the dark robes of the clergy of lower rank, and the very various gowns of civic dignitaries, were all to be seen glaring along in rapid progress. On the right of the throne the diplomatic corps and foreigners of rank passed in. Remarkable amongst these were the Japanese Ambassadors, the President of the free American colony of Liberia, attended by two or three gentlemen of colour of the darkest hue,

The Royal Commissioners of the Exhibition, Her Majesty's Ministers, the Foreign Commissioners, and the other persons who had been appointed to form part of the procession, being joined by the Queen's Commissioners for opening the Exhibition, they started for the south centre of the nave, and proceeded by the south side of the nave to the western dome, where were mayors and corporate dignitaries, refulgent in many-coloured robes. There were Greeks, Turks, Albanians, Parsees, and Persians, all more or less embroidered and enriched, Hungarians and Highlanders, Swedes and Orientals-great men of almost every clime and creed and costume.

To the sound of martial music, the procession moved slowly along to the daïs. The Duke of Cambridge occupied the centre of the semicircle ranged in front of the throne; on his right were the Crown Prince of Prussia, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, and the Earl of Derby; on his left stood Prince Oscar of Sweden, the Lord Chamberlain, Viscount Palmerston, and the Speaker of the House of Commons. The Royal Commissioners of the Exhibition were grouped a little to the left of his Royal Highness, at the bottom of the steps leading up to the daïs, and Earl Granville, stepping forward, spoke as follows:

In the name of her Majesty's Commissioners who have charge of the International Exhibition of 1862, I have the honour of presenting to your Royal Highness and the other Commissioners for opening the Exhibition a most humble address. We especially offer to her Majesty our condolence for the loss irreparable which her Majesty and the nation have sustained, and we thank her Majesty for allowing herself to be represented by your Royal Highness and the other Commissioners on this occasion; and we beg to express our great gratitude to his Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Prussia and his Royal Highness Prince Oscar of Sweden for having honoured the Exhibition with their presence this day. We also offer our thanks to the Commissioners, British and foreign, who have assisted us in this work; and we venture to express our confidence that this work will be thought worthy of ranking amongst the international exhibitions which in the future may periodically

occur.

Lord Granville then presented an address from the Exhibition Commissioners, which, however, was not read. The opening is as follows::

"May it please your Royal Highness and my Lords Commissioners,-We, the Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1862, humbly beg leave to approach her Majesty through you, her illustrious representatives on this occasion, with the assurance of our devotion to her Majesty's throne and Royal person.

"And, first of all, it is our melancholy duty to convey to her Majesty the expression of our deep sympathy with her in the grievous affliction with which it has pleased the Almighty to visit her Majesty and the whole people of this realm in the death of her Royal consort. We cannot forget that this is the anniversary of the opening of the first great International Exhibition eleven years ago by her Majesty, when his Royal Highness, the President of the Commissioners of that exbibition, addressed her Majesty in words that will not be forgotten. After stating the proceedings of the Commission in the discharge of their duties, he concluded with a prayer that an undertaking 'which had for its end the promotion of all branches of human industry and the strengthening of the bonds of peace and friendship among all nations of the earth, might, by the blessing of Divine Providence, conduce to the welfare of her Majesty's people and be long remembered among the brightest circumstances of her Majesty's peaceful and happy reign.'

"When we commenced our duties, and until a recent period, we ventured to look forward to the time when it might be our great privilege to address her Majesty in person this day, and to show to her Majesty within these walls the evidence which this exhibition affords of the soundness of the opinion originally entertained by his Royal Highness-evidence furnished alike by the increased extent of the exhibition, by the eagerness with which all classes of the community have sought to take part in it, and by the large expenditure incurred by individual exhibitors for the better display of their produce and machinery. We can now only repeat the assurance of our sympathy with her Majesty in that bereavement which deprives this inaugural ceremony of her Royal presence; and, whilst bearing mournful testimony to the loss of that invaluable assistance which his Royal Highness was so ready at all times to extend to us, we have to offer to the Queen our dutiful thanks for the interest evinced by her Majesty in this undertaking by commanding your Royal Highness and your Lordships to represent her Majesty on this occasion."

The origin and organization of the Exhibition are then detailed, and are followed by this statement :

"About 22,000 exhibitors are here represented, of whom about 17,000 are subjects of her Majesty, and 5000 of foreign States. The arrangement and design of the building is such that the exhibited articles have been generally arranged in three great divisions :

"1. Fine Arts, in the galleries especially provided for that department. "2. Raw materials, manufactures, and agricultural machinery, in the main building and the eastern annexe.

"3. Machinery requiring steam or water power for its effectual display, in the western annexe.

"Within these divisions the classification adopted is in most respects similar to that employed in 1851, the British and Colonial articles being kept separate from those sent by foreign countries, and each country having its own portion of the several departments allotted to it.

"The articles now exhibited will show that the period which has elapsed since 1851, although twice interrupted by European wars, has been marked by a progress previously unexampled in science, art, and manufacture.

"It is our earnest prayer that the International Exhibition of 1862, now about to be inaugurated, and which it is our privilege to conduct, may form no unworthy link in that chain of international exhibitions with which must ever be connected the honoured name of her Majesty's illustrious Consort."

The Duke of Cambridge returned the answer to the address, which was as follows:

"We cannot perform the duty which the Queen has done us the honour to commit to us as her Majesty's representatives on this occasion without expressing our heartfelt regret that this inaugural ceremony is deprived of her Majesty's presence by the sad bereavement which has overwhelmed the nation with universal sorrow. We share most sincerely your feelings of deep sympathy with her Majesty in the grievous affliction with which the Almighty has seen fit to visit her Majesty and the whole people of this realm. It is impossible to contemplate the spectacle this day presented to our view without being painfully reminded how great a loss we have all sustained in the illustrious Prince with whose name the first great International Exhibition was so intimately connected, and whose enlarged views and enlightened judgment were conspicuous in his appreciation of the benefits which such undertakings are calculated to confer upon the country. We are commanded by the Queen to assure you of the warm interest which her Majesty cannot fail to take in this Exhibition,