The Inventions Exhibition

Abstract

IN the presence of a crowded and distinguished assembly the Inventions Exhibition was opened by the Prince of Wales on Monday. The Exhibition is, as usual on first days, still in a somewhat chaotic condition, and we can do no more this week than refer to the leading incidents of the opening ceremony. Sir Frederick Bramwell, Chairman of the Executive Council, in his address to the Prince of Wales, gave a sketch of the progress and objects of the Exhibition, which, he pointed out, is intended to illustrate the progress of inventions since the year 1862, and that of musical instruments and appliances since the commencement of the present century. The labours of the different committees were, he stated, rendered extremely onerous by the vast number of applications received—a number far greater then we had space to accommodate. Influential Commissions have been nominated by Austria-Hungary, France, China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Russia, Siam, and Switzerland, from which countries interesting and valuable exhibits have been received or are promised. Arrangements have been made with the Council of the Royal Albert Hall by which that building forms an integral portion of the Exhibition, with the National Fish Culture Association for the maintenance of the Aquarium, and with the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society for the holding of the usual periodical flower and fruit shows. The Old London Street, which was so popular a feature in last year's Exhibition, has been maintained. Many small annexes have been swept away, and in their places spacious galleries have been erected. Not only has greater exhibiting space been thus obtained, but the gardens, which are so great a source of attraction to visitors, have actually been enlarged. Notwithstanding the fact that the gallery used last year for machinery has been greatly extended to meet the requirements of exhibitors, it proved to be inadequate for the many important inventions for which motive power was desired; indeed, it has been found necessary to furnish such power in no less than three other galleries. “The employment of electricity for the purposes of lighting,” Sir Frederick said, “is undoubtedly one of the most striking instances of the application of science to the purposes of daily life; we have, therefore, not hesitated to give this subject special prominence. The method we have adopted will, it is believed, render any sudden failure of the lights impossible, and will favourably display the most recent and improved apparatus, and the advances that up to this date have been made in electric lighting. After most careful experiments we have ventured to employ, for the garden illumination, the incandescent electric lamp, and we have done so in a manner and on a scale which, we believe, has never before been attempted. As a division of the Exhibition is devoted to music, we have set apart an important portion of the buildings to the illustration of instruments and appliances appertaining to that art; and we have invited the formation of a historical loan collection of musical instruments, which we believe is of a deeply interesting character. In requesting your Royal Highness to declare this Exhibition open we desire to express the hope that it may, on the one hand, be the means of bringing valuable and meritorious inventions prominently before the general public, to the benefit and credit of the exhibitors, and that it may, on the other hand, be the means by which that public may, within the area of one exhibition, be enabled to appreciate the marvellous progress which during the past quarter of a century every industry has achieved.”