THE EXHIBITION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2556, 17 June 1882, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION.

There was a fairly good attendance last evening at the Exhibition, when Blondin performed very successfully on the tight rope, though the full enjoyment of his feats was detracted from somewhat by the absence of any light except of the panfire* at intervals. The oosmorama was by no mean* a sucoe**, the light being too feeble, and the pictures deficient in sharpness and distinctness. Some gentleman was kind enough to give a sort of running commentary on the various views exhibited, but as hi* remarks were only heard by a very small portion of the audience, his good intentions failed somewhat of their purpose.

_ To-day Blondin will appear for the last time, when he will take hi* benefit. A* a performer on the rope, Mr MorrU ia well worthy to take rank bolide hi* distinguished compeer, and therefore, no doubt, there will be a large attendance on the oooaiion. Continuing our remark* on the sewing machine* exhibited, we come next to those of the Singer Company. The Singer Machine Company manufacture about forty style* of machines. The machines are as follow* : Family, manufacturing, tailoring, bootmaking, boot-flowering and upholstering. The two styles which were awarded the gold medal at the Exhibition, are the new family machine, and the No. 2 manufacturing. The new family machine is furnished with fifty attachments, and also is fitted with a treadle and hand accessory, enabling the machine to bo changed from a treadle to a hand machine at will, which renders it exceedingly useful for dressmakers, Ac. The machine portion can be removed easily from the treadle stand. The strength of the under feed was exemplified by the stitching through on one tension of a piece of lead between two thicknesses of leather. The working of the machine yesterday was shown from the thinnest muslin to the lead, &0., described above, thus proving that no seam in the work wonld interfere with the underfeed. The smoothness of the working of the underfeed is proved by the fact that American cloth passes as easily through it as any other work. The first attachment requiring notice is the kilter. By means of this attachment any dress material can be easily kilted. This attachment is affixed to the machine by means of one screw only, and it work* admirably without deranging the rest of the machine. The work done by the machine in this respect is on view at the Exhibition and speak* for itself. The next attachment exhibited in work was the ruffler. This attachment gathers and sews on the band and binding the edge by the same I operation, and is equally adaptable to muslin ' and cloth. It will do this work without showing the stitch, and will also pipe in the blind stitch. It will either gather on the top or bottom or between two pieces of dress material. In fact, it will do all kind* of ruffling, shirring, and sewing on of material of any description whatsoever. The total varieties of work performed by this attachment are thirty-two. The next attachment coming under notice was the embroiderer, which is affixed to the presser bar in place of the ordinary presser foot. By means of this attachment the operator can embroider corsets, skirts, dresses, clothing, smoking caps, slippers, sofa cushions, Ac. Samples of the smoking caps and cushions, exhibiting very excellent work, are on view at the company's bay in the Exhibition, It will work equally well with silk, crochet cotton, or Berlin wool, and the colours may be combined to form a variety of designs eqml to crewel work. The hemmer attachments are four in number, from that used for handkerchiefs upwards. The folder or binder binds a strip of material usually cross cut stitching on either edge of the garment, as binding or trimming, and the work itself when sewn on appears as either a braid or ribbon trimming. The quilter is a simple contrivance attached to the presser bar by means of a single screw, and guides the operator in securing an eqni-distant stitch. A specialty of the machine is a tuck marker attachment, which is supplied with the machine. This is attaohed to the machine by means of the thumbscrew. The action of the marker is to gauge and mark the next tuck ready, and thus save the operator the trouble of laying and folding the next tuck. The braider, which is adjusted to the presser, braids any kind of design or monogram at the will of the operator. The No. 2 manufacturing machine is constructed specially for tailors, upholsterers, hat, cap and corset makers, and is specially adaptable for manufacturing purposes. It will sew the stillest seams without gathering the material, and will quilt, braid and stitch all varieties of leather work, and sew curved seams or figured work with great rapidity and accuracy. This machine is entirely used in the Eaiapoi Woollen Factory for the manufacture of the clothing of the oompany. The wax thread machine of the Singer Company used for heavy leather and waterproof work is also exhibited. The peculiar arrangement of this machine is that as the work is being stitctied the thread is also waxed by passing through wax held in solution. The seam is therefore rendered more watertight. A specialty of the Company’s exhibit is the fancy stitch machine. By means of this no less then fifty different patterns of fancy stitch can be produced. The work exhibited yesterday was excellent and the alteration of the stitch is capable of being done with great ease, producing the various patterns. Close by is what is called the zigzag stitch machine, which ia largely used at Home for fancy corset stitching. The zigzag stitch oaa either be made close or wide as desired, and also both these machines do plain sewing with but a trifling alteration of a screw. The raised bed plate machine, which is also exhibited, is also used for tailoring work, more especially for coat sleeves,. &c. There are also the two needle machines, which is a specialty of the Singer Oompany. This machine renders piping unnecessary, and for this reason is exceedingly useful to tailors, dressmakers, &o. The half cabinet machine, which is a very handsome piece of furniture, being inlaid with pearl. This machine combines a handsome appearance with a useful fami’y machine. The company exhibit in the centre of the avenue a full cabinet sewing machine in polished walnut, which they intended to present to the lucky bolder of the winning ticket. Chance* in this art union are distributed free, both at the office of the company in Colombo street and at the Exhibition. The drawing will take place on July Ist. One of the most noticeable machines is the arm machine used for boot and shoe repairing and for stitching uppers. The feed of this machine is vortical in its action, and works in any direction from the needle, sewing a tight seam and making an excellent stitch on any class of leather goods.