NEW YORK CRYSTAL PALACE FOR THE EXHIBITION OF THE INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 731, 16 April 1853, Page 4

NEW YORK CRYSTAL PALACE FOR THE EXHIBITION OF THE INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS.

(From ihc “ San Frm.co'co Hit Id” Jan. 2-«.) The prodigious success of (he London Exhibition turned the minds of the industrial world to the propriety and expediency of repetitions of (ha effort in different parts of Europe. Thus, (here has already been one in Austria ; the same has been done in Ireland, and preparations are making for one on a very extensive scale in Paris in the year 1854, Those citizens of the United Slates who were in London in the summer of 1851, were filled with the desire of getting up such Exhibition in their own country. They went to work with commendable enterprise and diligence and are now fast completing a structure that At ill he an ornament to the nation.- Ihcy have received every possible assistance from the public authorities' The city of New York lias granted 1 heiii a lease of Reservoir Square, the Stale has granted a charter, and the Federal authorities have engaged that the building shall be made a Ponded Warehouse for the purpose of receiving foreign articles without paying duty so long as they remain in it. The strong list assurances of support have been received from Hie Representatives ot foreign countries, and great interest in the subject has been excited among the manufacturers of Europe. A large number of articles of high value have been already secured, and there is no doubt there will be a very extensive representation of foreign industry. The building intended for the purposes of the Exhibition, is constructed entirely of iron and glass, and will be, it is believed, the largest and most beautiful edifice in the country. It covers, on the ground door, which is in the form of an octagon, two and a half acres; and, with the galleries, tire whole space is four acres, lire mason work is entirely completed. The main part of the iron work is contracted lor, a large part of the castings are delivered on (he ground, and the construction is going steadily on. Tire Directors of the Association announce that the Exhibition will be opened to the public on (he 2nd of May, 1853. The architects and designers, whose plan was adopted by the Board, are Messrs. Carslensen and Gildemeister. Mr. Gildemeister has been some lime settled in New York, and is not only an architect, but an artist. Mr. Carstensen is (be designer of the Tivoli and Caseno of Copenhagen, the principal public grounds of that city, and has recently established bis home under the broad shelter of the Republic. The main features of the building arc as follows ; il is, with the exception of the floor, entirely constructed of iron and glass, lire general idea of the edifice is a Greek cross, surmounted by a dome at the intersection. Each diameter of (he cross will be 305 feet 5 inches long. There will ire three similar entrances : one on the Sixth Avenue, on on Fortieth, and one on Forty-second street. Each entrance will be 47 feet wide, and that on the Sixth Avenue will be approached by a flight of eight steps ; over each Iron I is a large semi-circular fan-light 41 feet wide and 21 feet high answering to the arch of tire nave. Each arm of the cross is on (he ground plan 149 feet broad. This is divided into a central nave and two aisles, one on each side, —the nave 41 feet wide, each aisle 54 feet wide. The central portion or nave is carried up to the height of 07 feet, and the semicircular arch by which it is spanned is 41 feet broad. There are thus in effect two arched naves crossing each other at right angles, 41 feel broad, 07 feet high to the crown of the arch, and 305 feet long; and on each side of those naves is an aisle 54 feet broad and 45 feet high. The exterior of theridgeway of the nave is 71 feet. Each aisle is covered by. a gallery of its own width, and 24 feet from lire floor. The central dome is 100 feel in diameter, 08 feel inside from (he floor to the spring of the arch, and IJO feet to the crown; and on the outside with (he lantern, 142 feet, Tbe exterior angles of the building are ingeniously filled up with a triangular lean-to 24 feel high, which gives the ground plan an octagonal shape, each side or face 149 feet wide. At each angle is an octagonal lower 8 feet in diameter, and 75 feet I.igh. Four large and eight winding stair-cases connect the principal floor with the gallery, which opens on the three balconies that are situated over (he entrance halls, and afford ample space for flower decorations, statues, vases, c, I Sic Tour principal stair cases consist of two flights of steps with two landing places to each ; the eight winding staircases are placed in the octagonal towers which lead also Ip small balconies on (he tops of the towers and to the roof of Ihc building. The building contains on the ground floor 111,000 square feet of space, and in its galleries, which are 54 feet wide, 02,000 square feet more, making a total area of 173,000 square feel for (bo purposes of exhibition. Ihcrc are thus on the ground floor two acres and a half, or exactly 2 52-100 ; in the galleries one acre and 44-100; tola!, within an inconsiderable fraction, fouracres. There arc on the ground floor, 190 octagonal cast-iron columns, 21 feel above the floor, and 8 inches diameter, cast hollow, of different thicknesses, from half an inch to one inch. These columns receive Ihc cast iron girders. These are 2G 1-3 feci long and three feet high, and serve to sustain Ihc galleries and Hie wrought-iron construction of the roof, as well as to brace Hie whole structure in every direction. The girders, as well as the second story columns, are fastened to the columns, in Hie first story, by connecting pieces of the same octagonal shape as (he columns, 5 feel 4 inches high, having proper flanges and lugs to fasten all pieces together by bolts. The number of lower floor girders is 252, besides twelve wrought-iron girders of the same height, and 41 feet sp; n over a part of the nave. The second story contains 148 columns, of the same shape as those Lelow, and 17 feet 7 inches high, llrcse receive another tier of girders, numbering I GO, for the support of Hie roofs of the aisles, each nave being covered by 16 cast-iron semi-circular arches, each composed of 4 pieces. The dome is supported by 24 columns, which go up above Hie second story (o lire height of 02 feet above the floor, and support a combination of wrought-iron arches and girders, on which rests a cast-iron bed-plale, so constructed as (o receive the 32 ribs of the dome. The light is communicated to (be dome through the lantern, as well as from the sides, on which 32 escutcheons on colored glass, representing the Arms of Ihc Union in its several States, or (he emblems of (he different nations, form a part of the decoration. The quantity of iron to be used for the buildding will amount to about 1,250 tons. The roof w ill cover an area of 144,000 square feet. The glass for the building will amount to 39,600 square feel, in 9,027 panes, IG by 34 or 38 inches. On entering this building, the observer's eye will he greeted by the vista of an arched nave, 41 feet wide, 67 feel high, 3G5 feet long ; while on approaching the centre, he will find himself under a dome 100 feet across, and U 8 feel high. >1 is certain, therefore, that the edifice will be I arger, and more effective in its interior view r , lhan anything in the country.

The aspect of the building will he entirely* different Horn that of Hie London Crystal Palace; Its form affords the requisite scope fora pleasing variety of architectural embellishment, by which all monotony can he avoided, and allows a very economical use of the ground. The rising dome, independent ol its effect in the interior arrangement of the edifice, will give height and majesty. The following are the objects which (he architects have striven to combine in their plan ; 1. The greatest possible interior area. 2. Perfect safety and elegance of construction, 5. A well calculated and pleasing admission of light. 4. A variety of coup (Vceil in the interior. Such, says Mr. Theodore Sedgwick, the President of the Association, from whose circular we take the above description, is the building which will soon salute the eyes of the city of New York. In asserting that it will be the largest and most beautiful construction in the country, nothing has been said more than it deserves. Hut Ibis is its least merit. The objects to which the building is destined will form its real recommendation. There is offered here to (he European and domestic producer an unequalled opportunity ot displaying the works of iris skill, without any charge from the time that they enter (he building till withdrawn. The Association have already made public the fact, that their object is exhibition alone, and (hat they have no interest whatever, direct or indirect, in the final disposition to be madeoflhcarticlesdisplayed. 1 hey thus avoid coming in conflict with any branch of regular industry. There will be gathered the choicest products of the luxury of the Old World, and the most cunning devices of the ingenuity of the New. The interests of Manufacture, Commerce, and (ho Arts, will all find encouragement and protection within these walls, and another guarantee will be given to the permanence of peace. There will be collected multitudes of all nations: but the great and crowning feature of the enterprise is, that it will offer amusement ami recreation to the working classes, such as they can find nowhere else; that it will be a Palace for the People. The Exhibition is already announced, to open on the 2nd May, 1853. The Association intend to call forth a complete representation of the entire resources of the country, as well of Haw Materials as of Manufactured articles. —They express themselves particularly anxious to obtain a complete collection of the various ores which the active industry of our people is daily bringing to light, of the metals produced from them, in their various stages of developcmenl, and also of all other minerals. This would include as well Coal, Granite, and other similar substances, as (hose chemical products more especially used in the Arts. The ores should be accompanied by the rocks in which (hey arc found, and, if possible, by plans and sections of the measures in which they lie. It would also boot’ great interest to exhibit, cither by models or descriptive drawings, the different processes employed in the reduction of the ores and the manufacture of the metals. In this department California may, by proper exertions, make such a display as to astonish and delight the world. It is earnestly to be hoped our enterprising and public spirited citizens will exert themselves to have a proper exhibition of our resources. Half-way measures will oidy low'cr us in (lie estimation of the tens of thousands of visiters who will be present. The ridicule cast upon the famous gold quartz stone contributed by California to the Washington Monument is a lesson from which we may profit. Much is expected of us and if we choose, the fullest expectations may be realized. Thcie is material in our State for a display, unsurpassing in splendor and brilliancy that of any other Stale in the Union. Much better not to be represented at all than disgraced by slopshop relics and picayune specimens.