original suggestion of the principle of this structure the
commissioners are indebted to Mr. Joseph Paxton, to
whom they feel their acknowledgments to be justly due
for this interesting feature of their undertaking. With
regard to the distribution of rewards to deserving
exhibitors, we have decided that they should be given
in the form of medals, not with reference to merely
individual competition, but as rewards for excellence in
whatever shape it may present itself. The selection of
the persons to be so rewarded has been entrusted to juries
equally composed of British subjects and of foreigners, the
former having been selected by the commission from the
recommendations made by the local committees, and the
latter by the governments of the foreign nations, the
productions of which are exhibited. The names of these
jurors, comprising as they do many of European celebrity,
afford the best guarantee of the impartiality with
which the rewards will be assigned. It affords much
gratification that, notwithstanding the magnitude of this
undertaking, and the great distances from which many
of the articles now exhibited have had to be collected,
the day on which your Majesty has been graciously
pleased to be present at the inauguration of the
Exhibition, is the same day that was originally named for
its opening; thus affording a proof of what may, under
God's blessing, be accomplished by goodwill and cordial
co-operation among nations, aided by the means that
modern science has placed at our command." The Queen
read the following reply: "I receive with the greatest
satisfaction the address which you have presented to
me on the opening of this Exhibition. I have observed
with a warm and increasing interest the progress of
your proceedings in the execution of the duties intrusted
to you by the Royal Commission, and it affords me
sincere gratification to witness the successful result of
your judicious and unremitting exertions in the splendid
spectacle by which I am this day surrounded. I
cordially concur with you in the prayer, that by God's
blessing this undertaking may conduce to the welfare
of my people and to the common interests of the human
race, by encouraging the arts of peace and industry,
strengthening the bonds of union among the nations of
the earth, and promoting a friendly and honourable
rivalry in the useful exercise of those faculties which
have been conferred by a beneficent Providence for the
good and the happiness of mankind." The Archbishop
of Canterbury then approached the throne, and with
great fervency of manner offered up a prayer, invoking
God's blessing on the undertaking. At the close of this
prayer the choir joined in singing the Hallelujah Chorus,
and the effect of this performance may be estimated from
the fact that the Chapel Royal, St. Paul's Cathedral,
Westminster Abbey, and St. George's Chapel, Windsor,
contributed their entire vocal strength, while there were
also present pupils of the Royal Academy of Music, part
of the band of the Sacred Harmonic Society, and many
other performers, both foreign and English. At the
close of this part of the proceedings, Hesing, the Chinese
Mandarin, unable any longer to control his feelings,
made his way through foreign diplomatists, ministers of
state, and the distinguished circle with which court
etiquette had surrounded the throne, and, advancing
close to the Queen saluted her by a grand salaam: her
Majesty acknowledged the obeisance, and saluted the
Mandarin in return; and at her request he was placed
between the Archbishop of Canterbury and the
Comptroller of the Household. A procession was then
formed; headed by Mr. Paxton, Mr. Henderson, and
Mr. Fox; then followed the Executive Committee of
the Royal Commission, the Foreign Acting Commissioners,
the Royal Commissioners themselves, and officers
of the Queen's Household. Her Majesty led the Prince
of Wales, and Prince Albert the Princess Royal; both
parents and children looking extremely well. The
Queen bore herself with courteous but dignified
restraint, as if feeling more excitement than she would
display. Prince Albert appeared less composed; his
emotion at the successful realisation of his own idea was
very visible. The procession moved slowly round the
interior of the building, amid vehement cheers and
waving of hats and handkerchiefs, till it returned to
the point from whence it started. When the Queen
returned to her place, the Marquis of Breadalbane, in a
loud tone of voice, announced that the Queen declared
"the Exhibition open." A flourish of trumpets
proclaimed the fact to the assembled multitudes. The
Royal family, attended by the Court, withdrew from
the building, the choir once more took up the strain of
the National Anthem; the barriers, which had hitherto
restrained the spectators within certain limits, were
withdrawn, and the long pent-up masses poured over
every part of the building, unrestrained by policemen,
and eager to gratify their curiosity.

A Grand Entertainment was given on the 10th, at
the Castle Hotel, Richmond, by the Metropolitan Local
Commissioners of the Great Exhibition to the foreign
commissioners. Lord Ashburton presided, and was
supported by the Earl of Granville and Lord Overstone.
Among the distinguished foreign guests were M. Charles
Dupin, M. Dumas, and some other members of the
French legislature, with M. Jules Janin. The health
of Prince Albert was proposed by the chairman, with
an eulogistic sketch of the difficulties which the Prince
had to encounter in bringing the Exhibition to its
present shape. The chairman then gave the health of the
foreign commissioners, and the toast was acknowledged
by M. von Viebahn in their names. M. Dupin, in an
eloquent speech, proposed the health of the royal
commissioners, which was responded to by Lord Granville.
The last toast was the health of Mr. Paxton, proposed
by Mr. Horace Greeley, of the United States, and
received with enthusiasm.

The ninth annual meeting of the supporters of the
Field Lane Ragged School and Night Refuge for the
Destitute was held on the 30th ult in the school-room in
Field Lane. Lord Ashley, who presided, observed that
he knew no school in the metropolis conducted with so
much zeal and ability as were displayed in the management
of the Field-lane school, and there was no institution
of the same nature from which such valuable
benefits had been derived. From the annual Report,
which was read, it appeared that 800 children were
benefited every week by some branch of the establishment.
Since the last autumn meeting 309 scholars had
been admitted into the day school, making a total of
1038 admitted since the enlargement of the school in
1848. There was a marked and pleasing alteration in
the general appearance and conduct of the children.
The Monday evening classes for the secular instruction
of those whose age and occupation excluded them from
participating in the day instruction had admitted during
the year 216 boys and 136 girls. The majority of these
were of the very lowest class—common beggars or
"mudlarks." The industrial class consisting of those
engaged in tailoring or shoemaking had been very
successful. During the year 309 had been admitted to this
class; 170 belonging to the young men's class had also
been admitted in the same period. 728 articles of new
and second-hand clothes had also been distributed as
rewards, 435 subscription cards to receive deposits for
new made clothes at half the price of the material
had been issued. The receipts for the year amounted
to £345.10s. 3d., and the expenditure to £344.2s. 4d.,
leaving a small balance in the hands of the treasurer.
There would be an extra annual expense of £150. for the
nightly refuge. The report was adopted, and the resolutions
were passed, calling upon the meeting to lend their
support to ragged schools.

The Canterbury Association gave a public dinner on
the 7th to the emigrants of the working classes who
have sailed for New Zealand this month in the first
expedition of ships of the main body of Canterbury
colonists for 1851; and the cabin passenger colonists met
at the same time and in the same apartment at a public
breakfast, with their friends. The two parties were
about equal in number; and in all—men, women and
children—there were nearly 500 persons partaking of
the entertainment. It was given in a temporary building,
most conveniently erected close to the six ships
which were about to be despatched by the association,
and which were lying in the East India import dock.
The emigrants seemed to be mostly married couples,
hale and cheerful, in the very prime of life, with their
children about them. Before dinner, Lady Lyttelton,
with the usual ceremonies, named one of the ships, the
Canterbury, a fine vessel of 900 tons. Lord Lyttelton