iSKujp xp5 ■nrw acAftJi") Mihwsr •• ■ _th, :r : '-'r- r a i r r» rr t i , • .n '•» ; *.» i 'KlNWlIlW JANUARY. MOON’S CHANCES. First Quarter Full Moon . Last Quarter New Moon Circumcision. L. Napoleon Pres, of Prance, E. Burke, statesman, born, 1730. [1852. Niebuhr, historian, died, 1831. Second Sunday after Christmas. Catherine de Media's died, 1580. Epiphany. Twelfth Day. General Penny Post established, 1840. Fire Insurance expires. Royal Exchange burnt, 1838. Miss Mitford, novelist, died, 1855. First Sunday after Epiphany. Plough Monday. Hilary Term begius. Cambridge Term (Lent) begins. Oxford Term (Lent) begins. Dr. Aikin died, 1847. Ed. Spenser, poet, died, 1598. [1706. Mozart, musician, b., 1756. B. Franklin, b. Second Sunday aft. Ejtiph. Old Twelfth Day. James Watt, engineer, born, 1736. J. Howard, philanthropist, died, 1790. St. Agnes. St. Vincent. Lord Byron, poet, born, 1788. William Pitt, statesman, died, 1806. C. J. Fox, statesman, born, 1749. [Paul, 3rd Sand. aft. Epiphany. Conversion of St.' First Society of Artists instituted, 1765. Audubon, naturalist, died, 1851. Dr. Hutton died, 1823. George III. died, 1S20. [ Martyr , 1649. Napoleon III. married, 1S53. King Charles IlilaryTerm ends. Pheas. and part, shoot, ends. FEBRUARY. MOON’S CHANCES. d. h. m. 1 d. h. m. First Quarter .. 1 8 20a. Last Quarter . . 17 2 10m. Full Moon ... 8 11 53a. | New Moon . . 24 11 58m. 1 S Fourth Sunday after Epiphany . 2 M Candlemas-day. Purification Virgin Mary. 3 Tu 6/. Blaise. 4 W Sir J. Bankcs, botanist, born, 1743. 5 Tu Sir R. Peel, statesman, born, 1788. 6 F Priestley, philosopher, died, 1804. 7 S Sir G. il. Beaumont, artist, died, 1827. 8 s Septuagesima. Half-quarter. 9 M Dr. Maskelync died, 1811. 10 Tu Queen Victoria married, 1840. 11 W Washington, statesmau, born, 1732. 12 Th Mexico discovered, 1518. 13 F Marquis of Waterford born, 1811. 14 S Valentine' s-day. 15 s Sexagesima. Benvenuto Cellini died, 1570. 10 M Melancthon, reformer, born, 1497. 17 Tu Michael Angelo, artist, died, 1564. IS W St. Simeon. Martin Luther, reformer, d., 154G. 19 Th Galileo, astronomer, born, 1564. 20 F Sir Joshua Reynolds, R.A., died, 1792. 21 S Robert Hall, theologian, died, 1831. 22 s Shrove Sunday. Quinguagesima. 23 M Sir W. Allen died, 1850. 24 Tu Shrove Tuesday. St. Mathias. W Ash Wednesday. 26 Th T. Moore, poet, died, 1S52. 27 F Hare hunting ends. 28 S Montaigne born, 1533. THE ROYAL CRYSTAL PALACE ALMANACK. — 1857 . THE ROYAL FAMILY Queen Victoria born May Prince Albert Aug. Prince of Wales Nov. Princess Royal Nov. Princess Alice Maud Mary April Prince Alfred Ernest Albert ... Aug. Princess Helena Augusta May Louisa Caroline Alberta Mar. Prince Arthur Patrick Albert.. May Prince George Albert April Princess of He.-se May Duchess of Gloucester April Princess Sophia May Duchess of Kent Aug. Duchess of Cambridge July Duke of Cambridge Mar. King of Hanover May 1819 1819 1841 18-10 1843 1844 1846 1848 1850 1853 1770 1776 1773 1786 1797 1819 1819 SOVEREIGNS OF EUROPE. Kingdom. . Born. Gt. Britain .Queen Victoria 1819 France Emperor Napoleon III. 1808 Russia Emperor Alexander ... 1821 Austria Emp. Francis Joseph... 1830 Spain Queen Isabella II 1820 Prussia King Fred. Wm. IV.... 1795 Turkey Ybdul-Medscliid 1 823 Portugal ...King Ferdinand 1816 Holland ...King William 111 1817 Hanover ...King Geo. Frederick... 1819 Denmark ...King Frederick VII. ... 1808 Sweden ...King Oscar 1808 Popedom ...Pius IX 1792 Sardinia ...Victor Emmanuel 1820 Two Sicilies Ferdinand II 1810 Belgium ...King Leopold 1790 Greece King Otlio 1815 Saxony King John Joseph 1801 Access. 1837 1848 1855 1848 1833 1840 1839 1853 1849 1851 1848 1844 1846 1848 1830 1831 1832 1854 POPULATION OF ENGLAND. ECLIPSES, OCCULT ATIONS, &c. In the year 1857 there will be two eclipses, both of the Sun, and both will be invisible at Greenwich. I. Total Eclipse of the Sun, March 25th, 1857 ; the liuc of central and total eclipse is situated in the Pacific Ocean. The central eclipse at noon is in Longitude 154° 32' west of Greenwich, and at 3° 49' South Latitude. IT. Annular Eclipse of the Sun, September 17th, 1857. The line of central and annular eclipse passes through the southern part of Asia, northern part of the Indian Ocean, to the northern extremity of Australia. Central at noon in Longitude 97° 48' east of Greenwich, and 14° 34' of North Lat. The planets Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter, are occulted by the Moon during this year. Jupiter, on January 2nd, 1857, disappears at the Moou’s dark limb at 4h. 5Sm. p.m.; reappears at the Moon’s bright limb 6h. lm. p.m. Mercury is occulted by the Moon on August 21st ; disappears at the Moon’s dark limb at lh. 56m. p.m. ; reappears at the Moon’s bright limb at 3h. 19m. p.m. Mars is occulted by the Moon on the morning of October 14th; disappears at the Moon’s bright limb at 4h. 47m. a.m. ; reappears at the Moon’s dark limb at 5h. 42m. A.M. The [Moon passes over the Pleiades on the morn- ing of November 3rd, between 5h. 52m. a.m. and 8h. 12m. a.m., and again on the morning of De- cember 28th, between 4h. and Oh. a.m. SEASONS, &c. Spring Quarter commences March 20, at 3 45 p.m. Summer „ „ June 21, at 0 26 p.m. Autumn ,, ,, Sept. 23, at 2 33 a.m. Winter „ „ Dec. 21, at 8 17 p.m. FIXED AND MOVABLE FESTIVALS. 1841. 1851. Bedfordshire ... 107,937 125,348 Berkshire 160,226 1 69,008 Buckinghamshire 155,989 161,411 164,459 186.326 395,300 450.256 341,269 353,171 Cumberland 177,912 194,677 272,202 293,118 Devon 533,731 565,084 174,743 184,161 324,277 407,130 344,995 366,969 Gloucestershire 431,307 454,000 Hampshire 345,940 400,933 Herefordshire ... 114,438 117,035 Hertfordshire ... 157,237 168,806 Huntingdonshire 58,69 63,454 548,161 611,116 Lancashire 1,667,064 2,027,484 Leicestershire ... 215,855 230.489 Lincoln 362,717 406,124 1,576,616 1,881,215 Monmouthshire 134,349 159,604 1 412,621 440,709 | Northampton ... 199,061 213,637 Northumberland 250,268 285,453 Nottinghamshire 249,773 273,480 | 161,573 168,643 1 Rutland 21,340 22,461 1 Salop 239,014 242,348 j Somersetshire .. 436,002 443,318 Staffordshire 510,206 611,845 315,129 336,152 Surrey 582,613 678,542 Sussex 299,770 336,187 Warwickshire .. 402,121 472,962 58,233 Wiltshire 260,007 261,776 Worcestershire.. 233. -184 362,859 York, East 193,676 262,623 York, North 204,662 212,8 12 York, West 1,154,924 1,317,723 North Wales 396,254 411,311 South Wales 509,725 SUMMARY. 14,995,138 G, 92 1,732 Wales 911,321 1,001,036 FOREIGN COINS— BRITISH VALUE. Cent (America) £ 0 0 0i Crusade (Portugal) 0 2 4 Dollar (Spanish) 0 4 3 Ditto (American) ...... 0 4 2 Ducat (Flanders, Sweden, Austria, and Saxony) 093 Ditto (Denmark) 0 8 3 Florin (Prussia and Poland) .... 0 1 2 Ditto (Flanders) 0 16 Ditto (Germany, Austria) .... 0 2 0 Franc, or Livre (French) 0 0 9J Guilder (Dutch) 0 18 Ditto (German) ... ltf. Id. to 0 2 0 Louis, or Napoleon 0 16 0 Moidore (Portugal) 16* Pagoda (Asia) 0 8 Piastre (Arabian) 0 o Ditto (Spanish) 0 3 -- - • ~ ’ y) . . . . 0 16 0 15 0 15 Ireland 8,175,124 6,515,794 Scotland 2,628,957 2,87U,784 Total of Great Britain 18,664,719 20,936,468 Ditto (Italy) Ditto (Sicily) Ec (Portugal) 20th of 0 Mill-Re (Portugal) 0 Rial (eight to a Dollar) 0 Rix-I)ollar (German) 0 Ditto (Dutch, Hamburg, Denmark, and Sweden) 0 Rouble (Russian) 0 Rupee, silver (Asia) 0 Ditto, gold (Asia) 1 Sol, or Son (French) 0 NEW SCALE OF STAMP DUTIES. (17 and 18 Victoria, c. 83.) INLAND BILLS OR PROMISSORY NOTES. 4 3 3 3 1 10 8 9 0 0i ; exceeding . £5 . . £0 0 1 seeding £5 and not exceeding 10 .. 0 0 2 „ 10 25 . ,. 0 0 3 50 . .. 0 0 6 „ 50 75 . .. 0 0 9 100 .. 0 1 0 100 200 .. 0 2 0 „ 200 300 .. 0 3 0 „ 300 400 .. 0 4 0 „ 400 500 .. 0 5 0 „ 500 750 .. 0 7 6 „ 750 1000 .. 0 10 0 „ 1000 1500 .. 0 15 0 ., 1500 2000 .. 1 0 0 „ 2000 3000 .. 1 10 0 „ 3000 4000 .. 2 0 0 „ 4000 and upwards . . . FOREIGN BILLS. 5 0 Drawn in, hut Payable out of, the United King- dom: — If drawn singly, or otherwise than in a Set of Three or more, tire same duty as INLAND BILLS. If drawn iu Sets of Three or more, for every Bill Gregorian or Modern Calendar. Julian or Ancient Calendar. Golden Number .... 15 15 Epact IV. XV. Solar Cycle IS 18 Roman Iudiction .... 15 15 Dominical Letter .... D F Septuagesima Feb. 8 Feb. 3 Ash Wednesday .... „ 25 Easter Sunday April 12 April 7 Ascension Day [May 16 Whit Sunday „ 31 „ 26 First Sunday in Advent . . Nov. 29 Dec. 1 Julian Period — 6570 Set— eeding £25 . £0 0 1' \ £25 and not exceeds. 50 . 0 0 2 50 75 . 0 0 3 75 100 . 0 0 4 100 200 . 0 0 S 200 300 . 0 1 0 300 400 . 0 1 4 400 500 . 0 1 8 500 750 . 0 2 G 750 1000 . 0 3 4 1000 1500 . 0 5 0 1500 2000 . 0 6 2000 3000 . 0 10 0 3000 4000 . 0 13 4 4000 . 0 15 0 To be denoted by adhesive Stamps. Drawn out of, but Payable in, the United' Kingdom, the same Duty as INLAND BILLS. Drawn out of, and Payable out of, the United Kingdom, hut negotiated in the United Kingdom, the same Duty as on FOREIGN BILLS, Drawn in, and pay- able out of, the United Kingdom. RECEIPTS AND DRAFTS. Receipts and Drafts or Orders for payment of money amounting to £2 and upwards, must hear a stamp of One Penny, cither stamped on the paper or by an adhesive stamp affixed thereto. No ex- emptions except for Receipts given for sums de- posited iu any Bank. PENALTIES. — Adhesive Stamps to he Cancelled by writing the name of the Firm who first delivered them out of their hands, with the date of the day and year when Cancelled, under Penalty of £50-. Bills purporting to he Drawn in a Set, and the whole number of the Set not being delivered. Penalty £100 on persons delivering and receiving. APPRENTICES’ INDENTURES. Where no money given . . . Under £30 For £30 and under £50 . . 50 „ „ 100 . . 100 „ „ 200 . . 200 „ „ 300 . . 300 „ „ 400 . . 400 „ „ 500 25 THE NEW STAMP ACT. The duty on instruments of proxy is reduced to Gd., and includes the duty on powers of attorney to vote by proxy at any meeting in the United King- dom of the proprietors or shareholders of any joint- stock company, or other company, whose stock or funds are divided into shares or transferable. The Treasury is empowered to authorise the articles of clerkship to attorneys to be stamped on the terms set forth. Further, the act exempts from stamp duty the freedom of the City of London hv re- demption. £0 2 6 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 6 0 0 12 0 0 20 0 0 0 0 MARCH MOON’S CHANCES. d. h. m. I 3 4 30m. Last Quarter 10 4 17a. J New Moon . First Quarter Full Moon . Quadragesima. 1st Sunday in Lent . St Emperor Nicholas died, 1855. [David's S. Gessuer died, 1788. Dr. Arne, musician, died, 1778. Covent Garden Theatre burnt, 1856. Michael Angelo, artist, bora, 1474. Brit, and For. Bible Society cstab., 1804. Second Sunday in Lent. W. Roscoe born, 1753. Benjamin West, R.A., died, 1820. Sir H. Myddleton died, 1702. St. Gregory. Bishop Berkeley bora, 1684. Justice Talfourd died, 1854. ™ ’ egius. Fly fishing beg Third Sunday in Lent. Salvator Rosa, artist, died, 1673. St. Fatrick. Princess Louisa born, 1 848. Horne Tooke died, 1821. Spring commences. R. Southey, poet, died, 1840. Ath S/tnd. in Lent. Goethe, novelist and es- Weber, music., d., 1829. [sayist, d., 1832. J. Evelyn died, 1669. Annunciation. Lady -day. Dr. Parr died, 1825. Treaty of Amiens, 1802. Declaration of war with Russia, 1854. Fifth Sunday in Lent. Peace concluded at Paris, 1856. Bethoven, musician, ‘died, 1S27. THE ROYAL CRYSTAL PALACE ALMANACK.— 1857. TRANSFER DAYS. ASSESSED TAXES. HAIR POWDER. | Bank Stock. — Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Three per Cent. Reduced. — Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Three and Half per Cent. Reduced. — Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Three Per Cent. 1726.— Tuesday and Thursday. Three per Cent. Consols. — Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Three and Half per Cent. 1818. — Tuesday, Thurs- day, and Friday. Long Annuities. — Monday, Wednesday, and Satur- day. Three and Half per Cent. New. — Tuesday, Wednes- day, Thursday, and Friday. Four per Cent! 1826. — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Five per Cent. Annuities, New. — Tuesday, Wednes- day, and Friday. Annuities ending October, 1859. — Tuesday, Thurs- day, and Saturday; payable April 5 and October 10. Annuities ending Junuarg, i860. — Monday, Wed- nesday, and Friday ; payable January 5 and July 5. DIVIDENDS DDE. Bank. — Three per Cent. Reduced, and Three and Half per Cent. Reduced. — April 5 aud October 10. Three per Cent. 1726, and Three per Cent. Consols. — January 5 and July 5. Three and Half per Cent. 1818, and Long Annuities. — April 5 and October 10. Three and Half per Cent. New. — Jan. 5 and July 5. ; Four per Cent. 1826. — April 5 and October 10. Five per Cent. Annuities, New. —Jan. 5 aud July 5. Life Annuities. — If transferred between January 5 and April 4, or between July 5 and October 9, payable January 5 aud July 5. If transferred between April 5 and July 4, or between October 10 and January 4, payable on April 5 and Octo- ber 10. Hours for buying and selling, 10 to 1 ; and transferring, 11 to half-past 2; for accepting, 9 to 3 ; payment of Dividends, 9 to 3. TABLE TO CALCDLATE "WAGES. Per Month. Per Week. Per Day. £ £ 5. d. £ J. d. S. d. 1 0 1 8 0 0 u 0 0i 2 0 3 4 0 0 9j 0 n 3 0 5 0 0 1 it 0 2 4 0 G 8 0 1 04 0 2f 5 0 8 4 0 1 11 0 H 6 0 10 0 0 2 3 h 0 4 7 0 11 8 0 2 84 0 4i 8 0 13 4 0 3 u? 0 61 9 0 15 0 0 3 H 0 6 10 0 16 8 0 3 10 0 Gi 11 0 18 4 0 4 23 0 71 12 1 0 0 0 4 7.1 0 8 13 1 1 8 0 4 ns 0 84 14 1 3 4 0 5 4* 0 15 1 5 0 0 5 9 0 9f 16 1 G 8 0 6 1 h 0 104 17 1 8 4 0 6 6* 0 hi- 18 1 10 0 0 G 10i 0 11* 19 1 11 8 0 7 H 1 04 20 1 13 4 0 7 8 1 n 30 2 10 0 0 11 G 1 50 4 3 4 0 19 2 2 9 SO 6 13 4 1 10 81 4 n 100 8 6 8 1 18 44 5 The Column of Months in the above Table is calculated at the rate of twelve months to the year. If the yearly wages be guineas instead of pounds, for each guinea add one penny to each month, or one farthing to each week. LENGTH OF A MILE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. English contain 1760 yards. Russian 1100 „ Irish and Scotch 2200 ,, Italian 1467 „ Polish 4400 „ Spanish 5028 „ German 5866 „ Swedish and Danish 7233 „ Hungarian 8830 „ In France they measure by the league of 3666 yds. PROPERTY AND INCOME TAX. By the Act, the 16 and 17 Vic., c. 34, which took effect from the 5th of April, 1853, all incomes beginning at £100 a year, were to be taxed at 5 d. in the pound. For the first two years the tax would be on incomes of £150 — Id. in the pound ; for the next two years 0>d. in the pound ; and for the last three years 5 d. in the pound. The Act is to remaiu in force to the 6th of April, 1860. The Acts, the 17 and 18 Vic., c. 24, and the 18 and 19 Vic., c. 20, have raised the tax, from the 5th April, 1855, to Is. 4 d. in the pound, with a proportionate deduction as to the abatements allowed by the prior Act. The increased duty is to continue in force during the war, and until the 6th of April a year after the ratification of peace. Exemption op Premiums from Income Tax. — Under a recent Act of Parliament, the Premiums paid by a person for an Assurance on his own life { or on the life of his wife, or for a Deferred Annuity to his widow, are declared free from Income Tax, provided such premiums do not exceed one-sixth of j his returnable income. Exemption of Policies from the Succession Duty. — By the recent Act it is declared that no Policy of Insurance on the life of any person shall create the relation of Predecessor and Successor be- tween the Insurers and the Assured, or between the j Insurers and any Assignee of the Assured. CARRIAGES. For every carriage with four wheels, drawn by two or more horses or mules £3 10 0 Where drawn by one horse or mule only 2 0 0 For every carriage with four wheels, each being of less diameter than thirty inches, where drawn by two or more ponies or mules, neither of them ex- ceeding thirteen hands in height . . 115 0 "Where drawn by one pony or mule only 10 0 For every carriage with less than four wheels, where drawn by two or more horses or mules 2 0 0 "Where drawn by one horse or mule only 0 15 0 "Where drawn by one pony or mule only, not exceeding thirteen hands in height 0 10 0 And where any such carriage shall be kept and used solely for the purpose of being let for hire, one half of the above duties respectively. For every carriage used by any common carrier — where such carriage shall have foui 1 wheels 26S Where the same shall have less than four 16 8 Cabs and Omnibuses (as stage and hackney carriages) exempt. HORSES AND MULES. For every horse kept or used for racing .£317 0 For every other horse, and for every mule, excecdiug respectively the height of thirteen hands, kept for the purpose of riding, or drawing any carriage chargeable with duty 110 For every horse and mule exceeding the height of thirteen hands 0 10 6 For every pony or mule not exceeding the height of thirteen hands, kept for the purpose of riding or drawing any carriage chargeable with duty ... 0 10 6 And for every such pony or mule kept for any other purpose 0 5 3 Omnibus and Cab Proprietors exempt. STAGE CARRIAGES. (.Vs altered by tlic 18tli and 19lh Vic., c. 78. From 1st July, 1855.) Original yearly licence for £3 3 0 Supplementary licence for 0 1 0 Duty per mile 001 No compounding henceforward allowable. SERVANTS. Every man servant 18 years of age and upwards £0 10 Every such servant under 18 years of age 0 10 6 DOGS. For every dog of whatever description . £0 12 0 Dogs kept exclusively for the care of Sheep and Cattle are exempt. By every person using or wearing the same £ 1 3 6 ARMORIAL BEARINGS. When taxed £3 10.?. for any carriage . £2 12 9 When not so chargeable 0 13 2 HOUSES. All houses annual value of £20 and upwards 6//. in the pound if used for business, and 9 d. in the pound when not so employed. GAME. Certificates £3 14s. Gamekeepers £1 os. Dealers £3 13s. 6 d. ANNUAL COST OF LICENCES. LICENCES PAID TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND REVENUE. Appraisers £200 Bankers 30 0 0 Auctioneers 1000 Hawkers and Pedlars on foot ... 4 0 0 Ditto and for each horse, &c., used 4 0 0 Ditto in Ireland, on foot ... 2 2 0 Ditto for each horse used ... 2 2 0 Makers of Playing Cards, or Dice ..050 Medicine Vendors, London .... 2 0 0 Ditto any other corporate town . 0 10 0 Ditto elsewhere 0 5 0 Pawnbrokers, London 15 0 0 Ditto elsewhere 7 10 0 Brewers for sale by retail, not to be consumed on the premises . . . . 5 10 3 Brewers of Beer for sale who use sugar in brewing, an additional licence of . 1 0 0 Sellers of Beer only, not brewers . . 3 6 1 J Beer retailers (publicans) whose pre- mises are rated under £20 per annum (England and Ireland) 1 2 0J Ditto at £20, or upwards . . . 3 G If Retailers of Beer, Cider, and Perry, under 4 aud 5 Win. IV. c. 85, to be drunk on the premises (England only) 3 6 If Ditto not drunk on the premises .12 01 Retailers of Cider aud Perry only . . 1 2 04 Retailers of Beer, Cider, or Perry only in Scotland, whose premises are rated under £10 per annum 2 10 0 Ditto at £10 per an., or upwards. 4 4 0 Dealers in Coffee, Tea, Cocoa Nuts, Cho- colate, or Pepper 0 11 6£ Dealers in Tobacco and Snuff ... 0 5 3 Vinegar Makers 5 5 0 Retailers of Spirits whose premises are rated under £10 per annum (England and Ireland) 2 4 1 Ditto at £10 and under £20 . . 4 8 2[ Ditto at £20 aud under £25 . . G 12 34 Ditto at £25 and under £30 . . 7 14 4 Retailers of Spirits and Beer whose premises are rated under £10 per annum (Scotland) 4 4 0 Ditto at £10 and under £20 .. 5 5 0 Ditto at £20 and under £25 ..9 9 0 Ditto at £25 and under £30 . . 10 10 0 Retailers of Spirits in Ireland, licensed to sell Coffee, Tea, &c., whose pre- mises are rated under £25 per annum 9 18 5J Sweets, Retail (United Kingdom) . . 1 2 0j THE COINAGE. In 1855 there were coined 8,448,482 sove- reigns, 1,120,362 half-sovereigns, 831,017 florins, 1,368,499 shillings, 1,129,084 sixpences, 646,041 groats, 4158 fonrpenny- pieces, 387,838 three- penny-pieces, 4752 twopenny-pieces, and 7920 silver pence. The total value of the silver coined was £195,510, and the real cost or value of the metal £192,002. No crowns or half-crowns appear to have been coined since 1852. The copper coinage of 1855 included 5,273,856 pence, 7,455,837 half-pence, aud 3,440,640 farthings— representing a value of £>11,091, the purchase value of the copper having been £22,013. In 1855, 199,564,903 ounces weight of worn silver coin were purchased at a nominal value of £621,550, the Mint value (5s. Gd. per ounce) being £553,281, aud the loss by re- coinage £67,968. 7 APRIL. MOON’S CHANGES. d. h. m. 1 d. h. m. First Quarter . 1 1 34a. Last Quarter . 17 at noon. Full Moon .. 9 9 28m. | New Moon . 24 7 11m. 1 W All Fools-day. 2 Th Victory of Copenhagen, 1801. 3 F Cambridge Term (Lent) ends. 4 S Oxford Term (Lent) ends. 5 S Palm Sunday. 6 M Old Lady-day. 7 Tu Sir F. Chantrey, sculptor, died, 1781. S IV Fire Insurance due. 9 Th Maundy Thurs. J. Opie, It. A., d., 1807- 10 F Good Friday. 11 S Canning, statesman, born, 1770. 12 s Easter Sunday. ["1759. 13 M Easter Monday. Handel, musician, d., 14 Tu Easter Tuesday. Window-tax rep., 1851. 15 W Easter Term begins. 16 Tu Buffon, naturalist, died, 1 7SS. 17 F Abemethy, physician, died, 1831. 18 S Franklin, philosopher, died, 1790. 19 S Low Sunday. 20 M Cromwell dissolved Parliament, 1653. 21 Tu Bishop Heberborn, 1783. [ineor.1663. 22 W Oxf. & Camb. T. (Easter) beg. Royal Soc. 23 Th St. George. Shakspere bora, 1564. 24 F Defoe, novelist, died, 1731. 25 S St. Mark. Ramadan (Turkish Fast) com. 26 s Second Sunday after Easter. 27 M Sir W. Jones died, 1794. 28 Tu Mutiny of the Bounty, 1789. 29 W Lord Chancellor Cottenhara died, 1851. 30 Th L.Univer. found., 1827. Peace pro. 1856. MAY. MOON’S CHANCES. d. h. m. 1 d. h. tn. First Quarter . 1 0 17m. New Moon . 23 2 48a. Full Moon . . 9 2 11m. First Quarter . 30 1 12a. Last Quarter . 16 11 10a. | 1 F St. Philip. St. James. Renew, of Season 2 S British Mus. op. [Tickets at Crys. Pal. 3 S Third Sunday after Easier. 4 M Sir T. Lawrence, R.A., born, 1769. 5 Tu Napoleon Buonaparte d., 1821. [1667. 6 W St: John Evany. Bockhart, linguist, d., 7 Th Savings-banks introduced, 1815. 8 F Easter Term ends. 9 S Half-quarter. 10 s Fourth Sunday after Easter. 11 M Earl of Chatham, statesman, died, 1778. 12 Tu Dublin Indus. Exhibition opened, 1853. 13 W Old May-day. C. P. at Svd. com., 1852. 14 Th Grattan, orator, died, 1820. 15 F Paris Exhibition opened, 1855. 16 S Mrs. Hemans, poetess, died, 1835. 17 s Rogation Sunday. IS M Dr. Darwin, naturalist, died, 1S02. 19 Tu St. Dunstan. [1506. 20 W Christopher Columbus, navigator, died, 21 Th Ascension-day . Holy Thursday. 22 F Trinity Term begins. 23 S Linnmus, naturalist, born, 1707- 24 s Sand, after Ascension. Birth of Q. Viet. 25 M Kertch captured, 1855. 26 Tu Haydn, musician, died, 1809. 27 W Dr. Adam died, 1809. 28 Th Prussian Indus. Exhib. opened, 1852. 29 F Restoration of King Charles II. 30 S Oxford Term (Easter) ends. 31 s Pentecost. Whit Sunday. THE HOY AT. CRYSTAL PALACE ALMANACK.— 1857. T TF.Ti . MAJESTY’S CHIEF OFFICERS OF STATE. First Lord of the Treasury.. .Vise. Palmerston, K.G. Lord High Chancellor Lord Cranworth President of the Council .. . .Earl Granville Lord Privy Seal Earl of Harrowby Home Secretary Sir G.Grey,Bt.,G.C.B. Foreign Secretary Earl of Clarendon, K.G. Colonial Secretary Rt.Hon.H.Labouohere Secretary of War" Lord Panmure, K.T. Chancellor of the Exchequer. Sir G. C. Lewis, Bart. First Lord of the Admiralty .Sir C. Wood President of the Board of 1 Right Hon. R.Vemon- Control j Smith Postmaster-General The Duke of Argyll Pres, of the Board of Trade. .Ld. Stanley of Alderley Ch Snca B Ur f *! °! } Et - H »»- M. T. Baines Without Office M. of Lansdowne, K.G. The above form the Cabinet. Commander-in-Chief D. of Cambridge, K.G. First Com. of Public Works. .Sir B. Hall Pres, of the Poor Law Board . . Rt.Hon. E. P. Bouverie Attorney-General Sir A. J. E. Cockburn Solicitor-General Sir R. Bethell Lord-Lieut. of Ireland Earl of Carlisle, K.G. Master of the Mint { F ' Herschell, Master of the Horse Duke of Wellington Earl Marshal Duke of Norfolk. HOLIDAYS KEPT AT PUBLIC OEEICES. ENGLAND. At the Bank. — The only holidays in the Dividend Offices are Good Friday and Christmas Day ; in the Transfer Offices, besides the above, May 1, and November 1. East India House and Exchequer. — Good Friday and Christmas Day. Custom House and the Public Hock Companies . — Christmas Day and Good Friday, Prince of Wales’ Birthday, November 9, and Her Majesty’s Birthday, May 24. Excise and Stamp-Offices. — The Holidays arc the same as in the Customs, with the addition of Whit- Monday, Whit-Tuesday, and May 29. IRELAND. Banks, Stamp Office, and Custom House. — Good Friday, Christinas Day, and Queen’s Birthday. SCOTLAND. Banks. — New Year’s Day, King Charles I.’s Martyrdom, Queen’s Marriage, Good Friday, Queen’s Birthday, King Charles II. ’s Restoration, Queen’s Accession, Queen’s Coronation, Gunpowder Plot, Christmas Day. LEGAL, MUNICIPAL, AND ELEC- TORAL INEORMATION. Landlord and Tenant. — A yearly tenant must give notice of his intention to quit his premises half a year before the expiration of the current year of his tenancy, unless there be a special agreement to the contrary. Half-yearly and quarterly hires re- quire three months’ notice. Licences. — Pawnbrokers’ and appraisers’ annual licences are taken out on the 5th of July ; hawkers’ and pedlars’ ditto on the 1st of August ; and bankers and others issuing promissory notes, &c., on the 10th of October. Quarter Sessions. — The quarter sessions of the peace for every county, riding, or division, arc re- quired to be held in the first week after the 31st of March, the 21st of June, the 11th of October, and the 28th of December. Municipal Officers. — Borough or town coun- cillors are elected on the 1st of November; the mayor and aldermen on the 9th of the same month: assessors and auditors on the 1st of March; and poor law guardians on the 25th of March, or within 14 days. Overseers and surveyors of the roads are appointed on the latter day, or within 14 days after. Electoral Notice. — On the 20th of June overseers are required to publish notices to persons qualified to vote for counties to make their claims. Persons on the register need not repeat their claims unless they have changed their qualification or abode. LIST OE BANKERS IN LONDON. Agra and United Service Bank, 9, Old Jewry Chambers. Bank of England, Thrcadneedle-street. Bank of Australasia, Threadnecdlc-strcet. Bank of British North America, 7, St. Helcn’s- place, Bishopsgate W'ithin. Bank of London, Threadneedle-street ; Charing Cross Branch, 450, West Strand. Barclay and Co., 54, Lombard-street. Barnett, Hoares, anil Co., 62, Lombard-street. Biggerstaff, W. and J., 8, West Smithfield. Bosanquet and Co., 73, Lombard-street. Bouverie and Co., 11, Ilaymarket. British Colonial Bank and Loan Company, 80, Coleman-street. Brown, Janson, and Co., 32, Abchurch-lane. Brown, John, and Co., 25, Abchurch-lane. Call and Co., 25, Old Bond-street. Challis and Son, 37, West Smithfield. Child and Co., 1, Fleet-street, Temple Bar. City Bank, Threadneedle-street. Cocks, Biddulph, and Co., 43, Charing Cross. Colonial Bank, 13, Bishopsgate W’ithin. Commercial Bank of London, 6, Lothbury, and G, Hcnrietta-street, Covent Garden. Coutts and Co., 58 and 59, Strand. Cunliffe, Roger, 24, Bucklersbury. Cuuliffes, Brooks, and Co., 24, Lombard-street. Curries and Co., 29, Cornhill. Davies, Robert, and Co., 187, Shoreditch. De Lisle, Janvrin, and Co., 16, Dcvonshire-square. Dimsdale, Drewett, and Co., 50, Cornhill. Dixon and Co., 25, Chancery-lane. Drummond and Co., 49, Charing Cross. Feltham and Co., 42, Lombard-street. Fullers and Co., 66, Moorgatc-strcct. Glyn and Co., 67, Lombard-street. Goslings and Sharpe, ] 9, Fleet-street. Hanburys and Co., 60, Lombard-street. Hankcys and Co., 7, Fenckurch-stroet. Herrics aud Co., 16, St. James’s-street. Heywood, Kinnairds, and Co., 4, Lombavd-strect. Hill and Sons, 17, West Smithfield. Hoares aud Co., 37, Fleet-street. Hopkinson and Co., 3, Regent-street. Ionian Bank, 6, Great Winchester-street. Johnston, H. and J., 27, Cannon-street. Jones, Loyd, and Co., 43, Lothbury. Lacey and Son, 60, W’est Smithfield. London and County Joint Stock, 21, Lombard- street ; St. Gcorge’s-placc, Knightsbridge ; and Connaught -terrace. Edge ware-road . London Chartered Bank of Australia, 17, Cannon- street. London and Eastern Bank, Cannon-street, City. London Joint Stock, 5, Princes-strcet, Bank ; and 69, Pall Mall. London and Westminster, 41, Lothbury; 1, St. James’s-square ; 214, High Holborn ; 3, Wei- lington-street, Borough ; 87, Whitechapel, High- street ; and 4, Stratford-place, Oxford-street. Lubbuck and Co., 11, Mansion House-street. Martin, Stones, and Martin, 69, Lombard-street. Masterman and Co., 35, Nicolas-lane. National Bank of Ireland, 13. Old Broad-street. National Provincial Bank of England, 112, Bishops- gate-street. National Security Bank, 29, Great St. Helen’s. North Western Bank of India, 1, Gresham House, Broad-street. Oriental Bank, 7, Walbrook. Praeds and Co., 189, Fleet-street. Prescott and Co., 62, Threadneedle-street. Price and Co., 3, King William-street. Provincial Bank of Ireland, 42, Old Broad-street, Puget and Co., 12, St. Paul’s Churchyard. Ransom and Co., 1, Pall Mall East. Robarts, Curtis, and Co., 15, Lombard-street. Rogers, Olding, and Co., 29, Clement’s-lane. Sapte, Muspratt, Banbury, aud Co., 71, Lombard- street. Scott and Co., 1, Cavendish-square. Shank, John, 76, West Smithfield. Smith, Payne, and Co., 1, Lombard-street. South Australian Banking Company, 54, Old Broad-street. Spooner and Co., 27, Gracechurch-strect. Stevenson, Salt, and Sons, 20, Lombard-street. Stride, J. aud W. S., 41, West Smithfield. Tisdall aud Ward, 15, West Smithfield. Twinings, 215, Strand. Union Bank of Australia, 38, Old Broad-street. Union Bank of London, 2, Princess-street, Mansion House ; 4, Pall Mall East ; and Argyll-place. Unity Bank, Cannon-street, City ; and Coventry street, Leicester-square. Williams, Deacon, aud Co., 20, Birchin-lane. Willis, Percival, and Co., 76, Lombard-street. ABSTRACT OF LAWS RELATING TO CAB FARES. If proprietor or driver agree beforehand to take for any job any sum less than the proper fare, penalty for exacting or demanding more than the sum agreed on, 40$. Driver may demand a reason- able sum as a deposit from persons hiring and requiring him to wait, over and above the fare to which driver is entitled for driving thither. Driver refusing to wait is liable to a penalty of 40$. Hirer refusing to pay the fare, or for any damage, and compensation for loss of time, may be com- mitted to prison. By Distance, for Two Persons. — Sixpence per mile for every mile completed, and Sixpence addi- tional for any part of a mile not completed. One Shilling for every mile or part of a mile beyond four mile radius of Charing Cross. Sixpence for every quarter of an hour completed in waiting, at request of hirer. By Time, for Two Persons. — For any time within, and not exceeding one hour. Two Shillings. Sixpence for every quarter of an hour completed, or part of a quarter of an hour not completed, above one hour. N.B. When hired by time, the driver may be required to drive at any rate not exceeding four miles in one hour. When more than two persons are carried. Six- pence additional may be demanded, over aud above the sum of the whole hiring for two persons. Luggage. — A reasonable quantity of luggage is to be carried, in or upon the carriage, without addi- tional charge, excepting when two persons arc carried inside, with more luggage than can be carried inside, when a sum of twopence per package carried outside the carriage must be paid. RAILWAY TERMINI IN LONDON. . Euston Sq., New Road. • London Bridge. New London St., City. Paddingtou. Shoreditch. Waterloo Road. Shoreditch. King’s Cross. London & North Western . London & Croydon, Dover & Brighton, and Greenwich London and Blackwall Great Western . . Eastern Counties . . South Western . . Northern and Eastern Great Northern . . LONDON INNS at wiiicu omnibuses leave direct for the VARIOUS RAILWAY STATIONS. George and Blue Boar, Holborn. White Horse, Fetter Lane. 33, Regent Circus. Swan with Two Necks, Lad Lane. Spread Eagle, Regent Circus. Spread Eagle, Graccchurch Street. Cross Keys, Wood Street. Bolt-iu-Tun, Fleet Street. Green Man and Still, Oxford Street. Golden Cross, Charing Cross. THE NATIONAL DEBT. A parliamentary paper states the amount of the National Debt existing on the 31st of March, 1856, at £775,312,694, the annual interest payable being £23,267,361. The total reduction of interest ef- fected during the year by stock transferred and other means, was £37,236 ; the increase of interest, principally through the creation of loans, was £747,243. The "debt created was £21,555,416 (loans), £3,333,250 (Exchequer Bills), £19,468 (un- claimed stock, re-transferred) ; total, £24,908,134. The total of debt redeemed was £1,241,257- 11 JUNE. MOON’S CHANGES. d. h. m. 1 <1. h. m. Full Moon . 7 5 23a. New Moon . 21 10 3A. Last Quarter 15 7 10m. | First Quarter 29 4 20m. 1 M Whit Monday. Wilkie d., 1841. 2 Tu Whit Tuesday. EarlDucie d., 1 853. 3 W Oxf T. (Trin.) begins. r d., 1849. 4 Th Countess of Blessington, novelist, 5 F Weber, musician, d., 1826. 6 S Jeremy Bentham died, 1832. 7 s Trin. Sun. Mamelon taken, 1855. S M Loudon Bridge commenced, 1824. 9 Tu St. Anthony. 10 W Opening Crystal Pal., Syd., 1854. 11 Th Corpus Christi. St. Barnabas. 12 F Trinity Term ends. [1S43. 13 S Gt. anti-slavery convent, in Lond., 14 S First Sunday after Trinity. 15 M Sir R. Steele born, 1671- 16 Tu Duke of Marlborough died, 1772. 17 W J. Weslev born, 1703. IS Th Attack on Sebastopol, 1855. 19 F Sir J. Banks died, 1820. 20 S Accession of Q. Victoria, 1837. 21 s 2nd Sunday aft. Trin. Sum. com. 22 M Haydon, artist, died, 1846. 23 Tu Hampden died, 1643. 24 W St. John Baptist. Midsum. -day. 25 Th Battle of Bannockburn, 1314. 26 F G. Morland born, 1763. 27 S Dr. Dodd executed, 1777- 28 s 3rd Sun. aft. Trin. Coron., 1838. 29 M St. Peter. 30 Tu W. Roscoe died, 1831. THE KOYAL CRYSTAL PALACE ALMANACK.— 1857 POST-OFFICE REGULATIONS. RATES OF POSTAGE. — Inland. — Letters under \ oz., Id. ; under 1 oz., 2d. ; and so on, 2d. for every ounce or part of an ounce. Stamped newspapers free ; in folding them, the stamp must appear outside : unstamped, Id. under 4 ozs. Foreign. — Letters to America, Is. under £ oz.; ! Australia, 6 d. ; California, 1.5. 2\d. ; Canada, 6 d. ; S Cape of Good Hope, 8d. ; France, id. under | oz. ; Hong Kong, 6 d. under 4 oz. ; Jamaica, 6 d.; Mau- j ritius and Natal, 8d. ; New Zealand, Gd. ; New | Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, ' and Van Diemen’s Laud, Gd. ; West Indies (British), | Gd. Newspapers (stamped or unstamped) to most foreign parts, Id. ; but must be posted within sevcu ' days of date of publication. Letters to France must be prepaid. Printed Books and Magazines. — Under 4 ] ozs., 1 d. ; 8 ozs., 2d. ; and so on, 2d. for every i lb., or any less weight. — No Manuscript can be I sent by this post under 4r/. ; but if the postage { amount to that sum, the packet may contain any number of books, prints, maps, vellum, manuscript, I &c., together. Printed books, & c., may be transmitted to the British colonies and possessions — under £ lb., Gd. ; under 1 lb., Is. ; aud so on, 1$. for every pound or fraction thereof. East Indies, Ceylon, Mauritius, Hong Kong (vid Southampton), 8c/. under l lb. ; not above 1 lb., 1$. ; and so on. No book packet exceeding 3 lbs. in weight can be sent to the East Indies or New South Wales; nor can any book packet be forwarded through a foreign country, except at a letter rate of postage. The postage must be pre-paid in stamps. Each packet may be sent without a cover, or in a cover open at the ends or sides. No packet must exceed two feet in length, width, or depth. It must not contain any letter or sealed inclosure whatever. Registered Letters. — It is unsafe to send money or anything of value in letters without being registered, the fee for which is 6c/. iu stamps in ad- dition to the postage. These letters must be posted half an hour earlier than ordinary letters. Money Orders are issued and paid in London aud Edinburgh between 10 a.m. and 4 P.M., aud in other places between 9 a.m. aud 6 p.m. Charge 3 d. for any sum not above £2., and Gd. for not more than £5. THINGS WORTH KNOWING. Registration of Births. — An infant must be registered within six weeks after its birth, by a parent, or some other person duly authorised, giving personal notice to the registrar of their district. No fee is payable. Registration of Deaths. — Notice should be given of deaths in the same manner as births. Let this be done early, as the undertaker must have a certificate to give the minister who performs the funeral service. As the cause of death is to be entered, care and discretion should be exercised in ascertaining the real nature of deceased’s death. County Courts. — The Courts have jurisdiction for the recovery of debts, legacies, distributive shares of intestate’s effects, and balances of partnership accounts. And in cases of breach of contract, taking or detaining goods, assault, trespass, and all other personal actions (excepting libel, slander, seduction, breach of promise of marriage, ejectment, and cases involving questions of title), to the amount of £50 ; for the recovery of tenements, held over by tenants after the end of their term or notice to quit, to the amount of £50 ; aud in actions of replevin for goods distrained, to any amount. Applications for summonses must be made fourteen days before every Court-day, at the office of the clerk. British Museum. — The public are admitted on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, between the hours of ten and four, from November to February ; between ten and five during the months of Sep- tember, October, March, and April ; and between ten and six from May to August. The Reading-room is open every day to persons holding tickets of admission, an hour earlier, but closes at the same times. — The Museum is closed between the 1st and 7th January, the 1st and 7th May, and the 1st and 7th September, and on Ash Wednesday, Good Fri- day, and Christmas Day. NOVELTIES. For the benefit of those who, gathered round the blazing hearth, come to hear about such matters as new inventions, we have culled a few novelties out of the great English garden of design. To the attention of ladies we beg to offer the first article in our brief list. Chappuis’ “L’Indispensable,” Standard Mir- ror — an essential of the dressing-room. It con- sists of a round mirror, about twelve inches diameter, attached to a brass rod, which, iu its turn, works in a brass tube, and this tube can be attached, by a very simple contrivance, to the hack of an ordinary chair. The glass itself can consequently be elevated or depressed by the slightest touch to a proper height. By means of “ L’Indispensable” a lady can, therefore, accomplish the feat of seeing the back of her own head — for with this new toilet glass placed exactly in front of a larger mirror, both face and neck, the clustering ringlets in front, and the rich, thick knot behind, are reflected and presented for her consideration at one and the same time. Combs can be becomingly fixed, pins properly adjusted, &c. This novelty is also invaluable to those who indulge in the somewhat lazy habit of reading in bed, as it will reflect the light pleasantly upon the page, aud remove many desayremens which formerly detracted from the comfort of “ luxurious study.” The same industriel has also patented some very excellent Daylight Reflectors — a most effectual substitute, in the darkest room, for gas or any other artificial light, during the day-time. Now light is a blessing almost unknown in many a City lauc aud busy couuting-house — other light, at least, than a dim grey, or else supplied by gas-lamps, which last try the eyes, injure the health, and pain the head — but by these reflectors the darkest places may be rendered cheerful, hi. Chappuis has further directed his attention to shades, or reflectors, for gas or oil- lamps, and exhibits both judgment and taste in the choice of form and colour, so as to mellow the light without deadening it. Who among our readers has not shivered over a black, unpromising heap of coals, that looked as though they never could or would become bright ? who has not prayed for a fire that would burn instead of smoke, warm in lieu of suffocate? Mr. Young’s Patent Smokeless Stove accomplishes this desi- deratum and another besides — it renders firing cheap as well as pleasant, economises time and money, lessens servant’s trouble, and spares the tempers of their masters or mistresses — for, as the coals burn away, by a very simple contrivance fresh ones can be brought forward from a reservoir at the back ; and as the smoke from the black, or fresh coals, passes through the bright portion of the fire, all is consumed, and burns cheerfully on the surface. For cheapness, cleanliness, and cheerfulness, Mr. Young’s stove stands high in our estimation. Ball’s Revolving Oven, for baking bread, pastry. See., is certainly a most desirable addition to our “ household treasures.” Suspended before a common fire by a bottle-jack, or cveu common skein of worsted, and constantly revolving, the dough cannot burn, and the bread is baked very evenly, and is more wholesome than when baked in an ordinary oven. We have seen four-pound loaves baked by this method, and found them admirable : the ovens are cheap, aud to the poor, where only a small fire can be kept in, perhaps, the only sitting-room, they will be invaluable, as no part of the heat is lost. A small fire answers the purpose ; and last, though not least, it does not prevent the occupants of the room from enjoying the warmth and cheerfulness of the blaze. Gay’s Registered Tooth-brush Guard is a very neat contrivance for keeping the brush clean, and for travellers is particularly convenient. It consists of an anti-corrosive case, which encloses the brush, and prevents its .coming in contact with any other article in the carpet-bag. It is also very cheap. Siiaw’s Decanterer. — By a very simple con- trivance the difficulty of cork-drawing is altogether avoided by this invention, and the contents of a bottle may be poured out in whole or in part without disturbing the sediment, or crust. It con- sists of a stand to which any bottle may be easily attached, and which can be raised or lowered at pleasure, or left at any elevation — thus preventing all necessity of disturbing the sediment, as must be the case if the bottle had to be raised up and down in the operation of decanting, or drawing off into wine or other glasses. Sanders and Woolcott’s Marine and Fresh Water Aquarium. — Although these articles cannot be considered now as “ novelties,” still they are so elegant iu their construction, and form so pleasing an addition to iudoor pursuits aud amusements, that for the sake of the young we could wish to see one iu every drawing-room iu the kingdom. The study of Marine Animals has now become such an almost universal practice during leisure hours, that an ela- borate description of one of these tanks would be simply superfluous. The flowers and inmates of the deep there bloom and flourish together. Mr. Gosse and Mr. Warrington have — all thanks to them for it — rendered this “ new pleasure ” as Mrs. S. C. Hall has aptly christened the same — “fashionable;” aud now iu our dreary London houses, shut out from all other communion with nature, and the wondrous forms she assumes, the young and the old can find a source of living amusement, of instruc- tion, recreation, and improvement, in a glass aqua- rium, with its myriads of restless inhabitants, ocean leaves and plants, zoophytes aud sea-daisies. The engraving we have given represents one of the many forms manufactured by Messrs. Sanders and Wool- cott. But the tank best adapted for marine pur- poses is that known as the “ Warrington Tank,” which is also manufactured by Sanders aud Wool- cott. A more elegant piece of furniture than some of these aquaria can scarcely be conceived; and as they may be procured of all sizes, from pints to gallons, and of all varieties, square, round, like miniature fountains and gigantic vases, we think the use of them will be extended even were, it only for their ornamental appearance. We are glad to sec Mr. Gosse has already published — for the use of beginners — a handbook to Marine Zoology, treating more particularly of tanks, and the management of their contents. Minter’s One-Wheel Chaise. — This vehicle is extremely narrow, aud consists of one large wheel placed immediately under the seat, which latter somewhat resembles the driving box of an Irish outside car. The appearance of the carriage is light and singular to an unusual degree, and we could imagine it creating quite a furore if seen whirling down Piccadilly. It only occupies about one third of the space of an ordinary chaise, aud is not one quarter of the weight ; besides which, the driver, being raised so much above the horse, has of course immense control over the animal. We must not omit to mention in our brief notice of novelties — Dr. Ahnott’s very ingenious and suc- cessful plan for the consumption of smoke in the stoves manufactured by Messrs. Edwards & Son, into whose hands Dr. Arnott’s Patent has now fallen ; not only is the smoke consumed, but the fire is free from dust, cheerful, and economical ; Mr. Manktelow’s Pianofortes for the million — really very respectable articles for £15 ; Messrs. Bowron & Co.’s Glass Tiles, which, for farm- buildings, workshops, &c., are invaluable; and last, though not least, Mr. Westbrook’s very ingenious Safety Window-Cleaning Apparatus, which is calculated not only to increase comfort, but save life — for how many persons are annually killed or disabled by falls from window-sills ; and we name this most desirable novelty under a conviction that its existence only requires to be known in order that it may be extensively appreciated. ill' l: !i i T i • JULY. MOON’S CHANCES. _ ,, „ d. b. ,n - 1 d. h. m. Full Moon .. 7 6 44m. New Moon . 21 6 12m. Last Quarter . 14 0 66a. | First Quarter . 28 9 14,\. 1 W Battle of the Boyne, 1 690. 2 Th Sir R. Peel, statesman, died, 1850. 3 F Dog days commence. 4 S American Independence, 1776. 5 S Fourth Sunday after Trinity. 6 M Old Midsummer-day. 7 Tu Jacquard, mechanic, horn, 1752. 8 W Fire Insurance due. 9 Tji Triumphal entry of the Guards, 1856. 10 F Cambridge Term (Eas(er) ends. 11 S Oxford Term (Trinity) ends. 12 s Fifth Sunday after Trinity. 13 M W. Penn died, 1718. 14 Tu New York Exhibition opened, 1853. 15 W St. S mi thin. 16 Th Sir Joshua Reynolds, R.A., born, 1723. 17 F Dr. Isaac Watts born, 1674. 18 S Dr. Adam Smith died, 1790. 19 S Sixth Sunday after Trinity. 20 M Margaret. 21 Tu Robert Burns, poet, died, 1796. 22 W Magdalene. 23 Th First English Newspaper published, 1588. 24 F Commencement of Insurance, 1696. 25 S St. James. R. Hyacinth, painter, b., 1659. 26 s Seventh Sunday after Trinity. 27 M J. Burnett, painter, died, 1816. 28 Tu Cowley, poet, died, 1667. 29 W W. Wilberforce, philanthropist, d., 1833. 30 Tn Archdeacon Palcy born, 1743. *31 F R. Savage, poet, died, 1743. 2 \ ; i 15 AUGUST. MOON’S CHANGES. Full Moon ..56 28a. Last Quarter . 12 5 41a. New Moon . 19 4 26a. First Quarter . 27 3 5a. Lammas-day . Eighth Sunday after Trinity. Sir R. Arkwright, mechanic, died, 1792. Shelley, poet, born, 1792. First Col. of C. P. Syd. erected, 1852. Daniel O’Connell born, 1775- J. Bacon, R.A., died, 1799. G. Canning, statesman, died, 1827. 9/// Sun. aft. Trin. Sweaborg bom., 1855. Dog Days end. Half-quarter. Grouse shooting begins. Old Lammas-day. First book printed by Faust, 1457. Surrender of Bomarsund, 1854. 10M Sun. aft. Trin. Battle of Tchernaya, J. Barry, painter, born, 1741. [1855. Shakspere d.,161G. Q. Vic. visited Paris, Sir M. A. Shec, painter, died, 1850. Bloomfield, poet, died, 1823. Count Rumford died, 1814. The year 1274: (Mohammedan era) com. Eleventh Sunday after Trinity. St. Bartholomew. D. Hume, historian, died, 1776. Prince Albert born, 1819. Thomson, poet, died, 1748. St. Augustin. Locke born, 1G32. Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. J. Bun) an died, 1688. THE CRYSTAL PALACE: ITS RISE, PROGRESS, AND PROSPECTS, 5 I ME — the only traveller who never halts nor ' wearies — having steadily pursued his march for , *-o more than two years since the Crystal Palace h ' vas first thrown open to the public, we arc enabled to cast back our eyes along the road thus plainly tracked out for us; to remember what the “ Svden- PXL^) s? ham show” was then; to note into what it has since . expanded; and to hazard au opinion as to what it may eventually become. C/i First in order comes the retrospect : let us, there- fore, take a long sweep with the mental telelcope, and fix our glance on a period anterior to the Great Exhi- bition year of Fifty-one. Away on the verge of the half-century epoch, almost beyond the focus of our imaginary glass, we detect a wavering light, so shrouded by the mists of the past, so smothered by the events of the future, that it is with difficulty we can trace by slow degrees the shape, and form, and nature of the thing which, at length, we recognise and call — an idea! For, unlike other prodigies", the “ world’s fair” did not spring to life in a day — perhaps that fact explains the reason why it is destined to last for scores of years, and to be remembered for centuries. The first conception does not dazzle our eyes, as we turn them in the direction of the past, with the blaze and brilliancy of a momentary meteor. Ah ! no ; its light comes flickering feebly across the waste of years, bidding us return thither and see how very small a seed was yet large enough to con" tain the germ of a giant oak ; how apparently insignificant a spark sufficed to kindle au undying flame. As many a genius has struggled into existence, unnoticed and updreamed of, so the great scheme of the Crystal Palace remained unrecognised as a wonder, even by its parents, until it had arrived almost at maturity ; aud so difficult is it to pursue the tortuous path of thought back from hill to vallev, from effect to cause, from fulfilment to idea, that, losing ourselves in labyrinthine conjectures, we find it impossible to obtain a clear sight of the embryo — useless even to speculate concerning the sort of match which, igniting the long train of subsequent events, reared the glass house of Fifty-one in Ilyde Park", and planted a second and finer temple on the top of Sydenham Hill. "Whether the Crystal Palace were a necessity of the age which gave it birth — whether it ought to be considered as certain a consequence of the civilisation of the nineteenth century as the peal of thunder is of the lightning’s flash — or whether it may be regarded solely as the work of men’s brains, aud not as au inevitable consequence of the times, is beyond our ken. Whether the first spot where it assumed form in the mind of its august founder were Osborne, London, Balmoral, or, as some assert, the linen hall of a thriving manufacturing town in Ulster, it would be sheer waste of time now to pause aud inquire : only it is curious to consider that the crystal erection of Fifty-one was once a very imperfect thought — that the growth of so fairy-like au edifice was tedious and gradual — that it was not a brilliant and evanescent idea, shot up by chance out of an imagination overflowing with exuberant fancies ; but the fruition of long and earnest reflection — the work of men who brought judgment, experience, aud talent to bear upon the matter in hand ; who patiently and pcrseveringlv added thought to thought, and substituted plan for plan ; who gathered fresh materials as they went along, and extended the original design, little by little, until at length a hall of twenty-six acres was prepared for the exhibition of the products of all nations. Yes, it is curious to cast back our eyes through years to that faint light on the horizon when the Crystal Palace was a thing undreamed of— the project of an Universal Exhibition a novelty just broached, — which some regarded as a chimera, and others as au innovation, but which none anticipated would ever expand into a National Institution. We can just remember the birth of that idea: we recollect how its speedy death was prophesied, how the necessity for its existence was questioned, how its sphere of usefulness was limited, how little its subsequent greatness was anticipated; we have a memory of the tender nursing it required during the first stages of its career, of how difficult a plant it was to rear. So far ail was doubt and hope, fear and expectation, in the minds of its projectors — incre- dulity, indifference, apathy, on the part of the general public; but suddenly a new epoch dawned, a stronger blaze was flung on the formerly indistinct page, and, half dazzled and whole confounded, we read successively of acres of floor- ing aud miles of glazing; of how the greenhouses of Chatsworth had furnished the idea of a gigantic palace, fitted to be the home of that which had now changed from a vague, half-formed thought into a definite and stupendous plan. Then we heard how every pane was moulded to fit any portion of the building — how eveiy girder, beam, arch, and pillar, was the facsimile of another ; we saw a larger edifice than any ever previously erected in England, created with unprecedented simplicity, and astonishing rapidity, out of three ordinary materials. Light, air, space, safety, and beauty, were combined in a structure which covered the green sward of one of London’s parks with a gigantic glass roof, in something less than twelve months from the date of its com- mencement. The little taper of the past seems extinguished iu the glare of that mighty sun ; wherefore, laying aside our quasi-telescope, we stand and gaze once more with our naked sight on the World’s Show, the great event — the one solitary event, in fact, of the year 1851. We see a paradise of fairy loveliness, we inhale the perfumes of a thousand flowers, and contemplate the wonders of tropical plants. Fountains are plash- ing on every side — music is pealing from solemn organs ; the riches of the earth seem piled around; plumes from the South-Sea Islands, and diamonds dug out of Eastern mines ; treasures from Peru, and pearls from the beds of far distant oceans ; jewels that had sparkled on the necks of empresses, and robes fit for the habiliments of kings. The iudustry of all nations is repre- sented by some specimen, small or great, of their products. The light canoe, fashioned in primeval forest by the Red Man of the West, finds its place in the collection, as well as the calico woven by improved machinery iu busy, bustling, dirty, energetic Manchester. Vases from Sevres, necklaces from Africa, man- tillas from Spain, statuary from Italy, relies from Pompeii, and tapestry from France; costly Brussels lace, the rarest of foreign time-pieces, the most delicate Swiss carvings, the thickest of Irish tabiucts, the most brilliant of lligliland plaids: the invention of the entire globe seems to have set itself to work in order to furnish out this place, for which a Queen stayds sponsor, and in which an Archbishop pronounces the opening prayer. The turban and the fez meet amicably on this neutral ground at last : sturdy Britons and dark-faced Italians ; American slave-owners and emancipated negroes; Eastern princesses and vacant-eyed Chinese; the Russian from his snows, and the Pole in his exile ; Norwegians from their fiords, and Switzers from their hills, — there is scarcely a country under heaven but has its represen- tative here : where the proud Spaniard, fresh from olive cheeks and swaying forms, and fans and masks, and coquetry and duennas, gazes with astonish- ment on the fair faces of England’s daughters ; whilst the .Mussulman forgets, in admiration of their beauty, to sigh for the dark eyes that look mournfully out from grated windows over the perfumed gardens of the glowing East. Lord and ladies, labourers and their wives — the finest of porcelain, and the roughest and rudest of potter’s clay — the Queen of the land, aud the humblest of her subjects, — what anomalies shall we not encounter in this strange assem- blage, when there is scarce a grade of society, a form of talent, a variety of character, a shade of belief, a perversion of intellect, but has passed through that turnstile, and been duly “ numbered off ! ” The pale-faced artisan carries his deformed child down the aisles, surveying the wonders heaped on every side, with, perhaps, more pleasure than the peer’s son who follows him ; family groups come straggling along after the lonelv “citizen - of the world,” who has no household joys or domestic cares — who calls an hotel home, aud acquaintances friends. Fathers, husbands, mothers, sisters, daughters ; the newly-wedded, aud the recently divorced ; the engaged pair, and the crape-veiled widow ; young and old, the happy and the wretched, the grey-haired man, and the sunny-cheeked child ; the dandy who has just succeeded to a fortune, and the governess who had to become one, years ago, because of the loss of hers : here they all come — the stricken and the triumphant, the swindler and his victim, the good and the bad, the high and the low. AVc will stand aside aud let the human tide flow past — for of the secrets it bears with it along the aisles, through the Courts, up the staircases, we have no knowledge: the treasures of the place we may survey with the rest, but on the light or the darkness that all these men and women bear with them wheresoever they go, we may never look ; of the memories of their hearts, the purposes of their minds, the aspirations of their souls, the stories of their lives, we know no more — we shall never know more — than the inanimate statue against which we lean. Yet various as may be the tastes which have to be catered for, all go away- satisfied from here— the man of Art and the man of Science; the practical aud the theoretical ; he who strolled hither for pleasure, and he who plodded his way from remote regions in the hope of profit or instruction. There are toys for little boys and girls, and baubles for children of a larger growth ; there are relies for the archeologist, vessels for the sailor, weapons for the soldier, flies and tackle for the angler, rifles, percussion -caps and powder-horns for the sportsman ; there are Indian shawls, and gossamer laces lor fashionable ladies, instruments for the musical, .and machines for the inventive. For lovers of the minute there is the Lord’s Prayer which it cost a man thirty years of sight to put into that little space; for foreign ciiriosity- hunters, Indian vases and Chinese knick-knacks ; piles of velvets and cases of gold and silver ; old Irish crosses, and the products of northern looms ; all new designs, and every fresh model ; the last patented churn, and the most luxurious arm-chair. There are courts and departments for everything, and everything (the pictures perhaps ex- cepted) is the best that can be procured. Skilled labourers have wrought such miracles with irou aud brass, and silver and gold, that they stand amazed at the work of their own hands ; whilst the Art-treasures form a collection which has rarely if ever been surpassed. And so, because of these things, — because merchants find the thing pay, and philanthropists see hope iu it for the future, and each man can mount his favourite hobby, and all eyes arc rivetted on some object which has proved attractive unto them — because it is in brief a "World’s Fair, on every stall of which is exhibited different articles for different individuals to be taken with, the place proves a gigantic success. Thou- sands daily pour through the turnstile, whose place, twenly-four hours after, knowing them not, is tilled by thousands who ebb in like manner, and are missed no more than they. Exhibitors and visitors arc alike satisfied ; projec- tors breathe freely at last"; there is a furore for a few months — a rush, and hurry, and almost turmoil ; then the Queen closes the building she opened but half a year before, and the Archbishop pronounces his final prayer ; the organs peal out their loud strains for the last time in that place; the fountains murmur a parting word of something very like sorrow iu the ears of the departing throng; the last guest’s lingering footsteps arc heard no more, the doors arc shut, and the turnstiles remain thenceforth motionless ; the looms are silenced, and the statues displaced, and the goods removed, and the flowers transplanted; the cold sky of an English winter looks in through the glass roof on empty aisles and dismantled courts, on staircases that never echo under a human tread, and galleries across which spiders have spun their webs. To all intents and purposes the Exhibition is dead aud gone — passed like a dream away from the heart of that London park. That winter a question arose throughout England whether the temple were ' " im 17 MOON’S CHANGES. Full Moon .. 4 5 7m. Last Quarter . 10 10 50A. New Moon ..185 33m. First Quarter . 20 8 50m. Partridge shooting commences. Fire of London, 1G66. Oliver Cromwell died, 1658. General Haynan assaulted at Barclay’s Old Bartholomew. [Brewery, 1850. Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. Hannah Moore died, 1833, Pall of Sebastopol, 1853. .T. S. Copley, It. A., died, 1851 Mungo Park, traveller, died, 1771. Thomson, poet, born, 1700. Sir AV. Dngdale born, 1G05. 14/// Sunday after Trin. [Crimea, 1854. D. Wellington d., 1852. Allies landed in Gold first received from California, 1849. Rev. J. Poster, essayist, born, 1770. Dr. S. Johnson born, 1709. W. Hazlitt, essayist, died, 1S30. The year 5G18, Jewish era, commences. Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. St. Matthew. New Post Office opened, 1829. Autumn commences. Butler, poet, died, 1680. Professor Porsou died, 1808. St. Cyprian. Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. Finden, engraver, died, 1852. St. Michael . Michaelmas-day. Marshal St. Arnaud died, 1854. TIIE ROYAL CRYSTAL PALACE ALMANACK.- 1857. to be sold, and the great conception of an Universal Industrial Exhibition to remain for evermore without a home. “Take it down !” cried some; “leave not a vestige to be hereafter pointed at. Let that which was an eighth wonder of the world be remembered solely as such ; as the building was fairy-like, so let it be transitory — a thing of beauty to be thought of with joy for ever, upon which neither time, nor chance, nor change, will hereafter have power to lay a defacing finger.” "Keep it as a monument,” others proposed, “of the great work which we have doue, a type of England’s power and wealth. Make it a giant winter- garden, a concert-room — ” “ Make it worthy of itself,” broke in the deep voice of England’s common sense. “ Take back the spirit you have cast out of it ; bring the plan of which it was a portion to still greater perfection. Found a ‘ People’s Palace,’ for the people’s good ; fill it, as formerly, with the products and treasures of all nations, but especially of our own. Give to an industrial country an Industrial Exhi- bition, where Englishmen may repair (o sec what Englishmen can do. We arc a commercial people, who want to extend our trade ; and we have also a love of Art, which we would gratify were it possible. Let us have an opportunity of doing both. Make us a Temple of Art, aud a Palace of Industry — a place of recreation and of mental improvement. Give to the new edifice all the old one wanted — stability , arid of its permanent success there can be no question.” The great minds of England hearkened to the voice, and, spite of adverse counsel and serious obstacles, it was determined to perpetuate not merely the building, but also the institution — to rear a palace for the reception of goods, for the exhibition of Art, for the amusement, instruction, and profit of every rank in the community. At this period there lay, ten miles south-east of Lon- don, a large tract of country, thinly peopled, with few houses of any kind, and fewer still of much importance — a place of little note, seldom talked about, yet withal possessed of some rural beauty. On this spot the eyes of the com- missioners settled as they swept them round London in search of a suitable site for the projected undertaking. Imagination pictured a suburban paradise, to which the weary and the world-tired might come forth from the heart of nevcr-tranquil London ; and leaving behind them core, and toil, and trouble, find, amidst gushing waters and perfumed plants — for one day, at least — the rest their overtasked brains and tired bodies had so long coveted. What imagination could conceive, enterprise could execute, and accordingly the Hyde Park erection was taken down, solely that it might be reconstructed on the top of Sydenham Hill ; that its proportions might be doubled, its sphere of usefulness extended, its purpose enlarged, its mission rendered permanent. Money, energy, iullucnce, talent, are, temporally speaking, we know, omni- potent; and the foundations of the Crystal Palace being laid on these sm - e stones, the building rose rapidly to completion, and iu the spring of the year 1854 it was thrown open for the second time to the general public. It was then thought by some that the original plan had been too closely copied ; that experience had not performed its usual part of teacher to the architects; that they had been too well satisfied with the first almost unpre- meditated design, and not improved thereupon to the extent which might have been expected. So far, indeed, as the edifice itself went, with the exception of PORTION OF FACADE OF TIIE double space, and quadruple steps, it was the facsimile of its predecessor ; and cavillers affirmed the thing might have been better done for less money, and expressed their opinions audibly. The tremendous success of the past had induced many to expect impossibilities for the future. Men forgot how diflicult a thing it is to perform a miracle twice, and only considered how easy it was for them to criticise what they could never hope to emulate. Perhaps in some respects the grumblers had the best of the argument ; perhaps the site, though so desirable in many ways, aud presenting so ample a field for landscape and ornamental gardening, was not the best which might have been selected; perhaps the eye had for once beguiled the sense, and the plaudits of the multitude for the thousandth time made men slacken in their efforts after the unattainable — perfection ; perhaps the new design had been carried out too hastily, aud that in their praiseworthy desire to strike whilst the iron was hot, the directors omitted to bestow sufficient attention on the species of weapon which they fashioned : nevertheless, when all the fault which could be fouud was found, the Crystal Palace still remained a glorious temple — fit habitation for the undying idea which came to take up its abode in the old though altered home. Not to receive at first the welcome that might have been confidently anticipated — for Art had usurped its tlironc; and so, after wandering through lines of statues and gardens of flowers, past Indian figures and savage tribes, amongst Mediicval Courts, and Eyptian monsters, without finding a spot whereon its feet might rest, the spirit of Improvement and soul of Industry took up its habitation in such corners as were appropriated to the very commonest purposes of trade, determining to EGYPTIAN COURT, SYDENHAM, abide there until brighter days dawned— till Art were proved a better subject than ruler — till the public, growing weary of mere beauty, should demand the recall of their old monarch, the originator of their national prosperity. “ I will wait,” murmm'cd the spirit, “for better days,” Nor were those days long of arriving. Once their outward bodily senses were gratified, the minds of men called aloud for nutriment, wholesome and strengthening. The people wanted something beyond a memory of loveliness to carry back to their city homes— and so, at last, coming begging and praying to the directors for mental food, they achieved their point, and the reformation was set about forthwith. Then the spirit of old came gladly rushing from the galleries and back passages, to take possession of newly litted-up courts which were assigned unto its use ; then Science commenced boldly and successfully disputing the pretensions of Art, and asserting its own claims to greater consideration ; then machinery was set in motion, implements displayed, designs exhibited, the newest models collected, Courts were filled as if by magic, the clatter of wheels and noise of steam-engines resouuded through the Palace. Industrial expositions were planned, popular explanations given — a new life was infused into the whole constitution of the building ; and if the genius of Hyde Park bo not yet actually acknowledged as monarch of Sydenham, it is at least ;u the fair way of: being reinstated in the position it originally occupied, before Art was assigned any place in the great glass house, ere the original design embraced a wider field of action than that indicated by the phrase “ Industrial Exhibition.” So the Crystal Palace stands at present — nominally ruled by one power, actually [Continued on page 23, 19 OCTOBER. MOON’S CHANGES. d. h. m. I , 3 3 9 a . New Moon . , 10 5 63m. | First Quarter Full Moon . Last Quarter Pheasant shooting begins. Dr. Channing died, 1S42. Archbishop Tillotson born, 1730. 1 7 th Sunday after Trinity. Turkey d. Avar ng. II. Howard, It. A., died, i847. [Russia, 1853. Louis Philippe horn, 1773. J. G. Zimmerman, physician, died, 1795. Erskine died, 1817. Cervantes horn, 1547. Oxford and Cambridge Terms (Mich.) begin. 18//i Sunday after Trinity Old Mich. -day. Fire Insurance ends. Canova, sculptor, died, 1822. William Penn, quaker, born, 1644. Virgil, poet, died, li.c. 70. Houses of Parliament burnt, 1834. E. Fry, philanthropist, died, 1845. 19 th Sunday after Trinity. St. Luke , Dean Swift died, 1745. Sir C. Wren, architect, born, 1G32, Battle of Trafalgar, 1S05. Dr. Arnold, musician, died, 1802, Royal Exchange founded, 1667. Daniel Webster died, 1852. 20 th Sunday after Trinity. St. Crispin, Hogarth, painter, died, 1764. Sir Walter Raleigh (beheaded), 1618. [1704. St. Simon. St. Jude. J. Locke, metaphys., died, W. Wyon, R.A., died, 1851. Hare hunting begins. John Evelyn born, 1620. NOVEMBER, MOON’S CHANGES. •1. h. m. 1 d. h. m. Full Moon ... 2 0 57m. New Moon . . , le 3 54a. Last Quarter . . 8 4 14a. | First Quarter . . 24 5 33a. 1 S Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity. All Saints. A1 Michaelmas Term begins. 3 Tu Russia declared war against Turkey, 1S53. 4 W Rattle ot Oltenitza, 1853. 5 Tu Battle of Inkerman, 1854. 6 1’ Princess Charlotte died, 1817. 7 S First “ Gazette” published, 1GG3. 8 s Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity. 9 M Prince ot Wales, b. 1841. Lord Mayor’s Day. 10 Tu Half-quarter, 11 W St. Marlin. 12 Tu R. Baxter born, 1615. 13 F W. Etty, R.A., died, 1S49. 14 S Dr. Abercrombie died, 1844. 15 s Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. 1G M J. Ferguson died, 1776. 17 Tu St. Hugh. 18 W Duke ot Wellington’s state funeral, 1S52. 19 Tu Battle of Navarino, 1 827. 20 F Nicholas Poussin, painter, died, 1GG5. 21 S Princess Royal born, 1S40. 22 s Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity. 23 M Sir S. Barrow died, 1818. 24 Tu Lawrence Sterne born, 1713. 25 W Michaelmas Term ends. 2G Tu Pricssnitz died, 1850. 27 F Ada. Countess Lovelace, died, 1852. 2S S Cardinal Wolsey died. 1530. 29 S First Sunday in Advent, [traveller, d., 1823. 30 M St. Andrew. Dean Swift born, 1GG7. Bclzoni, THE ROYAL CRYSTAL PALACE ALMANACK.— 1857. supported by another; each has poured treasures into it — treasures of great price and greater value — treasures of beauty and treasures of use — treasures to gladden the eye and improve the mind — treasures that lift a man out of self, and force him to look inward, and ask what he, too, can contribute to the general good. Suppose we take a rapid survey of the Palace, and see what its varied contents are. Statues iu abundance ! they meet us at every step, they gladden the eye whithersoever it turns, they glisten white and pure amongst orange-trees, and beside the green leaves of a thousand plants ; statues, from the best models, in the aisles, in the transept, iu the grounds — everywhere. There is the Greek Court full of them — its walls beautified with casts taken from the Elgin Marbles, by representations of Grecian temples, of dancing nymphs and white-robed vestals, of strangely constructed chariots, and warriors without end. The same abundance of busts is found in the Roman Court, where is also the exquisite model of the Coliseum, l’rom thence, glancing at the Egyptian Court, with its impressive grandeur and legendary hieroglyphics, we retrace our steps to the northern transept, or Nubian Court, the giant figures and sphinxes in which at once engage our attention. After examining the Nineveh Court, the style of which exhibits the same character of gran- deur as the Egyptian, we pass on to the Alhambra, where the Moorish palace is presented to us in pe/lito, and we could almost faucy ourselves iu some other land than Euglaud, iu which such things as Alhambras have an actual existence. Then we cross over to the Mediaeval Courts, to find old monuments and ancient figures, stone crosses of all countries, curiosities from all corners of the earth ; and passing still further north, come to that wing appropriated to the Picture Gallery, which we trust yet to see one of the best Art-exhibitions in the place. Busts fill the Palace to profusion — there is scarce a name renowned in History, Science, Literature, or Art, but may be found on some pedestal in the Sydenham Temple; and the entrances to the courts are lined with rows of these casts. Then we have the Pompeii vases and relics, and the Ceramic Court — which last being in great measure an industrial exhibition, we shall mention hereafter in its proper place. I lowers are Art : all natural though they be, we can class them properly' under no other head — for it surely is an art to group them as they' are grouped in the Crystal Palace, to strew them in a temple made with hands along man’s path, causing his heart to bound with pleasure, and his eyes to gleam with admiration. The art of man has brought the flowers of all climes to this place, which is perfumed by their breath, beautified by their presence, enlivened by* their thousand hues. There they are — spreading from boxes, climbing up supports, drooping from baskets — there they hang, suspended in air, raised on stands, growing in water — there they' bloom in parterres and amongst the emerald grass, covering long trellises with crimson bells and snow-white blossoms. Most lovely are the flowers of this English paradise; all praise to j those who have gathered the buds of all countries, and wreathed them into garlands here ! We stand now beside a marble basiu, where the Victoria regia has found a fitting home at last — a basiu fringed with lilies, near which we could linger like children for hours together. There is something most peculiarly touching about the manner in which men and women kneel down beside this place, plashing their hands in the water, and gazing, till their eyes acquire an expression of sadness, at the blossoms of the water-plants, and the rainbow-tints of the centre fountain : who may tell whither their thoughts are wandering — of what childish haunt they are musing — on what far-distant waterfall pondering? It is good to see grown-up people giving themselves up to olden feelings, even for a moment, and so, lialf-reluctantly, we turn from the basin and its lilies, and the bending iigiu'cs by its side, to note what the genius of Science and Industry has effected of late in its own dominions. Descending into the Department of Machinery in Motion, we find cotton- spindles revolving, carpet-looms weaving, needles making ; we pass washing and drilling machines, grindstones and planing apparatus, and a hundred other different machines, useful, and interesting. Adjoining this is the Agricultural Implement Department, filled with ploughs, harrows, turnip-cutters, patent mangers, carts, churns, and every article of husbandry which ever was thought or heard of. Men come here and spend hours together, inspecting reaping and sowing machines, improved clod-crushers, and water meters. It is an emporium whence information may be obtained — where goods may be seen — which benefits buyers, sellers, aud the general public ; and the only regret we feel couccrniug the place is, that it should be so inaccessible. Rcasccnding the stairs, aud passing through what was the French Court, we enter at once the Ceramic Court, which is most tastefully fitted up with cases containing specimens of porcelain, parian, china, and even common delft — the latter fashioned into such forms that no one would ever suspect the material. There are some superb vases in this court, and one or two admirably-executed heads, moulded out of simple parian. Altogether the Ceramic Court is one of the great improvements of last season. A little better filled, and it will leave scarcely anything iu that department to be desired. Passing without comment those portions of the gallery devoted to absolute trade, to buying and selling across counters, and to shop arrangements of goods, we come to the Non-selling Exhibition Department, upon which, as it stands in considerable need of reform, we need not dwell at present. At the north end of the building, up in the gallery, are situated the Chinese and Indiau Courts, which ought to have been previously mentioned; also, the Gallery of Naval Architecture, and the Engineering and Architectural models, which include Docks, Bridges, Lighthouses, &c. Retracing our steps to the centre transept, and moving a little to the south- east of the orchestra, we find ourselves in decidedly the best filled department of the Palace — viz., the “ Court of Inventions." We know no other spot in the Palace which could be called crowded, or even sufficiently furnished ; but this place is overflowing, and very possibly there are few who enter it that had previously a conception of the immense number of inventions which arc yearly patented in England. Every article in this collection is either provisionally — protected, registered, or else finally secured by letters patent, and it is over- whelming to look around the new court, and survey the ideas and devices of our countrymen. This department has only been opened since May, and yet, although moro than stlf-supporting, it is already too full; before 1858 it will require many courts for the proper exhibition of its goods, and there is scarcely any portion of the Palace from which we expect such practical results as this: many features about it are entirely new, and a few so peculiar as to merit enumeration. First in importance, perhaps, comes ' the fact mentioned above, that it is self- supporting, although nou-selling, which augurs permanence ; secondly, there 1 ! are a sufficient number of attendants to explain the models to visitors ; and thirdly, as orders are here taken on behalf of manufacturers, it becomes of jj course their interest to send their best goods for exhibition to so public a \ j mart. Thus the public can either sec or purchase the newest improvements without trouble; no one is asked to buy, and the whole thing, like a good rule, works two ways : if no 3ales are effected, the visitors arc instructed and ! amused ; if, on the contrary, orders arc given, the manufacturers and patentees i ' to whom such orders are immediately transmitted find themselves benefited. | W hen the scheme is a little more matured it will be extremely comprehensive; meanwhile, the project is an interesting one, well deserving the commcnda- | tions we have bestowed upon it. There are two other departments connected with this Court of Inventions, ] which we hope will ultimately flourish and do well : one is devoted to Archi- tecture and Building Materials, the other to purposes of Domestic Economy and ! Household Furniture : of these little can be said at present, as they are altogether in their infancy ; they may, however, if properly worked out, be made to i serve the interests of society most materially. There is a something altogether defective in the greatest portion of English architecture — our houses arc ill- warmed and worse ventilated ; we arc baked in the summer and frozeu in the winter ; there is little beauty in our streets, or churches, or public buildings. We want invention set to work on this matter, and an exhibition where the results may be inspected. We should like to see a plau of this kind in full operation at the Crystal Palace, and can imagine few sights more interesting or I improving than a collection of house, cottage, church, and other models, with estimates of price and specimens of material. A splendid wing has been allotted to the use of carriage manufacturers, and it is proposed to devote a court solely to the exhibition of musical j instruments. So much has been effected during the past year by the same spirit which filled the aisles, and courts, and galleries of the glass house in Hyde Park ; so much has been accomplished by the common sense of the directors, the j industry of England, aud the assistance of her inhabitants: and now, having i glanced at the progress of the place, we pause, ere concluding, to ask, What may not the Crystal Palace hereafter effect? Who dare limit the sphere of its usefulness, the extent of its power in aiding the progress of civilisation? Who, looking forward into its future, can measure the height, or depth, or breadth of the influence it may yet exercise ou 1 England’s prosperity ? It appears to us that there is little in Science or Art of which it may not prove the exponent — that there is nothing beautiful to see, good to possess, useful to understand, that Sydenham could not gather unto herself. The pro- ducts of head and hand, of men and of nature, might there be collected — for (lie place is capable of almost incalculable exteusiou, the plan of immeusc improve- ment and expansion. The Crystal Palace could contain five times as much as its glass roof at ; present covers ; the grounds might, and no doubt will eventually, be turned to uses of profit as well as of pleasure. What place, for instance, so admi- j rably adapted for the artificial propagation of salmon ; for piacticnl instruction iu all kinds of gardening — aye, eveu for model-farming operations, on a ' small scale? There is nothing which might not be demonstrated within or I about the building. It promises to become an emporium for the goods of Eng- | land, for the curiosities of the world; a fostering home for Art; an in- | valuable assistant to commerce ; a teacher to the young ; a friend to the old ; a ' place of pi'ofit and amusement to all. The internal decorations, as well as the internal arrangements, might, in manv ways, it is true, be still artistically improved. There is need of grouping and concentration, of more harmony in each separate department, and of greater union in the whole. There is a painful glare in the building — a want of relief and shadow — induced iu great measure by the peculiar character of the mate- rials of which it is composed. People weary of the dust and heat, and their eyes ache with the unbroken stream of light which pours in on all sides, and is reflected from every portion of the Palace. Part of this, no doubt, is caused 1 by the glass walls and roof of the edifice, which defect is irremediable ; but a ! good deal of the mischief might be modified by altering the colours when next the pillars and galleries are painted. The relief afforded by a substitution of some neutral shade for the present blue i and red would be well-nigh incalculable ; and such an alteration would also immediately destroy the unsubstantial baby-house appearance which now mars to such a degree the effect of the building. The pedestals, both of busts and statues, might further be advantageously used as advertisement stands for painters of imitation marble, which change would prove beneficial in many ways. Perhaps the time is not far distant when some such plans will be adopted, and the domain of the climbing plants extended up the pillars. We could imagine nothing lovelier thau to see the iron columns so wreathed, as far, at least, as the first gallery. Meantime the palace is taking giant strides along the road leading to earthly perfection, and, judging by the progress it has already made, its prospects for the future arc magnificent — a Temple of High Art — a Palace of National In- dustry. Well may we, and all true Britons, feel proud of the country containing so noble and valuable an institution. 23 DECEMBER. MOON’S CHANGES. d. h. m. 1 d. h. m. Full Moon . . . 1 10 60 m. First Quarter . . 24 G 36M. Last Quarter .. 8 6 38m. Full Moon ... 30 9 33a. New Moon . . . 16 11 1m. | 1 Tu Ebenczer Elliott died, 1849. 2 W Queen Adelaide died, 1849. 3 Til James II. abdicated, 1G8S. 4 F Richelieu died, 1G42. 5 S Mozart, musician, died, 1792. G s Second Sunday in Ad cent. 7 M St. Ambrose. 8 Tu J. Flaxman, R.A., died, 1S26. 9 W Grouse shooting ends. 10 Tu Luther burnt the Pope’s Bull, 1520. 11 F Sir D. Brewster, born, 1781. 12 S Sir I. Brunei, engineer, died, 1849. 13 s Third Sunday in Adcent. 14 M Washington, statesman, died, 1799. 15 Tu Izaak Walton, angler, died, 1G83. 1G W Cambridge Term (Michaelmas) ends. 17 Tu Oxford Term (Michaelmas) ends. 18 F S. Rogers died, 1855. 19 S Rubens, artist, born, 1577. 20 s Fourth Sunday in Adcent. 21 M St. Thomas. M inter com. Shortest day. 22 Tu Wollaston died, 182S. 23 W James II. escaped, 1GS8. 24 Tu Christmas Eve. 25 F CHRISTMAS-DAY. 2G S St. Stephen. 27 s First Sunday after Christrnas-day. St. John. 28 A1 Innocents. 29 Tu WicklifFe died, 1384. 30 W It. Boyle died, 1691. 31 Th W. GilFord died, 1827. s pe t/Ac <13 - 7 b w /•fa' ■ 13 ' 7 * . \?3°i -/ SHTVCENTFfi ti. ■ imimti I i. 1 HlllS iMwi* ■Sf,K: jy.V'-. • i ;:, « r\\\\ m mm