at
knowledge or skill they can pick up, but they are not so ready to tell
all they know. They think the odds in favor of those who work against
them backed by the cheap Labor and abundant Capital of Europe, are
quite sufficient already.

Still, there are some Yankee Notions that I wish had been sent over. I
think our Cut Nails, our Pins, our Wood Screws, &c. should have been
represented. India Rubber is abundant here, but I have seen no Gutta
Percha, and our New-York Company (Hudson Manufacturing) might have put a
new wrinkle on John Bull's forehead by sending over an assorted case of
their fabrics. The Brass and kindred fabrics of Waterbury (Conn.) ought
not to have come up missing, and a set of samples of the "Flint Enameled
Ware" of Vermont, I should have been proud of for Vermont's sake. A
light Jersey wagon, a Yankee ox-cart, and two or three sets of American
Farming Implements, would have been exactly in play here. Our Scythes,
Cradles, Hoes, Rakes, Axes, Sowing, Reaping, Threshing and Winnowing
machines, &c., &c., are a long distance ahead of the British--so the
best judges say; and where their machines are good they cost too much
ever to come into general use. There is a pretty good set of Yankee
Ploughs here, and they are likely to do good. I believe Connecticut
Clocks and Maine (North Wayne) Axes are also well represented. But
either Rochester, Syracuse, or Albany could have beaten the whole show
in Farming Tools generally.

Yet there are many good things in the American department. In
Daguerreotypes, it seems to be conceded that we beat the world, when
excellence and cheapness are both considered--at all events, England is
no where in comparison--and our Daguerreotypists make a great show
here.--New Jersey Zinc, Lake Superior Copper, Adirondack Iron and Steel,
are well represented either by ores or fabrics, and I believe California
Gold is to be.--But I am speaking on the strength of a very hasty
examination. I shall continue in attendance from day to day and hope to
glean from the show some ideas that may be found or made useful.

P. S.--The Official Catalogue of the Fair is just issued. It has been
got up in great haste, and must necessarily be imperfect, but it extends
to 320 double-column octavo pages on brevier type (not counting
advertisements) and is sold for a shilling--(24 cents). Some conception
of the extent of the Fair may be obtained from the following hasty
summary of a portion of the content