ions are quite interesting, but they
suggest little or nothing, unless it be the stolidity of their
contrivers.

I see that _Punch_ this week reiterates _The Times's_ slurs at the
meagerness and poverty of the American contribution. This is meanly
invidious and undeserved. The inventors, artisans and other producers of
our Country who did not see fit to incur the heavy expense of sending
their most valuable products to a fair held three to five thousand miles
away are unaffected by this studied disparagement, and those who _have_
sent certainly do not deserve it. They are in no manner responsible for
the setting apart for American contributions of more space than they
fill; they have rather deserved consideration and kind treatment on the
part of the London Press. Beside, the value of their contributions is
not at all gauged by the space they fill nor by the impression they make
on the wondering gaze; articles of great merit and utility often making
no figure at all compared with a case of figured silks or mantel
ornaments which answer no purpose here but the owner's. And when it is
considered that the manufacturers of France, Germany and Switzerland, as
well as England, are here displaying their wares and fabrics before the
eyes of thousands and tens of thousands of their customers--that their
cases in the Crystal Palace are in fact so many gigantic advertisements,
read and admired by myriads of merchants and other buyers from all parts
of the world, the unfairness of the comparison instituted by the London
Press becomes apparent. Our exhibitors can derive no such advantage from
the Fair--certainly not to any such extent. The "Bay State Mills," for
example, has a good display of Shawls here, hardly surpassed, considering
quality and price, by any other; yet nobody but Americans will thereby be
tempted to give them orders; while a British, Scotch, French or Swiss
shawl-manufacturer exhibiting just such a case, is morally certain of
gaining customers thereby in all parts of the world. But enough on this
head.

I may add that many Americans have been deterred from sending by an
impression that nothing would be admitted that was not sent out in the
St. Lawrence, or at all events unless received early in April. But
articles are still acceptable, at least in our department; and I venture
to say that any invention, model, machine or fabric of decided merit
which may reach our Commissioner free of charge before the end of Jun