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CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL
OF
POPULAR
LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.
CONTENTS
INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY EXHIBITION, EDINBURGH, 1884.
BY MEAD AND STREAM.
SUAKIM.
MISS MARRABLE’S ELOPEMENT.
A CURIOSITY IN JOURNALISM.
THE MONTH: SCIENCE AND ARTS.
OCCASIONAL NOTES.
BOOK GOSSIP.
AMONG THE DAISIES.
No. 13.—Vol. I.
Price 1½d.
SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1884.
INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY EXHIBITION,EDINBURGH, 1884.
In this age of International Exhibitions, which,when usefully directed, form what the newspaperspleasantly call ‘a wholesome mania,’ it is wellto inquire into the causes, more or less urgent,which call these undertakings into being—thegood they are expected by their promoters toeffect not only to the towns or countries in whichthey are held, but to all the nationalities whotake part in them; and the probable resultsof their success, if they are successful. It isof course open to objectors to deny the soundnessof all these premises, and to question thelogical deduction of their usefulness, in the caseof all the projected Exhibitions which are broughtunder their notice. And when—as is almostnecessarily the case—an appeal is made to thepockets of the public in the initiatory stage of theundertaking, objectors are not few in number,and not particularly partial, or even moderate,in the nature of their criticisms. Within duebounds, indeed, it is well that it should be so.Exhibitions got up mainly or entirely for thepurpose of advertising any particular branch oftrade, may be advantageous to that trade individually;but the end and object is not so muchan harmonious and wholesome impetus to tradeand manufacture generally, as a rivalry more orless rancorously conducted amongst the exhibitors.
The prospectus, classification, and other papersrelating to the proposed Forestry Exhibition tobe held in Edinburgh in the months of July,August, and September 1884 are now before thepublic; and it may be useful to inquire howthe idea was suggested, and whether or not itis likely to be worked out with advantage to thecommunity at large.
The primary cause which appears to have calledforth the project has been no sudden or ephemeralone. To grasp it rightly, we must go back forat least a score of years, and carry our readerswith us to the government of our Eastern Empire.There we shall find that a long cour