As other nations were putting up separate buildings for the overflow of their exhibits, the commissioner thought the United States should do the same. So in the winter previous he had got a special appropriation for this purpose through Congress, and erected his building. When finished he found it was all a blunder: he had absolutely nothing to put in it. The United States exhibitors were fully accommodated in the main building. What does he do but order enough of them into the side building to fill it, leaving unoccupied spaces in the main building. A number of our most eminent firms were driven there, being refused space in the main building. In the machinery court an enormous empty space was rented by the commissioner to a concern manufacturing collars and cuffs. So far as space was concerned, the machinery department seemed to have the place of honor. It surrounded all the other classes of exhibits, and was much wider and higher than any other. It had a central gallery which I was told was seven eighths of a mile around. This gallery carried the shafting. The exterior location of this department was necessary, in order to have proper connection with the boilers and systems of piping for both steam and water. Except the American section, which was only one half occupied, it was crowded with exhibits. The engines exhibited in motion in the main building, of which there were a large number, were all condensing engines, water from the Seine being quite convenient. [Illustration: EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE, PARIS, 1867. DIAGRAM FROM THE “ALLEN” ENGINE, EMPLOYED IN DRIVING MACHINERY IN THE BRITISH SECTION, AND MANUFACTURED BY THE WHITWORTH COMPANY, LIMITED, MANCHESTER. ENGINE, 12 INCHES BY 24 INCHES, REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE, 200. SCALE, 16 LBS. TO THE INCH.] I took to this exposition five engines. One of them was 12×24 inches, making 200 revolutions per minute. I advanced the speed from 600 feet to 800 feet per minute, to show what both the engine and the condenser could do. After all, however, I did not show one half of what with proper port areas the high-speed system was capable of. The ports were insufficient, having been adapted to a speed of 150 revolutions per minute. I took great satisfaction in showing the condenser to my old friends, Easton, Amos & Sons, who were all there, at one time or another, during the exposition. Before the exposition opened we had on hand at the works four condensers, one for an engine the Whitworth Company were building for themselves, two for the parties already mentioned, and the one for the exposition engine. As this was the first one required to be running, I had to make the first test of the condenser in this public way, which I immensely enjoyed doing.