In the English naval exhibit three men made an exhibition of their childish extravagance. Models were shown of a fleet of eight vessels, each quite 10 feet long, completely and superbly finished inside and out, and entitled “England’s Fleet of the Future.” The vessels, full rigged, were built by Robert Napier. They were provided with engines made by John Penn, and carried broadsides of Whitworth guns. Recalled in the light of to-day, this costly show appears supremely ridiculous. It did not present a single feature that has not long since vanished and become almost forgotten. Both the prince and the toys furnish a lesson to the moralist. How swiftly, as by a cyclone, has all that each represented been swept away forever! What is there, in governments or in mechanism, that shall endure? It was my good fortune one day in the latter building to meet Admiral Farragut. I heard him say, respecting this proud fleet, “When it is built, some Yankee will come with a torpedo and blow it out of the water.” One other terse reply of the old hero which I then heard is worthy to be recorded. He was asked his opinion of the monitor. “A machine to drown a man in like a rat, sir,” was his answer. About midsummer I received an application from the firm of Ducommen et Cie. of Mulhouse, a city in the southern part of Alsace, and an important manufacturing center, whose people also had no foreboding of what was so soon to befall them, for a concession to manufacture my engines in France. They had a large exhibit at the exposition, and impressed me quite favorably. I consulted with Mr. Hoyle and replied, deferring action until a later period of the exposition. Some time in September, not having received any other application, I accepted this one. There I made a mistake. Just before the close of the exposition I received a very flattering letter from the firm of Farcot et Cie., the most eminent stationary engine-builders in France, and who showed the largest engine at the exposition. Their works were near Paris, and on their invitation, in company with Mr. Hoyle, I had visited them. They stated that, having observed closely the performance of the engine through all these months, they had become convinced of its excellent and durable qualities, and solicited the right to manufacture the engine in France. I had to pay the penalty for my premature action in explaining to them with deep regret that this right was already disposed of. My regret was deepened when, in the course of the following winter, I received in Manchester copies of drawings according to which Ducommen et Cie. proposed to construct the engines. The changes they had made, all in the direction of complication, amazed me. It seemed to have rained bolts and nuts. Every constructive requirement of a successful high-speed engine was ignorantly sacrificed. After full consultation Mr. Hoyle and I agreed that the case was hopeless, that they would never do anything; and they never did. I have no photographs