unobstructive avenue, from one end of the building to the other, 72 feet in span, and 64 feet in height. The wings, exterior to the centre or nave on each side, had also galleries the same height, the wings themselves being broken up into a series of courts each 48 feet wide. The number of columns used in the entire edifice was 3,230. There were 34 miles of gutter for carrying off the rain-water to the columns, which were hollow, and served as water-pipes; 202 miles of sash-bars, and 900,000 superficial feet of glass, weighing upwards of 400 tons. The building covered about 18 acres of ground, and, with the galleries, gave an exhibition surface of 21 acres, with eight miles of tables for laying out goods. The building cost £176,000; and though the plan was not accepted until the 26th of July, and the first column not fixed until two months later, the edifice was virtually completed by the 1st of the following January, on which date it was delivered over to the Exhibition Commissioners to be fitted up for its destined purpose. The Crystal Palace excited universal admiration for its wonderful combination of vastness and beauty, and when it was fully furnished, and opened to the public, on the 1st of May, 1851, the visitor felt as if he had entered a fairy-like scene of enchantment, a gathering-ground of grace, brightness, and delight. It was a splendid sunny morning, and the assembled multitude was brilliant in the extreme. The Queen, accompanied by the Prince Consort, walked in procession through the immense aggregation of treasures, followed by an imposing array of eminent British and foreign notabilities. It has been truly said that within the giant palace of glass were then massed representatives of all the people and productions of the earth--a grand presentment of wealth, intelligence, and enterprise. There were over 17,000 exhibitors, some 3,000 of whom received medals of merit. The Exhibition remained open until the 15th of October, altogether 144 days, during which it was visited by 6,170,000 persons. The greatest number present in any one day was 109,760, on October 8th. On one occasion 93,000 were within the palace at the same moment, which surpassed, it is said, in magnitude, any number ever assembled together under one roof in the world's history. The charges of admission to the Great Exhibition were practically the same as those obtained at the recent South Kensington "shows," and the whole affair was so well managed and successful in every point that at its close a surplus of £150,000 remained, after paying all expenses. FACTS ABOUT OCEAN STEAMSHIPS.