doors at nine in the morning, and keep them open till six in the
evening, during the best part of the summer. The fate of the Crystal
Palace is for the moment a pressing subject of talk. Perhaps the
French would buy it, if it be really condemned, for they are already
talking of a Great Exposition to be held in 1854, and have come to the
conclusion, that twenty-seven months will not be too long to make the
preparations: it is expected that all nations will be invited to join.
There is to be an exhibition this year also at Breslau, in a building
composed in good part of glass, at which Prussia will make a display
of her handiwork, and try to get customers for the articles carried
home unsold from our spectacle. In more ways than one, the beneficial
consequences of the Exhibition of 1851 are shewing themselves. To take
but one particular--it has produced a vast amount of literature, and
will yet produce more.

Before this appears in print, the new arctic expedition will probably
have sailed, to make what we must consider as the final search for Sir
John Franklin. This time, Sir Edward Belcher is commander, who, though
a rigid disciplinarian, and something beyond, is well known as a most
energetic and persevering officer. He is to explore that portion of
Wellington Channel discovered by Captain Penny, and to get as far to
the north-west as possible--to Behring's Strait, if he can. Whatever
else may happen, there are few who will not hope that the mystery
respecting the missing explorers, who sailed on their fatal voyage in
1845, may now be cleared up. In order to facilitate Captain Beatson's
operations, the Emperor Nicholas has sent instructions to the
governors of the Russian trading-ports on the arctic coast, to lend
such aid as may be in their power. Thus, good-will is not lacking;
indeed, if that could have found the lost adventurers, they would have
been discovered long ago.

Some of our engineers and naval men are greatly interested in a
subject which has, from time to time, during many years, met with a
passing notice--namely, the gradual growth of the banks and shoals in
the North Sea from the solid matters carried into it by the rivers of
England and Holland. Although slow, the increase is said to be such as
to lead to the inference, that this sea will be filled up at some
future day. A large chart has just been published, with contour lines
of the various banks, to illustrate a treatise on the subject. If
these