The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-08 00:00:00

TTIE I UN,

pressure of a like calamity. Losses will always,
therefore, occur under the present system.
But it is of infinitely greater consequence,
in a political point of view. If a general
withdrawal of deposits took place—if the working
classes, through any discontent or dissatisfaction
called for the immediate payment of 30,000,0001.
sterling, who could predict the effect on the money
market and the prices of stock ? The only reakon
assigned against the circulation of the smaller
denomination of notes is the danger that might arise
in the periods of political excitement. Is not there
infinitely greater peril in the power now placed in
the hands of the savings' bank depositors ?
The establishment of imperial savings' banks,
as proposed by Archdeacon KEATING, would
place the system on solid; -:.-foundation,
and avoid the evils:: Vist so pain-
fully conspicuous., .E,l4.4l,74feguard-tilit, could be
desired would be proVided,by;theadoptionUf the rules
which he proposes. It is certain that a single session
cannot be suffered to elapse without some legislation
in reference to these points. We trust that the
Ministers, to whom the matter may be referred, will
not neglect the useful hints contained in this admirable
document.

Considerable progress has been already made in
the preliminary arrangements for carrying out the
important proposition made by His Royal Highness
Prince ALBERT for an Exposition of the works of
Industry in 1851. No sooner had it been ascertained
that the Corporation of the City of London, and the
citizens generally, were disposed to give to His Royal
Highness their hearty co-operation, than Prince
ALBERT, as President of the Society of Arts, autho
rized Mr. FRANCIS FULLER and Mr. HENRY COLE,
members of the council of that society, " to travel
through the manufacturing districts of the country
in order to collect the opinions of the leading manu-
facturers with reference to a great exhibitiea of
industry of all nations to be held in London in the
year 1851, in order that His Royal Highness might
bring the results of such inquiry before Her MAJESTY'S
Goveiament." These gentlemen having performed a
portion of their mission have presented a first report
to Prince ALBERT. From this report it appears that
the following places have been visited :—ln England
—Manchester, the Staffordshire Potteries, Shefliad,
Bradford, Huddersfield, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Coventry, Birmingham, Ken-
dal, Maidstone, Canterbury, and Dover. In Scotland
—Edinburgh, Glasgow, Paisley, Stirling, Perth,
Dundee, and Greenock. In Ireland—Dublin and
Belfast. Since the sth of October last fifty places
have been visited and local committees formed in them,
viz. :—ln England—St. Austell, Rah, Bodmin,
Bradford, Briclgenorth, Bristol, Coventry, Dartmouth,
Devonport, Dudley, Exeter, Falmouth, Gloucester,
Guildford, Halifax; Hereford, Huddersfield, Ipswich,
Kidderminster, Launceston, Leeds, Leicester, Liver-
pool, London, Manchester, Northampton, Norwich,
Penzance, Plymouth, Shrewsbury, Stafford, Stamford,
Stoke-upon-Trent, Stourbridge, Stroud, Truro, Wal-
sall, Wolverhampton, Worcester, Great Yarmouth,
York. In Ireland—Cork, Limerick, Waterford, \Vex
ferd. In W'ales—Aberystwith, Carnarvon, Cardiff,
Newport, Swansea.
These gentlemen, in the first instance, limited their
inquiries to manufacturers, and among them consulted
only the most eminent, it being the desire of his Royal
Highness that the inquiries should be considered
strictly preliminary, and should be conducted in as
private a manner as possible. Fortunately, however,
it was soon discovered that privacy in such matters
was impossible. Messrs. FULLER and COLE say in
their report—
" Limiting our inquiries, in the first instance, to manu-
facturers, we had not proposed to consult merchants or
others less directly concerned in actual production, but
very soon after our arrival at Manchester we found that
this course would be injudicious, and we received on all
sides suggestions that, for many reasons, it was expedient
that we should make our visit known as early as pos-
sible to the mayor, or chief magistrate, and be guided
by him as the parties it 'might be most desirable to
see. We forthwith communicated with the Mayor
of Manchester, who immediately enabled us to
consult a few of the most important persons.
Ho suggested that we should visit Manchester again,
and kindly volunteered to assist us in further in-
Tildes. We may also mention, that at Manchester we
sound our visits had been heralded in the local news-

papers. Your Royal Highness will see that even thus
early it became beyond our power to circumscribe
altogether the publicity attaching to our investigations,
ar d it remained for us only, on every °cramp, to
reiterate a declaration that the propoool, in its present
state, must be considered as private, and under investi-
gation.
"After leaving Manchester, we adopted as a general
rule the plan of announcirg our intended visits to the
chief magistrate of each town, at the same time rt quest-
ing him to enable us to meet a few of the leading ma-
nufacturers and other influential persons of his neigh-
bourhood. In every case we found this request willingly
responded to, and our inquiries were thus very much
facilitated. -

"We next deemed it most expedient to prosecute
some ihquiries into the probable feeling of the agricul-
tural districts, and places where the inhabitants were
likely to be exhibitors of raw materials, and were
consumers rather than producers of manufactures. We
commenced these investigations at Maidstone, which has
some manufactures in its neighbourhood, and is a county
town in the midst of the richest and most varied
productions of agriculture. We next visited Canterbury
and Dover, and we have the satisfaction of reporting to
your Royal Highness that in all these places we found,
as in the manufacturing districts, an equally cordial
recognition of the national importance of the proposal."

The expressions of opinion elicited by, and the sug-
gestions as to details offered in consequence of these
inquiries, have been arranged in the report under the
following heads:—

" Theegeneral expediency of such periodical exhibi-
tions. Whether their scope should be exclusively na-
tional or universal? Whether inch exhibitions should
be supported by. funds voted by the House of Commons
or by voluntary subscriptions? Willingness to exhibit.
Whether prizes should be awarded, the amount of
prizes, and the distribution of them ? Miscellaneous
remarks."

With regard to the first point there was complete
unanimity of opinion ; not only every firm but every
individual consulted expressed an opinion that the
proposed exhibition was most desirable, and that the
benefits to be derived from it would be great indi-
vidually and nationally, and all expressed their sense
of the debt of gratitude which the manufacturing
and industrial interests would owe to His Royal
Iligliness for interesting himself i❑ the subject.
With regard to the second question, the feeling was
that, to use the words of Mr. Alderman NEILD, there
should he a" clear stage and no favour." It is important
that on this point the general feeling of the English
manufacturer should be known, and we therefore
subjoin the following testimony :

" Mr. H. Thomson, Mr. Hargreaves, and Mr. Hem,
observed,—' It is very necessary that all parties should
know what the French and all nations are doing, and
should compare their manufactures with our own. The
comparison wouldshow what our manufacturers could do,
and by generating increased knowledge and appreciation
in our consumers would induce the production of a much
higher class of work.'
" Mr. Nelson, of the firm of Nelson, Knowles, and
Co. of Manchester, said, 6 One great argument for uni-
versality is, that manufacturers ought to know all that
is doing. Most
,mitnufac:urers have much too high an
opinion of their own excellence, and it is desirable they
should measure it by that of others.'
" Messrs. Hoyle and Sons agreed unanimously that
the exhibition ought certainly to be international. 'The
Lancashire feeling eminently is,' said Mr. Alderman
Neild, ' to have a clear stage and no favour.'
" Messrs. Dixon, of Sheffield, thought' that manufac-
turers would certainly lose nothing by the Exhibition,
and would probably gain a great deal.'
" Mr. Wailes, the glass painter, of Newcastle-on-
Tyne, said, the laying the Exhibition open to the
Continent was the most important part of this scheme.'
" Messrs. James Black and Co. considered it highly
desirable to compare our productions not only with those
of ourselves, but with those of foreigners. The Exhibi-
tion would be well worth all the money it might cost.'
" Mr. J. Joillun Smith, of the firm of Messrs. Stuart
and smith of Sheffield, grate manufacturers, thought
it mist desirable to see the best metal work of all
nations; but that England would be behind in orna-
mental metal work, particularly where the human figure
is involved."

With respect to the third point, the great prepon-
derance of opinion was in favour of wholly support-
ing the exhibition by voluntary subscription; and
we hope that it will from this time forth be considered
as decided that no pecuniary aid in the shape of a Par-
liamentary grant will be either asked for or accepted,
save as an ordinary subscription, by the promoters of
the proposed exhibition. Parliamentary grants bring
with them Governmental interference, and Go-
vern.mental interference in these cases invariably
does harm. It is to Governmental interference
that the gradual deterioration of the continental
expeaitions is to be attributed. In Prance the persons
ernplc.yed by Government in matters of this sort have
been, not persons possessed of special knowledge on
the points on which they had to decide, but the kid-
gloved and varnished-booted frequenters of the
Mi pistorial salons, whom the Minister was but too well

pleased to oblige cheaply by thus ministering to their
vanity. The consequence has been, as is well known to
all who are at all conversant with the state of affairs
in the manufacturing worl 1 of France, that the first-
rate houses have for many years past abstained (ex-
cept on some rare occasion) from :rnding specimens
of their Manufacture to the exposition, thus defeat-
ing the very object for which the exposition was
instituted ; and that such will be the inevitable result
of Governmental interference in this country there
cannot be a doubt. It appears that there was mani-
fested a general willingness to exhibit, although some
persons seemed to apprehend that by so exhibiting
they would be exposing themselves to piracy—an
apprehension which we imagine must be considered
as unfounded, when we recollect the protection now
afforded to in4cntors and discoverers by the Copy-
right Registration Act. The report thus proceeds :
" On all sidps it was considered most necessary that
means shoi Id be taken, and prizes so awarded, that
every ore the !d be enabled to appear fairly in the par-
ticular grad e took in the manufacturing production;
some pers. ns producing excellence with little regard to
cost—otl,. ra producing it at the chef-pest possible rate.
It was f tas obvious, that the two producers ought not
to be regar led as competitors on the same level. In
respect of a statement of prices, Mr. Wakefield, of
Glasgow and London, ext.( naive mousielin-de-laine
printer, observed, that it would not be possible to get
accurately at prices. All large capitalists of intelligence
are on an average level in this respect. There would be
sure to be deception; a price would be named which
would not be maintained. All interests dislike publicity
of price.'
Messrs. Kershaw at d Co. of Manchester, although
not producine articles of th finest quality, would be
willing to exhibit as producers of articles for special
markets.

Messrs. Winkworth and Procters said—' If we
should exhibit, it would not be of our ordinary pro-
ductions, but something special, to show the power of
production.'

" Messrs. Hollingworth, paper-manufacture'rg, of
Turkey-mills, near Maidstone, who manufacture What-
man's' papers, volunteered to send up, if possible, com-
plete machaninery which shoula exhibit the whole pro•
cess of paper-making, from the rag to the production of
the perfect sheet."

On the subject of the distribution of prizes it
seemed almost unanimously agreed that a Royal
Commission was the only means of securing the
utmost practicable impartiality, and that its appoint-
ment was indispensable to securing the public confi-
dence. On this point we would observe, that agree-
ing entirely in opinion with those who consider the
appointment of a Royal Commission necessary, it
would be advisable that the Foreign Commissioners
should be appointed on the recommendation of the
British Consul, rather than on that of the British
Ambassador, or of the Minister of the country
of which such Foreign Commissioner may be
a citizen or subject. If the recommendation
be that of the Ambassador or Minister, the
' appointment will be given to some " delightful
young man," who will be the lion of evening parties,
who would be charmed to take a journey to
England at the public expense, but whose knowledge
of manufactures extends no further than lace shirt
ruf&s, cambric handkerchiefs, satin neck ties, and
embroidered dressing gowns ; while the Consul would
probably recommend one who, if he would not appear
to quite such advantage in the drawing-room, would
by his practical knowledge render most efficient as-
sistance to his brother Commissioners in forming a
correct judgment as to the relative merits of the various
articles submitted to their notice. There appears to
be great variety of opinion as to what ought to be
the character of the prizes bestowed :

" Mr. Alderman /it ild and Mr. Graham ' would have
no prizes for textile fabrics.' rhey said—' The only
prix3 worth having is commercial success. The discovery
of a new, permanent, and beautiful colour would be
worth more than 5,0004, and we should be glad to give
it. The difficulty of appointing a satisfactory tribunal
of judgment would be very great, and for other reasons;'
in which opinion all the parties united.
" Mr. lier:z, of the firm of Messrs. Dalgleish, Pal•
toner, and Co., thought there should be no reward of
money given to any manufacturer %here the commercial
result was a sufficient reward; but he thought it expedi-
ent that one very large prize should be given, where no
other reward can be expected : this according to the
magnitude and expense of the production ; and the
smaller prizes should be based on the same principle.
" Mr. Hargreaves, of the firm of Messrs. Hargreaves,
Brothers, and Co., said—' The amount of the prize
should be in accordaaoa with the value of the discovery,
coupled with the expense likely to be incurred in the
prof action of it. We are at, opinion that 1,0001. is the
largest amount desirable, except when there is a proba-
bility of the expense of the discoVei.y being very great,
as, for instance, 1,0001. is sufficient for a manufactured or
printed article, but not for an important discovery in
mechanics.'

"Mr; Minton considered tl.at the exhibitors ought to
receive the privs, whether they were tuanulactu era, de-
sigcers, or retailers. He said—' Prizes ought rather to
bo medals than money. The greater the money priz s,
the greater, doubtless, the incen:ive to exhibit ; but
large money prin.'s would beget great disappointment.
They would encourage speculation, and, perhaps, lead
to ruin. The remunerations should be awarded solely
by the Commission. Perhaps money might be given
in some cases to reward peoph, who have not arid
cannot afford to take oat patents, or where patents are
not available, but who benefit the public ; or to
parties who have been at great cost to produce success
ful results ; but this should be optional with the Com-
mission. If such a pr:z Tas 5,000/. should be determined
on, it should not be awarded absolutely, but conditionally,
on there being a work sufficiently meritorious to de-
serve it."

We agree with Mr. MINTON in thinking that
prizes ought to be rather medals than money. In an
exhibition of this nature the rewards should be
purely honorary ; and we are inclined to go even
further than Mr. AIINTON, and to express a hope
that there will be no money prizes whatever awarded.
The object of the Exhibition is not merely to stimu-
late manufacturing industry, but raise the tone of
feeling among those engaged in that industry, by
showing them that although the only prize worth
having (in a pecuniary point of view) is commercial
success, yet society knows how to do honour to
those who have deserved well of their country, and to
pay honour where honour is due. The desire of honour-
able distinction exists in every human breast, and
once open to the manufacturer a path by which that
desire may be gratified, he will labour as a:,.siduously
to attain it (irrespective of any pecuniary considera-
tion) as does the soldier or the sailor to attain the Order
of the Bath. With respect to the suggestion that
assistance should be given to exhibitors to patent or
bring out their inventions, we would observe that in
every case in which such invention would be worth
patenting or carrying out, there will he no lack
of capitalists to assist the inventors.

The miscellaneous remarks are exceedingly valuable,
and among them are to be found some suggestions by
Mr. REDGRAVE, A.R.A., which we consider worthy
especial attention. Mr. REDGRAVE says—

" It has occurred to me to suggest, that collections of
the most rare and choice works produced by the skill of
past ages (such as our mustums and societies of anti-
quarians and archmulogists could so well supply), should
form ceatres to the various groups of manufactures to
which they relate. Such collections would be a great
stimulus to new efforts to.produce, by mechanical means
which are in our power, much that was then accom-
plished only by costly hand-labour. Information would
be obtained by the juxta-position of the excellence of
the past with the endeavours of the present. I may,
perhaps, add, that a section of the Exposition in Paris
was devoted to the products of their new colony of Al-
geria, and to a colketion of the native weapons, utensils,
and dresses; and that one or two houses of business in
France had turned their attention specially to the manu-
facture of these latter. Such a sccticn in the proposed
Exhibition for our own colonial population would be
likely to produce the same results, by making the ma.
nu'actur, rs more practically acquainted with colonial
wants as well as with colonial raw materials."

The products of India will, we are rejoiced to find,
form an important portion of the proposed Exhibition.
A communication having been made on the subject
to Sir ARcutuALD GALLOWAY, K.C.13., the Chairman
of the East India Company, that gentleman at once
entered into the proposal, and in consequence 1)r.
Itornr, the head of ,he botanical department, has fur-
nished a valuable communication on the subject of the
natural productions of India, and communications
have been already opened with the native naanufix-
turers, who will probably send over specimens of
goldsmiths' work, metal work, ivory work, pottery,
mosaics, shawls, muslin, carpets, Sec.
_

We cannot close these remarks without ex-
pressing our gratification at the great success
which has attended the patriotic endeavours
of His Royal Highness Prince ALBERT to
found in London this, which may be aptly deno-
minated "The World's Exhibition of Industry,"
and at finding that our countrymen are not actuated
by that narrow feeling of jealousy which would fain
prevent strangers from entering into competition with
them, but that while they offer a fair field to all, they
ask no favour for themselves.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council tat
yesterday. An appeal from Bengal (part heard) vs as
resumed and concluded, " Muttylole Seal v. Anun-
dochunder Sandie." An appeal was heard from
Canada (ex-parte) " Macrae v. Galt."