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

TRH

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 di3seisfactlon
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 reason
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 a solid foundation,
and avoid the evils that have hitherto been so pain-
fully conspicuous. Every safeguard that could be
desired would be provided by the adoption of 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 exhibition 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
Government." 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, Sheffield,
Bradford, Huddersfield, Leeds,--Nottiogham, 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, Beth, Bodmin,
Bradford, Bridgenortb, 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-
iall, Wolverhampton, Worcester, Great Yarmouth,
York. In Ireland—Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Wex-
ford. In Wales—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 injudiciods, and we received ou 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 bo 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.
He suggested that we should visit Manchester again,
and kindly ♦olunteered to assist us iu further in-
quiries. We may also mention, that at Manchester we
.ound 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 circumseribo
altogether the .publicity attaching to our investigations,
and it remained for us only, on every occasion, to
reiterate a declaration that the proposal, 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 aenounchg our intended visits to the
chief magistrate of each town, at the same time request-
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 deemel it most expedient to prosecute
some inquiries 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 :
" The general expediency of such periodical exhibi-
tions. Whether their scope should be exclusively na-
tional or universal? Whether such 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
Highness for interesting himself in the subject.
With regard to the second question, the feeling was
that, to use the words of Mr. Alderman NEILD, there
should be a " clear stage and no favour." his 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. Herz,
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 would show what our manufacturers could do,
and by generating increased knowledge and appreciation
in our consumers would induce the production of a much
higher chtsa of work.

-"‘ Mr. Nelson, of the firm of Nelson, Knowles, and
Co. of Manchester, said, • One great argument fur uni-
versality is, that manufacturers ought to know all that
is doing. Most manufac: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 unanimouoly 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 Newc tatle-on-
Tyne, said, the, la)ing the Exbibition open.- to the
Continent was the must 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 mig4:t cost.'
-" Mr. J. Jobson Smith, of the firm of Messrs. Stuart
and Smith of Sheffield, grate manufactureru, thought
it most desirable rose° the hest Metal walk of all
nations; but that England would be behind in orns•
mental metal work, particularly where the hums,n figure
is involved."

With respect to the third point, the great repon-
clerance of opinion was in favour of wholly sit ipport-
ing the exhibition by voluntary subscriptiot ; and
we hope that it n ill from this time forth be considered
as decided that no pecuniary aid in the shape i)f a Par-
liamentary grant %%ill be either asked fur ors ccepted,
save as an ordinary subscription, by the prom oters of
the proposed exhilii,m. Parliamentary grant bring
with them Govcrnmental interference, anal Go-
vernmental interference in these ewes invr riably
does' harm. It is to Governmental interference
that the gradual deterioration of the contin pntal
expositions is to be attributed. In France the pei.sons
employed by Government in matters of this sort have
been, not persons possessed of special knowledieon
the points on which they had to decide, but the kid-
gloved and varnished-booted ,frequenters of the
Ministerial salons, whom the Minister was but too welt