The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-02 00:00:00

EVENING Y

The following is 1 copy cf the Commist3.on,.n.' re-
port of the rogr( ss of the Exta:bit,len, x..hich was rct
to her Msjtsty by Prince AlbiTt, ns P:e,i3cnt of tho
Commis:don, yesterday during the certmony of the
opening:—:

" May it please your Majesty,—We, the Commissioners
appoin ed by your Majesty's Royal warrant of the 3d of Ja-
nuary, 1850, for the promotion of the Exhibition of the
Works of Industry of all Nations, and subsequently incorpo-
rated by your Majesty's Royal Charter of the 15th of August
in the same year, humbly beg leave, on the occasion of your
Majesty's auspicious visit at the opening of the Exhibition,
to lay before you a brief statement of our proceedings to the
present time.
" By virtue of the authority graciously committed to us
by your Majesty, we have made diligent inquiry into the
matters which your Majesty was pleased to refer to us—
namely, into the best mode of introducing the productions
of your Majesty's colonies and of foreign countries into this
kingdom, the selection of the Most suitable site for the Ex-
hibition, the general conduct of the undertaking, and the
proper method of determining the nature of the prizes and
of securing the most impartial distribution of them.
" In the prosecution of these inquiries, and in the discharge
of the duties assigned to us by your Majesty's Royal Char-
ter of Incorporation, we have held constant meetings of our
whole body, and have, moreover, referred numerous ques-
tions connected with a great variety of subjects to com-
mittees, composed partly of our own members and partly of
individuals distinguished, in the several departments of science
and the arts, who have cordially responded to our appli-
cations for their assistance at a great sacrifice of their
valuable time.

" Among the earliest questions brought before us was the
important one as to the terms upon which articles offered
for exhibition should be admitted into the building. We
considered that it was a main characteristic of the national
undertaking in which we were engaged that it should depend
wholly upon the voluntary contributions of the people of this
country for its success ; and we therefore decided, without
hesitation, that no charge whatever should be made on the
admission of such goods. We considered, also, that the
office of selecting the articles to be sent should be intrusted
in the first instance to local committees, to be established in
every foreign country, and in various districts of yoar.
Majesty's dominions; a general power of control being re-
served to the commission.
" We have now the gratification of stating that our anti-
cipations of support in this course have in all respects been
fully realized. Your Majesty's most gracious donation to
the funds of the Exhibition was the signal for voluntary
contributions from all, even the humblest, classes of your
subjects, and the funds which have thus been placed at our
disposal amount at present to about 65,000/. Local com-
mittees, from which we have uniformly received the most
zealous co-operation, were formed in all parts of the United
Kingdom, in many of your Majesty's colonies, and in the
territories of the lion. East India Company. The most
energetic support has also been received from the Govern-
ments of nearly all the countries of the world, in most of
which commissions have been appointed for the special pur-
pose of promoting the objects of an Exhibition justly cha-
racterised in your Majesty's royal warrant as an Exhibition
of the Works of Industry of all Nations.
" We have also to acknowledged the great readiness with
which persons of all classes have come forward as exhi-
bitors. And here again it becomes our duty to return our
humble thanks to your Majesty for the most gracious man-
ner in which your Majesty has condescended to associate
yourself with your subjects by yourself contributing some
most valuable and interesting articles to the Exhibition.
" The number of exhibitors whose productions it has been
found possible to accommodate is about 15,000, of whom
nearly one-half are British. The remainder represent the
productions of more than 40 foreign countries, comprising
almost the whole of the civilised nations of the globe. In
arranging the space to be allotted to each, we have taken
into consideration both the nature of its productions and the
facilities of access to this country afforded by its geographi-
cal position. Your Majesty will find the productions of your
Majesty's dominions arranged in the western portion of the
building, and those of foreign countries in the eastern. The
Exhibition is divided into the four great classes of-1. Raw
Materials; 2. Machinery; 3. Manufactures; and 4. Sculp-
ture and the Fine Arts. A further division has been made
according to the geographical position oi the countries repre-
sented ; those which lie within the warmer latitudes being
placed within the centre of the building, and the colder
countries at the extremities. _ _ _

" Your Majesty having been graciously pleased to grant a
site in this your royal park for the purpose of the Exhibi-
tion, the first column of the structure now honoured by
your Majesty's presence was fixed on the 26th of September
last. VI ithin the short period, therefore, of seven months,
owing to the energy of the contractors and the active in-
dustry of the workmen employed by them, a building has
been erected, entirely novel in its construetion, covering a
apace of more than 18 acres, measuring 1,851 feet in length
and 456 feet in extreme breadth, capable of containing 40,000
visitors, and affording a frontage for the exhibition of goods
to the extent of more than ten miles. For the original sug-
gestion of the principle of this structure the Commissioners
are indebted to Mr. Joseph Paxton, to whom they feel their
acknowledgments to be justly due for this interesting feature
of their undertaking.

With regard to the distribution of rewards to deserving
exhibitors, we have decided that they should be given in the
form of medals, not with reference to merely individual com-
petition, but as rewards for excellence in whatever shape
it may present itself. The selection of the persons to be so
rewarded has been intrusted to juries equally composed of
British subjects and of foreigners, the former having been
selected by the Commission from the recommendations
made by the local committees, and the latter by the Go-
vernments of the foreign nations the productions of which
are exhibited. The names of these jurors, comprising as
they do many of European celebrity, afford the best
guarantee of the impartiality with which the rewards will
be assigned.
" It affords much gratification that, notwithstanding the
magnitude of this undertaking, and the great distances from
which many of the articles now exhibited have had to be
collected, the day on which your Majesty has been graciously
pleased to be present at the inaugurat►on of the Exhibition is
the same day that was originally named for its opening,
thus affording a proof of what may, under God's blessing, be
accomplished by goodwill and cordial co-operation among
nations, aided by the means that modern science has placed
at our command.

"Having thus briefly laid before your Majesty the results
of our labours, it now only remains for us to convey to your
Majesty our dutiful and loyal acknowledgments of the sup-
port and encouragement which we have derived throughout
this' extensive and laborious task from the gracious favour
and countenance of your Majesty. It is our heartfelt prayer
that this undertaking, which has for its end the promotion of
all branches of human industry, and the strengthening of the
bonds of peace and friendship among all nation&of the earth,
may, by the blessing of Divine Providence, conduce to the
welfare of your Majesty's people, and be long . remembered
among the brightest circumstances of your Majesty's peace-
ful and happy reign."
His Royal Highness handed to her Majesty a copy
of the report, accompanied by a catalogue of the articles
exhibited. _ _ _

Her Majesty returned the following gracious answer:—
,6 I receive with the greatest satisfaction the address which
you have presented to me on the opening of this Exhibition.
" I have observed with a warm and increasing interest the
progress of your proceeding in the execution of the duties in-
trusted to you by the Royal Commission, and it affords me
sincere gratification to witness the successful result of your
judicious and unremitting exertions in the splendid spectacle
by which I am this day surrounded.
" I cordially concur with you in the prayer, that by God's
blessing this undertaking may conduce to the welfare of my
people and to the common interest of the human race, by en-
couraging the arts of peace and industry, strengthening the
bonds of union among the nations of the earth, and pro-
moting a friendly and honourable rivalry in the useful
exercise of those -faculties which have been conferred by a
beneficent Providence for the good and the happiness of
mankind."

At a few minutes after one o'clock her Majesty left the
Exhibition, and returned to Buckingham Palace.