The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-03 00:00:00

resolution :

That in order to testify the high admiration entertained by
this community for the exalted talents and distinguished pub-
lic services of the late lamented Duke of Wellington, both as
a soldier and as a statesman, it is, in the opinion of this
meeting, desirable that a statue should be erected in Man.
chester, by public subscription, to his memory, iu grateful
recognition, as well of the transcendent genius and undaunted
courage which, under Providence, secured to himself the ro-
putation of the greatest general of thp age, and to his country
the enjoyment of prosperity and liberty—as of the delibera-
tive wisdom, disinterested judgment, and noble spirit of pa-
triotism, which over directed his endeavours to perpetuate
and extend-the invaluable blessings of peace.
The resolution was seconded by Frank Ashton, Esq., thou
mayor of Salford; and it was unanimously agreed to. The
subscriptions obtained by Mr. J. C. Harter, and some other
gentlemen previous to the meeting, together with those
given at the close of the proceedings, amounted to 2,5751.
By the Ist October, the amount was increased to 3,937/. ;
on the sth it had reached 5,4001.; on the 15th, 6,4201. ; on.
the 211, 6,797/. ; and it was subsequently increased to more
than 7,0001.
- - - • -

About the close of the year it was determined to estab-
lish in the metropolis a " Wellington College ;" and the
question was raised here, as elsewhere, whether the local
subscription should be given in aid of that general object,
or be devoted, as it first resolved, to a Manchester memorial
to the Duke. In this city, the matter caused but little dis-
cussion ; the feeling being very decided that Manchester
had raised the necessary means, and ought, from her
position, to do honour to Wellington for herself and accor
dant with the views of her citizens.
On the 10th February, 1853, we were able to announce
the decision come to by the committee appointed at the
general meeting, as to the first step to be taken in pro-
curing designs for the contemplated memorial. The com-
mittee had (speaking generally) resolved that a certain
number of associates of the Royal Academy, and other
sculptors of celebrity, should be invited to compete; each
competitor being at liberty to send in two models, but not
more. Sculptors other than those invited were to be
allowed to compete, upon specified conditions. If it should
be decided that the design selected as the best in point of
artistic merit could not be erected, from considerations of
site, cost, or otherwise, the committee would pay to the
contributor of such design 2001. ; but in case such design
was carried out, that payment would not be made, nor,
under any circumstances, was any reward to be given to
unsuccessful competitors. To the artist of the selected de-
sign the committee undertook to pay 7,000/. for the erec-
tion of the statue ; that sum to cover every expense con-
nected with the work of producing the statue in bronze, as
well as of the pedestal, Sum All the models were to be
sent in anonymously. The 6th August, 1853, was ap-
pointed as the last day for receiving models ; and the re-
sult of the competition was, that 37 models were sent in
by 29 sculptors, eight of them having each forwarded two.
The models were arranged in a suite of rooms in the south
gallery of the Royal Institution, which were placed at the
disposal of the committee by the council of the institution.
The committee had during the interval allowed for com-
petition agreed to leave the decision as to the most merito-
rious model to the Earl of Ellesmere and the Right Rev.
the Lord Bishop of Manchester ; they being directed to
chose a third umpire to act with them. Lord Ellesmere
had, however, been chosen as the representative of the
British people at the New York Exhibition ; and the de-
lay which resulted from his visit to America in his official
capacity was prolonged by an attack of illness to which
his lordship was subjected immediately after his return.
So strongly did hi. lordship feel the unfortunatenoss of
this delay, that, knowing some time must further elapse
before he could come to Manchester to act as umpire, he
sent in his resignation, and urged that the Ea;l of Wilton
should bo selected as his substitute. The committee,
however, were most decidedly averse to losing the services
of the Earl of Ellesmere, provided they could possibly be
secured ; and it was felt, also, that were his resignation
accepted, there would be much difficulty in selecting a
third umpire whose position locally, combined with his
artistic taste, was such as to be likely to give satisfac-
tion to the competitors, the public, and the subscribers.
The Earl of Ellesmere was, therefore, urged to withdraw
his resignation ; the urgent appeal of the committee was
supported by the Lord Bishop and the Earl of Wilton ;
and his lordship acceding, the Earl of Wilton eras
chosen as the third umpire. This was about the end of
October, 1853 ; and on the 4th November, the three
umpires assembled at the Royal Institution, and unani-
mously agreed in selecting as the most meritorious, and
for erection, the model which proved to be that sent in by
Mr. Matthew Noble, who had previously been selected
unanimously, from amongst a very large number of com-
petitors, as the artist of the statue to Si: Robert Peel,
which it had been determined to erect in the Peel Park,
Salford. At the time of the selection, the statue on the
pedestal of Mr. Noble's model represented the Duke in
middle life, and in military costume ; but Mr. Noble sub-
mitted two other designs for the statue, one representing
the Duke in early life, the other in advanced ago. We
stated at the time our reasons for approving of the last-
named statue, in preference to either of the others ; and it
was subsequently chosen unanimously by the umpires to
be substituted for the one upon the pedestal. The 37
models were exhibited to the public for a week, and daily
attracted large crowds of visitors. Since the commence-
ment of 1854 the sculptor and the founders have been at
work ; we have occasionally noticed the progress of their
labours, and the details as to the erection of the pedestal
must be fresh in the memory of our readers.