that locality. Improvement is certainly practicable, asthere is water in the district well adapted for securingbrilliancy of colour. The bleach and finish of Notting-ham cotton hosiery is unequalled. Leicester hosiery issurprisingly diversified in colour, shape, and adaptationof the articles to every market. One house sends to theExhibition specimens sufficient to represent fairly theirown production, comprising 12,500 articles with prices,employing about 4000 hands, and distributing about1400/. weekly in wages. This spirit of adaptation andimprovement in machinery, and diversifying its productsto suit the wants of the world, pervades the Leicestertrade, and has resulted in the population of that boroughbeing quadrupled in 40 years, having risen from 10,000to G4,000. No means are available for ascertaining theextent of hosiery production in France . French cottonhosiery is generally of uneven materials; but their silkhosiery is of superior materials. The machinery is inless perfect order than that of the English . The cheven-ing of their embroidered hose is very beautifully designedand executed. In the Saxony Catalogue of goods in the :Exhibition, their machines are stated to be about 30,000, 'employing 45,000 hands. Their lowest specimen of cut-upsmall women’s hose is at 3s. Gd. per dozen, weighing18j ozs., half hose Is. 10 d., and cotton gloves Is. Gc/. perdozen, all made no doubt with a view to exportation.This trade has been remarkably rapid in its progress, :having risen from a trifling amount to its present extentwithin the present century. Saxony hosier}', as compared jwith English , is, from the machinery being too often inan imperfect state, liney, short-looped, and therefore finerfor gauge; but less elastic and less durable, from thesame cause. There is less substance in hand than, fromthe actual weight of materials used, there ought to be. jThe materials are less even in quality than those cm- jployed in the English trade. Honourable Mention has jbeen occasionally spoken of in the following recommend- iations, as suitable for the meritorious workpeople referredto, and in a few instances for exhibitors who have aided ,the completeness of this Class. It will be observed, thatno recommendation is offered for the Council Medal, jThe Jury do not think any of the productions exhibited :present originality or inventive power justifying the awardof that medal. But the merit of promoting excellence of jquality, diversity of useful products, low prices of goods Jsuitable for the mass of consumers at home and for ex- jportation, and consequent increase of employment, has |been eminently exhibited in this Class. i
The Jury award Prize Medals to the following Ex- \hibitors, and for the subjects indicated:— ]
Allen* and Solly, Nottingham (100, p. 583\ for soundand well-made articles, and a selection showing the im-provement in the hosiery trade, especially in the materials !used at the dates 1700, 1790, 1804, 1810, 1812, 1815, !1S26, and 1848.
Angravk Brothers, Leicester, Manufacturers (202,p. 588), for drawers and shirts of excellent quality.
Biggs, H. W., and Sons, Leicester, Manufacturers (205,p. 5S8-9), for the general excellence of the specimens ofhosiery, adapted to even* market where worsted and low-priced cotton stockings, gloves, and woollen shirts are in jdemand.
Billson* and IIames, Leicester, Manufacturers (201,p. 588 \ for the excellence in quality of Thibet wool, anda great variety of socks. i
Cartwright and Warners, Manufacturers, Leicester !(196, p. 588', for worsted yarns prepared by them fromMerino aud Vigonia wools, and for general excellence of ,the articles manufactured therefrom.
Cochois and Colin, 7 Rue des Dechargeurs, Paris, France (124, France , p. 1177), for good quality and em-broidery.
Frv, J., Godaiming (193, p. 588\ for Lisle thread hoseof excellent make, and very regular materials, and for (well-finished Segovia goods. ,
Gi-aeser, J. S., jun., N. Chemnitz , Saxony (72, 83, jp. 1108), for women’s coloured cotton gloves. i
Harris, R., and Sons, Leicester, Manufacturers (198, jp. 5SS;, for an extensive collection of examples of hosier}- ;
of every kind, adapted to the most varied markets, forsuperior excellence in production, alike as to pattern,colour, and finish, and as a recognition of the encourage-ment of inventions and adaptations of machinery in themanufacture of hosiery.
Holland, T., and Co., Godaiming (194, p. 588), forfleecy hosiery, having special reference to medical uses,and the comfort of invalids, and for Merino and Segoviagoods of the most superior quality.
IIurst and Sons, Nottingham (99, p. 583), for the ex-cellence of a general assortment of articles suitable for thehome and export trade.
Landgraff, Gottfried, Hohenstein (Saxony , 72, 83,p. 1108), for women’s single-thread cotton-hose.
1 Lacret Brothers, 19 Hue des Mauvaises, Paris , andGauges (903, p. 1223 ', for embroidered silk-hose of veryhigh quality; also for embroidery in colours and generalexcellence of production.
McDougall, D., Inverness , Scotland (83, p. 582), forknitted hosiery, &c., and as a recognition of his effortsto create habits of self-dependence and a love of labouramongst the peasantry of the Highlands of Scotland .
The Jury consider that this exhibitor is entitled to thisdistinction as much for the superiority of the articles heexhibits, as in consideration of the circumstances tinderwhich they are produced. The peasants of Argyllshire,Ross-shire, &c., are afforded employment in knitting whileattending flocks, and during other desultory employments.Cotters, once half starved, he states, now possess money,thus earned, placed in the savings-banks. The wool iscleaned, combed, and prepared by the peasants; dyed bythemselves, where colours are desired; brown, from alichen called crcthal; yellow, from the tops of youngheather; black, from alder bark; lemon, from furzeflowers; and olive, from the roots of the water-lily. Allthese substances are at hand and well known to them.Stockings ami socks of various patterns and qualities, thusknitted from home-dyed or self-coloured wools, are ex-hibited, as well as pieces of Tweed woven from the samematerials. This exhibitor pays 300/. to 500/. per amiumfor socks alone; and all this class of products are exportedto Hong Kong , Shanghai , and other distant parts, at from12s. to 24s. per dozen pairs, besides being used in Scot land itself somewhat extensively. The Jury desired tohave recognised the first preparer and dyer of wool, to-gether with the best and most thrifty knitter, had it beenpossible to have ascertained this with accuracy.
McKenzie, W. B., 12G Prince’s Street, Edinburgh (142,p. 585', for Shetland knitted shawls and hose. The formerare of very fine materials.
Meinert Brothers, Oelsnitz , Saxony (72, 83, p. 110S\for woollen shirts of excellent make and good colour, forexportation.
Meyrueis and Sons (639, France , p. 1208), for extrafine white embroidered silk-hose, and excellence of ankleembroidery in colours.
Miles S., Bunhill Low, London (89, p. 582), for anextensive collection of articles of dress.
Mii.on, P. D., sen., 98 Rue St. Ilonore, Paris, France (930, France , p. 1224), for superior workmanship of hose,and for excellence of embroidery.
Morley, J. and R., Nottingham and London (101,p. 583), for great excellence in the manufacture andfinish of silk and cotton hose, suited to the best demandof the London and other markets, and for silk gloves ofsuperior make, colour and finish. The exhibitors sendfrom the coarsest to the finest gauges in silk and cottonhose, the latter requiring a considerable magnifyingpower to discern the loops, and though a dozen of thesilk hose weigh only 3J oz., they are perfectly made inquality, and of the most regular materials. The silk ineach pair cost Is. 3c/., the workmanship 15s.
Nacke and Gehrexheck, Chemnitz (72, 83, Saxonv,p. 1108), for women’s cut-up white cotton hose of finequality.
Neither, F-, Chemnitz (72, 83, Saxony , p. 1108), forwhite and brown cotton hose, adapted to exportation fromtheir low prices.
Xevill, A., and Co., 121 Wood Street, London (2ft,p. 578), for excellence of production in ladies’ under-