INTRODUCTION.

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use of the article exhibited. The importance, in a social or other point of view, of thepurposes to which the article is to be applied, will also be taken into consideration, as willalso the amount of the difficulties overcome in bringing the invention to perfection.

In the department of Manufactures, those articles will be rewarded which fulfil inthe highest degree the conditions specified in the sectional list, viz.:—Increased usefulness,such as permanency in dyes, improved forms and arrangements in articles of utility, &c,Superior quality, or superior skill in workmanship. New use of known materials. Use ofnew materials. New combinations of materials, as in metals and pottery. Beauty ofdesign in form, or colour, or both, with reference to utility. Cheapness, relatively to excel-lence of production.

In the department of Sculpture, Models, and the Plastic Art , the rewards willhave reference to the beauty and originality of the specimens exhibited, to improvements inthe processes of production, to the application of art to manufactures, and, in the case ofmodels, to the interest attaching to the subject they represent.

These general indications are sufficient to show that it is the wish of the Commissioners,as far as possible, to reward all articles in any department of the Exhibition, which mayappear to competent judges to possess any decided superiority, of whatever nature thatsuperiority may be. It is the intention of the Commissioners to reward excellence in what-ever form it is presented, and not to give inducements to the distinctions of a merelyindividual competition. Although the Commissioners have determined on having threemedals of different sizes and designs, they do not propose to instruct the Juries to awardthem as first, second, and third in degree for the same class of subjects. They do not wishto trammel the Juries by any precise limitation ; but they consider that the Juries willrather view the three kinds of medals as a means of appreciating and distinguishing therespective characters of the subjects to be rewarded, and not of making distinctive marks inthe same class of articles exhibited. They fully recognise that excellence in production isnot only to be looked for in high-priced goods, in which much cost of labour andskill has been employed, but they encourage the exhibition of low-priced fabrics, whenCombining quality with lowness of price, or with novelty of production. They canreadily conceive that Juries will be justified in giving the same class medal to the cheapestcalico prints made for the Brazilian or South American market, as they would to thefinest pjiece of Mousseline de Soie or Mousseline de Laine, if each possessed excellence of itsown kind.

All persons, whether being designers or inventors, the manufacturers or the proprietors ofarticles, will be allowed to exhibit; but they must state the character in which they do so.They may also state the names of all or any of the parties who have aided in the production.In awarding the prizes, however, it will be for the Juries to consider, in each individualcase, how far the various elements of merit should be recognised, and to decide whether theprize should be handed to the exhibitor, or to one or more of those who have aided in theproduction.

Lastly, the Commissioners , in announcing their intention of giving medal prizes, do notpropose altogether to exclude pecuniary grants, either as prizes for successful competition,or as awards under special circumstances, accompanying, and in addition to the honorarydistinction of the medal. There may be cases in which, on account of the condition of lifeof the successful competitor (as for instance, in the case of workmen) the grant of a sum ofmoney may be the most appropriate reward of superior excellence; and there may be othercases of a special and exceptional nature, in which, from a consideration of the expenseincurred in the preparation or transmission of a particular article entitled to a prize, com-bined with a due regard to the condition and pecuniary circumstances of the party exhibiting,a special grant may with propriety be added to the honorary distinction. The Commis-sioners are not prepared, for the present, at least, to establish any regulations on theseheads. They consider it probable that a wide discretion must be left to the Juries, to behereafter appointed, in respect to the award of money prizes, or the grant of money in aid of