VI

NOTICE.

complete and national system of industrial education, having reference to art,science, and their union with manufactures, is referred to in this Report; andextracts from the Lectures of Warington Sinythe and Professor Edward Forbes —the former having reference to the want of mineralogical knowledge, the latterto geological knowledge—are given. An additional incentive to the establishmentof similar institutions is also to bo found in the very important and valuableinformation collected by Dr. Lyon Playfair, who states that Prussia, Austria ,Saxony, Bavaria, France, and Belgium , are carefully supplying to those who musteventually become the heads of establishments such information as will guide themto sure and successful results. Ten years ago one of the greatest modern states-men indicated the course which must be pursued in order to meet foreign compe-tition—by which alone we can hope to maintain our present position with advan-tage against the more aesthetically and more scientifically educated people of thecontinental cities. “ All the facilities of intercourse/’ he observed, “ are ope-rating as bounties to skill and intelligence. They are shortening the distancebetween the producer and consumer, and it is not safe for us to remain behind-hand ; for, depend upon it, if we are inferior in point of skill and intelligence orgeneral knowledge to the manufacturers and producers of otlior countries, the in-creased facilities of intercourse will result in transferring the demand from us toothers.”

That which was spoken in 1841 receives its confirmation by the Reports of theExhibition. A more fitting commemoration of the great event which distinguishedthe year 1851 could scarcely bo imagined than that which is shadowed forth inthe pages of the Commissioners’ Reports, viz., the institution of a system of in-dustrial education, and the erection of a noble building within whose walls wouldbe collected together all that is best fitted to stimulate and exercise the variousfaculties of man, and thereby assist in their complete development.

In annexing the Reports to the pages of the Supplementary Volume, it ishoped that an important end will be served.

The publishers have to acknowledge the valuable assistance rendered by Mr.Aitken, in collecting the materials for this Volume.

December 1852.