FIRST REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS.

xix

Those matters of detail which required more special investigation than they couldreceive from the whole body of Commissioners, were entrusted to Committees notalways exclusively composed of Members of the Commission itself, but usuallycomprising, together with one or more Commissioners, several men of eminence inthe particular pursuits most nearly connected with the subject of inquiry. Thus inorder to decide upon the arrangements for the 1 bidding, a Committee was formedconsisting of live Members of the Commission, and three other gentlemen ofacknowledged eminence as engineers or architects. The Finance Committeecomprised not only several Members of the Commission, but also a gentlemanwhose long connexion with the Treasury had rendered him familiar with thepractice of the Government in linancial matters, and another gentleman,—one ofthe Treasurers of the Commission,—whose extensive experience of contracts forgreat undertakings rendered him a most valuable and cllicient adviser upon manypoints which came before the Committee. Again, the important task of pre-paring classilied lists of the articles which should be admitted to the Exhibition,was confided to several Committees, each consisting ol one or more Membersof the Commission, associated with men of eminence in science, in art, or in par-ticular branches of manufacture, according to the departments of the Exhibition ofwhich they severally took cognisance. A complete list of all the Committeesappointed by the Commission, with the objects for which they were appointed, andthe length of time for which they sat, will be found in Appendix No. I. to thislleport.

The decisions of the Commissioners on points relating to the Exhibition, publishedby them from time to time, are given in Appendix No. 11., accompanied by remarkswhere necessary.

The Finance Committee.

In pursuance of an announcement to the public which has been already referredto, a Committee of Finance (a) was appointed, and an officer selected by the Lordsof the Treasury from the Commissariat sendee (Assistant Commissary-GeneralCarpenter) was directed to prepare, with the assistance of the Executive Committee,monthly estimates of the sums required for the purposes of the undertaking, andto submit the same to the Finance Committee, by which they were examined andlaid before the Commission, when authority was given to the Treasurers of theCommission to pay the proper amount from the general balance at the Bank ofEngland to a separate account, on which the Chairman of the Executive Committeeand the Financial Officer were jointly empowered to draw. The Finance Com-mittee has continued to meet regularly at short intervals, and all questions relatingto the expenditure ol' the Commission have been submitted to it as they arose.

(a) "‘Earl Granvillo (Chairman), *Lord Overstone, *Mr. Labouclioro, *Mr. Gladstone, *SirA. Cubitt, *Mr. Cobdou, *Mr. T. Raring, *Mr. Gibson, Sir A. Spearman, Rart, and Mr. l'eto.Those marked * are Members of the Commission.