FIRST REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS.

xxxvn

Ail interesting Return will be found in Appendix No. XVIII., showing thenumber of schools which visited the Exhibition.

After the opening of the Exhibition, a change in tire distribution of the dutiesbecame necessary, as will appear from Appendix No. V. already mentioned, whichgives the Executive Organization both before and after the opening. For the actualcare and maintenance of the Exhibition, for ensuring that constant watchfulnesswhich was so necessary among such numerous Exhibitors, and giving them and thepublic the means of ready redress in case of difficulty, the following arrangementswere made :—

The Building was divided into 10 districts, eight upon the British side and twoon the Foreign, to each of which a Superintendent was appointed, with an officewithin his district.

The duties of the District Superintendents were to make daily inspections ofevery part of their districts, and to make daily reports of the same: To see thatthe goods of Exhibitors were kept properly cleaned and arranged,—that the Cata-logue numbers and other tickets were securely fastened to the articles to which theyreferred,—that no articles were admitted, without proper permission first obtained,—that no accumulation of rubbish of any kind was permitted under the counters, oron the hangings, girders, &c. : to keep a register of all accidents or damages : tokeep a book open for complaints from the Exhibitors or the public : to see to thepunctual attendance and good conduct of their subordinates, and send daily to theoffice of the General Superintendent for any orders which might concern them :to correct the names, numbers, &e. , in the successive editions of the Catalogue:to prevent any unauthorized notices or inscriptions : and in general, to communi-cate personally with the Exhibitors, their servants or agents, in cases in which theirco-operation was required by the Executive Committee.

After having been open on 141 days, the Exhibition was finally closed to thepublic on Saturday the 11th of October, at which time, as has been stated, upwardsof six million visits had been paid to it. The following Monday and Tuesday wereset aside for the gratuitous admission of Exhibitors and their friends; and onWednesday the 15th of October, the final closing ceremony took place in the presenceof the Exhibitors, Jurors, Foreign and Local Commissioners, Representatives of LocalCommittees, and others, when, after the presentation of the Jury Reports to theCommissioners, His Royal H ighness Prince Albert , on behalf of the Commission, tookleave of all those who had given their assistance towards conducting the Exhibitionto its prosperous issue. (See Appendix No. XIX.).

The removal of the goods immediately commenced, details respecting whichoperation will be seen by reference to Appendix No. XX.

The Commissioners having thus brought down a narrative of their proceedings tothe close of the Exhibition will now refer to those points which require attention,un d which would not admit of being introduced into any chronological arrangement.