DECISIONS.

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nation, and that the Local Committees , wherever formed, should themselves collect theSubscriptions within their own districts.

37. The Local Committees should advertiso all Subscriptions they receive, and defray alllocal expenses, paying such commissions for collection as they may think necessary.

[The proportions which were reserved by each Committee may bo seen on reference to Appendix XL.]

38. All Subscriptions must be absolute and definite.

39. Her Majesty’s Commissioners think that the same complete system of organizationshould be extended as much as possible to the British Colonies.

40. Subscriptions should (without delay) bo paid to the Treasurers of Local Committees, andby them transferred to the General Fund at tho Bank of England , in the names of A. K.Barclay, Esq., W. Cotton, Esq., Sir J. W. Lubbock , Bart., S. M. Poto, Esq., M.l’., and BaronLionel do Rothschild , M.l’.

41. 4-2, 43, 44, 45.

[The Decisions of lier Majesty’s Commissioners being published from time to time, it was thought ad-visable to leave figures vacant in the first publication, so that paragraphs might be inserted withoutdisturbing the numbers. This will account for several numbers which have no decision attached.]

LOCAL COMMITTEES—THEIR FUNCTIONS, &c.

40. The functions of tho Local Committees chielly consist in the recommendation of LocalCommissioners to represent the interests of their localities—in encouraging tho production ofsuitable objects for Exhibition—in affording information in the locality relative to the Exhi-bition—in the organization and collection of Subscriptions—and in facilitating tho means ofvisiting the Exhibition.

[The course of proceedings adopted in Local Committees may be judged of by referring to the returnsfrom Birmingham, Manchester, and Marylebone . Appendix VII.]

47. However large the Building may be—tho quantity of articles sent for Exhibition mayexceed any amount of space that can be provided ;—Her Majesty’s Commissioners consequentlyreserve to themselves ample powers of rejection and selection. But it is the wish of tho Com-missioners to limit, as far as possible, tho necessity for the exercise of the powers of rejectionand selection of objects intended for exhibition thus reserved to them, ami for that purpose,to call to their assistance the local knowledge and discretion of the several Local Committees .’They consider that it would bo desirable that tho Local Committees should, without delay,enter into personal communication with those persons resident within their district, who arelikely to be Exhibitors ; and that they should ascertain the character and number of tho objectswhich it would bo their wish to send to the Exhibition. They are desirous of receiving, at asearly a period as possible, tho general result of the inquiries instituted by the Committees , anda general estimate of the articles likely to be supplied, which, in the opinion of tho Committee,may be fitly exhibited, supposing there were ample space.

[The amount of space demanded and that actually allotted by the Executive Committee may be seenin Appendix XL.] '

48. Before a final determination be adopted in respect to the selection of objects to betransmitted, the Commissioners hope to be enabled to depute one or two well-qualified personsto visit the several districts from which articles of the same general character are likely to bosupplied ; and enter into personal communication with each of the Local Committees , for thopurpose of giving them information on any point on which they may be enabled to afford it ;and for the purpose also of enabling tho Commissioners to judge from the collective reportsof tho persons employed by them, in what manner tho power of selection and rejectionreserved to tho Commissioners can be ultimately exorcised most consistently with justice toall parties, and with the advantageous application of the space for the purpose of exhibition,which they will have at their command.

[It was found that the more the Local Committees were left to their own resources and enjoyed freedomof action, the more successful was the result.]

49. Tho first object, however, of the Commissioners, is to receive from the Local Committees such general information as to the character of tho objects to bo supplied, and such generalestimate of their number, and the room they would occupy, as may enable the Commissionersto form some judgment as to tho probable demands upon the space applicable to the purposesof the Exhibition.

50. The subjoined printed form ( see 54) has boon prepared, and may bo obtained by intend-ing Exhibitors of the nearest Local Committee.

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