APPENDIX No, VII.

54

At a mooting, hold on tlio Kith day of January 1850, it woh liesolucd -—

“ That in tho opinion of this Committee it is not desirable to appoint local Commissionersfor this town and district ; but tho Committee will bo prepared at any time to appoint gen-tlemen to attend in London as its representatives, and on its behalf, if personal conferenceshall be deemed desirable.”

On tho 30tli of January 1850, a Sub-Committee was appointed for tho purposo of solicitingsubscriptions. This Sub-Committee consisted of sixteen gentlemen ; an exceedingly activecanvass was immediately set on foot, the result being reported at the meetings, when thomembers consulted together as to wlmt stops it was expedient to take. After thirteenmootings the subscriptions amounted to tho sum of £4,721 8s. Id., of which £4,150 16s. id.were transmitted to tho credit of tho Treasurers of tho Royal Commission at the Rank ofEngland, the remainder being tho amount oxpended in conducting tho business of tho localConnnitteo.

In June a deputation consisting of Messrs. Entwisle, Schwabo, and Whitworth proceeded toLondon to the meeting of the Royal Commission on the 27th. Information as to tho inten-tions of tho Commission on many points was required, especially as to how far motivo powerfor articles of machinery would be provided by tho Commission ; as to whotlier it was thointention to exhibit articles of ordinary and every-day production, or tho most perfect speci-mens that it would bo possiblo to produce ; also as to tho probable space winch would boallowed to Manchester, &c.

Early in Juno 1850 the business had increased so greatly, that it was resolved to appointthree Sectional Committees, each in its own province undertaking to use its best endeavoursto ensure the exhibition of the best and most interesting specimens of the skill and ingenuityof tho manufacturing industry of the district, and to confer with and assist tlioso intendingto exhibit articles in all necessary arrangements for their exhibition in London . The threesections into which the manufactures of the district were divided were as follows :—

1. Machinery.

2. l’lain and Fancy Cottons.

3. Silks, Prints, and Coloured Fabrics.

At tho same timo Mr. Thomas Worthington was appointed Acting Secretary to tho localCommittee.

The duties of the Sub-Committees were varied and laborious, especially tho MechanicalCommittee . Its meetings were constant, and frequently continued for several hours. Veryactive steps were taken to ensure a largo and varied illustration of the production of thenumerous foundries and mechanists’ shops in tho town, but tho proprietors were all foundreluctant to pledge themselves to oxhibit, from an uncertainty as to whether space would boguaranteed for articles they might prepare ; many producers who were desirous to exhibitobjecting, that unless security wore given that machinery made expressly for tho purposo,and in many cases involving a largo outlay of capital, would certainly be admitted, tho wholelabour and expenso would bo incurred to no purpose.

In consequence, a communication was made on the 12th of August 1850 to the Royal Com-mission, stating this difficulty, and requesting that an allotment of space might be granted tothis Committee, which it should have tho power of allotting to contributors at its own dis-cretion. In compliance witli this request a space of 10,000 squaro feet of horizontal spaoowas temporarily guaranteed to tho Committee , which was immediately allotted to tlioso exhi-bitors wlio had applied for space. On tho .31st of October the demands for space in thissection exceeded 10,500 squaro feet on the iloor. The space finally granted to Manchester inthis section was only 14,000 feet on the Hour, in consoquenco of which it became necessary toreject 5,500 square feet of machinery.

Tho Committee immediately commenced a series of sittings for the examination of thearticles which were to bo exhibited. Each exhibitor was required to attend, and to bringcither tho actual article or models and diagrams fully explaining all particulars of his intendedcontribution.

After a most laborious and careful inspection, in tho course of which it was found thatmany articles might bo put into smaller compass than required by tho applications, thodemands wore compressed into tho 14,000 feet granted, and tho vouchers were returned toLondon .

The question of shafting was frequently discussod, and several communications on thosubject made to Her Majesty's Commissioners.

At a mooting on tho 2nd of October very great disappointment was oxprossed that the newDesigns Act did not afford protection from piracy to exhibitors of mechanical inventions, ama resolution to this effect was forwarded to the Royal Commission. ,

An attempt was made about this timo to raise a fund to assist artisans and others wliowore unable to send articlos to the Exhibition from want of pecuniary resources. It wasstated at the timo that many useful inventions would thus probably be brought out by menwho could not afford to do so without such assistance. A small sum was in consequence