Page xiii

                               HISTORY OF ITHE GREAT EXHIBITION.
]Ioyal Commissionwas submitted by                                       
       sought to connect with it the various
E.R.H. Prince Albert to the govern.                                     
      Schools of Design established in our
ment, but with no better success;                                       
       larger towns, and; obtained the cou
and it then became apparent that                                        
       operation of the Board of Trade,
no reliance whatever could be laced                                     
       throueah its president, BMr. o Labou-
upon the active support of Her         /                                
       chre, ith    obect. T      alos-
Majesty's ministers for a~ny such                       /curl\ A\ee, M that
object- They also se-
                     Majesty's ministers for any such                   
        cur~~~~~~ed the promise of a site from the
plan. They had, in all probability,                                     
       Earl of Carlisle, then Commissioner
no objection to see the experiment                                      
       of Woods and Forests; who offered
tried, but were evidently unwilling                                     
       them the central area of Somerset
to commit themselves to' any re-                                        
       House, or any other government
sponsibility in behalf of a scheme .                                    
       ground at his disposal which seemed
which seemed to be beset by so                                          
       adapted for their purposes.. The
many difficulties. Meanwhile, the                                       
       Exhibition of 1849, confined for the
popular feeling in favour of such an                                    
       most part to works in, the precious
undertaking was rapidly stren then-                                     
       metals, several of the more important
ing, and the - success which has                                        
       of which were contributed by Her
attended the experiment may, in a                              .        
       Majesty,proved more successful than
great   o measure, brere t  o t                                         
       either of the two that had preceded
freedom of action which this disso-                                     
       it, and stimulated proportionably the
ciation from the timid councils of            THE MEDAL OF MR. G. G. ADAMS.
    exertions of the Council. A report
the government secured for its pro-                                     
       on the French Exposition of the
jectors. It may be proper, in                                           
           same year, by Mr. Digby Wyatt,
this place, to remark that, ex-                                         
           bad, moreover, strongly con-
cepting in facilitating its corre-                                      
           firmed them in their conviction
spondence with foreign nations;                                         
           of the utility of such an exhibi-
the provision of a site for the                                         
           tion in this country.
building; and the organisation                                          
             Meanwhile,. H. R. H. Prince
of the police; no assistance has                                        
           Albert was not only privy to,
been either sought or obtained   /                    (   -             
           but entirely approved of these
from the government for the                                             
           proceedings; and, on the ter-
present Exhibition; whilst, iN                                          
           miation of the Parliamentary
every case  otinwhich it has b                                          
           session of 1849, took the subject
been attended by- -expense, the                                         
           under his immediate superin-
cost has been defrayed out of                                           
       I   tendence. But, indeed, for his
the funds at the disposal of the                                        
           indefatigable perseverance, his
Executive Committee.                                                    
           courageous defiance of all risks
  The initiative in those in-                                           
           of failure, his remarkable saga-
quiries which were indispensable                                        
           city in matters of business, and
to the due consideration of the                                         
           the influence which attarhed to
means by which the idea of an                                           
           his support, the whole project,
Exhibition for all Nations was                                          
           notwithstanding the great exer-
to be carried out, was taken by                                         
           tions which had been made to
the Society, of Arts, a com-                                            
           secure its, realisation, must have
mittee of whose members was                                             
           fallen to the ground. The ma-
formed in June, 1845,. for the,                                         
           turelyconsidered views of his
purpose; the funds for defray-              THE MEDAL OF MR. LEONARD C. WYON
       Royal Highnesu, and the pa-
Ing the preliminary expenses                                            
           triotic objects he proposed in
of which were subscribed                                                
               making this great Seace-
among themselves. An in-                                                
               offering to mankin15 are
quiry having been insti-                                                
              admirably set forth in the
tuted for the purpose of                                                
               theechdivr     by hi on
ascertaining how -far the                                               
               the o  s   o      anquet
manufacturers of Great Bri-                                             
               given by Mr. Alderman
tai were favourable to such                                             
               FarncombthenLordMayor
a design, with no very en-                                              
               of London, to the municipal
couraging result, the idea                                              
               au\ /thoits  on of the ite
was for a time abandoned.                                               
               Kindo    ine Expp bitiofnh
In 1847, the Council of the                                             
               p rjct. "the  Eheibition
Society launched their pilot                                            
                f181   wouor ld," hme teste aid
balloon in the shape of an                                              
               "fifnod a tee thest oate
Exhibition of British Manu-ponofdvlmeta
factures,professedlythe firmt                                           
               which the whole of mankind
  ofaseries ; and encouragehaaried                                      
                           in this great
by ita ucsrpae        h                                                 
               task, and a new starting
exyeimentucin reethedensin                                              
               point from which all nations
      wo their plan, the intention of             1n:DA~ OF             
                positwould be able to direct their
      its xectivwasiinuncd,                                             
               further exertions."It is
 to establish an annual com-                                            
                difficult to assign to Prince
 petition of-the same kind,                                             
                Albert the dgre of praise
 with a -view to the oJpening                                           
                which is rty his due on
 Of a quwnqennial exhibition                                            
                this occaion without in.
 for the industrial products                                            
                culgth          eupiino
 Of all nations to be held in                                           
                being in some degree in-
           1851. Asanaccessory                                          
                     fluenced by  the exalted
 to their plan, the council                    ITE MEDAL OF M. BONNARDI&L.
              psto     ehlsi       h