Mi. L 1 1 > i • : . 1 1 • ' s Statistical Account of the Exhibition. 1 4 7 



In order to embrace the various arts and sciences, the Comm; 

 appointed of its own number five Sub-Committees, viz.: — 1st, Chemistry 

 :in<l Mineralogy; 2d, Mechanics and Engineering; 3d, Manufactures; 

 4th, Natural History; and 5th, Works of Art. 



A printed circular, containing general instructions to all the Committees, 

 was extensively circulated early in June. In it special request was made 

 that the articles selected should be rare and valuable. In November, a 

 clerk was appointed to conduct the correspondence, and take charge of 

 the articles which then began to arrive. About the same time a commis- 

 sioner was sent to England to aid the Corresponding Committees in for- 

 warding the various articles which they had selected. Possession of the 

 City Hall was obtained on the 14th of December, and the Exhibition was 

 opened on the evening of tho 24th, with a promenade, and continued open 

 till the evening of the 31st, admission being granted on payment of 5s. 

 for season tickets, 2s.. 6d. for admission to promenade, Is. on other days; 

 and on the 1st, 2d, and 4th of January, there was free admission to the 

 public. Although at this date upwards of 71,000 had been admitted, 

 yet it was evident that the desire of the public wa3 not satisfied. The 

 Exhibition was accordingly kept open for the five remaining days of the 

 first week of January, on payment of Is. till five o'clock evening, and 3d. 

 after that hour. During these five days, upwards of 28,000 more were 

 admitted, making the total number 99,444. 



The Acting Committee had great satisfaction from the ready manner 

 in which their friends, and even public institutions, placed at their disposal 

 for exhibition the valuable articles of their museums and private collec- 

 tions. In every case their application was responded to, with two excep- 

 tions. In one of these the Directors expressed regret that the laws of 

 their Society prevented their lending any article of the museum ; from 

 the other, a public trust in Edinburgh, no reason for the refusal was 

 given. Although the principlo laid down by the Committee, of selecting 

 only rare and valuable articles, was rigidly adhered to, yet the quantity 

 received or offered, was far beyond what the City Hall, with all its 

 various apartments, spacious as they are, could contain; the consequence 

 was, that many very valuable articles were refused, and others which 

 arrived from a distance at a late period were returned in their packing 

 cases unopened. 



On receipt of so much valuable property, for which, of course, the 

 Committee was responsible, it became a matter of serious consideration 

 to guard it against injury from being exposed, or from loss by accidental 

 fire. Every article of value that would have been injured by exposure, 

 was placed under glass covers, and the whole was secured against risk 

 from fire, by insurance to the amount of £20,000, this being the ascer- 

 I value of articles received. Although the intrinsic value was thus 

 guaranteed, yet as many of the articles received were unique of their kind, 

 highly prized by their owners, and could not be replaced at any price, it 

 thought advisable still further to take precautionary measures to 



