Hitherto the Committee have been somewhat disappointed at the compara- 

 tive apathy of the artizati class, but this year the attendance in the evenings 

 ]ias been very hopeful, so much so, indeed, as to warrant the expectation that 

 an interest in Art may be thoroughly excited, and a knowledge diffused among 

 that class wbich may be productive of valuable industrial results. The pre- 

 sence of Art Galleries and Museums in Paris has enabled that city, in the 

 absence of most material advantages, to become a large manufacturing centre, 

 owing solely to the educated taste of her artizans. Loudon has, within the 

 last few years, become the seat of art manufactures, which have in several 

 instances been the direct outgrowth of South Kensington, and which in most 

 cases owe their success to the interest in art it has excited, and the opportunity 

 of study it affords. If Liverpool is to become eventually more than a mere 

 warehousing port, any means of attracting such manufactures into her midst 

 should be most anxiously improved. In the last century Wedgwood sent large 

 quantities of his earthenware to be decorated by transfer in Liverpool. At 

 present considerable quantities of Staffordshire china goes to Londoi\ for 

 decoration ; and in stained glass and other artistic glass manufactures, it is more 

 than competing with Munich and Venice. The attendance of the artizan 

 class at these Exhibitions is, therefore, a most important element from an 

 industrial point of view. 



The increase in the value of sales is also a subject of sincere congratulation, 

 especially as regards tbe local artists. Out of £7,402 17s. 6d. the local sales 

 amounted to no less than £1,704 Is. 6d., and, as might be expected, if the 

 numbers of works are compared, the proportion is very much larger. London 

 artists sold 1'29 out of 545 sent; local artists 87 out of 913 sent; and pro- 

 vincial artists 55 out of 214 sent ; so that the local and provincial works sold 

 together amount to 13 more than the metropolitan works. There seems, 

 therefore, no indisposition to encourage native talent as soon as it is recog- 

 nised ; and if these Exhibitions had been successfully instituted some years 

 previously, it seems probable we might have retained in our midst artists who 

 were driven away to seek elsewhere encouragement which their own townsmen 

 would gladly have afforded them. 



The general standard and the character of the works exhibited have again 

 evinced a decided improvement, and more especially has this been the case as 

 respects local artists. Both in character and number their works showed a 

 decided and very encouraging advance upon previous Exhibitions, which the 

 Committee hope may become yet more evident in each succeeding year. 



The Committee have again to thank the leading artists of the country for 

 their hearty co-operation, and to congratulate the Council on the number of 



