340 [Assembly 



At a subsequent meeting of the Convention, Mr. Wakeman pre- 

 sented the following report on the important subject treated of as 

 above, by M. Vattemare — the Committee to whom the subject was 

 referred consisted of Messrs Wakeman, Aycrigg and Van Norden. 



• REPORT. 



" The Committee to whom was referred the letter of M. Vatte- 

 mare, beg leave to report: 



That the substance of the proposition as understood from this 

 communication, appears to be a national interchange of objects of 

 Industry, Models, etc., similar in character to that now engaging the 

 attention of M. Vattemare, as to Literature and the Fine Arts. 



In accordance with this project, the French Government is ready 

 to receive such objects as relate to the Arts and Inventions of this 

 country, as our countrymen are willing to furnish, and to have them 

 transported to Paris at the cost of the Government, and, where 

 occasion calls, to grant a gratuity to the inventor for the benefit 

 which the French nation shall receive from it. Also, if objects 

 shall be received from different nations sufficient to justify the ex- 

 pense, then to put up a building in Paris expressly for the exhibi- 

 tion of such articles of Industry. 



Since it is well known that the French Government have several 

 Museums of the Fine Arts, of surgical preparations and of national 

 Industry, in the exhibition of which they are as liberal as they can 

 be, the "Museum of the Industrious " would doubtless be regulated 

 on the same liberal principle. And since the inventive genius of 

 our countrymen is such that we need fear competition with no one, 

 the industrial character of the A.mericans would doubtless be raised 

 in the opinion of the whole of Europe, in consequence of this exhi- 

 bition at the grand centre of attraction. 



Could we in the same manner receive inventions and models from 

 all nations, it would form a museum that would be not only very 

 attractive, but very useful to the country. How this can be effected 

 on our part, may not at present be very apparent, since we cannot 

 at present offer the same terms to foreigners, of bearing the expense 

 of articles sent to us; but since these matters would frequently be 

 brought by our vessels free of expense, we might make a beginning: 

 small at first, but gradually enlarged, and it would add very greatly 



