Dec. 30, 1886] 



NA TURE 



liftieth year of Her Majesty's reign beg leave to submit to your 

 Koyal Highness the foliowing report. 



They do not fail to remember that the scheme which your 

 Koyal Highness indicated in your letter of September 13 last to 

 the Lord Mayor of London had its origin in the reniarlvable 

 interest excited by the recent Exhibition, by which not only the 

 material products, resources, and manufactures, but the loyal 

 feeling of the great colonies and possessions of Her Majesty's 

 Empire, were illustrated in a most signal manner. 



The object, therefore, « hich naturally suggested itself first to 

 the committee was the development, with some necessary modi- 

 fications, of your Royal Highness's idea of creating a jiermanent 

 representation of the resources and progress of the colonies and 

 India. 



On pursuing, however, the consideration of the subject, the 

 committee became persuaded that a memorial really worthy of 

 the jubilee year of Her Majesty's reign could not be confined in 

 its objects to any one part or parts of Her Majesty's Empire, and 

 that it must in some form and degree also comprehend a 

 representation of the United Kingdom. 



Their desire, therefore, in the following outline of the scheme 

 which they recommend is to combine in a harmonious form, and 

 with a view to some practical and useful purpose, a representation 

 of the colonies and India on the one hand and of the United 

 Kingdom on the other. 



They submit that this object will be best indicated by giving 

 to the memorial the title of The Imperial Institute of the United 

 Kingdom, the Colonie.-, and India. 



They think that the Institute should find its home in buildings 

 of such a character as worthily to commemorate the jubilee year 

 of the Queen's reign, and to aftbrd accommodation suitable for 

 an institution combining the important objects which they now 

 proceed to describe. 



It is obvious that several departments of the Institute, such as 

 the hall, conference rooms, &c., which will be found described 

 under the Colonial and Indian Section and the United Kingdom 

 Section respectively, will be common both to the colonies and 

 India and to th- United Kingdom : but as others have special 

 relation to a particular portion of Her Majesty's dominions, it 

 will be found convenient to make the following division. 



A. Co/jiiia/ and Indian Sectinti. — The object of the Colonial 

 and Indiaii Section will be to illustrate the great commercial and 

 industrial resources of the colonies and India, and to spread a 

 knowledge of their progress and social condition. 



To this end provision should be made for — 



(i). The display in an adequate manner of the best natural 

 and manufactured products of the colonies and India, and in 

 connection with this the circulation of typical collections 

 throughout the United Kingdom. 



(2). A hall for the discussion of colonial and Indian subjects, 

 and for receptions connected with the colonies and India. 



(3). The formation of colonial and Indian libraries, and 

 establishing in connection therewith reading, news, and in- 

 telligence rooms. 



(4). The incorporation in some form into the proposed Institute 

 of the Royal Colonial and Royal Asiatic Society, if, as is hoped, 

 it be possible to bring about such a union. 



(5). The collection and diffusion of the fullest information in 

 regard to the industrial and material condition of the colonies, so 

 as to enable intending emigrants to acquire all requisite know- 

 ledge. Such information might be advantageously supplemented 

 by simple and practical instruction. An emigration office of this 

 character should be in correspondence with the provincial towns, 

 either through the free libraries or ty other means, so that in- 

 formation may be readily accessible to the people. These objects 

 would be greatly facilitated if, as may be hoped, the Government 

 should consent to the transfer to the buildings of the Institute of 

 the recently formed Emigration Department, which would, by a 

 close connection with the Institute, largely increase its usefulness. 



Facilities might be afforded for the exhibition of works of 

 colonial and Indian art. 



It is al-o considered desirable that means should be provided, 

 not for a general e.thibition, but for occasional special exhibitions 

 of colonial and Indian produce and manufactures, .^t one time 

 a particular colony or portion of the Empire may desire to show 

 its progress ; at another time a general comparison of particular 

 industries may be useful. Whilst the permanent galleries would 

 exhibit the usual commercial or industrial products of the several 

 colonies and India, the occasional exhibitions would stimulate 

 and enlist the sympathies of colonial and Indian producers, and 



keep up an active co-operation with the industrial classes of this- 

 country. 



13. United Kingdom Section. — The leading objects of this 

 Section will be to exhibit the development during Her Majesty's 

 reign and the present condition of the natural and manufactured 

 products of the United Kingdom, and to afford such stimulus 

 and knowledge as will lead to still further development, and thus 

 increase the industrial prosperity of the country. 



We submit that these objects may be carried out by making 

 provision for the following purposes : — 



(i). Comprehensive collections of the natural products of the 

 United Kingdom, and of such products of other nations as are 

 employed in its industries, with full scientific, practical, and 

 commercial information relating thereto. 



(2). Illustrations of manufactured products, typical of their 

 development and present condition, of trades and handicrafts, 

 and their progress during the Queen's reign, including illustrations 

 of foreign work when nece sary for comparison ; together with 

 models illustrating naval architecture, engineering, mining, and 

 architectural works. 



(3). A library for industrial, commercial, and economic study, 

 which should contain standard works and reports on all subjects 

 of trade and commerce. It will be desirable also to include a 

 library of inventions of the Empire, and, as far as possible, of 

 the United States and other countries. 



(4). Reading and conference rooms supplied with English, 

 colonial, and foreign commercial and technical periodicals, and a 

 fully-equipped map room for geographical and geological refer- 

 ence. The conference rooms would be of value for meetings of 

 Chambers of Commerce and other bodies of a kindred nature. 



(5). The promotion, in affiliation with the Imperial Institute, 

 of commercial museuins in the City of London and in the com- 

 mercial centres of the provinces. To these the Institute would 

 contribute specimens, samples, and exhibits of the commercial 

 products likely to be specially valuable in particular localities. 

 There should also be an organisation to connect the Imperial 

 Institute with the provincial centres by lectures, conferences, 

 the circulation of specimens, and other means. 



It is hoped that the Institute may lead to the organisation of 

 high schools of commerce, such as are now established in the 

 chief commei'cial towns of most Continental countries, but 

 which have, as yet, unfortunately no existence in the United 

 Kingdom. 



(6). The building will also advantageously afford accommoda- 

 tion for (a) comparing and examining samples by the re-ources 

 of modern science, and (b) the examination of artisans under 

 the various schemes already existing for the promotion of 

 technical education. 



Space should also be provided for occasional exhibitions of 

 separate industries, or of the special industries carried on in 

 great provincial centres : for example, there might at one time 

 be an exhibition of iron manufactures, at another of pottery, at 

 another of textile fabrics, &c., which would tend to stimulate 

 improvement in the different departments of industrial life. 

 This object might be assisted by separate exhibitions of the 

 handiwork of artisans. 



The committee, having detailed the general nature of theii 

 suggestions under these heads, desire to add that they do not 

 anticipate the exhibits in the collections remaining unchanged. 

 They contemplate that as improvements are made from time to 

 time the later and better results would displace those out of 

 date. 



They have had to consider how the space should be distributed 

 between the United Kingdom on the one hand and the colonies 

 and India on the other, and they recommend that whatever 

 portion of the buildings is nut required for purposes manifestly 

 common to both should be allotted to the two sections fairly in 

 equal parts. 



C. Govirnment of Iiislilute. — The committee recommend that 

 a new body, entirely independent of any existing organisation, 

 should be created for the government of the Institute. This 

 body should be thoroughly representative of the great com- 

 mercial and industrial interests of the Empire. The colonies 

 and India should have a fair share in the government of the 

 Institute, and each colony should have special charge of its own 

 particular department, subject, of course, to the general manage- 

 ment of the entire institution. 



The method of carrying this out would be prescribed by the 

 Charter, after full consideration by Ilei Majesty in Council. 



D. Site. — The committee, being fully conscious of the advantage 



