ON THE METHOD OF MAKING GOLD-ASSAYS. 155 



tho building-trade, engineers, the cotton-trade, ship-biiilders, and most of the 

 trades and industries of the country, each and all of which have caused 

 serious losses on tho community at large. In tho opinion of your Committee 

 a wcU-devised system of conciliation is the only proper and legitimate 

 method of solving labour-disputes. And your Committee cannot too strongly 

 express their sense of the grave responsibility which rests on either employers 

 or employed when, regardless of consequences, they resort to a step so vexa- 

 tious and destructive as a strike or lock-out. 



Your Committee are of opinion that tho British Association will confer a 

 lasting benefit if, on its pilgrimage in the principal industrial towns in the 

 United Kingdom, it will seize every opportunity for the enunciation of sound 

 lessons of Political Economy on the questions in agitation between employers 

 and employed. It was suggested to your Committee that workmen should 

 be admitted to the meetings of Section F at a reduced rate. Your Committee 

 desire to point out the importance of promoting, as far as possible, the study of 

 political economy, and especially of those branches of industrial economy which 

 most intimately concern the industry, manufactures, and commerce of the 

 country. Y'our Committee have learned with pleasure that the Cobden Club are 

 prepared to ofler some encouragement for the teaching of political economy to 

 the labouring classes ; and your Committee would suggest that the Chambers 

 of Commerce might advantageously take similar means in the great centres 

 of commerce and manufacture. In the opinion of your Committee, a proper 

 sense of the necessity and utility of continuous labour, an earnest desire for 

 the achievement of excellence in workmanship in every branch of industry, 

 and a keen and lively interest on the part of one and aU to promote national 

 prosperity, are the best safeguards against the continuance of those dis- 

 turbances between capital and labour which have of late become of such 

 hindrance to successful production. In the great contest which Britain has 

 to wage with other industrial nations, it is the interest of both masters and 

 men to be very careful lest, by raising the prices of British produce and 

 manufacture too high, they should no longer be able to carry the palm in the 

 arena of international competition. 



Your Committee regret the death of their much esteemed member Mr. 

 Samuel Brown, who took an active part in the proceedings. Professor 

 Fawcett, M.P., was unable to act. But your Committee have pleasure in 

 reporting that tho Eight Hon. Lord O'Hagan, Mr. Thomas Brassey, M.P., 

 and Mr. A. J. Mundella, M.P., were added to the Committee. 



Second Report of the Committee, consisting of W . Chandler Roberts, 

 Dr. Mills, Dr. Boycott, A. W. Gadesden, and J. S. Sellon, 

 appointed for the purpose of inquiring into the Method of making 

 Gold-assays, and of stating the Results thereof. Drawn up by W. 

 Chandler Egberts, F.R.S., Secretary. 



In their last Eeport the Committee stated that portions of the gold plate, 

 which had been so long in course of preparation, had been sent to various 

 distinguished chemists on the continent and in America. 



Several Pioports have been received, all of which confirm the favourable 

 opinion the Committee expressed as to the purity of the plate. Towards the 



