EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
469 
Under such circumstances it was to be expected that the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England would be selected to 
assist by its presence at the inauguration, and accordingly it 
was requested to send a deputation to Paris. The invitation 
was officially made through the Consul-General, and couched 
in the following terms : 
London ; April 28 , 1855 . 
Sir, — I have the honour to inform you that the Minister of 
Agriculture, Commerce, and Public Works, has just informed 
me that it would afford him the highest gratification if the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England would send a deputa- 
tion to France, in order to represent it at the General Agri- 
cultural Concours, which is to take place at Paris. His 
Excellence wishes me to assure the Royal Society, that such 
a step would meet with the greatest sympathy from the 
government. 
I beg, sir, that you will kindly take notice of the commu- 
nication I have now the honour to address to you at the next 
meeting of the Council. I have the more pleasure in being 
the interpreter of the government of his Imperial Majesty, 
as knowing the favorable disposition of the Royal Society, 
and I have no doubt of the kind reception that the invitation 
of M. Rouher will meet with from its members. 
Accept sir, the repeated assurances of the highest esteem 
of your very obedient servant, 
Edward Herbet, 
Consul-General of France 
To James Hudson, Esq., Secretary to the Royal Agricul- 
tural Society of England, &c., &c., &c. 
In accordance with this polite request the Council appointed 
a deputation consisting of Mr. Miles, M.P. (President), 
Mr. Garrett, Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Mr. 
Hudson (Castleacre), Mr. Hudson (Secretary), Mr. Jonas, 
Mr. Milward, Professor Simonds, and Professor Way. 
The Consul-General having also communicated to the 
Council the request of the Minister of Agriculture and Com- 
merce, that they would kindly undertake to name two jurors to 
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