Vol. VIII. No. 92. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[August, 1902.] 207 
University College School, Mr. 1 \. Hedger Wallace was allowed to meet the pupils on fixed 
days and hours in certain of the Colonial Courts, and deliver brief discourses to them on the 
natural resources of the particular Colonies, illustrating his subjects by reference to the 
specimens of products exhibited. The success attending these demonstrations induced 
the Council of the Institute to engage Mr. Hedger Wallace to deliver a series of brief 
afternoon public discourses of the same character at the Institute, the audience afterwards 
adjourning with the instructor to the Court of the particular Colonies dealt with by him, where 
the characteristics, etc., of the exhibited products were indicated and explained. 
It is well worthy of consideration -whether, in future arrangements at the Institute, 
this very instructive practical utilization of the Collections may not be advantageously 
extended. 
The Commercial Intelligence Department, 
which was established in 1SS8, within a year after the foundation of the Institute, and 
directly after the grant of its Royal Charter of Incorporation, continues to supply informa- 
tion of the most varied kind, commercial, technical and general, with special reference 
to emigration ; and the calls upon it for replies to enquiries from all classes of the public 
have steadily increased in number, diversity and importance, since the foundation of a 
precisely similar office by the Commercial Intelligence Department of the Board of Trade 
nearly three years ago. , 
The majority of applications received arc for information for intending emigrants, and 
ordinary trade enquiries for names of firms, etc., or for information as to Colonial products. 
But the following are illustrations of enquiries of a special character, which have been 
selected to show the variety of information applied for. In addition, it may be stated that 
a large number of personal applications are made for the opportunity of referring to official 
publications, British and Foreign Consular reports, Colonial and Foreign trade directories, 
trade circulars, prices current, etc. : — 
Government of Seychelles. — Information as to modern methods and processes 
employed in the manufacture of fish oils. 
H. C., Tasmania. — The curing and preparation of anchovies, as practised in 
Norway. 
Admiralty. — The properties and value of “ Yacal” wood, a timber obtained in the 
Philippine Islands. 
T. M., Berkshire. — Lucerne or alfalfa ; methods of cultivation, uses of the 
crop, etc. 
Board of Trade , London. — Particulars of companies or firms manufacturing peat-fuel 
in Great Britain. 
G. & Co., Malta, — Names of merchants in Australia for the sale of Maltese lace. 
T. & Co., London. — Cultivation of pimento in Jamaica. 
Board of Trade> London. — Sources, in England, of stone such as is used as 
“hearthstone/’ 
P. & Co., London. — Commercial sources of manioc flour, with names of firms 
exporting the product. 
Agent-General for Queensland. — Commercial value in England of a brand of con- 
centrated milk, with information as to its prospects of finding a market. 
W. W., London, — Agricultural exports of Argentina. 
R. & Co., Wolverhajnpton. — Weights and measures in Hayti and Cuba. 
R. E. & W., Liverpool. — Exporters of molybdenite in Australia. 
E. B., Rio de Janeiro. — Methods of preparing “banana flour/’ 
C. H. A., London, — Sample of Niin oil from Mexico required and obtained. 
G. C. W., London. — Dita {or Dika) fat from West Africa. Samples and particulars 
as to possibility of commercial supplies. 
A. B., London. — Cultivation of the lemon ; and the lemon oil industry in the West 
Indies and other Colonies. 
Map and Chart Room. 
The collection of maps in the Map Room of the Commercial Intelligence Department 
has been regularly augmented with new editions and with the publications of the Admiralty, 
the Ordnance Survey and the Intelligence Division of the War Office. The Colonial and 
Indian Governments also constantly renew and add to the collection of maps. 
The City Branch. 
The Branch Office at Cannon-street, which, since June, 1899, the Institute has had in 
the premises occupied by the British Empire League, while it afforded good accommodation 
for a Reading Room and Enquiry Office, did not meet two important requirements, viz., 
office facilities for the transaction of business with brokers, merchants, etc., in the City by 
Curators of different sections of the Colonial Collections at South Kensington, or by 
commercial agents appointed by particular Colonies ; and sufficient space, with the necessary 
arrangements for the exhibition, from time to time, to business men, of samples of Colonial 
or Indian products, natural or manufactured, which it is desired to place upon the market. 
The Government Authorities of the Dominion and Provinces of Canada, and prominent 
Associations of Canadian manufacturers, have for some time past realised that it would he 
in the interests of trade with that Colony if special facilities were available in the above 
directions, and the Dominion Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. Sydney Fisher, during a visit 
which he paid to London last year, discussed this matter with the Honorary Director of the 
Institute, the result being that, provided the latter were successful in securing premises in a 
sufficiently central locality in the City, affording the necessary accommodation for the 
purposes specified, the Dominion Gevernment would pay a contribution, per annum, towards 
the cost of acquiring and maintaining them. After somewhat protracted negotiations, 
the “ Commercial Intelligence Bureau, Limited ” (a Syndicate operating upon the lines of the 
Philadelphia Museum, described in the Imperial Institute Journal), agreed to let to 
the Institute a portion of extensive premises occupied by them in Eastcheap, sufficient 
to furnish a commodious sample room, a Commercial News room, and Offices for Colonial 
Commercial Representatives, and the Dominion Government has paid a contribution 
towards the rent of this Office for a period of one year. 
This new City Branch of the Institute was opened on the 1st May last, and has 
already been turned to useful account ; special samples of products from Seychelles, from 
South Australia and East Africa have been on view there, and, in addition to the arrange- 
ment made with Canada, the India Office has arranged for the regular attendance of a 
qualified Commercial Agent, while a similar Official appointed by New South Wales 
has just completed arrangements for his establishment there. 
It may be stated that the Authorities of the Board of Trade are strongly impressed 
with the importance of considerably developing this City Branch of the Institute in the 
interests of the Colonies. 
The Future of the Imperial Institute. 
The relations of the Board of Trade Information Office with that of the Institute have 
continued to be very cordial, and the older Office, as well as the Scientific and Technical 
Department, has been applied to from time to time by the Government Information Office 
for assistance in dealing with enquiries of a specially technical character {see illustrations 
included in the “examples of subjects dealt with in the Intelligence Department”). 
But the fact that the Board of Trade had established and were proceeding actively to 
develop a Department destined to carry on work of identical character with that of the 
Commercial Information Department of the Institute, by means of perfectly analogous 
arrangements, led, on the part of those directing the affairs of the Institute, to a serious 
consideration of the question whether, in place of facing, in the continuance of some of 
its most important operations, direct competition with one of the most important Departments 
of II, M. Government (the Board of Trade), it would not be wise to contemplate the union 
and consolidation of two establishments having precisely the same objects in view, viz., the 
development of the resources and advancement of commercial and industrial interests of the 
various countries composing the British Empire. 
The subject having received very careful consideration on the part of Lord James of 
Hereford, Chairman of the Governing Body, and Sir Frederick Abel, the Director of the 
Institute, an outline scheme was prepared, which met with the cordial approval of Ilis Majesty 
the King (and which was ascertained by Lord Janies to be favourably entertained by 
II. M. Government) for the transfer by the Governing Body of the Imperial Institute to the 
Representatives of the Nation — the Government — the West Section of the Main Building, 
the Galleries, Collections, furniture, and all funded and other property appertaining to the 
Imperial Institute, on the condition that this property be strictly applied to carrying out the 
objects for which the Institute was founded, and w hich are specified in the Royal Charter of 
Incorporation granted to it by Her late Majesty Queen Victoria. 
The President of the Institute, the Prince of Wales, consequently anthorised the 
summoning of a Special Meeting of the Governing Body of the Institute, which was held at 
York House on the 21st December, 190 1. His Royal Highness presided at this Meeting, 
when, after the delivery of an address by Lord James of Hereford, explanatory of the 
proposals which the Governors were called upon to consider, it was unanimously resolved 
that “ this Meeting of the Governing Body of the Imperial Institute, believing that its 
objects and purposes will be best carried out by the Institute and its property being 
transferred to the Nation, hereby approves of such transfer.” A Committee was thereupon 
appointed, with power to add to its number, “for the purpose of carrying the Resolution 
into effect.' 3 Plis Royal Highness the President, at the conclusion of the business, expressed 
his satisfaction at the decision of the Governors, and stated that “ the King entirely approved 
of the course to be adopted.” (The proceedings of this Meeting were published in exienso 
in the Imperial Institute Journal for February, 1902, Vol. yiii, p. 37). 
The Law Officers of the Crown having decided that the proper course to be pursued for 
effecting the proposed transfer, was by presenting a private Bill to Parliament, the necessary 
steps were taken by Lord James of Hereford, in consultation with the President and 
Secretary of the Board of Trade, and Sir Frederick Abel, for the preparation of a draft Bill, 
the terms of which were afterwards considered and agreed upoD by the Special Committee 
of the Institute’s Governing Body, the members of which were : Lord James of Hereford, 
Sir Henry Fowlei, the Lord Chief Justice, the Lord Chancellor, the Hon. Sir Robert 
Herbert, Sir Owen Tudor Burne, and Sir Frederick Abel ; and also Lord Stratheona and 
Mount Royal (representing the Dominion of Canada), the Hon. Henry Copeland (represent- 
ing the Commonwealth of Australia), the lion. W. Pember Reeves (representing New 
Zealand), and the Hon. Sir Walter Peace (representing the South African Colonies). 
In the preparation of the Bill, great care was taken to completely protect the interests 
of the Colonies and India in the Institute, to secure the best efforts of the Government 
towards the attainment of its objects and purposes as laid down in the Charter of the 
Institute, and to secure, as far as practicable, to the Life Fellows of the Institute, privileges 
of the same kind as those hitherto attaching to that office. 
To further this result, the Bill provided for the appointment of a Committee to act as 
an advisory body to the Board of Trade. This Committee was to consist of two leading 
Officials of the Board of Trade, and four eminent Representatives of Commerce and Industries 
to act with them as representing that Board : it was also to include Representatives of 
the Dominion of Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Government of New Zealand, 
the Governments of South African Colonies, the Crown Colonies, and the following 
Government Departments other than the Board of Trade, viz., the Colonial Office, the 
Foreign Office, the India Office, and the Board of Agriculture, to be severally appointed by 
the Pleads of those Departments. 
In passing through the House of Lords, “ the Imperial Institute Bill” received, by 
agreement between Lord James of Hereford, and Lord Davey as representing the University of 
London, two small amendments, designed to protect the interests of the University in 
connection with the recent transfer to that Body of certain portions of the Institute Buildings. 
The Bill passed through the House of Commons without amendment, having been read for 
the third time on July 14, 1902, since when it has received the Royal assent. 
Consequent upon the Imperial Institute Act having become law, the authority and offices 
of the Governing Body and officials of the Institute will cease on the 31st December 1902, 
the transfer of the Institute, its property and government to the Board of Trade taking 
place on January I, 1903. The Act does not provide for the continuance of the existence 
of ordinary or annually paying Bellows of the Institute ; they will, therefore, no longer 
exist after the 31st December, 1902. 
The Governing Body of the Imperial Institute have every reason to hope and believe 
that, in becoming a Branch of the Government Department whose special functions are the 
promotion and continuous development of the commercial and industrial interests of the 
Empire, the Imperial Institute will be placed in the best position for fulfilling the objects of 
its foundation, as a fitting Memorial of the Reign of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria. 
July, 1Q02. F. A. ABEL. 

New Automobile Fire-Engine. — With reference to the self-propelling steam fire-engine 
mentioned in last month's issue of this Journal (p. 181), we are informed that this engine has 
been designed by the old-established firm of Merryweather and Sons Limited, of Greenwieh-road, 
London, by whom it is being manufactured. At present a number of these engines are in course 
of construction, but they are all for foreign or colonial purchasers. The engine would appear to 
be well-adapted for use in some of our large cities in place of the present cumbersome horse- 
drawn machine. 
New Patent Steam Exhaust Head. — A new steam exhaust head (Fletcher’s patent) has 
been produced by the Frictionless Engine Packing Company Limited, which presents some new 
features. It claims to prevent the ejection of water, to reduce the noise of the exhaust, to save oil 
or grease, and to prevent damage to property, having no back pressure. The oil is recovered 
and, after filtration, can be used again. Dry steam only is discharged into the atmosphere, and 
its discharge is practically noiseless. The steam is also freed from its unpleasant greasy odour. 
The head is designed on entirely novel lines. The steam from the exhaust pipe, entering the 
head at the bottom, draws cold air with it from outside the head, by a kind of injector action ; 
and this cold air, mixing with the steam, cools the grease and condenses the wettest of the steam, 
making the separation of the oil and water possible without the complicated baffles and crooked 
passages usual in this class of apparatus. The area for the passage of steam through the head is 
at every part from three to six times that of the exhaust pipe, and when it is remembered that a 
part of the steam is condensed, and that the head is open to the atmosphere, both top and bottom, 
it will easily be seen that it is impossible for the head to set up back pressure. These heads are 
at work, and are equally effective on the exhaust of old single cylinder, high-pressure engines, 
and the most modern high speed engines running at 500 revolutions per minute. 
