Civil Secretary’s Office,
Wellington, 6th October, 1852.

HIS EXCELLENCY the Governor-in-Chief has been pleased to direct the publication of the following letter from the Secretary to the Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, to Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, for general information.

By His Excellency’s command

Alfred Domett,
Civil Secretary.

Copy of a Letter from the Secretary to the Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, to Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Society of Arts, John Street Adelphi, London
March 26, 1852.

Sir,—I am directed by the Council of the Society of Arts to acquaint you, that they have appointed a Committee of the following Members of the Society, viz.:—

The Earl Grey
Robert Stephenson, Esq., M.P.
Dr. J. F. Royle, F.R.S.
Professor Solly, F.R.S.
John Bell, Esq.
C. Wentworth Dilke, Esq.
Joseph Glynn, Esq., F.R.S.
Wyndham Harding, Esq.
Nathaniel Lindley, Esq.
Alfred Reade, Esq.
Lieut. Tyler, Royal Engineers

to consider the best means of making the Society useful in advancing the knowledge of the resources and capabilities of the numerous British colonies in all quarters of the world, and in furnishing the colonies themselves with such information as may be required on subjects connected with Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

The accompanying enclosures, Nos. 1 and 2, will explain the Constitution of the Society, the objects they have in view in adopting the present measure, and the means which they possess of carrying them into effect.

The Council conceive that one of the first steps towards the attainment of their objects will be the establishment of a correspondence with similar institutions in the colonies; or, in the smaller colonies, where no such Institutions exist, with a Committee consisting of three or more Members, in all cases where volunteers for such a purpose can be found.

I am therefore, to express the hope to the Council, that you will be pleased of accord to the Society the advantages of that co-operation and assistance which the Colonial Office is so well able to afford, to enable them to place themselves thus in correspondence with the numerous colonies. And, as the readiest means of doing so, I am directed to transmit to you Printed Copies of the present Letter and its Enclosures, which the Council trust you will have the goodness to forward to the Governors of colonies, with such instructions for their judicious distribution as may appear best calculated to ensure their practical utility.

I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,

George Grove,
Secretary.

Enclosure No. 1.

Brief Statement of the Objects, Government, Revenue and mode of Action of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce:

Objects.—The Society for the Encouragement of Arts Manufactures and Commerce was founded in 1754 and incorporated under the above name by Royal Charter in 1847, they are summed up in the Charter as—“Generally to assist in the advancement, development and practical application of Science in connection with the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce of the Country.”

Mode of Action.—The Council appoint annually Standing Committees to report upon the various Departments of the Arts and Manufactures, and has lately adopted for this purpose the Classification of the late Exhibition, the Committees being thirty in number, to correspond with the thirty Classes.

These various Committees examine and report on the merits of all useful inventions and discoveries, which are publicly exhibited at certain periods by the Society. And, upon the reports of the Committees the Council award Medals and other rewards for inventions, treatises, or other objects calculated to advance the interests of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

The Society by these means has been the first and principal medium for intro: