178

Dollfus (Jean),
Arles-Dufour,
Dumas,
kon. Charles Dupin,
Count de Gasparin,
Greterin,
Heurtier,
Legentil,
Leplay.

General Poncelet,
Regnault,
Sallandrouze,
Schneider,
Seilliere,
Seydoux,
Troplong,
Marshal Count Vllaiant.

Art. 4. In case Prince Napoleon should be absent,
the Commission when assembled at a general meeting,
will be presided over by the Minister of State, or by
the Minister of Agriculture, Commerce, and Public
Works; and in default of these gentlemen, by a vice-
president, voted for at the first sitting.

The section of the Fine-Arts will be presided over by
the Minister of State; and the section of Agriculture
and Manufactures, by the Minister of Agriculture,
Commerce, and Public Works.
Each section will eleet a vice-president.

Art. 5.-M. Arles-Dufour is appointed Secretary of
the Commission, and M. Adolphe Thibaudean, Assis-
tant-Secretary.

M, de Mercey, chief of the section of the Fine-Arts
at the Ministry of State, is named Secretary of the sec-
tion of the Fine-Arts.

M. Audiganne, chef de bureau of Manufactures, and
M. Chemin-Dupontes, chef de bureau of the general
movement of Commerce and Navigation at the depart-
ment of foreign commerce, are nominated Secretaries of
the section of Agriculture and Manufactures.

Art. 6. Our Minister of State, and our Minister,
Secretary of State for the department of Agriculture,
Commerce, and Public Works, are charged with the ex-
ecution of the present decree.

Given at the Palace of the Tuileries, this 24th of
December, 1853.

Signed
Countersigned; ACHILLE FOULD,
Minister of State.

P MAGNE,
Minister, Secretary of State for Agriculture,
Commerce and Public Works.

The Imperial Commission assembled for the first
time on the 29th of December, 1853, at the Palais-
Royal, prince Napoleon presiding. His Imperial
Highness, after reading the decrees instituting the
Commission, delivered the following address:

GENTLEMEN,

The Emperor confides to us a noble and honourable
mission, when he charges us to organize this grand
competition, in which France will show herself worthy
of her name, by the eagerness with which her artists
and her manufacturers will respond to the appeal which
is made to them.

Our duty towards foreigners is to receive them with
a liberal and kind-hearted hospitality.

All opinions in matters of political economy are re-
presented in our body, not for the purpose of entering
into fruitless discussions, which are foreign to our mis-
sion, but of co-operating with equal ardour, whatever
may be their point of view, in the success of this work,
which is calculated to throw so great a lustre on France
and Europe of the nineteenth century.

On that point, gentlemen, there cannot be any differ-
ence of opinion amongst us.

The Emperor has testified his high impartiality in
assembling in the same body the leading men in politics,
sciences, arts, manufactures, and commerce.

For the first time, to a Universal Exhibition of In-
dustry will be adjoined a Universal Exhibition of the
Fine-Arts.

It belongs to our country to set the example of this
alliance, which is so well suited to our initiatory
genius.

I hope, gentlemen, that the most entire confidence
will preside over our relations, and I ask you to grant
me, as your president, that indulgence of which I stand
in need.

Feeling my insufficiency for the great mission which
the confidence of the Emperor has been pleased to con-
fer on me, I shall at least devote to it my most ardent

zeal and the firm determination to act for the best,
which is the first condition of success.

The questions which we shall have to solve are nu-
merous and complicated, and are connected with a mul-
titude of diversified interests, I propose to submit them
to your decision successively, as they will present
themselves, in order not to over-burden ourselves use-
lessly at the commencement of our labours.

They naturally divide themselves into two great
parts: the questions which may call for decrees on the
part of His Majesty, and these which we can solve on
our own authority.

In execution of the decree which has been pub-
lished, our first operation is the nomination of the Vice-
President of the general. Commission, and of the two
Vice-Presidents of the sections of Manufactures and of
the Fine-Arts.

I shall afterwards request you to adjoin to me a sub-
commission to assist me in the execution of the meas-
ures which you shall have decided on. Business can
only be got through in a practical manner by a small
number of persons devoting to it their special aptitude
and their time.

The first question to occupy the attention of that sub-
commission will be to draw up a series of regulations
for the prompt dispatch of the numerous affairs which
we shall have to decide on.

The general regulations, framed by the Imperial Com-
mission for the management of the Universal Exhibi-
tion, were approved of by the following decree:

Napoleon, by the grace of God, and the national
will, Emperor of the French, to all whom these presents
may concern, greeting.

Considering the draft of the general regulations pro-
posed by the Imperial Commission for the Universal
Exhibition of the products of Agriculture, Industry,
and the Fine-Arts;

We have decreed and do hereby decree, as fol-
lows:

The general regulations for the Universal Exhibi-
tion, annexed to the present decree, are hereby approved
of.

Given at the Palace of the Tuileries, this 6th of
April, 1854.

(Signed) NAPOLEON.

Countersigned: ACHILLE FOULD,
Minister of State.

P. MAGNE,
Minister, Secretary of State for Agriculture,
Commerce, and Public Works.

GENERAL REGULATIONS.
GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS.

Art. 1.
The Universal Exhibition, appointed to be held at
Paris in the year 1855, will receive the agricultural and
manufacturing products as well as the works of art, of
all nations.

It will open on the 1st of May, and will close on 31st
of October of the same year.

Art. 2.
The Universal Exhibition of 1855, is placed under
the direction of the Imperial Commission, nominated by
the decree of the 24th of December, 1853.

Art. 3.
In every department, a committee, nominated by the
Prefect, in accordance with the instructions of the Im-
perial Commission, will be charged with the necessary
measures for the success of the Exhibition, and with
the admission and rejection, in proper time, of the arti-
cles presented.

There shall also be appointed, should the Imperial
Commission deem it necessary, local sub-committees or
special agents, in every town and centre of industry,
where the necessity of them may be felt.

Art. 4.
Special instructions will be addressed, in the name
of the Imperial Commission, to the Ministers of War
and Marine, for the exhibition of the products of Al-
geria and of the French colonies.

Art. 5.
The various foreign Governments will be invited to
appoint, for the examination, selection, and transmission'