Excerpt from The Journal of the Society of Arts and Institutions in Union, and Official Record of Annual International Exhibitions, Vol. 22: From November 21, 1873, to November 13, 1874
The Hall marking of jewellery has been in an unsatisfactory state for some years past, great confusion resulting from the multiplicity of marks used in London and the various country towns, and the imperfect and confused arrangements for effecting the object. In the hope of developing some system upon which Hall marking may be con ducted in the future on a more satisfactory basis, Mr. E. W. Streeter placed at the disposal of the Council the sum of 25, to be offered as a prize for essays upon that subject. Several essays have been received, but the report of the committee has not yet been made to the Council.
N ot many years have passed since the important changes in the policy of this country, as regards the conduct of trade, took place, and later still the first great International Exhibition was Opened. The results have been truly great. Imports and exports were relieved from heavy duties by the one step, and the knowledge of what other nations are doing was exhibited to our own countrymen by the other. What an advance on the value of the Old trade fairs of former times, which, useful as they were in their day, were fast degenerating into mere resorts of so-called pleasure and idleness The great impetus given to trade and manufacture could not, however, be expected to affect our country alone, and the consequence is that at this time we are engaged in a more equal race with others in supplying staple articles of manufacture. It was, perhaps, a necessary consequence that a system should follow which necessitated a sub division of the labour of production, and so divided the various branches of knowledge and skill that it has become difficult to find men as teachers who are competent to meet the Council’s demand for a course of lectures on Industrial Machinery, such, for instance, as the structure and working of the loom, the nature and mode Of applying lace machinery, and many of the machines employed in connection with the industries of the country. I mention this because it is the anxious desire of the Council to institute lectures relative to such, rather than on those connected with the principles of steam-engines, or similar well-known engineer ing subjects.
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