These meetings are of two kinds-general meetings of the whole society, and meetings of the administrative council. The former are held twice in the year, one in each session. The object of the one which takes place during the first session, is: 1, to lay before the society a resume of its labours for the preceding year, which is done by the secretary, and of the receipts and expenses by the committee of finances and the censors; 2, the renewal of the council of administration; and 3, the distribution of medals of encouragement. The general meeting which takes place during the second session is devoted to the distribution of prizes. The meetings of the adminis trative council are held twice in the month, and, as we have before stated, the members have the right to attend and take part in the deliberations and votes.

These meetings are perhaps the most important feature of the society, and the one which is of most interest to us. The proceedings consist of the reading of the reports of the committees upon some improvement in industry or some new branch of trade; also the reading of communications upon similar subjects, and the presentation of pamphlets and books, and the discussion of any matters of interest contained in them; and the exhibition of specimens of new raw materials, or the products of new manufactures, &c.

The journal which is published under the title of Bulletin de la Societé d'Encouragement, may be considered to be the minutes of those meetings. It consists of two sheets quarto, with two or more plates of machinery, &c., engraved in the highest style of art. The articles consist: 1, of the reports of the committees, and the memoirs adopted by the administrative council, a resume of the proceedings of each meeting, and extracts from the correspondence of the society; 2, notices of every thing done elsewhere which may interest the commerce and the industry of the country; 3, original articles consisting of extracts from industrial travels or voyages, dissertations upon scientific subjects bearing upon industry, notices, memoirs, documents and statistics relative to French or foreign commerce, descriptions of new or little known machinery, &c. &c. The journal forms at the end of the year a large volume illustrated with about 40 plates, representing the most important inventions and improvements in machinery effected during the year. The 52 volumes already published, form a complete encyclopedia of the progress of the arts, during the first half of the present century.

Each

The administrative council consists of a president, two vice-presidents, a secretary, and two assistant secretaries, a treasurer, and two censors, seven committees, namely, finance, mechanical arts, chemical arts, economical arts, and fine arts, applied to industry, agriculture, and commerce. committee consists of eight or nine ordinary members, and one or more adjoint and honorary members; there is also a series of honorary officers, consisting of those who have held the office the year previous. The functions of each committee is to examinei nto the nature and merits of each invention and process submitted for the consideration of the society, and to report upon them. The report is usually drawn up by one member in the name of the whole committee, who then alter it if necessary, and approve

of it before its submission to the whole administrative council. If approved of by that body, and by the members of the society present at its mecting, the report is printed in the journal, and illustrated where necessary at the expense of the society. These reports are usually documents of great ability, and the system, which may be said to be peculiarly French, is one which might everywhere be imitated with advantage.

To perform such functions, it is needless to say, that the members composing the council must be superior men, and such is always the case, nearly every distinguished man of science in Paris is a member of one of its committees, and from the same rank is chosen its president and other officers. For example, the president for the past year was M. Dumas, the celebrated chemist, the secretary was M. Charles Dupin, one of the most distinguished men of France in applied science, and the two adjoint secretaries were M. Combes, Inspector-General of mines, and professor to the school of mines, and one of the best writers on that subject in Europe, and M. Peligot, professor of chemistry to the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers, and verificator of assays to the mint, and a man of high position as a chemist. The committee of finance consists of bankers, solicitors, government officers connected with the administration of finances, and, in fact, all men qualified to fill the office from their education and pursuits. The committee of mechanical arts consists of members of the civil engineering corps (Ponts et Chaussees), machinists, manufacturers, mining engineers, and mathematicians. The committee of chemical arts is composed of some of the most distinguished cultivators of that branch of science in France, of whom it is only necessary to mention the names of M.M. Payen, Balard, Fremy, Cahours, Bussy, Salvetat, &c. The same observations apply to all the other committees, the members of which are carefully selected, not for their rank in life, their fortune, or any other accidental circumstance, but for their especial qualifications for the duties to be performed.

It is no wonder, therefore, that the public attach great importance to the opinions expressed in the reports of such a society, upon the new inventions or processes brought under its notice, and that manufacturers should be so anxious to submit their processes and products for its judgment. Every invention which has been made the subject of a favourable report by the society, is sure to find a ready reception among manufacturers, and to have its merits fairly tested. To the poor inventor, and the greater number are invariably so, this is of immense consequence, as it introduces him at once to the large manufacturers who would be likely to employ his invention; and here we may mention another function of the society which we forgot to state above: namely, of assisting such poor discoverers and inventors to secure patents as may not have the money to do so themselves.

The prizes proposed by the Society of Encouragement refer chiefly to such improvements and inventions as would be of great public benefit, especially those connected with the great branches of national industry, the introduction of new ones, the utilizing of hitherto useless sub. stances, &c.

The next of these societies which we shall notice, is the London Society

of Arts, as it was one of the earliest formed, having been founded so long ago as the year 1754, although only incorporated by charter in the year 1847. This society consists of a president, a council, composed of a number of vice-presidents and other members, a number of committees, of which we shall speak presently, and the ordinary members. The following is the rule of the society relative to the admission of members:—

"Candidates for admission as members must be proposed and recommended by not less than three Members of the Society, one at least from personal knowledge, according to a form in which the name, rank, profession or business, and usual place of residence of the Candidate must be distinctly stated. Ladies are eligible as Members. The paper thus signed will be read at a General or Ordinary Meeting of the Society, and be afterwards hung up in the Society's room until the secon following meeting, when the Candidate will be balloted for. The Annual Subscription of every Member is not less than Two Guineas, payable in advance, and commences from the quarter day next preceding the date of election. Any Member, by a payment of not less than Twenty Guineas, may at any time commute his annual subscription. Foreigners and persons not residing in Great Britain may become Corresponding Members, without payment of any subscription, if proposed and elected in the usual manner."

The privileges of a member are: 1, to be present at, and to take part in the proceedings of all the ordinary meetings of the society, and to introduce two visitors at such meetings; 2, to be present and vote at all general meetings of the society; 3, to have personal free admission to all the society's exhibitions; 4, to receive a copy of the weekly journal of the society, or of any other work in which its transactions or proceedings may be published by the society subsequently to his election, and to the use of the library; and 5, to introduce any number of friends to inspect the models, paintings, and works of Art, in the society's house.

The objects of the society are well defined by their charter—

"For bestowing pecuniary and honorary rewards for meritorious works in the various departments of the Fine Arts, for discoveries, inventions, and improvements in agriculture, chemistry, mechanics, manufactures, and other useful arts; for the application of such natural and artificial products, whether of home, colonial, or foreign growth and manufacture, as appear likely to afford fresh objects of industry, and to increase the trade of the realm by extending the sphere and operations of British commerce."

These objects are carried out chiefly in three different ways. First, by means of 33 standing committees, each composed of three members, and which may be classified under five heads; 1, raw materials; 2, machinery; 3, textile fabrics; 4, metallic, vitreous, and ceramic manufactures; and 5, Fine Arts. Secondly, By weekly meetings at which papers are read on some of the subjects relating to inventions, improvements, discoveries, and other matters connected with the arts, manufactures, and commerce of the country; and afterwards the merits of the communication are fully and freely discussed. Thirdly, by occasional exhibitions.

The different communications sent to the society are submitted to the several special committees appointed for the class of subjects to which they belong, and according to the reports of these bodies the society is guided in reference to the granting of the rewards. Formerly the society published transactions, in which were published these communications in full, illustrated with the necessary engravings; and a more valuable repertory of

facts connected with improvements in the various branches of industry scarcely exists. It now publishes a weekly journal, containing the reports of its proceedings, a resume of the papers read at its meetings, and of the discussions thereon, and the correspondence of the society upon various interesting subjects connected with its objects.

A chief function of the standing committees is, to suggest from time to time a list of desiderata in manufacturing industry, for the supplying of which the society would grant premiums. In order to give our readers an idea of the subjects included in the most recent of these lists, and which may be considered in the light of a key to industrial progress, we shall give the desiderata in textile fabrics and allied manufactures:

"An essay on wools; the manner of rearing and feeding the sheep, and improvement in preparing the material for use. 2, A more economic method of employing gold and silver in woven fabrics. 3, An account of improvements in the method of transferring the pattern from the original design to the cards of the Jacquard loom. 4, The successful application of some means (as electricity, for instance) for producing ornamental designs in woven fabrics, which shall be cheaper and easier of application than those at present employed. 5, An account of the methods at present practised in France for dyeing and dressing morocco leather. 6, The best mode of dressing kid and calfskins for the upper leather of boots; the improvements required are, strength of the grain, and a good, firm, black dye. 7, The production of paper, either wholly or in part from new materials, such materials not being more costly than those now used. 8, The best essay on the preparation of paper for India and hot climates generally. 9, The best method of colouring paper in the pulp with indigo, and with greens of various hues, the colours not liable to be affected by gas. 10, Improvements in the manufacture of transparent paper. 11, The best method of glazing paper in the web. 11. A method for more thoroughly sizing machine-made paper with animal size. 13, The invention of a means of copying letters by which the inconvenience at present attending the use of the 'style' may be obviated, and both the original and the copy shall be permanent. 14, An account of recent improvements in the manufacture by steam power of carpeting whether Brussels velvet-pile, or terry, especially of processes by which the warp-threads are coloured to form the pattern before weaving; also for the application of new materials in the manufacture, uniting durability, economy, and elegance of design. 15, The best method of finishing the edges of machine-made bobbin lace (in imitation of pillow lace), so as to supersede the use of a separate pearl edge usually sewn on. 16, Improvements in the manufacture of embroidery by machinery, so that the production may more closely resemble that now made by hand. 17, A ready mode of taking casts of the feet, which may be used as lasts for making boots and shoes."

The exhibitions of the society are of three kinds: 1, exhibitions of inventions, or a collection of articles that have been invented, patented, or registered, during the twelve months next preceding; 2, exhibitions of select specimens of British manufactures and decorative Art; 3, special exhibitions either of the pictures, drawings, sketches, and studies of an eminent contemporary artist; or of some branch of illustrative Art, as wood engraving, chromo-lithography, &c.

This sketch of the constitution of the Society of Arts will be sufficient to show how admirably it is organized for carrying out its objects; and we may further mention, as a more striking proof, that hitherto its influence upon the progress of English manufacturing industry has been very considerable. Many of the most important improvements effected in machinery, and in mechanical and chemical processes, made during the past half

century, have been more or less connected with that society, as its Transactions amply show. Many also of the new and important vegetable and animal raw materials introduced into commerce during the same period, have been chiefly recommended to the public through its instrumentality. More recently the society has taken up many questions connected with the social condition of the working classes, with education, &c. In connection with the subjects just mentioned, we must here allude to a new and useful function which the society has assumed. It has endeavoured to unite with itself all the local institutions throughout England, for the purpose of diffusing the recent information which it, as a great central metropolitan institution, has such facilities of acquiring, through these channels, to every part of the country. The union is effected upon the basis of the most perfect security to the continued independence of the institutions, and the freedom of their self-government. This system of union is of considerable benefit to the local institutions, which are enabled to get books and journals at a considerable reduction of price, through the medium of the society; while the latter, in turn, is in a position to acquire a considerable amount of valuable local information, upon the condition of trade, &c.

There are several provincial societies in France organized upon the plan of the Société d'Encouragement, the best known of which is the Industrial Society of Mulhause (Société Industrielle de Mulhause), a society which, for the importance of its labours, and the journal which it publishes (Bulletin de la Société Industrielle de Mulhause) is scarcely inferior to any society in Europe. It receives no aid whatsoever from the state, and was even very recently refused any assistance by the government towards endowing the school of design which had been established under its patronage. Nevertheless, it has since contrived to build a handsome edifice for the purpose, at an expense of £2,000 (50,000 francs), end its school is now in the most flourishing condition. And yet Mulhouse is a town of only 20,000 inhabitants!

Every little state in Germany has now its society for the promotion of industry or Gewerbeverein, all of which are to a great extent on the plan of that of Paris, and need not therefore be further alluded to. One important feature of all these societies is the publication of a journal, which, in addition to the papers read by the society, gives extracts from, and sometimes entire translations of, the most important memoirs contained in foreign journals. Our own pages can testify to the usefulness of many of these societies, by the copious extracts which we have made from their journals in our notices of recent improvements of manufactures. The extraordinary progress in all branches of industry which Germany has made in recent times, is owing in a great degree to the action of these associations, and chiefly to the information which they have been the means of spreading among the manufacturers of their respective states. Every fact of the slightest interest which comes into the public domain in any part of the world is known in a few months through every part of Germany. How different in this country! Unless in the case of trades in which large capital is embarked, such as that of linen, there is no means whatever by which an Irish small manufacturer or tradesman may become