§ MR. A. BROWNasked the hon. Member for Exeter, Whether it is the fact that the gentleman entrusted with the drawing up of the Report on the Pottery Departments of the International Exhibition of 1871 is a member or employé of one of the principal exhibiting firms; and, if so, whether the Royal Commissioners will allow the fact to be stated in the Report on the subject?
§ MR. BOWRINGsaid, in reply, that the hon. Member was not quite correct in supposing that any one gentleman had been entrusted with the drawing up of the Report on the Pottery Departments of the Exhibition. The fact was that the class of Pottery had been divided into seven sections, and that number of gentlemen had been appointed reporters to those sections, amongst whom, he might mention, was his hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Magnaic). One of the reporters, Mr. Arnaud, was in the employ of Messrs. Minton, Campbell, and Co., one of the competing firms. He was a man of great artistic taste and experience, having prepared valuable Reports on the porcelain departments of the Paris Exhibitions of 1855 and 1867, and under the circumstances he (Mr. Bowring) was of opinion that the Commissioners were fully justi- 1263 fied in appointing him a reporter on this occasion. With regard to the second Question, he saw no objection to the suggestion of his hon. Friend that the fact of Mr. Arnaud's connection with the firm of Messrs. Minton should be made publicly known, and he would mention the subject to-morrow morning at a meeting of the Commission, of which he was a member, and then propose that the Report of Mr. Arnaud should record that fact in such manner as might seem most convenient.