GEOGRAPHICAL EXHIBITION AT PARIS.—QUESTION. (Hansard, 28 May 1875)

LORD HOUGHTON
, in rising to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to send a Commission to the Geographical Exhibition at Paris? explained that he was informed that it was proposed in August next that there should be an important Exhibition in Paris of all objects connected with Geography—including maps, representations of forests and mountains in various parts of the world, and everything connected with the science and practice of Geography. Although the project did not emanate from the French Government, it had a certain public character, and they had allotted a spacious building, part of the Palais de l'Industrie, for the exhibition of the various articles proposed to be sent. It was hoped that the Congress would be attended by all the eminent geographers and travellers from the different counties of Europe, and that considerable good would result from the meeting together of men who had gone through different adventures, and were able to communicate to each other the result of their travels. It was hoped that a number of men of science would also be present, who would be able to communicate on all those matters which occupied the border-land between Science and Geography. The French Government intimated a desire that the Governments of other nations should appoint certain Commissioners whose duty should be to represent officially the different countries, and who should also superintend with care the different objects which those countries might exhibit. The matter had of course come under the attention of the Royal Geographical Society, of which he had the honour to be a member, and the merits of which were fully recognized by the Government and people of this country. That society would probably send over some one as their 1006 delegate and representative; but it would be difficult for any such person delegated by a private Society to take upon himself an official character which would give him the authority and right to represent this country at the Exhibition. The Royal Geographical Society had thought it right to devote a sufficient portion of their funds to that purpose; but still it would hardly be consistent in a delegate of the Royal Geographical Society to accept a quasi-official position. He wished, therefore, to ask, Whether Her Majesty's Government had any intention of sending over to Paris any person who should represent the English Government as Commissioner at the Exhibition, and who should receive such remuneration as might enable him to perform those functions without involving any pecuniary expense on his part? It would not be necessary to allow any large sum for this purpose, beyond travelling expenses and such moderate outlay as was required by the duties he would have to perform. He believed that every other important country of Europe had come to the determination to send a Commissioner to represent it; and that the proposition had been accepted by the French Government was evident from the fact that all official communications relating to the Congress were to come through some official person. He hoped that Her Majesty's Government would think that some small outlay for this object was justifiable, seeing that the Congress was not only of great scientific interest, but also because of its bearing upon the interests of commerce.

§ THE EARL OF DERBY
In answer to the Question of the noble Lord, I ought, perhaps, to explain that the project of this Geographical Congress and the Exhibition connected with it originated in the first instance, not with the French Government, but with the French Geographical Society, The French Government have supported the scheme, but they have never given it an official character; and in the first instance the French Government did not take any active part in support of it. What happened was this—The President of the French Geographical Society in August last applied to Her Majesty's Government for the appointment of a Special Commissioner to attend the Congress. That application was considered 1007 by the various Departments concerned, and it was not thought advisable to comply with the request; partly because it did not proceed from the Government of that country, but from an unofficial association—although, no doubt, very important and useful one—and partly because international exhibitions of this kind have greatly multiplied of late years, and it was thought that a growing disinclination had been shown in "another place," when questions of finance are considered, to vote the money for these frequently recurring Exhibitions. Further communications passed, and a few days since it was intimated by Her Majesty's Government to the Royal Geographical Society, that they would be prepared to name any person whom the Society might recommend, but on the understanding that no expense should be incurred by the public for the purposes of the Exhibition. The Royal Geographical Society considered that proposal, and informed the Government that they were not in a position to accept it. They have, however, determined to send a delegate to the Congress on their own part—and having been for many years a member of that Society and very much interested in its proceedings, I am bound to say that a better representative of the Royal Geographical Society could not have been selected.

LORD HOUGHTON
said, that the Geographical Society could not take charge of the maps and valuable articles which would be sent for exhibition by a large number of persons, and he was afraid if the noble Earl persisted in his intention not to give any assistance, there would be no person to take charge of the English department at the Exhibition, and that would amount to a practical exclusion of England from the objects of the Exhibition.

§ THE EARL OF DERBY
said, he did not think he was quite the person who was in a position to give an answer to such an appeal. If pecuniary assistance was required, the noble Lord might make a representation of the fact to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, by whom it would receive fair consideration. He had stated the decision of the Government upon all the questions which up to that time had come before them.