by passing a vote of thanks to their authors.

It was decided last year that no medal should be awarded to readers of papers who had previously received medals from the Society. Acting on this rule the Council were precluded from considering the following papers :-In the Ordinary Meetings, the paper by Professor C. V. Boys on "Thermit;" in the Indian Section, the paper by Mr. A. G. Stanton on "British-Grown Tea; " in the Colonial Section, the paper by Sir John A. Cockburn on "The Biology of Federation; and in the Applied Art Section, the papers by Mr. William Burton on "Crystalline Glazes," and by Mr. Lasenby Liberty on "Pewter." All these papers the Council consider to be of considerable merit and well worthy the distinction of a medal.

the sixtieth anniversary of the testator's death. Dr. Swiney died in 1844, and in his will he left the sum of £5,000 Consols to the Society of Arts, for the purpose of presenting a prize, every fifth anniversary of his death, to the author of the best published work on Jurisprudence. The prize is a cup, value £100, and money to the same amount; the award is made jointly by the Society of Arts and the College of Physicians.

A meeting of the adjudicators of the prize was held on Wednesday, January 20, 1899. The Lord Chief Justice, G.C.M.G., VicePresident of the Society, was in the chair.

The adjudicators received a report from the joint Committee of the Society of Arts and the College of Physicians, recommending that the prize should be awarded to Sir Frederick Pollock and Mr. F. W. Maitland, for their book, History of English Law before Edward the First," and in accordance with the recommendation adjudged the prize for the work mentioned.

The cup hitherto awarded was designed, in 1849, for the first award by D. Maclise, R.A., but on the present occasion a cup was presented to each of the joint authors, and it was therefore necessary to make certain modifications in the original design. The required alterations were successfully carried out by Messrs. Garrard, to whom the preparation of the cup has always been entrusted.*

X.- OWEN JONES PRIZES.

The

After the death, in 1874, of Owen Jones, a committee was formed to collect subscriptions for the purpose of founding a memorial. money thus obtained was partly expended in erecting a monument over his grave in Kensal Green, and the balance (a sum of £400) was presented to the Council of the Society of Arts upon condition of their expending the interest thereof in prizes to " Students of the Schools of Art who, in actual competition, produce the best designs for Household Furniture, Carpets,

Wallpapers and Hangings, Damask, Chintzes, &c., regulated by the principles laid down by Owen Jones." The prizes have now been awarded annually since the year 1878 on the results of the annual competition of the Board of Education.

Six prizes were awarded this Session, each prize consisting, in accordance with the regulations laid down for the administration of

A list of the previous recipients will be found in the Journal for October 16, 1903 (vol. 51, p. 893).

the Trust, of a bound copy of Owen Jones's "Principles of Design," and a Bronze Medal.

The list of the successful candidates has already appeared in the Journal.

The next award will be made this summer, on the result of the present year's examinations. Six prizes have again been offered for competition.

XI. MULREADY PRIZE.

Under the terms of the Mulready Trust, a Gold Medal, or a Prize of £20, was offered for competition among students of the Schools of Art in the United Kingdom at the annual competition for the present year. The prize was to be given to the student who obtained the highest awards in certain subjects-all life studies, and was awarded to Thomas Corrie Derrick, of the Queen's-road School of Art, Bristol, who obtained the mark "Excellent."

This prize is presented occasionally, as the accumulated funds permit, to the student who exhibits the best drawing from the nude at the annual examinations of the Board of Education. It has been awarded on several previous occasions, the last being in 1897.

XII. FIRE PREVENTION PRIZES.

At the request of the Executive Committee of the International Fire Prevention Exhibition held in London last year, the Council of the Society offered, out of the funds of the Fothergill Trust, certain gold, silver, and bronze medals, for the best chemical fire engines and for the most easily worked long ladders exhibited at the International Fire Prevention Exhibition at Earl's-court.

This Trust arose out of a bequest by Dr. Fothergill, in 1821, "for the establishment of premiums for promoting useful arts." The objects which the testator proposed to the Society for consideration all related to the prevention of fire, and the Council have therefore considered it desirable to retain the connection of the Trust with fire prevention, although the bequest was not really limited to this special purpose. On the report of judges appointed by the Executive of the Exhibition, one gold, three silver, and two bronze medals were duly awarded. The names of the recipients will be found in the Journal for October 16, 1903.

See Journa', vol. 50, p. 819, September 11, 1973.

XIII.-NORTH LONDON EXHIBITION TRUst. It was stated in the Report of the Council for 1902-3 that prizes amounting to fourteen guineas had been offered to students in the art classes of the Northampton Institute, Clerkenwell.

The money for these prizes was provided by the accumulation of interest on an invested capital of 157 presented to the Society of Arts in 1865 by the Committee of the North London Working Classes and Industrial Exhibition (1864). This amount was the balance of the surplus from that exhibition, and it was given with a view to the award annually of prizes for the best specimens of skilled workmanship exhibited at the Art Workmanship Competitions of the Society of Arts. The Art Workmanship Competitions were discontinued after 1870, and it has since been rather difficult to know how the funds arising from the Trust could be disposed of in a manner which might accord with the intention of the donors. In 1884 the Society awarded certain prizes in connection with the Inventious Exhibition, and among these was one (a gold medal or £20) offered under the Trust in question for the best set of specimens illustrating the handicraft teaching in any school. In 1896 an amount of £22 odd was awarded in prizes at the East London Exhibition, held in that year. In 1902 there was again a small accumulated capital, and the Council considered that a very proper way of disposing of it would be to offer it in art workmanship prizes for students connected with that part of the metropolis where the North London Exhibition was held.

The prizes were duly awarded last November, and the offer has been renewed for the present year.

XIV. PRIZE FOR A DUST-ARRESTING
RESPIRATOR.

In July last an announcement was made that the Council were prepared to award, under the terms of the Benjamin Shaw Trust, a Prize of a Gold Medal, or Twenty Pounds, for the best Dust-Arresting Respirator for use in dusty processes, and in dangerous trades.

As far back as 1822 the Society awarded its Gold Medal to Mr. J. H. Abraham, of Sheffield, for a Magnetic Guard to protect persons employed in dry grinding. The apparatus described in the Society's "Transactions" includes a Respirator to cover the mouth and nose. This Respirator was fitted

Vol. 40, 1822, page 135.

with magnets, for the purpose of arresting the fine particles of steel thrown off in the process of pointing needles, and in other processes of dry grinding. Although the invention was greatly appreciated at the time, it appears never to have come into practical use, the main objection to it having been, it is believed, raised by the workpeople themselves, who feared that the lessened risk attached to their employment would lower their wages. Similar considerations have, it is believed, stood in the way of the introduction of various appliances intended to limit the risks associated with all trades in which the workpeople breathe a dusty atmosphere. It was, however, thought that such considerations are likely to have less weight at the present time, and it was hoped that the offer of a prize might draw the attention of inventors to the matter, and might result in the production of some suitable piece of apparatus, despite the difficulties with which the solution of the problem is surrounded.

By the end of December, the date fixed for their reception, 60 different inventors had sent in apparatus. Of these 27 came from the United Kingdom, and 33 from other countries, viz., United States of America (9), Germany (6), Austria (6), France (3), India (2), Italy (2), Norway (2), Holland (1), Canada (1), Tasmania (1).

The Committee has held numerous sittings and have examined all the appliances sent in. A large number they have been able to reject as unsuitable or impracticable, but they have selected a certain number for further examination and test, and on these they hope to be able to report before very long.

XV.-PRIZES FOR DRAWING. Since 1899, the Council have placed at the disposal of the Royal Drawing Society, for competition among the candidates at its annual examination, 12 Bronze Medals, and, as usual, these medals were awarded for drawings sent in by students to the exhibition held by the Drawing Society in April last.

XVI. EXAMINATIONS.

The number of students who enter for the Society's examinations still continues to Increase. The total number of candidates in March last was 21,570, an increase of 2,155 on last year. These entries were-in the ordinary grade 13,709, and in the elementary grade 7,861. As the working out of the results for the present year is not yet completed it is not possible to say exactly how many of these

candidates presented themselves, but the numbers are-Grade II. 11,368, and Grade I. about 6,447, the total being approximately 17,815. The actual number of papers worked was in Grade II. 12,610, and in Grade I. 7,203. In addition to those candidates who were examined in commercial subjects and in music, 438 candidates were examined viva voce in modern languages, and 514 in the practice of music. The total number of candidates who were examined in all subjects by the Society of Arts during the year just completed is therefore 18,767. The following Table shows the general results in Grade II. for the last twelve years :

It is not perhaps wise to lay too much stress on these percentage calculations, but so far as they can be trusted, the percentages for this year seem to indicate that the standard, which has shown in previous recent years a tendency to rise, has, if anything, fallen a little during the present year, and indicates that the rapid growth in numbers has not been accompanied by a similar increase in the quality of the candidates. This year it will be noticed that the percentage of First-class candidates is a little smaller than last year— 134 against 14, while the percentage of

failures is a little higher-24 against 22.3. On the other hand the percentages of all classes correspond very closely in the years 1902 and 1904.

The increase in numbers is spread over nearly all the list of subjects, in fact there are only three which show a falling off-English, 258 against 260; German, 318 against 327; and Portuguese, 29 against 40. It will be noted that even in these the diminution is very slight. On the other hand several subjects show a considerable increase. In Book-keeping there is an increase of 356 on last year, in Shorthand one of 225, and in Typewriting one of 171. The following are the numbers in the other subjects:-French 805 and 770, Arithmetic 345 and 285, Commercial Geography 98 and 89, Economics 79 and 77, Précis-writing 106 and 75, Italian 38 and 10, Spanish 174 and 171, Russian 11 and 5, Danish 2 and 1.

In Book-keeping, the largest subject, the Examiners report that the general result is not quite so good as last year, for though the First-class percentage is practically the same, 21.35, the Second-class has slightly decreased, and the Third-class increased. The failures are slightly less than last year.

In Typewriting, the most noticeable feature in this year's examination is the marked increase in the number of first and Second-class certificates, and the decrease in the number of failures. The percentage of First-class candidates this year is 9:48, whereas last year it was 5 26; the percentage of failures this year being only 16.09 compared with 22.80 last year.

The work in Commercial History and Geography is stated to have reached a higher standard than that of last year. The Examiners in the modern language subjects, and in the other subjects, do not note any special characteristics in the work of the present year; but, on the whole, speak favourably of it as compared with that of previous years.

The precise number of candidates for Grade I. cannot yet be stated; approximately it is 6,447, but the number of papers worked shows a considerable increase on last year, when there were 6,020; in the present year there were 7,203. The number in 1902 was 4,807.

In all the subjects except Arithmetic and German there is an increase. Book-keeping is still the most popular subject, and it is also the subject which shows the largest increase, as there were 601 candidates more than last year. Shorthand, the next largest subject, shows an increase over last year of 177. The numbers in the other subjects are :-Typewriting

The examinations in Music were held as usual simultaneously with and under the same conditions as those in commercial subjects. This year 500 candidates entered, 327 in Rudiments of Music and 173 in Harmony, showing an increase of 37 over last year, when there were 463. The work, however, was not quite so good, for though the proportion of failures, III and 101 respectively, is only a little larger, the proportion of higher certificates awarded is considerably less, 115 and 126.

In response to an application from the Council, the Board of Education permitted their inspectors to visit a number of the examination centres while the examinations were being held. It was not possible to arrange that all the centres should be visited, but a great many, both in London and the provinces, were thus inspected.

The reports received from the Inspectors justify the statement that in nearly all cases the examinations were properly conducted. In a few cases, the arrangements made were reported as not being entirely satisfactory, but in no case were the Inspectors able to detect any serious breach of the regulations, or any important deficiency, and in no case was there any evidence of fraud or collusion having been practised. The Council cannot but regard this as a high testimony of the manner in which the examinations are conducted by the voluntary Committees who undertake this work,

and they desire to express their high appreciation of the assistance which the Board of Education, and His Majesty's Inspectors under the Board, have rendered to the Society.

The Council regret to have to mention that in one particular instance the Examiner detected evidence of collusion among the candidates at a certain centre, and the result of an inspection of the papers convinced the Council that there must have been grave negligence in the manner in which the examination was superintended. Very much, therefore, to their regret they felt themselves compelled to refuse to accept the examination at that centre. Although from time to time solitary instances of copying are detected and dealt with-and in so large a number of candidates it would be strange if this were not the case-it is very rare that instances of such very lax supervision have been detected, and the Council feel that they are fully justified in the reliance which they place on the Local Committees generally, and upon their officials.

XVII.-EXAMINATIONS, 1905.

Considerable alterations will be made in the general system of examinations next year, though it is not intended that their character or their general standard shall be in any way affected. For some years past suggestions have been made from various quarters to the Council that it would be desirable to establish a higher grade of examination, which might be taken by more advanced students than those now entering for the present examinations. The Council gave very careful consideration to the proposal, and they decided that any considerable change ought not to be made in the system before the opinions of those chiefly interested in the examinations were obtained. They, therefore, in October last issued a circular to the Secretaries of the Local Committees asking for their opinion as to the desirability of the formation of a senior grade of a distinctly higher character than the present examination; at the same time suggesting an alternative, namely, the elevation of the present standard, and the formation of the existing First-class and Second-class into a Senior Grade, the present Third-class into an Intermediate Grade, while the present Grade I. might form, as now, a Junior or Elementary Grade. In putting forward this alternative proposal, the Council were greatly influenced by a desire not in any way to depreciate the value of the existing certificates,

of which a very large number are of course now in existence. How large this number is may be estimated from the fact that over 75,000 certificates have been issued by the Society during the past ten years.

The

In response to this circular, the Council received a large number of answers. opinions expressed varied considerably-a large number were opposed to any alteration in the existing system; some were in favour of a new and distinctly higher grade examination; but the great preponderance of opinion was in favour of the second suggestion. The Council therefore have determined, in accordance with the recommendations of the Examinations Committee, that the examinations shall in future be arranged in the following divisions :1. Elementary.-Corresponding to the present Grade I.

2. Intermediate. Corresponding to the present Grade II. Third-class and lower part of the Second-class.

3. Advanced.-Corresponding to the present Grade II. First-class with the upper part of the Second-class.

The Advanced and Intermediate stages will each be divided into two classes. The Elementary stage will be of one class only. Separate papers will be set for each stage.

For the present year it is not proposed that any alteration should be made in the existing standards; but it is probable that in future years the standard for the Advanced stage may be very gradually raised. No elevation of the standard for the Intermediate or the Elementary stage is contemplated."

The following new subjects will be added for the Advanced stage:-(a.) Commercial Law, (6.) Accountancy and Banking. The other subjects for both Advanced and Intermediate stages will be the same as those in which examinations are already held, namely: (1) Arithmetic, (2) English, (3) Book-keeping, (4) Commercial History and Geography, (5) Shorthand, (6) Typewriting, (7) Economics, (8) Précis-writing, (9) French, (10) German, (11) Italian, (12) Spanish, (13) Portuguese, (14) Russian, (15) Danish, (16) Chinese, (17) Japanese. Hindustani will also be added in both stages.

For the Elementary examinations the subjects will remain as now for Grade I., namely (1) Handwriting and Correspondence, (2) Shorthand (3) Elementary Bookkeeping, (4) Commercial Arithmetic, (5) Commercial Geography, (6) Preliminary French, (7) Preliminary German, (8) Preliminary