6
EXPOSITION AT VIENNA.
mission it had been supposed that Gen. Palfrey would represent the largest and most important material interest of the Commonwealth, that of textile fabrics. His intimate acquaintance with these, and with the machinery used in their production, qualified him in an eminent degree to render service of real value. For this and other reasons his inability to accept the appointment proved in the event a thing deeply to be regretted. Of the other gentlemen appointed, Mr. Hill only was at the time in America. Mr. Knight was travelling in Italy and Mr. Millett was just completing his studies at the School of Art at Antwerp.
As the commissions of the several appointees did not issue until the 20th of March, and the letter of instructions drawn up for the guidance of the commissioner was dated subsequently to that time, it naturally followed, as the Exposition was opened upon the day (May 1) which had been designated, that before arriving on the ground the commissioners had no opportunity to confer with each other. They could not, therefore, decide upon any line of conduct, nor in any way organize in advance, either to aid the Massachusetts expositors or to agree upon a division of their work. In point of fact, they first met at Vienna several weeks after the Exposition was open to the public, and about the time that the* American department began to assume an appearance of order.
It hardly needs to be said that this was a most unfortunate' circumstance, both for the commission itself and for the expositors from Massachusetts ; but under the circumstances it could not be avoided. Where men who are to act together in the performance of somewhat difficult duties in a foreign country are at the time of their appointment, immediately before those duties are to commence, both personally unknown to each other and scattered over two continents, it is not easy to concentrate them for action. Everything was, in this case, done which could be done. Mr. Millett was communicated with and went immediately.to Vienna, under instructions to effect such preliminary arrangements as might be practicable. He arrived there during the latter part of April, but was obliged*to return to Antwerp before the 1st of May, necessarily having accomplished little, if anything. He was unable to get