REPORT OF MR. ARCHER.
87
forms of commission as a combination to effect one main object, we may designate the former as the Local Administrative and Executive, and the latter as the Foreign Departmental, Commission.
First, then, in order is the Local Administrative and Executive Commission, appointed by the government of the nation in whose territories the exhibition is to be held. Very much depends upon the wise selection of those who are to constitute this important body, for it is necessary to inspire all nations with confidence in their administration. Each nation will, of course, have its own opinions upon this point, but it would be absurdly presumptuous to attempt to lay doAvn any general rules for the selection of this, the most important body connected with an international exhibition ; there are, however, one or two points which experience has demonstrated as indisputable facts, which cannot be ignored without great risk of failure. The first of these is that there must be one irresponsible head, a Director-General, whose decision on all disputed points must be final. The necessity for this will at once be seen, when it is borne in mind that an international exhibition is an event w 7 hich, when complete, only lasts for, as a rule, six months, and, at the utmost stretch, can only be allowed about three months for previous arrangement, during which innumerable unforeseen difficulties arise. If these difficulties are left open to discussions arising from diversity of opinion, many of them would never be settled at a llj and the exhibition would represent chaos, instead of nice cider and arrangement. Hence it is necessary that the power to give a prompt decision should be vested in one head.
Secondly, a carefully selected but not too numerous body of coadjutors should be chosen to help and support the chief commissioner. Of these, some should be selected for their ability to act as councillors, upon whom the chief can rely for advice and assistance in all cases of difficulty ; whilst to others departmental work should be allotted. The Vienna Imperial Eoyal Commission was fortunate in possessing the first of these requirements ; and no better Director-General could have been found on the continent of Europe than His Excellency Baron Sch^vartz-Senborn ; for not only is he a man of great administrative powers and broad views, but he had been