Prince Albert was President of the Society of Arts, a body which, dating from the middle of the eighteenth century, had, from time to time, offered prizes for specimens of British textile, ceramic, and other manufactures; but the project of holding a competitive Exhibition on an international scale originated with the Prince himself. In the course of July 1849 he had laid his proposals before some of the members of the Society, and means were at once adopted to arouse the interest of manufacturers at home, abroad, and in the colonies, and to open negotiations with foreign governments. The idea caught on at once; the States of Europe were at peace, and nothing could more surely tend to obliterate the recollection of recent disturbances than to join in friendly rivalry in the arts of peace. A Royal Commission was appointed to carry out the preparations, and the scheme was formally inaugurated on March 21, 1850, at a banquet given by the Lord Mayor to the Chief Magistrates of all the towns in the United Kingdom, to which Prince Albert and the foreign Ambassadors were also invited. [Illustration: _C. J. Staniland, R.I._} {_From Contemporary Prints._ A. Master. B. Purser. C. Clerk. D. Midshipman. E. Rear-Admiral. F. Petty Officer. G. Boatswain. H. Carpenter. J. Seaman. UNIFORMS OF THE BRITISH NAVY, 1837. In the early part of the reign there was no regulation dress for seamen, and even in the case of officers the regulations were not enforced as they are now.] [Sidenote: Competing Designs.] [Sidenote: Mr. Paxton's selected.] [Sidenote: Erection of the Crystal Palace.]