From an artistic point of view the only improvements of recent times are—beside M. Solon’s pâte-sur-pâte and Doulton’s stoneware—the lustre ware of Mr William Burton and the “flambé” ware of Mr Bernard Moore. Mr Burton’s factory unfortunately lies outside Staffordshire, but much of his work, both public and private, is still done in North Staffordshire. He and Mr Moore are the most enterprising chemists and experimenters of the present race of master-potters, and their efforts have also been accompanied by a marked improvement of taste in enamelled earthenware and porcelain. There remains one modern improvement to point out. It is in the health of the potters. For generations potter’s asthma and lead poisoning have taken their toll of the workers on the pot-banks, but within the last ten years changes have been made, unfortunately only as a result of State interference, which are very sensibly affecting the rate of mortality in the industry. It was not till 1864 that the Factory Acts interfered in the potting industry. In that year women, young persons and children in the pottery trade first came under the protection of the State. Their hours were limited to ten a day, and Saturday became a statutory half-holiday. This meant a half-holiday for all workers on the pot-banks. Half-time employment has never been considerable in the Potteries, and since the passing of the Education Acts it has gradually and entirely died out. Later Factory Acts have applied to Potteries as well as to other factories, but it was when the Bill of 1891 got into committee that the potting trade became specially and vitally interested in these Acts. During the passage of the 1891 Factory and Workshop Bill the working potters managed to get added to it a provision empowering the Home Office to make, after due investigation, special rules for the conduct of “dusty processes” in dangerous trades, including potting. As soon as the Act passed, a committee was appointed, and on their recommendation special rules were drawn up, making for greater cleanliness in the dusty and dangerous processes. The employers objected, and a conference followed in 1894 under the presidency of Mr G. W. E. Russell. Nevertheless the rules, slightly modified, were approved and became law.