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268
Hal l's disappointment with Tasmania 's failure to keep pace with the rest
of the world was keen, and his criticism of lost opportunities to boost
its resources and economy direct and unsparing ;
certainly he himself
could not be accused of a similar disregard for the colony '.s welfare .
When Government officials failed to reply to the 'Queries 1 , Milroy chose
Hall as
his correspondent and requested him to remedy the defect by
furnishing a paper on the epidemics and diseases of Tasmania.
Fortunately,
in March, 1862, a chance to counteract the colony 's poor image , or lack
of it, overseas was offered by "The International Exhibition of 1862" in
London. Hall willingly offered his assistance .
The Exhibition, in which Tasmania eventually took a commendab le
and satisfying part, originated as far back as July, 1858, when the London
Society of Arts urged upon E.B. Lytton, the Secretary to the Colonies ,
the desirableness of obtaining periodically from the colonies
accurate statements of their resources and the bearings which
such resources may have upon commerce. 10
Consequently, on January 6, 1859, Lytton invited the colony to participate
in an International Exhibition in 1862, but for twe lve months or more ,
the Government neglected to do anything about it . However , on March 26,
1860, the proposal was submitted to ·the Roya1 ' Society which discussed it
on April 25 and authorized Milligan, who was about to leave for London ,
to contact the Society of Arts .
On January 22, 1861, Milligan advised
the Royal Society that the Exhibition would open in London on May 1, 1862,
and suggested the appointment of commissioners , as in Victoria, to obtain
and transmit suitable illustrations of the resources of the colony.
Pressurized by the combined exhortations of Mi lligan in London , the press ,
and the Royal Society not to neglect such an invaluable opportunity to
pub licize Tasmania, the Government, on March 8, 1861, appointed eleven
commissioners under Crowther 's chairmanship, and granted a fund of £2 , 500
to £3,000 to meet expenses , plus the services of a paid secretary . l l The
commission met promptly on March 13 and weekly thereafter.
December 2, 1861, the results of its efforts were locally displayed to
the great pride and satisfaction of the community before being dispatched
to London;
Tasmania had estab lished its identity at last.
Hall's obvious contribution to this historic event was a literary
one, on a subject very dear to his heart, "Climate and Health of Tasmania" ,
fo
Mercury, April 30, 1860 .
11 Hobart Town Gazette, March 12, 1861.
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