The Express.
London, England, 1862-05-21 00:00:00

TM INTERNATIONAL MERIMTION.

The attendance of half-crown visitors touched
10,000 before 6 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and
the people seemed still to be coming in in crowds.
A very favourable impression was made by the
agreeable temperature of the interior, which was
much cooler than the road outside, a circumstance
which, of course, was owing to the opaque roof of
the nave, and which will go some way to compen-
sate us for its rather gloomy appearance as com-
pared with the glass covering of the building of
1861. The turnstiles, also, have become somewhat
more tractable, and Mr. Mayo has applied Wheat-
stene's telegraph to the principal one, by which
mesas be is enabled to know the number's who have
passed in up to any moment in the course of the
day. We were sorry to find on our entrance the
Dutch concert going on with its usual vigour, and,
if possible, a greater amount of enthusiasm on the
part of the performers. Pianos, horns, organs, were
all going together, and these, combined with the
hammering, which is still found necessary in many
quarters, produced an effect which was certainly the
reverse of agreeable. Herr Pauer has ppromised a
pianoforte performance on one of the German ill-
struments on Saturday next ; and it is to be hoped
that this distinguished professor will be spared an
; aoeom • ant of the sort of music which was so
' y vouchsafed yesterday.
Mr. Cole continues his Augean labours in
clearing the nave, with unreanitting reel and energy,
but the obstinacy of certain exhibitors renders it
possible that something like the expedient
of Hercules will have to be resorted to
before the work is completed to his satisfaction.
As the parents of the most unsightly babies are
generally the most anxious to exhibit their progeny
to the public, Mr. Cole finds his chief difficulty
with the proprietors of the ugliest trophiee in
inducing them to seek a judicious retirement.' If
there be one of these nuisances which is worse
than all the rest, it is the immense pyramid of
Canadian lumber which Sir William Logan has
erected in such a way as completely to obscure one
of the finest stained-gloss windows in England.
Sir William is the most obstinate of trophy wor-
shippers, and, as yet, has refused to take down
his pile, notwithstanding all the entreaties of Mr.
Cole. lf his object be that the visitors should be
made acquainted with the qualities of Canadian
timber, surely a better mode of submitting it to
their examination might be found than that of
piling it up in the likeness of a Brobdiragian penny
pup-ahow, forty or fifty feet in the air. The great
pickle stand, or "Jack in the Green" trophy, also
refuses to budge, unless the commissioners are will-
ing to poy 8001. for the privilege of taking down this
masterpiece of artistic greengrocery. its opposite
neighbour, with the " Bristles' and " Ocean foam"
inscription, is valued by Mr. Leighton, its designer,
at 6001. The commissioners have offered 1001.,
but its value as a work •of art is obstinately esti-
mated at the higher figure. Some of its contents,
such as certain descriptions of surgical instruments,
would point out the wisdom of removing it to a
less public position. Mr. Nicolay has conceded two
tiger's heads out of his trophy, and Mr. Bevington,
although having gone to great expense, has met
Mr. Cole in the most liberal manner. Messrs.
Chance and Son have shown the most willing spirit
of aocommodetion, and Mr. Buckingham has already
removed his greet telescope at his own expense.
It is gratifying to be able to add that the Prussian
exhibitors have met the clearing exigency in the
best spirit, and by their obliging conduct have
greatly facilitated Mr. Cole's object. We have
been particular in thus mentioning both the friends
and the obstructive, of the clearing movement, in
. . - shame

_ visitors
°Weak p.m. was as follows:—Season tat,*
5,193 ; on paymeut, 11,629; total, 16,722.
Amongst the visitors yesterday were the fol-
lowing:—The Duchess of Sutherland, his Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the ex-Queen of
the French, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Arch-
bishop of York, and the Bishop of Llandalf.

BRITISH MUSEUM.

The number of persona attending the radiog-
ram ha Increased largely for some time wait Whilst the
nedieg-room canape rionvenieutly reoeive more than 300
persons at one time, them have been lately days on which
nearly 700 have meght admission to it. In oonasquenek
readers are sometimes usable to obtain meta while the
' multitude of books applied for renders delay in procuring
them unavoidable.
The iserseveaisam having progressively increased, and being
likely to increase stall further, the trustees trod themselves
under the necessity of altering the terms of admission.
This overcrowdieg, sad the delay attendant thereon, are
mainly stint usable to the Masi of young persons who'have
sot yet completed their education, and who come to the
Museum to use books Of an elementary or ordiaary day •
racier, which they might eerily obtain *lowlier*. At Wet ;
mei-fifth of the visitors axe of this class, and this proportion
of accommodation and attention is thus to a great extent *.
diverted from those whose studies sad pursuits are of • •
graver character.
To remedy them inconveniences as far as possible, and to
preserve to the nem al those best entitled to them the
desalting and facilities afforded by the library aid
room al the British Museum, the trustees, thoughriatial
great reluctance, are compelled to raise the limit of age at
which prams shall be admissible from 18 to 21 yam (aides
in *pseud came, which will be laid before the trustees at
their next meeting), as well ai to make certain other minor
alterations in the regular:Moe for admission, which will ap-
pear in the printed copies of those regulations.
The tickets spend issued for a term of six mouths to
persons under 21 yeas, of age are still to be held available,
bat will not be reaewed when their tam warm

order thet the one may either encourage or shame
the other, so that the interior may be quite ready
for the reoeption of the shilling multitude by the •
Ist of peat m • ' sr heammt
ft a Way Intrn~M
they are being
cleared for them.
1 The number of visitonadmitted yesterday to 5