The Express.
London, England, 1849-12-29 00:00:00

THE WARRINGTON MUSEUM.

Tile following report of the Museum Committee to
the noun I of Warrington, for the year ending Nov. 1, 1849,
wee referred to in the second leader of ye-terday's Express,
bee, in consequence of an overs;ght, was not inserted.
Your committee are now enabled to state that the result of
their efforts has been highly satisfactory, both as regards the
amouat of pecuniary support they have obtained, and the
extent of puolio interest evinced in favour of the institution
During the past twelve months 7,731 vi-itors have inscribed
their asmes in the bah kept tor that purpose, representing
a portion only of those who have actuelly visited the mu-
seum, it being found impracticable at first to enforce the
regulation its all cases. This immense Whiz of visitors,
although attribueable to the attraction of novelty, and there-
fore affording no criterion of the numbers who may be ex-
pentted in future to frequent the museum, is a satisfactory
medication of public interest. It compelled your committee
to isms a notice restricting the evening admission, and re-
ducing the days on which the museum should be open to
the public to Wednesday and Saturday only. Your com-
mittee Lave recently relaxed this restriction; and the institu-
tion, as the w.nter evenings len_then, is beginning to be
again frequented by the public who appear to take an inte-
rest in its progress. About 450 books have been used in the
reading room during the twelve months, and 739 have been
lent out to subscribers. Your committee hope, at an early
period, to make the department of the institution more ex-
tensively useful by the publication of 'catalogue.
Many valuable and important donations o book., objects,
and specimens have been made since the last report of your
committee. The library has been enriched by a grant tram
her Maj-sty's Treasury, on the report of the Mester of the
Rolls, set all the works punished under the direction of the
Record Commissioners, remaining in store, of which copies
were not already in the library; the donation consists of 32
volumes of great int t and value. Other donations of
books, many of th. m of very con,idereble value, have been
pr. suited, and some valuable books, to the eu.nt of about
80 volumes, Lave also been acquired by purchase on very
moderate terms. 341. 13.. Sd. has also been expended by
your committee in binding and repairing books —a severe
drain up in the resources at t'reir command, but which will
not occur again, being the result of the dilapidated etam of
the hooks be fore they became the property of the public.
In the geological department, your committee reported
last year the gift by Mr. Taylor, of Manchester, of his entire
colection of geological and mineralogical specimens; which
have since been removed to Warrington ; and t' e c Ilection
has been increased by a valuable donation of coal loseils of
this neighbourhood, from Mr. Mercee, of Newton, and other
geological and mineralogical specimens from Mr Ackerley,
of Wigan, Mr. Frederick Longdon, Mr. John Warburton,
and Mr. White. The rec. ption of so large an addition to
their store. bas rendered necessary a set a cases sufficient to
furnish the whole of a room which they have devoted to this
department, and in wnich the specimens are still in course of
arrangement. The collection is already one of considerable
importance.
A nucleus for a botanical collection has been formed by a
donation from the Botanical Society of London (for which
your committee are irdebed in a great measure to the power
till interest of Mr. William Wilson) of a set .f all their du•
plicate specimens duly named and numbered. They cn•
silt of specimens from all parts of th kingdom; and will,
consequently, when increised by local exertion with those
from our neighbourhood, render the collection far more
comple than your committee could ever have hoped to ren-
der it from otro r sources ; some additions to it have been
me'e by Miss Evans, of Coventry, and Mr. Cooper.
In the other departments of natural history satisfactory
progress has been made.
Ise the fine arts no donations have been received, except
such such as have already bees acknowledged in speaking or
the library ; but some of the books which have been added
to the collection, as, for instance, ti.e Gellert' Giustiniana, a
magnificent work presented by Sir Arthur Aron, are calcu-
lated to advance the public taste in that direction. Unlit
this head, your committee have also to report that they have
accepted the deposit, by way of loan, of a valuable collection
of books of standard music, which are accessible to the
public at the museum, or may be borrowed by subscribers
under proper regulations. The collection contains at pre-
sent 65 volumes, to which a considerable addition will short',
be made.

Your committee obeeree with satisfaction, that the
museum is becoming, as it ought to be, the depository fur
antiquities and written and pru.ted documents relating to
the local history of the town.
To complete the list of benefactors during the put year,
your committee bur to report • very acceptable donation
from Mr. Garnett, of • table and a dozen chairs of antique
oak, to fttri.i,h the library, and a vet of tables for the reading
r om from Mr. Cawley, of Runurn.
It only remains for your committee to state their financial
position The guarantee fund subscribed for the purpose of
providi.,g • suitable building at some future period, amounts
to 6551. 12,5., of which 3421 Ils. has been paid up, and the
annual in crest of it is applicable towards the rent of the pre-
sent temporary museum.
The aonall subuription list amounts to 711. 10s. The
receipts and tspendit•are durinz the past year have been as
hoLOW

B.atmee in band Ist November, 180
Subscriptions, exclusive of • small portion banded in kr-
nice balance, and smouut at prevent unorllected 39 14 6
Mu.cum rate of a halfpenny in the pound received from
Borough Treasurer...
Interest on paid-up portion of guarantee fund, and intercet
allowed by district bank 9 17 7
Defaced coins sold C 13 0
Rent of urden, sublet to Mr. Holmes

t&O 3 0

X 232 1

The expeediture hie been as follows:
Purchase of book £26 2
Specimen. and cants
Cvatrvr EMJIDITVaIt, 29 16 16
Binding azd repairing books 34 1 t
Curator
Taxes
5 1
Repairs
7
GM fittings sad huskers l6 6
Rent paid to ground landlord
General eats:lms, including beak
as &dem frame., caw, and
preparing specimens
-- 106 7 6
236 4 4

Leaving a balance due to the treasurer of £3 12 3

-- -
On this rate nent of account your committee would only
observe that the sums contributed out of the Boroush rate,
so far from hating been :pendia in the purchase of over-
arms, have fallen ear short of the sum which has been actuolly
6 upended in defraying the rent, taxes, salaries, and othi r in-
c.dental exproses, necessary for providing adequate accom-
modation for the hooks, objects, and spentmons, with which
the institution hash en enriched by the volunt,iry contribu-
tions of individu fact srlOcto, strongly &tartrates the
wise eari.omy of contributing a small portion of tho publio
fund: to the sopport of rsti:utions such as that entrusted to
the superintend-nee of you committee.
(Kilted) WM. ALLCA,RD, Chairman.
November 1, 1849,