The Express.
London, England, 1860-03-09 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF THE
METROPOLIS. _ _

The select committee appointed by the Howe of
Common. to Inquire into the beellenemmet throwing opts the
public institations of the metropolis to the working clams,
and extending their usefulness, met yesterday, Sir
lawny In the chair.
Sir Roderick Murchison wee the Snit whams celled. He
spoke of the advantage' which the delivery of grauthoes
Isolates to the working claims by the professore connected
with the Gleologieal Institution is Jersayn-street bad pro-
duced. The museum, however, was a peculiar one, and no
great advantage could be derived from opening It in the
smiting. It was only edspNd ter &light stady ; and
though the throwing ague d the Smith Retisiegton Museum
in the evening had been attended with satisfactory results,
' the central position of the Geologiaal Museum, and the elms
of persons who we toned i the neighbourhood at night,
would render it extremely ddlioult to prance similar results
there. The lecture* now delivered assisted of a course of
six, and the room in which they were delivered wee capable of
accommodating 600 persons. The persona who attended them
were composed of various classes, but principally of
I mechanics. Applications had frequently been made by
I working men that their wives end daughters might be per-
mitted to attend the lectures, but It was found impossible to
comply with their wishes in that respect.
Professor Huxley, of the same institution, said be had no
doubt from the attendance at the lectures that they weir ex-
tremely popular among the working elegem. Tbre were
lect rarely less than from 400 to 600 persons present it a
ure. _ _ _

Dr. ray, of the Natural Blakey Depuiteset of the
British Museum, wee next examined. He said he knew of
no method by which the Museum could be rendered Nior•
avaihible to the public than it was at present. The experiment
of opening until seven o'clock in the evening had been tried,
but it was found that the number of visitor, after five o'clock
was so small that he joined with his brother officers in re-
commending that It should be closed again at five o'clock in
the opting and autumn and mix Voice* in the summer. He
believed there was • sufficient number of duplicate specimens
in the Museum to form three auxiliary museums. The
great difficulty in the way of opening the Museum
in the evening wee that it would be impassible
to study the various objects by ',alight, and the Museum
would, consequently, be used only as • pro-
menade. The majority of the visitors to the Museum lip-
. peered to come from the east end of Leedom, and he was,
I therefore, of opinion that it was extremely desirable to form
• subeidiery collection in that locality. He wee opposed to
the delivery of lectures in connexion with the Benin'
Museum, believing that the intone which were now given
in other parte of London upon scientific questions were amply
andeient. Unites a lecture could be made a vary muskeg
one he did notthink it would be largely attended by the
working population. In addition, there woe at present no
space In which • theatre for the delivery of lectures &add be
established. Probably, if lectures were delivered the Menem
Itself might be rendered more interlining to the men of the
people.
Mr. Jas. Whitmore. machinist, linearly overseer at Meagre.
Spottiewoods'e, said be believed there were 2,600 registered
ocaupoeitore in London, end 1600 unregistered. Their hours
of work were from eight la the meeting until eight at
night, and they were consequently unable, at pre-
sent, to avail themselves of the advantages afforded
by the Notional Gallery, British Museum, and other
institutions. If each institutions were thrown open In the
evening he believed they would be • source of attraction to
the working man, and would tend to keep him from the beer-
shop and gin palace. The opening of the Booth Kensington
Museum in the evening was comparnively unless to the
working classes residing at the east end of London, me it
would take them an hour red a half to reach it after leaving
your. The early closing movement had made considerable
progrem la UN trade with which he vestmented, and it was
found that a far lea, cumber of persona were now absent from
their work on Monday morning from drunkenness than
formerly).
By Mr. Gregson—l think the course of lectures beet
adapted to the comprehension of the working classes would
be Illustrated Intone. We are se a body mere open to edu-
cation by the eye then by the ear. I sawed lest night, anion"
• body of workmen with whom I ant connected, that I had
been eummoned to give evidence before • committee of the
House of Commons, and I asked them how I should repre-
sent their feelings in refertnos to the opening of the publio
institutions. They were all in favour of having them opened
in the evening, so that they might have some place to which
they might neon without being required to spend money.
The committee then adjourned.

PURIFICATION OF THu SRRPINTINIL—T he com-
mittee re-sreetabled on Wednesday, the Right Has. W. Cowper
in the chair. Dr. Gang, professor of chemistry, as Guy's
kieepital, said that he had marled sampler of the water from
the Serpentine, and frau Duck bland Well, is St. JUDOS'.
Park, and had athertained that the water in the Serpentine
was the most pare of the two. The mud la the Serpentine
bad comparatlvely lulls elect upon the purity of the water.
Re believe,' the existence of BA in the water would do no
harm If they had plan, yof food. The destruction of the Rah
by lime was a snout injudicious step. Mr. klawkeley. D.E..
we■ further esamined at awns length. Mr. Gait*, engineer
of the Grand Junction Water Dempsey, was neat ealled.
sad stated %inutile purifyiag proems adopted by the complay
with which be was cousected was similar te that which was
recommended by Mr. Hawkeley, and that It had proved VW.
neatly summed. The aonnaluse rhea adjourned.

The gale of the 28th alt. destroyed zany of the
finest trees growing in ilorghiey Bose Park footman" eons
of the loftiest limes in the noble avenues on the north side of
the mansion. The opposes* of the trees that failed to
resist the Oases of the hurraste attracted aniserous visitors
to the park on floral fut. Threes uprooted presented a
singularly novel sight ; some of this tots up more
Sea akm weight of sward, sod, sod tusk, the whole of
which stood erect (upwards of twelve feet fa ho 411), closely
adhering to the expanded roots. These ntousWas of earth
la miniature were • NU in suaesslon by the spectators ea they
sooseded towards the easternmost std of the park, wham
the smut was also destructive amongst the noble Ilmee, white
1612, end theme.