The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-23 00:00:00

(Stamped, ld. Additional.) [TWOPENCE

infinitely prefer Bloomsbury, if he could only obtain mffi-
cieut space for his collection. (Hear, hear.) The greet
arguments in favour of retaining the natural history collec-
tion where it was were three. First, the popularity of the
collection with the middle and lower chum, a fact capable
of being proved by a reference to statistics. la the next
place, the importance of a central situation for such a col-
lection had been strongly insisted upon. Lastly, there was
the question of economy. If they built a natural history
gallery at • distance from the great national library they
would have to form • new library, the first oast of which,
Professor Owen admitted, would be 30,0001. ; end it would
require a large annual sum to keep it up and to purchase
books of the same kind as they were) also purchasing
for the library in Bloomsbury. Then, the risk to
mar fragile articles which it contained, and which
it was admitted could not be removed without great
peril, ought not to be forgotten. (Hear, hear.) He wished
to open the eyes of the public to the outrageous proposition
which the government had apparently entertained in 1859.
On the 10th of July in that year Premier Owen submitted
a plan to the trustees in which he said that with the
utmost economy of space he should require for the present
wants of his collection, and for its probable extension
within the neat 90 years, • building of one story covering
acres, er a building of two stories covering five acres.
On the 21st of the following January the trustees actually
voted by • majority of 9 to 8 that it would be cheaper to
provide for the natural history gallery upon a site not con-
tiguous to the Museum. For this crazy, rash, and extrava-
gant scheme estimates were actually prepared. The cost
of a building of acres at Kensington was calculated at
27,5001. for the land, tied 567,0001. for the building. The
cost of the land at Moo... Miry would be 9,0001. ;
aistklag %hoe a told of 897,0001. as against 594,5001. Bet
this estimate was erroneous. In the first piece the price of
the land at Kensington wouldbe 53,000/., instead of 25,1'100/.
Next, the new library would cost 30,0001. Then the second
floor of the Museum, which would be useless for antiquities
if the natural history collection were removed (for it was
not adapted to bulky object.) would coat 122,3101. Lastly,
the fittings of the new building wookicoet an enormous sum;
I for Hr. Smirks, the architect of the Museum, was of opi-
nion that the old ones would ant be suitable. I iedactiag
therefore the price of the new library and the value of the
second floor, the °auto( supplying 6; sores of memo in
Bloomsbury would be ti56,00X. whereas the con of sup-
plying as equal space in Kensington would he 73,0001. ; in-
deed he should congratulate the Chancellor of the Exchequer
if he got out of it for lass than half a million.
(Hear, hear.) But was it necessary to have the
space for which Mr. Owen tasked? If any one
wished to go through such • natural history museum
as he contemplated, he would have to walk no less • dielance
than five miles. Mr. Owen wanted • Cetacean gallery
250 feet is length. Now, in the first place, the skins of
funisimid whales could sot be procured ; and, in the second
place, if they could, the stench proceeding from them would
at time, be intolerable to any ens but • professor. (A
Laugh.) Dr. Grey stated that the existing Cetacean gallery
was very offensive in some detract the weather. Again,
Mr. Gould, the eminent ornithologist, stated that there
were numbers of specim which were hardly distinguishable
even to • scientific eye. Would it not, therefore, be
absurd to have nine black crows, between which the ordi-
nary visitor would be unable to detect any difference?
What they wanted was • liberal collection of type sped-
mens. (Haar, hear.) The scheme proposed by Mr. Old-
field was very striking for its simplicity and its scientific
character, It was, moreover, entirely approved of by the
architect. He pmposed that there should be a chronolUgical
arrangement of near sculpture ;.and that the whole of the
second story should be enter* given up to natural
history. That was • plan which, in addition to
its other merits, would awe an enormous expense.'
Mr. Oldfield was well known in the scientific world. He
had the entire management of the sculpture gallery, and he
arranged the Assyria. gallery. •He ahoarranged the °tem-
Roman gantry, and they were all geologically and chrono-
logicaily arranged. The lest thing he bad alone was to
arrange the Temple collection. The loss of each • man was
• serious lees to the institution. Mr. Oldfield's anxiety to
remain ia the British Museum was so great that he offered
to take say. odlee, eves petuitously, provided he could com-
municate dowdy with the trustees. The trustees, in choosing
Mr. Newton, chose • mac d great learning and an old friend
of his ; bat he thought the trustees ought to have made
such arraagemeots as would have enabled them to
have kern such • man as Mr. Oldfield. He
would leave that part of the subject, and would con-
gratulate the trustees on having secured M. de Chaillu's
Africa. collection. That mistlionan had been attacked, bat
he must my that his coeduct with the trustees had been
characterised by the greatest fairness, and be at once
weeded to the videotape put on the collection on behalf of
the authorities of the Musetm. Another matter he wished
to allude to was the Campegna collection. At the close of
last year the Ruesiaas were in negotiation for this collection,
and the trustees, when they heard of this, sent Mr. Newton
to Rome to purchase it. SOrt.e understanding was entered
into between him and the French agent with regard to the
particular things which each wanted. The next thing thee
heard was that the French government had purchased the
whole of the collection for 192.000 f., and that the portion
we required was only a small portion costing some 10,0001.
or 12,W01. He wished for some explanation on that point.
The trustees of the Kensington Museum sent Mr.
Robinson, who hunted up cardinal after cardinal,
and monalgnore after monsigoore, and by his activity
succeeded in obtaining all the medieval articles for the
Keueingtou Museum, where they now were. He hoped
that next year the government would not come down with
any plan for the separation of the natural history portion of
the collection from the other portions. They night rely
upon it that the rountry, and particularly London, would
not stand any trifling upon that point, and he hoped that
their plan would net be • plus of shreds and patches, but
that it would be one that would reflect on that great national
institution, and make it, what it was not at present, an
object of just pride to the country.
Mr. LAYABD add hat year two committees had sat,
use on the British Manna and one on the Kensington
Museum, and yet nothing had been done. He via
not surprised that his honourable friend had ..
pressed his Indignation, as he had the misfortune to
have to acknowledge • child which he knew was not
his own. On the British Museum committee there were
seven men who were on their trial, wad they out voted the
independent members on almost every decision of the com-
mittee. Their report was an absurdity. A royal commis-
sion was appointed in 18.10, which made a valuable report,
but not oee of their suggestions was carried out. He
believed the system of trustees to be altogether a bad
system, and that they wanted one nsa and one intellect to
manage the institute. The commission recommended that
the trustee system should be confined to visiting, but that
the adadaistratiun should be confided to a board with a

ereimeteet paid chairman. They, miebt have four trustees
if they liked, two appointed by the govern-
ment, awe representing art and the other sci-
ence,. Bat to this day nothing bad been done in the matter.
As regarded the mediansl collection be could not agree
with his lac. Mend. The collections must not be separated,
and his hen. friend's rasa, for sending this collection to
Rangiest's appeared very extraordinary. lf they bad one
nom at the hoed of the British Museum like Mr. Cole
they would soar have a better arrangement of their works
of art, for It was perfectly wonderful what Mr. Cole had
done in mum years for Reeslngton. As • consecutive
wise there was nothing like the collection in the Museum,
but the :oroseguesst wee se bad that the marbles were
red tchtmc. cmi
14M wCiAll:lic mwOcelLhOriCe rwhbaicdh m
praental :came or:talon bad been treated. Next swami they
intended to brag the matter before the house, and as:
them to egns to distinct resolutions, that all our works of
art should be brought under one roof.
Mr. M. MILNE said that the noble lord, whose ab-
sence they should near cease to regret, bad appointed a
committee to regulate the affairs of the Museum. Ho
(Mr. Miler) could sever tell why the resolutions of that
committee had not bees adopted. There was still
the same erowdintestla same confusion, the same
congestin of sat and the only improve-
ment they had was the magnificent reading-room.
The only remedy was that they should at once onufront the
question of seperatloe. Their opponents were separatist.,
for they would separate heathen from Christian art, bat be
would propose that works of art should be separated from
stuffed birds and shells. He trusted also that the gas
question would again be entartabsed by the trusteee, as he
believed the light
_might be safely introduced without any
detriment to the boots or pistons. The great fault in the
adtninietratio• ma that it was a body of amateurs, and the
salt, the strap way in width the patronage was disposed of.
From the libraries' down to the housemaids, both inclusive.
all the pimp was &mean by the Lord Chancellor, the
Arehhishem of Cantabwr, and the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer. (A laugh.) He trusted, in conclusion, that Mr.
Oloneld bull soon be reinstated in his former position.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
the picture of the British government and people, and of
their museum, as daswn by the pemiroista of that house, was
most dultearteming. According to them the administration
was all wrong, and ose— only one—went the length of oon-
deeming the librarian. The bonoureble member for
Southwark said, let there be no patching, sad he quite
with him, but the question was, what was patching'
speed
state of the ma, so far as the government was eon.
corned, was simply thin, that the pressure on the Museum
had been justly described as the extreme incouvenince
under which • portion of that valuable collection now
laboured. The goverment were very sensible of this evil,
and they entertained the opinitm that that difficulty ought
to be faced without patching, and by the adoption of some
plan whisk bald stool • large and complete provision for
• great length of tan and to eery that peeled out
they thisught It esseutal there should be • separa-
tion of the abbe& • sommittee had set on the
subject, bat it spurred, however, doubtful whether
its rant had pees as adequate opinion as to the
=slimes° ci the house. The gesserament were not, there-
fore, prepared to en at the nab of that committee.
Some hoe. gentlemen thought that because the British
Museum took bort& from • pima bequest, therefore it

would lie a earl of profanation of the will of the founder if
any seminars took place. He thought that opinion had
very few olvocatirs. (Hear, bear.) The duty of the
vertiment Ina to consider what they could do under the
klr.•unistautra. If they *We not prepered now to adopt
the largest ran, they must then endeavour to adjust
their present measures so that they might do
nothing at the prevent moment thee would have
to retract thereafter. The gist. of the building of
the British Museum ems this: it admitted in many
parts of very considerable structural irnproveseets
It was likewia• the case that there were petit)* of pound
attached whie'l might be occupied for the purposes of the
M useLlll4 and an iimsemot sense of inyryiwed &manmade-
We was to Is. in this, that it was almost universally
agreed eertain of the collectiou should be removed.
(Hear, hem ) It soul,' be the duty of the government
during the re.-e.• to take a proper opportunity of opening
the subpst: ~o I liiinging (miler the consideration of the
trustees and cialraimir to cosy, It with them some plan for
the relief en I the improvement of the British Museum
which they Is licssil would be satisfactory to the house and
to the c.. 1111::••
.tfter At. words from Captain alms,
Mr. s•N I l thoil4ht that if they endeavoured to
increase the preoint Niascuin building on the space it now
osieupsed„, soidd nods be dors by the adoption of a @yetis '
of patehtlik

Mr. o. !on xi Ilk sadantood that no Chancellor of
the Kubenorr istaisled to nary on the aid piss ot Mr.
Ihrady. whi h had inn @Until obticif4 1e b 7 th•
Ho desauslnt that the Loon aboold not so nand as
ebilinn. but obould be pot is et the whole pin.
Mr. VON INO HAM w.Mei to bow Thither it vas is-
Seeded tbat the areb.eologiaal ril.etie.a of the Mira
Masenna. the teen in the net& were be be brae" oP
The rlason why the British Mona= was onaraweled oak
that they +etc ohmmeter. NW were sot =thin with hav-
ing • perfect a-Anon onindies, We Mil ap the nem
with wirkn Anoka
Mr. KISNAIED hoped est tho levelese weak'. dribs
la t
OR
he mow rweresidos th• inottiss of wails thellamoura
evesaara.
Mr. WALPOLE in repayilihnied the tegeielaeal of the
three Mews et eatkraistee. mad Wet that me sae mos wore
maims thaa bigwig sepeeserve le the Maw= the aerthee
of Mr. 0111114 d. With nerd to the propeol I. dhow the
=raof the Meeme, he aid they amid set Mee •
wly to no thsit the inininks
sinisisterin gh
ee. the ponsli trodass As to the
non Importing immese. yosponiss the ouronsiatini
no difforoot inflections► he lbooslit On Oho isioennist
nasal. in the Int amens. nabs Mir yeeempeadethe

t;...—ei;iihet the limiest ahead seeehlty eseeithe
it with ell the reereelliatg whim h WNW to them
lir. AV iN sew' am frit th. bead* el the learibe
dear the 3111•••• Amid MD epee te • Mgt kat thee eis
ti imiamer.

Mr. WALPOLE said tarty scpwrimm Me trystaas hod
marstsimal that then was may Nth Milismar am ressided
Ms Mareisse• of worms belmars shim the Mwstus
asd sighL
The yeas was Mos speed trk sad this bowls ersomel
DURHAM rxiveßarry BILL.
The Mew west ist., committee as this bill.

iicsiaZre
Or. FEN WICK objected to the Right Bey. Tether is
Gel Behr lheatags Lewd Bishop of Barbee bob, we el
the es•hroesers. (Hear, beer.) If the sew emlineeses were
to be elective the Wisp wee eat alt peruse le be soh
asesed I. aueleise them B. based. thereto% le hove
the dilloniull of the right res. prelate's name. (Clesees.)
Ilir 0. LZWIR said tied es the asiesesity owed it.
beam le ties act of ihe shepter, it would lesdissisable that
Ems perms ohoeld be apse the ssemeisece Mel inhered
M the church of Dadra. Be bad sephsd be lie Arch-
bYep bed hese a tesesber of the Oohed Ossuairdoo,
measlier of the most res. peelabe rah
Awed I impossible fer him le accept ties eSeh Usher
thew sirsameseess he the home weld Male the
semeled the bishop elf the (Hoer, hem)
Tho 1111111111101410 MOW—
Ter the wweaderswe
Against . 111-45
The dare loss thee weed to es woe she clauses
3 to 7.

Yr. MOW BRAY moved the losertioo of • claime dis-
persals/ with the eeceseity et taking as calb.
Str 4. C. LEWIS opposed. NA

The committes
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APiam _ 411-16

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Anecdotist.
TM Mem edjoursed at half•past 2 o'clock.