The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-12 00:00:00

MUSEUM.

happiness
6", than
progvessthi. belief 'Sint
441)."11
as lab sum taw to show at the tap,. a thtA 1 This Deeming an alinunt wee published of the
he has eneeelled a good deal himesuAjer -liaise' =id 'spindling Of the British Museum, and of the
charges and expenses for the eneuing y
that hie readers will prefer to ain in the same wlit
tenter with other facts relating to the institution ear, to-
.
, and =Online when it is over.
The amount vented lest year ,wending to the prey!-
,toes al the appropriation act was 99,6211., and the total
receipts. including this sum, and the votes for
selablidnent, buildings, to., was 126,7641. 17s. 6d.
The actual expenditure of the year amounted to 100,638/.
10s. 3d., leaving a balance in hand on the 31st March, of
26,1164 is. 3d., of which 25,8461. He. 4d. was deposited
In the Bank of England. The estimated expenditure of
the ensuing year la 99,3801., which la a net increase of
3,9341. on the estimates of last year.
The total number of persons admitted to view the gene-
ral collections during the year 1867 (exclusive of reader.).
was 445,036, which was in excess of the number in any
year since 1862, when the attractions offered by the second
great exhibition brought a large influx of visitors to the
metropolis, and the number of admissions to the British
Museum was 896,077.
The number of volumes added to the library during the
year, including books of music and volume' of newspaper.,
amounted to 32.645, of which 2,066 were presented, 5,609
were received in pursuance of the laws of English copy-
right, 350 were received under the International Copyright
Treaties, and 15,979 were acquired by purchase. Among
the noteworthy acquisitions of this department during the
year is a collection of nearly 200 volumes of Spanish plays
and poetry, mostly of the 16th and 17th centuries, pre-
sented to the museum by Mr. H. F. Chorley, in accordance
with the will of his brother, Mr. John Rutter Chorley.
The value of the collection is enhanced by the numerous
bibliographical notes of its late possessor, drawn up in the
Spanish language.
Amongst the most interesting of the Oriental manu-
scripts acquired during the year are an Arabic papyrus,
dated a.n., 133 (A.D. 750) one of the earliest specimens of
Arabic writing ; a Hebrew service book of the fifteenth
century, with grotesque initials, and a Coptic papyrus of
the eighth century. Amongst the objects acquired by the
department of Oriental antiquities are the royal signet
cylinder of Ilgi, son of tinikh, who reigned in Lower
Babylonia about the year 2,050 n.c., and a cylinder
of Chaldean workmanship, having the Persian name
Nandakhya, inscribed in cuneiform over the original de-
vice at an interval of at least 1,500 years after its first
engraving.
The department of Greek and Roman antiquities appears
also to have been greatly enriched during the year.
Amongst the contributions is a skull sculptured in marble,
rather larger than nature, found in the ruins of one of the
palaces of Tiberius at Capri. This skull, which appears
to belong to the best period of the Greek art, seems to
have been carefully modelled from nature, certain abnor-
mal peculiarities of the original being exactly re-
produced.

Tna statement is being confidently circulated by
members of the Tory party that a defeat of the
Government on Thursday by the adoption of Mr.
Hussar's motion on the Boundary Bill would be
followed by the announcement on Friday of a dis-
solution. We do not gather, however, that this
step would be approved by the supporters of the
Ministry, who would greatly prefer Mr. Disitaam's
resignation. If Mr. RIDDiReB motion be premed,
it is highly desirable in the Liberal interest
that there should not only be a majority in
its favour, but that it should be as large as
possible, and include all sections of the party.
Everyone interested in politics recognises the ex-
treme importance of the Boundary Bill. if carried
it would determine the character of the representa-
tion for very many years, and the Conservatives
no doubt think it worth while to tight their beat
for it.

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAY 11.

.SUPPLY.—Considered in committee ; Motion made, and
question proposed, "that a sum, not exceeding '
3,036,634/., be granted to her Majesty, to defray the
charge of wages to seamen and marines, which will oome
in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st
day of March, 1869." Whereupon motion made, and
question put, " That the item of 525,7251., for wages,
Its. to marines, be reduced by the sum of 60,0001."—(Mr.
Childers).—The committee divided; Ayes, 73; noes,
IZ7.

AYES.
Adam, W. P. Duff, Id. E. Mill, J. 8.
Allen, W. S. Edwards, H. Murphy, N. D.
Amberley, Viect. Llskhte, Vice-Adml. O'Beirne, J. L.
Ayrton, A. 8. Fawcett, H. O'Brien, 81r P.
Baines, E. Fltzwilliam, C. W. O'Loghlen, Sir C.
Barry, C. R. French, Cal. O'Reilly, N. W.
Blennerhauett, Sir Gladstone, W. E. Parry, T.
R. Glyn. G. C. Pollard-Urtmhart,W
Bonham. Carter, J. Golds=ld, J. Potter, E.
Buxton, Sir T. Graham, W. Ramsay, J.
Cardwell, E. Greville.Nugent,Col Bearden, D. J.
Carter, 8. Gray, Sir J. Below, J 0.
Caatlerosse, Viact. Hardcluitle, J. A. Simeon, 81r J.
Cavendish, Lord F. Hay, Lord J. Stacpoole, W.
Chambers, M. Illbbert, J. T. Btansfeld, J.
Cheethaits, J. Holden, I. Sullivan, E.
Childers, 11. C. Hurst, R. H. Sykes, Col.
Colebrouke, Sir T. Jervoise, Sir J. 'Thompson, N. W.
Cowen, J. Kinnaird, A. F. Vivian), Capt.
Craufurd, E. H. Lawrence, W. Williamson, Sir H.
Crawford, B. W. Lawson, J. A. Winterbotham,ll. S.
Davey, IL Leeman, G. Young, R.
Denman, G. Lefevre, G. J.
Dent, J. D. Luak, A. TELLERS.
Dixon, G. Marshall, W.' Buxton. C.
Dillwyn, I. L. Melly, G. candli.h, J.

There have been 723 acquisitions in the department of
British and mediaeval antiquities and ethnography, exclu-
sive of the Christy collection ; together with a large num-
ber of ancient coins and medals, some of them being of
great rarity.
The collection of zoology, embracing all classes of the
animal kingdom, has been increased to the number of
81,222° 8 specimens, chiefly of the annulosa kinds ; and moat,
if not all, of the other departments of the museum, have
been enriched during the year.

NOES.
Adderley, C. B. Gurney, R. Montagu, Lord R.
Dmee Sir W. Hamilton, Ld. Claud Montgomery, Sir G.
T. Hamilton, Lord C. J. Mortis, 0.
Bateson. Sir T. Hamilton, I. T. Mowbray, J. R.
Beach, Sir M. Hamilton, Visit. Nuith. Cul.
Beach, W. Hardy, G. Northcote, sir S.
Booth, Sir R. Hartley, J. Paltington, Sir J.
Bowyer, Sir O. Hervey, Lord A. Parker, Major
Brett, Sir W. Hay, Sir J. Pemberton, E. L.
Brooks, R. Henniker-Major, J. Percy, Major-Gen.
Bruce, Sir H. H. Herbert, Gen. Powell, F. S.
Bruen, If. licketh, Sir T. Ronertson, I'. F.
Buckley, C. Heygate Sir F. Salomons, Mr. Ald.
Burke, Viect. Hogg, Lieut.-Col. Samuds, .1. D'A.
Burrell, Sir P. Holtord, R. S. Sclater-Booth, G.
Calcraft, J. H. Holmeadale, Visit. Scourfleld, J. H.
Cartwright, CoL llotham, Lord Selwin-Ibbetaou, H.
Cave, S. Haut, U. Severna, J. E.
Clive, Lieut.-Col. Jervis, Major Seymour, G. H.
Cony, H. L. Jolliffe, H. H. Simonds, W. B.
Cooper, E. H. Kerslake. Sir J. Smollett, P. B.
Cox, W. T. Kavanagh, A. Somerset, E. A.
Cubitt, 0. Kendall. N. Stanhope, J. B.
Davenport, W. B. Kenwn, W. Stanley, Lord
Dawson, R. P. Knlghtley, Sir R. Stirling-Maxwell,
Dickson. Major Ken; Col. S. Sir W.
Dimedele, R. Laird, J. Thompson, A. G.
Disraeli, B. Lanyon, Sir C. Thorold, Sir J.
Du Cane, C. Leader, N. P. Turner, C.
Duff, R. W. lechmere, Sir E. Vance, J.
Edwards, Sir If. Lennox, Lord G. Vandcleur, Col.
Egerton, Sir P. Lennox, Lord 11. Verner, E. W.
Egerton, E. C. Liddell, H. U. Walker, Major
Elcho, Lord Lindsay, Col. C. Warren, K. R.
Fellowes, E. Lindsay, Col. R. Waterhouse, S.
VaPinieet,,,,Atis I. L0p..., 11. C. widtmore. H.
Floyer, J. Lopes, Sir M. Wise. H.C.
Goldney, G. M•Lagan, P. Woodd, B. T.
G nudism. J. Mahon, Viset. Wyndham, I.
Gordon, E. S. Mainwaring, T. Wynne. W. R.
Gore, J. R. Manners, Lord J.
Graves, S. R. Martin, P. W, TELLF.II.9..
Grey, T. de Mayo, Earl of Tay:or. Co!.
GriMth, I. D. Miles, J. W. Noel, G. J.