The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-27 00:00:00

THE SUN,

be retained; and -that, on the same argument, every
public work in tho country, aad even in the world,
ought immediately to be pulled down. It is also
submitted, that an annual expenditure and a per-
manent outlay, which may seem large and
unjustifiable when drawn from the public purse, may
present no difficulty when provided for, on " the self-
supporting principle," which furnished forth the splen-
dours of the Great Exhibition, and was the acknowledged
foundation of its popularity and success. Finally, upon
this head it is submitted as a fact which appears to have
escaped the memory of the Commission in the financial
part of their inquiry, that within six months of hat
year 400,000 L was taken chiefly in shillings at the doors
of the Crystal Palace.
(d.) The report contains no direct and open expression
of opinion that the building should be removed, and
only covertly points at that conclusion in passages of
which the two following may be taken as the strongest
examples:—
`• We believe that the remembrance of the late Ex-
hibition would be unfavourable to a new appropriation
of the Building, as it would be impossible to reproduce
the brilliant effect obtained from the rich collections
which were temporarily placed there.
'the sculptures of Egyp,, of Syria, and Nineveh,
might, it has been said, be advantageously seen under a
roof which, from its lightness and transparency, re-
sembles the open air. The contrast of light and shade
is, however, deemed advantageous to sculpture, and the
colossal character of these antiquities may be, by other
persons. thought to accord best with massive archi-
tecture." _ _ _

Attention is particularly drawn to these distinct traces
of a foregone conclusion on the part of the Commission;
for there was no evidence whatever before them to justify
Gnoh assertions. An effect as b?illiaut, and even more
so, than that of the Great Exhibition, cannot be declared
impossible, or even improbable; nor is there the least
foundation for the statement that the remembrance of
that event would be unfavourable to a new appropriation
of the building. Why should it be so if, as is proposed, the
building is placed under the highest guarantees that birth
and position in the country afford, for the uses to be
made of it? Again, as to the applicability of the Palace
for the reception and display of those monuments of art
now mouldering in dark cellars, what justification can
the Commission plead for the manner in which they have
dealt with this suggestion ?
(e.) Looking carefully through the evidence, it is
impossible to avoid being struck with the style of inter-
rogation which the chairman of the Commission
adopted, and the complete neglect of, and even hostility
to, the public interests involved in the inquiry, which the
shape of the questions asked betrays. Mr. Cole's evi-
dence, especially, is a remarkable example of this, and
reminds one more of a cross-examination in a court of
law than of a courteous elucidation of opinion from a
Government servant in every way qualified to give the
best and most impartial testimony ou the subject.
V. It would not be difficult to state many additional
reasons why this report should be condemned by the
voice of public opinion and ignored by Parliament; but
the object of this paper is to place in as concise a form
as possible the main grounds for doing so.