The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-16 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL GALLERY REPORT.

The report of the select committee "appointed to in-
quire into the management of the National Gallery ;
also, to consider in what mode the collective monuments
of antiquity and fine art possessed by the nation may be
most securely preserved, judiciously augmented, and
advantageously exhibited to the public," has been pub-
lished, together with the proceedings othat committee.
The report concludes with the following :

" In regard to the future management of the gallery,
the site of the building, and the expediency of combining
the national collection of monumental antiquity and fine
art in one building or group of buildings, your committee
have come to the following resolutions :
"1. That it is the opinion of this committee that a sys-
tem of management by a board of trustees should be con-
tinued. _ __ . _ . . . . ..

"2. That no person should in future, in -virtue of any
office, become a trustee of the National Gallery.
" 3. That the trustees be appointed by the Treasury.

"4. That it is expedient that the number of trustees
be diminished as vacancies occur.
"5. That the office of keeper of the gallery should be
abolished. .

------
" 6.— That a salaried director should be appointed by the
Treasury for a definite time, at the expiration of which he
may be re-appointed.
" 7. That every recommendation for the purchase of a
picture should originate with the director, and be made in
writing to the trustees.
" 8. That a fixed sum should bo annually proposed to
Parliament for the purchase of pictures, and placed at the
disposal of the trustees.
"9. That the site of the present National Gallery is not
well adapted for the construction of a new gallery.
" 10. That the estate at Kensington Gore, purchased by
the Royal Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851, and
by them offered to the nation, presents many of the ad-
vantages recommended by the witnesses before your com-
mittee. The position which has been suggested at the extre-
mity of Kensington Gardens would afford a betterguarantee
for the future protection of the works of art there col-
lected from the evils incident to a crowded neighbour-
hood, and would improve the opportunity of erecting an
edifice worthy of the purpose ; but your committee are
fully aware that the acquisition of such a site is attended
with difficulties they see no adequate means of removing ;
and, in consequence, they are prepared to recommend the
acceptance of the offer of the commissioners.
"11. That the committee are of opinion that the ques-
tion of combinng the various artistic and archaeological col-
lections in the British Museum with the National Gallery
be referred to a Royal commission.
"12. That no time should bo lost in obtaining the deci-
sion upon the above question, in order that the new Na-
tional Gallery should be commenced with all convenient
speed."
The committee were by no means unanimous, for as
many as 23 divisions took place, chiefly on the picture
cleaning, the management, and the site. On the ques-
tion, " that a fixed sum should be annually proposed to
Parliament for the purchase of pictures, &c.," proposed
by Mr. Vernon, Lord Seymour moved the omission of
the word " fixed." His lordship was supported by Sir
W. Molesworth and Mr. Ewart, but he was defeated by
a majority of two.

THE SHIPPING OF THE NORTH-EAST PORTS.— SHIELDS,
Saturday.—There is a great scarcity of merchant vessels
in this district, and in consequence of the increased de-
mand for coals in the south of England, and the num-
ber of vessels that have gone to the Baltic, so much as
10s. per ton has been given to the masters of collier
vessels to convey coals to London. 181. 10s. per keel has
also been given to vessels to take coals to St. Peters-
burg, with a return cargo of 40s. per ton home with
tallow. Seamen are as scarce as ships ; 31. 155., and
in some instances 41. per month, has been paid to sea-
men going in vessels in the Baltic trade. The same
high rates of freight have been given in the neigh-
bouring ports. During the past week vessels of large
tonnage have taken in cargoes at Hartlepool for St.
Thomas's at from 28s. to 345. per ton, being from 60 to
100 per cent. more than was obtainable for the same
voyage this time last year. A Dutch vessel sailed from
Hartlepool to Hong Kong with steam-coal, her freight
being 661. per keel. The same vessel left Hartlepool
this time last year for Australia, freighted at only one-
half the amount. From intelligence that has been re-
ceived here, there seems to be extensive desertions from
British vessels in some of the North American ports.
The embarrassment occasioned to captains by thus
losing their crews will be, to some extent, obviated
after the passing of the new act, by 'their being
enabled to employ all foreign seamen, if they deem
proper, instead of one-fourth, as heretofore. About
a month ago the statistics of shipbuilding in the
river Wear, during the first six months of this
year were published, anrsimilar returns for a corre-
sponding period of the year have been received in
Sunderland from New York. Including four steam-
ships and 12 steam-boats, the number of merchant vessels
launched at New York during the period mentioned is
34 ; aggregate tonnage, 22,058; at Sunderland, 85 vessels ;
aggregate tonnage, 38,000.
MUNIFICENT BEQUESTS.—The late Richard Sawrey
dCeoaxt„hEws
eq ,n oo ft
noticed
do n
ldaosnt ,
waenedk
hnaast ibveeq ofoe
attihils c
ed ti thy whose
o,
follow-
ing sums to institutions in this city, free of legacy
,d 5
1 uooty
To the Girls' Blue Coat School ..• 1
To oo
EF
aa
yi r
ea;
s' s
SchoolSchoo
500
To the Bablake Boys' Charity
500
To the old Bablake Men's Charity
To the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital 1,500

£6,000 I
eit
called i compulsory)snoatfterhis
that a ward in the ho name,
h
rs to follow his example. We
as an incentive to et e
Mr. Cox, by his will, wishes esshTlul be
believe
these are the largest bequests
to the Coventry
charities since
our wealthy bachelors and others would dedicate a per-
others will be found to imitate so good an example. If
r repairing andrestoring our churches,
tion of their wealth to relieving the necessities of our
poorer
brethren, o
some of which, St. Michael's and St. John's especially,
are fast falling into decay, their names would be worthily
recorded in our annals ; and we cannot conceive a more
fittingappropriation of a portion of the worldly wealth
with which the Almighty has blessed them. Mr. Cox
has bequeathed 6,0001. or 7,0001. to London charities.—
orPntry Standard.
Sil JAMES BEoolo.—The Singapore
_Free Press of
the 2nd July says :—By late arrivals from Sarawak, we
learn that Sir James Brooke was taken ill on the 2nd
ultimo on board the Weraff, while on his passage from
this to Sarawak. On his arrival at Sarawak it was
found to be small-pox, and for some time very great
fears were entertained for his safety, as he appeared to
be in a dangerous state, and no medical aid, except that
of a native doctor, was available. The latest accounts,
however, represent the crisis of the disorder as being
apparently past, and it Was hoped that he would soon
be convalescent.