The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-14 00:00:00

MUSEUMS.

Antiquarian—Somerset House. Admission by application
to the secretary.
Botanic—Royal Botanic Society of London. Regent's-
park. Admission daily by orders from fellows. Royal
Gardens, Kew. Open daily, 1 till 6, free.
British—Great Russell-s rest. Open free on Mondays,
Wednesdays, and Frida s, 10 to 4 ; summer months 10
till 7. Closed Ist till 7th January, Ist till 7th May, and
Ist till 7th September; al o on all thanksgiving days.
City—Guildhall. A collec on of antiquities, &o. Daily
10 till 5.
Geological- Jormyn street. Open daily (except Fridays)

free.
India—lndia Office' Charles-street. Asiatic natural his-
tory, antiquities, &c. Open free on Mondays, Wednes-
days, and Fridays, and on Thursdays by orders.
King's College— Strand. Anatomy and curiosities. Daily

16 till 4. - _
Patents—South. Kensington. Models and inventions.

Open free daily.
Royal Institution--21, Albemarle-street. Various objects.
Daily, 10 till 5.
Royal Military Repository—Woolwich. Models of foal:
fications, cannon, and warlike appliances. Daily, 10
till 4.
Royal Polytechnic Institution-309, Regent-street. Scien •
tific, with lectures. Open daily, till 10 p.m. ls.
Soane's-13, Lincoln's-inn-fields. Antiquities, curiosities,
and pictures. Open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fri-
days in April, May, and June ; and Wednesdays, from
February to August. Admission on application to the

Curator;
Society of Arts—John-street. Adelphi. Inventions, pic-
tures, curiosities &c. Daily: admission by member's

ordei.
South Kensington—Cromwell-road. Open on Mondays,
Tuesdays, and Saturdays, 10 till 10, free; on other days
10 till 4,5, or 6. 6d.
Tower of London—Ancient armour, dm. Open daily, 1G
till 4. ls.

PICTURE GALLERIES.
Bridgewater Gallery—Cleveland-square. Cards to view
may be obtained from Mr. Mitchell, Old Bond-street.
British Artists—Suffolk-street. April to July. is.
British Institution-52, Pall-mall. Pictures by British
Artists, in February, March, and April ; and by Ancient
Masters, June, July, and August. 18.
Buckingham Palace Pictures.—May be viewed by an order
from the Lord Chamberlain.
Cartoons of Raphael—South Kensington Museum Mon
day, Tuesday, Saturd, free ; other days, 6d.
Crystal Palace--Sydenhaaym. Mudern Pictures and Sculp-
ture. ls.
bulwich Gallery—Dulwich. Chiefly Flemish and Dutch
Pictures. Open free daily, except Friday.
Flaxman Gallery—University of London, Gower-street.
Foundling Hospital—Guildford-street. Open Mondays,

10 till
Gallery of Ancient Masters-49, Pall. Is.
Greenwich Painted Halt—Greenwich. Mondays and Fri
days Free : other days, 4d.
Guildhall—City. May be seen on application to the hail
keeper.
Hampton Court Palace.—The galleries are open free daily
except on Friday.
Monument—Fish -street Hill. Every day. 6d.
National Gallery—Trafalgar-squarl. Open free, Mondays,
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sat.lrdays.
National Portrait Gallery-29, Gret. Seorge-strcet.
free, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Trinity House—Trinity-square, Tower-hill. Models of
lighthouses, &c. Daily, 10 till 4.
Tussaud's Waxwork-58, Baker-street. Open daily till
10 p.m. ls.
SUBURBAN PLACES OF RESORT.
Cremorne Gardens Chelsea. ls.
Crystal Palace '?ark—Sydenham. Open daily, Is. ; Satur-
days, 2s. 6d.
Greenwich Park—Greenwich. Orion free
Hampton Court Gardens.—Open free daily.
Highbury Barn and Gardens —lfighbury. 6d. and is by
refreshment tickets.
Kew Gardens—Kew. Open free, daily at me o'clock.
Richmond Park—Richmond. Open free, daily.
Rosherville Gardens—Gravesend. Open daiiy. 6d.
Royal Horticultural Gardens—Kensington. Admission by
members order.
Windsor Great Park—Windsor. Open free. Windsor
Castle may be visited on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fri-
days, by tickets obtainablp Id the Levi Glainberlain
Office, in:tho

Mr. Bright on Wednesday was " interviewed" by
one or two deputations, whose proceedings were not
fully made public. One of these had for their object
a change in the law as to the rating of charities.
The memorial presented to the right hon.
gentleman professed to prove the injustice
of ratin,, benevolent institutions—of taxing
schools which tend to check improvidence and crime,
or hospitals which keep sick persons off the poor
rate. Whether this was or was not demonstrated,
the deptitation did succeed in proving that the law
as to charities was in a deep muddle. Either, said
they, exempt all or none. For "if it be right tJ
make schools and charities pay parochial rates, why
should they pay in England and not in Ireland ?
Why should they pay the borough rate, which is fre-
quently collected together with and by means of the
'poor's rate, and be exempt from other municipal rates?
Why should a church or chapel be exempt, or a school
held in the vestry of a church or chapelz whilst a
school, although immediately adjoining-, is rateable
because under a separate roof ? Why should a
Ragged School be exempt, and a school which is
obliged to require school fees from some of the pupils,
both because the school could not exist without such
fees, and because it is better for the parents to pay
something towards their children's education, be
made to pay rates? " Mr. Bright confessed he was
" much struck " by the statement ; but apparently
he has no strong opinien of his own. r'He
asked whether it would not be well to give
power to overseers to exempt—certain institu-
tions. The deputation replied that the general feel-
ing was against the rating of charities altogether.
Mr. Bright then declared he thought the feeling of
the House of Commons was also in favour of the
abolition of such rates. He advised the deputation
to lay their case before Mr. Gladstone. The Premier,
it may be added, introduced a bill some years ago
making the revenue of charities subject to income
tax.