The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-21 00:00:00

huddled together in the most unseemly manner, and any
person acquainted with pictures knew perfectly well the
extremely bad effect which was produced by the exhibition
of works of art all thrust together. He hoped that the
building would be erected on the ground which they now
possessed, and which had been bought for the purpose.
He called attention to the fact that almost every other
country multiplied their galleries, and museums of art
and science, and pointed to the advance which France
and little Belgium were making in fancy articles in which
taste was involved, and which he really be-
lieved was produced by the citizens of those countries
being familiarised with objects of art.
Mr. AYRTON said that there would be no opposition to
the motion of the hon. member for the University of
Cambridge. At the same time he observed that the
First Commissioner of Works had no authority whatever
to embark in a great undertaking, but merely performed
the duty of fulfilling the instructions received from time
to time from her Majesty's Government. He briefly re-
viewed the leading circumstances connected with
the National Gallery, and alluded to various
grants which had been made by Parliament,
It was necessary that the Government and the House
' should consider what demands were made upon the
public treasury for the construction of public buildings ;
and supposing they were all anxious for a new National
Gallery, they must consider which was of the greatesi
public necessity. At no period had the Govern-
ment been called upon to undertake such a
number of important public works as at the
present time. They were imperatively demanded
for the effective administration of public affairs. The
Government were not asleep as regarded institutions of
science and art, and he called attention to the work in
progress at South Kensington. The hon. member for the
University of Cambridge had referred to a statement
made by the Chancellor of thel'Exchequer, but his words
had reference to the British Museum. If they took a
reasonable view of the matter they would come to the
conclusion that the British Museum was more over=
crowded than the National Gallery. In the latter one
room was appriated to the exhibition of the pictures of
one artist, and he maintained that they were under no
ohligation to exhibit more than was enough to illus.
trate his paarticular style of art. If they wanted to
prevent fire, it would be wise to " clear out " those who
resided in the gallery. At the same time they guarded
against fire so much dreaded by the member for the Uni-
versity of Cambridge they would increase the accommo-
dation.

Lord J. MANNERS remarked that votes of money had
been granted readily by the Liberal Government for the
purpose of becoming the possessars of the land in question
for the specific purpose of constructing a new
gallery, and for the last few years the
House had been duped if these had been
no intention of doing so. In point of fact the right hon.
gentleman had told them that after all grants and inquiries
by Royal Commission and Select Committee, everything
was at sea again.
Mr. COWPER-TEMPLE thought the first Commissioner of
Works was the only man in the House who would be
willing to let the National Gallery remain with its pre-
sent limited accommodation. He thought it would be a
paltry saving to allow the gallery to remain in its present
unsafe condition. It had a wooden roof, and in the event
of a fire occuring, it was lamentable to think that
the whole of the priceless collection stood in the greatest
fear of total loss. He considered it wretched parsimony
to defer building a proper receptacle for those pictures,
of iron and glass, the outlay of which would be
nothing in comparison with the feeling of security it
would produce to know that the pictures were as far be-
yond harm as it was possible to place them.

Mr. T. BARING should like to knbw what the
right hon. gentleman the First Commissioner of Works
meant by his declaration that he did not wish to do things
in a hurry. Why the question had been in agitation for
twenty years. Money had been voted and land secured,
and yet, notwithstanding that, increased accom-
modation was greatly needed. The Right Hon.
gentleman said that there was not the slightest
need of proceeding with the new National
Gallery until some other pressing works had been accom-
plished. It was true that foreigners did not consider the
national collection of pictures one of the highest
order, yet not a hinglo' pert ou of taste and
judgment who had walked through the gallery had
failed to observe that the accommodation for hanging the
pictures was altogether inconvenient. With respect to
the trustees not making the most of the room they at
present possess, they devoted one large apartment
to a few pictures by Turner ; he bad to re-
mind them that the pictures were placed there in com-
pliance with the directions of the will, and if these direc-
tions were not for the future to be observed, he did not
think many more bequests would be made to the nation.
Mr. GLADSTONE repudiated the idea that the Govern-
ment intended postponing indefinitely the building of the
new gallery. The only thing was that other works of a
more pressing necessity were required, and the most
urgent change in connection with the two national insti-
tutions was in respect of the natural history collection at
the British Museum, and it was the intention of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer to submit a scheme with
the view of effecting the necessary alterations in the
course of the present session. _ _

After some remarks from Mr. Bentinck and Mr. A.
Seymour, the motion was withdrawn.

THE RED RIVER SETTLEMENT.

Mr. ROBERT FOWLER called attention to the recent
disturbances at the Red River Settlement, and in doing
so gave a sketch of the history of the settlement.
He contended that when the people of the Red River
Settlement were transferred to Canada it was the duty of
the Government to have secured them the full manage-
ment of their own local affairs, a right which they had
previously exercised under.the government of the Hudson's
Bay Company, and they ought to have had a full
and fair representation in the Canadian Parliament. The
settlers, it appeared to him, had been sold like a lot
of sheep. He believed that if the Government had sent
over an Imperial commissioner to the settlement he would
have ascertained the feelings of the people, and we should
not have heard of the disturbances which had created so
much interest and excitement. He did not intend to go
into the recent events; but his object was simply to draw
attention to the fact that the Red River settlers had not
been treated with that consideration and justice to which
they were entitled.
Mr. MONSELL congratulated the hon. member and the
House on the altered state of affairs at the Red River
Settlement. The latest reports which bad been received
from Canada stated that peace had been restored, and the
Hudson's Bay Company had resumed possession of their
different factories, and the whole of the community. were
working together in harmony, and were anxiously
awaiting the arrival of the expedition. That expe-
dition would not contain anybody who had been
connected with the politics of the Red River
Settlement, and the only desire would be to
put the two races in firm and amicable relationship. So
far as the antiquarian question as to the rights of the
Hudson's Bay Company was concerned, they had been
reported. upon by successive law officers of the Crown.
With regard to the transfer, it was not a case of handing
over the people against their will. The question of the
transfer of the Hudson's Bay Territory to Canada had
'been discussed for many years, and not one single re-
monstrance had been made by the inhabitants of the Red
River Settlement, and they could not have freer insti-
tutions than they would enjoy in Canada.
Sir JOHN PAKINGTON moved an address to the Crown,
praying that her Majesty would be pleased to issue a com-
mission to inquire into the causes of the great loss of life
and property at sea during the last few years, and to con-
sider whether any and what changes can be made in exist-
ing laws and regulations with respect to collisions, over-
lading, stowage of cargo, and other matters, with the view
of giving increased safety to passengers and merchant
ships. The hon. baronet said that in 1858 there were
25,000 sailing ships in the United Kingdom and 1,900
steamers. During 1868 there were 26,000 sailing ships
and 3,000 steamers. During 1858 the losses and casualties
were 1,180, and in 1868 they were 1,747. Out of doors it
was a matter of notoriety that the great cause
of this increase of misfortunes at sea was
the too prevalent habit of overloading. He
referred to the subject of insurance, and remarked that
no owner should have a pecuniary interest in the loss of a
vessel. Alluding to the loss of the Sea Queen, he ex-
pressed his conviction that the poor sailors knew they
were going to their death. He quoted from the evidence
given respecting that vessel, laying particular stress upon
the evidence of one of the witnesses that there was
no legal power to ',prevent a vessel going to sea. Mr.
O'llowd had said that the practice of overloading ex-
tensively prevailed, and he stigmatised it as abominable
and homicidal. The hon. baronet asked the House if the
time had not come to put a stop to such a state of things.
He contended that the Board of Trade under any Govern-
ment was not Conducted satisfactorily, neither
were the inquiries it instituted into the loss of
vessels.. He asked why there had not been an in-
vestigation into the circumstances attending the loss of
the City of Boston, with 200 lives. He thought owners,
however innocent, ought to court inquiry instead of
threatening actions. Every sacrifice of life ought to be
investigated. -He recommended a careful and Impartial
inquiry into the question, so that the bill might be framed
according to the information thus obtained.
Mr. SAMUDA seconded the motion.

Mr. SHAW-LEFEVRE said it was impossible to have lis-
tened to the speech of the hon. baronet without the
deepest sympathy. At the same time he differed from