The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-21 00:00:00

5. CO3I3IITTEE OF LECTURES AT DUBLIN.

23. A committee, partly appointed by the Royal
Dublin Society and partly by the Government, was
constituted at a late period in 1854, with a view of super-
intending the grant of 5001. for provincial lectures in
Ireland, and for arranging the popular courses of lec-
tures to be given either at the Royal Dublin Society or
the Museum of Irish Industry.
It had formerly been the practice for the professors
to give two courses on the premises of the Royal Dublin
Society, but it was felt that as they wero paid by public
grants, the public should be able to obtain the benefits
of the collections in both institutions in illustration of
these courses, and this mixed committee was deemed to
be the body to select the institution which was found to
be the most advantageous for a particular course of lec-
tures. It was to be borne in mind, in making such ar-
rangements, that the mu-etns and gardens of the Royal
Dublin Society were chiefly devoted to pure science,
and the Museum of Irish Industry to its industrial ap-
plications.
In the report of the committee will be found a full ac-
count of its proceedings, and of what it deems to be the
requirements for the future efficiency of the services en-
trusted to it.

TOO lecture 3 given at the Royal Dublin Society were
attended by the following average number of persons :
Average.
Chemistry 39

Natural History (two courses) 227
Geology
Physics
During the latter part of 1854, and in the course of
1855, the committee of lectures provided for 24 courses
of lectures in the provincial towns of Ireland, which ap-
pear to have had a total attendance (calculated on the
average) of 3,03 persons.
G. NORMAL LACE SCHOOL, DUBLIN. •
24. The Normal Lace School at Dublin received a pro-
visional grant of 5001. in aid from the Ist January, 1855,
as explained in the report for the previous year ; and a
statement of the committee is printed.
In consequence of this assistance the committee have
organised a drawing class, under the superintendence of
a certificated teacher from the central school. This class
opened with 17 pupils, three of whom obtained medals
in the autumn exhibition of students' works at Gore
House ; and two special classes have also been estab-
lished, and promise well. The committee have also been
again enabled to obtain a lace teacher from Belgium.
25. Since the first opening of the school in 1851, to
the end of last year, 76 pupils have been admitted to the
school, of whom 19 superintend lace schools in the coun-
try, and 17 are now on the books.

There has been a decrease in the number of pupils
during the last year, owing to the breaking out of scar-
latina in the school, and the influence of the war. On
the whole, however, the report appears to be satisfac-
tory.

7. SCOTTISH INDUSTRIAL AND NATURAL HISTORY
MUSEUM.

26. Since my last report the ground and temporary
buildings for the new museum in Edinburgh have been
purchased, but not without the necessity of obtaining an
Act of Parliament to render the legal titles secure. Ac-
cordingly, until the autumn little could be done to obtain
contributions for the museum, and the director was in-
structed to visit existing museums with the view of ob-
taining information as to the best mode of organising
the future collection. Latterly considerable progress
' has been made, and during the present year large addi-
tions to the museum are expected.
27. It was considered desirable by the Government to
render the industrial collections available for the pur-
poses of instruction to the students of the university, the
buildings of which are contiguous to the site purchased
for the erection of the new museum. The director, Dr.
G. Wilson, was therefore, at your lordships' recommen-
dation, appointed Professor of Technology at the univer-
sity, and has had 40 pupils attending his course of lec-
tures on this subject.
28. The Museum of Natural History, since the period
of isay last report, has also been joined to this depart-
ment, the collections having been purchased and sus-
tained chiefly by public funds. It should be stated,
however, that the Town Council of Edinburgh having
aided much in the formation of the museum, upon which
the college funds had from time to time been expended,
has liberally yielded all right in the property which it
may possess, in order that the public might more fully
derive advantage from its use.
29. With the view of rendering the collections of this
museum useful to the public, your lordships directed that
it should be thrown open ou one day in the week free of
charge, and that the price for admission shoud on the
other days be reduced from one shilling to sixpence. It
was also arranged that the students of natural history,
both in the university and the Free Church College,
should on all occasions have free access to the museum.

These changes have baen attended with great benefit,
for while in the previous year the visitors had amounted
to 833, in the last year they increased to the large num-
ber of 100,947.

The arrangement and improvement of the museum, so
well begun by the late Professor Forbes, have been
energetically followed up by Professor Allman, who has
advanced far towards the formation of a catalogue.
30. Your lordships are aware that there is an urgent
necessity for a now museum building, not only to receive
the present collections, a large portion of which cannot
be exhibited to the public, but also to End room for
those rapidly farming for the new Industrial Museum.
During the continuance of the war the Government
had an undeNtanling with the authorities in Itlinburgh
that they would not press for the immediate building of
the promised museum ; but peace being now established,
provision will have to be made for its commencement.

- As it would be highly desirable that well-considered
plans should be matured for the museum before the build-
ing is determined upon, I venture to suggest to your
lordships to issue such instructions during the present
year as would best secure the full consideration of the
requirements for the new building,.
To Li continued.)