The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-31 00:00:00

ptrienes has shown, both in this case and at the Art Trea-
sures Exhibition at Manchester, that an iron building,
owing to its variations in temperature and the difficulty of
keeping it water-tight, is not suitable for the preservation
of works of art. Mr. Braidwood, also, does not consider it
secure from fire. Much expense is required to keep it in
good order. The officers of the department report that the
more delicate and valuable works of art suffer from cold,
heat, damp, and the leakiness of the roof, and ought to be
removed out of it as soon as possible.
In 1856 Parliament voted £lO,OOO to remove the offices
of the Science and Art Department and the Art Training
Schools, the latter built of wood, from Marlborough-house
to South Kensington, and this amount was expended, as
well on: this object as in rendering four old houses useful
for class rooms and official residences.

The wooden schools are not secure from fire, and a fire
has recently occurred in them. If they were not public
property they would be condemned under the Building Act.
The old houses are dilapidated, full of dry rot, and built hi
such a way as to be extremely liable to fire ; one of them
was on fire a few weeks ago, owing to the presence of IA
wooden beam in a chimney ; another has had a story re*.
moved to save it from falling. They should be taken down.
without delay.

In 1857 Parliament ♦oted £3,500 to erect a permanent
building to receive Mr. Sheepshanks's gift of British pits-
tures, and in 1859 a sum of £8,198 was voted for fire-proof
buildings to afford accommodation for the Vernon and
Turner pictures, which it was necessary to remove from
Marlborough .house. These are solid and convenient build-
ings, and have been erected as part of a general plan which
was laid before your committee by Capt. Fowke, and is ap-
pended to this report.
It results from the account above given of the state of
the iron building that additional space for the accommoda-
tion and exhibition of the art collections should be provided
at once. Capt. Fowke states that the cheapest mode of ob-
taining this space would be to complete the quadrangle of
brick buildings, which was commenced bythe Sheepshankel
Vernon, and Turner Galleries; and to glaze it over. Pie
estimates that this might be done for £17,000, and by doi OS
so the art collections new in the iron museum would be
placed in safety, others not properly shown would be de'
ciently exhibited, whilst space would be provided in the
iron museum to receive and exhibit the architectural CVO
procured as models from the Houses of Parliament, wt Lich
at present lie unexhibited in buildings at Thames-bank/
costing the annual rent of £490.
The danger arising from the use of the wooden echo ols
and dilapidated houses renders it equally necessary to Te"
move these buildings, and instead of them to provide!, at
once safe buildings for official residences and the art treiiir
ing schools. The cost has been approximately estimated.l)l
Captain Fowke at £27,000.
Your committee recommend these works as matters: of
extreme urgency, the completion and covering in of the
quadrangular court as a means of rescuing much valuabhl
public and private property from a receptacle quite unfit for
it, the removal of the wooden schools and the dilapidated
houses from considerations of safety, and therefore of reel
economy. The iron building and the temporary brick
buildings your committee see no reason to disturb at pro'
sent; they can be usefully employed, and may well be'l'
lowed to stand for some years to come.
Your committee are by no means anxious to involve the
revenue in large expenses for mere ornament. The mimeos
is yet in course of formation, and they think it unwise to
commit the country to a heavy expense in anticipation of
its wants. The committee recommend that any plan which
may be adopted for the building to be erected should he
capable of being worked into a general plan which would et
once fully occupy the ground, and be susceptible of a proper
amount of decoration. Such a plan has been laid bore
the committee by Captain Fowke.
August 1, 1860.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

MANCHESTER-Am- 30.

Scarcely a sit4ie of English wheat wasoffered, farms!.
being too busily engaged. French and American were 10
quiet request, and finer sorts at an advance of 3d to 4d yet
701bs. Oatmeal is to 2s per load advance, and beans 6d 0
18 per qr up. Indian corn firm, at former rates. Flout
2s to 3s per sack and barrel dearer.