The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-18 00:00:00

,ion for the National Gallery. About the same time,

1853, we added a new department to our public institu-
tions—namely, the department of Science and Art, and
en the application of the then Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, the schools were located in Marlborough-house,
at a merely nominal rent. When Marlborough-house
was afterwards wanted, those who administered the
Kensington estate allotted twelve acres for erecting a
temporary museum, the success of which has been so
eminent, that sines its erection a greater number of
persons have visited it than have attended the British
Museum. Frem that time, during the three or four
years which followed, although the course of Parlia-
ment had very much tended to delay, yet, on the whole,
there has been progress, though it was slow. Another
committee appointed to inquire into the National
Gallery reported against the present site, and pointed
out such conditions fur the new site as clearly indicated
the space in the neighbourhood of Kensington. Another
Royal Commission which was issued reported in unison
with the other reports which I have already referred to.
Up to that time the general course and tendency of
Parliament had been to fulfil the wishes of the Royal
Commissioners as pointed out in their charter of 1852.
But in 1856 a very great change took place. An address
for a Royal Commission to inquire into the best site for
a national gallery was moved for by a noble lord who
always takes an active and distinguished part on ques-
tions of that kind, the noble lord the member for Hadding-
tonshire (Lord Elcho.) (Hear.) At that time it was
clearly understood that the new National Gallery was
to be erected at Kensington-gore ; and a vote of 27,0001.
had been before that taken " for the erection of a new
National Gallery." The noble lord's motion was carried,
and a Royal Commission was issued. 'Whatever might
be the cause or the accident of that Parliamentary di-
vision, as t 3 which I am not now going to speculate,
certain it is that the decision arrived at by the Royal
Commissioners, after due inquiry and deliberation, was
against the erection of the new National Gallery at Ken-
sington, and against the removal of the National Gal-
lery from the present site. (Hear.) After that it became
necessary to consider the propriety of keeping the money
longer in the unsatisfactory state in which it had been
sunk for at least five years. The commissioners com-
plained that they were not allowed to carry out the ob-
jects for which they had been appointed under their
charter ; and they at length proposed a dissolution of the
barren partnership with the Government on the condi-
tion of a mutual release from all conditions, in the hope
that out of their own unaided resources they might be
able to do what they could. That, however, was a pro-
position which required the serious consideration of the
country. We felt, however, that the decision which this
house arrived at was conclusive against the removal of
the National Gallery from its present site. We knew
that the Royal Commissioners had suffered from the state
of things which had existed ; and as we were unable to
hold out to.thein any expectation that we should take
any steps to recur to the feelings and views of the Go-
vernment of 1852, we thought it best to accept their se-
cond proposition, if we would agree as to terms. The
terms which were offered to us were these. It was proposed
that the capital which had been expended by the Govern-
ment should be repaid by the Royal Commissioners, wh'sk
was about 177,5001., and that there should be added to
that amount the moiety of what had been received for
rents, raising it to the sum of about 182,0001. That is
the proposition now before the house, and the object of
the bill is to carry it out and dissolve the partnership
which now subsists between the Government and the
Royal Commissioners. Some remarks were made when
I mentioned the arrangement a short time since, which
it will be as well for me to notice ; at the same time there
was a general feeling in favour of a dissolution of the
partnership. It was said that interest ought to be paid
upon the money advanced by Government—(hear)—but
I think that proposition cannot be fairly maintained.
The Royal Commissioners equally complain that their
capital has been lying idle during the whole of this pe-
riod, except to the limited extent in which the Govern-
ment will share, and I do not think there is any weight
in the objection. Another objection has been that the
value of the lannas greatly increased since it was pur-
chased five years ago. There is no doubt that it has, and
it would certainly be a sign cf decay of the metropolis,
if not of the country, if the value had not increased. But
its value has increased as building land, and it is more
valuable to a speculative builder, who intends to cover it
with squares and cre.cents, than to the Royal Commis-
sioners, who are to hold it, in pursuance of their charter,
for purposes of art and science. Although the connection
between the Government arid the Commissioners ceases,
they do not give up their original design of devoting the
land to such Ake s. It would therefore be ungenerous
to exact an inorcasedsuui from theßoyel Commissioners,
when we should thereby prevent the accomplishment of
those pubic purposes which we ourselves have been the
cause of their not having been sooner accomplished. I
trust, therefore, that the house will agree in this view of
the case. Tne first clause of the bill proposes the general
arrangement I hare explained. The second section refers
to the plot of ground, about 124 ecru, which has been
used by the Government for the erection of the museums
and schools of art which were originally located at Marl-
borough-house. The third clause proposes that such land
may be retained under certain conditions ; and the con-
dition which Government recommend the house to adopt
is, that so long as the land is kept by a public depart-
ment no rent should be paid for it, but if we find it con-
venient for the public service so to do, we shall be
allowed to take it up for a certain sum, which the Go-
vernment shall fix, and which will be substracted from
the purchase money which the Royal Commissioners are
now about to return to the Government. I know the
house would like to have some idea of the value of this
land, and I have ascertained that the sum to be paid
would be about 60,0001. This calculation has been made
upon the principle of not taking the land at an increased
value, but according to the sum paid for the land origi-
nally. A sum of 14,000/. (in addition to 6,0001. paid by
private individuals) was expended by the Commissioners
in forming roads, a large portion of which expenditure
belongs peculiarly to this plot of land. In addition to
this the Royal Commissioners have expended upon the
Museum 5,000/. or 6,0001. beyond the amount voted by
Parliament ; and taking all these things into considera•
then, it has been thought that 60,000/. was a fair value
to be placed upon the land. Bat the Government, of
course, has a great check, because the value is to be fixed
by the Treasury itself. I hope the Royal Commissioners
freed from the trammels of the Government, will be able
to accomplish their original purpose ; and I am confident
that they are objects which, if accomplished, will tend
to advance the interests of art and science in this country.
Mr. BRISCOE was glad to hear from the right hon.
gentleman the statement that it was the intention of the
Government to retain the National Gallery in its present
situation. (The Chancellor of the Exchequer intimated
dissent.) He hoped he had not misunderstood the right
hon. gentleman, as be thought it was most important
that the gallery should not be removed to Kensington.
Mr. SPOONER said that he cheered the right hon.
gentleman when he made the announcement that the part-
nership between the Government and the Royal Commis-
sioners was about to terminate ; and when the right
hon. gentleman did him the honour to ask him if he
would consent to putting his name on the back of the
bi.l he willingly did so. But he now found that the bill
oely partially dissolved the partnership and retained
some objectionable features, He objected to the Govern
relent paying 60,0001. for this piece of land, which he
thought ought to be paid by the Royal Commissioners.
He was not satisfied that the improvement of art and
science was a great national object ; and if it, conferred
any benefit on the working man, it was yet such a re-
mote one that he could not consent to the working man
being tax-d to e mtribute when he had the greatest diffi-
culty in contributing to the necessary requirements of the
State. He should not oppose the second reading of the
bill, but in committee he should move that the clause
empowering the Government to purchase this land for
60,0001. should be struck out. It was certainly his in-
tention to move the omission of the clause in committee.
When the first grant of 150,0001. was made, it was sup•
posed that it would be anal, but two other grants had
been made since then. He (Mr. Spooner) always pro-
tested against the expenditure of public money for the
promotion of art and science He contended that they
ought be supported by those who were immediately
benefitted by them. It was sometimes said that the pub-
lic cultivation of art tended to the benefit of trade; well,
then, let those who were interested in trade promote the
cultivation of art, and let not the expenses be thrown
upon the working man.
Mr. KINNAIRD observed that the right hon. gen-
tleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that the
purchase of the land had not been a satisfactory invest-
ment, but hs (11r. Kineaird) had been told that the land
had since doubled or trebled in value. He was also told
that the nu,ney was to be raised upon some portion of the
land, and the rest to be sold. He protested, however,
aeainst the sale, and he hoped that in committee every
inforinasion would be afforded as to the question whe•
ther iot, rest might not be paid to the Commissioners
and the land rota nod.
Mr. PALK protested against the opinion that money
was misapplied when devoted to the purposes of promot-
ing art and science. He believed the efforts that had
been made to educate the poor in art and science had
been most beneficial, and had done much to remove the
slur which had been cast upon articles of English work-
manship, namely, that however good they might be in
price and quality, they were inferior in taste and design
to articles ef the same nature made on the Continent.
He thought there ought to be more schools of .art; and
he should have been glad to hear of some arrangement
which might have collected together under one roof all
the best and most valuable articles of art in the country,
so as to be easily accessible to all classes of artisans. It
would be at once evident that the site of Trafalgar-square
woul l be too small for a building large enough to contain
all the collected art treasures of the kingdom ; and as for
the want of ceotralisation he thought that would be got
over by the rail ways, which must some day traverse
London from one end to the other. Ho trusted, how.