The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-26 00:00:00

PICTURE GALLERIES.

The following report of the commission appointed
to consider the subject of lighting picture galleries
by gas has been presented to the House of Com-
mons :

" The Commission, consisting of Professors Fara-
day, Hofman, and Tyndall, Mr. R. Redgrave, R.A.
and Captain Fowke, RE, appointed for the purpose
of reporting to the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council on Education on the lighting of picture
galleries by gas, and on any precautions (if neces-
sary) against the escape of gas, and the product of
its combustion,—having met at various times and
considered the subject referred to them, now make
the following report :
" There is nothing innate in coal gas which ren-
ders its application to the illumination of picture
galleries objectionable. Its light, though not so
white as that of the sun, is equally harmless ; its
radiant heat may be rendered innocuous by placing
a sufficient distance between the gas jets and the
pictures, while the heat of combustion may be ren-
dered eminently serviceable in promoting ventila-
tion.

" Coal gas may be free from sulphuretted hydro-
gen compounds, and in London is so at the present
time ; it then has little or no direct action on pic-
tures. But it has not as yet been cleansed from
sulphide of carbon, which, on combustion, yields
sulphurous acid gas, capable of producing 22*
grains of sulphuric acid per 100 cubic feet of
present London coal gas (Hofman). It is
not safe to permit this product of the
combustion to come in contact with pictures
painted either in oil or water colours; and the com-
mission are emphatically of opinion that in every
system of permanent gas lighting for picture or
sculpture galleries provision should be made for the
effectual exclusion or withdrawal of the products
of combustion front the chambers containing the
works of art.

" The commission have examined the Sheep-
shanks ;Gallery as an experimental attempt to light
pictures with gas, and are of opinion that the pro-
cess there carried out fulfils the condition of effec-
tually illuminating the pictures, and at the same
time removing the ptgoducts of combustion. Ac-
cording to the indication of the thermometer re-
quired and obtained, it does this in harmony with,
and in aid of, the ventilation, and does not make a
difference of more than one degree Fahrenheit at
the parts where the pictures are placed, between
the temperatures, before and after the gas is
lighted.
" Certain colour-tests, consisting of surfaces co-
vered with white lead, or with vegetable and mineral
colours (especially the more fugitive ones), and in
which also boiled linseed oil, magylp, and copal
varnish were employed as vehicles, had been pre-
pared, and were when dry covered one-fourth with
mastic varnish, one-fourth with glass,one-fourth with
both mastic varnish and glass, and one fourth left
uncovered. Sixteen of these have been placed for
nearly two years in different situations—in some of
which gas has been used, in others not. They give
no indications respecting the action of coal gas (ex-
cept injury from heat in one placed purposely very
near to and above the gas burners), but seven of
them show signs of chemical change in the whites,
due to either a town atmosphere or want of ventila-
tion. The most injured is that from the National
Gallery, Charing cross, and the next is from a coun-
try privy ; the third, much less changed, is from the
House of Commons ; the fourth is from the Barber
Surgeons' Hall ; the fifth from the Bridgewater
Gallery; the sixth from the Royal Society's rooms
at Burlington House ; the seventh from the British
Museum.

" The remaining tests, hung in-1. Sheepshanks'
Gallery, South Kensington ; 2. Secretary's room at
South Kensington, where no gas is used ; 3. Mr.
Henry Drummond's drawing-room at Albury Park,
Surrey; 4. Sealed up and kept in a closet in the
secretary's room at South Kensington ; 5. Lambeth
Palace, vestibule of the staircase • 6. British Insti-
tution, picture gallery ; 7. Windsor Castle, room
with a north aspect, without gas; 8. Mr. Thomas
Baring's picture gallery, 41, Upper Grosvenor-
street, frequently lit with gas—present no observ-
able change in this respect.
" Though apart from the especial subject sub-
mitted to the Commission, the members cannot
resist a recommendation that this kind of trial,
which is especially a painter's experiment, should
be continued for a longer period, and, indeed, be
carried out on a more extensive scale.
" The Commission think it right to state that
they were unanimous on all the points to which
their attention had been called, or which are re-
ferred to in this report.
" M. FARADAY,
A. W. HOFMANN,
JOHN TYNDALL,
RICHARD REDGRAVE,
FRANCIS FOWKE, Captain, R.E.
" South Kensington, July."