The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-18 00:00:00

THE SITE OF TEE NATIONAL

L L ER Y.

--
The report of the Royal Commission en the site of
the National Gallery was published on Saturjay in the
form of a glue-.tookcf nearly 200 pages. The report
proper appeared at length in the Sun of the Slat of
July. As regards the proceedings of the commission,
it appears that on the 12th of March a resolution was
proposed to the a fleet that the evidence thitherto ad-
duced, collectively considered, did not lead to any deci-
sive conclusion agai .a; placing the new National Gallery
%Thin the metropolis ; on which Mr. Faraday moved
an amendment admitting this fact, but pointing to the
advantage to be obtained by "the removal of the gallery
to a clearer and more airy site ;" which amendment was
negatived by 3 to 2, Mr. Richmond voting with Mr.
Fa aday. The original resolution was afterwards adop-
Ld. At the meeting of the 7th of May a letter was
read trim Mr. Justice Coleridge, advocating the claims
of the existing site in Trafalgar-square on the ground of
its general accessibility. On the 21st of May Professor
Faraday moved two resclutiens—first, "that in respect
of the future plan of the National Gallery, the three
leading considered:n:B which should govern the choice
of a site are clear spece fur a building of magnitude
sufficient to provide fur the prospective increase
of the collection, accessibility to the public, and
the preservation of the pictures ; and, secondly, that
in the opinion of the commissioners, the first consi-
deration is essential iu any case, that the second and
third, although of extreme importance, are highly anta•
gonistic, inasmuch as the removal of the pictures to a
clearer but distant place takes away that accessibility
which the present site, although, no doubt, with a
great amount cif wear and tear, provides." On these
two resolutions the commissioners divided, affirming
the first by 4 to 1, and the second by 3 to 2.
• Mr. Richmond then proposed that after a resolution
adopted on the 27th of April (" that it is not ex-
pedi nt to break up or remove the British Muieum"),
another resolution be added, to the effect that
the future combination of sculpture with painting
should be provided for in the new National
Gallery, " a priatary use of which should be to
preserve examples of the art of past ages in all its
branches in the order best .afapted to exhibit their beauty
and to illustrate their sequence and character.". This re-
solution was negatived by three to two. It was also
unanimously agreed that the choice of sites lay between
the site of the present gallery (if sufficiently enlarged)
and the estate at Kensiugtongore. The result was that
the chairrean (Lord Broughton), the Dean of St. Paul's,
and Mr. Cockerell vet:el for the present site, and that
Mr. Richinoud (alone) voted for the Kensington-gore.
Professor Faraday declined to vote at all, his mind
being equally balanced between the two sites. The
eviderme which has been taken before the commission is
very voluinitions. The witnesses examined were Sir C.
Eastlake, P.R.A., Mr. 11. Ferrer, Mr. J. Nieuwerhhys,
Mr. J Beentley, Mr. Knight„ R A., Mr. Cooke, A.R.A ,
Mr. Perris, Mr. Mulready, Mr. J. M. Smith,
Mr. Denning, Mr. Smart, Mr. A. Panizzi, Mr. E.
Hawkins, Mr. W. A. Carpenter, Mr. 01 ifield, Mr.
Sydney Swirke, R.A., Mr. J. Bell, Sir C. Barry, Mr.
Westataeott, ILA , Baron Marochetti, Mr. J. Ruskin,
Mr. Aurlstone, Mr. J. Fergusson, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer (Sir G. C. Lewis), Mr. E. A. Bowring,
Mr. Doyle, Mr. A. J. B. B. Hope, M.P., Sir E.
Landseer, R.A., M. J. F. Lewis, Mr. H. War-
ren, Mr. Donaldson, and Mr, Digby Wyatt. The evi-
dence is exceedingly interesting and strikingly sugges-
tive.

THE POISONINGS AT lIONG-KONG.-Mr. Tarrant, of
Hong-Kong, has revived the subject of the poisonings
by bringing an action against Alum for selling unwhGle-
some brew t. The attorne3 -general, abandoning all sug-
gestion of guilty knowledge in the defendant, rested his
case upon the common law obligation cast upon a baker
to sell only ['read fit for the food of man. The presence
of arsenic was fully proved, and the Jury returned a ver-
dict for 1010 dollars. The point of law is of course
reserved.
INDIA.—A coloured Map of India will be presented
giatis with the Dispatch of Sunday next, Aug. 23. This
Map, measuring 17 inches by 12, will form a part of the
forthcoming Atlas announced to be issued Gratio, •sad to
commence on October 4. Many thousands of pounds
will be expended in producing this truly invaluable work,
which, completed, will be found the most comprehensive
and generally useful, in fact, the best Atlas ever pub-
lished. The if Dispatch, A.tlas" may be ordered of any
Bookseller or Newsagent in the Kingdom ; or at the
1 Offices 13f, Fleet-street. •