Star.
London, England, 1830-03-09 00:00:00

SUPPLY.

In the committee, Mr. Bail;15:9 moved a resolution, that the
sum of 18,143/. without any addition, be granted to his Majesty. to
defray the estimated expenses of the British Museum for the year
1890. There was a diminution in the amount of this estimate tor
the present year, he was glad to remark ; and, should any intotilia-
don be desired on the subject of the grant, he would most readily
afford any member all that was in his power.
Mr. HUME wished that greater facilities were afforded to the
public to inspect this exhibition, which was now confined to Slot,.
days, Wednesdays, sad Fridays. He believed this limitation of
days, and that also of hours, might fairly account for that diniinu.
lion which had taken place in the number of its visitants, whit'
some imagined might be attributed to the decreased novelty of the
subjects contained in the Museum, and a consequent decline of cu-
riosity on the part of the public. Its officers were well paid, and
should betequired to attend on the intervening days; at least they
should attend on Tuesday and Thuisday. A public notice also
should be affixed on the front of the building, to prevent the too
frequent disappointment of the curious from the country, who were
not aware of this absurd regulation. The number of visitants in
1145 was 127,000, which, without any other cause being assigned
but the awkwardness and silliness of the too generally unknown r-.
gulatiom of the managers of the Museum, had fallen off to 68,00 n in
the last year.
Mr. JEPHSON withal to know why the hour of closing the li-
brary should be fixed at four o'clock, so as to render it useless to all
those classes of highly respectable persons whose avocations Occu-
pied them in Courts of Law and public offices all day ? Why, too,
was it shut on Saturday ? If the servants of the establishment did
their duty, there was abundant thee to transact all they had to do in
this department, without cutting off that day in particular on whirl
members of that house would feel it more desirable to keep it open
than any other (hear.) Books might also, under certain cirtuni.
stances, be permitted to be removed, which would prove a great ad.
vantage to artists and when. The present establishment was err.
tainly an excellent one, if greater facilities were given to the Mu-
seum, and particularly to the reading public. Unless it was done,
or a pledge given by the honourable manager, he, for one, should be
disposed to resist the grant.
Mr. BANKES believed the decrease in the number of visitants
would he found to arise from the decreased novelty in the subjects
of curiosity in the Museum. The number of reader. continued to
increase. Perhaps it would be an improvement, and he had al-
ready mentioned it to the committee of management, that the hours
for reading should be extended (hear, hear.) lie would, however,
never sanction the introduction of candles, and considered it laths-
pensable that the fires should be extinguished with great caution in
a concern of such enormous value to the scientific, aid of such gene-
ral national interest and importance (hear.)
Mr. PAULETT THOJIPSON found that, for one, he could
not attend at the present fixed hours foe reading ; they ought to be
extendul, and the plan pursued at the royal library anti magazine
library in Paris actually ought to be adopted in the library of the
museum. The student, too, should be permitted to take away a
book upon its being ascertained he was a respectable man, on giving
security that the book so allowed to be taken away should not be
damaged or last.
Mr. BANKES said that he never would consent that a single book
should be abstracted. It would entirely defeat the object of the
library as a valuable institution fur the purposes of literary re.
ference. (Hear.)
Mr. JEPHSON considered the exclusion of readers from the
library on Saturday as a great loss to the reading public. During
summer the hours of reading should be extended till eight or nine
o'doek.

Mr. SADLER thought the objection to fire and candle stron4
enough to overrule the suggestions of the lionourabk member.
It was not desirable to convert the museum into a mere reading-
room

Mr. BRIGHT defended the management of the museum.
Mr. HUME said it was the right of the public to have that place
of literary and scientific resort, for which they paid so 111
open oa both Tuesday and Thursday. (Hear, hear, hear.) It was
their right, and no favmsr. lhey should command it, as their
representatives had the power in their oan hands. If money sire
an object, however, let additional money be given for the additional
accommodation, although he thought abundance was given alressiy.
Mr. DAVIES 011.11ERT advocated the propriety of extemirtg
the hours of rending longer. The museum, to other rripects, ass
'admirably conducted.
The rote was acceded to.

Sir H. HARDIitHE Moved that 1510001. should be punted
to defray the dmp of ramie* and allowances to general oficerp,
see being Wash d
live 111AWi*LY edits the lest vote of a elms to which
he 111101ftielli Several This eapcnor, instead of
eht."66, •11 • Wiwi town being, in 1890,
1118,8881. it aursweesd, is 1117, to 11111,111181. It was excearively
ailleek he edwitted, to wises this does 'et retie"! allowances,
whieli Was, ail had bees, as. sissowass shore is ritelpublie toe so
. ,
many yews,
The west resolution wave AMR isiths, • t 156 esitisso of pr-
ism* aslant Ned gra&
lilr. 111,1912 ibis& this was see et the rise which called for