The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-15
THE BRITISH MUSEUM,
Mennced by Proposal to Destroy
CcrfnIn FrOperfIes.

(Frcm the Kansas City starr
The British Museum. which possesses
the largest collection of books in the
world. usually estimated at two million
volumes, and owns besides $1,000 volumes
OF manuscripts, finds Itself cramped for
room. or threatened with such condition.
and n bill has passed a second reading in
the House OF Lords authorizing the trus-
tees of the Museum TO distribute the bound
volumes OF newspapers and to destroy such
books and pamphlets as they shall Deem
useless.
Ii is needless to say that the PROPOSE
tion TO sequestrate or destroy any portion
Of the British Museum meets with strols
and immediate opposition. II Is urged
that the example and precedent set would
be very bad one, since every great and
growing museum, including a library. may
reach the present condition OF the British
Museum. The Library of Congress, for
instance, which receives copyrighted books
as does the library of the British Museum,
may sometime reach what somebody may
believe the necessity OF an enlargement
OF its premises or the reduction of It's
stores For this reason the British Mu-
scum cannot afford to set the precedent
Of destruction.
While it is not proposed TO destroy the
bound files OF newspapers In the British
Museum. but to distribute them TO vari-
Gus localities, II is claimed that TO take
anything out of London is. In the British
Islands. equivalent to hiding it. and a
thing hidden is thing lost. II it is de-
strab!e to preserve these newspapers for
the public use forever, London which is
the centre and capital Of the British En-
pire in greater and wider sense than
Washington is the capital OF the United
States, should be the place OF their pre-
servation and keeping
1t is urged that there exists no sufficient
reason for the destruction or distribution
Of any portion OF its collections; that the
Museum has not yet occupied all OF the
thirteen acres on which ii stands: that
separate building or buildings m;ght he
erected for the reception OF the art col,e2-
tons, for instance. but in any event tie
library should be kept intact forever. How
ever the question may be decided in the
case of the British Museum, the present
is the time to say that no collection of
newspapers, once made for the public use.
ought to be destroyed or made unavailable.
The State Historical Society Of Kansas
has made a great collection of the news-
papers of the State. The newspapers
mailed to the society by the publishers are
preserved and bound in volumes
and kept in what are hoped to be fireproof
receptacies. where they are open to the in
spection and reference of all. The pont
is sought to be made that the newspaper
volumes constitute to the State a wellnigh
priceless possession, which should on no
account be lost, FILTERED away. scattered.
or destroyed.
Singular as IT may seem. the preserva-
ton OF file Of newspapers is work re-
quiring such care. patience. and attention
that 1t is seldom attempted except by those
whose special business 1t Is. OF many lead
ing newspapers no files exist except these
kept in the office Of publication. or the
hundreds of thousands of people who sub
scribe. pay for, and regularly read news
papers not o4e m many thousands attempts
their preservation. When, therefore, any
public library undertakes the daily and
weekly preservation and arrangement OF
my newspaper. and the binding of the
same at suitable intervals into volumes, it
las undertaken most useful work. the re-
suit of which should be kept forever
Such bound volume is book-in fact,
t is a book of books. II is such a his
Tory and picture of its own time and
ocality, of manners and men. in its own
place and corner of this world. as is not
and cannot be found elsewhere. 1t en-
bodies not the labors of one historian,
,ut of hundreds of chroniclers. story tell
,rs, and artists who work every day to
tote down what they see and hear, and
discover and apprehend. 1t is a perpetu-
lily proceeding narrative which enlarges.
Explains. ampiifes, and corrects itself as
{ goes along. The difference between a
newspaper and the historical or other mar
alive in the shape of a book is the diff
erence between an oil painting, made
erchance from the scene by the :magi-
alton or the broken memory Of the ar
list, and kodak snap shot, or other
lecture drawn in an instant by the sun
nd on the spot.
What would be given now for daily
newspaper pictures Of the building of the
yramids, drawn as the progress Of Con-
-ention Hall Is recorded now? A con-
liberation of the value Of the bound news
,aper volume shows that all the rest Of
he Museum could be more easily spared.