New-York tribune., 1905-02-17
THE NATIONAL GALLERY.
A Curious Episode in the Administration OF
the Great London Museum.
t. r. Buchanan. In the London Times.

T. r. Buchanan. in the London Times
Last year the Controller and Auditor General,
in his report on the National Gallery Vote' NV NV
attention to the fact that there had peeh Iai 20
falling off In the receipts from the SAFE OF cata-
logues. The decrease amounted In round nguFes
to fall from f700 to $3.50 for the year:
The matter was examined into by the PuoEc
Accounts Committee (of which am memper)
May g. Mr. Halves Turner appeared before
u.s. and his evidence is thus summarized In the
second report of the committee:
This decrease is due to the sale OF Messrs
CasselPs illustrated catalogue inside the Gallery
by the Gallery staff in competition wlth the ON
cial catalogues of the trustees. No royalty is
paid by Messrs Cassell on the sale of these
catalogues They sold within the Gallery by
an official of the trustees, and that official is
permitted by the trustees to account privately
to Messrs Cassell for the sales"
The committee were naturally surprised at the
existence of such an arrangement& At their
next meeting. May 49, they were gratifed to
learn from a communication handed in to them
that on May II meeting of the trustees of the
National Gallery had been held. at which it was
resolved:
That on the report of the accounting officer
of his examination by the Public Accounts Com
mittee, the existing arrangements by which
Messrs Cassells illustrated catalogue is sold
in the entrance halls of the Galleries by the
Gallery officials should be cancelled in accord
ance with the discretion given to the trustees
by the Treasury letter March 10, 1902"
The Public Accounts Committee in their re-
port, note with satisfaction the passing of this
resolution. They believed that the practice
would cease.
Last week visited the National Gallery. In
side the doors of the Gallery and between the
doors and the turnstile- there is a table and on
1t Messrs. Cassell's illustrated catalogue for
sale commissionaire Cor a man dressed as
such) is there while the Gallery is open, calls
out for sale these CasseI catalogues and
presses them upon visitors as they enter The
authorized catalogues are on a table within the
turnst1e. When 1 was there there was no at
tendant at this table. but you can buy an au-
thorized catalogue If you apply to one of the
attendants; and it, after passing the turnstile
you stiIl want Casselrs catalogue the attend
ant viii apply to the commissionaire and get
you
1t is clear that the Public Accounts Commit
tee were somewhat rash in accepting the reso-
luton of the National Gallery trustees as they
@ old' The letter OF the resolution is adhered to;
the Cassell catalogue is no longer sold '.bv the
Gallery officials" The spirit OF the resolution
Is disregarded. This private catalogue is still
sold within the building in competition with
Sand VIII say in priority to) the official cata-
logues: The decrease in receipts still contin-
ues. the "obiectionab be' practice goes on as
nefore' ano dn my judgment) Parliament and
It's committee have been deceived
IT no satisfactory explanation is forthcoming
snail certainly bring the matter before the
rouse OF Commons. and before the Public Ac-
counts Committee Gf 7 am again a member of
tnat committee) in the ensuing session