Notes

Abstract

AT last a sum of money has been voted for a new Natural History Museum. In introducing the vote the Chancellor of the Exchequer said the British Museum had long been suffering from repletion, and there were no means of exhibiting the valuable articles which, from time to time, were bought for the national collection. Five years ago the trustees resolved in favour of separating the collections, and it had been determined to separate the natural history department from the books and antiquities. For the natural history collection the typical mode of exhibition had been decided on, and the building required must cover at least four acres. Even the present collection would pretty well fill a building of these dimensions, and provision must be made for further extension. The question was, where should this building be situated? and after referring to possible sites he referred to the locality which we were enabled to state some time ago had been chosen—a plot of ground 16½ acres in extent, which the trustees of the Exhibition of 1851 sold to the Government at 7,000/. an acre. It therefore cost 120,000/., but is now worth 100,000/. more. The sale was coupled with the condition that any building erected upon the land must be for purposes of science and art. For seven years the land had remained waste, a sort of Potter's field, and a scandal to that part of the metropolis. The Government now proposed to place on that piece of land the museum required for the natural history collection. It would occupy four acres; there would be room for wings, and the outside estimate for the building was 350,000/., not an unreasonable price, considering its extent. For the present, however, the Government merely asked for a small vote to enable them to clear the ground, and in order to take the opinion of the House. Railway communication had now made South Kensington easily accessible, and unless a more eligible, a more accessible, and a cheaper site could be suggested, he hoped the Committee would agree to the proposal. He might add that, if it were hereafter thought desirable to do so, there would be room enough on the same site for the Patent Museum, the necessity of which had been much insisted on. We trust that after the discussion which followed the introduction of the vote the scientific men will speak for themselves, and again let their wishes and opinions be heard.