§ COLONEL RAWDONbegged to put the following questions to the noble Lord at the head of the Government:—Whether the inquiry which was instituted respecting the state of the pictures in the National Gallery, with a view to their better preservation, had terminated; and, if so, would the information be given to the House? 2. Whether any proposal had been made by the Government to the Royal Academy, with a view of obtaining for the public collection of pictures the entire of the National Gallery building; and, if so, what answer had been given? 3. Whether any supplemental vote in the present Estimates would be called for to carry out the proposition? 4. Whether it was the intention of Government, before taking final steps for permanently locating the pictures on the present site, to institute an inquiry, by a Committee of this House or otherwise, in order to ascertain whether or not it would be expedient to allocate the pictures in Trafalgar-square? He wished to direct the attention of the noble Lord to the following allegations:—That it was in evidence before Committees of that House that the present building in Trafalgar-square was insufficient to its purpose as a national gallery, and unworthy of this metropolis; that half of it was not fireproof; that there was not height for placing properly works of art which were now or could be put into it; that there was no room for arrangement of schools; and that individuals were deterred therefore from, rather than invited, as they ought to be, to become contributors to our national collection.
§ LORD J. RUSSELLsaid, that an inquiry had been entered into with respect to the state of the pictures in the National Gallery with a view to their better preservation, and the gentlemen appointed to conduct the inquiry had made a report on the subject. The report described the present state of the pictures, and offered suggestions for their better preservation; but its authors requested time to prosecute 896 further inquiries on the subject, more particularly in connexion with pictures on the Continent. The report had been referred to the trustees of the National Gallery, and would shortly be laid before the House. In the next place, he had to state that, in conformity with the opinion expressed by a Committee of the House, which took into consideration the use to which the building in Trafalgar-square was applied, he had made a proposal to the Royal Academy, which had for its object the obtaining of the whole of the building for the exclusive exhibition of the national pictures. The Royal Academy had returned an answer expressing a general desire to comply with the wishes of the Government in that respect. With the information now before the Government relative to the state of the national pictures, it appeared desirable that before proposing any vote on the subject, further inquiry should be made as to whether it was desirable finally to allocate the national pictures in Trafalgar-square. For that purpose, he would, early next week, move for the appointment of a Select Committee, composed, as far as possible, of the Members who served on the former Committee, who would be required to state their opinion as to the best mode of preserving the national pictures, and as to whether Trafalgar-square offered the best site for a National Gallery.