§ LORD ELCHOsaid, he wished to ask the First Commissioner of Works, Whether Parliament will have an opportunity of expressing an opinion upon any new constitution that may be proposed for the Royal Academy before Her Majesty's Government take any steps to provide increased accommodation for the Annual Exhibition and Schools of the Academy, He would further beg to ask whether, as the name of the successful competitors are affixed to their designs for the New Museum at South Kensington now exhibiting, there will be any objection to affix the names of the artists to the unsuccessful designs?
MR. COWPER,in reply, said, his noble Friend would have ample opportunity of bringing before the House the subject to which his first question referred, if he should think it necessary to do so; and, probably, the proper way of doing; so would be to move an Address to the Crown. With respect to the architectural designs for the New Museum at South Kensington, he had to state that upon receiving the awards of the judges hit opened the envelopes which bore the particular mottoes outside and the author's names within, and by that means he as certained the names of the three successful competitors. He had not felt justified in opening the other envelopes, as the competitors might wish to remain anonymous He proposed, however, to issue, an advertisement inviting the competitors to signify their wishes upon that point.
§ LORD ELCHOsaid, he also wished to ask if it be the intention of the Government, during the present Session, to submit to Parliament any proposal for giving increased accommodation to the National Gallery?
MR. COWPERsaid, that the Government proposed to lay upon the table of the House the Estimate for building a National Gallery upon the site of Burlington House, If those Estimates were accepted, it would follow that steps must be taken for the disposal of the buildings at present occupied by the pictures belonging to the Trustees of the National Gallery.
§ MR. GREGORYsaid, he would beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works, 22 Whether the Reply of the Royal Academy to the Report of the Commission of Inquiry will he laid before the House, and whether the Report of the Trustees of the National Gallery on the proposed new National Gallery at Burlington House will be laid before the House?
MR. COWPERsaid, the Reply of the Royal Academy to the Report of the Commissioners would be laid before the House. With regard to the National Gallery, he was in communication with the Trustees upon the subject, and at the conclusion of the Correspondence he hoped to have the opportunity of laying before the House the opinion of the Trustees upon the design for the National Gallery.