§ Sir S. Romillyobtained leave to bring in a bill for rendering the freehold property of persons subject to the bankrupt laws assets for the payment of their debts.— On the motion of Mr. Long it was ordered, that there be laid before the house, an account of the expenditure of the British Museum in the years 1805 and 1806, together with an estimate of the expenditure of 1807.—Mr. Rose presented a petition from the Trustees of the British Museum, setting forth, that the Trustees and administrators of the will of the late marquis of Lansdown have proposed to the consideration of the petitioners, the expediency of purchasing for the use of the public a valuable collection of manuscripts belonging to the said late marquis of Lansdown, chiefly concerning the public writings and records of this country, composed and collected by William lord Burghly, lord high treasurer in the reign of queen Elizabeth, sir Julius Cæsar, master of the rolls and judge of the high court of admiralty in the reigns of queen Elizabeth and king James I., and other learned and eminent persons; and that there is already in the British Museum a very valuable and extensive collection of manuscripts important to the public, for the purpose of elucidating the public history of this country, and for furnishing evidence of the rights and possessions of individuals, to which the Lansdown collection of manuscripts would be a most valuable addition; but that the funds of the petitioners being insufficient for the common annual expenditure of the Museum without the accustomed aid of parliament, they are unable to provide for the purchase of the said collection of manuscripts; and therefore praying the house to take the matter into consideration, and to adopt such measures as to the house shall seem fit, for ascertaining the public importance of adding the Lansdown collection of manuscripts to those already lodged in the British museum, and also the value of such collection; and further to act therein as to, the House shall seem meet.—Mr. Bankes, with a view to shew the progress that had been made towards rendering the British Museum useful in the degree that it ought to be to the public, moved, that there be laid before the house copies of all the Regulations adopted for the better preservation of the different collections, and for rendering them more accessible to artists and others; 669 and also, an account of the number of persons admitted to see the Museum, since the year 1805, distinguishing the year, month, &c. Ordered.— The house, on the motion of lord Castlereagh, went into a committee on his majesty's message, and resolved, nem. con., that a sum of 1000l. per, annum be granted to his majesty out of the Consolidated Fund, to be settled, during his natural life, on general sir John Stuart. The house then resumed, and the report was ordered to be received to-morrow.—Petitions were presented, complaining of the late elections for Evesham and Downpatrick, which were severally fixed fir consideration on the 21st of July.