§ On the Question that a sum of 42,040l. be granted for the Expenses of the British Museum,
§ Mr. Wysewished to call the attention of the Government to a proposition he had before submitted to the House for the Establishment of a Gallery of National Antiquities. Such an establishment might either be connected with the British Museum, or a separate institution might be formed.
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, he was fully sensible of the importance of this subject; but there were at present such numerous demands upon the Government for new buildings and for the establishment of new institutions, that they found it absolutely necessary to put some limit upon their expenditure in this department. He thought if such a selection of antiquities as that referred to by the hon. Member for Waterford should be formed, it was most advisable that it should be united with the British Museum, rather than established as a separate institution. He would suggest to the hon. Gentleman the propriety of postponing the consideration of this subject until the new buildings now in course of erection in connexion with the British Museum were completed.
§ Mr. Wysesaid, he did not wish to propose any Motion on the subject. His object was to obtain from the right hon. Baronet at the head of Her Majesty's Government an expression of sympathy in the views he entertained.
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, he considered it was far preferable to aid local institutions in preserving local antiquities, than to remove such antiquities from the vicinities with which their interest was immediately connected.
§ Mr. Hawesadverted to the collection of prints recently purchased for the British Museum, and lauded the care bestowed by the right hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) in the acquisition of treasures of this kind, and the general liberality and discrimination exhibited by him in matters relating to the fine arts.
§ Vote agreed to,