MR. HEYGATEsaid, he would beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works, Whether Her Majesty's Government intend to devote the space at the back of Burlington House to the Royal Academy; and, if not, whether they propose to appropriate such space to any other purpose than as a drill ground for Volunteers; and, if so, to what purpose, and how soon?
MR. COWPERreplied, that a scheme had been for a considerable time under the consideration of the Government for erecting a new National Gallery at the rear of Burlington House, and for leaving the existing National Gallery entirely in the possession of the Royal Academy. Until some final decision were come to on the part of the Government, he thought it advisable that the ground at the back of Burlington House should be appropriated for a time to the use of the Volunteers for the purposes of drill.