MR. A. BASSsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether a copy of each edition of every newspaper published in the United Kingdom is purchased by the Inland Revenue Department for the use of the British Museum; and, if so, whether he can state the annual sum expended for the purchase, and the cost of carriage, receiving, assorting, and forwarding the newspapers to the British Museum, and also the use made of such newspapers by the authorities of that Institution?
§ MR. AYRTONsaid, in reply, that the Inland Revenue Department had not been in the habit of making purchases of newspapers for the British Museum; but, under an Act passed some years ago to enable the Inland Revenue Department to collect the revenue on newspapers when they were taxed, newspaper proprietors were required to transmit copies to that Department, and the Department, after they had kept them a certain time, sent them to the British Museum. They cost the British Museum nothing, and they were preserved there in order that the public might refer to them whenever they desired. There was a very large collection of newspapers in the British Museum, and it was one of the most valuable parts of the Library. He had laid on the table a Bill for the purpose of making new arrangements, by which those publications would be sent direct to the British Museum at stated periods; so that the collection would be preserved and maintained as it had been hitherto.