§ MR. REEDasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether any arrangements have yet been made for the Exhibition of the Museum transferred from the East India House to Whitehall; and, if not, whether the Collection could be restored to the East of London by being placed in the Museum upon Bethnal Green?
MR. GRANT DUFFIn reply Sir, to my hon. Friend I have to say that arrangements have long since been made for the exhibition of the India Office Museum, and that it is visited by about 50,000 people every year. That number is greater than the number which used to visit it when it was in Leadenhall Street, and I hope that some schemes with respect to it, which are under consideration at present, may lead to its becoming still more attractive to the general public. I am not sure whether my hon. Friend is aware, however, that the primary object of the Indian Museum is not exhibition to the general public. The Indian Museum is a very important accessory to the department of the Reporter on the products of India, an officer who is in constant communication with manufactures, merchants, and all manner of persons engaged or desiring to be engaged in trade with India, who are continually referring to him and to the Museum for information. I need not say that the more the Museum can be made useful and agreeable to the general public without interfering with its primary object the better shall we be pleased; but it is essential to its primary object that it should remain in or near the place where it now is.