§ SIR JOHN LUBBOCKasked the Under Secretary of State for India, When the Natural History Collections belonging to the former East India Company will be rendered available to the Naturalist who may wish to consult them, or be arranged for exhibition to the public?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTON, in reply, said, the only reason why the Natural History Collections belonging to the East India Company were not at present available to the public was that there was no place in the India Office in which to exhibit them. The matter had been under the consideration of the Secretary of State; but while, on the one hand, his noble Friend was very anxious that the public should have the advantage of those collections, he was, 1674 on the other, reluctant to place any charge on the revenues of India for a costly building. The matter was under consideration, and as soon as any decision was come to on the subject he should be happy to communicate it to the House.