§ MR. HICKSasked the Vice President of the Council, with reference to the Correspondence between Dr. Percy and Captain Donnelly of 23rd March 1863, and the Letter from the German Director, Dr. Wedding, to Dr. Percy, dated 25th November 1879, Whether the Zoll- 985 verein collection of minerals and mining products was given and accepted on the distinct condition that it was to be kept intact as a whole at South Kensington for public exhibition?
§ MR. MUNDELLAThis Question relates to the gift of a Geological Collection, 18 years ago, to the Science and Art Department by the Zollverein Commission, which was given soon after to King's College Museum, and other similar Institutions. There is no official record of the correspondence referred to; but, from an extract furnished by Dr. Percy, it apparently consists of one, more or less private, letter said to have been written by him in 1863, stating his version of what occurred at an interview between Dr. Wedding and Mr. Cole, then Director of the South Kensington Museum. Although, no doubt, Dr. Wedding seems to have been under the impression that the Collection in question would be exhibited at South Kensington, there is no condition or promise to that effect in the official correspondence; and, as far as I am aware, no objection was taken at any time by the Zollverein Commissioners to the arrangements made in 1863 with regard to this Collection.