§ MR. ASHTON (Cheshire, Hyde)asked the honourable baronet the Member for the University of London, as a Trustee of the British Museum, If he will confer with his co-trustees as to the 1161 desirability of offering the sculptures, now lying practically useless and unseen in the basement of the British Museum, on loan to the Schools of Art and Art Galleries of the Country?
§ SIR JOHN LUBBOCK (London University)I will with pleasure confer with my Colleagues on any point which the hon. Member wishes to bring before us. We have long been anxious to induce the Government to grant the funds necessary to build an additional room; at the same time, I cannot quite admit that these sculptures are practically useless and unseen. I ought to add that the Trustees are precluded by Act of Parliament from parting with any specimens which are not duplicates, and that these sculptures, though of great value to the serious student, are, perhaps, not specially adapted for a popular exhibition.