§ SIR HENRY HOWORTHI beg to ask the Vice-President of the Committee 1438 of Council on Education if he will describe the process of purchasing objects for the South Kensington Museum, and define the responsibilities of the Director to the Committee of Council; and whether the responsibility for the purchase of objects is shared by any other official except the Director of the Art Museum and the President and Vice-President of the Council.
§ SIR JOHN GORSTObjects are pur chased for the Victoria and Albert Museum on the initiative of the Directors of the Art and Science branches respectively. Their recommendations are supported, where they think it desirable, by expert opinion; and before sanctioning the purchase expert advice is called in by the Committee of Council in cases where they desire it. The responsibility for the purchase rests with the Committee of Council alone. The Director is only responsible to them for the advice he gives.