§ SIR HENRY FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)To ask the First Commissioner of Works what was the date on which Her late Majesty laid the foundation stone of the Victoria and Albert Museum; what is the amount of the building contract; how much of that money has been spent; at what dates are the different parts of the building to be completed; and what penalties, if any, are imposed by the contract upon the builders in case of delay in completion of their contract.
(Answer.) The date was 17th May, 1899, but the formal stone-laying was hastened to meet the convenience of Her late Majesty before any progress had been made with the drawings, or the temporary buildings in occupation on the site had been removed elsewhere. The amount of the building contracts and arrangements is, so far, about £76,000, of which £52,000 has been spent. The present contract for carrying the building up to the ground floor is to be completed in October next, and will, it is expected, be then finished; the contract for the superstructure of the main building will be made in the autumn and will extend over about four years. The penalties under the two principal contracts already made are £35 per week.—(Office of Works.)