§ MR. PIERPOINTI beg to ask the hon. Member for Chorley, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether his attention has been drawn to an error in the Latin inscription on the pedestal of the statue of King James II. now standing at the back of the 240 Admiralty; and whether he will give instructions to have it corrected.
§ LORD BALCARRESThe inscription is a facsimile of that on the original pedestal. When the statue was removed some years ago from Whitehall Yard it was found to be necessary to renew the pedestal; but it was thought best to make no alteration in the old inscription, which was probably contemporaneous with the statue. In the circumstances the First Commissioner considers it would be preferable to leave it alone.
§ MR. PIERPOINTasked what authority there was for saving this was the ancient inscription, and if the First Commissioner of Works would refer to Magnae Britanniae Notitia, published early in the eighteenth century.
§ LORD BALCARRESThe authority of the book, is in our opinion, not so correct as the rubbings we possess of the original stone.