§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON,in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, stated that its object was for the transfer of the Natural History Collection from the British Museum to the place prepared for it at South Kensington. He believed that there was no objection whatever to the general principle of the Bill, and he thought it extremely advisable that this Collection, as well as the National Portrait Gallery, should be placed in a position in which they could be best seen. There was also power given to transfer portions of Collections to other Museums; but all special bequests were excluded, and it was necessary to put in words to that effect, because otherwise donors would not secure that their donations should be applied for the use of the public generally in the manner they desired. If their Lordships agreed to the Bill, he was quite sure that the 1285 Natural History Collection would be placed in a position in which it would be much better studied than in the temporary building allotted to its reception in the Meseum. The Bill would be of considerable advantage to those engaged in study; and he, therefore, asked their Lordships to give it a second reading.
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Thursday next.