§ LORD LAMINGTON, in rising to call the attention of Her Majesty's Government to the position of the National Portrait Gallery, said, he wished to remind their Lordships that two years ago, when Mr. Gladstone had been Prime Minister, the Trustees of the Gallery had agreed to allow the portraits to be removed from South Kensington to Bethnal Green, Captain Shaw having reported that they were not safe in South Kensington. That, however, had been done upon the distinct understanding that in two years' time they would be replaced in a proper position. The two years had now elapsed, and the pictures were still at Bethnal Green; nothing had been done, and apparently nothing was intended to be done. He (Lord Lamington) had objected to the step that was taken at the time, as he thought that a great injustice was done to those families who had given pictures to that most interesting and valuable Gallery, in which the public took so great an interest that 160,000 persons had visited it in the year before its removal from South Kensington. The Collection was really lost now in a 644 general Museum, the visitors to which took little interest in historical portraits. For his own part, he deeply regretted the mode in which public works were now carried on in this country, and the utter lack of public spirit which seemed to prevail. Nothing, for instance, had yet been done with regard to Parliament Street, and the value of the property was increasing year after year. Such a method of conducting improvements, instead of being economical, was most expensive. In the case of the National Portrait Gallery, however, distinct obligations had been entered into by the Government two years ago, and the present Government were bound to carry out the pledges given by Mr. Gladstone's Government. He trusted, therefore, that Her Majesty's Government would give them an assurance that something would be immediately done.
§ VISCOUNT HARDINGEsaid, he was very glad that attention had been called to the subject, for he thought there seemed to be some probability of the Collection remaining at Bethnal Green now that it had been removed there. The fact was that many necessary things were left undone that ought to be done in consequence of having to square a popular Budget. The National Portraits had been driven from pillar to post in an unaccountable manner. First, they were in very bad rooms in Great George Street; then they were transferred to South Kensington, and placed over Spiers and Pond's refreshment establishment; then the fire occurred, when they were removed to Bethnal Green, on the distinct understanding that in two years provision was to be made for their reception in a permanent and central home. Mr. Plunket was most anxious that a permanent site should be granted for the Portrait Gallery. He had suggested the site next the India Office, but was always met with difficulties, on the score of expense, by the Treasury. The present Offices where the Board conducted their ordinary business were very small, and it was very desirable that some temporary accommodation should be found for exhibiting those pictures which from time to time were purchased, and which could not be removed to Bethnal Green. Under these circumstances, he earnestly hoped that the Government would take up the matter seriously, and that no further delay would take place in pro- 645 viding a suitable receptacle for the National Portraits.
§ THE EARL OF ELGINsaid, that he had stated last year that the difficulty arose partly from want of funds, but also from the impossibility of dealing with sites in possession of the Government until the position of the new Government Offices was determined. He would point out, however, that at the present time there was a considerable plot of vacant land belonging to the Government in close proximity to the National Gallery, in the new street near Charing Cross; and he would suggest that it might be used with advantage as the site for the National Portrait Gallery.
§ LORD HENNIKERsaid, the noble Lord (Lord Lamington) would, no doubt, recollect an answer he gave to a Question on this subject in August, 1885. It was then considered that the Gallery in which the National Portraits wore housed were unsafe. Several proposals were made, such as to place it in the West Gallery, to place it in the Natural History Museum, and so on. No place, however, was found to be available. It would be remembered that some of the Galleries at South Kensington were the old Galleries of the Exhibition of 1862. The South Gallery, where the pictures were placed, was pronounced unsafe, and so was the West Gallery. The East Gallery was devoted to the Indian Museum, facing Prince's Gate, and so was not available. Accordingly, the Collection was moved to Bethnal Green as the safest and best place, and where it was not only not wasted, but likely to be fully appreciated. To show that it was appreciated, he might say that, taking 10 years, 1876 to 1885 inclusive, the largest number of visitors at South Kensington was, in 1883, 146,187; while to take the last complete year at South Kensington and the only complete year at Bethnal Green—that was, 1884 and 1886—the numbers were in 1884 120,716, and in 1886 446,722. It must be recollected that the portraits were moved in September, 1885, and that the present was the month of May, 1887, so he could give no better comparison. In 1885 he stated that the First Commissioner of Works could give no pledge as to finding a permanent home for this Collection, but expressed his desire that a home should be found as soon as possible. He was glad his noble Friend had called attention to this 646 question, and he was sure that no one was more anxious than his right hon. Friend the First Commissioner to find a permanent home for this valuable Collection. The noble Lord would recollect that the Office of Works depended a great deal on the favour of the Treasury. At present there were large schemes on foot for erecting public buildings, which were hung up for the time. This altered the circumstances of the case very much. The Office of Works could not take too many large schemes in hand at a time; and all he could say was that when an opportunity offered and Parliament granted the necessary funds—which he hoped they soon would—the plans would be ready. No plan had been decided on at present. The noble Earl (the Earl of Elgin) had spoken of the site in Hemming's Row. This had been most carefully considered, but there were grave objections against it. No doubt the suitability of this site would be carefully considered again when the proper time arrived. He stated in 1885 that the housing of the pictures at Bethnal Green was a temporary loan, and he thought that this should be distinctly understood—that they were only there till a permanent home could be provided. Meanwhile, they were in the safest and best place that could be found, and he thought he had clearly proved that they were not thrown away in their present position.