94 PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 



After describing of what the records in the Tower principally 

 consisted, he descanted on the adaptation and eligibility of other 

 places used as depositories of this kind. But the society would 

 be surprised to hear, that the situation selected in the White 

 Tower, called Caesar's Chapel, is actually over a magazine in 

 which the Ordnance Board has a quantity of gunpowder, 

 sufficient to annihilate all our precious records; and, although 

 the greatest exertions had been made to get the gunpowder 

 removed yet the Board of Ordnance retains it to this very moment, 

 for the same purpose. Again, it has been reported to Parliament, 

 that the records deposited in the roof of the Rolls' Chapel, have 

 suffered very materially from being exposed in summer to too 

 much heat, and in the wet season to too much damp. Yet 

 there they still remain to rot. 



The lecturer then described some of the means which have 

 been adopted for the security of public records; he noticed 

 several complaints which had been made to the crown respecting 

 their insecurity, none of which complaints were attended to until 

 the year 1800, when, in consequence of the solicitation of the 

 House of Commons, Doomsday book, the rolls of Parliament, and 

 other ancient and valuable monuments of our history. Laws, 

 and Government, were printed ; and, in consequence of the 

 regulations made in furtherance of this object, the Plymouth 

 Library received as a deposit 72 folio volumes, containing many 

 interesting and very important documents. 



The king appointed a commission, called the record commission, 

 for carrying those measures into effect and much has been done 

 in the way of making indexes and arranging them ; but much, 

 very much, remains to be done in this way, and with regard to 

 the procuring of more safe, commodious and capacious reposi- 

 tories, nothing has been done. 



Having reached thus far in the subject, the lecturer proceeded 

 to examine into the cause of the apathy under which the govern- 

 ment appear to slumber, and detailed some of the propositions 

 which have been made, with a design of providing for the con- 

 servation of records and the erection of record offices. 



The plan suggested by Mr. Cooper appeared to be the most 

 unobjectionable, especially to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, 

 since he proposes encountering the expence without drawing upon 

 his money bags, or laying any additional burthen on the pockets 

 of the people. There is a fund set apart, in the court of Chance- 

 ry, called the Suitor's Fund, which is now invested in the three 

 per cent Consols, and returned annuities, producing, clear of 



