t't'RKENT NOTKS. 157 



by the diminution of the area available for the enlargement of the 

 Museum." 



From the speeches made on this occasion, and from enquiries 

 subsequently made at the jMuseum and elsewhere, we gather that the 

 following are the facts : — 



Ditierences of opinion had arisen as to the ownership of the land 

 now lying between the respective buildings of the two Museums, as 

 far back as the 'nineties, if not earlier. The land, of coarse, belonged 

 to the nation, being part of that used for the Exhibition of 1H62, and 

 the Government had an indisputable right to assign it as they saw fit. 

 In accordance with this right, in the year 1899, they arranged a 

 definite line of demarcation, everything to the south of which was 

 assigned to the Natural History Museum. On the land thus assigned 

 a building has been erected for the reception of specimens preserved in 

 spirits, known as the Spirit Building, which, with its fittings and 

 subsequent additions, cost the nation considerably more than £30,000. 

 The attempt which has been made to show that there had been a 

 previous delimitation of the land assigned to the Natural History 

 Museum further south than that of 1899, because a temporary fence 

 was erected there, is, to put it mildly, most disingenuous. No such 

 delimitation had ever been made, and the proof of it is that the present 

 Spirit Building was erected m 1883, partly north and partly south of 

 this fence, without any suggestion from the Oftice of Works — the then 

 holders of the portion north of the ground assigned to the Natural 

 History Museum — that the latter was occupying any ground but its 

 own. The Trustees of the British Museum (of which the Natural 

 History Museum forms an integral part), weakly perhaps, allowed 

 the Office of Works to raise on their portion of the land some 

 temporary buildings, on the definite understanding that they should 

 remove them whenever requested to do so. This request has been 

 made, several times we understand, but without effect, and the 

 authorities of the Science Museum (with the Imperial College of 

 Science) ■' are now apparently endeavouring to hold on long enough 

 to establish a sort of " squatter's right," a proceeding on which it is 

 unnecessary to comment, but which somewhat lessens the surprise which 

 would otherwise be aroused by their subsequent action. For casting 

 about for a site on which to expand, (a need the existence of which no 

 one disputes), and being apparently desirous of inheriting the blessing 

 pronounced on those who remove their neighbour's landmark, they 

 concluded that a portion of the ground assigned to the Natural History 

 Museum would suit their purpose, and regardless of the fact that the 

 line of demarcation which they now demand cuts lengthways 

 right through the present Spirit Building, they appear to have 

 persuaded the Government, though not as yet we hope irretrievably, 

 to over-ride the opposition of the Trustees, and to rob the Natural 

 History Museum of this part of the land assigned to it, (which it 

 needs at least as badly as those to whom it does iiat Ijelong can do), 

 and to compel the removal of the present Spirit Building and its 

 re-erection on the only site available for the expansion of the 



* This phrase is not, strictly speaking, correct, but as it is used by the other 

 side in the dispute we have adopted it. The buildings (temporary structures of 

 corru^'ated iron) were actually erected by the Office of Works, and the present 

 disputants are, we believe, the authorities of the Science Museum on the one hand, 

 and the Trustees of the British Museum on the otheri 



