TIIK APSIKAI.IAN MTSKCM KAIJLV II IS I ul; V — KTII Ki;i h(i K. 



:\:)1 



••Tluit tlu> Ihq.lkMtv SiHvinu'ns 1... ,list ril-utr,! t- tl..- various Eur..i..Mn 

 Musfuuis." 

 lu particular two large exchanges were receiveil tri)iu tlie Asiatic 

 Society in 1844 ami IS4.6 respectively. 



6._Bnil,l'lN<i Ol'' TllK AUSII.-AUAN MrSKlM, AS \VK KNOW IT, 1846 TO 



1868 INCLUSIVE. 



The coustriictioii oi' the Hrst ix.i'tion of the Miisi-iini, or North Wing, 

 gave lise to misunderstanding, expostulation, and reci-iinination, that it 

 would be as well to avoid, if possible, but these happenings are so 

 intimately interwoven with its history they must be touched on to render 

 the latter clear and succinct. There were originally three contracts, 

 viz. ; — 



Contract No. 1— " cousistin<,' in excavatinjr for the whole buildinjr to a soUd 

 stratum to receive the foundation," etc. 

 2— Placing six g-irders, forty feet long, on the foundation walls", 



and floor of joists. 

 3_Carrying up the walls to the requisite height to receive the 

 roof ^3. 



Assuming the date of commencement given to be approximately 

 correct, we then tiud the Committee exactly twelve months after referring 

 to74:— 



" The very slow progress making in the erection of the Viuilding." 

 and instructing their Honorary Secretary (Lieut. R. Lynd, R.N.) to : — 



" Address a letter to the Colonial Secretary [Honorable E. Deas Thomson] 

 complaining of this delay, and soliciting the interference of the 

 Governor ' ' ! 



In this letter occurs the following passage : — 



" The Committee would desire to o))serve to you that this building was com- 

 meuce.l in .January last year [i.e.. 184f)J. That the Architect, Mr. Lewis, 

 himself a Member of the Committee was fully aware how desirable it was, 

 that the work should be brought to an early completion and, in fact, that 

 he had, to meet the earnest wishes of the Committee distinctly promised, 

 that a portion of the buikling should be available for the purposes of the 



Museum, by the end of October last Up to the present the 



building has progressed but little beyond the ba.sement"5. 



That is to say, in practically twelve months only the fouudatit)ns and 

 basement had been completed, or Contract 1 and part of o. The letter 

 concluded by detailing some of the difficulties under which the Institution 

 ccintinued to labour. 



'■- These wooden hardwoo'l girders are as good to-day as that on which they 

 were placed in position. 



"3 Letter from Colonial Architect to Colonial Secretary, Otli April, 1847. 



'^ Minutes, 27th March, 1847. 



T5 Letter 47/2709, 31st March, 1847. 



