THK ALTS IRA I, I AN MlISEl'M — KAK'I.V IIISIORV — KIHKKIImIK. 881 



On till' ii'sifjiiat iim nf Mr. (1. I*'. Aiitjiis in ISf);'. or soon al't-ri', tin- 

 St'civ(af\ sliip, as a .so])!iriito ollici', was al)olisli('(l. ami coiiiMncd willi tlu' 

 Ciimtorsliii) in one ])i'ison'''". 



Di)ubt arose in tlif niimls of tlir 'I'liisfi-L's wtiL'tliL-r tlioir (I'list-custotly 

 extended to tlio specimens contained in tlie Museum piioi- to tlie Act of 

 Incorporation in .luly, 185)^. It was accordingly resolved on 2nd June, 

 1855, to address a letter to the (iovernor-deneral''" : — 



" Requestiuij: His Excellency to make over to the Trustees the collection of 

 specimens of Natural History which was contained in the Museum jirior 

 to the Act of Incorporation." 



This request was favourably considered and the wliole contents of the 

 Museum incorporated in one series'"-. 



At the meeting of 1st August, 1855, the seats of Messrs. William 

 Macartliur and A. M. a'Beckett were declared vacant. To replace these 

 gentlemen, the following were elected on 6th October, liS55 : — His 

 Excellency Sir William Thomas Denison, Kt., Govei'nor-General of the 

 Australian Colonies; Rev. John WooUey, D.C.L. (Oxon), Principal of the 

 Univei'sity of Sydney ; and Edward Wolstenholme Ward, Esqr., Captain 

 of the Royal Engineers, and Deputy-Master of the Sydney Bi'anch of the 

 Royal Mint. 



A revival of the practice of Exchanges took place in May, 1856, 

 circulars being sent to no less than forty-nine Eui-opean, two African, 

 three South American, and five North American Museums soliciting 

 specimens^"-^. 



The Trustees, for some unexplained reason, were dissatisfied with the 

 Act of Incorporation, and on 10th December, 1856, the Colonial Secretary 

 was communicated with and informed that "anomalies" existed in the 

 Act, and an amendment was requested. This, however, the Governor- 

 General (Sir W. T. Denison) did not think it expedient just at that time 

 and the matter dropped ''^*''^. 



The first announcement of opening the collection to the public since 

 i-emoval from the " Old Court House" at Darlinghui-st appeals to have 

 been made in August, 1850"''^, notwithstaiuling the incomplete condition 

 of the building ; Mondays and Fridaj's were the selected days. How long 

 this continued is unknown, but on 25th May, 18571^'', the public were 



10.60 



r-w Document A 



1 

 la' Mimites, L'nd .June, 185.5; Letter-hook, !., p. 153. 



i«-! „ 7th July, 1855. 



i!« ,, Mav, 1856. 

 "10.56 



la-* Document G 



7 

 i!'-5 Minutes, 3i<l Auyu.st, 1850. 



ii'« ,, 2ncl May and 6th June, 1857. 



