16 



until February that the Council were enabled to refer it and 

 the plans to the consideration of a Committee, consisting at 

 first of six members onlj^, but subsequently of the entire 

 Council. In the discussions of the Committee suggestions 

 were made that it might be desirable to institute inquiries 

 respecting houses already in existence ; and with the view 

 of authorizing the extension of the investigation to the ac- 

 quiring as well as to the building of a Museum, the then- 

 existing Committee was dissolved, and the whole subject was 

 referred to another Committee, appointed about three weeks 

 since, who were requested to report to the Council immedi- 

 ately as to the most eligible plan. That Committee has 

 reported as follows : — 



" The Committee appointed on the 9th day of April ' to 

 consider both as to building or acquiring a Museum, and to 

 report to the Council as soon as possible the plan which ap- 

 pears to them to be the most eligible,' have agreed to this 

 Report, which they regret is necessarily limited and imper - 

 feet, from the short period which has elapsed since the com- 

 mencement of their labours. 



"The various points connected with the proposed Museum^ 

 either as an appendage to the Garden, or as a building 

 situate in a central part of London, have been considered. 



" The advantages of the first proposition are stated to be, 

 less outlay of money in procuring a site -, power of building 

 gradually and by separate portions, and thereby avoiding 

 the necessity of borrowing in the first instance so large a 

 sum of money as would be required to complete the pur- 

 chase of an adequate house ; purer atmosphere ; more free- 

 dom from smoke ; greater facilities of comparing living with 

 preserved specimeys ; consolidation of all the scientific esta- 

 blishments ; the probability that a Museum in the Garden 

 might attract a great number of visiters ; and the prospect 

 of ultimately constructing a suite of appropriate galleries 

 worthy of the collections, of the capital expended, and of the 

 general character of the Society. 



