426 



NA TURE 



\_August 29, 1889 



Research " now in the Western Galleries. For this section, 

 which now occupies a little over 22,000 square feet, the con- 

 mittee of professors, whose report was adopted by Sir F. Bram- 

 well and his colleagues, estimated that 37,000 square feet were 

 required, with an addition of 3,000 square feet in the next ten 

 years, i.e. nearly double the area at present available. The 

 space now provided is well filled but hardly overcrowded ; the 

 objects exhibited are, speaking generally, either of historical 

 interest as illustrative of the developoient of scientific discovery, 

 -of representing the latest and most improved forms of scientific 

 instruments and appliances. The collection is clearly of great 

 tise to the .-tudents in the Normal School, the professors of which 

 draw upon it largely f ^r illustrations of their lectures, or bring 

 their classes into the galleries when that course is more 

 •convenient ; and these remarks apply to the historical side of 

 the coUeclion almost as much as to its more immediately prac- 

 tical portions. It is of no less use to such of the teachers and 

 students in science schools throughout the country (which 

 receive grants from the Science and Art Department) as have 

 opportunities of visiting it, whether singly or in organized classes. 

 A special feature in the collection is the serie-^ of appliances for 

 the teaching of science which it contains, sometimes systemati- 

 cally arranged ready for class use, SDmetimes shown as a group 

 of similar objects made by different makers, with prices attached. 

 We think that these samples (as they may be called) require very 

 careful administrative watching in order to keep the selection 

 exhibited up to the latest date and the best quality. For such 

 specimens the Department has, especially in the early stages of 

 the collections, been largely indebted to the assistance of private 

 firms ; for whom proper consideration must therefore be shown. 

 These samples are doubtless of service to teachers, especially in 

 the present comparatively undeveloped condition of elementary 

 scientific teaching in this country ; and the space occupied 

 by them (mostly in wall cases) need not be large. 



The collections now under consideration appear to have been 

 on the whole carefully watched by a committee of professors in 

 the Normal vSchool, who, under the exigencies of a limited space, 

 have eliminated from them almost all objects of an obsolete 

 ■ character. Little further weeiling is possible in them as they 

 now stand, except perhaps in the case of some of the samples 

 described above. Turning to the other side of the question, the 

 complaints of want of space do not appear to be very serious ; 

 and the future development of such collections can, we think, be 

 met in part, but not altogether, by the elionina'ion of objects 

 which, appropriate and necessary to-day, will become obs )lete 

 in the inevitable progress of scientific knowledge and procedure. 

 We say, "not altogether," because there ought to be retained a 

 limited number of objects illustrating the historical development 

 ■of the more important implements of scientific research ; more 

 over, some natural increase must be contemplated arising from 

 I he introduction of new methods of scientific investigation. Wall 

 space is all that is required for the exhibition o( diagraf?is, which 

 can often be usefully employed in lieu or in aid of actual objects 

 or instruments. 



The need for the exhibition of the appliances for elementary 

 science classes may be expected to diminish as the organization 

 I if scientific education improves, in the same way as the universal 

 t^-xtension of primary schools has removed the necessity for such 

 nn exhibition of school desks and fittings as formerly existed in 

 this Museum. 



Included in the 40,000 square feet provided for by Sir F. 

 Hramwell's committee are 4000 square feet for "agriculture." 

 At present only a very small collection exists in connection with 

 this subject. Lectures are from time to time delivered at the 

 Normal School, on the principles of agriculture, and the De- 

 partment holds examinations in the same subject. But it is 

 obvious that for the portions of this subject in which instruction 

 cm usefully be given in lecture-rooms, the illustrative collections 

 required need occupy only a very moderae amount of space. 

 Any complete Collection of objects illustrative of the study of 

 all branches of agriculture w juld require a space at South Kens- 

 ington far larger than could be allotted to a mere branch of a 

 Science Museum. The principal agricultural implements should 

 be represented by m idels in the department of Machinery and 

 Inventions ; and provision seems to have been made for this 

 purpose in the scheme for that department, to which we will 

 ■subsequently refer. 



The Western Gal.eries at present in use are fairly satisfactory 

 as regards construction and lighting, and allow their nominal 

 area and wall space to be utilized to the full extent of their 



capacity. They are, however, inconveniently situated as regards 

 both the Normal School and the rest of the Museum, and we 

 have little doubt that a building giving an equal accommodation 

 could be provided at a cost less than the capitalized value of the 

 rent (;i^2000 per annum) at present paid for them. 



On the whole, we are of opinion that, having regard to the 

 financial exigencies which must always be present to those in- 

 trusted with the expenditure of public funds, a moderate increase 

 on the present space should, subject to one important proviso, 

 suffice, for some time to come, for the needs of the Normal 

 School and other requirements of this section. 



The proviso to which we refer is, that there should be a well- 

 organized system of management of the collection. We will 

 revert hereafter to this point, which, in our judgment, affords 

 the key to the whole question now before us. 



8. Passing to the section devoted to Machinery and Inventions, 

 we have to observe that this is of the nature of a technological 

 museum rather than of a collection for the special benefit of the 

 Normal School, or of the Science Classes connected with the 

 Department. It is, however, to be observed that the Professor 

 of Mechanics attaches great value to this collection for the pur- 

 poses of his teaching ; and that the objects used as illustrations by 

 the Professor of Metallurgy (so far as he does not use diagrams) 

 are practically included in this division of the Museum. Re- 

 garded from a broad point of view, the value and importance of 

 this section must be admitted ; and we approve of the policy 

 which has been adopted by the Department in recent years, of 

 developing it at the expense of less important collections. In 

 pursuance of this policy the area of this section has increased from 

 11,000 to over 18,000 square feet, now occupied to nearly its full 

 capacity. This is still very far short of the space of 45,000 in- 

 creasing to 60,000 square feet adopted by Sir F. Bramwell's 

 committee, and even of the more moderate demand of 40,000 

 square feet put forward by Mr. E. A. Cowper in his evidence 

 before u':, and based on carefully-detailed calculations. That 

 gentleman has devoted a great amount of time and trouble to 

 this collection, which bears the mark of his patriotic labours in 

 the evident endeavour to utilize the available space to the best 

 advantage. There are a few objects, but only a few, in this col- 

 lection which could properly be eliminated ; but we consider 

 that care should be taken not to acquire or receive full-sized 

 machines where models can be made to serve the same purposes, 

 and also to avoid unnecessary multiplication of parts in either 

 model or machine. For example, two or three rows of bobbins, 

 &c., on a spinning frame show as completely the principles on 

 which a machine is constructed as would a complete series, 

 such as is to be found in actual use. Inferior or obsolete ex- 

 amples must be eliminated as better or more recent specimens 

 are obtained, subject only to the retention of a few typical illus- 

 trations of historical development. Moreover, the development 

 of the collection must inevitably be gradual, if properly carried 

 out, as the right objects cannot be obtained off-hand, and the 

 temptation to obtain or accept inferior examples should be 

 avoided in every possible way. Even with these restrictions, we 

 agree with Mr. Cowper that ultimate, if not immediate, provision 

 of a maximum space of 40,000 square feet should be made for 

 this branch of the Museum ; and we believe that, under well- 

 organized and efficient management such as we have already 

 pronounced essential, this space, if provided by means of suit- 

 able buildings, ought to suffice to contain a technological collec- 

 tion worthy of a great manufa;;turing country. Asa temporary 

 measure, space might be found for the expansion of this section 

 by the removal of the decorative objects which occupy the 

 eastern end of the ground floor of the Southern Galleries. 



9. Naval Co.lictions. — Under this head are included complete 

 models of vessels of various kinds, actual or proposed, forming 

 an historical series, and mostly on loan; models illustrative of 

 naval construction ; and models of marine machinery, many of 

 historic interest. In regard to this section of the Museum, we 

 have had to consider the very debatable question of the suit- 

 ability of South Kensington as a site for a marine collection. 

 Though classes are examined by the Department in naval con- 

 struction, no provision is at present made for teaching the subject 

 in this locality. It is right, however, to say Ihac "summer 

 classes " in this subject are contemplated ; and a class is in- 

 tended to be held next autumn. It will be remembered that 

 the School of Naval Architecture (in connection with which this 

 collection was originally formed) has been removed to Green- 

 wich, and has assumed a more prominently military character. 

 It is not easy at first sight to regard the west end of London as 



