6 SECITON-PHYSICS. 



have no issue beyond the purposes of the present exhibition. To tab. 

 another instance; we have here fragments, but only fragments, ot 

 Baily's apparatus for repeating Cavendish's experiments ; but of 

 Cavendish's own apparatus we have simply nothing. Again, Wheat- 

 stone's instrumental remains must inevitably have been broken up and 

 scattered or destroyed, if there had not been found at King's College 

 a resting-place, and authorities intelligent enough to appreciate and 

 willing to receive them. Of other individuals from whom apparatus, 

 now of historical interest, has been received, some from sheer lack of 

 space have been breaking up old instruments, while others, from a 

 modesty commendable in itself, were with difficulty persuaded of, and 

 even now are only beginning to perceive the value, in a national and 

 cosmopolitan point of view, of their own contributions. Lastly, there 

 is, I think, little doubt that, if the objects in question were to go 

 a-begging, they would be gladly received in some of the foreign 

 museums which have so liberally contributed on the present occasion. 



To put the suggestion in a more tangible form I would venture to 

 suggest that, in the first instance, instruments whose immediate use 

 has gone by, but which are nevertheless of historical interest, lent 

 either by public departments or by private individuals, might remain 

 here on permanent loan ; further, that other instruments as they pass 

 out of active service for example, from the Admiralty, from the 

 Board of Trade, from the Ordnance Survey, or from the other depart- 

 ments should similarly find a place in this museum. In such a cate- 

 gory also might be included the scientific outfit of the " Challenger," 

 and of the Arctic Expeditions, and likewise those of expeditions for 

 the observations of the transit of Venus or of solar eclipses. To these 

 might be added apparatus purchased for special investigations through 

 the parliamentary grant annually administered by the Royal Society. 

 And further if, as I would suggest, this deposit of instruments be 

 made without alienation of ownership, then private societies or even 

 individuals might be glad to avail themselves of such a depository of 

 instruments not actually in use. 



In making such a suggestion, it must of course be assumed that the 

 custody of property so valuable in itself, and so delicate in its nature, 

 would be confided to a curator thoroughly competent for such a charge, 

 but I abstain from entering prematurely into further details. 



