544 NATURE 
directcu 1.0 tv reply to Mr. Gurdon’s letter of July 22, in 
which he states that, ‘if the Society of Arts think fit to 
place before you a written communication, you would 
yourself ccrrespond with the proper department concern- 
ing it.’ 
% The deputation which desired to have the honour of 
waiting on you, and explaining in detail the objects of 
the memorial, would have stated that, in their view, the 
experiment of the Bethnal Green Museum is suggestive of 
the following points :— 
“yy, That a general popular desire exists for such 
museums, and that it would be good national policy for 
the Government to encourage the establishment of them. 
“>. That like primary elementary schools, it would be 
impossible that such museums could, without State aid 
and inspection, become part of a national system, aiding 
technical instruction and secondary education. 
“3. That this question, unfettered by any denomina- 
tional difficulties, is quite ripe for solution; that the 
necessary expenditure for aiding museums of science and 
art would be advantageous from every point of view, even 
remunerative as respects commerce ; and, further, would 
be auxiliary in promoting morality and social good 
order. 
“4, That such museums are absolutely necessary to 
the industrial progress of the country, which is behind 
other countries already in the possession of them. 
“5, That the time has come when it is necessary that 
all public museums and galleries of works of science and 
art receiving Parliamentary aid, should be brought under 
an intelligible system of administration, controlled by a 
responsible Minister of State, so as to render them 
auxiliary to the development of local museums and gal- 
leries. 
“The Council submit that these are subjects not only 
of general policy, but involve some new principles of ad- 
ministration, large financial considerations, the reform of 
old institutions, &c., which it is the province of the gene- 
ral Government, and not of any single department, to 
deal with. The Council especially desired that the 
answer they might receive should come direct from your- 
self as Prime Minister. They could not hide from them- 
selves the knowledge they possessed of the several de- 
partmental difficulties which attended the opening of the 
Bethnal Green Museum, and that they had been made 
cognizant, through Parliamentary returns and the revised 
estimates for 1871-2, of the opposition which the Treasury. 
as lately administered, had persistently offered to carry 
into effect the decisions made by Her Majesty’s Govern- 
ment in 1866, for conducting the Bethnal Green Museum. 
“The Council respectfully request you to have the 
kindness to bring this memorial before Her Majesty’s 
Government. They hope it will meet with favourable 
consideration, and lead to decisive action ; and they will 
feel obliged by receiving an answer upon it at as early a 
period as convenient.” 
“ Mr. Gurdon to the Secretary of the Society of Arts. 
“ SiR—Mr, Gladstone desires me to acknowledge the 
receipt of your letter of October 6th, the contents of 
which he will not fail to make known to his colleagues.” 
III. 
Resolutions of the Council of the Society of Aris passed 
at their last Meeting -— 
“1, That the undermentioned persons be invited to serve 
ona Standing Committee for the purpose of bringing under 
parliamentary responsibility the National Museums and 
Galleries, so as to extend their benefits to Local Museums, 
and to make them bear on public Education. The follow- 
ing are the several objects in view for effectirg this pur- 
ose :— 
“>, All Museums and Galleries supported or subsidised 
by Parliament to be made conducive to the adyancement 
| Oct. 30, 18 
of Education and TechnicalInstruction to the fullest extent, 
and be made to extend their advantages to the promotion 
of original investigations and works in Science and Art. — 
“3. To extend the benefits of National Museums and 
Galleries to Local: Museums of Science and Art which 
may desire to be in connection, and to assist them with 
loans of objects. wy 
“4. To induce Parliament to grant sufficient funds to 
enable such objects to be systematically collected, es- 
pecially in view of making such loans. : 
“5. For carrying out these objects most efficiently, to 
cause all National Museums and Galleries to be placed 
under the authority of a Minister of the Crown, being a 
member of the Cabinet, with direct responsibility to 
Parliament; thereby rendering unnecessary, for the 
purpose of executive administration, all unpaid and 
irresponsible trustees, except those who are trustees under 
bequests or deeds, who might continue to have the full 
powers of their trusts, but should not be charged with the 
expenditure of Parliamentary votes. . 
“6, To enter into correspondence with all existing 
Local Museums and the numerous Schools of Science and 
Art, including Music, now formed throughout the United 
Kingdom, and to publish suggestions for the establish- 
ment of Local Museums. 
“7, Also, to cause the Public Libraries and Museums 
Act (18 and 19 Vic. c. lxx,) to be enlarged, in order to 
give local authorities increased p owers of acting, 
“ Farl of Carnarvon, 
Earl Russell. 
Lord Elcho, M.P. 
Lord George Hamilton, M.P. 
Lord Houghton. 
Lord Lyttelton. 
Sir T. Acland, Bart, M.P. 
Sir Antonio Brady. 
Sir John Lubbock, Bart, M.P. 
Right Hon. Sir Stafford North- 
cote, Bart., C.B., M.P. 
Sir Wm. Thomson, F.R.S. 
Sir S. Waterlow, Bart., Lord 
Mayor of London. 
Sir Joseph Whitworth, Bart. 
Right Hon. Sir John Paking- 
ton, Bart., M.P. 
Right Hon. W. J. Henley, 
M.P 
Right Hon. Cowper Temple, 
M.P. 
The Hon, Mr, Justice Grove. 
Thomas Ashton, (Manchester). 
E. A. Bowring, M.P. 
Dr. Carpenter, F.R.S. 
Henry Cole, C.B. 
Montague Corry, 
W. De La Rue, F.R.S. 
I. B. Eastwick, M.P. 
Gabriel Goldney, M.P. 
Principal Greenwood (of 
Owens Coll., Manchester). 
John Henderson, M.P. 
(By order) 
Dr. Hooker, F.R.S, 
C. Wren Hoskyns, M.P.5 
James Howard, M.P.4 
Prof. Huxley, F.R.S. ; 
U.J. Kay Shuttleworth, M,P. 
George Melly, M.P. 
S. Morley, M.P. 
Dr. Mouat. 
A. J. Mundella, M.P. rg 
Prof. Roscoe, F.R.S. (of Owen: 
College, Manchester), 
Lyon Playfair, C.B., M.P. 
Hodgson Pratt. 
Prof. Ramsay, F.R.S. 
C. Seely, jun. M.P. 
Col. Strange, F.R.S. ; 
E. Thomas, F.R.S. (Athe- 
nzeum Club). 
George Trevelyan, M,P. 
Thomas Twining. 
Prof. Tyndall, F.R.S. 
G. W. Ward (Nottingham). 
Prof. Williamson, F-.R.S. 
Also the Heads of the City 
Companies for the time 7 
being. — 
Also the Chairmen of Loca 
Committees of Schools of 9 
Science and Art, and of 9 
Local Museums Committees. 
Also the members of the 
Legislature who signed the 
Bethnal Green Memorial. — 
; 
| 
“P, Le NEVE FOSTER, 
Secretary.” ‘ 
SPENCER’S DESCRIPTIVE SOCIOLOGY 
Descriptive Sociology ; or, Groups of Sociological Facts. 
Classified and arranged by Herbert Spencer. No. 1, 
—English ; compiled and abstracted by James Collier. 
(London : Williams & Norgate.) ‘ 
OT long since, an announcement appeared in 
NATURE of Mr. Herbert Spencer’s plan of pub- 
lishing, not a complete and finished treatise on Socio- 
