28o 



NATURE 



{Atig. 8, 1872 



MR. A YRTON AND DR. HOOKER 



IT has been determined that this question shall not be 

 brought on in the House of Commons at this late 

 period oAhe session, as so many members are already 

 absent that it is possible the debate might fail somewhat 

 to represent the actual feelings of the House. At the 

 same time it is known that had the discussion come on 

 some weeks ago, the Government, if they had ventured to 

 support Mr. Ayrton, would have been beaten. 



Of the return moved for by Sir John Lubbock, and pre- 

 pared by Mr. Ayrton, it is diflicult to speak or write without 

 e.xpressing strong indignation. We have not what we 

 want, and we have what no one wants. The whole object 

 of the compilation is to leave the reader in a fog, and 

 from this point of view the compiler deserves credit. We 

 regret also to see the respected name of Prof. Owen 

 dragged into the discussion on a point which has nothing 

 whatever to do with the question under discussion, which 

 is simply Mr. Ayrton's monstrous behaviour to a man of 

 science. It is gratifying to see from the Treasury letter 

 which we reprint that " My Lords " have not hesitated to 

 hint with sufficient pointedness for an official document 

 their opinion on the matter. It must not be forgotten 

 that for a time Mr. Ayrton was at the Treasury, and thai 

 he is tJierc no longer. 



Copy of Treasury Minute, dated 24th of July, 1S7:. 



My Lords have under their consideration the Memo- 

 randum of the First Commissioner on the rearrangement 

 of Kew Gardens by the Office of Works, and of the 

 changes therein. 



This Memorandum embraces three subjects : — 



1. The manner in which matters connected with 

 the management of Kew Gardens have been con- 

 ducted, and in doing so, refers to instances in which 

 complaints have been made by the Director of Kew 

 Gardens. 



2. The arrangements under which this manage- 

 ment ought to be conducted. 



3. Suggestions and questions of the First Commis- 

 sioner as to changes therein, and as to connecting 

 the Kew Gardens with the Kensington Museum, 

 which, however, the First Commissioner does not 

 propose should be taken into consideration at 

 present. 



To the last part of the Memorandum, therefore, my 

 Lords do not propose to refer in the present Minute. 



In discussing any arrangement for the management of 

 the establishment and gardens at Kew, it must be re- 

 membered that there is a considerable space of ground 

 beyond the hot-houses, buildings, and ground appro- 

 priated to the cultivation of shrubs and plants for tlie 

 promotion of botanical science. 



Part of this ground has been used as a nursery for 

 young trees, and the remainder has been laid out as 

 ornamental pleasure grounds. 



The establishments at Kew have always been under 

 the superintendence of the Office of Works, subject, of 

 course, to the superior control of the Treasury, to which 

 department the annual estimates of expenditure are sub- 

 mitted for their sanction, and this control it is indis- 

 pensable to maintain. 



With regard to tlie local management at Kew, the First 

 Commissioner's Memorandum divides it, for the purposes 

 of administration, into four branches, Botany, Horticul- 

 ture, Police, and Works. 



It is unnecessary, in the present Minute, to refer to 

 Police. 



The Department of Botany the First Commissioner 

 states to be " under the immediate direction and control 

 of the Director of Kew Gardens ; " the Department of 

 Horticulture to be " under the immediate cultivation of 



the Curator, subject to the orders and control of the 

 Director, as the responsible head." 



The works are carried out by an officer of the Office of 

 Works. 



My Lords consider this statement to represent widi 

 sufficient accuracy the proper arrangement for the estab- 

 lishment, and that if fairly carried into execution, n the 

 friendly and conciliatory spirit which ought to prevail 

 amongst the different members of all public departments, 

 no dilfrculty will occur. 



It is essential to maintain the superior authority in all 

 respects of the First Commissioner, but the nature 0/ the 

 case indices it ei'ident that this autliority should of course 

 lie exercised with due regard to tlie feelings and position 

 of tlie officers under liiin. 



The Botanical Department has been formed by thi 

 exertions of Sir W. Hooker, and of his son Dr. Hooker. 

 It stands high in the estimation of men of science both 

 here and abroad, and both these eminent men are en- 

 titled to the gratitude of the country for their services in 

 this department of science. 



In all matters connected with this department of the 

 establishment, whether as regards the hot-houses, build- 

 ings, or the cultivation of shrubs and plants for botanical 

 purposes, the opinion of Dr. Hooker should be followed, 

 subject only to the consideration of expense. It is for 

 him to represent to the First Commissioner what he con- 

 siders necessary for the advancement of botanical science, 

 and it is then for the First Commissioner and the Treasury 

 to determine whether the expense necessary for the pur- 

 pose shall be incurred. 



A'o alterations in existing arrangements in the scientific 

 branch of the department should be made without the 

 Director's concurrence. 



The actual execution of the works to be undertaken 

 must be under the direction of the proper officer of Works, 

 but the opinion of the Director of the Gardens should be 

 taken as to the efficiency of what it is proposed to do, and 

 any requisition of his for work or repairs necessary for 

 the preservation of the valuable plants in the houses 

 should on all occasions receive prompt attention. 



With regard to those parts of the grounds which are 

 not used for the purpose of botanical science, but as 

 nursery grounds or pleasure grounds, it will be the office 

 of the First Commissioner to give such directions as he 

 may think advisable. 



My Lords, however, think it desirable that even on 

 these points he should communicate with the Directoi 

 of the Gardens, through whom, as head of the establish- 

 ment, all orders to the curator and to other subordinate 

 officers should, in regular course, be conveyed. 



My Lords gather from the Memorandum of the First 

 Commissioner that, speaking generally, the business con- 

 nected with Kew Gardens has been conducted in 

 accordance with the views thus entertained by their 

 Lordships. 



My Lords do not consider that it would be conducive 

 either to the public advantage or to the maintenance of 

 that good and friendly feeling which they are anxious to 

 see prevailing in every public department, if in closing 

 this correspondence they were to go in detail into the 

 cases where any disagreement has taken place between 

 the First Commissioner and the Director. 



But adverting to tlie facts contained in the Memorandum 

 of the First Commissioner, they are not surprised that in 

 various cases Dr. Hooker should have thought that he had 

 just cause of complaint, though this may have grown in 

 some instances out of arrangements for which the First 

 Commissioner was not responsible, and in others they 

 learn from the Memorandum of the First Commissioner 

 that the cause of complaint has been removed. 



iMy Lords see no reason why under these conditions 

 there should be any serious difficulty in discharging the 

 respective duties of the First Commissioner and of the 



