Notes and Comments. 87 
THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM. 
The Committee recommended that all museums and galleries 
which were a national charge, with the exception of the Reading 
Room of the British Museum, should be closed to the public. 
The Government did not adopt that proposal. They thought 
it right to keep open the National Gallery and Victoria and 
Albert Museum. He agreed with Sir Ray Lankester that the 
case of the Natural History Museum was in some respects 
exceptional. Those parts of it which were representative 
of natural history in the popular sense—the parts in which 
were exhibits of animals, birds, etc.—were very much resorted 
to by Colonial visitors and wounded and convalescent soldiers 
and sailors, and it so happened that this museum was in the 
centre of a district in which were a large number of hospitals. 
He had therefore come to the conclusion that it would be 
desirable and expedient that those parts of the museum should 
remain open. The same arguments did not apply to the 
geological parts, but facilities would continue to be afforded 
to students and persons engaged in research to prosecute their 
studies there. Colonel Hall Walker, on behalf of the deputa- 
tion, thanked the Prime Minister for his speech, especially as it 
indicated that in the closing of museums and picture galleries 
no hard and fast line need be drawn. That fact would be a 
valuable hint to authorities in the provinces when they con- 
sidered how far they should follow the example of the 
Government. 
CONCESSIONS. 
The deputation had the satisfaction, therefore, of learning 
that, in addition to the Reading Room of the British Museum, 
the National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum, 
which are to remain open, the more popular parts of the 
Natural History Museum, South Kensington, are to remain 
open; the ancient MSS. and other works of reference at the 
British Museum are to remain available to students (in addition 
to the Reading Room) ; and that it was not the intention of 
the Government to interfere with the work of serious students 
at the Science Museum and other museums. 
PROVINCIAL MUSEUMS. 
From, the point of view of the provincial museum the result 
of the deputation is quite satisfactory. In the original report 
of the Parliamentary Committee a hint was given that the 
lead on the part of the Government might prove of value to 
the provinces. It was clearly demonstrated however that, in 
the provinces, the cost of the upkeep of museums was usually 
at a minimum, the actual expenses. of administration being 
trivial. Further, that if closed, the necessary cost of heating, 
1916 Mar. 1. 
