308 Royal Irish Academy. 



The matter referred to in last Report, relating to the finding of 

 gold ornaments in the north of Ireland, and their subsequent pur- 

 chase by the British Museum, has occupied a considerable amount of 

 public attention during the past year ; and a Committee, consisting of 

 Eight Hon. Lord Eathmore (Chairman), Eight Hon, John Morley, 

 M.p. ; Eight Hon. Sir John Lubbock, Bart., m.p. ; Sir John Evans, 

 K.c.B. ; Eight Hon. Sir Herbert Maxwell, Bart., m.p. ; and Sir 

 Thomas Esmonde, Bart., m.p., was appointed by the Treasury to 

 inquire into all the circumstances connected with the matter, and 

 the relationships which should exist between the museums sup- 

 ported out of public funds in Scotland and Ireland on the one 

 hand, and the British Museum on the other, relative to the acquisi- 

 tion of objects of antiquarian interest. This Committee having 

 invited the Eoyal Irish Academy to send a representative as witness, 

 the Secretary of Council, by the direction of the Council, attended 

 before the Committee. The Eeport of this Committee has not yet 

 been laid before Parliament. 



The Annual Visitation of the Academy's Museum took place on 

 27th Eebruary, 1899. The Committee appointed for that purpose 

 report that of the two additional rooms (Nos. 1 and 2) which were 

 mentioned ^^in last year's report as having been made available for 

 the Academy's Collection, the room in the south-west portion of the 

 Science and Art Museum — known as room No. 2 — has been opened to 

 the public. 



The room known as No. 1 is still the only place available as a 

 working-room for the Superintendent of Irish Antiquities. The 

 Committee were informed that it has been decided to partition off a 

 portion of this room to be used as an office and working-room. 

 The desirability of such a step has constantly been reported on. 



The stone objects, sepulchral urns and other objects, which were last 

 year in the North-west Pavilion, have been for the most part removed 

 and placed in the other rooms. It is understood that this pavilion is 

 to be assigned to the ecclesiastical and mediaeval antiquities. 



The Council regret to have to state that Dr. Wright has intimated 

 his intention of not seeking re-election to the office of Secretary, and 

 beg here to record their deep sense of the services rendered for so 

 many years by Dr. "Wright to the Academy. 



