GENERAL PROGRESS AT THE MUSEUM. 13 



Oriental Printed Books and MSS. - - - - 2,768 



Prints and Drawings - - - - - - 3,237 



(Oriental) - - - - 477 



Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities - _ _ _ 10,819 



Greek and Roman Antiquities _ _ _ _ 42 



British and Mediseval Antiquities - - - - 1,626 



Coins and Medals ------ 6,301 



Total ----- 332,930 



The most notable variations are an increase o£ 20,000 in the 

 number o£ serial publications, a reduction of 59,000 in the news- 

 papers, and an increase o£ 10,000 in the acquisitions of the 

 Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities, 



The restoration of the Purchase Grant, which took effect from 

 the beginning of the financial year, naturally produced marked 

 increases in the acquisitions of all Departments. 



The usual Departmental lists of accessions are resumed in this 

 Report, after being discontinued for two years. It is hoped to issue 

 the lists for 1917-18 separately, in order to maintain the complete- 

 ness of the series. 



The particulars of the most notable accessions will be found in 

 the Departmental reports which follow ; but special attention may be 

 called to the two magnificent illuminated manuscripts from the 

 collection of Mr. Yates Thompson, one acquired by gift from the 

 owner, the other by purchase at his sale ; the Trafalgar Log-Book of 

 H.M.S. Victory, generously purchased for 5,000L by Mr. James 

 Buchanan and presented to the nation ; the Northwick collection of 

 engravings and woodcuts, presented by the Hon. E. Spencer 

 Churchill ; a portion of a slab of the frieze of the Parthenon, 

 discovered several years ago on a rockery in Essex, and presented 

 by Mr. J. Dumville-Botterell ; the bequest by Dr. Allen Sturge, 

 M.V.O., of his immense collection of stone implements ; the gift by 

 Sir Arthur Evans of his father's collection of Early British and 

 other Celtic coins ; and the purchase, with the aid of a special grant 

 of 10,000L by the Treasury, supplemented by the gifts of various 

 donors, of the most important part of Sir Hermann Weber's 

 magnificent collection of Greek coins. 



Publications issued during 1919 : — 



Guide to the Use of the Reading Room. New Edition, 1919. 

 8vo. 9fZ. 



Summary Guides to the Exhibition Galleries of the British 

 Museum. Third Edition, 1919. 8vo. M. 



British Museum, Frederic G. Kenyon, 



1st April, 1920. Director and Principal Librarian. 



