14 



ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



VIII. — General Progress at the Museum, Bloomsbury. 



The purchase from the Duke of Bedford of the houses 

 and gardens immediately contiguous to the Museum premises 

 on the east, north, west, and south-west, for the sum of 

 200,000Z. granted by Parliament, has been completed. 



The total number of visitors to the Museum in the year 

 1895 amounts to 542,423, a falling off of more than 36,000 

 from that of 1894, which, however, was more than usually 

 high. 



The total number of vi&its of students to the Reading 

 Room during the year was 194,924, being 8,000 less than 

 that of 1894. The daily average was 643. 



The average numbers of persons in the room counted at 

 certain hours in the afternoon were : — 



4 P.M. 



5 P.M. 



6 P.M. 



6.30 P.M. 



7 P.M. 



7.30 P.M. 



354 



265 



182 



113 



124 



90 



The number of volumes supplied to readers was 1,405,866, 

 as against 1,470,191 in 1894. 



There was generally a reduction in the numbers of visits of 

 students to the several Departments. 



The collections of antiques and ornaments in gold and 

 silver, and of engraved gems, have been re-arranged in the 

 new Gold Ornament Room, which has been thrown open to 

 the public. The exhibition has been largely supplemented 

 by loans from Sir A. Wollaston Franks, k.c.b. 



A more scientific arrangement of the sculptures from the 

 site of the Temple of Diana at Ephesus has been taken in 

 hand, and has made good progress. 



The excavations commenced in Cyprus in 1893-94, with 

 means placed at the disposal of the Trustees by the bequest 

 of the late Miss Emma T. Turner, have been continued on 

 the ancient site of Curium with important results, remains of 

 the Mycenaean period having been recovered in addition to 

 other antiquities of value and archaeological interest. 



Two purchases of more than ordinary interest and im« 

 portance were made from funds specially voted by Parlia- 

 ment. The correspondence and papers of Admiral Lord 

 Nelson, which were in possession of Viscount Bridport, were 

 secured for 3,000L ; and the very choice cabinet of drawings 

 by Old Masters and of early Italian and German engravings, 



formed 



