16 



ACCOUNTS, ETC., OP THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



VIII. — General Progress at the Museum, Bloomsbury. 



There has been a further increase in the number of visits 

 to the Museum durinsr the year 1904 on that of the preceding 

 year. In 1903 the total amounted to 920,848, exceeding that 

 of 1902 by 75,479. In 1904 the number has risen to 954,551, 

 being an increase of 33,703 on the number in 1903. The 

 number of visits on week days was 897,699, as against 858,800 

 in 1903 ; but on Sundays there was a falling off, the number 

 being 56,852, as against 62,048. 



The number of visits of students to the Reading Room 

 in 1904 was 226,323, being 16,610 more than in 1903 ; a daily 

 average of 742. 



The average numbers of persons in the room, counted at 

 the later hours of the afternoon, were : — 



The room is now closed at 7 p.m. throughout the year ; 

 the extension to 8 P.M., which had been allowed during 

 certain months for some years past, being discontinued, as 

 the number of readers attending was not sufficient to justify 

 the expense. 



The number of visits of students to particular Depart- 

 ments in 1904 was 58,109, as against 60,074 in 1903. There 

 was a decrease in the attendance in the Newspaper Room, 

 in the Print Room, and in the Galleries of Sculpture, and an 

 increase in the Department of Oriental Printed Books and 

 Manuscripts. 



The excavations which were resumed in 1903 on the site 

 of ancient Nineveh have been carried on through the year 

 under the direction of officers of the Department of Egyptian 

 and Assyrian Antiquities, and have resulted in the discovery 

 of the remains of a palace earlier than those of Sennacherib 

 and Ashur-bani-pal, and also of the temple of the war -god 

 Nebo. But the hope which was entertained of finding the 

 library of the Assyrian kings, or some portion of it, has not 

 been realized. 



A firman to enabJe the Trustees to re-open excavations 

 on the site of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus having been 

 obtained from the Porte, through the good offices of the 

 Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, work was com- 

 menced in the autumn under the direction of Mr. D. G. 

 Hogarth, who, during the season cleared a large part of 



