ACCOUNTS OF BRITISH MUSEUM: 1840. 



Number of Visits made to the Reading Rooms, for the purpose of Study or Research, about 1,950 in 

 1810- 4 300 in 1815; 8,820 in 1820; 22,800 in 1825 ; 31,200 in 1830; 63,466 in 1835 ; 62,360 in 1836 ; 

 69,936 in 1837 ; 64,843 in 1838; 69,216 in 1839. 



Number of Visits, by Artists and Students, to the Galleries of Sculpture, for the purpose of Study, 

 4,938 in 1831 ; 4,740 in 1832 ; 4,490 in 1833 ; 5,645 in 1834 ; 6,081 in 1835 ; 7,052 in 1836 ; 5,570 in 

 1837; 5,015 in 1838; 4,841 in 1839. 



Number of Visits made to the Print Room, about 4,400 hi 1832 ; 2,900 in 1833 ; 2,204 in 1834 ; 1,065 in 

 1835; 2,916 in 1836; 4,429 in 1837; 5,017 in 1838; 6,937 in 1839. 



Mem. — The Public are admitted to the British Museum on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, between 

 the hours of Ten and Four, from the 7th September to the 1st May; and between the houi-s of Ten 

 and Seven, from the 7th May to the ] st September. 



Persons applying for the purpose of Study or Research are admitted to the Reading Rooms every 

 day, from Nine o'clock in the Morning until Four in the Afternoon, between the 7th of September 

 and the 1st of May, and imtil Seven in the Evening between the 7th of May and the 1st of Sep- 

 tember. 



Artists are admitted to study in the Galleries of Sculpture every day, between the hours of Nine 

 and Four, except Saturday. 



The Museum is closed between the 1st and 7th January, the 1st and 7th May, and the 1st and 7th 

 September, and on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Christmas-day, and also on any Special Fast or 

 Thanksgiving Days ordered by Authority. 



„..,,, ^ Mawer Cowtan, Accountant. 



British Museum, 25 January 1840. 



IX. — STATEMENT of Progress made in the Cataloguing and Arrangement of the Col- 

 lections subsequently to the Return dated 18 June 1838 ; and Account of Objects added 

 to the several Departments of the Musetm in the year ending 25 December 1839. 



DEPARTMENT OF MANUSCRIPTS. 



The Catalogue of the Sloane Manuscripts has been printed off from sheet bearing signa- 

 ture BB to sheet signature PP inclusive, comprising Nos. 543 — 796. 



The same Catalogue has been partly prepared in copy from No. 1681 to No. 2681 inclusive, 

 with a few exceptions. 



An Index to the printed sheets of the Sloane Catalogue has been made as far as No. 654, 

 and the Slips arranged alphabetically. 



The Catalogue of the Syriac and Carshunic Manuscripts has been completed and published 

 in a folio volume, pp. 12 and 140. 



The Illustrations necessary for the Catalogue of the Burney Manuscripts have been en- 

 graved, and the Preface is in course of preparation. 



The Index to the Catalogues of the Arundel and Burney Manuscripts has been completed 

 for press, entirely set up in type, and the sheets from signature B to signature OO printed off. 



The Catalogue or description of the Greek Papyri, acquired previously to 1839, has been 

 completed and published in a quarto volume, pp. 4 and 84. 



The List of Additions to the Department in the year 1836 has been printed, and a copy 

 placed in the Reading Room. 



Descriptions of the Manuscripts, Nos. 10,608 — 10,940, forming part of the hst of additions 

 for 1F37, have been made. 



The additional Lansdovvne Charters, Nos. 39 — 694 inclusive, have been described, and a 

 fair transcript placed in the Reading Room. 



A classed Catalogue of all the Charts and Maps in the Department has been made, and 

 placed in the Reading Room. 



A Manuscript Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Rich Collection, in two volumes 

 folio, has been placed in the Reading Room. 



One hundred and forty-eight Arabic Manuscripts have been described for the General 

 Catalogue of Oriental Manuscripts, among which are comprised the whole of the Christian 

 Manuscripts in that language, and this portion, with a slight revision, is ready for the press. 



The additional Manuscripts from No. 11,391 to No. 11,629 inclusive, have been arranged, 

 bound, numbered and stamped. 



The 



