ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



VI. General Progress at the Museum, Bloomsbury. 



The structural alterations of the room formerly occupied by the^Department of Prints 

 and Drawings, which had to be postponed in the year 1887-88 owing to Avant of funds, 

 have been carried out during the past year. It now forms a gallery in continuation of 

 the Elgin E,oom, which will receive the marbles from Phigaleia and from the 'Pemple 

 of Victory at Athens as well as the finest sepulchral stelse ; with a basement-room 

 beneath, in which will be placed other sepulchral monuments of Grajco-Koman origin. 



The arrangement of the mosaics from Carthage and other sites on the wall-spaces of 

 the north-west staircase has been completed ; and the Grseco-Eoman basement, from_ 

 whence the mosaics were removed, has been painted in preparation for the exhibition of 

 other collections. 



On the upper floor, in the room where was formerly exhibited the collection of glass, 

 now removed to the White Wing, the Greek and Roman terra-cottas have been 

 arranged ; in the Etruscan Saloon the various cistse, paintings, bronzes, and smaller 

 antiquities of Etruscan art are being brought together ; and the re-arrangement of the 

 Vase Rooms has made considerable progress towards completion. 



A large portion of the collections in the Prehistoric Saloon has been set in order ; and 

 in the Mediajval Room the fine collection of clocks, watches^ and other antiquities 

 bequeathed by the late Mr. Octavius Morgan, has been an-anged. 



A selection of manuscripts, printed books and broadsides, engraved portraits, and medals 

 has been exhibited in the King's Library, in illustratiou of the history of the House of 

 Stuart. 



The number of persona making use of the Reading Room still continues to increase. 

 In the past year it has risen to 188,432 (an average daily attendance of 622 readers) as 

 against 182,778 in 1887. The accommodation of so many persons, particularly on certain 

 days and at certain hours, taxes the resources of the room to the utmost ; but the intro- 

 duction of regulations, whereby the use of novels has been restricted and the reservation 

 of seats, during temporary absence unduly prolonged, has been forbidden, has to some 

 extent relieved overcrowding. As an indication also that the value of the Reading Room 

 is continually growing in public estimation, and that it is consequently necessary to 

 secure seats early in the day, it is found that the greatest influx of readers now takes 

 place between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ; formerly the room was most frequented 

 from 2 to 4 p.m. It is also significant that, although the number of readers has increased, 

 the number of books supplied to them has decreased. In the ])ast j'car the total number 

 of volumes thus supplied Avas 1,208,709 as against 1,221,298 in 1887. 



The purchase of a large selection of coins of India chosen from the collection of Major- 

 General Sir Alexander Cunningham, K.c.s.i., received the sanction of the Lords Com- 

 missioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, and the price, amounting to 2,539 /., was defrayed 

 by a Supplemental Vote of the House of Commons. 



The Lords of the Treasury having also sanctioned the resumption of excavations in 

 Babylonia for two seasons, the Trustees despatched, late in the year, one of their officers 

 to Constantinople, where he obtained the necessary permit from the Sublime Porte, and 

 thence proceeded to the east and commenced explorations at Kouyunjik. 



Presentations of Museum Publications have been made to various Free Public Libraries 

 in the United Kingdom, to the Royal Irish Academy, and to the General Assembly 

 Librai'y, New Zealand ; and of Electrotypes of Ancient Coins to the Museums of Warring- 

 ton, Reading, Paisley, and Worcester. 



The stock of Museum Photographs from sculptures, &c., has been distributed to 

 sixty Art Schools throughout the United Kingdom. 



The following are among the principal Donations : — 



From PI. Martyn Kennard, Esq., three mummies of the Roman period, the faces 

 covered with painted portraits, and various other antiquities from the Fayoum. 



From Jesse Haworth, Esq., antiquities from the Fayoum. 



From _ the Egypt Exploration Fund, a series of vases discovered on the site of 

 Naukratis in Egypt. 



From the Cyprus Exploration Fund, various antiquities discovered during recent 

 excavations In Cyprus. 



From 



