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Appendix to the Report of the Council. 



Memorial to the Lords Commissioners of ITer Majesty's Treasury. 



My Lords — The Council of the Eoyal Irish Academy have recently 

 transmitted to your Lordships the usual Estimate of their Income and 

 Expenditure for the year ending March 31, 1866. In stating the 

 several heads of their expenditure, they thought it right to restrict 

 themselves, in the first instance, within the limits prescribed by the 

 operations of the Academy in former years. But they have long felt, 

 both that the efficiency of this Institution for accomplishing its recog- 

 nised objects is seriously impeded by the smallness of the resources at 

 its disposal, and also that it is in the highest degree desirable that such 

 an extension of its operations should take place, as without increased 

 assistance from Parliament it would not be possible to carry into effect. 

 They desire now to call the attention of your Lordships to the testi- 

 mony relating to both these points contained in the recent Eeport of 

 the Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Scientific Insti- 

 tutions of Dublin. 



It is stated by the Committee that the Boy al Irish Academy " has 

 acquired the highest reputation for the learning and activity of its re- 

 searches;" that its " Museum is the richest and most important in 

 Europe in Celtic Antiquities ; that its Library contains Manuscripts 

 and Works of great value, illustrative of early Irish History ; and that 

 it has published Papers, scientific and antiquarian, of no ordinary inte- 

 rest." The Committee also point out the inconveniences which have 

 arisen from the " small amount available for the pressing and absolute 

 wants of the several departments of the Academy." And they further 

 state that " assistance is required to enlarge the Museum, to in- 

 crease the staff, and to aid scientific researches;" and express their 

 opinion that the Academy " has the strongest claims on the liberality 

 of Parliament." 



It is right to inform your Lordships that frequent appeals have 

 been made to the generosity of the Members of the Academy, for the 

 purpose of supplementing the deficiency of public aid ; and the Com- 

 mittee state in their Eeport that these appeals have been most liberally 

 responded to. But it would be highly injudicious for the interests of 

 the Academy to endeavour to push further the practice of collecting 

 private subscriptions towards the accomplishment of its objects. Much 

 dissatisfaction would thus be created, and the apprehension of such re- 

 peated calls would probably have the effect of deterring many persons 

 from becoming candidates for admission. 



The specific purposes for which an increase of the Parliamentary 

 Grant to the Academy is felt to be necessary are given as follows in the 

 Eeport of the Select Committee : — 



