XXIX 



In order to provide space in the old Museum for the Haliday Col- 

 lection of Books and Pamphlets, and at the same time to utilize 

 the glass cases, it was considered advisable to remove to, and store 

 in, the old Council Room (which is to form a portion of the new 

 Museum) the bronze and iron antiquities in the lower cases. Twenty- 

 nine glass doors and cases were thus made available for the new 

 Museum. 



The following are the works which have been undertaken or com- 

 pleted by the Contractor of the Board : — A passage has been opened 

 from the new Museum into the gallery of the present Museum, the in- 

 tention being to retain this gallery in use ; and a short staircase has 

 been attached. The marble chimney-pieces which were on the drawing- 

 room floor have been removed, and the proceeds of their sale will no doubt 

 be made available by the Board of Works towards meeting the expense 

 of the new Museum. Twenty of the glass cases of the old Museum have 

 been set up on the north and east walls of the drawing-room, and newly 

 polished. On the same space new pedestal glass cases have been 

 erected. The two fire-places, and one of the lobby doors, have been 

 bricked up. The woodwork of the windows has been painted, and 

 part of the upper portion of the walls coloured in distemper. The 

 heating apparatus of the old Museum has been continued in a very 

 elaborate manner into the new Museum; but its necessity, safety, 

 or efficiency has not yet been proved. 



In reply to an inquiry addressed to the Board of Works, we have 

 been informed that the entire sum of £250 granted for the prepa- 

 ration of the new Museum has been already expended. But the fittings 

 of the room are far from being in such a state, with respect either to for- 

 wardness or security, as would justify the Council in transferring to it 

 any portion of our collection. 



The sales of the Museum Catalogue from March, 1867, to the 29th 

 February last, produced a sum of £4 14s. 4d., which, added to the 

 amounts acknowledged in previous years, makes a total of £39 5s. 7d. 

 applicable to the continuation of the work. 



The premiums payable upon the fire policies effected on the property 

 of the Academy, at the National and Patriotic Offices, having been 

 demanded, and it coming to the Treasurer's knowledge that those Com- 

 panies, in case of accident by fire, would not, unless coerced by law, 

 pay any portion of the sums insured, he called upon each Company to 

 state their objections, and the terms upon which they would continue 

 to insure the premises in their present condition. Substantially the 

 reply was, that, in consequence of the nature of the heating apparatus 

 now in use, they would decline to insure. The Council have effected a 

 temporary insurance with another Company at a somewhat increased 

 rate of premium, and they have thought it proper, at the same time, 

 to call the attention of the Board of Works and the Lords of the Treasury 

 to the alleged insecure state of the premises of the Academy, with 

 a view to the removal of the objections brought against the existing 

 condition of the heating apparatus. 



