31 



The foregoing report was in type when the 

 Principal Librarian received from Mr. Smirke 

 the following letter :• — 



Grosvenor Street, 



" Dec. 3rd, 1857- 



" Dear Sir, 



Since the delivery of my report of the 

 " 9th ultimo, suggesting a plan for extending 

 " the Museum northwards, your proposal of 

 " extending the west boundary line of the Mu- 

 seum premises, as shown by the dotted lines 

 a a, in Plan IV., by purchasing a small por- 

 " tion of the gardens in the rear of five houses 

 " in Bedford Square, has induced me to submit 

 " for the consideration of the Trustees a second 

 *' plan, by which great additional accommodation 

 will be gained at much less than a proportionate 

 " expense.* 



" By this plan, 14,000 feet superficial of ex« 

 hibition rooms are obtained (in addition to 

 ** the area stated in my former report), and the 

 ** cost, including the purchase of the garden 



ground, I estimate at about £36,000. 



" Upon the above plan, I also show a suggestion 

 *' for obtaining at moderate cost a fine hall, about 

 " S40 feet long, by 60 feet wide,^ and 28 feet high, 

 " on the basement level, lighted by skylights. 



" The probable cost of such a building would 

 " be about £22,000. 



- Plan VI. ''Plan VL ee. 



