THE PROPOSED COLONIAL MUSEUM.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4290, 30 April 1879, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PROPOSED COLONIAL MUSEUM.

A paragraph appeared in the " Globe " last Saturday, stating that in view of the apparently insurmountable difliculties which attended the completion of the new National Opera-house on the Victoria Embankment, all the agents-general for the different colonies had entered into negotiations for the purpose of securing the site for the intended colonial museum. A disclaimer appeared in the next issue from the agents-general for Victoria, South Austraha, New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand, denying that there had been any negotiations j all that they had done was to inquire the price of tbe site, stating that if it could be purchased at a reasonable cost, they would be happy to communicate the fact to their respective Governments. The facts of the matter are as follow —The agents-general, at the suggestion of Dr. Forbes Watson, who has taken a prominent part throughout in reference to the projected museum, wrote to Messrs Bolton and Mote, solicitors for the Opera-house Oommittee on the 11th February last, asking the price of the site, to which a reply was sent on the Ist inst., stating that the solicitors had been instructed to say that providing they received within four months an offer of £40,000 from responsible parties, the committee would recommend those those they represented to enter into a contract for the sale of the site, with the unfinished buildings thereon for the amount named. The site is held under an agreement for a lease from the Metropolitan Board of. Works for eighty years from the 29th September, 1874, at a ground rent of £3000 per annum, but the freehold could be obtained at about twenty-five years* purobase, or for about £75,000 in addition to the £40,000. It must be remembered, however, that there has been a sum of about £80,000 expended already on deep foundations and superstructure to the height of about 20ft. above ground. The total area is between one and a half and two acres. At an additional cost of about £13,000, four houses facing Parliament street, at the back of the site, would give the edifice a double frontage to that street and the embankment. Further, adjoining it on the west, is a piece of ground, now occupied by the Civil Service Commission, whioh would be available for the India Museum, alongside tbe Colonial Museum or Permanent Exhibition. The site now spoken of is in every way equal to tbat of Fife-house, which was strongly advocated two years back, the cost of purchasing it would be less, and the necessary expenditure for the building would not be so great, owing to the work done for, the opera house being available for the museum. Two years aud a half ago, Sir Archibald Miobie, writing on behalf of himself and others to Mr Childers, then acting as chairman of a committee on the proposed mnseum, thus adverted to the question of site :— " After the most careful .comparison of the different proposed sites, we are of opinion that the Thames embankment is so manifestly the best as to exclude any other from serious consideration." Notwithstanding this, strong efforts have been made in certain quarters to seoure South Kensington for a museum, and those who have the management of that property, not long ago, in view of the lease of the Horticultural Society's ground falling in, wrote to the Treasury offering the site for an Indian and Colonial Museum. . It is only within the last day or two, since the announcement of the proposal for obtaining tbe Opera House site, that a reply has been sent from the Treasury, postponing the consideration of the subject indefinitely, and therefore virtually throwing overboard the South Kensington scheme, a most desirable consummation for those anxious for the success of the museum. Were it established at South Kensington, it would be a failure ; on the embankment it ought to be a certain success, and fulfil every object for whioh it would be established. . By the present mail, the various Australian Governments will be communicated with, and a hope is expressed in England that they will deal with the matter favorably and with promptitude. It is known that Sir Michael Hicks-Beach will forward the scheme in every way he possibly can,, and that he thoroughly approves of the • present proposal for the embankment site. It rests with the colonies now to carry it through, and there ought to be no difficulty in raising the necessary funds.