CODEX SINAITICUS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21765, 3 April 1934, Page 14

CODEX SINAITICUS

PURCHASE BY BRITAIN QUESTIONS IN COMMONS DEAN INGE'S SUGGESTION [from our own correspondent] LONDON, Feb. 13 There has been a good (leal of speculation as to how* the Codex Sinaiticus was purchased, as well as criticism of the Government's action in supporting the'transaction. The matter was referred to at question time in the House of Commons and the Prime Minister cleared up certain points. Sir William Davison asked how Iho trustees of the British Museum were enabled to purchase the Codex .SiiiaitLcus in anticipation of the necessary subscriptions from the public. "The purchase price of the Codex," Mr. Mac-Donald replied, "was paid from the purchase fund of the British Museum, and as only £7OOO was, at the time, available in that fund, the balance was temporarily advanced by the Treasury out of the Civil Contingencies Fund." Sir William pointed out that the British Museum, during the current financial year, received for purchases only £15,000, by way of grant from the Government. Was this grant to be mortgaged for years to come to pay back the £IOO,OOO, less subscriptions, and did that mean that the British Museum would have no fund to come to pay for other purchases? Mr. Mac Donald: Yes. That is on the assumption that tho balance required has not been raised. The museum trustees are fully confident that it will be raised. Sir Herbert Samuel: Seeing that there is no Parliamentary sanction for the expenditure contemplated, docs the Prime Minister not think that the matter should be brought before the House before July next, which is the date, we are informed, of the supplementary estimate? Mr. Mac Donald replied that his advice from the Treasury was that everything which had been done was perfectly in order. "I want to make it perfectly clear," the Prime Minister added, "that, so far as I can ascertain, the Government would have been very short of its duty if it had not given facilities for tho acquisition by this country of such a possession." Sir George Hill, director of the British Museum, speaking at a luncheon at Grosvenor House, said that the total amount subscribed by the public lor the Codex had reached £21,000, and a further £I4OO was expected in the next few days. Dean Inge said the question had been asked, "Why send money to liussia?" "The Soviet Government have no use for manuscripts of the' Bible," ho said. "We have no use in this country for relics of their prophets of anti-religion. Why not exchange the bones of Karl Marx, which lie in Highgate Cemetery, for the Codex?"