3
Scientific and Technical Department of the Imperial Institute for at least the same period as the previous grant of £1,000 was made for.
I am to inform you in answer that the Board of Management have resolved to postpone coming to a decision upon the request contained in your letter until later in the year, when the question of the continuance of the second grant of £1,000 a year will be considered.
SIR,
(0
instant for the Institu
To the Comptroller-General,
(Commercial Department),
Board of Trade.
(C. 683.)
SIR,
I am, &c., ARTHUR ELLIS, Major-General,
Secretary.
Board of Trade (Commercial Department),
7, Whitehall Gardens, London, S.W., February 4, 1904. WITH reference to the two grants, each of £1,000 a year, given by the Royal Commission of 1851 towards the support of the Scientific and Technical Department of the Imperial Institute, I am directed by the Board of Trade to refer to your letter of January 27th, 1903, stating that the Board of Management of the Royal Commission had resolved to postpone coming to a decision upon the request con- tained in this Department's letter of January 19th, 1903, until later in the year, when the question of the continuance of the second grant of £1,000 a year would be considered.
As the Board of Management are aware, one of the sums of £1,000 a year was granted for the five years from 1901-1905, and the other grant for three years
rs only, after which its continuance was to be reconsidered.
The year 1903 has now passed without the receipt of any contribution from the Royal Commission, and the Board will be glad if the £1,000 due for the year 1903 on account of the grant made for the five years, 1901-5, can be forwarded to them at your early convenience.
As to the £1,000 originally granted for three years only, I am to point out that having regard to the importance of the work which is now being performed by the Scientific and Technical Department and to the work in prospect, the continuance of this grant is of very considerable moment to the Board of Trade. I am to enclose, for the information of your Board of Management, the statement of work carried on in this Department of the Imperial Institute up to November, 1903, which was submitted to the Advisory Committee in December last.
There are no funds at the disposal of the Board of Trade for the purpose of this work other than the contribution of the Commissioners, excepting the income of the endowment and the Colonial and Indian contributions, which are required for the maintenance of the collections and other important branches of work of the Imperial Institute. The loss at this juncture of half the Commissioners' grant would leave the Institute in a state of grave financial embarrassment. Though the Board hope to be able to open up fresh sources of revenue in the future, the process must be a slow one, and the possibility will largely depend on being able to show good results from the work as now carried on, but this prospect will be greatly impaired by the sudden cessation of a large part of the funds by which the work is now supported.
The Board have at present under consideration questions of great importance as regards the staff and equipment of the Scientific and Technical Department to enable them to cope with the increasing pressure of work. These plans are neces- sarily in abeyance pending the decision of your Commission. The Board, therefore, trust that in the exceptional circumstances your Commission will see their way to continue the full grant of £2,000 a year, at least up to the end of the year 1905.
I am, &c.,
FRANCIS J. S. IIOPWOOD.
The Secretary,
Royal Commission for Exhibition of 1851.
sioners
for the
body o 1905 tl'
only.
Th
for the
these g grants
be no j
of the 1
To the
SIR,
(61
with re
by the Imperia
In
then sa they wo
Th they fe
the cor.
by the Imperia Commi:
TH
which a be mać their gr
of the
desired occur 1 end of
It Science but, as sufficier the nev
an inop
the Col
Th they ar continu
a final
The Se
I
26019