CO885-(16-18) — Page 562

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885

17 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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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.

I am, &c., ARTHUR ELLIS, Major-General,

To the Comptroller-General,

(Commercial Department),

Board of Trade.

SIR,

(C. 688.)

Board of Trade (Commercial Department),

Secretary.

7, Whitehall Gardens, London, S.W., February 4, 1904. WITH reference to the two grants, cach 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 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.

The Secretary,

Royal Commission for Exhibition of 1851.

I am,

&c., FRANCIS J. S. HOPWOOD.

(C. 1234.)

9

Royal Commissioners' Exhibition of 1851, 16, Victoria Street, SIR,

Westminster, February 12, 1904. REFERRING to your letters to this Office dated 19th January, 1903, and 4th instant, as to the continuance of the grants heretofore made by the Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 for the support of the research laboratory of the Imperial Institute, I am directed to ask you to inform the Board of Trade that the Commis- sioners have resolved to continue in favour of the Board the grant of £1,000 a year for the five years 1901-5 originally made by them in favour of the late governing body of the Imperial Institute; and have also resolved to continue until the year 1905 the annual grant of the further sum of £1,000 originally made for three years only. The Commissioners' cheque for £2,000 representing the amount of these grants for the year 1903 will be forwarded to the Board very shortly.

The Commissioners desire that the Board of Trade should be informed that these grants are made on the distinct understanding that at the end of 1905 the grants will cease altogether, as they are of opinion that after that period there will be no justification for any further contribution from this Commission for the support of the research laboratory.

To the Comptroller-General,

(Commercial Department), Board of Trade.

(6112.)

I am, &c.,

ARTHUR ELLIS, Major-General,

Secretary.

SIR,

December 8, 1905. I AM directed by the Board of Trade to advert to prévious correspondence with respect to the renewal and continuance of the grant of £2,000 a year made by the Exhibition Commissioners of 1851 in aid of the Science Department of the Imperial Institute.

In the letter of 12th February, 1904, the Commissioners stated that the grants then sanctioned were made on the distinct understanding that at the end of 1905 they would cease altogether.

Though this decision was received by the Board of Trade with great regret, they felt themselves bound to respect it, and they would not now venture to re-open the correspondence were it not that the whole situation has been materially affected by the discussion of certain proposals affecting the future management of the Imperial Institute, the general nature of which will probably be known to the Commissioners.

The Board of Trade have no desire to comment on the proposals, the details of which are not in their possession. They understand, however, that an attempt will be made by the authors of those proposals to induce the Commissioners to renew their grant in favour of the authority which would be responsible for the management of the Imperial Institute under the conditions contemplated. I am accordingly desired to point out that an interval of several months at the least will certainly occur between the termination of the present grant to the Board of Trade at the end of this year and its eventual renewal to any new controlling authority,

It appears to be very undesirable that the valuable work performed in the Science Department should be allowed to drop, or to be curtailed during this interval, but, as the Commissioners are aware, the ordinary income of the Institute is not sufficient to enable this work to be carried on, and the Board fear that so long as the new proposals to which reference has been made remain under discussion, it is an inopportune time for them to make a fresh appeal either to the Treasury or to the Colonies for increased support.

The Board feel that in the circumstances the Commissioners may consider that they are warranted in spite of their previous decision in sanctioning a provisional continuance of the grant at the present rate for such period as shall elapse before a final decision is arrived at with respect to the proposed change of management.

I am, &c.,

FRANCIS J. S. Horwood

The Secretary,

Royal Commission for Exhibition of 1851, 16, Victoria Street, S.W.

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