ACCOUNT of the Sum Expended, compared with the Sum Granted, to pay the Salaries and other Expenses of the BRITISH MUSEUM and of the NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, including certain Grants in Aid, in the Year ended 31st March 1906, showing the Surplus or Deficit upon each Sub-Head of the Vote.

CLASS IV.-continued.

VOTE 2.-BRITISH MUSEUM-continued.

EXPLANATION of the Causes of Variation between Expenditure and Grant.

A.-Casual variation.

B.-Casual variation.

C.-Grant in Aid.

D.—An unusually large proportion of the books acquired from abroad required re-binding.

E.-Such excellent progress was made with the Catalogues in hand, that the amount of the gross Estimate (800l. above the provision) was, with Treasury sanction, practically expended.

F.-Casual variation.

G.-Extra table fittings in connection with a scheme for the improvement of the electric lighting of the Reading Room caused the excess.

H.-Excess due to the payment for the complete installation of a Lamson Pneumatic Tube service designed to ensure the more rapid transmission of Readers' tickets to the various sections of the Library.

I. The special provision for the Removal of the Newspapers, &c., to the Hendon Repository was not fully required, and the charges for surface-cleaning and glazing were less than estimated.

K.- Provision is made under this Sub-Head, not only for the Annuity, but for all other expenses connected with the British Museum Extension Property, and these were below the estimated amount.

L.-Saving arose from the retirement, after a period on half-pay, of a Keeper.

M.-Casual variation.

N.-Grant in Aid.

O.-Small savings were effected on the amounts provided for the preparation for exhibition of Geological, Mineralogical, and Botanical specimens.

P.-The anticipated progress was not made with the Catalogue of the Books in the Natural History Library and certain Zoological publications.

Q.-Excess was due to the cost of urgent repairs to the hot-water pipes, and repayment to the Office of Works of charges incurred in fixing the new calorifiers.

R. Excess was caused mainly by the necessity to provide the brass railing and iron standards for the giant specimen of Diplodocus presented by Mr. Andrew Carnegie.

S. The provision for General Cleaning was inadequate to the extent of 527. 16s. 10d., and the miscellaneous charges were unusually heavy.

T.-Rents and the sale of publications, old stores, &c., realised more than the estimated amounts.
The total amounts received under this Sub-Head were as follows:-
:-

From insurance recovered for the loss of a duplicate botanical
specimen from the "Discovery" (Antarctic Exploration) Collection. 20
From the sale of old stores

55 10 11

From the rents of houses, &c. (57 and 58 Vict. c. 34), including 3071. 8s. 4d.
repaid by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue in respect of Income Tax on
rents received by the Trustees -

2,409 11 8

6,381 14 2

CLASS IV. continued.

VOTE 2.-BRITISH MUSEUM-continued.

The Surplus of 3,6441. 4s 4d., shown on the Account of the Vote "British Museum," for the year ended 31st March 1905, has been surrendered.

E. Maunde Thompson, Director and Principal Librarian, Accounting Officer.

s. d.

Sub-Head N. Purchases and Acquisitions (Natural History Museum) :

£.

- 5,762 1 3

- £. 414 18 7

British Museum,

26 November 1906.

}

E. Maunde Thompson,

Director and Principal Librarian,
Accounting Officer.

I certify that this Account has been examined under my directions, and is correct.

Examined,

C. H. Archibald.

John A. Kempe.

Comptroller and Auditor General.

CLASS IV. continued.

VOTE 2.

BRITISH

MUSEUM.

REPORT OF THE COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL.

1. EXPENDITURE in excess of the Estimate has been incurred under Sub-Heads A., D., Excess. E., G., H., M., Q., R., and S.

2. The Amount to be Surrendered is, as shown by the Account, 5871. 58. –d.

Grant (Gross)

Expenditure (Gross)

Net Surplus

Surplus.

Add,

3. A Statement is appended to the Account, showing the expenditure out of the Grants Grants in in Aid, with the balances remaining at the close of the year.

The Statement has been audited in detail in my Department, and found correct.

Aid.

27.

CLASS IV. continued.

VOTE 3.

NATIONAL GALLERY.

ACCOUNT of the Sum Expended, compared with the Sum Granted, to pay the Salaries and Expenses of the NATIONAL GALLERY, and of the NATIONAL GALLERY OF BRITISH ART, MILLBANK, including a Grant in Aid for the purchase of Pictures, in the Year ended 31st March 1906, showing the Surplus or Deficit upon each Sub-Head of the Vote.

Estimated Amount of Receipts from Sale of Catalogues

Amount of Receipts realised from Sale of Catalogues in the year 1905-6, and
paid over to His Majesty's Stationery Office

483 8 6

EXPLANATION of the Causes of Variation between Expenditure and Grant. A. This Surplus is due to the vacancy in the Directorship not having been filled. C.-It has still been found possible to dispense with the services of two Police Pensioners on Sunday afternoons.

D.-Casual difference.

E. Casual difference.

F.This Estimate, increased from the previous year, has been greatly exceeded, owing to the unforeseen and quite exceptional influx of visitors to see the 35 Turners at the Tate Gallery hitherto unexhibited, and shown for the first time in January, 1906, and owing also to the exhibition of the Rokeby Velasquez at Trafalgar Square on 14th March, 1906, which raised the receipts under this Sub-Head from 867 in the corresponding month of the previous year to 1791. in 1906. The estimated receipts under this Sub-Head for year 1906-7 have been increased by 150l.

the