Report from the Select Committee on scientific institutions (Dublin)

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Xiv REPORT FROM THE SELECT COMMITTEE 

IV. 
School of Science applied to Mining and the Arts. 
Although the official letter of Lord Lincoln, founding the two Museums of London and Dublin, makes no mention of lectures, or a system of instruction, yet it is plain that such a system was intended to be introduced when the museums were completed, from the fact of lecture theatres forming part of their original plan. 
This opinion is fully corroborated by a passage in the inaugural discourse of Sir H. 
T. 
De la Beche, at the opening of the School of Mines in Jermyn btreet, on the 6 th of November 1851, where he says:—" That this Ci establishment should be the means of affording instruction in a particular " direction. 
An instruction tending more especially to illustrate the application " of geology, and of its associated sciences to the useful purposes of life was " early decided. 
In 1839, four years after the first collections were made for " the Museum of Practical Geology, the sanction of the Treasury was given to " lectures having that application for their object. 
The system of instruction "we commence this day is, therefore, not founded on any new view, 12 years ie having elapsed since lectures of a similar general character were authorized. 
" That these lectures have not been given has arisen from the want of a proper " theatre in which to deliver them, and from the absence of other appliances P-3-" not, until now, at our command." 
This passage applies equally to the 

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Museum of Irish Industry, which though it may have formed no part of Sir H. 
399-1 • 9 * J)e la Beche's original plan in 1835 or 1839, was yet incorporated into it when that plan was extended to Ireland in 1845. 
We have also independent evidence 1454' in the statement of Sir R. 
Kane, that Lord Lincoln looked upon the Chemical Department of the Museum of Irish Industry as the basis of a e National School of Chemistry. 
The Evidence of Mr. 
Jukes, and of Dr. 
Sullivan, g 

" 

also show that it was always intended to establish lectures at the Museum of Irish Industry. 
No arrangement had been made as to the number of professors, or the system of instruction to be adopted in the Museum of Irish Industry, until after the completion of its theatre in 1854, when the duty of making those arrangements devolved on Dr. 
Lyon Playfair, then the Secretary for Science of the newly formed Department of Science and Art, under which all the Govern¬ ment scientific institutions were about being placed. 
Dr. 
Lyon Playfair communicated to the Royal Dublin Society a Minute of the Board of Trade, then governing the Department of Science and Art, dated 11th April 1854, defining the limits of the Museum of Irish Industry, and the Royal Dublin Society respectively, as to collections, and informing the society, that it was proposed to relieve it of the superintendence of its educational staff, in order that the latter may be made available to the public for instruction, by illustrating and explaining the collections of the two separate museums, At that time the Royal Dublin Society had four professorships, viz., 
physics, chemistry, mineralogy, and botany ; with reference to two of these chairs it is said in the Minute, ccIn consideration, however, of the advanced period of life, and " of the long and able services of the present Professors of Chemistry and " Mineralogy, my Lords do not propose to ask them to undertake increased " duties, which they could not have contemplated in accepting their present " positions ; and they will, therefore, make arrangements not to interfere with " their existing duties or salaries, although they may deem it requisite to appoint " Lecturers on Chemistry and Geology to the Museum of Irish Industry, for the " purpose of carrying into effect the general scheme of industrial education " entrusted to this Board. 
There must, however, be a distinct understanding '•' that, when the amount of either salary is again placed at the disposal of the " Society, it will in future be devoted to the furtherance of the museums, " garden, or library, and not to the remuneration of a new professor." 
The Chairs of Chemistry and Geology here spoken of were established in con¬ nection with the Museum of Irish Industry, so that only two professorships, viz., 
of physics and botany, were, in reality, transferred from the Royal Dublin Society: and these alone could be said to be common to the two institutions. 
It was understood at the time that the arrangement respecting the Professors of Chemistry and Mineralogy to the Royal Dublin Society was intended merely as a mode of superannuating them; for the G-overnment had no other means of adequately doing so. 
The Professors of Chemistry and Geology appointed to 

the