Letter to The Right Honourable Lord Frederick Cavendish

Acknowledging receipt of his Lordship's letter dated 15 Jul enclosing a copy of
a Treasury minute suggesting certain changes in the arrangement for the
admission of the Public to the National Gallery, and replying that the Trustees
and Director, having been invited to make their observations, record their
objections to the imposition of an entrance fee of being doubtful efficacy and
not likely to produce the anticipated results, regarding opening the Gallery to
the Public on Student Days they do not see reasons for departing from the
opinion expressed in their third Resolution of 1 Jun and in the Director's
Remarks showing the necessity for retaining a certain closed time during the
week irrespectively of the interests of the students. If the Lords
Commissioners of H.M. Treasury should determine that it is desirable to carry
out the views they expressed the Trustees and Director recommend that the
Gallery be closed until noon on Students Days for the weekly work of cleaning
and hanging of pictures, and the right reserved to close one or more Rooms when
they think fit for that purpose.