│ 263 21. CRUSTACEA 363│ │ 22. STELLÆ MARINÆ 173│ │ 1,007 23. FISHES, and their parts 1,555│ │ 753 24. BIRDS, and their parts 1,172│ │ 345 25. VIPERS, &c. 521│ │ 1,194 26. QUADRUPEDS 1,886│ │ 3,824 27. INSECTS 5,439│ │ 507 28. ANATOMICAL PREPARATIONS, &c. 756│ │ 8,226 29. VEGETABLES 12,506│ │ 1,169 30. MISCELLANEOUS THINGS 2,098│ │ 319 31. PICTURES and DRAWINGS, framed 310│ │ 54 32. MATHEMATICAL INSTRUMENTS 55│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ On the 27th January—sixteen days after Sir Hans’ death—about forty of the Trustees named in the Will met at Chelsea, to confer with the Executors. Lord CADOGAN produced the Will and its Codicils. By these, should the bequest and its additions be accepted, the manor house and land, together with the collection in its existing state and arrangement, would be given to the Public. This, said Lord CADOGAN, will save the hazard and expense of removal. Mr. William SLOANE then informed the Trustees that the Executors had thought it prudent temporarily to remove the medals of gold and silver, the precious stones, gems, and vases, to the Bank of England, in order to ensure their present safety. The Earl of MACCLESFIELD was then placed in the chair. A synopsis of the contents of the Museum was read by Mr. James EMPSON, who had acted as its curator for many years. Mr. EMPSON was appointed to act as Secretary to the Trustees, and a form of Memorial to be addressed to the King, in order to the carrying out of the trusts of the Will, was agreed upon. The Memorial had—eventually—the desired effect. [Sidenote: THE ACT FOR ESTABLISHING THE BRITISH MUSEUM.] It led, in the course of the year 1753, to the passing of an Act of Parliament—26 GEORGE II, chapter 22—which is entitled _An Act for the purchase of the_ Museum or Collection of Sir Hans SLOANE, _and of the_ Harleian Collection of Manuscripts, _and for providing one General Repository for the better reception and more convenient use of the said Collections, and of the_ Cottonian Library, _and of the additions thereto_. The Act recites the tenour of the testamentary dispositions made by Sir Hans SLOANE. It also recites that a provisional assent had been given by his Trustees to the removal of his Museum from the Manor House of Chelsea ‘to any proper place within the Cities of London and Westminster, or the suburbs thereof, if such removal shall be judged most advantageous to the Public.’