1766: 7 George 3 c. 18: Enabling the British Museum to exchange, sell or dispose of, duplicates.

1766: 7 George 3 c. 18: An act to enable the trustees of the British museum to Change, sell, or dispose of, any duplicates of printed books, medals, coins, or other curiosities; and for laying out the money arising by such sale in the purchase of other things that may be wanting in, or proper for, the said museum.

[Preamble.]

Whereas by an Act of Parliament passed in the Twenty-sixth Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King George the Second, intitled, An Act for the Purchase of the Museum, or Collection of Sir Hans Sloane, and of the Harleian Collection of Manuscripts; and for better providing One General Repository for the better Reception, and more convenient Use, of the said Collection, and of the Cottonian Library, and of the Additions thereto; it is, amongst other Things, enacted, that within the Cities of London or Westminster, or the Suburbs thereof, One General Repository should be erected or provided in such convenient Place, and in such Manner, as the Trustees thereby appointed, or the major Part of them, at a General Meeting assembled, should direct, for the Reception not only of the said Museum, or Collection of Sir Hans Sloane, but also of the Cottonian Library, and of the Additions which had been or should be made thereto, by virtue of the last Will and Testament of Arthur Edwards Esquire, in the said Act named, and likewise of the said Harleian Collection of Manuscripts, and of such other Additions to the said Cottonian Library as, with the Approbation of the Trustees by the said Act appointed, or the major Part of them, at a General Meeting assembled, should be made thereunto, in Manner therein-after mentioned; and of such other Collections and Libraries as, with the like Approbation, should be admitted into the said General Repository; and that the said several Collections, Additions, and Library, so received into the said General Repository, should remain and be preserved therein, for publick Use, to all Posterity: And whereas the said Collections have been greatly increased by considerable Donations from his Majesty, and the Gifts of several Noblemen and others; and it is probable that great Additions will hereafter be made thereto: And whereas there are now, and there may hereafter be, in the Various Departments of the British Museum, many Duplicates of printed Books, Medals, Coins, and other Curiosities, which it would be proper to dispose of, in order to make Room for others: May it therefore please Your most Excellent Majesty, that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same,

[Five or more Trustees are empowered to order any Duplicates of printed Books, Medals, Coins, &c. to be exchanged for Manuscripts, &c. or to be sold; and the Money laid out in purchasing such as may be wanting, or proper.]

That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Trustees, and their Successors, or any Five or more of them, at any meeting assembled, and they are hereby authorized and impowered, from Time to Time, and at all Times hereafter, to order any Duplicates of printed Books, Medals, Coins, or other Curiosities, to be exchanged for Manuscripts, Books, Medals, Coins, or other Curiosities; or to direct any such Duplicates of printed Books, Medals, Coins, or other Curiosities, to be sold or disposed of, and the Money to arise by such Sale to be laid out in the Purchase of Manuscripts, Books, Medals, Coins, and other Curiosities, that may be wanting in, or proper for the said Museum; the said herein before recited Act of Parliament, or any other Act, Matter or Thing, to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.

Source: Pickering, Statutes at Large, volume 27.