22 AUGUST 1868, Page 3

The Princes of most of the Royal families of Europe,

including all the five Powers, have signed an agreement binding them mutually to assist the museums of Europe in procuring "casts and copies of national objects for the promotion of art." The agree- ment is drawn up in the form of a treaty, but the articles are suggestions that each country should establish a Commission to secure copies, that all Commissional should interchange, and that the Princes should help. The idea is attributed to the Prince of Wales, and is a very sound one ; only we would venture to suggest that as all these highly placed gentlemen are subjects, not invested with diplomatic functions and not authorized to bind anybody, they should use terms not quite so strictly.diplomatic,, and publish their proposals in a form a little less suggestive of State papers.