The Express.
London, England, 1855-09-20 00:00:00

THE WELLINGTON MEMORIAL AND TUB

SCULPTORS.

In consequence of the remarks made in the Ex.
press of the 10th inst., respecting the very unsatisfactory
mode in which government is dealing with the competitors
for the Wellington Memorial, it has been publicly stated
that " the sculptors were warned that government was not
pledged to accept any of the models, and in order that It
might reject them if necessary, it proposed to pay for them,"
and that, " In fact the Board of Works invited the tote
eminent sculptors named to Pend in models at
a axed price," three hundred pounds being the fired sour
according to the report. Nothing can be more at variance
with fact than this statement, no warning of the kind
meutioned or offer of payment for the models being es•
pursed in the instructions respecting the competition Meld
to the four sculptors by Sir William Moleswerth, on the
22nd of November, 1854. It may be u well here to state,
that some time after the models were submitted in compel'.
tioo, the two competitors, hl . Baily and Foley, received
a communication from Sir William Molesworth, is whim
tkey were requested to answer certain queries, prior tea
final decision being come to upon the subject. The asset
height of the monument, the particular kind of marble the
letter was to be composed of, and whether the
expense incurred in transporting the monument from
the studio sod fixing it in the Cathedral. would be included
in the payment of 5,0001, the sum voted by parliament for
the work—were the leading questions put to the compd.
tors by Sir W. Molseworth on this occasion; still the ml.
nister wade no mention of any remuneration for the models,
nor did he give any warning as to the government not
being, according to custom, pledged to accept the best
model.

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Judging from the very businesslike tone of the comatunin
cation, the competitors very naturally supposed that 84
William was filfilliog his duty of inspecting the models
with a view of selecting the one for execution. After
waiting two months the competitors were informed by
Sir W. blolesworth (not Sir B. Hall, as by mistake we
stated in our last notice of this untoward affair) that it was
his " painful duty" to acquaint them that he could not re-
commend the execution of either of their models to her
Majesty's government. No reasons whatever were Tonb.
sated to the sculptors for the unqualified rejection of thek
carefully prepared designs, and the communication m-
ended with • request that the competitors would forwards&
estimate of the expenses they had incurred in prepuinff
their models, and that Sir William Holeswords
would feel much pleasure in submitting any ma.
'onside sum to the consideration of the Loral
of the Treasury. Then came the startling intelligence
that Mr. Marocketti who, although invited to take part it
the competition, thought proper to decline the invitation,
had been commissioned to execute the monument. Aid
here this most questionable proceeding rests,we imagine, Poe
the present, for we cannot suppose that Sir W. Molesworta
who has had time to reflect upon the transaction, will pin-
need to the realisation of a project so calculated to meet
with public condemnation.
We sincerely trust that advantage will be taken of
the Fume to reconsider the whole subject, and first the
paltry sum allotted for the monument itself.