The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-11
ENGLAND'S HEROES.
Crowded Condition or Westminister-A Now
Receptacle for Future Burials

Crowded Condition OF Westminister-A New
Receptacle for Future BuriaisL
A proposal has been made. and II is likely to
take practical shape, for providing campo
sanso' Gloss to Wes.minister Abbey for the
eepulcners spd memorials of She great dead in
which case no furthsr internsnts would be per-
miited in the Abbey itself. The reason for this
step being considered advisable is that not
mere shan fifteen 10 twenty buria!s can pos
sio!y take place there for mere want of space
As regards statues, there 10 room for at most
three nore-one In the rerthern transept, an
other near the west door pendant 70 Lord
Shaftesburys, and The third elsewhere. Two
ousts only can now be added it has been
necessary to place Dir. Fors,ers memorial, the
most recently set up, out of the way In the
northern smbulatory. Mr. Fawcstts, in tho
bap;istry, 10 In \ very dark place, and il is inn
possible 10 see the beauties Of the work; while
Matthew Arnold's bust will probably find a not
very prominent position. These Inconsistencies,
IL 10 pointed out. are due to want OF room. AT
the same time 10 is felt that the associations OF
the abbey, as national mauselerm, should be
retained rs far possible Westminster Abbey,
es place of memorial and OF burial Of distin-
gushsd Englishmen. has sxerted q powerful
stimulus upon the national character; and to
many heroes ii was natural TO look forward to
the abbey as their last sesting place. 1t must
be remembered that no country in the werld has
such visible record of its history. There is such
danger that the continuity OF that history will
be broken unless public spirit averts it. for IL
nothing be done the abbey, IN the cid sense
Of burial place Of WORTHLESS and sculpture gal
lery OF the nations heroes, must cease TO exist.
II proposed to revive, In q modi6 ed form, tho
scheme OF the Prince Consort. which involved the
demolition Of Abingdon street. throwing open to
view ths ancient jewel-house at the rear and
making q splendid approach to the House OF
Parliament The precise extent Of ground need
ed is not stated. Probably some all of the
seven or eight houses fronting Poets Corner and
old Palace Yard would have to be &C.
CURED. These properties are in pri.
vate hands, and one Of them ha. re-
Gently changed ownership. On this site
connected il might be with the abbey by q
cloister running from Posts Corner. it is sug
gested should be erected building
be called q Victorian Chapel It's architecture
would be worthy of its surroundings and or it,
purpose. The following points are open to dis
cussion: Whether interments of public men
should IN few special cases be permitted IN
this chapel, or whether these burials
should be wholly discontinued In Lord
Shsftesburys case, public funeral was held,
but the interment was elsewhere, and a msmor-
isl in the abbey has been erected. That prece-
dent might conveniently be followed A second
point 70 be determined is the desirsbiiiy OF re-
moving some OF .he cumbrous and disfguring
monuments in the abbey to the chapel, thus
making room for others in the abbey itself.
The undertaking must, if set on foot, be ma.
tional one. because the dean and chapter have
no funds available. Their property was handed
with q view to provide for the proper main
tenance of tho fabric of the abbey. During ten
years Eco, 900 will have boon spent upon the res
toration of the exterior, which was in dam
eerous condition. Four thousand pounds is
needed annually for this purpoee. The allow
ance TO the dean aud chapter meets this ex-
penditure s3d the cost Of the services; but there
IL no margin. The fees paid TO the dean and
chapter for burials and monuments are
banded to the ecclesiastical commissioners,
and the latter have no power to remit
them. In the case of national memorial the
government nnuls the fee, bat where the cost
Of a mon ument is betrayed by private or public
subscription. the fees must De paid. The money
SO obtained il spent in repairs; and it Is an in
teresting fact that the outside of the abbey had
not be-n touched since the time Of Sir Christie
pbsr Wren.
1t ia understood that the dean aud chapter
favor the new scheme heartily, although it
would entail upon them losses aud drawbacks.
They support the proposal upon public grounds.
When established, the control of the Victorian
Chapel may be vested either in the representa-
tIves OF Parliament the existing author
tiles. An appeal is shortly TO be made to public
spirit aud TO patriotism in this matter. tits
necessary that something Should be done. and
done soon, for the plain and simple reason that,
both as regards graves and statues, the abbey 10
already oysr-crOwded.