New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-09

in ground constituting either Government, Crown or
public property is bound hereby to Immediately ,,
notify the Government thereof all antiques thus dis
covered being regarded as the sole property Oh inc
Government 1t is left the discretion of tho latter
enrey OF oni no te the Council Of Ministers Any
failure on the part Of the finder TO noty ' aS 20 e
bezzlement and theft, and punishable as such WIN
penal servude. l., .,
constituting private property, the finder is bound
under the penalties described In the preceding
within three days thereof In such cases the Govern
ment is regarded owning one-haH OF the anuques
brought to Hight, the other half becoming inc property
Cb If the latter is anxious to sell his half OF the
find he is bound to give the Government ne 0p,%a
declines the OFFER in writing, that the hinder Is a.
liberty to dispose Of his half but only TO phseSsSg in
question: nor the finder, allowed TO export any
portion Of the find, unless provided with written
and sealed permit by the Government -, =. -
Sec Any antique, no matter to whom lo IL may
belong, which is exported without beng
the Interior becomes, from the moment u P asSsus
beyond the Greek frontier and pse faco the exclusive
property Of the Hellenic Government
1t may safely be asserted that not even 10 per
cent of the shipments of antiques whch nave
left Greek ports within the past eighteen wears
have been provided with the necessary olncihi
permit. That being the case Their retenu a. ny
their present DossessOrS constitutes an nieeal
act since they the property of the Helene
Government which is legally entitled to demana
For when it can be proved that the vendor was
not entitled to the legal possession OF the goods
sold. the rights of the purchaser to the ownership
thereof become annulled, and those OF the most
recent legal proprietor alone remain: Inc law
on this subject is exceedingly explicit IN Great
Britain, France Germany and Austria, and there
can be no opposition thereto wherever the Greek
Government chooses to demand its enforcement
The popular demand for the stringent appnca-
ton of this law concerning the export OF antiques
has led to the very strictest kind OF watch pelhg
established by the revenue officers III the portS
of the Piraeus, Naupia, Corinth, etc. In fact all
travellers leaving the country are submitted 10
a most Objectionable personal search on the part
of the authorities, with view of preventing any
antiques being smuggled out of the country. NO
person or object is allowed TO leave Greece with
out undergoing the closest kind of examination.
This, however, has led to the Greek Government
being placed in most amusing quandary. One
Of the principal articles Of export from Greek
ports is forged antiques which It IS Asserted
are mostly shipped to the United States Since
the present strict watch has been established on
all outgoing freight, the Government can no longer
pretend to ignore the trade by officially sane
tioning it, King George and his Ministers become
parties to the swnde, while if it IS prohibited a
death-blow will be struck at one OF the most
profitable branches of Greek industry and com
mcrcp.