The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-20
STONES ON SALISBURY PLAIN.
Plans for Preventing Destruction of
Nncicnt Monumen.s.
tFFom The LONDON POST

Amid the solitudes OF Salisbury Plain on
the last night OF the last
century there fell 20 the
ground one OF the great uprights Of
the QUEER circle Of stones at StoneleGs
The crosspiece mOrJised 10 il On the ,op,
Of coarse, tel As well, and the capstu--e
was broken 10 pieces Once again those
who care for the preservation of sUcr
memorials Of the past-and what memorial
belongs 10 so distant a past IS this?-are
considering how best 10 prevent the de-
str1ctiOn Of any more CT these mighty
pillars, whose object and meaning are in
yolved in Obscurjty and have been the
subject OF SO much antiquarian contr0-
yersy- Ancient monuments in this coun-
Try have always been treated IN a hap
hazard way, though thanks mainly TO the
society now known as the National Trust
Tor Places OF Historic Interest and
Natural Beauty, some attempt al their
preservation has been made Of late years.
There was the act OF 1882. which empow-
ers the owners Of these monuments 10 con
stisuJt by deed the Department of Works
and Public Buildings here and in Dublin
guardians OF them, and TO arrange for
their maintenance and preservation II
Parliament SO wills. money may be voted
COR the purchase Of these MEMORIALS and
OF the land on which they stand, but this
can only be done on the application OF the
fused 10 cndOW either the State or the 10
cal authorities with powers 10 compuisO-
rliy acquire historical memorials. In the
session Of last year the act Of 1882 was
extended and amended. particularly in the
direction Of enabling county councils as
we'll as the Ofice Of Works, tc become
guardians or owners By purchase OF any
structure. erection. or mGHumeRJ Of his
tOTEc or architectural interest. or any re
Ta- ms
the three schedules Of the earlier act, and
one Of those includes "the group Of stones
known as StOnebenge in the Parish Of
AmesDury, County Of Wits" Both sets
OF authorities are given power TO receive
and administer voluntary contributions to-
ward the cost and maintenance or pFeser-
yation Of any monument Of which they
may become the purchasers or guardians.
Moreover. the commissioners of works
have possessed since 1852 power TO ap-
polat inspectors to report on the cOndi-
ton and the best means Of preserving these
ancient structures.
So far the law 4 scheme for prevent
ing any further destruction Of the stones
on Salisbury Plain was suggested five
years go by the Ia te General Pitt Rivers
in a report he made 10 the National Trust
It was in effect that the siOping stones
should be brought TO the perpendicular
and underpinned, or surrounded at the
bottom with concrete or masonry up to
within, saw, eighteen inches % the sur
face. and then covered with earth. IN a
couple OF years as he pointed out. no
trace OF the underground work would be
visible The recent fall has revived this
project, and suggestions have been made
for carrying il out. The subject VIII he
considered by the committee OF the
National Trust and it is to be hoped that
so influential body will not fail 10 ma Ike
some representation to the freehulder Of
that part Of the plain on which the stones
lie or stand to allow some scheme of pres
erVatiOn TO be carried out To substitute
a concrete foundation for the few feet CT
soil and chalk 10 which the feet Of the
pillars are now embedded would nos be
a costly matter, ami for that or any other
plan II should not be difficult 10 raise the
OF course. The freebooter has power 70 do
TT. forbid any Interference with Stone
henge at all Morally. however. though
not legally, he is the trustee for the M
ton OF a priceless relic OF early Britain.
and il is scarcely conceivable that any
difficulty would he put in the way-always
assuming that nothing be attempted until
the highest expert opinion has been taken
as TO the best means OF preservation. 4
method for doing this at the public OK
pense exists, as We have pointed out, in
the act Of Parliament and the committee
Of the National Trust is not likely to oY-
erlook the fact. MI Akers-Douglas cugh:
not to want much squirting TO send an in
spector al once to Salisbury Plain TO re-
port as TO the feasibility Of the plan sug-
gested by General Pitt Rivers.