New-York tribune., 1901-02-17
STONEHENGE.
SCHEMES FOR PREVENTING FURTHER:
DESTRUCTION OF THE PREHISTORIC

DESTRUCTION OF THE PREHISTORIC
MONUMENTS.
From The London Post
amid the solitUdes If Salisbury Plain on the
last night Of the last century tbera fu 80 -
ground one Of the great uprights Of tba o,,+ar
circle of stones at StonehenEe The crossniece
lnoItsed 10 1t on the top. Of course, fell as well
1Hu the capStone was broken TO pieces Once
again those who care for the preservation AZ
such sC memorials of the past-and what memorial
;t.s oItonss 20 SO distant past as this?-are con
sluer4hs now best TO prevent the destruction Of
any more OF these mighty pillars who's, nhiac,
anu meaning are involved in obscurity and hava
peen the subject OF so much antiouariaDs' Gov
troFeTSy Ancient monuments in this country
nave always been treated in a haphazard way
though thanks mainly to the society no5y
hho"n as the National Trust for Places of His
torlc Inherent and Natural BEAUTY some at
tempt at their preservation has been made ~
tate years There was the act of 1SS, which
empowers the owners or these monuments TO
constitute by deed the Department Of Works
and Public buildings here and in Dublin guard
lahs or them. and TO arrange for their main
tenII4ce and preservation. II Parliament So
wills money may be- voted for the pur,.h;,s. ~
these memorials and Of the land on which they
stand, but this can only be done on the aprIi-
cation OF the owner The Legislature has a
ways refused TO end0w either the State or tha
Iettti aut hoTitIes with powers 10 compulsorily
si'fuIir AIStorIcstI memorials In the session Os
last year the act OF lSS. was extended and
amended, particularly in the direction of eu-
abliug County Councils. as well as the Office os
chase OF any structure. erection or IN ntlrrI.rr
OF historic or architectural interest. or any re
mains thereof This definition replaces tha
three schedules OF the earlier act and one ~
those includes the group of stones known IS
Sl"nthense. IN the Parish Of Arnesbury. County
OF W HIS. Both sets Of authorities are given
power 20 receive and administer voluntary con-
tr4uutlons toward the cost and maintenance or
preservation ot auy monument OF which tb.,-
nay 'fne tnr purchasers or guardians More
over. the 'ouinaiSSloners Ut Works have pos
S'SSed SINCE ~ power 20 appoint inspectors
&" report on IN" condition and the bes, means ~
preserving thrsr ancient structures.
:" far the law scheme FOR preventing anv
-, l,L't destruction ot the stones IN Salisbury
tialn was suggested five years ago by the late
General fitt-IiNcrs ia d report ne mad Z, ~,
Ni'l"ndl Trust II VAS IN effect thag th4 slop-
ing stones should l. brought 10 the r rper,eii, n
hr ana upd"rUinr"d OF surrounded at tn, lot
tom with concrete or masonry up to within sav
"iSHteen inches If the surface. and tn.n covered
vut no trace ~ m" underground work would
De- visible Th- recent fail has revived this
project. and suggestions have been made for
cay .u- U out Tn subject will De considered
to-day ty the cor ~itt-,- Of the National Trust
and ~ is . be h'rei that So influential a body
Will rot fail "a make some representation To tho
tF'rho44er of that part OF the plain on whiCn II
inc stones lie or stand T. ALLOW some scheme Of
pr's rtati"1 tu i- carried out To substitute a
c.nrrt Q" fuUuit i"u Tor ne few feet OF soil and
caalk an which the f,rt of the pillars are now
embedded would not he .ostIy matter. and for
that cf any other plan = shO-ld be- difficult
Z" raise the ,vSssry mone-y 10y public subscrip-
tltn- OF course. the freebooter has power 10 do
JUST ~ Eat hc likes lie may. il n thinks III
forbid any interference with Stoneheuge AT all
n h.raily. however though not legally n is the
truSt-" for tho nation OF priceless relic ~
.driF Britain and N is scarcely conceivable
taat any difficulty would be put in the way
always a~>UUlr- that nothing b.. attempted
until tin hI"h,St expert opinion has been taken
AS to th- hest means Of rrSarvat0n. \ method
frr doing this al the public expense exists as
W. have pointed out in the act Of Parliament
ard me cammiifsa of The National Trust is not
iil,tIy to overlook the fact. Mr.. Akers- Douglas
ought not 20 want much squirting To send IN in
spector At once 10 Salisbury Plain 10 report az
To- tn feasibility Of the plan suggested by Gen
cral PItt-itiyers.