The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-29

make a loan 70 the dean and chapter OF
f2S,o00. but the latter had TO pay . heavy
price for this concession. They were com
PEELED TO suspend one Of their six %oanonries,
the income from which. amounting to
Ri 900 and the rent OF the residential house
attached TO that stall, was employed to pay
of.tbe debt, ~. ",
Thus ever since the late Bishop westcott
vacated his stall at Westminster Abbey.
IN the year 1890, 20 succeed his great prede-
cessorl Bishop L~ightfoot, In the see Of Dur
ham. the Abbey has been manned by FIVE
instead or the proper number OF ak oanons,
and such 4 state Of things appears likely to
go on for a good many years to come unless
the unexpected happens.
A great deal was done promptly under
the auspices Of those two famous English
architects. the late Sir Gilbert Scott and
Mr.. Pearson. TO place the fabric In a more
secured position. A large humber Of the
flying huttresses were underpinned, and
more important still, the entire front Of the
famous north transept, one Of the most
prominent features in the entire Abbey,
was most carefully restored. Thus for the
time being the more serious traces Of decay
were stopped, and sin ce that date the work
Of renovation has consistently been main
tanned.
Unfortunately, however, The resources
at the DISPOSAL OF the dean and chapter Of
Westminster throughout the whole Of the
last twenty years or more have been in
sufficient for the purpose. Hard as they
might work. the progress Of the decay has
been more than proportionately rapid.
And now Westminster Abbey would
sem to be once more on the verge Of a
se rious crisis. The gifted SUI rveyor Of the
fabric, w. .Mickelthwaite. has estimated
the amount required to place the Abbey
in a thoroughly secure position, inc,udin g
the task. Of restoring the cloisters. at a sum
not very far short Of fiOO.OOO. Quite re-
Gently q new sou roe Of anxiety, however,
has marie It's appearance, A large frag-
ment Of stone work. rart Of a pedestal in
fact, In the upper part Of the north tran
sept. which supported n Of the many
statues In that part Of the building, fell
the other day.
The reason assigned Ia that there was a
flaw in the stone, but It Ia pointed out that
tho advent Of the motor bus may AVE
been to some extent responsible. A large
number OF these vehicles are constantly
tearing past Westminster Abbey at all
hours Of the day, and 1t is assumed In GER
tain quarters that the vibration thus set
up may have had something to do with
this collapse. 1t might also be added in
this connection that the new engines on
the underground railway, running as they
do at q much higher rate Of speed than their
predecessors, and consequently producing
a greater amount Of vibration, also may
have had something to do with producing
this result.
Thus Westminster Abbey seems TO be
in a bad way, both s%tructurally and finan-
cially. The Eoclesia stical Commissioners
have been appealed to and they have
voted to tho dean and chapter under
oertais conditions q sum Of E5,0oo a year,
sfop,shssnex * Avg years. This will be some
thing Upward saving the situation, but 1t
stands TO reason that a great deal more
than this is required. and 1t Ia m UGH to be
hoped that this may be forthcoming from
BONE quarter. "a -,