Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-12-17
ESTIMATE
VALUE OF PUBLIC
MONUMENTS
CatalOguing National Treas
ures; Chateau at Versailles
Listed at $l44, 900, 900; No
More Battleship Launchings
Especial CorrsspOnasucs 20 the Hsrsldi

L
Paris. Dee. II. go protitihg by the
lesson taught In the mysterious thett
of the famous painting, La JOcOnde,
from tho Louvre art museum the me
arts officials have determined to take
no chances with the great historic
French monuments. They do not OK
uCtly fear that any one VIII carry on
the monuments, hut u mas bech
thought advisable to TAXA an lnVen-
tory at them along with other French
treasures, and tu list all with the APP
pruXimutc values In II permanent 'Cht-
aluguC.
II has been found dilhcult 10 make
financial estimate Of buildings IKE
he great Chateau AT Versailles nut
the appraisers have finally cut II down
at $ltI.OUO. 900. This Includes the
TTianun Palace nearby.
The famous column In the Place
NrndUmc, which has been admired by
~ many Americans, ls appraised at
SsOO,UUO The Arch ui Triumph IN
the Place dc rEtollc ls held TO he
worth XI.U0O,OOO. The Egyptian ohc-
lSk IN The Place dc IL COnCurde In cS-
timHlcd at $27,O9O and the Louvre IT.
SELF at s56.2OO,OOO,
10 the regret Of many who enjoyed
the spectacular sight, NJ, Declaahc,
Inlnltrr of marine. hus dcCreed that
IN the future French wurshlps snail
not he launched ~ tn" nld-iHshiOned
way With Il plunge into the waters
they viii h" built IN dry docks and
there await the waters that VIII hoHt
them out.
This decision ~ du" To the mishnp
which attended the launching Of the
, Dnntun IN 1910. Tn" hattlcShip re-
fused Ia muN" down the ways though
| the most powerful screw lacks were
! used. II was necessary To delay TIA"
ceremony for tWu months. when the
| spring tide cam" To the help of the
builders
NJ Dcclussr has ordered the con
| struCtiOn at two huge dry docks, one
~ Brrst aud the other ut FOricntc,
| capable at accommodating vessels of
the drcudnOught type The idea n
not altogether new, Hs the Japanese
have constructed ships In dry dock.
Speculation In Belgian hvs-frnnc
pieces which are current In France,
has become NO lively that the Bank Of
Belgium has mentioned the matter In
its official reports, and French fnan-
Cinl newspapers have offered suEgcs-
tiUnB for resisting the practice.
HeCause OF Belglum's unfavOrBble
trade balance, that iH because ahe
imports more than she exports, rates
of exchange are against her In the
money market The long continue =
ton Of such IA discrimination hus led
professional money changers to buy
uheCkH on Belgian banks or Belgian
bank notes In Paris and TO collect OF
| change them through agents In Bel
! GUM into such Belgian coins as are
! current In France, particularly Ave-
frHc pieces, which are shipped back
"a Paris. -.
The rate of prOht In never high, but
capital employed In such an under
taking can be turned 80 quickly be-
/ GA uHe of the shortneBs Of the distance
| between the two capitals that within
n year an exceedingly large income
may he had on fupdH thus employed,
The result ID that the Belgian gov.
eminent simply coins hve-fIGG pieces
for the prOht OF French tnonoy
! changers and for the uses Os FrenCh
circulation. The advantages OF hav-
Ing Its coins current In France are ~
great that Belgium cannot AFFORD "a
sacrifice that convenience In order 10
| destroy the money changers.
In 1911 the Bank OF Belgium was
obliged to obtain and bring back into
the country i2S.O00,0OO frangs from
France In order TO restore her cir
oulation, a proceBs which cost the
bank about 100000 franco. French
bankers resent the necessity for Buch
Ia drain as much as do the Balgians
since much OF II comes out OF the
Bank OF France.