The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-01
SAVE ITS BUILDINGS
ENGLAND VIII Preserve Its Histor-
iC Structures.
Commissioner Of Works TO Prevent
the Destruction or Sale Of Relics
Will Thwart the Collectors
Of Ancient Edfices.


which recently closed enacted one law
which meets with universal approval.
1t is called the ancient monuments
act" and the credit for its passage is
due to Lord Beauchamp.
In the future, says the Times, there
is no reason why such building at
Tattershall castle should be despoiled
il the first commissioner of works,
with whom rests the power Of putting
the new law in motion, acts with en-
ergy and promptitude. A simple order
of the commissioners Of works will
make any injury Of such a place an Of
tense; time will then be given for de-
liberation on the future of the build
ing, and its fate will in the last resort
be determined by parliament.
The late Lord Avebury led the way
in bringing the subject to the notice
of parliament, and in 1882 Mr.. Shaw
Lefevre (now Lord Eversley), as first
commissioner Of works in Mr.. Glad
stones government, passed the first
ancient monuments act. 1t extended
only to monolithic and other prehis-
toric remains, and was purely permits
sive in it's character. The owner Of
such a monument might place it in
the guardianship of the commissioner
Of works, and it then became an Of
! Tense on the part of anyone Including
the owner to injure or deface the
monument. In 1900 these provisions
were extended to any 'structure, cree
| ton or monument of historic or archi-
tectural interest" with the exception
] of a structure occupied otherwise
than for caretaking) as dwelling
| house, but the application of the act
! still depended upon the consent Of the
| owners of monuments.
i Lately the specter Of the wealthy
| American prepared to give fabulous
! sums for the power to tear down
| ruin and transport it across the Allan
| tic has been conjured up in order to
| raise the market for ancient monu-
| ments, and a much more serious risk
has arisen in the shape of persons
dealing in valuable fittings and NOV
able details of old buildings. For the
/ purpose of this trade the structure is
| bought, and the artistic work that it
/ contains is torn out and sold for use
| in modern buildings.
1t is obvious, says the Times, that
in relation to such traffic the mere
| scheduling of monuments or any other
arrangement devoid of such machinery
for arresting destruction merely at
| tracts the destroyer. Hence the eX-
| istence of the royal commissions,
which have been at work for the last
five years examining and scheduling
the places of historic interest in Eng
land, Scotland and Wales, and which
have already made valuable reports, is
al additional reason for protective leg
islation. At the same time the COM
| missions form nucleus for an author
| itative advisory body to share with
the commissioners Of works the re-
sponsibility of restrictive action.
These considerations have been in
the minds Of the trainers Of the new
act, which not only amends but con-
solidates the existing law. In the first
place, it authorizes the purchase Of
monuments either by the commission
ers Of works or by the council of any
county or borough, or the common
council of the city Of London, but
such a purchase can be carried out
only by agreement with the owner
The gift or devise of a monument to
the same bodies is also authorized
The alternative machinery Of guard
ianship is then provided, as in the
), existing acts, and the effect of guard
ianship is explained.
By constituting the commissioners
r of works or the local authority guard
ians of his monument the owner does
:, not divert himself of any right OF
property except that of destruction
active or passive; in other words, the
: guardians of the monument may re
S strain the owner from injuring it, anG
e may, concurrently with the owner dc
any work necessary to maintain anC
< protect 1t.
q So far the act follows on previou:
lines, and can only be applied with the
consent of the owner. On this stem
is grated the compulsory machinery
of the act. An ancient monument!
Il board. representative of the three his
q toric monument commissions, the so
Y cieties of antiQuaries Of London ant
:. Scotland. and other artistic bodies, i
I to be constituted by the commission
n ers of works, and on their report tina
any monument is in danger of destruc
D.. ton, removal or damage, and that tn
preparation Of the monument is of ma
tional Importance, the commissioner
Il may make a preservation order, plaC
=, ing the monument under their protec
ton. and while such an order is i
force the monument can not be demo-
ished, removed, added to or altere
without the consent of the commits
SiOnerS.