Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-23
CANBERRA.
Capital, Like Washington, Planned
in Fields and Woods.
From the Boston Transcript.

From the Boston Transcript.
Americans will take a keen interest in
the construction of the federal capital
city Of the commonwealth oe Australia
because, like the federal capital city of
the United States. it was completely plan
ned before the foundation stone of the
first permanent building was laid. and
also because the architect whose designs
have been accepted, Walter Burley
Griffin, Is an American. The choice OF
the Canberra district of New South Wales
as the site of the city was made by the
commonwealth government in 1910, and
the invitation to architects embodying
the conditions Of competition was issued
April. 60 1911. To give an idea Of the
magnitude of the task it may be stated
that the requirements for the considera-.
ton OF the designers included the alloca-
ton of appropriate areas embracing sites
not only for the house Of parliament.
residence of the governor general and
the usual ministerial and administrative
Offices, but places OF public worship, mint.
national art gallery and library. state
house. printing office. government fac
tories, university, technical college. city
hall, general post Office, museum, central
railway station, railway marshaling
yards. military barracks, criminal and
police courts, Jail, hospital. national thea
ter, central power station, gas works.
1t was great work to design this model
city, and Mr.. Griffin may well be con-
graduated on his success in winning the
opportunity to give Washington, d. c., q
worthy sister in Canberra, n. S. W.
Why the Australian government should
have decided to build the capital of the
country in the southeast corner is not
quite clear, but the site Is certainly one
that seems to invite "city beautiful"
The lay of the land, combining easy gra-
dents with prominent hills of moderate
height, will lend itself easily to the pro-
ductton Of fine architectural and land
scape effects Canberra Is just east of the
Wagga Wagga district and about forty
miles from the town of Yass. on the main
line of the railroad between Sydney and
Melbourne, and 1t Is about $50 miles from
Jervis bay, with which it is to be con-
nected by new railroad The temporary
Australian Military School is the only
building yet on the site, excepting few
farmhouses, but now that the governor
general has laid the foundation stone the
architectural development of the COM
monwealth's permanent seat of govern
ment may be expected 10 progress rapid
ly. To a certain extent Australia imi-
tates Canada in selecting capital Can
ada did not have to build Ottawa from
the ground up. but Ii converted the old
"Bytown,'' lumber station and shipping
point into seat of government. Queen
Victoria made choice OF Ottawa in the
capacity of grand arbitrator. after Mon
treai, Quebec. Toronto and Kingston had
quarreled for the distinction of being the
capital until any three of them We're
ready to unite against the fourth. OF
tawa is now beautiful city of 10000 in
habitants, despite the fact that il re-
mains simply the political capital. So
does Washington, for that matter. a still
more beautiful city. with population APP
proximating 10000. 1t seems to be the
rule for harmony in nations essentially
feders tions that compromise between Sec
tons shall dictate the choice ofAa new
site for their capitals.