Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-05-07
BRITISH MUSEUM IS
FASCINATING PLACE
THINGS DO NOT HAVE TO BE
STALE AND OUT OF DATE TO
BE GIVEN A PLACE IN THIS
COLLECTION.
ARTICLE XXI.


London, Eng, April II, 1920.
suppose that after pronouncing
the Tower of London an awful bore
il will be hard for me to declare the
British Museum fascinating and at
the same time retain any reputation
for consistency. But I am going to
take the risk. l admit that most mu-
seums are anything but entertaining.
The British museum is an exception.
Things do not have to be stale and
out of date before they are given a
place in the collection. We were very
much interested in a case of medals
struck during the recent war. The
most famous, perhaps. was the Ger
man medal in honor of the sinking Of
the Lusitania, showing Death selling
tickets through the Cunard lines
window on one side, and the sinking
Of the ship on the other. The issuing
of this medal caused great indigna-
ton in England. One large London
department store sold fac-similes Of
the medal as reminders of German
cruelty. Much ON the same order
was a medal in honor of the supposed
success of the German submarine
campaign. with Won Tirpitz's head on
one side and an edifying representa-
tion of the rats leaving allied ships
on the other.
The most touching document
in the. whole building is the
original of Capt. scouts dYEry. Scorr'
at the head Of British expedition,
reached the South Pole shortly after
the Norwegian explorer. Amundson.
On the return trip provisions gave
out, and Scott. with his little party,
perished. Their bodies and records
were later recovered. The entry be-
fore the last contains the words: "It
is great pity, but l can write no
more" The last reads: For Gods
sake, look after our people" The
writing is strong, though SCOTS
hand was evidently shaking. His
country has good reason to be proud
OF such men.
As never happen to have had any
correspondence with a queen. l was
interested in some letters of Queen
Elizabeth. At first felt some deli
cacy about reading lady's CORE
spondence. But it was all right. She
wrote such a bad hand that
couldn't even tell what it was about
Almost all the great English authors
autographs were nearby. including
letter of Charles Dickens. written the
day before his death, making an ap
pointment which he did not live te
keep.
George Washington is apparentl!
considered something Of a celebrity
over here. which. after all, is not sur
prising. He was represented by
letter declaring that America desired
to live in peace and amity with al
the world. trading with all who de
sire her goods, but that 1t is contrar!
to her policy to become involved IL
European squabbles. This, of course
is restatement of the policy lai'
down in his Farewell Address.
What really took our fancy was
map of the world made about 1900
in which Africa and South Americ
were separated by narrow strait
and South America was filed wit
gay parrots the size of Brazil.
must have been interesting, sailin
away to the west with the prospec
of seeing such creatures. OF slight
ly later period are some instruction
for a voyage of discovery to Americs
which may prove valuable to some c
my friends on their summer camI
ing trips:
HLett Bavin carry with him goo
store of parchment, paper ryal
quills. and inck. black powder. t
make yncke. and of all sorts of co
ours to drawe all thinges to lif'
gum. pensyll. a stone to grinde co
ours. Also lette him carr
with him your sea instruments,
fate watche clock. which doth
shewe and devide the howers by IN
minutes, and such one as WI
runne "a howers or 40 howers VIII
out any winding up"
am merely playing around u
edges of the great store Of treasure