2*4 ANCIENT MONUMENTS 



Belgium. The State refers all matters concerning the restoration and preservation 

 of monuments (i.e. religious or secular buildings possessing a special value from an archi- 

 tectural or artistic point of view) either to the Department of Bridges and Highways 

 (a branch of the Ministry of Agricultural and Public Works) or to private architects, or 

 to the Department and private architects in association. The expenses incurred in 

 connection with cathedral churches, episcopal residences and diocesan seminaries, are 

 included in the annual budget of the provincial councils. Recommendations by 

 parochial councils which would result in altering the Style or character of monuments 

 must be submitted for the approval of the permanent committee of the provincial 

 council and the sanction of the Sovereign. The Royal Commission for Monuments 

 (founded in 1835) superintends the preservation of monuments and examines plans for 

 their restoration. Each province and each commune can make appropriations for the 

 restoration of monuments, and the Department of Fine Arts disposes annually of a sum 

 of 5,000 for the restoration of secular and 8,000 for the restoration of religious build- 

 ings classified as monuments. Works of art in churches may not be removed without 

 the sanction of the Crown or the public authorities designated for the purpose; and a 

 communal law of 1836, laying down special regulations with regard to architectural 

 monuments, has been extended with a view to preventing the alienation of any works 

 of art belonging not only to the communes, but also to vestries and other public institu- 

 tions, without the sanction of the Government. 



Denmark. The protection of antiquities and monuments of the prehistoric period 

 is under the supervision of the First Division of the Danish National Museum, which 

 receives for this purpose an annual grant from the budget. Full compensation is paid 

 for treasure trove, and the Museum considers that further legislation would be detri- 

 mental to the excellent relations subsisting between itself and the rural population. 

 National monuments of a secular character, such as old castles and ruins, etc., of historic 

 interest, are not protected by special laws nor has the State any right of supervision. 

 But ecclesiastical buildings are subject to a law of February 19, 1861 enacting " that 

 every church shall be maintained, both as regards interior and exterior, in a manner 

 corresponding to its original style and that restorations shall be carried out in that style." 

 Further, by the same law, cathedrals and other important churches are placed under the 

 supervision of a special council, consisting of two architects and an archaeologist > and 

 the duty of an annual inspection is imposed on the dean and two master craftsmen. 

 All important questions of repairs and alterations, including the treatment of frescoes, 

 are referred to the inspectors of royal buildings and to the authorities of the National 

 Museum. 



France. A bill was at the end of 1912 before the Council of Ministers amending the 

 existing legislation. Some discontent is expressed with the present system, owing to 

 the fact that local authorities have been known to allow interesting buildings to fall 

 into disrepair in the hope that the State may be induced to take them over as " monu- 

 ments historiques " and thus save the locality the cost of their upkeep and repair. 



Netherlands. There are no laws on this subject in the Netherlands, but the Com- 

 munal authorities have been requested to notify the Ministry of the Interior in due time 

 of any proposed demolition, reconstruction or restoration of ancient monuments, town- 

 halls, churches, towers, castles, gates, interesting facades, etc., in order that it may be 

 possible to reproduce them or take their dimensions. 



Russia. The number of buildings now standing, erected before 1650, which are 

 neither churches, monasteries nor fortifications, is insignificant. Legally, the care of 

 the historical buildings is entrusted to the Academy of Fine Arts, a dependency of the 

 Ministry of the Court, but as practically speaking all the ancient monuments are in 

 the hands of the Ministries either of the Interior, War or Holy Synod, the control of the 

 academy is nominal. Of recent years there has been a great revival of interest, and a 

 society has been founded on the lines of the English Society for the Protection of 

 Ancient Buildings, but immensely more wealthy and influential; a bill was before a 

 Committee in the Duma at the end of 1912, proposing that a Commission controlling 



