202 
NATURE NOTES 
The Spoliation of British Scenery. — Mr. E. G. Aldridge, 
F.G.S., F.R.Met. Soc., writes to us with regard to what he 
terms the “ spoliation ” of British scenery. We think he means 
rather its destruction ; but in so far as our scenery may be said 
to be a national property we may perhaps be said to be 
despoiled by its destruction ; and, waiving all discussion of 
words, we heartily agree in Mr. Aldridge's protest. He writes 
as follows : — 
“ The spoliation of British scenery has now come to such a pass that I wish to 
direct special attention to it. 1 write not of railways, nor of the spread of towns, 
but of the two great evils of Poles and Iron. By ‘poles’ I mean poles tele- 
graphic, telephonic and electric. If any reader of these lines should happen to 
be at Cheltenham, let him take a short journey to Cleeve Hill, and he will at 
once perceive the evil to which I would call attention. This lofty eminence 
commands a fine prospect over Gloucestershire and Worcestershire ; but the fore- 
ground of the view is a confused assemblage of poles, hideous and abhorrent. 
There are telegraph poles, electric-tramway poles, and telephone-poles, the last 
often appearing to lead to Nowhere-in-Particular, and to be seemingly unnecessary. 
A somewhat similar spoliation is observable between Portrush and the Giants’ 
Causeway. 
“ Poles everywhere are more or less abominable. On a woodland road they 
may be partly concealed by foliage ; but amidst the barrenness and nakedness of 
a mountain-pass, or when they appear against the sky, few things can be more 
objectionable. It sometimes happens that on a serpentine road, the poles border- 
ing on one curve are brought into apparent close connexion with those on a farther 
and contrary-wending curve, and then we have an ugly representation of the 
‘ forest of masts ’ in a w'ell-frequented harbour. Sometimes, as in Glen Farg, 
some miles from Perth, the Government and the railway poles combine somewhat 
in this manner : enjoyment is out of the question. 
“ It is impossible to say where one can go to be free from these annoyances. 
This summer I have been much distressed by them in such out-of-the-world 
places as Connemara and the island of Achill, indeed more so there than in some 
districts possessing a much greater population. The wonderful Pass of Kylemore 
is marred by them, and so is the road from Achill Sound to Dugort. In Scotland 
one of the most distressing instances occurs on Deeside, between Balmoral and 
Ballater, for here we have poles on both sides of the highway. The Government, 
which should be the watchful father of the people, conserving not only their 
liberties, but their very holiday and health resorts, is of course the greatest 
offender in this matter, except, perhaps, the railway-companies. But what is so 
surprising to me is the apathy of the general public themselves : they seem even 
to applaud, or at least to approve. I would suggest that some persons of rank 
and influence take the matter up, with the view of getting the wires laid under- 
ground ; or could not a suitable pipe be invented which would run along the 
hedgerows, dipping under the soil for a few yards whenever a gate was arrived 
at ? The present method is, I suppose, the ‘ cheap and nasty ’ one, but if per- 
sisted in, it is very clear that it ought not to be in vogue amidst the beauty-spots 
of the country. It would be an immense boon if the poles were made to terminate 
temporarily at the commencement of any stretch of exceptional scenic importance 
(the Pass of Kylemore, for instance), to be resumed farther on, where the scenery 
descends to about the average point of picturesqueness. 
“ The other evil is Iron — galvanised iron. Formetly our farmsteads were 
pictures of rustic beauty. Now they resemble ginger-beer factories or engine- 
fitting sheds. A great deal may be done to minimise the bad effect by applying 
red wash or paint, or even tar, but the farmers will not go to the necessary 
expense. I would suggest that everyone who is acquainted with an offending 
farmer or other guilty person, should employ persuasion and convincing argu- 
ment in order to bring about a better state of things in the now scenically ruined 
villages and hamlets of Britain. Some day, when we are really a civilised people, 
there will be laws about this.” 
