TEMPLE OF PHILAE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 7, 8 July 1922, Page 19

TEMPLE OF PHILAE

OFFERED TO NEW YORK CITY

A NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

Tfis new Egyptian Government has (states the Now York Tunes on 30th April) informally promised to make a gift to New York City of a part of the Temple bi Philae, a famous Egyptian .avohitec tiirai monument belonging to Greek and !_____' times, according to George Grey Barnard, tho se_lptor._ Although defeated m his effort to save the Bedford property at 190th-street and Riverside Drive as part of ,a site for this and other temples, and as an approach to tho proposed national memorial, Mr. Barnard began yesterday to seek a now sita for the temples -which have been promised to this city, formally or informally, by Egypt, Persia, France, Italy, China, and Japan. The sale of th&-lots does not disturb tho plans for the erection of a national art memorial on the cliff overlooking the Hudson River, if the. Rockefellers agree to give their property for that purpose, but there is insufficient room for the temples, and if New York City is to have them a new site must be found. The Temple of Philao is ono of the wonders of Egypt, but it; has been partially ruined by the Assuan Dam, and is threatened with disintegration, so that it must b. removed from its present site if it is to survive. Mr. Barnard learned i that the Egyptian Government was eager to make a splendid gift from the Island of Philae to this country virtually at the same time that he discovered that hope of preserving; the. Bedford property as a part of the site was gone. "When the matter was brought to the attention of the' new ■ Egyptian Government,'','said Mr Barnard, "great interest was expressed, and the matter of making a present to this country of a fine part of the Temple of Philae-was favourably considered. The new Government expressed itself as eager to cultiyate the friendship of America, and it appears certain that we may have this temple if wo want it. NEED ENOUGH ROOM FOR EACH.

"With the sale of these lots the remaining property is insufficient for the proposed national memorial and for the temples, too. Tho temples must bo carefully located among trees and with sufficient room to stand out. each by itself or tho place, is a mere museum. On that account it will be necessary to find some other site if we are to hfive these splendid temples." The Temple .of Phila© could not be. moved intact any more than could the Pennsylvania Terminal, but a choice section of it might be taken apart, the stones moved separately and re-erected here. All of the temples, if they come to New York, will come by this process. The Chinese and Japanese templos have been formally offered by those Governments. Professor •Paul Monroe, of Columbia University, who' discussed the subjects with those two Governments, has written to Mr. Barnard as follows:— -

"In China I found all parties interested in the proposition, and these men of influence quite' agreed that there would be not-only -willingness but great interest in having one of the best of their religious buildings presented to America for the purposes of a 1 memorial. They all felt there would be no difficulty in getting official sanction for this and the .'actual gift of tho temple as soon ac we were ready to move. : ' "In fact, two temples were suggested, with the assurance that either. could bo obtained immediately if I had been ready to provide for the transportation. I did not have these facilities, and even if they had been in .hand I doubt whether it would have beeii wise to take'either of the proffered gifts.. One was. a temple inside of tho Emperor's quarter of the Imperial City. This temple I did not: see, because it is in grounds still forbidden to the public, but I was asjured it was a small and very attractive'ono.

PUBLIC WOULD PERMIT REMOVAL

"The otherAne was in the western hills back of. tho green jadp fountain, a porcelain temple connected with the porcelain pagoda. Perhaps the temple or pagoda, or both, might have been secured. They are very; attractive and are not conspicuous or even visible, from the main road; consequentlyithera would have been little ■ objection to their removal^ It. is quite necessary,. 1., think, to_ obtain temples the removal of .^yhioh will not arouse any great publio protest. - "I think our procedure should be to havo the financial expense of the removal guaranteed and tho arrangement made with some shipping company to provide for the removal immediately it has been agreed upon,_ since, offioials .change so rapidly in China that if action is not taken immediately 'it may be necessary to 'go through all negotiations again. "In Japan .my conferences were ..with Dr. Kazu Norisugi, the permanent Secretary of. the Department of Education, who, after an interview with the_ Secretaries of the Departments of Religion and Culture, assured me that they would bo •willing to co-operato in securing, the gift of such a building for such a memorial." . The temple suggested.unofficially by the Persian Government as a gift .. to this country is a thirteenth century mosque. France has intimated willingness, the sculptor said_, that this country, should have a beautiful thirteenth century chapel in stone. A proposed gift from .Italy jg under discussion. .',!; -