Teutonic Revenge.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 18, 6 March 1917, Page 2

Teutonic Revenge.

THE DESTRUCTION OP PRICELESS SPECIMENS OP THE ART OP THE ARCHITECT.

One lasting record as a memorial of Teutonic methods and a constant reminder of the savage assault that the Germans has deliberately find systematically made on civilisation is indelibly written on the ruins of the noble cathedrals and public buildings, at Rheims, Louvain, Arras, Amiens, lYpres and many other places in Belgium and in Franco where utterly wanton and unnecessary destruction has been so recklessly wrought. That Germany will in time to come seriously regret this lasting record of her barbarism there can bo no doubt.

That the destruction of these priceless specimens of the art of the architect, the sculptor and the builder was intentional and a demonstration of resentment and revenge is shown by the conditions existing in practically every instance. In Rhemis the city as a whole suffered comparatively little damage, according to the reports of civilians who have visited that city within the last few months; but the destruction which was confined to the magnificent cathedral and its immediate vicinity dearly shows that this was the target of the German gunners, for there were no fortifications nor bodies of troops in the city to make a bombardment necessary. Ypres affords another example of these methods and purposes,! for at the time of the bombardment .that destroyed its famous Cloth Hall the forces of the Allies were five miles in advance of that city. In most cases the shelling of the cities whs continued at intervals long after such practices had been denied at Berlin.

In many cases the destruction of these targets of German spite has been complete, although in some instances much that is of value remains. The walls and towers of the magnificent cathedral at Rheims still stand, although badly scarred, and great quantities of the beautiful carving is defaced. The outer roof is gone, and nothing of the non-struc-tural interior decorations remains. Scores of the statues, each a master piece of art, are ruined, and fully half of the glass is destroyed. What may be the possibilityof restoration remains a question for, future investigation, but in auy case this task must be a question of years, especially in view, of' the impoverished condition of the country. The same, or worse, conditions prevail in many other cases.

Whether the old glories and beauties of these structures can be revived is problematic. When these historic buildings were ' erected— and it was the work of many years, sometimes centuries—it was the custom of these old Continental cities to build their art into their cathedrals and other public buildings, and their decorations were the result of loving efforts by hosts of artists of every kind who dedicated their skill to the public and to ‘the world, and their wanton destruction is an, offence and an injury to every lover of the beautiful, of whatever country. * . To some small extent efforts were made to protect at least a portion of the exposed decorations, but at best it v/as possible to cover but an insignificant portion of the ornamental work. Barriers of sand bags have been thrown up for protective purposes, but it is evident’that these would be efficient only against shrapnel or the smaller sizes of; shells.