ART ON A CRUISER

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1935, Page 7

ART ON A CRUISER

CHINA’S TREASURES FOR LONDON.

VALUED AT MILLIONS OF POUNDS. British Wireless. Rugby, July 25, The cruiser Suffolk reached Portsmouth to-day with a consignment of Chinese art treasures of a value variously estimated at between £2,000,000 and £10,000,000. This is probably the first time a British warship has carried works of art. ~

The Suffolk, which has returned for refit, by special arrangement between the Chinese and British Governments transported exhibits that are being loaned from the Imperial collection of Chinese art to be held at I mdon in the autumn at Burlington House. The exhibition will be on the lines of the Italian and Per? sian exhibitions of recent years. Special precautions have been taken during each stage of the journey and after unloading nearly 100 cases containing more than 1000 items, including ivories, bronzes, sculptures, paintings, carvings, porcelain, jewels and rare books, were taken by road to London on Government lorries under a strong police escort. Museum experts will arrive later from China to supervise the unpacking of the objects, which illustrate 400 years of Chinese art.