Various matters have conspired to delay progress in connexion with the war memorial scheme, but we understand that preliminaries have now been practically settled and that it is hoped to begin the actual work of construction in the near future. The question of the site, in particular, occupied the attention of the committee for some considerable time before a decision was eventually arrived at in conjunction with the Municipal Council and the French Municipal Council, The position originally chosen by the two Councils—on the Bund at the end of Avenue Edward VII—was held by the architects to be open to grave objection, it was suggested that the Committee should consider placing the memorial at some point on the Bund lawns, er in the Public Gardens. It was strongly desired by the French authorities, however, that the site originally selected' by the two Councils should be retained, and ultimately a decision satisfactory to all parties was arrived at, the French Council, generously agreeing to meet the Committee and the Architects in every possible way in the matter of making the site suitable to the memorial.
A scheme for improving the Bund line at the point where the memorial will stand was drawn up and approved, receiving also the sanction of the Conservancy Board. It will enable the architects to give the memorial a much more effective setting, in conjunction with other alterations which are to be made on the Bund in the immediate vicinity. Details in this connexion are now under consideration by the Works' Departments of the two Councils, and it is hoped that the preliminary bunding work will shortly be put in hand. This work must of course be completed before the foundations proper for the memorial can be laid.
Rouen Ipza or Cost.
Estimates have not yet been pussed, but it appears probable, so far as can be seen, that the expenditure should be approximately as follows:
Sculptor's fee for model Casting in bronze 3,000 Granite structure, work above pavement level Ts. 28,000 Foundation work 13,000
The tender for the bronze work recommended for acceptance was submitted by Messrs. Singer Sons, of Frame. Contracts will be entered into immediately the new banding work is put in hand, but some time must of course elapse before the actual work of erecting the memorial can begin. ter for alarm. Why allow these incomparable relics to slip away to other lands without reserving one grand collection for Shanghai?'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.