When Can We Rob a Grave?
Recent cables from Home, the comments of local correspondents thereon and now a message from Peking voicing the righteous indignation of the Northern Chinese at the continued desecration of the Manchu tombs, impel one to the thought as to just what it is that. separates a low-down thief from an eminent explorer and antiquarian, To put it more tersely, how old must.
tomb be before the forcible opening of it will bring a man a banquet, a few i after name, and, one presumes, not a little' pecuniary profit, as' an ex-Plorer of distinction, instead of a Stiff term of imprisonment, oF worse, as a blackguardly grave-robber. Tut-Ankh-Amen's grave, and those of his queen and a multitude of their retainers have been opened and from them has been taken an amazing collection, not only of the ordinary habiliments of the period, household ornaments, ind other costly utensils, ete., but also gold and silver
things which the press of the world agrees in bulk are beyond. price, In northern China, the Manchu tombs have been despoiled of jade, }gold, silver, and gems of an estimat-worth of $5,000,000, which is not a sum beyond conception: indeed, New York could put forward many Anglo-Saxons of unfathomable origin who could and would very cheerfully pay that much in spot cash for the collection, could they get it. Yet Poking is raising the very mischief, and armed guards have been placed on duty over the remnants of the tombs and their occupants: which is not the case in Egypt. Tut-Ankh-Amen was king, "and seemingly a some! notable potentate. So was Alzred the Great. But supposing someone took a fancy to deck the shelves of his private museum with Alfred's bones, and to deliver lectures regarding them, and made forcible entry to the royal tomb for that pur-pote! Would not the Metropolitan Police and the Westminster Quarter Sessions have something to say on the matter? Or it might be Charlemagne, Peter Henry of other great (ow Jong must a man be buried before Sunday.
Monsoon weather at a considerable crease in fuel consumption; but it will tea convenience to Ue Peat Ofer trid 'Our "passengers who come from Matseilles, and' who will this arrive in London on the Saturday instead of on the Sunday. afternoon.
Lord Incheapé mentioned that, some years ago, the P. & O. had been asked to put money into airships and aeroplanes, but had declined to do so. "They continue to regard their heritage as the sea," he added.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.