THE VICTORIA MEMORIAL.

THE SCULPTOR'S ACCOUNT OF HIS HANDIWORK. THE Memorial to Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham Palace, unveiled last month by King George in the presence of the Kaiser, cost £100,000 and took nine years to construct. The sculptor, Sir Thomas Brock, R.A., had already executed statues of Queen Victoria for London, Worcester, Birmingham, Carlisle, Hove, and Belfast, also at Lucknow, Cawnpore, Agra, Cape Town, and Brisbane, besides busts at Oxford and Liverpool. He never seems to have tired of modelling Queen Victoria. In the Pall Mall Magazine he explains how he conceived the National Memorial and how he realised his conception :

HOW THE SCULPTOR'S IDEAS EXPANDED.

"I conceived the idea of making a great base, placing upon it figures symbolising Peace and Progress, Courage and Patriotism, Labour, and other attributes of the British people, on which the Throne has from early times been built up and still rests; then to surround the whole with fountain basins, with water flowing down cascades into them, as an allegory of the sea which encompasses our island; in addition to decorate the retaining walls of the fountains with subjects representing the sea power of the nation. I subsequently carried out the same idea in the prows at the corners of the base of the pedestal, and the decorations of the standard lamps. At the bases of the latter are dolphins and seaweed, whilst higher up are branches of the oak tree, with a ship at the top of each lamp.

"My ideas naturally expanded. The four winged lions, shown in the sketch model, were subsequently changed to four standing lions, representing Power,' each being

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supported by a figure; the two on either side of the front steps being a woman holding aloft an olive branch of Peace,' and a man with a torch signifying Progress,' whilst those at the back represent Agriculture' and 'Manufacture-the former a woman with a sheaf of wheat and sickle and the latter a smith with a leathern apron, resting on his sledge hammer. I first intended to decorate the outer side of the retaining walls with friezes in low relief of representations of the Navy and Army in a series of more or less realistic designs, but I found the space too limited. I decided on a purely allegorical theme, with figures of Tritons, sea nymphs, and dolphins, as being a more appropriate representation of the maritime power of the Empire. Over the arches of the fountains are reclining figures in bronze; those on the south side, a woman with a ship and a man with a helmet, representing the Navy and Army, typify Courage,' and those on the north side, a man with a dynamo, 'Science,' and a woman with a palette, 'Art,' together represent 'Intelligence.'

THE SYMBOLICAL SUBJECTS.

"Two broad flights of steps lead up to a wide circular plateau, on which the great central feature is placed. My conception has been to produce the great Queen seated on a throne in front of a massive and lofty pedestal, surrounded by symbolisms of those virtues for which she was so renowned. On either side of the pedestal are groups representing Truth' and 'Justice,' whilst at the back is another group symbolising 'Motherhood,' a woman caressing three children. Truth,' a winged figure, holds a mirror, whilst at her feet on one side is seated a woman searching archives, and on the other a boy holding a sheaf of palms, whilst the escutcheon on the pedestal at the back is engraved with three lamps. 'Justice,' also a winged figure, clasping a sword with one hand, is in the act of raising a crouching nude woman with the other; a boy holds a pair of scales. The same symbol of Justice is also portrayed on the escutcheon above. Over the enriched cornice of the pedestal are two eagles with outspread wings, which ever since the time

of the Romans have been symbols of Empire.' Above them, on a superbase, I have placed two seated figures-on the right being Courage,' and on the left Constancy,' whilst above these again, and surmounting the whole monument, is a winged figure of Victory,' standing upon an orb; she points heavenwards with her right hand and holds a palm in the other."

The first sketch-model was designed by Sir Thomas Brock in three weeks, and as soon as the scheme was approved he at once proceeded to make a working-model to a scale of onetenth the size of the actual monument. This was carefully modelled in clay, and by the month of June, 1902, a plaster cast of it was ready to be submitted to the late King for his gracious approval.

The sculptor first produces his design in clay. A mould is then taken of it in plaster, and by pouring liquid plaster into the mould a cast of the figure is obtained. A block of marble is next placed beside the plaster cast, and by means of an instrument called a "pointer" numerous small holes are drilled into the marble, indicating the depth to which the marble has to be roughly cut. Afterwards the sculptor finishes the figure with his chisel.

THE STATUE OF THE QUEEN.

As

The colossal statue of the Queen, on account of its size, had to be composed of several blocks of marble, but they have been so cleverly put together that the joints can scarcely be seen. already stated, the plaster model was made to a scale of half the size for the convenience of modelling. "This necessitated," said Sir Thomas, "the employment of a certain number of Italian workmen, for in making the measurements of the marble double the size of the plaster model a special system of pointing had to be resorted to. This is known as compass-pointing,' a very delicate operation, requiring the greatest exactitude."

The principal statue-namely, that of the Queen-is as seated 13ft. high. It has been produced to the scale of 18ft. 6in.-that is to say, the figure, if standing upright, would be this height. The other figures are smaller. The memorial occupies a circular space measuring 200ft. in diameter, and its extreme height is 82ft. More than two thousand tons of the finest and most durable Sicilian marble, brought from Carrara for the figures and architectural features, have been incorporated in the monument, some of the largest blocks of marble weighing at least twenty-five tons apiece. Upwards of eight hundred tons of granite were employed in the structure of the two flights of steps and the paving of the circular plateau. In addition, when all the bronze figures are completed, some seventy tons of this metal will have been used.

The water is supplied by shallow wells in the gravel at the end of the lake in St. James's Park, augmented from the lake itself, the quantity required being 108,000 gallons per hour. This is provided by engines specially erected at the pumping station in the park, and after the water has passed over the cascades into the basins it flows into the west end of the lake.

THE STRUGGLE FOR WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE. MRS. HENRY FAWCETT, writing in the Englishwoman for June, says :

The overwhelming strength of the Women's Suffrage question is demonstrated by the following analysis of the division of last month. When the pairs are added to those who voted, and an addition is also made of six members (all in favour of the Bill) who desired pairs but could not obtain them, the respective weight of the Suffragists and Anti-suffragists is as follows:174 Liberals for Women's Suffrage to 48 Liberals

79 Conservatives

31 Nationalists

32 Labour Men

against.

86 Conservatives,, 9 Nationalists o Labour Men

The question is how long will Parliament go on giving enormous and ever-increasing majorities in favour of the principle of Women's Suffrage without going on to embody it in practical legislation?

A MESSAGE TO OUR DOMINIONS: "WE DO NOT DESPAIR OF OURSELVES." THE contrast between the opinions prevailing in different layers of English society often asserts itself. A striking instance occurs in the World's Work for June. At the present time the working classes of the United Kingdom are exuberant with the joy of the thought that at last they are coming to their kingdom. Old-Age Pensions actual, national insurance promised, and a host of other reforms near at hand to abolish poverty and reduce sickness all make them feel that the national life is on the eve of enormous advance. But here is the Editor of the World's Work, representing perhaps middle-class opinion, assuming in his message of England to the Empire His message is an almost painfully apologetic tone. "that we do not despair of ourselves." He says :— Upon our backs we have the German navy, the problem of poverty, and the rivalry of foreign traders gifted with a dynamic energy that we do not possess and have never possessed at any moment in our famous history. To cheer us we have the knowledge that our people are, individually, the best in the world, whenever they are properly bred, properly educated, properly fed, set properly to work and fairly pitted against the naked force of facts.

We must ask them to believe that from these troubled islands we still send out the rulers of a large fraction of mankind, that we possess the most able and upright judiciary, the most incorruptible civil service, the most devoted sailors, and soldiers and clergymen, the most self-sacrificing district administrators, the most industrious workmen, and even the most successful business men, that there have been at any time in our history.

The editor would tell our Colonial cousins of the waste of human excellence which is going on in our midst :

Many thousands of boys are growing up with excellent intelligence; courage, vigour, strength of body, and cleanliness of mind, and a priceless habit of duty and discipline, with no prospect before them except the problem of what in the world to do for their livelihood.

IF THE ENGLISH LEFT INDIA.

IN a charming story of a Sikh of the Sikhs in the June Cornhill, Major G. F. MacMunn incidentally mentions what this Sikh officer said to him :

"Pah, Bengal!" quoth he; "if the English leave the country, we would see to it that there be neither a merchant nor a virgin left in Bengal in a month." From which saying, again, I saw why India needs the English, chatter the B.A.'s never so wisely. The good English must keep the peace for the millions who cannot keep it for themselves.

The opinion of two Afghan brothers was also taken. One said :-

"Ho! ho! Sahib," laughed he.

"What should we do, eh?

I will tell you. Afzul here, and young Wali Dad, who is with his regiment, we should raise fifty of our own and our fathers' retainers, Alizais and Gandapurs, and we should ride straight for Bikaneer." "Ah," said I in my ignorance, "why for Bikaneer?" "Because," said my friend the benevolent magistrate, "in Bikaneer city all the rich Hindu merchants keep their treasure." Yes, indeed," said the cavalry brother, "and the Hindu banniah women are the finest in India." And once again I saw clear that a country of conflicting races and religions needs a rule that has at its back the drawn sword and the galloper gun.

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TWO CITY

CENTENARIES.

THE ROYAL MINT AND LLOYD'S.

MR. HENRY LEACH, in his article entitled "The Heart of Things" in Chambers's Journal, mentions two City centenaries which occur this year-the Royal Mint and Lloyd's.

FLUCTUATIONS IN THE COINAGE.

In 1806 it was decided to remove the manufacture of coins from the Tower to a properly-equipped establishment on Tower Hill, and in 1811 the new building and all the machinery were ready for the purpose. Mr. Leach, who has examined many of the annual reports issued by the Comptroller of the Mint, gives some interesting particulars as to the supply and demand of coins. In 1902, 174,000 pounds' worth of five-pound pieces and 90,000 pounds' worth of two-pound pieces were made, but only very few of them were seen about. Yet in the same year nearly 80,000 of those five-pound and two-pound pieces were issued. It is said that many of them adorn the waists of native ladies in India, and that a lady of Jeypore wears two five-pound pieces in the form of earrings. In 1905 five million sovereigns were needed and supplied, but over a million old ones went back to the melting pot. A million and a half of half-sovereigns were coined, but almost as many were withdrawn. In the same year Scotland had no need of silver, but actually returned £44,000 in silver money.

AVERAGE LIFE OF COINS.

Another curious piece of information relates to the life of gold and silver coins. The mean life of a sovereign has declined from nearly twenty-eight years to a little over twenty-four, while the average life of the half-sovereign has fallen from sixteen years and a month or two to a year less. As to the silver coins, it is not surprising to learn that sixpences have the shortest life, and are returned to the Mint in the worst condition. Half-crowns become illegible in sixty-four years, florins in fortyfive, shillings in forty-one, sixpences in twenty-eight, and threepences in thirty-two.

THE ISSUES OF 1910.

The number of coins issued each year varies considerably. In 1909 more than thirteen millions fewer were issued than in the previous year, the most striking decrease being in the department of sovereigns. In the year following the balance was much more than restored, there being a total increase of thirty-nine million coins. Of gold coins there were issued in all more than twenty-seven millions, of silver fifty-one millions, and of bronze forty-two millions, while in the overseas issues there were included nearly twelve millions of silver coins and over eighteen millions of nickel ones. The total facevalue of all the new money issued was twenty-eight million pounds, while a little over three million pounds' worth was withdrawn from circulation.

INSURING A VALUABLE BABY.

Lloyd's, which has its headquarters at the Royal Exchange, recognises its centenary this year, as it was in 1811 that it developed on the lines on which it is now conducted. At Lloyd's you may insure against anything. Members of Parliament insure themselves against the loss of their seats at General Elections, and tradesmen and others affected by changes of Government insure against such changes. Recently the parents of an American baby, heir to twenty millions sterling, insured against the child's being kidnapped. A premium of twenty shillings per cent. was quoted to cover the payment of a total loss should the infant be kidnapped, and ten shillings per cent. to pay any ransom demanded up to £2,000, the child being warranted to take the air in the special ironclad perambulator in the form of a steel cage which had been specially constructed for it, and to be guarded by three private detectives.

THE DANGER OF FEMINISATION.

ANNIE G., PORRITT, in the American Educational Review for May, writes on the feminisation of our schools and its political consequences. She says that the feminisation of education is not confined to the United States. It is rapidly beginning to be felt in Great Britain. The American example, with which she chiefly deals, has therefore its warnings for us. She urges the political mischief of putting the training of our citizens into the hands of a class that are not in the full sense of the word citizens, and have no part or lot in the government of the country. Greece used her slaves as tutors for the sons of her freemen; Rome also put education into the hands of a slave class; naturally, the slave-taught youth lost the habit of government, and the glory of Greece and Rome departed. In the United States boys are left almost entirely to feminine influence during their most impressionable years. Fathers have almost abdicated their parental authority. It is the mother who rules. the home and trains the boys as well as the girls. American mothers, the writer says, do their work well, but for citizenship the training of our boys is wofully incomplete. The experiment of democracy in the United States for more than a hundred years, under these conditions, is not satisfactory. The writer urges, either the boys must be taught by men, or women teachers must be enfranchised as well as

men.

THE Oxford and Cambridge Review for the summer term opens with the editorial announcement of an intention to widen the scope of this quarterly, which will in future deal more fully than in the past with politics, both home and foreign, and with ecclesiastical matters, in order to be "of effective service to the allied causes of Churchmanship and of Conservatism." This, we suppose, is definite notice that the Review will represent not the Universities so much as the clerical and Tory sections of the same.

THE LAST WORD IN CLUB LUXURY. IN the Architectural Review for May, Mr. A. R. Jemmett describes with sumptuous pictures the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall, on the site of the old War Office. He says that the new club building has been conceived on a scale of magnificence, and is the last word in club convenience and luxury. The illustrations bear out this description. The area is 228 feet by an average of 148 feet, fronting into Pall Mall and Carlton Gardens. Outwardly a stone structure, it is inwardly a network of steel, to which the stonework is only a casing. There are nearly two thousand tons of steelwork. The inside portions of most of the piers are hollow, and the space is utilised for ventilation, ducts, pipes, etc. The façade to Pall Mall has a rusticated ground floor story with deeply recessed semi-circular-headed windows and two floors above marked by an Ionic colonnade, the whole being crowned by a balus

traded parapet. The lounge is nearly 80 feet long by about 25 feet broad. The clubroom is nearly a hundred feet long by over 30 feet broad. The swimming bath is over 86 feet by 30 feet. There are more than a hundred bedrooms. The total cost is stated to have been more than a quarter of a million sterling.

Empire Investments.

THE Financial Review of Reviews for June has secured eminent showmen for the financial attractions offered by three great sections of our Empire to the would-be investor. The Duke of Argyll, former Governor-General of Canada, extols Canada as a field for investment; Lord Lamington, former Governor of Bombay, discusses investments in India, and Sir George Reid, High Commissioner of the Commonwealth, describes the advantages of investment in Australia.