THE REMOVAL OF A NAVAL MONUMENT FROM WESTMINSTER ABBEY.
LTO T II IC EDITOR OV THE "SrEfreATOR-1
a member (on my mother's side) of the ancient family of Cornwall, may I draw your attention to the course which the Dean of Westminster intends taking in mutilating and removing from its place in the Abbey the monument erected by Act of Parliament to Captain James Cornewall in memory of his gallant death in the action off Toulon, February 11th, 1744? This is being done to make room for a recumbent effigy of the late Lord Salisbury. Apart from family feelings on the matter, I would point out that the tampering with public memorials in this way constitutes a danger. If anything is done to the above monument, it should only be with the consent of Parliament.—I am, Sir, &c.,
VICTOR L. WRITECHURCH.
[If the facts are as alleged by our correspondent, we cannot but think the contemplated removal ill-judged. To the removal of an ordinary monument—i.e., one erected to some private individual buried in the Abbey as in a parish church —we can see no objection; but the Abbey, ever since Cromwell had Blake buried there with the avowed purpose of encouraging our sailors to high deeds, has been essentially the place in which to commemorate naval heroes. No seaman who died fighting in the spirit expressed in Nelson's "A peerage or Westminster Abbey !" should have his meed of praise taken from him. Lord Salisbury deserves all the honour the nation can pay him, but to obliterate the record of the humblest sailor who died for England in order to make room for his monument is not paying such honour duly—ED. Spectator.]
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