WINDMILLS
Sut,—Windmills in Britain were formerly objects of considerable use and picturesquely illustrated a phase of our agricultural life which progress has made obsolete. But nevertheless they are a very interesting souvenir of the past, and it would be a great pity if they were entirely allowed to pass away. Messrs. Heal's, of Tottenham Court Road, recently had a very enlightening exhibition of photographs of those windmills remaining, or that have only recently been allowed to be destroyed, together with some rather fascinating models. The exhibition reveals that there were about five different types of windmills, and it was in- teresting to notice. that possibly the oldest one remaining in England, that of the Bourne Windmill at Cambridge—which, by the way, was purchased out of the admissions to see Mr. Epstein's Genesis—has been carefully preserved for futhre generations to observe when passing. There is still a small, though steadily decreasing, number of mills that can be purchased for quite inconspicuoui sums, and with a comparatively small expense made capable of resisting the deprivations of the elements, though not of man, for many years to come. The photographs of these are going to be circulated around the country, and next year the Victoria and Albert Museum is to have a special exhibition of these photographs and models.
I am sending this letter in the hope that it may induce others to make a small effort and acquire and preserve these historical relics of our agricultural past, particularly so in these days of the introduction of so much platitudinous, obviously pre-fabricated, construction in what are some of the most delightful parts of our beautiful British country-
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