British Mansions and French Chiteaux Attention was recently drawn in
these columns to Lord Lothian's plea that the historic country houses of Britain should be prevented from falling into decay and should be maintained intact as inhabited residences. French owners of famous châteaux have long been alive to a similar danger in their own country, and they have formed among themselves, as was pointed out by a .Times Correspondent last Wednesday, an association to defend their own interests and preserve their property for the enjoyment of the public. Acting upon the princi- ple that an historic château is, first, a family seat, and secondly, a national and public asset, the association, by means of modest subscriptions from its members and small fees for admission, has already done much to keep many fine mansions in a condition worthy of their reputa- tion. Property-owners are not so hard hit by death duties in France as in England ; but on the basis of what has already been done they are putting forward the sug- gestion, similar to that of Lord Lothian, that those who deserve public gratitude by maintaining and opening historic houses should be relieved of burdensome duties. It is a just contention, here, as in France.
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