19 MARCH 2005, Page 18

More Marbles

From Edward Housley

Sir: I was amused by Paul Johnson’s article (And another thing, 12 March) describing the French urging us to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece. Recently, on a trip to Leptis Magna in Libya, I was told that the French had shipped 200 of the Roman cipollino marble columns from Leptis Magna to France in the 18th century. Surely if we return the Elgin Marbles the French should return the Leptis Marbles? The only problem is that they would have to dismantle the Palace of Versailles to get at them.

Edward Housley Edinburgh