The Preservation of Britain The annual report of the National
Trust—it is worth recalling that its full title includes the words " for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty "—which is just published, mentions some interesting new phases of the Trust's activity. Various properties have as usual been acquired by the Trust in the past year, by donation or pur- chase, and are being held by it in perpetuity for the benefit of the public. But one or two variants in the normal method are of some importance. The notable purchase at Buttermere has been carried through (though too recently for record in this report), and in this case much of the property is being let as agricultural land, though full control is, of course, retained over future develop. ments. To have thrown the whole open to the public would have been beyond the Trust's financial capacity. At Chislehurst, by acquiring a small strip of land, through which gas, water and electric mains had to paw the Trust was able to negotiate restrictive covenants enabling it to lay down conditions as to the design and lay-out of an adjacent property thirty times as large, which was under development as a building estate. And special interest attaches to a particular sum of f...500, subscribed mainly in small amounts as a Ramblers. Open Spaces Fund. The money was given by the Southern Pathfinders and represents a welcome colla- boration between walkers and the Trust, which exists to preserve country to walk in.
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