VIEW OF SOUTH FRONT OF THE BUILDING.VIEW OF SOUTH FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
VIEW OF SOUTH FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
VIEW OF SOUTH FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
APPENDIX.
LIST OF COMPETITORS FOR THE BUILDING PROPOSED TO BE ERECTED IN HYDE PARK.
Mons. Acollas, Architecte, 33, Rue Lafayette, à Paris.Messrs. Aickin and Capes, 1, Clarence-street, Islington.W. Albon, Esq., 32, Abingdon-street, Westminster.C. B. Allen, Architect, 9, Great College-street, Westminster.F. C. Anderson, Esq., 9, Holles-street, Cavendish-square.Architekton(W. Bardwell, 4, Great Queen-street, Westminster).Henry Ashton, Esq., 50A, Lower Brooke-street.John S. Austin, Architect, Bedford.William Austin, Esq., High-street, East Dereham, Norfolk.C. Badger, Esq., Architect, 40, Rue Blanche, Paris.R. Baly, Esq., 14, Buckingham-street, Adelphi.Alfred Beaumont, Architect, 5, Warwick Chambers, Beak-street.Richard Bell, Architect, Pope's Head Chambers, Cornhill.W. Bell, Esq., Clift Cottage, Coronation-road, Bristol.Thomas Bellamy, Esq., 8, Charlotte-street, Bedford-square.Mons. Felix Belleflamme, Brussels.J. S. Benest, Esq., 21, Rutland-street, Hampstead-road.J. H. Bertram, M. Inst. C. E., Reading.John Black, Esq., 33, Ernest-street, Regent's Park.E. Blatchley, Esq., Jun., 362, Oxford-street.Mons. Alphonse Botrel, Architecte, 121, Rue Poissonnière, Paris.A. W. Boulnois, Esq., Bazaar, King-street, Baker-street.W. Boyle, Esq., 5, Little George-street, Westminster.R. Brandon, Architect, 11, Beaufort-buildings, Strand.R. Broad, Esq., Horseley Works, Tipton.B. Broadbridge, Architect, 35, Ladbroke-square, Notting-hill.F. Brown, Esq., Francis-street, Torrington-square.R. Brown, Esq., 41, Lord-street, Liverpool.J. B. Bunning, Esq., Guildhall.George A. Burn, Architect, George-place, Hammersmith.H. P. Burt, Esq., 238, Blackfriars-road.John G. Grace, Esq., 14, Wigmore-street.E. I. C., Alnwick.Mons. J. Cailloux, 25, Marché St. Honoré, Paris.A. F. Campbell, Esq., 104, Pall Mall, Reform Club.Henry Case, Esq., 19, Hanover Villas, Kensington Park.James Catt, Esq., Blackheath Park.Mons. J. Charpentier, Architecte, 15, Rue Larochefoucalt, Paris.J. Claringbull, Esq., 95, Herbert-street, New North-road.Mons. Henri van Cléemputte, Laon, France.Mons. J. P. Cluysenaar, Architecte, Bruxèlles.J. Colshurst, Esq., 36, Jermyn-street, St. James's.John Colson, Architect, Winchester.Mons. J. W. Conrad, Chief Engineer, La Haye, Holland.C. E. Coote, Esq., Clifton.W. R. Corson, Architect, 3, Albion-place, Leeds.H. Courtney, Esq., 39, Awylne-road, Canonbury-square, Islington.David Cowan, Esq., 9, Hungerford-street, Strand.Mons. Crémont, 10, Place des Vosges, Paris.W. Cruikshank, Esq., 24, Duke-street.Mons. E. Damas de Culture, 20, Rue Mazayran, Paris.G. J. Darley, Esq., C.E., 7, Kildare-street, Dublin.Mons. A. Delaage, 6, Place de l'Oratoire du Louvre, Paris.W. Dennis, Esq., Church-street, Hackney.Charles Downes, Esq., 29, Coleshill-street, Eaton-square.Francis Drake, Esq., 11, Calthorpe-street, Gray's-inn-road.Henry Duesbury, Architect, Kensington Gore.Mons. Duflocq, 96, Rue Rochechouart, Paris.Mons. Dupuy, 9, Rue Duplessés, Versailles.Mons. Dusillion, Architecte, Thoune Suisse, Faubourg St. Germain, Paris.Mons. A. Durand, Moulins, France.O. C. Edwards, Esq., Gloucester.J. Eldudge, Esq., 16, Somerset-place, New Road, Commercial-rd. East.J. Elliott, Architect, 28, Portland-terrace, Southampton.M. G. Fétar van Elven, Architecte, Amsterdam.D. Erskine, Esq., 58, Clerk-street, Edinburgh.W. J. Everitt, Esq., 1, Garden-street, Stepney-green.Mons. Théodore Faure, 2, Little Argyle-street, Regent-street.Mons. F. Desaint Félix, and E. E. White, Architects, Ipswich.Mons. Henri Fevre, Architecte, 41, Rue de Vaugirard, à Paris.F. Finlay, Esq., 26, Duke-street, Westminster.Charles Folkard, Esq., C.E., 56, King-street, Whitehall.David Colin Forbes, Esq., Stirling.James Forrest, Esq., C.E., 25, Great George-street.W. Freebody, Esq., 9, Duke-street, Westminster.S. C. Fripp, Architect, Bristol.L. Fürges, Architecte, Crefeld.C. E. G., Warwick.A. Garrard. Esq., Surveyor.Mons. Gaulle, 81, Rue Française, à Calais.Arthur Gearing, Esq., 2, Ranelagh-street, Leamington Spa.William Geggie, Esq., Knaresbro'.J. Gibson, Esq., Great Western Railway, Paddington.Robert Gilingham, Esq., 31, Clarence-road, Kentish Town.Mons. Godebœuf, Architecte, 12, Place Breda, à Paris.C. W. Gooch, Esq., 42, Connaught-terrace, Edgeware-road.John Gould, Esq., Tottenham Park, Wiltshire.Richard Greene, Esq., F.S.A., Sec. to Lichfield Architectural Society.Edmund W. Grubb, Esq., Newnham, Gloucestershire.Robert S. Grubb, Esq., Newham-on-Severn, Gloucestershire.T. R. Guppy, Esq., Naples.J. C. Haddan, Esq., 29, Bloomsbury-square.Thomas Roberts Hannaford, Architect, 21, Trigon-terrace, Kennington.O. Hansard, Architect, 2, Kensington-gardens-terrace, Hyde Park.Robert Hardy, Carpenter, 32, North Conduit-street, Bethnal-green.John Thornhill Harrison, Esq., East Bolden, near Gateshead.J. P. Harrison, Esq., 11, Chancery-lane.Thomas Haw, Esq., 27, Prospect-terrace, Globe-road, Mile-end.Thomas Hayes, Esq., 7, St. George's-terrace, Hyde Park.Samuel Heilton, Esq., 54, Red Cross-street, City.Mons. J. Henard, 98, Rue St. Lazarre, Paris.James Hendrey, Esq., 4, Pancras-lane, Cheapside.J. Hewitt, Esq., Oxford.W. S. Hollands, Esq., 37, King William-street.Mons. Hector Horeau, 70, Rue Richelieu, Paris.George Horton, Esq., 6, Green-street, Grosvenor-square.Albert P. Howell, Architect, 2, Holywell-street, Westminster.Mons. C. Huchon, 28, Rue Meslay, Paris.Benjamin Hurwitz, Esq., 1, Brydges-street, Strand.John Imray, Esq., Engineer, 12, Howley-street, Lambeth.A. Jackson, Esq., Barkhart House, Orpington, Kent.Mons. Ch. Schœch Jaquet, 238, Rue de la Vertasse, Geneva.Charles Jayne, Architect, 7, Chancery-lane.Adam Jizkowski, Architect to the Government, Warsaw.Joseph Jopling, Esq., Felton Villa, Finchley-road.H. J. Kaye, Esq., 63, Sloane-street, Knightsbridge.G. P. Kennedy and R. Kennedy, Esqrs., Sussex Chambers, Duke-street, St. James's.J. T. Knowles, Esq., 1, Raymond-buildings, Gray's Inn.Herr Friedrich Krahe, Brunswick.Louis Kûhne, Brunswick.A Lady with great diffidence submits this plan.M. Laves, Architect to the King of Hanover, Hanover.Mons. A. G. Ledrut, Claremont.S. W. Leonard, Assistant-Curator Micrological Society, 11, Upper Stamford-street, Waterloo-road.W. B. Lewis, Esq., Rainbow-hill, Worcester.R. Lobb, Esq., 8, Goulden-terrace, Barnsbury-road, Islington.Locke Brothers, New Peckham.Henry Lockwood, F.S.A., and William Mawson, Architects, Bradford.Henry Lote, Esq., 51, Brompton-row.R. Lovely, Esq., C.E., 1, Victoria-terrace, Queen's-road, Nottingham.George Mackenzie, Esq., 3, Claremont-row, Barnsbury-road, Islington.Messrs. Magni and Thummeloup, 26, Boulevard du Temple, Paris.R. Mallet, Esq., Victoria Foundry, Dublin.Mansell and Elliott, Architects, Halkin-street West, Belgrave-square.R. M. Marchant, Esq., 18, Great George-street.P. J. Margary, Esq., Dawlish, Devonshire.W. P. Marshall, Esq., Temple-buildings, New-street, Birmingham.D. Mickle, Esq., 37, Queen-square, Bloomsbury.Joseph Mitchell, Architect, St. James's-street, Sheffield.J. Montheath, Esq., 10, Stanley-street, Paddington.James Moon, Architect, 1, Millman-street, Bedford-row.Captain W. S. Moorsom, 17½, Great George-street.G. Morgan, Architect, 6, Charles-street, Westminster.J. H. Muller, Gaes, Holland.Charles C. Nelson, Esq., 30, Hyde-park-gardens, London.Mons. C. Frédéric Nepveu, 13, Place d'Armes, Versailles.W. Nethersole, Esq., C.E., 73, Oakley-square, St. Pancras.I. W. Newberry, Esq., Hook Norton, Chipping Norton, Oxon.Francis B. Newman, Architect, 14, Heathcote-street, Mecklenburgh-sq.C. H. Newton, Esq., 92, Camden-road Villas, Regent's Park.Mons. Paliard, 23, Rue d'Enghein, Paris.E. Paraire, Architect, 16, Woodstock-street, Bond-street.Mons. Henri le Pâtre, 47, Grande Rue de la Chapelle, St. Denis, Paris.Thomas Peacock, Esq., High-street, Kensington.J. D. Pemberton, Esq., Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.G. Perry, Architect, 42, Newington-place, Kennington.Mons. Casimir Pétiaux, Paris.William Radley, Chemical Engineer, Regent-street, Lambeth.W. Railton, Esq., 12, Regent-street.W. Rankin, Esq., Stirling.W. Reed, Esq., Cannon Cottage Hill, Southampton.Messrs. Reid and Butcher, Architects and Surveyors, 38, Red Lion-square, London.Stanley Reilly, Architect, 3, Upper Kennington-green, Kennington.George Banks Rennie, Esq., Whitehall-place.Harry Ralph Ricardo, Esq., Beaulieu Lodge, Norwood, Surrey.W. Riddle, Esq., East Temple Chambers, Whitefriars, Fleet-street.H. S. Ridley, Architect, 31, Vincent-square, Westminster.J. B. Roberts, Architect, Sleaford, Lincolnshire.R. Roberta, Esq., Globe Works, Manchester.Andrew John Robertson, Esq., C.E., Newcastle-upon-Tyne.William Robertson, Esq., 12, Gordon-street, City-road.A. Rosengarten, Architect, Hamburg.Alex. M. Ross, Esq., 3, Parliament-street, Westminster.Rough Draught, 42, Stainford-street.Henry Rouse, Esq.H. H. Russell, Esq., C.E., M.R.S.A.W. Russell, Esq., 3, Frederick-street, Hampstead-road.E. Ryde, Esq., 14, Upper Belgrave-place, Eaton-square.George Sanderson, Esq., 136, Solly-street, Sheffield.Charles Sanderson, Esq., Friar-street, Reading.Robert Sandeman, Architect, Greenside, Edinburgh.H. Savage, Esq., 22, Beaumont-street. Mary-le-bone.W. Scurry, Esq., 7, Denbigh-place, Pimlico.Sed quis custodiet Custodes.J. P. Seddon, Esq., Gray's-inn-road.J. R. Sewell, Esq., Carrington, near Nottingham.Mons. A. Slater, Architecte, Elève de Mons. l'Architecte Cluysenaar.E. Smallwood, Architect, 86, Park-street, Camden Town.F. Smallman Smith, Esq., 18, Brunswick-st., Barnsbury-road, Islington.C. H. Smith, Esq., 29, Clipstone-street.J. M. Smith, Esq., 1, Chapel-place, Duke-street, Westminster.W. J. Smith, Esq., 18, Bond-street, Commercial-road, Lambeth.G. Campbell Smith, Esq., Banff.Messrs. Soyer and Warrener, Reform Club.Paul Sprenger, Esq., Architect to the Government, Vienna.Herr Friederich Stammann, Hamburg.Francis Sternitz, Esq., 10, Berner-street, Commercial-road East.W. Stewart, Esq., Seacombe, Cheshire.M. J. Stutely, Architect, 4, Doughty-street, Mecklenburgh-square.H. Suckling, Esq., 1, Conduit-street, Regent-street.George Tate, Esq., Bawtry, Yorkshire.J. Taylor, Architect, 22, Parliament-street.T. Taylor, Architect, 33, Clarendon-street, Oakley-square.J. H. Taunton, Esq., 2, Gordon-place, Kensington.D. W. Thomas, Esq., 20, St. Petersburg-place, Bayswater.R. M. Thompson, Esq., 46, Leicester-square.P. Thompson, Architect, 1, Osnaburgh-place, New-road.F. Thompson, Esq., 15, Trafalgar-square, Peckham.James Thrupp, Architect, 2, Park-place, Bath.H. W. Todd and W. Allingham, 91, Newman-street, Oxford-street.Richard Turner and Thomas Turner, Hammersmith Works, Dublin.Henry Turner, Esq., Low Heaton, Haugh, Newcastle-on-Tyne.F. Tyerman, Jun., Architect, 14, Parliament-street.Mons. Véron, 2, Quai des Armes, Paris.John Walker, Esq., Crooked-lane Chambers, King William-street.George Wallis, Artist, and Henry Summers, Architect, 14, College-place, Camden Town.J. N. Warren, Esq., C.E., 18, Adam-street, Adelphi.J. E. Watson, Esq., 74, Grey-street, Newcastle-on-Tyne.Henry Whitcombe, Esq., Slough.George Wightwick, Architect, 3, Athenæum-terrace, Plymouth.George Wilkie, Esq., C.E., 8, Powell-street West, King's-square.George Wilkinson, Esq., Horsham.S. J. Wilkinson, Esq., 7, Jeffry's-square, St. Mary Axe.James Williams, Esq., 18, Westgate-buildings, Bath.George Wilson, Esq., Knaresbro', Yorkshire.Ralph Wilson, Architect, 16, Bridge-street, Westminster.James G. Wilson, Esq., 18, Great George-street, Westminster,Richard Winder, Esq., Fenchurch-street.R. A. Withall, Architect, 80, Cheapside.W. H. Wontner, Architect, St. Ann's-road, North Brixton.Frederick Wood, Esq., 6, Franklin-road, Queen's-road, East Chelsea.Thomas Worthington, Architect, 54, King-street, Manchester.James Wylson, Architect, 112, Fyfe-place, Glasgow.
Mons. Acollas, Architecte, 33, Rue Lafayette, à Paris.
Messrs. Aickin and Capes, 1, Clarence-street, Islington.
W. Albon, Esq., 32, Abingdon-street, Westminster.
C. B. Allen, Architect, 9, Great College-street, Westminster.
F. C. Anderson, Esq., 9, Holles-street, Cavendish-square.
Architekton(W. Bardwell, 4, Great Queen-street, Westminster).
Henry Ashton, Esq., 50A, Lower Brooke-street.
John S. Austin, Architect, Bedford.
William Austin, Esq., High-street, East Dereham, Norfolk.
C. Badger, Esq., Architect, 40, Rue Blanche, Paris.
R. Baly, Esq., 14, Buckingham-street, Adelphi.
Alfred Beaumont, Architect, 5, Warwick Chambers, Beak-street.
Richard Bell, Architect, Pope's Head Chambers, Cornhill.
W. Bell, Esq., Clift Cottage, Coronation-road, Bristol.
Thomas Bellamy, Esq., 8, Charlotte-street, Bedford-square.
Mons. Felix Belleflamme, Brussels.
J. S. Benest, Esq., 21, Rutland-street, Hampstead-road.
J. H. Bertram, M. Inst. C. E., Reading.
John Black, Esq., 33, Ernest-street, Regent's Park.
E. Blatchley, Esq., Jun., 362, Oxford-street.
Mons. Alphonse Botrel, Architecte, 121, Rue Poissonnière, Paris.
A. W. Boulnois, Esq., Bazaar, King-street, Baker-street.
W. Boyle, Esq., 5, Little George-street, Westminster.
R. Brandon, Architect, 11, Beaufort-buildings, Strand.
R. Broad, Esq., Horseley Works, Tipton.
B. Broadbridge, Architect, 35, Ladbroke-square, Notting-hill.
F. Brown, Esq., Francis-street, Torrington-square.
R. Brown, Esq., 41, Lord-street, Liverpool.
J. B. Bunning, Esq., Guildhall.
George A. Burn, Architect, George-place, Hammersmith.
H. P. Burt, Esq., 238, Blackfriars-road.
John G. Grace, Esq., 14, Wigmore-street.
E. I. C., Alnwick.
Mons. J. Cailloux, 25, Marché St. Honoré, Paris.
A. F. Campbell, Esq., 104, Pall Mall, Reform Club.
Henry Case, Esq., 19, Hanover Villas, Kensington Park.
James Catt, Esq., Blackheath Park.
Mons. J. Charpentier, Architecte, 15, Rue Larochefoucalt, Paris.
J. Claringbull, Esq., 95, Herbert-street, New North-road.
Mons. Henri van Cléemputte, Laon, France.
Mons. J. P. Cluysenaar, Architecte, Bruxèlles.
J. Colshurst, Esq., 36, Jermyn-street, St. James's.
John Colson, Architect, Winchester.
Mons. J. W. Conrad, Chief Engineer, La Haye, Holland.
C. E. Coote, Esq., Clifton.
W. R. Corson, Architect, 3, Albion-place, Leeds.
H. Courtney, Esq., 39, Awylne-road, Canonbury-square, Islington.
David Cowan, Esq., 9, Hungerford-street, Strand.
Mons. Crémont, 10, Place des Vosges, Paris.
W. Cruikshank, Esq., 24, Duke-street.
Mons. E. Damas de Culture, 20, Rue Mazayran, Paris.
G. J. Darley, Esq., C.E., 7, Kildare-street, Dublin.
Mons. A. Delaage, 6, Place de l'Oratoire du Louvre, Paris.
W. Dennis, Esq., Church-street, Hackney.
Charles Downes, Esq., 29, Coleshill-street, Eaton-square.
Francis Drake, Esq., 11, Calthorpe-street, Gray's-inn-road.
Henry Duesbury, Architect, Kensington Gore.
Mons. Duflocq, 96, Rue Rochechouart, Paris.
Mons. Dupuy, 9, Rue Duplessés, Versailles.
Mons. Dusillion, Architecte, Thoune Suisse, Faubourg St. Germain, Paris.
Mons. A. Durand, Moulins, France.
O. C. Edwards, Esq., Gloucester.
J. Eldudge, Esq., 16, Somerset-place, New Road, Commercial-rd. East.
J. Elliott, Architect, 28, Portland-terrace, Southampton.
M. G. Fétar van Elven, Architecte, Amsterdam.
D. Erskine, Esq., 58, Clerk-street, Edinburgh.
W. J. Everitt, Esq., 1, Garden-street, Stepney-green.
Mons. Théodore Faure, 2, Little Argyle-street, Regent-street.
Mons. F. Desaint Félix, and E. E. White, Architects, Ipswich.
Mons. Henri Fevre, Architecte, 41, Rue de Vaugirard, à Paris.
F. Finlay, Esq., 26, Duke-street, Westminster.
Charles Folkard, Esq., C.E., 56, King-street, Whitehall.
David Colin Forbes, Esq., Stirling.
James Forrest, Esq., C.E., 25, Great George-street.
W. Freebody, Esq., 9, Duke-street, Westminster.
S. C. Fripp, Architect, Bristol.
L. Fürges, Architecte, Crefeld.
C. E. G., Warwick.
A. Garrard. Esq., Surveyor.
Mons. Gaulle, 81, Rue Française, à Calais.
Arthur Gearing, Esq., 2, Ranelagh-street, Leamington Spa.
William Geggie, Esq., Knaresbro'.
J. Gibson, Esq., Great Western Railway, Paddington.
Robert Gilingham, Esq., 31, Clarence-road, Kentish Town.
Mons. Godebœuf, Architecte, 12, Place Breda, à Paris.
C. W. Gooch, Esq., 42, Connaught-terrace, Edgeware-road.
John Gould, Esq., Tottenham Park, Wiltshire.
Richard Greene, Esq., F.S.A., Sec. to Lichfield Architectural Society.
Edmund W. Grubb, Esq., Newnham, Gloucestershire.
Robert S. Grubb, Esq., Newham-on-Severn, Gloucestershire.
T. R. Guppy, Esq., Naples.
J. C. Haddan, Esq., 29, Bloomsbury-square.
Thomas Roberts Hannaford, Architect, 21, Trigon-terrace, Kennington.
O. Hansard, Architect, 2, Kensington-gardens-terrace, Hyde Park.
Robert Hardy, Carpenter, 32, North Conduit-street, Bethnal-green.
John Thornhill Harrison, Esq., East Bolden, near Gateshead.
J. P. Harrison, Esq., 11, Chancery-lane.
Thomas Haw, Esq., 27, Prospect-terrace, Globe-road, Mile-end.
Thomas Hayes, Esq., 7, St. George's-terrace, Hyde Park.
Samuel Heilton, Esq., 54, Red Cross-street, City.
Mons. J. Henard, 98, Rue St. Lazarre, Paris.
James Hendrey, Esq., 4, Pancras-lane, Cheapside.
J. Hewitt, Esq., Oxford.
W. S. Hollands, Esq., 37, King William-street.
Mons. Hector Horeau, 70, Rue Richelieu, Paris.
George Horton, Esq., 6, Green-street, Grosvenor-square.
Albert P. Howell, Architect, 2, Holywell-street, Westminster.
Mons. C. Huchon, 28, Rue Meslay, Paris.
Benjamin Hurwitz, Esq., 1, Brydges-street, Strand.
John Imray, Esq., Engineer, 12, Howley-street, Lambeth.
A. Jackson, Esq., Barkhart House, Orpington, Kent.
Mons. Ch. Schœch Jaquet, 238, Rue de la Vertasse, Geneva.
Charles Jayne, Architect, 7, Chancery-lane.
Adam Jizkowski, Architect to the Government, Warsaw.
Joseph Jopling, Esq., Felton Villa, Finchley-road.
H. J. Kaye, Esq., 63, Sloane-street, Knightsbridge.
G. P. Kennedy and R. Kennedy, Esqrs., Sussex Chambers, Duke-street, St. James's.
J. T. Knowles, Esq., 1, Raymond-buildings, Gray's Inn.
Herr Friedrich Krahe, Brunswick.
Louis Kûhne, Brunswick.
A Lady with great diffidence submits this plan.
M. Laves, Architect to the King of Hanover, Hanover.
Mons. A. G. Ledrut, Claremont.
S. W. Leonard, Assistant-Curator Micrological Society, 11, Upper Stamford-street, Waterloo-road.
W. B. Lewis, Esq., Rainbow-hill, Worcester.
R. Lobb, Esq., 8, Goulden-terrace, Barnsbury-road, Islington.
Locke Brothers, New Peckham.
Henry Lockwood, F.S.A., and William Mawson, Architects, Bradford.
Henry Lote, Esq., 51, Brompton-row.
R. Lovely, Esq., C.E., 1, Victoria-terrace, Queen's-road, Nottingham.
George Mackenzie, Esq., 3, Claremont-row, Barnsbury-road, Islington.
Messrs. Magni and Thummeloup, 26, Boulevard du Temple, Paris.
R. Mallet, Esq., Victoria Foundry, Dublin.
Mansell and Elliott, Architects, Halkin-street West, Belgrave-square.
R. M. Marchant, Esq., 18, Great George-street.
P. J. Margary, Esq., Dawlish, Devonshire.
W. P. Marshall, Esq., Temple-buildings, New-street, Birmingham.
D. Mickle, Esq., 37, Queen-square, Bloomsbury.
Joseph Mitchell, Architect, St. James's-street, Sheffield.
J. Montheath, Esq., 10, Stanley-street, Paddington.
James Moon, Architect, 1, Millman-street, Bedford-row.
Captain W. S. Moorsom, 17½, Great George-street.
G. Morgan, Architect, 6, Charles-street, Westminster.
J. H. Muller, Gaes, Holland.
Charles C. Nelson, Esq., 30, Hyde-park-gardens, London.
Mons. C. Frédéric Nepveu, 13, Place d'Armes, Versailles.
W. Nethersole, Esq., C.E., 73, Oakley-square, St. Pancras.
I. W. Newberry, Esq., Hook Norton, Chipping Norton, Oxon.
Francis B. Newman, Architect, 14, Heathcote-street, Mecklenburgh-sq.
C. H. Newton, Esq., 92, Camden-road Villas, Regent's Park.
Mons. Paliard, 23, Rue d'Enghein, Paris.
E. Paraire, Architect, 16, Woodstock-street, Bond-street.
Mons. Henri le Pâtre, 47, Grande Rue de la Chapelle, St. Denis, Paris.
Thomas Peacock, Esq., High-street, Kensington.
J. D. Pemberton, Esq., Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.
G. Perry, Architect, 42, Newington-place, Kennington.
Mons. Casimir Pétiaux, Paris.
William Radley, Chemical Engineer, Regent-street, Lambeth.
W. Railton, Esq., 12, Regent-street.
W. Rankin, Esq., Stirling.
W. Reed, Esq., Cannon Cottage Hill, Southampton.
Messrs. Reid and Butcher, Architects and Surveyors, 38, Red Lion-square, London.
Stanley Reilly, Architect, 3, Upper Kennington-green, Kennington.
George Banks Rennie, Esq., Whitehall-place.
Harry Ralph Ricardo, Esq., Beaulieu Lodge, Norwood, Surrey.
W. Riddle, Esq., East Temple Chambers, Whitefriars, Fleet-street.
H. S. Ridley, Architect, 31, Vincent-square, Westminster.
J. B. Roberts, Architect, Sleaford, Lincolnshire.
R. Roberta, Esq., Globe Works, Manchester.
Andrew John Robertson, Esq., C.E., Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
William Robertson, Esq., 12, Gordon-street, City-road.
A. Rosengarten, Architect, Hamburg.
Alex. M. Ross, Esq., 3, Parliament-street, Westminster.
Rough Draught, 42, Stainford-street.
Henry Rouse, Esq.
H. H. Russell, Esq., C.E., M.R.S.A.
W. Russell, Esq., 3, Frederick-street, Hampstead-road.
E. Ryde, Esq., 14, Upper Belgrave-place, Eaton-square.
George Sanderson, Esq., 136, Solly-street, Sheffield.
Charles Sanderson, Esq., Friar-street, Reading.
Robert Sandeman, Architect, Greenside, Edinburgh.
H. Savage, Esq., 22, Beaumont-street. Mary-le-bone.
W. Scurry, Esq., 7, Denbigh-place, Pimlico.
Sed quis custodiet Custodes.
J. P. Seddon, Esq., Gray's-inn-road.
J. R. Sewell, Esq., Carrington, near Nottingham.
Mons. A. Slater, Architecte, Elève de Mons. l'Architecte Cluysenaar.
E. Smallwood, Architect, 86, Park-street, Camden Town.
F. Smallman Smith, Esq., 18, Brunswick-st., Barnsbury-road, Islington.
C. H. Smith, Esq., 29, Clipstone-street.
J. M. Smith, Esq., 1, Chapel-place, Duke-street, Westminster.
W. J. Smith, Esq., 18, Bond-street, Commercial-road, Lambeth.
G. Campbell Smith, Esq., Banff.
Messrs. Soyer and Warrener, Reform Club.
Paul Sprenger, Esq., Architect to the Government, Vienna.
Herr Friederich Stammann, Hamburg.
Francis Sternitz, Esq., 10, Berner-street, Commercial-road East.
W. Stewart, Esq., Seacombe, Cheshire.
M. J. Stutely, Architect, 4, Doughty-street, Mecklenburgh-square.
H. Suckling, Esq., 1, Conduit-street, Regent-street.
George Tate, Esq., Bawtry, Yorkshire.
J. Taylor, Architect, 22, Parliament-street.
T. Taylor, Architect, 33, Clarendon-street, Oakley-square.
J. H. Taunton, Esq., 2, Gordon-place, Kensington.
D. W. Thomas, Esq., 20, St. Petersburg-place, Bayswater.
R. M. Thompson, Esq., 46, Leicester-square.
P. Thompson, Architect, 1, Osnaburgh-place, New-road.
F. Thompson, Esq., 15, Trafalgar-square, Peckham.
James Thrupp, Architect, 2, Park-place, Bath.
H. W. Todd and W. Allingham, 91, Newman-street, Oxford-street.
Richard Turner and Thomas Turner, Hammersmith Works, Dublin.
Henry Turner, Esq., Low Heaton, Haugh, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
F. Tyerman, Jun., Architect, 14, Parliament-street.
Mons. Véron, 2, Quai des Armes, Paris.
John Walker, Esq., Crooked-lane Chambers, King William-street.
George Wallis, Artist, and Henry Summers, Architect, 14, College-place, Camden Town.
J. N. Warren, Esq., C.E., 18, Adam-street, Adelphi.
J. E. Watson, Esq., 74, Grey-street, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Henry Whitcombe, Esq., Slough.
George Wightwick, Architect, 3, Athenæum-terrace, Plymouth.
George Wilkie, Esq., C.E., 8, Powell-street West, King's-square.
George Wilkinson, Esq., Horsham.
S. J. Wilkinson, Esq., 7, Jeffry's-square, St. Mary Axe.
James Williams, Esq., 18, Westgate-buildings, Bath.
George Wilson, Esq., Knaresbro', Yorkshire.
Ralph Wilson, Architect, 16, Bridge-street, Westminster.
James G. Wilson, Esq., 18, Great George-street, Westminster,
Richard Winder, Esq., Fenchurch-street.
R. A. Withall, Architect, 80, Cheapside.
W. H. Wontner, Architect, St. Ann's-road, North Brixton.
Frederick Wood, Esq., 6, Franklin-road, Queen's-road, East Chelsea.
Thomas Worthington, Architect, 54, King-street, Manchester.
James Wylson, Architect, 112, Fyfe-place, Glasgow.
LIST A.
ENTITLED TO FAVOURABLE AND HONOURABLE MENTION.
C. B. Allen, Architect, Great College-street, Westminster.W. Allingham (and Todd), 91, Newman-street, Oxford-street.Architekton(W. Bardwell, 4, Great Queen-street, Westminster).H. Ashton, 50A, Lower Brooke-street.C. Badger, Architect, Rue Blanche, Paris.B. P. Baly (four designs).R. Bell, Architect, Pope's Head Chambers, Cornhill.Thomas Bellamy, Architect, Charlotte-street, Bedford-square.J. H. Bertram, C. E., Reading.A. Botrel, Architect, 121, Rue Poissonnière, Paris.R. Brandon, Architect, Little Beaufort-buildings, Strand.F. Brown, Francis-street, Torrington-square.J. B. Bunning, Architect, Guildhall, City of London.G. A. Burn, Architect, George-place, Hammersmith.J. Cailloux, Architect, 25, Marché St. Honoré, Paris.H. Case, 19, Hanover Villas, Kensington Park.J. Charpentier, Architect, 15, Rue Larochefoucalt, Paris.Henri Van Cléemputte, Architect, Laon, France.J. P. Cluysenaar, Architect of King of the Belgians, Brussels.J. W. Conrad, Chief Engineer, La Haye, Holland.H. Courtney, Esq., 39, Alwyne-road, Canonbury-square, Islington.Mons. Crémont, Architect, 10, Place des Vosges, Paris.W. Cruikshank, 24, Duke-street.A. Delaage, Architect, 6, Place de l'Oratoire du Louvre, Paris.C. Downes, Coleshill-street, Eaton-square.A. Durand, Moulins, France.Mons. Dusillion, Architect, Thoune Suisse, Faubourg St. Germain, Paris.M. G. Fétar Van Elven, Architect, Amsterdam.H. Fevre, Architect, 41, Rue de Vaugirard, à Paris.S. C. Fripp, Architect, Bristol.Mons. Gaulle, 81, Rue Française, Calais.A. Gearing, 2, Ranelagh-street, Leamington Spa.Eugene Godebœuf, 12, Place Breda, Paris.J. T. Harrison, East Bolden, near Gateshead.T. Hayes, 7, St. George's-terrace, Hyde-park.J. Henard, Architect, 98, Rue St. Lazarre, Paris.H. Horeau, 70, Rue Richelieu, Paris.C. Huchon, 28, Rue Meslay, Paris.J. Imray, C. E., Howley-street, Lambeth.Ch. Schœch Jaquet, 238, Rue de la Vertasse, Geneva.Louis Kûhne, Brunswick.J. T. Knowles, Architect, 1, Raymond-buildings, Gray's Inn.M. Laves, Architect of the King, Hanover.A. G. Ledrut, Clermont, France.W. B. Lewis, Rainbow-hill, Worcester.C. C. Nelson, 30, Hyde-park-gardens, London.C. F. Nepveu, 13, Place d'Armes, Versailles.Mons. Paliard, Rue d'Enghein, Paris.H. le Pâtre, Architect, 47, Grande Rue de la Chapelle, St. Denis, Paris.Casimir Pétiaux, Paris.H. S. Ridley, Architect, 31, Vincent-square, Westminster.J. B. Roberts, Architect, Sleaford, Lincolnshire.A. Rosengarten, Architect, Hamburg.H. Rouse, Esq.W. Russell, 3, Frederick-street, Hampstead-road.H. Savage, 22, Beaumont-street, Marylebone.J. P. Seddon, Esq., Gray's-inn-road.A. Slater, Architect, Elève de Mons. Cluysenaar.F. Smallman Smith, 18, Brunswick-street, Barnsbury-road, Islington.C. H. Smith, Clipstone-street, London.Paul Sprenger, Architect, Vienna.H. Sumners, Architect, 14, College-place, Camden Town.Richard and Thomas Turner, Hammersmith Works, Dublin.F. Tyerman, Jun., Architect, 14, Parliament-street.Mons. Véron, 2, Quai des Ormes, Paris.J. Watson, 74, Grey-street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.W. H. Wontner, Architect, St. Ann's-road, North Brixton.T. Worthington, Architect, King-street, Manchester.
C. B. Allen, Architect, Great College-street, Westminster.
W. Allingham (and Todd), 91, Newman-street, Oxford-street.
Architekton(W. Bardwell, 4, Great Queen-street, Westminster).
H. Ashton, 50A, Lower Brooke-street.
C. Badger, Architect, Rue Blanche, Paris.
B. P. Baly (four designs).
R. Bell, Architect, Pope's Head Chambers, Cornhill.
Thomas Bellamy, Architect, Charlotte-street, Bedford-square.
J. H. Bertram, C. E., Reading.
A. Botrel, Architect, 121, Rue Poissonnière, Paris.
R. Brandon, Architect, Little Beaufort-buildings, Strand.
F. Brown, Francis-street, Torrington-square.
J. B. Bunning, Architect, Guildhall, City of London.
G. A. Burn, Architect, George-place, Hammersmith.
J. Cailloux, Architect, 25, Marché St. Honoré, Paris.
H. Case, 19, Hanover Villas, Kensington Park.
J. Charpentier, Architect, 15, Rue Larochefoucalt, Paris.
Henri Van Cléemputte, Architect, Laon, France.
J. P. Cluysenaar, Architect of King of the Belgians, Brussels.
J. W. Conrad, Chief Engineer, La Haye, Holland.
H. Courtney, Esq., 39, Alwyne-road, Canonbury-square, Islington.
Mons. Crémont, Architect, 10, Place des Vosges, Paris.
W. Cruikshank, 24, Duke-street.
A. Delaage, Architect, 6, Place de l'Oratoire du Louvre, Paris.
C. Downes, Coleshill-street, Eaton-square.
A. Durand, Moulins, France.
Mons. Dusillion, Architect, Thoune Suisse, Faubourg St. Germain, Paris.
M. G. Fétar Van Elven, Architect, Amsterdam.
H. Fevre, Architect, 41, Rue de Vaugirard, à Paris.
S. C. Fripp, Architect, Bristol.
Mons. Gaulle, 81, Rue Française, Calais.
A. Gearing, 2, Ranelagh-street, Leamington Spa.
Eugene Godebœuf, 12, Place Breda, Paris.
J. T. Harrison, East Bolden, near Gateshead.
T. Hayes, 7, St. George's-terrace, Hyde-park.
J. Henard, Architect, 98, Rue St. Lazarre, Paris.
H. Horeau, 70, Rue Richelieu, Paris.
C. Huchon, 28, Rue Meslay, Paris.
J. Imray, C. E., Howley-street, Lambeth.
Ch. Schœch Jaquet, 238, Rue de la Vertasse, Geneva.
Louis Kûhne, Brunswick.
J. T. Knowles, Architect, 1, Raymond-buildings, Gray's Inn.
M. Laves, Architect of the King, Hanover.
A. G. Ledrut, Clermont, France.
W. B. Lewis, Rainbow-hill, Worcester.
C. C. Nelson, 30, Hyde-park-gardens, London.
C. F. Nepveu, 13, Place d'Armes, Versailles.
Mons. Paliard, Rue d'Enghein, Paris.
H. le Pâtre, Architect, 47, Grande Rue de la Chapelle, St. Denis, Paris.
Casimir Pétiaux, Paris.
H. S. Ridley, Architect, 31, Vincent-square, Westminster.
J. B. Roberts, Architect, Sleaford, Lincolnshire.
A. Rosengarten, Architect, Hamburg.
H. Rouse, Esq.
W. Russell, 3, Frederick-street, Hampstead-road.
H. Savage, 22, Beaumont-street, Marylebone.
J. P. Seddon, Esq., Gray's-inn-road.
A. Slater, Architect, Elève de Mons. Cluysenaar.
F. Smallman Smith, 18, Brunswick-street, Barnsbury-road, Islington.
C. H. Smith, Clipstone-street, London.
Paul Sprenger, Architect, Vienna.
H. Sumners, Architect, 14, College-place, Camden Town.
Richard and Thomas Turner, Hammersmith Works, Dublin.
F. Tyerman, Jun., Architect, 14, Parliament-street.
Mons. Véron, 2, Quai des Ormes, Paris.
J. Watson, 74, Grey-street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
W. H. Wontner, Architect, St. Ann's-road, North Brixton.
T. Worthington, Architect, King-street, Manchester.
LIST B.
ENTITLED TO FURTHER HIGHER HONORARY DISTINCTION.
C. Badger, Architect, Rue Blanche, Paris.Thomas Bellamy, Architect, Charlotte-street, Bedford-square.J. H. Bertram, C. E., Reading.A. Botrel, Architect, 121, Rue Poissonnière, Paris.J. Cailloux, Architect, 25, Marché St. Honoré, Paris.Henri Van Cléemputte, Architect, Laon, France.Mons. Crémont, Architect, 10, Place des Vosges, Paris.A. Delaage, Architect, 6, Place de l'Oratoire du Louvre, Paris.M. G. Fétar Van Elven, Architect, Amsterdam.J. Henard, Architect, 98, Rue St. Lazarre, Paris.H. Horeau, 70, Rue Richelieu, Paris.C. Huchon, 28, Rue Meslay, Paris.A. G. Ledrut, Clermont, France.H. le Pâtre, Architect, 4K, Grande Rue de la Chapelle, St. Denis, Paris.Casimir Pétiaux, Paris.Paul Sprenger, Architect, Vienna.Richard and Thomas Turner, Hammersmith Works, Dublin.Mons. Véron, 2, Quai des Ormes, Paris.
C. Badger, Architect, Rue Blanche, Paris.
Thomas Bellamy, Architect, Charlotte-street, Bedford-square.
J. H. Bertram, C. E., Reading.
A. Botrel, Architect, 121, Rue Poissonnière, Paris.
J. Cailloux, Architect, 25, Marché St. Honoré, Paris.
Henri Van Cléemputte, Architect, Laon, France.
Mons. Crémont, Architect, 10, Place des Vosges, Paris.
A. Delaage, Architect, 6, Place de l'Oratoire du Louvre, Paris.
M. G. Fétar Van Elven, Architect, Amsterdam.
J. Henard, Architect, 98, Rue St. Lazarre, Paris.
H. Horeau, 70, Rue Richelieu, Paris.
C. Huchon, 28, Rue Meslay, Paris.
A. G. Ledrut, Clermont, France.
H. le Pâtre, Architect, 4K, Grande Rue de la Chapelle, St. Denis, Paris.
Casimir Pétiaux, Paris.
Paul Sprenger, Architect, Vienna.
Richard and Thomas Turner, Hammersmith Works, Dublin.
Mons. Véron, 2, Quai des Ormes, Paris.
Mons. Hector Horeau's Design for the Building. ExteriorMons. Hector Horeau's Design for the Building. Exterior
Mons. Hector Horeau's Design for the Building. Exterior
Mons. Hector Horeau's Design for the Building. Exterior
View of the Interior.View of the Interior.
View of the Interior.
View of the Interior.
TWO OF THE COMPETITION DESIGNS.
The following descriptions and plates of two of the designs sent in competition for the Building, and specially mentioned by the Committee in their Report, are given from information obligingly furnished to us by their respective authors.
DESIGN BY M. HECTOR HOREAU, ARCHITECT, OF PARIS.
This was one of the most striking of all that were submitted to the Commission; it formed one immense hall, or shed, more than 2000 feet long, by about 270 feet wide throughout, with several small detached buildings on the north side, for refreshments, &c.The interior of the main building was divided into five avenues, the centre one about ninety feet wide, those next adjoining rather more than fifty feet, and the outside ones about forty feet wide. Iron columns, about twenty-three feet apart, formed these avenues and supported arched ribs for the roof. One end of the building was semicircular, the other forming an ornamental façade, and about the centre of the length a transept was formed.M. Horeau says: "Simplicity, grandeur, ready means of construction, and of increasing or diminishing the accommodation, and of removal if required, forming altogether a specimen of the most recent improvements introduced into the art of building—these are the principal objects which it has been sought to attain. The whole of the construction is of iron, without a single piece of wood, the foundation being executed in brick; the façade to be in metal, porcelain, and glass, the floor of asphalte, the roof to be principally covered with ornamental thick glass, in large dimensions, or ground glass with patterns."Of the trusses or arched ribs supporting the roof there were to be but three varieties, each in three pieces, with which the whole of the building could be erected. This subdivision of the roof-trusses would have facilitated the conversion of the building for other purposes; for, taken singly, or in various combinations, they would have formed many kinds of buildings for ordinary purposes. The attached buildings placed on the north side would have shown several modes of effecting this. The ornamental spandrils of the roof-trusses would be formed in stamped-work out of copper, and gilt."The façade shows at a glance the purpose of the building, as well as itsinterior disposition, in which the different widths of avenues would afford space for objects of all varieties of dimensions. The façade itself was to be formed with tracery or trellis-work of cast-iron, the lower part being covered with sheet-iron; the cornice and ornamental panels of porcelain; the medallions in coloured stone-ware; the doors and inclosures of metal, silvered and gilt; the ornamental details to be either cast or stamped; the scrolls in the panels being in coloured glass or mosaic."The pediment is crowned with a group of figures representing the Genius of Industry crowning the Arts and Sciences; in the cornice are placed the names of all the principal cities of the world, and the names of eminent men in panels. In the medallions are represented allegorical figures of the different branches of science and industry. At the angles of the building are placed trophies, the base of which would serve as guard-houses."The engravings will serve to show the general effect of this design in its interior and exterior.
This was one of the most striking of all that were submitted to the Commission; it formed one immense hall, or shed, more than 2000 feet long, by about 270 feet wide throughout, with several small detached buildings on the north side, for refreshments, &c.
The interior of the main building was divided into five avenues, the centre one about ninety feet wide, those next adjoining rather more than fifty feet, and the outside ones about forty feet wide. Iron columns, about twenty-three feet apart, formed these avenues and supported arched ribs for the roof. One end of the building was semicircular, the other forming an ornamental façade, and about the centre of the length a transept was formed.
M. Horeau says: "Simplicity, grandeur, ready means of construction, and of increasing or diminishing the accommodation, and of removal if required, forming altogether a specimen of the most recent improvements introduced into the art of building—these are the principal objects which it has been sought to attain. The whole of the construction is of iron, without a single piece of wood, the foundation being executed in brick; the façade to be in metal, porcelain, and glass, the floor of asphalte, the roof to be principally covered with ornamental thick glass, in large dimensions, or ground glass with patterns.
"Of the trusses or arched ribs supporting the roof there were to be but three varieties, each in three pieces, with which the whole of the building could be erected. This subdivision of the roof-trusses would have facilitated the conversion of the building for other purposes; for, taken singly, or in various combinations, they would have formed many kinds of buildings for ordinary purposes. The attached buildings placed on the north side would have shown several modes of effecting this. The ornamental spandrils of the roof-trusses would be formed in stamped-work out of copper, and gilt.
"The façade shows at a glance the purpose of the building, as well as itsinterior disposition, in which the different widths of avenues would afford space for objects of all varieties of dimensions. The façade itself was to be formed with tracery or trellis-work of cast-iron, the lower part being covered with sheet-iron; the cornice and ornamental panels of porcelain; the medallions in coloured stone-ware; the doors and inclosures of metal, silvered and gilt; the ornamental details to be either cast or stamped; the scrolls in the panels being in coloured glass or mosaic.
"The pediment is crowned with a group of figures representing the Genius of Industry crowning the Arts and Sciences; in the cornice are placed the names of all the principal cities of the world, and the names of eminent men in panels. In the medallions are represented allegorical figures of the different branches of science and industry. At the angles of the building are placed trophies, the base of which would serve as guard-houses."
The engravings will serve to show the general effect of this design in its interior and exterior.
DESIGN BY MESSRS. R. AND T. TURNER, OF DUBLIN.
In this design also the interior was arranged as one uninterrupted space, about 1,940 feet long, and 408 wide, the roof in one span rising about 120 feet above the floor; the supports, consisting of semicircular ribs, forming the interior into three avenues, the centre one 200 feet wide and the full height, the side ones 104 feet wide and about sixty feet high. In the centre of the length a transept was proposed, and the square area at the meeting of that with the central avenue was to be covered with a glass dome.The ends of the building, as well as those of the transept, were to be filled in with tracery in the upper part, a colonnade below protecting the entrances. Galleries, if necessary, were to be placed in the side avenues. The construction of this building was proposed to be principally of wrought iron, which would have given to the circular ribs and other parts a great lightness of effect; but, on the other hand, the difficulties of producing and putting together such an enormous amount of wrought-iron work in so short a space of time as that required was considered an almost insuperable objection to the design. Large portions of the roof were to be covered with glass, so as to admit an abundance of light into the interior.The accompanying views of the exterior and interior of this design, from the simplicity of the arrangement, consisting of a repetition of similar parts, require but little description for their elucidation.
In this design also the interior was arranged as one uninterrupted space, about 1,940 feet long, and 408 wide, the roof in one span rising about 120 feet above the floor; the supports, consisting of semicircular ribs, forming the interior into three avenues, the centre one 200 feet wide and the full height, the side ones 104 feet wide and about sixty feet high. In the centre of the length a transept was proposed, and the square area at the meeting of that with the central avenue was to be covered with a glass dome.
The ends of the building, as well as those of the transept, were to be filled in with tracery in the upper part, a colonnade below protecting the entrances. Galleries, if necessary, were to be placed in the side avenues. The construction of this building was proposed to be principally of wrought iron, which would have given to the circular ribs and other parts a great lightness of effect; but, on the other hand, the difficulties of producing and putting together such an enormous amount of wrought-iron work in so short a space of time as that required was considered an almost insuperable objection to the design. Large portions of the roof were to be covered with glass, so as to admit an abundance of light into the interior.
The accompanying views of the exterior and interior of this design, from the simplicity of the arrangement, consisting of a repetition of similar parts, require but little description for their elucidation.
Messrs. R and T. Turner's Design. View of Exterior from one end.Messrs. R and T. Turner's Design. View of Exterior from one end.
Messrs. R and T. Turner's Design. View of Exterior from one end.
Messrs. R and T. Turner's Design. View of Exterior from one end.
Messrs. R. and T. Turner's Design. Transverse Section, and View of the Interior.Messrs. R. and T. Turner's Design. Transverse Section, and View of the Interior.
Messrs. R. and T. Turner's Design. Transverse Section, and View of the Interior.
Messrs. R. and T. Turner's Design. Transverse Section, and View of the Interior.
MEMORANDUM ON THE SITE.
Return to an Order of the Honourable the House of Commons, dated 1st July, 1850; for
COPY of aLetteraddressed by the Commissioners of theExhibitionof 1851 to the Lords of the Treasury, inclosing Memorandum as to the Site of the Exhibition Building in Hyde Park.
Palace of Westminster, 1st July, 1850.
Sir,—I am directed by her Majesty's Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 to transmit to you herewith, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, a memorandum of the grounds on which the present site has been selected for the Exhibition, and of the proceedings that have been taken in consequence of that selection.—I have, &c.
(Signed)Stafford H. Northcote.
The Right Honourable W. G. Hayter, M.P., &c. &c. &c.
Memorandum of the grounds on which the site has been selected for the Exhibition of 1851, and of the proceedings which have been taken in consequence of that selection, prepared for the information of the Lords of the Treasury by the Royal Commissioners for promoting the Exhibition.
1. It is within the knowledge of the Lords of the Treasury, that from the time of the earliest announcement of the proposed Exhibition it has always been intended that it should take place in the Metropolis. Not only was such an intention matter of notoriety at the time that the question of issuing a Royal Commission was under consideration, but the Commission itself, when issued formally recited that it was proposed "To establish an Enlarged Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations, to be holden in London, in the year 1851;" and it was to further the holding of such an exhibition that the present Commissioners were specially appointed.2. Considering the importance of the undertaking, and the circumstances attending its promulgation, the selection of the Metropolis as its intended locality appears to have been both natural and proper. It will be borne in mind that the exhibitions which have from time to time been held in foreign countries have generally, and, as the Commissioners believe, invariably, been held in the capitals of the respective countries. In the present case it was peculiarly important that an undertaking which required the constant superintendence of a body of Commissioners, whoseoccupations for the most part confine them to London, should be carried on within their immediate cognisance, and not removed to a distant situation.3. It being thus distinctly evident that the Exhibition ought to take place in London, it is further obvious that the actual site which may be selected for it should be within the precincts of, or in the closest vicinity to, the most central and accessible parts of the Metropolis itself. It need hardly be pointed out that it would be objectionable to impose upon persons who may have come to London from a great distance the necessity of an additional journey to visit the Exhibition; a consideration which has already been urged upon the Commissioners by the representatives of several of the most important provincial towns, who are apprehensive of the inconvenience to which artizans in particular might thus be subjected. Moreover, the removal of the Exhibition to any distance sufficient to diminish the number of visitors would not only militate against its essential character of general accessibility, but might most seriously affect the receipts upon which its self-supporting character must depend, a point upon which it appears that much stress has been laid.4. Although Hyde Park, and even the particular space now in question, had been already mentioned before the issue of the Commission, and indeed so far back as October, 1849, as a probable site for the Exhibition, it is unnecessary to assure the Lords of the Treasury that the Commissioners approached the question of the site after their appointment without having in any degree prejudged the merits of particular localities. On the 14th of February, their attention having been directed to the importance of determining the site by the Committee then recently appointed for all matters relating to the building, they deputed two Commissioners, namely, Lord Granville and Mr. Labouchere, to wait upon the Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests, and to confer with him upon the subject. The result of this conference is set forth in the Report presented by the Building Committee at the next meeting of the Commissioners (Feb. 21), of which the following is the portion which relates to the question of the site:—"With respect to the site, it has appeared to your Committee that, firstly, the north-eastern portion of Hyde Park; secondly, the long space between her Majesty's private road and the Kensington-road, in the southern part of Hyde Park; and, thirdly, the north-western portion of Regent's Park, are the only available spaces about the Metropolis which would afford the necessary accommodation; and it is believed that the order in which they have been named represents also their relative eligibility. As regards the first, the Committee are informed by the Chief Commissioner of her Majesty's Woods and Forests, that considerable objections would arise to its occupation for such a purpose, and that no such objections would be raised to the use of the second; the Committee, therefore, recommend the adoption of this site, which, amongst other advantages, is remarkable for the facility of access afforded by the existing roads. Upon this occasion a letter was received from the Westminster Committee, stating that the local Commissioners for Westminster had visited the site in Hyde Park, and a site suggested in the Regent's Park, and that they were of opinion that the site in Hyde Park was the preferable one."The recommendation of the Building Committee having been agreed to, a form of advertisement, requesting plans and suggestions for the building, was, at the next meeting (28th February), submitted for approbation, and was ordered to be immediately issued in the English, French, and, German languages. To this advertisement was appended a ground-plan of the site in Hyde Park for the guidance of those to whom the advertisement was addressed. The details of this plan were discussed in the presence of the Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests, and were settled in conformity with his lordship's wishes.5. In consequence of the advertisement thus issued, no less than 248 plans and suggestions, many of them the productions of foreign artists, were sent in to the Commissioners. A large number of these were of a very elaborate character, and bore evident marks of considerable application and ability.6. Soon after the site had been selected, some other important arrangements having also by this time been made, the Commissioners prepared and published a statement (21 February) explanatory of the nature and objects of the Exhibition, which was widely circulated in this country, was forwarded to our consuls abroad and to the foreign consuls in England, and was officially transmitted by the Secretary of State to all Foreign Governments, and to all the Governors of the British Colonies, as well as to India. In this statement it was announced that "Her Majesty hadbeen graciously pleased to grant a site for the purpose (of the Exhibition) on the south side of Hyde Park, lying between the Kensington Drive and the ride commonly called Rotten Row."7. The site having been thus deliberately chosen and formally announced, all subsequent proceedings connected with the building have been taken with direct reference to it. The plans have been prepared with a view to its peculiarities, and the form of the building and its internal as well as its external arrangements have been determined by them. The amount of space available for the display of articles has been calculated upon the data afforded by the site, and from a calculation of this amount the Commissioners have been able to assign to each foreign country a definite space for the arrangement of its own productions. All the necessary working-drawings and specifications have been prepared with very great labour and at considerable expense, and have now been issued in a form which will insure to the Commissioners the certainty of obtaining, within a few days,bonâ fidetenders for the execution of a design presenting every facility for construction within the time prescribed. The mechanical difficulties have been surmounted, and all the preliminary arrangements, even to the extent of provision for an effective drainage and a sufficient water supply, have been entered into. The whole of these preparations have reference to this particular site only, and are inapplicable or unsuitable to any other.8. From what has been already stated, it will be seen that the present site was not selected without consideration, and that the proceedings which have been taken with respect to it were not commenced until the Commissioners had good ground for believing that there would be no objection to its occupation. The attention, however, which has lately been directed to the point, has caused them anxiously to reconsider the whole subject, and renders it now necessary for them to enter into somewhat more of detail as to the grounds upon which they have come to the conclusion which they have formed, that this is the only site in or about the Metropolis which is at once suitable and practically available for the purposes of the Exhibition.9. Of the other sites which have been suggested, the following are the only ones deserving of particular consideration:—(a) The North-eastern portion of Hyde Park.(b) The North-western portion of Regent's Park.(c) Battersea Park.(d) Victoria Park.(e) Wormwood Scrubbs.10. The north-eastern portion of Hyde Park would, in the opinion of many members of the Building Committee, be a very eligible situation; but, as has been already mentioned, an objection was taken to this locality on the part of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, on the ground that the building would interfere with some important thoroughfares in that part of the park, and on account of other considerations of public importance; and the idea was abandoned in consequence.11. The site suggested in the Regent's Park has been found, since it was visited by the Building Committee, not to be available, as the leases under which the houses in the neighbourhood are held contain a clear and stringent provision that no new building of any kind shall be erected within the limits of the park.12. With regard to the ground in the neighbourhood of Battersea proposed to be purchased by the Government, and to be converted into a park to be called Battersea Park, the Lords of the Treasury are of course aware that only a small proportion of the whole area has as yet been purchased; and the Commissioners found on inquiry that this proportion consists of numerous small detached pieces, utterly insufficient to accommodate a building of the contemplated size, and separated from each other by intervening plots of ground, many of them in a state of high cultivation, and belonging to a great number of different proprietors, with whom it would be absolutely impossible to effect arrangements within any time which would afford the slightest chance of the Commissioners being put in possession of a site in time to complete their building by the spring of next year. It should be added that the site of this district is very low, a great portion of it being some feet under high-water mark, and that the nature of the soil presents serious objections to its use as a building-ground.13. Victoria Park is situated in an inconvenient and not very accessible part of the town. It would, moreover, be impossible to erect in it a building of the required size without most seriously interfering with the plantations and ornamental water which have been recently laid out there; thus inflicting on the classes for whose recreation that park has been opened an inconvenience infinitely more serious than could be caused to the frequenters of the very much larger area of Hyde Park by the proposed occupation of a comparatively small portion of it.14. Lastly, as regards Wormwood Scrubbs, besides that the distance is a very serious objection, the rights of the commoners in that locality would prevent its appropriation; and the Commissioners are advised that it would be impossible to erect the building there without risk, as any single commoner would have it in his power to interrupt the proceedings, and to cause them to be discontinued at any stage of the work, however advanced. Similar objections apply to Wandsworth and some other commons in the neighbourhood of London, which have been occasionally mentioned as possible sites.14a. As regards Primrose Hill and the Isle of Dogs, the want of level space on the former, and the objectionable situation and dampness of the latter, render them so obviously unsuitable as to make any particular observations unnecessary.15. But even could the objections to any of these sites be removed, or could another and an unobjectionable site be pointed out, the Commissioners feel hound to state, from their experience of the time, thought, and labour necessarily consumed in the investigation, arrangement, and preparation of the great mass of detail requisite to enable them to carry out this extensive work, that they are fully convinced of the impossibility of now adapting their plans to any other site, with any reasonable prospect of being able to complete the work within the time to which they stand pledged in the face of the world; and they could only regard a change of site, particularly if it should involve a change of plan, as tantamount to the postponement of the Exhibition till another year. And the Commissioners cannot shut their eyes to the fact, that a postponement of the Exhibition would, under the circumstances, certainly lead to its entire abandonment.16. In order to give the Lords of the Treasury some idea of the consequences of an abandonment of this scheme, the Commissioners would in the first place direct their attention to the large amount of money already subscribed towards its completion (which is at present nearly 64,000l.), to the number of local committees (now about 240) which have been called into existence throughout the country, to the funds now being raised by subscriptions out of their wages among the working-classes in all parts of the country towards enabling them to visit an Exhibition to which they are anxiously looking forward, and the abandonment of which would be a great disappointment to numbers, and still more to the extensive preparations which are now making for the supply of articles for exhibition. It is within the knowledge of the Commissioners that several individuals in this country have incurred several thousand pounds' expense in such preparations, besides the anxiety which they have occasioned.17. But the evils which would result from postponement, so far as this country is concerned, are as nothing when compared with those which would arise in the case of foreign nations and the colonies. The plan of the Exhibition has been widely circulated for several months, and the following States have already signified, through their respective Governments, that they have appointed Committees or Commissioners, consisting of the most distinguished individuals in those countries, to co-operate with the Royal Commissioners in this country:—Russia,Sweden,Norway,Denmark,Prussia,Saxony,Austria,Bavaria,Hanover,Oldenburg,Mecklenburg,Hanse Towns,France,Holland,Belgium,Spain,The United States,Turkey,Sardinia,Venezuela,Switzerland,Nassau,Anhalt, Dessau, &c.Besides which it may be mentioned that special Commissioners have been sent to this country by France, Russia, and one or two other States; and that in most cases the Governments haveundertaken the collection and the transmission to this country, at their own expense, of the articles intended for exhibition, for which, of course, their preparations are now made.18. In all the countries which have been mentioned active preparations for the Exhibition are now going on, and in some considerable expense is known to have been incurred. The Russian Government has announced that the goods intended for exhibition will be shipped from that country in the autumn of this year, and questions pointing to a similar arrangement have recently been put by the Government of Denmark. The Austrian Government have given notice, that the Great Exhibition which was to have been held at Vienna in the year 1851 has been postponed till the year 1852, in order not to clash with the Exhibition in London. All these circumstances tend to show that the postponement of the Exhibition would be seriously inconvenient to many countries, and would probably occasion considerable and natural irritation at what would appear like national vacillation, besides the certainty of rendering these countries unwilling to run the risk of a second disappointment, and of deterring them from continuing their preparations for a later period.19. These inconveniences would be felt also by the British Colonies. Committees have been announced as formed in Malta, Ceylon, Nova Scotia, Barbadoes, Guiana, and several of the West India Islands, and it is probable that others have been appointed elsewhere. In India most extensive preparations are being made, and the East India Company have incurred very great expense by their exertions to contribute to the Exhibition.20. After what has been said, it is unnecessary that the Commissioners should enlarge any further upon the consequences to be apprehended from the postponement which would be occasioned by an alteration of the site of building. They will proceed to offer a few remarks upon some of the objections which have been taken to that at present proposed.21. An idea appears to prevail in some quarters that the occupation of the Park is intended to be of a permanent, and not, as has been repeatedly announced, of a merely temporary character, and the Commissioners are given to understand that by proposing to construct a building into which a good deal of brickwork is to enter, they have shown an intention at variance with their professions. Upon this point they have to remark, in the first place, that, although the eminent architects and engineers whom they have consulted, and to whom they have uniformly given instructions to prepare plans suitable to a temporary structure, have agreed to recommend the use of brick and other durable materials, they have left it perfectly open to contractors to send in their tenders for the execution of the work in any material or materials whatsoever, and have notified their readiness to entertain such tenders, on the single condition of their being "accompanied by working-drawings and specifications, and fully priced bills of quantities." It is probable that some such tenders will be made, and if made they will be impartially considered; but the Commissioners must protest against the supposition that it is necessarily more judicious to construct a temporary building of perishable than of enduring materials. The first requisite of the building is, that it should be suitable for its purpose, capable of protecting the valuable goods deposited in it from injury of every kind—as, for instance, from the weather, from the effects of the dampness of the soil, from the danger of fire, and so forth, and that it should be strong enough to avert all risk of accidental damage. Its next requisite is, that it should be economical, and in estimating its cost regard must be had not only to the expense of erection, but to the facility of removal and the value of the materials when removed, as a building may easily be conceived to be cheaper which should cost 100,000l.to erect, but of which the materials could afterwards be sold for 50,000l., than another would be which cost but 80,000l.in the first instance, but of which the materials should become so far deteriorated as to produce only 20,000l.when taken down. It is the opinion of those who have devised the plans in the present case, that a building constructed of durable materials will in the end be cheaper than one constructed of such as are more perishable; particularly as a considerable portion of the building, namely, the iron roofing, will be of a kind which is generally used in the construction of railway-stations, and will probably be disposed of for that purpose after the close of the Exhibition, as its temporary application to the purposes of the Exhibition will be of no detriment to its being so. An opportunity of testing the correctness of this opinion will be given when the tenders are received, as, in addition to the customary form, it has been required that they should also be sent upon the understanding that the materials shallremain the property of the contractor, and shall in fact only be hired for the purposes of the Exhibition. The third requisite of the building is, that it should be at least seemly, though it may not be necessary that it should be highly ornamental. The Commissioners trust that it will fulfil this condition, while they would at the same time point out that no expense is to be incurred for merely ornamental purposes, unless it should be thought desirable to select a dome for covering in the large space which must necessarily be left in the centre of the building to suit the internal arrangements. A cheaper mode of covering in this space will probably be resorted to, and the Commissioners have directed that a special estimate of the cost of the dome should be laid before them when the tenders are complete, in order that they may judge of the propriety of sanctioning its erection.Having offered this short explanation, they can only repeat once more the assurances they have already given, that the building is not intended to be permanent, and that it will be entirely removed, in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the Lords of the Treasury on yielding up the site, within seven months after the closing of the Exhibition, which cannot be deferred after the 1st of November, and will probably take place at an earlier period in the autumn of next year.22. Another ground of apprehension is stated to be, lest the Park should be injured by the erection of the building, and the injury should continue after the structure is removed. This apprehension is, however, groundless; a small clump of ten trees has been allowed to be removed, in compensation for which, it is proposed by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests to plant another clump elsewhere. It is not intended to cut down any more than that clump. As regards the surface of the ground to be occupied, it will not only not be injured, but will ultimately be materially improved by being drained and freshly sown with grass seed. It will be a strict condition with the contractors for the building that they shall, on its removal, restore the ground to its present condition.23. Some dissatisfaction has been expressed at the prospect of a furnace being erected to heat the boiler and drive the steam-apparatus. It is however, intended to construct such furnace on the principle of consuming its own smoke, or to burn coke instead of coal, should that, upon the whole, appear the best mode of preventing annoyance. Care will also be taken not to erect any chimney of an unsightly character.24. As regards the amount of traffic which will be occasioned by the transport of materials and goods to the site, the Commissioners have been furnished by the Building Committee with an approximate estimate that it will not in the whole exceed the ordinary amount of three weeks' general traffic of a single railway-station, and as this traffic will be spread over a period of more than six months, it is manifest that its amount has been enormously exaggerated by public estimation.25. The Queen's Ride, though in the immediate vicinity of the site, will not be in any degree interfered with, except that it may be advisable to rail off a strip not exceeding ten feet, or one-sixth of the whole in width, for foot-passengers, in order to prevent the inconvenience of crowding the space open to riding parties. By this arrangement the riders will be secured from annoyance.25a.It has been said that the effect of the erection of the building will be to drive the inhabitants of London out of their Parks. The Commissioners think it right to draw the attention of the Lords of the Treasury to the following statistics:—The area ofHyde Park is387acres."Kensington Gardens290""Regent's Park403""St. James's Park83""Green Park71""Victoria Park160""Greenwich Park174"making a total of 1,568 acres, while only twenty acres are proposed to be taken or the purposes of this Exhibition.26. In conclusion, the Commissioners think it desirable to call attention to the fact, that the three last Exhibitions of this nature which have taken place in Paris have been held on a site (the Champs Elysées) very closely corresponding to our own Hyde Park in many respects, andparticularly resembling it in being the most fashionable and the most frequented promenade in Paris—more frequented, indeed, than the particular spot selected on the present occasion has ever been, or is likely to be; and yet it does not appear that the Parisians have had occasion to complain of those annoyances which are now apprehended by some persons in this country. And the Commissioners are informed, that the Exhibition in Vienna was held in the Prado, the principal public place in that city; and that the Exhibition in Berlin was held in the Thiergarten, which is not only the principal public place within the city, but is remarkable as being the only open Park of any sort within several miles.27. In the foregoing observations the Commissioners have thought it right to confine themselves strictly to a discussion of the practical difficulties which would attend a change of site. They cannot, however, but express their decided opinion, that the renouncement of the selection of the most beautiful park in London for the scene of the Exhibition may be looked upon as indicating a diminution of interest in the undertaking, and would materially detract from that appearance of hospitality on the part of England which has been one great cause for the very favourable reception which this proposal has everywhere secured.They must add, that the possibility that the bringing the Exhibition into Hyde Park should be considered as an interference with the enjoyment of that Park by the public has never entered their minds. They have, on the contrary, always intended it as a means of recreative and intellectual enjoyment for the greatest portion of her Majesty's subjects: and they have hitherto had reason to believe that it has been so regarded by the country in general.
1. It is within the knowledge of the Lords of the Treasury, that from the time of the earliest announcement of the proposed Exhibition it has always been intended that it should take place in the Metropolis. Not only was such an intention matter of notoriety at the time that the question of issuing a Royal Commission was under consideration, but the Commission itself, when issued formally recited that it was proposed "To establish an Enlarged Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations, to be holden in London, in the year 1851;" and it was to further the holding of such an exhibition that the present Commissioners were specially appointed.
2. Considering the importance of the undertaking, and the circumstances attending its promulgation, the selection of the Metropolis as its intended locality appears to have been both natural and proper. It will be borne in mind that the exhibitions which have from time to time been held in foreign countries have generally, and, as the Commissioners believe, invariably, been held in the capitals of the respective countries. In the present case it was peculiarly important that an undertaking which required the constant superintendence of a body of Commissioners, whoseoccupations for the most part confine them to London, should be carried on within their immediate cognisance, and not removed to a distant situation.
3. It being thus distinctly evident that the Exhibition ought to take place in London, it is further obvious that the actual site which may be selected for it should be within the precincts of, or in the closest vicinity to, the most central and accessible parts of the Metropolis itself. It need hardly be pointed out that it would be objectionable to impose upon persons who may have come to London from a great distance the necessity of an additional journey to visit the Exhibition; a consideration which has already been urged upon the Commissioners by the representatives of several of the most important provincial towns, who are apprehensive of the inconvenience to which artizans in particular might thus be subjected. Moreover, the removal of the Exhibition to any distance sufficient to diminish the number of visitors would not only militate against its essential character of general accessibility, but might most seriously affect the receipts upon which its self-supporting character must depend, a point upon which it appears that much stress has been laid.
4. Although Hyde Park, and even the particular space now in question, had been already mentioned before the issue of the Commission, and indeed so far back as October, 1849, as a probable site for the Exhibition, it is unnecessary to assure the Lords of the Treasury that the Commissioners approached the question of the site after their appointment without having in any degree prejudged the merits of particular localities. On the 14th of February, their attention having been directed to the importance of determining the site by the Committee then recently appointed for all matters relating to the building, they deputed two Commissioners, namely, Lord Granville and Mr. Labouchere, to wait upon the Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests, and to confer with him upon the subject. The result of this conference is set forth in the Report presented by the Building Committee at the next meeting of the Commissioners (Feb. 21), of which the following is the portion which relates to the question of the site:—
"With respect to the site, it has appeared to your Committee that, firstly, the north-eastern portion of Hyde Park; secondly, the long space between her Majesty's private road and the Kensington-road, in the southern part of Hyde Park; and, thirdly, the north-western portion of Regent's Park, are the only available spaces about the Metropolis which would afford the necessary accommodation; and it is believed that the order in which they have been named represents also their relative eligibility. As regards the first, the Committee are informed by the Chief Commissioner of her Majesty's Woods and Forests, that considerable objections would arise to its occupation for such a purpose, and that no such objections would be raised to the use of the second; the Committee, therefore, recommend the adoption of this site, which, amongst other advantages, is remarkable for the facility of access afforded by the existing roads. Upon this occasion a letter was received from the Westminster Committee, stating that the local Commissioners for Westminster had visited the site in Hyde Park, and a site suggested in the Regent's Park, and that they were of opinion that the site in Hyde Park was the preferable one."
The recommendation of the Building Committee having been agreed to, a form of advertisement, requesting plans and suggestions for the building, was, at the next meeting (28th February), submitted for approbation, and was ordered to be immediately issued in the English, French, and, German languages. To this advertisement was appended a ground-plan of the site in Hyde Park for the guidance of those to whom the advertisement was addressed. The details of this plan were discussed in the presence of the Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests, and were settled in conformity with his lordship's wishes.
5. In consequence of the advertisement thus issued, no less than 248 plans and suggestions, many of them the productions of foreign artists, were sent in to the Commissioners. A large number of these were of a very elaborate character, and bore evident marks of considerable application and ability.
6. Soon after the site had been selected, some other important arrangements having also by this time been made, the Commissioners prepared and published a statement (21 February) explanatory of the nature and objects of the Exhibition, which was widely circulated in this country, was forwarded to our consuls abroad and to the foreign consuls in England, and was officially transmitted by the Secretary of State to all Foreign Governments, and to all the Governors of the British Colonies, as well as to India. In this statement it was announced that "Her Majesty hadbeen graciously pleased to grant a site for the purpose (of the Exhibition) on the south side of Hyde Park, lying between the Kensington Drive and the ride commonly called Rotten Row."
7. The site having been thus deliberately chosen and formally announced, all subsequent proceedings connected with the building have been taken with direct reference to it. The plans have been prepared with a view to its peculiarities, and the form of the building and its internal as well as its external arrangements have been determined by them. The amount of space available for the display of articles has been calculated upon the data afforded by the site, and from a calculation of this amount the Commissioners have been able to assign to each foreign country a definite space for the arrangement of its own productions. All the necessary working-drawings and specifications have been prepared with very great labour and at considerable expense, and have now been issued in a form which will insure to the Commissioners the certainty of obtaining, within a few days,bonâ fidetenders for the execution of a design presenting every facility for construction within the time prescribed. The mechanical difficulties have been surmounted, and all the preliminary arrangements, even to the extent of provision for an effective drainage and a sufficient water supply, have been entered into. The whole of these preparations have reference to this particular site only, and are inapplicable or unsuitable to any other.
8. From what has been already stated, it will be seen that the present site was not selected without consideration, and that the proceedings which have been taken with respect to it were not commenced until the Commissioners had good ground for believing that there would be no objection to its occupation. The attention, however, which has lately been directed to the point, has caused them anxiously to reconsider the whole subject, and renders it now necessary for them to enter into somewhat more of detail as to the grounds upon which they have come to the conclusion which they have formed, that this is the only site in or about the Metropolis which is at once suitable and practically available for the purposes of the Exhibition.
9. Of the other sites which have been suggested, the following are the only ones deserving of particular consideration:—
(a) The North-eastern portion of Hyde Park.(b) The North-western portion of Regent's Park.(c) Battersea Park.(d) Victoria Park.(e) Wormwood Scrubbs.
(a) The North-eastern portion of Hyde Park.
(b) The North-western portion of Regent's Park.
(c) Battersea Park.
(d) Victoria Park.
(e) Wormwood Scrubbs.
10. The north-eastern portion of Hyde Park would, in the opinion of many members of the Building Committee, be a very eligible situation; but, as has been already mentioned, an objection was taken to this locality on the part of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, on the ground that the building would interfere with some important thoroughfares in that part of the park, and on account of other considerations of public importance; and the idea was abandoned in consequence.
11. The site suggested in the Regent's Park has been found, since it was visited by the Building Committee, not to be available, as the leases under which the houses in the neighbourhood are held contain a clear and stringent provision that no new building of any kind shall be erected within the limits of the park.
12. With regard to the ground in the neighbourhood of Battersea proposed to be purchased by the Government, and to be converted into a park to be called Battersea Park, the Lords of the Treasury are of course aware that only a small proportion of the whole area has as yet been purchased; and the Commissioners found on inquiry that this proportion consists of numerous small detached pieces, utterly insufficient to accommodate a building of the contemplated size, and separated from each other by intervening plots of ground, many of them in a state of high cultivation, and belonging to a great number of different proprietors, with whom it would be absolutely impossible to effect arrangements within any time which would afford the slightest chance of the Commissioners being put in possession of a site in time to complete their building by the spring of next year. It should be added that the site of this district is very low, a great portion of it being some feet under high-water mark, and that the nature of the soil presents serious objections to its use as a building-ground.
13. Victoria Park is situated in an inconvenient and not very accessible part of the town. It would, moreover, be impossible to erect in it a building of the required size without most seriously interfering with the plantations and ornamental water which have been recently laid out there; thus inflicting on the classes for whose recreation that park has been opened an inconvenience infinitely more serious than could be caused to the frequenters of the very much larger area of Hyde Park by the proposed occupation of a comparatively small portion of it.
14. Lastly, as regards Wormwood Scrubbs, besides that the distance is a very serious objection, the rights of the commoners in that locality would prevent its appropriation; and the Commissioners are advised that it would be impossible to erect the building there without risk, as any single commoner would have it in his power to interrupt the proceedings, and to cause them to be discontinued at any stage of the work, however advanced. Similar objections apply to Wandsworth and some other commons in the neighbourhood of London, which have been occasionally mentioned as possible sites.
14a. As regards Primrose Hill and the Isle of Dogs, the want of level space on the former, and the objectionable situation and dampness of the latter, render them so obviously unsuitable as to make any particular observations unnecessary.
15. But even could the objections to any of these sites be removed, or could another and an unobjectionable site be pointed out, the Commissioners feel hound to state, from their experience of the time, thought, and labour necessarily consumed in the investigation, arrangement, and preparation of the great mass of detail requisite to enable them to carry out this extensive work, that they are fully convinced of the impossibility of now adapting their plans to any other site, with any reasonable prospect of being able to complete the work within the time to which they stand pledged in the face of the world; and they could only regard a change of site, particularly if it should involve a change of plan, as tantamount to the postponement of the Exhibition till another year. And the Commissioners cannot shut their eyes to the fact, that a postponement of the Exhibition would, under the circumstances, certainly lead to its entire abandonment.
16. In order to give the Lords of the Treasury some idea of the consequences of an abandonment of this scheme, the Commissioners would in the first place direct their attention to the large amount of money already subscribed towards its completion (which is at present nearly 64,000l.), to the number of local committees (now about 240) which have been called into existence throughout the country, to the funds now being raised by subscriptions out of their wages among the working-classes in all parts of the country towards enabling them to visit an Exhibition to which they are anxiously looking forward, and the abandonment of which would be a great disappointment to numbers, and still more to the extensive preparations which are now making for the supply of articles for exhibition. It is within the knowledge of the Commissioners that several individuals in this country have incurred several thousand pounds' expense in such preparations, besides the anxiety which they have occasioned.
17. But the evils which would result from postponement, so far as this country is concerned, are as nothing when compared with those which would arise in the case of foreign nations and the colonies. The plan of the Exhibition has been widely circulated for several months, and the following States have already signified, through their respective Governments, that they have appointed Committees or Commissioners, consisting of the most distinguished individuals in those countries, to co-operate with the Royal Commissioners in this country:—
Besides which it may be mentioned that special Commissioners have been sent to this country by France, Russia, and one or two other States; and that in most cases the Governments haveundertaken the collection and the transmission to this country, at their own expense, of the articles intended for exhibition, for which, of course, their preparations are now made.
18. In all the countries which have been mentioned active preparations for the Exhibition are now going on, and in some considerable expense is known to have been incurred. The Russian Government has announced that the goods intended for exhibition will be shipped from that country in the autumn of this year, and questions pointing to a similar arrangement have recently been put by the Government of Denmark. The Austrian Government have given notice, that the Great Exhibition which was to have been held at Vienna in the year 1851 has been postponed till the year 1852, in order not to clash with the Exhibition in London. All these circumstances tend to show that the postponement of the Exhibition would be seriously inconvenient to many countries, and would probably occasion considerable and natural irritation at what would appear like national vacillation, besides the certainty of rendering these countries unwilling to run the risk of a second disappointment, and of deterring them from continuing their preparations for a later period.
19. These inconveniences would be felt also by the British Colonies. Committees have been announced as formed in Malta, Ceylon, Nova Scotia, Barbadoes, Guiana, and several of the West India Islands, and it is probable that others have been appointed elsewhere. In India most extensive preparations are being made, and the East India Company have incurred very great expense by their exertions to contribute to the Exhibition.
20. After what has been said, it is unnecessary that the Commissioners should enlarge any further upon the consequences to be apprehended from the postponement which would be occasioned by an alteration of the site of building. They will proceed to offer a few remarks upon some of the objections which have been taken to that at present proposed.
21. An idea appears to prevail in some quarters that the occupation of the Park is intended to be of a permanent, and not, as has been repeatedly announced, of a merely temporary character, and the Commissioners are given to understand that by proposing to construct a building into which a good deal of brickwork is to enter, they have shown an intention at variance with their professions. Upon this point they have to remark, in the first place, that, although the eminent architects and engineers whom they have consulted, and to whom they have uniformly given instructions to prepare plans suitable to a temporary structure, have agreed to recommend the use of brick and other durable materials, they have left it perfectly open to contractors to send in their tenders for the execution of the work in any material or materials whatsoever, and have notified their readiness to entertain such tenders, on the single condition of their being "accompanied by working-drawings and specifications, and fully priced bills of quantities." It is probable that some such tenders will be made, and if made they will be impartially considered; but the Commissioners must protest against the supposition that it is necessarily more judicious to construct a temporary building of perishable than of enduring materials. The first requisite of the building is, that it should be suitable for its purpose, capable of protecting the valuable goods deposited in it from injury of every kind—as, for instance, from the weather, from the effects of the dampness of the soil, from the danger of fire, and so forth, and that it should be strong enough to avert all risk of accidental damage. Its next requisite is, that it should be economical, and in estimating its cost regard must be had not only to the expense of erection, but to the facility of removal and the value of the materials when removed, as a building may easily be conceived to be cheaper which should cost 100,000l.to erect, but of which the materials could afterwards be sold for 50,000l., than another would be which cost but 80,000l.in the first instance, but of which the materials should become so far deteriorated as to produce only 20,000l.when taken down. It is the opinion of those who have devised the plans in the present case, that a building constructed of durable materials will in the end be cheaper than one constructed of such as are more perishable; particularly as a considerable portion of the building, namely, the iron roofing, will be of a kind which is generally used in the construction of railway-stations, and will probably be disposed of for that purpose after the close of the Exhibition, as its temporary application to the purposes of the Exhibition will be of no detriment to its being so. An opportunity of testing the correctness of this opinion will be given when the tenders are received, as, in addition to the customary form, it has been required that they should also be sent upon the understanding that the materials shallremain the property of the contractor, and shall in fact only be hired for the purposes of the Exhibition. The third requisite of the building is, that it should be at least seemly, though it may not be necessary that it should be highly ornamental. The Commissioners trust that it will fulfil this condition, while they would at the same time point out that no expense is to be incurred for merely ornamental purposes, unless it should be thought desirable to select a dome for covering in the large space which must necessarily be left in the centre of the building to suit the internal arrangements. A cheaper mode of covering in this space will probably be resorted to, and the Commissioners have directed that a special estimate of the cost of the dome should be laid before them when the tenders are complete, in order that they may judge of the propriety of sanctioning its erection.
Having offered this short explanation, they can only repeat once more the assurances they have already given, that the building is not intended to be permanent, and that it will be entirely removed, in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the Lords of the Treasury on yielding up the site, within seven months after the closing of the Exhibition, which cannot be deferred after the 1st of November, and will probably take place at an earlier period in the autumn of next year.
22. Another ground of apprehension is stated to be, lest the Park should be injured by the erection of the building, and the injury should continue after the structure is removed. This apprehension is, however, groundless; a small clump of ten trees has been allowed to be removed, in compensation for which, it is proposed by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests to plant another clump elsewhere. It is not intended to cut down any more than that clump. As regards the surface of the ground to be occupied, it will not only not be injured, but will ultimately be materially improved by being drained and freshly sown with grass seed. It will be a strict condition with the contractors for the building that they shall, on its removal, restore the ground to its present condition.
23. Some dissatisfaction has been expressed at the prospect of a furnace being erected to heat the boiler and drive the steam-apparatus. It is however, intended to construct such furnace on the principle of consuming its own smoke, or to burn coke instead of coal, should that, upon the whole, appear the best mode of preventing annoyance. Care will also be taken not to erect any chimney of an unsightly character.
24. As regards the amount of traffic which will be occasioned by the transport of materials and goods to the site, the Commissioners have been furnished by the Building Committee with an approximate estimate that it will not in the whole exceed the ordinary amount of three weeks' general traffic of a single railway-station, and as this traffic will be spread over a period of more than six months, it is manifest that its amount has been enormously exaggerated by public estimation.
25. The Queen's Ride, though in the immediate vicinity of the site, will not be in any degree interfered with, except that it may be advisable to rail off a strip not exceeding ten feet, or one-sixth of the whole in width, for foot-passengers, in order to prevent the inconvenience of crowding the space open to riding parties. By this arrangement the riders will be secured from annoyance.
25a.It has been said that the effect of the erection of the building will be to drive the inhabitants of London out of their Parks. The Commissioners think it right to draw the attention of the Lords of the Treasury to the following statistics:—
making a total of 1,568 acres, while only twenty acres are proposed to be taken or the purposes of this Exhibition.
26. In conclusion, the Commissioners think it desirable to call attention to the fact, that the three last Exhibitions of this nature which have taken place in Paris have been held on a site (the Champs Elysées) very closely corresponding to our own Hyde Park in many respects, andparticularly resembling it in being the most fashionable and the most frequented promenade in Paris—more frequented, indeed, than the particular spot selected on the present occasion has ever been, or is likely to be; and yet it does not appear that the Parisians have had occasion to complain of those annoyances which are now apprehended by some persons in this country. And the Commissioners are informed, that the Exhibition in Vienna was held in the Prado, the principal public place in that city; and that the Exhibition in Berlin was held in the Thiergarten, which is not only the principal public place within the city, but is remarkable as being the only open Park of any sort within several miles.
27. In the foregoing observations the Commissioners have thought it right to confine themselves strictly to a discussion of the practical difficulties which would attend a change of site. They cannot, however, but express their decided opinion, that the renouncement of the selection of the most beautiful park in London for the scene of the Exhibition may be looked upon as indicating a diminution of interest in the undertaking, and would materially detract from that appearance of hospitality on the part of England which has been one great cause for the very favourable reception which this proposal has everywhere secured.
They must add, that the possibility that the bringing the Exhibition into Hyde Park should be considered as an interference with the enjoyment of that Park by the public has never entered their minds. They have, on the contrary, always intended it as a means of recreative and intellectual enjoyment for the greatest portion of her Majesty's subjects: and they have hitherto had reason to believe that it has been so regarded by the country in general.
REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSIONERS,
PRESENTED TO HER MAJESTY ON THE OPENING OF THE BUILDING.
The following Report, together with her Majesty's Answer, on the occasion of the inauguration of the building, cannot fail to be interesting as a brief record of the proceedings connected with this noble undertaking up to that period:—