The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-20 00:00:00

PROGRESS AT THB CRYSTAL PALACE.

Great progress is being made in the interior fittings
of the various courts, and in the formation of the grounds
without. The Pompeian Court is the most advanced ; the
coloured decorations being to a considerable extent com-
pleted. The Egyptian Court has also taken shape ; so also
the Greek Court; but thi., as it strikes us, will be less unlike
what the people have already seen than the former and some
of the other portions. The collection of casts from antique
statues will nevertheless render this a very attractive point
in the Exhibition. The shell fur the corridors and doorways
forming the Byzantine, Italian-Medieval, Gothic, and
Renaissance Courts is being rapidly constructed; and in the
gallery above is • marvellous collection of casts from all
parts of the world, destined to occupy the floor and walls of
the apartments thus being prepared fur them. Amongst the
casts, the colossal head of "Bavaria," from Munich, and
the legs of the sitting Memnon, now in progress, strike the
visitor on entering; while past the Pompeian Court the
equestrian figure of King Charles has already given the
name of Charing-cross " to that part of the building in
which it stands. It is impossible to form a just conception
of the extraordinary whole which the Crystal Palace will
present when the numerous ideas now all working towards
fulfilment are realised and opened to the inspection of the
world.
In the grounds an immense amount of work has been
done—terraces levelled and formed; here the earth cut
down, and there again brought up to a height of 18 or 20
feet, in thin layers, made solid by continuous ramming.
Flights of granite steps from 40 to 50 feet wide; thousands
of feet of stone balustrading on strong brick substructions
I. keep back the ground; and stone arcades to contain
dolphin fountains—are all nearly ccmple'ed. Upon the
pedestal of the steps and balustrades—the architecture of
which, by the: way, might be better—are sphinxes and
statues; " Italy," by Monti; Australia," by Bell, with
kangaroo by her side and golden nugget in her hand; and
• sates of copies from the antique by Iternini, including
Ids distorted Farness Hercules, .I:sculapius, and Mercury.
The two first clever statues are casts in cement merely.
It is worth noticing the large sizes of the granite blocks for
18. ay of them 12 feet in length.
&—lrreparations for the water-works are on a colossal
scale. Four pipes, 2 feet 0 inches each in diameter, are
being laid down for two cascades, which will run along a
large extent of ground, and at the end fall over and pass the
face of an arcade 200 feet long, where visitors will walk.
The extent of water from end to end will be 2,000 feet. The
great basins are 3GO feet across, with a high jet in each. In
the whole there will be ten great fountains. For these it
was thought desirable to obtain fresh ideas, and a competi-
tion was accordingly invited on a very satisfactory footing.
Ten architects and sculptors, some foreign, some English,
were selected to give designs, and the sum of 1001. was paid
to each. Amongst them are John Bell, Hector Iloreau,
Owen Jones, Kiss of Berlin, John Thomas, D. Wyatt, de.
The design., about 100 in number, have just now been
sent in.
We must not conclude without reference to the last pro-
ject in connexion with this immense undertaking—namely,
a series of hotels designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, to be
erc,:ted in iron and glass, similar in character to the main
building, on the London side, and connected with the
Crystal Palace by glass ways passing over the public road.
These, it is proposed, which are to be of first, second, and
third class, each containing about 100 rooms, and supplying
refreshments at costs suited to the means of the various
orders of visitors, are to be carried out by a separate tom-
pany.—The Builder.

ROYAL ASYLUM FOR POOR, AGED, AND DECAYED
Warensirsi AND LIGHTEKMEN.—The twelfth anniversary
dinner of the friends and supporters of this excellent. insti-
tution was celebrated at the London Tavern, on Wednes-
day. There were about 150 present. Sir W. Diolesworth,
Dart., M.P., filled the chair, and was supported by Mr.
C. S. Butler, M.P., Mr. A. Pellatt, M.P., and Mr. Alder-
man Cubitt, M.P. There were also present a great many
of the principal wharlingere and lightermen occupying pre-
mises on the banks of the Thames, on each side from West-
minster to Blackwall. After the usual loyal toast had been
given, and duly responded to, the chairman proposed
" Prosperity to the Royal Asylum for Free Watermen and
Lightermen," • toast which was meat enthusiastically
cheered. The ether toasts of the evening were—" The
Chairman," "The Corporation of the City of London, and
the Trado and Commerce thereof," " Mr. John Deedin
Brown, the president of the institution" (this gentleman
was highly complimented upon the large amount of con-
tributions which he had, at various times, made to the
charity, amounting to several thousands of pounds), " The
Master, Wardens, and Court of Assistants of the Company
of Watermen and Lightermen of the Riser Thames, Mr.
Clark, the honorary secretary, &c., &c." Front the report,
which was read at length, it appeared that the expen•e of
maintaining the institution during the past year amounted
to 8001., whilst the permanent income was no more than
3.101. The whole of the proceedings were of a very in-
teresting character, and the company separated after a most
convivial meeting at an early how.
1)EATI1 of Mn, BRANSEti COOPER, F.R.S.—The
medical profession and the public generally will hear with
ereat regret that this most estimable sur-eon expired very
suddenly on Thursday afternoon at the Atherneum Club.
The deceased gentleman was the fourth son of the ltev
Samuel Cooper, the elder brother of the illustrious Sir
Miley Cooper, and the grandson of Dr. Cooper, for many
years vicar of Great Yarmouth. Mr. Cooper was a most
kind and amiable man, beloved and respected by his pupils
and hospital patients, with whose sufferings he sympathised,
lie has left a widow and large family to deplore the loss of
an excellent husband and father.
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ARRIVAL OF THE INDIAN MAlL,l.—Yeaterday the
Oriental Company's steam pae:et Indus, Captain Fel., ar
rived at Southampton, at
.1 30 p.m. o'clock, and landed
her mails and despatches under the charge of Lieutenant
Dennehy, IL N., Admiralty Agent. Iler dates of mails arc
Hong- konz. June 23; Alexandria, August ; Malta,
August 0; Gibraltar, August 14; Singapore, July 4 ; Pe-
nang, July h; Madras, July 8; Ceylon, July 11; Aden,
July 26; Calcutta, July 2; Saes, August 2. The Indus
brings the following 100 passengers: from Australia,
Hung Kong, 1; Singapore, 6; Gable, 4 ; Alexandria, G;
Calcutta, 1G ; Madras, 3; Malta, 10; and 40 invalids from
the Fleet. Amongst the above are, Lieut.-Col. Liasetsh-ov,
ICE.; Sergeant S'ewart, 41st regiment; Mr. Erskine,
naval cadet, and Mr. Sweeng, scientific expedition to
Africa. Her cargo consists of 1 box of specie, va-
lue unknown ; 790 bales of silk, 10 cases of
silk, 10 bales of elephants' teeth, 92 bales of flax, 33
barn Is of gum,3 cases of tortoiseshell, 10 cases of vermillion,
13 casts of silk goods, 2 cases of shawls, 31 parcel•, 3 casks
of wine, and GO packages of sundries. The Indus brings
nothing new from this fleets in Desica Bay.
BIRMINGHAM OAOL.—A commission has been ap-
pointed to inquire into the alleged cruelties practised at
this gaol. Lieutenant Austin has, it is said, resigned his
appointment.