The Express.
London, England, 1858-01-09 00:00:00

THE NEW SOMAS OP PARLIAMENT.

Of late but little progress has been made in works
at the above large structure, as respecte the exterior; but
considerable activity has be manifested in the interior anti
the private residences in the north and south wings of the
river front are now nearly finished, more especially the man-
sion (for so we must call It), intended for the official residence
of the Speakm of the House of Commons. This residence
occupies the whole of the north end of the river front of the
and extends to what Is termed the Speaker's Court,
the whole forming in plan a parallelogram, which measures
100 feet by IS feet. The entrance is in the Speaker's Court.
through =appropriate stone porch. A wide stone Adresse
leads to the principal floor, where the great reception rooms
are arranged, all of which are entered by a corridor, the mil-
d which is greined in stone, and the Boor paved with Min-
ton's monastic files. This corridor extends round four sides
of inner court, which serves to light the basement and
ground floors. The windows towards the court are filled
with stained glass, containing the armorial bearings of past
Speakers of the House of Commons. Entering, as previously
stated, from the corridor, aro the reception-rooms, four in
number, which comprise three drawing-rooms and a state
dining-ream of the following dimensions severally—via., 33
bet by 23 feet, 37 feet by 21 feet, 33 feet by 23 fleet, 43
feet by 23 feet, and all of the uniform height of
20 feet in the clear. Chambers are also fitted up in a similar
manner to the test of the building, but with finishiuge
more than ordinary ornate description. The ceibmge ere
panelled and relieved by gilding and colour. The slate
dining-room has at one of its ends • large panelled reams to
contain the sideboard; below and above portraits of forgoer
of the house. Adjoining the dining-room is
=kir termed to
• serving-room, with • lift, hot-plates, dco.
The bedrooms and domestic portions of the house are on •
moat extensive scale, and are now progressing very rapidly,
with a view to the home being occupied soon after Easter.
In the month wing two complete residences are being fitted up
for the Black Bed" and the librarian of the House of
Lords. These reeidencee are being arranged with every
modern convenience sad comfort, but in a much plainer style
Mau the fipeetker's House, and are not so near completion.
Generally, the building remains in much the same mate as it
was at the close of thelast session, except that the ponderous
sentbga which are to form the roof of the Victoria Tower
are Wag hoisted to their situations. We may remark that
the four turrets at corners of the Victoria Tower are now
and have • highly-picturesque effect. Tbe clerk
and bells not yet been placed in the clock tower, whisk,
however, is quite ready for thdr reception.—Building IV I WI.

There is livinAltjtt present time in the townnhip
of Merton, near a married woman wh,,. midi&
22 years, has prelim her busload 28 children, all single
bi rt ha —S ockport Adcerlioor.
MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND LINCOLNSHIRE
R • ILWA T.—The directors of this company, In their llnstirtal
statement just presented to parliament, with reference to the
construction of a railway from Gerstein to Liverpool, end to
mike am ants with the Manchester, Smith Junction,
and Altriacham, the Warrington end Stockport, mid Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire in respect thereto, and the appointment
of • joint committee, with powers to the WarrioWon and
Stookport and Gredt Northern Railways to subscribe, state
that the proposed works are to be provided for out of a stun
of 388,205/.. authorised to be raised as additional capital, sag
which will be appropriated to that purpose.
LONDON TRAYWAT.—The estimated expense by
Mr. J. Samuel, the engineer of this undertaking, including
conthigencies, is reported to parliament to amount to
31,0001.
RAILWAY RECEIFTS.—The traffic returns of rail-
ways in the United Kingdom published for the week ending
January 2, amounted to 392,5071., and for the correspond-
, mg mask of 1857 to 403,0741., showing a decrease of 10,5871.
The groat receipts of the eight railways having their tarmini
Ice ra• metropolis amounted for the week ending as above to
167,1071., god for the corresponding week of lint year to
163,9981., showing= increase of 1,1091. The incomes on the
!astern Counties amounted to 1,6021 on the Great Nee.
Mass to 2,6371.; on the Great Western to 4081.; on the
London sad Blaekwsll to 1111.; on the London, RAI=
and South Comet to 1,23.21.; on the London sad
Western to 74314 and on the South-Rwooro to 1994 ;
6,9731. But from this most be deducted 5,8831., the dam=
on
the Landon and North-Western; lowing the tnereme,
as above, 1,109 k The receipts on the other lhies el the
united kingdom amounted to 225,3907., and for the ted,-
period of 1657 to 237,07.1., showing • dents7l4l4:li27 117 . in the receipts of those lines, hem which =ilk
he deducted the increase on the metropotften linz,ll;colf
the total &maw 10,6671. as compared with the
hag week of 1857.