The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-25 00:00:00

THE NEW CRYSTAL PALACE.

If the expenditure is only kept under firm and ju-
dicious control there is every reason to hope that this
undertaking will be completely successful. The appre-
hensions, however, that the building will not be ready
by the Ist of May seem to increase in strength, and.
although a great deal of work has undoubtedly been
done, the progress made, until within the last few days,
has not been so great as might have been expected. It
is perhaps to be regretted that the company did not
give themselves more time for the execution of a scheme
so extensive, and even still it may be worth their while
to consider whether they ought not to defer the opening.
The permanent character of the building, its lofty pro-
portions, the inequalities of the ground on which it
stands, the exposure of so elevated a site, and the diffi-
culty of accomedating a vast number of workmen in
such a spot—all present obstacles of a serious kind.
The economy of time also in undertakings of this sort
has its limits, fur things done in a hurry entail extra
cost for speed, and are generally found defective.
Taking all this into consideration, and remembering
the great strain by which the building in Hyde-Park
was got ready, it seems unwise in the company to bind
themselves to the Ist of May as their opening day. They
have no body of volunteers behind their backs, like
the 16,000 exhibitors behind the Royal Commission,
to furnish the vast interior as soon as it is covered in.
They must do the whole, or nearly the whole, work of
Riling up themselves ; and not only have they this task
within, but outside also they have more than 100 acres
of land to lay out in the most elaborate style of garden-
ing. They have, besides, to provide additional railway
accommodation to London-bridge, and a now line to the
west-end of town ; for in the present state of matters a
great rush of people to Sydennam would give rise to an
amount of confusion and inconvenience which might dis-
gust the public with the whole undertaking. To effect
this and other objects of vital importance to the schemes
Parliament must first be appealed to, and we all know
what delay that entails.
These very obvious considerations, connected with the
state and prospects of the new Palace, will, no doubt,
when the proper time arrived, force themselves on the
attention of the directors, who, in the meantime, may

, .
fairly be congratulated on the growing promise of their
enterprise as each portion of it acquires shape and con-
sistency. To the magnificence of the design for the
building, to its commanding site, and to the general out-
line of the scheme for rendering it attractive—all of
which have been described in previous notices—there
can now be added many interesting details which may
help one to appreciate by anticipation what the whole
will be when completed. As the exterior arrangements
are those which will first attract the attention of the visi-
tor, let us give some account of them at the outset. The
south-eastern slope of the hill, on the summit of which
the new Palace stands, and up which the main approach
will lead, is to be laid out in a manner which will ren-
der it quite as attractive as in the interior of the build-
ing, it not more so. The upper portion of it—that im-
mediately in front of the principal facade—to the extent
of about 40 acres, and having a breadth of about 1,650
feet, will be arranged as a terraced Italian garden, and
will be by far the finest thing of the kind in England.
The portion of it for which contracts have been com-
pleted, and which we believe embraces only the first row
of terraces, is to cost 50,0001. Sir Joseph Paxton, in
his plan of the grounds, has judiciously preserved the
same scale of proportions as in the architecture of the
building, every dimension being a multiple of eight feet.
Harmony of combination is thus greatly promoted, while,
to show that effect will not be sacrificed, his grand ap-
proach and terrace walk will be 16 feet wide, the general
one% 48 feet, and none less than 24 feet. The Italian
garden will gradually merge into a less artificial and
more English, but still ornate style, the natural 15y of
the land being less interfere I with, and the object being
to lead the eye agreeably and gently off to the survey of
the surrounding landscape. Over the whole will extend
a a system of fountains nearly five times as extensive as
those of Versailles on grand days There will be every
kind of ornamental device known in works of this sort,
and all carried out on the most splendid scale. While
the grounds become more elaborately dressed as they
approach the building, the fountains become more nu-
merous, varied, and wonderful as they recede from it.
Supplied from great reservoirs placed on the summits of
huge towers, 256 feet high, at either cud of the building,
the waters will first be seen as cascades tumbling through
the arches of the first terrace on the right and lett of the
grand central archway. As they descend, instead of
passing beneath, they will appear to bound over the
archways of the lowest terrace, so that visitors may
walk under them as at Niagara. On each side of the
principal approach they will hurry along in roaring
cataracts or rapids, filling innumerable tazza shaped
fountains in their way, and at last terminatieg far down
in the park in two large basins, each 3801 t. broad, in the
centre of which will be formed pyramidal fountains of
about 180 jets, the largest throwing water to the height
of 230 feet—dancing fountains around these, four in
number, rising 130 feet, and outside of them, again
16 others, going 90 feet high. There is nothing of the
kind in the world at all approaching in magnificence
the display of waterworks contemplated by the plans at
this point. The two basins and connecting lobes on
either side of the main approach will be from end to end
2,000 feet long ; and when this is shown the full power
of a supply of 2,000 gallons per second will be put in re-
quisition. Sir Joseph Paxton says that his two great
Pyramid Fountains will play twice as long as the
" Grandes Enna" at Versailles. For ordinary occasions
the display will not extend so far down, but will termi-
nate at the foot of the terraced garden in a splendid
fountain, with an immense basin, which is now in pro-
cess -of formation, and round the edge of which it is
intended that water should flow continuously in a
gigantic bell-shape. The terraced garden will also have
eight or nine other fountains, varied in their form ; and
while the lower grounds are laid out with illustrations
of the wonders of geology, in connected series above we
shall have fine statues in Carrara marble, and the bril-
liant colouring of the flowers. To show the scale on
which this last mentioned species of embellishment is to
be carried out, it may be mentioned that 50,000 scarlet
geraniums have been ordered.
These details may help one to conceive what the
Crystal Palace Park will be when completed ; and now
to give some account of the interior arrangements of
the building which are substantially settled, and may,
therefore, be with confidence prospectively described.
The only important addition to the architectural design
since our last notice are the lofty towers at either end,
already alluded to, and which are to be 56 feet higher
than the centre transept. They are to consist of 10
storeys or landings, from each of which magnificent
views will be obtained, while it is expected that from
the summits which are to be reached by spiral stair-
cases, the sea will be visible. The idea of having grand
cascades from the tops of these towers has been aban-
doned. The ground plan of the interior of course resem-
bles a good deal in its main features that of the building
in Hyde-park, bat the distribution into courts has been
more followed in the arrangement of the space, and there
being no foreign countries to find room for, the company
have been fble to deal freely with the whole area as they
thought best for the general effect. In the nave they
intend to have ornamental basins fed by fountains,
statues, specimens of architecture, and colossal sculp-
ture ; as, for instance, Cleopatra's Needle, which there
is some reason to hope they may be able to secure. Here,
too, at the sides, and occupying each extremity, will be
arranged the plants which are to form the winter gar-
den and conservatory, the interest of the collection
being increased by an earlibition of rare birds. Behind,
and seen on either hand through a brilliant vegetation,
will be placed—on the south side of the main transept—
the choicest specimens of textile fabrics, hardware,
minerals, See.; on the north side a magnificent series of
architectural reproductions, illustrating the different
schools of art from the earliest periods, and arranged
in chronological sequence. We shall be able to feast our
eyes upon the ehiet masterpieces of by-gone ages, from
the times of the Assyrian Empire downwards, through
the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Norman, Me-
diaeval, Renaissance, Elizabethan, French, Flemish, Ita-
lian, and all revived classical styles. As an example of
the manner in which the succession of courts dedicated
to this purpose are to be fitted up, it may not be out of
place to describe the proposed decorations of the Assy-
rian Hall, under the superintendence of Dr. Layard and
Mr. Fergusson. The grand façade of this hall, which
will be about 100 feet by 26 feet, will be a restoration
of one of the principal entrances of the Palace of Khor-
ssbad, and on either side of its chief portals will stand
a colossal bull, 19 feet high, with a human head and
wings. On either side of the advanced pylous will be
placed back to back two balls resembling the others, and
16 feet high. At one end of the hall will be a door-
way entering into the nave, with casts of the
two collossal human-headed and winged lions, 16
feet high, which Layard brought from Nim-
, road. On the side walls, between the pylous and the
end of the Egged% will be bas-relies of Assyrian deities
and kings and ministering priests, about 10 feet high.
The walls of the interior, to about half their height,
will be covered with scenes representing battles, sieges
and triumphs, religious ceremonies and the chase.
ththeeßwriotirskhe
of Dr Layard and M.
These will be cast from the most interesting Assyrian
Museum
and the Louvre,
Botts, or
sculptures
modelled from in
and will portray many of the most remarkable events in
the reigns of Shalmaneser, Sennacherib, and other great
kings. It is quite unnecessary to dilate upon the mag-
nificent effect which such renovations, carried down with
the tide of civilisation from race to race and from age
to age, must possess; but the public may be fairly con-
gratulated on the prospect now held out that the chief
relies of the mighty past are at length to be arrayed in
due order before the million, and, instead of being buried
in museums, will be made to show intelligibly the genius
that inspired them and the conditions of society which
they illustrate. To render this department of the new
I Palace as perfect as possible, Owen Jones and Digby
Wyatt have been making a toar of the Continent, with
full powers to collect the finest illustrations of ancient
and modern art that they can obtain. With one excep-
tion, everywhere in France and Italy they have had the
greatest facilities liberally afforded to them; and they
report to the board, on quitting the latter country, that
they have effected contracts for 1,472 objects.
At Naples alone have Messrs Wyatt and Jones met
with any difficulty. They had set their hearts upon
obtaining there casts of some of the most interesting
objects in the Museo Borbonico, and also at Pompeii;
but the authorities, probably ill-ieformed as to the pur-
pose of their mission, met them with a refusal.
The Ethnological department is progressing sa-
tisfactorily. Dr.
pany a collection of curiosities illustrating the
habits of the African
tribes, and Major Codring-
ton has offered a fine display of Indian armour.
In the zoological section the arrangements are also well
been
advanced. Steps havetake for the exhibition of
fish on an entirely new principle, and through the kind-
ness of Mr. Bowerbank, of t
consented to show his fine collectiongburgrove, who
ofy dhas
sponge, the 's-
play of marine farina promises to be very interesting.