The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-11 00:00:00

THE NEW ROYAL EXCHANGE.

i(aF rpoumb l
itch ewor
has been the
The jobbing Morningk works
r! t
hHi s e rcaoludn.
try
bane of architectural taste and science. If we look around
on public buildings constructed four, five, *tied six centuries
ago, we observe those characteristics of appropriateness of
style, convenience of arrangement, biesuty of appearance, and
durability of construction, which we look for in vain in the
costly architectural productions of the preterit day. What
has led to this debasement of taste and comparative inse-
curity of workmanship? The cause to which we have
alluded—j;sbbing, rank jobbing, which excludes merit, know.
i
ledge, and genius, to make way for favoured teepacity.
We have been induced to make these remarks at present
from learning that an attempt is now making to exclude the
principle of open and free competition among architects in re-
ference to the rebuilding the Royal Exchange. The public
are aware that the Committee who have the management of
that work is composed partly of members of the Mercers'
Company and partly of members of the Corporation. We
understand that a discussion lately took place as to whether
competition was to be allowed or not, when, after a great
struggle, the advocates for competition, br anti-jobbers, Sno.,
ceeded, on a division, against the opponents of competition,
or jobbers, by a majority of 11 to 6. We also understand
that three city men and three mercers were on the jobbing or
close-borough side, and three city men and eight mercers on
the opposite. It is with astonishment and regret we /earn
that Mr. Horsley Palmer, the Conservative candidate at the
late election for the city, voted against open competition, as did
also Mr. Lambert Jones.
True Conservatism supports with uncompromising devoted.
ness the ancient and settled institutions of the country, but it
scorns to cherish proved abuses as sacred things. We sup.
ported strenuously Mr. Horsley Palmer at the last election,
because we thought him a true Conservative—a man who
would stand by our inestimable institutions in Church arid
State to the last, but never lend himself to the protection of
acknowledged abuses.
This day, we understand, there is to be a meeting of the
Committee, to confirm the minutes of the former meeting, and
also to take into consideration the question whether the new
Royal Exchange is to be built with an open area or not. As
to the confirmation of the minutes of the last meeting, we
trust there is no doubt it will be done ; but should Mr.
Horsley Palmer use his intluesice, along with that of Mr, Jones,
to prevent competition, and cut a snug job out of this great
work for some favoured architect, then,
we say, Mr. Palmer
shall hear of it when he next comes to ask his fellow, citizens
for their suffrages. Six votes turned the election on the former
occasion, and we are quite sure that Mr. Palmer's support of
the snug private 'imitation and favouritism on this occasion,
has already offended more than six citizens of London.
We supported—indeed we were the first to propose—the
principles of free and open competition for the re-building the
Hous,,s of Psrliament. We succeeded in carrying that ob.
ices against the wishes of the Government, who, as tyjight
be
expected of sordid Liberals, did all they could to rear the ad-
vantages of that open competition—still we succeeded in hav-
ing the principle recognised, and that was something. "e
expect that the same prir.iple will triumph over all selfish on.
position in regard to the re-building of the Royal Exch.:44k and that all the architectural talent of the country gill be ad-
mitted to put in itsiciaims for the honour and advantage of exe-
cuting this great national work. s
As to whether the building ought to be with an open area
or not, we think no person of any judgment can for an in-
stant doubt that the area ought to be an open one. If nor,
the confusion of tongues from, ell the countries almost of the
earth, jumbled together and echoed under the same roof, will
make the new Royal Exchange a new Tower of Babel. Ir..
ving's conventL:ie, where the gift of unknown tongues was par-
ticulaily prolific of strange sounds, never disturbed the human
ear with such cross currents of unintelligible noises as a Royal
Exchange without an open area. We trust that, upon both
questions, those who are opposed to the close system will
triumph—and that, although the munificent Sir Thomas
Gresham's work has unfortuuatcly perished, something omwill
rise from its ashes worthy of the first commercial city of the
world, and which Sir Thomas Gresham, were he alive, would
not diumn.