The Sun.
London, England, 1837-04-21 00:00:00

MADAME VES TRIS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE 5 UN.
SlR,—May one who has so often experienced lle cordial
support of the enlightened and respectable portion of the
press, venture to intrude upon your kindness by requesting the
insertion of the accompanying address.

I remain, Sir, your very obedient servant,
Storey's-gate, April 19. ELIZA L. VESTRIS.

" MADAME VESTRIS TO THE PUBLIC.
" Gratitude for the unceasing favour bestowed upon my
efforts as actress and manager will not suffer me to remain
silent while an event, on the result of which my character
for honesty depends, is made known to you through other
channels.
" Painful, but mature, consideration has convinced me,
that this address is called for by respect to you—to justice
to myself.
" An unfortunate entanglement in a series of bill transac-
tions—the first step in which no one can regret more than
myself—has lately drawn itself so closely around me as to pre-
clude all hope of extrication by private means, though none
which honour, honesty, and self-sacrifice could dictate have
been left untried, and my name is about to appear in the
Gazette as a bankrupt.
" I shall carefully and respectfully abstain from all attempt
to forestal or to influence the result of the coming inquiry;
but calumny will doubtless be busy with my name, and I ask
you, the kind dispensers of the popularity I enjoy, to suspend
your judgment, and to protect me against the penalties to
which your envied favour is sure to expose me.
"'The two reports most obvious for malevolence to fix on
are—personal extravagance and failure of the Olympic
Theatre—and these I shall briefly answer by anticipation.
"My Lana fide creditors have shown every confidence in
me, and have cheerfully and unanimously agreed to every pro-
position made with a view to my avoiding the step now forced
upon me ; and, with a full knowledge of the receipts and ex-
penditure of the theatre, they have been willing to allow me
an ample annual income out of the profits, and to receive the
remainder in gradual liqUidation of their claims.
" These are facts, and inquiry cannot shake them.
" Their intentions for my good and for their own have been
frustrated by persons who have purchased up acceptances
which I was incautious enough to sign in blank. Indeed to
such an extent has misplaced confidence blinded me, that
I await the coming investigation to ascertain their number
and amount. _ .

" My first impulse was to withdraw myself from the stage
until the ordeal should have been passed through ; but the
claims of all those who are dependent on the theatre's remain-
ing open—claims which, be it remembered, have never, dur-
ing seven seasons, been one hour in arrear—came forcibly to
my mind, and I did not hesitate to sacrifice my private feeling
to my public duty.
" You will, I feel assured, put the most generous construc-
tion on my motives. You will remember, when I present
myself before you, that I am labouring for others in a field
where I must not reap for myself; and you will receive me,
not only with your usual kindness, but with all needful indul-
gence. " ELIZA L. VESTRIS.
" Storey's-gate, April 19."

PARLIAMENTARY PAPER.

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT PLANS.

Report of the Commissioners of his Majesty's Woods, Fo-
rests, Land Revenues, Works, and Buildings, on Mr.
Barry's Plans and Estimates for Building the proposed New
Houses of Parliament, pursuant to a Resolution of the Se-
lect Committee on Houses of Parliament Plans, dated the
9th of May, 1836.

We, the Commissioners of his Majesty's Woods, Forests,
Land Revenues, Works, and Buildings, appointed Messrs.
Seward and Chawner, two of the Architects of our Depart-
ment, to examine into and report their opinion upon the
drawings and detailed estimates prepared by Mr. Barry for
the building of the proposed new Houses ; and the Report
of Messrs. Seward and Chawner on the subject of this refe-
rence, is now submitted for the approbation of the Honourable
the House of Commons. DUNCANNON.

Office of Woods, &c.
April 18, 1837.

B. C. STEPHENSON.
A. NHENE.

Report of Messrs. Seward and Chawner, Architects, appointed
by the Commissioners of his Majesty's Woods, &c., to exa-
mine and report upon the Estimate prepared by Mr. Barry
for erecting the proposed New Houses of Parliament.

In obedience to the commands of the Commissioners of
Woods, &c., of the 27th of January and of the 3d of February
last, directing us to report upon the estimate prepared by
Mr. Barry of the expense of erecting the proposed new
Houses of Parliament, amounting to the sum of 707,1041., we
immediately commenced upon the subject of this reference,
and, after a most careful and minute examination of the nu-
merous drawings of the details prepared by Mr. Barry tor
this building, comparing them with the several measurements
of quantities, checking all the prices and calculations for the
proposed works, we beg leave to report that, in our opinion,
the new Houses of Parliament can be satisfactorily erected,
according to the said drawings, for the sum stated by Mr.
Barry (exclusive of the proposed embankment of part of the
River Thames, which we shall hereafter notice), and at the
present prices of materials and labour, supposing contracts
are entered into for the same upon tenders from persons of
acknowledged capital and experience in the building business,
unless some very extraordinary circumstances should occur in
the soil in excavating fur the foundations beyond those which
have been or can now be reasonably anticipated from the
above-mentioned amount; the estimated value of the mate-
rials of the present building, 14.v^0/ , is to be deducted,
leaving the sum to be provided fcr the new building as above
specified, 693,1041. ; but we beg eave. at the same time, .o
observe, that Mr. Barry's estimate, as submitted to our consi.
deration, does not include the purchases proposed to be made
in Abingdon-street for part of the site of this building, nor the
expense of the necessary alterations and additions to the foot
and carriage ways, with street lamps round the buildings.
The probable amount of these several additions, beyond
Mr. Barry's estimate, we shall now briefly state, viz. :
The embankment to the river, to the extent of that
front of the building, which also forms the base
of the extreme portions thereof, with the central
landing-place and steps:--
From the calculations made in part by Mr. Barry
and in part by Mr. Walker, the civil-engineer,
which have been examined by us, are adopted:—
The public landing-place and steps from the river,
at each extremity of the building, and complet-
ing the embankment of the river northward to
the steps of Westminster-bridge, about..
The purchase of premises in Abingdon-street for

44,000

12,000

part of the site, abut
The foot and carriage ways, with lamps ruund
the buildings, about ...

70,000

3,000

£129,000
Besides thig additional expense, a further and considerable
expense, that cannot at present he ascertained from satisfac-
tory calculations, must, we consider, be necessarily incurred,
viz. :
For fitting up with proper bookcases, presseS, and other fix-
tures, and furnishing the several committee-rooms, li-

braries, offices, and clerks' apartments
Fqr fitting-up the King's Tower, proposed as the general
Issfzi , depository of the public records.
7 ,s,r,,,,tting-up and furnishing- the official residences for the
I''.. :f4''''.'* AlOeaker, the Sergeant-at-Arms, &c.
ie.:: :For tir int►rnal lighting, warming, and ventilating the se-
( reral parts of' the building.
14! FL,r providing the great clock and appendages in the Bell
4r -,-•
'1 owe-r, §,:c. &c,
...:=*' / ned) la HENRY HAKE SEWARD.
THOMAS CHAWNER.
I Office A oods, &c., 17th April, 1837.