The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-27 00:00:00

THE CRYSTAL PALACE COMPANY.

The report of the directors states :
"That they have the pleasure of announcing that the
various works are so far advanced as to leave no doubt
that the opening will take place at the latter end of
May next. Of course an undertaking of such magnitude
and novelty cannot be expected to be complete in all
ts details at its first opening ; but it will be so in
ts general effect and in all the leading features which
have been announced to the public, with one excep-
tion on!y, viz., that, owing to an unforeseen engi-
neering difficulty In the proposed construction of
the tank towers, those towers will have to be re-built,
and until this is done the jets of water in the lower
basins cannot be played. This will not affect
the beautiful series of fountains in the building and ter-
race-gardens, and therefore, although the full effect of the
unrivalled system of water-works designed by Sir Joseph
Paxton cannot be at once displayed, in all other respects
the entire scheme of the palace, gardens, and park will
be substantially completed, producing, as the directors
confidently believe, a result surpassing, in grandeur,
beauty, and interest, all the most sanguine anticipations
that have been formed during its progress. In order to
attain this result, a considerably larger expenditure of
capital will be required than was foreseen last year. Sir
Joseph Paxton's report, annexed, explains in full detail
the causes of this increased expenditure, which may be
stated generally as follows :-1. The great delay and
difficulties caused by the unseasonable weather and ac-
cidents have occasioned large extra expense not only in
themselves, but also in the exertions necessary to
make up for lost time, so as to insure the opening in
May. 2. The extraordinary rise in wages and in the
price of materials has affected large portions of the
work, which did not admit of being let by definite con-
tracts. 3. The progress of the scheme has shown the
necessity for embracing objects not contemplated in the
original estimates, such as the widening of roads and
construction of new approaches, carriage stands, &c.,
beyond the precincts of the company's original grounds.
These indispensable improvements, without which
carriage access from London would have been almost
impossible, would have been attended with a much
larger expense, owing to the greatly enhanched value
of all property adjoining the palace, had not the
directors fortunately secured for the company a lease
for eighty-four years, of the Dulwich Wood, immedi-
ately opposite to the building, at a rental of 3,0001. a year.
This lease gives them the control of property which is
invaluable as a security against the creation of nuisances
near the palace, and as a site for hotels and other enter-
prises in connection with it, and at the same time saves
heavy expense in the construction of approaches, and
leaves the company in possession of land which is
already worth considerably more than the stipulated
rental. 4. The elaborate manner in which many of the
courts and other departments connected with the fine
arts and industrial exhibition have been carried out has
considerably increased their cost. For instance, the idea
of the Pompeian Court has been expanded from that of
a refreshment room, with some decorations in the Pom-
peian style, to that of the complete and accurate repre-
sentation of a Pompeian house, under the direction of
SignorAbbate—a work which may be fairly stated to be of
the greatest possible value to English art, as well as to
all those branches of manufacture which are allied to
art, and in which beauty of design and colour is an es-
sential element of success. On the whole, considering
the magnitude of the operations, and the very substan-
tial and perfect manner in which they have been con-
ducted, the directors believe that their completion for a
sum not exceeding one million sterling, will be a result
in which this may well bear comparison with other
great public undertakings. The present amount of
share capital is 750,0001., of which 700,1501. has been
received. The amount expended up to the present
time is 679,7201., the details of which are given
in the following statement :—Land, deducting 55,488/.
received for re-sales, 50,240/. ; purchase and removal of
the original building, 95,000/. ; construction of the main
building, 135,050/. ; tunnel, heating apparatus, &c.,
24,5361. ; wings of the Crystal Palace, water towers,
&c., 34,090/. ; hydraulic works, fountains, lakes, Arte-
sian well, &c., 93,670/. ; park, terraces, gardens, &c.,
98,214/. ; new roads and approaches, &c., 4,350/. ;
interior of building, plants, garden works, fountains
inside the palace, &c., 6,4501. ; natural history
illustrations, 11,1761. ; Fine Arts Courts—Pom-
peian, Alhambra, Assyrian, Greek, Roman, Egyptian,
Mediaeval, Renaissance, Italian, and Byzantine, 52,5001.;
collection of sculpture, 32,0601.; sundry fittings, 7,000/.;
general expenses, 35,314/. ; total, 679,720. The direc-
tors, having carefully considered the best mode of rais-
ing the additional capital required, have come to the
conclusion that the most advisable course is to issue
among the proprietors, rateably, 50,000 new shares of
51. each, giving one such new share to each registered
holder of three of the present shares, with a deposit of
1/. 10s. per share on allotment.
REPORT OF SIR JOSEPH PAXTON TO THE DIRECTORS ON
THE CAUSES OF THE INCREASED EXPENDITURE.

Crystal Palace-office, Rock-hills, Sydenham,
Feb. 6,18 M.

Gentlemen—ln accordance with the minute of the board

of the 25th January, referring to me the question of the
total expenditure of the company, I beg to report to you
that I have gone very carefully and minutely into all the
details requisite to arrive at the amount of the comp.ny's
capital expenditure, which I find to be 997,372/. and I
now beg to subjoin the best explanation I am enabled to
give you with regard to the large increase in the proposed
cost of the undertaking which appears, ou comparing the
pi esent aggregate with the estimate of June, 1853, when it
was considered that the share capital of 750,0001. would
be sufficient for the completion of the works.

Amount of increase
on the estimate
of J tine 1853.

A. Reconstruction of the main Building.—
The increase arises from the necessity of putting
in new staircases from the basement storeys, of
further strengthening portions of the building,
and sundry other additions, in all amounting to
B. Wings of the Crystal Palace.—The increase
is entirely in order to provide a larger exhibit-
ing area, and the outlay will certainly be amply
repaid : it amounts to
C. Water Towers.—Doubts having arisen as
to the strength and capacity of these towers, it
has been thought the safest course to take them
down and rebuild them on a larger scale. It is
difficult to estimate the total increased expense
thus occasioned, but from engineering and other
opinions I have taken, I cannot state it at less
than
D. Heating Apparatus.—The increase is for
heating the wings, not previously contemplated,
but now found to be necessary partly for the
reason stated in B
E. HydraulicWorks.—There is a very
considerable increase in this item. It

£6,500

is caused, in the first place, in conse-
quence of our taking the supply of
water from an Artesian well instead of
from the Lambeth Water-works as at

first proposed, thus saving the company
a large annual payment for water rent
This addition I estimate at £20,000
Some additions have been found ne-
cessary to the plan for the cascades,
computed at
For the iron pipes, valves, and fit-
tings connected therewith
Sundry ai tistio decorations, such as
dolphins' heads, mercuries, &c., and
my design for temples at the source of
the cascades will an occasion an in-
crease of

24,000

11,000

Sculptured figures and ornamental
vases required to be distributed over

the cascades
Arrangements to provide against
risk from fire
F. Ground and Terrace Gardens.—The increase
here is attributable to an enlargement of the
original design to an extent of 58 acres
G. Roads and Approaches
H. Interior of the Palace.—The increase here
will be entirely caused by the construction of
seven Industrial Courts of a character not
contemplated in June last, and by other ac-
commodation rendered necessary for exhibi-
tors, and amounts to
I. Geological Illustrations.—There will be an
increase here in consequence of the construction
of a second island, and the extension of the plan
for the preparation of extinct animals and geo-
logical works
K. Sundry small items

6,000

6,000

20,000

5,000

.67,500

29,500
15,000

26,000

4,000
3,872

Total increase in departments under my charge £183,372
L. Fine Arts.—Messrs. Jones and Wyatt, un-
der whose superintendence the courts and gallery
of sculpture have been prepared, have reported to
me that the amount of increase under this head
willbe ........... . ..........................................
M. General Charges.—There will be a consi-
derable increase in the amount of these charges
in consequence of the postponement of the open-
ing and the expenses of application to Parliament
for the diversion of parish roads, and compulsory
powers to enable us to construct new roads and
approaches, undoubtedly necessary to the success
of the undertaking. The amount of this ie..

50,000

14,000

£247,372
750,000

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

CITY MEMORIAL TO LORD ABERDEEN.

Lord Aberdeen received a deputation from the city
on Saturday, at Downing-street, to present a memorial
on agricultural statistics, which is believed to be one of
the most influential, in regard to signatures, which has
ever emanated from the city of London. The following
gentlemen composed the deputation :—Messrs. John
Masterman, M.P., Alexander Matheson, M.P., T. A.
Mitchell, M.P., S. Gregson, M.P., F. W. Russell,
M.P., John Ingram Travers, R. W. Crawford, W. S.
Lindsay, John Dillon, James Caird, John Gladstone,
Louis Huth, A. Ralli, J. D. Powles, &c.
Mr. MASTERMAN presented the memorial, and stated
the great importance of its object to the commercial in-
terests of the country, which was manifested, in so far
as the city was concerned, by the numerous and very
influential signatures appended to it. He trusted that
his lordship and the Government would be enabled to
effect such arrangements as would secure the object
sought by the memorialists—the collection of accurate
returns of the agricultural produce of the country.
Mr. GTEGSON, in following Mr. Masterman, said that
he had mentioned the subject in the house last session,
and received a satisfactory reply from the President of
the Board of Trade. Since then sonic inquiries had been
instituted, and returns had been delivered from three
counties in Scotland. Similar experiments had been
made in two counties in England, and every disposition
had been shown on the part of the President of the Board
of Trade to make progress in obtaining this information.
He might state that the return should be obtained and
published with as little delay as possible after harvest, in
order to their being of any practical value, for in regard
to the Irish returns the value they possessed was much
impaired by the fact that they were not delivered till 15
months after the harvest to which they referred, thus
telling us the quantity of corn at our disposal three
months after it had been consumed. He might offer as
a striking illustration of the value of such returns, in
comparison with the cost of obtaining them, the fact
that the quantity of corn annually sold in this country was
estimated at 40,000,000 qrs., upon which a fluctuation of
only ls. a qr. amounted to 2,000,0001. sterling. Correct
returns would, in great measure, check excessive fluctua-
tion. An objection had been made, that the returns might
be viewed as inquisitorial in their nature ; but it bad been
satisfactorily shown to the farmers, by Mr. Pusey and
Lord Ashburton, that they were the parties who would
be chiefly benefitted. He could not presume to enter
into the detail of the mode of carrying the project into
effect. The Tithe and Enclosure Commission-office had
been suggested as an already organised body, with com-
pletely qualified officers in every part of the country,
whose services might be made available in this inquiry.
At present there was an uncertainty to the extent, as
stated in the memorial, of 1,000,000 of tonnage as neces-
sary to carry the supplies needed from abroad before next
harvest. The expense nationally would be nothing,
compared to the magnitude of the object and the impor-
tant interests at stake.

Lord ABE RDEEN said—Hitherto experiments have been
made with a view to test the practicability of collecting
accurate returns. Those made in Scotland have been very
successful. In England the same system has been tried in
two countries, Norfolk and Hampshire. At first it was not
attended with the same success, as much opposition was
offered, and more would have been if the returns had been
made compulsory. It is therefore desirable to avoid mea-
sures which might appear compulsory. I am happy to
say that now there is every prospect of the experiment
being attended with perfect success. I have therefore
no hesitation in saying, that enough has been done to
' prove that a system may be extended generally through-
out the country, though I am not prepared to say by
what machinery. The importance of the object is fully
admitted, and its practicability proved. The time and
the mode of inquiry are, therefore, now the only points
to be determined. The question of expense would have
to be submitted to the Chancellor of the Exchequer; but
on that point I do not anticipate much objection.

Mr. EINDsAY, after what had fallen from Lord Aber.

deen, felt it unnecessary to urge this matter at much
length, his lordship having signified his concurrence with
the views of the memorialists. He would therefore only
add that the signatures to the memorial were those of
men representing the most important interests in the
city of London, and who did not put their names to any
document the object of which they had not fully consi-
dered. As an extensive shipowner he was personally
cognisant of the evils attending the want of reliable in-
formation on this important subject. To illustrate this
he might refer to the great fluctuation occasioned in
freights by this uncertainty—those from Odessa having
varied from 60s. to 170 s. since last harvest. This was
an instance of the manner in which the want of statistics
of the year's produce operated in shipping, but he was
aware that it acted no less injuriously on most of the
other great commercial interests of the country.
Mr. CAIRD, in reference to what had been said by Lord
Aberdeen on the objectionable character of compulsory
measures, expressed his belief that a system could be
adopted, which he had indeed already prepared, but at
that time felt it unsuitable to present to his lordship, by
which this objection might be obviated. The main ob-
ject was to get trustworthy returns at an early period
after harvest, and in such a mode as should admit of

an easy check on their accuracy. From his personal
acquaintance with inquiries of this nature, be had no
hesitation in saying that a system might be introduced
by which all these important objects world be secured.
The great fluctuations already mentioned sufficiently
proved that, in comparison with their value, the cost of
collecting these returns was a trivial consideration. As
a further instance of this he might
add that the corn
crop of the British Islands of 1853 is, when valued by

the average prices of this week, worth 40 millions ster-
ling more than it was in the first week of harvest, so
entirely are we without reliable information as to the
real value of our crops. Accurate information would
certainly not remedy the injurious effects of bad seasons,
but it would equalise prices, permit of timely arrange-
ments for adequate supplies, and prevent those sudden
fluctuations which all admit to be so injurious to com-
merce and trade. Such statistics were already obtained
in the continental States and in America, as also in our
own dominions in Ireland and in Canada. He could
confirm what had been stated of the great importance to
the agricultural interest, with which he was more imme-
diately concerned, of trustworthy agricultural statistics,
Mr. RUSSELL shortly urged the importance of the sub-
ject, which was fully acquiesced in by Lord Aberdeen,
and the deputation then withdrew.