The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-10 00:00:00

THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

The great snow storm which has prevailed with more
or less intensity during the last fortnight has tested to
an unusual degree the capabilities and strength of the
Crystal Palace. .No less than 15 acres of glass roofing
were subjected to the enormous weight of the snow
which has recently fallen, and it has stood the strain
without the slightest. injury. A considerable quantity
of snow and rain found its way-into the interior, and
portions of the flooring and plaster casts ranged near the
garden front have been covered with a thick coating of
snow. The principal sufferers by the inclemency of the
weather are the plants and the exotics which have been
arranged in large beds at the southern end of the build-
ing, and the bitter frost, on one occasion some five or
six degrees below zero, and the cutting east wind, have
seriously affected the health and appearance of many of
the more delicate plants.
The influence of he inclement weather tells at Syden-
ham upon more than the plants. The works are neces-
sarily suspended, and over palace and park a dreary
silence reigns, which is augmented by the snow wrapping
every external object. A huge mass of scaffolding still
fills up the entire area of the centre transept, and
although a large proportion of the ribs are now up, and
the glitzing at the west end commenced, some time will
yet elapse before this, the most striking architectural
feature of the building, can be completed. The internal
decorations, less affected in their progresi by the weather
Proceed apace. Egypt, Greece, and Rome are now so
far advauoed as to speak for themselves, and the deco-
rator is concentrating his chief energies upon the resto-
ration,-
nave Mr. Wyatt is also vigorously at work.
of the Alhambra. Upon CL:s,..eosite side of the
p.p
The decoration of the Pompeian House is nearly com-
pleted, and Dr. Ferguson is making rapid progress with
his Assyrian Court, which promises to be not the least
successful or splendid part of the palace. Both he and
Mr. Jones may congratulate themselves upon a new ar-
rangement, the result of a compromise on a disputed
point, which may be worth mentioning. It was origi-
nally propOsed by the latter, as one of the earliest ideas
for securing great effects within the building, to place at
gfiegeulerne,rewwhhiciehhi give 7 s 0
the north end of the nave the colossal seated figure of
the god Rh, with the head of which every visitor of the
feet
so peculiar character to Egyptian art, would have com-
pletely extinguished the fine winged and human-headed
bulls with which Dr. Ferguson guards the
main entrance
eritihsihghM, anduse upmainiste
of his Assyrian hall. What, however, was to be done ?
A solid pile of masonry more than 30 feet high had been
constructed as the seat of the deity; and Mr. Jones,
having made up his mind to 'have him there, was not to
be driven from his purpose. The west end of the north
transept was, however, offered, and the privilege of
erecting there two gods instead of one, with a double
row of sphinxes leading up to them, provided the site at
the end of the nave was given up. This was too great
a temptation to refuse, and, accordingly, when in June
or July (for it is now ascertained that it cannot be
~
earlier) the doors of the Crystal Palace are thrown open
to the public, next to the building, and the fountains,
and surpassing in size even Mr. .Waterhouse Hawkins's
primaeval monsters, the largest objects, and those most
likely to fill the minds and eyes of the Londoners with
astonishment, will be these two wonderful representa-
, tions of the scale upon which the the sculptors of ancient
lEgypt wrought out of the rock the objects of their Pagan
idolatry. •

BRICEMAKING AT LIVERPOOL. —The fortnightly meet-
ing of the Liverpool Architectural and Archeological
Society was held on Wednesday. The first matter of
discussion was a letter on brickmaking, received by Mr.
Verelst, the chairman of the society, from Mr. C. B.
Yarrow, a gentleman of London. Mr. Yarrow draws
a very unfavourable comparison between brickmalang
in Liverpool and London, the bricks made in the former
place being, he says, the worst he ever saw, while those
of London are of a superior character, owing to the
better class of workmen employed, and the mode of
manazement renerallv.--Liverpoot_paper._