The Sun.
London, England, 1822-10-12 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Very extensive repairs and alterations of the
House of Comnioni are now in progress. The
House is in a state Of more complete dilapidation
than it has been for many years. It is occupied
with scaffolding and workmen. The Cushions of
the benches, Ministerial and. Opposition,. as well
as those under the gallery, where Peers, Peers'
and Members' sons, Ambaisadors, and other
foreigners of distinction, are admitted to sit to
hear the debates, have been entirely removed ;
also the secondary coverings of the benches ; all
have been conveyed to what is called, the'" Long
Gallery," which leads to the upper or throne end
of the House of Lords. They. are there being
renovated. The benches and steps leading to
them are in many instances being altered and re-
paired, so as to increase their commodiousness.—
The scaffolding is mainly raised with the view
of promoting some very extensive alterations in
the ceiling, and in the mode of ventilating the
House: Between
.the ceiling and the roof is a
large gallery or loft, in some parts of full twenty
feet in height, and extending in length over " the
house" in which the Members asSemble to de-
bate, the " Strangers' Gallery," and thence over
the passages and gallery-stairs' lobby, being
bounded by the %Tails terminating the " Smoking
Room"—an anty-room used by members literally
for such purposes, segars being adopted by them:
This immense loft has a good, strong, but anti-
quated floor ; and during recent sessions, par-
ticularly during the last session, on debate nights,
it was no uncommon occurrence for a party- of,
ladies, from seven to ten ,in number, to be as-
sembled in this elevated station, chiefly around the
centre ventilator, over the chandelier, to hear the
debates. They were accommodated with chairs,
which were stationed around the gratings or ven-
tillators' already existing in the ceiling. The
Members could- be only impeifectly seen ; but
those who spoke audibly were very distinctly
heard in the roof, or " Ladies' Gallery." It is
approachable by a stair-case that led to the Mem-
bers' Coffeehouse, previously to its removal by
Mr. Bellamy, the present housekeeper, to the
upper rooms of the Stone' buildings, opposite
Henry the Seventh's Chapel. This roof is are
markable place, not only on account of its extent
and structure, and of the ventillating machinery
contained in. it, but from the curious and very,
perfeCt remains of -the original architecture of
the building that are there to be. Seen.. The
walls are from eight to ten feet high from the
level of the floor previously to the commence-'
ment of the roof ; and these walls display the
ancient architecture, its arches,- pilasters, decora-

Lions, &c. of the sharp pointed Gothic style. In
some instances they are partially destroyed, but
in many other instances remain hi a remarkably
perfect state. Perhaps, excepting the cloisters
by the Speaker's house, &c. there are not to be
seen more distinct remains of the arehitecture of
St. Stephen's Chapel,' and of ancient buildings
near to Westminster-hall, than are to be discovered
under the roof, and above the ceiling, of the House
of Commons. Several_ very distinguished archi-
tects, accompanied by lovers of antiquities, have
recently been to view the specimens of ancient
building and decoration here to be found. Mr.
'Soave is in 'frequent attendance, as he is super-
intending the new entrance, Sze. to the Parlia-
ment Houses. There are already introduced
into the ceiling of the House of CoMmons; se-
veral pieces of open frame work, so formed as to
appear like ornaments, and to act as ventilators,
one in each corner of it, and a
_large ventilator
in its centre, from the middle point of which the
grand chandelier was suspended. It has been
removed, to be altered and improved. In addi-
tion to the ventilators already formed, two new
ones, of considerable dimensions, are being con-
istructed. One of them is directly over the
middle benches of the Strangers' Gallery, the
present aperture in the ceiling being seven feet
by two feet.