The Sun.
London, England, 1836-03-24 00:00:00

lobby in common between the Courts of Law and the
Houses of Parliament, and also the grand public approach
to the latter ; and that for the last mentioned purpose, as
well as to carry on a dignified character of design in such
approach, on a scale suitable to the character of the Hall
itself, a handsome porch, with a flight of steps, be added at
the south end of the Hall, with an opening into it of the
rise of the present window when cut down to the level of
the porch floor. That from such porch the approach be
continued through St. Stephen's Chapel (proposed to be
rebuilt and called St. Stephen's Hall) into a central lobby
of great size, lighted by an octagonal lantern midway be-
tween the two houses, and an immediate connection with
the public lobbies attached to each ; that from such cen-
tral lobby the public approach be direct, by means of a
flight of steps of considerable width to the Committee rooms
to the river front, and that other Committee rooms be pro-
vided on the principal floor, with public access to them
through St. Stephen's Hall, by which the private actor*
modation for Members of the two Houses may not be in-
terfered with. The porch proposed at the south end of
Westminster Hall will present a feature of great interest
in the view of the interior, and cause that splendid room to
appear only as a part of a great whole, instead of being as
hitherto an apparently isolated room, without being any
other than as a lobby for Counsel and persons in attend-
ance on the Courts of Law.
LIGHT AND VENTILATION OF HOUSES AND COMMIT-
TEE ROOMS, AND LEVEL OF PRINCIPAL FLOOR.—That,
in consequence of the great height of the Hall, and the
level of high-water mark, neither the Houses nor any of
the Committee-rooms be upon the level of the ground
story ; but that for the sake of height, good light, freedom
from damp, and ventilation, they be placed on the principal
floor, which is proposed to be made to accord with the level
of the old floor of St. Stephen's Chapel.
APPROPRIATION OF GROUND STORY.—That the ground
story be wholly appropriated to Record rooms, public and
private approaches, kitchen* offices for the several resi-
dences which form part of the edifice, kitchen courts, and
quadrangles of approach, cellarage under the Houses for
warming and ventilating, &c., and for many other useful
purposes, such as store rooms, clerk of works' offices, work-
shops, &c. Perhaps it might be desirable to have also in
this story a public coffee-house, for the use of the Bar and
persons attending the Courts of Law and Houses of Par-

liament.
POSITION or HOUSES.—That the situation of the
Houses be in the centre of the mass of the proposed build-
ing, for the sake of convenience, quietude, and freedom
from all disturbances from the exterior ; also for affording
the means of making them of the forms and size best suited
to the wants of each House, without interfering with the
unity of character maintained throughout the exterior ;
that all the lobbies and corridors adjoining them be only
one story high, to admit of their being well lighted and
ventilated.
WARMING AND VENTILATING.—That the warming of
the Houses, Committee rooms, libraries, public and pri-
vate lobbies, and corridors, be by means of warm water in
pipes ; that the ventilation of them be effected by a very
minutely-subdivided admission of tempered air from the
floor, and that in the Houses, especially the current up-
wards of heated and vitiated air be promoted by means of
rarefaction created in a chamber above the ceiling, the air
passing into such chamber through the perforated sides of
a raised panne' in the centre of the ceiling.
ACOUSTIC PRINCIPLE Or HOUSES.—That, for the pur-
pose of rendering the Houses effective rooms for hearing,
in addition to the forms proposed, a continued sounding
board be affixed, so as to surround each House above the
seat against the wall ; that the walls be entirely lined with
oak affixed to battening, and that the ceiling be also mi-
-1 tirely of oak.

HOUSE OF LORDS.
FORM AND ARRANGEMENT. - That the form of the
House of Lords be an oblong, placed longitudinally to the
approach, and that the internal arrangements be in all re-
spects in accordance with those of the old House ; that
seats for distinguished visiters be above the cove forming
the sounding board over the scat against the walls ; that
two small lateral receding galleries be provided at the
Throne end ; and that the gallery for strangers and repor-
ters be at the bar end ; that the lobbies and corridors en-
tirely surround the House.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
FORM AND ARRANGEMENT.—That the form of the
House. of Commons be an oblong, nearly approaching to
a square, placed transversely to the approach, and arranged
so that the distance from the bar to the chair shall not ex-
ceed that in the old House. That the scats for Members
shall be on the ground-floor and in receding galleries, and
all within the least possible distance from the Speaker's
chair. That the seats for Peers, Speaker's orders, and
Reporters be at the Chair end of the House t, and those
for strangers in a gallery at the bar end ; that the lobbies
and corridors entirely surround the House.
LIBRARIES AND REFRESHMENT ROOMS.—That the li-
braries and refreshment rooms be upon the level of the floor
of the Houses, immediately adjoining and communicating
with the private lobbies, so as to be entirely free from in-
trusion from strangers at all times.
COMMITTEE Rooms.—That a large proportion of the
Committee rooms be upon the principal floor, and the rest
in the floor above ; that none of them be less than 20 feet
of clear height, and that as many of them as possible be
placed towards the river front, for the sake of cheerfulness,
good light, and ventilation.
LORDS' STATE OFFICERS.—That the rooms for the State
Officers of the House of Lords be in the front towards Old
Palace-yard.
PUBLIC OFFICES.—That the public offices be immedi-
ately adjoining and contiguous to each House, with distinct
access for Members and the public thereto.
OFFICIAL RESIDENCES.—That the whole of the official
residences be incorporated in the design for the proposed
building, without disturbing its unity of character ; and that
the principal rooms of each residence be upon the principal
floors of the entire edifice, with immediate communication
therewith.

What plans will be adopted to guard against accidents
from fires, and to prevent savoury smells from attacking or
diverting the olfactory nerves of hungry orators or dinnerless

listener;?
f But, it is to be hoped, not above and behind the Chair,
according to the existing mal-arrangemont, in consequence of
which the speaker is never heard where it is most important
that he should be heard distinctly—to afford the opportunity
for accurate reporting.