The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-08 00:00:00

THE ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY

On Tuesday evening the last conversaziono for this
session was held at the chambers of the Institution
No. 35, Lincoln's Inn-fields. The meeting was one of
the most crowded description which we have witnessed
here ; and amongst the members and visitors present
were—the Earl de Grey, President of the Institute of
Architects, and several distinguished members of that
Society ; also the Dean of Hereford, Count Rosen, the
Honourable Colonel Fox, Honourable Colonel Grey, J.
Walker, Esq., President of the Society of Civil Engi-
neers, W. Pickcrsgill, Esq , Dr. Roget, Re". J.
Hunter, Captain Parlbv, David Pollock, Esq., Sce.
Mr. GRELLIER read the Report of their last year's.
proceedings, up to the present period, from which it
appears that the Society has increased considerably
in numbers, and that their funds are amply sufficient
for all the purposes of the Institution ; and that
the attendance of members and students at their lec-
tures was also much greater than it has been hereto-
fore. It then enumerated the various courses of lec-
tures given, either by professors in the various arts and
sciences, or by the members, all of:whom were men-
tioned. It regretted that the students had not taken
all the advantages they might have derived front
the
great sources of information possessed by the Society
solely for the use of its members ; but that those "no
had assiduously devoted their time to those studies had
shown themselves worthy of the rewards bestowed of'4lll
them. It then mentioned the donation. of works in
literature and art presented to the Society by various
members—namely, Owen Jones, Esq , the Alhambra;
J. I3ritton, the Chronology of British Architecture, .s:e•
It then remarked on the prosperous state of the Society ;
and closed with a resolution of thanks to W. 'rite, Esq"
their President, for his zeal in promoting the interest of
this Society.
The PRESIDENT then addressed the meeting, and
gave a discourse on that class of public buildings by ng
denominated " Exchanges ;" but which generally, ea
the Continent, are called Les Bourses. He gave ad
tailed explanation of the causes that led to the adepii^!
of this class of buildings, and in doing so went back
to ancient Tyre and other Oriental cities where com-
merce flourished, and where such places of resort
were built, as in Europe afterwards, for the comae"
convenience of those engaged in commercial inter-
course. Those of Greece and Rome were nest de-
scribed, the former being a plain open space, the latter
divided into two parts ; and he observed that the
Roman Fora had much resemblance to the model
exchanges. They were of an oblong form ; those
the Greeks were square, and they were at that early
time places of assembly for merchants, of whom there,
was a college in Rome associated in the Temple orf
Mercury. The Rialto in Venice was not the plaeee°
exchange, but it led to the first island that was jowl-
!sited, in which was St. James's church, and before the
church was the place of exchange. In the Netheri
lands a bourse was erected at Bruges in 1531, ea,
those of Antwerp and Amsterdam were aftertorus
erected. From these the French borrowed their ideas'
and adopted them at Rouen and other corameretel
cities. It was not until 1566 that the first stone was
laid of the first Gresham Exchange, which appears to
have been in a great measure copied from that 011
Antwerp ; and in 1571, Queen Elizabeth in PeirsFts
conferred on it the name of Royal Exchange ; and its
plan was adopted in that of Amsterdam, A. D. 18v66,
Te old Gresham Exchange was burned down io 16t
and the late one was erected by Edward Jarman, nat.
by Sir Christopher Wren, as is commonly reportead
The Exchanges of Paris, St. Petersburgh, and
Glasgow, are covered in, but that of Liverpool 1)0 an
open larea of large dimensions.
After this discourse the President proceeded to del:
liver the rewards to the successful candidates as fa
lows :-
1. To Mr. Horace Jones, for an original design Of 11
concert-room—a pair of silver compasses.
easruirved:
2. To Mr. William Padmore, for the best m
drawings of the Burlington House Colonnade—Si
Chambers's Architecture.
moot 3. TaondMirio.
tsisscretshuorf Jtobh,;tleGcrtucernes,
dfocrijytchreedb_estrrahberfilti;
vol. Britton's Antiquities.
signs
Afonrtiqtluteitiebsesotf sAketiticehness. ofs.i:d_ne:
When the premiums were distributed, the Pr,ete'nna
pointed out to the meeting a number of vahoal
si of
.
very interesting works placed in the rooms, se vcrahici
which were sent by the friends of the society, for sv
and
thanks were returned. This closed the ;east the
the company then took refreshments and kePt
ck
ec o
conversational amusements until past eleven
when they all retired.