The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-12 00:00:00

recommendation he; with the sanction of the Government,
introduced a bill for acquiring the property which it was
now proposed to purchase, with the exception of the ground
at the back of the Irish-office, which he thought ought also
to be acquired. The bill thus introduced went through a
select committee, and it afterwards went through a com-
mittee of the whole house, but as the bill was very much
opposed by hon. and right hon. gentlemen opposite, who
now brought forward a similar measure, he was compelled
to withdraw it. No fault could be found with the late Go-
vernment for the delay, but if blame were due to any one it
was to those honourable gentlemen who would not allow
the bill of the late Government to proceed, and who were
now about to bring in a bill nearly identical. The com-
mittee were unanimously of opinion that if any design
were adopted it should be one pf the designs that had
gained the first three premiums. But the noble
lord had not give any particular reason why
he had passed over the first and second premiums and given
the erection of the new Foreign-office to the architect who
had gained the third prize. He would admit that if it were
to be decided that a Gothic building should be constructed
in the midst of buildings that had nothing Gothic about
them, no architect could be found who understood that style
of architecture better than Mr. Gilbert Scott. (Hear.) The
noble lord, in addition to the plan he had selected (No. 3),
ought also to hang up by the side of it in the library the
plans of the two other architects, in order that hon. members
might see why he had taken the third design. The house
might also form its own conclusion as to the effect of a
Gothic building placed near the Treasury-chambers and
Whitehall, with which it had nothing in common.
Mr. B. HOPE thought it was apparent, as Lord J. Man-
ners had stated, why it was that he had passed over the
architects placed first and second, according to the award,
and given the appointment in question to the architect
placed third. If hon. members looked at the end of the
tables to the report of the committee they would see that
there were obvious reasons for the selection made. Upon
the list of judges there was only one professional gentleman,
and to him, assisted by two assessors, was entrusted the
awards. _ These gentlemen drew up the list of awards. It
appeared that in these lists the name of Mr. G. Scott was
placed second. According to the result of the awards of the
professional gentlemen, whom they must suppose knew more
of this matter than mere amateurs, the great sum total of
ability rested with Mr. Scott, and that in an infinitely
greater degree than in anyjother gentleman, for both the
War-Office and the Foreign-Office. Upon that great sum
total of ability was based the decision of the Government,
and also the decision of the• noble lord, the Secretary for
India, for the Indian office would be placed upon the same
footing and built in the same style as the War-office. If
the house reversed the judgment of the Government, what
a ridiculous fix they would put the Government in, for the
India Minister proposed to build a new India office out of
his own pocket--(laughter)—and without having anything
to do with Parliament at all. (Hear, hear.) It would be
built out of the Indian revenues. If they turned door
Scott out of the Foreign-office, the building next door
would be erected in some other style, and by some other
architect. He (Mr. Hope) felt certain the house would
not sanction such a miscarriage of common sense as that
reversal would involve. The right hon. baronet opposite
(Sir B. Hall) stated that he new building would be in-
c t
e ous with those adjacent--that there would be an in-
congruity between its style and that of Westminster
Abbey and the palace in which they then were; but the
right hon. baronet had surely forgotten the style of
building which he wished, when in office, to erect. He
hoped the noble lord the First Commissioner of Public
Works would not be deterred from pursuing his own course
by this opposition, but would adopt that plan which had
met with the acclamation of all the distinguished men out
of doors, and with the approbation of all the intelligent men
of the profession. The committee appointed last session
distinctly referred the question—not to the House of Com-
mons—but to the Government, and the Government would
not do their duty if they refused to proceed in the course
which had been pursued. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CONINGHAM felt bound to express his regret that
the Gothic style had been adopted in the building which
was about to be erected. The disadvantages of the style
could not be better illustrated than by the place where the
House of Commons assembled. Gothic architecture gave at
the maximum of cost the minimum of accommodation, and,
at the same time, a degree of darkness which, in London,
was most inconvenient. The noble lord talked of the Gothic
as the national style of architecture, but he would remind
the noble lord of the names of Wren and Inigo Jones. The
Gothic was an European style of architecture, and it was a
mere revival introducing it into civil edifices. It had beauty
and merits in the period when great ecclesiastical monu-
ments were raised, and was eminently characteristic of the
spirit of that age. But the day was gone by for it. It was
a barbarous style. We did not live in an age of darkness.
We wanted more light, and he thought our public offices
especially wanted both light and ventilation in more senses
than one. He could not hear the question discussed with-
out recording his solemn protest against the use of Gothic
architecture in public edifices. It was a style peculiar to a
sect of which the hon. member for Maidstone was a distin-
guished representative, but it was antagonistic to the taste
of the English people. (Hear.)
General THOMPSON suggested that the whole matter
should be postponed until the bill from India came in, and
it was seen how much money we had to spare for such pur-
poses. (Hear.) It was far from certain that we were not
on the eve of an European war, and he should be very
pleasantly surprised if England managed to keep her hand
out of it. Prudent individuals did not spend their money
beforehand where there was a chance of important calls
being made upon them, and nations ought to act on the
same principle. The Government could not afford to take
off such taxes as the paper duty, and yet a plan was now
brought forward entailing a large expenditure, which the
majority of people, he was sure, would think very ill-ad-
vised under the circumstances.
Lord PALMERSTON—I never heard a less satisfactory
explanation than that given by the noble lord opposite and
the hon. member for Maidstone on two points—the selec-
tion of the architect and the choice of style. (Hear.) The
reason which is given for the choice of Mr. Scott is that he
was second in all the trials. He was second in the compe-
titions for the Foreign-office and for the War-office, and
therefore he is put first—on the principle, I suppose, that
two negatives make. an affirmative. It certainly is a new
doctrine. What would be said if it were applied to horse-
racing, and the horse which ran second in two heats was
held to be entitled to the cup ? (Laughter.) It now appears
that there is not to be a War-office, and Mr. Scott, there-
fore, is ehosen, to build the Foreign-office, because his plan
for it was deemed second best. Then, with regard to the
style, it is said that Gothic has been chosen because it is
the "national style," " suited to Teutonic nationalities,"
and all that sort of thing. I conclude, therefore, that the
Secretary of State for India will be safely lodged in a
pagoda, or a taj-mehal—(laughter)—in accordance with the
" nationalities" with which he has to do ; and, as Mr. Scott
cannot be expected to be well acquainted with that siyle,
we must have an architect over from India, who will be
more competent to judge of the keculiarities of an Indian-
office. I think, therefore, that no satisfactory reason has
been given why the two architects whose plans were better
than Mr. Scott's should be set aside. I quite agree with
the right hon. member for Marylebone, that it would be
fitting that, if the plans of Mr. Scott are exhibited, the plans,
also of the other architects which were adjudged to be bet •
ter should be exhibited at the same time. (Hear, hear.)
I quite agree, too, with the hon. member for Brighton in
protesting against the selection of the Gothic style.
(Hear, hear.) It is going back to the barbarism of the
dark ages for a building which ought to belong to the time
in which we live. It is said that it is intended hereafter
to build on the whole space between Downing-street and
Westminster Abbey, and that you are beginning with a
Gothic building close to Downing-street in order to fill the
whole of that space with Gothic buildings. If the choice of
the Gothic style for a Foreign-office is to involve the neces-
sity of an immense block of buildings down to Westmin-
ster Abbey, you are taking the first step in a course which
I deprecate in the greatest possible degree. (Hear, hear.)
If your principle of congruity is to apply for the future,
let it apply a little to the present also. The neighbourhood
of Downing-street is full of buildings of a totally different
style. There is the State Paper-office, for instance, fire-
proof, well placed, very convenient, and much wanted
—though Mr. Scott, I am told, in order to complete the
congruity of his Gothic block, says he must pull that down
—just as he proposes to Gothicise the exterior of the Horse
Guards for the same purpose. All the buildings in con-
nexion with Downing - street are of a totally different
style. There are the Treasury buildings, the Horse Guards,
the Admiralty, the Banqueting-house,
specimens of architecture to bef
finest whichoun ids oneanywhere. ofth e
(Hear.) That is to be confronted
aby a building which, by-
the-bye, does not, after answer the description of the
noble lord, who talks of a nationaliot style" for it appears
that it is not to be English but Italian, or Lom-
bardo Gothic. I have not had the advantage of visiting
those climes lately, therefore I don't exactly what the
peculiarities of Lombardo Gothic are, but it combines, I sup-
pose, all the modifications of barbarism. (Laughter.)
Look, too, at that street of palaces, (Laughter.)
with all its
magnificent clubs, each
Take St. Paul's and Someorsneet house rwill
handsomer than the other.
that they are handsomer in their respective venture
a ty
asserto
t 1 a .
Westminster Abbey or the Houses of Parliament. (Hear.)
The Houses of Parliament are a beautiful building, but I
in poi
we t o
vexpense and ac-
commodation.
think we have made
aßutjeaar.ristakebecause
made a
mistake—a handsome mistake, I admit,inefecet and cost
too—are we committed for ever to go on raising
after building in a style totally unsuited to the purposes building
view ? Ido hope that the decision of the noble loidoiss
not
irrevocable. Mr. Scott, it appears, is a monomaniac in not
irrevocable. Mr. Scott, it appears, is a monomaniac in re
to Gothic, but he studied first, I believe, Italian and
Greek architecture, but if it is finally determined that he is
to be the architect, a gentleman of his abilities would be
able to draw quite as good a Greek or Italian design as this
Gothic one which the noble lord favours. I hope, there-
fore, that he will be told to put a more lively front to his
building than that now contemplated, and that we shall
have a Foreign-office in harmony, with the other public
buildings of the metropolis, either in the Italian or Greek
style, and one that will be adapted to the purposes in view.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. BENTINCK cordially concurred with Genera-
-1
Thompson, the member for Bradford, .as to the inexpe
diency of spending large sums of public money on orna-
mental buildings under present circumstances, when there
could be little doubt that a largely increased expenditure of
the country would be necessary, when their naval defences
must be strengthened, and when there was a rumour that
the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be called upon to
supply an inevitable deficiency of the revenue. At such a
time it was the duty of the house not to sanction the ex-
Penditure of one shilling that could be spared.
REWARDS TO NCES.
,Mr. VERNON SMITH wishedNATIVE toPRI ask the noble lord
tne geere tary of State for India, whether any rewards
Or marks of h
Princes or their
onour had been conferred upon the native
Majesty „. Ministers who had proved faithful to her
importance, as i
related
mutiny. The subject was one of great
the most trying eied to the fidelity of those Princes under
must have upon the circumstances,u and the moral influence it
natives of India ; and he hoped to hear
from the noble lord that
such
encouragements as he re-
ferred to had been conferred. Lord STANLEY—I we
question
denttihoat the right hon. gentle-
man opposite has put this
subject
me, and has called
the attention of the house to the to which it refers.
I agree with him that at the present .iamove hardly any subject
Government of India,
can be of greater importance to thn.
and I fully concur in what he has said, thae
import-
ance
of recent events has confirmed the view of thawhtolse course
e hool iof
Indian politicians who have always maintained the
of keeping up the independence and dignity
native States as against the modern theories of atinexa these
native
.—(cheers, and hear, hear)--mid have contended that we
Aoki ria thew the /oat faith atm aid filiPpOrtgra