The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-09 00:00:00

MEETING OP THE ROYAL INSTITUTE
-OP BRITISII ARCHITECTS.

On Monday evening the first general meeting of the
Royal Institute of British Architects was held within
their new premises, 9, Conduit street, Hanover-
square. The Right Hon. the Earl De Grey, K.G.,
president, took the chair at 8 o'clock. There were
about' 300 members and visitors present, among
whom were Professor Donaldson, Professor Cocke-
M.P., Mr. Sydney Smirke, Mr.
rell, Mr. Tite,
Digby Wyatt, &e.
The PRESIDENT, after some- routine business
had been
.gone through by the secretary, such as
the admission of new members, and the notification
of various portraits that had been given by mem-
bers to adorn the hall of meeting, rose to convey
the thanks of the institute to the donors, and after
congratulating the meeting on their having now
secured a locus standi where they might rest secure
of not being summarily turned out—a benefit which,
he stated, would be more directly reaped by the
younger members—proceeded to give a short sketch
of the history of the institute, and of his connection
with it. "In 1834, as near as I can recollect,"
ho continued, "you elected me your president.
You then only numbered 13 members. I had no
boast particular
of was
a claimgo oto the
d will
tow a honour;rds t h all 1 l th a I
object
t To
u couldha had
in view, and a desire to aid you in your exertions in
so far as my ability went. You further rescinded
your standing orders requiring an annual elec-
tion of your president in my favour. At this early
period another society existed labouring to carry
out the same object, • Med the Architectural So-
ciety. In 1842 a union was Of( etA between the
two societies, and now combined in 1859 we num-
ber, in connexion with this society, including fel-
lows, associates, honorary and corresponding mem-
bers, altogether 416." The noble lord, after
expressing his cordial readiness on all occasions to
aid in extending the influence of the institute, and
in maintaining its interests, in accordance with the
special business of the evening called upon Mr. Tite,
M.P., to address the meeting.
Mr. TITE then delivered an eloquent address on
the position and prospects of the profesSion, and con-
cluded by the following remarks on the architectural I
question of the day :—" This slight reference to pub-
lic competitions brings me naturally to one of the
great questions of the day—the coml.etition for the
Government buildings. In this case all the requi-
sites which I have enumerated were complied
with: the instructions were intelligible and clear ;
the reward was distinctly announced ; the drawings
were fairly comparative, and there could be no
question of the honour and competence of the judges.
Unhappily, however, there was one miscarriage,
which has led to mostof the subsequent difficulties.
Inasmuch as only one building could be erected
out of the great mass of propositions open for com-
petition, no doubt the successful architect for that
building must have been chosen to carry it out; but
after the decision was made public, it became known
that in this particular instance the first premium
had been awarded by the professional judges to the
architects who were placed sixth only in the order of
merit ; snd that in point of fact the architects who
received the second premium were entitledto the first.
This introduces great difficulty into the discussion.
It was agreed on all hands that it was impossible to
erect the first design. This led to an inquiry as to
the original instructions with respect to the actual
site of the offices which had been determined to be
built. Grave doubts arose on that subject, the whole
proceedings fell into abeyance, and certainly for a
time were entirely abt.ndoned. If they had merely
remained in this situation, the competitors would
have had no right to complain, any more than a
builder who in competition gives in the lowest ten-
del for a building has a right to complain if the
estimate should be so large as to prevent the work
from being executed atoll. In the one ease the archi-
tect gets both his premium and his reputation, and
in the other the successful competitor among the
builder, is entitled both by law and equity to
the expense of making his estimate. But the Minis-
try of the country having been changed, the ques-
tion assumed another shape, and, in the midst of
the difficulties, the Government resolved on refer-
ring all the questions to the examination of a Par-
liamentary conmittee. Of the composition of this
committee no one could complain ; it was fairly
chosen as regards politics or opinions ; it was pre-
sided over by a man of learning ; but upon it, it
was perfectly well known, there was a great pre-
ponderance of feeling in favour of Gothic architec-
ture. The report of the committee did not very
much improve the business ; but excepting the
statement that apart from the evidence that Gothic
architecture was not essentially dearer than clas-
sical architecture, and might as well be
adapted to the common purposes of busi-
ness, the Government was not legally bound
to employ the successful competitor. The
committee therefore generally left the question to
be dealt with as the Government thought fit. To
me, however, it appears indisputable that the pre-
minted plan No. 2 ought to have been adopted, be-
cause it was agreed on all hands that the arrange-
ment suggested met the requirements of the case
far better than those of any other plan, and that Ihe
elevations and external decoration were moderate,
agreeable, and consistent. If the feeling of the
country were so decidedly in favour of Gothic
architecture that Gothic forms and Gothic decora-
tion were to be considered essential, there was
nothing in the plan No. 2 to prevent the adoption
of that style, and it was perfectly well known
that the accomplished architects who had de-
signed and arranged the external elevation in
the Italian style could just as easily, if required,
have adapted the architecture of any other nation
or period. I think, however, to say the least, that
employment of the author of the plan No. 3 was
unjust to the architect who had gained the second
Ipremium and also unjust to our profession. It is
not my purpose to revive at this meeting or
to promote a discussion or a re-discussion
of all that has followed, whether in the House
of Commons or in this society. I am pre-
pared to maintain the opinions I have always ex-
pressed, that the architecture of the approved design
is neither Gothic nor national in the sensein which
those terms are generally understood ; that it is
very considerably more costly than the samo amount
of building in the Italian style of architecture : that
it is neither so well adapted nor fitted for the pur-
poses to which it should be applied as Italian archi-
tecture ; and that the building, if erected as pro-
posed, whether Gothic or Italian, will involve
the destruction of the State Paper-office on the west,
and of all the important offices on the south, now
forming the west end of Downing-street. This
will not be at all the fault of either architect, but
if the edifice be erected as it is at present arranged,
it can only prove to be a blot and an incongruity."
The PRESIDENT, on the conclusion of the address,
rose and proposed a cordial vote of thanks to Mr.
Tite, which was carried by acclamation.
Professor DoNm.nsoN rose to propose a vote of
thanks to the chairman, not only for his kindness
in presiding to-night, but specially for the care
and attention with which he had presided over the
institute for a period of 24 years. In reference
to the very learned address to which they had
just listened with such attention, and which he
characterised as containing much sound criticism on
the progress of European art during the last 50
years, the subject was so vast, and the field travelled
over so great, that he begged leave to move that
the paper remain over for discussion until next
meeting, when they would not be so readily led
away by the enthusiasm they might now feel, but
would be able to view it with the consideration it
was worthy of.
Mr. TITE, M.P., in seconding the vote of thanks,
concurred in wishing the discussion on the address
deferred until next meeting.
The institute then adjourned, to meet on the 21st
inst., when Mr. George Gilbert Scott will read a
paper on Westminster Abbey.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales arrived
at Windsor Castle yesterday afternoon, from the University
of Oxford, to pass a few days with his illustrious parents.
The Earl and Countess of Shafstesbury and Lady
Victoria Ashley have arrived in town from St. Giles's,

Dorset.
The Lady Margaret Beaumont gave birth to a
daughter yesterday, at the family mansion in Piccadilly.
Her ladyship and the infant are doing well.
THE ELBE TOLLS AND THE RUSSIAN COMPANY.
—A letter from the Board of Trade, to the effect that the
Government is considering the advisability of abolishing
the Russian Company, was read at the meeting of the Coun-
cil of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce yesterday, Tues-
day. The Chamber, on the report of a special committee,
agreed to memorialise the Government 'for the abolition of
the Elbe tolls.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON.—The contribu-
tions to the mechanical museum of the College by Mr. J. G.
M'Connell of the model of the solid wrought irom ste m
piston invented by him, and in general use upon the Lomb n
and North-Western Railway, was accidentally omitted from
the mention made in our yesterday's paper of the presents
received by the college in the vacation.
SOUTHAMPTON, Nov. B.—The Royal Mail Ccm-
pany's steamship Clyde, Captain Heenan, which has bum
entirely repaired and refitted since her return from the -West
India station four months since, sailed hence to-day to
resume intercolonial service. She took a large number of
passengers for Madeira, where she will call on her way out.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's screw-steamer
Ellora, Capt. C. Vincent, left yesterday, with the mails,
passengers and freight, for Vigo, Oporto, and Lisbon.
SHIPWRECK AND Loss OF ALL HANDS.—LIVER-
POOL, Tuesday.—The Austrian barque Tyro, of Fiume,
from Sulina, went ashore yesterday on the Little Burbo
bank, and went to pieces about 6 o'clock. The captain,
crew, and pilot were lost. The lifeboat crew are charge 1
with having failed to do their duty, and an investigation
will take place. The vessel's register has been wash d
ashore, and is now exhibited in the Underwriters'-rooms.
The weather continues very boisterous.