The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-24 00:00:00

THE NEW ROUSES OP PARLIAMENT.

As Parliament is about to meet immediately for
the "dispatch of business," the most active mea-
sures are in progress to put everything in order be-
fore that important event arrives. Since the close
of the last session the works in the interior have' '
been carried on but to a very limited extent, owing
to a determination on the part of the Chief Com-
missioner of Works to concentra e all his energies
upon the completion of the outward portion of the
building, and eipcially the Victoria and Clock
Towers. In pleasing contrast, however, with other
portions of this magnificent building, the handsome
portico erected over the Lords' Entrance is entirely
finished. A few yards from it a stone bench has
been laid down for the convenience of peers to dis-
mount who may come down to the house on
horseback ; between it and the entrance a hand-
some carrisge-way has been constructed, and over
the portico four magnificent lamps, handsomely
gilt, are now being placed. No other exterior de-
coration appears to be required, or indeed in con-
templation, while the same imictili-y prevails in the
interior of this portion of the building. The Queen's
robing room, in which it was proposed to place
some beautiful frescoes, remains as it was last ses-
sion ; and that of the peers, where similar decora-
tions, though on a less magnificent scale,
were contemplated, is still unchanged. The
only alteration made is the conversion of
the apace, where the reporters' gallery foi merly
stood, into one of those pigeon-holes for which the
entire building is so celebrated ; but to what use it
may be appropriated remains a mystery. The room
occupied by the reporters at the end of the last
session is still in the hands of workmen, with a view
to make it as comfortable and convenient as possi-
ble. These are the only alterations made in their
lordships' portion of the Palace of Westminster,
except a few more going on in the royal gallery,
which suggests the belief that Parliament is• about
to be opened by her Majesty in person. The other-
side of the building affords a fine opportunity to at'-
mire the vastness of the hall itself, with the beauti-
ful stained glass window at the upper end, at d the
graceful chandeliers which light it up so brilliantly
at night. The Sall of Statues remains precisely as
it was. A slight movement has, however, occurred
as regards the frescoes intended to adorn this lo-
cality of the palace. It must have struck the spec-
tator with wonder on entering the Hall of Statues,
and pa-sing through St. Stephen's Hall, to witness
the numbercf compartments appropriated
yearsthe
f,i; haveort9hceas es
beautiful decorations, and yet f
remained so, for with the exception of thepassageto
‘ thererhrt-
tnre of the Mayflower,"
at the entrance to the House of Lords, not one has
been executed. We except those long since placed
in the upper hall, leading to the long corridor. On
the left;inthe entrance to the lobby of the House of
Commons, a movement in this direction has at last
taken place ; two frescoes are just completed in
this passage, of,the artistic merits of which, how-
ever, it is impossible to pronounce an opinion, in-
` asmuoh as the artist will not allow any one to axe-