The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-09 00:00:00

THE CASE OF REBECCA KEARNEY.

Mr. HENNESSY asked the Lord Advocate if he had
ascertained whether, in the compulsory removal of Rebecca
Kearney from Glasgow to Ireland, the several proceedings
required by law were duly fulfilled ?
The LORD ADVOCATE said that he had received a
report of the proceedings in this case, and he believed that
they were quite regular, but they would be laid on the
table.

THE FOREIGN OFFICE.

Lord ELCHO moved that, in the opinion of this house,
it is not desirable that the new Foreign-office should be
erected according to the Palladian design now exhibited in
a committee room of the house. The noble lord said that
the plan of this office was to all intents and purposes the
design of the Prime Minister. He said that it had been
decided that this office should be open to European com-
petition, and 200 plans were sent in. A committee
was appointed to make a selection, and premiums were
awarded to seven of these designs. The noble lord then
proceeded to relate the subsequent proceedings in reference
to the subject until the adoption of the Palladian plan by
Mr. Scott, who consented to be draughtsman of the Prime
Minister, who had a horror of Gothic architecture. He
had referred to the debate that had taken place on
this question, and he did not think they were conclusive
in favour of the adoption of the Palladian or Italian design.
It had been asserted by the hon. member for Bath (Mr.
Tite) that Gothic architecture gave only a minimum of con-
venience at the maximum of cost. No doubt that was true,
but it arose from:the abuse of Gothic architecture. The hon.
member had also said that the new office should harmonise
with the genus loci, but what was meant by that he
did not clearly understand. The hon. gentleman
said the office should harmonise with Montague -house, but
though that might be a pretty building he believed it was
not so popular as to induce the public to wish the Foreign-
office to be in harmony with that edifice. The noble lord
at the head of her Majesty's Government described the
Gothic architecture as being inapplicable to a public office,
which should be gay and airy outside and light inside.
With respect to light, it could be proved that it
would give all the light that was required. The Gothic
style of architecture afforded facilities for introducing consi-
derable variety—the brick which abounded in this country
could be used for it with effect. Having referred to the
failures in the materials of which the houses of Parliament
were constructed, as well as to Buckingham Palace and the
Bank of England, he adverted to the buildings on
the Continent, and drew a comparison between them and
these in this country, favourable to the former. He called
on the house not to sanction the proposal of the noble lord
(Lord Palmerston).
Mr. C. BUXTON seconded the motion, and said that
he did not want to disparage the talent of Mr. Scott, but
the fact was that that gentleman's genius lay in
Gothic architecture, and he highly approved of his
Gothic design. He thought if Mr. Scott was to be the
architect, he should be allowed to select the style of archi-
tecture for which his genius was suited. It had been said
that Gothic architecture was unsuited to secular build-
ings, and that it did not afford sufficient light. That defect,
he contended, arose from the adoption of imperfect
Gothic designs, and the plan in that style of Mr. Scott was
entirely free from these defects. He called on the noble
lord (Lord Palmerston) to sacrifice generously his own pre-
dilections, and consult the taste of the rising instead of the
setting generation.
Mr. COWPER denied that the feeling of the public was
in favour of the Gothic as contrasted with the Italian style
of architecture. Ha founded that opinion on the statements
of persons competent to judge on this subject, and they
were in favour of Mr. Scott's Italian design,
which they considered by far the best that had
been submitted to competition. It was a proof of Mr. Scott's
genius that he had been so successful in a style of architec-
ture different to that in which he had previously excelled. It
was not, as had been alleged, that the plan was drawn up
in conformity with the directions of his noble friend at the
head of the Government, but in accordance with what had
been considered public opinion. He proceeded at some
length to vindicate the selection of the Italian style. He
contended that if the Foreign-office was even built in the
Italian style it would harmonise with the surrounding
buildings, including the other Government offices, and
would realise from that harmony an effect which could not
be produced by a structure wh ch, different in style, must
be tested merely by its own intrinsic merit, and without
any reference to congruity. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. LAYARD said it must excite surprise that, in the
19th century, so little progress was made in this country
in the science of architecture. He thought that the archi-
ture which was required in the present day was
that which would admit' most light and air. (Hear,
hear.) lie contended that the Gothic architecture
supplied these desiderata, He strongly objected to the
Palladian style " bteaingmneasn, bat he did not mean to attri-
butefame in another department,cot% who
any blame
had acquired his
as to monotonyill in
no distinction.
He strongly denounced the acquiredadherence
for a style in which he hadanshould not be selected
buildings, and referred to Paris
disagreeable effect of that monotony. He took
ktion of the
public
occasion
observe that the style of public buildings m dot. tocated the
political condition of a people, and
,ke
would
at once have recognised in Paris a Government of
despotism. (Oh, oh.) Hon. members might dissent, but
he had seen an instance of what he asserted, for while he
was passing up the Rue Rivoli, he saw the whole
of the street scaffolded, and on making inquiry found
that the Government had ordered the tenants to
scratch their outsides. (Laughter.) He called on
the house not to repeat a mistake similar to what had been
done in respect to the Houses of Parliament. In that
case they selected an Italian architect to build a Gothic
was building, and now it proposed to select a Gothic architect
for an Italian building. He concluded by expressing a
hope that the plan of Mr. Scott would be submitted to a
select committee before it was decided on by the house
(Hear, hear.)

Mr. TITE eulogised the style of the Palladian architec-
ture and the plan of Mr. Scott. All the best architects were
in favour of an Italian style. lle thought that the matter
could safely be left in the hands of the Government.

Lord J. MANNERS quoted the result of the inquiries of
the committee three 3 ears ago, who, after a prolonged exa-
mination, reported that in respect a convenience and ven-
tilation no material difference existed between either style.
He contended that the original arrangements, which placed
in the hands of the greatest Gothic architect in Europe,
Mr. Scott, the erection of a Gothic building, ought to be
maintained. All over the country the Gothic style for public
buildings was adopted, and by those who could not be classed
as architectural reactionists.
Mr. B. OSBORNE would promise the house one thing,
that he would not say a word about architecture. (Hear,
and laughter.) And when the noble lord, in the innocence
of his heart, deprecated this being ramie a party question,
it might not be made a party question in the sense of par-
tieb in the house; but he took upon himself to say that since

the celebrated Montague and Capulet feud there had been
no feud like that between the Palmerstonian and Lombardo-
Gothic styles of architecture. (Laughter.) But he did not
intend to enter into these disputes at all. In the matter
upon which he wished t o speak one building had been found
wanting. Let them look to the much-praised building in
which they were assembled. The estimate of the expense
was £750,000, and it had actually cost 21 millions. And
gentlemen talked about the different styles, about the hori-
zontal and the perpendicular—(laughter)—when the coun-
try was looking to the question what would the building
cost? (Hear.) It happened that in 1855 Mr. Pennethorne,
the architect and surveyor of the Board of Works, was
called upon to submit a plan for the new Foreign-office ;
and what was the estimate for his plea ? It was £60,000 for
the building and £30,000 for the purchase of the site ? But
the House of Commons of that day was so singularly spar-
ing of the public money that when they were called upon
an(tHiet' and voted £lO,OOO for
ar.) But what was the
rfoartethhiins
gvoutpe tthheeyorledfubuseadditnoggrs.
estimate of the money they were called upon to provide for
this building ? It was £200,000. But did the house believe
it would be builtfor that,whatever stylewas adopted. (Hear.)
He did not think the question had been properly treated by
the house. When the competition for the design was thrown
open it was thrown open to all the world, and £5,000 pre-
mium was offered for the best design. The first premium
was awarded to Messrs. Coe and Holland, and the second
on the lists were Messrs. Bankes and Barry, but in conse-
quence of Mr. Scott, who had, it was true, an European
celebrity as a Gothic architect, being secured for furnishing
the plans of the Foreign and War-offices, Mr. Scott was, by
some curious hocus pocus, put forward between the two
gentlemen who obtained the first premiums and the noble
lord (Lord J. Manners), who was a devotee in the Gothic
school. (Hear.) If the house were to treat this subject pro-
perly some one would move an amendment and say " a plague
on both your houses." (Laughter.) Reject both the Pal-
merstonian and the Scott plan, re-open the question, and
give the building to the man who gained the first premium.
(Hear.) He expressed no opinion upon either style—he was
so afraid of being a party to the enormous expense which
was about to be incurred. He thought the whole question
ought to be re. opened, and that these gentlemen ought to
have the benefit of the position which they had fairly gained
in 1:?55. He should take no part in the division, but he ad-
vised the house to be on its guard and remember always
that the estEnate for the houses of Parliament was £750,000,
and the actual cost £2,500,000. They were the worst build-
ing committee in the world, and they stood disgraced in the
eyes of Europe as men of business. (Oh, oh, and Hear.)
The cost of this undertaking would, he believed, in like
manner swell into a million, and if any gentleman would
move that both plans be rejected, and the thing thrown
open as at first, he should be happy to vote for it ; bat he
would say nothing of the merits of the Palmerstonian style,
the Manners style, or the Gothic. (Hear.)
Lord PA LMERSTON—The battle of the books, the
battle of the big. endians and the little-ondians, the battle of
the green ribands and the blue ribands were as nothing
compared with this battle of the styles. (A laugh.) But 1
must say I think that if I was to pronounce an impartial
verdict as to the issue, I should say that the Gothic has
been entirely defeated. (Laughter.) The noble lord who sits
opposite made it a reproach to me that whereas he, an ardent
and enthusiastic devotee, as my hon. friend has called him,
of the Gothic, appointed Mr. Scott as architect, superseding
those who had won the highest prizes, and therefore step-
ping out of the way of proper selection—that whereas he
appointed him—l will not say solely and entirely, be-
cause Mr. Scott has great professional merits, but merely
because he was versed in Gothic architecture—that on that
account, I who succeeded him, differing with him in opinion
as to the style, but out of deference to Mr. Scott's vested
claims, having conferred upon him the appointment of
architect, I was obliged to adopt, therefore, not only the
architect, but the style of the noble lord. That is certainly
requiring a great deal too much by a person who leaves
office of the person who comes in his place. (Hear, hear.)
I have heard it made a reproach to a new Government that
they have adopted the measures of their predecessors, but I
think it ought to be no reproach to me that I did not follow
their example in the present instance. (Hear, hear.) The
noble lord laid stress upon what he asserted to be the pre-
vailing taste as exemplified by the practice of the country.
He mentioned large towns, but he forgot that some of the
noblest edifices in those large towns are in the Italian style.
He talked of Liverpool, but he forgot the St. George's-hall.
Lord J. MANNERS was understood to say that he had
not alluded to Liverpool.
Lord PALMERSTON—The noble lord took good care
not to mention it. (Cheers and laughter.) He mentioned
Manchester, but made no allusion to the Free. trade Hall,
a splendid building in the Italian style. He spoke of Leeds,
but he has forgotten that building which is the greatest
ornament of the town of Leeds, and which is also in the
Italian style. (Hear, hear.) Here are three buildings of
great magnitude, costing large sums of money, erected
lately by the people of these towns, and surely these are in-
dications of what the taste and opinion of the people are.
(Hear, hear.) But the noble lord went further, and wanted
to saddle upon Edinburgh, the modem Athens—upon
Edinburgh, which he determined to adorn, the Calton Hill,
with an imitation of the Parthenon—not satisfied with the
Italian, but going back to the Greek—the noble lord wanted
to throw upon Edinburgh the imputation of having been
converted to the Gothic style. (Laughter.) I call upon
every Scotch member to say whether that is not a gross
libel upon the taste of the community. (Loud laugh-
ter.) Then objections have been made upon the ground
that these plans have no originality, and it is said in the
first place that it is not a national style—that the Italian
style, I will not call it the Palladian, but the Roman elan-•
sical, is not national. Well, is the Gothic national ? (Hear,
hear.) I never heard much of the Goths and Vandals and
Saracens doing much in this country. (Laughter.) I have
been told in my early days that the Romans were in this
country for a considerable number of years, and it is pro-
bable therefore that they have a better claim to have estab-
lished in this island some style of architecture which may
be considered English, than those who never came here at
all. (Laughter.) But my noble friend talked about what
was,the real ancient architecture of England. Why, my hon
friend who followed him thought that Stonehenge might be
considered as a specimen of the ancient architecture of the
country. (Laughter.) But I would go further, and say that
the real aboriginal architecture of this country was mud ,
huts and wicker wigwams—these were the original styles of
those who first inhabited this island. (Loudlaughter.) And
when we talk of Gothic bring practised at certain periods,
so has Italian. When we are asked what is the national
character, we might, I think, very reasonably ask the ques-
tion upon which it must very much depend, namely, who
have been the most distinguished architects of the country
and what style did they practise ? We have had Vanbrugh,
of whom truly it has been said he laid heavy loads on earth,
but who has given us fine buildings in the Roman and Grecian
style. We have had also Sir Christopher Wren and Inigo
Jones—great men, who have erected great edifices to excite
admiration to the present day. (Hear, hear.) Do not tell
me, then, that Gothic is the characteristic architecture of

the country. (Hear, hear.) If there was one character
more prevalent than another it was the castellated man-
sions ; but they were erected for purposes of defence. We
find them all over the country ; but the reason they were
erected has ceased to exist, and we may, therefore, I think,
dismiss that style with alias inconveniences. (Hear, hear.)
My hon. friend says there is nothing so light as Gothic, on
account of the number of windows you can introduce. But
we have heard of the

Great windows that exclude the light ;
And passages that lead to nothing.
(Cheers and laughter.) And these were after tho Gothic
style. Then my noble friend has very kindly invited me to
take a morning drive—which I am unable to accept—through
the streets of London, to test the public taste, forgetting all
those fine buildings, Somerset-house, St. Paul's Cathe-
dral—
An HoN. MEMBER—The Post-office.

Lord PALMERSTON—Yes, the Post-office, and several
others. Why, it is very much as if a gentleman should
drive through the streets of Rome, and seeing a number of
children with arms dislocated and legs out of joint exhi-
bited as beggars for the profit of their parents, should say,
" These are the tastes and habits of the Roman people,"
forgetting all the while the many stout, well-conditioned,
able-bodied men he may have met—(laughter) and should
say, " Let us make our children like the people of Rome,
for these are the tastes of the Roman people." (Renewed
laughter.) My noble friend reverses the boast of the Roman
emperor, " I found it of brick and left it stone," and would
make these buildings of brick. Well, we all know what
colour brick turns after a certain exposure to London smoke.
I am afraid to quote an Italian authority against it because
Ido not admit Italian taste; but I will quote what was
said to me by Canova, a man versed in arts, and supposed
to be a good judge in these matters. He said, "If London ,
were only widened it would be a real Paradise." (Hear.)
But instead of making it a real Paradise my noble friend
doubt itaswta:
ve r
wellall h tuhuew
us t r et ehtus
t.
er(Cheersroi w aasn d
infinitel laugh.) g hat
ne rd.
wouldwuula make it a real something else, by the gloominess he
simple.th Good taste was simple and bad 'd
)truNtho
therefore it is perhaps that G th' taste
infinite,
an
(Laughter.) But
the invention
nothing olc admits of infinite variety.
ofsomene will satisfy my hon. friend but
Marsh, a great architect, tried
orderth of architecture. Mr.
o
succeed. 'We all remember the storyexperiment'
walking along Regent-street while but did not
t wofoothhe.fentleman
struck with something very irregular in one ouf'tthlienlgt, houses
being constructed, said to the clerk of the works, " NoVh. yes,
good heavens 1 what order do you call it ?" to which -
he
got the reply, "It is Mr. Marsh's positive order." (Much
laughter.) I should like to see the positive order of my
noble friend. (Renewed laughter.)- But if my noble friend
wants to invent a new order of architecture, if it is thought
worth while, let us offer a premium for it ; but for heaven's
sake, seeing that we want a Foreign-office, that our
Foreign-office is tumbling down, and that the Colonial-
office is following its example—(a laugh)—and seeing
that we want an India-office and a State Paper-office,
the present being nearly full, there not being space left for
more than two years' papers—seeing all these things, I do
say do not delay providing these buildings till somebody
invited to compete for the purpose shall have invited a new
order, and that new order shall have been approved by the
House of Commons. (Hear, hear.) With regard to these
plans, it is quite true that I did object to the first plan of
Mr, Scott as being Gothic, Gothic architecture is very fit
'.4