The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-16 00:00:00

110LYBOOD PALACE.

(From the Scotsman.)

Nineteen years have elapsed since the first visit of
Queen Victoria to Scotland; now we look upon the autum-
nal residence of the Court in the Highlands as a matter of
course. But it is to be borne in mind that, just as it is a
" far cry to Lochawe," so, even with all modern facilities
of railways, it is a long run from Osborne to Balmoral. A
resting-place by the way is absolutely essential; and Edin-
burgh, by position, by its claim as capital of one of the
" Kingdoms Three," and, above all, by its amenities as a
place of residence, has always, since the visits of royalty to
Scotland, became matter of custom, been chosen as the place
of temporary repose en route. For some years her Majesty
was content—nay was, so to speak, compelled—to find her
way to the Highlands via Dundee, Aberdeen, and Glas-
gow; one grand reason of such change of route being that
Edinburgh had really no place of royal abode capable of
affording decent accommcdation even for a single night to
the royal party. Till within a dozen years our only habi-
table ancient royal palace—Balmoral being of course our
only modern one—did not offor the comforts or conve-
niences of a fourth-rate inn; and her Majesty, by her un-
ostentatious acceptance, at Perth and elsewhere, of ordinary
hotel accommodations, knows what it is to experience the
"warmest welcome of an inn." How that luxurious First
Gentleman of Europe, George IV., managed to exist during
even the few hours he was compelled to accept the accom-
modations of HolyrooJ, Heaven knows ; how Charles the
Tenth and his suite subsequently vegetated there for months
is a still deeper mystery; for the place was, till recent im-
provements, one of the most melancholy, desolate, ghost-
and. draught-haunted of unruined buildings. Since the days
when Queen Mary and her ladies were content to huddle
together at supper in a closet 10ft. by six, there seems to
have been no improvement on the architectural arrange-
ments towards securing comfort for the inmates. A con-
tinued and consecutive series of large lofty State apartments,
all leading one into the other, without lobbies, with scanty,
means of heating, and with none of the most ordinary con-
veniences of modern civilised life, was the Holyrood of 20
years ago. The handsome scale of the apartments, lofty
and well proportioned, the good old oak panelling, the beau-
tifully executed plaster ceilings, and the palatial look of the
whole pile externally, were its sole redeeming features.
Even externally there was much to object to, not in the
building itself perhaps, but in its immediate surroundings.
A sanctuary for debtors, a village oflow lodging-houses,mar-
ket gardens, and small taverns, was seen cheek-by ejowl with
the building associated with the most interesting points in
Scottish history. Everything about it was crowded,airless,
undignified. Now we have had all these abominations
swept away ; we have an open park or garden all round the
building; we have an'ample square, and an excellent road in
front of it ; and within we have had such a series of im-
provements as have tended year by year to bring old Holy-
rood more and more into decently habitable condition. Yet
much remains to do. An old dramatist says—" Gently
takes the gentleman what oft the clown would scorn,"
and it would astonish many " comfortable folks" to know
how scantily the Royal House of England has hitherto been
accommodated in the' ancient Scottish Palace of Holyrood.
But things are being got into better condition; and it must
gratify all good subjects who have any interest in the well-
being and comfort of our Royal Lady and her family, that
Holyrood, her only resting place in her journey northward,
is being gradually brought into such order that royalty
may find it convenient and commodious enough to induce a
prolongation of the hitherto vei y brief halt in the capital.
Every year something has been done, under the judicious
superintendence of Mr. Matheson and the Board of her Ma-
jesty's Works here, to make the palace more fit for occupa-
tion ; and the works executed this year, though not per-
haps so immediately striking, are of sufficient interest and
importance to warrant specific notice. They are connected
both with the external and internal arrangements.

A considerable body of workmen have been engaged for
some time at the new works. The alterations and im-
provements within the palace have for their object the
adaptation of the apartments lately ceded to her Majesty by
the Duke of Argyle and the Marquis of Breadalbane, by
connecting them with the range of Royal apartments on
the south and east sides. The state apartments lay en. suite
without corridors of communication between them ; and on
the principal floor they will remain as formerly—their ori-
ginal arrangement being considered the most appropriate in
a residence of royalty. But the requirements of modern
ideas of convenience and comfort have led to the introduc •
tion of central corridors, from., which the other apartments
will be entered separately. These alterations, with a slight
exception, do not in the least degree affect the ancient orna-
mental ceilings or the carved oak finishings, nor do they
interfere with the external appearance of the palace, except
as regards the great improvement of substituting plate-,
glass windows for the present large barred and small panes
which darken the apartments and detract from the palatial
dignity of the edifice. Another improvement, of an ornate
and suitable description, has been effected—viz., the lay-
ing down of Minton tiles in the royal staircase, giving it an
aspect and character more w orthy of a royal approach. The
whole alterations cannot fail to tend to the comfort of her
Majesty and suite, and may probably lead to a prolonged
residence at Holyrood, which, however, much desired at all
times, could not have ;been expected under former circum-
stances.

The new works, however, properly speaking, are opposite
the chief gateway of the palace. The old brewery and red
tiled tenements, which formerly constituted a decided eye.
sore, and occupied a very prominent position in front of the
quadrangle, were recently purchased by Government, and
on their site are a series of structures far advanced towards
completion, for the military guard—which is now offen-
sively within the palace—and, in addition and connexion
with it, a buildiqg for the accommodation of the royal stud,
containing stalls for about 20 horses, with coach-houses,
Towards the palace quadrangle the elevation is baro-
nial in character, having a broad centre gateway, flanked by
massive towers, the whole harmonising well with the older
architecture of the palace and fountain. These new struc-
tures have given a pleasing and extended, if not more royal
aspect to the locality. Indeed, it may now be said that,
with the extensive grounds of the palace and Salisbury
Craigs towards the south, and the New Town towards the
north, Holyrood possesses something approaching to regal
magnitude and dignity. It is with regret, however, that
we observe adjoining—in fact on a lino with the new mili-
tary guard edifice, a very unsightly tenement. This
building is not only out of all proportion and keeping with
the adjoining edifices, but, by its extent, actually intercepts
the view of the park from the palace and the quadrangle.
Surely whore so much has been done and is doing to beau-
tify and improve the royal residence, such a blemish will
I not be allowed to remain.

FLOODS AND LOSS OF LIFE ON TEE CLYDE.

GREENOCK, TUESDAY.

The very unseasonable weather of late seemed to have
reached a climax on Saturday and Sunday evenings, when
the rain, which has seldom missed a day for weeks back
without marking it more or less wet, then poured inces-
santly for hours together till past midnight. The early
part of Sunday was dry, but the presence of portentous
masses of heavy clouds overhead indicated that the ill
weather had not passed away, which was verified before
evening, when it became soft again; but from midnight
till near seven o'clock yesterday morning—except with a
few slight intermissions—the rain descended in torrents.
The streets, especially in the lower part of the town, were
flo )(led ; and in some places the water found its way into
the houses, not only by the doors, but, being choked by
the overcharge in the mains, forced its way up by the small
connecting drains to the floors. From four to six o'clock
the deluge was at its worst, and chiefly on the line of an
aqueduct known as the " West Burn." Except where ne-
cessity or inconvenience has impelled the work of arching
it over, the course of the burn is open all the way. At one
place, where a number of streets meet, after a fall of a few
feet, it takes a quick turn, and passes through an archway
forming the foot of Kilblain-street. At this spot two small
houses overlook the stream, which are approached by a few
steps and a narrow footpath dividing the doorway from the
edge of the water ; above this it never reaches on ordinary
occasions. As the cataract increased, these dwellings were
soon invaded, for they were right opposite; so that the in-
mates had to take refuge in flight, and shortly afterwards
the action of the tearing current scooped out the larger
portion of the narrow roadway to a level with the bed
of the stream. One of the occupants named Wright
Frame, having returned for the purpose of rescuing
some articles she had left behind, persisted, spite of the
warnings of the police, to cross to her dwelling. In
venturing to do so, however, she slipped, and was rapidly
carried down by the hurrying stream through one long arch
and then another, where the water would be from six to eight
feet deep, so fast that those who followed on the streets only
caught a glimpse of her as she passed between the several
arches, and then was carried far out into the river, her clothes
keeping her afloat. It is remarkable that, after passing
through so much surging from side to side in acurrent nearly
flush with the archway, against all of which she must have
sustained some hard knocks, and been drifted a distance of,
at least, half a mile, it was not till a few minutes after she
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having ceased about o'clock,
rush of water began to subside. The weather through-
out the day was pleasant, with sunshine, and wore a
more settled aspect than of late. At Dumbarton, after
a very heavy night's rain, the burns came down in
flood, and damaged the green crops, in some cases very
considerably. The water rose oven higher than it did
in the floods about a week ago, and if there is less to
record as to the destruction of roads and bridges, it is
because those most exposed were all demolished on the oc-
casion referred to, and had not been repaired. The injury
to the crops, however, is more extensive, and the line of
railway has also suffered more, having been at several points
flooded to a depth of several feet, occasioning considerable
delay to several of the trains. Near Helensburgh a mill-
dam burst or overflowed, and flooded the grounds below it
and the line of railway in a somewhat alarming manner.
At Bonhill the people in Burn-street were forced to leave
their houses again, and up to last night some of the houses
in this neighbourhood were unapproachable by the usual
means of ingress. The common lands of the burgh were
greatly flooded, and the public park was almost entirely
under water for the greater part of the day.