The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-03 00:00:00

REP(OpßreTsenOteFd TtolltEheßCUomlLmDislsNioGn,
MCOayMIM6,ITIBTSEOE.) ON
THE PLANS SU BMX TIED.
May it please your Royal Highness, my Lords, and
Gentlemen,—Your committee beg leave to report that
the invitation issued by the Commissioners requesting
information and suggestions for the general arrange-
ment of the building and premises required for the
Exhibition of 1851, has been responded to in the
most ample and satisfactory manner, both as re-
spects the variety of useful ideas presented to their
consideration and the libefality with which many expe-
rienced and skilful men of foreign countries, no less
than of our own, have contributed- their valuable time
to this great undertaking, thereby evincing their entire
sympathy both with the great cause of arts and indus-
try in which her Majesty's Commission ershave embarked,
and with the arduous labours of the directors of the
undertaking.
The designs and specifications transmitted to the com-
mittee amount to the surprising number of 245, offering
an aggregate of professional sacrifice of very consider-
able importance ; for, not confining themselves to sug-
gestions only, which were invited by the programme, a
large proportion of them are remarkable for elaboration
of thought and elegance of execution.
Penetrated with admiration and respect for these gra-
hbealvieeve,
devoted
gra-
tuitous and valuable contributions, unexampled, they
your committee
inth
of these projects, and hasten to offer those acknowledg-
ments historyofnaest
careful competition,atteetiea to the collection
which are due to their merits, and to the generous
motives which have led to their execution; and they
trust that the public may shortly be witnesses of the
effect of this very noble emulation of the skill of all
countries, by the public exhibition of these designs, offer-
ing the opportunity, in the true spirit of the whole un-
dertaking, of mutual improvement, respect, and friend-
ship amongst the cultivators of the liberal arts in the
several countries of Europe.
It is remarkable that, while many of these contribu-
tions may be attributed to the laudable motive of pro-
fessional repntation and advancement on the part of
practitioners, not yet sufficiently known to the public, a
great number are from gentlemen whose position in the
confidence of their respective Governments, or in the re-
public of arts and letters, is of the highest eminence,
and who can have been actuated by no such personal
motives. Already entitled to respect and admiration,
they could have little to gain, while they have something
to lose, in the competition for glory. The kind and frank
communication, therefore, •of their thoughts and expe-
rience towards this great work is to be more highly com-
mended. Every possible mode of accomplishing the ob-
ject in view has been displayed by the respective contri-
butors as regards economy of structure and distribution,
and these qualities are united with various degrees of archi-
tectural symmetry and features in many designs. Our
illustrious continental neighbours have especially distin-
guished themselves by compositions of the utmost taste
and learning, worthy of enduring execution,—examples
of what might be done in the architectural illustration of
the subject when viewed in its highest aspect, and at all
events .exhibiting features of grandeur, arrangement,
end grace, which your committee have not failed to ap-
preciate.,
Among these several classes of design, the practical
character, of our own countrymen, as might have been
expected, has been remarkably illustrated in some very
striking and simple methods suited to the temporary pur-
poses of the building, due attention having been paid to
the pecuniary means allotted to this part of the under-
taking. The principle of suspension has been applied
in a single tent of iron sheeting, covering an area river-
aging 2,200 feet by 400 feet by a lengthened ridge, brin
separate tents on isolated supports. Others display the
solution of this problem by the Chapter-house principle,
and a few by the umbrella or ciroular locomotive engine-
house system of railway stations, either with a central
column or groups of columns sustaining dooms or roofs
to the extent of 400 feet diimeter.
Grandeur and simplicity of distribution are carried
out with great architectural effect in other compositions,
and the general arrangement by columnar supports has
been also variously and elegantly developed. The
system of iron roofing, with all the architectural powers
of which that material is susceptible, has been adopted
by some with signal enterprise, ingenuity, and power.
In another class of design the authors have viewed
with enthusiasm the great occasion and object of the
propos. d exhibition, and have waved all considerations
of expense. They have indulgei their imaginations,
and employed the resources of their genius and learning
in the composition of arrangements which present the
utmost grandeur and beauty of architecture, suited to a
permanent palace of science and art. These, as addressed
to the architectural student, are of the highest value, re-
minding him of all the condition of his art,—the Egyptian
hypostyle, the Roman therms°, or of the Arabian or
Saracenic inventions. And, though their expense has
placed them beyond reach, they cannot fail to inspire
and elevate the treatment of the reality. They at all
events confer great obligations on the lovers of the fine
arts, for the authors have evidently felt that, if one of
the results to be expected from the proposed exhibition
may be to prove that the simplest object of ingenuity
and skill should not be devoid of some of the attractions
of taste, the building itself ought to be an illustration of
that important principle.
The committee, however, have been unable to select
any one design, as combining all the requisites, which
various considerations render essential. But the judg-
ment and taste evinced by a large number of the con-
tributors have enabled the committee to arrive more
promptly at their conclusions, and they have freely
availed themselves of most valuable suggestions in di-
recting the preparation of a fresh design for the proposed
building.
They have consequently been most earnest in the de-
sire to fulfil the just expectations of the various compe-
titors, and feel assured that your Royal Highness and
the Commission will be of opinion that the most unre-
served and handsome acknowledgments are duo to those
able men of science and art, who have in so disinterested
a manner, submitted such admirable projects for the
consideration and assistance of the committee.
They beg, therefore, to submit as their opinion that
the following gentlemen are entitled to honourable and
favourable mention, on account of architectural merit,
ingenius construction, or disposition, or for graceful ar-
rangement of plan.
LIST A.
ENTITLED TO FAVOURABLE AND HONOURABLE MENTION.
C. B. Allen, architect, Great College-street, West-
tninster.
W. Allingham Todd), (and 9l, Newman-street, Oxford-
street.
A extestssces (W. Bsrd well 4 Great Queen-street,
Westminster).
H. Ashton, 50a, Lower Brook-street,
C. Badger, architect, Rue Blanch, Paris.
B. P. Baly (four designs).
R. Bell, architect, Pope's Head Chambers, Cornbill,
Thomas Bellamy, architect, Charlotte-street, Bedford-
square.
J. H. Bertram, C.F., Reading'
A. Botrel, architect, 121, Ruff Poissonni4e, Paris.
H. Bouse, Esq.
R. Brandon, architect, Little Beau buildings, Strand.
F. Brown, Francis-street, Torrin fort
gton-square.
J. B. Bunning, architect, Guildhall, city of London.,
G. A. Burn, architect, George. place, Hammersmith.
J. Cailloux, architect, 25, Marche St. Honors, Paris.
H. Case, 19, Hanover Villas, Kensington Park,
J. Charpentier, architect, 15, Rue Larochefoucalt, Paris.
Henri Van Cleemputte, architect, Laon, France.
J. P. Cluysenaar, architect of King of the Belgians,
Brussels.
J. W. Conrad, chief engineer, La Haye, Holland.
H. Courtney, Esq., 39, Alwyne-road, Canonbury-square,
Islington.
M. Crimont, architect, 10, Place des Vosges, Paris.
W. Cruikshank, 24, Duke-street.
A. Delaage, architect, 6, Place de l'Oratoire du Louvre,
Paris.
C. Downes, Coleshill-street, Eaton-square.
A. G-. Le Dreux, Clermont, France.
A. Durand, Moulins, France.
Dusillion, architect, Thoune Suisse, Faubourg St.
Glirmain, Paris.
M. G. lltar Van Elven, architect, Amsterdam.
11. Fevre, architect, 41. Rue de Vaugirard, n Puri,.
S. C. Fripp, architect, Bristol.
A. Gearing, 2, Ranelagh-street, Leamington Spa.
Eugene Godebeuf, 12, Place Breda, Paris.
J. T. Harrison, Esst Bolden, near Gateshead.
T. Hayes, 7, St. George's-terrace, Hyde-park.
J. Renard, architect, 98, Rue St. Luzzre, Paris.
H. Horeau, 70, Rue Richelieu, Paris.
C. Huchon, 28, Rue Moslay, Paris.
J. Imrav, C.E., Howley-street, Lambeth.
Ch. Schce3h Jaquet, 238, Rue, de la Vertasse, Geneva.
Jaulle, 81, Rue Francaise, Calais.
Louis Kahne, Brunswick.
J. J. Knowles, architect, 1. Raymond-buildings, Grays
Inn.
M. Laves, architect of the King, Hanover
W. B. Lewes, Rainbow-hill, Worcester.
C. C. Nelson, 30, Hyde Park-gardens, London.
C. F. Nepveu, 13, Place d'Armes, Versailles.
Palliard,. Rue d'Enghien, Paris.
H. le Patre, architect, 47, Grande Rue de la Chapelle,
St. Denis. P.atie.
Casimir Minx, Paris. - • -