The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-28 00:00:00

NEW ROYAL EXCHANGE.

"From the dates which have been given, it will be
seen that the new Royal Exchange has been completed
in less than three years; and being all of stone, is justly
considered the most extraordinary instance of dispatch
that these railroad times have witnessed. It stands
nearly due east and west ; the extreme length, from the
portico on the west to the columns on the east, is 308
feet. The plan is much broader at the east end than
the west, the width of the portico being 96 feet, the ex-
treme width of the west end 119 feet, and of the east
end 175 feet. The dimensions of that part appropriated
for the meeting of the merchants, is an area of no less
than 170 feet by 112 feet, of which 111 feet by 53 are
uncovered and open to the sky.
" The diameter of the columns is 4 feet 2 ; their
height, including the base and capital, 41 feet ; the ex-
treme height to the apex of the pediment at the west-
end is 74 feet ; and the height of the tower at the east
to the top of the vane, 177 feet.
" The general disposition of the plan is es follows :
At the west- end is a portico of eight Corinthian co-
lumns, with two intercolumniations in actual projection,
and the centre part deeply recessed in addition. The
principal western entrance is under this portico, which
is ascended by thirteen granite steps from the level of
the street. The whole west end is appropriated to the
offices of The Royal Exchange Assurance for assuring
Shipping., Fire, and Lives,' the entrance to their offices
being on the right and left of the great western entrance.
" The great eastern entrance is under the tower. After
passing through it, there is a small area for giving light
and air to the inner mass of that part of the building,
and at the north end of this area is the entrance to the
important establishment of Lloyd's. At the centre of
the building, on the north and south, there are also en-
trances to the merchants' area.
" The south front is one unbroken line of pilasters,
with rusticated arches on the ground-floor for shops and
entrances, the three middle spaces being deeply recessed;
over these are richly decorated windows, and above the
cornice there are a balustrade and attic. The north side
differs considerably from the south ; for in this case the
centre projects, and the pilasters are omitted at the end
spaces. The arches of the ground-floor are rusticated,
and the same windows occur above as on the south side,
but with two exceptions, which are formed into niches.
In one of them will be a statue of Sir Hugh Myddelton,
by Joseph ; and in the other one of Sir Richard Whit-
tington, by Carew. The former worthy citizen is cele-
brated for having brought the New River to London,
and the latter, a merchant and a mercer, founded and
endowed some of the noblest charities of the City.
" The east front is marked in the centre by four Co-
rinthian columns, from which rises the tower. The first
story of the tower is square, with ornamental pilasters
at the angles ; on the east front is a niche, in which
will be placed a statue of Sir Thomas Gresham, by
Behnes ; above this is an attic for the clock faces. The
next story of the tower is circular, decorated with Co-
rinthian columns, and crowned by a dome carved vk ith
leaves. The vane is the famous grasshopper that was
on the old Exchange ; it was not mnch injured by the
fire, and has been restored. It is of copper gilt, and
is eleven feet long. In the tower is a peal of fifteen
bells for the chimes, cast by Mears ; and the clock was
constructed by Mr. Dent, the eminent clock-maker of
the Strand, under the direction of Professor Airoy, the
Astronomer Royal, and the first stroke of each hour
is true to a second of time. The citizens will thus be
enabled, by this exertion of mechanical skill, to obtain
the exact time in London with as much accuracy as
could be obtained by a visit to the Observatory at
Greenwich.

" The one-pair, or principal floor, is occupied by four
suites of apartments ; the principal of these, it has-been
seen, is appropriated to the underwriters' establishment
of Lloyd's. Lloyd's occupies all the east end, and a
principal part of the north side. The greater part of the
west end is appropriated to the Royal Exchange Assur-
ance offices. The south side is principally occupied by
the ancient corporation of the London Assurance, having
an entrance and offices on the same side on the ground-
floor ; and on the remaining part of the south and west
are a suite of offices originally intended for the lecture-
rooms and offices of Gresham College, but at present
unappropriated.

"'The offices of the Royal Exchange and London As-
surance consist of board-rooms, secretaries' offices, and
all the usual arrangements for such establishments on
the most liberal and extensive scale ; having, in addition,
a series of apartments in the mezzanine, or entresol. In
many cases the rooms on the second floor are lighted
from the roof ; and strong-rooms, vaults, and other apart-
ments are provided in the basement story.
" Lloyd's contains several magnificent apartments :
the staircase is very convenient, and even grand in its
arrangements, the steps being fourteen feet wide each,
of Cragleith stone, in one length. The subscribers'
room for the business of underwriting is 100 feet long
by 48 feet wide. This noble apartment runs from north
to south on the east side of the quadrangle, or mer-
chants' area ; attached to this is a library or reading-
room, with a gallery round, furnished with maps and
charts. The captains' room, the board room, and the
clerks' offices, occupy the eastern end. Along the north
front is another spacious chamber, called the commer-
cial room, 80 feet long, which is intended as a sort of
commercial club room for all strangers visiting London
for the purposes of business. These large apartments
are lighted from the ceilings, and also from windows
opening into the merchants' area. They are highly de-
corated, consistently with their purposes, well warmed
and ventilated, and are certainly the finest rooms of
their kind in the City of London.
" The ground-floor of the Exchange, like Sir Thomai
Gresham's Exchange, aid the one last destroyed, is ap-
propriated mainly to shops and off.c.m. Each tenement
or shop is complete in itself, having, in addition to the
ground-floor, a room over, and a basement beneath, sepa-
rated by party walls and brick arches of great strength,
from their neighbor re,and fr( m such apartments as may
happen to be over them. The same arragepients for
preventing the spread of' fire apply to the other'divisions
of the building, so that it seems impossible that acalamity
confinedu i ldi ng ,
dmilar to that which has twice destroyed the Royal Ex-
change can again occur. A single shop, or even one of
burnt,
but o f
mtaoy be
that portion
the structure where it happens; and in this sense the
present building is fire-proof.
inscription, recording the foundation of the original
the
ee
lfiarreger must divbise ielnims ietefdtb aen db
" There is on the frieze of the portico the following
building in the 13th year of Queen Elizabeth, and its re-
storation in the Bth of her present gracious Majesty:—
' ANNO XIII. ELIZABETHIE It. CONDITUM. ANNO VIII.