Star.
London, England, 1829-09-05 00:00:00

INTERIOR OF THE NEW POST OFFICE.

The following is an outline of the arrangements of this
:;.rand national undertaking :
Immediately on entering the portico from St. ltlartin's-le- Grand,
is the great hall, about eighty feet long, sixty feet broad, and fifty-
thr:e feet high in the centre. On each aide of the centre are six
Portland stone Grecian lonic fluted columns, standing upon granite
edestals, corresponding with a granite dado, surmounted by ants,
r pilasters next the walls the whole of the entablature,which is fully
criched, is of mastic, excepting the epistilium, which is of Port-
iond stone. The architraves to the doors are also of granite. The walls
-re plastered with mastic cement. The ball is lighted from above
:he columns in the centre part. Immediately opposite to the en-
. ranee is a gallery of communication between the north and south
wings ; and over the principal entrance is a dial face, sunk and or.
camented in mastic.

On the north side of the hall are the Newspaper, Inland, and
Ship Letter Offices.
On the south side are the Foreign Offices, Receiver General's
and Accountant's Office.

At the eastern end of the hall, next Foster-lane, is the Twopenny
t'ost Office. North of the centre in the eastern front is the hall
as here the bags are received by the mails; they are then conveyed
to the Tick Room, where they are opened. Communicating with
the ball is the Inland Sorter's Office; adjoining to it is the Letter
Carrier's Office : these rooms are upwards of one hundred feet
long, and the latter thirty-five feet high ; the fittings up in them
appear to be perfect in their kind, the almost innumerable boxes and
;I'gs:on-holes, drawers, &e. &c. required for the dudes of these
offices, should be seen to be duly appreciated. At each end of
the Letter Carrier's Office are projecting circular rooms, or bars,
for the principals. The Letter Carrier's Office is warmed by
heated air, and its outlet is in front of the circular bars
above alluded to. There is a spacious office appropriated solely for
the West India letters, approached from Foster-lane front. In
this wing are the Comptroller's and Mail Coach Offices. The
Foreign Office, which 1., as before stated, on the south side of the
hall, is most chastely and conveniently fitted up; we were much
pleased with the elegant ceiling and octagon light of this room.
Under the great hall is a tunnel, in which some very clever ma-
chinery is placed for conveying the letters from the Inland Office
to the Foreign Office, and Wes versa. A similar contrivance exists
fur transferring the letters from the General to the Two-
penny Post department. At the back of the Foreign
Letter Carrier's Offices, and at the eastern end of the Fo-
s eign, is a torridor, and the Principal Clerk's Office and Private
Foreign Office. The corridor immediately at the right band of the
principal entrance leads to the grand staircase, the dimensions of
which are thirty-two feet by twenty-three feet. The balusters,
which are brass and bronzed, are particularly neat, and yet of suffi-
cient ornamental character to preserve the uniform elegance of the
staircase. On the upper landing is a niche, in which it is under-
stood a figure is to be placed supporting a gas light.
On the first, or principal floor, are the Board Room, Secretary's
Rooms, and Secretary's Clerk's Office. The Board Room is of
the dimensions a 37 feet by 24 feet. The ceiling Is of the form
technically termed waggon-head. The cornice, which is clasically
enriched, is supported by real wainscot pilasters—the doors, da-
does, and window dressings, are also of real wainscot—the
walls are painted to imitate the wood—all the floors on this
story, throughout the building, are of American oak. At
the eastern end of the hall, on the north side, is a stair.
case leading to the Letter Bill, Dead, Mis-sent, and Re-
turned Letter Offices ; and across the gallery of the hall are the
offices connected with the Solicitor's and Secretary's departments,
which latter are also approached from the grand staircase. At the
end of the passage, on the first floor, is an iron door of communi-
cation with the Assistant Secretary's house. On the second floor
story, and upper story, are sleeping rooms for the foreign clerks.
The number of these rooms, and the extent of the accommodation,
may be conceived, when it is stated that the rooms on each side of
a gallery, two hundred and thirty-seven feet long, are appropriated
to this purpose.
The Twopenny Post Sorters' Office, which, as before stated, is
at the Eastern end of the Great Hall, is forty-six feet long, and
twenty-four broad. Adjoining the Receiving Room is the Pre-
sideut's Room.

In the basement story, the whole of which is rendered fire proof
by brick vaulting, is the Guards Room and At moury. The Guards
Room is conveniently fitted with lockers, presses, and other accem-
m3dations, for the men when off duty. Immediately under
the portico are placed two large gas meters, capable of regis.
tering four thousand cubic feet of gas per hour, supplied by
the City of London Gas Company. The whole of the gas
apparatus is of as perfect a character as can be conceived..—
There is a very ingenious contrivance for regulating the inequali-
ties arising from the irregular pleasure of the gas-holders, and is
called a governor; the utility of such ao instrument will be ob-
vious, when it is know:: that eight hundred full-sized argand
burners are already fixed.
At the south-west end is the Assistant Secretary's Official resi-
dence, well suited for the accommodation of a gentleman's family ;
the principal rooms are in admirable proportion, and the decora-
tions are of an elegant yet chaste design; the lodging rooms are so
placed as to admit of a free ventilation, and are rendered as cheer-
ful as the confined situation will admit.

t he servants' offices are peculiarly convenient, and are, like the
main building, file proof. The whole art the basement story and
staircases will be lighted with gas.
We omitted to mention tbac•a very simple yet perfect means of
obtaining a copious supply of water, in the event of fire, is pro-
vided ; and also to notice some ingenious machinery for the pur.
pose of conveying the coals from the cellars to each story of the
It is to be regretted that the obstinacy or cupidity of individuals
should prevent a good access to this magnificient edifice from
Cheapside, yet such is the fact ; for it has been considered neces-
sary to have the coach road level with the foot way, to obviate this
inconvenience so far as may be practicable.
Every exertion is making fur commencing business early in the
ensuing month.
Workmen are now employed in taking down the only remainifg
obstruction In St. Ann's-lane, and the cabinetmakers are daily sup-
plying articles of furniture for the several departments.
This noble building may be considered not only as one of the
most classical edifices of the metropolis, in an architectural point of
view, but as comprehending the finest specimens of British skill in
the several branches of art, which has. ever been produced in this
country.

Sancti COOLNESS.—After the defeat which we for-
merly experienced from HYDZIL Acu, previous to the pious vie.
tories which we achieved, the late Sir DAVID Buss being amongst
the prisoners, he was treated with the same cruelty and insult as
the rest, and was chained to a private soldier and cast into a loath-
some dungeon. On hearing ibis sad account, his Lady (mother)
reclaimed in broad Scotch, " Hech me ! but I'm sumo was for the
pair telly that's chained to our Davy." Sir D. B. bad afterwards
an opportunity of taking ample revenge on his oppressors.