The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-07-21 00:00:00

RENOVATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE Queen, we entertain no doubt but that the illustrious
INTERIOR OF THE TOWN HALL. visitor will be surprised to find so magnificent a mansion
in a provincial town. In the lower story of the building,
Few of our readers are, perhaps, aware that, for about the fine Entrance Hall, the Council Chamber, the public
the last twelve months, the interior of the Town Hall, offices, the lobbies, &c., have been excellently painted,
still the most compact and beautiful of our public edi- and, where deemed in taste, gilded, by our townsman,
fives, has been under process of improvement, or rather— Mr. Troutbeck. The present Mayor's private audience-
in Lancashire parlance—of " beautifying," under the room was painted by Mr. Porter, son of T. C. Porter,
auspices of our two worthy Mayors within that period—. Esq.. who was Mayor of this town. It is but justice to
namely Mr. James Lawrence, Mayor, last year, and Mr. state, that Mr. Solomon and his wife, who have charge of
Hodgson, our present chief magistrate. Much credit is due the establishment, keep it in palacial order and cleanli-
to both of these gentlemen—to the first-named, who com- ness. They have now resided within its walls since 1811
menced. and to the latter, who has continued and carried
out these embellishments in a spirit of harmony (though,
with necessarily some slight difference in individual taste)
which will, we think, redound to the honour of both, as
well as to the Town Council at large, on the occasion of
the forthcoming ♦isit of Prince Albert, and—let us hope !
—of our illustrious Queen.
It would be superfluous to revive minute details of the
suite of rooms known as, par excellence, the civic and
" private" residence of the Mayor for the time being.
Both of the gentlemen named have submitted to personal
inconvenience in so long giving up their domicile for the
purpose. The following diagram will sufficiently remind
our readers of the extent and adaptation of " the pre-
mises," and, at the same time, show the plan of the
tables in the great ball-room, which, on the occasion of
the royal visit, is to be the banquetting-hall

PRINCE

ALBERT'S VISIT,

The following additional particulars of the preparations
making for this important event we extract from a con-
temporary :

. ,
In addition to the Blue Coat Boys, the Freemasons, the
Odd-fellows, and chipping trades, as mentioned last week,
the Druids, to the number of 1,000, will also walk in the
procession. Each society, except the Freemasons, has
received the sum of £43 from the Council to defray ex-

penses. The master ship-builders of the port, with their
usual spirit and loyalty, have subscribed the handsome
sum of £250, in order that the shipwrights may appear
in the procession with becoming splendour. This is
an example worthy of imitation by the masters of all
the trades in town.

We understand Mr. Lynn will receive two guineas a
head for providing the banquet, and one gninea a-head
for providing the thgeline.
The grand staircase is to be covered with a very rich
Brussels carpet, at the sides of which the stairs will
enamelled, in imitation of marble. The a

• Great 0.0,0 o*. kb:oZr]
Ball Room,
II 11 II II 11 1

the vestibule, commanding a full view of that splendid
work of art, Gibson's statue of Canning, forms a coup
d'reil of surpassing grandeur.
It was the intention of the Mayor to admit ladies to
the sides of the grand staircase, but we believe this de-
sign has been abandoned for the spacious landing at the
summit, which will command a view of the whole ascent.
The address of the Town Council will be presented by
Gilbert Henderson, Esq., the recorder of the borough, in
one of the suite of rooms adjacent t,-) the banquetting-
hall. It is to he written on vellum, and its preparation is
entrusted to Mr. Uriah Phipps, law-stationer, Lower
Castle-street. The ornamental border is to be beauti-
fully executed with a rich gold scroll, interlaced with a
pink ribbon. At the top are to be the arms of her
Majesty and Prince Albert, surmounted by a correct re-
presentation of the arms of the town, as granted by
charter; and at the foot are to be well-executed views of
the Custom-house and Town-hall, with the Liver in the
centre. The whole will have a very chaste and elegant
appearance.
The Judges' Lodgings are now quite ready for the
Prince's reception ; and the whole, to the very lamps out-
side the hall-door, has undergone a complete renovation.
The state bed and bedstead arrived last week from the
cabinet establishment of Jackson and Graham, London.
The bedstead is known in the trade by the name of a half-
tester. A lofty canopy surmounts the head, and on each
A more magnificent suite of rooms than these, on one side drapery is suspended in fluted folds. The
headposts
world, taken as a whole.
floor, are not to be found in England, or, perhaps; in the and footboard are elegantly carved ; but, generally speak-
ing, although the workmanship is good, there is nothing
The writer of this hasty sketch was politely permitted very extraordinary about the bedstead itself. It is not
by the Mayor to view the apartments, as they now are, in what a state bedstead might be expected to be. There is
course of completion. He entered by the smaller or none of that elaborate carving about it which one sees in
western staircase, which is itself fine, though not to be the state bedstead at Hampton-court; but as the maker
compared with the great staircase, which we shall after- has furnished neither the roofs nor footposts, but has
wards notice. We shall thence take the rooms, with the sent down, as we have said, a half-tester, his specimens in
novelties introduced, in order, from the landing round. the carving line are necessarily very limited.
The DINING Room, on the west side, is a fine apart- The purple and gold chairs, which have been in Mr.
ment, 50 feet in length and 30 in breadth. The walls are Hand's window, Bold-street, all the week, are intended
enriched with Corinthian pilasters of scagliola marble : the for the Prince's drawing-room. The lounger, inlaid with
roof is empanelled, with gilded moulding ; and the furni- green silk, and covered with open netted work, also in the
tore, including two splendid stoves, is unique and elegant. same window, is intended for the Prince's state-room ;
The room has
These are finished wi
th windows
crimson cowith semicircular tops. and the antique clock, with the elaborately ornamented
r em loored
tissue silk, beautifully and appropriately fitted so as to dial, is being also furnished by Mr. Hand, and will beplaced upon the mantelpiece in the Prince's drawing-
fall over the arch of each window. The Royal Arms are
room. The several apartments above and below stairs, at
introduced on the drapery of the centre window, and the Judges' " The Liver" on each end window, altogether in keeping elegant appearance.lodgings will, altogether, present a very
with the light character of the gold panelling of the veil- We mentioned last week that the cotton-brokers and
ing and walls of the room. The ground-work of the ,Custom-house clerks would discontinue business daring
painting (all of which as well as the drapery is new) is of the visit ; and it gives us pleasure now to add that the
a salmon colour. The finely-raised compartments of the
roof, which is coved, are delicately guilded in the mould . Stock Exchange will be closed, and that the sharebrokers,
t
ings. The cornices from which the draperies of the win-
he general brokers, and the attorneys of the town have
dows descend are highly tasteful and classical in design, announced their intention of following the example set by
and the guilding superb. The painting was executed by
the cotton-brokers. Indeed, we begin to entertain some
hopes that a general holyday will be kept; at all events,
Messrs Porter and Sons, and the upholstery work by
Messrs J. Hand and Sons, of our own town. so little business will be done during the visit, that the
The three DRAWING ROOMS adjoining, and on the holyday will be all but generally observed. The Horning Herald, of Wednesday, gave currency to
south side, the centre one of which may be called " The a rumour that preparations were being made at Saloon," have been so altered in painting, gilding, and
month for her Majesty to accompany the Prince to Ports-
otherLiver-
decorative embellishments, as to give them an en- month for her Majesty to accompany the Prince to Liver-
tirely new character. The whole may be thrown, as it pool. This is not probable.
were, into one, by the opening of large polished maho-
gany doors, forming one magnificent apartment, looking MR. RIPLEY AND THE LIVERPOOL COMMIT-
down Castle-street, of 96 feet in length. Each room has TEE FOR THE REGISTRATION OF SHIPPING.
three windows, making nine. The roofing is segmental,
Mr. Ripley h-s published the following letter in reply
divided into panelled compartments, richly touched with
gold. They are furnished in the most magnificent and to the correspondence, a brief abstract of which we gave
last week : "Liverpool, 18th July, 1846.
" The Committee of Lloyd's Register of British and
latter of superb amber silk. These, together with the en-
tiered curtains are finely and elaborately designed, the
princely manner. The window cornices and double ban-
Foreign Shipping, Liverpool, having, by the not very
riched ceilings, have a most imposing effect, and do away advised publication of the correspondence between that
with that monotony of straight lines which we frequently body and Mr. Ripley, laid their official proceedings open
to observation, he, Mr. R., feels authorized to make
meet with in rooms of this order. The drapery, especi-
ally, is truly regal in effect, and, is we think, highly ere-
known to the public that the association is of recent
1 ditable to Messrs. Hand, who designed and executed it, origin, and that they have classed a North American-
as also to the taste and liberality cf the Corporation. The I built ship, the Anne Armstrong, A 1 ten years, whilst
walls are chiefly of a salmon colour, with gilded mould-
Liverpool-built ships, and second to none in the world,
ings round the recesses, windows, &c., and in the entab-
with even one material piece of North American oak in
lature is a band, on a ground-work f ultra marine, re- their composition, are classed only A 1 nine years at
theL Lloyd yd 'l3,
Liverpool London ; therefore
classification
(,
(the
thee ca cause of
degree e
the of merit due to
sembling porcelain ; but, if we may express a crude opi-
ence) the public will judge by this comparison. The
nion, the depth of the tint is scarcely in analogy or keep-
owner of a North American-built vessel under' such. cirle-
cumstances, she not being classed at Lloyd's,. London,
correspond-
ing with the general colour of the walls. We also ven-
he enabled
wouldt
tore to think, that the ceilings being considerably higher
where the
London
nn
Ag
1 doesffor
r notlclassification,e rasppaefarr,
undere that
than the tops of the windows, and consequently some-
what sombre, lighter colours than those adopted would
havet o
passed advertise
the same time, have better shown off the gilding of: the
mouldings. This, however, is a mere matter of taste, "The committee have classed the Anne Armstronge! letter.
and it must be admitted that, in large rooms like these, ten years on the supposition of her being built of live oakr
anything new is a speculation or experiment, whicl; Mr. Ripley's belief is, that she was not so built, and
neither the artist employed, nor those who may direct therefore not so entitled. It may be that the Committee
Lim, have an opportunity to correct—the cost and labour were mistaken on the subject of her build, but that does
of redeeming even a slight mistake being great. In one not lessen the objection to the classification itself, and on
of these rooms we observed a beautiful fire-screen, the these grounds Mr. Ripley justifies his original observations
centre consisting of a large sheet of plate glass, and the on the subject.
frame of highly ornamented scroll-work. This is, we " Mr. Ripley, in further notice of the published corres-
learn, from London. The furniture is rich and appro- pondence, and of a paragraph which appeared in the Li-
priate ; and splendid new gas chandeliers have been fitted verpool Standard, of the 14th instant, merely points out
up. Here, too, the painting, as indeed thrcughout the that which, perhaps, is obvious already, that, so far from
entire suite of rooms, was executed by Messrs. Pot ter and evading, he has courted the inquiry, which has been met
Sons ; the drapery and upholstery by Messrs. Hand. by ambiguity and reserve.

)rchestra

11111111 Staircase

111110111 1(.0) I
4nte Room.

ir___Th

W..)
ANTE ROOI.I

MAYOR'S
DINING ROOM

SI\IALL
BALL ROOM

Grand Sea ircase

GRAND

SALOON,

The renovation that has taken place in the SMALL BALL-
ROOM is, for general effect, very beautiful ; but the deco-

"THOMAS RIPLEY."

rations are more simplified than the last-noticed rooms

[We can assure Mr. Ripley that we bad not the most
remote idea of insinuating that he had in any way
" evaded" the inquiry. Our object was to give, as impar-
tially as possible, the substance of the correspondence.
We did not suspect the paragraph could be so read as to
imply a leaning either way.]

There are four lofty Windows, hung with superb crimson

and gold silk, and remarkably elegant and iicbly carved

and gilded cornices. Three fine crystal chandeliers pend
from the middle of the roof. This, we should say, is
more especially the " ladies' " room, and, should our
gracious Queen honour us with a visit, will probably be
appropriated for a royal levee, should such be commanded
by her Majesty. We gave, in our last, a brief report of the celebration
In the LARGE BALL-ROOM, 89 feet by 42, the painting, of the 12th of July, by several of the lodges of the Grand
gilding of the sides and roof, mouldings, &c., in delicate Protestant Association of Loyal Orangemen, but time
tints, is extremely well executed ; and the room is much precluded our giving the excellent speeches delivered on
improved by the new curtains being elevated seven feet the occasion. The following address, however, delivered
higher than their "predecessors in office"—imparting to by Mr. John Payne, at the dinner of Lodge 24, at the
the windows a larger and more elevated appearance, and Aigburth Hotel, contains so much that is calculated to
admitting a fuller volume of light. The double-bannered exhibit the real principles of Orangeiszn, and the designs of
and richly-gilded cornicing over them is deep and massive, Orangemen, that we publish it for the information of the
without, at the same time, being heavy. The designs general public, and the edification of our Protestant
entirely originated with Messrs. Hand, and though there readers.
may be a difference in the respective tastes of individuals, " I have joined the Orange Society, believing they
we have no doubt but that the public at large, when they have no desite.but to seek in concert the maintenance and
are seen, will pronounce them to be truly beautiful and diffusion of those great principles of the 'British consti-
appropriate. This splendid room is to be appropriated tution on which they believe the national welfare to de-
for the civic banquet to be given to Prince Albert, and pend. Also, they hold it as a fundamental principle of
the tables are already fixed. The diagram we have given the British Constitution, that there ought to he no con-
will show their position. "The Prince's" table, under nexion between the state of England and the Church of
the orchestra, is longitudinal with the room. It is about Rome (cheers) ; that such connexion is opposed to our
fourteen yards in length. There are nine long tables civil polity, and to our religious principles. At the Re-
across the room : the two at each end of about nine yards formation, the state and Church of England renounced
in length, and the central ones, closer to the royal table, their alliance with the Church of Rome. The English
about seven yards each. There can be no question but people recorded then their deliberate protest against its
that when these are plenished with good things, and sue- errors and encroachments. (Loud applause.) It was a
rounded by the distinguished guests, the scene presented protest made calmly : it was meant to be final. To grant,
will be magnificent- therefore, endowments to the Church of Rome—to make
We now come to the GRAND STAIR CASE, in the cen- the Romish priesthood pensioners of the English state—
tre of the building, of which we lastly obtained a glimpse, to recognise their influence as an instrument of our civil
though, in due order, we should have noticed it first. In government—to tax the people of England for their pay-
an arctiitectural point of view this stair case has ever been ment—are all contrary to our Protestant principles and
considered, with its large and lofty dome, one of the finest our Protestant laws. (Loud cheers.) The members
in Europe. It was before done interiorly in plain stonework, of the Orange Society feel it to be their duty to
which, though perhaps classically correct, imparted a uphold the Cnited Church of England and Ireland in
somewhat cold and comparatively heavy appearance. The her integrity and her Protestant character. They cannot
work of renovation in this instance has been entrusted to and will not concur with those who assail the establish
Mr. Inghram, of London and Birmingham. whose work , ment AC ." "'

THE ORANGE INSTITUTION,

is approaching to completion, and, discarding all local pre- most effective for the teaching of truth, and as the great
judice, is, we think, truly beautiful in design and execu- guarantee of our social welfare • for this has been the
tion. The stair case is about 3r4 feet square below, and marked characteristic of the English constitution, that in
the height from the base to the top of the dome (interi- the midst of great political changes, it has kept firm the
orly) is 106 feet; the whole lighted by four immense balance of our liberties, and has joined popular rights
Venetian windows under the cupola. Mr. Inghram's men with social order. (Hear, hear.) This is due to the
have been engaged upon it for four months. The wall- character of the English people, formed in a great
work is beautifully painted in imitation of variegated degree, as we believe, by the influence of a Scrip-
Sienna marble, in large blocks, so veined, polished, and tural Church—a church which blends the lessons
transparent in appearance, and so cold to the touch, that of truth with the interests of the world, and restrains the
one has difficulty in believing it not to be the real stone passions of men by the words and warnings of God. This
itself. The Corinthian columns supporting the spacious system it is at once our interest and our duty to maintain.
upper landing, equally faithfully represent variegated On the principles which should regulate the Government,
jasper of the richest hues and of the most glossy surface. the Orange Society hold these opinions. They regard it
The basis and capitals of these resemble Parian marble, as the duty of the state to extend justice to all her sub-
and the latter will be touched with gold. jects, to impose no penalties on the Romanists, (except
The bannisters of the stairs are entirely gilded, and the where the Protestant Church is concerned,) and to inflict
ends of the steps, which will alone be seen when the car- no injustice on the Protestants, to look to the first
pets are down, appear to be also of statuary marble, as with deep interest, as a people sorely wronged by
also does the framework of each of the doors. The carved those who have long misled them ; to look to the
ornamental band under each side of the steps is also gilded, I latter with cordial sympathy and support, as placed
or rather enammelled, on a white marble ground. in these times, in circumstances of peculiar trial, yet still,
The interior of the cupola, however, in reality, " tops" I the firm friends of the British constitution. They con-
all, and has a magnificent and enlarging effect, appearing ceive that every one should enjoythe full rights of freedom,
like the interior of a huge baloon. In the centre there is and that over all without distinction, should be asserted
a circle, grounded with ultra-marine blue. The rest of the supremacy of the law. These are some of the princi-
the dome is divided into radiating compartments, five ples which the Orange Society regard as all important, not
Panels high, and twenty-eight round, making, in all, 140. speculative, but practical, the foundation of our public for-
The backs of these are painted in vermilion and lake, and tunes. For if we suffer the faith of the country to fail,fand
the mouldings are edged with gold. Arabesque orna- her morals to become corrupt, we prepare, by an unerring
ments fill the centre of each panel of the dome. The two law, the national decline. For, where national religion
flat styles of each panel are finished in two shades of cream decays, the public morals become disordered ; reckless
colour; the outer styles in white. Arabesque ornaments, morals cause restless politics, and, by the shocks of fre-
in oil colours, and done on paper, are also introduced in quent change, the confidence of capitalists is disturbed,r
the panels, tops, and sides of the windows. and the returns of industry are deranged. Alhl,es he
The whole of the veined marble work is enamelled paint- have a deep personal interest in maintaining
these
the strong
that
there may
the staircase, which will show all the etching to advantage, conviction that great evils are at hand,
andte kne o
aided gas-lightgh
lights,
s, pillarss tihigher,r o und
callye be
upontimoeu,rbuyouuuntirtye
Ind eexuetrutiaodnb,
adhere
to these guiding princi-
av
erhtthem
..W e would
that surround the circular cornice at the spring of the pies, and to act in concert according to preserve them,
dome. the
ebabluysttrhaede clusteredabove,
andand
and putting forth their best efforts, and calmly committing
tghilededdislied
time, and Kentish
furnished for the reception of the consort of our beloved nations." (Cheers for some fire.)
Taking the entire building, as it will be completed and the issue to Him with whom alone are the destinies of