The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-10-11 00:00:00

HOUSE OP COMMONS.

Very extrusive repairs and alterations of the House of
Commons are now in progress. The House is in a state
of more complete dilapidation than it has been for many
veers. It is occupied with scaffolding and workmen.
The cushions of the bench'', Ministerial anti Opposition,
as well as those under the gallery, where Peers, Peers'
and Members' eons. Ambassadors, and ether foreigners
of distinction, are admitted to sit to hear the debates,
have been entirely removed ; also the secondary cover-
lags of the benches ; all have been conveyed to what 'is
called the " Long Gallery." which leads to the tapper
or throne end of the House of Lords. They are there
bring ted. The benches and steps leading to
them are, in many instances being altered sod repaired,
so as to increase their confmodionsness.
The scaffolding is mainly raised, with the view of pro-
tooting some very extensive alterations in the ceiling,
and in the mode of ventilating the House. Between
the ceiling and the roof is a large gallery or loft, in
some parts of fall twenty feet in height, and extending
in length over " the House" in which the members as-
semble to debate; the "Strangers " Gallery, and thence
over the passages and gallery-stairs' lobby, being
bounded by the walls terminating the "smoking-room"
—an anti-room used by members literally fur such pur-
poses, segars being adopted by them. This iiumease
loft has a good, strong, bid antiquated floor; and during
recent Sessions. particularly during the last Session, on
debate nights, it was no uncommon orcorrence for s
party of ladies, from seven to ten in number, to be as-
sembled la this elevated station, chiefly around the centre
ventilator, over the chandelier, to hear the debates.
They were accommodated with chairs, which were sta-
tioned around the gratings or ventilators already exist-
ing is the ceiling. The members could be only imper-
fectly seen ; but those who spoke audibly were very dis-
tiectly beard in the roof, or " Ladies' Gallery." It is
approachable by a stair-case that led to the Members
Coffeehouse, previously to its removal by Mr. Bellamy,
the present house-keeper, to the upper rooms of the
stone buildings opposite to Henry the Seventh'sChepel.
This roof is a remarkable place, not only on account of
*its extent and structure, and of the ventillating machi-
nery mobilised in it, but from the curious and very pet- I
fect rerimiss of time original architecture of the building
that are there to be seen. The walls are from eight to
ten feet high from the level of the Boor pretriemosly to the
conmineueement of the roof ; and these walls display the
ancient architecture, its arches, pilasters, decorations,
&c. of the sharp-pointed gothic style. In some instances
they are partially destroyed, but io many other in-
stances remain in a remarkably perfect state. Perhaps,
excepting the cloisters by the Speaker's house. &c.,
there are nut to be seen more distinct remains of the ar-
chitecture of St. Stephen's chapel, and of ancient Wild-
ngs near to Westminster Hall, than are to be discovered
under the roof and above the ceiling of the House of
(lemons. Several very distinguished architects, ac-
companied by lovers of antiquities. have recently been
to view the specimens of amiest building and decora-
tion here to be found. ht r. Scans is in fragment attend-
ance, as he is superintending the Dew entrance, Gm to
the Parliament houses.
There are already introduced into the ceiling of the
House of Commons, several pieces of open frame-work,
so fumed as to appear like ornaments, and to act as
ventilators, one in each corner of it, and • large venti-
lator in its centre, from the middle point of which the
grand chandelier was suspended. It has been removed
to he altered and improved. In addition to the ventila-
tors already formed, two new ones, of considerable
di-
niensions, are being constructed. One of them Is di-
rectly over the middle benches of the strangers' gallery,
the present aperture in the ceiling toeing about seven
feet by two rect. The open, or lattice-work, which will
constitute the ventilator, may enable the fair listeners in
tie upper station to take au occasional peep at the re-
p eters on tile hack bench of the gallery, pursuing
their curious and mystic occupations, and nightly vio-
lating the Standing Orders of the House! Whether
time framework will be so formed as to prevent or facili-
tate such view, it is impossible to judge, there being no-
thing as yet but the opening of the ceiling; and as '
such is the fact it may not be without its use to express
the hope that those who visit time strangers' gallery, es-
pecially those who are constant, and a species of detni-
official attendants, may not be subjected to those severe
and sudden gusts of cold air, such as used to be, two or
three Sessions ago, pumped through the roof, and thence
into the budy of the House by means of time Marquess de
Cliabannes's machinery. This hope is expressed, be-
esuse there are still visible considerable remains of the
hl request's terrific machinery. At the other end of the
ceiling, over the Speaker's chair. there is another aper-
ture fur a ventilator to correspond in appearance with
that over the gallery.
I laving given a somewhat particular account of the
amazingly large apartment in the roof. and ogee " the
Ilmtse," and of the uses to which it has been, and is
likeiy to be again converted, it cannot fail to he inter-
esting to add that under the Hour, or Chamber in
which the Commons debate, is the grand dining 'Gamin
wl.i.sh Mr. Speaker gives his Parliamentary Dinners.
he ceiling of that room, and its walls, are also highly
curious, on account of their antiquated decorations and
mmocient style of architecture.