The New York herald., 1871-11-29

| metamorph0sing genius 10 try his powers II is
I not worth while debating how fine the lne Is be-
tween The improbable and the impossibe one has
only 70 look over short history aud see that IN
| the case Of
THE RED BRICK BUILDING,
| wnat might seem very unlikely has been marvel
lousy accomplished. Entering tis building three
weeks ago at the main gate you could make your
way into an ONCE, where II you wanted to 60 fur
ther, yOu would be directed to ascend narrow wind
ing STAIR and then finding yourself in large ware
h0use-looklng place with curious testing ma
chlnerJ at one side, large scales and tables
with rigging, plans of frigates and a draughts
man and boatswam or two bending over
them. ON your rgnt, as you entered, was a large
Commander Bralne, seated before a paper. sIrewn
DESK probably in his shirt Sleeves but up TO eyes
IN business. The unr0nanlc forms and faces OF en-
gineers, ship carpenters aud 0remen laborers were
grouped around with expressions OF s,olid respect.
Papers are signed, orders issued the unromanlic
same human stamp, and the eye wanders h0Delessly
nom these 10 lbe wrenches marlnsplkes, brooks,
saws hammers ana so forth hung around the walls
and between the grimy windows with a hopeless
ann at artistic effect. Walk out. There is
your Aladdin's palace. Descending another
narrow starr, with the .odor OF tar penetrai-
win sails N long white rolls CANVAS IN bales SpaH1 and
corlaRe OF every thickness required for use
sS%ss1 snip }dF from as nes to ne
over heaps Of royals or spanEers and ind
yourself among huge coils OF wire rope and by the
time you have made the circuit NOr you have been
walking round hollow square) you viii make the
best Of your way out Of that highly scented red
Snd he nas organ of tar manuscsrer s 'Gs Ths
Is not your fairy palace; no one but Black. yed
Susan, Or the warlike love OF that truant salt,
Saas S tS5a& wv 81 spa'' inc guardian spirit OF the
THE Transformation
II for the poetic wand business OF ,he fairy tales
be substituted the more modern though prosa,c
means OF a committee on preparation, sitting In
that Executive Ohcers' room, we Will mark the first
taIismanic word, Alexis, and, like Davy Crockett,
they going ahead. Tnatsaioft up stairs and the
rigging loft Into which 1t merges, the tangible
foundation on which their waking dream Is to be
realized. There are certain unathomable rows OF
bunting tnat they wot Of certain workmen whose
handicrait they can utilize AS they look around
them their resources seem as great their widest
and WITH their brother tine S;ers lying
daylight and shadow for the sea-borne Grand Ducal
MuscOvite, and their more immediate brethren in
Uncle Sam OF the naval station they ample funds
for the undertaking. That history may not mss the
names Of tins trusty lew, they are hereuuto ap-
COMMITTEE ON PREPARATION
Commander Ralph Chandler, Chairman; Naval
M,nioyne, Commander D. L. Brslne Cher Engineer i;
George Sewell, Chief Engineer +. S. DE Luce, Lieu
tenant Commander John Weldman, captain II. A.
Bartlett, NJ G.; Assistant Paymaster N. II. Stavey,
Lieutenant Commander G. W. Wood, Lieutenant
| George ". De Long Lieutenant s. X Allen NJ. c.;
Passed Assistant Surgeon w. S. Bowen, Lieutenant
M. b. Field, First Assistant Engineer y. A. Magee,
| captain G. NJ. Ransom, Commander John Waters,
| Lieutenant william r. Randall.
Inc ungratctui task OF recitlng the dfculties tn
| be surmOunted, the canvas to be slowed away or
used the partitions to te run up and all the other
merltnrious things which the committee had to COM
ba will be omitted, ana with the aid or tile faithful
on s m page s work ON IN ss
the Navy Yard at the York street entrance the ve-
hicles drives down 70 the wide gate OF the Equip
ment building. passage wide enough for car
riages runs through into the courtyard or hollow
square IN the centre Of the building, and another pas
side. Thus, when YOU have xlightcd your
carriage drives on and you find yourself be-
anS lit with eas You can "lss ascena Sg
the stairway If you please, but the temptation to
Tne Tus 1a Is o s
q minute and four ladies eau md room in the per-
peNdicular omni9us, without the outermOst edge Of
their costume de ods touching the hem or her fellow
travellers. The elevator Is checked and stops ana
when the attendant fts up the ies1o0ned nags that
large lghiiaE sssffmant, f I i ioii5 feet square,
covered with rich carpet on the nOor and the walls
union nag, aud the black, double headed Imperial
facing YOU estooned over the door Of an apart
ment not very spacious, but elegantly fur.
nished, hung with mirrors and brightly lighted,
the llls being tapesried WITH cretOnses. THIS IS
the Grand DuKe's apartment whore His Imperial
Highness and suite may hand their cl0aks and
conducted 10 the ballroom. Turning to the left You
pass un Ter Ooshic aron and and yoursef IN
which is aelicateiy decorated in the Russian colors
blue and white alone, In alternate stripes Ol your
left nand Is the entrance TO the ladies' cloak
large and well-uphostered apartment with shelves
wherein opera cloaks may be stored and checks
triumph take the last look In the large mirrors
before entering the domain where Cupid futlers
around the steps OF TefpschOre. On the right hand
are the dressing ana cloak rooms for the ruder
sex, who have been putting finishing touches to their
adorned manliness @ ior an noIr previous: It was
the falrer moiety, and so further Is the waiting
room, where the officer or citizen Will possess his
soul with patience until he sees the form Of the
lovely being he lives for emerge smiling to beatllc
degree. He presents his arm, and after them we
step under another Gothic arch Of chaste white and
THE MAaNIPIcKNT BALLROOM,
OF wnc You are ISS no" a. se southern ls end me
color, the CLASSY noor and gided chandeliers
make the nrst efect dazzling and confusing IN
Its gOrgeOusncss. For two hundred feet In length
aud sixty IN width the vista is superb. The walls
are hung with nags. festooned and grouped IN
oening is one exquisite design Of the American and
Russian nsgs. Round each of the three chandeliers
deep blue ground, radiaung rrom which are alter
nate stripes or white and red running to the cor
n,ces Between eacn Of tne WINDOWS tae Knsslsn
their broad folds. The na2s Of the European Pow
ers hang over the windows, and close study viii
case been violated that with still more credit
able TACT the unrlendiy nations have been kept AZ
tween the windows are trophies Of Rlittering sword
DayOncts pstUis and cutasscs, with models OF men.
Ofwar to preserve the nautical Uratsen,-
bi0ucc. ON the left hand side, as we walk
down towards the northern end Of the hall, IS the
stand for the orchestra, slightly raised platform,
surrounded py an Italian balustradc. Along the
side the floor Il raised some six inches TO
the width OffOur fcet This Is TO allow those not
uancing rest and not disturb the dancers. In the
exclusively for the Grand Duke and party, and
where ne Will receive whoever Is presented to MN.
over this SPOT Is o carved eagle whose gliding does
not tell hall ITS brilliant story IL IS The which
surmountcd the stern OF the Hartford when Farra.
gut ran past the forts. Passing 10 the northern
end and turning to the LETT we face
THE SUPPER ROOM,
which runs a. right angles to the safe a. ddase.
over the entrance Is the Grand Duca coat Of arms
blazoned on shield. The entrance itself IS fes
TONED with nags. lhe tables are ranged along the
Sides lad out ready for the rcpast, which waits for
no formal summons 10 begin. In the southeast c0r-
ner Is another elevator, which IL used alone for
hosting the hot Ills hes from the kitchen, which has
flied IN In the cOnrIYard heinH. The nrlA-