Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-02-11
~ anInstcr Palace

Westminster Palace, the assembly
place of the British Parliament, stands
on huge granite terrrce Oh the left or
northern bank of the Thames, between
hat river and Westminster Abbey. and
Just above Westminster Bridge. 1t is
u tue western part of the metropolis,
near the Treasury, the Horse Guards,
Charing Cross, st. Jame5's Park and
Palace, Pail Mall and Trafalgar Square.
Further up the river is Millbank
Prison, and on the opposite bank are
the great st. Thomas's Hospital aud
Lambeth Pala e. The building occu-
pies the site OF the old palace which
was destroyed by fire October 10, 1884,
and covers about eight acres of ground.
1t has river front of 900 feet, and
contains 100 stairways. LOO apart
ments and two miles of Railways. Its
foundation was land April 27, 1910.
The hall of the House of Lords was
finished in April, lS47, and the House
of Commons in February, 1852. Its
cost has been more than s, 900, 900.
The hall of the House of Lords is
probably the most splendid legislative
chamber in the world. IL is 80 feet
long, 40 wide and As high. The house
is lighted by twelve lofty windows, six
on either side, each with eight compart-
ments of figures. The windows are all
filled with stained glass, representing
the Kings and Queens from William
the ConqueroT to William the ". At
each end of the House are three arch
ways, corresponding in size and mould
ings to the windows. Its walls and
ceilings are richly gilded and frescoed.
Among the paintings are the Spirit of
justice, and the Spirit of Chivalry;
Edward III. comforting the Order of
the Garter upon the Black Prince; the
Baptism of Ethelbert; and the Prince
of Wales committed to Prison, for His
Assault on Judge Gascoigne. In inches
between the windows are statues of
the eighteen barOns who forced King
John TO sign the Magma Charta. In
this room are the Queens throne, the
Prince of WaleS'S chair, and the WOOL
sack seat of the Lord Chancellor. The
windows are filled with rich stained
glass, and at night are lighted from
outside. In this hall the Queen opens
Parliament, entering the Palace through
the Victoria Tower and passing through
her robing room, where are Dyce's
famous frescO paintings of scenes from
the history of Arthur and Guinevere,
the Victoria gallery, 100 feet long, and
the Prince of WaleS's room, To her seat
on the throne.
The chamber of the House of Com
mons is less gorgeOusly furnished than
that of the Lords, and is 70 feet long,
45 wide and As high. 1t occupies the
site of that famous old st. Stephens
Hall, where the House met III the days
of Burke and Pitt and Sheridan. The
Speakers chair is at the north end and
there are galleries all around. There
is new St. Stephens Hall in the place,
ON the site of the old st. Stephens
chapel which contains twelve statues
of illustrlous statesmen. Another no
table apartment Is Westminster Hall,
a monster room 290 feet long, 6S wide
and 1l0 high, with not pillar 10 sup
port the wide eXpanse of its richly
carved oaken roof. 1t occupies the
site of the ancient hall of the royal
pdAdtC, anu leibCil Noo OSNGpiCd W
the highest courts established by Henry
III. in 1924. At the eastern corner of
the hall a staircase leads TO the crypt
beneath and adjoining the House of
Lords. This crypt, in which one of the
explosions occurred recently, is the
sole remaining relic of the old palace.
Ii Is a low, vaulted chamber with many
columns, measures 80 feet long, IS wide
and 20 high, and has lately been refitted
and used as a chapel.
Westminster Hall is in the side of the
palace next to Westminster Abbey. In
the southwest end is the House of
Lords, and the Commons are in the
northeast part. The Victoria tower,
containing the royal entrance, is at the
southwest corner, and is 10 feet square
and $40 high. At the northeast corner,
abutting on Westminster Bridge, Is
the clock tower, 40 feet square and 3l5
high, with four dials near the top, each
80 feet across. In this tower hang the
great bells, of which Ben, the biggest
of all, weighs eight tons. From the
central portion of the palace rises
pointed spire 20 feet in diameter and
800 feet high. 1t stands above the oc-
tagonal central hall OF the palace, and
is supported by the groined ceiling
without a single pillar.