New-York tribune., 1900-09-02
Lo5Doy,s NEW CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL
EX-ATTACHE.
From The Pail Mall Gazette.

From The Pail Mall Gazette.
The building Of this vast and stately cathedral,
undoubtedly the largest built IN Great Britain
since the Reformation, originated with Cardinal
Manning After nineteen years OF strenuous
effort the present site in Ashley Gardens, Vic
toria-st, secured for the purpose OF It's erec-
ton Further than this, the late Cardinal was
unable To proceed with the undertaking. In
1884 Cardinal Vaughan resolved 10 begin the
erection of the cathedral
with Westminster Abbey within sight, the
idea of a cathedral of Gothic style Of the mag
nitude contemplated was not TO be entertained
The style decided upon was the early byzantine
john Francis Bentley the architect chosen
The plans accepted. and since carried out, en-
braced a noble porch, a nartheX or Vestlbule, q
campanile a nave and two aisles, with tran
septs: a baptistery and eight side chaRelsi
sanctuary four and a half feet above the lever
of the nave, h ing on one side a spacious
chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, and on the
other side the Lady Chapel; beyond the sanctu-
airy an apsidal choir raised thirteen feet above
the nave. for the chanting OF the divine once,
with crypt chapel beneath it; over the aisies
ard the west end capacious trlounes or saI,
leries, and behind the Blessed Sacrament SnapSI
two large sacristies and rooms connected Win
them. -.
The external dimensions are: Extreme length,
800 feet; width. 1j6 feet; height Of nave, III
feet; height of facade mot including the turrelSJ
IOI feet: height of campanile, 213 feet, and to
the top of the cross, 2S3 feet Internally the
dimensions are: Length from the main entrance
to the sanctuary, 232 feet; depth of the sanctu-
airy, g. feet and OF the raised choir beyond ~
feet making the total internal length 342 feet;
width Of nave. % feet: width across nave and
alSleS, u feet. across nave ana alSleS ana SlOe
chapeIs, I4S feet; height of the main arches or
the nave, % feet, and OF its three dOmes IL
feet.
The chief structural materials used are very
hard brick and stone set in cement mortar The
external walls, 10 the height of feet from the
ground. of granite and the structure aDoVe
of red bricks. in many parts artlSUcalIy ar
ranged with large amount Of decorative work
in Portland stone Internally, besides the lofty
and massive piers. there Will be twenty eight
columns OF marble II feet high in the nave
aisles and transepts well as many other
columns Of marble and granite in the sanctu-
airy, the crypt and other parts. 1t Is also IN
tended To cover the lower walls and the piers 10
the height of IS feet with marble The whole
Of the upper part of the piers and walls and the
vaults and concrete domes will be decorated
with mosaic work illustrating the history OF the
Catholic Church.
The cost of the cathedral building-that is. or
the fabric simply. without the internal decora-
tion-wU probably exceed f1IO,OuO- 1t is impos-
sbe, at this date 20 form any estimate, what
soever, Of what the decoration and ornamental
tion OF the interior VIII amount to-
The opening of the cathedral is announced
for June %. 1901. the Feast of the Apostles
SITS Peter and Paul. the sixth anniversary OF the
solemn laying Of the foundation stone.