The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-07


The new architecture Of London does
not lack variety. ana that is perhaps the
best thing that can be said OF it The
Strand and Whitehall are now a fantastic
medley Of styles and periods. with Gothic
Renaissance sham classic. and modern
lied French and Italian jOstllng one an
other out of dignity, writes l. n. Ford 10
the New York Tribune. In the Strand.
the law courts designed by Mr.. Street re-
main unrivaled by scores Of recent struc-
lures as magnificent example Of new
Gothic; and while the new war Office in
Whitehall ard the ministerial Offices for
the board OF trade and the local govern
ment board, opposite Westminster Abbey,
are costly and pretentious buildings. each
with four towers. neither has the cistinc-
ton and simplicity OF the Scottish baro-
NAL pile designed by Norman Shaw for
the metropolitan police. and each shrinks
into insignihcance when compared with
the late Gothic houses Of Parliament,
with the rich pattern Of the Henry VII
chapel carried out in detail on a large
scale.
The New Bailey IS Mr.. Mountfords con-
tribution to the Iatter-day glories Of the
metropolis. Il has tower and a dome;
perhaps these were indispensable when
St Paul5 was so close. and justice. with
sword and scales. has a lofty perch 20
feet above the pavement. With $780,
COO invested in this SNOWY structure, the
exterior ought 10 be more impressive than
il IS; and the interior OF the criminal
courts, on the site Of NeWgate prison,
ought TO be more commodious. Modern
architects seem 70 exhaust their resources
in designing highly decorative exteriors
and splendid central halls. The new ad-
miralty Is perhaps the only one Of the
public Offices in which the rooms are Well
lighted and work can be done comfort
ably. The law courts. Somerset House,
the treasury, and the public Offices ia
/ Whitehall beyond it. have probably the
darkest rooms and the most inc0nvenient
arrangements for working forces Of pub
lie servants 20 be found IN any great CAPT
tai. The New Bailey. with the main
criminal court for a metropolis Of S.00oJ0
Of the just and the unjust, has seats Tor
five press men,
Dickens Knew 1t Well.
The Old Bailey was a corner Of London
Of which Dickens knew every stone. de
described the quarter in detail in three Of
his books. II was the scene. in 1775. OF
Charles Darnay's trial in "A Tale Of Two
Cities" when the pillory and whipping
post were ornaments Of "a kind Of deadly
inn-yard from which pale travellers set
out continually IN carts and coaches on q
violent passage TO the other world That
was I'VE years before the burning Of
Newgate and the liberation Of the pris-
oners by Lord George GOrd0n's followers
events which were described in "BaTna-
by Ridge NeWgate was then new
prison, Tor George Dance had built It in
177g; but from the twelfth century there
had been cells. a galloWs-tree and all the
rough implements OF justice on the ia
nous site. When Pip came up TO Lon
don the prison was grim stone building.
with the black dome OF st. Paurs tower
ing above IL, as he strOlled around the
corner from Smithfeld. and with Air.
Wemmick as his guide, he passed through
the lodge into the interior Of the jail, saw
the letters hanging on the walls, and
watched the prisoners behind the bars
as their friends chatted with them, OF the
pOtman served them with beer.
Newgate has been transformed since the
days OF Great Expectations In the big
central hail. under the dome, Pip would
now see marble pillars. stained glass.
painted panels. and a series Of portraits
OF famous men; and the stately marble
lined corridors leading out Of IL into oak
paneled c0urtrooms and Offices would be
a palatial environment In comparison
with the squalOr and neglect of the felOn-
yard which came under his eyes. It would
now be as difficult for him 70 ind the
office OF Mr. Jaggers. the Old Bailey
lawyer near by in Bartholomew Close, as
It would be for honest, obstinate Gabriel
Warden 10 identify the spot where he was
jostled and roughly handled in the riots
Environment Has Changed.
Everything around the reconstructed
courthouse has changed except the
church opposite, St. Sepulchre. where the
bell used TO be t0lled when q murderer
was hanged. and where, during an earlier
period. a nosegay was presented 10 every
condemned criminal when he set out IN a
cart on his last journey up H0lboTn 70
Tyburn tree.
The Blue CCat school with its pictur-
esque facade and grounds has since gone.
and the quest for the little room where
At4t-El4ENs s7pALlltfs anu A4dlLAb were WONT
10 Tecite verses in their youth would be as
/ idle as the hunt for The Salutation and
Cat, where Sir Christopher Wren used TO
smoke his pipe when St Paul was under
construction. Old Norman ST. BarthOlO-
news is close at hand. having survived
the vlcissitudes Of unrestraiued restOra-
ton: and the Charter House is beyond il.
and swarms Of American tourists fit
from one TO another after May day.
Dickens pilgrims have ceased 10 hunt
for the old Saraccn's Head. near st.
Sepuchre's. whence AIr. Squeers set out
with fresh recruits Tor his Yorkshire
school, and while there is stiu an open
square in Clerkenwell il is net an easy
task to follow Charley Bates and the
Artful DOdger. nor to run down Mr.. Fang
and ind local color for the scenes Of
oliver Twist" The New Bailey itself.
with its lavish 0Tnamentati0n and new
tangled architecture seems TO fr0Wn upon
all the associations which have made the
site OF Newgate historic. There are a few
cells for the temporary confinement OF
evildoers. but the glamour of the prison
site. with memories OF Jack Sheppard
and Titus Oates. Daniel Defoe and
/ William Penn. has passed away. Justice
soaring aloft with serene poisa IS blind
/ TO all the traditions Of Il famous environ
ment.
She Was Opposed to Slang.
7 From the Boston Herald.