Year: 1875

From the London Times, Nov 13


The Duke Of Edinburgh visited the works for the
construction of the National Opera House. on the
Victoria embankment yesterday afternoon. He was
received by Mr.. Mapleson Mr. Francis Fowler the
architect After having mnutely inspected the build
ing the Duke expressed himself being highly pleased
with the rapid progress already made the excel
lence Of the workmanship The Archstecs says:-'The
greatest activity prevails the works In connection
with the erection Of the opera house on the en-
bankment Al,sough IL Is only little more than four
months since Mr. Webster, the contractor, entered
upon the nrst contract for the and getting
in tho foundation walls tho former portion Of the work
has been completed, and the latter Is so far ad-
vancsd 10 admit OF the second contract-the super
structure-being commenced In about o fortnight
from the present time Tho energy Of the contractor
and the determination 70 expedite the works with the
view Of the house being ready for opening during
the opera season OF next year shown by the fact that
upwards of 400 workmen and i've powerful steam en-
gines have been employed during several weeks past
The amount of excavation which has been taken out and
carted away is about 45 600 cubic yards the din
cult portion Of this work being the deep trenches which
have been sunk for the basement of the foundation
walls These trenches arc upward OF twelve feot in
width carried down TO the London clay and forty-
four feet below the level OF the Thames embankmenI
After the excavation Of the trenches had been com
pleted they nllcd in with Portland TO an
average depth of twenty feet and upon the ioun-
dation walls now being got in They are four fect
two inches In thickness resting upon footngs double





they will be carried up 10 level with the embank-
ment The foundation wall at the northeast side
OF tho intended building is already finished and
ready to receive the superstructure and In about
a fortnight the whole Of the foundation con-
tract is expected to be completed, when the super
structure will at once be vigorously proceeded with
Mr.. Fowler, the architect is engaged in getting
out the details and the erection Of the building will
then proceed with the utmost rapdity The substan-
tal character OF the structure will be when we
state that the main walls will have average thick
Of two feet eight inches. 1t has been arranged
that the memorial stone will be laid by the Duke of
Edinburgh in the course OF month but the actual day
has not yet been flied upon II may interesting to
add, regards the interior and the capacity of the
building that the front of the boxes and amphtheatre
will be the horseshoe form, and that the depth from
the proscenum 10 he front Of the central tiers will
be 30 feet the extreme depth from the stage 10 the
back Of the amphiheatre being l31 feet The stage
from wall to wall beyond which will be dressing and
other rooms, will 70 l02 feet in width 81 feet in
depth. Negotiations progress with the Metro
poan District Railway Company Tor the construction
OF subway to givedrect access from the railway TO
the opera house, ana II Is confidently stated that this
object will be Accomplished -