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the best designs :-Lord Colborne, W. Dice, Esq., R.A., J. Gibson, Esq., R.A., M. Eugene Lami, C. Newton, Esq., of the British Museum, Herr J. D. Passavant, and Dr. Gustave Waagen, who, on the 29th of June, reported to the Commissioners that they had selected the following

No. 1. Mons. Hippolyte Bonnardel, of Paris,

2. Mr. Leonard C. Wyon,

3. Mr. G. G. Adams,
4. Mr. John Hancock,

5. Mons. L. Wiener,

6. Mons. Gayrard,

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of London,

£100each.

of London,

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of London,

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of Brussels,

£50 each.

of Paris,

A description of the three medals accepted, will doubtless be interesting.

M. Bonnardel's Medal shows Mercury holding a female figure by the hand (apparently intended to represent Industry, from the anvil, locomotive, &c., near her,) in front of a figure of Britannia, standing on a slightly raised platform, with both hands extended, holding wreaths: flags of different nations make up the background. Motto: "Est etiam in magno quædam respublica mundo."

Mr. Wyon's Medal-Britannia, seated, is placing with one hand a laurel wreath on the head of an emblematical figure of Industry; and leading her forth with the right hand. Behind, are representations of the four quarters of the world, who have brought Industry to Britannia. To the right are emblems of the four sections:-1. The cotton plant and wheat-sheaf; 2. A wheel; 3. A bale of goods; 4. A vase. Motto "Dissociata locis concordi pace ligavit."

Mr. G. G. Adams's Medal is a gracefully modelled group, in low relief, of Fame, Industry, and Commerce. Motto " Artificis tacitæ quod meruere manus."

THE BUILDING.

It will be readily imagined that the subject of the building was one of early and anxious deliberation on the part of the Royal Commissioners; and of the innu

merable complex difficulties which they have had to overcome, this must assuredly have been the greatest. Without anything like precedent to guide them, and in utter ignorance of the amount of pecuniary support likely to be placed at their disposal, its very extent must of necessity for some time have been a matter of uncertainty. Great as were the difficulties, they were, however, to be grappled with, and, at the third meeting of the Commissioners, the following gentlemen were appointed to act as a committee for all matters relating to the Building.

His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch, K.G., F.R.S.
The Right Hon. the Earl of Ellesmere, F.S.A.
Charles Barry, Esq., RA,

F.R.S.

William Cubitt, Esq., F.R.S., Pr. of I.C.E.
Robert Stephenson, Esq., M.P., F.R.S.
C. R. Cockerell, Esq., R.A.

J. K. Brunel, Esq., F.R.S.

Thomas L. Donaldson, Esq., M.I.B.A.

About a month after their appointment, this committee reported that it had considered the subject of the site, the extent of the building likely to be required, and the best mode of proceeding for determining upon the general plan and construction of the building.

With regard to the site, it had appeared to the committee, that-Firstly: The north-eastern portion of Hyde Park; secondly: The long space between Her Majesty's private road and the Kensington road, in the southern part of Hyde Park; and thirdly: The northWestern portion of Regent's Park, were the only available spaces about the metropolis which would afford the necessary accommodation; and it was believed that the order in which they were named represented also their relative eligibility. As regarded the first, the committee had been informed by the Chief Commissioner of Her Majesty's Woods and Forests, that considerable objections would arise to its occupation for such a purpose, and that no such objections would be raised to the use of the

second; and the committee, therefore, recommended the adoption of this site, which, amongst other advantages, is remarkable for the facility of access afforded by the existing roads.

As regarded the extent of the Building, the committee were not yet in possession of sufficient data to enable them to determine this accurately, but from such information as they had before them, they thought that it might be assumed, for the present, that about 16 acres of covered space might be required.

And finally, as regarded the mode of proceeding to determine the general interior arrangements, or Groundplan of the Building, a subject to which they had given much consideration, they resolved, "That, in their opinion, it was desirable to seek, by public competition, for suggestions as to the general arrangements of the Ground-plan of the Building."

It was deemed by the committee that the peculiar object for which the building was required, namely, the encouragement of the widest and most liberal competition in all the branches of arts and manufactures,-the circumstance of the cost of the erection being defrayed by the public, the peculiar character of the building, for the designing of which were especially required judgment and contrivance in the detail of arrangement, and experience in the management of large crowds; and for the construction of which are required the mechanical skill and knowledge of the application, and of the economical use of materials now so generally possessed by builders, and practical men-all seemed, in the opinion of the committee, to be reasons for recommending that the designs for the general arrangements should, so far as practicable, be the result of public competition, and that the actual construction should be so to the fullest extent. The committee were moreover of opinion, that the general design or arrangement of such a building was one of those subjects, perhaps few in number, on which many good ideas may be elicited by a general contribution of plans; and that a mode might be adop

ted of obtaining such plans, and collecting useful suggestions from them, which should not eventually lead to any loss of time, or be attended with those delays which too frequently render ordinary competitions inconvenient.

These recommendations of the Building Committee were adopted by the Commissioners, and the following document was in consequence drawn up, and widely circulated at home and abroad:

"The committee appointed by the Royal Commission to advise on all matters relating to the building,' having received the sanction of the Commission, are desirous of obtaining from all parties who are disposed to assist them, suggestions for the general arrangement of the buildings and premises required for this exhibition. Upon the general form of the building in plan, the distribution of its parts, the mode of access, and the internal arrangements and contrivances will depend the convenience and general fitness of such a building; and it is upon these points that the committee seek information and suggestions, and wish to encourage the most extended competition in the preparation of plans. The committee do not propose to offer any pecuniary reward for such plansthey rely upon the desire which men of all countries will feel to forward the objects of the proposed exhibition. The committee think it probable that, when the plans are received, they may not be limited to the selection of any one plan, but may derive useful ideas from many; and that the best plan may be determined upon by the help of this general assistance. As the credit of any such plan will be due solely to the contributors, the committee propose to make a report, in which they will acknowledge by name those whose plans had been wholly or partially adopted, or who had afforded the most useful suggestions; and the committee hope to be able to offer such other honorary distinction to the successful contributors as the circumstances may appear to warrant. In order to guide the contributors in the preparation of such plans and designs, and to facilitate the examination and the comparison of them when received, the committee have enumerated concisely the principal 'desiderata' for such a building, and have laid down certain rules and conditions to which they earnestly request the contributors to conform, as the

committee will be under the necessity of abiding strictly by the regulation of not acknowledging any plans which may be sent in a form inconsistent with these rules. Copies of the engraved plan of the ground referred to may be had on application to the secretaries of the commission at the New Palace at Westminster.

The rules and conditions to be strictly observed in preparing a ground plan and section of the building to be erected in Hyde-Park were as follows:

"1. The communications from contributors must consist of a single sheet of paper, not larger than the accompanying engraving, with a simple ground-plan upon a scale of 1·1000 of the full size, with such elevations and sections only of the building, and on the same sheet, as may be necessary to elucidate the system proposed-such elevations and sections not being intended to convey more than a general idea of the building, and not entering into details of construction or of architectural decoration-to be accompanied by a short clearwritten explanation of the system recommended, on a separate sheet. Any contributor wishing to send two designs must send separate and distinct communications, each conforming to the above conditions. No communications made inconsistent with these conditions, or any plan prepared upon a different scale from that prescribed, can be received. The plans, &c., must be sent on or before the 8th of April next, addressed to the Secretaries of the Exhibition, New Palace at Westminster, London. It is suggested that the most convenient mode of preparing the plan, elevation, and section, would be to draw them upon one of the engraved copies of the plan of the ground which accompany these instructions. 2. The building is to be erected on the space marked A B C D, and must not extend beyond the boundaries of the shaded portion. The groups of trees shewn on the plan must be preserved. The principal public approaches are by the roads E F and G H. The road K L will be available only for foot passengers. There will be no objection to the formation of cross roads between the two last, G H and K L, if the design of the building requires it. 3. The roofed portion of the building is to cover a space of 700,000 square feet, or about 65,000 square metres; and the whole building must

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