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to an almost unlimited extent. The form of the roof, the general elevation, the supports, and the mode of construction, are all quite simple, and yet fully answer the purposes for which they were intended. The Victoria House, however, was so built as to retain as much moisture and heat as possible, and yet to afford a strong and bright light at all seasons; whilst, on the contrary, the Industrial Building, being intended to accommodate a daily assemblage of many thousands of individuals, and a vast number of natural and mechanical productions, many of which would be destroyed by moisture and heat, is constructed so as to fully answer that end."

THE INDUSTRIAL BUILDING.

After briefly adverting to his reasons for entering the field with a design at the eleventh hour, and which we have already quoted, Mr. Paxton proceeded :

"The design for the building involved various considerations, and therefore it was planned, first, with particular consideration as to its fitness for the object in view, namely, the Exhibition of 1851; and, secondly, its suitableness for the site proposed to be occupied by the structure; and, lastly, with a view to its permanence as a winter garden, or vast horticultural structure, or a building which might, if required, be again used at any future period for a similar Exhibition to that of 1851.

"One great feature in the present building is, that not a vestige of either stone, brick, or mortar, is necessary to be used; but the whole is composed of dry material, ready at once for the introduction of articles for the Exhibition. By no other combination of materials but iron, and wood, and glass, could this important point be effected; and when we consider the limited period allowed for the erection of so stupendous a structure, the attainment of this object has secured what may almost be deemed the most important consideration. The absence of mortar, plaster, or any moist material in the construction, together with the provision made for the vapours which will necessarily arise, and are condensed against the glass, enables the exhibitor at once to place his manufactures in their respective situations, without the probability of articles even of polished ware being tarnished by their exposure.

"It may be important here to state that it is unnecessary to cut down any of the large timber trees, provision being made

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by means of a curvilinear roof over the transept of the building for them to stand beneath the glass, and by a proper diffusion of air they will not suffer by the inclosure.

"As to the appropriateness of this style or class of building, it has already been remarked that a glass structure is the least objectionable of any description of building that could be erected in a public park, where the mass of the community look with a jealous eye on any matter which they may fancy is an encroachment on their rights. And on the supposition that the building will remain as a permanent structure, the lights might be removed in summer and the whole thrown open, when the space occupied would still form a part of the park, with the simple obstruction of the cast-iron supports.

"The dimensions of the building are 1851 feet in length, and 456 feet in breadth in the widest part. It covers altogether more than 18 acres; and the whole is supported on castiron pillars, united by bolts and nuts, fixed to flanges turned perfectly true, and resting on concrete foundations. The total cubic contents of the building are 33,000,000 feet.

"The six longitudinal galleries, 24 feet in width, running the whole length of the building, and the four transverse ones of the same dimensions, afford 25 per cent. additional exhibiting surface to that provided on the ground-floor. This extra space is suited for the display of light manufactured goods, and will also give a complete view of the whole of the articles exhibited, together with an extensive view of the interior of the building.

"In order to give the roof a light and graceful appearance, it is built on the ridge and furrow principle, and glazed with British sheet glass, as previously described. The rafters are continued in uninterrupted lines the whole length of the building. The transept portion, although covered by a semicircular roof, is also on the angular principle.

"All the roof and upright sashes being made by machinery, are put together and glazed with great rapidity; for, being fitted and finished before they are brought to the place, little more is required on the spot than to place the finished materials in the position intended for them.

"The length of sash-bar requisite is 205 miles. The quantity of glass required is about 900,000 feet, weighing upwards of 400 tons. All round the lower tier of the building, however, will be boarded with fillets, planted on in a perpendicular line with the sash-bars above.'

THE "PAXTON GUTTERS"

are among the most remarkable novelties of the structure. They are arranged longitudinally and transversely; the rainwater passes from the longitudinal gutter into a transverse gutter over the girders, and is thus conveyed to the hollow columns, and thence to the drains below. As these transverse gutters are placed at every 24 feet apart, and as there is a fall in the longitudinal gutters both ways, the water has only to run a distance of 12 feet before it descends into the transverse gutters, which carry it off to the hollow columns, or down pipes. Paxton's Gutter' has grooves cut out of the solid, is formed at once by machinery, and is cambered up by tension rods having screws fixed at the ends, so as to adjust the gutter to the greatest nicety, in the same manner as the wrought-iron girders which span the Victoria Lily House."

FLOORS.

"I have tried many experiments in order to find out the most suitable floors for the pathways of horticultural structures. Stone was objectionable on many accounts, but chiefly on account of the moisture and damp which it retained; and was therefore uncomfortable, especially to those wearing thin shoes. The difficulty of getting rid of the waste from the watering of plants, was also an objection; but perhaps the greatest is the amount of dust from sweeping, which always proves detrimental to plants. I likewise found that close boarding for pathways was open to many of the same objections as stone; for although damp and moisture was in part got rid of, yet still there were no means of immediately getting rid of dust. These various objections led me to the adoption of trellised wooden pathways, with spaces between each board, through which, on sweeping, the dust at once disappears, and falls into the vacuity below.

"Whilst the accomplishment of this point was most important in plant-houses, I consider it doubly so with respect to the Industrial Building, where there will be such an accumulation of various articles of delicate texture and workmanship. Before sweeping the floors of the Great Building, the whole will be sprinkled with water from a moveable hand-engine, which will be immediately followed by a sweeping-machine, consisting of many brooms fixed to an apparatus on light wheels, and drawn by a shaft. By this means, a large por

tion of ground will be passed over in a very short space of

time.

"The boards for the floor will be 9 inches broad, and 1 inch thick, laid half an inch apart, on sleeper joists 9 inches deep and 3 inches thick, placed 4 feet apart.

"This method of flooring, then, possesses the following advantages It is very economical; dry, clean, pleasant to walk upon; admits of the dust falling through the spaces; and even when it requires to be thoroughly washed, the water at once disappears betwixt the openings, and the boards become almost immediately fit for visitors.

"The galleries will be laid with close boarding."

VENTILATION OF THE BUILDING.

"This point has been most carefully considered. A building where so many individuals will congregate must require a constant admission of pure air, and a most copious supply is provided.

"Four feet round the whole of the basement part of the building is made of louvre-boarding; and at the top of each tier a similar provision of 3 feet is made, with power to add an additional quantity if required. In the centre aisle, also, the air will be plentifully admitted. By simple machinery the whole of this ventilation can be regulated with the greatest ease. The advantages of this kind of ventilation are several. Louvre boards are very simple in construction. They can be opened and closed instantaneously, with the greatest readiness. They nicely distribute the air, and yet admit a large volume of it; and, from the manner in which they are placed over each other, they effectually prevent the entrance of wet in rainy weather.

"In order to subdue the intense light in so large a building covered with glass, all the south side of the upright parts, and the whole of the angled roof, will be covered outside with canvas or calico, so fixed as to allow a current of air to pass between the canvas and the roof; in very hot weather water may be poured on, which will very much assist in cooling the temperature within.

"Provision will be made to use the Indian plan of ventilation, if the heat is so intense as to render it desirable to have the temperature cooler than out of doors.

"A house was fitted up last summer, at Chatsworth, as an

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