manifestly unfair to hold the architect blameable for the increased cost and extended time. We must leave the subject now, however; we have from year to year traced its progress, next year we hope to be able to speak of the building as virtually completed, and to take a more general survey of it, and of its decorations.

The most important public building opened during the year is the Leeds Town Hall, inaugurated by her Majesty on the 7th of September. The foundation stone was laid on the 17th of August, 1853; the architect was Mr. Cuthbert Brodrick, who was selected from among sixteen competitors, by the advice of Sir C. Barry. Following the account in the Leeds Mercury,' for the accuracy of which we have the authority of the architect, we put together the following particulars, which, with the cut, will serve to convey a general notion of the building. In form it is a parallelogram, 250 feet long, by 200 broad. It stands on a raised platform, and is surrounded by Corinthian columns and pilasters, which support an entablature and balustrade, altogether about 67 feet in height. The large hall, which is the chief feature of the building, rises out of the centre to the external height of 92 feet from the ground: the turrets at the angles are ventilation shafts, 12 feet square and 106 feet high, which communicate

with the various apartments in the building. "The south, or principal façade, which is approached by a handsome flight of 20 steps, 110 feet in length, has a deeply-recessed portico of 12 columns, 10 of them being in front, and two recessed. . . In the centre of this façade, and adjoining the south end of the large hall, rises the dome, which will, when completed, be 225 feet in height." At present only the tower from which it is to spring is finished. In this is to be placed a clock, like that at Doncaster, made by Dent, but, unlike that, this will record the minutes as they pass, and by night as well as day, four illuminated dials, each 13 feet in diameter, being provided.

Those who have seen the building, describe this south façade as remarkably effective, and the whole mass as very imposing, and we have little doubt, from the engravings, that it is so. The only parts about which we have any hesitation, are the shafts and the dome; the latter cannot, we think, be as pleasing, either near or at a distance, as though it had been circular in plan; as in St. Paul's the contrast of the circular with the rectangular lines would we think have greatly improved the composition.

The grand feature of the interior is of course the great hall, to reach which you pass through a handsome vestibule 48 feet by 45, with a domed ceiling 70 feet high. In this vestibule stands a colossal statue of the Queen, by Mr. Noble, presented to the town by the Mayor. The great hall is one of the noblest public rooms in the kingdom. It is 161 feet long, 72 feet wide, and 75 feet high, being the same width as Exeter Hall, but 31 feet longer. No gallery interferes to mar the full proportions of the room, unless the small balcony over the entrance at the south end of the room be reckoned as one. "The sides of the hall are divided into five bays by composite Corinthian columns and pilasters, in imitation of Rosso Antico, with gilt bronze capitals and bases, standing upon a surbase, inlaid with precious and rare specimens of marbles. The inter-columns (or wall spaces

between the columns) are of a pale green colour, bordered with a fret ornamental margin. The columns and pilasters support an enriched entablature, which, like the surbase, also runs entirely round the hall. From this entablature springs the fine semi-circular ceiling, which is divided into five bays, corresponding with the columns, each bay being subdivided into five compound panels, highly ornamented with conventional foliage, in relief and coloured. The hall is lighted by ten semicircular windows immediately above the entablature, and at the springing of the ceiling. They are of very large dimensions, and are filled with stained glass, by Messrs. Edmundson and Son, of Manchester. Above the windows are appropriate figures and ornaments in full relief, by Mr. John Thomas. Projecting from the centres or key-stones are rams' heads, from which are suspended ten magnificent cut-glass chandeliers. The north end of the hall is semicircular on plan, and coved at the top, the seats of the orchestra running across the front, the organ, built by Messrs. Gray and Davison, (the case of which was designed by Mr. Brodrick,) filling up the back." Recesses in the hall are intended to be filled with statues of distinguished townsmen-a beginning being made with that of the late Edward Baines, by Behnes. The effect of the hall is described by all as grand and impressive; its acoustic effects are variously spoken of,the received opinion seems to be that it is admirably adapted for music, but not so well for oratory. Besides the hall, there are spacious apartments for the assize courts, borough courts, council chambers, refreshment and withdrawing rooms, &c. Over the grand entrance and elsewhere sculpture is freely and effectively employed. total cost of the building and fittings exceeds 102,000l. It is a work that does honour to the town, and was worthy to be right royally inaugurated. The building stands in an open space, which adds greatly to its general effect.

The

Though neither so splendid in itself, nor so fortunate in situation as the Leeds Town Hall, the Corporation Buildings, Newcastle-uponTyne, is a structure of a very important character. It stands in St. Nicholas Square, and covers a very considerable area. Its general character will be seen from the engraving. It is a very substantial structure; the architect is a townsman, Mr. Johnston; the cost exceeds 30,000l. Like the Royal Exchange, the exterior is a good deal disfigured by the shops which form a part of it. The main feature of the basement is a corn-exchange; but the most important apartment is the great hall, an elegant and spacious room, affording accommodation for nearly 3,000 persons. Besides these, the building contains the council chamber of the corporation, town clerk's offices, offices and board-room of the River Tyne Commissioners, an hotel, a farmers' club, a bank, &c. It was opened with much ceremony on the 1st of September. The same architect erected a somewhat similar though less costly structure at Berwick. Like this, it is semi-classic in style, but it has a clock-tower at one angle surmounted by a figure of Ceres. The great hall, semicircular in form, is 90 feet by 70, and, as a music hall, will accommodate 1,000 persons. Other apartments serve as a corn-exchange, savings bank, public reading-room, &c. A smaller corn-exchange and public room has been built at Tenbury

from the designs of Mr. Cransten, of Birmingham; it is of red and blue brick, with stone dressings, and is ornamented with statues of Ceres and Saturn. The principal hall is 62 feet by 23, and 28 feet high. A butter and poultry market has been built in a similar style. At Blyth, Northumberland, a Central Hall has been opened to serve for concerts, public meetings, &c. It is of brick, by Mr. Jackson, of Newcastle, and the principal room will seat 1,000 persons. A town-hall and corn-exchange has also been built at Nantwich, Gothic in style, at a cost of 3,000l.: the principal room will accommodate 600 persons when used as a music-hall. At Rugby a building has been erected to serve as a town-hall and corn-exchange, and to provide rooms for the magistrates, a mechanics' institute, a public news-room, &c. The great room is 78 feet by 32, and 26 feet high; the cost has been about 6,000!.

Buildings intended specially for Corn-Exchanges have been erected at various places:-One at Hertford, just opened, is noteworthy as the only building of any architectural pretension in the town. It is by Mr. W. Hill, of Leeds, and possesses a good deal of character. The façade, which is 46 feet wide, is of Bath stone, and has for its chief feature a Corinthian pediment, on the apex of which is a colossal figure of Ceres, and vases at the angles. The interior is intended to serve as a public library when not in use as a corn-exchange. Other corn-exchanges have been built at Alcester, Italian, by Mr. E. Holmes, of Birmingham; at Blandford (75 feet by 36, and 27 feet high to the glass roof), by Mr. A. H. Green; at Cambridge, by Messrs. Bellamy and Hardy, of Lincoln; at Wisbeach, plain Italian, by Messrs. Bellamy and Hardy, 109 feet by 49, with an arched glass roof, cost 2,750l.

5. BUILDINGS CONNECTED WITH ART, SCIENCE, AND EDUCATION.

Foremost under this head comes the Italian Opera House, Covent Garden, which was opened in May last, having been completed in an unparalleled short space of time. The architect was Mr. E. M. Barry. The new theatre is about one-fifth larger in size than the theatre which was burnt down two years before, and is of nearly the same proportions as La Scala, at Milan, the largest theatre in Europe. In plan it is nearly rectangular; its length is 240, breadth 123, height nearly 100 feet. The principal façade, in Bow-street, has for its chief feature a hexastyle Corinthian portico, 82 feet wide, and 80 feet high from the ground to the apex of the pediment. The columns are 36 feet 6 inches high, and 3 feet 6 inches in diameter. The basement on which the columns rest forms the carriage-porch which is the grand entrance to the house: the Queen's entrance is plain doorway in Hart-street. The tympanum is to be filled with sculpture, but is at present unoccupied. The statues by Flaxman and Rossi of Melpomene and Thalia, and Flaxman's well-known bassi-relievi which adorned the front of the former theatre, and escaped uninjured from the fire, have a place in the new façade, but they are now seen to much less advantage than in their original position.

The interior of the new theatre has been of course modelled with a