Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/616

 610 LONDON finished in 1857, is a magnificent work. The central spire, 300 ft. high and 60 ft. in diam- eter, rises above the grand central octagonal hall and the admirable groined stone vault, and is supported without a single pillar. The clock tower or belfry, 40 ft. square and over 300 ft. high, abuts on Westminster bridge, the palace clock showing the time upon four dials 30 ft. in diameter, while those of St. Paul's are only 18 ft. The great Stephen bell, cast in 1858, weighs over eight tons, but is defective, like the previous monster bell known as Big Ben. The roof is finely decorated, and the subordi- nate towers enhance the general picturesque- ness of the effect. At the Westminster bridge end of the edifice are the rooms of the speak- er and sergeant at arms, and at the Vauxhall bridge end are those of the usher of the black rod and of the librarian of the house of lords. The upper floors accommodate parliamentary committees. The cloister court, girdled by a richly groined and traceried cloister with two floors, is one of the masterpieces of the palace, though it is chiefly a restoration. Westmin- ster hall, 290 ft. long, 110 high, and 68 wide, and despite its size unsupported by pillars, oc- cupies the site of the old hall of the royal pal- ace, where some of the early parliaments were held, and which abounded in historical associa- tions and trophies. The highest law courts of England, established in 1224 under Henry III., are still held in the renovated hall, though sooner or later they are to be removed to an- other locality. A small staircase leads from the E. corner of the hall into the restored crypt of St. Stephen's, beneath the modern St; Stephen's hall, which is the only relic saved from the fire of 1834, and is used as a chapel. Houses of Parliament. The modern St. Stephen's hall, 95 ft. long, 56 high, and 30 wide, so called from occupying the site of St. Stephen's chapel of the ancient palace, contains 12 statues of illustrious states- men. Upward of 200 elaborately carved boss- es are in the central or octagon hall (80 ft. high), from which corridors lined with fine paintings extend right and left to both houses of parliament. The poets' or upper waiting hall contains frescoes illustrative of English poetry. Mr. Barry is the principal architect of the houses of parliament. The total cost is estimated, so far as the works are completed (1874), at about 4,000,000. The decay of the stone outside and of the frescoes inside the building causes considerable uneasiness, and the general architecture of the palace and its surroundings has always been a bone of con- tention. The ground immediately beyond the Victoria tower has been secured, the unsafe old tenements have been pulled down, and an em- bankment on the river side and a new build- ing are in course of construction for the en- largement and safety of the structure. The principal executive department of the govern- ment is the treasury, Whitehall, between the Horse Guards and Downing street ; this is the official residence of the chancellor of the ex- chequer. The treasury includes the board of trade and privy council offices. A new and extensive building finished in 1870 by the ar- chitect Scott, between Downing and Charles streets, and extending thence to St. James's park and Parliament street, contains the new and elegant foreign, home, colonial, and India offices ; and other improvements and extensive government buildings are projected. Military affairs are managed in the war office, Horse Guards, and in the old ordnance office, origi- nally built for the duke of Cumberland, brother