and decorated with naval emblems. Here the higher departments of the business of the navy are transacted, and the Lords of the Admiralty have houses. In the board room are some exquisite carvings by Grinling Gibbons, and in the room to the left as we enter the hall. the body of Lord Nelson lay in state, previous to its interment in St. Paul's Cathedral. Strand. One of the most elegant and spacious buildings in the metropolis;-was commenced in 1775, after the designs of Sir William Chambers, and completed in 1827. It consists of one vast square, the side facing the river having a little terrace; the entire edifice measures eight hundred feet. The northern and southern fronts are formed of masonic buildings in a rustic style. The centre of the southern side is ornamented by an arcade, supported by four columns, which forms the principal entrance to the whole structure. The Strand front is composed of a rustic basement, supporting colums of the Corinthian order, crowned in the centre with an attic, and at the extremities with a balustrade. The attic which distinguishes the centre of the front, is divided nto three parts by four colossal statues, placed on the columns of the order, and terminates in a group formed of the arms of the British empire, supported on one side by Fame, and on the other by the Genius of England. In the spacious court, directly facing the entrance, is a statue of George III. when young, finely executed by the elder Bacon; at his feet the River Thames is pouring wealth and plenty from a large cornucopea. This noble building contains apartments dedicated to the use of The Royal Society, The Income Tax Office, The Auditorship of the Ex chequer, The Hawker's Office, The Chancelries of Cornwall The Legacy Duty Office, THE MINT, Tower Hill. A handsome edifice, in the Grecian style, erected from the designs of Mr. Smirke, having a centre and wings, and an elevation of three stories. The centre is ornamented with columns, above which is a pediment containing the royal arms, and the wings with pilasters. The roof is enclosed with an elegant balustrade. The interior is lighted with gas, and every advantage derivable from mechanical contrivance has been introduced to facilitate the operation of the coinage. Open from ten till four. Admission free :-by tickets, granted by the Master of the Mint; or on application to the Deputy Masters. THE BOARD OF CONTROL, Cannon Row. A neat structure, ornamented with an Ionic portico; originally built for the service of the Transport Board, the affairs of which are now transacted at the Navy Office. The affairs of the British Empire in India are under the direction of this board. THE PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE, Erected in 1824 on the site of some old offices connected with the Treasury, from designs by Sir John Soane. In 1847, a new front, from the designs of Charles Barry, Esq., was erected, in which design he has successfully united the offices of the Privy Council, the Board of Trade, and the Treasury in one handsome pile of building. 86 CHAPTER VIII. COMMERCIAL EDIFICES. Architecture has its political uses; public buildings being the ornaments of a country. It establishes a nation, draws people and commerce, and makes the people love their native country, which passion is the original of all great actions in a commonwealth. Modern Rome subsists still, by the ruins and imitation of the old; as does Jerusalem by the Temple of the Sepulchre, and other remains of Helena's zeal.-Sir Christopher Wren. THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, Cornhill. The first Exchange, founded by Sir Thomas Gresham, was destroyed by the great fire of London in 1666. A new edifice was erected at the expense of the City and the Mercers' Company, which was opened in 1699. This magnificent pile was destroyed by fire in January, 1848; soon after which, the erection of the present building was commenced under the auspices of Mr. Tite. The principal front faces the west, and exhibits a handsome portico of eight Corinthian columns supporting a tympanum, richly sculptured by Sir R. Westmacott, R.A. The east end of the building is ornamented with a clock tower that contains a set of chimes consisting of seventeen bells, the largest, or tenor bell, weighing a ton. The merchants' area is larger than that of the old Exchange, the central part being, like that also, open to the sky. The dimensions of the area are 170 feet by 112, and of the open part 116 feet by 58; it is approached by the entrance already described at its western extremity, and corresponding ones on the east, north, and south sides. The ambulatory is separated from the open portion by arches and columns, the interior being arranged after the best examples of such open and uncovered courts in the palaces and buildings of Italy. Lloyd's Coffee-house occupies a large portion of the first floor at the east end. The principal room is a magnificent apartment, ninety feet long by forty feet wide, in addition to which there is the subscribers' room, almost as large. A self-registering anemometer and rain-gauge, erected by Mr. Follett Osler, of Birmingham, is a remarkable feature in the furnishing of the building. It records, on paper prepared for the purpose, by its own automatic motions, the force and direction of the wind for every minute of the day, the quantity of rain that falls, and the periods of greatest humidity. THE BANK OF ENGLAND, Threadneedle-street. The first portion of this vast building was opened for business June 1st, 1734, but was soon found insufficient for the immense and increasing business of the Bank; and some neighbouring houses were purchased to increase its dimensions. In 1788, Mr. (afterwards Sir John) Soane was appointed architect, and to him are due the principal ornaments of the building, particularly the rotunda, a fine octagonal hall, fiftyseven feet in diameter, surmounted by a dome. The whole building is of stone. The court-room, the payhall, the different offices, the vestibule, the governor's apartments, directors', cashiers', and the necessary offices, employ eleven hundred clerks. The arrangements are most perfect; and nothing can surpass the order and |