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The progress of the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition, next year, is sufficiently advanced to enable us to commence a series of Illustrations by which we hope to inform our readers of the general character and details of the structure, and also of the various ingenious modes and contrivances adopted by the contractors for executing the works with the greatest certainty and rapidity.
Our View exhibits the commencement of the erection of the central avenue, which will present a corridor, uninterrupted, 184 feet in length, extending from the east to the west end of the building. The most difficult and complicated part of the work is that which is to cover in the old elisi trees, more than 90 feet high; and the con— tractors have wisely determined to execute this part in the first in..
stance. Our View is close to tins spot. Semicircular ribs, which will cover the trees, will rest upon columns placed in three tiers, one above the other. The View represents the first series of these tiers, connected together by light cast-iron girders, making squares of 24 feet, or an area of 576 superficial feet. These girders will also support a gallery extending down the whole length of the building, on both sides of the central passage. Underneath this gaflsry, the squares will form excellent spaces for the exhibition of decorated ceilings of all kinds; and we understand that the Executive Committee are about to announce that these spaces will be placed at the disposal of decorators who may wish to use them for this purpose.
On a future occasion we shall give views both of the ingeniou5 hydraulic press by which the strength of every one of these girders is tested as soon as it reaches the ground, and of the enormous ribs, 72 feet in span—all of which will be completed and ready for
fitting this week. There will be sixteen of them, and the last was being finished when we visited the ground.
The foundations of the columns no made of concrete, formed of Dorking lime, and the gravel which is obtained in digging theni. Upon the concrete is laid the base of the column, and forming part of it; the lower portion is a hollow pipe, pm-posed to carry off the rain water, which will flow down through the columns themselves Nearly the whole of these foundation vases, to the number of about iö0t will be fixed in their places this week ; and thus one of the most important operations will have been safely and Conveniently performed in fine and dry weather. Considerably more than half of the win-he materials are already on the ground, and every description of the various portions of the building are actively constructing. Upwards of 500 men may be seen busily at work; and, as more castings are supplied, the numbers will be considerably increased,
GREAT Exhibition OF 1851 PROGRESS OF THE BUILDING IN HYDE PARK.