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THE GREAT EXHIBITION BUILDING.—DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION,
—
THE SOUTH FRONT.
Tim South Front of the “Industrial Palace,” towards the Kensington Road, a View of port of whir/n we
here present to our readers, when completed, will present upon the whole rather a pleasing elevation, although unbroken throughout by any material projection, either in plan or section. The whole surface, however, being subdivided into panels, and surmounted by open fanlighta, and crowned with an ornamental frieze, relieves the eye of all monotonous appearance.
The intended “grassy” slope, inclining from the level of the floor towards tine carriage drive, will add apparent height to the south elevation.
The principal entrance, nearly opposite to tine Prince of Wales’s Gate,” will open at once into the large and beautiful transept, which, on account if this situation of the stately tress, which it is intended to protect, is not placed centrally between tine east and tine west end of the building, being forty-eight feet nearer to tins 7rra(ern than to the eastern elevation. In the telnols length of the South Front tiners are nitogetiner seventy-eight cast-iron columns, placed, as in the interior of the building, at intervals of twenty-four feet from centre to centre. Each of those commune stands
on an extended base of the same material, three feet in length, and
one foot six inches inn width, but tapering in plan towards either ox-
and tine whole being strengthened by two vertical flanges.

The bases all rest on concrete foundations, as mentioned in a former description, the thickness of such artificial support depending on the
depth at which the gravel is found.
From the level of the floor to the line of the top of the columns,
the general height is 22 feet 2 inches; whereas, from the level of the
floor to the surface of the ground beneath, the vertical dimensions
vary with the inclination of the ground, which has a general fall of one in 280 feet from west to east. Between every external iron
column there are two intermediate framed deal semi-columns, corresponding externally with the form of those of iron, but internally 

being faced up with *-inrh deal. At the level of the door, a fir sill 9 inches in width by 3 inches in thickness, weathered externally, to throw off the rain, runs longitudinally all round tine building, into which are framed the intermediate wooden semi-columns. It is proper to observe that these intermediate columns, having no weight to carry, are more for ornament than use. The supports of the intermediate semi-columns consist of deal struts 13 inches in width by 3 inches in thickness, the whole being properly wedged up from the ground.
At a height four feet three inches from the top of the sill is another piece of timber, which may, perhaps, be termed a head-plate te the lower tier of ventilators: this plate is nine inches in width and fear inc/we on thickness, and weathered externally, as the sill. When the glass building was first talked of, it was intended that the whole of the exterior should be filled in with glass between the columns; but, on a little consideration, the Commissioners found out, that, besides counter space, they would also require wall space for the exhibition of a great variety of articles which cart only be aeon to advantage in an upright position, as draperies, cloths, carpets, snaps, charts, paperhangings, Sec.; and it is now discovered that this wall space will be made available for many articles intended for the door or counters, as the apace applied for the latter is more than double that which has been provided. instead of glass, therefore, the ground-floor will be entirely enclosed with matched and headed vertical deal boarding, ploughed and tongued, to keep it air and water tight. The lower ends of the boarding rest on tins iop p/ate of the lower tier of ventilators, being secured to a horizontal splayed fillet of deal, which extends throughout between the columns, and with the inside 01’ which it is flush.
At top, the hoarding is properly secured to a head-plate, and intermediately by three lines of bevelled lodges, running horizontally between the columns; those lodges are 6* inches in width ; the whale being completely united by screw-bolts, with iron plates in front of the ledges.

But few words are required, in addition to the viete of the glazing waggon, to make our readers acquainted with the simplicity of this contrivance. Taking advantage of the continuous lines of longitudinal gutters, covered waggons have boon constructed for the use of the glaziers in bad weather, each mounted on four wooden wheels, which run on the bottom of tine gutters as the whole of the old coalwaggons in the North of England ran on the wooden or iron trams before the introduction of the edge-rail; on either side of the platform of the waggon is a box for the glass—being eight feet wide, there is sufficient space an the platform for two or three men to work at the same time. In the View, the tarpaulin or canvas covering is not shown.

We have already (at page 401) described the machinery by which the sash-bars, skylight-bars, and ridge-pieces for the skylights are cut out of nine-inch planks, by machinery, at the Phoenix Saw-Mills, near the Regent’s Park. We new proceed to show the further progress of a sash-bar to its completion, which is effected at the works of the Great Exhibition, a representation of which is given on the present page. In order, however, to present our readers with a clear view of the interesting machinery employed for the purpose, we must first mention the power employed to give motion to such machinery. As in every other part of the works the utmost skill is displayed with regard to economising power, so in the disposition of the machinery in connexion with the steam-power employed, and which we are about to describe, considerable ingenuity is visible throughout. The engine, calculated at eight horse-power (equal to the collective force of forty-four men), is on the locomotive principle, working with steam at a pressure of 60 lb. to the square inch. The boiler (placed east and west) is furnished with twenty-seven 2’ineh copper tubes, placed horizontally, coke being the fuel chiefly used. Two horizontal cylinders of six inches diameter, with pistons moving twelve inches forward and backward, and which is called flee stroke, anti. having proper cranks and connections, give motion to two vertical fly-wheels, each of four feet diameter, and placed one on either side of the chimney end of the boiler. Front tine fly-wheel on tine north side of the engine a gutta-porcha band of two inches in width passes round tine driving-pulley of a circular saw of ten inches diameter, which projects sufficiently above the level of the bench, in n slot of which it is fixed in proper bearings, to cut out wooden fillets and otiner portions of wood-work, either from planks or soantling timber, as may, from time to time, be required. Three men are required for this particular service: the first is the carrier of tine materials to and from the bench or table; the second places and adjusts them on the bench close to the saw, and also attends to the bands, &r.; sud the third removes them front the table when cut. Another gatta peroha baud, of the same size as that already mentioned, passes from the tnoin fly-wheel on the south side of the engine to the first of a series of pulleys which rotate on the principal shaft. This shaft is placed horizontally, and at right angles to the direction of the engine. A third gutta-pereba bend passes from the first of the series of pulleys which alter the direction of the power, to the driving pulley of a circular saw of twenty inches diameter, forming part of a compound piece of machinery by which three distinct operations are performed ; viz, cutting the ridge-pieces and gutters to their proper length, cutting out semicircular pieces at ends of gutters to receive the rain-water heads, and drilling holes in the ends of gutter pieces to receive the dowells, The first of these operations is performed by the circular saw, which is moveable in a vertical plane by means of a sliding plate, properly balanced by a counter weight attached to a chain passing Over an iron pulley, which is fixed at the top of a strong frame of wood. By means of a hand lever the saw is either brought down to a proper position for cutting off the ends of the ridge pieces or gutters, or for performing the second operation already alluded to, viz, cutting out semicircular pieces from the ends of the gutters. This second operation is effected by means of two short blades or cutters, attached to the front face of the circular saw, and projecting one inch and a half from its face. In order that the gutters and ridge-pieces may be cut ff to their proper length, they are placed on the top of a long trussed supporting frame, by means of a jointed hold-fast of iron at that end of the supporting frame Opposite to the saw, the ridge-piece or gutter to be cut is firmly secured; and. by a hinged gauge-plate, also of iron, the timbers are cut off to their exact length; and as soon as one end has been cut off the other is easily brought round to undergo a similar operation, as the timber rests, mid-way, on a horizontal swivel plate, having two upright cheeks, between which it is moved round.
When the third operation, viz, that of drilling, is to be performed, the saw is moved upwards, so that the ends of the ridge-pieces or gutters to be perforated may be brought close to the drills, which are placed one above the other at the proper interval: a man at the other end of the timber pushes it forward against the two drills, which rotate at the same time. Motion is communicated to the drills by means of a band from the principal pulley shaft, which passes round the driving pulley of the upper drill. The lower drill is made to revolve by means of a pinion on the stock of the upper drill: thus the two double holes are made simultaneously at one end of the ridge or gutter pieces; and immediately afterwards, those at the other end are formed.
We flow come to the process of finishing off the skylight bars, winch are delivered at the works from the Phoenix Saw-mills with each end cut off square. The first thing on their arrival at the works is to cause them to undergo a thorough examination as to their treedo1u from sap, shakes, and other defects.
On a saw-table conveniently placed with respect to the communication of power, to give motion to the saws, are placed together thirty common sash-bars, which rest on a horizontal moveable traversing frame, to which they are Properly Secured by an adjustable bar. This frame is moved forward towards the saws by a man Standing at the west end of the table, the saws being so placed that both ends of the series of bars may be cut off sinmultancousl3, Two leathern straps passing from pulleys on the main shaft already mentioned, and passing round the driving pulleys of the saws, give motion thereto, that on the north side of the table, to an inclined circular saw of fourteen inches diameter, by