LONDON'S NEW LANDMARKS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1360, 10 February 1912, Page 6

LONDON'S NEW LANDMARKS.

« NOTABEE CHANGES IN 1011. Tho closing year has , witnessed many great changes in the aspect of London (says the London "Daily News" of Dccemher i% but remarkable as theso have been, thev are likely to be surpassed during 1912 in tho matter of tho re-creation of tho metropolis. Among tho notabu architectural features added during 1911 are tho following-.— ( Queen Victoria Memorial Admiralty Arch. Wcslcynn Church Housg. Itoyal Academy of Music. Audition to I raw Courts. Ixradon Opera Houb«. _- British Museum Exteneion. New "Whitoley's." Ifoval Automobile Club. Y.M.C.A. Central Home. Tho new and magnificent home of thi Central Young Men's Christian Association in Tottenham Court Road provide* for every department of young men 8 social, athletic, and educational equip, input. Three hundred beds will be at tho disposal of members, and a very fine gymnasium and swimming bath. An up-to-date commercial college will bo one of the features of tho place. The Central Y.M.C.A. hopes to enter into occupation early in tho New Year. Some of these additions to London s architecture are on sites of no little historical interest. Thus the Ko.yal Automobile Club stands on the sito of tho old War Office buildings, which comprise the old Ordnance office, built for the Duke of Cumberland, of Cnllodcn fame, Schomberg House, and Buckingham House. Spring Gardens, tho sito nf tko new Admiralty arch, between St. James's Park and Charing Cross and Whitehall, is the'name of a garden dating at latest from the reign of James I, with butts, bathing-pond, pheasant-yard, and bowltnp grcon attached to the King's Palaco at Whitehall. Tho new Wesleyan Methodist. Church Ilouse is built on tho sito of thoHoyal Aquarium, which was constructed in 187S nt a cost, of nearly £200,000 from the-de-sign of Mr. A. Bedhorough. This building—6oo feet long by 100 started as an institution for the moral elevation of the people by the contemplation, of tho wonders of nature. As a winter garden it; failed completely, and latterly was a sort of magnified music-hall in which the "wonders of nature" exhibited wero of a different kind from those contemplated by the pious founders. Tho lnnkmarks rising or to rise during 1012 include the now London County Council building, the foundations of which nre almost complete; the splendid now Government oilier , * in George Street now ill course of erection; further progress in liic rebuilding of Waterloo Station; as well as the building of another music-hall and another theatre. The Australian Commonwealth will, it is anticipated, begin next year preparations in connoKinn with Hip Commonwealth "palace" on the "island" site on flic Strain!. In the Waterloo Eond tho huge site for tho now Stationery Office is almost cleared. It is estimated that the minimum cost of the following new structures will roughly be: - s Y.M.C.A. premises 210,009 Wesleyan Church House 200,000 Law Courts Extension :.. 100,000 CommomveaHli P:\lncc SOd.flOO Now County Hull 'for 1!U2) ... 250,000 New Government Offices 000,00(1 . Waterloo KUitiim (for 1fl12) ... 130,000 Stationery Ollice (for 11)12) 230,000 The London County Council hns foreshadowed an extensive widening scheme in Fleet Street, estimated to cost JCSO.OOO.