A MARVELLOUS BUILDING.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 123, 1 June 1910, Page 7

A MARVELLOUS BUILDING.

The new Post Office in London, which is named after the' late King Edward, and which is now in course or erection, is described as "the most wonderful building in England," principally because it is being built of ferro-concrete. Itjs the strength of this system which has made the wonders of the new block possible, and some idea of the dimensions of the building can be gained from the fact that the site occupies four and ahalf acres, which have been excavated to a depth of 30ft, and some 127,000 ,cubio yards of material had to be moved before the- structure could be commenced. Owing to the strength of the walls built of ferro-concrete the retaining walls, which would ordinarily have been no less than Bft in thickness, are only Bin, and the 3ft exterior walls which would have had to be used are only 6in in thickness. The result of this is the enormous saving in space of 10,000 ft super on the basement floor and 5000 ft on each of the other floors. Another remarkable fact is that none of the outer walls start from the ground. The retaining walls are built up to just below ground level and there finish, so that the building stands in the great walled-in space. The building itself is supported on the basement floor on columns 28in square, across the tops of which run ferro-concrete girders in spans of 29ft 6in, and each girder safely supports some 1500 tons. The result of this method is that even the lowest floor receives daylight from the space between the retaining walls and the exterior of the building. Anyone can walk right under the structure and emerge under the supporting girders into the space up to the retaining walls. Every step in construction has been tested, and each span, 40ft by 34ft, will bear 273 tons with only 3-16 in deflection. On the eastern end of the sorting-rooms the unloading platform has not a pillar throughout its entire length, but the building above it is supported on a giant ferroconcrete girder, 147 ft in length, which is canti-levered, out 12ft 6in, and in addition to the weight of the stories above it supports a glass roof weighing 70 tons. In the ordinary course 15,000 tons of steel would have been used in columns and girders, but only 3000 tons of steel needles and rods are used to tie the concrete. Inside the great sorting-rooms one and a-quarter

miles of sorting benches are being erected, and the sorters can be overlooked from enr! to end of tho rooms from specially- observation chambers ranged round the s:":les of the building and in direct comirunicatio:i wUh the stairways. Inside this tv:■•■•■'■■'lo\t< tmin". ;< r ovv 3000 workers will be" installed, a.:rl the whole of the top floor is given r.p. to s mess-rooms, kitchens, cooking rooms, and sleeping accommodation, while the roof, probably the largest flat reef in the world, will be used for miniature rifle ranges for the Post Office Territorials.