The Sketcher.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 365, 8 February 1879, Page 5

The Sketcher.

SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION BUILDING. (From the Sydney Mail). This building is to be built in the Inner Domain, and designed to suit what may be termed a site of almost matchless natural beauty; overlooking the Botanic Gardens, the waters of Earm Cove, and the pleasant anchorage of her Majesty's Australian squadron; but, from its rapid slope, it presents considerable difficulties to the erection of a building suitable to Exhibition purposes. These difficulties have been overcome by facing the building towards the north-east, following as far as possible the contour of the ground, and taking advantage of the fall to obtain on the northeastern front—as seen in our view from the harbor—two stories, but at the rear, or southwestern front, towards Macquarie-street and Gevernor Bourke's statue, one story. In plan the building will have a nave 800 ft. long, and transept 500 ft. long, 50ft. wide and 60ft. high; surrounded by a gallery 25ft. wide on either side, and of similar length, will be aisles 50ft. wide and 25ft. high; and oh the south-western side what may be termed annexes, or continuations of the aisle, 450 ft. by 100 ft, 25ft. high ; on the north-eastern side a basement about 1000 ft. long, 75ft. wide, and 20ft. high. At the intersection of nave and transepts a lofty dome, 112 ft. diameter, and top-towers 50ft. square at each of the four main entrances, will break the horizontal line of this vast structure, erected to afford a fitting, although temporary home for the rare examples of industry and art from the various quarters of the world and our neighboring colonies. The total floor-space provided will be 7% acres ; the basement, 1£ acres; ground-floor, 4£- acres ; and the galleries, acre, to which refresh-ment-rooms can be added. The building is designed so that it can be reduced or extended if necessary without marring the effect. The basement will be lighted from lofty side windows, the aißles and annexes from the roof, the nave and transepts from the clere-story, and

the whole ventilated by a novel arrangement for the delivery of fresh air vertically. "Water will be laid on all round the building outside and in, with ample power of extinguishing fire on its first appearance. The drainage will be carefully attended to, and the electric light used to enable the workmen to proceed night and day, if required, to complete the building in time. The design is by Mr. James Barnet, the colonial architect, under whose superintendence the structure is being erected. The foundation, constructed of brickwork, already begun, will be surmounted by the superstructure of hollow columns, roofed and enclosed with iron, glass, and wood, the materials being so disposed as to suffer the least waste, and with a view to their being utilised again when the building is removed. The erection has been undertaken by Mr. John Young, with the co-operation and assistance of Messrs. Hudson Brothers, of this city. Applications for space are pouring in from every quarter, both at home and abroad. It is impossible to give even an approximate estimate of the amount of space needed to meet demands up to the present time, as most of the applications are to know what space will be allowed. There are very few applications for a stated area. It is interesting and satisfactory to know that there will be no lack of British and foreign exhibitors, to judge from the telegram received by his Excellency the Governor, and read at the last meeting of the commission, by which it appears that there is a demand for about 250,000 superficial feet, or nearly two-thirds of the estimated floor-area of the main building, The Executive Commissioner (Mr. P. A. Jennings) received an application for space from Messrs. Rabone, Eeez; and Co., oh behalf of the celebrated Eau de Cologne manufacturer, Johann Maria Farina, who intends to exhibit, and also, we understand, to erect a fountain of perfumed water similar to the one which proved so attractive a novelty at the great London Exhibition. The work of erecting the building is proceeding apace. At present about 100 men are employed on the ground digging shallow trenches for the brick foundation, raising a sawmill on the lower portion of the ground for Messrs. Hudson Brothers, laying down pipes to conduct water on to the ground for building purposes, erecting a galvanised iron fence on the southern side to keep out idlers, and carrying on the work of preparation. It is intended that the Botanical Gardens and Outer Domain shall be made accessible from the Exhibition grounds, so that there will be no lack of open space for the accommodation of visitors. We understand that Mr. Augustus Morris has accepted the office of general secretary to the commission. A meeting of the commission was held during the week, when the prelimiminary arrangements were proceeded with. In order to bring more clearly before the commission the relalative size of the proposed Exhibition Palace, a paper was submitted showing the size and cost of the great Exhibition Buildings erected since 1851, and also an estimate of the one proposed to be erected in Melbourne in 1880, together with ground-plans and drawings of the Philadelphia and Paris buildings:—

The Exterior Arrangements Committee of the International Exhibition Commission met the director of the Botanic Gardens (Mr. Moore) on Thursday for the purpose of conferring with him upon the arrangement and laying out of the grounds, Mr. Moore having been commissioned by the Colonial Secretary, under whose instructions he is at present acting, with that duty. The committee went with Mr. Moore over the site of the building, and also over the Outer Domain. Several suggestions were made, but the practical result of the conference was to authorise Mr. Moore to recommend to the Government that a large portion of the Outer Domain should be enclosed by a fence running along the inner side of the road from near Bourke's statue, past the Domainterrace to the gate near St. Mary's Cathedral, thence along the road leading to the south-eastern corner of the gardens, and again down the road towards Bourke's statue as far as a footbridge past the main entrance of the gardens, so as to leave that entrance free to the public. The inconvenience which would be caused to the public by the closing of the road leading from Bourke's statue to Woolloomooloo was a serious difficulty in the way of annexing a portion of the Domain, but it was seen to be an inconvenience altogether unavoidable if the outer and inner domains are to be connected.

Exhibitions Space. Cost of Building. Square feet. £ London Exhibition, 1851 .. | 9S9.884 212,000 Dublin „ 1853 .. 265,000 58,000 New York „ 1S53 .. 249,691 Unknown Paris ,, 1855 .. * 1,327,653 650,000 London ,, 1862 .. abt. 1,250,000 400,000 Paris „ 1867 .. 3,559,943 Unknown Vienna „ — .. 1,883,000 Unknown Melbourne „ 1S75 .. 78,000 Philadelphia „ 1876 .. 4,000,000 600,000 Melbourne „ 1879 .. 250,000 60,000 Sydney „ 1878 .. 340,000