PALACE OF PEACE

Southland Times, Issue 17347, 19 May 1913, Page 5

PALACE OF PEACE

TO BE OPENED IN AUGUST. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright). THE HAGUE, May 16. Mr Carnegie’s Palace of Peace will be opened on August 29th. livery nation has contributed towards its construction. Though assured international peace, like the millennium, may be a thing of the distant future, optimists are busy preparing for it. Following on the establishment of the International Court of Arbitration comes the building of the Palace of Peace at The Hague, the foundation-stone of which was laid on July 30th. 1907. It bears the inscription. "Pact .Tustitia firmandae Hanc aedem Andreae Carnegii Munifioentia Dedicavit.” The munificence given such prominence was the huge sum of £300,000. The site of the palace and grounds occupies 1(1 acres of what was once the residence of the wife of King William IT., and grandmother of the reigning Queen of Holland, the miniature palace still remaining as luxurious accommodation for the staff of architects and ihe 200 workmen. “It is being built,’’ says a correspondent of The Times, “of brick and stone, with roof of blue Welsh slates, of an architecture partly Dutch and partly Flemish in character, and has the noble proportions of some of tlie old town halls of Belgium.” A jury, composed of six leading architects of Great Britain. Holland. France. Germany, and the United States, selected this design by L. M. Cordonnier, of hille. from 210 submitted to them. The grounds will he laid out according to the plans of Thomas H. Mawson. of l.ondon, and when finished should greatly enhance the beauties of the palace. A feature of the building will be the huge library, to contain 200,000 volumes, with a book-lift to the reading-room below. More important: still will be the contributions of all the nations, representing the finest specimens of national art and workmanship. “Great Britain gives the four stained-glass windows of the Great Court; France a. painting by Besnard and Gobelin's tapestries; Germany the monumental entrance to Ihe ground . . And so on—every nation is giving of its host and most valued, as it will one day, it is hoped, give what is priceless in comparison, its share towards Universal Peace.