THE GRAND SALOON OF THE GREAT EASTERN.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 226, 20 December 1859, Page 3

THE GRAND SALOON OF THE GREAT EASTERN.

■ '-(From the Illustrated London-fieics.) ■ QN£the_the best instance^ of decorative deception is to be found in the' manner in which: two of the huge, funnels of the boilers, which protrude through the main-deck and pass out to the upper one in different parts of.the saloon. are turned, by means of gigantic mirrors, and .the grouping of velvet couches at their bases, into positive ornaments. No one would detect what those huge masses of looking-glasses, gilding, and crimson velvet were. Of the decorations of the saloon we are enabled to give the following details :*— The chief saloon is an apartment G2 fiiet long by 26 feet Wide, aud 12 feet high.' Adjoining it by the ladies' cabin, 20 feet long. The arrangements for ventilating and lighting the lower cabins from the skylight above necessituated the railing off of open space on each side of the saloon. Besides this,. ,two of the enormous funnels find their? way upwards through this room. These peculiarities all presented considerable difficulties to be overcome in the decoration. The open spaces on each side are treated as acrades, resting on light iron columns, and between these are ornamental balustrades, also of iron, of every design. Both these were cast by the Coalbrookdale Iron Company, and are beautiful specimens of their work. This ironwork is all treated by a particular progess inimitationof oxidised silver, relieved withgilding. . Above the : columns appear to support, by means of brackets, the iron beam 3of the ship. There is no, attempt at concealing these, but they aredecorated alternately in blue and red, the\ under side being. gilt. The spaces between these beams are divided into panels, which are very lightly decorated, in color and gold. The walls are hung with a rich pattern in. raised gold and white divided, into panhels by green stiles and pilasters an imitation of oxsdised silver, to correspond with the columns. The two large funnel casings, which occupy considerable space in the room, are octagon in plan. -The four larger sides of these have been covered with mirrors,, which -continue the perspective^the And., almost rdo, away with the appea-rance of obstruction which before existed. On the four smaller sides at the angles,, are arabesque panels, ornamented with children and emblems of the sea. Mirrors are also placed on the large airshafts at .the sides of the saloon, and on each side of them are other arabesque paintings with children, personifying the arts and sciences connected with the building and navigation of the ship. ' There are portieres of rich crimson silk to all the doorways; and the carpet, df which the pattern is simple, the prevailing colour being maroon, assists in giving effect to the other' decorations.

The sofas are covered with Utrecht velvet, and the buffets are of walnut wood, richly carved, the tops being of a fine green marble.

It ought, perhaps, to be mentioned that the main expense of the fitting up of this gorgeoussaloon does not fall upon the company, but has been undertaken on the responsibility of the contractor alone. .

Choquart, the DuELiasT. —This remarkable person died lately in Paris in a hackney coach which was conveying him to the Hospital St. Louis. His life opens a curious chapter in the history of manners and customs which may now be said to have died out. No one knew whence he came nor: : who were: his ancestors; bat it- was generally supposed that he must have belonged to one of the great families of emigres who fled ait the time of the revolution; for immediately after the restoration he was admitted amongst the .pages of the Tuilleries through the protection of Duchess de Berry. At the revolution of 1830 he was'in the garde de cor/w, and at the dispersion, of that body took to literature as the only resource' to obtain a living. Although the greatest duellist of modern times, Ghoquart confessed himself singularly unfortunate in.. his ' speculations of this nature, for out of 30 duels lie fought during his. life he was worsted 29 times^ and only once su.ycceded in 1 wounding liis adversary, his very best friend, with whomhe h£& «fuarreile'df on sbiiie frivolous pretext, ajvi whom, he owned he would not have, injured lor the. world. -Numeroijsare the anecdotes,, aaost of them laughable* which are told of/hfe beliigerant humour. 'One <3ay-at the Cafe ide Foy, being seated next to aii officer of Cuirrassiers whose face was hidden by the newspaper he was perusing, Choquari* after having tried irk vain to secure the oncer's attention, deliberately approached and knock ing with his knuckles against the shining breastplate of the cuirassier, called out in a.)oadvoice % " Hulloa, I say is. anybody insjd,e|" Of course the, answer was a ,curse, and a I bJSftw on the part of the startled warrior, and a. < meetingfor the next day, which cost poor Choquart the little finger of his left hand, but did not cure, him of his love of experiments and-fighting;. -• Soon, after, being at the Cafe' dcs, Mills Colour B£s, he perceived his opposite neighbor busy at the penraai of the ' Constitutiohnelj a paper to which he most strongly objected jt < M Ittonsieur,' said he, bending across the table and speaking in a. voice trembling with rage, " when you have done with the Charivari.'", *JPut,.sacristi, Monsieur it is the 'ConstitutioJWieVl'tcllyou." Again did' Choquart renew the question, until at length he bawled out, u^&ble. lpnger to contain his fury, an& tearing thp paper from the hands of the astonished. Btra^r-?" So ybu ( make me out a liar. I say and you answer' CbnstitutionneK' If I\ tell a, lie, we bid better fight the.matter out at once." Thi& tirne^ fighting with pistols, Choquart got hit in the knee^ from which he suffered.&. weakness to the day of hts death, and, although;, constantly reminded of bis imprudence by this: lameness,, and having been likewise soused beneath a.pump for 15 successive mornings by a peaceful sensible individual, who refused to fight, and treated" him in this manner e^verytime he presented himself before liira to call him out, yet hehas gone - ta the-grave covered with tU« warn acauiredi%; this kind of welfare, *