§ Resolutions [April 9] reported.
§ MR. BENTINCKasked for explanations as to the increase in the Vote for the Houses of Parliament, the proposed ornamental railing in Parliament Square, and the intended application of St Stephen's Crypt.
§ MR. POWELLcalled attention to the incongruity between the statues and the niches in the Royal Gallery, and inquired what portion of English history it was intended to illustrate.
§ MR. COWPERexplained that the ordinary expenditure on the Houses of Parliament was the same as hitherto, the £21,000 extra being applied to New Palace Yard and the Clock Tower which had been left unfinished. It would, he expected, require an additional Vote another year to complete the work. St. Stephen's Crypt, which had been devoted to various purposes at different periods, was to be restored to its original use as the chapel of the Palace. The new railing and other works in Parliament Square must now be undertaken on account of the railway which was about to cut through the inclosure. With regard to the discrepancies between some of the statues in Westminster Palace, and the niches made to receive them, the niches were designed by Sir Charles Barry, and were intended for Gothic statues of narrow dimensions, and the alteration in the character of the statues had compelled the alteration in the niches; but the work would be under the direction of Mr. Barry, and would be made to harmonize with the other decorations. Four of the statues were completed, and seven were nearly finished. Although it probably would have been better that the niches in question should have been altered some twenty years ago, the time had now arrived when it was absolutely essential that they should be altered. He was rather surprised to hear the hon. and learned Member for Whitehaven speak in the way he had done in disparagement of the noble frescoes in the Royal Gallery, which were the admiration of all persons versed in art. If the hon. Gentleman did not admire them, it was owing to his want of knowledge of what was required in a fresco. The hon. and learned Gentleman had also complained that one of the pictures was of rather a sanguinary character, but he should like to know how it was possible to represent a battle without introducing 1075 figures of wounded men. The subject was chosen twenty years ago by a Commission consisting of men of the highest eminence in the country for literary and artistic talent, and therefore the present Government had nothing to do with choosing the subject. The intention was that the pictures in the building should represent the history of the country in a selected series of courts, and the picture in question was one of the series. With regard to Mr. Herbert's picture, the reason it was being painted in oils, instead of in fresco, was because the room in which it was placed could not be spared while Mr. Herbert was engaged in painting it. It would, however, be painted so as to correspond with the fresco paintings. The additional sum in the Vote for furniture for this year was required in consequence of extra rooms in the House of Lords being wanted for Committee-rooms, and they had, therefore, to be furnished; £450 was also required for the new presses in the House of Lords, and a further sum of £250 for additional furniture for the refreshment-rooms in both Houses.
§ MR. KINNAIRDhoped that the right hon. Gentleman would not renew the railings in Palace Gardens, as they would compel every one to make a circuit in going from the House to the proposed new railway station.
§ Resolutions agreed to.