296 
Speaker’s seat, is surmounted by a 
statue of Liberty, with the American 
eagle, and other national emblems. 
At a proper elevation, between the 
semi-circular colonnade and the gene- 
ral rectangular inclosure, is the space 
appropriated to the gallery for stran- 
gers, beneath which are several small 
apartments. 
The opposite or western wing of the 
Capitol contains the Senate Chamber. 
This chamber, though finished in an 
elegant style, will not bear comparison, 
in point of grandeur, with the Hall of 
Representatives; it rises through two 
stories of the building, and its ceiling 
is a half dome; the skreen consists of 
adouble height of lonic and Corinthian 
columns and ante, exquisitely worked 
in marble, 
The Grand Vestibule, in the centre 
of the building, (which was incomplete 
when 1 left Washington,) is nearly 
100 feet in diameter, surmounted by a 
dome, and may be considered more as 
a place of show than of general utility : 
it is intended to be adorned with 
paintings and sculpture, illustrative of 
the national history. The Library is 
spacious and handsome, and is open 
fo all the members of Congress. ‘The 
remainder of the plan is occupied by 
offices of state, committee-rooms, anti- 
rooms, vestibules, and passages; some 
of which are beautiful in their effects, 
and others would be much more so, 
were it not for a deficiency of light. 
The interior architectural detail is 
generally in the Grecian taste. 
‘The external clevation was princi- 
pally designed by a French architect ; 
the interior is almost exclusively the 
work of the late Benjamin Henry 
Latrobe, esq. an English architect, who 
received his professional education 
under the late James Wyatt, esq. R.A. 
and. by whom the interior of the 
structure was nearly re-built after its 
destruction during the late war. 
London, 1823. C. A. Bussy. 
——— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
LATELY read the report of Mr. 
M‘Adam’s opinion on the subject 
of removing the pavement-from streets, 
and substituting the mode now prac- 
tised in making roads, by laying a bed 
of broken Purbeck stone. As this is 
a subject that requires cool and deli- 
berate reflection, it is necessary to 
ascertain, how far his proposed alte- 
ration may endanger the health of the 
Mr. M‘Adam’s Street Roads. 
[Nov. 1, 
population in large towns, in which 
cleanliness ought to be the first cou- 
sideration. ‘Ihe air should be kept 
pure by every means human invention 
can devise, to promote the health of 
a large pepulation, who are crowd- 
ed together in streets where the circu- 
lation of air is frequently stopped ; 
and, if any filth should: lie upon 
the ground, it must in some degree 
infect the air, and consequently injure 
the health of the people. Cleanliness 
is absolutely necessary to every street. 
The pavement of the Scotch Purbeck 
stone has many advantages: it is 
durable, and easily swept by scaven- 
gers, so that all filth liable to 
putridity is removed. When heavy 
rain falls, it washes every street, and 
carries all the dirt into the sewers; by 
which means the streets are rendered 
perfectly sweet, and the air is purified. 
The inhabitants are thus refreshed by 
the improved state of the atmosphere. 
I am of opinion that roads cannot be 
kept so perfectly clean and healthy as . 
a pavement: for, if any putrid matter 
is laid in the street in hot weather, it 
must penetrate more into roads than is 
possible in the pavement, and is not so 
easily scraped off. All the care that 
can be devised will not render the 
road so clean and pure as the pave- 
ment. In winter the highway will be 
very sludgey, and all the crossings 
bad; so that there will be a difliculty 
in walking from one side of the street 
to the other without being over your 
shoes.in mud, which is proved in all 
the roads about London; for, where 
there 18 any great crossing, it is neces- 
sary to pave it, for the convenience of 
the public: this proves how impracti- 
cable it will be to keep the streets so 
clean upon Mr. M‘Adam’s plan as they 
are at present. 
I hope the above observations will be 
well considered before any steps are 
taken to change the present comforts 
that are enjoyed, for any new plan that 
may endanger the health of the tnhabi- 
tants of London. The; roads have 
most certainly heen greatly improved 
by Mr. M‘Adam’s plan; but, because 
the roads have been benefited, is it to 
be concluded that cities and towns 
will be equally so? I have mostly 
found, that any scheme: which proves 
beneficial in one instance, is generally 
taken up with great warmth; and, like a 
quack medicine, is foolishly estimated 
to be good in every way. 
Sept. 3, 1813. Ss. W. 
To 
