248] 
nion of the prefent ftate of the fame, 
and their fecurity from fire and other 
accidents; we beg leave to make 
the following report, in which we 
are unanimous, after having inlpect- 
ed the fame with care and atten- 
tion. 
The houfe of lords, prince’s cham- 
ber, and painted chamber, are build- 
ings of great antiquity, in many 
parts defective; and have been al- 
tered and repaired fo very much, 
from time to time, that, though 
they may ftand many years, are in- 
capable of ufeful repair and im- 
provement; and there are cellars 
under the whole, varioufly occupied, 
only one of which is fecured by 
arches from the communication of 
fire. All the buildings eaft of the 
houfe of lords are in fo bad a ftate, 
that many of them are in immediate 
danger of falling down, and are 
therefore unoccupied and fhut up; 
and the others would coft more to 
repair than rebuild them. The build- 
ing weit of the houfe of lords, con- 
taining the entrance thereto, and the 
ftaircafe and committee room, is a 
fubftantial modern building ; and the 
other buildings adjoining, comprif- 
ing the paflages, black rod and 
privy feal rooms, are part built with 
timber, liable to rapid decay, and 
accidents from fire; and the re- 
mainder extremely old and -ruin- 
ous. 
The houfe of commons, though 
an ancient building, has “been fo 
continually repaired, that it is ina 
ftate to remain a great many years ; 
but is fo conneéted with.the ‘auditor 
of the exchequer’s houfe and offices, 
and furrounded by a’ great number 
of other buildings, applied to va- 
rious purpoles, and in various occu- 
pations, as to expofe the whole to a 
general conflagration, fhould an ac- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1790. 
cidental fire happen in any one of 
them. 
The dwelling-houfe in Cotton- 
garden, belonging to the principal 
clerk of the houfe of commons, com+ 
municating therewith, erected with- 
in thirty years paft, is defective in 
feveral places, from the infecurity 
of the foundations. 
The buildings eaft of Weftmin- 
fter-hall, between it and the river, 
are the pell-office and chambers over 
it in the eaft tower, and the offices 
of the exchequer, contiguous ahd 
connected with the hall, and fituate 
between New Palace-yard and St, 
Stephen’s court: thofe of the four 
tellers are moft inconveniently ar- 
ranged, and liable to immediate de- 
ftruction.in cafe of fire, being placed 
in the upper ftory, without any walls 
of divifion, or arched floors; are fe- 
parated only by timber partitions, 
furrounded by combuftible build- 
ings, ftables, coach-houfes, hay-lofts, 
fervants lodging-rooms, and kit- 
chens: the dutchy court of Lan- 
cafter, a flight building of one room, 
and over it the dytchy chamber, 
with garrets above; the kitchen of 
the clerk to the deputy ufher of the 
exchequer, a low fhed, between thefe 
rooms and the eafternmoft tower, 
and immediately conneéted’ with 
them. The houfe inhabited by the 
ufher of the exchequer, in New Pa- 
lace-yard, eaftward of the dutchy 
court of Lancafter, has a brick front, 
and its rear js entirely of timber, 
lathed and plaiftered, forming two 
fides of a narrow court, from which 
it receives light, and which commu- 
nicates with the windows of the 
tellers office, cafh rooms, and of the 
dutchy court; and moft of the 
kitchen offices belonging to the de-~ 
puty-ufher and his clerk, are im- 
mediately under thofe offices, and 
4 thg 
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