6S 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



tropolis is peopled. In that of St. 

 James's the principal attraction to 

 curiosity was a Chinese bridge 

 thrown over the canal, upon the 

 centre of which was erected a lofty 

 pagoda, wliile the other parts were 

 decorated with pillars, and boxes, 

 for the exhibition of fire-works. 

 The Bird-cage walk, and part of 

 the Mall, were hung with Chinese 

 lanterns. In the Green-park, on 

 the edge of the Mall, was placed 

 the royal booth, of a circular form, 

 with a gallery attached to it, for 

 the ministers of state, foreign mi- 

 nisters, and other distinguished 

 persons. Not far from it, in the 

 same park, was the grand edifice, 

 entitled the Temple of Concord, 

 the general design of which was 

 the invention of Sir W. Congreve, 

 and the external decorations 

 were by Greenwood and Latilla. 

 From the Queen's palace a bridge 

 of communication to the Green- 

 park was tiiron n over the road to 

 Constitution-hill. In Hyde Park 

 the Serpentine river was allotted 

 for the spectacle of a naumachia, 

 in which a British and French 

 fleet, represented by barges brought 

 from Woolwich, and fitted up to 

 resemble men of war of the line 

 and frigates, were to exhibit the 

 manoeuvres and circumstances of a 

 naval fight. The park itself was 

 covered with a multitude of booths, 

 erected by permission, and fraught 

 with all the variety of amusement 

 and recreation belonging to a coun- 

 try fair. 



During the whole progress of 

 preparation, and especially as it 

 approached to completion, the 

 parks were the great object of pub- 

 lic curiosity, and bc?came the most 

 crowded promenade of the metro- 

 polis. The daily papers were like- 



wise filled with descriptions and 

 speculations relative to the expect- 

 ed jubilee, which even was a sub- 

 ject of parliamentary discussion ; 

 and not a little satire both within 

 and without doors was bestowed 

 upon the fluctuations of the plan, 

 and particularly upon the mimic 

 naumachia, which, after the late 

 dis[)lay of real power and grandeur 

 at Portsmouth, was treated as a 

 kind of burlesque, calculated only 

 for the diversion of holiday cock- 

 neys. 



At length, on July 31st, the fol- 

 lowing public notification was is- 

 sued by authority : 



" August 1st is the day fixed 

 for a grand national jubilee, being 

 the centenary of the accession of 

 the illustiious family of Brunswick 

 to the throne of this kingdom, and 

 the anniversary of the battle of the 

 Nile. 



" Hyde Park, in which there 

 will be a grand fair, is entirely 

 open to the people. 



" The Green Park will also be 

 entirelv open to the people. 



" The Mall of St. James's Park, 

 and Constitution-hill, will also be 

 o[jen to the people, to enter by 

 Spring-gardens and New-street 

 gates. 



" The kwn in St. James's Park, 

 and the Bird-cage walk, will be 

 devoted to those who have pur- 

 chased tickets." 



Then followed a description of 

 the accommodation prepared for 

 the public. The conclusion ran 

 thus : — 



" Let not the people, therefore, 

 listen to those who would poison 

 their minds — to those who are the 

 constant enemies of all public joy. 

 Let them be assured, that the ob- 

 ject of the peaceful festival, is to 



