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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[October, 



THE VICTORIA REGIA HOUSE, CHATSWORTH 

 We are indebted to the Gardeners' Chronicle for the plans and 

 elevations of the hot-house erected at Chatsworth, for the culti- 

 vation of the Victoria Lily, together with descriptions and ex- 

 planations by Mr. I'axton himself. This structure is of p-eat inte- 

 rest; showing, as it does, in how simple a manner large spaces may 



be covered with glass, and yet be suited for all the purposes of 

 cultivation. It will also indicate the earliest conception of the 

 palace of glass which is to receive the products of industry of all 

 nations in 1851. 



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Fig. 1.— Ground Plan. 



Fig. 2.— Transverse Section. 



Fig.3.— End Elevation. 



Fig. 1 represents the ground plan, which is 61 ft. 

 6 in. long, and 46 ft. 9 in. wide over walls. The 

 circular tank is 33 feet diameter, and the centre 

 part, which contains the soil for the plant, is 16 

 feet diameter. The eight tanks in the four angles 

 are filled with aquatic plants of various kinds. The 

 house is heated hy a series of 4-inch cast-iron pipes 

 all round the inside of the external walls, proceed- 

 ing from a Burbage and Healey's boiler, and Syl- 

 vester furnace. The tanks are heated by 4-inch 

 pipes underneath each, as shown in the section ; 

 and by smaller sized lead pipes resting on the 

 paved ledge of circular tank, also shown in the sec- 

 tion. There are 30 openings between the piers, all 

 round the house, for ventilators. Different com- 

 partments of the roof are also made to open by 

 simple machinery, for the purpose of ventilation. 

 The pathways are raised 3 ft. 6 in. above the gene- 

 ral level outside, and the roof is supported by light 

 wrought-iron beams, resting on the eight internal 

 columns, as shown on the ground plan. 



Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the building, 

 which shows a section of the circular tank, with 

 the pipes under the centre part, and the small pipes 

 on the paved ledge, forming the shallow part of the 

 tank. Also the side pipes, and the manner of fix. 

 ing the cast-iron columns ; together with the con- 

 struction of the roof and its gutters, facia board, 

 &c. The wrought-iron beam shown in this section 

 has a bearing in the middle, over the great tank, of 

 31 ft. 3 in. The height of the masonry, from the 

 ground to the top of the coping, is 4 ft, 9 in.; the 

 column and arch 10 ft. 6 in. ; the plating and facia 

 board 2 ft. 1 in., making the whole height from the 

 ground line 27 ft. 4 in. By this section it will be 

 seen that the upright sashes are placed behind the 

 cast-iron columns. 



