1842.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



153 



With the exception of the circular room, the interior of the whole of 

 the principal floor is of the Roman Doric order. 



Ore tJie third foor the dimensions of the several apartments neces- 

 sarily correspond with those immediately below, just described, 

 excluding the circular room, which comprehends both floors. In this 

 third floor also is the same arrangement of the saloon as that described 

 for the principal floor, but the order throughout is the antique Ionic, 

 19 ft. high, with fluted columns, pilasters, &c., surmounted by a coved 

 ceiling rising 2 ft. 9 in. 



The whole of the apartments in both these floors are ceiled with 

 canvas, or teak wood frames, through which are fitted into the beams 

 strong brass hinge-hooks for punkahs, and brass for lamps or lustres, 

 to an extent ample for every purpose of use or ornament. In both 

 floors the doors are painted in imitation of different woods (satin 

 wood, mahogany, oak, maple, &c.) and highly varnished ; and, with a 

 few exceptions (in the minor apartments of the wings) they are fitted 

 with plated locks, bolts, and hinges, and hand-guards ; also on the 

 principal floor. All the apartments in the wings of both floors are 

 coloured in distemper, in light tints of various colours ; and the walls, 

 as high as the surbase of the vestibule, and four staircases, are painted 

 in imitation of marble; all with very good effect. There are twelve 

 fire-places, with carved mantel-pieces of teak, also painted and var- 

 nished in successful imitation of rare marbles. The floors of the 

 whole of the public apartments of the principal story, including the 

 vestibule and landing places of the great staircases, are paved with 

 polished marble; and those of the corresponding apartments in the 

 third story, with the landing places of all the four staircases, are laid 

 with teak boarding. The whole of the public rooms in both floors, 

 and the columns in the wings, are finished with polished stucco, in 

 imitation of the Madras chunam ; and it may here be observed, that 

 the flutings and finishings of all the columns, exterior and interior, are 

 remarkably well defined, and evenly and sharply wrought ; a comple- 

 tion very rare, where brick and plaster are the materials, in houses 

 even of the highest pretensions in this country. 



Tfie hasemtnt floor is finished in a plain style, having a simple 

 moulded band under the beams and no ceilings. The doors and win- 

 dows are of appropriate substantial construction, fitted with brass 

 locks, bolts, and hinges, and painted plainly. Under the circular room 

 (of paragraph 15) are four strong lock-up closets for treasure, plate, 

 jewels, or other articles of value, with a large open space for a guard. 

 In the arches of the treble windows of this floor, fifteen in number, are 

 coloured fan-lights. In the west wing is a steam-bath, complete in 

 all respects, executed subsequently to the erection of the building, 

 as we were informed by Colonel M'Leod, at the particular desire of 

 the Nuwaub Nazim. All the exterior colonnades and porticos in the 

 basement and principal floor, as well as the vestibule and staircases of 

 the basement, are paved with stone. 



Pleasure Grounds. — Koah roads, twenty feet wide, have been con- 

 structed, and well rolled, in all that portion of the ground about the 

 Palace which has yet been cleared of old buildings ; the banks of the 

 river have been sloped off and sodded throughout the whole extent (with 

 the exception of a very small portion, for which it seems earth was 

 not procurable) and stone posts have been inserted along the top, as 

 fastenings for boats. The whole of the ground (cleared) has been 

 smoothed and grassed, and completely drained. At a short distance, 

 in front of the Palace, is a handsome sun-dial, five feet in diameter, 

 a surplus stone so converted by Lieut. Cunningham ; it rests on a 

 pillar based on stone steps, and forms a useful and appropriate ap- 

 pendage to the premises. A substantial stone ghat, fifteen feet wide, 

 has been constructed near the Palace for the convenience of the Nu- 

 waub, and at about 800 yards to the south of the Palace a large Nou- 

 bulkahnth gateway has been erected, as an entrance to the grounds in 

 that direction. As it was not immediately in view, there did not 

 appear to be any objection to its being built in a style of architecture 

 adapted to its purpose, and the Asiatic or Turkish has been adopted. 

 In concluding this head of our report, it seems proper to advert to 

 the fact of this edifice, in all its departments, having been constructed 

 and completed by natives of the country ; the only exceptions to which 



remark are in regard to the painting and glazing, which portions of 

 the work were executed by professional Europeans. The expressions 

 of approval which will have been found interspersed with the pre- 

 ceding details, were elicited by particular features of the building 

 under review, inviting a more peculiar attention from their impor- 

 tance, or the effect produced by them on the eye of the observer ; but 

 they are equally applicable to every part of the structure, which, 

 whether considered as a work of art to be admired for its exceeding 

 beauty, or as an example of skilful labour applied to the practical 

 combination of excellent materials, reflects the highest credit on the 

 architect, and all subordinate to him, concerned in its erection. The 

 late rainy season was one of uncommon violence, and had just closed 

 when our survey was made, and the soil far and wide was either inun- 

 dated or saturated with moisture. Nothing could have more search- 

 ingly tested the strength and solidity of a newly erected edifice ; but 

 not a crack or symptom of yielding was to be seen, externally or within, 

 throughout the whole extent of this fabric ; and we conclude our re- 

 marks upon it with the expression of a grateful anticipation, that a 

 lengthened durability awaits what we have represented as so pre- 

 eminently worthy of a lasting preservation. 



In conclusion, we would here recapitulate, in a few words, the 

 opinion to which our inquiries have led regarding the three points to 

 which reference is made in the second paragraph of our report. As 

 to the execution of the vrorks, our verdict, after a careful examination 

 of all that presented itself to our view, is one of unqualified approval 

 and commendation. 



REID'S FLOATING BREAKWATER. 



Floating Breakwaters are at the present moment occupying much 

 of the public attention, which has induced me to turn my mind to the 

 subject : the result of my labours I submit to your notice. The objec- 

 tion of a gallant officer in the House of Commons to floating break- 

 waters, because chain cables would last only a few years, is but a 

 trifling objection. If the success only depends upon the cost of cables, 

 the ships and property, not to speak of lives saved, would fully com- 

 pensate the country for occasionally laying down new moorings. 



Depth 

 Wave 



Frame 12 ft 

 Sloi'e 15 ft. i 



Explanation of Engraving. 



A is an arched frame of timber in thicknesses, 6 ft. higli in the 

 centre ; B frame of timber bolted together, 2 ft. square, and 20 ft. long 

 on the chord line; C sloping frame of timber, 1 ft. square, secured 

 with iron straps, bolts, and stays, and protected at the point by iron 

 shoes ; D inclined plane on shutter 24 ft. 6 in. long, laid to an angle of 

 35°, with planking laid diagonally and bolted to a framework of tim- 

 ber, the planking need not be laid close, there maybe a space of 3 or 4 

 in. between; E iron cable ; F bridle, and G chain for lifting shutter ; 

 H bit or head to which the cables are secured. 



If the depth of the wave be 9 ft. below the chord bar of the arch, 

 there will be 6 ft. (perpendicular) of the shutter below that, the 

 inclined plane will underrun the wave, and the arched frame work above 

 will offer a gentle resistance for the wave to fall upon, and distribute 

 itself harmless. There will be no strain upon the hinges, the cables 



Z 



