UNEXPECTED DIFFICULTIES 71 



ours, swarming as it already does with great and 

 ancient cathedrals, has ever yet produced, and 

 indeed it will be one of the most imposing 

 edifices in Europe, standing as it will on St. 

 James's Mount, 155 feet above the river. Its 

 two great towers will rear their lofty heads 415 

 feet above sea level. 



It will, of course, take many years to build, 

 and I shall never see it from sea or land. I was 

 therefore well pleased when I was invited by 

 one of my friends to visit the site. He has 

 everything to do with the organization of the 

 choir for the occasion, not the least of his diffi- 

 culties being to select one thousand choristers 

 out of four thousand applicants. Very substan- 

 tial staging, forming a vast amphitheatre, was 

 already nearly completed when I was there. 

 The space allotted for my friend's choir forms 

 a section of the amphitheatre immediately facing 

 the dais where the King will lay the foundation 

 stone. The space allotted fort hese one thousand 

 choristers is just sufficient to hold them stand- 

 ing up and packed together as close as herrings 

 in a barrel. There they will have to stand for 

 more than two hours without any covering, 

 and they will have to sing under such a broil- 

 ing sun as that we are now having, and may 

 naturally expect to have on the igth inst. The 

 whole structure is built to accommodate six 

 thousand spectators. I wish them all joy if 



