THE BOOK OF THE ROYAL 



NJfe 



Exhibition of 1851, the right of placing stalls for the sale of 

 flowers, and similar objects, in the Southern or Lateran Arcades 

 had been reserved to the Commissioners, the interest of the Society 

 in tliem being limited to a right of promenade along them and on 

 their roof ; the intention being that a continuous walk should 

 extend all round the Gardens on the top of the arcades. The 

 experience of the walk on the top of the Upper or Albani 

 Arcades has shown, however, that such a promenade was not 

 greatly prized, few people going up except to show the view to 

 their friends and then descend again. 



Wlien the Exhibition Building was being planned, a recom- 

 mendation was made by their architects to the Commissioners 

 of 1851 to erect an upper story on the top of the Southern 

 Arcades (to be used as refreshment-rooms during the Exhibition). 

 This of course could not be done without the consent of the 

 Council, but on application being made it was granted, and the 

 Commissioners of 1851 succeeded in making an arrangement 

 with the Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1862 by which this 

 story was to remain their own property after the close of the 

 Exhibition. To this arrangement is due the fajade which 

 now furnishes a happy termination to the lower part of the 

 Garden. 



To the International Exhibition also the Society next owed 

 the offer for exhibition in the Garden of a variety of works of art 

 which had either been refused by the Commissioners of 1862 or 

 were too large to be contained in the building. As may be sup- 

 posed, the Council were not ambitious of converting the Garden 

 into a refuge for the destitute ; and therefore, although they 

 did not pin their faith on the judgment of the Commissioners 



