King William 1V offered Buckingham Palace to Parliament as tempora ary headquarters but it was deemed unsuitable. Other meeting places suggested was the Guildhall, Somerset House and St. James's Palace, Many people suggested building the new rear' care was taken inthe pre-aration and use of the glaze.
Desolation and Mystery:
An ale of desolation and mystery uangs over: the valley, and 1 was trident that the Kino Rad een stop. Get afterwards tat re were able for many long years, t was no
fet the true story of the tragedy that Eaugs over the mountain hollow. The enfus of the place was a man whose nue unknown, But heat tallied Pat Ling Talents" and such seas his skill that Gining' the regin of the, Emperor Sung. Ning "dine-ii0? "AD." the ares. made there were known all ver the country, expecially the white Sod the red pieces. At that time ihe te, were over 100 Milne. at_ work She the prosperity of the place was rear, with, numbers of silk shops }Snd many other signs of wealth and prosperity. The Jade Temple was Feally built in Pai Ling's honour, and {ig the only record left of this once famous man.
'Another man, Cheng Li (gir), got to know most of Pat Ling's secrets for the making of porcelain, and he had a very able assistant named T'ao 'Chun (pg). In course of time there were no fewer than 360 wealthy families in' the place, and the year was one continuous round of feasting, each family being the host in turn. The particular house where the festivities happened {o be taking place was indicated by a huge flag. which darkened the surroundings, and so arose the name of Tang Yang Vu, the named MeCallam who, perceiving that part of the ceiling was about to fall, dragged the Earl to safety by grabbing his coat collar. The rescuer was injured himself, but till the day ne died—many years after—he enjoy-fed a substantial annual pension from, the Earl and mis family.
The Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms was tone of the heroes of the fire. He; reached safety when the alarm was: given but he remembered his Mace valued at £400. In spite of warnings hho induced a fireman to place a In der against the wall, and by this he entered the room where the Mace was kept and triumphantly descended with the precious symbol in his hand.
'A few minutes later the room was} totally destroyed. "Thaifs_a good bonfire for the Poor Law' Bill," was! 2 remark made by one of the spectators as he watched the rapid process of the flames as the evening wore on—reterring to the much detested measure which at toat tine was the chief issue the day.
Parliament buildings somewhere in the "City" as Westminster was so inconvenient, but the old site w Anally decided upon. Plenty of time was taken in considering matters and it was not until 1840 that a beginning was made in the erection of the present handsome Gothic edifice. The architect was Sir Charles Barry and he building took seventeen years to complete.
When it was finished it we unanimously agreed that the fre of 1694 had not been such a disaster was thought. "The old Houses were small and badly ventilated and hope-Tessly out of date, With Its 500 apartments, its river facade of over 940 feet, and its imposing three towers, the present Houses of Parli ment are worthy of a great nation and an Empire, To-day most stringent and ample precautions are taken to obviate all risks and danger of fire at Westminster and there is little likelihood of a repetition of the Gisaster of 1834, The place for
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.