The north transept of the Crystal Palace has been burnt
down. The fire broke out about two o'clock on Sunday, apparently from an explosion of gas, there was no one who knew how to turn on the great mains, the fire brigade was late, a summons having taken two hours to reach them, and by four o'clock the tropical compartment had been destroyed, the Alhambra, Assyrian, Byzan- tine, and Indian Courts irreparably injured, and the Queen's apartment and library consumed. The chimpanzee, the monkeys, and all the birds were stifled with the wood smoke, except one parrot, which was saved by the Duke of Sutherland, and bit him immediately, as if it had been a Christian. The baby hippopotamus was roasted to a cinder, but we feel more inclined to grieve for the twin giants, copies of colossal Egyptian figures from Nubia, which sat for an hour or so as if even fire could not move their eternal calm, but, being only lath and plaster, were burnt at last. The loss is estimated at 150,0001., of which only 20,000/. is covered by insurances, and will be a heavy blow to the Company. A clever suggestion has been offered that they should meet it by a sale of 30,000 life tickets at Si. each ; but the price should be at least triple that. If they could secure to the " lifers" a separate and convenient gallery for the concerts, and allow husband and wife, or father and daughter, to use the ticket, they might charge 25/. and yet sell thousands. If the ivory ticket were also a railway_ pass, they might ask even 30/.
Previous page
