The COAL EXCHANGE is a new building erected in Thames street, near the Custom House, and completed su lately as the month of November, 1849.
The importance oldie vast trade ill that precious mineral to which Great Britain owes so much of her prosperity, may well demand that the merchants and others trading in coal, should have their ow n Exchange. The enormous extent of this trade can hardly be conceived, or its value in a pecuniary sense estimated.
"In respect to its natural supply of coal," says McCulloch, "Britain, among the nations, is most singularly favoured ; much of the surface of the country coneerds under it con tinuous and thick beds of that valuable mineral, vastly inure precious to us than would have been mines of the precious metals, like those of Peru and Alexico ; for coal, since ap plied to the steam-engine, is really hoarded power, applicable to almost every purpose which human labour directed by ingenuity can accomplish. It is the possession of her coal mines which has rendered Britain, in relation to the Whole Nvorld, what a city is to the rural district which surrounds it—the producer and dispenser of the rich products of art and industry. Calling her coal-mines the coal-cellars of the great city, there is in them a supply Nvhiell, at the present rate of expenditure, will last fur 2,000 ears at least ; and theretb•e a provision which, as coming improvements in the arts of life will naturally effect economy of fuel, or substitu tion of other means to effict similar purposes, may be regarded as inexhaustible." The former Coal Exchange being quite unfit for the pur poses required, and the inconvenience felt by the merchants frequenting it much complained of; an enlarged site was pur chased by the corporation of London, Ibr the erection of a new Exchange. This site afforded a frontage next Lower Thames-street of 113 feet, and a similar frontage next St. Mary-at-Hill. The building is erected from the designs of Mr. Bunning, the architect to the corporation, and is so arranged as to give au increased width to the two thorough fares above-natned. It presents two distinct elevations, con nected by a tower, placed within the re-entering angle formed by the two fronts.
The facades of the building are of very simple, yet bold and elnetive design ; and, with the exception of the cornice, but few projections are introduced. The fronts in Thames st•eet and St. Mary-at-1 Hill. are respectk ely about 112 feet in width, by di feet in height. The unequal form of the plot of ground on which the Exchange stands, is skilfully masked at the corner by breaking the mass of building, and intro ducing the circular tower before mentioned. This tower is 109 feet high to the top of the gilded ball, and 22 feet in diameter at the lowest part, and is divided into three stories. The lowest story, containing the entrance vestibule, is of the iZoman-Durie style of architecture; and presents a striking peculiarity in the atTangement, to which We must advert.
The wall of the tower not only contains the vestibule by which entrance to the hall or rotunda is attained, but serves also as a centre to flights of steps, which lead, on either hand, to a landing on the first story of the building. From this land ing, a spiral staircase is carried up ill the tower to the other stories. The first story is of the Ionic order, carrying an entablature, and is lighted by windows. The, top story, 15 feet in diameter, is (nnamented by pilasters, with windows between; the. roof rising to a cone, and being crowned with a gilded ball. The front of the whole is fiteed with Portland stone. Entering the rotunda, the attention of the visitor is immt.idiately arrested by its beautiffil effcet. and extremelv novel arrange neat. It ffirms a circle of some 60 feet in diameter, and is crowned with a dome, or, in fiet, double dome, as a lesser cupola rises from the eye of the great dome to the height of 74 feet ffuni the floor. The dome rests on eight light piers, the space between each pier being divided by stanchions into three compartments. There are three galleries, and froin these galleries. entrance is obtained to the numerous offices in the building. The galleries are peculiarly constructed, and entirely composed of iron, embel lished with symbols of the coal trade. Iron, indeed, has been must extensively made use of; the stanchions, brackets, ribs, and eye of the dome, are all of iron, and above 300 tons have been used in the building in the several parts. Each rib, of which there are 3:2, is 4:2 feet ti Melly,: long, is east in one length, and weighs on the average two tons, The arrangement of paterm in the stanchions, brackets, and soffits of galleries, is original and good. The ornament chiefly used is a cable, twisted about in various pattern:. and the balustrade to the galleries is of loops of cable, broken at intervals by the introduction of the City arm:. This rope ornament has perhaps been used in too great profusion, for it is displayed on the stanchions, gallery-railings, soffits, and every place where it could possibly be introduced. The frame-work to the offices is of wood. and panelled with rough plate-glass. By this means, they receive light from the great dome of the hall. The dome itself is glazed with large pieces of ground plate-glass of great thickness, the glass of the small upper dome having an amber tint. The chief' public offices surrounding the Rotunda are those appropriated to the offices of the corporation, whose business it is to collect the coal dues ; the thetors' board-room, the weighers' ioeiety, and the merchants' and factors', among whom Sir James Duke, lord-mavor of London at the time of the opening of the Coal Exchange, holds a very 'imminent position.