1903-12-23 — Page 5

SUPPLEMENT ΤΟ THE

PHOTO BY C. W. CLARK

HONGKONG

TEI

TELEGRAPH

THE NEW LAW COURTS

4, ICE HOUSE STREET, HONGKONG.

PROPOSED NEW BUILDINGS - WEST

DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING.

Since the laying of the foundation stone of the new Law Courts by Sir HESRY BLAKES on the 12th November last, there has been renewed activity on the vacant land lying between the Queen's Statute and the City Hall, and the outline of the buildings can now be readily traced by means of the brick walls which are daily increasing in height. The building, consisting of the new Law Courts, Land Offices, etc., will, when completed, form a very valuable addition to the architecture of the city, and one of the finest erections in the Colony, the beauty and skill portrayed in the design being far in advance of anything to which we have been accustomed. The style that has been adopted is, as might be expected, purely classic in feeling, following the English school and with details of a Greck character. The site lies between Des Voeux Road and Chater Road, and is adjacent to the Cricket Ground on the west side. The designs of the buildings were prepared by Messrs. Asrox WEB, R.A., and E. INGRESS BELL, F.R.I.LA, of 19, Queen, Anne's Gate, London, the Consulting Architects to the Govern. ment of Great Britain, and the work is being carried out under the supervision of Mr. H. A. FISHER, ARIBA, of the Public Works Department, Hongkong.

The ground floor of the structure will be occupied by various offices for the officials of the Courts, including spacious apartments set aside as Land Offices, and separate rooms for the Registrar, the Deputy Registrar, and their respective clerks, and also for the Bailiffs. On this floor also is a Prisoners Receiving Room with a separate untrance, and cells in connection, while special staircases leading to the docks of the large and small Courts on the floor above will be provided. There are two large entrances for the general public, both on the west side of the building, and these communicate with the several offices by means of spacious corridors. Access for the public to the first floor is provided by two wide staircases, and on the east side is an entrance for the Registrar and other officials, and a separate doorway for the use of the Judges,

A lift, which will be worked by electrical power, will he used in addition to a private staircase, for the convenience of the Judges and other officials who may be engaged on the upper floors. The official potions of the building throughout are carefully kept distinct from those to which the general public have access.

On the ground floor ample accommodation is also provided for the safe custody of official records.

There is a small basement in which are situated the furnaces, boilers, etc. for the heating of the building, which will be on à hot water systems at low pressure, with radiators in all rooms and corridors. The system is arranged in four separate sections in order that only such portions of the building as are necessary need be warmed at any one time. The large Court is placed in the centre of the first floor and is surrounded by the smaller rooms and corridors, so that no sound from outside the building may penetrate while the Court is sitting. This is a large and lofty apartment lighted by means of four large semicircular windows placed high up, each being twenty-eight feet in diameter, and four small circular windows. Ample space is provided for members of the legal professions, for the jury, witnesses, reporters, &c., as well as the usual accommodation for the Judge and prisoners, and a consider- able area is also reserved for the use of the public.

There will be four pairs of massive granite columns ranged along the walls supporting the large dome above, and these will add much to the handsome and imposing appearance of the Court. The height of this chamber, from the floor to the ceiling of the dome, will be forty. eight feet.

There is a smaller and commodious Court on this floor on the north side of the large Court, from which it is separated by a wide corridor, and is well lighted by casement windows opening on to the colonnade. This is for the use of the Puisne Judge,

The south end of the same floor is occupied by a spacious Library for the use of the Judges and officials, which is also in communication with the colonnade The Library is surrounded by a wide overhang ing gallery.

On the same level is a large number of rooms grouped around the Central Court, and set apart for the use of counsel and solicitors, while waiting rooms for witnesses and consultation rooms for the convenience of litigants are also provided in addition to separate retiring rooms for each. of the Judges, besides the Jury room, and efficient lavatory accommodation is provided throughout.

The second floor, reserved for officials of the Court, is gained by a continuation of the officials' staircase from the ground fluor, and by the lift. Here are situated large offices for the accommodation of the Attorney General, the Crown Solicitor, and their respective staff of clerks, and a con- siderable space is set apart for the storage of loks, etc.

The internal walls are to be built of red bricks, while the main piers supporting the done and some other portions will be of granite. The external walls are to be faced in

HON. W. CHATHAM, M.I.C.E..

Director of Public Works," Hongkong...

finely punched white granite, all of which is being carefully selected for the purpose. The whole building will be of fireproof construction, and has been designed with a view to efficiently withstanding the ravages of white ants. The floors throughout are formed in concrete and steel, all the metal, being well protected by casings of concrete and asbestos plaster. The Small Court and Library will be covered with red tile roofs; the smaller roonis and corridors

ELEVATION

with concrete flats, and over the centre of the building a large dome of some forty feet span is cleverly placed on four massive granite piers, These are connected by heavy arches of brickwork in cement from which springs the inner dome, forming the ceiling of the large Court. Above this again rises the drum of the external dome, consisting of granite faced walls supported on steel framing and surrounded by detached columns. From the base of the drum eight steel trusses spring, supporting the stone lantern at the top, and which are united on their outer surface with steel framing filled in with concrete, and covered externally with cast granolithic slabs, forming the outer surface of the donic.

Internally, the wails of the various rooms will be finished in plas ter, and there will be glazed tile dados to all lavatories and corridors. The ceilings will be ornamented in plaster, which will be formed with asbestos where necessary for protection from fire. The floors through- out, except to lavatories, will be finished with hardwood blocks laid in preservative composition, and the lavatories are to be paved with oma- mental tiling. The staircases will all be constructed in granite, with ornamental wrought iron balusters and polished wood handrails. The joinery throughout is to be in teak, and has all been specially designed for the building.

The whole of the interior of the building will be amply lighted by means of electric glow lamps, and great attention has been given to the warming and ventilation of each of the several apartments.

The principal elevation of the structure is to face towards the west, and will consist of a single Ionic order some forty-five feet in height, forming fifteen bays with attached columns and square angle piers. The piers are interconnected by semicircular arches supporting the floors of the collonade above with ornamental balustrades and moulded copings, all in granite. Between the piers and the main walls on the ground floor is a wide colonnade entirely surrounding the building except for a small portion on the east side. This colonnade is spanned by a series of semi-circular arches which support the walls and floors above. The upper colonnade runs 'round the greater part of the first floor, above which is a balcony to the second floor, access to both being afforded by folding casement doors. The colonnades will be finished with finely punched granite walls and arches, and tesse- lated pavements. The centre portion of the west elevation is sur- mouted by a pediment containing one semicircular opening, around which are grouped the Royal arms, and the whole is crowned by a statue of Justice, standing nine feet high, Behind this pediment rises the square base of the central dome, which is terminated at each angle by a graceful pinnacle built of granite. From this base the drum of the dome ascends, consisting of a circular Doric order, the intercolumnar spaces being pierced with windows. Above this rises the graceful outline of the dome, the whole being surmounted by a handsome granite lantern, terminating, at a height of over one hun- dred and thirty feet from the ground, in a boldly carved Tudor crown. The elevation on the north, south and east sides will be similar in character to that on the west, but without the pediment, each façade being finished with a parapet wall and granite balustrade.

The foundation stone, a fine block of Chinese granite, which was laid by H. E. Sir H. A. BLAKE last month, bears the following inscrip tion in guilt letters:

TRIS STONE WAS LAID

on the 12th November, 1903,

by

His Excellency

SIR HENRY ARTHUR BLAKE, G.C.M.G., Governor of Hongkong.

ASTON WEBD, RA,

WILLIAM CHATHAM, M. Inst. C.E, Director of Public Worki,'.

E. INGRESS BELL, FR.LBA.,

Archit.cis.

CHANANTONG, Contractor.

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