General Guide to the Crystal Palace 1873
On the eastern or garden side is a door by which we can pass through a glass vestibule on to an open terrace, whence a magnificently picturesque view of the gardens and landscape is to be obtained. This vestibule forms the entrance by which we can descend to THE MARINE AQUARIUM, a department for the permanent exhibition of living animals to illustrate the science of marine zoology. The building for this purpose has been specially constructed, it is 300 feet long and about 50 feet wide. It includes several divisions containing many thousands of sea-creatures both vertebrate and invertebrate. There are in all sixty-one tanks. Of these Nos. 1 to 18a are for the larger animals, Nos. 19 to 27 for the smallest Nos. 28 to 38 for those of medium size. These are shown to the public; but besides these there are twenty-two tanks not for public inspection, which contain animals in reserve at fitting seasons. the largest tanks have each a capacity of more than 4,000 gallons, the smallest hold 40 gallons each. the total quantity of sea-water in use is 150,000 gallons, or 700 tons. Of this 130,000 gallons are stored in a reservoir below the saloon, and the remaining 20,000 are in the tanks which contain the living animals. the water is pumped by steam-power constantly day and night, and circulates through the tanks at the rate of from 5,000 to 10,000 gallons per hour (according to the temperature and other conditions). The engines and other appliances for maintaining the flow of water are all constructed in duplicate, to prevent the possibility of any cessation of the currents. the artificial natural condition, so to speak, that is absolutely necessary to life in an aquarium is now perfectly set up; the spores of sea-weed have germinated plentifully, many lower forms of animal life have appeared, and all the scientific process that has been carried into effect has completely answered the purpose for which it was designed.
For more complete information see the "Official Handbook to the Marine Aquarium, &c.," by W. A. Lloyd, Superintendent of the Aquarium. Price 6d.
I'll include the next part of the text to show how the display of birds was close to the Aquarium, and the Art School. There's nothing visual to guess the exact layout of this part of the building, rebuilt after the fire of 1866, other than the 1903 Motor Show Map.
Close to the entrance of the Aquarium, beyond the Byzantine Court, are the private studios and other rooms belonging to the ladies' division of THE SCHOOL OF ART, SCIENCE, AND LITERATURE.
This department, which has been in constant active operation since 1859, gives an educational vitality to the collections of the Crystal palace, and is designed to utilise the great opportunities for culture that are presented here. the plan embraces systematic tuition in the manner of private tutorial instruction by masters and professors of the highest status, at fees fixed as moderately as may be found possible. The gentleman's of the school, which includes the School of Practical Engineering - the school-shops, foundry, and offices of which are constructed contiguous to the base of the South Tower and in the tower itself - is quite separate in every way from the building before us, which is designed to secure absolute privacy and quiet as well as perfect convenience for the ladies' division of the institution.
prospectus and every information respecting the Company's School of Art, Science and Literature can be obtained on application in the Library.
The Crystal Palace Company's Library and the Reading Room adjoin the school buildings, and occupy the garden front behind the Byzantine and Mediaeval Courts. the Company's Library, which is also a lending library under certain conditions, is open for consultation in the Reading Room, which, moreover, presents a more extensive collection of Newspapers and other current literature than any similar public room elsewhere. nearly 200 periodical news publications are to be found there daily, including British, Foreign, and Provincial, Daily, Weekly, &c., Newspapers, Magazines, reviews, &c., besides new books and the Catalogues and announcements of new publications. These last are shown by the book publishers, each of whom has his special space, and copies of the new books are contributed for exhibition and for examination in the room. telegrams of news are displayed regularly. Letters can be posted in the room and conveniences for letter-writing are supplied.
On either side of the Bronze Fountain are aviaries, in which a large number of British and foreign birds live; some are of considerable interest; and among them the Weaver Birds may often be seen constructing, or weaving, the curious nests they build, like stocking-shaped pouches. Macaws, Parrots, Cockatoos, &c., are placed on perches near the basin.
So is the part that survives marked on the map as 'H'?
