Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

430 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. Fig. 33.—NEW GENERAL POST OFFICE. VIEW OF PUBLIC OFFICE BLOCK BEFORE ERECTION OF MASONRY WALLS. {Photo, Messrs. L. G. Mouchel and Partners.) A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF FERRO-CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION. On the site of the old Christ’s Hospital, Newgate Street, otherwise known as the Blue- coat School, now rises a huge pile of buildings, which form part of the London General Post Office. In March 1907 excavation of the foundations, which are 30 feet below the level of the neighbouring streets, was begun. About three and a half months later construc- tion commenced, and Christmas Day 1908 witnessed the completion of the shell, internal walls, floors, roof, lift shafts, ventilating shafts, staircases, fan-lights, and numberless other details. The building consists of two blocks, con- nected by a covered bridge, and having base- ments common to both. The entire mass (internal fittings are, of course, excluded from consideration) is carried by a number of columns, the bases of which rest on London gravel. The column footings are about 12 feet square, and, like the rest of the structure, are of reinforced concrete. The visitor cannot but be struck by the slender proportions of the columns, spaced 45 feet apart in some instances, on which devolves the duty of bearing up some 25,000 tons of material, in addition to the weight of Fig. 34.—SPIRAL STAIRCASE IN HENNEBIQUE FERRO- CONCRETE, EXHIBITED AT THE FRANCO-BRITISH EXHIBITION OF 1908. This structure, rising to a height of 27 feet from a founda- tion of only 16 feet square, attracted much attention. {Photo, Messrs. L. G. Mouchel and Partners.)