ABSTRACT
The Great Western, the Westminster Palace, and the Grosvenor were the first improvements. The Langham possesses the advantage of being situated in one of the finest positions in the metropolis, almost in the centre of Portland-place and on the site of the mansion and grounds formerly held by the Earl of Mansfield. Some of the apartments are absolutely superb in the costly style of their decorations, the leading colours being white, scarlet, and gold. The Prince was afterwards conducted to the basement floor to inspect the vast extent of cellarage, and to see the kitchen, which in its wonderful appliances for steam, coal, and gas cooking, and all its huge machinery for apparently roasting oxen whole, is one of the sights which is best of all worth seeing in this great building. It is to be hoped, however, that this disfigurement is merely temporary, and only arises from the exigencies of hasty completion.
