planned and pleasing to the eye, what there was of them above
ground; but the Duke had subterranean kitchens made at the side and
lighted them with bulls'-eyes at the top.

He spent about 100,000l. a year in the development of his plans, and
employed as many as 1,500 workpeople in helping him to gratify his
hobby. When it is remembered that his reign as Duke lasted a quarter of
a century, from 1854 to 1879, it will be seen that artisans of all
descriptions found Welbeck a veritable gold-mine. Even so late as
November, 1878, a Nottingham newspaper correspondent, on visiting
Welbeck, was impressed with its appearance as that of the premises of
"some great contractor who had an order for the building of a big
village." There was the buzz of machinery, large areas were covered with
bricklayers', masons' and joiners' sheds, wherein any new mechanical
contrivance was put to the test. For more than eighteen years the
vicinity of the house resembled a builder's yard, in the centre of which
the Duke lived and moved and had his being, enjoying, in his way, the
piles of bricks and mortar surrounding him. After he had decided upon
the erection of a new building he had a model of it made for his
inspection, and if approved of, it was proceeded with.

Any tramp or wayfarer who applied for work at Welbeck was put on the
staff, and the market value of his labour paid. The Duke seemed to find
grim pleasure in the society of the casuals who made their way to his
stone-yards.

The wing built by the Countess of Oxford in a former generation had a
new storey put to it, with a magnificent suite of 14 new rooms furnished
in Louis XIV. style, richly gilded, and with mantelpieces of white
marble.

An underground passage was made leading to the old riding school, built
by the Duke of Newcastle in 1623, but since converted to other uses,
such as a library and church, after the erection of the new riding
school. Beneath it are great wine cellars with subterranean
communications.

The most wonderful of the underground apartments built by the Duke was
the picture-gallery, or as it was intended to be, the ball-room. It is
lighted from the roof by means of bulls'-eyes. An enormous sum was spent
in labour, excavating the solid clay in order that this magnificent
saloon might be constructed.

Some choice examples of the great masters are contained in this palace
of art, which is 158 feet long, 63 feet wide, and 22 feet high. Here are
examples o