74 Intelligence and Miscellaneoiis Articles.. 



Araucaria Cunninghamii. Art. 

 A. decandra; foliis arboris junioris verticaliter compressis spinu- 

 loso-mucronatis rectis ; adultioris lanceolatis acutis imbricatis, 

 strobilis ovatis : squamis apice acuniinatis recurvatis margine 

 niembranaceo-alatis replicatis. 

 On tlie east coast of New Holland the geographical range of this 

 species extends from the 14th to the 30th degree of latitude. In the 

 young state no two plants can be more distinct than this and 

 A. excelsa, but in the adult state they approach so near that it is 

 difficult to draw the line of distinction between them. 



XVII. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 



ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF OBLIQUE BRIDGES. 



The following letter on this subject is extracted from the Newcastle 

 Journal of November 19th, 1836. 



To Peter Nicholson, Esq. 

 Sir, — IN reference to a lecture stated in the public prints to have 

 -1 been delivered by Charles Fox, at the Royal Institution, a 

 few months ago, on what he termed his " new mode of constructing the 

 Oblique Arch" and stating that "formerly the stones were cut by no 

 general rule, but merely fitted to their particular place ;" and further, 

 in regard to what has been published by his desire in the ** Philo- 

 sophical Magazine" of April last, and, by ** his permission", in 

 ** Loudon's Architectural Magazine" of June last, — I think it an act 

 of justice to you, and I believe that every person who is acquainted 

 with the valuable instructions which you have frequently, during a 

 long course of years, produced for the advancement of science, will 

 concur in the propriety of setting the public right as to whom the 

 merit is due, for a proper and certain rule for the construction of the 

 oblique arch. I therefore deem it right to state, that in your book on 

 " Masonry and Stone Cutting," published in 1828, there is an elabo- 

 rate illustration for the working of the spiral or itvist upon the stones; 

 and the explanation is so clear that Mr. James Hogg, operative ma- 

 son, residing in Brandling Place, Newcastle, has certi^ed t\\B.t, in 

 1834, he built an oblique arch entirely from the instructions which 

 are given in your book ; and so certain did I feel of the practicability of 

 your rule, that I have adopted it upon the river Coquet, at Felton, 

 the chord of the arch being 33 feet, and the angle of obliquity 19°, 

 and in which case the stones were cut, or dressed previously to the erec- 

 tion of the centre. Having received your approval of the arch as 

 being in accordance with your design, I think there can be no doubt 

 that your claim to the rule tor the proper formation of the stones is prior 

 to that of Mr. Fox ; and I have yet to learn that any rule exists by 

 which the oblique arch can be so truly built as the one which you 

 have published. I am not aware, although I have endeavoured to 

 learn, — and shall be glad, for the sake of the profession of which I have 

 the honour to be a member, to discover the contrary, — that any of the 

 oblique arches which have been erected upon any of the public or 

 private works in the North of England, except those above mentioned, 

 are constructed upon any general principle j and it is very remarkable, 

 however much it is to be regretted, that up to the present time there 



