3-2 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



THE ATIIEN.EUM, Xc, AT DERBY. 



The " Coini anion (o the Almanac" has ah'pady given a general 

 view of tile four bnildings of which the Alhena'um forms one, and a 

 tolerably full description of them ; yet although we have so far been 

 anticipated by that publication, whai is there said rather invites us 

 to give further particulars respecting those spirited improvements 

 than not, more especially as we are enabled, through the kindness of 

 the architect, Mr. R. Wallace, fo exhibit an elevation and plans of 

 fliat portion of the design which has most architectural pretension 

 and cliaracler, namely, tlie Athenti'mn. j 



As our wood- cut renders verbal description uiuiecessary, all that 

 we need explain in regard to it is, that the blank ^pace or opening in 

 the lower ])art of the right-hand pavilion or wing is the covered gate- 

 way leading to the iim-yard at the rear of the building (as is shown 

 in the ground plan), where is sclii one of the entrances into the Hotel. 

 Hardly, tlierefore. need we obser\-e that the latter building irnnie- 

 diately adjoins the Athcntcum on that side, being divided from it 

 below only by the covered passage or gateway between the two; bnt 

 we should explain that both entablatures of the sejiarate fagade 

 here shown are continued through the two fronts of the Hotel, so as to 

 keep up a certain general uniformity of ajipearancc, although th? 

 Athenaeum forms a distinct comiMsition. Indeed, further than the 

 reguhirity th\is produced by the continuation of the principal hori- 

 zontal lines and mouldings, and that of tlie style adopted, there is 

 little similarity : the elevations of the hotel presenting two ranges of 

 windows above, the lowermost of whicli, or those of the first floor, 

 rest upon a socle immediately above the cornice fo (he basement. 

 Besides which, there is a series of smaller windows in the attic, which 

 is somewhat lower than that in centre of the elevation here given. 

 Consequently that portion of the entire line, or the south side facing 

 Brook-street, has more of the dwelling-house appearance, wliile the 

 Athenicura distinguishes itself by presenting wliat our French 

 neighbours term n momimeiital character; to which both the disposi- 

 tion of the windows and the great proportion of solid wall contribute 

 in no small degree. In (his respect alone the design exhibits some 

 novelty and piquancy, particularly in the centre compartment, where 

 the three openings Ijelow and the five above them produce a good 

 architectural contrast : though the eftect would have been belter still 

 could the width of the two lower window^ have been limited to that 

 of their middle openings, because at present they extend too closely 

 to the angles, where the adjoining anta> at the "breaks indicate aii 

 imier wall, although, in regard to the rooms within, the w indows are 

 tmexeeptionably placed, as is apparent from tlie ground plan. The 

 upper part of this centre compartment is well imagined — solid and 

 unbroken, yet without either blankness or heaviness. The chief ob- 

 jection to be made to it is, that the cornice of the upi)er order is too 

 poor and scanty — in fact, is only a repetition of that to the basement 

 floor, whereas greater richness was here demanded, if only to bring it 

 into keeping with the architrave beneath it, more especially as the 

 depth of this latter is considerably increased by the mouldings of 

 the antce being continued immediately beneath it. M'e are bound to 

 observe, however, that I he projection of the upper facia and cynia- 

 tiuin of this architrave have been greatly exaggerated by our wood 

 engraver. The two pavilions or extreme compartments are pleasingly 

 treated, and these features bear some general resemblance to the 

 similar ones of the new Corn Exchange, Mark-lane, but liy no means 

 to such degree as to incur the charge of plagiarism. The tripods at 

 their angles, through «liicli the chimncy-llucs are brought, produce 

 an excellent cITce;. 



In the plan of the ground fioor, a c, are the separate entrance ves- 

 tibule and staircase leading to the Athcna;uni Hall above: A, the 

 vestibule, to the library c, ;u!d news-room e. Tlie former of these, 

 which measures 36 feet by Ki, or 21 at the widest end, opens into a 

 smaller room d. appropriated as a reading room. The ne\vs-i-oom e is 

 30 feet by 19. 



The upper floor is, with the exception of the room 6, which serves 

 both as a eommitlcc-room and a cloak-room for ladies, entirely occu- 

 pied by the Atheua:uni Hall, which extends over (he gateMay, 

 ^vhereby its total length becomes G9 feet by a widlhof 30 feet G inches 

 and 23 feet in height. 



While (he general symmetry is well )^eserved, (he apartment 

 acquires not only much pleasing architectural varietv in its i>lan, 

 but apparent, as well ;is real, extension, by the addition of the 

 division over the gateway-. At the same time we arc of opinion that 

 it would have been an improvement had there been four columns at 

 that end instead of (wo, so as to form four lesser intercolumns (of 

 the width of those between the columns and ant:e on each side) 

 and a wider one in the centre. Such u screen of pillars would have 

 made the tno divisions more distinct to the eye, yet would by no means 

 have separated. Ibcm loo much, or occasioned a ciowikd appeeuvince, 



or obstructed the view of the tireplace at that end; for the centre 

 intercolumn would have been 7 feet G inches wide, and the others 

 nearly 5 : whereas the distance from column to column is now 

 19 feet, which must be equal to the height of the columns them- 

 selves, if not more. Another thing that would have been an im- 

 provement would have been to remove tlie doors at that end of the 

 hall further from the fireplace, putting them into the extreme inter- 

 pilasters, so that one would have oqieiied immediately into the card- 

 room, the other (as at present) into the supjier-room. 



Judging from the plan, the back front of (he Atliena:'uni, appears to 

 be of architectural design, although it only faces (he iiui-yard of the 

 Ho(el : at least tlie pilasters between the windows seem to indicate 

 that sneh is the case; and, if it really be so, we thuik the co>t so 

 bestowed might have been better applied; more especially as that 

 side of the building appears to be quite shut out from view by oilier 

 buildings abutting on that angle of (he A(hcna-um, where (he s(air- 

 casc is placed, and in consequence of which (he architect has been 

 compelled to adopt a very ij'regular and inconvenient form for the 

 .staircase ; whereas only four or five feet more at that angle would have 

 greatly improved that approach to (he Athenanmi Hall, Above the 

 hall is' another room of the same dimensions, although considerably 

 lower, which is lighted from above, .and intended to be fitted up as b. 

 museum. 



REVIEWS- 



Obsenations on Limes, Culcareoun Cements, Morlars, Stiiccos, and 

 Comrele. ; and un Puzzolcmas, Natural and Artificial; tor/ether 

 with liiiles deduced from mtmerous experiments for making an 

 Artificial Water Cement, &,-c. By C. W. Paslev, C.B., Colonel in 

 the Corps of Roval Engineers, F.R.S., &c. London ; John Weale, 

 1S38. 



We are indebted (o Col. Pasley for this practical work, and for an 

 admirable example of how theory may be applied as the assistant of 

 practice. Cement has long since attracted a greater attention than 

 stone itscir, and many have longed for that power which enabled the 

 Romans to make such durable works from materials so fragile. Col. 

 Psisley has devoted himself to his task w ith an energv and application 

 which have seemed equal lionour to himself and value to his admirable 

 work. Few men immersed in professional labour have the time to 

 follow up such subjects in a proper manner, for it is onlv from a 

 connected series of experiments that success can be obtained. ' 



The work now before us is the result ot ni.iny ycais' labour and study, 

 and enters elaborately into the examination of materials employed in 

 Imildiug, and the cements used to unite them. He gives at great length 

 his experiments on theirstrength and durability, and also on the quality of 

 substances for fornn'iig limes and cemcut*. He thus tlirows great light 

 on the principles of coirstriiction, and enables us to ;usccrtain the pro- 

 perties of tlie materials, tliecomponems of the mortars and cements, and 

 the proportions in which they should be amalgamated. This is an 

 important service rendered to the Architect and the Engineer, and gives 

 the work a character of interest which we doubt not will be appreciated 

 by our readers. 



Wc make our first selection from the dissertation on limes, which 

 conveys some judicious remarks on mortars : — 



We found by repciitcd e.^periments at Cliatliam, that one cubic foot of 

 Hailing lime weiglied neaily tlie Siinie when fresh from (lie kiln, and by (he 

 gradual addition of waler tiiat it dilated to the same increased bulk, in (he 

 suite of quick-lime powder, but when worked up into inoilar not too short for 

 use, (hat it would not bear quite so large a proportion of sand as the common 

 chalk lime bad done. 'Ibis experiment leading to a result in opposition (o a 

 common opinion amongst the builders of the metropolis, which is that (be 

 Doiking- and Hailing limes, as being slronger limes, will, when m.rde into 

 mortar, bear move amid tlian common ibalk lime, 1 was induced (o examine 

 (he piinciple upon whicli (hey found this opinion, which on consideration 

 appears to me to be erroneous ; because these two limes and all (he other 

 hydraulic limes are undoubledty in an intermediate s(a(e be(ween pure lime 

 which is lie weakest, and the water cements which are the strongest, of all 

 calcareous cements : and every one will acknowledge that (he propordon of 

 sand, which wMl make good mortar with chalk lime, would entirely ruin 

 cement, which if scarcely capable of bearing one (bird of that quantity. 

 Hence it follows that (he hydraulic liines ought not (o admit of so much sand 

 as chalk, but (ha( (bey will bear more (ban cemen(, without being injured. 



Accordingly I conceive (hat three cubic feet of sand to one of Dorking or 

 Halting lime, will be a good proportion for making mortar with those liines, 

 which approach very nearly to pure lime. The water required will be nearly 

 one cubic foot, and (he quaudty of mortar produced will be about two cubic 

 feet and nine-tcnibs, beinj rather less than (he original sptsce occupied by the 

 sand aloue. 



