1830.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



:m 



terior, for want <if wliich most boiler; on a small scale fail, in conse- 

 quence of the seiliment and impurities of the water forming a crust 

 upon the internal surface, preventing the caloric passing speedily 

 from the fuel through the metal to t\w. water, and causing also the 

 boiler to be quickly burned out. The boiler is made of wruught-iron, 

 and is funiished with a man-hole at the top for the purpose of cleansing 

 the interior, and there are also two apertures in front communicating 

 with the bottom for the same purpose ; these two apertures are closeil 

 with iron plates, fixed to flanges with nuts and screws and which are 

 easily removed when required. The fuel is placed in tlie centre of 

 the boiler, and the flame is made to divide at the back and pass round 

 both sides, ami again miite in front and pass over the top, to the 

 chimney, by this means no part of the boiler is exposed to the cold 

 atmospliere, but all is subject to the direct action of the fire, histead 

 of dividing the upper and side flues by a brick partition, as is usually 

 the case in setting boilers, they are divided by a flange of the boiler 

 filled with water, by this construction no part of the Ijoiler contains 

 more than 3i inches in thickness of water, consec[uently the circu- 

 lation through the hot water pipes is very rajiid. 



Some of these boilers were fixed last winter for 

 heating conservatories, and gave perfect satisfaction; 

 boiler may be seen at the office of this Journal. 



the pur|)ose of 

 a model of the 



THE WELLINGTON MEMORIAL. 



Sir — In the authenticated account of the proceedings at a meeting 

 of the General Committee on the Wellington Military Memorial, some 

 assertions were made that are calculated to create a prejudice which 

 might not have been intended, and as Dr. Johnson observed, in ques- 

 tions of general concern, there is no law of government or rule of 

 decency tliat forbids open examination and public discussion. The 

 subscribers, who in the list of the committee read so many illustrious 

 names, had a security that nothing would be done in opposition to the 

 argument, and in defiance of right reason, yet it appears by the state- 

 ment of Lord Hill, that two or three days after the meeting of the 

 general committee he expressed an opinion against tlicir proceedings, 

 but he was told that it was too late, and a few days afterwards a 

 written statement was made by several iniluencial members of the 

 committee, not against the choice of the artist, but that due care had 

 not been taken to obtain the best design; now as it seems by Mr. 

 Croker's letter to Mr. Rice, " that he in common with others, entertained 

 an opinion that some undue favour was intended for Mr. Wyatt, it was 

 reasonable to su|ipose that the committee would have courted investi- 

 gation instead of clinging to form for protection from discussion ; and 

 as a general meeting of the subscribers could not have inqjeded the 

 work, it might have been useful as a proof that the committee had, in 

 common with the subscribers, no object of private patronage in getting 

 up the second memorial, but were actuated solely by an anxious and 

 earnest desire to express their love and admiration of the immortal 

 Wellington, by erecting the best military memorial that art could pro- 

 duce, and to obtain that object public opinion was in favour of com- 

 petition; but in opposition to that feeling the Right Homuu'able J. 

 Wilson Croker thought it requisite to taunt Lord dilborne with the 

 failure of the Nelson competition, and said that it woidd have cured 

 any body of the principle of competition. " That not one person of note 

 offered, one single R. A., and one only, not one artist, sculptor, designer, 

 or painter, whose names any one of us had heard before ; and the re- 

 sult was that after all that competition, we selected a mere architec- 

 tural disigntr, which we could ec[ually well have done before the com- 

 petition began, in short, that as producing any thing gaud or valuable 

 in the way of art, I take upon myself to say that it was an utter 

 failure." As the models and designs are exhibiting for the benefit of 

 a charitable institution, to provide a home for the destitute sailor, this 

 assertion was illtimed, and it was drawing largely iqion the credulity 

 of the members of the committee, to try to make them supimse that 

 they had never heard the names of Bailey, R.A., Wilkins, R.A., 

 Smirke, Campbell, Pistrucci, Beknas, Donaldson, Shaw, Fowler, Hay- 

 don, Britton, Salwin, Lough, Westmacott, Carew, Robinson, and many 

 others who were conqjetitors ; Penrhyn Castle, the Conservatory at 

 Carlton House, Diuikeld Margam, the Atlas Fire-ollice, and many 

 other buildings have given some notoriety even to my humble name; 

 l)ut the models have been seen by many persons capable of a])preciat- 

 ing works of art, whose opinions otter a triumphant refutation of Mr. 

 Croker's aspersions. Marochettin, whose name has obtained such high 

 distinction for his matchless equestrian statue, that it must have met 

 the eyes or ears of Mr. Croker, withdrew his model after he had com- 

 pared it with the works of the British artists, who have been so un- 

 justly and unnecessarily repudiated and calumniated by Mr. Croker; 

 although it might puzzle him to produce any work of art superior to 



Bailey's. Competitions carried out properly are the only channel to 

 bring talented young men forwaril who have no ]iatrons; but if accord- 

 ing to Mr. Croker's doctrine, the name only is to be looked at, it is 

 better to continue thi> parliamentary practice of a strong parly struggh". 

 The manly independent speeches of the Duke of Richmond, Lord s 

 Hill and Colborn<', must gain honour and respect froni all jjersons who 

 feel any interest in the success of the arts, and their judicious conduct 

 in avoiding a division cannot be too highly commended ; in a matter 

 of such importance there ought to be no bickering or division, and it 

 was evident from the first that the ruling party were resolved to carry 

 their object with a high hand (Coutts c. Coutts). Mr. Croker stated 

 that when he entered tlie connnittec, he found that a string of resolu- 

 tions had been passed, ending with the appointment of Mr. Wyatt as 

 the artist, but upon hia objecting, the appointment was postponed, and 

 that he afterwards agreed that Mr. Wyatt should be em[)loyed, pro- 

 vided the equestrian statue was ])lacod on King George the 4th gate- 

 way arch to the Green Park ; and he produced a drawing made by his 

 direction to shew the proportion, and said that he understood from 

 the architect that the arch was strong enough to support the weight 

 of the statue, but it seems he was mistaken, as it now appears it will 

 require to be strengthened and filled up, to be as firm as a single stone. 

 Now as the use of the arch was made the condition of Mr. Croker's 

 adhesion, the government of course thought it requisite to defer to 

 public opinion, and they took the proper course to arrive at it, viz., 

 by placing a model of the eqiiestrian statue according to Mr. Croker's 

 scale upon the arch, (the shouts of laughter and the derision with 

 which it was treated was conclusive), and yet the committee persist, 

 nor would they have called a meeting in all probability if Lord Mel- 

 bourne had not had that respect for public opinion when properly ex- 

 pressed, that is becoming his exalted station, and required a prool 

 that the majority of the subscribers were satisfied that with the large 

 sum already paid in, and the sum that may be expected to be sub- 

 scribed, nothing better could be produced in art than the completion 

 of a gateway. The citizens of London may erect their equestrian 

 statue on the top of the Mansion House, to show that their respect 

 was greater for the warrior than for the minister ; for if their statue 

 is intended as a memorial of the illustrious Duke's services as 

 minister, nothing can be more absurd than an equestrian statue, as it; 

 ought to be erected in his ollicial robes, which are not certainly cal- 

 culated for horseback. It is unfortunate that both in the Nelson and 

 Wellington memorial such an utter disregard has been shown to public 

 opinion. In the former, artists were invited to deliver designs and 

 models, a sub-committee was appointed, seven of w horn it is said met 

 and resolved, it appears by Mr. Croker's account, to appoint a new 

 architectural designer, which they could, as he says, have done just as 

 well without any competition; the designs were afterwards exhibiteil 

 and the general opinion was so strong against the selection of the 

 column, that the general connnittec thought it right to pay the pre- 

 miums, and allow the artists to alter their designs, and they or any- 

 other artists to send new designs, it was supposed for the purpose ot 

 obtaining the opinion of the public to guide the committee in their 

 choice; yet by a mistaken restriction, but a small number of persons 

 obtained a sight of the designs, the competitors felt the inconvenience 

 so strongly, and were so desirous that the greatest possible publicity 

 should be given to the designs, that they petitioned the committee tu 

 suspend their final adjudication until tlie design had been seen, and 

 they ottered to pay the cost of the room ; their request was treated 

 with silent contempt; a ballot-box was opened at the Thatched House 

 Tavern, no discussion took place as to the merits of the designs, a 

 resolution was passed that the sub-committee might alter the details 

 of the chosen design, and as it was natural to suppose it would, 

 the farce ended in there being more votes in favo\u- of the column 

 than of any one of the others ; and it is possible the question vvas de- 

 cided by a minority of the niembeis of the committee. Mr. Croker, 

 from his talents, acquirements and confidence, is of so much weight 

 that it is to be regretteil that he is not more careful in his assertions, 

 witness his declaration in support of his opinion that he believed that 

 in inonarchial countries there is no instance of an esquestrian statue 

 erected to a subject; when, in his way to Harley-street, if he passed 

 thiough Cavendish-square, he nuist have seen the equestrian statue 

 erected to the Duke of Cumberland, who was a subject to King George 

 the ■2nd. It is a melancholy consideration to reflect on, that two such 

 glorious opportvmities for the exercise of the highest qualities of the 

 arts may be thrown away, merely because modern statesmen and 

 warriors are not the best judges of art, and are too prouil to consult 

 those who are. The report states that the sum subscribed is 'Zifi'ML, 

 and the sum paid is about 17,920/. I thought that to subscribe was 

 to pay, surely there are none who have not paid, but we ought io 

 know if there be any names on paper alone. 



Cuiiiii.iii"/it Tirra'cc Tuom.vs Huupei;. 



