184.8.J 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT S JOURNAL 



317 



his lordship omitted to state an important explanatory fact pointed out hy 

 Mr. Howard : — " It was in the first five months of 1845 that the duty was 

 remitted, and during that particular period the makers and dealers exported 

 enormous quantities of every description, not on account of increased de- 

 mand from abroad, but for the express purpose of obtaining the large draw, 

 backs (amounting to bounties) which were then, for the last time, allowed 

 by the excise." 



The fact is, that an ofticiai return, dated May 5, 1S48. printed by order of 

 the House of Commons, shows the total amount of foreign plate-glass, 

 entered for consumption in England, to have been 99,841 feet. This is at 

 the rate of 1,920 feet per week. The number of feet of English make sold 

 per week during that time being 70,000, while in 1845 it was only 23,000. 

 The importation, instead of causing a displacement of English labour, has, 

 by stimulating competition, improved quality and lowered prife, and by 

 thus increasing consumption, caused mure English labour to be employed. 



The state of the exports, as shown by the return already referred to, is 

 equally satisfactory. The exports of English glass in 1847 exceeded those of 

 1846, in flint-glass, hy 20 per cent.; in common window-glass, by 42 ; in 

 bi>ttles, by 5 ; in looking-glasses, by 49 ; and in plate-glass, by 110 per cent. 

 Well may Mr. Howard remark, "Looking at the unexampled commercial 

 difficulties of 1S47, this increase is almost incredible." 



Two facts relative to the trade in plate-glass, stated by Mr. Howard, have 

 a bearing upon these general results too important to he omitted. Of two 

 agencies established here, exclusively for the sale of foreign plate-glass, one 

 has been compelled to relinquish the sale of it, simply from inability to 

 withstand liritish competition. There was no English plate-glass exported 

 to the United States in 1846 ; while, in 1847, it equalled in amount the ex- 

 ports to all the world in 1846. 



How, then, are we to account for complaints made both in and out of 

 Parliament that British interests have suft'ered from the remission of the 

 glass duties ? Mr. Howard throws some light on this question : — " In 1845, 

 when the excise duty was remitted, the English makers reduced the price of 

 small plates (which foreigners could not afford to send here at all) to a fair 

 and equitable scale, but the large plates (which, paradoxical as it may appear, 

 cost less per foot than the small ones) were kept up at the unreasonable 

 rates quoted above. Our neighbours, the French and Belgians, attracted and 

 encourai;ed bv the simplicity which thus invited them here, under cover of 

 our excessive prices, accordingly brought over and sold their larger fabrics at 

 enormous profits, whilst our manufacturers, realising still greater advantages, 

 and supported hy au immense demand, refused to modify this extraordinary 

 tariff, although its manifest injustice to the public, and direct tendency to 

 injure the very interest it was intended to promote, have been almost uni- 

 versally condemned as the climax of absurdity." 



Labour forms directly and indirectly nearly 80 per cent, of the cost of plate- 

 glass. The raw material is nearly all English produce. In short, it is a 

 natural manufacture. As such it was depressed by heavy excise duties, and 

 not relieved by protection from foreign competition. Since it has been 

 emancipated both from the oppressive and the protective influences of fiscal 

 regulations, it has daily grown in strength and prosperity, in defiance of 

 competition. It is only under such a system that branches of industry, na- 

 tural to a country, can flourish, and such branches of industry only are 

 really advantageous to a nation. 



THE GREAT VIADUCT ACROSS THE DEE, IN THE 

 VALE OF LLANGOLLEN. 



"While the speed to be attained hy mechanical ingenuity is being intensely 

 considered, the architecture of our railways is not forgotten, and we feel 

 pleased to have it in our power to notice one of the most daring and stupen- 

 dous efforts of skill and art to which the railway has given rise. We refer to the 

 great viaduct now in course of completion across the valley of the Dee, in the 

 Vale of Llangollen — the dimensions of which surpass any thing of the kind 

 in the world. While the tubular bridges across the Menai Straits and Con- 

 way River are, from their novelty, attracting much attention, the undertaking 

 referred to has proceeded nearly to completion, without any considerable 

 notice being taken of it. Its vastness of proportions may be better con- 

 ceived, when it is stated that, in magnitude it far exceeds what is considered 

 the greatest effort of human skill in connection with railway communication 

 — the Stockport viaduct. The Dee viaduct (for this is the term given 

 to the one at Llangollen) is upwards of 150 feet above the level of the 

 river — being 30 feet higher than the Stockport viaduct, and 34 feet higher 

 than Menai Bridge. It is supported by 19 arches of 90 feet span, and its 

 length is upwards of 1530 feet, or nearly one-third of a mile. The outline 

 of the structure is, perhaps, one of the handsomest that could have been 

 conceived, both as regards its chaste style and attractive finish ; and its 

 general appearance is considerably enhanced hy the roundness of the arches, 

 which are enriched by massive quoins, and the curvilinear batter of the piers : 

 this style of architecture imparts a grace and beauty to the structure without 

 impairing its strength. The greatest attention seems to have been paid to 

 the abutments — the only part of the erection, in reality, where any decora- 

 tive display coald be made. In the middle of both, on each side, there are 



beautifully executed niches in the Corinthian order, in addition to some 

 highly-finished masonry. The piers are neatly wrousht at the angles, and 

 at the base of nearly each there is a bedding of upwards of 400 square feet 

 of masonry. With the exception of the entradoes of the arches, which are 

 composed of a blue sort of brick, the whole structure is built of beautiful 

 stone — if not as durable, equal in richness and brilliance to Darlydale. The 

 viaduct has an inclination from end to end of 40 feet, and connects that part 

 of the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway between Rbos-y-Medre and Chirk. 

 Viewed from beneath, the vast structure presents a noble and truly grand 

 appearance, and its bold proportions, with its height, cannot fail to call forth 

 admiration from the most inditferent beholder. While the view below 

 developes what art can accomplish, that from the summit surpasses in rich- 

 ness and luxuriance of the picturesque any landscape in the kingdom. 

 Situated in the middle of the far-famed Vale of Llangollen, there is all that 

 nature and art can bestow to make the view charming and beautiful. On 

 one side are hold and swelling hills, on the other a plain teeming with 

 luxuriance far and wide. Within view are Castell Dinas Bran, or, as it is 

 commonly called, " Crow Castle," which is situate on the ciuwn of a conical 

 hill — the glaciated rocks, Wynnstay, and Pont-y-Cyssyllte, or the Dee Aque- 

 duct. This last structure, which conveys the Ellesmere Canal, is within a 

 short distance from the viaduct, and, from its beauty and extent, imparts 

 additional interest to the locality. 



The viaduct has been erected hy Messrs. Makin, Mackenzie, and Brassy, 

 contractois, at a cost of upwards of 100,000/., being upwards of 30,000/. 

 more than the Stockport viaduct. The cost of the timber required to form 

 the scaffolding, &c., for its erection was 15,000/., and between 300 or 400 

 masons alone were employed during the whole time of construction. Within 

 a few miles distance there is another viaduct in course of building across the 

 valley of Ceiriog. This structure will be upwards of 120 feet high, and will 

 have 10 arches, of 45 feet span, and one of 120 feet. The entire length 

 will be at least 850 feet, and will cost, when completed, a large sum of 

 money. 



NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



The Copying Electric Teleijraph. — We mentioned in a former number 

 (p. 191 ante) that an electric telegraph bad been invented by Mr. Bakewell, 

 by means of which a written communication could be copied at a distant 

 town, so as to enable correspondents to recognise the handwriting of each 

 other. This telegraph has, during the past mouth, had several trials be- 

 tween London and Slough, that line of wire being the only one that can be 

 spared by the Electric Telegraph Company for experiments. The results of 

 these trials have proved that the power transmitted along the wires is quite 

 sufficient for the copying process, as only the same batteries were employed 

 as are necessary to work tlie needle telegraph. We have seen several speci- 

 mens of the writing copied along 40 miles of wire, which prove that wnen 

 the instruments are accurately constructed, copies of any writing may be 

 taken by means of this telegraph. With the model instruments and a single 

 wire, the copying was, we understand, done twice as quickly as communica- 

 tions can be made by the needle with a single wire, and Mr. Bakewell ex- 

 pects to be able to increase the speed ten-fold with larger instruments. 

 Independently of the gain of speed by this means, there would be greater 

 confidence given to telegraphic communications, if the intelligence received 

 were written in the handwriting of correspondents, since hy the present 

 mode of communicating there is no proof that the information received is 

 authentic ; and as the messages transmitted by the copying process are 

 traced from the original writing, there can be no errors committed by the 

 misunderstanding of signals. 



The New Brazilian War-Steamer " Affonso" — The first pair of marine 

 steam-engines built in Uolton, were constructed by Messrs, Benjiniin 

 Hick aud Son, for the Affonso, Brazilian war-steamer, which has obtained 

 such honourable notoriety by the services it rendered to the passengers and 

 crew of the Ocean Muimrck. These engines are made on the direct-acting 

 principle, are 300-horse power, and several improvements have been intro- 

 duced in their construction. The framing for supporting the paddles and 

 intermediate shafts is made of forge or vvrought-iron, and some idea may 

 be formed of the value of this improvement, by comparing it with the ordi- 

 nary cast-iron framing generally adopted. One of these pedestal blocks, 

 of which there are four, when shaped and finished, weighed 28 cwt. ; but 

 if made of cast-iron, and equally strong, the weight would have been 

 80 cwt., aud even theu the liability to fracture would be moio than trebly 

 hazardous. There is, also, in the construction of these engines, a simple 

 aud improved arrangement of the eccentric and reversing motion, which 

 enables the valves to be reversed for going ahead or astern with the 

 greatest ease, and by which the labour of three men to each engine is 

 saved when reversing. The mode of introducing the injection water is 

 also new, simple, and effective. The Affonso was built for navigating the 

 shallow rivers of the Brazils, and she is well armed for the protection of 

 their trade, having a 64-pounder fore and aft, which swivel on carriages, 

 and also four 34-pounders in her side ports. The vessel and engines were 

 built under the orders and inspection of Admiral Grenfell, the Brazilian 

 consul at Liverpool, and though from her construction she was not ex- 

 pected to sail more than 9 knots per hour, she accomplished ll^ on her 

 trial trip. — Liverpool Mercury 



