PREFACE. 



This year lias been less remarkable for great events than for the steady and gratifying progress which has been made in every branch 

 of the two professions, to recording the labours of which our Journal is devoted. The financial embarrassment of the country, and the 

 course of political events, have been far from favourable either to the promotion of existing undertakings, or the formation of new ones. 

 With regard to architecture, it must have been gratifying to our readers to have witnessed the increasing interest which has been shown 

 by the public of late years on this subject, manifested by the demand for competitions, and the extended discussion of architectural topics 

 in the higher class of general periodicals, while a strong feeling seems to prevail as to the necessity of enlightening the public mind, and 

 bringingit to bear upon this as upon other branches of the arts. Architecture has at last been recognized as a subject for collegiate 

 education, by its introduction into King's College, and by the formation of architectural schools in the national dockyards. The Royal 

 Academy has given signs of a more liberal disposition towards the profession, by the election of Barry, notwithstanding his known con- 

 nexion with the Royal Institute— a step highly important. The Institute of Architects of Ireland has been established, and the royal 

 patronage bestowed upon it. The Revival style, as we announced last year, has now gained a footing in this country, at the same time 

 that considerable progress has been also made in internal decoration by Parris, Latilla, Owen Jones, and other artists of talent ; so much 

 better disposition is now shown to unite this branch of the arts with architecture, that there appears every prospect of the Houses of 

 Parliament being painted in fresco, although we hope not, as has been suggested, by foreign hands. The temple of EngUsh freedom 

 should never be desecrated by strangers. 



We have not this year, as previously, to regret the loss of many great edifices, although York Minster has suffered considerably by 

 fire. Among the ancient buildings in which restorations or improvements have been carried on, may be mentioned Westminster Abbey, 

 the Temple, St. Aldate's, York Minster, Tliorney Abbey, St. Mary Nottingham, St. Michael's Basingtoke. Few buildings of any note 

 have been completed, although many are in a satisfactory state of progress; we may, however, mention the Reform Club, the Club 

 Chambers Association, the Princess's Theatre, and the Manchester Unitarian Chapel. Several fine railway stations have been erected, 

 and cemeteries opened in London and different parts of the countr)'. The subject of a change in the system of prison discipline now in 

 agitation, seems to promise, at an early period, extensive employment for the profession, as also the question of national education, and 

 the construction of school-houses consequent thereon. The profession in Ireland has been largely employed in building union work- 

 houses, some of which are on a large scale; a prospect also exists of similar employment for our Scotch brethren. It will be a matter of 

 gratification to consider that the important question of the architectural and sanitory police of large towns is now attracting much atten- 

 tion. Something therefore may be expected to be done. 



Among the architects whose loss we have this year to regret, are Sir Jeffry Wyatville, AlbertoUi, and Mr. Whitwell. 



The engineering profession although having greater obstacles to contend with than the architects, have shown rather more vigour, 

 and will require therefore a more lengthened statement of the progress they have made. Engineering education is making still greater 

 advances, a new faculty has been established at Glasgow, and the first Regius Professor of Engineering appointed, the other faculties 

 have been improved ; at King's College the architectural instruction has been extended, and a lower school formed for elementary in- 

 struction. To the Mining schools we shall hereafter have occasion to advert; we may farther mention the increased qualifications re- 

 quired of enginemen by the Admiralty, the examination of officers on the steam engine, and the delivery of lectures at the Royal Naval 

 College, the establishment of a College for Civil Engineers at Putney, and the project of a School of Practical Engineering at the Poly- 

 technic Institution. While at this point we may mention that honorary degrees have been conferred by the universities, upon several 

 engineers, and also upon Junius Smith, the great pnimoter of Atlantic Steam Navigation. The University of Edinburgh have ordered 

 from Chantrey, a statue of Watt, being the sixth of that great man, and the Institute of Civil Engineers have this year offered premiums 

 fur memoirs of eminent engineers; we regret however, to remark, that no disposition has been shown by the Government to bestow the 

 same honours upon this as upon other professions. Prizes have been awarded by an Association at Glasgow, for improvements in safety 

 valves. The local exhibitions of arts and manufactures have acquired this year still greater extension, and probably we shall not long 

 wait for a national exhibition in the metropolis. 



The railway system has in several ways prominently attracted public attention. We shall first adveit to the number of lines which 

 have been this year either wholly or partially opened. Among these are, the Great Western, Brighton, Blackwall, Eastern Counties, 

 Northern and Eastern, North Midland, York and North Midland, Manchester and Leeds, Hull and Selby, Glasgow and Ayr, Glasgow and 

 Paisley, Maryport and Carlisle, Preston and Wyre, Lancaster and Preston, Chester and Birkenhead, Chester and Crewe, Manchester and 

 Birmingham, Birmingham and Gloucester, and Taff Vale. On nearly all the great lines most fearful and unprecedented accidents have 

 within the last few months taken place without any satisfactory cause for their extent, they seem indeed to be the result of a similar 

 mysterious visitation to that by which steam navigation was afflicted last year and the year before, and from which it has been this year 

 free. Government have been as usual meddling this year, and we regret to say with greater success than before ; besides employing parlia- 

 mentary committees and itinerant commissioners who have been employed on the Scotch and Holyhead routes, an act has been past for 

 giving the Government an unprecedented control over the lines. Only one bill for a new railway passed last session. The system of 

 leasing small lines to other companies, and of the union of lines has been much extended. Rope traction has now been shown on a con- 

 siderable scale on the Blackwall railway, on which wire rope is proposed to be used, and a large experiment has been made of the pneu- 

 matic system, on the West London Railway. Electric telegraphs have received some improvements, and their utility for railway pur- 



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