1S40.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



103 



ticulaily mentioned the information given relative to that admirable 

 work King's College Chapel, drawn by Mackenzie, and St. Dunstan's 

 Church, Fleet-street, by Shaw. The drawings of the iron roofs exe- 

 cuted by the Butterley Iron Works Company are no less interesting, 

 as well as those of several new buildings in London. We do not, how- 

 ever, so much admire the roof of the Exchange at Genoa, it strikes us 

 as sliowing more ingenuity than science. We shall probably notice 

 this work more at large next month. 



^n Eisny on the Formation of Harbours of Refuge and the Improve- 

 ment of the Navigation of Rivers, by the adoption uf Moored Floa'ing 

 Constructions as Breakwaters. By John White, Architect, London. 



Air. White has long been an advocate for the application of floating 

 breakwaters, and we think that he appeals successfully to his readers, 

 considering that their own experience on any common river must have 

 convinced thera of the efficacy of such a mode of protection. With 

 the appUcation of Mitchell's Mooring Screw and the new Wire Cable, 

 we see no difliculty in carrying out Mr. White's plans both efficiently 

 and successfully. 



We feel indeljted to the author for the tribute he has paid to our 

 exertions and those of our correspondents, in promoting such an im- 

 portant branch of engineering as harbour construction, but no feeling 

 arising from this tribute, influences us in the expression of our senti- 

 ments of the high value of this work. 



THK, RIVER BOURN, OR INTERMITTING SPRING OF THE 

 NORTH DOWNS. 



TiiF. bursting or breaking oiit of the Bourn wafer about two months since 

 Gxcitod some attention at tlie time, on account of tlic interval elapsed since 

 its last eruption in the early part of 1837, being shorter than usual, but now 

 CFel). IG,) that the waters have continued to flow with increased volume, and 

 having Hooded the v.alley throufjh which it passes, together with the lower 

 part of Croydon, railed the Old Town, and the turnpike road, it hns become 

 a serious inconvenience. This intermitting sprini^ is situated in the great 

 ch.alk range which stretches in an east and west direction through the south- 

 east of FiOgland, called the North Downs, in distinction from the parallel 

 chalk range near Lewes and Brighton, called the South Downs. A traveller 

 faking the high road from London through Croydon to East Grinsted and 

 Lewes, «i)uld pass along the valley through which the Bourn water runs. A 

 little to the south of Croydon, the chalk rises from beneath the London and 

 plastic clay formations (its dip being northwards), and with comparatively 

 slight undulations.it attains the height of 800 feet above high water level, 

 within a distance of eight miles to the south of Croydon, the summit being 

 Ct)7 feet aljovc that town. 



The first appear.ince of the Bourn water is in a flat part of the above valley, 

 just below Birch wood house, and is situated between the ILilf Moon Inn at 

 Catterham Bottom, and the Inner entrance to Marden Park, where it bubbles 

 thrnugh the surf,ace of the ground in an almost infinile number of jets, some 

 of tliem are extremely small, .and none more than a quarter of an inch diame- 

 ter ; .about twenty yards from the highest of these jets their number Is siifli- 

 cient to form a riviilet, and in 100 yards a very considerable stream, and 

 w here it reaches Catterham Bottom, about three quarters of a mile, it may 

 be called a river ; the height of the first outburst is 3.50 feet above high 

 water, from thence it flows nortliMard to Croydon, where it is 133 feet abiive 

 the same level, therefore its descent from the source to Croydon, is 217 feet 

 in a distance of six miles, or an average of 36 feet per mile, conse((uently its 

 current is very rapid. Its present eruption has been much greater than any 

 that can be remembered by the oldest inhabitants of the district. The writer 

 witnes.sed that in 1837, it was confined to the channel which frum time iin- 

 niemorial was prepared for it, and which at Riddlesdow n (about halfway 

 between its source and Croydon,) is about G feet Made and 5 feet deep, com- 

 monly called the dry river, from its being free frum water so long ; in the 

 present instance the water has exceeded these limits, and covered the whole 

 of the valley in many places three and four feet deep, and where it crosses 

 .Smifhern bottom, it has stopped the works of the Brighton railway, that 

 being tlie point where a deviation of the present Godstone road is to be made, 

 and a bridge erected to carry the railway over the deviated road ; the mate- 

 rials for the bridge are all upon the ground, and the embankment, \\hich is 

 to reach to the bridge, is brought nearly as far as it can with propriety be- 

 fore its erection, consequently, these works are stopped till the Bourn ceases 

 to flow. 



The cause of this curious phenomenon is, no doubt, the same as describ d 

 in philosophical works under the head of intermitting or reciprocating 

 springs, from which it appears that the water which falls upon the surface 

 of the ground, percolates through the various strata, until it is stopped by 

 one which is impen'ious, or it falls into cavities where it is collected as in a 

 reservoir ; this continues until the waters have accumulated to the filling of 

 the reservoir, when it finds an outlet in the form of a syphon, consequently, 

 it will continue to llow till the reservoir is empty. It would therefore appear 

 that the short interval since the last eruption of the flourn, has been occa- 

 sioned by the almost unprecedented quantity of rain wliich has continued lo 

 fall for many months past, 



Connected with this subject, there is a mine about three miles to the sont'j 

 of the source of the Rourn, in which water beg.an to collect last autumn, an" 

 the miners were driven thereby from several of their headings in ,Septembe'' 

 last, and it appears that such circumstance always precedes the bursliug of 

 the Bourne, and the workmen confidently predict that event. 



The works in the Merstham tunnel on the Brighton r,ailway. which is being 

 made through the same chalk range, and scarcely four niiles west of the 

 Bourn, have been much retanled, and now nearly suspended, by the quantify 

 of water which has come in upon them; what few men are able to reach 

 their works, are at the present time fl lated upon rafts from the shafts to the 

 top headings, which alone they are able to drive ; previous to this outburst, 

 the tunnel was perfectly dry, and it may therel'ore be attributed to the same 

 cause as the Bourn water itself. 



PROGRESS OF RAILWAYS. 



Greenu'ich RnUwntj. — Thursday morning. 30th January, at half-past ten 

 o'clock, a serious accident, and one that might have been attended with the 

 most fatal results, occurred on the Greenwich Railway. Two fireenw ich trains 

 were coming up to tuwn. — the first being the ordinary passenger train, the 

 second one engaged to bring up a dctcachment of the Royal Artillery to the 

 Tower. A Croydon train was coming at the same time Irom London, but be- 

 fore it coulil turn off to take the line that branches off to Croyilon, it came 

 into collision with the Greenwich passenger train, ,and the train with the 

 artillerymen coming up almost immediately, the three trains got jammed to- 

 gether. The Greenwich train was thrown off the line, and several of the 

 passengers injured, but none fatally. Major Boyce, of the Artillery, was 

 severely cut about the bead and face, as was a gentleman belonging to the 

 Admiralty. — Morning Post. 



Great Western Railway. — It is understood a single line of rails on the Great 

 Western Railway from Reading to Twy ford will he opened as soon as possible, 

 so that the traffic by single trains should commence at a very early period. 

 To accomplish this end, the works are proceeding day and night whenever 

 the weather pennits, but the rain has been a frequent impediment to the 

 workmen. — U'iltshire Tnctepemtenf. 



Mancliesler ami Leeds Railwaij. — The Directors have just made their monthly 

 inspection of the works, which are progressing most rapidly. Some idea of 

 the exertions used to push forward the undertaking, maybe formed from the 

 fact that Mr. John Stephenson, the contractor for the great lunnel, w hich is 

 far advanced towards completion, has now in full operation, on that contract 

 alone, 1.253 men. .54 horses, and 14 steam-engines ; and that the daily con- 

 sumption of bricks is from ,51,000 to GO. 000. — RnHwni/ Times. 



Progress of the North Miillanil Rnilioa;/. — A considerable portion of this rail- 

 w.ay is so far completed as to allow of the permanent way being laid ; this is 

 done on the greater part of the fine. The most forward district is that situated 

 between Derby and Rarnsley. One line of rails is now nearly all laid for the 

 whole distance, Hdiieh is about 50 miles: great exertions having been made 

 to accomplish this, as it is expected the directors will pass along the line wilb 

 a locomotive engine, between the towns of Derby and Barnsley, very shortly 

 — probably next week. In the neighbourhood of Belper, Clay Cross, Staveley, 

 Sec, the works are proceeding night and day. in order to have a road througli 

 the large excavations in those districts. The first ckass stations are nearly 

 all contracted for, and several of them are in a forward state. The I'ickington 

 one is nearly reaily for the roof ; the Chesterfield and Southwingfield stations 

 are also far advanced ; the Leeds and Shelfield stations have been set out 

 during the week. The latter one is contracted for by Mr. Crawsbaw, and 

 will be situated near the entrance of the .Sheffield and Rothcrham Railway. 

 It will he a Large and convenient station ; the cost is estimated at about 8000/. 

 —Stieffield Iris. 



South Western Railway. — A completely new town is in the course of formation 

 between the old corporation of^ Kingston-upon-Thamcs (Surrey) and the 

 South Western Railway, and already nearly two hundretl beautifid houses, 

 snug and aristocratic villas are finished, or in the course of finishing. From 

 an inspection of the plans, and a view of what has been done, great taste and 

 judgment appear to Ije exhibited ; and the railway Company, from the ad- 

 vantages of its site over that of the old Kingston station, have been induced 

 to remove it to the entrance to the new town, « here a very commodious 

 structure h.as been erected for the accommodation of the public. It is a sin- 

 gular fact, and one which must mainly contribute to the ebgihllity of New 

 Kingston, that the first-lloor windows of the houses command .i view scarcely 

 to be equalled in England, comprising no less than five Koyal Parks— tliose 

 of Hampton, Bushy, Richmond, Windsor, and Claremont, besides the gardens 

 of Kew and the river Tluames ; and yet this spot, by railroad conveyance is 

 only twenty minutes ride. — Observer. 



STEAM NAVIGATION. 



Launeh of an Iron War Steamer. — On Thursday, February filli, was launched 

 from Messrs. Ditchburn and Mare's Iniilding yard, Blackwall, the Proserpine, 

 wrought iron ste.am vessel of 470 tons. She has four sliding keels, nine 

 water-tight bulkheads, two of which arc longitudinal running the entire 

 length of the engine room— is armed with four long guns (Ui non-recoil car- 

 riages, and will not exceed four feet draught of water when fully equipt for 

 sea. The engines are tw o 4.5 horse, having the wheels to disconnect on a 

 new and improved method to facilitate sailing, by Messrs. Maudsley, Son and 

 Field. This vessel is constructed for sailing as well as steaming. It is a fact 

 worthy of record, and ought to be generally known, that Messrs. Ditchburn 

 <and Mare were the first who arrived , it the hitherto deemed unatt.ainalile re- 

 sult of giving highly superior sailing oualities to iron sea-going vessels ot 

 shallow ilraught of water. Their application and improvement of sliding 



