136 



THE CIVIL ENGINEF.R AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[Aprii., 



Ijetween tlie locoiiiolivc aiul fixei] non-condensing engines, and the consump- 

 tion of tlie latter lias been used, together with the condensing engine, as the 

 test of the acenrary of the data of resistance assigned to the former by the 

 various analysis. The accurate determination of the expenditure of steam by 

 the same locomotive engine, in which the values of the friction and of the 

 blast pressure were ascertained, admits of the consumption of water as steam 

 for given effects being determined, and thus narrows the grounds of doubt, 

 and establishes in(U'e correct data for ascertaining the real resistance opposed 

 to progressive motion on railways. Tlie ajiplication of these principles, as 

 borne out by the experiments of the author, and their particular bearing on 

 the experiments which have been the subject of the previous ample and de- 

 tailed discussion, form the conclusion of Mr. Parkes series of eonimunica- 

 tions on steaiu boilers and steam engines. 



ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS. 

 .•ird Feb. 1840, W. R. Hamilton, Esq., Hon. Fellow in the Chair. 



J. H. Good, jun., was elected an Associate. 



A paper was read by Ambrose Poynter, Esq., Hon. Sec. entitled, " tome 

 remarks on arnhesijue decornfioii^, particulnrly those of the Vatican^ Au 

 abstract of this |iaper appeared in the last months' Journal. 



It is requisite that we should notice an error which occnned in the report 

 of Mr. Poynter's jiaper on arabesque ornaments, in oiu' last number. Some 

 extracts had been selected from it, which owing to the unavoidable absence 

 of the Editor, were inserted without tlie necessary connexion being supplied, 

 and were, moreover, unfortunately misjilaccd in jninting. We think this ex- 

 planation due to Mr. Poynter — we hope that we shall be able, at some future 

 opportunity, to print this very interesting paper in full, illustrated by en- 

 granngs. 



17tli Feb., John Shaw, Esq., Fellow in the Chair. 



Mr. C. H. Smith read a paper " on the properties of rririoim stones used 

 for l/nit/linr/. 



At a Special General Meeting, 21st Feb., 11. E. Kendall, Fellow in the 

 Chair. 



It was Resolved — That the President Earl De Grey be respectfully re- 

 quested to present to her Majesty the following address on the part of the 

 Institute. 



ADDHESS. 



The President, Vice Presidents and Members of the Institute of British 

 Architects, dee))ly impressed with the honour conferred upon them by your 

 Majesty's most gracious patronage, beg leave humbly to oft'er their sincere 

 congratulations on the occasion of your Majesty's auspicious marriage. 



That every blessing of this life may attend your Majesty and your illus- 

 trious f^onsort throughout a long and prosperous reign is the earnest prayer 

 of your Majesty's most loyal and dutiful subjects. 



2d March 1840, H. E. Kendall Fellow in the chair. The following gen- 

 tlemen were elected Fellows : — Charles Parish, George Alexander, and David 

 Urandon from the class of .Associates ; — Associate, Evan Christian. 



T. L. Donaldson, Esq. Fellow, read a paper " oti tlie recent discoveries made 

 at the Porta Mayijiore, Home," conmiunicated by Signer Canina, Hon. and 

 Cor. Member. 



Mr. C. 11. Smith read the conclusion of his paper "on the properties of 

 stone used for the purposes of building. 



Monday, March 16, George Moore, Fellow, in the Chair. 



The following gentlemen were elected : as Fellow, Edwanl J'Ausou, jun. ; 

 as Associates, William Hinton Campbell, of Bath, and George Pownall. 



Anthony Salvin, Fellow, presented ten guineas for the purchase of books. 



T. 1,. Donaldson, Esq., read a paper on a system of framing for floors and 

 roofs of large s|ian, and applicable to bridges, whetlier of timber or iron, com- 

 municated by Heir Laves, architect of Hanover, Hon. and Cor. Member. 



Question respecting the origin of the vertical line in architecture, and the 

 return to the horizontal Hue in Italian liuildings. By Sir Gardner Wilkinson, 

 Hon. Fellow. 



In offering the following observations to the consideration of the Institute, 

 it is not my object to suggest, but to elicit an opinion upon the subject; 

 feeling as 1 do that it would be jiresumption for me to do more than state 

 the facts which have led to my remarks, when I bad an opportunity of sub- 

 mitting it to those who are so ca|iable of giving it a satisfactory exjilanation. 



It is universally admitted that the principal features which distingiush 

 Greek from what may be called Church Architecture, are the horizontal line 

 in the former, and the vertical in the latter ; and some have supposed that to 

 church architecture is to be ascribed the origin of the vertical line. That it 

 is common to buildings of the Saracens, the Lombards, the Saxons, and the 

 Normans, as well as to those of the ])ointcd style, is sufficiently obvious : 

 thus far our experience tells us we have traced it, but beyond this, conjecture 

 has not attributed to it an existence, nor has its origin been ascribed to any 

 more remote source. 



In the oldest Saracenic Mosques, erected about the middle of the 7th cen- 

 tury, the style of architecture is evidently borrowed from Roman buildings. 

 Their arches are simply imitative of the Roman style; the windows though 



small have a round arched head; tlie corridors are formed of avenues of single 

 slender columns supporting round arches, and the type of the Roman original 

 is readily traced; as in the earliest churches of Europe, which also present 

 the round arch of the Roman style. But in both these we find the lines 

 already vertical ; and that this might be expected from what we see in the 

 moiuuncnts of ancient Rome, is the point to which I wish jiaiticularly to ad- 

 vert. 



Those buildings erected by the Romans in imitation of the Greek, as temples, 

 and some other monuments of a borrowed style, present the horizontal line 

 of that architecture to which they really belonged, and of which they were 

 copies; and since we find this to be the case in all countries of modern 

 Europe where Greek architecture is imitated (even though it is notorious that 

 the vertical line is the prevailing feature of our taste) we cannot he surprised 

 that the same should have been done li\ the architects of Rome. But when- 

 ever the Romans attempted any thing of their own, in which they thought a 

 deviation from Greek models was allowable, we no longer perceive the hori- 

 zontal, but the vertical line predominating ; and to such an extent, that even 

 a Greek entablature is sacrificed to this their favourite sentiment, being broken 

 up into detached parts and comjielled to project and recede, in order to allow 

 the vertical line to pass continuously through it to the summit of the build- 

 ing. 



In an arch of triumph, a Roman composition, though the mouldings and 

 many other details are borrowed from the Greek, the vertical line commeuces 

 with the pedestal of the columns appended to its side, and extending upwards 

 with the cohunn, breaks through the entablature, which it obliges to come 

 forward to earn- out and mark its direction, requires a projection of the attic 

 to correspond with the capital above the cornice, and terminates in a statue ; 

 thus continuing it uninterruptedly from the base of the sunuuit of the build- 

 ing. This is not confined to an arch of triumph ; the same occurs in other 

 monuments ; a remarkable instance of which may be cited in the remains of 

 the Forum Palladium, or Forum of Nero, (according to the Chevalier Bunsen), 

 where the whole entablature is made to advance from the face of the wall to 

 the distance of several feet, and is crowned by a similar iirojection of the 

 attic, in order to correspond with the vertical line of the column which sup- 

 ports it ; and the same taste for breaking up the horizontal line of Greek 

 entablatures may be seen in numerous Roman buildings, the neplus ultra of 

 which occurs in the monstrosities of Petra. 



Thus then we find the vertical line did not originate with the architecture 

 of Christian Europe; it occurs in the mommients of ancient Rome; and this 

 interesting question naturally suggests itself, — whence did it proceed, was it 

 of Italian origin ? — In the Rome of a Christian era the same occurs through- 

 out its churches; which is the more remarkable, as those churches are not of 

 what has been termed Gothic, but of Greco-Roman or of Cinque-cento style ; 

 and in these the vertical line extends from the lowest to the highest part. 

 Even domes and cupolas are not exempt from its intrusion; it commences 

 with the basement of the column, and extending ujiwards through the pro- 

 jecting entablature and the attic, it continues in bands over the whole convex 

 surface of the dome, requires a corresponding pilaster or half column in the 

 lantern, and exhausts itself only in the extremity of the cross, or whatever 

 point terminates the building: a good example of which may be seen in the 

 cupola of St. Peter's, whose facade, a memento of Bernini, not only unites 

 the most glaring defects in taste, hut affords an illustration of the worst ap-' 

 plication of the vertical line. After viewing these monuments, and observing 

 the feeling which pervades them, eveiT one must be surjirised at the sight of 

 the s])lendid palazzi of Rome, and other cities of Italy. In these we no longer 

 perceive the vertical, but the horizontal line predominating, which is carried 

 out with wonderful effect, both in the rich and splendid cornices that crown 

 the building, and in the string courses beneath the windows. In these no 

 broken entahlature injures the barmouy of the straight line, no sinecure 

 columns are suspended at the side of the walls to do nothing but spoil the 

 effect of the whole mass, and we perceive that their architects did not put 

 together a number of details to form a whole, but conceived the whole, and 

 made the details accessory to the general effect. So evident indeed is this, 

 that the details are sometimes bad, and still the whole is excellent ; as in 

 many jiictiires of the great masters, where the composition and execution of 

 the painting are of far greater importance, aud far more striking to an artist 

 than the imperfection of an accessory' ! like the sandal in the picture of 

 Apelles. 



Whence came it that Italy adojited this horizontal style, in which she has 

 given such magnificent ami graceful monuments ' They are her own ; and 

 no Greek models were the origin of these noble conceptions. This is another 

 interesting question ; and it is w ith a view to obtain some explanation res- 

 pecting the origin of tlie vertical sli/le in ancient Rome, and the return to the 

 horizontal style in the palaces of modern Italy, that I have offered the fore- 

 going remarks to the Society ; fully jiersuaded that many here present have 

 been struck with the same curious facts, and are enabled to offer au explana- 

 tion of them, which ray inexperience on such a subject forbids me to suggest. 



SELECT COMMlTTEl'i ON RAILAVAYS. 



[second report to the house of commons. I 



The select committee appointed to inquire into the state of communication 



by railw,iy.s, and who were empoivcred to report llicir observations, together 



with the minutes of evidence taken before them from time to time, to the 



House ; have further considered the matters to them refeiTed, and have to 



