1840.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



251 



SAFETY VALVES. 



The annexed engravings are referred to in tlie Report on tlie plans 

 for preventing accidents on board Steam- vessels, at page 24G. 



Fig. 2; 



ON SUSPENSION BRmGES. 



Sir — I observe in your Journal of the past month, an engraving and 

 description of " Dredge's Patent Suspension Bridge," you viJill find at 

 page 23, vol. 1 of the Journal, an engraving and description of my 

 bridge, which was presented to the British Association for Science at 

 Newcastle, in 1838. Mr. Dredge's bridge was presented to the Asso- 

 ciation last year at Birmingham. The identity of principle in the two 

 bridges is evident, and if it were desired to convert my construction 

 into that proposed by Mr. Dredge, it would be merely necessary to 

 unite each radial link with the one next it, but this would necessarily 

 divert the rods from the diagonal line, representing the resultant of 

 the two forces, tending to destroy the bridge, which would be a very 

 unskilful arrangement, and attended with no practical benefit. I am 

 not desirous to enter into a controversy upon this matter, but I think I 

 may claim from you the small justice, of allowing me to state in your 

 next number, my claims to be considered the author of this system of 

 constructing suspension bridges ; it may not be amiss to observe that 

 my arrangement is much easier of construction than either that of Mr. 

 Dredge, or the ordinary suspension bridge, and would be cheaper and 

 stift'er than either. 



I remain, your obedient servant, 



W. J. Curtis. 



15, Stamford Street, Black/riars Road, 

 June 17, 1840. 



MYKE LIGHTHOUSE. 



In our last number wo gave an engraving and description of the Wyre 

 Liglulunise, togotlicr with the Specification, with the signature of " Henry 

 Mangles Denlum," at the end. by which it may appear that the design and 

 specification was tliat of Captain Denham, instead of wliich it w ill appear by 

 the following letter to have Ijcen entirely the production of Messrs. Mitchell 

 and .Son.' 



TO THE EniTOR OF THE PRESTON PILOT. 



60, Pall Mall, London, May 9th, 1840. 

 Sni— It is right that llie public should clearly understand that the specifi- 

 cation of the Wyrc Lighthouse was the production of Messrs. Alexander 

 Milchell and Son, .and only signed Ijy me to show 1 had considered, approved, 

 and caiiseil lis adoption. Your inserting this note in your next paper will ob- 

 lige your humble sorvant, 



H. M. Denham. 

 ^Consulting Marine .Surveyor. 



THE PROJECTED MERCHANT SEAMAN'S INSTITUTION. 

 (See Plate.) 



The grandeur and great public importance of a project, the parti- 

 culars of which accompany our Journal this month, will, we trust, ex- 

 cuse our departing somewhat from our usual course, in criticising a 

 work at present to a certain extent undetermined, but which we pro- 

 phecy will at no distant period be equally the pride and protection of 

 the \-ast and deserving class for whose benefit it is especially intended, 

 as a glorious and lasting monument of the national estimation in which 

 they are so justly held. 



The style selected, Palladian, so eminently suitable to buildings of 

 large extent and intricate internal arrangement, and the boldness and 

 simplicitv of the ensemble, evince considerable judgment and taste 

 in the artist, wdiose name however does not appear. 



The plan is quadrangular, the entire length of the facade, we are 

 informed, about 7tJ0 feet. The lower story consists of an arched and 

 rusticated basement, supporting and subservient to the principal design 

 which is of the Corinthian order; the entablature continued through- 

 out and unbroken by those unnecessary and unmeaning projections 

 which so frequently disfigure the best compositions ; the central fea- 

 ture of the design is an octastyle portico of magnificent dimensions, 

 upwards of lUO feet in extent, supported by an open loggia communi- 

 cating with an arcade surrounding the quadrangle, and surmounted by 

 a dome novel in design, but in harmony with the general character of 

 the composition. Such are the leading features of the exterior; — of the 

 interior we can give no opinion, the very excellent method having, 

 we understand, been adopted of arranging it with reference to the 

 opinion and advice of those who are practically acquainted with the 

 purpose to wdiich it will be devoted. We shall, however, keep a 

 strict watch over its progress, and trust no petty interests or party 

 feelings will interfere with the completion of so useful, so creditable, 

 and so magnificent an undertaking. 



STEAM NAVIGATION. 



" THE RUBY" CHALLENGE. 



Sir— The letter which appeared in the last number (for June) of your 

 valuable Journal, signed by ■• A. Billings, Manager of the Diamond Steam 

 Packet Company," has excited consideralile stir amongst steam-boat parties. 

 1 do not, however, observe in that letter the public challenge*-' which the 

 '•Ruby' gave in the Nautical Magazine for this month, and in the latter 

 periodical Mr. Billings, as " Manager of the Diamond Steam Packet Com- 

 pany," says, " 1 am readi/ to matcli ihe Uuby to run from Gravesend to Mar- 

 gale and back for 200 giiineas against any boat afloat, whatever may be her 

 size, power, or build." 



Now your numerous readers may like to know if and how the match came 

 oft', and I beg a space in your columns to state the matter fairly. 



1 accepted the challenge through Mr. Runey, the Manager ol the Polytechnic 

 Institution immediately, and submitted that the conditions should be— to 

 en'.;age to run on a certain day, three weeks notice to be given. 



To deposit 200 guineas each. The course to be from GraTcsend round a 

 boat muoreJ ofl' Margate wood pier. Time of st.rting to be named at once, 

 and to take all chances uf weather. 



Sails to be used or not as the challenger pleased. Here I will only observe 

 that as I should have to get the - Fire King" round from the Clyde, a dis- 

 tance of 8.50 miles, I stipulated for the above conditions as to tune, believing 

 the " Ruby ' to be " ready." On the 13th Mr. Roney received answer iroin 

 Mr. Billings, (but not signed by him as Manager of the Diamond Company;, 

 asking the " name of the boat, her tonnage and power, and the time she has 

 been running, ivhen{i. ,: Mr. B.; shall be willing to enter upon the terms ol 

 the match.'' , , ■ r 1 



Having read so much of his answer, and finding that his tomier words 

 " any boat afloat," and bis Ijeing " ready," were now appearing in a new tight, 

 I was amused to find the f^llowing philanthropic evasion thrust in, '• provided 

 that your vessel is worked by low pressure steam, as I feel convinced that tlie 

 Diamond Steam Packet Company woulil not on any account whatever endau- 

 ger the lives of their fellow creatures, by permitting their boat 10 enter into a 

 contest with any vessel propelled hy s» hazardous an agent as high pressure 

 steam ! " and his letter concluded, " I shall be obligeil by an answer to the 

 foregoing before entering on the details ot the match.' 



I protest that my regard for the lives of my fellow creatures is just as great 

 as that of Mr. Bilfings and his Company— and I do consider that part ot the 

 letter maw kish in the extreme. ., t 1 • 



But the Ruby was not to get oft' the match quite so easily. 1 answered m 

 the following words : that '■ 1 accepted the published challenge on the part 

 of Ihe owner of the ' Fire King,' of fJU3 tons, and with 57-1 inch cylinders oiv 

 pressure. She is privale property and on no station for passengers ; she has 

 been alloat to my knowlcrlge s:^ven mimths.r but that has nothing to do with 

 your challenge, further than that the ' Fire King' comes within the words 



" "We purposely omitted the paragraph, as we did not wish the Journal to 

 be made the medium of betting.— lid, C. E, and A. Journal. 

 T She has Ijeen ailoat much longer. 



2 f 2 



