378 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[NOVEMBKR, 



lower rates would greatly increase their prosperity, and add vastly to 

 the resources and commercial facilities of the comitry. Wherever 

 the experiment of reduction has been tried, I believe it has proved 

 successful, in augmenting the trade and its profits ; and I have no 

 doubt that soon the proprietors of many public works will be compelled, 

 for their own sakes, to resort to such measures; and it is, therefore, 

 of much importance that the princi|)les of "the theory of tolls" should 

 be clearly understood; and, conceiving that those advocated by Mr. 

 EUett are fallacious, unjust, and injurious, I have endeavoured to refute 

 them, — and regret' that the task has been so feebly and hastily per' 

 formed. 



C. E. B. 



ON COMPETITION DESIGNS. 



We receive many letters on the suVject of Competition, which are 

 almost unanimous in complaining of the uttek want of good faith 

 on the part of those who invite architects to send in designs. And 

 though we are sorry there should be room for sucli complaint in any 

 instance whatever, we are glad to find that the evil itself prevails to so 

 shameful an extent, because it is now likely that the profession will 

 be stirred up to adopt some dciisive measures to correct it. They 

 certainly ought to do so ; and we should advise a pubUc meeting to be 

 convened by them for that purpose. In the meanwhile our own pases 

 shall be open to the exposure of the impositions now practised under 

 the mask of Competition; and no doubt, many a strange tale might be 

 unfolded that would open the eyes of the public to the mysterious 

 doings of those Secret Tribunals which exercise an arbitrary and irre- 

 sponsible power, and generally no less injuriously to the interests of 

 architecture and good taste, than unjustly towards individuals in the 

 profession. 



From among the letters addressed to us on the subject, we give the 

 three following as being well worthy of the attention of our readers, 

 though we dare not promise the writers that their remonstrances will 

 produce any effect. 



Sir — The exposure made by your correspondent K. P. S. relative 

 to the Bury St. Edmund's affair, ought to produce some good effect, 

 yet that any is likely to result from it is more than can reasonably be 

 anticipated; for not only are committees — even though composed of 

 "all honourable men," perfectly callous to any thing like shame, but 

 there is a sad want of energy in architects themselves, or they 

 would even now have taken some decided steps to check the scanda- 

 lous abuses — I may say, the barefaceil impositions and deceptions at- 

 tending competitions. 



If there is positively no remedy for the evils complained, — why 

 then in the name of common sense let them be endured, without any 

 pitiful whining on the part of those who choose to lend themselves to 

 a system of humbug. — Well, I liave said linmhng, and although that 

 word is certainly not the most delicate, there is hardly another in the 

 language that would be so appropriate, unless it were one more offen- 

 sive still. — But remedy i am persuaded there is — at least to a very 

 great extent, provided we choose to adopt such measures as will secure 

 it. No doubt, there are many difficulties to be first overcome ; but 

 that, I conceive is a reason the more, why they should be boldly en- 

 coimtered, and the task of refonn be set about with fearless resolution. 

 Such reform ought to iiave been carried through by the Institute ; be- 

 cause that Body might have taken up the matter actively without 

 incurring the invidiousness and risk to whicli individuals might ex- 

 pose themselves by so doing. There was, indeed, an attempt of the 

 kind, and a most feeble one it was, — amounting to nothing more than 

 a little palavering. It would therefore have been greatly more to the 

 credit of the Institute, had the subject never been brought forward at 

 all ; because now it looks as if the present vile system of competition 

 was formally acquiesced in by those who ought to leave no stone un- 

 turned until they correct it. But there have been two other oppor- 

 tunities which, had they been properly turned to account, might have 

 gone far towards bringing about the so-nnich-desired reform. As you 

 will perhaps anticipate, [ allude to the Nelson Monument and Royal 

 Exchange Competitions, in both ofwliich those \sho engaged in them, 

 suffered themselves to be more injuriously and contemptuously treated, 

 without venturing to protest against it. With regard to the first one, 

 notliing could be a more insulting piece of mockery than the pretended 

 Second Competition — without any warning on the part of the Com- 

 mittee, that tliey w ere decidedly in favour of some kind of Column ; — 

 although the result too plainly shows that they were predetermined to 

 adopt Railtou's design ; — for had they not been so predetermined, they 

 would at least have decently expressed their regret that they sliould 

 have been driven into so particularly awkward a situation, being under 



the necessity of coulirming their first choice, though aware that it 

 would be in opposition to public opinion. No explaniilion, hewever, 

 was offered — and what is much more, none was demanded by the Com- 

 petitors. — Pity would be thrown away upon such pu'^illanimous crea- 

 tures; for they have shown that they deserved to be kicked. 



Had a bold and resolute stand been made then, — and the public . 

 would almost to a man have supported them ; — had they called the 

 Nelson Committee to account, and let the latter know that they were 

 not wholly irresponsible ; there can be no doubt but that it would have 

 served as a most wholesome warning to the Gresham Committee, and 

 the Royal Exchange competition would have been conducted very dif- 

 ferently from what it has been. But in that, too, the Competitors have 

 allowed themselves to be kicked like spaniels; and the authors of the 

 Eight Designs which obtained the approbation of the professional 

 umpires, suffered themselves to be set aside, and not permitted to try 

 their strength again! 



Tame, spiritless, pluckless \ they have been served rightly, but THE 

 CAUSE 1 — that has been most cowardly betrayed. Had those compe- 

 titors been firm, the Committee would have chaunted Pecca!v»»is in 

 full chorus. Had not those Competitors been milk-livered the Com- 

 mittee would have blushed like boiled lobsters. But now. Actum est.' 

 Peril .' And with such a memorable example — such a fatal precedent 

 before them, future Committees may laugh at both competitors and 

 the public. — There is but one chance left : and that is to urge Reform in 

 Competition, incessantly; to discuss it in every possible shape, and 

 without intermission; — and, not least of all, to insist in future upon 

 Pre-exhibition of Designs, — not for merely a day or two, but for suffi- 

 cient length of time, according to the number of drawings. 



I remain, &c. 



P. S. 



Sir — Apropos to the subject of Competition there is an anecdote 

 now circulating of so extraordinary a nature that it ought to be either 

 publicly confirmed, or publicly contradicted. Reporting it, just as I 

 heard it, the case is this : from among the designs sent in for the Pro- 

 testant Memorial at Oxford, that by Mr. Blore was tina?iimonslt/ chosen, 

 consequently whether such selection was actually the very best or not, 

 it is evident that it was judged to be so by those who made it. But 

 they afterwards discovered to tlieir astonishment and mortification that 

 they had clapped the saddle on the wrong horse, for misled by the 

 name, they had decided in favour of that design, taking for granted 

 that it was by iJie Mr. Blore who has been employed at Buckingham 

 Palace, &c. As soon therefore as they detected their error, and ascer- 

 tained that /heir Mr. Blore was a different individual, and one com- 

 paratively unknown in the profession, they came to the worthy resolu- 

 tion of setting aside the design, which had jireviously been approved 

 of by them merely through mistake .' Is not this a most delicious 

 anecdote ? Does it not speak volumes as to the sort of discrimination, 

 and the kind of integrity and good faith, displayed by gentlemen on 

 such occasions ? And mark you, I pray, this extraordinary tergiver- 

 sation was not manifested in a paltry hole-and-corner competition in 

 some obscure town and village, but in — Oxford! — the seat of learning, 

 and of orthodoxy. 



Unless the matter is altogether misrepresented — in which case it 

 becomes the duty of those who are concerned in it, to clear themselves 

 from so highly injurious a charge,- Mr. Blore has sufficient grounds 

 for bringing his action for damages against his quondam judges; and 

 would no doubt obtain them to a very heavy amount, because he has 

 not only suffered pecuniarily, but mwy be said to have been stigmatised 

 in his professional character, having been formally set aside as incom- 

 petent, consequently placed in a very different situation from the other 

 misuccessful competitors. 



Dtlenda est Carthago: the Humbug and Decejiliou now attending 

 Competition must be blown up, — the present system must be entirely 

 reformed ; and as the Institute will not exert itself at all in the cause, 

 so much the more manfully must individuals do so. The pen and the 

 press must bring the subject continually before the profession and the 

 public, until both shall be completely roused : and then, perhaps, when 

 the needed reform shall have been commenced by others, the Institute 

 will valiantly prefer their services, and come forward to share in the 

 merit of the victory. 



1 remain, &c. 



J. P. M. 



o. for this mouth of your excellent Journal, there is 

 rchitectural Conipetition signed " K. P. S," in which 



Sill — In the No. 

 an article on Architectural (Jompe 



some "facts" are detailed relative to that subject, especially as relates 

 to a church to be built or now building at Berry. 



If "K. P. S." was aware of how these matters are managed with 

 us in Ireland, it might excite his honest indignation still more, as the 



