406 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[December, 



and certainly the most satisfactory. One feels no satisfaction with 

 the instrument without repeating the operation, in repeating, the re- 

 suits will not always be the same, a third or even a fourth operation 

 will frequently be required, each time requiring the whole to be done 

 over again ; whereas by allowing two young hands to figure for each 

 scaler, they check one another, and repeating the operation from op- 

 posite points, prevents any serious errors by using proper precautions. 



Perhaps I have a little feeling with yourselves against " ready 

 reckoners," but I have experience on my side, and I nave laid the 

 imlntmenl on the shelf. 



It is a pity to see practical men recommending such games of mar- 

 bles as your Dublin correspondent, if he would work with eleven arrows 

 and maWe frequent use of his pen, he would bequeath his marbles to 

 his children. Every surveyor should follow his own chain in long 

 lines, and stopping to book his changes, stations, crossings, &c., will 

 find him plenty to do, without carrying a marble bag. 



The number of mushroom surveyors whom the pressure of business 

 have hatched into life, has detracted much from the respectability of 

 the profession, the public however are beginning to find out, that old 

 and tried hands are most to be depended on ; an engineer too may be 

 a good surveyor in theory, but he will never come up in the field to an 

 old fashioned surveyor. I do not know any thing that would give me 

 greater pleasure than to give a certain eminent gentleman in that line, 

 (well known to our profession, fur his upright, impartial, and gentle- 

 manly demeanour), one week's practical surveying, he would find there 

 was but little "Sham Abraham" in it. 



I shall conclude these few remarks by again assuming a name under 

 which I have before entered your columns, 



As your very obedient servant, 



" Surveyor." 



Ailfori, Nov. 14, 1840. 



ON REMOVAL OF EARTH-WORK FOR EMBANKMENTS. 



f Sir — In your Number 38, for November 1840, at page 392, you 

 state that " up to April 1837, not even 200,000 cube yards had been 

 teamed to embankment on one face, in one year." 

 VI Between Nov. 2, 1839 and Oct. 17, 1S40, there were tipped, accord- 

 ing to my ofiBcial returns, on the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway, 

 on one face of embankment, across the valley of the river Rea, near 

 Birmingham, 293,240 cube yards ; the mean lead being 1| miles, and 

 the extreme height of embankment 62 feet from the meadows. I be- 

 lieve that a ratio of progress fully equal to the above, was maintained 

 not far from Gloucester on the same railway, for a few months in the 

 Autumn of 1839 ; but as the work was then in the hands of the Chel- 

 tenham and Great Western Company, I cannot give you farther parti- 

 ticulars. I am under the belief that other engineers could supply you 

 with information as to larger quantities than the above being tipped 

 in the same space of time. 



I am, your's faithfully, 



W. S. MooRSOM, Engineer. 

 [Communications similar to the above are of great importance to 

 the profession ; we hope other engineers will follow Mr. Moorsom's 

 esample, and favour us with the result of their observations. — Ed.] 



THE NAPOLEON MONUMENT. 



Mr. Editor- — Having in the September number of your highly in- 

 teresting periodical, perused an article under this head, and feeling a 

 deep interest in the subject, I take the liberty of sending you my own 

 opinion ; though, whether it is likely to effect any goo(l^ or is worthy 

 of insertion in your Journal, your able judgment will best decide. — 

 During a recent visit to Paris, I was particularly struck by the exhi- 

 bition (mentioned in the above number) of a full size model of the in- 

 tended testimonial to the Emperor in the Dome des Invalides, as not 

 being altogether consistent with that good taste so frequently dis- 

 played in the French capital. To every one who has seen the effect 

 of the Baldachino in St. Peter's, at Rome, which is univeisally ac- 

 knowledged a complete eye-sore, this striking similarity of arrange- 

 ment must evidently tend to give the same result. The magnificent 

 Dome, being itself such a tastefully decorated room, can, according to 

 my ideas, by no means suffer any erection, like this complicated, by 

 an equestrian statne crowned monument, to dispute its grand simpli- 

 city. A colossal statue of the hero, say from 18 to 24 feet high, cast 

 in leliite metal and frosted, erected on a circular pedestal of Egyptian 

 porphyry, in the centre of the large Mosaic star, would methinks pro- 

 duce a different effect. The sublime grandeur of the Egyptian colossi, 



all rude and mutilated as they are, speak for themselves, and in behalf 

 of my opinion. They likewise convince me that supernatural size 

 would here especially answer the purpose. I suggested my idea on 

 the spot to a friend present, and have since found no reason to make 

 any alteration. 



Your's most respectfully, 



C. TOTTIE. 



14, University Street, Nov. 9, 1840. 



COMPETITION DESIGNS. 



K. P. S. IN REPLY TO Mr. Sparke. 



Sir — It gives me much pleasure to see in your number for the pre- 

 sent month, that you have ether correspondents who interest them- 

 selves in the subject of competition, and it is with especial satisfaction 

 that I have read the answer of Mr. Sparke, to my letter on the subject 

 of the Bury affair, since it leaves every essential fact in my statement 

 unshaken, except one. Nobody can be imposed upon for one mo- 

 ment by the mist of words in which the Hon. Sec. flatters himself he 

 has enveloped the truth. 



It seems I have been misinformed as to the amount of the contract, 

 which is £3,353 instead of £3,550. What then? Does the amount 

 affect the moral principle? 



There certainly are cases which differ from competitions, inasmuch 

 as the law is apt to take cognizance of them, in which the proper name 

 by which the transaction is called, varies according to the pecuniary 

 amount involved in it, but as we cannot suppose the Hon. Sec. to the 

 subscribers means to insinuate any analogy, we must conclude that he 

 argues like the damsel who excused her peccadillo because it was " a 

 very little one." 



As to the conundrum about the duties, it is too shallow to be re- 

 spectable. The contract is £3,353, — there is £230 to be laid out in 

 foundations, which it was evident must be laid out to all but those 

 determined not to see, and then there is the painting and plastering. 

 £350, supposing it to be so much, will not cover an excess of upwards 

 of £600. 



Though quite unnecessary for the argument, I will beg your readers 

 to peruse the clause referred to by Mr. Sparke relative to the duties. 

 Will any one undertake to say whether it is intended to mean that the 

 duties are or are not to be considered in the estimate. It is most in- 

 genious, and well calculated to maintain a quibble upon. Where the 

 meaning is obscure, we must enlighten it by the context. " Jf the sub- 

 scribers shall be unable to find a respectable builder willing to execute the 

 design of any architect for the sum of £3,000, such architect shall have 

 no claim of any kind upoti the subscribers," &c. This at least is plain 

 English, and I shall take the liberty to believe it can have but one mean- 

 ing, even though it should be explained away as satisfactorily as Lord 

 Peter proved his shoulder-knot to mean neither more nor less than a 

 broomstick,* or as Mr. Sparke has explained away all the rest of my 

 statement. 



But one word more — I will not dispute whether the contrivers of 

 this business were called a committee, but it is notorious to all Bury 

 that it vras managed by a clique who, according to Mr. Sparke's show- 

 ing, turn out to have been as irresponsible as they were ofEcious. I 

 could name an occasion on which one of the leading members express- 

 ed himself in no measured terms, apon some symptoms of dissent from 

 his authority, shown by other parties concerned. 



Enough of this, and more than enough for any good it is likely to 

 produce. I have said before, and say again, that reform must come 

 from the jirofession, and to them I would recommend a very simple 

 plan, by which it may be effected, viz., that every one should reform 

 himself. In the mean time. Sir, accept another contribution to the 

 fads, which I hope to see accumulated, until architects shall be ashamed 

 to rake in the filthy puddle of competition at the command of every 

 body and any body. For reasons which will instantly be appreciated, 

 I omit all names. 



It is now nearly two years since the following advertisement ap- 

 peared in the public papers : — 



"To Architects. — Any architect desirous of competing for the pro- 

 posed enlargement ofW church, must send in his plans, specifi- 

 cations, and estimates, free of all charge or expence, to the Secretary, 



the Rev. Mr. T , Vicarage W , on or before tho 19th January, 



1S39. For farther information apply to the Secretary." 



Application having been made for farther particulars, the following 

 were furnished in reply : — 



* SieiheTaleofaTub, 



