THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[January, 



Etherology estaWislies the connection between this plobe and 

 the universe. Liu;ht, we know not to be confined to the sohir 

 system; heat, we may ))resume not to be so; and electricity has 

 liiost probably a universal range. Of these imponderables, we 

 know verj' little. Mr. Ferffusson is opposed to the view that all 

 the imponderables are only diflFerent forms of one substance or 

 power, except, of course, in the sense in which he has spoken of 

 atoms; and he thinks that the contrary view is much more philo- 

 sophical, and Mill lead to more satisfactory results. He holds 

 that it does not follow, because electricity, mafrnetism, galvanism, 

 light, colour, sound, heat, aiul actinism, jierform certain functions 

 in common, or are governed by similar laws, "that they are one, 

 or one genus, more than it follows because all quadrupeds walk 

 on four legs, that they are of tlie same genera and species. On 

 the contrary, by carefully marking every distinction, and classing 

 apart every form which is not in all things identical with any 

 other, we are more likely to distinguish their true characters and 

 true relati<ms, than by slurring them over to produce a superficial 

 similarity." ^Ve cannot but agree in this view. 



Of the laws which influence the imponderables connected with 

 the globe, scarcely a trace is known. The investigation of mag- 

 netic tides and waves forms but a spot in the wide field of study, 

 which is open. 



Mr. Fergusson contends that minerals are absolutely inert, and 

 calls for the ap))lication of a physiology to them. He might have 

 said more on this head, and the application of a physiology to 

 astronomy and etherology. We take a bladder of air, a jar of 

 water, or a bunch from a mineral vein, and we treat them as inert. 

 ^Ve might as well draw the same conclusion from other specimens 

 in our museums — from the joint of a reed, for instance, or the 

 broken limb of an animal. The organization of the globe must be 

 a conse(pience of the general law of design, and we trace evidences 

 of it in the flow of the tides, the movements of the atmosphere, 

 the waves and poles of magnetism, the electric currents of mine- 

 ral veins, the outbursts of volcanoes, and the shocks of earth- 

 quakes. These are as strong evidences of the organization of the 

 whole globe, as we can find in the organization of any plant or 

 animal. Whether this organization was in a higher state formerly 

 is another question, as is what are its laws of movement. They 

 may vary as those of the organization of an animal. Neither is 

 the organization of the solar system, when properly viewed, less 

 eflicient. Numerous large and small planets, comets, and meteors, 

 in constant motion, constitute an aggregate of movements and 

 forces as various as those of the animal kingdom. 



The views we have here expressed will be a sufficient comment 

 on Mr. Fergusson's next subjects of Botany and Zoology, and they 

 will apjily with full force to the consideration of Ontology. 



fTo be continued.J 



Tlif Young Survei/or's Preceptor. 

 London: J. Basevi, 1849. 



By John Reid, Surveyor. 



This, a volume which we have much pleasure in announcing, is 

 really a practicable work, and is what its title states, "a clear and 

 comprehensive analysis of the art of architectural mensuration." 

 The author takes each trade separately : he first gives the specifi- 

 cation of the works to be done, and then offers some remarks for 

 the guidance of the student in taking dimensions, which are very 

 similar to those given for many years in " Laxton's Builders' Price 

 Book ;" but in i\Ir. Reid's book they are given in a collected form, 

 and are more extended. After these instructions, he states the 

 dimensions, as taken by the most experienced surveyors; next, a 

 copy of the abstract, and finally the bill of (piantities, monied 

 out ; all of which are \ery j)laiiily and accm'ately set f(U'th, and in 

 .such a manner as to make the work clearly understood by any one 

 who has had a little practice in a sur\eyor's or builder's office. 

 The book contains the whole of the Dimensions, Abstracts, Bills 

 of Quantities, monied out, and a set of twelve drawings of the 

 ])lans, sections, elevations, and working details of a first-rate 

 dwelling, in conformity with the Metropolitan Buildings Act. 



At the conclusion of the work there is a glossary of technical 

 terms used in each branch of the building business, which, how- 

 ever, is not so comprehensive as it ought to be; and to render 

 a glossary complete, it ought to be accompanied with illustra- 

 tions. 



There is one observation in which we must differ from Mr. 

 lleid — that is, in recommending the dimensions in all cases to be 

 entered with tlie description in full. This appears to us quite un- 

 necessary. Many of the abbreviations used by experienced sur- 



veyors are so comprehensive, that with a little explanation to the 

 student, tliey could not be misunderstood; fur instance, take tlie 

 plasterer— instead of writing " Render, float, and set," or " Lath 

 plaster, float, and set," any surveyor would understand the book if 

 they were entered, R. F. S. ; L. P. F. S. : and again, in the joiner 

 — instead of writing "iJ-inch deal four panel, bead flush and 

 square door," it might be entered as "I'^-dl. 4 P., B. F. \- Sq. door." 

 In conclusion, we recommend Mr. Reid to publish the plans 

 separately, for the use of students who wish to practice. 



TO THE EDITOR OF THE "CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL." 



Sir — I beg you will accept my thanks for pointing out an error in the 

 example at page 205 of my work on Mechanics. The blunder, however, is 

 only in a single letter: if for ton you put tun everywhere except in the last 

 line, all is right — reckoning 216 gallons to the tun, which is the old mea- 

 sure. 



There are two typographical errors in your paper that are not in the book . 

 In the last line but one iii the solution, for 778,584 ; 83-04, read 77858483-01. 

 In the last line, for 463,180,11-5367, read 46318011-53G7. 



If you will insert tliis in your next number, you will much oblige 



Yours obediently, 

 King's College, James Hann. 



Decemler 16, 1818. 



REGISTER OF NE-W PATENTS. 



MANUFACTURE OF TUBES. 



William Taylor, of Birmingham, machinist, for "o?j improivd 

 mode of tiiriiiiif/ up or beudiugflat plates of malleable metals or mix- 

 tures of metals by aid of mtichinery into the form of tubes." — Granted 

 May 18; Enrolled November 18, 1848. 



The plates of metal to be formed into tubes are to be first rolled 

 of suitable length, breadth, and thickness ; the plate being either 

 feather-edged or not, according as the tubes are intended to be 

 jointed. The diagram represents a transverse section of the ma- 



chine, showing the mode by which the plate receives its first curva- 

 ture. The plate of metal is laid flatways upon a long, narrow iron 

 bed b, which has a semi-cylindrical concave groove formed in its 

 upper surface, along the middle of its breadth, and extending all 

 its length from end to end. The coiu-avity of the groove is made 

 to fit the exterior circumference of the intended tube. The 

 grooved bed is made to slide successively in the framework in the 

 direction of its length, — firstly, under a revolving convex roller, 

 G, which presses down the middle part of the width of the plate 

 into part of the depth of the concave groove, and thereby causes 

 the edges to turn up into angular directions, and the plate to 

 assume the form of a shallow trough or concave gutter ; secondly, 

 under another conve.x ndler, which presses down completely the 

 plate into the groove, and gives it the form of a deep trough or 

 gutter, witli semi-cylindrical bottom and nearly upright sides. 

 On passing from beneath this roller, the plate slides over the bulb 

 of a fixed mandril, and, at the same time, between a pair of rollers, 

 the circumferences of which nearly meet, and have axes inclined 

 from vertical positions in contrary directions to one another. The 

 edges of these rollers are conical, but concave to a quadrant of a 

 circle of the same size as that of the groove in the bed, so as to 



