318 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[OclOBEB, 



wall tlie qualify of fuel was tolerably uniform, and the best qualities of coals 

 were used. 



Mr. Slate proponed to omit the consideration of the consumption of fuel, 

 as tlie fuel was not bought in the coal districts, but merely taken from the 

 hiap as required ; and it would not be practicable in most cases to obtain 

 any accurate return of the consumption. 



Mr. W. Smith said the question of fuel could not be included in the iron 

 districts because it was cubtouiary in many cases to generate the stoam l>y 

 the waste heat of the puddling furnaces, and in consequence those cases 

 would show no consumption of fuel ; but on the contrary, in other eases the 

 consumption was greatly above the usual proportion, either from the inferior 

 quality of fuel used, or from the engines being often worked much below 

 their boiler power, and wasting from the boilers even more steam than was 

 used. 



Mr. C. Beyer observed that it took a great deal at first to induce the 

 proprietor of a steam-engine to look well after its working, but in Man- 

 chester considerable attention was now paid to the subject. There were 

 many works wliere the consumption was as low as 4 lb. per horse-power per 

 hour, but he should say that the average of Lancashire engines was twice 

 that amount of consumption, if not more. 



Mr. McCoNNELL thouglit that was a strong argument for taking up the 

 question in the broad view; for without considering any particular district, 

 it was very important for a manufacturer or other proprietor of a steam- 

 engine to know what his engine was doing as compared with the engines of 

 otlier parties. Those engines in the same tov\'n or district could be fairly 

 compared, and any particular causes for exception could be stated in the 

 return. 



Mr. Slate observed that there were a few pumping engines in Stafford- 

 shire which v\ere worked by contract, and their fuel was all measured, so 

 that the consumption could be correctly ascertained; but those engines 

 were an exception in the district. 



REVICWS. 



Weale's Rudimentary Treatises. — The Elements of Plane TrUjono- 

 metry. By James Hann, Mathematical Master of King's Col- 

 lege School, London. 



This is one of the hest of Mr. AV^eale's series, and a very cheap 

 book. It is a subject which can be vvell treated in an elernentary 

 form, and Professor Hann has evidently taken very great pains to 

 produce a volume which shall be worthy of his reputation. 



The Drainaqe of Towns and Buildings. By G. Dysdale Dempsey, 



C.E. London: Weale, 1849. 



This is another of Mr. Weale's cheap issue; it contains a collec- 

 tion of useful data connected with the subject of drainage. We 

 conceive that Mr. AV^eale will injure the usefulness of his project 

 if he allow authors to occupy the preface in making public their 

 schemes. In the present instance it would have been as well both 

 for Mr. Weale and for Mr. Dempaey had the preface and the map 

 of London been omitted; but as Mr. Dempsey has thought proper 

 to make public his sclieme for the drainage of London, we must 

 pronounce our opinion that it is as bad as bad can be. He pro- 

 poses to drain the metropolis by 200 pumping stations, planted at 

 nearly equal distances in all parts of London, each having tanks 

 for collecting the refuse of the sewers, and to contain three days' 

 sewage; — but liow this sewage refuse is to be distributed from these 

 200 pest-houses, Mr. Dempsey does not tell us. One of these es- 

 tablishments is shown in the map close to the house of His Grace 

 Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington, and another at or near to 

 Northumberland House. Fortunately for Mr. \V'eale, his premises 

 will be midway between two of the stations — was this studied.!" 



We hope next monthto be able to offer some remarks on drainage 

 of towns, and to expose some of the errors that are now being 

 adopted in what is called the modern and cheap system of drain- 

 age. « 



Tables for Setting out Curves for Railways, c\c. By Abchibald 

 Kennedy and R. W. Hackwood, civil engineers. London: 

 Weale, 1849. 



These tables are published in a .small book which may be carried 

 in the waistcoat pocket; consequently, will be useful to those em- 

 ployed in tlie field operations. They vary from a radius of five 

 chains to three miles. AVe cannot see that they are more useful 

 than the tables we published in this Journal as' far back as 1810, 

 (Vol. III.), by which curves varying from five chains to eight 

 miles radius may be set up. 



Form and Sound: can their Beauty be dependent on the same Physical 

 Laws? By Thomas Puruie. Edinburgh: Adam and Charles 

 Black, J849. 



The pressure of other subjects upon our time and space, has 

 caused a delay in noticing tliis work, which is one of considerable 

 interest and importance to the architectural profession. It is de- 

 voted to an investigation of the principles of beauty in form as 

 affecting architecture and decoration, and in direct antagonism to 

 the theory projiosed by Mr. D. R. Hay, which has been lately so 

 favourably received. We now give only this acknowledgment of 

 tlie work, intending to discuss it at some length hereafter. 



A Treatise on the Coal Field of South Wales. By Frbuekick Moses, 



C.E. London: Simpkins, 1849. 



This is a work on a local and theoretical point in geology of 

 considerable importance, in which the author lays down a new 

 theory of the position of the coal measures in the Soutli Wales 

 field, and demonstrates the subsidences lying between Llynvi and 

 Penllergaer. He likewise enters on the subject of cosmogony 

 generally. It will be read with interest by those engineers con- 

 nected with coal mining. 



Geology of the Lake District. By John Rookb, of Akehead. 



This is a sketch, by a well-informed local observer, of the geo- 

 logy of Westmoreland and Cumberland, with special reference to 

 the author's views of the scheme of geological formations. 



ll'yld's Map of London and the Environs. 

 •Mr. Wyld, the eminent geographer, has brought out a very 

 laborious map of London and the metropolitan districts, and which 

 has the further advantage of having the levels marked, as supplied 

 by the Commissioners of Sewers. 



The Auckland Islands. By Charles Endebbv, I^.R.S. London : 



Pelham Richardson, 1849. 

 Proposal for re-establishing the British Southern Whale Fishery. 



By Cbarf.es Enderby, F.R.S. London: Etfingham Wilson. 



These relate to a subject of importance, but wliich is not tech- 

 nical enough for our discussion, though we cannot but feel an in- 

 terest in the colonization of the Auckland Lslands, as likely to 

 open a new field for engineering employment; and this, it is to be 

 observed, has been much extended of late by tlie [irogress of colo- 

 nial enterprise. 



Oft the Construction of Public Buildings and Private Dwelling^ 

 Houses, on. a Firc-pronf principle, without Increase of Cost. 

 London: Mudie and Sons, 1849. 



This pamplilet is by Messrs. Fox and Barrett, and its title suffi- 

 ciently shows the purpose to which it is devoted. Any attempt to 

 extend fire-proof constructions is worthy of attention. 



NEW ARMAMENT OF THE FRENCH FLEET. 



(From the Nautical Standard.) 



Seven first.ratcs, to carry 112 guns — viz., four 80-pounder howitzers (u) ; 

 six howitzers (4) ; six 50-pounders (c) ; twenty-two 30-ppunders (rf) ; 

 twenty-eight 30-pounders (e) ; thirty-four 30-pounders (/) ; twelve 30- 

 pounders (g). 



Twelv^ second rates, to carry 90 guns — four 80-pounder howitzers (a); 

 six howitzers (i) ; six SOpounders (e) ; twenty-two 30 pounders (rf) ; iwenty- 

 eight 30-pounders (e) ; twenty-eight 30-pounders (/). 



Eleven third-rates (new model), to cairy 82 guns — four 80-pounder howit- 

 zers (ff); six bowiizers («) ; six SO-poun'ders (c) ; twenty 30-pounders (rf); 

 twenty-six 30-poundcrs (e) ; twenty 30-pounders (/). 



Five third-rates (old model), to cany 80 guns — four SO-pounder howit- 

 zers (a) ; four howitzers (4) ; twenty-six 30-pounders (d) ; twenty eight 30- 

 pounders (e); figbteen 30. pounders ((/). 



Four fourth-rates (new model), to carry 74 gun-s — four 80 pounder howit- 

 zers (n) ; four howitzers (i) ; four 50-pouniIer guns (c) ; twenty 30-pounder3 

 (rf) ; twenty-six 30-pounMers (e) ; sixteen 30-pounders (/). 



Eight fourth-rate ships (old model), to carry 70 guns — four 80 pounder 

 howitzers (a); twelve 30-pounders (p) ; twenty-fuur 36-poundcrs; thirty 

 ISpounders. 



Frigates. 



Sixteen 50-gun frigates, to carry two 80-pounder howitzers; two 50- 

 pounder guns ; tweniy-eiglit 30-pounder3 (rf) ; eighteen 30-pounders (/). 



