36a 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



^December, 



worthy of the small attention which it meets. The application of 

 fresh and sewer water to meadow lands and market gardens, is ap- 

 proved by tlie best authorities; but little is done to provide a 

 proper system for the supply of water. Now e\erybody is for 

 deep-drainiiiiT, the water is carried away, and little provision is 

 made for its supply at the times it is wanted, — though the farmer 

 is as ready to p-rumble about drought as wet. 'Wherever water 

 has been applied to growiny- crops, the good is great; but the 

 means of supplying it are very small. Lands need water several 

 times a year; and there are many lands where a skilful engineer 

 might usefully set to work to supply our farmers with water. A 

 better supply of water would allow our farmers to give more land 

 for meadows and market gardens. 



A FEW NOTES ON 1849. 



In former years polychromy was the cry of a zealous agitation, 

 and now it is bearing its fruits all over the country; and, we think, 

 good ones. We have, it is true, lost Montague House, but we 

 ha\e Montague Houses enough in Greenwich and Hampton Court; 

 and we have also restored the Temple and Savoy Church. Who 

 knows? we may live to see Westminster restored, for something 

 is being done there; and St. Paul's painted by the Royal Academy, 

 for we have now and working deans at each of our cathedrals. 

 Westminster Palace, the British Museum, Reform Club, Conser- 

 vative Club, Coal Exchange, Royal E.xchange, St. George's Church, 

 and Travellers' Club, are beginnings in inner decoration; not to 

 speak of the Duke of Clevelaiul's, the Baron de Goldsmid's, and 

 other dwellings. Pidychromy will be a feature of the Victorian era, 

 as stucco was of the Georgian. 



Outer polychromy seems to have had its beginning. All Saints, 

 Gordon-square, was a very meagre start with its four or five marble 

 paterae; but Mr. H. T. Hope's house is something of a step. Tlie 

 Museum of Economic Geology was a great miss. In the front of 

 that building we mitrht have had, and ought to have had, slabs of 

 our English marbles, the introduction of wliich would have given 

 the spur to a useful branch of home industry; for we have many 

 ornamental marbles, and need not go abroad. The Russians and 

 Americo-English do much better — they are fond of showing their 

 liome wealth. At Mr. Hope's more might have been done, but it 

 will nevertheless serve as an example to others. It is a novelty, 

 and will be followed. 



M'hat we in this time cannot help looking upon as a good feature 

 of the Victorian era, though it would have l>een heresy in the days 

 of Nash, is the growing use of stone instead of stucco, and even of 

 ornamented brick in jireference to the latter. The Hall of Lin- 

 coln's-inn is a more honest building than any in Regent-street. 

 Not only are the buildings we have ali'eady named of stone, but 

 the houses of the Earl of i^llesmere and JMr. Hope; and the carv- 

 ings are made on the rough stone of the building, as in olden 

 time. 



If all goes on well, we shall be better off than ever. Charles 

 changed wood for brick; George the Last trimmed up the dingy 

 buildings of his fathers, and left London in stucco; Victoria will 

 be able to say she left it stone. 



A new agitation is the successor of that for the polychromy of 

 buildings. It is the restorati(m of the polychromy of sculpture. 

 Mr. Fergusson has sounded the war-horn, and others have fol- 

 lowed, although the great world of art stands firm to tlie pseudo- 

 classicality of whitewash. Gibson has made a slight innovation, 

 but the Birmingham art-workmen are taking tlie lead, and by the 

 use of many materials are showing how mucli the resources of 

 formative art can be extended. 



We are coming near Paris in some things; but it is strange that 

 none of our public or private buildings are" begirt with gilt railings 

 or beset with gilt lamji-posts : the "Golden Gallery" of St. Paul's, 

 glittering aloft, is all we have in this way. Handsome railings 

 give an opening for the skill of the Birniingham men. Brass, 

 glass, and pottery — anything which will wash and keep clean — 

 may be used. 



The iron inside of the Coal Exchange is another beginning. For 

 the inside of churches, playhouses, halls, and lectui-e-rooms, iron 

 can well be wrouglit up for fittings, as the Coal Exchange shows 

 ornamentally, and we have no doubt cheaply. By the proper use 

 of this material the erection of many public buildings will become 

 possible, wliich heretofore have proved too expensive, and iron will 

 be as regularly used by the architect as by the engineer ; it has 

 been so in railway stations and bridges. 



The Coal Exchange has likewise given a good specimen of a large 

 inlaid flooring, showing what Englishmen can do in this way. Last 

 year, the great pari]'ietterie was that at the Baron de Gcddsmid's. 



There are many little things to be seen in the streets, which may 

 as well be set down among the notes of the year. One of these is 

 the spread of the gilt letters of names, inlaid or stuck on the shop 

 windows. Another is the introduction of glass lower-windows, 

 instead of what used to be the skirting of shop-windows, so as to 

 allow heavy goods to be shown below, as lamps, fire-grates, &c. 

 There is likewise a tendency to have plate-glass in the first and 

 upper floors, to light them with gas, and to make show-rooms of 

 them. 



Some of the streets are cleaner, on account of the new street- 

 orderlies; but the leading thoroughfares are not enough so to allow 

 of ornamental painting, carving, gilding, marlde, glass, porcelain, 

 &c. in the lower shop-frouts, — and thus by the (distinacy of the 

 aut!iorities, many worthy workmen are hindered from getting a 

 livelihood. 



Taking off the glass duties begins to yield fruits. In the shop- 

 windows are to be seen much ornamental glass, English and out- 

 landish; and glass is now used for many things where brass was 

 before common, as candlesticks, door-pulls, finger-plates, &c. — 

 being more readily kept clean than brass. Earthenware is like- 

 wise spreading for many purposes. In the fishmongers and cheese- 

 mongers, more marble slabs are to be seen — in the confectioners, 

 handsomer glass-ware. Picture frames and glasses are very cheap, 

 and tliere is, as it was said there would be, a large consumption of 

 framed engravings. Glass shades, cases of stuffed birds, and bowls 

 of gold fish, are much cheaper and more common. So, likewise, 

 there are more greenhouses, more cucumber-frames and bells, and 

 more hyacinth-glasses. If the window duties only were taken off, 

 there is no saying what might be the improvement in internal de- 

 coration — nay, more, in the Arts. Painters would work in an- 

 other manner if they got a better light ; pictures, too, would be 

 mure bought. 



Looking-glasses are getting more into use, but not so much as 

 abroad. In Paris, looking-glasses are fixtures, and let with the 

 rooms and shops. 



Gutta-percha shops are among the new trades, and gutta-percha 

 is now worked up for many things, and perhaps for none more than 

 the Telekouphonon, which as a speaking-tube is being set up where 

 tin would formerly have been. It would be worth the while of 

 the glassmen to try glass speaking-tubes. 



The material called "Parian" is in favour, and seems likely to 

 take the place formerly held by plaster casts. 



The im]irovements in wire-drawing have of late years made the 

 brass birdcages handsomer, which are very different from the old 

 wicker and iron bedstead-looking places. Even a well-shaped 

 birdcage in a room may help to keep up the public taste. 



Daguerrotype portraits have this year reached the prices of 

 7.?. 6d. and 5s., and will most likely in time be the same prices as 

 the old black things were. If the price of common daguerro- 

 tyiies is falling, so that of the coloured ones, by Messrs. Be-ard and 

 others, is rising, and better artists are employed.. 



Electro-plating, or, as the French would say, galvano-plating, is 

 becoming better understood, for there are more shops for it in 

 London, no less than in Birmingham; and, as well as richer ware, 

 coach-harness is now thus decorated. 



Through the gas-cry, the gas is rather better; and with this and 

 the jilate-glass, the shops and streets are brighter at night, — as 

 unlike as m.iy be from the London of 1820, with its glimmering 

 oil. Gas has been a great hindrance to the thieves; old gentlemen 

 can no longer be knocked down between two lamp-posts; — gas has 

 been very good to the shopkeepers and clerks, for they can now go 

 to suburban dwellings; but it has had one evil, in making thou- 

 sands of poor shopmen work late. Early-closing must soon become 

 the law of the land. 



There is one thing as to which nothing has been done this year, 

 and tliat is cleaning the public buildings, which as it is easy, so 

 should it he set aliout forthwith. If we are to have London of 

 stone, let it be clean. 



In this year many oflScers of health have been named, and, it is 

 hoped, they will do good; but their works have yet to be seen. 



The Architectural Exhibition was a beginning of the year. We 

 hope it will go on, and redeem us from the pauper show of the 

 Royal Academy room. AVe still want a good public school of ar- 

 chitecture as a Fine Art, nothwithstanding the Royal Academy, 

 King's College, University College, and Putney College. 



