1844.J 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



9 



The Metropolitan Cathedral is Grecian, and, though grand, is less striking m 

 appparance than a Gothic pile of equal magnitude. The church of Saint 

 Xavier is the paragon of prettiness, and its panelled ceiling and vestibule are 

 extraordinarilv beautiful in their way, nor is its portico deficient in symmetry 

 and iustness of proportion. Much of the beauty of Saint Paul's church is 

 lost from its propinquity to the river, its portico, tower, and dome, are woithy 

 of a better situation, but the interior greatly disappoints the eye that looks 

 even for a small portion of effect. The churches of Saints Michan, Michael, 

 and John, though externallf Gothic, retain little of the style in the interior 

 except the altars. St. Audeon's is still too far removed from completion to 

 form any competent judgment upon its probable effect ; yet if «e might 

 hazard ail idea, we opine meagreness shall be its characteristic. The Church 

 of Saint Nicholas is also unfinished, but the magnificence of its ceihng and 

 altar is unparalleled in this kingdom. The altar is a noble arrangcnicnt of 

 columns and pilasters worthv the best designs of Claude Perault. The Church 

 of Saint Francis is a spacious building, but in nothing remarkable for either 

 elegance or judicious arrangement. The Church of Saint Andrew is the 

 largest and least to be praised of any ; its vastness is unrelieved by one soh- 

 tary attempt at grandeur, or even taste in detail. Throughout all these reli- 

 gious edifices we seek in vain for the dim religious light found in Gothic 

 buildings ; and, whether to blame the architects or building committees, it is 



not here to determine. ,.,,,„ ^, i <• *i, 



Ulster however, has to boast that it did not follow the example of the 

 metropolis, and the new Cathedrals of Armagh and Newry, and the church 

 of Dundalk, designed, erected, and erecting under the superintendence of 

 Mr Duff, of this town, are enduring monuments of the Gothic style. Newry 

 first set the example, and its Catholic Church is a splendid edifice. Dundalk 

 followed, and, with that independent tone of rivalry or emulation for which 

 the people of Louth are celebrated in secular, as well as political aftairs, the 

 building committee of the town appointed Mr. Duff their architect, who suc- 

 ceeded in adding another triumph to the resuscitation of Gothic architecture. 

 He was the only professional gentleman in the kingdom who ha.l attempted 

 to overcome the difticulties that lay in the way of arousing the hierarchy and 

 the clergv to a just appreciation of the glories qf the old, neglected, ecclesi- 

 astical style. Nor was he unsuccessful ; and it must be confessed the people 

 of Dundalk actively co operated to carry out his extensive designs. 



ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, DUNDAIK. 



This church is built entirely of fine hewn granite stone, and in the pointed 

 stvle of architecture which prevailed during the early part of the fourteenth 

 eenturv. It contains a nave and side aisles, the north-west constituting the 

 principal front, which apparently consists of three divisions, the central being 

 separated from the lateral aisles by graceful turrets, octagonal in form, appro- 

 priately buttressed, panelled, and crowned by crocketted pinnacles. The 

 upper stage of these turrets is composed of perforated panel-work, possessing 

 peculiar lightness and beauty. The centre division, which projects consi- 

 derably beyond the aisles, has a majestic doorway, leading to the interior 

 porch and 'body of the ci.urch. This doorway is of ample dimensions, deeply 

 recessed ; and enriched with small pdlars and hollow mouldings, with a lofty 

 pointed arch, with rich tracery panel-work, and a bold label, enclosing 

 carved spandrils, of a tasteful and elaborate design. On either side of the 

 doorway are handsome tabernacle niches, for the reception of statues. Over 

 the grand entrance rises a magnificent window, of lofty proportions, of six 

 lights, and subdivided by a transom. The heads of these lights, with the 

 pointed arch above, are filled in with varied tracery, of a beautiful descrip- 

 tion, the jambs are recessed and moulded, with a large hood moulding sus- 

 tained at the springing, by beautifully carved corbelled heads. In the upper 

 part of the pointed gable appears a circular opening, for ventilation of the 

 roof, octofoil, moulded, and cusped ; above which, an enriched cornice later- 

 ally sustains an open parapet of panel-work, capped and embattled. On 

 the apex rises an appropriate pedestal, supporting a large ornamental cross. 

 The angles of the side aisles are bounded by graduated buttresses, terminated 

 by lofty pinnacles and finials. The principal entrance to the aisles are on 

 the front, with moulded jambs, painted arches and carved spandrils, and hood 

 mouldings. On a large cornice over the doorways, are windows of three 

 lights, the heads filled with tracery of perpendicular arrangement, and cor- 

 responding in dimensions with those of the aisles — the inclined gables of the 

 roof being finished with panelled parapets, capped and embraznred. The 

 nest portion of the church claiming attention is the south-east end, which, 

 like the front, projects considerably beyond the termination of aisles, and 

 flanked with turrets containing circular stairs which lead to the leads of the 

 roofs. These turrets are of plainer character than the principal front ; but 

 the upper stages, when finished, will correspond, in every respect, with those 

 already completed. The great window which lights the choir is fifteen feet 

 wide by thirty-eight feet high, divided and subdivided by moulded transoms, 

 into fifteen lights, wliich are designed to contain appropriate subjects in 

 stained glass. The tracery of the pointed arch is beautifully varied. The 

 aisles are embraznred, and sustained by buttresses and pinnacles, and lighted 

 by eight lofty windows of three divisions, divided by a transom, the heads of 

 each window having perpendicular tracery work. The nave, or clerestory, 

 which rises high above the aisles, displays a similar arrangement, having win- 

 dows, buttresses, pinnacles, and embattled parapets. 

 The dimensions of the building are as follow :— 



Length of the nave, taken on the walls . . . . 179 feet. 



Breadth between the pillars . . . . . . 33 do. 



Length of the aisles, including porches . . . . 140 do. 



Breadth of the nave and aisles, including walls . . 78 do. 



Height of the nave from base of pillars to apex of roof 62 do. 



Altitude of front to top of cross .. .. •• 78 do. 



Height of the octagon towers . . . . ■ • 86 do. 



The interior is not yet entirely completed, hut much is executed to arrest 

 and gratify the attention. It is divided by two ranges of granite stone pil- 

 lars, having moulded bases and capitals, sustaining pointed arches of various 

 appropriate mouldings, over which, upon a horizontal cornice, rests tlie cleres- 

 tory windows tliat light tlie body of the house. Between the windows, 

 slender shafts rise from the pillars'below that support angel brackets; from 

 these spring the ribs of groins forming the roofs, having bosses and exquisite 

 foliage at the points of intersection. The ceiling is truly grand, and reminds 

 us of those beautiful remains of olden time. The sanctuary is very spacious, 

 in which are the three splendid altars, composed of elegant tabernacle-work, 

 and executed in white marble. 



The altar screen is to be of a most elaborate design, which is to separate 

 the sacristy from this portion of the church. 



ROYAL SCOTTISH SOCIETY OF ARTS— SESSION 1843-4. 



This Society held its Annual General Meeting on Monday, 13/A Novemlier, 

 1843.— James L'Amy, Esq., F.R.S.E., in the Chair. 



1. The meetings for this session were opened by an interesting exposition 

 of the construction and management of light-houses, given at the special re- 

 quest of the Council of the Society, by David Stevenson, civil-engmeer. 

 After alluding to the great importance of the subject, and giving a brief out- 

 line of the early history of light-houses, from which it appeared that the open 

 coal fires, formerly employed in lighting our coasts, were superseded by a 

 more perfect system only towards the ;close of last century, Mr. Stevenson 

 proceeded to explain— RrsC, The systems at present in use for producing 

 signal-lights, by means of the catoptric, or reflecting, and the dioptric, or 

 refracting apparatus, and also by the combination of these two, to which the 

 term of catadioptric is applied ;" Second, The means employed for varying the 

 characteristic appearances of tlie lights, describing the seven methods at 

 present in use on the coast of Scotland ; Third, The construction of the 

 erections from which those lights are exhibited, viz., the ordinary lighthouse 

 stations which occur on the coast, those erected on sunken or isolated rocks 

 —such as the Eddvstone, Bell-rock, and Skerryvore— the floating light, 

 screw-pile light, &c. &c. ; and, Fovrth, The construction of beacons and 

 buoys, adopted in situations where light-houses cannot be erected. Mr. Ste- 

 venson concluded by offering a few remarks on the management of light- 

 houses generally. The exposition was illustrated by a variety of models and 

 drawings, together with specimens of the different kinds of apparatus em- 

 ployed, the use of which was granted by the Commissioners of the Northern 

 Lighthouses. Thanks were voted to the Hon. the Commissioners of the 

 Northern Lighthouses for the use of the models, and to Mr. David Steven, 

 son for the exposition, which were given to him from the Chair. 



The report of the committee appointed to award prizes for communications 

 read and exhibited during the last session was read, by which it appears that 

 not less than 21 prizes were awarded. 



The office bearers for the current year were elected ; when 1 rof. Ihomas 

 Traill, M.D., F.R.S.E., was announced the President for the year ensuing. 



Novemlier 27. — Prof. Trail in the chair. 



The President, on taking the chair, addressed the Society, thanking 

 the Fellows for the honour thev had done him in placing him by the chair. 

 He stated that he took a great interest in the proceedings of the Society, and 

 that it should be his earnest endeavour to promote the prosperity of the So- 

 ciety, and to forward its laudable object, the encouragement of the useful 

 arts. . , 



Several communications were made and referred to committee tor con- 

 sideration. . . ■ ■ J 



Sir Geo S. Mackenzie, Bart., exhibited a beautiful specimen in ivory, copied 

 by Chevcrton, by machinery, from the " Clytie," or (according to Flaxman) 

 the " Isis," one of the finest antique busts in the British Museum. 



A motion bv James Thompson, Esq., F.R.S.E., civil engineer, " That the 

 Society shall memorialize Government or petition both Houses of Parliament 

 on the present neglected state of the Ordnance Survey of Scotland, and urging 

 that it be resumed and prosecuted with vigour," was unanimously adopted, 

 and a remit made to a Committee to prepare a draft and to report. 



December 11.— George Buchanan, Esa., F.R.S.E., in the Chair. 



The following communications were made : — 



"1. Description of the new Dock Gates at Grangemouth, on the Forth.' 

 By James Thomson, Esq. C.E. Glasgow. 



Mr. Thomson exhibited a model and drawings of the dock gates recently 

 constructed at Grangemouth, where the entrance lock, upon which are four 

 pair of gates, is 250 it. long, 55ft. wide, with a depth of 25ft. water over the 

 sill into the new wet docks. The gates, which are wholly built of timber 

 consist of a double framework, the front framing, or that next the sill, being 

 straight, and the back curved, both, of course, uniting together in the heel 

 and meter posts. The back or curved framing is formed with arched ribs, 

 composed of plank in three thicknesses of four inches, firmly bolted together, 



