18-14.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



33 



150 H.P., on the side lever or beam principle, and with tubular boilers. 

 Three of these boilers are in the hands of Messrs. Ditchburn & Mair of 

 Blackwall, to be supplied with engines by Bolton, Watt & Co., by Penn & 

 Son, and by Seaward, Capel & Co. Mr. Robert Napier, of Glasgow, is to 

 build the other three, and also to supply the engines. One of the improve- 

 ments to be introduced, is to have the coal boxes built as part of the vessel 

 and perfectly water-tight, and also to have water-tight bulkheads. 



PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 



INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.— Session 1844. 

 January 16. — The President in the Chair. 



The Annual General Meeting of the Institution was held on Tuesday 

 evening, when the usual report of the Council was read. It appeared that the 

 progress of the Society was satisfactory, and the increase of members was 

 equal to I hat of preceding years, but the amount of arrears of subscription 

 was larger. The members were pressed to transmit papers for reading, for, 

 as was justly stated, scientific societies can only be supported by useful and 

 interesting communications, and by raising such discussions upon them, as 

 are the distinguishing feature of the meetings of the Society of Engineers. 



Memoirs of Professor 'Wallace of Edinburgh, of Mr. Buddie of Newcastle, 

 and of several other deceased members were read. 



Telford medals were presented to Messrs. F. W. Simms, W. Pole, and T. 

 Oldham, for communications presented by them to the Institution. 



Telford and Walker Premiums of Books were also presented to Messrs. 

 D. Mackain, D. Bremner, D. S. Hope, R. Mallet, W. J. M. Rankine, W. L. 

 Baker, S. C. Homersham, J. 0. York, G. D. Bishopp, and G. B. W. Jackson, 

 for their papers and drawings, which had been read and exhibited at the 

 meetings during the past session. 



Mr. J. Walker, the President, addressed the meeting upon the internal 

 management of the Society, the election of His Royal Highness Prince 

 Albert, as an honorary member, the valuable addition to the library presented 

 by the Duke of Buccleuch, the course of study and practice most beneficial 

 for young engineers, and the opportunity afforded by the Institution for 

 coming advantageously before the world ; he then, among other novel sub- 

 jects connected with engineering, spoke of having lately visited the atmos- 

 pheric railway near Dublin, and said, that without prognosticating as to the 

 future, the experiments he witnessed appeared more promising than those 

 with locomotive engines at a corresponding early period of their introduction 

 upon railways. 



He then gave a short notice of the connexion of Colonel Stoddart with the 

 Institution as its honorary secretary, in the years 1834-5 ; alluding to the 

 exertions now making by a committee of gentlemen under the direction of 

 Captain Grover, for ascertaining the fate, and, if possible, of obtaining the re- 

 lease of both Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly, who, there was every 

 reason to believe, v\ere really still alive, although detained in a sort of cap- 

 tivity. In confirmation of this. Lieutenant Colonel Humfrey stated that 

 Captain Grover had been informed liy Lord Aberdeen, that authentic intelli- 

 gence had been received from Constantmople, and from the British Consul 

 at Trebizonde, to the eflTect, that some pilgrims recently arrived direct from 

 Bokhara, had seen both Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly alive and at 

 liberty, although strictly watched ; that they were both employed in the mi- 

 litary service of the Ameer, and that evidently they were restrained by some 

 powerful reason from attempting to make their situation known, as it was 

 not probable, otherwise, that two officers of such merit should allow them- 

 selves to be reported dead, and their names to be struck off the army hst. 

 The favourable reception of Dr. Woolff at the various places he had hitherto 

 passed through was noticed, and a spirited subscription to the Stoddart and 

 Conolly fund was immediately commenced among the members of the Insti- 

 tution, who all appeared anxious to aid in the restoration to his native 

 country, of a gentleman who had, whilst connected with them, gained so 

 many friends. 



The ballot for the Council took place, when the following gentlemen were 

 elected: — J. Walker, President; Messrs. W. Cubitt, B. Donkin, J. Field, and 

 H. R. Palmer, Vice Presidents; W.S.Clark, F. Giles, G.Lowe, J. Miller, 

 W. C. Mylne, J. M. Rendel, G. Rennie, R. Sibley, J. Simpson, J. Taylor, F. 

 Braithwaite, and W. Cubitt, other members and associates of Council. 



The following papers were announced to be read at the next meeting, on 

 February 6, until which time the meeting adjourned : — 



" Description of a water-wheel constructed by W. Fairbairn, Esq., and 

 erected in Lombardy," by S. B. Moody, Assoc. Inst. C. E. " Description of 

 a new chain bucket water-wheel," by J. Wight. " Description of Whitelaw's 

 horizontal water-wheel," by J. Whitelaw. " Description of a water meter," 

 by P. Carmichael. 



BRISTOL AND WEST OF ENGLAND ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY. 



A GENERAL meeting of the members of this society was held on Tuesday 

 evening, December 19, in the theatre of the Institation, Bristol, and was 

 numerously attended. 



The Ven. Archdeacon Thorp, on being called to the chair, observed, that 

 the present meeting might be considered an anniversary meeting, as the re- 

 port of what had been done by their society during the year would be read, 

 KS also the statement of their accounts. It was gratifying to find that the 

 principles contended for by the society were rapidly gaining ground ; although 

 they had not at the present moment to report the formation of new societies, 

 they had to congratulate the friends of the society on its making a steady 

 progress; that there had been an increase of members, which was hardly to 

 have been expected, after the novelty of the society had ceased to excite. 

 The chairman alluded to the rule of this and similar societies, by which a 

 member of one society was also a member of the other societies, and said 

 that much benefit had been the result. In carrying out the principles of the 

 society they were mainly endeavouring to promote the welfare of the Church. 

 It was not merely for the sake of promoting the elegancies of art that they 

 were concerned, but in all their proceedings they were anxious to bring all 

 the aid that art or science could afford into the service of their church. It 

 was peculiarly gratifying to him to observe that they were not looked upon 

 any longer with suspicion by a large and influential body of gentlemen who 

 were professionally devoted to architectural pursuits, but that instead of 

 being deemed intruders into the profession, they were considered as amongst 

 its ablest promoters. The principles of church architecture and restoration, 

 for the encouragement of which the society was formed, were a very 

 few years ago unknown or unacknowledged. Churches were built 

 and restored, without considering who were the persons to be engaged in 

 religious worship, or the manner of worship to be celebrated. The service 

 of the church had not been in accordance with ifs ritual. But now a better 

 state of things had obtained, and he confidently believed that many of the 

 heart-burnings which prevailed in the church would be subdued in propor- 

 tion as the church principles of architecture were more understood. Persons 

 who were formerly greatly averse to this society, were now, after seeing its 

 principles carried out, its friends. Distinctions between the worshippers in 

 the church had been made where God never intended them to exist, and 

 persons had been excluded from its service for whom the church was spe- 

 cially bound to provide. The austerity evinced by some to pews he had him- 

 self at one time thought too great, but he now thought the time was rapidly 

 approaching when pews would altogether be abolished. Churches had been 

 built without regard to the service to be performed in them, — rather for the 

 worship of Mussulmans, Indians, or Egyptians than that of Christians. But 

 now, after the numerous examples which had been set, it would not be 

 deemed necessary to have pews fitted up with every convenience for domestic 

 comfort, and persons instead of being driven to dissent, would find the in- 

 ternal accommodation of the church consistent with its ritual. The Vener- 

 able Archdeacon concluded a long and able address by observing that the in- 

 terest of that and kindred societies were favourably progressing, and that 

 great practical beneficial results had been effected, and instanced the 

 church of St. Sepulchre, at Cambridge, which, instead of being a place not 

 fit for a pig-stye, was likely to be one of the most beautiful churches in the 

 kingdom. 



The Rev. J. R. Woodford, the secretary, then read the report, which stated 

 that they had concurred in several undertakings which seemed calculated to 

 advance the end the society had in view — the restoration of the ecclesiastical 

 edifices in the diocese, and the prevention of the introduction of architectural 

 improprieties in the new buildings which were rising around them. They 

 had forwarded a memorial to the Commissioners for Building additional 

 Chapels and Churches, with reference to certain objectionable points in their 

 rules, viz., the introduction of galleries, the toleration of pews, and the posi- 

 tion and materials of the font. The committee had been active in promoting 

 the circulation of The Bristol Archaeological Magazine, as it was believed the 

 wider its circulation, the greater degree of usefulness would be obtained. 

 The committee had undertaken the restoration of the south porch of Slim- 

 bridge church. A grant of money had been made towards the repairs of the 

 tower of Bitton church. A font, of the Norman period, had been erected 

 under the superintendence of the committee, in All Saints' church, in this 

 city, the cost of which was defrayed by the vicar, i'he report concluded by 

 recommending four gentlemen for election as vice-presidents. 



The Rev. Eccles Carter read a paper on " The Church of Slimbridge," 

 situated 11 miles from Gloucester, on the left side of the road from Bristol 

 to that city. The church is an object of interest to travellers from its lofty 

 and very graceful spire, which rises amidst the dense foliage of that flat but 

 fertile vale. Its more peculiar beauties are, however, concentrated in the in- 

 terior. The edifice, in its pristine and perfect state, for completeness of plan, 

 elegance of proportion, and elaborate execution of general design, could 

 scarcely have been second to any of its own style and date. The church is 

 said in the history of the county to have been dedicated to St. John the 

 Evangelist, but there is no tradition or commemoration whatever of this fact. 

 The church consists ofa chancel, 32ft. 9in. byl6ft. 3in.; nave, 60ft. by 18ft. 

 3in.; tower at west end, lift. lOin. square; north and south aisle, 57ft. 

 9 in. by 13ft. 2 in.; south porch, 7ft. 9 in.; vestry, on the north side of the 

 chancel, 9ft lOin. by lift. lin. The church does not stand due east, but is 

 rather to the south of east. The east window consists of three lights, deco. 

 rated. In the centre light is a shield of richly stained glass, bearing the arms 

 of the Berkeley family. The chancel is elevated one step ; two altar steps run 

 the whole width of the chancel. As there was formerly a chantry dedicated to 

 St. Katherine, it is supposed that the place now used as a vestry was also a 

 chapel dedicated to that saint. There are five piers carrying four archea on 



