1844.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



43 



lieve the public from a large amount of poor-rates, increase the la- 

 bouring power of the population, and extend the duration of life, 

 health and strength. Mr. Chadwick then proceeds to propound his 

 plan, which is, that the practice of interment should be placed under 

 government direction, the structural arrangements being confided to 

 the Commissioners of Woods and Forests. The present practice of 

 burying in towns to be entirely abolished. The expenses of national 

 cemeteries to be raised by loans bearing interest, the repayment of 

 the principal and interest being spread over a period of 30 years, and 

 charged on the several interments. Compensation is also to be given 

 from this fund to the new cemeteries, which it is recommended should 

 be purchased, and in some cases retained for the purpose of interment. 

 The general economical result, it is very clearly shown, would be the 

 reduction of burial charges to at least one half of the existing 

 amount. 



With regard to the choice of ground for cemeteries the report ob- 

 serves — 



•' The progress of the decay of the body is various, according to the nature 

 of the soil and the surrounding agencies. Clayey soils are autiseptic ; they 

 retain the gases, as explained by Mr. Leigh ; they exclude the external at- 

 mosphere, and are also liable to the inconvenience of becoming deeply fissured 

 in hot weather, and then allowing the escape of the emanations which have 

 been retained in a highly concentrated state. Loamy, ferruginous, and alu- 

 minous soils, moor earth, and bog, are unfavourable to decomposition ; sandy, 

 marly, and calcareous soils are favouraljle to it. Water, at a low tempera- 

 ture, has the tendency, as already explained, to promote only a languid de- 

 composition, which sometimes produces adiposcire in bodies : a high and 

 dry temperature tends to produce the consistency and permanency of mum- 

 mies. A temperature of from 65° Fahrenheit and upwards, and a moist at- 

 mosphere, is the most favourable to decomposition. The remains of the 

 young decompose more rapidly than those of the old, females than males, the 

 fat than the lean. The remains of children decompose very rapidly. On 

 opening the graves of children at a period of six or seven years, the bodies 

 have been found decomposed, not even the bones remaining, whilst tlie 

 bodies of the adults were but little aifected. The process of decomposition 

 is also affected by the disease by which the death was occasioned. The 

 process is delayed by the make of some sort of coffins. The extreme varia- 

 tions of the process under such circumstances as those above recited, is from 

 a few months to 30 years or half a century. Bones often last for centuries." 



" Attention to these circumstances by qualified persons in Germany has led 

 to different regulations of the depth of graves at diflferent ages. At Stuttgart 

 the dirt'erent depths are as follows : — For bodies of persons under 8 years, 

 3ft. 9in.; 8 to 10 years, 4ft. 7in.; 10 to 14 years, 5ft. 7in.; adult, 6ft. 

 7 in. At the Glasshutte, in the Erzgebirge, the depths are as follows: — 

 Under 8 years, 3ft. Sin. ; 8 to 14 years, 4ft. 7 in.; adults, 5ft. At Frank- 

 fort the average depth prescribed for graves is 5 ft. 7 in. ; at Munich, 6 ft. C in. ; 

 in France, 4ft. lOin. to 6ft.; in Austria, 6ft. 2in., if hme be used." 



iS We should observe, indeed, that the views of Mr. Chadwick, with 

 regard to the laws regulating the duration of life, are most valuable 

 and original, but being out of the immediate range of our occupa- 

 tions, we are unable to discuss them. The doctrines illustrating the 

 effect of good accommodation upon health and disease, are also en- 

 forced by the example of the four provinces of Ireland, where the 

 proportion of mud cabins is found to indicate the lowest average of 

 life. 



We have now to consider the mode of administration pointed out, 

 and we feel bound at once to give in our accession as to the necessity 

 of a comprehensive plan, and the ineligibility of parochial manage- 

 ment. We do not, however, like in this or any other case to give up 

 the principle of popular control, one of the oldest and dearest in 

 our constitution, and a disposition to abrogate which, and to advocate 

 centralization, has too frequently manifested itself of late years, and 

 too readily met with public acquiescence. The evils of parochial 

 jobbing and sectarian bigotry, we should be foremost in attacking ; 

 but we do not think the only resource is administration by a govern- 

 ment board, certainly not in the metropolis and the large towns. We 

 think a municipal administration would fully meet the circumstances, 

 would ensure efficient control, and be free from the evils of the pa- 

 rochial system. It is true that a municipal body does not exist for the 

 metropolis, and that the Woods and Forests has been made a kind of 

 nurse-tender in many cases, while attempts to give regular municipal 

 institutions liave been evaded by the government ; but we see no diffi- 

 culty in providing for the present case, which must also be considered 

 in reference tofnlurc legislation, as to the Sewer and Paving Commis- 

 sions. Although, apathy may exist as to the administration of ce- 

 meteries, yet surely professional men would not like such an example 

 brought forward on the occasion of the centralization of the Sewers 

 Commissions for instance, and the whole matter coollv handed over 

 to the Woods and Forests ; yet it is evident that such case must be 

 met not merely on its own grounds, but with reference to a general 

 principle. The question is, whether the principle of government ad- I 



ministration, not recognized with regard to metropolitan roads, paving 

 and sewers, is to become predominant, and the whole profession be 

 placed under the rule of Her Majesty's Commissioners of Woods and 

 Forests and Land Revenue. 



OBSTA PRINCIPIO. 



THE CONSERVATIVE CLUB. 



Architects, Sydney Sjurke and George Basevi, Juu. 



( With an Engraving on Steel, Plate I.) 



Club architecture is a new class, which has sprung up of late years, 

 and which forms an important feature of the Pall Mall district. It 

 may be divided into two classes, the classic school, to which the ear- 

 lier specimens belong, and the Italian school, in which Mr. Barry led 

 the way by the erection of the Travellers' Club. Year after year 

 has gone on adding to the magnificence of these structures, and we 

 hope not without a beneficial influence on the taste of the architects 

 concerned. The artists, who liave chiefly exerted themselves in 

 this department, have been four, the two Smirkes, Decimus Burton, 

 and Barry, each of whom has contributed at least two specimens. In 

 the Athenaeum Club Mr. Burton introduced the novel feature of an ex- 

 tended sculptured frieze, which, although not original, yet being a 

 copy of that from the Parthenon at Athens, preserved among tha 

 Elgin marbles, is an ingenious and appropriate adaptation. Mr. Barry 

 took the next step, by adopting the Italian style for the Travellers' 

 Club, the old garden front of which has been justly admired for its 

 chasteness, and which, oven in its altered form, has not lost its character. 

 Mr. Sydney Smirke's Oxford and Cambridge Club was a happy at- 

 tempt to produce effect by sculptural decoration, the emblematic 

 panels giving dignity and elegance to the facade, at the same time 

 that they indicate the cUisses to whom the edifice is devoted. The 

 Reform Club sank in the shade all its competitors, rising in giant ma- 

 jesty over the surrounding edifices. The taste which presided in the 

 distribution of its details, and in its internal decorations, has been ably 

 commented upon by some of the contributors to our columns, though 

 the ett'ect of the grand front is in some degree marred, by the fatal 

 necessity of the interior arrangements, so that on the Pall Mall side 

 it looks too windowy, having indeed symmetry, but affording little re- 

 lief to the eye. In the side elevation, the grouping of the windows 

 avoids this monotonous appearance. It was felt, however, that the 

 erection of the Reform Club had thrown its neighbours into insignifi- 

 cance, particularly the Carlton Club, and the necessity of a new con- 

 servative club soon became evident, and resulted in the erection of 

 the edifice of which the engraving is now before us. We have felt 

 that these edifices have strong claims on our readerss, on the one 

 hand as afibrding many useful studies, and on the other, as illustrating 

 the practice of some of the most eminent men, and the progress of 

 what we may call social architecture, an acquaintance with which in 

 its highest forms, is of great value to our metropolitan and provincial 

 brethren, iu the erection of clubhouses, chambers of commerce, news- 

 rooms, literary institutions, &c. We have accordingly given eleva- 

 tions of the Reform Club, (Vol. Ill, pp. 144, 336,) Oxford and Cam- 

 bridge University, (Vol. I, p. 15,) Club Chambers Association, (Vol. II, 

 p. 319,) with the present article, that of the Conservative Club. 

 Plans of the same buildings will also be found in our volumes, Reform 

 Club, (Vol. Ill, p. 109,) Oxford and Cambridge Club, (Vol. I, p. 59,) 

 and Club Chambers, (Vol. II, p. 319.) A section of the Reform Club, 

 and details of the windows, cornicione, &c., are given in our third 

 volume, (pp. 33(3, 409,) making altogether about fifteen plates and en- 

 gravings, which we have appropriated to this subject. 



The Conservative Club is the joint work of Mr. Sydney Smirke and 

 Mr. George Basevi, Jun., and is placed on the west side of St. James' 

 Street, near the Palace. As a rival to the Reform Club it has one of 

 the largest facades, as thi' annexed table will show. 



The front of the Conservative Club consists of two stories or orders, 

 the lower rusticated and without columns, except at each wing, as 

 described below. The upper story is Corinthian, and consists of en- 

 tire, but attached columns and pilasters upon the usual podium, and 

 having the entablature surmounted by a balustrade. In the interco- 

 lumniations are windows with enriched dressings and pediments. 

 Over the windows and ranging with the capitals of the columns, is a 

 frieze of carved foliage, for the most part of classical character, but 

 having the Imperial Crown, encircled by an oak wreath, occasionally 

 introduced. The front is of uniform height, but the wings are slightly 

 advanced. In each wing the lower order is Roman Doric, that on the 

 left contains the porch entrance, deeply receding, with groups of co- 

 lumns and pilasters on either side. In the right wing the leading 



