m 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[April, 



If the pressure of the sleam on the piston be equal to 35 inches of mercury, 

 or2'41b. on ihe square inch, and the vacuum the same as in llie revolving 

 engine, or 121b., then the pressure on the piston will be H'41b.on the square 



3137143 

 inch, and ■ .^^ ■ = 2178G0 = the product of the area of the cylinder in 



inches, multiplied by the velocity in feet, and 217860 x 12 = 2614320 



The loss of steam in filling the passages and spaces at top and 



bottom of cylinder, say 1-12 .. .. .. .. 217860 



Cubic inches of steam required per minute, equal .. ,. 2832180 



Steam at a pressure of 2 4 lb. on the square inch, is 1497 times the volume 



of the water of which it was generated, therefore, 



2832180 

 14b7 



1892 cubic 



inches, or 1-095 cubic feet, equal the quantity of water required for steam, 



1892 

 per minute, "coTk — 2'96 times the evaporation required for the common 



engine, as for the revolving engine, and consequently only about one-third 

 of the fuel would be required for the revolving engine, as would be required 

 for a common reciprocating condensing engine of the same power. 



THE THAMES EMBANKMENT. 



Rivers of other countries pass through romantic scenery and 

 regions of natural grandeur, the rivers of the new world have a colos- 

 sal extent, in the presence of which our insular streams shrink into 

 contemptible rills; but, as in other things, so here, moral influences 

 contribute to give a rank. The Thames, rich in historical associa- 

 tions, presents a scene of commercial magnificence, to which even the 

 teeming population of China cannot present an equal. On the banks 

 of the silent highway, the largest and most commercial city in the 

 world, is placed the metropolis of the mighty English empire, and it 

 may truly be said the central seat of civilisation. Regarded by na- 

 tives and by foreigners with equal admiration, it has often been a sub- 

 ject of regret that no grand and systematic plan has been adopted for 

 regulating the navigability of the river, aud preserving a consistent 

 stvle of architecture on its banks. The ugly, ill devised buildings, 

 ■which are a blot on its shores, attest the want of a central authority 

 and efficient control. 



Remembering that it is by commerce London has attained its pre- 

 sent grandeur, and by commerce it is to be maintained, it is self-evi- 

 dent that more regard is to be paid to the useful than the ornamental, at 

 any rate the useful must not be sacrificed. The inhabitants of the 

 Seine and the Litfev can pride themselves on quays, which interfere 

 with no commerce, but we cannot sacrifice for ornament the machinery 

 of wealth which our river afl^ords. A tide river, upon which the 

 largest argosies are borne, and on which many of our war ships have 

 for centuries been launched, cannot be treated like a shallow upland 

 stream, and however interesting the quays of Paris or Dublin may be, 

 certainly, notwithstanding the timber hovels and the misshapen bulks 

 of building, the numerous craft on the Thames are objects not less 

 pleasing. We must not complain, if we do not rival those cities in 

 river promenades, since we surpass them in commercial grandeur. 



While we make this declaration it must not be supposed that we 

 deprecate improvement, on the contrary, we esteem it highly neces- 

 sary that something should be done for the banks of the Thames, but 

 that whatever is done should be done with caution. The testimony of 

 a man like Wren is of the highest value, and indeed the manifest ad- 

 vantages accruing from a proper direction of the stream would alone 

 enlist our sympathies. We may observe, bv the bye, it is curious that 

 after Wren's plans for the adornment of the metropolis should have 

 been rejected two centuries ago, in the present age his views are re- 

 ceiving full accomplishment, and as we are widening our streets, and 

 improving our buildings, so we are in the same spirit about to rescue 

 the noble Thames from the neglect with which it has heretofore been 

 treated. The subject of embankment is one which has long engaged 

 attetnion, and been the subject of much discussion of late years, and 

 the government having published a report in relation to it, we have 

 been induced to devote a large portion of our space to a question so 

 important, both in its engineering and architectural bearings, for, if on 

 the «iie hand, it is a question of magnificence and ornament, on the 

 other it concerns the improvement of an important stream, the regu- 

 lation ef its channel, and the arrangement of its wharfs and quays, 

 and side docks. We may here, by the bye, observe that the engineer 

 and geologist will in the sections of the river introduced in the 

 report, showing the form of the river bed at various times, acquire 

 most important and interesting evidence, as to the power of running 

 streams, and the changes which can be effected by the agency of water 

 in a few years. 



The Commissioners have very wisely decided upon proceeding very 

 cautiously, and instead of grasping at once with both sides of lh(! 

 river from Battersea Bridge to London Bridge, they only in the pre- 

 sent instance propose to form an embankment or terrace on the Mid- 

 dlesex side of the river between Westminster and Blackfriars Bridges. 

 It will be perceived by the report that there have been several 

 schemes proposed, but there are only three of them which the Com- 

 missioners think are at all practicable, they are the plans of Messrs. 

 Walker and Burges, plan A; Mr. Page, plan B; and Mr. Barry, (one 

 of the Commissioners) plan C ; and they have selected a modification 

 of Mr. Page's plan, as shown in the accompanying plate. Notwith- 

 standing this selection, we, after mature consideration of the several 

 plans and the evidence given in the report, are inclined to advocate 

 the scheme of Messrs. Walker and Burges with some modifications. 

 We propose to form solid embankments and recesses in the following 

 manner. To commence at Westminster Bridge with a solid embank- 

 ment, and continue the same as far as Whitehall Place, as shown in 

 the accompanying plan, but without leaving a dock at Whitehall wharf, 

 which we propose to abandon, as this would only involve the purchase 

 of three wharfs; to set against which we shall have saved the cost of 

 forming the dock, and likewise have a valuable piece of land which 

 will produce a large rental for building chambers for parliamentary prac- 

 titioners and others, on each side of a handsome communication to be 

 formed from the terrace to Parliament Street. This communication, 

 would not require the removal of a single house excepting what be- 

 longs to the wharfs. From this embankment a recess to be formed 

 for the wharfs of Scotland Yard, and Hungerford Market, with three 

 openings of 150 feet each to be spanned by suspension bridges; then, 

 again, an embankment extending the terrace of York Gate, between 

 Villiers Street and George Street, thence a recess for the wharfs of 

 tlie Adelphi and the Savoy, 870ft. long, partly to be enclosed with a 

 terrace wall, having three openings of 150ft. 'each, as before. Thence 

 a terrace to front Somerset House from the Savoy Wharf to Arundel 

 Street, then a recess for the wharfs near Essex Street, followed up by 

 an embankment for an extension of the Temple Gardens, again a recess 

 for the wharfs at Whitefriars, gas works, &c. 930 ft. long, partly 

 enclosed with a terrace wall, having three openings of 150ft. each as 

 before explained. These large openings will offer facilities for 

 barges getting at the wharfs at all times of the tide as now, and 

 thereby the recesses wi 1 not in our opinion be so liable to silt up as 

 Mr. Page's docks will with the contracted entrances he proposes. The 

 narrowing of the stream by the embankment, and the detached ter- 

 race walls will create a scour in the bed of the river, and which will 

 cause the shore gradually to deepen and slope towards the centre of 

 the river, and that coupled with the continuous washing of the banks 

 bv the swell created by the steamers, will keep the recesses free from 

 silt ; on the contrary, Mr. Page's docks will derive no advantage from 

 the steamers passing up and down the river, as the swell will not enter 

 them, and the continuous wall will prevent the mud or silt getting 

 out. The scouring of the sluices will only force channels through the 

 deposit. 



We should prefer the terrace being kept down to within 4 or 5ft. 

 of high water mark so that it may pass under the bridges, a slight 

 rise to be given to the suspension bridges spanning the openings of the 

 recesses to admit barges with sails. By our proposed embankments 

 communications may be made with the present streets; first, to Parlia- 

 ment Street, at Whitehall Wharf: second, at Whitehall Place; third, 

 at Villiers Street; fourth, at the Savoy ; fifth, at Norfolk Street; sixth, 

 at Temple Lane; and, seventh, at Chatham Place. 



We consider it indispensable that the terrace should be continued 

 under Westminster Bridge to the front of the Houses of Parliament, 

 by which means a fine opportunity would be afforded to the public to 

 view that splendid pile of buildings, particularly the sculpture and 

 enrichments. 



According to our proposal, the lengths of the several embankments 

 and recesses or docks, will be as follows: — Whitehall embankment, 



Feet. 



Terrace from Westminster Bridge to Scotland Yard - 2440 

 Scotland Yard and Hungerford Market recess, with three 

 openings ......-- 



York Gate terrace embankment . . . - 



Adelphi and Savoy recess, with three openings 

 Somerset House terrace embankment from Savoy Wharf 

 to Arundel Street ...---- 



Essex Street recess, with two openings ... 

 'lemple Gardens embankment ..... 



Whitefriars recess, from Temple Gardens to Blackfriars 

 Bridge, with three openings . . . - 



5G0 

 340 



S70 



1250 

 400 

 "10 



930 



Total length, 7500 



