93 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL.] 



[March, 



Fig. 1. 



Fig. 2. 



block exliibits its economical cutliug 

 from round timber, showu by the cir- 

 cular boundary line. The upper sur- 

 face consists of six sides, three of 

 which, a a a, being larger, and three, 

 b b b, smaller than the sides of a hexa- 

 gon inscribed in the same circle. The 

 under surface has the same boundary 

 lines for its sides, viz. three, a' a' a', 

 being equal to a a «, and three, 4' b' b', 

 being equal to b b b ; but these are 

 turned round in such a position that 

 each of the larger shall be parallel to 

 the smaller, and vi e versa, thus form- 

 ing two triple wedges, the one to 

 resist upward and the other to resist 

 downward pressure. 

 Was this ingenious discovery confined in its application to wood paving 

 alone, it would certainly be a step gained in the knowledge of this art, but 

 its capabilities are still more admirably di-played in formiiig, in slate, stone, 

 or marble, ornamental floors, pavements and wa'ls, and the most beautiful 

 devices for marble slabs may be carried out an expense scarcely exceeding 

 the present bungling methods of disposing tlie pieces in a concrete bed ; well 

 secured ou its sides, very little of any cement is required to unite the pieces 

 and none for its bed. ihe specimens in slate exhibit a series of squares to 

 which the principle is successfully applied, forming a pavement highly orna- 

 mental and well adapted for ground floors of mansions where damp is pre- 

 valent. 



The wooden blocks are produced by a machine at four operations, which 

 first cross-cuts them into lengths of six inches, these are placed ou a travel- 

 ling bed, fixed at the required angle to receive the first two cuts from parallel 

 circular saws, these are returned and placed in a proper position for cutting 

 the second pair of sides, and again the process is repeated, which fiuishes the 

 block ready for grooving. In laying them down the patentees are deter- 

 mined to profit by the dearly liought experience of those who have gone 

 before them ; their first object, in combining economy with durability, will 

 be to secure a bed whicii shall receive and pass off the waters, and the hemi- 

 trope or double wedged block enables them to do this most eft'ectually ; this 

 will be the first and most decided improvement upon the present methods 

 which bv confining the water to the base of the wood causes it to rot long 

 before its upper surface is removed by fair wear and tear. The exjianding 

 powers of the wood will also be allowed for, which can be done without 

 diminution of its cohering powers, the blocks reposing upon each other re- 

 ceiving and distributing the superincumbent weight, until it is lost in the 

 surrounding distance. Its other advantages are simplicity of construction in 

 laying, raising, and relaying, and in manufacture; its strength and solidity 

 when" laid down ; its cheapness, being 10(/. per yard cheaper than Stead's, 

 (the cheapest now known,) and 2s. ll.Jrf. cheaper than Count de Lisle's, its 

 capiihilities of resistance and of preserving its grooved surface by steadilj 

 maintaiDing it$ position. • 



RSVIE'WS. 



On the Uislory and Act of Warming and P'entilalhg Rooms and 

 Buildings. By Walter Bkrnan, C.E. London: G.Bell, 1&45. 

 The advancement of the art of warming and ventilation is no'v such, 

 and so much attention is directed to it, that it is of importance to the. 

 architect and engineer to obtain a good acquaintance with it. Em- 

 ployers become more exacting as to their own comforts, and the sub- 

 ject is so little understood, so unsuccessfully dealt with, and so much 

 controversy exists as to modes of proceeding that sound information 

 is most useful. Mr. Bernan goes into the suliject fiom the beginning, 

 explains the several modes of construction adopted, and inventions 

 reported, and produces a small work, copiously illustrated with en- 

 gravings, and with a good index. We shall feel it our duly to return 

 to this work. 



Praclical Geology and Ancient jirchitecttire of Ireland. By George 

 Wilkinson, Architect. London : Murray. 



The proper understanding of the resources of a country as to build- 

 ing materials is much aided by a reference to its ancient and public 

 monuments. We have then practical facts to deal with, we have often 

 the advantage of long experience, sometimes of nuiuerons data, and we 

 are enabled to arrive at a safe judgment as to the relative values of 

 the several materials. It will be recollected how much this test was 

 made use of by the Commission for enquiring into the Building Ma- 

 terials for the New Houses of Parliament, and which led to the pro- 

 duction of a body of evidence, useful not merely for the particular 

 purpose in question, but to all parties employed in the constructive 

 arts throughout the country. Mr. Wilkinson has performed the same 

 task for Ireland, and taken up the subject comprehensively. This 

 leads of course to many interesting discussions, the progress of Nor- 

 man architecture in Ireland, the origin of the round towers, &c., mat- 

 ters in which we feel that our readers will justify us in reverting to 

 on an early occasion, when we hope to give engravings of some of the 

 many examples adduced by Mr. Wilkinson. We may observe that 

 the work is not merely practical, but ornamental, being illustrated 

 with many plates and upwards of seventy highly finished wood en- 

 gravings. 



The Qiiarlerhj Journal of the Geological Society, No. L Edited by 

 the Vice-Secretary of the Geological Society. London: Longmans. 

 The Geological Society it is well known is one of the most active 

 and vigorous of the learned bodies, its proceedings abound with prac- 

 tical results, and its members are bound to it by a strong regard for 

 their general and individual reputation. Geology from a speculative 

 science has now become one of a most practical character, important 

 to tlie agriculturist, the miner, the engineer and the architect; there 

 is a great demand for sound information. The papers read before the 

 Fellows are nearly all of immediate or permanent interest, and the 

 Society feeling the great injury which was inflicted by delaying many 

 most valuable communications for insertion in the quarto transactions, 

 has resolved upon the publication of the present Journal in an octavo 

 size, at a cheap rate, and we earnestly wish the undertaking success, 

 and recommend it to our friends. It contains all the proceedings of 

 the Geological Society with numerous plates and engravings, and 

 much other valuable matter. The name of the Editor, Professor 

 Austed, the author of the recent valuable work on Geology, goes far 

 in giving a guarantee to the work. 



.An Esuay on Aerial Navigation ; pointing out the Modes of Directing 

 Balloons. Bv Joseph Mac Sweeny, M. D.— Cork : G. Purcell and 

 Co. 1844. 



Too few practical experiments have been made on this subject fo 

 allow of our discussing it at any length in our pages, and we refer those 

 who feel an interest iu it to the pages of Dr. Sweeny, who has evi- 

 dently devoted much attention to it. 



Project for Transporting Large Merchant Veiseh by Railroad across 



Itie hthmus of Suez. By Sir Wm. Cornwalus Harris, Major of 



Engineers, Bombay. London : Blackwood, 1815. 



The title of this pamphlet declares its object, and throws the matter 



open for discussion by our readers, to whom we leave the decision as 



to the relative superiority of the several plans proposed for effecting 



a great national object. The plan is decidedly practicable and paiti- 



cularly with the slilF hulls of iron vessels. 



