1845] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



93 



The Year Book of Facts in Science and Art.— London, Bogiie, 184.'.. 



Time passes so fast, and science makes sucli rapid strides, that «c 

 can hardly keep the two in pace together. The appearance theroforc 

 of the successive Year Books, under tlicir able editor, comes as a 

 useful refresher to the memory. The present volume is not less valu- 

 able than its predecessors, nor less carefully got up. 



The Metropolitan Buildings Act, with a Cychpcedia. hv Alfiud 



Bartholomew, F.S.A., Architect. London. 



Tills is by tiie late Mr. Barthnlommv, whoso lanvnted deceas.' so 

 recently took place. The Cyclopedia is of a most elaborate charartcr, 

 giving copious references to the Act, and forms a most useful pocket 

 compendium for all architects and surveyors. 



Papers on Subjects connected itith the Corps of Royal Engineers. 

 Vol. 7. London : Weale, 1845. ^ 



We return to the Papers of the Corps of Royal Engineers, as we 

 shall be obliged to do again, from want of space adequately to discuss 

 them now, though we feel most anxious to enter upon the considera- 

 tion of a work which contains so much that is useful and valuable. 



The first paper is one of a very practical character, on the militirv 

 defence of the coasts, by Col. Lewis, U.E. We may observe by-the- 

 bye, that this and all the papers are copiously illustrated with plates 

 and engravings. Major Jebb, R.E., has a paper on the construction 

 and ventilation of prisons, with the details of Pentonville Central 

 Model Prison. The experiments in Blasting on the South Eastern 

 Railway, at Dover, torm the basis of Lieut. Hutchinson's contribution 

 on the conducting power of water as applied to submarine explosions 

 The paper of Capt. Walpole is the description of a work executed by 

 the Koyal Engineers, a bridge over the Kat River, at the Cape of 

 Cood Hope, a very good example of how such undertakings mav br 

 carried out under considerable obstacles. The Notes on Swiii? 

 Bridges, by Capt. Nelson, are interesting, and may be of use for the 

 colonia service, wtere such a cheap mode of passing a river is often 

 desirable. The Memoranda on Transition Lime and Limestone, at 

 Plyraouai, by Ca|.t. Nelson, R.E., is a practical paper, which will 

 prove very acceptable. Captain Denison, the editor, has a descrip- 

 tion 01 Uredge s Suspension Bridge erected over the Regent's Canal 

 m the Park. This paper acquires additional interest, from the cir- 

 cumstance of describing the failure of an abutment. The editor also 

 contributes a description of the Balance Gates at the Compensation 



sI^M OK f '''''' ^•^•, ^"li'"'" "^"""^^^ ''^' ■■' description of a 



bmall Observatory, erected at Chatham, for the Corps of Royal En- 



^nn7r\ ,T V P'';" 't "" "'" '"'^J'^' °f "'^ experiments carried 

 on at Chatham by the late Licut. Hope, R.E., on the Pressure of the 



but H !f^;f V^^^'f "^""'f- [^ i^ derived from imperfect memoranda, 

 but It will be found valuable for reference and for subsequent investi- 

 gations. The account of the Failure of a Floor at Edinburgh, in ls33 

 IS by Lieut.-Col. Manson, R.E. This class of papers as vve have oc- 

 casionally intimated is of great importance, for practical men want to 

 know not merely what to follow, but what to avoid. The Repoi t on 

 the Construction of an Iron Beacon in Connecticut, is derived from 

 American documents. The article on Railways, by S. Drysdale 

 pE.MPSEY,isakindofdigest or compilation of the existing practice 

 in reference to this important class of public works. A sequel to it 

 fu h! 'l^^'T'-r "^ ":? '""^'^ P""""'' '" ^'■P^dring the retaining wall 

 HotnH ? r" fw" F"'""l^-, ^''^ '^^' paper is on Engineerh,g in 

 Ho land, by Capt. Hughes, of the United States Army, an American 

 state document, which gives an authentic description from reeen 

 data of the great engineering works of Holland, and particularly of the 

 plan for draining the Haarlem Meer. The Katvvyk Canal and other 

 large hydraulic works are also carefully described. 



Ibe Appendix has some useful papers, particularly two wrought 



pu°bliSs°omel"eX'r"" " "^ ^"''^'''' ^^'^ ^-'-' - 

 The volume which is large, contains no less tiian forty-six plates ; a 

 profusion of illustrations, which adds to the value of the work and is 

 quite in character with the enterprise of the publisher. As the oh ne 

 t'ilThrh " r,7 "','d'-^f"'P'-Denison's care we hope that many eh 

 will be brought forth under such efficient superiutendance. The c vi 

 engineer will hnd here a great many practical examples, to wMch he 



Railway Mascvrt.— Messrs. Groombridge and Sons intend .liortiv to 



HARBOUR.S OF REFLGE. 

 A'l rorl. To the /t!f.'lu Hun. the Lords Commh;i!om; s of Her Majaly's Treasury. 



Wc, the undcrbifc'ucd harbijur commissioners, appointed by your Lordships' 

 minulccflhe 2nd of April last, whose names are hereunto subscribed, have 

 Ibe honour to report to your Lordships ihe result of our proceedings in pur- 

 siiamc of the objects pointed out to us in that minute. 



Are eniercd upon our important and dillicult duties with a deep sense of 

 Ibi' responsibility under which we should have to olfer our opinions. 



This feeling lost nothing of its force during our visit to the south-east coast, 

 nor is it diminished on a review of the circumstances under «hich we havJ 

 now to present for your Lordships' consideration proposals, which, if ap- 

 proved, must necessarily trespass largely on the public revenue. 



The Treasury minute under wliich we act gives fur our guidance three prin- 

 cipal objects, viz.: — 



1. The formation of ports of refuge for the safety and.convenicnce of ves- 

 sels navigating the Britisli Channel. 



2. That these should be calculated to become, in the event of hostilities 

 the stations for ships of war. 



3. The consideration of expense as compared with the public advanta-es 

 hkcly to result from the construction of such works. ' " 



Our instructions do not bind us by any strictly specific limits. M'e arc 

 told, ''If we think one harbour in the channel is not sufTicienf, we are at 

 liberty to extend our inquiries accordingly." ' ' ' • 



\re avail ourselves of the scope thus given to us, and being unanimously 

 of opinion that one harbour would not be sufficient, we proceeded to tjie ex 

 tremc vrest of the narrow part of the channel at Portland, and eastward to 

 Harwich, which, though not strictly within the limits of the channel is on 

 the south-east coast, and forms an important terminatiun to our line in that 

 direclion. Any less comprehensive view of the coast would have fallen short 

 of the spirit of your Lordships' instructions. 



The surveyors placed at our disposal by the Admiralty were directed to 

 make detailed surveys cf the anchoring ground at each place, and also to 

 ascert.ain if any change had occurred since the publication of the last charts 

 This service has been admirably performed by <.aptain AVashington and' the' 

 officers of Her Majesty's surveying vessel the Blazer, at the eastern ports 

 and at Portland with equal skill by Commander Sheringham and the officers 

 of Ihe Fearless surveying vessel. 



Throughout our proceedings we have received unlimited assistance from 

 the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and, amongst other advanla"es 

 their Lordships have permitted us to refer, as occasion required, to their hv- 

 drograpber, Captain Beaufort, whose ready help has been most useful. 



Are obtained every information we could desire from the officers of the 

 Cinque Ports, from the officers of the Royal Engineers, the collectors of Cus- 

 tonis, and from the officers of the Coast Guard. 



The report of the select cummittee of the House of Commons on shipwrecks 

 to which we are referred by your Lordships, has been read by each member 

 of ll;e commission, and the copious information contained in that volume is 

 well worthy the attention of all «ho may at any time be engaged in con- 

 sidering matters relating to the ports and maritime interests of the kin-dcm 

 It was not to be supposed that an inquiry of such a nature as the construc- 

 tion of harbours could be entered on without bringing forward many intelli- 

 gent persons with propositions of various kinds; and the appendix shows 

 their names and the nature of their proposals. 



To each individual «c have given a patient hearin- as our minutes of ex- 

 amination fully testify ; and every fair consideration has been bestowed on 

 their plans. 



We invited the Chairman of Lloyd's and the Chairman of the Shipowners' 

 Nociety to meet us, or to delegate others to state the opinions of those creat 

 mercantile bodies with reference to the positions they consider best as forts 

 for the shelter of their trade. ' 



We have also had before us every class of persons who were though capa- 

 ble of afiordmg information, including several eminent engineers T and in 

 order to guard against the often misleading opinions of residents at the dif- 

 lerent ports, »e have examined many others practically acquainted with the 

 various places, whom we believed to be unbiassed by local partialities 



The examination of persons so varied in their pursuits could not but afford 

 muchusefu information. It has, however, been no light task to deal with 

 the conflicting opinions they ofier. 



With these preliminary remarks we proceed to lay before your Lordships 

 the result of our deliberate consideration of the whole of the circumstances 

 which have earnestly occupied our attention. cumsiances 



,,, , , FOBENKSS. 



we proceeded, m llie first instance, to Foreness. njiir th/. i\i„..i, r , j , 

 which the lUrbonr Commission of 18-10 r^commemcS a, the JLce hW i,!"!!',""; '"' 

 .hc„U harbour, giving a p,-e,e,ence first to Dover, and £"„d'ly'o bA'^ChZ'. 



* Journid,' vol. i 

 is right to 



, 1841), p. ;.M6.) 

 ' ""^ I'cr.ons who composed that commission. 



in order that their 



» Kear-Admiral Sir James Gordon, K.C.B.; Cauli^iTvidnl Arimi-„l>„s 



mil ^^L^^tl^'c:::i[Ciy^:;^^ °' '"^ »^p°""- "f Triuityho^usT; 



