1845.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



157 



March 2t. — The Presidknt in the chair. 

 The following communications were made : — 



1. Proposal plan fur prevcntinij the Alistrnction of Leilers, S^c.,from 

 IJoiPS ntlnnhcd to the doors of Offices. By IIk.viiy Graham, M.U., Edin- 

 burgh. 'Ilic peculiarity of this Letter Box consists in its having an equi- 

 poised valve placed in the necU of the box, which is depressed by the weighl 

 of a letter falling upon it, but which immediately returns to its first positioii, 

 thus preventing the letter from being abstracted. 



2. Remarks on Fire in l)wellin(j Houses, oriijinaling in the ovcr-hcatinij of 

 the llenrlk Stones, and siu/gestions/or its prevention. By Jamks Ton, liscj., 

 W.S., Sec. In this paper it was stated that many fires bad originated in 

 dwelling-houses, especially of late, from the overheating of the hearth ; and 

 that this happened through the very dangerous practice of placing u»w/f« 

 beams or joists beneath the hearth stones of our fire-places. These stones 

 arc frequently very thin ; and from the great heat which they contract from 

 large fires, especially in the low Kinnaird grates, which have of late be- 

 come common (and which are, in other respects, so advantageous), are ren- 

 dered so hot as to set fire to the joists on which they rest. A houbc in 

 Northumberland-street took fire from this cause within these two months. 

 The author happened to be passing. lie saw the hearth-stone raised ; it 

 was very thin, and the wood lying beneath it was found to have caught fire, 

 which would probably have issued in the destruction of the house had it 

 happened a few hours later in the niglit. Another instance had happened 

 at the corner of St. Andrew-street within a few weeks, which, it is under- 

 stood, was from the same cause, and it was not known where it might stop. 



In order to prevent similar accidents, the author recommended that in 

 new houses the wooden beams should be kept at a proper distance from tliaf 

 part of the hearth which is apt to become so much heated ; and if beams or 

 joists be placed below the hearth at all, tlicy ought to be of iron. And 

 >yith regard to houses already built, he recommended that ash-pans he always 

 used — not, however, as at present, resting on the hearth, but rawwi oHyiW 

 alioiil an inch high, so as to allow that space of intervening air which would 

 eft'ectually prevent the stone from becoming healed to a dangerous degree. 

 These can be made at an expense of about .')». ; but where parties desire a 

 cheaper article, a piece of sheet iron, bent over at right angles at the sides, 

 and open in front, will answer the purpose quite well, though not so orna- 

 mental ; the essential thing being, that a free space be left for air between 

 the screen and the hearth-stone. This precaution seems doubly imperative 

 where low or Kinnaird grates are used, as no one can tell whether there may 

 not be wooden joists underneath his hearth, which, by becoming ignited, may 

 cause the destruction of much valuable property. 



3. An improved Air Pump or Water Engine. By Mr. Robert Fkrrikr. 

 This Air Pump is driven by a handle, constantly turning in the same direc- 

 tion. This handle drives a pinion, working into wheels, the revolution of 

 which elevate and depress the pistons in the barrels of the Air Pump. It is 

 also double acting, and any number of barrels can be attached so as to pro- 

 duce quicker exhaustion. 



i. .i Machine for Sweeping Chimneys from the top, in a more perfect mnn- 

 ner than lig the tnet/iods in common use. By Mr. Alkxander Scott. 

 Thatcher, Selkirk. By this machine, the brush of which is of heather, Mr. 

 Scott states that he has swept one or two bushels of soot from vents, which 

 bad apparently been swept clean by the common method. 



ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS. 



" On. the Renaissance of France." By M. E. TAnson, Jun. 



The author of this paper first took a summary view of the state of archi- 

 tecture in the period which immediately preceded the introduction of the 

 Renaissance style — particularly in reference to the high pitched roofs, of 

 which he qu»ted several examples ; he next drew attention to the remark- 

 able state of transition which pervaded a large part of Europe during the 

 XVI. century, both in literature, arts and religion, and briefly referred to the 

 political state of France, in which the monarchy having been firmly estab- 

 lished, the kingdom freed from dissensions and internal foes, the people were 

 able under Charles YIII. to accomplish an invasion of Italy, which from 

 various pretexts was continued under the reigns of Louis XII. and Francis I. 

 These preliminary observations were made in order to shew the infliiOTu'e 

 which the existing state of architecture had upon the new style, and further 

 to shew what were the existing causes under which the Renaissance sprang 

 up. 



The author proceeds to show that the Renaissance was a genuine transi- 

 tion style, and that although derived from the fine works of Italy, whicli by 

 that lime had been enriched with the productions of Brunelleschi, Ammanalli, 

 San Sallo, Michael Angelo, San Micheli, Ratt'aelle. and others, that it was 

 imported into France and grafted on the then existing architecture of the 

 country in a free and liberal spirit; and that, in fact, fine specimens both of 

 the Renaissance and of Fl.iraboyant Gothic were eotemporaneous, as is in- 

 stanced by the North Transept of Beauvais, and the church of St. Euslache 

 at Paris, one of the finest specimens of Renaissance extant — both works of 

 the earlier half of the XVI. century. In the new style all the striking peiu- 

 liarities of the old were not lost sight of, the lofty roofs ami dormer winilnws, 

 the central lofty entrance to the chateau in imitation of the fortified gate of 

 the fsudal castle, were all preserved; and thQ chimneys, so essential a feature 



la reference to climate, were treated as component parts of the design, in 

 general with boldness and highly picturesque effect. 



Although under Louis XII. some progress bad been made in the style of 

 the Renaissance, it was not until the reign of Francis I., after the termination 

 of the Italian wars, that any works of magnitude were undertaken. This 

 monarch, emulous of the glory of his cotemporary Pope Leo X., and of the 

 Medici family, from whom this pope sprang, and who by their munificent 

 patronage of letters and arts had enriched Italy with the noblest works of 

 the cinque cento, and which have never been surpassed, devoted his constant 

 attention in the chateau of Fontaineblcau towards the accomplishment of a 

 truly great and national work. The author of the paper dwelt at consider- 

 able length on the description of this palace, detailing its progress under the 

 fostering care of Francis I., and he endeavoured to show by reference to the 

 coincidence of style, as also by quotations from the works of Duardau, Benevc- 

 nuto Cellini and Serlio, that the earlier works at I'ontainebleau were the unas- 

 sisted production of French artists, and that it was only when Francis I. 

 anxious to introduce fresco decoration in the interior of his palace, and, well 

 informed of the fine productions in this branch of art which existed in Italy, 

 invited from that country artists ** r/ui sapcsse luorare di pittura et di stucco" 

 — and these artists, once introduced, in great measure superseded the natives 

 in the whole conduct of the work, an event which the author contended was 

 greatly to be regretted, inasmuch as the early works at Fontaineblcau were 

 full of originality and vigour, and the artists by whom these works were 

 erected would, if unchecked, have founded in all probability a school of art; 

 quite as striking and more original than that which has been produced. After 

 describing this palace, the author alluded to the other works of Francis I. — 

 chateaux he either entirely built or materially enlarged and altered, namely, 

 the chateau of Saint Gerraain-en-Laye, that of Chautilly, of Chambord, 

 Coussy, Colombray, of La Muetto, of Boulogne near Paris, and some others. 

 The history of the Renaissance was then pursued in a description of the 

 Chateau d'Ecouen, founded and built by the Constable de Montraorenci 

 in 1540, the works being conducted by Jean Ballaut, who was also engaged 

 on the Hotel Carnavallet at Paris, the tomb of the Constable Montmorency, 

 that of the Valois family at St. Denis, &c. After referring to some minor 

 works of this period, the subject is continued in a description of the addi- 

 tions made to the Louvre under Henry II., and the services to art rendered 

 by Pierre I'Escot and Jean Gougon on that portion of the palace entrusted 

 to their care. 



The period of art embraced by the preceding observations extended over a 

 space of about a century, from 1500 to IGOO, and the author of this paper 

 concluded his remarks in the following words — " After the year 1600 the 

 direct influence of Italian art was lost, and under Louis XIV. it resumed that 

 peculiar form known as the style Louis Quatorze. I have alluded to some 

 of the chief buildings erected during the period of the Renaissance — they are 

 neither few nor unimportant ; there is considerable beauty, fine composition 

 and grandeur in many of them, and a remarkably fine feeling for detail, some 

 of which is of the highest class, and as long as the history of art endures the 

 name and works of Jean Gougon will not be forgotten. I had intended, 

 time permitting, to draw some comparison between the Renaissance and co- 

 temporary art in other countries — with the Cinque cento of Italy, which cer- 

 tainly must be allowed to take the jjrecedence — with the Elizabethan of 

 England, which it as certainly exceeds in merit as it did in point of chrono- 

 logical development of classic form. 



Whilst Francis I. was building Fontaineblcau, Wolsey was at work on 

 Hampton Court. Whilst the Renaissance of France abounds with beautiful 

 and imaginative detail, the Elizabethan in England can boast of little in its 

 details, and of still less bearing any impress of a high and inteUigent feeling 

 in art. 



April 14. — H. E. KiNDALL, Esq., in the Chair. 

 A paper " On the Formation of a Museum for Architectural Casts," by 

 C. H. Wilson, was read. It is given in another part of the present 

 Journal. 



CHEMICAL LAMP FURNACE. 

 A hydrogen lamp furnace was lately constructed by the Rev. AV. Vernon 

 Ilarcourl, which, affording a steady uniform heat to a platinum vessel, suffi- 

 ciently high to effect the ready fusion of vitreous substances by means of a 

 fuel free from the innumerable objections to which that containing solid car- 

 bonaceous matter is open, consisted of a number of jets arranged round the 

 crucible to be heated, which is suspended by three platinum wires from a 

 watch movement, causing it to rotate slowly on its vertical axis, and insuring 

 uniformity of temperature. The fuel employed was hydrogen, generated in 

 a strong iron reservoir, and burnt under a pressure of from ten to thirty atmo- 

 spheres. This contrivance, though very beautiful, was necessarily very ex- 

 pensive, and but ill adapted to general use. The invention, however, sug- 

 gested to another gentleman, Mr. E. Solly, the possibility of constructing a 

 lamp on a similar principle, but divested of its inconveniences — one that; 

 would at once be economical and simple. He accordingly constructed a 

 lamp, consisting of two circles of jets, one vertical and the other horizontal 

 — the latter being raised about two inches higher than the former. The 

 vertical circle consists of a metal ring, about an inch in diameter, pierced on 

 its upper side by six small holes or jets, the horizontal metal ring having 



i>n iaterual diameter of about tUcee iucli«s, witb twelr« boles driiU4 oq its 



.21 J^^si^ 



