374 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECrS JOURNAL. 



[December, 



It is also desirable that, by means of fixerl or flexible tubes this auxiliary cir- 

 culation should he further extended, and carried as far as practicable into 

 the workings. 



DURATION OF RAILWAY IRON.* 



There has been a great deal of discussion and speculation during the 

 last two years, as to the probable duration of railroad iron when exposed 

 to a heavy tratiic ; and there are few subjects on which the opinions of 

 practical men have differed more. 



Me have, however, at last, the means of forming a very safe estimate of 

 the durability of a 56 lb. to the yard edge rail, when well laid, on an even 

 and well-adjusted track. 



The first ten miles of the second track of the Lowell road was first 

 brought into use in 1838, after the " fish-belly rail" had been found inade- 

 quate. The new rail was of the H pattern — the form now most generally 

 approved. 



The following Table shows the number of tons which passed over the 

 road, in each year, from 1838, when this rail was first used, until July 1845, 

 when the company commenced making extensive repairs: 



In 1838, about .. .. 60,000 tons. 



1839, .. .. .. 70,000 „ 



1840, .. .. .. "3,000 ,. 



1841, .. .. .. 86,000 „ 



1842, .. .. .. 91,000 „ 



184a, .. .. .. 118,000 „ 



1844, .. .. .. 150,000 „ 



1845,.(to July,) .. .. 75.000 „ 



Total frtight, .. 720,000 



In addition to this quantity, there has been transported, 

 annually, about 16.UU0 tons of passengers and baggage, 

 or in seven and a half years . . . . 120,000 



Which makes the aggregate tonnage about .. 840,000 



One Aa// of this quantity only has passed over the second track, which, 

 up to this time, therefore, has sustained 420,000 tons. The question is 

 now, what effect has this tonnage produced? Is thejrail visibly injured 

 by it? 



The company have relieved us of the necessity of all speculation on this 

 point, by taking up several considerable stretches of this rail in 1144 ; and 

 they are noiv making still further changes — one about a mile long;, near the 

 three-mile stone, and the other about half a mile, near South-Woburn. 

 They will be compelled to make additional renewals this year, and proba- 

 bly to change the iron on the whole of this ten miles in the next year. The 

 durability of this rail may, therefore, be set down at 500,000 tons. The 

 lowest estimate we have ever seen of the power of a good edge rail, is 

 1,000,000 tons. 



In 1841 and 1842, the LowellVompany took up 20 miles of the " fish- 

 belly" rail, and laid down a new iron of about 56 lb. per yard ; some por- 

 tion of it was 60 lb., and that which they are now using is 63 lb. iron per 

 yard. This change of iron cost 121,559 dollars, after deducting the pro- 

 ceeds of the old iron, or about 470U dollars per mile. 



The new iron was heavier than the old, which, of course, increased the 

 cost of making the change ; but, on the other hand, the new iron was pur- 

 chased while railroad iron was admitted free of duty, which reduced the 

 cost. 



If we make the proper allowance for these two circumstances, we will 

 find that the cost of taking up one track of 56 lb. iron, and replacing it by 

 anew track of the same weight, is very nearly 5,000 dollars per mile. 



If we then divide this sum by 500,000 tons, the amount of trade which 

 will have destroyed it, we shall obtain one cent per ton per mile for the 

 value of the wear of iron on this road. This is a larger result than we 

 should have looked for ; but as the company receive more than five cents 

 per mile per Ion for all the freight they carry, they can afford to re'uew their 

 iron and still make reasonable profits. 



* From the Boston ;U. S.) Courier. 



Connection of Ltght and Electkicity.— Mr. Faraday. Ins announced at 

 a meeting of the Council of the Royal Institution a very remarltable discovery; which 

 appears to connect the imponderable agencies yet closer together, it it does not indeed 

 prove that Light, Heat and Eieclricity are merely modiljcations of one great universal 

 principle. This discovery is, that a beam of polarized light is deflected by the electric 

 current, so that it may be made to rotate between the poles ot a magnet ; and, as we 

 understand, the converse of tlds, that electro-magnetic rotations may be produced by 

 the agency of light. Thus the problem, which has disturbed science for a long period as 

 to the power of magnetising iron by the sun's rays, as stated by Mrs. Somerville, Mor- 

 richini and otheis, receives satisfactory elucidation from the indefatigable industry of 

 Mr. Faraday. Already has he proved the identity of machine, chemical, magnetic, and 

 animal electricity; and now, advancing a step higher in the inquiry, he finds the most 

 ethereal principl« with which we are acquainted capable of producing phenomena which 

 Dave hitherto been regarded as the exclusive property of ponderable bodies only. Light, 

 tbe sublime agent of vision, tfce source of all the beauty of colour, is now shown to have 

 »»aie close relation with electricity. 



FLAX.MAN, CANOVA, AND THORWALDSEN.* 



Flaxman in England, and Canova in Italy, carried Sculpture on in the di- 

 rection it now has taken ; and their example has exercised a most beneficial 

 influence. Both enthusiastic admirers of the antique, and both educated in 

 the study of its beautiful remains, their works are utterly distinct in character, 

 expression, and treatment. In some respects, Canova judged more inde- 

 pendently for himself than Flaxman ; but no modern sculptor has entered so 

 deeply into the spirit of Ancient Art as our countrymen. His style was 

 founded upon its principles, combined with the simplicity of the revivers of 

 the art in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Canova adopted the an- 

 tique in a modified form, but he also looked out upon Nature. It may be 

 doubted whether Canova's standard of beauty was sufficiently pure to com- 

 bine thoroughly with the more simple and severe excellence of Greek sculp- 

 ture. It has been objected, and not without reason, that there is a fantastic 

 and somewhat meretricious character about his sculpture, which is not quite 

 consistent with true, beautiful Art. Canova delighted in execution ; and no 

 artist has surpassed him in richness and luxuriousness of workmanship. 

 Among this master's productions, the ' Theseus,' some of the Danzatrici, and 

 especially his monuments of the Popes Ganganelli, Kezzonico, and Braschi, 

 exhibit feeling, grace, fancy, knowledge of form, and exquisite execution, and 

 establish Canova's claim to be classed among the truly great artists who have 

 made Sculpture their study. 



The works of Flaxman have gained for him an European reputation. His 

 illustrations in outline from the Greek poets, and from Dante, taking them 

 as a whole, place him beyond comparison with any designer, ancient or mo- 

 dern. His greatest historical work in sculpture is a colossal group in marble 

 of " St. Michael subduing Satan;" and Mr. Westmacott said he believed he 

 should be borne out by the best judges of Art in declaring it to be the finest 

 historical group of any modern sculptor ; grand in perception — simple, yet 

 skilfully arranged, in its composition — marked in character — choice in its 

 forms — it realizes all the requirements, all the ideal qualities appropriate to 

 one of the most sublime subjects upon which the art could he exercised, 

 Flaxman was also a most accomplished master in the different classes of re- 

 lievo. Some of his works of this kind are pre-eminent for treatment of sub- 

 ject as well as for technical skill. Among the productions of Flaxman, so 

 distinguished, his illustrations of the Lord's Prayer, in Micheldevor Church; 

 some of his monumental subjects in Chichester Cathedral, and other 

 churches ; and, in the classical style, his well-known ' Shield of Achilles,' 

 and his exquisite composition of ' Mercury bringing Pandora to Earth,' were 

 particularly described. Casts of some of these were exhibited. Tlie lecturer 

 observed, that the successful treatment of relievo was one of the most diffi- 

 cult acliievements in Sculpture. Flaxman was a master in this department 

 of the art : Canova eminently failed in it : Flaxman, too, often neglected the 

 executive part. In his admiration of the beautiful and expressive in senti- 

 ment, he seems to have overlooked, or perhaps underrated, the advantage — 

 and, indeed, it may be said the propriety and necessity in Sculpture, of ex- 

 pressing beautiful sentiments by forms of corresponding quality. 



Among the great names which will always be honourably identified with 

 the history of Sculpture, is that of Thorwaldsen, a native of Iceland. His 

 works are characterized by a firm, energetic style. They are totally free from 

 affectation in point of taste ; and his sculpture always clearly defines its pur- 

 pose. Thorwaldsen's practice extended over a wide field. One of his first 

 works was a statue of Jason, in which he showed a pure feeling for the sim- 

 ple expression and grand forms of the Greek school. His statue of Mercury 

 is also conceived in the true spirit of ancient Art. His celebrated relievo of 

 the ' Triumph of Alexander' abounds with excellences of a high order. The 

 human figure and animals are well grouped, and the style of form and the 

 treatment show a thorough acquaintance with the best models. There are 

 few who are not acquainted with his charming compositions of ' Day' and 

 'Night.' Among his larger works, the series of figures for a church in Co- 

 penhagen are particularly deserving of notice. Thej consist of Christ and 

 the Apostles. The statue of our Saviour, of larger dimensions than the other 

 figures, is marked by all the qualities appropriate to the sublime subject. 

 Dignity in the ^ose of the figure, an affecting calmness of expression, a grand 

 style of form, great bre,idth of treatment, and well-man;iged contrasts be- 

 tween the naked and the drapery, stamp this as one of the triumphs of 

 Sculjiture. The .\postles are remarkable for appropriate character, dignity, 

 and a happy disposition of drapery. The influence of these three artists has 

 been very great. That of Canova seems to be tlie least securely established ; 

 while the style which characterizes the works of Flaxman and Thorwaldsea 

 is gaining ground. Much of Canova's excellence and charm arose out of 

 his own individual taste, which cannot be communicated, his mode of treat- 

 ing his subjects, and his perfect mastery in execution, in which latter he is 

 unequalled. Flaxman and Thorwaldsen have restored Sculpture to its true 

 principles, and have shown in their own practice that those Iprinciples are 

 catholic, universal, and equally applicable to deeply-felt subjects of modem 

 interest as they were when employed in illustrating ancient mythology. 



' From Mr. Westmacott's Lectures at the Royal Institution.) 



