1847.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEEERAND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



25 



imparted to the hall must depend upon the embellishment of the plain sur- 

 faces, and that the architectural decorations could only be made to appear as 

 bands dividing those surfaces. It became, however, requisite to unite in 

 some measure the cornice with the walls, and this has been etTected by 

 painting it of an Etruscan brown, or deep ter7-a cotta. hue, which hue forms 

 a natural harmony with the colour of the cloth upon the walls. The plain 

 surface of the cove which surmounts the cornice, afforded the decorator the 

 first field upon which he could exhibit a style of decoration, and this he has 

 confined to a simple combination of geometric with chromatic harmony ; and 

 that it might have a ratioHale, he lias made this combination to represent 

 mosaic work composed of ijiallo aniico, rosso antico, lapis lazuli, and inlaid 

 gold. This selection of material has a double advantage, for while it gives 

 meaning it also affords an opportunity of using what artists term brolien 

 colours, the giallo antico being yellow intermixed with tints of purple, the 

 rosso antico being a low tone of red, broken up by tints of grey and white, 

 and the lapis lazuli being intense blue, likewise broken with tints of gold 

 colour and grey ; thus preventing the crude effect of plain patches of colour, 

 and giving the qualities of unity and continuity amongst tlie parts. The 

 band of stucco work which divides this cove from the flat part of the ceiling 

 is painted pure white, to represent statuary marble, as are also the mouldings 

 round and upon the aperture that leads to the cupola light. This was 

 adopted in preference to the terra cotta colour of the cornice, as being 

 equally appropriate and more light in effect. The flat part of the ceiling is 

 also enriched by a mosaic work of a similar chromatic harmony of the same 

 marbles, but of a different harmony of form from tliat of the cove, and with- 

 out gold. The panels in the space leading to the cupola are similarly en- 

 riched by a mosaic work, composed of lapis lazuli and siena combined with 

 inlaid gold. 



The figures forming the design in the cove are produced by the combina- 

 tion of elliptic bauds round central points, so that they are all perfectly curvi- 

 linear, and formed by arcs of the same ellipse, the size of which was propor- 

 tional to that of the principal figures in the pictures. As a contrast to this 

 arrangement of curvilinear forms in the cove, the decorator has introduced 

 a rectilinear desigu upon the flat part of the ceiling which divides the cove 

 from the cupola. This design arises out of a combination of equilateral 

 triangles producing hexagonal and rhomboid figures, into the former of which 

 the national emblems — the rose, the thistle, and the shamrock — are intro- 

 duced as if inlaid in rosso antico marble. In the panels above this, and 

 forming the sides and spandrils of the space below the cupola-light, the 

 design is produced by the combination of an equilateral triangle and a circle ; 

 thus uniting the curve with the straight line, as an appropriate winding up 

 of the linear harmony. 



In the centre of each of the four side panels, a shield has been inserted. 

 The one over the chair is blazoned with the royal arms. The shield oppo- 

 site to the chair is blazoned with the family arms of H.R.H. the President of 

 the Society. The shield on the right of the chair, is emblazoned with the 

 arms of Barry the painter, and that on the left, with the badge of the So- 

 ciety, 



The second paper read was " On the first principles of Symmetrical 

 Beauty, and their application in certain branches of the Art of Design," 

 By D. R. Hay, Esq. 



This paper commenced by stating that the first principles of symmetrical 

 beauty originate in the power of numbers, and that a means of applying 

 the principle of numbers in the formation of plane figures is afforded by 

 the division of the circumference of the circle into 360 degrees, whicb 

 degrees are again divisible and subdivisible by 60 into minutes, seconds, 

 &c. Thus, the abstract principle of harmony and proportion in the relations 

 of certain numbers to each otber, becomes apparent and visible in their 

 application to the structure of geometrical figures by means of the division 

 of the circle. Il then proceeds to show, that to apply these degrees to 

 rectilinear plane figures, each figure must be reduced to its primary ele- 

 ment ; that the triangle, which is hnlf of the square, is the first and most 

 simple of its class, and is the representative of the No. 2 ; that the scalene 

 triangle, which is half of the equilateral triangle, is in like manner the 

 representative of No. i ; that the next scalene triangle which arises natu- 

 rally in tbe series is that which is half of one of the five isosceles triangle 

 which form the pentagon, and is the representative of No. 5. 



We have, therefore, in the square, the equilateral triangle and the penta- 

 gon, the primary elements of all symmetrical beauty, as represented by 

 plane figures, and evolving the operation of the harmonic numbers of 2, 3, 

 and o. Out of the primary rectilinear figures already referred to, arises a 

 second class, as, "when an equilateral triange is divided into two scalene 

 triangles by a line drawn through one of its angles and bisecting the oppo- 

 site side, these scalene triangles, if reunited by their hypothenuses instead 

 of thuir longest sides, will form an oblong rciclangle — every rectilinear 

 figure having its corresponding curvilinear figure. 



The paper concluded by showing the operation of the principles of har- 

 monic ratio in the formation of the mouldings of Grecian architecture, 

 ornamental vases, household utensiis, &c. 



pocket, when folded, at any part of the game, without deranging the posi- 

 tion of the men on the board, so that when it is reopened they will be found 

 in the same place as before, and the game or problem can be resumed 

 where it had been left off. 



The second communication read was " On the effects of Heavy Dis- 

 charges of Atmospheric Electricity, as exemplified in the Storms of lSi6 

 (including an Account of the Destruction of St. George's Churcit, at Leices- 

 ter, on the 1st of August) ; tcith Remarks on the Use and Application of 

 Lightning Conductors." By E. Highton, Esq., C.E., I'elegraphic Engi- 

 neer to the North Western Kailway. Fragments of the roof of St. George's 

 Church, and tbe apparatus used for getting rid of the injunous effects of 

 lightning on electric telegraphs were exhibited in illustration of the stbject. 

 The author commenced by stating that the frequent occurrence of thander 

 storms during the past summer had afforded almost unequalled opportuni- 

 ties of investigating the efl'ects of atmospheric electricity in the concen'.rated 

 form of lightning. He then proceeded to give a description of the tStects 

 produced on St. George's Church, Leicester, by a discharge of ligh:ning. 

 The church, which was a new and handsome building, was entirely de- 

 stroyed by the effects of the thunderstorm of ihc 1st of August ; the steeple 

 having been burst asunder, purls of it were blown to a distance of 30 feet 

 in every direction, while the vane rod and top part of the spire fell perpen- 

 dicularly down, carrying with it every floor in the tower, the bells, and the 

 works of the clock. The falling mass was not arrested until it arrived on 

 the ground, under which was a strong brick arch, and this also was broken 

 by the blow. The gutters and ridge covering were torn up, and the pipes 

 used to convey the water from the roof were blown to pieces. Tlie author 

 next proceeded to compare the power developed in the discharge of the 

 lightning which destroyed St. George's Church with some known mecha- 

 nical force. He stated that 100 tons of stone were blown down a distance 

 of 30 feet in tliree seconds, and consequently a 12.220 horse-power engine 

 would have been required to resist the effects of this single flash. In the 

 course of the paper the author exhibited the efl'ects of a new battery, con- 

 structed by himself, and which was less than the ^„ of a cubic inch in 

 size. This battery, he had found, would for a mouth together ring a tele- 

 graphic bell 10 miles oft'. He also exliibited a second battery, which, 

 although so small that it would pass through the eye of a needle, is of 

 power suflicieut to work a telegraph. Having detailed the course of se- 

 veral discharges of atmospheric electricity, he then proceeded to show the 

 efl'ects produced on the eleciric telegraphs, and the means which have 

 since been adopted to prevent injury to them in future. 



M. Highton further stated that since the occurrence of the above storms 

 he had examineil the cathedral of St. Paul's, in London, to ascertain how 

 far this noble pile of building is protected from the effects of lightning. 

 He found that the two smali turrets have lightning conductors erected, but 

 the central dome has none. He found, however, that the position of the 

 spouts and other metallic connections is such, that he considers if the same 

 are preserved as they now are, the building will, for years to come, be free 

 from damage by lightning; but should they be removed at any time, and 

 glass or porcelain be employed in their stead, then the main part of that 

 noble building would be in constant danger from every storm that passes 

 over the city. 



He then concluded by urging the importance of a correct and systematic 

 principle being acted on in the new Houses of Parliament, with a view to 

 securing them from the disastrous effects of lightning. 



Dec. 23.— W. H. Bodkin, Esq , M.P., V.P., in the Chair. 



The first communication read was by Dr. Roget, Sec. R.S., " On his 

 Economical Chess-Board," the object of which is to give the chessplayers 

 a board of sufficiently small dimensions to admit of being pat into the 



KOYAL SCOTTISH SOCIETY OF ARTS. 



Nov. 23, 1S46.— DA\^D Maclagan, M.D., F.R.S.E., President, 

 in the Chair. 



The following communications were made : — 



1. On producing White, or Neutral Light, hy means of ordinary artificial 

 light. By George Tait, Esq., Advocatie, "Mce-President. 



The white light, or artificial day-light, was exhibited, in contrast with 

 ordinary artificial light, upon toe primary and the .secondary colours, and 

 upon a coloured sketch. 



In this communication Mr. Tait shows, 'that, while the white light of the 

 sun is composed of rays pioriucing orange and of those producing blue, in 

 equal parts, in ordinary artificial light the rays producing orange exceed by 

 many times those producing blue ; the consequence of wiiieh is, that the 

 latter lignt resolves into an orange light a little rao'iiSed by blue, which 

 affects very much the appearance of the oJours of objects exposed to it. In 

 order to produce white light, he incloses the ordinary light in a lantern, or 

 otherwise, and transmits it through coloured glass, or painted glass, of the 

 proper depth of blue, so as to absorb the excess of orange; by which means 

 it is produced at five or six times the expense of the «ame quantity of the 

 ordinary light employed, whicli, by using a gas argand lamp, is about a half 

 of the expense of ordinary light from tallow candles. He ascertains the 

 proper tint for the glass ijy colouring it so that white paper receiving the 

 light transmitted through it may be in unison with similar paper receiving 

 the white light of the sun. He exhibited in a simple and striking manner 

 the great contrast of the effect of ordinary light and of that of white light, 

 or artificial day-light, thus produced by him (by means of glass which he 

 had painted with " French blue") upon white, the primary and the secondary 

 colours, and also upon coloured landscape sketches. 



