62 



THIC CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[Feb. 



4. Dr. Wilson exhibited in action, and described an " Electro-Magnetic 

 Coil machine" ronstnicted by Messrs. Kemp and Co , Infirmary street, 

 and showed that Mr. Brown's coil machine, lately exhibited, is made on 

 the same principle as -Mr. Kemp's, which had the priority. 



Jan. 11. — George Tait, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 

 The follow ing comnmnieaiions were made : — 



1. Description, with a drawing, of an " i/our/i/ Self-Registering; Baro- 

 meter." Hy Mr. 1'. .M'Farla.ne. He proposes to have twelve barometer 

 tubes placed side by side in a case dipping into separate cups of niercury, 

 the lower end of the tubes being bent at a right angle, and ijround even at 

 their mouths. A valve is (itted to act on each of the mouths, and to the 

 other end of the valve is attached a lever, on which at every hour, a wire 

 moved by clock work presses and shuts each valve iu succession : thus re- 

 taining the mercury in each tube at the exact height at which it stood at 

 that particular hour of the day or night, and as they are all read olT at 

 one time, tliere will be no occasion for correction for temperature. 



2. Proposed improvement in " Locomotires anil Railwni/ Carriages, par- 

 ticularly in their Wheels and Breaks." By Mr. J. Wight. He proposes 

 a new form of wheel for the running wheels of locomotive engines and 

 railway carriages. In place of running in a vertical direction, which he 

 finds by experiment to be very apt lo cause the wheels to leap off the rail 

 on arriving at some impediment, perhaps a very slight one, especially when 

 on a curve, he proposes lo have the wheels (except the driving wheels) 

 running at an angle of 15 degrees, the upper part of the tyre lo be next 

 the carriage, and the lower part of it upon the rail, with two sets of 

 spokes, one set as at present, and the other vertical, so as to bear the 

 weight of the carriage. He conceives their axles, which are to be sepa- 

 rate, and not in one piece as at present, will be much stronger, though 

 lighter, for the section, taken at the angle of 45 degrees, is stronger than a 

 section perpendicular to the horizontal axle. But tiie chief improvement 

 he conceives, consists in their safely, having no tendency to run oil' the 

 rdil, although upon a curve of small radius. He also proposes that the 

 break, instead of checking the wheel by rubbing on the tyre, should be 

 made to rub upon the rail itself. The break to be about 2 feet long, so as 

 to present a large rubbing surface to the rail, and to be moved by the or- 

 dinary lever or screw power. 



3. On a new and improved "Method nf Saving Life on Skating Lochs 

 and Curling Ponds." By Mr. Jamks Baillie. He jiroposes to have a 

 flat-bottomed boat, with mallets, ropes, short ladder, and other implements, 

 kept at the side of the loch, and a long rope also to be managed by two 

 men at the opposite sides, who, when any one has fallen into the water, 

 can speedily bring this rope over the spot, which the person immersed may 

 lay hold of until the boat arrives, 



ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS. 

 Jan. 11.— Mr. Tite, V.P., in the Chair. 



A paper was read on the Ancient City of Syracuse, by Samuel Angell, 

 V.P., which is given iu another part of the Journal. 



Mr. ScoLEs, honorary secretary, exhibited a drawing of an ancient bath 

 in Syracuse (he considered it U>>n)an), the vault of which was formed by 

 earthern cylindrical tubes, 2^ inches in diameter, like a wine-bottle with 

 the bottom out, the smaller end of which entered the larger end of the 

 tube next it, and so, without involving the principle of the arch, formed a 

 vault, iu this case seven feet in span. The tubes were tilled with cement, 

 and covered on the top with a layer of tiles. 



Mr. Donaldson communicated a paper, " On a mode of Measuring and 

 Valuing Cariienlers' and Joiners' Work, tcith the view of obtaining greater 

 correctness than h:j the mode now yursued." By Mr. Browning, archi- 

 tect. 



Mr. TiTE said, architects had been told recently, in a work which 

 had attracted some notice, that this was a matter with which they should 

 have nothing to do. But the fact was, they couldn't help it, and moreover 

 would not do theirduty towards their einplojers if they neglected atten- 

 tion to it. He had himself no liking for measuring and valuing, but never- 

 theless he was obliged to do it. As to any change in the mode of measur- 

 ing, he thought it would have to come fr,im the operatives rather than from 

 the profession. That it was much needed there could be no doubt. 

 The mode of measuring stone was especially empirical. Measuring first 

 the cube stone, then "face,' " bed," and ''joint," as plain work : then the 

 sunk work ; thin the moulded work ; led to a false result. Sir Uobert 

 Smirke, at the Post Office, had struck a blow at the system when he re- 

 fused to allow the bed and joint lo be measured, and gave an increased 

 price for the cube stone. The engineers had cut the knot which the others 

 attempted lo untie, liy measuring the cube stone and nothing else, iiicludiug 

 all labour in the price. This, however, was manifestly an unsatisfactory 

 mode, lieturning to the general question, architects were bound to see 

 that their employers were fairly dealt with. It was easy to certify an 

 amount, but no man should do so unless satisfied as to its correctness. 

 The art could not be separated from the business. Measuring might be 

 delegated to ollieis, but even then the architect was justly held responsible. 

 It was so also in Greece, where, if an aichitecl's estimates were exceeded 

 in the execution of Uie works, his own forUine was liable for the difference. 



[Will Mr. Tite tell us how to get at the labour of sawing the stone and 

 sunk work and other labour connected with beds and joints, or the 



labour on the face, without first measuring them. It is very true that 

 builders, to suit the convenience of some architects, give a price for stone 

 per foot cube, including beds and joints ; but before they do so, they first 

 calculate from an average, in the best manner they can, the value of the 

 sawing and setting, and then add it to the price of the stone. The only 

 advantage of such a practice is that it saves a little trouble in measuring the 

 work, allows a clerk of the works to measure the stone work, and dispenses 

 with the employment of an experienced surveyor. la the same manner, it 

 might be advocated that buildings should be taken at so much per foot cube, 

 and doubtless this method would save much trouble; — but what dependance 

 could there then be iu the correctness of the value of the work and labour 

 done ?— Ed. C. E. & A. Journal.] 



TAe Papworth Testimonial. — Several architectural friends of Mr. Pap- 

 worth, on his retiring from the profession as an architect, at the age of 70 

 years, met at Mr. Donaldson's house, in Uussell-square, on Monday, the 25th 

 ult., to present him with a beautiful Silver Inkstand, " as a tribute of their 

 respect and esteem for his talents as a distinguished architect, and for his 

 worth as a man." The testimonial was presented, with an eloquent oration, 

 by Mr. Cockeiell, — the lateness of the month prevents us giving even a 

 brief outline of it, or Mr. Papworth's reply. 



INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. 

 Jan. 19. — .•1n;iU(i/ Meeting. — Sir John Uennie, President, in the Chair. 



The following gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing year: 

 President, Sir John Rennie ; Vice-presidents, W. Cubiit, J. Field, J. M. 

 Kenilell. and J. Simpson; Council, J. F. Bateraan, I. K. Brunei, J. Locke, 

 Sir J. Macneil, J. Miller, W. C. INlylne, T. Sopwith, R. Stephenson, G. 

 P. Bidder, J. Cubitt, Captain Coddington, and C. Holtzapflel. 



Telford medals were presented to INlessrs. Barlow, Snell, Hafding, Wil- 

 liams, Parkes, West, and Ritterbandt ; and premiums of books to Messrs. 

 Turnbull, Heppel, and Robertson. 



Council Premiums, consisting of collections of books of considerable 

 value, were presented to Messrs. Barlow, Snell, and Harding, in addition 

 to the Telford medals. Succinct memoirs were given of the deceased mem- 

 bers, IMessrs. Crane, Deville, Hanilley, and Wiusland. 



The Report, which stated that the Institution was in a most prosperous 

 condition, entered fully into a description of the alterations of the building 

 during the recess. The principal works appeared to be the remodelling 

 the basement story, putting a portico at the entrance, and balconies to the 

 first and second floors, and enlarging the theatre. Thanks were unani- 

 mously given to Mr. T. H. Wyatt, the architect, Mr. Grissell, the builder, 

 and Mr. Manby, the secretary, who superintended the execution of the 

 works. 



The President's Address.—Sir J. Rennie, after alluding to the stimulus 

 the profession had received from the number of public works recently un- 

 dertaken, and the high posiiion which the Institution had obtained from the 

 successful labours of its various nirmbers, impressed on them tlie necessity 

 of still further exertions, in order to support the scientific cliaracter they 

 had earned. He then reviewed the progress that had been made in rail- 

 way travelling and steam navigation, and made some valuable remarks oq 

 the formatiou of bar harbours and the drainage of extensive districts of 

 marsh linds. The president then remarked upon the appointment of civil 

 engineers hy government to investigate into the merits of various projects 

 which had been submitted to the Health of Towns Commissioners, and ob- 

 served, that if the same system had been pursued with regard to railways, 

 the public would huve derived infinitely greater advantages than they were 

 likely to do from their piescut system. Sir J. Rennie concluded his able 

 address by thanking the officers and members of the Institution for the 

 kindness, attention, and support which they had on all occasions exhibited 

 towards him. 



Thanks were voted to the president, vice-presidents, and other members 

 of the council, and to the secretary, and the meeting adjourned. 



NOTES ON FOREIGN WORKS. 



Machine Manufactories in Germany. — The construction of the manufac- 

 tory established at Essliugen (Wiirteniberg) proceeds rapidly. On the 1st 

 of May last, the building, 1000 feet by 00 feet, was begun, and one half is 

 now completed, and workmen are already employed in the carriage de- 

 partment. For removing the single engines, some new water-works are 

 being erected, the establishment having a lOO-horse water power at its 

 command. The annual proihice will amount to 000,000 florins (£150,000, 

 Kn-'lish), and employ 500 worl-imen. It will shortly be completed, and 

 thus Wiirlemherg will not only produce her own locomotives, wagons, and 

 other railway requisites, but it is said that even the Roman lines will be 

 supplied from Esslingen. The direction is confided to M. Kessler, and 

 government has assisted it with every facility and aid desirable. The 

 same Gentleman was also the founder of the Karlsruhe manufactory, com- 

 menced iu 1S37, which has since 1842 produced an immense quantity of 

 railway implements. It now employs SCO workmen, and since its erection 



