1847,] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



123 



ning with the hutter-pots and many-handled " tygs," or drinking cups, of 

 the time of Queen Elizabeth, and ending with the pottery of the present 

 period, showing bow the manufacture of Englisli pottery has advanced step 

 by step, until it has reached tliat perfection by which it commands a prefer- 

 ence throughout the world. The manufactme at Delph is almost put down 

 by it, and Ihe best porcelain now to he met with at Dresden and Paris is of 

 English manufacture, notwithstanding duties almost prohibitory. So far as 

 successful imitation is concerned, English pottery has accomplished all that 

 can be desired. It has superseded, owing to its superior make and cheap- 

 ness, the originals which it imitated. The old native Delph plate is not to 

 be compared with the modern EngUsh specime:i. Wedgwood in many 

 points surpassed the Etruscan vases; while the best specimens of Sevres 

 vases and Dresden figures are equalled by us in general execution, and in 

 many features of workmanship, — though inferior in sotne kinds of colour 

 and in the " glazing." In respect of price, English manufacture has iu all 

 cases enormous advantages. 



There were some noble specimens of Statuary Porcelain exhibited by 

 Messrs. Copeland and Garrett, and in " Parian" by Messrs. Minton. From 

 these specimens it appears that the works of the sculptor may he placed 

 within the reach of unlimited numbers. The material or " body," in both 

 cases, is very h''autifnl, and has only to be connected with good .\rt to pro- 

 duce a perfectly successful union. The workmau, it is true, must liave an 

 adequate knowledge of the human form in order to he able to unite, with 

 proper feeling, the separate parts in which the figure is necessarily cast. 

 There were also some beautiful Porcelain Mosaics of Messrs. Minton. 



Some examples of Block Printing for paper-hanging, exhibited by Mr. 

 Home, of Gracechurch-street, were cood ; one was a copy, on a large scale, 

 of Murillo's" Beggar Boys," in the Dulwich Gallery. 



We hope next year to see a large number of articles in cast iron, brass, 

 and bronze, adapterl for ornamentirg the interior of edifices; likewise some 

 specimens of carpets and paper-haugings. Some patterns which we have 

 lately seen, manufactured iu this country, are quite equal to the French. 



ROYAL SCOTTISH SOCIETY OF ARTS. 

 Feb. 22.— George Wilson, M.D., F.R.S.E., V.P., in the Chair. 

 The following communications were made: — 



Dr. W'lLsoN experimented on the ** Noise of the Electric Sitark in different 

 Oases, as a means of illustrating the pou-er of Elastic Fltdds to conduct 

 Sound." — The two aerial fluids experimented on by Dr. Wdson were com- 

 mon atmospheric air and hydrogen gas. When the electric spark was 

 passed from one condiiflor in the interior of a glass globe, tilled with hy- 

 drogen, the noise of the spark was exceedingly feeble, being nearly drowned 

 by tlie noise of the spark taken outside from the prime conductor. On the 

 contrary, when the globe was emptied of hydrogen and filled with coraniou 

 air, the noise of the spark in the interior of tiie vessel was louder than the 

 exterior spark, having a metallic ringing souud. — He, therefore, suggested 

 this as a simple method of illustrating the power of elastic fluids to conduct 

 sound. Thanks voted and given from t!ie chair. 



By permission, Mr. Pownall exhibited Nolt's '^Patent Electro- Itla/fnetic 

 Telcftraph." The telegraph was shown in actiou, and was described by 

 Wilham .\Iexander, iisq., F.R.S.E., F.R.S.S.A. The Electro-Magnetic 

 Teleijraph invented by Messrs. Nott has a hand, similar in appearance to 

 the bauds of common clocks which tell the hour ; this baud is longer on one 

 side of the pivot or axle on which it moves than ou the other side. The 

 longer end points to a circle of four alphabets which surrounds the dial- 

 plate, and the shorter end to a circle of figures whicb is at a short distance 

 from the centre of the dial-plate. The liaud (or hands) moves with what 

 is termed a dead-beat escapement, the motive power being the electric lluid 

 acting upon a toothed wheel with pallets and slops, by which the utmost 

 regularity of moveineul is obtaiued. When the baud is to be put in moliun, 

 a key, soinelhiug similar to a key of a pianoforte, is pressed, and the pres- 

 sure removed when ihe hand points to the letter necessary to spell a word, 

 or to a figure necessary to express a signal, as the case may require. Thus 

 words are spelled with unerring accuracy, aud signals pointed to without 

 the possibility of mistake. No maguetic needles move on the dial-plate 

 and by their deflections indicate the letters, or words, or signs, necessary, 

 in the magnetic telegraph hitherto in use, to form a sentence. There is uo 

 alarum used, but a bell is used, the number of strokes struck ou which in- 

 dicates certain things to be communicated t'rom oue station or terminus lo 

 another. There is but one wire employed, and the cost of Ihe apparatus, 

 batteries, ^\c., is not much more than halt the cost of the mode now iu use. 

 The great advantages of Ibis invention are stated to be its simplicity, its 

 accuracy, the ease with which it is worked and understood, and ihe almost 

 impossibility of its sustaining injury, unless from great violence ; there is 

 no intricate mechanism, uo springs or weights, and only oue wheel. It 

 was slated that it had been adopted between Northampton and Blisworth, 

 where it answers admirably ; and that it had beeu favourably reported 

 upon by JMr. Faraday and Major Brandreth to the .\dinirally ; by Mr. 

 Brande and by Professor Backliaullner ; — that Ibis latter gentleman has 

 introduced it in a course of lectures, at the Polytechnic Institution. It was 

 stated to be a most important improvement on the rapidity aud accuracy 

 of telegraphic correspondiuce, and a novelty in the application of the prin- 

 ciple of electric commuuicalion. 



3Iareh 8.— David Maclagan, M.D., F.R.S.E., President, in the chair. 



Experiments were exhibited, showing the perfect safety of the patient 

 from Explosion during the adminislraliou of Ihe Vajjoiir of Sulphuric 

 Ether; and a description given of tlie forms of the Inh:iler. By Jlr. 

 Archibald Y'olinc. 



■I\Ir. Y'oung concluded lii.^ series of experiments on Ihe inhalation of 

 ethenal vapour by sliowins that the etherised contents of the hngs would 

 not explode ; from which ht- conceived he had demonslrated tile perfect 

 safety of Ihe patient from burning or explosion. A discussion followed, in 

 which Dr. Wilson, Mr. Glover, Mr. Hunter, Dr. Douglas Maclagan, and 

 Dr. Roberts, took part; iii which, although it was admitted that there was 

 little or no risk to Ihe patient from internal explosion or burning, yet that, 

 as a volume of vapour of ether, when mixed with 3:> volumes of commoa 

 air, formed an explosive mixture, persons using ether should not do so 

 rashly, as, in certain circumstances, instances of which vv.re given, explo- 

 sion had taken place in the apartment; not, however, fatal ones, nor did 



they occur during llie administration of ether by iohalaliou. Mr. Young 



showed various simple forms of Ihe inhaler, some with valves and some 

 without them, and very portable, made of japanned tinplate, as suggested 

 by Professor Simpson. 



Description of an Improved Kinnaird-Grate, combining more perfect 

 Radiatiou of Heat, with a provision for the admission of .Air and returning 

 it Warmed into the apartment. By Mr. James Giiay. 



This grale, whose healing power was stated lo be much superior to the 

 common form of the Kiunaird-Grate, is in appearance the very reverse of 

 the commou kind. In place of retreating backwards, it protrudes into ti.e 

 apartmeut as it were, by whicb means the fire is brouglit more forward 

 with less risk of danger by the overheating of the back brick. It also ra- 

 diates heat more perfectly into the apartment ; aud a provision is also made 

 for cold air to pass up along the hea'ed brickwork of the building, and 

 along the top of the covering of the grate, which issues therefrom by pierced 

 apertures pleasantly warmed into the room. air. Gray slated that this 

 grate had given much salisfactioa to those who bad tried il. In appear- 

 ance it is as elegant, if not more so, as the common Kinnaird-Grate, and 

 not more expensive. — Referred to a committee. 



ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS. 

 Jan. 25. — S. Angell, Esq., V.P., in the Chair.* 



A communication from W. Bromst, Esq , respecting one of" the Arches 

 of Upton Church, in Buckinghamshire," was read ; and a sketch by that 

 gentleman exhibited, showing its principal feature, viz. a carved wooden 

 archivolt, the mouldings of which are the dog-tooth alternating with small 

 rounds, — the outer moulding adorned with a series of diagonally-set trilid 

 leaves of a more antique character than Gothic ornaments commonly are. 



" A description of the Remains of the Ancient Norman Refectory in the 

 Bishop's Palace at Hereford" by J. Clavto.n. — There are iew existing 

 examples of Norman architecture which present the timber-work in such 

 excellent preservation as that at Hereford. This great Hall is one of the 

 earliest examples of the class of buildings lo which belong Ihe Halls of 

 Westminster au'l Winchester. It was griginally divided into one centre 

 aud two side compartmeun, by two rauges of columns of four each, from 

 which sprang Ihe arches supporting the roof; and the peculiarity of this 

 example consists in these pillars and arches being entirely constructed of 

 timbers. The original dinieusioos of the Hall were 110 feet by 55 feet : 

 and oui half of liie roof now serves to shelter Ihe principal apartments of 

 the present episcopal residence, erected upwards of a century a"o. -Ibove 

 these apartmeuls, which are of one story only, are seen the upper portions 

 of the pillars, the arches, and the roof; the lower parts of Ihe columns 

 being concealed iu the divisiou walls of the modern rooms. The principal 

 arches, viz. those over the centre compartmeiit, were of '22 feet span; aud 

 each formed of two pieces only, cut in Ihe arched form from the solid lim- 

 ber—which must necessarily have been of vast dimensions. This oak 

 although whitened by age, is perfectly sound. Drawing of the details 

 were exhibited ; as also one conveying the writer's idea of a restoration of 

 the interior of the Hall — showing that the original building must have had 

 an imposing appearance, not produced by a multiplicity of parts or rich- 

 ness of design, but from a massive grandeur, the peculiar characteristic of 

 this early style of architecture. A few particulars were given of Ihe city 

 of Hereford prior to the erection of the refectory in question, which was 

 probably soon after the Conquest. — The Hall at Oakham was then de- 

 scribed by Mr. Clayton as a most beautiful specimen of the Norman 

 buildings of this class. It does not possess the peculiarity of being com- 

 posed entirely of limber, nor has it the magnitude of the examples at 

 Hereford ; but remains iu an excellent stale of preservation. It formed 

 part of Ihe ancient castle; and is now used as the county courts for the 

 shire of Rutland. 



" Observations on the Ancient Roof of the Church at Adel, in the West 

 Riding- of i'orli," by R. D. Chantrell, Esq. — Among the peculiarities 

 particularly alluded to was the corbel table, which had evidently been, 

 adzed out of the solid timber, having projecting pieces whicb fitted in 

 between ihe ceiling joists, or rather beams. Mr. Chantrell was of opinion 



* This evening's proceedings were accidentally omilled in last month's Journal. 



, 12* 



