136 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[May, 



394 fppt at tlie pole, and reaches (on all sides) up to 75°,— being fixed 

 at tile bottom of the sea. 



As, liowcver, the opposite pole does not loose its bottom-ice, wliicli 

 (according to M. Brucliliaiisen's theory) is merelv diminislied— the 

 assumed shifting of jijj- is obviously too great; and if the two masses 

 of ice are in the ratio of 1 ; 2, it is to be reduced one-h.df. At any 

 rate, even supposing these masses to be of tlie utmost thickn 'ss, the 

 shifting will turn out to b" quite imperceptible, and inadrqua^e to 

 produce such phenomena as the author wishes to explain thereby. 



After saying so much, we hardly wish to inquire wliether there 

 really be ice-masses of the liind at the poles, or whether they be sub- 

 ject to such great changes and variations. The new antarctic conti- 

 nent, discovered by recent travellers, which rises with its volcanic 

 peaks to the height of 12,000 feet, does not seem to allow of the 

 assumption of such mighty masses of ice — and tlie same seems to 

 be the case in the north. ' But even abstracting from these lands, the 

 theory of M. Bruchli uisen will vainly endeavour to point at any pos- 

 sible shifting of the centre of the globe's gravitv. 



In regard to the phenomena which the author endeavours to ex- 

 plain, it is easy to perceive that they do not tally with his theory. 

 He refers to some upheavings observed on some littoral parts of tlie 

 northern hemisphere. But this is quite a local occurrence— fur while 

 tlie coast of Sweden is rising, no such thing takes place on the shares 

 of Denmark, England, or even the Prussian or Russian territories of 

 me Baltic. Against this upheaving in one part — depressions, at no 

 great distance, are observable — as, for instance, the whole co;i3t of 

 Dalmatia is descending, :uid the once market-places of several cities, 

 like that of Zara, are now flooded by the sea. In other p.irts— such 

 where cities three thousand years old are to be met with — all has 

 remained in statu quo. The triangle of Sicily has been the same 

 since remotest antiquity, all the old ports of the "Mediterranean are the 

 same ; although, since their first foundation, nearly one-third of that 

 period has elapserl in which the poles change their position — as far 

 as the Apside line is concerned. All this proves sufficiently that the 

 elevation of Scandinavia and the depression of Dalmatia, as well as 

 other phenomena of the same kind in other parts, are merely of local 

 character; and it is not the level of the sea which has changed, or 

 ever can change, — but the land which, from epoch to epoch, is slufted 

 like the scenery of some huge theatre. If there were really any such 

 cause or agency, as the author supposes, a simultaneous elevation of 

 one hemisphere, conjointly with a depression on the other, would take 

 place, whose extent would only depend on the Sinus of the lati- 

 tude. 



We think that this simple statement will convince M. Bruchhausen 

 and other investigators, that his labours have t.iken a wrong direction 

 — as will those of any one, who will attempt an explanation of geolo- 

 gical phenomena by astronomical agencies, both being perfectly dis- 

 tinct — at least, only confluent on their extreme limits. Because, while 

 astronomy has to deal with space and matter of immense and hugest 

 extent, geology is the ductrine of a thin crust of one of the most 

 jiuny points in the great system of the Cusmoa. 



Bridge over tlie Rhine at Biisle. — M. Edouard Kralft, a young engineer, 

 who has distinguished himself by the building of several cast iron bridges, 

 and especially by that of Aspach, near Alulilhausen, has made a proposal 

 to the corporation of Basle to build a new bridge, instead of the present 

 old one, whose clumsy and unsifjhtly form disgusts every beholder. M. 

 Krafft proposes to obviate the great difficulties which present themselves, 

 by introducing iniprovemeuts in tlie laying of the foundation, hitherto only 

 resorted to iu mines. The principal improvement proposed by M. Kralft 

 consists in placing the piles in the bed of the river by means of immense 

 bells of sheet iron, of the shaiie of the piles, into which a steam engine 

 would constantly pump air. This would enable the workmen to execute, 

 even at a depth of 10 metres below the level of the river, all the operations 

 of excavation, the ramming in of the piles; the laying of the beton, and 

 the masonry. The bells, whose upper part would be higher than low- 

 water mark, would be cut at that height, after they had been filled up with 

 masonry, and would remain (serving as a case for the latter) in the water. 

 This work would supersede the colTerdam system (;), and save 30,000 francs 

 per pile, besides olfering an hitherto unprecedented degree of safely. Tlie 

 corporation of Basle has purchased M. Krafft's plan, which bids fair for 

 its ultimate execution. 



SANITARY REGULATION'S OF THE METROPOLIS. 

 If anything more worthily distinguishes the present age — notwithstand- 

 ing Coningsby's outcry about the age of tinsel and brass — notwilhstanding 

 the ciiarge of Mammon worship and the imputations of selfishness— it is 

 the spirit of practical improvement, exemplified not merely in undertakings 

 which are reproductive to the community and profitable to the conduclors, 

 but in those daily and long-continued exertions, of the Government and the 

 educated classes, for the amelioration of the condition of all members of 

 society, and in particular of the condition of those who, from want of 

 intelligence and want of means, are least qualified to help themselves. 



It is well to assume the attitude of iamlatores temporis acti ; to speak of 

 the good old times ; to banish virtue to the annals of antiquity; and, in 

 denying modern merit, to lament modern depravity. That is an old vice ; 

 it is aptly characterised by the Sage of Judea and the Poet of Rome ; — 

 and it is one so tritely known among ourselves, that it must argue some 

 confidence in the extent of public credulity, to try it on any large scale in 

 our times. Have we all forgotten the classic scene in the " Spectator," 

 where the shrewd observer takes down a book from the shelves of his 

 library, and reads to the grumbler an awful description of the depravity 

 of the times? "How true," says the grumbler, "how accurate — how 

 minute!" And yet the page of the moralist did not refer to the time of 

 Queen Anne, but to that of Henry the Eighth. In the time of Queen 

 Victoria, a large school, with the Coming Man at their head, and Pugin 

 for their Michael, cry out on the worthlessness of the present day, and 

 sigh for the middle ages, the forms of which they would fain revive 

 among us. To copy the merits of our forefathers, to catch their noble 

 spirit, is well worthy of our ambition ; — but to adopt their system bodily, 

 and to eschew all the merits and improvements of the present day, would 

 be as insane in practice as it is antic and fantastic in suggestion. 



If, however, there be one party who would drag us back, body and soul, 

 to the middle ages, there is another who, for self interest, would oppose 

 every improvement in the present day : so that no suggestion can be made 

 for any practical measure, without its being met by the most violent outcry 

 and misrepresentation. Such is the fate which has beset Lord Mo rpeth's 

 bill and the sanitary arrangements. 



None can have a more superstitious horror than we have of Government 

 interference — none have been more consistent in their opposition to any 

 unjustifiable attempt at extension of power and control. On the Steam 

 Vessels question, our humble exertions were sufiicientto frustrate the objec- 

 tionable designs of the Board of Trade. On the proposition of the Build- 

 ings Act, we co-operated in obtaining the removal of the obnoxious 

 clauses ; and we cannot charge ourselves on any one occasion with ne- 

 glecting the interests of the public or of those professional readers who 

 favour us with their confidence. We cannot, however, go so far as to 

 object to all Government interference, or to deny that it can be properly 

 exercised ; for we have ourselves, on many previous occasions, in reference 

 to this present question of the sewage and sanitary arrangements of towns, 

 exercised what influence we possess in the exposure and correction of the 

 very serious abuses which are still so greatly prevalent. 



We might sympathise witli those who objected to the Government ob- 

 taining the sole control over the sanitary arrangements of the metropolis ; 

 but knowing what we do of the sewage, drainage, paving, cemeteries, and 

 supply of water in the metropolis, and having so often had occasion to 

 write in terms of disapproval, we cannot consistently say that the present 

 system requires no alteration, — for we must say that it requires a great 

 deal, and that Lord Morpeth's bill in that respect errs only in not going far 

 enough. 



We defy any sensible man to look at the wretched and confused mode 

 of administration, the number of conflicting local boards, the host of use- 

 less and inefficient functionaries, the opposition and antagonism shown in 

 the details of arrangement, and the miserable and contemptible results,— 

 we defy any man, we say, to consider these things, and not feel ashamed 

 that in the greatest metropolis of the world, and among the most practical 

 and business-like people, such a disgraceful state of aflairs should exist, — 

 whereby the public money is wasted, the public wants are neglected, and 

 the public health is endangered. 



On this point all opinions ought to agree — that the local boards should 

 be abolished, and the administration simplified : common sense requires 

 this, if economy and public justice did not imperatively claim the reforma- 

 tion of the present abuses. 



This point conceded, an efficient working must follow, which is mainly 

 prevented not by the want of capacity of the local officers employed, not 



