1847.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



229 



the volcanic character of the country, and the unhealthy nature of the 

 climate on this river, from which Lord Nelson's expedition suflered so 

 much, render the exeouiion of such an underlaking at iliis place very 

 improbable. The Isthmus of Panama presents fewer obstacles than any 

 other point— the distance from sea to sea is only about 3'J miles— and the 

 country is traversed for nearly the whole width by the great river of 

 Chagres and its tributaries, which are interlaced, as it were, with the 

 streams flowing to tlie Pacific. The chain of mountains hero sinks into 

 extensive savannahs and forests, with a few detached and isolated hills, 

 and small elevations, seldom exceeding .500 feet in height. The country 

 was surveyed in 182S, at llie instance of General Bolivar, by Mr. Lloyd, 

 an English ofticer, who also took the levels, and determined the diflerence 

 between the two oceans to be Sj ft. (3-52), the waters of the Pacific being 

 the highest. INIr. Lloyd's valuable papers, deposited with the Koyal 

 Society, and the Royal Geographicl Society, were exhibited to illustrate 

 the paper. A survey of the Itiver Chagres was also made by order of the 

 Admiralty, during w hich Captain Foster, of her Majesty's ship Cliiiiiticlcfr, 

 lost his life. The maps, plans, sections, and other valuable information 

 deposited with these societies, seem to have created but little interest in 

 England ; but they have been diligently examined, and extracts and 

 copies taken by foreigners, who have had free access to them, especially 

 by the French ; and M. Guizot lately sent IM. Napoleon Garella, as engi- 

 neer-in-chief, with a numerous staH'of assistants, to make a further survey, 

 and ascertain the practicability of making a canal. This survey has fully 

 confirmed that of Mr. Lloyd, and proves that there are no obstacles which 

 engineers and contractors of the present day could not encounter and over- 

 come without much dilticulty or expense ; the difficulties being more of a 

 political character, and to be dealt with by statesmen rather than by 

 engineers. 



The meeting was very fully attended, and an interesting discussion 

 ensued, in which his Uoyal Highness Prince Louis Napoleon took an 

 active part. He had evidently studied the subject carefully on the spot, 

 and traced a line between the lakes Nicaragua and Leon, which he 

 recommended as preferable on account of the local facilities, the salubrity 

 of the climate, the already populated character of the country, and the 

 advantages of the two lakes, which, at small expense, may be converted 

 into harbours, accessible at all times for vessels of heavy tonnage. The 

 plans proposed by his Hoyal Highness appeared to meet the views of the 

 meeting, as far as a ship canal was concerned ; but it was agreed that for 

 quick transit by railway, the lines traced by Mr, Lloyd over tlie Isthmus 

 of Panama were to be preferred. 



Conversazione.— The President, Sir John Rennie, gave his two con- 

 versaziones on May 29th and June 5th. The latter of these was one of 

 the best conversaziones of the season, forming a grand union of the men 

 most eminent in science, literature, and art. Additional rooms were 

 thrown open in Sir John Kennie's mansion, and the personal attention of 

 himself and Mr. Charles Manby, the Secretary to the Institution, to the 

 hospitable entertainment of the guests, made the meetings particularly 

 pleasing. The leading feature in the model-rooms was a grand collection, 

 illustrative of the progress of ship building, from the time of the Pett's to 

 the last productions of the Snrvejor-Gencral of the Navy. Next to them 

 came a series, showing what has been done in electric telegraphs and 

 clocks. A mass of electric telegraph linas gave singular evidence of the 

 extension of the system, which has now become a recognised branch of 

 public service. It is a curious sign <)f the age, to notice the Times, in a late 

 Dumber, complain of the mismanagement of the Rugby ti'leuraph, by 

 which they were deprived of their accustomed racing news. The v isitors 

 were so numerous that we may readily be excused for missing many of 

 the most prominent. The Grand Duke Constantine of Russia, being 

 unable to attend in the evening, went with his suite to a private view of 

 the models. 



Count D'Orsay contributed some statuettes and busts of the Emperor of 

 Russia, Daniel O'Connell, the Duke of Wellington, 6ic , which were de- 

 servedly much admired. Paintings and sketches by Landseer, Oliver, 

 Buss, AVood, Scanlan, Digby, Wyatt, Boxall, and Ward ; enamel paint- 

 ings, by Boue ; chalk drawings, from Jlr. Fuller; and some beautiful 

 sketches, from Messrs. Ackerman's collection, were profusely scattered 

 throughout the rooms. Taylor, Williams, and Jordan, had some excellent 

 specimens of machine carvings ; and Mr. Rogers some delicate examples 

 of hand carving. 



A series of models from the Admiralty exhibited the construction of a 

 60-gun ship at various epochs. Other models illustrated the most ap- 

 proved forms of bows, sterns, and midship section ; and the general lines 

 of the vessels composing the experimental squadron were contrasted by a 

 series of uniform models. The wave principle was illustrated by models 

 from Mr. Scott Russell and Dr. Phipps ; and the progress of the steam 

 navy was exemplilied by models of vessels and engines, constructed l)y 

 Messrs. Rennie, Maiidslay, and others; with screw propellers by G. 

 Uennie, Wordcroft, Hays, and Maudslay. Models of Brunei's block 

 machinery, and Hurwood's patent scuttle, were appropriately introduced. 



All the various systems of electrical telegraphs were represented, and 

 were at work in the apartments : — Bain's electric clock — Nott and Gam- 

 ble's single-wire telegraph — the Electric Telegraph Company's system, as 

 used at the Adniiraity — Brett anil Little's apparatus, and Brett's writing 

 telegraph, in which, by depressing a series of keys, correspt)ndiog leiters 

 are brought into contact with a continuous strip of paper, and the commu- 

 oicatioD is printed at any number of miles distant. 



Mr. Cowper contributed a series of models of the old French and other 

 telegraphs, in order to form a contrast with the present instantaneous 

 methods of communication. 



There was a series of models of bridges of all kinds, amongst which we 

 remarked one of corrugated cast iron, erected by Mr. Barlow on the Tun- 

 bridge Railway. 



The wrought-iron tube bridge, by Mr. R. Stephenson, at Conway, 

 beautifully shown, on various scales, by Salter's elegant card-board 

 models. 



A cast-iron girder bridge, by l\Ir. Borthwick, of the same construction 

 as that over the Dee, at Chester. 



The drops for loading coal vessels at the Bute Dock, Cardifl", by Mr. 

 Hightoa, appeared to be an ingenious modification of the system used in 

 the north. 



Stephenson's long boiler locomotive, Bessemer's axles, Dunn's turn- 

 tables, Stevens's railway signals, and Clarke and Varley's new atmos- 

 pheric railway tube, formed an interesting series of railway models. 



Cochrane's machine for saw ing out carved timbers of all forms, without 

 waste, was worked, and was universally admired. It was stated that 

 these efficient machines were now being introduced into the royal dock- 

 yards. 



Little's new printing machine, by which the number of sheets now dis- 

 patched, great as the quantity seems, can be doubled, was also at work, 

 and excited much attention. 



A curious clock, made by Tonipion, in 1070, and presented by Charles I. 

 to the Duchess of Cleveland, was exhibited by Mr. Vulliamy. 



M. Piaget contributed some extraordinary specimens of gold electro- 

 deposit for ornamental work for clock cases, 6cc. It appeared from the 

 statements that this introduction would make a great diminution in the 

 price of this kind of work. 



A collection of fossils, from the Oxford clay, at Trowbridge, made by 

 Dr. Mantell, during the excavations on the line of the Wilts, Somerset, and 

 Weymouth Railway, appeared to excite attention among the geologists — 

 as did two casts of impressions of the feet of some unknown species of 

 animal, found in the new red sandstone in the United States, and recently 

 transmitted to Dr. Mantell. 



A revolving disc pendulum, by Mr. Fronde, for rendering uniform the 

 circular revolution, under considerable variation of the maintaining power. 



Otis' American Excavator, which was n^orked on the Eastern Counties 

 Railway, by Mr. Hyde, and that of Messrs. Barber, Brothers, invented by 

 Colonel Hamilton, and now in construction for dredging the port of Toulon, 

 were placed with Prideaux's Excavator. 



A model of the Somerset-bridge, of 110 feet span, by Mr. Brunei, on the 

 line of the Bristol and Exeter Railway, an example of the strength and sim- 

 plicity that may be attained by well-constructed trussed timber bridges. 



Fuller and l)e Berque's application of thick rings of vulcanised India 

 rubber, alternating with metal discs, to form bulfer springs for railway 

 carriages. 



Davison's system of cleansing casks, as used at Truman and Hanbury's, 

 and other breweries. 



SOCIETY OF ARTS, LONDON. 



At the Annual Meeting, which took place on Thursday, .Tune 10, in their 

 Great Room in the .Vdclphi,— ll.R.H. Prince Alhcit, as President of the So- 

 ciety, filling the chair. His Knyal Highness congratulated the Society on its 

 increasing prosperity and usefulness ; and proceeded to confer the honours 

 which had been awarded to authors of important works or inventions in arts, 

 mechanics, and manufactures submitted to the Society during the past year — 

 and many of them exhibited at their late Exposition. The list of medals, 

 &c. awarded on the occasion is as follows : — 



Tlie GOL,D MEDAt. t.i Jlessrs. Davidson imd SyminRton, for their method of applying 

 CurreiUa of Heated Air to Seasoning Timber and to the various Manufactures— IMessrs. 

 H. Mintou and Co., for the Models of a Jug and Loving Cup— Mr. Thomas Drayton, for 

 his new process of Silvering Glass \\ith pure Silver— and John Everett Millais, for liis 

 Original Composition in Oil. 



The GOLD ISIS MICDAL, to Messrs. Rlchcrdson and Co., for their specimen of 

 Enamelled Colours on Glass— Thomas Brown Jordan, for liis .Machine for Carving Wood, 

 Stone. &c. for ornamental and decorative purposes— Mr. Henry fjrainger, for the hest 

 specimen of While Earthenware — Messrs. H. Minton and Co., for the I'est specimen of 

 White China- The s:ime, for the tjest specimen of Deep Blue Colour on China— and the 

 same, for the best specimen of Green Colour on Forcilain, 



The Large SILVER MEDAL and 10(. Ins., to Messrs. D. Pearce and C. WorratI, for 

 their design and model of a Lamp Pillar— Mr. Charles Meigh. for a model of a Mug nrna. 

 mcnled in relief— and M. F. Abate, lor a means of Preventing the Emission of No.\ious 

 Vapours from Sewers. The s. one Medal and .5/. .'is., to Mr. John Strudwick, lor his de- 

 sign for a Roller Window Blind— .Mr. Daniel Pearce, for his design for Printing on China 

 —Mr. John Philip, for his design lor an Earthenware Mug ornamented in relief— .Mr. 

 Itedlake, for his ilesign for a Geometrical Stamped Druciel— and Mr. J. Austin, for au 

 Original Composition, and specimen of Stained Glass. The same Medal and 3(. to Mr. 

 G. Inman.for his Conip,iss Plan. The same .Medul.to Mr. Home, for his Block Printing 

 in Distemper— Mr. Edward Keys, for his moJel of a .Mug ornamented in relief- Captain 

 Carur for his method of Snspeniling a Knapsack— Mr. Fuller, for the application of Vul. 

 canized India Rubber to U.ailway Duffer Springs— Mr. M'Sweny, for his Improved double 

 cone barrel Steering Wheel— IVlr. C. J. Varley, for an Apparatus for facilitating the use of 

 large Gregorian Telescope.s- Mr. R. Day, jun . for his Model in Plaster of the Martyrs' 

 Cross. Oxford— Mr. W. Ford, for his Original Model of a Figure of Nebuchadnezzar- Mr. 

 C. S. Kelsey, for his Original Figure of a Greek Youth- Mr E. J. Physic, tor his reduced 

 M odel of a Figure of Mercury— Mr. Westerburgli, for his Portable Level— Mr. J. Walker 

 lor his Model of a Sewer Trap— Mr. Chadley. for his plan for Preventing the Emission of 

 Noxious Vapours Irom Sewers— Master H. BursiU, for a Cast from an Original Moilol of 

 the Figure of Hercules— and Master Alexander Slanesby, for a Chalk Drawing of Apollo 

 Irom the round. 



