1847.J 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECrS JOURNAL. 



363 



percussions and vibrations, and other irregularities of the motion of 

 trains, are always observed to be miicli greater at liigli, than at low, 

 velocities, it is quite clear that till their relation to the velocity be 

 ascertained it is impossible to make the speed of trains a matter of 

 mathematical calcuhition. The lam of resistance, or the degree in 

 which the resistance increases with increase of velocity, has not yet 

 been discovered, notwithstanding the efforts of numerous excellent ex- 

 periments. The self-sutijciency with which Mr. Curr decries the 

 labours of Mr. Scott Russell and others, who are usefully employed in 

 the experimental investigation of the subject, is rivalled only by the 

 ignorance of first principles displayed in the attempt to solve a pro- 

 blem of which the data are not given. 



Patience and space would fail us to point out all his other errors — 

 yet one or two instances may be cited. In one place he tells us that 

 the consum|)tion of coke necessary for the conveyance of a given load 

 by a fast train is the same as by a slow one. "If the velocity be 

 doubled," says he, " a given distance is passed ever in half the time :" 

 the supply of steam must be doubly fast in the second case, but will 

 be required for half the time. Hence he concludes that in both cases 

 the same quantity of steam (and therefore of coke) will be consumed 

 — totally overlooking the fact that the increased resistance to the 

 train's motion in the second case renders it necessary that the steam 

 should be consumed in the cylinder at a greatly increased pressure. 

 His notion is much the same thing as asserting that the easiest way 

 of travelling fifty miles on horsebick is to ride at full gallop. 



In another place we are told that "the bite would be lessened on 



ascending a gradient according to which end of the engine might be 



moving furemost, as thereby the centre of gravity of the engine would 



approach or recede from the driving wheels." It were useless to 



attempt a seriuus refutation of su.di nonsense. 



" 'Tis a pity when cUarming women 



Talk of things that they don't understand:" 



and similar objects of compassion may be found among the sterner 

 sex. 



Here is anotherspecimen of our author's mechanical ideas: "Actual 

 collision of trains moving in opposite directions is a subject scarcely 

 deserving of attention, but as there appears a vulgar notion amongst 

 persons who ought to know better, that if two trains meet, the shock 

 is proportional to their joint velocity, or to twice the velocity of each 

 train; it maybe SLiid the shock sustained by each train is proportional 

 to its velocity, and the same is true as respects each person conveyed 

 in it." Does Mr. Curr mean to assert that the shock to each train is 

 quite independent of the velocity of the other train? — that if a man 

 ran against a moving cannon ball the injury sustained by him would 

 merely be proportional to his own velocity, and not depend on that 

 of the ball ? If that were true, it is obvious that if he stood quite still 

 lie would receive no injury were a whole park of artillery fired at 

 liim; and, similarly, that when a train is at rest the passengers need 

 not be at all alarmed at seeing another train drive full tilt against 

 them. 



To quit theory, let us take a specimrn of Mr. Curr's practical 

 knowledge. The following is a proposition for ascending very steep 

 gradients. " Let th" engine be stopped near the foot of such inclined 

 plane — let the drivingwheels be removed and a pair substituted being 

 of such diameter as will enable it to ascend." Take ofif the driving 

 wheels, Mr. Curr? Pooh, pooh, man! what if it were proposed to 

 you to take off your head and substitute that of Newton whenever 

 you came to a stiff bit of mathematics ? 



Divers other equ dly rare devices hath Mr. Curr for the improve- 

 ment of railway locomotion. One especially there is, which is cal- 

 culated to effect a complete revolution in engineering, but its nature 

 is kept a profound secret. VVe are tormented with curiosity to find 

 out what it can be, but. No — says Mr. Curr — I have told you a good 

 deal for nothing, beyond the cost of buying and reading my book, 

 but for this master invention I demand a far higher recompense. And 

 then he offers to reveal it confidentially to a committee of the House 

 of Commons — in fact, repeats the Warner story in a new form. 



The work concludes with a magnificent peroration, of which the fol- 

 lowing is a fair specimen : — ^ 



"But who proclaims himself my critic — the shadow of a nonentity 

 wdiose only knowledge of tlie subject is derived from the book he in- 

 tends to criticise : no — it will be left to future ages to find the truth 



The principles are one — so break one liuk of the vinculum, 



and down'goes my book to the shades below. The philosopher and 

 the mathematician have been boldly attacked : whether they will con- 

 tinue their prejudices I will not decide : but to convince a man that 

 he has played the fool is not an easy task." 



Here, at least, we entirely agree with our author. The " task" !8 

 difficult — so difficult that we relinquish it in despair. 



Sketches, Graphic atid Descriptive, ffC.,for a History of lite Decora- 

 tive Painting applied to English Architecture during the Middle Ages. 

 By G. L. Blackburne, F.S.A., Architect. London: Williams and 

 Co., 1817. 



Mr. Blackburne proposes to do for the polychromy of the middle 

 ages, what has been done for that of the Egyptians, Greeks, and 

 Arabii, and to give us a special work of reference for architects and 

 decorators in all that relates to the coloured ornaments suited to works 

 of the mediasval character. This is certainly essential at a time 

 when the taste for such decoration is extending, and when buildings 

 of a high class are in progress. We have had many books on Gothic 

 carving, but few illustrations of painting in that style, and for the 

 reason that until lately the production of illuminated books was very 

 expensive. The new processes for printing in colours come most 

 opportunely in aid of the extended study of the decorative arts. In 

 the works liy Mr. Jobbins and Mr. Colling many useful examples have 

 been already given, and no doubt Mr. Blackburne will find many co- 

 operators before he gets to the end of his series. 



Mr. Blackburne's text does not seem to us to be of so much value 

 as bis plates, although he has undoubtedly taken much pains ; but in 

 the attempt to publish a series of examples he will lay the foundation 

 for a history of decoration in this country. He is therefore not to be 

 blamed because he does not shine so much as an historian, as he does 

 as an artist. The state of art among the English before the time of 

 Bede should be examined in comparisjn with Byzantine monuments, 

 for it cannot be doubted that from Greece and what was then the By- 

 zantine city of Rome these new arts were brought into England, as 

 we have express testimony to that effect. 



Mr. Blackburne begins his work, in fact, from the thirteenth century, 

 when the construction of so many larger edifices, now existing, and 

 the practice of painting on walls, as well as on tablets and hangings, 

 gave a more durable cJiaracter to the labours of the painter and 

 decorator. In the first number we have a choir ceiling from Malvern 

 abbey, with its details; a screen from Aldenham church in Hertford- 

 shire, \^ the Perpendicular style ; a plate of details from the tomb of 

 Lord Bourchier, in Westminster abbey; wall paintings from the chapel 

 of St. Erasmus at Westminster, from Tewkesbury, and from Roches- 

 ter cathedral ; and a lectern stand from Littlebury, Essex. The tiles 

 we think may be dismissed very briefly, for they have already been 

 copiously illustrated in special works. 



It is a matter of much congratulation that we shall now possess a 

 body of English works illustrative of mediaval art, and calculated to 

 foster the growing taste for that style. In the works of Carter, Stot- 

 hard, and Shaw, in those already named, and in works on tombs, fur- 

 niture, glass painting, fonts, and tiles, the architect, and we may add 

 the artisan, of the present day, finds resources in which his predeces- 

 sors were wanting. 



The Ecclesiastical, Castellated, and Domestic Architecture of Eng- 

 land,from the Norman Era to the Sixteenth Century. By James Had- 

 FiELD, Architect. Vol. I., Part 1. London : Williams & Co., IS47. 



Mr. Hadfield has begun an undertaking, the completion of which 

 will require a life of labour, if carried out in the spirit of this speci- 

 men. Having 'chosen the county of Esses as the first, he makes a 

 review of the churches, pointing out all the positions valuable to the 

 architect as examples, and illustrates them by plates full uf dimensions 

 and working details, and of a uniform scale. We know of no work, 

 which, with such strictness of plan, has equal practical value. 



Four parts are to form the volume devoted to the county of Essex, 

 and these are to contain eighty plates of the churches and mansions 

 and their fittings. We think iMr. Hadfield is undertaking more than 

 is required at his hands in proposing to give plates of stained glass, 

 which forms a special art, and the labour, time, and expense bestowed 

 on which may perhaps deprive the architect of what lie will value 

 infinitely more — drawings such as those in the present number. 



The text is of a very limited character, simply explaining the ar- 

 chitectural features, with little antiquarian detail, the object of the 

 author being to keep up the practical nature of the work, and to throw 

 his strength into the plates. This is a very laudable endeavour, and 

 though the price of the part is large, it is, on account of the number of 

 plates, very cheap. We think, too, that Mr. Hadfield has decided 

 rightly in publishing large parts like the present, rather than splitting 

 them into monthly numbers with two or three plates. There is a 

 certain appearance of completeness about the part even at present 

 which seems to make it of a more practical character. 



Mr. Hadfield apportions his labour according to the importance of 

 his work. Some churches are without notice; others, like Danbury, 

 with foui or five plates. The author has carefully eschewed perspec- 



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