1843.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT S JOURN \1. 



2» 



by Massey's log 84$ miles; by sillometer 82J; by tables 85 miles- Moved 

 sundry weights aft, viz., boat, brass guns, anchors, oars, &c. : for an instant 

 the speed, as shown by the sillometer, diminished to 7"4 miles per hour, 

 but it almost immediately increased to the former speed of 8 miles per 

 hour. Moved the same weights forward, but could not perceive any sensible 

 difference in the speed of the vessel. The speed, as shown by the sillometer, 

 varied from 81 to 8'2 miles per hour. Tried the speed of the vessel by the 

 common log, which gave 8} miles. The sillometer indicated exactly the 

 same. At 10 o'clock, a.m., on Friday, when about two miles past the Nab 

 Light, tried Massey's log, and found the distance to near the entrance of 

 Portsmouth harbour — by Massey's log six miles nearly; by sillometer six 

 miles exactly. During the passage round to Portsmouth, the speed of the 

 vessel was purposely checked, by blowing off the steam, to see the effect on 

 the sillometer. The speed, as shown by that instrument, was gradually re- 

 duced from eight miles per hour to four miles, at which point it stood 

 steady. On the order being given for full speed, the sillometer showed a 

 gradual increase of speed, till it came to 8 miles per hour, as before. On 

 the return of the Lightning from Portsmouth to Woolwich, the distance 

 performed was found to be — hv Massev's log 119 miles; bv the sillometer 

 118-6. 



" The sillometer has a dial upon deck, which constantly shows the 

 number of miles per hour that the vessel is going ; consequently it is easy 

 to discover, under all circumstances, what is the best trim of the vessel, and 

 the most advantageous quantity and distribution of the sails for obtaining 

 the greatest speed. As the sillometer shows immediately the effect which 

 every alteration in the sails or trim of the ship has on its velocity, it follows, 

 also, that ships fitted with the sillometer can constantly maintain the speed 

 they may have agreed upon, and so keep company together, and maintain 

 the same relative position, though, from the darkness of the night, or 

 thickness of the weather, they cannot see each other. To ascertain the 

 distance run after any number of hours, it is simply to take the number of 

 minutes one of the watches of the sillometer has gained over the other, and 

 to multiply that number by six, which gives the distance run in miles. 



" The Marine Thermometer. — The trials with this instrument on board 

 the Lightning, commenced at 11 o'clock on Thursday morning, October 13, 

 previous to leaving Woolwich harbour, and on taking the centigrade, it was 

 found to be 12°. At 25 minutes past three o'clock p.m., in five fathom 

 channel, cant-shoal, depth of water about 16 feet, it indicated 13-25°. In 

 23 feet depth of water, as stated by the pilot.it indicated 15-25°; off 

 Dover 16°; and in Portsmouth harbour, 142. From these indications it 

 appears that the marine thermometer in its variations followed the inequali- 

 ties of the bottom of the sea, so far as these inequalities could be ascer- 

 tained from the heaving of the lead, or from the information of the pilot — 

 that is, on the aproach of shoal water the thermometer fell, and on the ap- 

 proach of deep water it rose, and distinguished the difference very dis- 

 tinctly and rapidly, according to the transition from shallow to deep water, 

 and rice versa. It may, therefore, be inferred that the marine thermometer 

 would indicate the approach to rocks and icebergs, from the influence these 

 bodies are known to have on the temperature of the sea for a considerable 

 distance." The dial of the marine thermometer is also on deck, and shows, 

 by inspection merely, the exact depth of water in which the vessel may be 

 sailing at the time. 



Sunderland Harbour Floating Dock. — Application is intended to be 

 made in the ensuing Parliament for an act to authorise the Wear Commis- 

 sioners to convert the lower part of the Tidal Harbour of Sunderland into a 

 Floating Dock, by a course of dams, piers of masonry, with navigable gates 

 between, across the River Wear. The works are intended to confine or im- 

 pound seven feet of water above the low water-mark of the average spring 

 tides in this part of the harbour; 100 acres of water will thus be rendered 

 available to shipping, producing at Pallion a depth of five feet in the Channel, 

 and at the Folly End an average depth of 12 feet. Facilities for moving ships 

 in and out of loading berths, and increased accommodation for ships of 

 a larger class, will thus be secured. The navigable gates to be each 80 feet 

 in width of opening, with sluices or slackers in them for letting off the water 

 when required. These gates are proposed to be left open till three hours 

 after high water, or until the water has ebbed out to the height above spe- 

 cified. Ample time will, therefore, be given for ships passing outwards. 

 The gates are to remain closed until the tide has again flowed to the level of 

 the confined water, of three hours flood, when the tidal water will force them 

 open, and the navigation of the stream will again proceed as at present. It 

 is also proposed to construct a Tidal Dock or Basin, to contain 25 sail of 

 vessels, for the purpose of having an entrance to the great Dock always 

 available. Mr. Murray, the Commissioner's engineer, has prepared the 

 necessary plans for the intended works. The Parliamentary plans have been 

 lodged. 



The New Barracks at Preston. — We understand that the plans and 

 specifications for the new barracks at Fulwood, near Preston, have at length 

 passed, and received the confirmation of the Hon. Board of Ordnance. 

 They will he on the most magnificent and complete scale, superior to any in 

 the kingdom, to accommodate 2,000 men, with stabling for 750 horses. — 

 Preston Chronicle. 



INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINE] 



The Council of the Institution of Civil ,,■ awarded the 



following Telford ami \v m bier Premiums foi 



Robert Thomas A-tkinson, M. [nst. C. E., for his Paper " On the sinking 

 and tubbing, or coffering of Pits, as practised in th of the 



North of England," a Telford Medal in Silver, and Book*. 



William Cotton, for his " Memoir of Captain Huddart," a Telford 

 in Silver. 



Chevalier Frederik Willem Conrad, for his " History of the Canal of Kat- 

 wyk, (Holland,) with an Account of the Principal Works upon it," a Telford 

 Medal in Silver. 



James John Wilkinson, for his " Historical Account of the various kinds 

 of Sheathing for Vessels," a Telford Medal in Silver. 



Thomas Casebourne, M. Inst. C. V... for his " Description and Drawings 

 of part of the Works of the Ulster Canal," a Telford Premium of Books. 



Thomas Girdwood Hardie, Assoc. Inst. C. E., for his "Description and 

 Drawings of an Iron Work in South Wales" a Telford Premium of Books. 



Charles Nixon, Assoc. Inst. C. E., for his " Description and Drawings of 

 part of the Tunnels on the Great Western Railway," a Walker Premium of 

 Books. 



Alexander James Adie, for his " Descriptions and Drawings of the Bridges 

 on the Preston and Bolton Railway," a Walker Premium oi Books. 



John Brannis Birch, Grad. Inst. C. E., for his " Description and Dl 

 of the Bridge at Kingston-on-Thames," a Walker Premium of Book,. 



Robert Richardson, Grad. Inst. C. E., for his "Description and |i , 

 of part of the Works of the London Docks," a Walker Premium of Books. 



James Combe, Assoc. Inst. < . E. for his " Description and Drawings of 

 Messrs. Marshall's new Flax Mill, at Leeds," a Walker Premium of Books. 



Charles Denroche, Grad. Inst. C. E., for his " Description and Drawings 

 of the Apparatus used for Compressing Gas, for the purposes of Illumina- 

 tion, &c," a Walker Premium of Books. 



Adrian Stephens, for his " Description of the Explosion of a Steam 

 Boiler at the Penydarran Iron Works, South Wales," a Walker Premium of 

 Books. 



George Ellis, Grad. Inst. C. E., for the Drawings illustrating th 

 cription, Specification, and Estimates of the Calder Viaduct, on the Wishav. 

 and Coltness Railway ; with the Series of Experiments on the deflection of 

 Trussed Timber Beams for that work, by John Macncill, M. Inst. C. E.," a 

 Walker Premium of Books. 



Thomas Chalmers, Grad. Inst. C. E., for the Drawings illustrating the 

 " Report on the Sinking of two experimental Brick Cylinders, in an attempt 

 to form a Tunnel across the River Thames, by John Isaac Hawkins, M. Inst. 

 C. E." a Walker Premium of Books. 



THE NILE. 



The following account of the plans adopted by Mehemet Ali for carrying 

 into execution the improvements of the Nile, first conceived by the Emperor 

 Napoleon, is transmitted to Paris by Dr. Labot, who arrived latelj in 

 The first great work is to be the establishment of a bridge of S3 arches, 

 running from the point of the Delta to each of the opposite banks of both 

 branches, similar to the Pont-Neuf at Paris. On each side of the spur, a 

 sluice is to be formed for the purpose of Navigation. All the 83 arches are 

 also to be furnished with flood-gates of iron or wood, to ! . opi m I or shut, 

 according to the wants of traffic and navigation. A tunnel is to be cat 

 through "the spur of the Delta, forming a communication between the two 

 branches of the river. Canals are also to be cut from each branch running 

 to the east and the west, with various minor channels, with sluice* for tin- 

 commerce and irrigation of the country. Above the bridge, the Nile is to be 

 embanked on each side, so as to keep the water always within a certain 

 level. All these embankments will be faced with ma 'them 



solidity and beauty. Concrete will be used for all the mi' tnai tie werks, and 

 the rest will he done with squared stone, rubble, and bricks. These mate- 

 rials are found in abundance in Egvpt, and es en in the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood of the works. Artificial pozzolano is in g ing ob- 

 tainable in all parts of the country from pulverised bricks. This matter, 

 which is analogous to that produced bv volcanos, being mixed with lime and 

 rubble, forni what is called beton or concrete. Before li thi- 

 pozzolano which costs 5 fr. the cube- metre on the -merry 

 brought from Italv. at the expense of 



cost of the bridge has been estimated at 7,000,000 fr., and cannot exceed 

 10,000,000 fr. When once the materii are coll eted, if will require no 

 .,,, tj,ree years tbi 5000 men to complete this colossal undertaking. 

 wnic j, , , ,. ,„■ will, the e, lebrated monuments ul . 



Ae, ling to a e.:l. elation .cccntly mole by a I .m.it I I 



thai the present irrigation of Egypt, though verj limited in comparison to 



what will now be accomplished, costs the labour of 200,000 oxen and 

 100,000 men. 



