1843.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



177 



«' 9th. For the premiums, is it expected that the architects should 

 furnish the requisite number of drawings in order that the corporation 

 may form a just decision on the comparative merits of the various 

 designs? Will it be necessary that they furnish the following? viz. 

 " Elevations of the four fronts ; plans of the different stories, foun- 

 dations and roofs ; six or seven drawings ; one longitudinal and two 



or three transverse sections ; one or two perspective views, about 



16 drawings; a specification of the work and a detailed estimate 



of the cost. 



« 10. What scale are the designs to be drawn to ? 



" 11. Are the elevations to be coloured, tinted in the sepia or only 

 to be drawn in outline ? 



" 12. Are the perspective views to be taken from any fixed points ? 

 And are they to be coloured or tinted in sepia? 



" 13. What materials are to be used in the construction of the out- 

 side walls, and in whatever decoration the limited funds will allow? 



" 14. As the architect whose design is approved will 'most pro- 

 bably' be employed to erect the building, may I ask if any designs 

 have been laid before the corporation previously to the competition 

 being proposed? 



" 15. Have the corporation an architect, or any one possessing a 

 knowledge of architecture in their employ? 



" 16. Will any means be adopted to ascertain that the designs can 

 be executed for the sums estimated ? 



" 17. Will the corporation undertake to lay aside all designs whicli 

 cannot be executed for the sums estimated '. 



" lb. Bv whom are the designs to be examined and selected ? 



" 19. Are the parties who examine and select the designs well 

 acquainted with the principles of composition in architecture, as re- 

 gards unity of style, fitness for the end in view, and harmony to which 

 1 may add" the principles of construction, and the proper application 

 of materials? 



" 20. Is the approved design to be in strict conformity to ancient 

 precedent, or to be an original composition, possessing all the requi- 

 sites of a work of fine art? 



" 21. In case the corporation should consider it necessary to call in 

 the aid of a professional architect to assist them in the selection of 

 the designs, will his report be delivered in writing, and will it be 

 published or otherwise be made known to the competitors, in order 

 that thev may have an opportunity of reflecting any opinion therein 

 contained ? 



" 22. The time for sending the designs is exceedingly limited. It 

 would be of considerable benefit to the corporation as well as the ar- 

 chitects that a greater length of time was allowed for preparing the 

 design ; can the corporation grant such a request ? 



"23. Is it intended that the designs should be publicly exhibited 

 previously to the decision of the corporation? 



" 24. Who are the members of the corporation that are to form the 

 judges in the competition? 



"I have to apologize for taking up so much of your time; but 

 without the information herein required it will be impossible to furnish 

 suitable designs for the proposed building. 



" Your earliest reply will oblige, 



" Yours, &c, 



" Ipswich, 13th April, 1843. 

 " Sir — I have your letter of yesterday. It is quite impossible for 

 me to give the answers you require. £4000 is the total sum to be 

 expended. The dock commissioners would only require two rooms, 

 and these not large. The architect may choose the site of the build- 

 ing in the area, the dimensions of which are furnished in the paper 

 already sent to you, except that a roadway of 30 feet from the water's 

 edge must be left free of any building. There is no limit as to scale. 

 The time for sending in drawings cannot be extended. 

 " I am, Sir, 

 " Your obedient humble servant, 



" S. A. Nolcutt, Jun." 



" 14th April, 1843. 

 " Sir — I am exceedingly sorry to be so troublesome to you, but 

 without the requisite data, it is impossible for any architect to prepare 

 suitable designs for the Custom-house at Ipswich. If it is impossible 

 for you to give me the information required, you may probably inform 

 me to whom I am to apply. In the printed instructions to architects, 

 there is so little information, that the whole accmomodation required 

 for the Custom-house is quite undefined; and whether the offices are 

 for one or two clerks or more persons is not mentioned. I respectfully 



submit that the architect's answers to the queries I sent on the 11th 

 instant shou'd be given by the committee, who of course are fully 

 aware of the accommodation they require. I shall feel obliged by an 

 early reply. 



" I am, &c, 



" Ipswich, 15th April, 1843. 

 " Sir — I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14tb, 

 and regret that I can afford little more information than has been al- 

 ready furnished to you in common with thosp gentlemen wdio have 

 stated their determination to send in plans for the new Custom-house 

 here. 



" I can only say, generally, that the business of the port in both 

 departments, custom and excise, is not likely to be very considerable, 

 and the dock commissioners would not require more than a couple of 

 moderate sized rooms. The limited expenditure must of course govern 

 the extent of the accommodation. 



" I am, Sir, 

 " Your obedient humble servant, 



" S. A. Nolcutt, Jun." 



" 17th April. 



" Sir — I should be wrong in expressing an opinion that the corpo- 

 ration of Ipswich were the only body who have published such vague 

 instructions, when they require architects to prepare certain designs 

 for the buildings they have it in contemplation to erect; was this the 

 first instance of the kind, little could be said upon the subject, but as 

 it is now the usual proceeding in most occasions of this nature, the 

 profession, as a body, ought to complain ; yet us s. body, they do little, 

 it therefore rests with individuals to do something. 



" I would not for a moment suppose that the corporation have al- 

 ready decided who is to be the architect of the building, nor do I 

 suppose that each member of that body has his particular friend to 

 support, and therefore all the information he possesses is necessarily 

 reserved for this friend, I say I cannot presume that this is the case, 

 but the very great difficulty I have experienced in obtaining the ne- 

 cessary information so as to prepare the required designs, naturally 

 creates a suspicion, especially as the numerous results of such pro- 

 ceedings confirm those suspicions. I presumed, when I wrote to you, 

 that officially you had the power of answering all necessary questions, 

 and that if you had not such power, at least you could direct me to 

 some person who must have known what was required, better than a 

 stranger, for the commercial business of the port. The dock commis- 

 sioners, the accountant, the merchants, who are interested in the ship- 

 ping, the occupiers of the common quay wharfs, the town clerk, and 

 others interested or connected with the custom house, must individu- 

 ally have some idea of the accommodation; surely it would have 

 been no great or difficult task to collect such information, in order 

 that the. corporation should get the most suitable design for their 

 building — or if they do not know what they want, they can want no- 

 thing—this is a natural inference, and perhaps the least requiring an 



" I have to thank you for your letters, although you were unable to 

 give me the information I required. It is my intention to publish in 

 some periodical, the ' Instructions to Archiects,' my queries, and the 

 correspondence I have had with you on this occasion, my only wish 

 being to obtain, in business of this' nature, all the information that the 

 subject may require, and in which I have been so unsuccessful in this 

 instance. 



" The most extraordinary thing in this competition appears to r.ie 

 to be that the corporation are to select the most suitable design for 

 their building, yet admit through their official organ, that they do not 

 known what is required, at least I must come to this conclusion, as the 

 information I required on the most important subjects could not be 

 obtained. 



" I am, &c, 



South-Eastern Railway— (Folkstone.)— The works at this place are 

 rapidly progressing under the contractors for the works, Messrs. Grissell and 

 Peto, "who it is expected will he able to place the line soon in the hands of 

 Mr. Betts, the contractor for the permanent way, and there is now no doubt 

 that the line will lie in operation within seven miles of Dover before the end 

 of July next, neither now is there any doubt expressed as to which will he 

 the direct line to France. 



