1843.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



201 



either mosaics, (tesselated pavements) or tiles; probably, from the manner 

 in which they are described, the latter. In either case, it proves that orna- 

 mental pavements had been a long time in use prior to the beginning of the 

 thirteenth century. Nor should the fact be overlooked of the jealousy with 

 which the use of them was sought to be confined to this monastic order. 



Of some of the tiles, by the kindness of the author, we are able to 

 give specimens, and we beg to observe, that the work is a valuable 

 contribution to our knowledge of that branch of art. 



The Student's Guide to the Practice of Measuring and Valuing Arti- 

 ficer's Work. By a late Eminent Surveyor. London: John Weale, 

 1843. 



To the student this will be found a very useful guide, as far as it 

 goes, but it is not sufficiently extended to be of that benefit the title 

 led us to expect. It does not explain in what manner the student is 

 to set about measuring or estimating a building, in commencing and 

 proceeding from the foundation to the top in brickwork, and from the 

 roof downwards to the lowest floor in carpentry, or the method of 

 proceeding on each floor in the joining, first with the floor, then the 

 skirting, windows, doors, &c. ; nor in the plasterer's work commencing 

 with the ceiling, then the cornice, partitions and walls: we have just 

 given this slight and hurried sketch to show that there is a system 

 adopted by all surveyors of any practice in measuring a building, and 

 without such a system, the tyro will get himself into a labyrinth of 

 difficulties, and probably omit some important part of the works. We 

 may probably at a future opportunity be induced to give some Instruc- 

 tions on measuring, for we have often seen attempts to lay down rules 

 for that purpose, but none of them appear to us to be of that satisfac- 

 tory character which we think suitable to the student — however, the 

 work now before us, for the present we recommend, as we consider it 

 the best that has hitherto been published, and will render some assist- 

 ance in valuing and making out builders work, and give some insight 

 into the abbreviations, method of entering the measurement, the ab- 

 stract and drawing out the bill of quantities. 



A course of Practical Geometry for Mechanics, by W. Pease. — This book 

 contains the principles of Geometry, which the author has condensed very 

 satisfactorily into a small space, so as to render the work both cheap and 

 useful to the student. 



The Guide to Hayling Island near Ifavant, Hants. — To the visitors of this 

 watering place this guide will be useful. 



PROPOSED EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY OF 

 LONDON. 



At the last Court of Common Council, the Special Committee appointed to 

 report upon the proposed improvements in the city, presented their report, 

 which certainly contains numerous suggestions, but we fear it will be several 

 years before they can be carried into effect ; they observe that : 



It has long been the subject of public complaint, that Newgate-street, 

 Snowhill, and llolboni, the great thoroughfare to the north-western, and 

 that of St. Paul's Churchyard, Ludgate-bill, and Fleet-street, to the western 

 part of the metropolis, are both quite inadequate to the immense traffic of car- 

 riages, wagons, and vehicles of every description which throng in those 

 directions; and the numbers of wagons and carts which convey provisions 

 to and from Newgate-market frequently choke that thoroughfare, creating 

 delays and inconvenience to the mail-coaches, and other impediments to the 

 Post-office arrangements. The special committee having examined carefully 

 those plans which have been suggested to the Commissioners of Woods and 

 Forests for a new thoroughfare, commencing in the neighbourhood of Lei- 

 cester-square, through Lincoln's-inn-fiekls into the city, crossing Farring- 

 don-street by a viaduct, next considered the practicability of forming a 

 street which would connect the end of Cheapside with such a thoroughfare 

 at Lincoln'sinn and with a branch diverging into Holborn, which would 

 effectually relieve the great pressure of the public traffic in the thoroughfares 

 alluded to, and at the same time render a viaduct at Holborn-bridge unne- 

 cessary. They were of opinion that the formation of a street combining 

 these desirable objects was d< cidedly practicable, the street to commence at 

 the east end, and continue along Paternoster-row, through Amen-corner, 

 across Farringdon-street to the south-west corner of Farringdon-market in 

 a straight line, the main line to continue across the middle of Fetter-lane 

 to the city boundary, and a branch to diverge from the corner of the market 

 to the end of Fetter-lane, at the summit of the hill in the wide part of 

 llolborn. The special committee having had the levels in this proposed new 

 line accurately taken, find that the greatest ^inclination of any part of it 

 would not be more than about 3 feet in 100, and thai only for the distance of 

 370 feet. It occurred to them in pursuing the investigation, that this new 



line would be still greater improved by the removal of the whole of the 

 houses between the north side of St. Paul's Churchyard and Paternoster- 

 row, from the end of Cheapside as far as Ave Maria-lane, which could be 

 done for the additional sum of £150,000. Should this be effected, that mag- 

 nificent structure would terminate a vista of upwards of one-third of a mile, 

 and the whole would, in addition to the increased facility and convenience 

 which would be afforded to the growing commercial traffic of the city, form 

 one of the grandest improvements of an architectural character, yet achieved 

 in the metropolis. 



The order in which the special committee have classed the improvements 

 « hich they consider called for, is according to the relative importance of 

 each, and as follows : — 



A. From the east end of Paternoster-row to Fetter-lane, and a branch 

 street to Holborn, commencing with the houses at the west end of Cheapside, 

 projecting beyond the line of St.Martin's-le-Grand,all between Paternoster- 

 row, St. Paul's Churchyard, as far as Ave Maria-lane, Amen Corner, cross- 

 ing the Old Bailey, to Farringdon-street, to Shoe-lane, Printer-street, Great 

 New-street, to Fetter-lane to the city boundary ; and the branch street from 

 Little New-street, to the north end of Fetter-lane, Holborn, about 3360 feet 

 in length. The great st acclivity in the whole of this line will not be more 

 than 1 in 31, and that for only about 370 feet. 



B. From the north end of Dowgate-hill to the east end of St. Paul's 

 Churchyard, thence to Earl-street, Blackfriars, through Tower Royal. Little 

 and Great Distaff-lane, crossing the Old Change into St. Paul's Churchyard, 

 about 1360 feet in length, and from the Old Change, through Knight-rider- 

 court, Carter-lane, Godliman-street, Bell-yard, Addle-hill, to the east end of 

 Earl-street, about 1200 feet in length. 



C. Watling-street, from Aldermary Church to the west end of St. Paul's 

 Churchyard, about 1055 feet in length. 



D. The Poultry, on the north side, to the Old Jewry, and 100 feet of the 

 north side of Mansion-house-street, about 1055 feet in length; from the 

 Mansion-house across Bucklersbury and Size-lane to Queen-street, from 

 Watling-street to the east end of Basing-lane, the east side of Queen-street 

 from Watling-street to Thames-street, about 1400 feet in length. 



E. Lime-street, east side, from Cullum-street to Fenchurch-street, Lea- 

 denhall-market from Fenchurch-street through to the south end of Graee- 

 cburch-street, about 800 feet in length ; Aldgate, south side, from the Sara- 

 cen's Head to Jewry-street, and the east end of Leadenhall- street at its junc- 

 tion with Fenchurch-street. 



F. Broad-street buildings to the Curtain-road, through Halfmoon-street to 

 Sun-street, thence to Skinner-street, and on to Worship-street, about 1550 

 feet in length. 



G. From Aldersgate-street, opposite the end of Jewin-street to Smithfield, 

 and from the corner of Little Britain across Bartholomew-close, to commu- 

 nicate with the above line of street to Smithfield, about 1280 feet in length. 



II. Threadneedle-street, north side, at its junction with Broad-street, and 

 south side, from the church of St. Benet Fink, to Finch-lane, about 265 feet 

 in length. 



I. Holborn -bridge, north side, about 90 feet in length. Butcherhall-lane, 

 east side, about 85 feet in length. St. Martin's-le-Grand, north-east corner, 

 Angel-street. 



K. Maiden-lane, north and south sides, about 275 feet in length; Jewin- 

 street, south side from the corner; Redcross-street to Redcross-square, and 

 north corner next Aldersgate-street ; Aldermanbury, the west side of the 

 south end ; Milk-street, east side next Cheapside ; White Rose-court, 

 Coleman-street, and Mason's-alley, Moor-lane, south side, east corner, and 

 north end, west side, from White-street to Type-street, and south end, 

 Milton-street, east side ; New Bridge-street, Blackfriars, through Tudor- 

 street to the Temple. 



" Having thus detailed these improvements, the special committee turned 

 their attention to that part of the reference whereby we were directed to 

 report our opinion as to the best means of accomplishing these objects, and 

 having had under consideration the various improvements which have been 

 carried out during the last 12 years, as connected with the avenues and ap- 

 proaches to London-bridge, ascertained that our expenditure in this respect 

 has averaged about £150,000 per annum ; a sum which they apprehended, if 

 the same could be provided for a few years, would enable all the proposed 

 improvements to be carried into effect; and fevling that the corporation have 

 not the means at their disposal of effecting these improvements, however de- 

 sirable the same may appear to be, the special committee were of opinion, 

 as Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to appoint a special commission 

 for the purpose of considering of further metropolitan improvements, which 

 commission is now sitting, that a favourable opportunity exists for drawing 

 the attention of the G ivernment and the commission as to the best means to 

 be adopted for raising the requisite funds for these purposes, and recom- 

 mended that we should be empowered to ci.nfer>ith them upon this desi- 

 rable object ; and we agreeing with the special committee in the said report, 

 submit the same to the hon. court." 



The report was signed by 21 members. 



