1846.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



Mr. Walters, in the Italian style, the Trailing being 'of -rough pierrepoiots 

 with tooled stone dressings : and the other for Mr. James Bellhouse, in the 

 Tudor style, having the fronts of tooled stone, and the back of rough 

 pierrepoiots, 



Mr. Bowman is the architect for a bouse lately commenced in the same 

 park for Mr. Langworthy. 



A residence is also in course of erection for Mr. Wilson Crewdson, at 

 Moss-side ; it is being built from designs by Messrs. Holden, and is ex- 

 ternally constructed of stone; the style of architecture is the Oonjestic 

 Tudor. 



The residences we have mentioned are in good taste, but there are 

 many houses in the suburbs which are in the style which will be known by 

 the title of " Gingerbread Gothic," which style appears to have professors 

 in every locality. I am glad to observe, that in and about Manchester, the 

 use of stone is becoming more general ; the " Yorkshire pierrepoiat" rough 

 dressed on the face, and in courses of five or six inches, is the kind most in 

 demand at this time, which, although more expensive than brickwork, is 

 not so much so, but that the effect obtained fully compensates foradditional 

 outlay. The yellow firebrick is occasionally used for dwelling houses, and 

 the effect is very good. 



LIVERPOOL. 



St. George's Hall. 



In Liverpool, that magnificent pile of buildings, St. George's Hall, is 

 assuming an imposing appearance, and already justifies the high expec- 

 tations which have been entertained with respect to it, and all who view 

 the structure must agree that the Architect, Mr. H. Lonsdale Elmes, has 

 produced a noble design, and that the superiority of the workmanship in 

 each department proves that he has been ably seconded by the contractors, 

 Mr. Tomkinson and Messrs. S. and J. Holmes. 



I had prepared a description of the plan and different elevations of the 

 building, but on referring to vol. vi. p. 329 of your journal, I find excellent 

 drawings and a well written account of the whole ; I therefore proceed to 

 notice only the present state of the work. 



The exterior of the building is now in a very forward state, the parts 

 most behind being the row of columns on the east front, and the covering 

 in of the large hall. 



The north end of the building (that having a semicircular projection) is 

 completed ; and when I visited the place the workmen were engaged in 

 laying the top stones of the south portico, The great hall is 1G9 feet long, 

 and 75 feet wide, and is intended to be covered by a semicircular arch, 

 springing from the side walls. The height from the floor to the top of the 

 arch will be 87 feet. Around the large hall in the interior will run an 

 ornamental moulded plinth, with 24 projecting pedestals, similar in 

 character, and 24 columns upon them: the plinth, pedestals, and columns 

 are of highly polished Scotch granite. Some of the columns are in their 

 places, and are as beautiful specimens of workmanship and materials as it 

 has ever been my lot to examine; they are each 31 feet long, and average 

 3 feet in diameter. 



The columns and the die of the pedestals are of red granite, from Peter- 

 head near Aberdeen, and the plinth and impost of the pedestals of grey 

 granite, from the same neighbourhood. The whole of the parts have been 

 worked and polished at Aberdeen, and when put together in their places, 

 the joints are perfectly true and good. The mechanical arrangements for 

 the removal and working of the large blocks of stone required in this 

 building are admirable, especially the powerful and lofty derricks with 

 steam engine and boiler complete, working along the lines of railway laid 

 parallel to the main walls of building; and also the various railways with 

 travelling cranes over the stone yards. 



Docks. 

 The Albert Dock and warehouses now being built by the Liverpool 

 Corporation, under the able superintendance of Mr. Jesse Hartley, the 

 Dock engineer, are nearly finished ; the dock, with all the entrance gates, 

 &c., is complete, and several of the immense piles of warehouses are in a 

 condition to receive goods. These erections are ex- 

 ceedingly strong, and built throughout on the fireproof 

 principle. The iron beams are somewhat different in 

 form of section to those generally used, inasmuch as 

 they have inverted V grooves running along the un- 

 derside of the beam, so as to divide the web near the 

 bottom into two parts, and forming a good abutment 

 for the brick arches to be built against thus : — 

 The beams are also slightly curved longitudinally. The columns and 



beams are of massive proportions ; indeed the whole of the work is strong 

 and of good design. 



The well-holes for the purpose of hoisting the goods up are large, and 

 surrounded with strong iron curbs, and enclosed by wrought iron doors. 

 All the window frames are of cast iron, and the entrance doors of wrought 

 iron plates strongly put together. The roofs are framed in iron, 

 with a covering in some cases of sheet iron, and in others of zinc. Some 

 of the floors are covered with tiles, others with planed flags, others with 

 asphalle, &c. ; indeed there seems to have been a disposition to give each 

 kind of roofing and flooring a fair and impartial trial. This is as it should 

 be, as these experiments can best be made by a public body ; it is to be 

 hoped that the results of a due trial of the different kinds of material, as 

 regards cost and duration, may be published for the benefit of those engaged 

 in building similar works, in the Journal. 



The approaches from the town to St. George's Hall, and the railway 

 station, have recently been considerably improved by the widening of Lime- 

 street, Charlotte-street, and Kanelagh street. Rows of shops are being 

 built; and a Register OfMce is nearly completed in Lime-slreet, from 

 designs by Mr. Clayton, Architect. The building is fronted with tooled 

 stonework, and consists of three lofty storeys. The first floor has circular- 

 headed windows, splayed from the outside, with plain moulds round them. 

 The upper windows are square headed with moulded jambs and caps. A 

 plain cornice runs alone above the first floor windows, and at the top of the 

 front elevation is a stone cornice with scroll corbels. The safe is spacious 

 and of good construction; the floor, side walls, and arched top, are of fire- 

 brick, and the arches are built upon strong iron beams, and skewbacks 

 connected by tie rods. A set of double iron doors, with Chubb's Iocks,are 

 strongly fixed in the safe doorway. 



BIRKENHEAD. 



At Birkenhead, on the opposite side of the Mersey to Liverpool, we have 

 the strange spectacle of a noble city springing, as if by magic, into 

 existence; numerous spacious streets and squares have been layed out 

 sewered, paved, and lighted with gas, and rows of splendid shops and 

 comfortable habitations are being erected with unexampled rapidity; 

 whilst thesurrouuding neighbourhood is becoming diversified by picturesque 

 mansions and villas, which are intended for the residence of the wealthy. 



The new Docks at Birkenhead are speedily progressing, and a visitor 

 cannot but admire the manner in which the natural advantages of the 

 locality have been made available. The site of the docks was formerly 

 Wallasey Pool, a large area which was entirely sand bank at low water 

 but covered by the tide at high water. The Woodside Pier has been con- 

 siderably widened and improved, and will form one side of a tidal basin of 

 IG acres in area. Between this basin and Seacorabe will be two spaces of 

 quay 00 acres each, between which will be a large low water basin of 37 

 acres, forming the main entrance to the Great Floating Dock, which when 

 complete will have an area of 150 acres, and be 19 feet in depth. There 

 will also be a small dock near the entrance. The land adjoining the basins 

 and docks, and the reclaimed land, will be used for quays, yards, &c., and 

 will be built upon with warehouses, depots, offices, and other necessary 

 erections. Mr. Tomkinson has undertaken the contract for the whole of the 

 dockwalls, Sec; and the energy with which the work is being executed is 

 highly creditable. Several steam engines have been put down which are 

 working mortar mills, and hoisting the materials from the bottom of exca- 

 vations to I he lop of Ihe quays; two limekilns are in full operation; and a 

 range of workshops and smithies are occupied by arlizans busy preparing 

 the ironwork requisite for the railways, cranes, &c , about the works. The 

 cost of the dock walls and gates is expected to be about 400,000/. 

 Bii'htnhead Park, 

 The Commissioners of Birkenhead have set apart a space of 190 acres 

 as a park ; 60 acres to be appropriated to detached villas and grounds, and 

 130 acres devoted for the use of the public for ever. Mr. Paxton has made 

 the most of a very flat and unlikely piece of ground, and laid out the whole 

 in an admirable manner, and the trees and shrubs appear in a healthy con- 

 dition. Two lakes with rustic bridge and boat house are well situated, and 

 add to the interest of the scene. There will be six fine lodges or gate- 

 houses, three of which are now completed ; Messrs. Walkers, builders* 

 have contracted to complete two grand entrance lodges of stone for the 

 sum of 3,642i. It is said that the total cost of the enclosures, lodo-es and 

 laying out of the park, will amount to 20,000J. 

 Netv Market. 

 The New Market is now open for the use of the public, and is a great 

 attraction, as it combines every modern improvement. The building is 430 



