J846.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECrS JOURNAL, 



191 



she whole line. After this imnienge art-structure, the thing next worthy 

 of admiration is the cutting of the rock of la Roque — an immense mass of 

 stone, which was to be ci.t through from top to bottom to the extent of 

 125 metres by 25, which yielded a mass of 42,000 cube metres of debris 

 of rock. Especially also is to be noticed the nicety of the nineteen cot- 

 tages of the guards of the line, between Aries and the Durance. To each 

 a little garden has been annexed, to employ profitably the leisure of the 

 men and families. Follows then, the monumental viaduct of the Khone, 

 which will coanect, by the way of Tarrascon, the Avignon line with that 

 of Bordeaux to Cette. This gigantic structure is already begun. It is 

 ooly 370 metres from the suspension bridge of Beaucaire ; thus two of the 

 finest and hugest modern structures will be erected at a short distance 

 from each other. The activity on the railways in the south of Fiance is 

 now so great, that in the arroudissement of Aix alone, 1390 workmen arc 

 employed. 



New Hospilal at Consianlinople. — The East, which, during the cru- 

 sades first established those — unknown to the ancients — institutions of 

 public benevolence, is it seems, reverting again to that praiseworthy prac- 

 tice. A new hospital is to be erected, by the voluntary subscription of the 

 Protestant inhabitants of the Turkish metropolis. 



New Hxcavations in Assyria. — From the head quarters of M. Laynard, 

 at Nimrud,at the embouchure of the Zab in the Tigris, the following is 

 reported. The mound at which M. L. is digging is an arliiicial one, like 

 that of Chorsabad, and the ruins are covered by soil; but the stratum at 

 Nimrud is less than that of Chorsabad, so much so, that many of the 

 basso-relievos are broken off at the upper part. The vestments of the 

 figures are different from those discovered by Botta ; but there is no doubt 

 that the ruins are also of Assyrian origin. There are more basso-relievos 

 of a mythological character at Nimrud, but the structure of both the 

 palaces is^the same. Here also are door-ways of colossal winged bulls, 

 lions with human heads and arms, in which they carry flowers, &c. The 

 number of inscriptions is very considerable. 



Campo Santo of Berlin. — The celebrated painter. Baron Cornelius, is 

 expected shortly in the Prussian capital, on his return from Rome, where 

 he went to compose the cartoons of the Frescoes, which have to adorn the 

 walls of the great cemetery, which is to be erected in the neighbourhood 

 of Berlin, similar to those of Munich and Pisa, 



Safety Harbours in France. — The Lower House of the French Legisla- 

 tion has, of late, received the Report ol M. Felix Real on the above sub- 

 ject. The Commission, convinced that every facility alTorded to commerce 

 will react on all other brandies of public utility, has sanctioned this Re- 

 port, with rescinding only the execution of the maritime canal between 

 the harbours of Bouc and the £tang de Berne. The Commission has 

 moreover recommendeii that Government should employ some professional 

 persons to study the means, by which the mouth of rivers can be made ac- 

 cessible to ships during low water tide. 



Directorship of the Dresden Picture Gallery. — M. Julius Schnorr Ca- 

 rolsfeld, of Munich, has obtained the above situation, with which also that 

 of a professor at the Academy of Painting is combined. The King of 

 Bavaria has given, but reluctantly, his consent ; the more so, as a number 

 of Munich artists had addressed his majesty for the sake of retaining this 

 great artist amongst them. As M. Schnorr has yet to paint several fres- 

 coes of the Niebelungen Song in the new royal palace, he will not leave 

 the Bavarian capital until the end of summer, and will return every season 

 until these great mural pictures are completed, which will occupy him 

 many years to come. 



The Iron Trade in Austria and the Zollverein. — All the iron to be used 

 for the railroads of Austria must be of home consumption, foreign metal 

 being excluded by a heavy duty. This has advanced their forges aud fur- 

 naces lo a great extent. But it is to be seen, whether this exclusive and 

 protectionist principle will work well in the long run. 



The Bronze Statue of Charles John, King of Sweden — has just been cast 

 at the foundry of Munich. According to all appearance, it will be a su- 

 perior work of art, and ready for being conveyed in a few months to its 

 destination at Norrkiiping, in Sweden. 



The Monumental Fountain of the Place of St. Sulpice, at Paris — will be 

 completed this season. Fur mouths past, the square has been encumbered 

 by immense blocks of stone, which have been cut for forming the immense 

 basin of this monument. 



' M. Jules de Saly, architect of the Chamber of Commons of Paris, has 

 been elected houarory and free member of the Imperial Academy of Fine 

 Arts at St. Petersburg. 



Monument to the Duke of Belluno. — An enormous block of white mar- 

 ble, from the quarries of Laveline (Vosges), of the weight of 10,000 kilo- 

 grammes, has been of late conveyed to Epinal. It is to form the basement 

 of the statue of the duke, which is to be erected to his memory at La- 

 marche, the little village where this distinguished warrior first saw the 

 light. . 



Trying of Railway Bridges. — It appears that these strnctures are not 

 made use of for public trathc in France, until their solidity has been 

 tritd, by oOicial persons. Thus the elegant bridge over the Seine, at 

 Courcelles, near Paris, on the Rouen line, has undergone that ordeal, 

 and been found completely safe. 



Orgixnizalion of Public Works in Algtria.—Tlie French GoTernment 



has created an especial direction of Public works for Africa, and a member 

 of the Council of Slate is placed at its head. Even the name of the supremo 

 office of public works is to be changed, which will henceforth be called 

 Direction of the Interior and of Colonization. Chief Engineers have beea 

 nominated for each piovince. The hydraulic works of the harbour of AI- 

 gii IS aud the service of mines in that province, are under the charge of 

 especial government engineers. 



Railroad through the Continent of South America.— Ueaas have been 

 discussed at Rio de Janeiro, to connect, in the first instance, Liverpool and 

 Para by the means of steamboats, from which latter place minor crafts 

 have to ascend the Amazon river so far as Bolivia. A railroad has to 

 traverse the latter country aud to extend as far as Arica, on the shores of 

 the South Sea. The government of Bolivia has already given its assent 

 to that plan, and a similar step is expected to be taken by that of the Bra- 

 zils. 



New Structures at Berlin. — Much scope to the industrial exertions of 

 the inhabitants of that capital will be afforded shortly by the constructioa 

 of the new navigation-canal, and the buildings over that large area now 

 called Kopenicker Fields. The latest news from Berlin, state that an 

 especial commission foi carrying these plans into execution has been ap. 

 pointed by the king. The plans proposed exhibit a thorough ornamental, 

 spacious, and sietimg ensemble ; and amongst the public buildings, new 

 parochial churches, both Protestant and Catholic, occupy the first place. 

 It is generally hoped that they will approach the grandeur of the new re- 

 ligious structures at Munich.] 



NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



The first stone of a new wing of the University College, in Gower- 

 street, has been laid. The ceremony was performed by Lord Brougham, 

 the president of the council. 



A new story has recently been added to the Treasury and adjacent Go- 

 vernment offices, under the superintendence of Mr. Barry. The show 

 sides fronting Downing-street and Parliament-street are nearly completed; 

 the columns are hoisted to their former position on the first floor. 



An equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington is about to be put on 

 the top of the triumphal arch in Piccadilly. A huge arch supporting 

 nothing is bad enough ; but the proposed addition makes it absolutely too 

 ridiculous. Even members of Parliament have been able to dedect the 

 absurdity, and have complained of it in the House of Commons. The 

 view of the statue will be the exact reverse of a bird's eje view : an ad- 

 mii ing public v, ill have excellent opportunities of contemplating the burse's 

 belly and girth, and the soles of the hero'a shoes. 



The evidence before the Royal Gauge Commissioners and their report 

 have been referred to the Board of Trade. 



The Archoeological Congress of France will commence on the 1st of 

 June. The proceedings of the British Association for the advancement of 

 science will commence at Southampton on the 10th of September. 



Masses of iron and nickel, having all the appearance of aeorolites or 

 falling meteoric stones, have been discovered in Siberia, at a depth of 10 

 metres below the surface of the earth. From the fact, however, that no 

 meteoric stones are found in the secondary and tertiary formations, it would 

 seem to follow that the phenomena of falling stones never took place till 

 the earth assumed its present form. 



The restoration of the western part of Ely Cathedral progresses. Fears 

 are, however, expressed as to the stability of the octagon tower. The 

 lauthern is of Perpendicular architecture, and a subsequent addition to the 

 octagon, which is of much earlier date, and does not seem to have beea 

 built of sufficient strength for sustaining the load now resting on it. 



The Cathedral of Spires is to be adorned with frescoes at the cost of the 

 King of Bavaria. 



A great black stove has been placed in the choir of Bristol cathedral, 

 Tith a black chimney mounting straight up to the vaulted roof, which is 

 pierced to make a passage for the smoke. 



LIST or NEW PATENTS. 



(Front Messrs. Robertson's List.) 



©RANTED IN ENGLAND FROM APRIL 28, I84C, TO MAY 26, 1846- 



Six Months allowed for Enrolment, unless otherwise expressed. 



William Edward Newton, of ChaDcery-lane, civil engineer, for " certain Improvement 

 lo clocks or time keepers." (Being a commiinioation.)— Scaled Apnl ib. 



Samuel Pickford, of Stockport, glass dealer, for "certain Improved apparatus applica- 

 ble to casks or vessels for preserving ale and other fermented liquors, and also for raising 

 or forcing the same for draught."— April ^8. 



Isaac Henry Robert Mott, of 76, Strand, for "certain Improvements in musical lastrii- 

 ments, whereby they are rendered much more durabl,, much rnore capable of re.istlDg 

 the injurious and destructive effects of tlie atmosphere, (especially of extreme climates,) 

 and whereby the quality of their tone is greatly improvsd and remains good for a muctt 

 longer period. "^-Aprli 2S. 



