1841.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



139 



improved upon liim by the variety rather than by tlie number by his 

 contrivancies. 



Thus far we see the peculiar excellencies of Wren, which whilst 

 they mark him as a Palladian architect, evince an original turn for 

 purity of style. It is to be regretted that the works of the French 

 architects infliieuced him so much in Winchester palace, and affected 

 bis designs for palaces and private buildings, for then there would be 

 no blemish upon his architectural fame. As an ecclesiastical architect 

 he ranks as tlie first, castino- by the brilliancy of his genius Palladio 

 and his other followers into the shade. In conclusion, he diftered from 

 Jones materially iu the position of lines, conceiving only two beautiful 

 positions of straight lines to exist, namely, perpendicular and horizontal, 

 whereas Jones delighted in oblique positions. He saw the great mean- 

 ing and beauty in these as they existed in the mansions of Palladio, 

 and traced them, as he did all things, to their derivation — nature. 



Frederick East. 



March, 1841. 



PROQRSSS OF KAIL^VAYS. 



Londnn ami Brightmi Railwaij — The works on this great umleitaking are 

 approaching completion at even a more rapid pace than the last report of the 

 Directors gave us reason to expect. Botli the Merstham and Balcombe tun- 

 nels are tinished : and a small portion only of cutting remains to be excavated 

 at the approaches. Mr. Rastrick, the engineer, has engaged lo convey a 

 party of the Directors on the line from London-bridge to flayvvard's-heath 

 in the course of a month. At Clayton the tunnel is nearly finished ; and the 

 line will be completed from Brisjhton to the Hassocks station in June, leai-'ing 

 onlv the small portion of llic line which extenils from the Hassocks to Hay- 

 ward's-heath unfinished. We are assured that the opening of the line through- 

 cut the entire distance will take place by August Yis\t.~BnglUmi Gcizctta. 



Manchester anti Leeds Railway. — The Summit Tunnel, the only portion of 

 this railway which remained unopened, being completed, this line was opened 

 throughout on Monday. The train consisfed of two carriages; bolh being 

 of an entirely new construction, but somewhat diflerent from each other. 

 The body of one of them is about 18 feet by 7, and is (i feet 6 inches high. 

 There is a. compartment in the centre 7 feet square, and is built after the 

 fashion of a gondola. The interior of this compartment is fitted up with 

 sp'endid mahogany sofas, lined with crimson plush, and trimmed wnlh silk 

 gj-mp ; and the top part above the sofa boxes is composed of plate glass with 

 silk curtains. The two end compartments are open above ; but a curtain 

 made of waterproof fabric can be drawn down at pleasure to screen the pas- 

 sengers from the rain, so that in these carriages a person may enjoy all the 

 comforts of a fvxst-class carriage ; and at the same time, be enabled lo survey 

 the country through which he is passing. The other carriage, the Tnurist, 

 is similar i'n its general arrangements, but is fitted up differently. These 

 carriages, which were made by Mr. Melling, of Greenheys. are adapted for 

 summer travelling; there are but two of them, and they are merely for an 

 experiment. Tlie fiires in them will, we understood, be the same as in the 

 first-class carriages. The first goods train, which passed through, was drawn 

 by an engine called the Manchester, made by Blessrs. Sharp, Roberts and Co., 

 of Manchester. — Leeds Intelligencer. 



Manchester and Birmingham Railway. — In the last number of the Journal 

 v.e announced that the directors of this great undertaking have selected the 

 design of Messrs. Carpenter and Blylhe, of London, for their station, and we 

 think this selection is one which will have the effect of adding another fine 

 specimen of architecture to Manchester. The designs have fieen submitted 

 to public exhibition at the Victoria Gallery. The approach to the station 

 commences in Ducie-street, London-road, from v. Inch an inclined carriage 

 way leads on to the railway, which is thirty-two feet above the level of Store- 

 street. The internal arrangements of the station, of which we have been 

 favoured with a sketch, are exceedingly convenient, and appear to cumbine 

 all the improvements in railway engineering, with tlie addition of some novel- 

 ties, for which the directors are indebted to their distinguished engineer. G. 

 "kV. Buck, Esq. Of these the most striking arc, the situation of the engine 

 stable and the construction of the turn table, or apparatus lor moving the 

 engines and carriages from one line of rails to another. The engine stable, 

 which w ill contain stalls for six engines and tenders, is placed at the terminus 

 of the rails, instead of being at a distance from the station, the position 

 usually adopted, by which plan much time «ill be economised in the dispatch 

 of the trains. By this arrangement the engines, after bringing the trains 

 i:ito the station, can be detached therefrom and turned round without the 

 engine and tender being uncoupled, and then go into the stable to remain 

 there, or to receive coke ;tnd water, and return upon another line of rails to 

 the departure side of the station, to take out another train, or proceed to the 

 frincipal engine depot at Longsight. This turn table consists of a circular 

 plate of iron, thirty feet in diameter, to be moved by a small steam engine 

 proposed to be erected. The mode of turning the table is very ingenious. 

 Instead of the ordinary method of employing manual labour, Mr. Buck in- 

 tends to make a portion of the under side of the plate answer the purpose of 

 a puUc)', a strap or chain being passed round it, and a fixed pulley in con- 

 nexion with the steam engine, and by these means the ponderous machine 

 and its load will be moved round with the greatest ease, and the labour of at 

 ]cast half a dozen men will thus be saved. 



STEAM rjAVIGATIOW. 



Tile United Sleaw Frigate Missouri. — From the New Orleans Picayune. — Tins 

 magnificent vessel is construcleil principally of live oak from Attakapas, ia 

 this state, and her entire cost is 500,000 dollars. In lier rig she w ill resemble 

 a handsome bark, and her builder has constructed the hull so admirably, as 

 to render her, as a sailing vessel, a No. 1 of the United States navy. She 

 wfll sail the greater part of the time, as her bunkers only carry about 800 

 tons of coal, or sufficient for 20 days' steaming. Her spar's, particularly the 

 foremost and mainmast, are as heavy as those of a first class frigate ; and she 

 is so constructed as to be able to ship and unship her paddle-wheels with the 

 greatest facility. .She is pierced for 26 guns, but will carry but 18— G aft the 

 wdieel-house, and 3 forward of it on each side. She is to carry two lO-inch 

 guns forwanl, which are to traverse the greater part of a circle on a swivel ; 

 these two guns will be able to carry shot nearly 100 pounds weight, as 8-incIi 

 guns carry 641b. shot. The other IB guns are to be 8-ineh bore. On account 

 of the result of various trials, the w hole of ordnance is to consist of Paixhan 

 guns. She will be ready fi<r sea in July next. 



Tai/lor's Improvements in Steam Boats. — We have been inl'orined-^hat Capt. 

 Taylor, other Majesty's ship San Josef, has lately been engaged in a course 

 of experiinnts in Hamoaze, with a view to the prevention of collisions be- 

 tween steam -vessels, and steam and sailing vessels, such as those which have 

 of late been of so frequent occurrence, and which have been attended with 

 such deplorable loss of property and life. Our informant states that those 

 experiments promise the most satisfactory result. He says that Captain Tay- 

 l:;y " has discovered a plan by wdiich the steam boat will be placed completely 

 under the control of the persons on deck, as, immediately danger is seen, the 

 steamer can be stopped, or turned round upon her omi centre, and within her 

 own length, without stopping the engine, or calling to the engineer." We 

 itave been furnished with some details relative to Captain Taylor's invention, 

 which we withhold for the present, as we understand be contemplates taking 

 out a patent : but should his discovery, when further tested, be found prac- 

 ticable, and sl'.otdd it have the effect of preventing, in future, such melancholy 

 consequences as those wbicli resulted from the late collision between the Not- 

 tingham arid Governor Fenner, this able and meritorious officer w ill have 

 rendered a most important service to the interests of humanity. — Times. 



British Q teen wid President Steam Ships.— It was whispered in the more 

 select commercial circles on Monday, that Ibe British and American Steam 

 Navigation Company had sold their nuigni.ficcnt ships, the British Queen and 

 Pre-ii'ent, to the Belgian Government. The President is now on her voyage 

 from .\merica. and will, it is added, have to be surveyed before the contract 

 can I e considered definitively concluded ; but, if our information be correct, 

 of which we have n i doubt, the British Queen has already been •' proved," 

 and is. in fact, the property of the Belgian Government. The future desti- 

 nation of the two vessels is scarcely less certain. The Belgians are anxious 

 to push their commerce in every possible way, and we believe it will turn out 

 that the. British Queen and President have been purchased with the view of 

 forming a regular steam communication between Antwerp and New York. 

 — Morning Post 



The General Sieam Naeigatiou Company.— The half-yearly meeting of the 

 proprietors was held on'Tuesdtiy, the 23rd ult., at the office in Lombard - 

 street. From the report of the directors it was collected that the operations 

 of the past year had been attended with success, and that the affairs generally 

 were in a course of prosperous advancement. Full explanations w-ere entered 

 into upon various points interesting to the proprietors, and appeared to afford 

 much satisfaction. It was resolved, that a considerable sum should be appro 

 priated toward the cost of tw o large steam ships of 650 and 900 tons, now 

 building by Messrs. Green, Wigram, and Green, and the customary dividend 

 and bouus were declared. 



raiSCSLLAI^JEA. 



Artesian Well at Vienna.— For some time past these works had been going 

 on in the vicinity of the barracks iu the Corn Market, when, after digging 

 96 Austrian fathoms, the undertaking was crowned with complete success, in 

 the first week of tlie present month. The water rushes up in such abundance, 

 that it has been estimated to exceed 12,418 gallons per day, and when it first 

 made its appearance, it was with some difficulty that several shops in the 

 neighbourhood were preserved from inundation. 



Artesian Jl'ells in the Oai^is of Thebes.— IhtsOa.sis is twenty -three leagues 

 in length, and from two to four in breadth, and is studded with Artesian 

 wells, which have been noticed by Arago. The ancient inhabitants used to 

 dig square wells through the superficial vegetable soil, clay, marl, and marly 

 clay, down to the limestone, from twenty to twenty-five metres in depth. 

 The last rock contains the water which supplies the wells, and is called by 

 the Arabs Agar el moi/a. In '.be rock, holes were bored from four to eight 

 inches in diameter. These holes were fitted with a block ol sandstone sup- 

 plied with an iron ring, in order to stop the supply, when there w as danger 

 of inundating the country. 



Croicland Abbeii.—A new galleiy is in course of erection iu this sacred edi- 

 fice capable of accommodating 150 sitters, which, with other improvements 

 made, and in contemplation, will add greatly to Uie beauty of this truly 

 " majestic pile of Gothic grandeur." 



New Pier at Chelsea.— hoti Cadogan has given instructions for a splendid 

 pier to be erected in Cheyne-walk, Clielsea, opposite the pUce where tiie 

 Bishop of Winchester's palace formerly stood, and Mi-. Lewis Cubitt has taken 



