1841.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



'2-27 



row iu the external gauge ; tliat they sliouUl be about half an inch wider on 

 the tire ; that the guard-rails had better not touch thcra : that increased care 

 should be given to the gauge of the rail ; and that the tail-lamps must be 

 put in a position in which they shall be less likely to be obscured. A nnmber 

 of small things of that sort are gradually discovered, generally speaking, 

 without any serious accident; they are gradually discovered and removed; 

 and thus the original chances of risk are diminished, till, in fact, they do not 

 occur. All those who are familiar with the working of a railway, or with the 

 manufacture of any article, or with the progress of any complicated system 

 of that sort, well know that it is iu vain to attempt to make workmen more 

 perfect; it is in vain to attempt to trust to any regulations iu such a manner 

 as to expect, that when a new accident occurs, they shall all apply; and that 

 it is still more vain to exppot, (hat they will be all obeyed. It is l)y gradual 

 and progressive improvements, in all the little details, that the risk of accident 

 is diminished ; and it is by that alone that the risk of danger will be removed. 

 This is familiar to us, and to the persons working the railways ; but I am 

 sure it cannot have struck the gentlemen who haw been sent to inspect the 

 railways ; because, first of all, no looking on occasionally -win make them 

 acquainted with that -which we only learn by seeing it, and feeling it, and 

 feeling the inconvenience of it every oiay. They also cannot learn it, because 

 ■we keep progressing so fast, that the knowledge of one day will not apply to 

 the next ; and although their own suggestions which they have made after 

 those accidents, and although tl)e reiports which have been made by several 

 of them show very great investigation, and a very acute perception of the 

 circumstances, which they happened to be able to lay hold of on the ground 

 after tlie accidents had occurred, .still those suggestions show that they are 

 aiming simply at that which we know cannot be attained, namely, at perfec- 

 tion in the regulations and in the character of the men that we have to em- 

 ploy, and that it is by attention to the multitude of little detaihj alone, thr.t 

 approximation to perfection can be attained ; that that is their view, is evi- 

 dent also, from the suggestions which they have all thrown out after seeing 

 those accidents. 



Mr. Brunei remarks on tlie application of two engines in conjunc- 

 tion. 



All chances of collision of course are got rid of between those trains, and 

 the average power of the whole is better obtained ; although there again the 

 necessity of understanding exactly the practical operation of the thing is 

 ettdent, because it is not the case that two engines, when coupled together 

 and drawing a load, will do twice as much as one engine. It is rather a 

 curious circumstance, but I mean to say that the average power of the engines 

 is best obtained by putting them together, if we take into consideration the 

 chances of one engine running a little dry, or of any circumstance occuning 

 to lessen the power of one engine, we do then get the average power of two 

 or three better by sending them together than by sending them separately ; 

 and I have no hesitation iu saying, that the general rule ought rather to be 

 (though I think it would be bad to have any rule either way) to send them 

 altogether than to send them in trains, each consisting of a single engine. 



We are restricted by the space devoted to otlier objects from giving 

 any greater length to tlie discussion of this report, and we must 

 leave it congratulating engineers on this partial triumph, obtained 

 at the last hour. We do sincerely trust that it will be a warning 

 to make every exertion on the other questions that are likely to 

 be agitated. Let a stand of this kind be made against the Ten Per 

 Cent. Deposit Clause, let a committee be got on this question, and a 

 relief much wanted will we hope be obtained. In concluding these 

 remarks, we should be guilty of injustice if we did not notice tlie 

 ability of Mr. Sannder's evidence, and express the great obligations 

 the railways must entertain to Sir Robert Peel for his timely inter- 

 ference. The fairness shown by this statesman on this occasion will 

 TPe hope prove an encouragement for obtaining a repeal of the ob- 

 noxious Ten Per Cent. Clause, as it affords a promise of our obtaining 

 aid, if we do but show a fair case. 



NEW AND USEFUL INVENTIONS.— No. 5. 

 By Philotechnicos. 



■Patent DECORATm: Carving and Sculpture Works, 'Ratjelagh 

 Road, Th.«ies Bank, Pimlico. 



This invention presents one of those great strides of machinery with 

 which the present day abounds, for superseding manual labour in works 

 of art as well as science. What would our forefathers have said at 

 hearing that carving w as to be done by machinery ; the idea would 

 liave been considered preposterous, and the inventor, at least, a mad- 

 man; but now it is almost received as a rnatter of course, and nothing 

 is thought impossible ; it is, moreover, most remarkable, that some of 

 these valuable inventions are mere improvements upon simple inven- 

 tions and schemes of ancient date, antl familiar to nearly every one. 

 Who would have thought that tlie common marking iron, used for 

 stamping or burning thejnitial or name of the owner on implements 



of trade, should give the idea of a similar |)rGcess for a more elaborate 

 puriJose— that of carving (if the term can be used) in wood ? but so it 

 is— or at least such is my anticipation from its proximity, which the 

 reader may judge of from the description of the method" adopted for 

 tlie patent carving. An iron mould is first cast from a plaster or wood 

 model. The iron mould is heated to a red heat, and applied to a 

 piece of wood, previously damped, with great force, and repeated, 

 until the wood is burnt to the required form. The char is then cleaned 

 oft", and any undercutting that may be required done bv hand ; when 

 the operation is finished it lias tlie appearance of old oak. The 

 surface may be brought ;Umost to a polisli, when it assumes a liio-lily 

 finished appearance, neai-ly equal to the original, though of a first-jat'e 

 master, from which it was copied. By tlw great pressure to which the 

 wood is subjected, it is rendered much harder, and is consequently more 

 secure against the action of the atmosphere or insects. The immense 

 uses to which the patent carving can be applied must be obvious to all, 

 and needs but little description; and will afford another opporttmitv 

 — which I am always glad to give the hint of — to the "Commissioners 

 for Building New Churches," to enliv^jn their " interiors," which now 

 present nothingbutnaked roofs, plain paneliiigSj and any thing butgothic 

 finishings. How does my imagination brighten at the prospect ! seats, 

 "as of old," with their beautifully carved finial standards — pulpits, 

 paneled and moulded to richness — gallery fronts with elaboratelv 

 carved tablets from scripturJ subjects — the altar-piece beautifuUV 

 ornamented with canopies, crockets, and finials — the roof with rich 

 tracery, bosses, queer-looking heads, cherubim and pendants — the )>ew 

 enclosures (if any, as I hope, ere long, to see the present kind, entirely 

 abandoned, as in that neat little chapel of St. Katherine in the Regent's 

 Park, where the body of the cliurch contains none of those pen-like 

 objects,) I should desire to see enlivened by the beauties of gothic 

 carving— the communion table, chairs and enclosure, oil, what beau- 

 tiful objects I elaborate to a degree : carved legs, carved backs, carved 

 balusters — the organ, a gem, a specimen of Gibbons, with that fine, 

 dark, brilliant polish sometimes seen in churches of the olden time. 

 But where does my imagination lead me ? were it of use to prophecy, 

 to write, to agitate, I would do so with abundant pleasure ; but I fear 

 all the labour would be lost, all my advice thrown away, and all mv 

 time and research only wasted upon the desert air, ere they, the said 

 Commissioners, will take the hint upon such a subject ; but if they 

 will not, surely the profession have some little influence, and will do 

 their best to enhance the interest of our modern churches; 'tis to 

 them I appeal, and earnestly solicit their support, in the introduction 

 of such ornament as will display their taste and judgment, and give 

 good scope for ingenuity. The patent carving bids fair to accomplish 

 this, as the price — the iron ruler of all architecture — is so cousiderablv 

 less than that of real carving — about one third, and, in many cases, 

 one fifth of its cost. 



This invention is admirably adapted to the Styles now so much in 

 vogue, the Renaissance, Elizabethan, and Italian, the enrichments of 

 which being so frequently repeated, make the cost of the original 

 mould comparatively small ; for upon repetition mainly depends the 

 saving of expense. Articles of furniture are famous subjects upon 

 which these magical operations may be performed ; those old fash- 

 ioned, comfortable-lookingi high-backed, walnut tree chairs, with their 

 crimson plushed seats and grotesque-looking ornaicents, may be imi- 

 tated to correctness. Cabinets — ^the pride of former days, with all 

 their twistings and turnings, can be done with facility, and the work 

 of years performed in as many days. It is needless to enumerate the 

 very many purposes to which the patent process can be applied; 

 sufhce it to say, that any work carved in wood or moulded in plaster 

 can be executed by its pyrotechnic influence, save and except the 

 undercutting, which must be, as before stated, finished by liand. A 

 tablet in which figures appear of cupids in high relief, is exliibitad at 

 the works, and proves full well the triumphal power of the process ; 

 and a medallion portrait of the Duke of Wehiugton, presented to me 

 a£ a. specimen, shows its use in that department. 



Patent Anti-Corrosive Iron Tube Works, Brunswick Street, 

 Blackfriars Road. 

 These tubes are of wrought iron tinned inside and outside, and are 

 used for gas, steam, or water. The process renders them almost im- 

 penetrable to corrosion, and causes them to resist the action of gas or 

 acids, for a much.longer period than the common tubes; they are use- 

 ful to brewers, distillers, operativ£ chemists, and other manufacturers; 

 and for the water companies they would be excellent, on account of 

 the purity of tlie tin with which they are coated, — they are well 

 adapted for service pipes, being less liable to burst by. frost than their 

 softer -rivals. 



