1841.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



325 



tion, after (he state of rest to -which pumping engines are brought, it is pos- 

 sible a greater power may l)e employed than is required to continue it. Still 

 the terra variable load, formerly adopted by the writer of this paper, may be 

 too strong, and the rapid action of tlie mercury may render it inappreciable. 

 In an attempt to value friction by the area of the rubbing surfaces of the 

 packing of the plungers, it appeared the unanimous opinion of many of the 

 best pitmen, that water could be kept from escaping with less friction by 

 means of twelve-iuch packing than with nine inch packing, in a twelve inch 

 plunger-lift — a circumstance that requires attention, not only in this, but 

 probably under numerous other conditions. In regard to the cft'ect of ex- 

 pansion on the pitwork, in producing a variable strain during the load, it 

 was observed, that with twelve times expansion on an engine recently erected, 

 of Watt's construction, including clearance steam, the variation was as 8 to 

 1 at the end of the stroke ; but that in a new engine of combined cylinder, 

 by Sims, in which the expansion after three times in a smaller cylinder in- 

 doors, was increased about four times out of doors into a larger cylinder, and 

 which power was converted in-doors into a constant quantity by means of a 

 balance, the variation would be about as 2 to 1 ; and in Ilornblower's or 

 Woolf's, if worked with high steam, that under the condition of twelve times 

 expansion, including clearance steam, the variation might be roughly taken 

 as 3 to 1 — that the commercial part of the question of more or less expense 

 in engines or pitwork, would determine the relative advantages, on the whole, 

 of each engine for Ufting water from deep mines. It seems that expansion 

 has not been carried out to so great an extent when the load is near the end 

 of the beam, and when the enormous balance weights, usual in Cornish pit- 

 work, are not required to be applied, though it is obvious that this condition 

 causes less pitwork friction. — Ibid. 



KING'S COLLEGE. 



By a prospectus that has reached ns of the business of the ensuing session, 

 we perceive that, in accordance with the intimation given in our last number, 

 the department hitherto known at this college as that of " Civil Engineering, 

 and of Science applied to the Arts and Manufacture," is now designated the 

 department of " Engineering, Architecture, Arts and llanufactures." 



The coiurse of instruction proposed for students in architecture is as full 

 and satisfactory as that for engineers has been found to be. It extends over 

 three years, and is as follows : " JIathematics ; the principles of Mechanics, 

 Hydrostatics and Acoustics ; the theory of Coustraction ; the elements of 

 Chemistry ; Mineralogy ; Geology ; the principles of Experimental Philo- 

 sophy ; Geometrical and Perspective, Ornament and Landscape Drawing ; 

 Land Surveying ; Machinery ; the principles and practice of Architecture, 

 including Design and Composition, Construction and Architectural or Build- 

 ing Surveying." 



Mr. Hosking has been appointed to the Professorship of the Principles and 

 Practice of Architecture, in addition to his former duties, and he is to be 

 assisted by Mr. Andrew Moseley, a younger brother of the County Surveyor 

 of Middlesex, and of the eminent Professor of Natural Philosophy in the 

 same College. The drawing of enrichments will be taught under the direc- 

 tion of Professor Dyce, of the Government School of Design, and Landscape 

 Drawing by Mr. Cotman, who is well known as an artist, and for his work 

 on the Picturesque Architecture of Normandy. 



BITUMEN. 



A new application of this material whicli promises to be of very great ser- 

 vice in engineering works, has lately been successfully practised by the Pa- 

 risian Bitumen Company. The new application consists in cementing large 

 masses of rubble stone with the bitumen in a liquid state, and this has been 

 successfully practised on a very extensive scale on the works of the Upper 

 Medway Navigation Company in the following manner. 



The river is divided into levels by weirs and locks in the usual manner. 

 Some of those wiers are constructed at great expense of squared masonry ; 

 others are less expensively constructed, by throwing in the rubble stone of 

 the country to the desired shape and height of the weir ; it may be remarked 

 that no care is taken in bedding the stones, or in laying them, which is per- 

 formed by the ordinary labourers of the country. The bitumen is then 

 melted and run in between the stones, and the whole forms a mass of such 

 solidity as to resist the heaviest floods, and is perfectly impervious to water 

 in every part, and it is supposed that it will not require one tenth of the re- 

 pairs usually bestowed on w"eirs of the ordinary construction. 



It may be noticed that previous to this material being used, the repairs 

 after the winter floods, which are very heavy, were very great, and caused 

 considerable interruptioTi to the traffic. 



The great advantages arising from using the bitumen in the manner de- 

 scribed are cheapness and facility of construction — a very considerable re- 

 duction in the expence of repairs. It is evident that this may be used to 

 very" great advantage in foundations of bridges or large buildings, as forming 

 a compact body capable of r^isting any pressure, bearing any weight that 

 may be imposed on it, and becoming perfectly soUd in live minutes after being 



laid; it will effectually prevent vermin from getting into houses or burrow- 

 ing near the fuuiulations. 



The manufacture of bitumen is now brought to great perfection by the 

 same Company. Some beautiful specimens of tessclated pavement are 

 being laid of diflferent coloured bitumen, and floors of stations, churches, 

 halls, &c., may be made very ornamental, and equally durable with York- 

 shire stone, whilst it is much warmer to the feet and not more than half the 

 price. 



Pr.ESENTATIOM OF A PlECE OF PLATE TO Mb. StOREV, C.E. A pieCC 



of plate value 350 guineas was lately presented to Thomas Storey, Esq., civil 

 engineer, purchased by subscription and presented as a token of the respect 

 entertained for that gentleman by the difl'erent parties connected with the 

 great public works which have been completed under his superintendence. 

 The plate was presented at the Fleece Inn, Darhngton, after a sumptuous 

 dinner to which 62 persons sat down. The service consisted of an epergne, 

 elegantly and elaborately chased ; a full-sized tureen ; two do. sauce-do ; four 

 double vegetable dishes, with handles to remove, and to form eight dishes ; 

 two 12-inch salvers ; four salt-cellars, gilt inside ; four spoons do. to match ; 

 two gravy spoons ; one tish slice ; one soup ladle ; two do. sauce. On the 

 epergne, the tureen, and six other pieces, the following inscription, sur- 

 mounted by Mr. Storey's crest, was beautifully engraved : — " This service of 

 plate was presented to Thomas Storey, Esq. C.E., by a number of his friends, 

 as a sincere though inadequate tribute of the esteem and regard they enter- 

 tain for his professional talents, and private worth." Nicholas Wood, Esq., 

 of Killingworth, C. E., presided, and John Harris, Esq. of Darhngton, filled 

 the vice-chair. In proposing Mr. Storey's health, the Chairman said — 



" It has, however, been Mr. Storey's lot to extend his services beyond the 

 immediate district. Of the great line of communication between England 

 and Scotland — the great chain of communication — he has had the good for- 

 tune to execute a link ; and I may add that it is a pretty long link. Now 

 when I call to remembrance that it is 45 miles, I venture to say that this 

 link will bear a comparison with any other link in the chain between London 

 and Darhngton (immense cheering). Gentlemen, I have heard only one 

 opinion of that hnk ; which is, that it is the smoothest and best piece of road 

 between London and here (cheers). When I mention a " chain," I speak of 

 the great lines of communication — the great public railways, and when I 

 allude to the railway from Darlington, I do not refer to the various local lines 

 which are more immediately connected with the transmission of coals ; but 

 I allude to the line between York and Darlington, which I think will hear 

 comparison with any of tlie great lines that lie between this place and Lon- 

 don (applause)." 



Removal of the North I'ier Light-house. — We have this week to 

 record one of the most ingenious efforts of mechanical skill, which has ever 

 been exhibited in the town of Sunderland. The enterprising engineer to the 

 Commissioners of the River Wear, John Murray, Esq., who has already mani- 

 fested so much ability in improving our harbour, and our noble piers, has 

 long been engaged in erecting a new pier on the north side of the river, for 

 the purpose of widening the entrance to the port, and this being now nearly 

 completed, it has become necessary to remove the lighthouse from the flld 

 pier to the present splendid erection. To give our distant readers an idea of 

 the difticulty, we may state that the height of the lighthouse is 1)8 feet, and 

 its weight 280 tons. It was on Monday last, the 2nd inst., every thing 

 having been prepared for the attempt, that Mr. Murray carried the first part 

 of his design into execution, and actually succeeded in moving the ponderous 

 mass 20 feet 5 inches to the northwards. The means by which this was 

 accomplished will seem very simple when explained to our readers ; but in 

 reality great ingenuity was retiuisite in overcoming difficulties, which, to 

 many persons, seemed to present obstacles altogether insuperable. Five 

 principal pulling screws were strongly fixed to the glacis in front of the 

 building, and were attached to chains fastened to the cradle upon which the 

 hghthouse stands. These screws were worked by 24 men. In addition to 

 these, there were four screws behind the cradle to assist in propelling it, 

 which were worked by three men each ; the total number of men em.pIoyed 

 on the occasiou was forty. The cradle was supported on a great number of 

 wheels, which travelled on eight parallel lines of rails, and the entrance end 

 of the bracing was supported on slide balks. Operations were commenced 

 at half-past three P.M., and at a few minutes after eight it was safely landed 

 on the new pier, where it now stands, without the shghtest accident having 

 taken place. The building is now intended to be carried 150 yards to the 

 eastward, or very nearly to the end of the New Pier, and for that purpose it 

 will be blocked up in its present situation, mitil the railways and wheel tim- 

 bers are reversed, which part of the work vdW occupy about a fortnight, 

 when it is intended to resume the operations for its removal. — SvndeTland 

 Advertiser, Avg. 6. 



LEGAL CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY ACTS AS TO BRIDGE 

 BUILDING. 



The Quccu v. Walker mat Another, and tlie Birminglium and Gloucester Hait- 

 leai/ Compavy .—( Dl Montpelier Street.)— Ihh was an indictment against the 

 Bifmingbam and Gloucester Railwav Company for a nuisance. The bill was 

 found at the January sessions, ard having been removed into the Court cf 



