1841.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



33» 



have been commenced, classified in such a m^inner as to aiil materiallv 

 in impressing on those who will study them, the peculiarities and 

 characteristics of the various seras in architectural historj'. In Bristol 

 a similar society has been formed recently, and it is to be hoped that 

 the example will be extensively followed throughout England. 



Among the important advantages, not before alluded to, as certain 

 to arise from the spread cf architectural knowledge, would be an 

 almost immediate improvement in the professors of the art them- 

 selves. Improve the capacity of the judges, raise the ordinary 

 standard of taste, create a demand for superior skill, and the result 

 inevitably must be that individuals will be found capable of supplying 

 it, and that fine works will be produced. 



The association of architects not merely for the study of their pro- 

 fession and the interchange of opinions and kindly feelings, but with 

 a view to popularize their ait, and by spreading abroad their Trans- 

 actions, and inviting strangers to their meetings and cvnrersazioni to 

 render it matter of general interest, must be regarded as likely to 

 assist greatly in removing the ignorance complained of. The Royal 

 Institute of British Architects, a chartered body, including in its list 

 of members the greater number of the heads of the profession, in cor- 

 respondence with most of the continental states, and presided over by 

 one of the most accomplished noblemen of the day, may be considered 

 as the chief of these associations, and has it in its power to influence 

 the age very materially — more so indeed than it has yet attempted 

 to do. The publication of a volume of its transactions, at least an- 

 nually, should be regarded by the members as most important, wdiile, 

 to make these trans ictions valuable and effective, should be the con- 

 stant study of all who are connected with the Institute, or wish well to 

 their art.* The London Architectural Society, the Institute of Irish 

 Architects, and the Manchester Architectural Society, are all influ- 

 ential bodies of a like character, and are called on to exert eificiently 

 the power wdiich is in their hands. 



At the Royal Academy, where of late years an inexcusable degree 

 of inattention to architecture has been manifested, affairs are wearing 

 a more promising aspect. The present accomplished professor, Mr. 

 Cockerel], has entered on his duties with singular and praiseworthy 

 zeal, and eminent as he is for a love of his art and desire to spread a 

 knowledge of it, will not fail to pursue them energetically in a right 

 course. The establishment of schools of design throughout the coun- 

 try (in the arrangement of which Mr. Cockerell has taken active part, 

 as also did Mr. 3. B. Papworth,) will be of great service to architec- 

 ture, by increasing the number of those able to carry out effectively 

 the designs of architects, while, by imbuing artizans with an artistical 

 feeling, they will serve materially to raise their callings in the scale 

 of society. How greatly the architects of the middle ages were in- 

 debted to the ability and feeling of their operatives is too well known 

 to need notice here. 



The want of information, and the low state of architectural taste, 

 which have been complained of as still existing, have been strikingly 

 exemplified in the results of many competitions for designs which 

 have been brought before the public within the last ten years. The 

 insufficient particulars and instructions given to architects, the want 

 of courtesy displayed towards them, and the ultimate unjust decisions, 

 have proceeded in as many cases from entire ignorance, with a wish 

 to act rightly, as they have from underhand influences and bad motives. 

 And until we cau in some degree remove these first-mentioned evils, 

 we can hardly hope, however much we may strive, to prevent this 

 injurious result, injurious not less to the public than to the artists and 

 art itself. That artistical competitions, by affording opportunities for 

 the encouragement of unaided merit, by preventing professors of 

 established practice from falling into a routine habit of composition, 

 and by inducing young men to study subjects which otherwise might 

 not come under their notice — are advantageous, is the opinion of the 

 great majority of those who have thought upon the matter. We 

 would go so far as to say that for all works entitled by their desti- 

 nation or importance to be called national, the nation should unques- 

 tionably be appealed to, and opportunity thus given for unknown 

 talent to come forward. 



Bninelleschi, Michael Angelo, Palladio, Fontana, Scamozzi, are all 



* If a montlily bulletin were issued in a cheap form, containing an abstract 

 of each night's proceedings, it would be of much service. Unconnected 

 items of information elicitcil in conversation, ancJ papers not sufficiently im- 

 fortaat to appear in the " Transactions,'' misbt therein he recorded. Infor- 

 mation would thus le spread, and there would be an aJdition-d motive for 

 members to communicate matters vbich. though trifling in themselves, 

 might be important in the aggregate. Besides, the more the fine arts are 

 talked about and written about— the oftener they are brought under public 

 notice, the more likely it is they will receive ger.eial attention. The public 

 require a thing to be said a great numi.er ot times, and in a great many 

 ways, before they will hear it. 



to be found in the list of those who competed for the honour of con- 

 ducting important works in Italy. In England, however, until the de- 

 cision in these matters can be more depended on than now, (when, it» 

 fact, the administration of every succeeding competition is worse than 

 that which preceded it,) men of integrity and ability wdio have repu- 

 tation to lose, will not enter the lists except in special cases, and the 

 result must be that the field will be left chiefly to unemployed tyros 

 or manoeuvring traders. 



If we be cori-ect in our opinion, that until information be spread ami 

 the taste of the multitude be improved, we cannot e.'cpect to effect 

 much alteration, it is to this end surely we should apply all our efforts, 

 vigorously and unceasingly. Why .should not architeclure and the 

 other fine arts be taught universally in our schools, and be made a 

 necessary part of a liberal education? At all events, professorships 

 should unquestionably be instituted at the universities, to spread a 

 knowledge of the beautiful, and inculcate a love for it. Every day is 

 science exerting its powerful influence to liberate men from the ne- 

 cessity of manual labour. Evety day, therefore, does it become more 

 and more necessary that unemployed minds should be put in the right 

 track, that inlellectual and moral wants should be created, and that all 

 means be taken to elevate the taste of the multitude, and supply their 

 cravings for excitement with pro\ier pabulum. 



To improve a love of the fine arts amongst a people, not irrespec- 

 tive of Religion, but in connexion with it, must be regarded by all 

 wise and enlightened statesmen as an object of paramount importance, 

 to be attained almost at any price. 



EKGINEERIXG WORKS OF THE ANCIENTS, No. 9. 

 In our present paper we conclude onr extracts from Strabo. 



THE GREEKS. 



The silver mines of Attica (Book 9, chap. 1), were formerly very- 

 productive, they are now exhausted. When they still produced a 

 slight return for the labour of the miners, they melted up the old. 

 rubbish and scoria, and a considerable quantity of very pure silver 

 was obtained from tbem, seeing that the ancients were not very skilful 

 in the art of extracting metal. A commentator remarks on this pass- 

 age that it is a proof of the progress of mining in this age, but that 

 even then the Romans had been by no means gone to the extent of 

 modern art, as sufficient is still sometimes found in Romish scorix to 

 pay for the expense of extraction. He farther observes that the mines 

 of Laurium showed signs of exhaustion in the time of Socrates (Xeno- 

 phon Memorabilia, book 3, chap, d, § 12.) 



In the next page Strabo notices a bridge over the Cephissus. 



In book 9, chap. 2, our author gives a description of the works oa 

 the Euripus, but one which is very inaccurate. 



Speaking of the plains of Beotia opposite (o Eubea (book 9, chap. 2), 

 an account is given of the works undertaken to drain them by a con- 

 tractor for works of the name of Crates of Chalcis. He was obstructed 

 by the factions among the Beotians, but in a report, addressed by him 

 to Alexander, he relates that he had already drained several large 

 tracts. This contractor is also mentioned by Diogenes Laertius, book 

 4, ^ 23, as being employed by Alexander. 



In book 10, chap. 1, is an obscure passage relative to the mines of 

 Chalcis. 



In the same, chap. 3, Strabo refers to the labours of Hercules on the 

 Achelous. 



The Rhodians as well as the Cyzicans and Marseillese were famous 

 as military engineers (book 14, chap. 2.) 



CILICIA. 



Book 12, chap. 1, contains an account of the mode in which King 

 Ariarathes the 10th stopped up the Melas, a feeder of the Euphrates, 

 and how the dike having burst and caused injury to the neighbouring 

 lands, the king was fined 300 talents by the Romans. 



POXTl'S. 



Chapter 2iid of the same book describes the mode of working tiift 

 mines of Sandaracurgiura. 



EPHESIJS. 



The enti-ance of the port of Ephesus is too narrow, the fault of the 

 architects and engineers, who were led into error by the king, who 

 employed them on this work. This prince, who was Attalus 2nd, 

 Plulad"elphus, King of Pergamus, seeing that the port was being siltetl 

 up with banks from the deposits of the Cayster, and thinking that it 

 could be made deep enough to receive large vessels, if a mole were 

 thrown before the entrance wdiich was too broad, ordered the con- 



2^2 



