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THE CIVIL ENCINRER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[October, 



SHANNON IMPROVEMENTS. 



■\V'e have much pleasure in noticing the very spirited and energetic manner 

 in which (he Commissioners for the improvement of the navigation of the 

 River Shannon, are carrying into efiect the powers vested in them by Go- 

 vernment — besides tlie ivarioiis works in progress on the lower Shannon at 

 Kilrush, Kilteerv. KiMisart, and Foyn's Island, and in our immediate vicinity 

 at IlIanaro<jn, Plassy, and Killaloe. We learn that the same e.xeriions are 

 manifested to complete as soon as possible the numerous proji'ctcd works on 

 the middle .Shannon, particularly at Meelick, Hana(;her. and Alblone, to- 

 gether w ith the important operation of dredging the bed of the river. 



The principal feature of the impro\ements to be e.vecuted at Banagher, 

 appears to be tlie erection of a new bridge over the .shannon, in place of the 

 present old bridge, which measure has been foundabsolutelynecessary.no 

 less for the safety and accommodation of the public, than for the proper 

 drainage of the country. The present bridge is built of rubble masonry, and 

 consists of 17 arches of various dimensions, the piers of which occupy nearly 

 one-half of the entire width of the river, the clear waterway being but 2&.'j 

 feet, whilst the total width ol the piers is 214 feet. This structure is in a very 

 ililapidaled condilion, and has lately shown numerous symptoms of its ineOi- 

 eieney as a means of communication between the King's County and Galway. 

 It may however, be considered, (from its having been built in the reign of 

 King John.) if not the oldest bridge over the Shannon, as at*ll events pos- 

 sessing an age which few other bridges can so satisfactorily trace, and is on 

 that account, a very highly interesting work of anlicjuity. In its construc- 

 tion we find all that characterizes the early specimens of bridge architecture ; 

 the small arches for allowing the passage of^ the water, and. as before men- 

 tioned, unnecessarily wide piers, which have large angular projections not 

 .only to throw oil the force of the current, but for the purpose of enabling 

 passengers to retire into, to avoid carriages and horsemen when passing along 

 Its narrow roadway, the width between the parapets being only 12 feet. 



Tlie works of the foundation of the new bridge having been sufficiently ad- 

 vanced on the King's County side of the river, the first stone was laid by 

 Colonel Jones, on Saturday, the 21st August; over which a brass plate was 

 laid, bearing the following inscription : — 



" Sn.VN.SON COMMISSION." 



(Vmlei the Act 2ntl and 3r,l Vk. Cap. Gl.; 



" By virtue of an Act passed in the second and third years of the reign of 

 Her present Majesty Queen Victoria, the first entitled an Act for the im- 

 provement of the Navigation of the River Shannon, the following are the 

 names of the Commissioners appointed for carrying the works into execution ; 

 Major-General Sir John Fox Burgoyne. R.E.K'.C.B., K.T.S , &e. &c. ; Lieut.- 

 Colonel Harry David Jones, R.Iv, M.R.I.A., M. Inst. C.E. ; Richard Griffith, 

 Esrj.. C.E . F.R.S.E., M.R.I.A." 



" This Bridge over the River Shannon at Banagher, was designed by 

 Thomas Rhodes, Esq., C.E., M.R.I.A., M.Inst. C.E. , the Commissioners' prin- 

 cipal engineer.and the first stone laid on the 21st day of August, in the year 

 of cur Lord 1841. — Henry Buck, Esq., C.E. , district engineer; Henry Ren- 

 ton, Esq.. C.E. A. Inst. C.E., resident engineer ; William Mackenzie, Esq., 

 C.K.. M. Inst. C.E., contractor. — Mward Hornsby, Secretary.' 



Having had an opportunity of inspecting the plans and other documents 

 relative lo the bridge, we are enabled to give some particulars which, per- 

 haps, maybe acceptable to our engineering readers. It is to consist of six 

 semielliptical arches, of 60 feet span each, with a cast iron sw ivel bridge, of 

 45 feet span, to allow m.asted vessels and steamers an uninterrupted passage 

 at all times. The following are the principal dimensions: — Span of stone 

 arches each, 60 feet; rise of ditto, 16; thickness of abutment, 13 ; ditto of 

 piers. 8; ditto of swivel bridge pier, 40 ; total length of bridge, including 

 wings. 721 ; width of bridge, in clear of parapets, 24; ditto of carriageway, 

 16 ; ditto of each footpath, 4 ; thickness of arch stores at springing, 5 ; ditto 

 crown, 2 feet 8 inches. The foundations will be all laid on a bed of strong 

 gravel, at a level of about six feet below the bed of the river: the stone of 

 which it is to be built is blue limestone, of a very fine quality, procured from 

 a quarry recently opened adjacent to the works. The contract is stated to be 

 about £2.j,000, and the whole of the works are expected to be completely 

 finished in two years. 



Mr. Kaivelle is the contractor for building the much required pier at Kil- 

 rush, which is to extend 150 feet into the sea in a westerly direction, and 

 there are 120 men now daily employed in the immediate neighbourhood 

 quarrying stones for the work. The masonry embankment forming on the 

 northern shore close to the present pier is very forw ard, and will be a great 

 im[>rovement. 



Mr. Vignolles, C.E., son of the celebrated engineer of that name, is ap- 

 pointed resident engineer to superintend the construction of the piers or 



quays at Kilrush and Cahircon. 



Mr. Sykes, of York, is declared contractor for building the pier of Ca 

 con,_ underthe Shannon Navigation Commissioners, and the preparatory 



I'aher- 



works will be commenced immediately. 



The new pier, or quay, at Kilteery, between Glin and Loughill, in progress 

 under the Shannon Navigation Commissioners, will be completed against 

 winter, and admit of sailing vessels and steamers coming to there, in 21 feet 

 of water, while the new road from Abbey feale, through the interior of the 

 country, will render this a work of great public benefit to the farmer and 

 trader — hitherto deprived of a market for their produce.— ii'merict Chronicle. 



Kailuay in the Brazils.— A railway has received the sanction of the Bra- 

 zilian legislature and the support of the government, which is to run from 

 Kio Janeiro to communicate w ith the provinces of St. Paulo and Matto Grosso. 

 It lias only one chain of hills lo cross, the Serra de Parahyba. 



STEAIVI NAVIGATION. 



The Cairo. — A new steamer bearing this tit'e made her first appearance in 

 the Thames on Friday, 17th ult.. and exciied general attention. She was 

 built by Messrs. Ditchbum and Mare, of Blackwall, for the Peninsular and 

 Oriental Steam Navigation Company, fur the navigation of the Nile, .and is 

 intended as a branch steamer to convey pas.sengers and luggage to and from 

 various places on the banks of that river. The Cairo is a remarkably elegant 

 vessel, similar in appearance to those very fast and pretty steamers called 

 the Watennen, running between London and Woolwich, and built by the 

 same firm. The Cairo, however, is four feet longer and flat bottomed, to 

 adapt her for the shallow waters of the Nile, her draught being only two 

 feet. She is propelled by two engines of 16 horse power each, from the fac- 

 tory of Messrs. Penn and Son, of Greenwich. The cylinders are oscillating, 

 and the machinery, which occupies a very .small space, is precisely similar to 

 that in the Watermen, and of the same dimensions. The cabins, fore and 

 aft, are tastefully fitted up with l«d places and other conveniences for pas- 

 sengers. The Cairo is an iron vessel, and divided into five compartments 

 with water-tight bulkheads separating each, which adds much to the safety 

 of the vessel. The engines and machinery occupy such a frnall space that 

 100 persons can be accommodated in the cabins, and there are two spacious 

 stow-rooms for luggage only, between the engine-room and the fore cabin, 

 and the engine-room and after-cabin. The Cairo made a trial voyage from 

 the Blackwall pier to Gravesend and bick. and with all !he disa'<lvantages 

 attendant upon the working of new engines and machinery, she passed every 

 thing on the river, the Star, a large Gravesend steamer, only excepted, and 

 fully came up to the expectations of the builder and engineer. Mr. Ditch- 

 burn an 1 Jlr. Penn, jun., who entertained a select party of gentlemen con- 

 nected with steam navigation on boanl. have guaranteed the average speed 

 of the Cairo at 15 miles an hour; but for the Nile, a light draught of water 

 is her greatest reeommendalion. .Several other iron steamers, of similar di- 

 mensions, are to follow the Caiio to the Nile, and her design and appearance 

 has been so much approved of, that the M'atermen's Steam Packet Company 

 intend to augment their fleet by five new vessels of the same size and ma- 

 chinery of the same power, to te in readiness by Easter Monday next. 

 Messrs. Ditchbum and Messrs. Pe m have taken the contracts. — Times. 



Marine Engines. — It may be said that Great Britain is the manufactory for 

 the whole world for marine engines; at one factory alone (Messrs. Maudslay 

 and Field), there are at the present moment going through their various 

 stages of manufacti re, engines of 3600 horse power in the gross, viz. the 

 Devastation, a government steamer with 400 horse power, fitted with double 

 cylinders, now in the Wi olwich basin just ready for action. The Thames and 

 Meiluaif. each wi(h 400 horse power beam engines belonging to the West 

 India Mail Company ; the Thames is nearly ready ; ihe Herculana (sister 

 boat to the Mongcbello) with 200 horse power, double cylinders, nearly com- 

 pleted for the Neapolitan government ; and the Mcmnon w ith 400 horse power 

 double cylinders for the East India t.'ompany. All the above engines are 

 now being fitted on board of the several vessels — besides the above, in the 

 same factory tliere are now in progress four pair of 150 horse, one pair of 

 100 horse for the Danish Government, and a pair of 100 hore for the admi- 

 ralty all with double cylinders, also two pair of 50 annular cylinder engines 

 on Mr. Joseph Maudslay's last patent. In another place we have noticed 

 engines for Egypt and the United States. 



The Satellite. — A beautiful iron vessel built by Messrs. Ditchbum and Mait 

 has been running the last two months between the Adelphi and Gravesend 

 with great speed and regularity. She draws but little water, and frequently 

 steams the distance from Blackwall and Gravesend in about an hour ; she has 

 a pair of 35 horse steeple engines arranged expressly for her, w hich are a beau- 

 tiful specimen of Messrs. Miller, Ravenhill and Co.'s. workmanship, they 

 occupy a very small space in the vessel and are fitted with expansive gear 

 worked with great simplicity. 



Steam Towing— We leam that during the present fruit season a steamer 

 will tow vessels between Malaga and Gibraltar. It is to be hoped that this 

 system of towing in the sea will be extended. 



The Chili. — We regret to learn that this steamer has been wrecked on th« 

 coast of the same name. 



FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. 



The Mosaic Pavement at Salzburg. — Munich, Sept. 7. — Private accounts froin 

 Salzburg state that it is intended to remove the lately discovered Roman 

 mosaics from their present position, and lay them down in another situation, 

 where they may be protected from the influence of the weather. It is said 

 that the place fixed on is the site of Mozart's monument. Besides the large 

 mosaic pavement, the design of which consists only of architectural orna- 

 ments and foliage, two smaller pieces were discovered, which are equally de- 

 void of pictorial representation. There are likewise considerable remains of 

 the walls of ihe chamber to which these mosaics belonged. The paintings on 

 these are similar to those found at Pompeii, consisting of flowers and tendrils 

 of vines on a red ground. The mosaics, as well as the paintings, are evi- 

 dently of the third or fourth century alter Christ. One very striking pecu- 

 liarity in the smaller mosaics is the frequent introduction of the sign of the 

 cross, which it is scarcely possible to regard as a mere accidental ornament. 

 At the depth of half a foot below the large mosaic pavement, is another of 

 finer workmanship, which, as it is necessarily the more ancient, promises to 

 be an object of still gre.aler interest. The proprietor of the bouse must have 

 had some motive in thus covering over the old pavement and raising the floor. 

 If once the upper pavement were removed, there would be no great difficulty 

 in uncovering the second. — Allgemeine Zeitung, 



