1841.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



433 



stirt": it was then released by cutting the mould open, when it would be found 

 to resume its original form like Indian rubber: holes were made in it for 

 pouring in the plaster of Paris, and for carrying oft" the air ; from such moulds, 

 casts of the most delicate objects could be taken. 



He entirely concurred in the praise of the beauty and the utility of the 

 models which had been described, and lie hailed with much pleasure the co- 

 operation of engineers in the study of geology ; by their researches in the 

 science of dynamics, and their knowledge of the power of elastic vapours, 

 liuht might lie thrown upon the upheavings of the great mountain ranges; 

 whether that had been the work of time, or by the sudden development of a 

 mighty force, it w-as peculiarly the province of the civil engineer and the ma- 

 thematician to consider and to explain. The observation of the effects of 

 torrents, the causes of removal of masses of material, the disturbance of strata 

 in certain localities, and numerous other instances of the utmost interest to 

 the geologist, were even more important to engineers. 



Mining modek. — In mining operations, where for want of accurate records 

 of previous workings, much expense was frequently incurred, accompanied 

 with loss of human life, the adoption of the models proposed by llr. Sopwith 

 was of the utmost importance ; he trusted that the keeping of such records 

 of present operations would be rendered compulsory by legislative enactment, 

 that proprietors of collieries would not be permitted by inattention to do ir- 

 remediable injury to the mineral and coal basins, which were the vital riches 

 of the country. If accurate models of all the coal districts were prepared, 

 similar to that of the Forest of Dean, a close estimate of the duration of the 

 supply of mineral fuel could be made : present expense would also be avoided, 

 by the best positions for sinking pits and erecting engines for draining being 

 fixed upon with greater certainty, the positions and extent of the beds or 

 veins of coal or minerals, tlie faults, dykes, slips, &c., would be shown for the 

 guidance of speculators ; in fact, these models would do much towards giving 

 a degree of precision to a branch of engineering, in which the greatest uncer- 

 tainty prevailed at present. 



Thames Tunnel borings. — As an instance of the utility of a knowledge of 

 geology to the engineer, he might mention, that after the Thames Tunnel 

 had been commenced by Sir Isambard Brunei, upon an assurance from those 

 who made the borings that they had reached the London clay, it was found 

 that they were actually traversing the sands of the plastic clay ; hence arose 

 nearly all the ditficulties which the engineer had displayed so much skill and 

 perseverance in overcoming. 



Artesian reel! at Paris — It was the adaptation of the science of geology to 

 engineering, which enabled Jlonsieur Arago to inspire the contractor for the 

 Artesian Well of the Abattoir de Grenelle, with the confidence that he should 

 eventually obtain the abundant supply of water which had from the com- 

 mencement been foretold — and which had now been realised. 



In short, whether viewed in connexion with the labours of the mining en- 

 gineer as directing his proceedings with greater certainty, or giving a correct 

 knowledge of the properties of materials employed in the works of the civil 

 engineer, and for numerous other self-evident reasons, he considered the 

 study of geology to be indispensable for every member of the profession. 



The Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers have awarded the follow- 

 ing Telford and Walker premiums for 1841 : — 



A Telford Medal in Silver to John Frederick Bateman, M. Inst. C. E., for 

 his "Account of the Bann Reservoirs, County Down, Ireland." 



A Telford Premium of Books, suitably hound and inscribed, to William La 

 Trohe Bateman, for the Drawings illustrating the ■' Account of the Bann 

 lieservoirs." 



A Telford lledal in Silver to Samuel Seaward, M. Inst. C. E., for his Paper 

 " On the application of Auxiliary Steam Power to Sailihg Vessels upon long 

 voyages." 



A Telford Medal in Silver to Benjamin Green, for his " Description of the 

 Arched Timber Viaducts on the Newcastle and North Shields Kailwav, &c.'' 



A Telford Medal in Silver to Thomas Sopwitb, .\I. Inst. C. E.,' for his 

 Paper upon " The construction and use of Geological Models iu connexion 

 with Civil Engineering." 



A Telford iledal in Silver to Dr. Charles Schaf haeuti for his two Papers 

 on " -A new Universal Photometer," of his invention, and " On the circum- 

 stances under which the Explosions of Steam Boilers frequently occur." 



A Telford Premium of Books, suitably bound and inscribed, to David Ste- 

 venson (Edinburgh), for his '■ Description of a Colter Dam, designed by him 

 for Excavating Rook in the Navigable Channel of the River Ribhfe." 



A Walker Premium of Books, suitably bound and inscribed, to George 

 Clarisse Dobson, .\ssoc. Inst. C. E., for the execution of the Drawings illus- 

 trating the " .Account of the Plvmouth Breakwater, by William Stuart, JI. 

 Inst. C. E." 



A Walker Premium of Books, suitably bound and inscribed, to Robert 

 Mallet, Assoc. Inst. C. E., for his " Description of the methods designed by 

 him for raising and sustaining the Sunken Roof of St. George's Church, 

 Dublin." 



A Walker Premium of Books, suitably bound and inscribed, to Joseph 

 Cohhurst, Grad. Inst. C. E., for his two Papers " On the Position of the Neu- 

 tral .\xis in Rectangular Beams of Cast and Wrought Iron and Wood," and 

 " Experiments on the Force necessary to Punch Holes in V.'rought Iron and 

 Copper Plates of various thickness." 



.■V Walker Premium of Books, suitably bound and inscribed, to George 



Thomas Page, Assoc. Inst. C. E., for the Drawings illustrating the " Memoir 

 of the Montrose Suspension Bridge, by James Jleadows Rendel, M. Inst. C.E.'' 



A Walker Premium of Books, suitably bound and inscribed, to Samuel 

 Clegg, jun., for his "Description and Drawings of the Great Aqueduct at 

 Lisbon, over the Valley of -Vlcantara." 



A Walker Premiun\ of Books, suitably bound and inscribed, to John Bran- 

 nis Birch, Grad. Inst. C. E., for the "Description and Drawings of Stephen- 

 son's Theatrical Machinery." 



The Council invite communications on the following as well as other sub- 

 jects for Telford and Walker premiums : — 



1. The alterations and improvements in Blackfriars Bridge. 



2. .A Description of the Katwyk Dykes ; the Canal of the Helder ; or of 

 any similar Foreign Engineering works of equal importance. 



3. The modes of Drainage adopted in the Lowlands of the United King- 

 dom, or works of a similar nature in Holland or in other countries. 



4. On any of the principal Rivers of the United Kingdom : describing their 

 Physical Characteristics, and the Engineering works upon them. 



5. The various kinds of Limes and Cements emploved in Encineering 

 Works. 



6. The resistance to Aeriform Fluids in their passage through Pipes or 

 Conduits at different velocities. 



7. The conveyance of Fluids in Pipes, under Pressure, and the circum- 

 stances which usually affect the velocity of their currents. 



8. The means of rendering large Supplies of Water available for the pur- 

 pose of extinguishing Fires. 



9. The construction of large Chimneys, as affecting their Draught ; with 

 examples and drawings. 



10. The comparative advantages of Wire and Hempen Ropes. 



11. The relative merits of Granite and Wood Pavements, derived from 

 actual experience. 



12. The ascertained effects of any method for preserving Timber from de- 

 cay. 



13. The Smelting and Manufacture of Iron, either with Hot or Cold Blast. 



14. The Smelting and ilanufacture of Copper. 



15. The comparative advantages of Iron and Wood, or of both materials 

 combined, as employed in the construction of Steam Vessels : with drawings 

 and descriptions. 



IG. The sizes of Steam Vessels of all classes, whether River or Sea-going, 

 in comparison with their Engine Power : giving the principal dimensions of 

 the engines and vessels, draught of water, tonnage, speed, consumption of 

 fuel, &c. 



17. The various mechanism for propelling Vessels, in actual or past use. 



18. The causes, means of preventing, and methods of determining the 

 amount of priming in Steam Boilers. 



19. The description of any Meter in practical use for accurately registering 

 the quantity of Water for supplying Steam Boilers, or for other purposes. 



20. The explosion of Steam Boilers ; especially a record of facts and evi- 

 dence connected with any well-authenticated cases ; also a description, draw- 

 ings, and details of the Boilers, both before and after the explosion. 



21. The various modes adopted for moving Earth in Railway Tunnels, 

 Cuttings, or Embankments, with the cost thereof. 



22. On Stone Blocks and Timber Sleepers or Sills, with or without con- 

 tinuous Bearings, for Railways. 



23. The results of experience as regards the consumption of Power for a 

 given efiect, on Railways having dirt'erent widths of Gauge with the advan- 

 tages or disadvantages attributable to any established width of Gauge. 



24. Memoirs, and Accounts of the Works and Inventions of any of the 

 foUowii^ Engineers: — Sir Hugh Middleton; Arthur Woolf; Jonathan Horn- 

 blower ; Richard Trevithick ; and William Murdoch (of Soho)r 



The communications must be forwarded to the Secretary on or before the 

 31st of May, 1842. 



UNIVERSITY COLLEGE— CIVIL ENGINEERING. 



The introductory lecture to this course was delivered by Professor Vig- 

 noles, at University College, on Wednesday last. The attendance of engi- 

 neers and students in the large lecture-room was numerous. The learned 

 lecturer stated that it had recently become his duty to attempt to form a 

 distinct class in the college, for the purpose of elucidating, to those desirous 

 of embracing the profession, the elementary principles of civil engineering; 

 and it was mainly with that end in view that the present course of lectures 

 had been undertaken. After a few introductory remarks upon the the na- 

 ture of civil engineering, which he defined as a combination of practical skill, 

 in conjunction with a well-grounded education on scientific principles, the 

 learned lecturer proceeded to observe, that the use and signification of the 

 term engineer was somewhat indefinite and obscure. In the middle ages, 

 and long after the commencement of the last century, it was used exclusively 

 as a military terra. It was likewise applied to architecture and hydraulics; 

 and even the term engineering, in the present day, was not less equally mul- 

 tiform in its application and meaning ; for even from the turncock of a water 

 company to the conductor of an engine, or the stoker of a steam-boat, all 

 included themselves under the denomination of engineers. Very different, 



3 M 



