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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[Januaby, 



sultant of a combination of forces acting in various directions. The author 

 concluded by applying this analytical test to the motions of the heavenly 

 bodies. 



Dec. 19. — T. UwiNs, Esq., R.A., in the Chair. 



Mr. IIiOHTOX read a short supplementary paper, " On the Applicalion of 

 Electricily to the Arts and Sciences," when a long and interesting discussion 

 took place, during which tlie various processes of electrotyping were de- 

 scribed by Messrs. Ilighton, Newton, and Ilunl. 



A number of new specimens of electrotype were exhibited, among which 

 was some iron tubing coated with a deposit of cailmium to prevent oxida- 

 tion ; also iron covered with a deposit of brass, hitherto deemed impossible — 

 the brass being a deposit of copper and cadmium, instead of copper and 

 zinc. The constrnction of chronometer balances, on which a deposit of copper 

 on the steel remains instead of brass without fusion, and the temperature of 

 the steel remains the same as that of the atmosphere, was also exhibited. 

 The remaining specimens, which were of remarkable beauty, were supplied 

 chiefly by Capt. Ibbetson, Mr. Elkington, Mr. Collis, and Mr. Ackermann ; 

 those of the last-named gentleman being from the royal manufactory at 

 Berlin. The paper concluded with a further explanation of the philosophi- 

 cal part of the subject. 



A paper, " On an improved method of consttntctiiuj Buildings wtiereby they 

 are rendered Fire-proof icithout increase of Cost" was read. The leading 

 features of the proposed method are, the substitution of joists of wrought or 

 cast iron for those of timber (generally used), and the employment of suc- 

 cessive layers of incombustible materials, supported by these joists, and form- 

 ing the finished floor or roof. The great principle of the method is the de- 

 velopment of strength and firmness by the combination and consolidation of 

 the whole of these materials into a compact mass. The model placed on the 

 table illustrateil the successive steps in the formation of the floors and roof; 

 and the remainder of the building was explained by the diagrams exhibited. 



INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS OF IRELAND. 



Sec. 11, 1849.— Lt.. Col. Harry D. Jo.ves, R.E., President, in the Chair. 



1. A paper was read by Mr. D. Gibbons, describing " The Effects pro- 

 duced by the Action of the Sea in recent gales, itpon the Piers at Kingston 

 Harbour; also at Newcastle, in the county Doxcn." 



The history of the injuries caused by the action of the sea to the works 

 of these harbours involved the consideration of two very important prin- 

 ciples connected with harbour engineering — viz., the most suitable trans- 

 verse section for sea-walls and piers ; and also the depth of water at which 

 the force of a wave, in its onward motion, would cease to prove etiective, 

 when coming in contact with sea-walls. These two subjects bad engaged 

 the consideration of other scientific societies for a long period, and much 

 practical information was elicited, both from the account of the injuries 

 as detailed by Mr. Gibbons, and from the very interesting discussion which 

 ensued, and in which many members joined. 



The President brought before the Institution the subject of "Dover 

 Harbour," and elucidated bis remarks by reference to a plan prepared for 

 the purpose. lie described the original state of the haibonr, and the effects 

 produced by the motion of a pebble Leach along the coast, by which, after 

 a severe gale of wind, the month of the harbour was liable to be com- 

 pletely blockaded. The President minutely detailed the state of the har- 

 bour, as he had observed it, when he made a visit of inspection some years 

 back, for the purpose of reporting to government the precautionary means 

 which he might consider advisable to recomnieml. lie also described the 

 works at present in progress of exfcution, and the effects which he observed 

 when visiting Dover this autumn as having been produced on the coast, by 

 the construction of the groynes and pier, which was in the course of building, 

 to arrest the progress of the beach. 



2. " On Branch Railways." By Mr. Cii.\rles Doubns, C.E. 



I hope the general importance of this suliject will be deemed a sufficient 

 apology for its introduction to the notice of the Institution. It may be 

 assumed as self-evident, tliat the desire for investing money in railway spe- 

 culations has been over-wrought. It is manifest that this laudable desire has 

 been crippled, and realuced to a state of exhaustion by undue excitement. 

 In fact, it is undeniable that vast sums of money have been injudiciously 

 evjiended on railways. First of all, it is notorious that many lines of rail- 

 way have been projected, and some of them partly constructed, which, pro- 

 bably, will never pay even their working expenses. Then, in England, the 

 competition between different companies has led to ruinous expense. M"e 

 have all heard of the " battle," or more properlv the war, "of the Gauges;" 

 which has cost the Great Western and the London and North-Western Com- 

 panies such large sums of money. To such injuiious stimulation, and to the 

 prodigal expense incurred in the constrnction of branches and extensions, to 

 say nothing of duplicate lines, we may .itlrihute the present depression and 

 stagnation. Ltt us, then, take warning by the errors of others, and endea- 

 vour to profit by their experience. \Vc have to a great extent as yet escaped 

 most of these ; the object of this paper is to point out a mode of avoiding 



one main one. It appears to me that a grand error has been committed in 

 having neglected the maintenance of a due proportion between main trunks 

 and branches. In many cases, direct railway communication cannot be ac- 

 complished by main lines, and short branches on the same scale as the main 

 lines wonhl not be remunerative, and could not be advantageouslv worked; 

 and no adequate means of overcoming these difficulties having yet been gene- 

 rally adopted, considerable towns are slill shut out from many of the advan- 

 tages of the railway system. Fortunately, however, we do not require 

 another George Stephenson to invent a system for us. We have hut to look 

 back, and return to, ami modify an old one, which in our .speed we have 

 almost forgotten. 1 .illude to the working of railways by horse-power, 

 which mode appears to me to be well adapted to meet the requirements of 

 branch lines generally. 



A branch to connect a town, or not unfrequently two towns, wiih a main 

 line, will seldom exceed twenty miles in length — frequently not more than ten 

 miles. In such cases the difl"ercnce in time between horses and locomotives 

 would not be important; and the means (that is the number of horses) 

 could be adapted to the amount of traffic; whereas, if locomotive power 

 were employed, it would be necessary always to use the engine, although 

 probably not more than one carriageful (say twenty or thirty passengers) 

 cuuld ever he expected by one train. Then the fire must be kept alight all 

 daylong. Appropriate carriages being constructed, one horse, on good gra- 

 dients, could draw thirty or forty passengers at a rate of ten miles an hour; 

 of course, where stitf gradients occurred, two or more hors'^s should be em- 

 ployed. 



But the expense of the construction of a line would be very considerably 

 less for horse-power than for steam ; because the speed and the weight of the 

 train being comparatively small it could at any time be readily stopped ; so 

 that public roads might be crossed on the level, thus saving the heavy ex- 

 pense of road-bridges, and their consequent heavy cuttings and embankments. 

 The cuttings and fillings being thus made very light, and a single line only 

 formed in the first instance, a hint might frequently be taken from the con- 

 tractors' propensity for running into side-cuttings ; so that where the em- 

 bankments were of any considerable length, they might be formed, principally 

 of the stuff taken from the boundary ditches ; and this being all barrow- 

 work, would be done at a cheap rate, and would afford much manual labour. 



As to the working of the traffic the power required to move one ton on a 

 level, on a well-made railway, is estimated variously at from six to ten pounds ; 

 we may fairly take it at 'J-33 lb. or Tr^th of the load. .\n average horse's 

 tractive power is estimated at 150 lb., at 2J miles per hour for eight hours 

 a day. Then dividing one-horse power — viz., 150 lb. by the power required 

 to move one ton — viz., 9'33 lb., we find that one horse can draw sixteen tons, 

 twenty miles in a day, on a level railway. But as gravity acts in direct pro- 

 portion as the height of a plane is to its length, we find that in ascending a 

 gradient of one in two hundred and forty, the power required is doubled ; so 

 that up that plane a horse could draw only one-half of w hat he could do on 

 a level. But on descending the same portion of the line he would have little 

 more to do than to keep out of the way of the carriages. On descending a 

 sharper gradient than one in two hundred and forty Ihe horses might ride on 

 trucks, as the vehicles would run down by the force of gravity. 



But it is not necessary to occupy the time of the Institution with these 

 details. It may be stated, however, that locomotives not being employed, 

 the greatest weight to be provided for would be a goods wagon, travelling at 

 about five miles an hour, so that a much lighter rail might be used than is 

 required on a main line. I may observe, that 1 have made estimates, at full 

 prices, for the works that would be required by the parliamentary sections 

 of three widely different branch lines in this countiy. For two of these the 

 amount falls short of 2,000/. per mile. In the other ease, where the works 

 would unavoidably be heavy, it would not exceed 2,000 guineas per mile. 

 But this amount does not include land or stations, or other contingencies. 

 However, as the land would be much less injuriously severed than for main 

 lines ; as locomotives would not be used; and all desiied crossings might he 

 given, the amount of compensation for land would be materially lessened. 

 Another thousand pounds, therefore, that is, 3,000/. per mile, may safely be 

 stated as being amply sufficient money to make any branch line of railway 

 in Ireland, including the payment for land and stations, and all necessary 

 works. 



AGRICULTURE AND ENGINEERING.* 



ExGiNEEKiNG is an enterprising calling; and it had need be so, 

 for one great field of employment — railway work — has been very 

 much narrowed, and others must be found: until a return to com- 

 mon-sense on the part of the lawmakers, or a turn in tlie money 

 market, again allows the prosecution of public works At the time 

 when the great rush was made into the engineering profession, and 

 faculties and schools of engineering were set up, it was pointed 

 out how wide is tlie scope for the application of engineering know- 

 ledge, besides the special construction of public works or machinery. 

 In our mines, our manufactories, and the great operations of hus- 



* "An Essay on the Present and Fut\;re Prospects of Funning." By William Thorold, 

 M, Inst, C.E. London: Bidgway, 1S41I. 



