1850."] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



833 



ployeil; but when used wliere it passes for solid Rold, it is the display of the 

 vulgarest pretence. The similar observation applies with regard to stucco. 

 As -Mr. Donaldson unanswerably observed, " the jointing given to cement 

 in order to make it imitate stone, produces evidently a false appearance." 

 It is a mere perversion of truth to say that no deception is meant in stucco- 

 covered buildings, when pains are taken to score hirizontal and vertical 

 lines in imitation of the courses of masonry. IIow preposterous to allege 

 that such a miserable expedient is not an attempt at deception I It has all 

 the dishonesty of a juggle without its cleverness. 



We would be almost content to leave the question on this single issue. 

 When the admirers of stucco cease to score upon it the lines aforesaid, we 

 will charitably try to hope that they intend no deception. But, until that be 

 done, they will remain under the imputation of using a false substance to 

 hide — not the poverty of materials — but, far worse, poverty of invention. 



If we turn from mere speculation to the evidence of history, it is instantly 

 apparent that those periods in which materials have been used honestly and 

 faithfully, have been those least subject to that [lest of architecture — 

 copyism. The Greek temple, formed of solid lilocks. of stone was a purely 

 original idea, entirely different from all preceding forms of arcbitectuie. 

 The massive structures of Egypt and ancient Rome, with all their faults, 

 bore the impress of unmistakeable originality. Of the exhauslless fertility 

 of invention, and the endless jirodigality of design fxhihited by our Chris- 

 tian ancestors, it is impossible to speak adequately. The proud Minster, the 

 humble village Church, the impregnable Castle, and the graceful Hall, have 

 each a distinct character of its own. But in our own time, all originality of 

 design seems abandoned, or left to those few arcliiticts who build honestly. 

 In domestic architecture, the highest effort is the reproduction of a well- 

 known Italian fafade, with a few slight variations, or the decoration of a 

 bu'lriing (of whuh the flat suiface and vast rows of windows identify it 

 in construction with a cotton-mill) with the endless repetition of heraldic 

 devieei and innumerable weathercocks. Ordinary architecture is worse even 

 than this ; for the new streets and charming villas which spring up like 

 fungi about the metropolis, are generally more hideous than their vegetable 

 types. It is a comfort to tliiiik that their defective construction promises an 

 almost equally rapid decay. 



We are earnest in the discussion of this question, and are willing to be 

 charged with harping im one string till it :s effectually set at rest, for we 

 reckon among the most cheering signs of the progress of architecture, that 

 those who debated the question at the Institute of British Architects were 

 almost unanimous against the use of false materials. That pernicious system 

 which inflicted on us the gew.gaw splendour of Georgian taste, has too long 

 cramped the energy and spirit of modern architects. The first promise of 

 their emancipation from the insipid traditions of the last century, is coeval 

 with the revived study of Pointed Architecture, a style which nobly evi- 

 dences, that in building as in morals, it is yood to be honest and true. 



THE GREAT EXPLOSION AT SEAFORD. 



There was a blasting upon a large scale at Seaford on Thursday, 

 21st ult., for the purpose of throwing down a considerable portion 

 of the chalk cliff on to the beach, for checking the progress of the 

 shingle towards Beachy Head and the East. 



Seaford is situated close to the eastern extremity of a bay three 

 miles in length, extending from Seaford Head to Nevvhaven Head. 

 It is one of the Cinque Ports. It is twelve miles from Brighton 

 and about five from Beachy Head. Close to the sea is a Mar- 

 tello tower — the last westward; there is also a fort, which is 

 under the care of a resident master gunner. But the ground about 

 Seaford for two miles to the west lies low, and there is nothing to 

 protect it from the inroad of the sea at high tides but a narrow 

 beach bank of shingle. This barrier is hecoitiing gradually weaker 

 in consequence of the tendency of the shingle to drift awaj-, and it 

 has become a matter of urgent moment that this should be stayed. 

 Close to Seaford, on its eastern side rises a noble line of cliff, in 

 some places 300 feet high, and averaging above two hundred. It 

 was determined to project a huge slice of the cliff to the beach, 

 with a view thereby to constitute a groin for the purpose of retain- 

 ing the shingle and preventing its leaving the bay. The operations 

 have been conducted by the Board of Ordnance, but the ow ners of 

 land about Seaford contribute towards the expense. The works 

 were begun about seven weeks ago, and there liave been 55 men of 

 the Royal Sappers and Miners engaged upon tlieni. 



The spot selected for the operation is not much above half-a-niile 



to the east of Seaford. At a height of about 50 feet above high - 

 water mark there was driven into the cliff or excavated, a tunnel 

 or gallery 70 feet long, 6 feet high, 5 feet broad, ascending with a 

 slope of 1 in 3. At the inland extremity it turned right and left 

 in the heart of the cliff, above 50 feet one way and above 60 the 

 other, with a more gentle ascent, the two smaller galleries being t 

 ft. 6 in. high, and 3 ft. (i in. broad, and the three being in the form 

 of a capital T. At the utmost end of each of the side or cross gal- 

 leries was a chamber, 7 feet cube, lined with wood; and in each 

 chamber a charge of no less than 12,000lb. of gunpowder was 

 dejiosited ; making the distance of the centre of the charge 70 feet 

 from the face of the cliff towards the sea, anil about 70 feet above 

 high-water mark. Tlie galleries were " tamped," that is stopped 

 up with bags of sand, and chalk in bags and loose, to within 50 

 feet of the mouth, both branches being tamped up, antl 20 feet down 

 tlie large gallery. The tamping is, of course, a very important 

 matter; the hole through which the charge of powder is deposited 

 should offer more resistance to the force of the exploded powder 

 than the solid earth, in order that the powder may not find vent 

 through that entrance, but spend its power upon the earth to be 

 cast up; and this may be the better accomplished where the firing 

 is by voltaic battery, because there is only a thin wire to pass 

 through the tamping for the purpose of ignition. It must be added 

 liere, that above this charge of powder, and on the top of the cliff, 

 three shafts or pits were sunk to the depth of -tl feet, and 6001b. of 

 gunpowder deposited at the bottom of each; these pits were tamped 

 with chalk. Very near these pits — perilously near it almost seemed 

 — about 180 feet from the edge of the cliff, a small wooden shed 

 was erected, in which were placed three voltaic batteries, two of 

 Groves's and one of Smee's, for firing the charges; the wires to 

 convey the electric fluid to each charge were covered with tape and 

 varnished or tarred over; the wires to the two lower charges in the 

 chambers were of course, carried over the top of the cliff. It was 

 arranged that these two great charges should be fired simultane- 

 ously, and the three above a few moments afterwards. 



It was at twelve minutes past three o'clock, p.m. that suddenly 

 the whole cliff, along a width or frontage of some 120 feet bent 

 forwards towards the sea, cracked in every direction, crumbled 

 into pieces, and fell upon the beach in front of it, forming a bank, 

 down which large portions of the falling mass glided slowly into 

 the sea for several yards like a stream of lava flowing into tlie 

 water. The whole multitude upon the beach seemed for a few- 

 moments paralysed and awe struck by the strange movement, and 

 the slightly trembling ground; every one sought to know with a 

 glance that the mass had not force enough to come near him, and 

 that the cliff under which he stood was safe. There was no very 

 loud report; the rumbling noise was probably not heard a mile off, 

 and was perhaps caused by the splitting of the cliff and fall of the 

 fragments. "There seemed to be no smoke, but there was a 

 tremendous shower of dust. Those who were in boats a little way 

 out state that they felt a slight shock. It was much stronger on 

 the top of the cliff. Persons standing there felt staggered by the 

 shaking of the ground, and one of the batteries was thrown down 

 by it. In Seaford, too, three quarters of a mile off, glasses upon 

 the table were shaken, and one chimney fell. At Nevvhaven, a dis- 

 tance of three luiles, the shock was sensibly felt. 



In a few moments after the cliff had fallen the crowd upon the 

 beach rushed forward to it. A second fall of chalk, when they had 

 got about half-way, checked them for an instant, and but for an 

 instant. They rushed up the mound which the exploded chalk had 

 formed. Although it is a mass of large rough stones for the most 

 part, difficult in many places to climb except by using one's hands 

 as well as feet, yet ladies eagerly clambered up it, and one gentle- 

 man managed to get his horse up. It will probably, like the cliff" 

 still standing, be rather unsafe for a time, as there is reason to 



j believe that further falls will follow, considerable masses which 

 have not yet fallen being evidently loosened. The mass which 

 came down on Thursday is larger than was expected; it forms an 

 irregular heap, apparently about 300 feet broad, of a height vary- 

 ing from -to to 100 feet, and extending 200 or 250 feet or more 

 seaward, which is considerably beyond low-water mark. It is 

 thought that it comprises nearly 300,000 tons. The operation is 

 considered to have been decidedly successful. 



The work was under the direction of Sir J. Burgoyne, Inspector- 

 General of Fortifications, but the immediate direction was taken 

 bj' Captain Frome; Lieutenant Ward, R.E., had charge of the 

 voltaic batteries. Colonel Lewis, Lieutenant Greatorex, and 

 Lieutenant Grossman, assisted in the operations. Sir J. Kennie 

 and a number of civil engineers were on the ground. Sir C. I'asley 



i was present, and, as we understood, the Duke of Beaufort and 



