1842.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



71 



be found delineated on some Saxon MSS., by writers of that period. A 

 striking example of these arches may be seen on the entrance to the old 

 monastery at Lorsch, between Darmstadt and Heidelberg, attributed 

 to the end of the eighth century. This pedimental form was often 

 used in Rome for decoration,* when architectural skill and knowledg« 

 were declining there, as indeed it was greatly at Constantinople. In 

 the baths of Diocletian, at Rome, columns piled one upon another on 

 either side of window-openings are thus surmounted; and it may 

 likewise be found on many sarcophagi in the catacombs of that same 

 city. 



Again, in the Saxon buildings of which we have spoken, small 

 columns are found swelling in the centre, perhaps a rude remembrance 

 of the classic entasis; at other times banded in the centre, and so 

 forming a sort of baluster. Id more than one of them, loo, the Greek 

 cross in circular panels, or over the heads of windows, forms a pro- 

 minent ornament. 



The temple of St. John has experienced many vicissitudes, and has 

 been used at different times as a bell-fumidry, a kitchen, and a manu- 

 factory. St;mding very much in the way of some proposed improve- 

 ment in the line of streets, it would have been taken down in 1S32, 

 had not the "Socicte des Antiquaires de I'Ouest" vigorously inter- 

 fered, and ultimately succeeded in purchasing the venerable fabric, 

 which is now occupied by them as an architectural museum. Had 

 the society effected no other good than this, they would merit the 

 gratitude of all admirers of ancient art; beyond this, however, they 

 have done much to elucidate the early history of Poitou and the 

 neighbouring departments, and to induce the preservation of monuments 

 of antiquity.t The destruction of the bnilding in question, which is 

 •Imost unique, would be a most serious loss, as it could never be 

 replaced or compensated for. 



The present cathedral of Poitiers, called SI. Pierre, was commenced 

 in the year 1151, by Henry II. of England, who held Poitou in right of 

 his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine,X but was not completed until 1379. Of 

 the original foundation of the cathedral little seems known. In 101b 

 the structure which occupied the site of the present church was burnt, 

 and being rebuilt soon afterwards, was again destroyed. 



.St. Pierre is a cruciform church, of great width as compared with 

 its length, divided into three aisles, and presenting in its western 

 front, seven steps below the street level, three entrance doorways, 

 Cover which are a large rose window and two pointed-headed win- 

 dows,) flanked on either side by an ugly squat tower. In the mouldings 

 around the door-heads are four series of figures ; and in the tympanum 

 of the centre opening are sculptured groups, representing Christ sur- 

 rounded by angels sitting in judgment, the resurrection of the dead, 

 and the separation of the good from the bad, — the latter being thrown 

 into the open mouth of a monster. In the heads of the side doors 

 are represented the ileath of the Virgin, and St. Peter receiving the 

 keys of Heaven. The whole of this front, with the exception, perhajis, 

 of the lowest story of the towers, is pointed ; indeed, very little of the 

 early circular work is anywhere a;)p.irent, excepting an attached arcade 

 withinside ag:>in«t the north and south walls and in the transepts, and 

 some windows at the east end of the building, the capitals of the 

 •■ohimns in which latter are exceedingly curious, being formed of the 

 (inures of men in a variety of distorted positions.j^f There is some 

 little stained glass in the church: the easternmost window displays a 

 figure of Christ within a mclca pincia. 



* In carlirr limes, »hfn llie princiiilcs of the arch were liiile if at a.l 

 anderstiioil, thia form was ujeil constniclively. as in the pyramlila of Mexico 

 mnil Ku'yi't ; I'Ul to ihis Viplicatiim «e nreii not refer. 



I This Society mecis In I'uitieri every Thursday during the Session : M. dc 

 therse is llic si'creiary. 



1 Poitou »a»ciMifi«aleil to Philip AurusIus in the reign of KinK John 

 (\M); came auain inicjjlie hands uf the Knglisli in 1360; and ullunalely 

 revcrlefl to Krance in 1370. 



^ A I'rench writer, si«aking of this church, observes. " En C-ludiant le» 

 feni-lres, ilepiiis eeliesdu clia-urcnnslnitteii h Infinclu douxidme sii'cle, jus(|u'ik 

 eelles du ixirtail. ijui (latent de In fin clii trez Ome. on |ieut auivre la trans- 

 ition du Roman au (iolhi<|iie. imi •'cfi^Tail alcirs, transition hien mari|u6« 

 dans la forme de» feiii'iri s. dani leurs meiieniix, dans les cintres et le» ogives 

 <|U1 les (leodrenl ; ic (|ui e^l uiie nmivelle preuve de I'lisnae d.ins letjuel on 

 ^•tait aulrefoLH. lurs ile ces ci>iislruelii>nB fort longurs. <Tc eommencer iiar 

 I'abjide ct de finir par le porlail."'— i'ottkr* .- par M. E. /'. Foucarl. 



The interior of this building, although wide and lofty,* has little 

 beauty, and has been much disfigured by modem repairs and additions, 

 —the Antiquaries de POiiest may here usefully exert their influence, 

 as occasions offer. I cannot avoid mentioning, that the walls of this 

 building both inside and out present on the face of them large numliers 

 of ma-sons' marks, amongst which is the ji»h, and other apparently 

 religious emblems. Several precisely similar marks the writer hits 

 found on buildings of much later date in England.t 



BUNNETT'S PATENT RAILWAY BREAKS, &c. 



Mr. Bunnett, of the firm of Messrs. Bunnell and Corpc of Dept- 

 ford, has taken out a patent for several iin|)ortant improvements, for 

 the better control of railway trains, and the prevention of accidents. 

 They are simple, cheap, and applicable to the present locomotive 

 engines and carriages; and, if adopted, such a perfect command over 

 the train will be obtained, that it may be slopped within so short a 

 distance as effectually to prevent trains coming info collision with eack 

 other, or with obstructions of any kind whatever. 



The improvements are as follow : — 



I. — A powerful engine break acting upon the upper half of the dri- 

 ving wheels, and also simultaneously on the trailing, or the leading- 

 wheels, and occupying the place of, and forming, the wheel-guards. 



II.— Self-acting spring-breaks for carriages and tenders, attached to 

 the buffers, and acting on every wheel in the train, partially or alto- 

 gether retarding it, as the necessity of the case may be. 



III. — A very simple and powerful manual break for carriages, &c. 

 This, and the above breaks, are formed of an elastic materfal, thereby 

 avoiding the disagreeable jar and noise now so generally complained 

 of. 



IV. — A simple and efficient mode of increasing the adhesion of the 

 driving-wheels of the engine to the rails, by instantaneously throwing 

 the whole weight upon them. 



V. — Spring axle-guides, capable of adjustment, allowing sufficient 

 play in the boxes for the axles to adapt themselves to any curves, or 

 to irregularities of the road. 



VI. — A means of communication between the guards and engine- 

 driver, by an alarm bell on the engine, which is struck by a spring 

 lever, acted upon fiom any carriage in the train. 



VII. — A method of shutting off the steam on the instant that tiie 

 engine-driver takes his hand off the regul iting-handle, thereby pre- 

 venting accidents that might possibly occur from drowsiness, tits, 

 sudden illness, &c. 



In illustration of the value of an efficient system of breaks, we need 

 only subjoin a portion of the evidence of no less an authority than Mr. 

 (ieorge Stephenson, as given by him before a select committee of the 

 House of Commons. 



t^uestion 1317. You have, of course, devoted much attention to 

 the means of preventing accidents upon railways ?— A. I have. 



Q. 132U. You have paid much attention to the subject of breaks ?— 

 A. I have. 



(j. 1321. Do you consider them an important element of safety in 

 railway travelling?— A. Certainly; the most important of ;Hiything 

 tli.it can be contrived for the safety of railway travelling. I believe, 

 that if self-acting breaks were put upon every carriage, scarcely 

 any accident could take place. 



* The hcifjhl uf the nave is lUtcd to b« 90 feet , that of the lidi-aiiln 

 80 feel. 



t To Ihis very curious subject,— the mnsoiis' marks of tlie middle aRes,— 

 to which the wiiler's nulice was fir.^1 given tliree or four years ago, hr ha« 

 lately liirerlod llie nller t on of llie Suciety of AiUi(|ii.iries anil the Institute 

 of AriliiliTii, »ilh llie view of oblnining n large eolleclion of the marks for 

 exoininalion and coin|uirisun, Ihe '• Comilf llitloriqur dri JriM rl iloniinu iit" 

 of I'aris have recently invitetl communications on tlicsulijcct. 



