170 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[May, 



the operation is continued too long or too short a time, the metal beeo'mes 

 brittle, and the quality cannot he recovered. Less copper is now exported 

 from Russia, licoause the attention of the miners is directed to the gold 

 mines. Mr. Taylor attributed the superiority of the quality of the foreign 

 copper to the ore being smelted with charcoal ; whereas English copper is 

 smelted with bituminous coal, frequently containing sulphur. 



ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS. 



April IB. — This meeting was attended by the President, Earl de Grey, 

 who, having left his vice-royalty to attend to his parhamentary labours, took 

 the opportunity of being present. The attendance was most numerous. 



A paper was read by Mr. Ilosking upon '• The Composition and Construc- 

 iion of Bridr/es," the conclusion of which was obliged to be reserved for 

 another meeting, on account of the other business of the evening, .\fter 

 the lecture his Lordship addressed the meeting, alluding to the happy union 

 of the two societies, which had always been an object of his earnest wishes. 

 The articles of union were, he said, satisfactorj' and advantageous to both 

 societies, and the Institute had received an accession to its collection of a 

 large number of valuable plans, drawings, casts and books. He also adverted 

 to the accession of H. R. H. Prince Albert as Patron of the Institution, and 

 then stated that he had a pleasing duty to perform in presenting the Soanean 

 medal to Mr. J. W. Papworth, Associate, for his design of the restoration of 

 Crosby Hall. It afforded him, he said, additional pleasure to present this 

 medal to that young architect in the presence of his father, who was one of 

 the oldest members of the Institute ; and had the good fortune to see his 

 honourable career followed up by his son. In addition to the medal there 

 ■was a sum of 10 guineas presented bv Miss Hackett, the owner of Crosbv 

 Hall. 



After the conclusion of the business of the meeting there were some beau- 

 tiful specimens of Keene's cement exhibited, consisting of inlaid paving in 

 various colours, capitals of columns, and other applications of the material 

 for architectural purposes ; they were presented by Messrs. White & Son. 

 A specimen of Caen stone was laid on the table ; the price stated at which 

 it could be delivered on the Thames was Is. lOrf. per cubic foot. 



ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Feb. 28. — M. Dufresnoy read a report on some researches by M. Pailletteupon 

 the metalliferous district.^ of Calabria, and the north of Sicily. It appeared 

 that the mines now worked in those districts were not opened previous to 

 1720, and that before this period the mineral riches of the countries in ques- 

 tion had been very imperfectly known to, or at least little used by, the in- 

 habitants, and even the Romans. It was about 1720 that some German 

 miners were employed by Charles VI. to look for metallic veins ; their ope- 

 rations assumed a certain degree of importance about 1753; but thirty years 

 later they were almost entirely abandoned. Most of the metalliferous for- 

 mations of southern Italy consist of small veins, resembling those of Auvergne 

 and the Limousin. Tables of the quantity of metal produced by the various 

 mines now worked accompanied these researches. 



A memoir was read by M. Combes, on the sulphureovs hot springs of 

 Hamman-Escovkin, near Bona, in Africa. They burst forth on a small pla- 

 teau, which is covered by a white crust of the mineral matter deposited by 

 their water, and they form round each orifice small cones, from the summits 

 of which the water flows. Their average heat is from 78 to 80 degrees of 

 Reaumur, or from 207J to 212 Fahrenheit — boiling point. It is only 200 or 

 300 paces from the spot where the waters of these springs join a mountain 

 stream of cold water, that their heat becomes reduced enough to allow of 

 people bathing in them. They are highly sulphureous, and send up immense 

 clouds of steam. The numbers of people who resort to them for all kinds of 

 complaints are considerable. 



March 7. — M. Arago informed the Academy of the result of some obser- 

 vations, lately made with great care, for ascertaining the exact height of the 

 summit of the lantern of the Pantheon above the lowest point, or zero, of the 

 water scale at the Pont de la Tournelle, and also the exact height of the 

 latter point above the level of the sea in the Channel. It appeared that 

 these heights were 117 metres 60 centimetres, and 25 metres 76 centimetres 

 (or 385 ft. 10 in. and 84 ft. 6 in.) respectively. M. Arago stated, the object 

 of this was to serve for the settlement of the exact levels of all points of the 

 capital, with a view to a more accurate system of drainage ; and further, that 

 the Municipal Council had decided on having the altitude of the soil, above 

 the zero of the scale at the Pont de la Tournelle, marked at a very great 

 number of points in the capital, and engraved on plates, which would be 

 affixed to public buildings or houses of a certain solidity of construction, at 

 the points where the altitudes would be taken. 



M. Beautemps-Bcaupre laid on the table the 5th part of the great hydro- 

 graphical survey of the French coast, on which he has been occupied several 

 years. Captain Berard presented the Academy with the general table of ob- 

 servations made on board the Vranvs, during the late voyage to and from 

 the Island of Bourbon. They related principally to the temperature of the 

 ocean. 



M. Chazaillon communicated some researches on tides, and the level of the 



ocean. He had found that the analytical expression, used by Laplace, (or 

 calculating the height of the tide was incomplete. 



M. Francceur read a paper on a new instrument, constructed by himself, 

 for measuring the strength of distilled liquors. 



A model was exhibited to the members by M. Sorel, for fixing zinc on iron 

 by a new application of the voltaic pile. 



March 21. — k communication was read from M. Amedee-Durand, " Ona 

 New Mode of Constructing JVindmills." The invention of M. Durand con- 

 sists chiefly in imparting to the sails of the mill their impelling force in a 

 way resembling that which is experienced in the mode of sailing a vessel. 

 The action of the wind striking from behind bears upon a point beyond the 

 centre of the pivot, and tends to keep the shaft in a parallel direction with 

 the current of air, the sails being constantly maintained at a right angle with 

 the wind. By this new system the sails, which are six in number, are not, 

 like those of the common mills in use, supported upon framework, but are 

 attached and spread in the same manner as those of a vessel. They are so 

 disposed that their whole surfaces may be acted upon so long as the wind, 

 augmented in effect by their total surface, is inferior to the weight of a 

 counterpoise, which tends constantly to keep it in its normal position. When 

 the wind exceeds this limit, the counterpoise comes into action, and so 

 changes the quantity of surface exposed, that the machinery may continue to 

 perform its fuuctions without any acceleration of motion lieyond what is 

 requisite. M. Durand states that his invention has been submitted to the 

 test of experience, several mills so constructed having for years past been in 

 operation, and effectually resisted the most violent storms. 



March 28. — A report, by M. Chevreuil, was read, on a paper, by M. 

 Ebelhelrn, respecting the manufacture of iron, M. Ebelhelm's paper was 

 principally on the construction of blast-furnaces, iStc. M. Ebelhelrn states 

 that he is satisfied, from a series of experiments, that the present mode of 

 constructing furnaces is as near to perfection as possible, but that nearly 

 two-thirds of the combustibles employed pass off in gas, and that there 

 would be great economy and advantage in a contrivance for preserving this 

 gas, and making use of it in the process of smelting. The paper, however, 

 leaves the question of the precise and best mode of obtaining this result 

 still doubtful. 



A paper, by M. Gaudin, on photographic drawing, was read. This gentle- 

 man announces, that he has succeeded in obtaining perfect impressions, and 

 more rapidly, without the use of the iodine-box, by exposing the plate to 

 the action of a single compound of iodine, of his own preparation, much 

 richer than what is now used in the uncertain photographic apparatus of the 

 iodine-box. 



M. Viau communicated to the Academy a new mode of raising vessels 

 sunk in deep water. His apparatus consists of a covered, but light and air- 

 tight frame work, which he calls the hydrostat. The process is commenced 

 by allowing the water to rush in and fill the hydrostat, which of course sinks 

 until it readies the object it is intended to raise. The valves are now closed, 

 and the apparatus fixed by means of chains or ropes to the vessel. A stop- 

 cock, connected with a pipe, is opened, and this pipe communicates with two 

 recipients on a stage, or platform, erected on a boat, or vessel, near the spot. 

 One of these recipients contains an acid, and the other carbonate of lime, 

 and a communication between them is established, so as to keep up a sufficient 

 supply of carbonic acid gas, which passes through the pipe into the hydrostat, 

 and displaces the water. The hydrostat, now filled with a light gas, will 

 naturally rise to the surface, if its volume be large enough to drag with it 

 the body to which it is attached. 



[The following words were, by accident, omitted at the conclusion of our 

 last month's Report, p. 137 : — " he effaced also, and the forgery detected."] 



Art-Union Societv. — The annual meeting for the distribution of prizes 

 was held at Drury Lane Theatre, on Tuesday. 26th ult., when a most inte- 

 resting report was read, we believe from the pen of Mr. Godwin, and from 

 which we learn that there arc 11,119 subscribers and the amount of sub- 

 scriptions is i"12,905. The house was crowded to excess, and many hundreds 

 were forced to go away for want of room. In consequence of the absence 

 of the Duke of Cambridge, the chair was taken by Mr. Benjamin Bond 

 Cabhell. The prizes distributed were 240 in number, varyiug from 10/. to 

 400/. We regretted to observe that there seemed a disposition to stifle 

 inquiry, for when one or two members rose to ask some very necessary ques- 

 tions, they were immediately checked ; as, however, only one meeting is held 

 in the year, we think that some faciUty should be given to subscribers to ask 

 for public information ; it is the only way to prevent abuse creeping into the 

 proceedings of so useful an association. 



Tlic Anli John Scott Russell, — We have witnessed the surprising perfor- 

 mance of this small vessel, titled with Bealt's patent rotary engine. The 

 speed of the boat averages upwards of 10 miles per hour, althuugh the engine 

 is little larger than 18 In. diameter, and 12 in. broad. We had intended to 

 have given the drawings of the engine and boiler, together with some par- 

 ticulars of its construction, and the q':antity of fuel consume I ; but we have 

 deferred doing so until we have had another opportunity of witnessing the 

 performance of the engine. To all who feel an interest in the rotary engine 

 we recommend their attention to that of Mr. Beale : it is extremely simple, 

 and cannot easily get out of order. 



