1842.J 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



175 



exigency of the case demancis, requires much fortitude upon the part of the 

 directors, as it involves the admission of past errors and the dismissal of 

 every cherished prejudice and prepossession. It is right, however, that the op- 

 portunity of reformation should be afforded, and we arc willing to render our 

 best advice and assistance towards so happy a consummation. It would 

 grieve us much, that any calamity should fall upon this most spirited and 

 arduous enterprise. .Such an event would operate most perniciously upon the 

 whole interest embarked in steam navigation, and paralyze the spirit of Com- 

 mercial adventure in the same channel. Should no improvement have been 

 carried into effect before next month, it is our intention to enter into a tho- 

 rough analysis of the character and management of tliis enterprise ; and we 

 are only prevented from djing so at once by the apprehension that our expo- 

 sitions might occasion such inconveniences as the obduracy of wrong-headed- 

 ness alone deserves. 



We entreat the respectable directors of this undertaking to give their im- 

 mediate attention to this subject. Let them look to the dangers of their 

 present position — tlangers from «hich neither magisterial pomp nor inexpe- 

 rienced precipitancy can possibly save them. M'as it ever before heard of. that 

 the utmost skill and experience should be deemed unessential to the success 

 of an enterprise of extraordinary magnitude and difficulty, though found in- 

 dispensable to the prosperity of more limited and less adventurous schemes ? 

 and can the directors confidently say, that in the whole compass of their im- 

 mense establishment, there is a single man to be found experienced in the 

 conduct of commercial steam navigation upon the large scale ? Is such an 

 enterprise as this to be expected to succeed in the hands of inexperienced pep- 

 sons, even although those persons may unite much general ability with much 

 plausible pretension? What are the fruits of such administration? There 

 is scarcely a newspaper w hich does not teem with accounts of mails late — ves- 

 sels wrecked, or missing — quarrels abroad — passengers almost starved — and 

 vessels following one another by mistake — and at an interval of a few hours 

 across the Atlantic? whilst, at other times, the greatest inconvenience and 

 distress are occasioned by merchants being left without their remittances for 

 months together, and correspondents without their letters. Do the directors 

 imagine that such things will be long endured, or is it to their interest or 

 credit that such things should exist? But all this is as nothing when com- 

 pared with the loss which must arise from the working of the vessels under 

 existing conditions. One vessel comes in with twelve or fourteen [passen- 

 gers — another, with five or six, bringing an income of a few hundred pounds, 

 perhaps, when the expense of a voyage must be several thousands. There is 

 the mail money, 'tis true ; but how far will the mail money go towards pay- 

 ing for coal, insurance, and wear and tear? But we are departing from our 

 intimated intention. We think the enterprise beneficially accomplishable, 

 hut not under existing circumstances ; and unless those circumstances are so 

 changed as to give the un<lertaking a fair chance of success, we shall, in our 

 tie.1t number, draw the attention of the proprietary and the public to the 

 .subject. 



" THE PRECURSOR." 



Trns is really an extraordinary steam vessel. We were prepared to expect 

 a handsome and an efficient vessel, from Mr. Rabert Napier, but we could 

 hardly hive anticipated that a vessel built for the ordinary purposes of com- 

 mercial transport, should have been capable of making her way from the 

 Clyde to the Thames in so short a time as 70 hours. A rate of progress, by 

 the unaided agency of steam, such as the performance of this voyage in- 

 volves, is in the case of large sea-going vessels, not only unprecedented, but 

 almost incredible, and demands the most unequivocal testimony for its 

 authentication. Under the influence of this sentiment, we have examined the 

 "Precursor's" log: we have also derived collateral information (rom un- 

 biassed and authentic sources -, and we have much confidence in the exacti- 

 tude of the information we now purpose to lay before our readers. 



The " Precursor" started from Roseneath, a place on the Clyde, imme- 

 diately opposite to Greenock, on the 8th of April, at 35 minutes after 1, and 

 arrived at Blackwall at .5 minutes after 1. on the Uth. The total time occu- 

 pied between the clock light, a little below Greenock, and Blackwall, was 

 including stoppages. 5ic. 71 hours ; and if we make a deduction of one hour 

 for the several stoppages, inclusive of 50 minutes, during w hich the vessel 

 was going quite slow, waiting for the pilot, the actual time occupied between 

 the clock and Blackwall will be only 70 hours. The distance between those 

 two points we have heard severally estimated at 773 and 800 geographical 

 miles. Our o«n measurements, upon a good chart, induce us to believe the 

 latter estimate the more correct, and 800 divided by 70 is equal to lU geo- 

 graphical miles per hour nearly. This is an extremelv high average', par- 

 ticularly as the voyage was accomplished without any aid from sails, and the 

 progress of the vessel, during a considerable part of it,, was r.tarded by a 

 head-wind of such intensity as to have reduced the speed of the engines 

 from 15 to 13 revolutions per minute. We are informed, that her speed. 

 when unimpeded by^ an adverse wind, was 15 geographical miles per hour. 



The" Precursor" is the first of a line of large steam vessels about lo be esta- 

 blished between Calcutta and Suez, in continuation of the Peninsular and Orien- 

 tal Company's line of steam communication between Southampton and Alex- 

 andria. The engines are of the common side-lever couotruction. by Mr. 



Robert Napier, of Glasgow, who, we understand, contracted for the entire 

 vessel. They are of the collective power of 500 horses : the burthen of the 

 vessel is equal to 17.51 tons, N.M. 



We shall, next month, more fully describe the dimensions and construction 

 of the engines and vessel. 



I! Peloro. — lliis is a compact steam vessel, built by Mr. Pitcher for the 

 Neapolitan government, for conveying the mails. Her dimensions are 

 130 ft. in length between perpendiculars, 19 ft. tii in. moulded breadth, and 

 20ft. 2Jin. extreme breadth; depth in engine room 11 ft. 2S in.; burden 

 2-52 tons, B.M. She is fitted with a pair of 50 horse engines", by Messrs. 

 Boulton, Watt, and Co. ; cylinders 3 ft. 3i in. diameter, and stroke 3i ft. ; 

 paddle-wheels 15 ft. Gin. diameter: length of boards 8 ft., and 16 in. wide. 

 She performed, at an experimental trip on the Thames, on Thursday. 21st. 

 ult., an average velocity of lOJ miles, consuming a very small proportion of 

 fuel. The indicator figures showed a vacuum of 12 to 13 lb., with a pressure 

 of 3J lb. of steam. 



NE'W CHURCHSS, Sec. 



Stockport. — The opening of the New Unitarian Church, a unique and very 

 elegant edifice, took place on 23rd. March last. The site is in St. Peter's 

 Square. The body of the chapel is a parallelogram, externally 63 by H ft. 

 with a projection at the south end about 30 ft. wide by 14 ft., in which is 

 placed the principal entrance, and the staircases to the boys' and girls' 

 schools, and to the organ gallery. At the northerly end there is also a pro- 

 jection about £4 ft. wide, by 6 ft., in which is jdaced the pulpit and the 

 communion. The interior of the chapel will accommodate 400 persons : there 

 are no galleries except for the organ and choir, in the recess at the south 

 end. The exterior projection at the south end is flanked by double bold 

 buttresses, having circular shafts at their external angles, with bases and 

 capitals to the same, the whole being surmounted with triangular headed 

 canopies, out of which proceed octagonal turrets, surmounted by pinnacles, 

 ending in carved finials, about 50 feet above the level of the street, and 

 having an enriched corbel table round the foot of each pinnacle. Betwixt 

 the buttresses to the south front there is a splayed recess, surmounted with a 

 pointed arched head, wilh hood mould thereto, terminating upon carved 

 heads. In the lower part of this recess is placed the principal entrance to 

 the chapel; it has splayed jambs, and a pointed arched head, surmounted by 

 a moulded triangular headed canopy, terminating with a carved finial. Over 

 the door are three lancet windows, united together by their hood moulds, 

 which terminate upon foliaged bosses, the centre window being higher than 

 the side ones, and the upper end of the canopy of the door stands out quite 

 clear of the lower part of the centre window. The gable in the south front 

 has a moulded canopy terminating with a carved finial on the apex. The 

 ends of the chapel, extending beyond the projections to the same, are finished 

 with a moulded coping, terminating in moulded canopies at their lower ends. 

 ■The sides of the chapel are divided into six compartments, by broad flat 

 buttresses, with one set oft, and terminating at the upper ends with the over- 

 hanging parapet, which is supported by moulded stone corbels betwixt them, 

 with cast iron moulded gutters thereon, and in each compartment is placed a 

 lancet window. The upper base moulding is carried along the sides of the 

 building, ;ind in the space under it, betwixt the buttresses, are placed the 

 windows to give light to the schools. The whole of the exterior of the 

 building is faced with stone, hammer-dressed, except the ashlar dressings 

 and moulded work, which is tooled; the stone for the former is from the 

 Kerridge delphs ; and for the latter, from the Yorkshire delphs ; and it is 

 worth while noticing the greatly improved efl'ect which the narrow courses 

 from the Kerridge delphs give to the building from the usually wider 

 courses which are obtained from other delphs. The entire cost of the build- 

 ing, including the additional expense incurred by the peculiar nature of the 

 foundations, will not exceed £3000. The chapel has been designed by, and 

 built under the superintendence of Mr. Richard Tattersall, Architect, of 

 Manchester. 



Ireland. — A Roman Caiholic Chapel at Dundalk was opened on the anni- 

 versary of the Apostle of Ireland. It is constructed of hewn granite stone, 

 from the neighbouring quarries, and is of the pointed style, which prevaileil 

 during the latter part of the thirteenth century. It consists of a nave and 

 side aisles, divided by two rows nf clustered pillars, having moulded capitals; 

 from which spring lofty pointed arches, supporting a clerestory pierced with 

 windows, which give light to the body ot the church. The nave, or centre 

 division, projects both in the front and rear several feet lieyond the ends of 

 the side ai.sles, having two loftv bell-towers, octagonal in form, composed of 

 five stages, or compartments, with enriched cornices, panels, and mouldings. 

 The upper divisions of these towers are extremely light and ornamental, 

 having panels of pierced tracery, and slender, graduateil, angular buttresses, 

 which rise very boldly above the perforated parapet of the roof, and are 

 crowned with embrasured parapet, pinnacles, and linials. T!ie principal 

 entrance to the church is in the north front, having three spacious doorways 

 of great beauty. The grand entrance is betHeen the octagon turrets, and is 

 deeply recessecl : the imposts are ornamented by well relieved mouldings and 

 tinall pillars; from the capitals rise rich mouldings and tracery, which 

 surrounds and intersects the pointed arch with a very pleasing ellect. On 

 either side of this entrance are placed ornamental niches, having angulajr 

 buttresses and canopies, intended for the reception cf lull length statues. 

 Immediately above the great doorway rises a magnificent window, 17 ft. wide 

 by 30 ft. in height, having moulded imposts boldly recessed. The arch is 

 surmounted by a hood-moulding, sustained at the springing by sculptured 

 heads. 'The open part has six divisions, .subdivided by an ornamental tran- 



