232 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[July, 



over, is made to coiucide with the division, representing the number 

 of minutes and seconds, occupied in the transit; and this adjustment 

 being made, the rate per hour is read off on the indicating scale, at 

 its point of intersection with the line D B. For instance, a gradient 

 1 mile 25 chains long, is traversed in 2 minutes 48 seconds; what is 

 the velocity ? The divisions corresponding to these data being made 

 to coincide, as shown at (a), the point of intersection on the indicating 

 scale is examined, and the velocity found to be rather more than 28 

 miles per hour, which is the result given by calculation. 



Again, a locomotive travels 1 mile 54 chains, in 4 minutes 40 

 seconds: required, the rate per hour. The revolving scale is moved 

 as before, until the distance division 1 mile 54 chains at (6), is brought 

 to (6') on the division of 4 miles 40 seconds ; the edge of the scale 

 will then occupy the line A c', and the point (c) on the scale will have 

 arrived at the point of intersection (c')( showing the velocity to be 

 rather more than 2IA miles per hour. 



Of the three data time, distance, and velocity, any two being given, 

 the third may be found, so that the apparatus may be employed in 

 finding times, and distances, as well as velocities. Thus, having fixed 

 the velocity at which the trains on a railway are to travel, and know- 

 ing the distances between the stations, the times of arrival may be 

 ascertained, by adjusting the revolving scale to the required velocity, 

 and noting (he times corresponding to the given distances, and should 

 the results be unsuitable, other velocities may be assumed, until the 

 desired ends are fulfilled. 



I have constructed two of these instruments, one for small, and the 

 other for greater distances. The first (as far as J can remember, for 

 it is not now in my possession,) is about half as large again as the 

 accompanying drawing, and has the same arrangement, except that 

 the indicating scale extends to 45, instead of 40 miles, and the time 

 scale has double the number of divisions, so that differences of a 

 second are appreciable. The other has a time scale extending to 15 

 minutes, each minute being subdivided into periods of 4 seconds, so 

 that differences in time of 2 seconds are available. The scale of dis- 

 tance has the adjusting scale divided into Hi miles, and each mile is 

 subdivided into distances of 2 chains ; the indicating scale extends to 

 45 miles, and each mile is divided into tenths. In both cases, the 

 subdivisions of the time scale are made by lines of different colours, 

 so as to avoid confusion. 



These instruments, although made of Bristol board, and having a 

 needle for the pivot of the revolving scale, gave results within one- 

 eighth of a mile per hour of the truth ; an approximation quite near 

 enough for ordinary purposes. They were used for some time in 

 engine trials, on the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway, and were 

 found to answer very satisfactorily. 



Derby, May 13, 1842. Herbert Spencer. 



ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS, ROYAL ACADEMY. 



Great was our surprise, on looking over the catalogue, to find that 

 the Professor of Architecture has not contributed a single drawing of 

 any kind to the Exhibition. How are we to explain this ? Are we 

 to attribute it to the retiring modesty of true genius ? Hardly so : 

 we are, therefore, inclined to set down the Professor's absence to a 

 different cause — certainly not to too sensitive modesty ; neither does 

 it bespeak in him any very great zeal for that department of the 

 Academy in which he is, or ought to be, more especially interested. 

 We own we have been disappointed, for we had made quite sure of 

 seeing, if nothing else of his, the design for the Taylor and Randolph 

 Institute at Oxford ; more especially as he has not seemed unwilling to 

 give publicity ^to it, having nearly a year ago allowed a woodcut of it to 

 be given in one of the Oxford papers. Perhaps he has since repented 

 of doing so, for he can hardly have heard any very favourable com- 

 ments upon it ; nevertheless, as the design has been seen, and as the 

 building when erected cannot possibly be secreted from public obser- 

 vation, Mr. Cockerell need not have been so very shy of exhibiting 

 any drawings of it, unless he thinks it is most prudent to steer clear 

 of criticism as long as he can, instead of running into the very jaws 

 of it, in Trafalgar Square. All, therefore, we can at present say, in 



regard to what the Professor is doing at Oxford, is that it promises to 

 be just such another architectural ornament to that university as the 

 Westminster and British Assurance Office is to the Strand, which has 

 found one, and only one, solitary admirer, viz., Mr. Britton, who, in his 

 usual language, calls it a "fine building"! There are several other 

 things eitlier actually in progress, or about to be begun — that is, if 

 there be any truth in report — which we fully expected to obtain a 

 sight of at the Exhibition ; among the rest, of the Albert Gate that is 

 to be, leading into Hyde Park, which the newspapers have told us is 

 to be something quite magnificent, and, therefore, we hope, will not turn 

 out after all to be something exceedingly paltry. Neither do we see 

 Tite's model of the portico of the Royal Exchange, as now extended, 

 and improved from the first design, or any drawing of the inner 

 costite, which we have heard will now be different from the published 

 engraving of it, and which, whatever it may be as to taste, will, we 

 trust, never be made such a palpable absurdity, in a climate like ours, 

 as a mere open coiu't for a place of rendezvous for business. 



Sir Robert Smirke never exhibits upon paper, and had ho never 

 exhibited in stone and mortar it would have been no loss to English 

 architecture ; but Welby Pugin — we do not understand what motive 

 he can have for never sending any drawings of the numerous catholic 

 churches he has erected, because hardly can he shrink from a com- 

 parison of them with the majority of the designs for churches we 

 here meet with, year after year ; rather would such comparison be a 

 triumph to the author of the "Contrasts."* It is possible that the 

 Academy have resolved Mr. Pugin shall have no such triumph on their 

 premises, and have, therefore, shut their doors and their catalogue 

 against him as an audacious " Babylonian," and follower of the lady 

 in scarlet. Others there are who seem now to have ceased exhibiting 

 — Decimus Burton, Basevi, Salvin, Blore, &c. ; nor have any pro- 

 vincial architects contributed a drawing of any building of note to 

 the present exhibition. Whether it be that the profession are grown 

 lazy, or whether they have come to the resolution of turning their 

 backs upon the Academy, since the Academy shows very little dis- 

 position either to countenance or to back them, or to do anything for 

 their better accommodation, we cannot say; but there certainly are 

 some symptoms of indifference and falling off, on the part of the 

 architects, or perhaps they have taken their cue from the Professor, 

 who, on his part, may be loth to encroacli upon the exceedingly 

 limited space allowed for architectural drawings. 



Limited as that space is, and much as it requires to be extended in 

 one direction, we could wish to see it still more abridged in another, 

 namely, as to height; for of the four tiers of architectural drawings 

 hung up on the walls, only the second one from the floor, or that on 

 the litic, can be properly seen and examined. The other two may be 

 seen by those who will undergo the fatigue and trouble of stooping 

 down to the one, and standing on tiptoes to catch a sight of the other; 

 but as for the fourth or uppermost it is impossible to see it at all. Of 

 architectural subjects so hung, nothing whatever is discernible — nothing 

 can be made out, except the mere general form; all detail, and even 

 the separate features, are lost, and if this circumstance be an advan- 

 tage and a favour in some instances, it becomes a great disadvantage 

 and a piece of injustice in others. Many of the drawings put out of 

 sight in this manner are not at all larger — several are even smaller — 

 than those which are placed much nearer the eye. Are we, then, to 

 understand that it matters little whether they can be discerned or not? 

 for if so, why are they hung up at all ? or why does the Academy 

 allow its catalogue to hold out to us the promise of seeing a great 

 many productions which, when we begin to look about for them, we 

 find are not to be seen at all? — which tantalizing discovery, by the 

 bye, is the most we can discover of them. In this predicament are 

 nearly all the competition designs for the Camberwell church; the 

 consequence is that it is impossible to compare them together, or dis- 

 tinguish one from another. Quite useless, therefore, is it to attempt 

 to follow the catalogue, by taking the numbers seriatim ; all we can 

 do is to refer to the catalogue for the titles of such of the subjects as 

 the eye can reach. The consequence is that, on looking over the 

 catalogue afterwards, we invariably find that we have passed over a 

 number of subjects which, judging from their titles, ought to be worth 

 seeing. We reproach ourselves for our own carelessness and negli- 

 gence, in omitting to take notice of so many interesting subjects : how 

 could we possibly pass by such or such design, without even stopping 

 to see what it was. And yet we should have served Barry's designs 

 just the same, had they been placed like many others which, as far as 



" How happens it that the series of " Lectures" by Mr. Pugin, so osten- 

 tatiously advertised several months ago, as being about to appear in the 

 Art-UMion, are not yet forthcoming? Did the editor find them much too 

 " Babijloman" to be made use of ; or did lie begin to cackle and reckon upon 

 his chickens before they were hatched ;' One or the other certainly seems 

 to be the case. 



