310 EEPOET— 1889. 



above the cellar, and a hei'glit of 8'5 metres. If a third story existed it; 

 was to be destroyed. 



Other suggestions were made respecting the thickness of walls, 

 which were to be thicker than those ordinarily used, and their thickness 

 was to vary with the material employed and the height of the structure. 



In Manila masonry walls of ordinary dwellings only reach the first 

 story, the upper story being of timber. The walls for jjublic buildings, 

 however, may be higher. The length of a wall shoiild not exceed twice 

 its height unless it is supported by a buttress. Buttresses might be 

 used at intervals not srreater than twice the height of a wall. Its thick- 

 ness must be one-fifth of its height. Outside walls, transverse walls, and 

 buttresses must be well united, while the corners of buildings should be 

 supported by internal or external buttresses. 



It wonld appear that the system of building with an upper story of 

 wood resting on and not built into the supporting wall, and a light roof, 

 ought to do much towards insuring the stability of a building. A plan 

 by which the weight of ordinary masonry may be reduced is to use 

 hollow bricks. 



In Manila the regulations specify that upper walls must not rest on a 

 floor. 



9. Balconies and Cornices. 



In Ischia it was suggested that balconies should not pi'oject more 

 than '60 metre beyond the wall, and should be so constructed that they 

 formed a part of the wall. 



The regulations provide that cornices should not project more than 

 •30 metre beyond a wall. 



The Ligurian regulations provide that cornices shall not project 

 beyond the thickness of the wall to which they are attached. Roofs 

 may not rest on cornices. Stone consols must run through the wall to 

 which they are attached. In Manila the regulations require that the 

 balconies rest in the prolongation of timbers of the upper floor. Other- 

 wise a apecial form of construction is required. 



From what I saw of the balconies or upper verandahs when in Manila, 

 it appeared that many of them were without support on their outer sides. 

 In such instances they act as loaded cantilevers, which, either for hori- 

 zontal or vertical motions of the building, must cause considerable stress 

 at their points of junction with the supporting wall. A careful exami- 

 nation of several hundreds of brick houses in Tokio showed that the 

 walls were usually cracked at the points where they were entered by the 

 beams supporting a balcony, notwithstanding the fact that the same 

 balconies were supported along their outer face by vertical pillars rising 

 from the ground. My own opinion is that balconies in any form are 

 objectionable features in a building constructed to withstand earthquakes. 



10. Shape and Orientation of Buildings. 



In Liguria and Ischia the regulations provide that a building shall be 

 rectangular in plan, and as nearly as possible square. Churches should 

 be small and of the basiHc lorm, with three naves, and iron columns be- 

 tween the naves. TheNorcian regulations also recommend a square form. 



In Ischia it was suggested that buildings be placed so that the 

 direction of the principal motion they were likely to receive was alone the 



