42 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[1852. 



Honour the Chief Justice ; Mr. Chief Justice Macauley, and Mr. 

 Justice McLean ; Sir Allan MacXab ; Colonel Allen ; The Hon. 

 W. Robinson; T. C. Street, Esq., M. P. P.; The Honourable H. 



Merritt; Colonel McDougal; Tliauburn, Esq.; Captain 



Munro; &c., &c., and others, amongst whom were Dr. McCaul, 

 President of the Toronto Univei-sity ; Captain Lefro)' ; W. Cayley, 

 Esq.; (fee, &c. After the inspection of the several designs 

 submitted, the Committee awarded the premium to W. Thomas, 

 Esq., Architect, of this City, for the best design; which is to be 

 forthwith carried into execution, under his superintendance. A 

 wood-engraving of which we insert. 



In the preparation of this design, the endeavour has been to 

 combine Architecture with Sculpture, so as to render it character- 

 istic and appropriate, avoiding plagiarism, but without affecting 

 that novelty of charactei', which woiiTil be injurious to the grandeur 

 of the composition. 



The Column, which is of the Roman Composite Order, with 

 its Pedestal, stands on a platform, or sub-basement, of an elevation 

 of 27 feet, at the angles of which are lions rampant, supporting 

 shields witlr the armorial bearings of the Hero. It will be seen 

 that the sub-basement is distinguished by plainness of character 

 and great solidity, being 38'.0" square at its base, having on one 

 of its sides a plain polished granite slab, with a suitable inscription 

 to the memory of the departed Hero, in lettei-s of bronze. The 

 Bub-basement is placed on a platform slightly elevated, within a 

 dwaif wall enclosure 7T.0" square, with a fosse around the 

 interior; at each angle are placed military trophies in carved 

 stone 20'.0" in height. It is proposed that the entrance to the 

 enclosure, and doorway to the interior of the Monument, shall be 

 on the south side, giving access to a gallery, or corridor, 120 feet 

 in extent, round the inner pedestal, by 6 feet 6 inches wide ; on 

 the east and west sides of which, in suitable vaults under the 

 floor, will be deposited the remains of General Brock, and those 

 of his Aid-de-Camp, McDonnell. The gallery is lighted by 

 circular wreathed openings. The bold rocky scenery of the 

 Queenston Heights which surrounds the site of this proposed 

 Monument, and the space immediately adjoining, together with 

 the close masses of dense foliage in picturesque clumps, as seen 

 in connection with it, induced the Architect, from repeated 

 observations, so to elevate the column and pedestals, as not to 

 have the general effect deteriorated by these objects, however 

 beautiful they are, as taken separately. The pedestal to the 

 column is 16'.9" sipiare and 38'.0" in height, the die having on 

 its enriched pannelled sides ajipi'opriato ba'^so relievos. The 

 plinth of the Order, as a blocking coui-se to the pedestal, is 

 enriched with lions' heads and wreaths, continued round each 

 side, with wreathed openings between each, to give light to the 

 interior. The column itself is 95 feet in height and 10 feet in 

 diameter, fluted, and having an enriche:! b.ase of laural leaves 

 entwined on the lower torus; tlie base of the shaft is enriched 

 with palm leaves, upon which the flutes terminate. The capital 

 of the column, wliit-ii is very beautiful, and particularly appropriate, 

 is 12'.(>" in height; on each face will be sculptured a figure of 

 Victory lO'.G" in height, with extended arms over military 

 shield?', as volutes, having on their outward angles lions' heads, 

 helmets, &C., the spjices between the acanthus being wreathed 

 with palm leaves, somewhat after the example of a capital of an 

 anticjue column at Albano, near Rome. The enriched abacus is 

 15'.0" square, in the angles, of which will be formed spaces for 

 j)ersons to stand ouUide to view tlie surro\uiding scenery, to avoid 

 the imsightiy appearance of iron railings. Upon the abacus 

 stands the cippus, supporting the SUitue, w hiih is to be of cast 

 iron, galvanized, having within a chamber CO" diameter, for 

 persons to stand in to view the magnificent scenery and interesting 

 obje ts wliicii the grandeur of tlie situation aftbrds. Upon the 

 cippus is raised a Statue of the Hero, proposed to be executed in 



stone, 16 feet high, in proper military costume. From the 

 gallery in the sub-basement is continued to the summit a staircase 

 of stone, of capacious breadth, of 250 steps, worked with a solid stone 

 newel, the entire height lighted by small loop-holes in the fluting 

 of the column. The whole height of the Monument, including 

 the Statue, is 185 feet, to be executed wholly in Queenston stone; 

 but it may be required to select a stone of finer quality for the 

 basso relievos. The comparative heights of some of the principal 

 monuments of the kind, ancient and modern, are as follow : — 



Pompev's Pillar - . . • 



Tr..jaii'"s Pillar 



Antonio Column - - - - 



Miinument on Fish Street Hill - 



York Column • - . . 



Napoleon Column, Paris - 



July Column, Paris ... 



Alcxaruler Column. St. Petersburgh 



Mehille Column, Eilinburgli 



Nflson Column, Dul.lin - 



Nelson Column, Yarmouth - 



Entire hcighL 

 . 911.0 



• 11.5.0 



- 12.3.0 

 202.0 



- 137.0 



• 132.0 

 . l.-iCO 



■ 175.6 



- ir.2.7 



• 134.0 



- 140.0 



Nelson Column, London, from the level of Ihe 



pavement in Trafalgar Square - - 171.0 



Thus, then, there is only one column, either ancient or modem, 

 in Europe, that exceeds the entire height of the pi'opo^ed Brock 

 Monument, which is that erected in London by Sir Christopher 

 Wren, in commemoration of the great fii'e in 1666. 



His Royal Highness Prince Albert has honoured the distin- 

 guished Director of the Geological Survey, W. E. Logan, Esq, 

 F.iLS., with an autograph letter, (accompanying a beautiful 

 bronze Medal,) acknowledging the valuable services rendered by 

 that gentleman to the Exhibition of Industry of all nations. We 

 have much pleasure and pride in congratulating the President of 

 the Canadian Institute upon this marked acknowledgment of his 

 zeal and energy in so greatly adding to the interest and import- 

 ance of the Canadian Department of the late Great Exhibition. 

 Subjoined is a copy of the letter : — 



Sir, — I have the honour, as President of the Royal Commis- 

 sion for the Exhibition of 1851, to transmit to 3'ou a medal 

 that has been struck by order of the Commissioners, in commem- 

 oration of the valuable services which you have rendered to tho 

 Exhibition, in common with so many eminent men of all coun- 

 tries, in your capacity of juror. In requesting youi' acceptance 

 of this slight token on our parts of the sense entertained by us of 

 the benefit wliich has resulted to the interests of the Exhibition 

 from your haxing undertaken that laborious oflice, and from tho 

 zeal and ability displayed by you in connexion with it, it aftbrds me 

 much pleasure to avail myself of tliis o]iportunity of conveying 

 to you this expression of my cordial thanks for the assistance 

 which you have gi\en us in carrying this great undertaking to a 

 successful issue. I have the honour to be, very respectfully youn^ 



ALBERT. 



W. F. Logan, Esq., F.R.S. 



Notes and Queries. 



1. What is tho most northern and what is the most eastern 

 township in Western Canada, in which the Cactus is found ? 



2. What are tho limits of the Black Walnut (Jiiglans nigra) 

 and Sweet or Spanish Chesnut, (Castanca vesca)? 



3. What is the botanic name of the tree which furnishes the 

 White Wood of Western Canada, and in w hat district is it found I 



