268 CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



2. The peculiar advantages of this floor compared with the kind,? the battens of 

 which rest directly over the asphalte, cannot be over estimated. 



In fact, the last one being composed of battens fitted only in the asphalte, its 

 surface is verj rough for walking, and presents many inequalities to retain the 

 wet, especially when any weight is placed in circulation upon it, as the battens 

 are often driven out. But with the improvement now described all these objec- 

 tions are removed, and as the battens are ploughed, tongued and nailed on the joists, 

 they cannot fail to produce a compact and solid floor. Also, the distance between 

 the asphalte and the floor being less than half an inch, there is a certain degree of 

 elasticity, and this is sufficient for the ventilation of the floor, but too narrow for 

 the passage of mice or rats. 



By putting sand in this empty space, the passage of the sound (in the case of 

 an upper floor) will be effectually arrested. 



This improvement offers, also, the advantage of avoiding the use of masonry 

 work for fitting the joists, which, in that case increases considerably the height of 

 the floor ; and thus the cost is considerably diminished. For the joists being all 

 along well fitted in an asphaltic bath, it is then advisable to diminish their thick- 

 ness and that of the floor. 



Further, if we desire to secure complete dryness for the first story or the cellar, 

 we have only to re-cover all over the inner walls with a combination of wood and 

 asphalte, similar to the improved floor already described, which forms a water- 

 proof stratum. 



CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



Session— 1857-58. 



SIXTH ORDINARY MEETING — SOth January, 1858. 



The Hon. Chief Justice Draper, G.B., President, in the Chair. 



I. The following Gentlemen were elected Members : 



Arthur Harvey, Esq., Hamilton. 



; Arthur R. Sowdon, Esq., Toronto. 



William Hay, Esq,, Architect, Toronto. 

 ; "yj^ A. C. Messer, Esq., Civil Engineer, Toronto. 



Chilion Jones, Esq., Civil Engineer, Toronto. 

 Charles J. Carroll, Esq., Toronto. 

 William Davidson, Esq., Berlin. 

 Joseph Bouchette, Esq., Dep'y Surv. Gen., Toronto. 



II. The follotomg Donations to the Library were announced, and the thanks of the 



Institute voted to the donors: 

 From Messrs. Crosby, Nichols & Co., FubUshers, Boston. 

 Mabel Vaughen. 

 American Almanac, 1858. 



III. The following Papers were read : 



Li^BylThomas Hector, C. E. : 

 "Scale for computing areas of irregular figures." 



