Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/200

 184 escape of gas from the gas pipes or mains, amounting to at least one-fifth of the issued daily quantity from the gasometers, is percolating through the soil, sealed down by the new asphalte roadway material, which pre- yents any upward ascendancy, and the natural result is, and will be, ** that the escaped volumes of gas from the main pipes will be forced down into the sewers, vid gullies, or will drive its way into cellars, stores, shops, &c., by a series of explosive actions, sooner or later,” unless remedies and preventives are adopted.—I am, &e., W. Austin, C.E. 106, Fenchurch-street, City, February 14. P.S.—In a future letter I hope to be enabled to show how ‘“‘ The Asphalte Eyils” can be remedied,— W. A. PLUMBING. Srr,—* Plumber's” explanation does not make the systems—described in the articles on * Plumbing,”’—of laying lead gutters any better; and no matter if exe- cuted in Dublin or Glasgow, it is practically bad, mere theory, which he sneersat, left entirely out of the ques- tion. That gutters would be better by far with deeper drips is evident to all, and I only mentioned 1}in. as the depth generally obtained in practice, as a greater depth would make the gutter—where it is formed on one side by slope of roof—too wide to be economical, and in my experience I haye never found a drip leak when properly constructed. IT contend that even against polished freestone work, or any other work, the neatest, soundest, most econo- mical, and best job is to step the flashing as I described in my last. That water isnot so likely to follow the chase is evident, and that the lead, not being tied the whole length, has a better opportunity of expanding and con- tracting, is also evident. ‘‘Plumber” must not think step flashing is only used to brickwork, or that the steps should equal the depth of the course of stone or brick. In reply to “ R. L.,” Ihave not the presumption to attempt the task, as I should require too much of your valuable space ; but if he will ask through your valu- able “‘ Intercommunication ” for an explanation of any of the processes, I will promise him an answer, and no doubt others will give him the benefit of their expe- rience.—I am, Xc., Dies Ga ake ANCIENT OAK FURNITURE. Srr,—I quite agree with your correspondent, Mr. M. B. Adams, in his remarks on the Oak Bench, Steyning, Sussex, accompanying his illustration in your last week’s number, that ‘it is worthy of a better place” than being stored away in the church tower. Sussex, I believe, boasts of an Archeological Society, but the chief use ofit seems to consist in occasionally going to look at antiquities and eating a good dinner. Sussex is rich in antiquities—no county is more so— and to this circumstance we must account the fact that familiarity breeds itscontempt for them, forno county in England treats its ancient treasures with more indif- ference and neglect than does Sussex—Hastings Castle to-wit. In Parker's Glossary is an excellent plate of an ancient Flamboyant oak chest, formerly in Guestling Church,Sussex. While travelling in that neighbourhood in 1865 I visited this church and asked to see this chest, when, to my surprise, I was told that it had been recently destroyed, and on making further inquiries I found that this was actually the fact, and the last panel of this beautifully-caryed chest was, like our friend in Steyning, ‘stored away in the tower,” where I saw it. I think it time that archeological societies should use their influence (if they haye any) to preserve these relics of the past, and thus show their practical neces- sity for existence, and not to become, what many are beginning, to suspect, mere sponging societies on those who will give thema good luncheon.—I am, &c., Feb. 26. W. F. Porrer. Oo ___ HOUSE PLANNING. Str,—It would much conduce to the interest felt in your competition for mansion and villa planning, if, in your award, a short notice of each plan were pub- lished, with comments, necessarily very short. For instance: “*X. Y. Z.—Plan compact, but hall appears insufficiently lighted, back stair inconvenient. Eleva- tion good, but chimneys awkwardly managed. Or “A. B. C.—A thoughtful plan, but kitchen accommo- dation inadequate.” It would be of advantage to each competitor thus to know in some measure why and where he has failed.—I am, &c., F. W. Lockwoop. Belfast, February 26. [We will endeavour to comply with this request.—Eb.] BUILDERS’ BOOK-KEEPING. Srr,—Have you in any of your back numbers ever given instructions in builders’ book-keeping. A chap- ter or two upon it in the BurnpinG News’ practical style would, I am sure, be very acceptable to many country builders.—I am, &e., H. Burron. 1, Herne-place, Herne-hill, S.E.. February 28. [We shall be very glad to receive a chapter or two on this subject from some who understand it,—Ep.] THE BUILDING NEWS. Marcu 1, 1872. Antercommunication, QUESTIONS. [2484.]—Tiles.—Perhaps some of your correspon- dents could suggest a remedy for the splitting and they seem quite impervious to wet,no sooner doesa frost take place than these tiles, when fixed on external walls, split and scale by hundreds. At Pisa and in other parts of Italy there are glazed earthenware basins which are said to date from the eleventh century, although the frost in winter is quite as severe there as here, There is another fault connected with these tiles that is, I hear, quite preventing their use—viz, that falldown. I would suggest that Messrs. Minton, Maw, and other makers of white tiles, should make some narrow projecting pieces of white, blue, and other S colours—dark gray or black, for instance NS and afford a lateral support to the tiles N YG every few feet in height, which might W remedy this terrible defect. I suggest WW that the form ofthese binding tiles should well for the makers to introduce a tile capping to prevent the wet getting at the back ; hitherto Ihave always used a slate capping.—G. Arrcnison. [2485.]—Professor Kerr’s Lectures at Glas- could inform me whether the lectures recently given at Glasgow by Professor Kerr have yet been published; and if so, where acopy of them could be obtained, as it would be to me, and no doubt to others, interesting architecture, were started by the learned Professor in a city which has as residents the Messrs. Thomson, and possibly some useful information may be acquired from his discourse on Gothic architecture.—W. W. kindly inform me, through these columns, where I can obtain a table for caleulating wages based on the short time of 564 hours per week, and corresponding with present state of wages for 60 hours—i.e., so much per —URANIA. (2487.]—Bronzing.—Will you allow me to ask “Experienced Workman,” or some other of your corre- spondents, a couple of questions? If I do bronzing in and if varnished, then the varnish spoils the bronze, Is there any plan of sizing or doing something to pre- serve the bronze ? Sometimes it is wanted to be done on ironwork, painted and flatted. How is gold-leaf injure the gold? Usually they cut around the letters. If varnished, is it not necessary to size the gold or do something to prevent the varnish from spoiling the gilding ?—Henry LEWELLIn, Newport, Mon. obliged if some one would kindly inform me of a work on slates, relating the history or introduction of them for roofing purposes in this country.—ANxtous. [2489./—Book on Weights of Wrought and book of tables giving the sizes and weights of wrought and cast iron in bars, pipes, and columns, &c. TI shall be glad if any of your subscribers can kindly aid me by giving me the author of the best book containing —A SUBSCRIBER. (2490./—The Pointed Style.—Is there any book which, for the purposes of the student, so comprehen- sively explains the principles of this style as Sir William there any meaning in the cusping of a Gothic arch—T mean has it any constructional necessity? Is a cusped arch stronger as such than one which is not cusped? and why ?—R. L. M. be glad to have the experience of any of your corres- pondents as to ‘‘ the improved self-acting turret valve and windguard—Canham’s patent—and the self-acting outlet ventilator, both advertised by T. Boyle & Co., [2492,]—Metal Covering forChurch Spires in Switzerland.—In Switzerland, and doubtless else- where, there has been used for the covering of church Spires, and the bulb-shaped tower-caps which I include metal sheathing which a guide is alleged to have called Kupper-blei. Y should be yery glad to know whether or not itis an alloy of copper and lead as that supposed name would imply. My doubt partly arises from which there may have been confusion ; yet the hue is, if memory serves, a blending of the tints of zine and untarnished copper ; not the green, which I suppose copper alone would haye assumed.—W. G. Ligurroor, sealing of Minton’s white porcelain tiles. Although and tiles built into the walls and towers of churches whole yards of them come away from the backing and —that could be pinned into the walls, be something of the fashion indicated. It might be gow.—l should be gladif your Glasgow correspondent to know what new theories, in respect of Grecian (2486.]—Wages Calculator.—Will any reader hour for 564 hours equals wages per week of 60 hours? the usual way, the bronze soon fades off,evenfif indoors ; varnished, say the letters on a signboard, so as not to (2488.]—Work on Slates.—I should feel greatly Cast Iron.—I am continually wanting to refer to a the tables referred to, and where such can be obtained. Chambers does the Classical style of the Ancients? Is [2491.]—Ventilator and Windguard.—I should London.—A. C. in the denomination spire, a somewhat glittering noticing the term Kupper -blech—copper sheathings, with Curator, Maidstone Museum. REPLIES. [2475.]—Gothie Hips.—The best mode of making watertight the hips on spires and roofs without lead or slate covers is to bed the slates in oil putty the colour of the slate, or to have lead flashings slated in with every slate, say six inches wide; and if the slates be sixteen inches long, have the flashings long enough to come to the skirt point of the hip.—J. STEERS. [2475.]—Gothie Hips.— Mathetes” will find the following a very good method: Fix a board (1ft. 4in. wide and a }in. less in thickness than the slate laths) on each side of the hip, then cover the boards with roofing felt. Cut the slates to the mitre, and bed them in oil mastic cement.—W. ErnBecn, Cleator. (2476.)—Measures of Lime.—* A. H.” will under- stand lime is sold at per ton. Lime is measured in the lump—16 heaped bushels 1 yard; when ground, it lies in smaller compass, and measures 14 bushels. The same with sand, 18 heaped bushels or 22 striked ditto.— BIRMINGHAM. (2477.]—Sun Blinds.—Sun blinds can be made to work in the boxing of cornice over window ona spring roller.— BIRMINGHAM. —_—__~ WATER SUPPLY AND SANITARY MATTER. HaLimcton.—The new reservoir at Hallington, which has been in progress since August, 1869, is now completed. Mr. Bateman was the engineer, an Mr. J. B. MeGuire the contractor. New Puan ror Dratrine with SEWAGE.— Another sewage prospectus appeared last week, the proposed capital being £120,000, in shares of £10. The title is the Sewage Disinfecting and Manure Company (Limited), and the proposal is to j purchase and work some English and foreign patents known as “ Hilles,” which are alleged to em- body ‘the most efficient and cheapest” known, For the English patent the consideration is to be £12,000 in cash, and one-third of all profits over ten per cent., and for the foreign patents one-third of any sums the company may obtain by the sale of them. Lonpon Warter.—Dr. Frankland, F.R.S., re- porting upon the quality of the water supplied to the metropolis during the present month, states that, notwithstanding a gradual improvement in the con- dition of the Thames since the end of January, the amelioration of the water from this source was not very conspicuous, while the water supplied by the New River and East London Companies was more impure than in January, that of the former of these two companies being more contaminated than it has been since February, 1869. The water supplied from the Thames, though still much polluted with organic matter, had been more efficiently filtered than it was in January; nevertheless, the water delivered by the Lambeth Company was turbid, and that delivered by the Chelsea, Southwark, and Grand Junction Companies was slightly turbid. The West Middlesex is the only company drawing its supply from the Thames, which has uniformly delivered clear and well-filtered water during the late floods. The water of the New River, East London, and Kent Companies was clear when drawn from the mains. Living and moving organisms were found in the waters of the Chelsea, Grand Junction, and Lambeth Companies. The deep-well water of the Kent Company again contained the smallest propor- tion of organic matter; taking the amount of this impurity ina given volume of the Kent Company's water as represented by 1, the proportional amount in an equal volume of water supplied this month by each of the other metropolitan companies was as follows :—New River 7:2, East London 9:0, South- wark 9:8, West Middlesex 9:9, Chelsea 10-6, Grand Junction 11-2, and Lambeth 11:3. ‘Tue SEWAGE Question AT LEEDS.—On Monday, at a meeting of the Leeds Town Council the Town Clerk read a report on the utilisation of sew- © age, which had been presented by a Sub-Committee of the Streets and Sewerage Committee. This docu- ment stated that the A BO system of works had been in operation since January 9. The Sub-Com- mittee had had the effluent water analysed, and on the assumption that the A B C process would render the effluent water so pure that it might “flow into the river Aire without causing a nuisance or becom- ing injurious to public health,” called the attention of the Committee to the immediate necessity of at once asking the Council forjthe requisite authority to proceed to the full completion of the scheme. £30,000 had been expended on the land and in the erection of works for the purpose of experimenting on 2,000,000 gallons of sewage per day. It was proposed, “That the Streets and Sewerage Com- mittee be authorised to take immediate steps to have all works necessary for the purpose of carrying out the purification of that part of the Leeds sewage under the control of the Corporation completed with as little delay as possible, and that the treasurer be authorised to pay such sums from time to time as the Committee may deem necessary for the purpose.” Anamendment was moved, “ That the Government Medical Board be requested to send an agent to Leeds to test our sewage water after leaving the tank of the A BC system, in order to ascertain if it is so far purified as to be admissible into the river, before the Council grants any sums of money to extend the sewage utilisation scheme.” Mr. Woodcock seconded the amendment. After some discussion, the amendment was defeated, and the original reso- lution adopted. : aa os