Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/314

 296 THE BUILDING NEWS. Aprit 12, 1872. SS ee eee — ee matters of business they required, in addition to an urbanity and courtesy of manner, something of a lawyer's training. He had great pleasure in pro- posing a vote of thanks to Mr. Roger Smith for his interesting paper. Mr. Tuomas BLAsHILt, in seconding the motion, said he had occasion, some time since, to give special attention to some of the subjects treated of by Mr. Smith, and one of the conclusions at which he arrived was that, with regard to the periodical literature of the profession, tosay nothing of books, there was a great deal too much of it; by that he meant that the descriptions of buildings and other works which ap- peared werea great dealtoo long to be read by those who had little time to devote to reading. And he had suggested that by a more general use of wood- cuts illustrative of the details of a building, much space would be saved in the letter-press, while a much clearer idea of the work would be conveyed than by any amount of words. Again, it was often the case that the writers in the professional periodicals took up and treated of subjects very exhaustively and correctly, but went only so far with them as many of their readers could go. The reason of that was, he believed, that the really practical men who could extend the general knowledge of the profession on particular subjects were too much occupied, or were not adepts in using the pen. In conclusion, Mr. Blashill strongly deprecated the habit, which he said was too prevalent amongst writers on architec- tural subjects, of quarrelling in print. If such writers would say what they had to say upon a sub- ject without importing irrelevant personalities into the matter, it would be a great deal better for their readers. Mr. G. R. RepGrAve, in supporting the proposi- tion, endorsed all that Mr. Smith had said as io the beneficial influence of occasionally devoting time and attention to the preparation of an essay or paper for the press, especially if the subject waa one that had been comparatively neglected, as the conscientious writer must thoroughly study the subject upon which he ventured to write. He rather thought that if the custom (so general on the Con- tinent) of appending the signatures of the authors to their articles was adopted, the value of the profes- sional press would be greatly enhanced. As to Mr. Blashill’s complaint that sometimes writers only went as far as many of their readers could go with them, he thought it a very good plan for a writer, in commencing an article or a series of articles on any given subject, to state at the commencement what he was going to do, and how he was going to do it, and, then, if such a programme comprised nothing new to the reader, he could “skip” it. Mr. S. F. Crarxson said it should be remem- bered that there were various classes of readers even of a professional journal, and that being so, it was unreasonable to expect that all the matter contained therein should be suited to only one class of persons. Those who subscribed to such journals were under no compulsion to read everything published in them ; let each reader take what suited him best. Of course the professional journals in some degree resembled the daily press, in that they were of a more ephemeral character than books; and an old velume of a professional journal was chiefly interest- ing as ‘embodying a portion of professional history, just as an old file of the Times contained a portion of our national history. The old maxim that a writer should keep in front of his readers, but not out of their sight, was true, but it was only a limited statement of a truth. With reference to architectural literature generally, he thought there had been of late years a great falling off in the quality and value of the illustrations. Works equal in this respect to those by the elder Pugin, Mr. Edmund Sharpe, and other illustrators of books, were rarely published now. The practice of publish- ing detached specimens, although admirable so far as it went, had a tendency, in his opinion, to burden rather than enrich architectural literature. He cor- dially supported the motion. The CHAIRMAN, in putting the proposition to the meeting, said he heartily endorsed all that Mr. Smith had said about specifications. They should either be full and minute, giving all measurements and scantlings, or they should be general, but com- prehensive, with all dimensions figured on the plans. Mr. Rocer Smrru haying acknowledged the com- pliment, the meeting terminated. ——— It is intended shortly to carry out certain im- provements at Southwark-bridge, with the object of rendering it more suitable for traffic. The arches of the bridge are to be lowered, and the gradients of the approaches lessened. The cost of the works will not be less, on a rough calculation, than £100,000. cating what to avoid. NORTH WALK OF CLOISTERS, WESTMINSTER ABBEY. HERE are few Medieval remains that pre- sent a better opportunity for study than the cloisters of our own Westminster Abbey. Ther cannot be too frequently visited by students in London, who are often tempted abroad and to over- look the beauties which are within easy reach. It we choose a bright sunny day when the streets are unbearable, and take up our position in the north-east angle of the cloister, if we wait a little until the eye has become used to the subdued light, we shall be rewarded for our pains, for we are look- ing upon some work of the purest and most spirited period—much mutilated, it is true, but retaining still its native vigour. Mr. Scott has given us such a good account of the archeology of these cloisters that it is unnecessary to refer to the different periods of Gothic architecture which they so fully represent. Our view shows the junction between the acutely- pointed vaulting and that of a later date, the diffe- rence in height giving an opportunity for some sur- face tracery of pleasing design. An iron fence or grille has been put up in the north-east angle of these cloisters, which jars sadly with the harmony of the perspective, though it may be useful to pro- tect the work. Our sketch was taken before it was put up. We have much to learn on our own soil before rushing to the Continent or even “strange Japan.” True art must be the expression of the national mind, and harmonise with its surroundings. It cannot flourish when merely transplanted, though it may be improved to an unlimited extent by culture. W. H. L. ———————— CIVIL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS’ SOCIETY. O* Saturday last the members of this Society and their friends, to the number of about forty, paid a visit, by permission of the directors, to the works of the Native Guano Company, which are situated within the grounds of the Crossness Pumping Station of the Southern Main Drainage System. The system of sewage conversion about to be tried is that known as the ‘A. B. C.” process, and will soon be in full operation, it having already been ex- perimentally tried here on a small scale. The whole of the modus operandi was fully explained to the members, and some samples of sewage were treated for their information; after fully inspecting all the works, they were shown some samples of dried sewage, which, when ground, is sold as manure (Native Guano), and was said to be much sought after by the farmers who have once tried it. The members then, by permission of Mr. Bazalgette, visited the engine-house and works of the Cross- ness Pumping Station, where the four immense engines required to pump the sewage up into the reservoirs were minutely examined and explained to them; these engines caused much interest on account of their great size and power. Two are continually kept working, each making six strokes per minute, and pumping 2,000 gallons at each stroke. The other two are kept as reserve engines, in case of a storm occurring in the London district, in which case the united power of all four engines, pumping 48,000 gallons per minute, is not more than sufficient to keep under the storm-water pouring down. ——_—_>———- KEW GARDENS. N point of design, Kew Gardens (says a writer in the Garden) are chiefly remarkable for indi- Let it not be supposed, how- ever, that Kew has anything like a monopoly of bad design; there are many botanic gardens worse laid out than it, notably the Paris Gardens; but in the case of Kew the fault is perhaps the more glaring, as the great size of the place has not made necessary that overcrowding which is unavoidable in the numerous small botanic gardens scattered over Europe. A notion prevails that good design is not easily secured in a botanic garden, and some- times that it is not desirable. No idea can be more erroneous, or more fraught with danger to public gardens. Any one who knows the private plant collections of the United Kingdom is well aware that the finest and fullest collection is often also the the most beautifully and effectively arranged. Take the case of alpine, plants and filmy ferns, for example: everybody knows that the finest collections of these are not only among the best arranged, but are disposed in an entirely novel and exquisitely- beautiful manner; the fact is, that when the true and natural mode of arrangement is applied, the nobler the collection the higher the wsthetic effects will prove, provided always there is space on which to display them. But no really good effects are possible in our botanic gardens so long as the system of ignoring the necessity of breadth, and of dotting about trees and shrubs prevails, as if the object was to prevent the free sweep of the poacher’s net. The objects preserved in a botanic garden are in them- selves so beautiful and interesting that, to numbers of persons, the necessity for a radical change in their arrangement does not present itself. No language which we can employ can describe the enormous difference between a vast national botanical garden, so arranged that the various types of vegetation pre- served therein would be seen to the greatest advan- tage, and one disposed in the ordinary manner. ————— ees MODERN CHURCH ARCHITECTURE. T the annual meeting of the Diocesan Church Building Society at Preston, on Saturday, the Bishop of Manchester gave a few useful hints on the subject of church architec- ture. After urging the necessity of increasing activity on the part of the Society in church building, and through the means of mission-rooms and other agencies of filling churches with devout congregations when they were built, the Bishop ex- pressed a hope that the Society would see to it that the new churches which were being built should be ‘* substantial” churches: He had been rather alarmed at the unsubstantial character of some of these new churches. A friend had told him that there was hardly a new church in Manchester that would live for fifty years. He (the Bishop) hoped that that was an exaggerated way of putting the case, but there was a foundation of truth in the saying. He observed that roo itimbers sometimes were slender, and in some instances churches which had been built only two ‘or three years ago were giving way in the roof. Everybody knew that a cheap article proved often the dearest article in the end. If they would forego in the building of churches the use of frittering ornament, which was often an excuse for veiling an architect's inability to comprehend the laws of architectural proportion, and be content with solid substantial outlines with good proportions, the result would be more satisfactory. Another point the Bishop urged was that they should measure their churches, not by the sittings, but by the kneelers. In many churches the pews were so inconvenient that kneeling in them was extremely uncomfort- able; indeed, in many pews there was no provi- sion for kneelers, and no effort was made to induce the congregation to relinquish the sitting position they were in the habit of maintaining. Probably the Bishop knows full well, though he did not say so, that owing to the extreme length to which sermons occasionally run congregations are apt to fall fast asleep, and but for want of room would probably adopt a reclining posture. This is unquestionably wrong, but it cannot be denied there are faults on both sides. The clergyman has no more right to preach at unseemly length in the pulpit than the congregation to lie at full length in their pews. —__>_—_ BUILDING IN CONCRETE. M* TALL'S persevering and continued efforts 4Y-L jin furtherance of the more general adoption of conerete as a building material are known to most of our readers. A company, consisting, we believe, almost, if not quite, entirely of former clients, who are well satisfied with his apparatus, has been formed for its manufacture, and the pro- motion of building in concrete generally. Extensive premises have been erected in Lawson-street, Great Dover-street, and opportunity has been taken to ex- hibit in their construction the advantageous adop- tion of concrete in various ways. The factory itseli—150ft. by 50ft. by 40ft. in height—is erected. in concrete, and in the arched concrete boiler-house underground is a tank of the same material, holding 15,000 gallons of water. The walls and floors of offices and stores are also all concrete; a circular staircase is similarly built, and the whole of the machinery, together with the furnace, &c., are set in bed and foundations of concrete. Every opportu- nity is thus afforded to the visitor of witnessing the capabilities of the material under all varieties of cir- cumstances. The company have secured Mr, Tall’s services as manager, and are at the present time engaged as busily as possible in manufacturing the “ Patent Universal Building Apparatus,” and in the construction of numerous and extensive buildings in London and the country—amongst others, some industrial dwellings for the Peabody trustees. ee New schools in connection with the Church of S. Lawrence, York, have been erected. Mr. New- stead, of York, was the architect. ‘