Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/345

 a 1872. TO CORRESPONDENTS. {We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our correspondents. The Editor respectfully requests that all communications should be drawn up as briefly as possible, as there are many claimants upon the space allotted to correspondence.) To Our READERS.—We shall feel obliged to any of our readers who will favour us with brief notes of works con- templated or in progress in the provinces. Letters relating to advertisements and the ordinary business of the Paper should be addressed to the EDITOR, 31, TAVISTOCK-STREET, COVENT-GARDEN, W.C. Advertisements for the current week must reach the office not later than 5 p.m. on Thursday. TO AMERICAN SUBSCRIBERS. In answer to numerous inquiries, the Publisher begs to state that subscribers in the United States can be supplied with the BurLDING News, post free from this Office, for the sum of 17s, 4d. (4 dols, 16c., gold) per annum, payable in advance, 1=* The remittance should. in all cases, be made hy International Post-office Order. Reortvev.—H. H. T.—E. W. H.—E. L—W. & B.—J. G.— W.F.&R.B—G. & J. F.—W. T. & Sons.—K. F. C.— J.&E.G—C. A. W.—G. S.—An Inguirer.—J. F. T.— C. B. AN. C. & Co.—W. H. L. T. W. B. (York.)—For answer to part of your question, see BumLDING NEWS for March 8 last, page 203, third column. We don't know the price. Anm™o et Frpo.—All the drawings that came to hand were submitted to the referees. Rep STar.—Your letter next week. Every & NEWMAN.—The drawings came to hand all right, but we cannot specify the time when they will appear. Op Suspscriper.—E. & F. N. Spon, Charing-cross, are the publishers of Mr. B. Fletcher's work on “ Dilapida- tions.” W. L.—We shall give some. as a matter of course. Fairn, Horr, AND CHArity.—Your letter is both untrue and impertinent—two very good reasons why you should skulk behind the anonymous. 8 S. L.—Apparatus received. 8. D. W.—Photo. received and returned. E. A. O.—Please send sketch. S. J. NewMAN.—The Blackburn Free Library drawing to hand,

Correspondence, —_@——_. STONE AND ITS SELECTION. To the Editor of the Burrpinc News. Srr,—As one of the prejudiced and misguided body of men that Mr. Trickett mentions in his letter on the above subject, I must object to some of the doctrines he attempts to teach. 1. That a mason can tell the quality of a stone blindfolded as well as another workman can with the full use of his eyes. (This must be very dis- couraging to the young men that read your journal, after investing in a microscope—as advised by another practical man, Mr. Weddle.) This is part and parcel of the doctrine attempted to be taught by (as I thought) snuffed out by your talented contri- butor ‘‘G. H. G.” at the time. Mr. Trickett must know that if he had selected three kinds of stone of equal hardress, the blind- folded mason, with mallet and chisel, would have been equally puzzled within himself as to the quality of the three stones. Stone merchants and timber merchants are too busy with sales, prices, debts, variations in the market, goods in demand, de- murrage, freights, &e., to become good judges of the lasting qualities of stone or timber ; and foremen, masons, builders, and the misguided class it seems the fashion to sneer at, are constantly examining stone during all the processes of quarrying, con- yerting, and working, and surely have more oppor- tunity than the mere seller to become judges. The working mason only examines thestone he is working at, the foreman and clerk of works some hundreds, perhaps, in a day. But to return to stone and its selection :-—Try the mallet and chisel, to test hard- ness; look at the fracture-end grain of stone, for quality ; make yourself acquainted with the for- mation, and with good use of your eyes you will become a judge, even if not a mason. A word to architects: Do not specify one kind of stone if you require alarge quantity. One quarry will seldom stand the extra strain put on it, and both clerks of works and builders are apt to use doubtful stone rather than delay the work. Select at the quarry and at the building, if the work is important enough to pay for it (this would require another clerk of works). In using a strange stone, send down the clerk of works that is to THE BUILDING NEWS. commencing; if be isa man of any tact or judg- ment you will not regret the expense. Ina large building, as the proposed Law Courts, it will bea great mistake to use one kind of stone. Any one that knows the tenure on which quarries are held must know that sufficient capital would not be inthe hands of one quarry master to work on such a scale, especially as so much waste and inferior stone would be left on his hands. Portions, either entire blocks of the building, or strings or cornices, eould be used of different kinds of stone, with advantage, and colour could be introduced in that way. The quantity of good stone in this country as yet untried is very great, and in conclusion I should be glad if stone merchants would describe their quality instead of leading us astray, as they often attempt to do.—I am, &e., CLERK OF WORKS. YORK STAIRS. Srr,—This celebrated water-gate has, by the late alterations, been treated in a most ignoble and unworthy manner. At present it looks ridiculous, but at slight expense might be made an attractive object and of use. I propose simply to raise it to the level of Buckingham-street, and make it serve as an entrance for foot passengers therefrom, having a flight of steps into the gardens. ‘There could be side flights from the street to the sunk walk, which walk might pass under the platform connecting the gate with the street. The gate could be raised and set in its proper position without taking it to pieces. —I an, &c., P. BE. Me GRANITE. Srr,—I observe a statement in Mr. Trickett’s letter that “some granites” perish. In writing about the durability of materials it is important to use correct terms. Granite is imperishable, both in its “native air,” as Mr. Cross expresses, and in the air of the metropolis. The material alluded to is, no doubt, that which is sometimes called, by way of distinction, a soda-bearing granite, but is not granite as under- stood by the geologists. True granite is everlast- ing.—I am, &e., H. Travis. THE VILLA COMPETITION. S1r,—By the report of umpires it would seem that even the best of the designs submitted in your most interesting competition is not without fault. This, in the work of young men, is not so re- markable, considering the glaring errors exhibited in the productions of their elders. Planning does not certainly receive proper attention. Considerable good may result, I think, sir, from your drawing attention to the subject. I beg to suggest whether it would not be well in the designs to be published that the errors printed be submitted to the authors for correction before publishing, and whether the designs could not all be exhibited.—I um, &c., A WELL-WISHER. {It is our intention, and has been from the com- mencement, to publish all the plans selected as com- mended by the referees.—Eb. B, N.] THE VISIT OF THE ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION TO CROYDON. Si1r,—Tempted by the adyertisement in the Burnip- 1InG News, and by the fine weather of Saturday last, I was induced to visit Croydon, with the object of accompanying the members of the Architectural Asso- ciation in their survey of the recently restored church, and other buildings of interest in the locality, and thereon, sir, with your permission, I am desirous of making a few observations; not ina spirit of com- plaint do I make them, but with the hope that, for the future, what appeared to me to be defective arrange- ments may be avoided, and I would preface such remarks by expressing an opinion that it would be well if the framers of the advertisement defined more accurately their idea of ‘trains running at frequent intervals.” The interval of time between 2.20 and 3.10, would not be considered by most people ‘‘ frequent,” but such was the period that one or two gentlemen waited at Victoria Station for a train to Croydon. I am not a member of the Association, and can, therefore, look with an unprejudiced eye upon its action or want of action, the want of action in this instance being that no previous arrangements had been made with the keepers of the different places adver- tised to be visited. It seems scarcely credible that such should be the case—that a body of young gentle- men should be taken to Croydon on a professional visit, and that it should be almost a matter of specu- lation whether or not the object of that visit could be attained, but so it was. ‘hose members who had punc- tually arrived at the church at three o'clock waited some time before the suryey could be commenced, in consequence of church ceremonies going on inside ; the verger had not heard of the intended visit, and therefore could not inform the promoters of the neces- sary information to prevent delay. From the church the members proceeded to the remains of the old palace, the door of which was open, and they might have entered had they chosen, but superintend the job to the quarries a week before | afeeling of delicacy prompted Mr. Paice to inquire of the 25 @2 Aprit 19, owner whether such entrance would be agreeable, and much to the chagrin of the eager assembly admission was denied; a yery annoying loss of time was the result of this, and it arose from the fact that no pre- yious intimation of the intended visit had been made. The members, after this disappointment, proceeded to the Whitgift Almshouses, and only in consequence of the activity of Mr. Quilter in preparing for the visit were they enabled to at once view the interesting apartments. When the survey here had been completed the members dispersed, some in one direction, some in another, all with indefinite notions as to what should be the next move. Now, sir, from what I observed on Saturday I think that there can be no doubt of the great value, both mentally and physically, of such visits to suburban places of interest, The advantages to be gained cannot well be over estimated, and it was gratifying to note the attention and interest that were paid to the different objects. Mr. Roger Smith would have been delighted with the avidity with which some of the members took to “ writing?’ and rapidly sketching trifles of interest. Such visits, however, can be but failures if the conduct of last Saturday is repeated, and the remedy is simple and obyious. What is requisite, and what must be done, is the establishment of a committee for the pur- pose of organising and arranging for the visits pre- viously to their being made. One of the members should be deputed to investigate thoroughly, and make himself master of the local points of interest—to act as an “ayant courrier "—so as to be able to conduct at once, and without loss of time, the members to those points, and the members should keep together as much as possible, and listen to what the appointed guide has to say ; this would prevent a repetition of an incident of last Saturday, when a few ascended the steps of the church tower and waited at the top for the keys to enable them to reach the roof outside. If the area is confined, the inspection should be made in sections; but, asfaras may be, the members should keep together. Perhaps some difficulty would be found in obtaining a qualified man to spenda day in so making himself acquainted with the points of interest in the proposed places of visit, bnt Iam sure that he would be amply recompensed by the knowledge that he had by his labours converted an afternoon of undecided proceed- ings into one of satisfactory and valuable method.— Lam, &c., Weave {According to the Architectural Association’s “brown book,” there is a sub-commiltee of six members appointed ‘‘for obtaining information and making the necessary arrangements” for the Saturday afternoon yisits.—Ep. B. N.] “DECENCY” AND THE VICTORIA EMBANKMENT. Srr,—Descending the steps leading from Waterloo Bridge on to the Victoria Embankment two conspicu- ous notices inform you that ‘“‘decency forbids.” The only present meaning they convey to my mind is that all decent-minded people are warned not to venture on the Embankment. Pass westward under the arch of the bridge and you will find that “ decency ” does not forbid something else, and that it would be well if a policeman occasionally did. ‘The corners between the piers of the bridge and the adjacent stonework are regularly used for a purpose which may be more easily imagined when it is said that the whole width of the pavement bears traces of it evident to more than one of the senses. Haye those of your readers who have visited the en- closure immediately beyond the bridge, and whose at- tention has not been altogether absorbed by the recent frantic attempts to induce the grass to grow, noticed the condition of the iron standards that support the wire fencing of the pathways? They were put up last August, and deserve by this time at least one coat of the paint so lavishly bestowed (and advertised) on the clumsy outer railing. At present you may detach thick coats of rust from nearly every one of them with your thumb-nail.—I am, &e., April 18. KKArPa. ——»>—__<_ CHIPS. Mr. Baylis, the Borough Engineer of Bolton, is seriously ill. On Monday last a new line of tramway from Vaux- hall Bridge, via the Oval, Kennington, to Camber- well, was opened for public traftic. The cars run on a single line of metals for that portion of the route which is in Camberwell New-road, and the fare is 2d. A continuation of this tramway over Vauxhall Bridge to Pimlico isin course of construction. Important alterations are about to be made at the Brighton Cavalry Bar s. Mr. Alfred Matthews, of Doy has taken a contract to build officers’ quart including a messroom, on the site of the old forage stores, midway between the two principal quarters for the troops. The Archeological Congress of France will hold its session of 1872 at Vendome (Loir-et-Cher). At the meeting of the London School Board, on Wednesday, it was announced that a piece of land had been purchased on the Thames Embankment near the Temple Station, for the erection of a proper building for the offices of the Board. It is stated that a son of Sir Charles Adderley will receive an appointment as inspector under the Local Government Board.
 * Stonemason” in your pages some time since, and