Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/40

 THE BUILDING NEWS. dan. 5, 1872.9 WATER SUPPLY AND SANITARY MATTERS. Weymoutu.—The Weymouth Local Board have adopted a drainage scheme prepared by Mr. Coode, civil engineer, the estimated outlay for which is £28,000. The plan embraces a dam across the har- bour backwater, to keep the mud always submerged, and the collection of the sewage of the town at one place, whence it is to be pumped to a higher level, and utilised for irrigation on land a mile or more from Weymouth. Leicu, Essex.—The report of Mr. J. Harrison, Commissioner to the Local Government Board, who recently heldan inquiry at Leigh as to the sanitary condition of the place, advised the carrying out of a thorough and systematic drainage scheme. ‘The local authorities have, in consequence, applied to engineers, but have not yet been advised as to a practicable economical plan. All the suggestions yet received are considered by the local authorities too expensive. Impure Water ry SoutuH Lonpon.—At the last meeting of the Newington Vestry, the General Pur- poses Committee recommended that the following extract from Dr. Ilifi's report to the Vestry on the Ist ult.—viz., “If the statement of the Registrar- General’s chemical analyst of the water supplied by the Lambeth and Southwark and Vauxhall Water Companies be correct, surely Government should use prompt and decided action in the matter; the report runs thus: ‘The water delivered by these companies was so polluted by dissolved organic im- purities as to render it undesirable for human con- sumption.’ I cannot but feel there is need of some independent examination of the water, some scien- tific board to be called upon for a twelvemonth to give an impartial account; when such terms as ‘ pre- vious sewage contamination,’ and now, ‘ excremental pollution’ are used, the matter assumes a very serious aspect”—be embodied in a memorial to the Home Secretary. On the motion of Dr. Cortis, the reso- lution was adopted. THETFORD.—A special correspondent of the Times gives the following account concerning Thetford :—* The subject of the drainage and water supply of this town is creating an interest closcly bordering on alarm. Private inquiries in connec- tion with our present water supply from wells and pumps disclose a most deplorable state of things. The well waters, in nine cases out of ten, are shown to be fearfully contaminated with animal and vegetable sewage. Most of the cesspools are drains in close contiguity to the wells, and they are in many cases proved to be connected by means of sandfalls and other apertures which allow the unfiltered drainage to pour into them in a stream, so that after a moderate fall of rain the water drawn from these wells becomes as ‘thick as a puddle,’ as the oceupiers of the houses so situated describe it. From 80 to 90 per cent. of the wells are believed to be so situated and connected with drains or “dead wells.” Consequently, these dead wells seldom or neyer require to be emptied, as the greater part of the liquid sewage percolates the soil and empties itself into the adjoining well, the water of which is, when possible, used for domestic purposes. That whichis true concerning Thetford is not less true concerning a large number of towns and villages throughout the country. Typhoid fever, it is known, is essentially the fever of the country as typhus is that of great cities. It attacks every year in this country about 100,000 people, of whom it kills from 20.000 to 25,000. They for the most part absorb the poison by drinking water polluted with sewage.” ee STATUES, MEMORIALS, &c. Tur Late Sir Joun Herscuryi.—aA black marble slab, bearing a memorial inscription in brass cha- racters, has just been placed over the grave of the Jate Sir John Herschel, in the north aisle of the naye of Westminster Abbey. Tur Lare ArcunisHop Loncrey.— A very beautiful memorial of Archbishop Longley has just been placed by his family in Addington Church, in the churchyard of which the Archbishop lies buried. The groundwork of the memorial consists of an oblong piece of highly-polisbed Derby alabaster, 2ft. high by 18in. broad. In this block are two metal insertions. Tirst, a quatrefoil of bronze gilt, representing in high relief our Lord’s charge to S. Peter. The style of this bronze is that of the earlier of the gates of the Baptistery at Florence, executed by Andrea Pisano. ‘lhis bronze is set in a band of foliage, carved in the alabaster, and following rm of the quatrefoil. The practice which ailed almost universally in the Middle Ages of gilding small bronzes has been followed in this in- stance. Below the quatrefoil is inserted a flat, oblong brass plate, bearing in the corners the several arms, enamelled in colours, borne by the Archbishop during his tenure of the four sees of Ripon, Durham, York, and Canterbury. In the centre of the plate is the inseription. The memorial has been executed by Mr. Nicholls, sculptor, of Hercules-buildings, Lambeth, from the designs of W. Burges, Esq. The inscription-plate and enamelled work are by Messrs. Hart, Son, Peard, & Co., of Brook-strect. ~ MonvuMENT To Bisnop LonspaLe.—On Friday last the monument designed by Mr. G. Gilbert Scott, and erected in Lichfield Cathedral to the memory of Bishop Lonsdale, was unveiled. The shrine, which has three elevations and numerous pinnacles, and in style harmonises with the surrounding architecture, is a beautiful work of art. Under the canopy, which is supported by four marble pillars and four flying buttresses in yellow Mansfield stone, lies the effigy in alabaster of the bishop arrayed in full canonicals. On the base is the following in- scription:—* John Lonsdale, D.D., Bishop of Lich- field, born January 17, A.p. 1788, and deceased October 19, A.p. 1867. Erected by the diocese in memory of his eminent learning and piety, his un- wearied labours and paternal care during an episco- pate of twenty-four years.” Messrs. Farmer & Brindley, Westminster-road, London, earried out the work, with the exception of the figure, which was executed by Mr. Watts. The cost was £2,000. ee STAINED GLASS. Urton.—On Christmas Day a new stained-glass window was unveiled in the parish church. ‘This window has been executed by Messrs. Heaton, Butler, & Bayne, of London. It contains six sub- jects, three from the Old Testament and three from the New. Mapprincton.—A stained-glass window, by Lavers, Barraud, & Westlake, has recently been placed in the chancel of Maddington Church at the cost of Mr. J. F. Hutton, of Manchester, as a memorial to his wife. The subject is the Cruci- fixion, the centre-light representing our Saviour on the cross, the other lights being deyoted to repre- sentations of the Blessed Virgin and 8. John. Gwe Oftee Cuile. —— ARCHITECTURAL <AssocraTion.—At the usual fortnightly meeting of this Association on Friday evening last, Mr. Rowland Plumbe, F.R.I.B.A., President, in the chair, Messrs. Joseph Taylor and W. F. J. Crisp were elected members. Mr. W. White, F.S.A., F.R.I.B.A., then read a paper ‘On Hammer-beam Failures, Eltham Palace,” and on hammer-beam roofs generally. This paper was illus- trated by diagrams, without which the context would not be intelligible, and in order to secure accuracy, we postpone the publication of the paper until next week. One section of the paper was devoted to a consideration of the method of construction of the Westminster Hall roof, and sought to controvert Mr. Thomas Morris's theory that that roof was constructed on a system of equipoise. An animated discussion ensued, in which Messrs. T. H. Watson, J. Douglass Mathews, G. R. Redgrave, S, F. Clarkson, and others took part, and Mr. White having briefly re- plied to the points raised in the discussion, the meet- ing ended. Warwick Castie.—An architect’s report has been prepared with respect to the extent of the destruction of Warwick Castle. The vaulted base- ment, Czesar’s Tower, Guy’s Tower, the outer walls, and the front towards the river remain intact, which comprise the oldest portions of the building. The great hall and the interior of the east wing of the castle, where the fire has left little else than the ex- terior walls, had been remodelled from time ,to time since the reign of Charles II., and may very well be reconstructed without much injury to the historic interest of the whole. The vast wing, containing the chapel, armoury, and what have been called the state rooms, is quite untouched, Weis CaraepRaL CLock.—This old clock, made about 500 years ago, and which has for many years remained merely as an object of curiosity in the crypt of Wells Cathedral, can now be seen in the South Kensington Museum in full work and keeping excellent time. It will be returned in the course of twelve months, when it will be used as a public clock, Compietion of Movurtsrorp AsyLumM,—At the serks Epiphany held on Monday, at Reading, the Molesford Asylum committee announced the completion of their asylum. It has taken four years to erect the building, which is to accommodate 300 lunatics. Mr. Darby Griffiths took occasion to remark upou the ventilation of such buildings gene- rally, and alluded to the cause of the Prince of Wales's illness. He thought the dangerous and almost fatal results to his Royal Highness had led architects and surveyors to view the subject of drainage in a new light. In the erection of buildings different precautions would in future have to be taken. Tle alleged that up to the present time the true principles of drainage and sewage ventilation had not been sufficiently studied by architects. Sessions Tue Socrery or AMALGAMATED ENGINEERS. The report of the Society of Amalgamated Engineer for the past month, just issued, being the last monthly report for 1871, reviews the position of the society, in order, as is stated, “‘to show how prosperous it appears as compared with a few previous years.” The entire number of members on donation benefit this month is stated to be 262, whereas in last month’s report it was put down at 235; but this small increase of 27, the report states, “is nothing | in comparison with what might have been reason- 3 ably anticipated from the aproaching close of the — year, and the cases of stoppages caused by the nine hours’ movement.” Going back to Dec., 1857, and — as indicative of the improvement of trade and the con-— dition of the members of the society since that period, the report records the fact that in the month referred to the number of members on donation benefit amounted to 3,129 ; in 1868, to 2,771; in 1869, to 2,420; and in 1870, to 969; whereas, as stated above, at present it was only 262. If, then, there were added to these facts that of the rapid increase in the number of the society during the present year —an increase to the extent of 2,810 members—there was abundance of reason to be thankful for its pre- sent position. Moreover, the secretary (Mr. William Allan) remarks that the returns from which the report has been compiled are ‘clearly indicative of the continued prosperity of the engineering trade throughout every district in the kingdom.” AREAS IN THE REAR OF New Dwettinc-Houses. —At the last meeting of the Newington Vestry it was resolved that the Metropolitan Board of Works should be memorialised, urging them to insert a clause in the Metropolitan Buildings and Manage- ment Bill to provide for an increased area in the rear of new dwelling-houses, the Vestry being of opinion that, independent of the absolute superficial space required in the rear of dwelling-houses, regard should be had as to the height of boundary wall; and that, with a view to better ventilation, and a satisfactory amount of light in the rear of the houses, the distance between the extreme portion of the building and the boundary wall should have a relative ratio, and that no building, wall, hoarding, or other erection be afterwards allowed to be raised which shall interfere with the above. A Cnurci Serie Brown Dowy.—During a heavy gale which raged over Bristol and its neigh- bourhood on the 20th ult., the new spire of Stoke Bishop Church was destroyed, The erection was all but finished, and the scaffolding was to have been removed on the day of the gale; the strong wind, however, prevented this, and at about half-past ten, when happily no one was near, the spire and scaffold 9” ing fell bodily. The church was not damaged, nor was there a single pane of glass cracked. The spire, which was 80ft. high. was twisted off at its junction with the tower, which remained uninjured. Russtan Marirrme Canau.—A project for a great canal to connect the Black Sea with the Cas- pian has been attracting much attention in 8. Petersburg. It has been for several years a subject of discussion among Russian engineers. Recently, however, Captain Blum, of the Russian topographi- cal engineers’ having made some extensive explora- tions, has presented a report to his government, in which he advocates the construction of the work. All the necessary calculations have been made, and it is proposed to carry the canal through the Valley of Manitch, supposed by geologists to have formerly united the two seas. ‘The canal, which would pass through several lakes, and run for fifty miles along- side the river Don, would be 450 miles in length ; its cost is estimated at £11,000,000, and its completion would occupy six years, Workmen’s InrernatronaL Exiurerrion.—The distribution of gold and silver medals awarded in the Workmen’s International Exhibition, held in the Agricultural Hall in 1870, has been postponed in consequence of an accident which has happened to the dies at the Mint. IMPROVEMENTS Att Danes INN.—The committee or managers of Danes-inu, Wych-street, are about to erect a large and prominent entrance lodge on the site of Lindsey’s well-known hostelry and coffee- house. The improvement will possess attractive architectural features, and will open a view of the principal buildings of the inn from the Strand. Sanrrary Improvements AppLiep TO DWeELL- rnG-Houses.—-At the meeting of the Inventors’ Institute, held last evening, a paper was read by Mr. Banister Fletcher, M.1.B.A., on “Inventions and Patents Connected with Buildings,” in which special reference was made to the most recent methods devised for the prevention of disease, and new plans for the erection of healthy dwellings for the poor were submitted,