Volltext Seite (XML)
32 THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT’S JOURNAL. [January 1, 1868. Royal Academy, those gentlemen who carried off the medals in the architectural section were all members of the Association. Mr. W. White, F.S.A., read a paper entitled “ Systematic Proportion in Architecture,” which will be found in another part of the current number of this journal. The fortnightly meeting was held on January'3rd, Mr. R. Phene Spiers, President, in the chair, when Mr. J. A. Bunker read a paper upon “ Plumber’s Work,” which appears in this issue of the journal. South Kensington Museum—Visitors to the Paris Exhibition may have remarked, at the end of one of the passages in the British section, a large yellow majolica column, with white relief ornament upon the surface. The ceiling of the new refreshment rooms, recently opened at the South Kensington Museum, is supported by four of these columns, which are worthy of careful inspection. They have been manufactured by Messrs. Minton, from designs by Messrs. Gamble and Townroe, founded on suggestions of the late Mr. Godfrey Sykes. The introduc tion of porcelain for the enrichment of the ornamental portions of columns is not an entire novelty; but a complete porcelain column is believed to be without a precedent. It is intended that the walls of the refreshment room shall be covered with majolica tiles, with a low relief ornament on them. A small staircase at the west end of the refresh ment corridor has lately been opened; the designs are by Mr. F. Moody, and the works are still in progress. The portions of the deco ration already completed and fixed, promise to render this staircase an attractive feature of the museum. The staircase is what is called a barrel-vaulted one ; its sides are panelled and decorated with enamelled earthenware by Messrs. Minton, in imitation of the Della Robbia ware. The dado, or skirting, is exceedingly rich in design. At intervals of three steps, caryatids support a cornice, from which it is evident that a handrail will project; the spaces between the caryatids are filled with panels in bold relief on a celadon ground. Between the dado and the cornice above are panels also in glazed pottery, with has reliefs of figures holding shields; the design of these has reliefs is peculiar, and of a varied character. At the top and bottom of each flight are pilas ters, which support the arch against which the barrel vault butts. The spaces in the domes over the landings are at present incomplete. The propriety of using glazed pottery for the sides of a public staircase is apparent. The facility of cleaning the surface of the decoration, and the durability of the pottery, are both facts recommending the judg ment displayed by the management of the museum in its selection of a good, decorative, and lasting material. Messrs. Minton have, perhaps, hardly reproduced the effect of the old Della Robbia ware, inasmuch as their glazing rather softens the lines of the details instead of leaving them sharp as the artist intended. The old Della Robbia glazing was so exceedingly thin that it did not obliterate the sharpness and crisp ness of the modelling. Again, the glitter on Messrs. Minton’s enamel is distracting, and it does not seem so opaque as the ancient enamel. These observations on modern enamels, as compared with ancient ones, are applicable to the copies of the Henri Deux ware exhibited in the south court of the museum, which are placed near the originals, the difference in quality of the glazed surfaces being very palpable. Some stained-glass windows, which were exhibited by the Science and Art Department at Paris, are in course of being fixed, two on the north-east staircase, and one in the refreshment rooms. Eruption of Vesuvius.—Few people can form a clear idea of the eruption of a volcano, and therefore a few extracts from an interesting letter written to a friend in Paris, by a clever young painter, who won the Grand Prize at Rome last year, son of the learned M. Regnault, of the Institute, may be acceptable. M. Regnault and party started from Naples the other day at ten in the morning, but, in consequence of the difficulties of the ascent, only reached the source of the lava as the sun was setting. The sight he describes as sublimely horrible; the lava came boiling out of a kind of tunnel, and flowed like a torrent, but with the glare of molten metal at a white heat; at times its flow was inter rupted, when the writer describes it as swelling and heaving like the breast of a huge giant, and belching forth sulphurous vapours. They stood on the site of an old crater, which last year was hollow, but which had since been heaved upwards and rent asunder, and through the fissure thus caused came jets of smoke, ashes, and projectiles; these falling around had created a second cone, which increases daily, and now crowns the summit of tho grand cone; at the foot of this second crater, at a spot where the groat one is still open, poured out the molten torrent, divided into two or three streams, which reunited at the foot of the cone, and then again separated into two branches, one of which flowed on towards Resina, and the other towards Torre del Greco. Over the heads of the party floated a great mass of smoke, illuminated by the red glare of the lava, and, at intervals of from ten to fifteen seconds, an immense black column issued from the crater and fell in ashes around. In the midst of this column of fire and smoke were thousands of heated stones, which fell on the small cone and rolled down its sides with terrific noise. When a walking-stick was dipped into the burning lava it immediately burst into flame, like a match, and the current was so rapid that the stick was nearly carried out of the hand. The heat was so intense, that even with the hat before the face, and a handkerchief over the hand, it was impossible to support it for more than three or four seconds. From time to time the guide of the party flung a small quantity of lava out of the stream, and the party were able to produce impressions of coins which they chanced to have about them. In descending, tho party found itself face to face with a new torrent of lava, which had started from a spot above tha which they had visited, and was slowly descending the very route which they had left; had there been any delay in their journey, they might have been surrounded, and placed in some difficulty, but they succeeded in passing in front of the torrent. On the following day they ascertained that the new lava stream had taken the road to Torre del Greco, after having passed over a distance of more than a mile during the night. Coal in Italy.—In spite of the assertions to the contrary of many geologists, it is now fully proved that Italy possesses many deposits of coal and excellent lignite, some of which are at present explored with most satisfactorv results. Among these may be mentioned the mines of Borgotaro, situated in the valley of the river Taro, in Parma. Tha quality of coal obtained from these mines is excellent. From experi ments that have lately been made at the Milan Gas Works with Borgo taro coal, 24 cubic metres of gas per quintal of coal were obtained (847’60 cubic feet per 1 cwt. 3 qr. 24 J lb.). But the gas produced was of little illuminating power, and the coal gave little or no coke or tar. A second experiment with coal from the same pit, but obtained at a greater depth, gave most satisfactory results. With this coal, which resembles cannel, a gas, with an illuminating power of 25 per cent, superior to that at present used at Milan, was obtained, and producing 52 per cent, of good saleable^ coke. The quantity of gas produced per quintal of coal was 24 cubic metres. From the geological aspect of the Appennines, and the analysis made of its coal, it may bejustly supposed that tho deposits of mineral fuel are most extensive and deep. The construction of the proposed railway from Parma to Chiavari, in the valley of the Taro, will contribute greatly to the development of coal mining in the Appennines, and will tend to diminish to a great extent the immense tribute which the Italians pay to foreign countries for fuel only. Thb Mont Cenis Tunnel.—According to the usual monthly state ment of the progress made in the Mont Cenis tunnel, published by the Italian Government, the length of tunnelling during the month of December, 1867, was 73’25 metres, of which 35’40 metres were on the Italian side at Bardonnechi, and 37’85 metres at Modaneonthe French. The position of the tunnel, up to the 31st December, 1867, was as follows:— Metres. Total length of tunnel 12,220’00 „ „ of boring 7,846-65 Remaining to be done 4,373’35 The progress made in the tunnel during the whole of the past year is 1,511.96 metres, of which 824’50 metres were at Bardonnechi, whilst at Modane the advancement was 687’46 metres. This difference may be attributed in a great measure to the extra hardness of the rock en countered on the French side. The falling off in the advancement made during the month of December, as compared with the other months, is due to the suspension of the works for some days for the purpose of verifying the levels and line by the engineers. Altogether, the progress during the past year has been most satisfactory as com pared with that of the previous year, when the total progress at both ends amounted to only 1,024’99 metres. Phizes offered by the Sooiete d’Encoubagiment of Pabis.—A grand medal, value one thousand francs, for the application of the fine arts to industrial purposes. A prize of five thousand francs for the employment of boracic acid and borax. Prizes of the value of one thousand francs for the following subjects:—Water power motor for small workshops; gas jet regulator; a new application of any abundant mineral substance; the disinfection and clarification of sewage water; the application of endosmose of liquids; the application of the endos- mose of gases; heating and ventilation of rooms: preservation of food; improved method of making vinegar from wines; and a memoir on tho state of industrial art as shown at the late Universal Exhibition in Paris. A detailed programme is to be had by application to the Secre tary of the Society, 44 Rue Bonaparte, Paris, and all models, plans, and documents are to be sent in on or before the first day of March. Lighthouses on the Italian Coast.—The lighthouses on the coasts of Italy have of late received the special attention of the Government. The sum of 1,750,000 francs (£70,000) has been expended in the con struction of new lighthouses. Previous to the year 1860 the Italian lightheuses, not including those belonging to the Venetian and Roman States, were fifty-eight in number. Since then thirty have been con structed and eight are now building.