216 THE BUILDING NEWS. Marcy 15, 1872. ——_—<—<—<——————————— Oe ooo —— eee HOUSE AT BEXLEY. HE small half-timbered house, of which we this < week give plans and view, has lately been erected within a few minutes’ walk of Bexley station, and on a site commanding some of the prettiest scenery in Kent. The owner of the land was de- sirous of building various houses upon his estate, which, while being inexpensive, so as to let when built at moderate and at the same time remunerative rentals, should be artistic in character, and, so far, as different as possible from the ordinary speculative villas of the present day. The plans have been care- fully and conveniently arranged, and in the external design all sides have been treated architecturally, so as to be picturesque and characteristic from all points. The lower story is built of red bricks, while the upper floor is brought over after the manner of the old half- timbered houses of Kent and Sussex, the spaces be- tween the timber framing being filled in with brick- work in cement, and cemented on the face, with plain incised ornament scratched on; the roof is covered with plain red tiles, with Cooper's ornamental tile- cresting, made from the architect's design. The whole of the works have been well carried out by Messrs. Adamson & Sons, builders, of Turnham- green and Ealing, at the moderate cost of about £1,130, including boundary walls and fences, from the designs of Mr. Robert W. Edis, F.S.A., architect, of 14, Fitzroy-square. Mr. Edisis, we understand, the architect of other houses of a similar character, but varied in design, on the same estate. ——————— CHURCH AT IFS. apes little village of Ifs lies about five miles South of Caen, in what looks to an English- man an open and rather barren country. In the church there is little to interest with the exception of a small Norman doorway in the south chancel wall and of the steeple, part of which is shown in one of our illustrations. I am in doubt as to the reason for the putlog holes which are left in the spire. It is a not uncommon practice in Normandy, and can hardly have been from disregard of appearances, as has been suggested ; yet, for it to have been done ptrposely in order thus to give variety to an other- wise plain spire argues in these early builders a subtilty of artistic feeling hardly borne out by their general work. These holes may, nevertheless, have been thus regarded by the later architects, and be- come in their hands the elaborate cusped openings seen in S. Peter’s, Caen, and in other churches. The houses at and round Ifs have been mostly re- constructed out of the remains of old buildings, as the Caen stone formerly used in this neighbourhood stands very well, and the effect of early French buttresses and mouldings forming part of the simple cottages and barns is quaint and interesting. F. C. D. —— THE VOLUNTARY ARCHITECTURAL EXAMINATION. WE are glad to see that our remarks of a fort- night ago, and the efforts of some of the leading members of the Architectural Association, have had the result of inducing the Institute to hold the Examjnation as usual this year, provided that the requisite number of candidates are forthcoming. It was at the urgent solicitation of the Architectural Association that the Institute of British Architects established the Examination, and by far the greater portion of the candidates who have submitted them- selves year by year have been members of the ASsociation; we cannot but think, therefore, that the Institute would have made a mistake had it disregarded the manifest wish of the Association that the Examination should be held this year as usual. Asit is, the delay and uncertainty with regard to the matter may probably have deterred candidates from preparing to go up, but at any rate all those who were making preparations before the possibility of the Examination being held as usual this year was questioned, owe it to themselves and to the Association to present themselves before the Examiners. Atthe meeting of the Association on Friday evening last, Mr. Rowland Plumbe, the President, appealed to the members not to lag behind-hand, and Mr. Spiers, in indorsing Mr. Plumbe’s observations, stated that candidates desiring to be examined either in the Art Section or the Science Section exclusively—in accordance with the new rules—will be permitted to come up for exami- nation in whichever section they may select, as sug- gested at the Architectural Conference last year. Further particulars will be found in our report of last Friday’s meeting of the Association, and in our advertisement columns.
CERTIFICATE OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS. MONGST our lithographic illustrations this week will be found an exact copy, and but slightly reduced, of the certificate of the American Institute of Architects. Happening to see the cer- tificate framed and glazed in the oflice of its owner, Mr. J. B. Waring, we obtained the consent of that gentleman to reproduce it by the photo-litho process for our pages. We see no reason why the Institute of Architects, the Architectural Association, and the provincial architectural societies may not in this matter imitate the American craftsmen. Of course, if this were done, each society could have its own individual diploma or certificate, and it would be curious and interesting to see the variety of designs adopted. It will be observed that the words ‘ American Institute of Architects” are used on the certificate. Is there not a “manifest destiny” in the word “American” as here chosen? Are not Mexico and Brazil and Canada parts of America? Or do the architects of the United States think there is not room for two associations of architects on their continent, any more than there is room for two suns in the firmament? If so we have no objection. It has always been one of our cherished hopes to see the Union wide, strong, and durable. When its integrity was threatened by a slaveholders’ rebellion, we raised our feeble voice (not in these columns) in condemnation of the crime ; and two days before the sailing of the ill-fated Alabama, we, with other Englishmen, fearing disas- trous results, waited on Lord John Russell, then British Foreign Secretary, and deposited in his hands documents and affidavits, which we fondly hoped would have been sufficient to prevent the sailing of the pirate-ship from our shores. But we soon found to our sorrow that governments could not move as quickly as individuals, and that by the time authoritative instructions arrived in Liverpool to arrest the ship, she had sailed, and her murderous mission had commenced. As we have very many readers on the other side of the Atlantic, we beg to assure them that however some on this side may have spoken and acted in reference to this Great Rebellion, there were others (consisting, we believe, of a majority of Englishmen) who looked upon it not only as an attempt to break up a great nation, but as a blow aimed at civilisation itself. Jd. PE. eed DRAINAGE OF THE FENS. HE Middle Level Drainage Commissioners have been again discussing the expediency of apply- ing to Parliament to legalise and extend the present system of the drainage of the Fens by syphons. It will be remembered that in May, 1862, the main out- fall sluice gave way—a circumstance which caused the tidal water to flow up the interior drains and burst the banks, so that 6,000 acres of land were flooded for four months. Upon the bursting of the sluice, syphons were put down as a temporary expe- dient, but they haye remained from 1862 to the present year, to the satisfaction of the occupiers and owners of a large portion of the level. In 1868, however, Mr. Hawkshaw, C.E., reported that the present area of discharge by syphons was insufli- cient in the case of a heavy downfall of rain. Another discussion of the subject has only resulted in a further postponement of that question, which would probably (according to the Times) not assume any very great urgency until a very wet season oceurs. A special meeting of the Commissioners was held yesterday (Thursday) week for the purpose of considering the important question of applying to Parliament for authority to continue the present system of drainage by syphons as a permanent mea- sure, to increase the present number of syphons, and to raise funds for defraying the necessary cost thereof. Mr. Fellowes, M.P., presided, and advocated the scheme of drainage by syphons in preference to the erection of a new sluice, Mr. Hawkshaw, C.E., had recommended ten ad- ditional syphons, at a cost of £20,000. It appears that the Commissioners were bound to drain by sluice, but the expense—£50,000—operated with Mr. Fellowes and others. Mr. Fellowes reminded the meeting that the present number of syphons was insufficient in case of a heavy rainfall, and after pointing out the urgency of steps being taken, sub- mitted a resolution in favour of his argument. Mr, Ollard seconded the proposition. Mr. Wells, M.P., opposed the motion, and argued in favour of a sluice.
He was confirmed in his opinion by Mr. Hawkshaw, the engineer, who said in a letter, ‘If the case were my own, I should adopt a sluice.” In the course of a discussion, it was said that two sluices would have to be built, ata cost of £120,000, and involving an additional tax of 1s, 6d. per acre, It was even- tually agreed to postpone the matter for the present. Sa MATHEMATICS FOR ARCHITECTS. ROFESSOR T. HAYTER LEWIS, in a paper on “‘ Architectural Education” read at the London Conference of Architects last year, said that there can be little doubt that the great struc- tures of the ancients and medievals were not worked out by calculation, but by a series of tenta- tive efforts, at first often resulting in failure. In fact, the more subtle mathematical processes now in use were not then even known. But, he observed, it is equally clear that one great cause of the sharp difference between architects and engineers, which never did exist till our time, but which now exists with deplorable results to both professions, is that the study of mathematics has been as much neglected by architects as that of the beautiful in art by engineers. Now there can be no question that such study comes harshly on the mind of many an artistic student. But the most picturesque designer of all our modern architects—the man who has given us one of the grandest outlines in the world— S. Paul's, and who created, if it may be so said, those splendid spires which have no prototype in Italy itself, Sir Christopher Wren—was one of the most profound mathematicians of his time; and no Englishman, whatever his feelings as to our art, need fear following the steps of Wren. We all learn something of the science in early life, and there is nothing which need dissuade the most art-loving student from keeping up his knowledge, and bring- ing it (he will have plenty of opportunities) into use. In fact, without it, he can scarcely follow the various results of the experiments made on the. strength of materials—the great truths of the physical sciences must be to a great extent hidden from him, and such standard works as those of Mr. Tarn written in an unknown tongue. Of the principles of light, heat, and ventilation, of hydraulics, dynamics, &e., great subjects with which architects have from time to time more or less to deal, the more that is known of them the better. Architects must know some- thing of them, and the more they know the less fettered they will be in any of their work con- nected with them. If they learn something of them as a basis in early life, the application of them in practice will soon teach more. —__@—_—__ EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN IN BRICK- FIELDS. 7 ESTERDAY (Thursday) week a deputation, ac- companied by Mr. 8. R. Graves, M.P., and Mr. Rathbone, M P., members for Liverpool, had an interview with Mr. Bruce, at the Home Office, on the subject of the employment of children in brick- yards. The deputation consisted for the most part of master and operative brickmakers from Liverpool, Birkenhead, and Blackburn, and its purpose was to see whether Mr. Bruce would consent to a modifica- tion of the Factory and Workshops Act, so as to enable brickmakers to employ boys from the age of 12 years instead of 14 years. The deputation pre- sented a petition numerously signed by masters and operative builders and brickmakers. It was asked that as brickmaking was only carried on during the summer months, the masters might be allowed to employ boys of the age of 12 years on full time. The education of the children, it was urged, could be attended to during the winter months, when brick- making was not carried on. Mr. Bruce, in reply to the various points urged by the deputation, and in answer to questions put by Mr. Graves and Mr. Rathbone, said he had no power to authorise the em- | ployment of children under twelve during the long hours of labour described as “ fnll time.” A special clause had been introduced into the Act to meet healthful out-door employments, such as brickmak- ing was represented to be, and the master brick- makers were really better situated than the owners of factories. Power was given to work children three days a week, and children could be worked a certain number of hours each day. If the master brickmakers experienced difficulty in obtaining relays it was really a matter which could not be helped. The Factory Act, no doubt, interfered with labour, but on the whole it was found to work advan- tageously, and to the decided benefit of young persons. It was certain that the House of Com- mons would not grant any further relaxation of the regulations under the Act which was at present in force, ,. a
