The Press.
London, England, 1855-08-11 00:00:00

AUG. 11, 1855.

The first number of the new series of the Mer-
chants' Magazine merits attention. The opening
article upon " Banking" is written with considerable
ability, and alludes, as might be expected, to the
case of Messrs. Strahan and Co. The proposition
lately made by private bankers to exhibit the secu-
rities deposited in their hands from time to time is
held to be one not at all proving solvency, nor likely
to prevent frond where fraud is intended ; but that they
should publish periodical balance-sheets is very
fairly proposed as the best means of proving their
stability. An article upon the " Late Commercial
Treaty with Siam " stirs up the English merchants
to follow cut the advantages offered to them, or they
will be speedily ousted by the Americans in those
seas, for among other things at Bangok Sir John
Bowring found an American missionary station! The
reviews of the Money Market, information on ex-
change, statements regarding the great staples of
trade, and all colonial and domestic mercantile infor-
mation, will be found in the first number of this con-
tinuation of one of the most useful commercial pub-
lications printed.
The third part of the Journal of the Statistical
Society contains a curious estimate of the mortality
arising from naval operations, in which it appears
that about 1 in 10 may be fairly taken as the pro-
portion of wounded who died of their wounds in the
naval engagements during the last war, while in the
army the proportion was lin 8. It is singular
that the average of loss in actions between fleets
and squadrons and in attacks upon land defences,
should be precisely the same, though Sir William
Hoste's famous action off Lissa carries off the palm
of slaughter in all modern actions-212 men per
thousand engaged being the loss he sustained;
while Algiers, in 1816, only caused a loss of 147 and
Copenhagen of 118 per thousand. It will be curious
to note the increase of mortality which any future
naval war will probably cause from the advance in
the science of gunnery, increased weight of metal,
and improved projectiles. Other subjects of statistical
and commercial interest will be found in this
number.

Brick and Marble Architecture in Italy. By G. E.
Street, F.S.A. Copiously Illustrated. London :
Murray.
THIS book is the result of a tour of architectural
observation in the north of Italy, and forms an
excellent proof how much profit and pleasure any
man may derive from a holiday tour when he has a
definite object in view. Mr. Street travelled through
Italy with the intention of studying the pure school
of middle age architecture, and• of determining how
far the first principles of art were developed by the
Italians, and how much farther these true principles
were worked out in the south than in the north of
Europe. In pursuance of this design he points out
the peculiarities of the development of the pointed
architecture in Italy ; that the perpetual use by the
Italians of the round and pointed arch in the same
work is neither " harmonious nor satisfactory; " that
in Italy brick and marble were commonly introduced
in decoration and in construction; and, finally, that
we in selecting a style of architecture should be
" guided by it in all we do, not to the forgetfulness
" of the glories of our own land, but to the develop-
" ment in a forward direction of what we inherit
" from our forefathers of that architecture which
" after a lapse of three centuries we now see on all
" sides reviving with fresh vigour from its temporary
" grave, and which requires only prudence and skill
"on the part of its professors to make even more
" perfect than before." Mr. Street's book, though
marked by great professional knowledge, is not one
merely for the architect ; his exquisite drawings of
the different churches and cathedrals and their
*details of ornament are accompanied with a practical
and lucid review of the pure style of Italian archi-
tecture, its beauties and defects, its advantages and
errors. Such a book as this opens to us fresh
sources of knowledge, by pointing out peculiar
beauties in art not obvious to the common observer.
In reference to the use of bricks in building, Mr.
Street's opinion is in favour of red bricks, and,
founded upon special principles, it is well worth the
attention of our architects :

Before we use those detestable•looking dirty yellow
bricks in which London so much rejoices, we ought to
consider whether by some economy in other respects we
may not save enough to allow of the use of the best kind of
red brick for the general face of our walls.
At the present day there is, I think, absolutely no one