The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-05 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS,

On the evening of Tuesday last—James Simpson, Esq.,
president, in the chair—a communication was read from
the Society of Arts, intimating that their seventh annual
exhibition of inventions would shortly be opened, and
asking the co-operation of the members of the institution
in procuring specimens, models, and drawings of novel
combinations, recent improvements in machinery, or new
articles of manufacture. _ _

Translations were read of letters received from M.
Eugene Flachat, on the part of the Society of Civil En-
gineers of Paris, and M. Molinos, a member of that body,
offering facilities to the members of the Institution of Civil
Engineers of London daring the occurrence of the -Univer-
sal Exhibition in Paris in May next. It had been decided
that special and detailed descriptions of the articles exhi-
bited, and the results arrived at, by members of various
committees, should be published. Those reports would be
read and discussed at the meetings of the society, and the
members of the Institution of Civil Engineers were invited
collectively and individually to attend and take part in the
diseassions, and to avail themselves of the facilities offered
by the kindred society in Paris.
The paper read was " A Description of the Iron Roof, in
one span, over the Joint Railway Station, New-street, Bir-
mingham," by Mr. J. Phillips. The inconvenience to the
traffic' arising from the columns supporting a series of small
roofs, had long been felt, and the first step was the substi-
tution of two parallel roofs over the up and down lines, as
in most of the continental stations ; when, however, the
traffic increased to such an extraordinary extent as it had
done, especially in some great terminal stations, or where
a lumber of lines converged, further facilities became im-
perative, and single roofs covering the station in one span
were adopted ; that over the Lime-street station, at Liver- '
pool, of 153 feet Span, constructed by Mr. Turner, of Dub-
lin, being an early and fine specimen.
In the New-street station at Birmingham, upon ft
com-
paratively limited extent of ground, situated between the
extremities of two tunnels, there was concentrated the
traffic of five lines of railway ; therefore it was essential to
avoid any impediment to free circulation, and it was de-
cided to cover the space by one reef of 840 feet long by 212
feet at its widest part, which was at one end, and by judi-
cious management the various parts of each truss were re-
duced in such proportion that the tapering of the whole
structure could scarcely be perceived.
The roof consisted of 36 curved principals if wrought
ken, placed at intervals of 24 feet, and the height of the
chord-line was fixed at 33 feet from the level of tie rails
to the springing of the principals, which were attached to
the pillasters forming part of the front of the hotel, whilst
the other ends rested on iron columns 2 feet diameter, and
varying from 30 feet to 35 feet in height ; these latter
weighed about 51 tons each ; they rested on concrete bases,
bat were not belted down, and they carried on their upper
extremities a frame of wrought-iron rollers to facilitate
the motion of the outer foot of each tress, the inner foot
being firmly fixed on a stone bed in the wall.
The average weight of each principal was 25 tons ; they
were built of wrought-iron plates 15 in. sleep by 11.16ths
inch thick, with angle-irons rivetted on each side of the
upper and lower edges, so as to form flinches 12 11-16ths
inches in width and inch in thickness.
Each tie bar, which when in its place had a versed sine
of 20 feet, was composed of round iron 4 inches diameter
in 12 pieces, meeting in screwed boxes at the foot of each
of the struts, which were each made of four angle irons,
bowed out at the centre of their height, and kept apart
by bellow cast-iron straining pieces, bolted between the
angle-irons. The diagonal ties met also at the ends of the
struts. _ _

The purlius were of timber five inches square, trussed by
a tension tie-rod and straining piece, bolted to cast-iron
shoes at both ends. They, rested on e back of the raf-
ters, butting on each other endwise, at intervals of eight
feet ; and there were numerous wind ties one and a half
inch in diameter, springing from the foot of every other
arch, and running diagonally to the other side of the roof.
The centre was composed of an elevated lanthern of glass
on the top and iron louvres at the sides, extending the en-
tire length of the roof ; and parallel on each side, to the
same extent, was s skylight 54 feet deep, giving 128,000
square feet of glass, or nearly one-half the superficial area
of the roof, the remainder being covered with galvanised
sheet iron corrugated.
Each sad was terminated by a gable screen of wood,
glazed, and suspended from the end truss ; the glass
throughout was Sated plate, about 3-16ths inch in thick-
ness, rolled in pieces of 6 feet long by 16 inches wide, and
about 115 tons were used. _ _

The important parts of the roof were proved before
leaving the works of the constructors; one principal being
loaded with a weight equal to 40lbs. per superficial foot,
exclusive of its own weight. The total load was 90 tons,
under which the deflection was 3 5-16ths inches—the ex-
tension of the foot upon rollers being 2} inches, and of the
other foot li' inch, and after the trial no permanent set
could be detected. Other and more stringent tests showed
the roof to be amply strong and stiff.
Detail■ were given of the moveable scaffolding, raised en
a stage, extending the entire width of the .tatio., le beuli
manner that the traffic of the line could be carried on,
whilst tie reef was in course of construction. The stages
were rep oved. onward as required, and the whole of the
principals and ether parts wore raised and fixed by sheer
legs, without the occurrence of any casualty.
Tie finishing of the last principal was completed on the
anniversary of fixing the first column ; the total weight of
iron raised being 1,00 tons; the number of squares, mea-
sured on plan, was L 705; the cost, including 320 squares
of ridge and furrow roofing, of spans from 45 feet to 188
feet, was 32,274/., or 181. per square ; this expense mild
not, however, be received as for the present price of iron,
the roof having been executed when materials and labour
were mach less costly.
The greatest amount of expansion that had been re-
corded was shown to be '545 inch for upwards of 31 de-
grees of variation of temperature. Details were appended
of the scantling of all parts of the roof, which was con•
'traded by Messrs. Fox, Henderson, and Co., under the
direction of Mr. W. Baker (M. Inst. C.E.), the engineer
for the railway company ; the designs for the roof being
made by Mr. E. A. Cowper (Assoc. Inst. C.E.), and the
moveable scaffolding designed by Mr. J. Phillips, who had
charge of the general constriction and fixing,

Mn. 0. SMITH. The frequenters of the A.delphi Thea-
tre will learn with regret that this popular actor expired,
at his lodgings in the Strand, on Thursday last, after a
long and painful illness. The " grim initial"—as Leigh
Hunt once called it—prefixed to his name was assumed
by him in consequence of the fame which he acquired in
the well-known piece of Obi, or Three-fingered Jack; and
it, no doubt, served to indicate his peculiar talent, not
only in this especial part, but in all others of an analogous
character. For upwards of 20 years he has been an im-
portant member of theAdelphiTheatre, having joined the
company during the partnership of Matthews and Yates,
and never having, that we remember, once seceded from
it. As a delineator of the mysterious and supernatural
Mr. Smith had no equal upon the stage. His tall
figure, strongly-marked features, and sepulchral voice
were all in favour of the peculiar line to which he ad-
dressed himself ; and the mimic world of demons,
ruffians, and sce/ercds generally, will lose a representa-
tive whose place cannot easily be supplied. Mr. Smith
in private life was a man of simple and inoffensive man-
ner,. He was a zealous book-collector, and the posses-
sor of many scarce works in connection with the stag.
and its history ; and few will be more missed by the
"old booksellers" who live is the nooks and corners of
the metropolis, and who deal exclusively in the curiosi-
ties of their trade.
The specie arrivals of the week have amounted to
about 500,0001. The exports, including those by the
Indus, are estimated at about 300,0001.
A meeting of the creditors of Mr. John Attwood,
who failed in the iron trade in April, 1853, with
nominal liabilities for 500,001., is appointed for
Friday next, at Dudley.