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

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

On the evening of Tuesday last—James Sinipson, Esq.,
president, in the chair—a cominunication wadi 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. I
Eageno Flacbat, 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 during 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 bo published. These 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
discussions, 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. .1. Phillips. The inconvenience to the
traffic, arising from the columns supporting a :,::ries of small
roofs, had long been felt, and tho first stop 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 lad
done, especially in some great terminal stations, or whore
a number of lig.es converged, further facilities became im-
perative, and single roofs covering the station in one span
were adopted ; that over the Lime street station, at Livor-
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 a corn-
parativey limited extent of ground, situated bct ween the
' extremities of two tunnels, ties was concentrated the
traffic of fire lines of railway ; therefore it was essential to
avoid aey impediment to free circulation, and it was de-
cided to cover the space by one roof of 840 feet long by 212
feet at its widest part, which,waz 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 censisted of 30 curved principals of wrought
iron, placed at intervals of 21 feet, and the height of the
chord-line was fixed at 33 feet from the level of the 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'3o feet to 35 *feet in height; these latter
weighe7l about 51 tons each; they rested on concrete bases,
but 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 truss, the inner foot
being firmly fixed on a stone bed in the wall.
Tho average weight of each principal was 20 tons; they
were built of wrought-iron plates 15 in. deep by 11-16ths
inch thick, with angle-irous tivetted on each side of the
upper and lower edges, so as to form flanches 12 11-16ths
inches in width and 4 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 hollow cast-iron straining pieces, bolted between the
angle-irons. The diagonal ties met also at,the ends of the
struts.

The purling were of timber five inches square, trussed by
a tension tie-rod and straining piece, bolted to cast-iron
snoes at both ends. They rested on the back of the Taf-
tete, butting on each other endwise, at intervals of eight
feet; and there were numerous wind ties ono 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 'anthem 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 a skylight 54 feet sleep, giving 128,0a0
square feet of glass, or nearly one-half the superficial area
of the roof, the retnainsLr being covered with galvanised
sheet iron corrugated.

Each end was terminated by a gable screen of wood,
gazed, and suspended from tho end truss ; the glass
throughout was fluted plate, about 3-16 tbs 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 worn proved before
leaving the works of the constructors ; one principal being y,
loaded with a weight equal to 401bs. per superficial foot,
exclusive of its own weight. The total load was 90 tons,
under wh ch the deflection was 3 5-IGths inches—the ex-
tension of the foot upon rollers being 2l inches, and of the
other foot 1* inch, and after the trial no permanent set
could be detected. Other and more stringent testa showed
the roof to bo amply strong and stiff.
Details were given of the moveable scaffolding, raised on
a stage, extending the entire width of the station, in such
manner that the traffic of the line could be carried on,
whilst the roof was in course of construction. The stages
were removed onward as required, and the whole of the
principals and other parts were raised and fixed by sheer
legs, without the occurrence of any casualty.
The finishing of the last principal was completed on tho
anniversary of fixing the'first column ; the total weight of
iron raised being 1,050 tons ; the number of squares, mea-
sured on plan, was 1,705 ; the cost, including 320 squares
of ridge and furrow roofing, of spans from 45 feet to 183
feet, was 32,2741., or 18/. per square ; this expense could
not, however, be received as for the present price of iron,
the roof having been executed when materials and labour
were much less costly
The greatest amount of expansion that had been re-
corded was shown to bo •540 inch for upwards of 31 de-
grees of varation of temperature. Details wore appended
of the scantling of all parts of the roof, which was con-
structed by Messrs. Fox. Henderson, and Co., under the
direction of Mr. W. Baker (M. Inst. C.E.), the engineer
fig 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 construction and fixing.

Mn, 0. Slimt. —The frequenters of the Adelphi 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 be acquired in
the well known piece of Obi, or Three fingered Jack; and
it, ao 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 the Adelphi Theatre, having joined the
company during the pat tnersliip of Matthews and Yates,
and never having, that we remember, •nce seceded from
it. As a delineator of the mysterious and supernatural
Mr. Smith bad no equal upon the stage. His tall
11,4ure, strongly-marked featoro, end sepulchral voice
were alie favour of the peculiar line to which ho ad•
sed
tdirvees whoseh
placehscaW
l ca,
nut ; a
rdfliang, and sei-s generally, will lose representa-
tive
private life was a man of simple and in.).Tetkive. man-
.nii,l.ot theea s
in easily mimic world of denians,
be supplied. Mr. Smith
ilea,. He vas a zealous book-collect,r, and the posses-
sor of many scarce works in connection with the stage
and its hi.tory ; and few will be more missed by the
"oil booksellers" who live in the nooks and corners of
the metropolis, and who deal exclusively in the curiosi-
ties of their trade.
Tho 'peel° arrivals of the week have amounted to
about 500,000/. The exports, including those by the
Indus, are estimated at about 300,000/.
A meeting of tho creditors of Mr. John Attwowl,
who failed in the iron trade in April, 1553, with
neminal liabilities for 500,000/., is appointed for 1
Friday next, at Dudley.