The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-21 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGI

NEEDS, APRIL 11.

(Josuu& FIELD, Esq., President, in the Chair.)
The paper read was the second part of a commu,
nication made in the year 1841, descriptive of the
_
Bann Reservoir, county Down, Ireland, by J. F.
F
Bateman, M. Inst. C.E.
The first part, of which a short abstract was read,
gave the object of the construction of these
reservoirs, which were undertaken with the
.
River Bann, and more effectually supply* water
view of regulating the quantity of wa`er in the
power to the flourishing and increasing establish-
ments on its banks. This river is, from the bare and
naked character of the Mourne mountains, among
which it rises, naturally liable to the greatest irregu-
larity in its volume ; devastating floods frequently
pour down the channel, where a few hours previously
there was not sufficient water for agricultural pur-
poses—greatly injurious as this must have been to
the agriculturist, it was infinitely more so to the
millowners, who depended entirely upon water power
for their manufactories.
Mr. Fairbairn was consulted on the subject. He
examined the locality, and advised the formation of
reservoirs. The author was then appointed the
engineer, and acting in some degree upon the sugges-
tionsok peculiaritiesoompaoy in thefoir an Actltiie of
ot
of his predecessor,
whom he continued to con-
sult, the works were undertaken which are described
in the present paper.
The
nf
erPnmadare ludi ao mot 0 eo nfh t
a,t
the
z •oe
Bann,
bn
ae t ene
nod
in 1836, constituting the proprietors of the mills a
Reservoirs, owirsor,kasrewedree ly i
detailed.
more extensive than have been really executed. The
joint-stock
reservoir at Lough Island Reary is alone described ,;•
the ground in that spot was adiniraby adapted for the
work, being the bottom of a basin which was
bounded on all sides by rugged hills of granite ; in
the centre of the basin was a small lake, at the
bottom of which was discovered a bed, several feet
in thickness, of fossil confervm, similar to those dis-
covered North America. This interestinfgßgeologicdal facth
by Professor Silliman, at Massachusetts,
was first noticed by Dr. Hunter,alo
ahlerypaonswfodrer,;
butte
when viewed through
powmerpfur microscope, they
arallelograms, many of
them covered with striae.
were found to be regular 13
They are described by
of minute vegetables.
naturalists as the fossil skeletonsf
the reservoir rendered
The situation fixed upon or
conferrse appeared lik
a e an i
to a height of
35 feet above the summer level
be-
tween the hills, so as so raise the water
of the lake.
necessary the construction of four embankments

The particulars are also given of a series of obser-
vations with rain-gauges, continued for two years,
for the purpose of furnishing data for computing the
extent of reservoir which would be necessary to in-
sure a supply of water throughout the year.
The continuation described the subsequent works,
which consisted of the Corblet Lough Reservoir,
which was designed as an auxiliary pound to receive
the flood waters of the lower part of the river, and to
retain the night water, to be discharged again during
the day, immediately above the more extensive mills
on the river.

A water-course of considerable dimensions was
constructed to effect this, and an embankment was
thrown across the narrow outlet of the lake, the
water being admitted through self-acting flood gates,
which closed as soon as the lowering of the river
created a current in the contrary direction. The details
of the construction of all these works were given, and
it was shown by calculations based upon actual ex-
periment and observation of the quantity of water
received, stored, and delivered from the reservoirs,
that their construction had increased the value of the
mill power of the River Bann full fivefold, at a com-
paratively very insignificant cost, as the actual
expenditure for the works at Corbet Lough did not
exceed 3,300 Z.; the closest economy consistent with
the efficiency and durability of the work being rigidly
kept in view, and the utmost attention being exercised
by the resident engineer, Mr. W. L. Stoney.
The paper announced to he read at the meeting of
Tuesday, April 18, was " Observations on the Re-
sistances to Railway Trains at different Velocities,"
by Daniel Gooch, Esq.
At the last meeting of the institution the second
part of Mr. Jackson's paper " On the Engineering
of the Rhine and the Moselle" was read. It
consisted to considerable extent of a translation of
an accounttt of the spurs, groynes, and other works
on the Moselle for restricting the dimensions of
the bed of that river, and increasing the depth of the
' water so as to enable the navigation to be carried on,
which would otherwise be averted in the low-water
seasons. It was shown that to effect this nume-
rous arms of the river had been dammed across and
allowed to silt up, the course had been straightened,
elbows had been cut off, and the convex shores, after
being silted up by deposit between the groynes, were
defended by arming of facines, &c. Division- banks
had been established for inflowing rivulets so as to
carry the gravel to greater distance down the
stream. Rocks also were removed by powder,
and general improvements to such an extent were
executed that the river was comparatively under
good control. The account of the Rhine was then
resumed, and after the various plans that had been
proposed for ameliorating its course, giving nume-
rous interesting and valuable tables of Blankins and
Boistra's experiments as to the tides, the inclination
of the bed of the various rivers, the duration of the
ebb and flow and average height of the river at the
time of new and full moon, the height of various dykes
above the extraordinary flood line, &c., the paper
finished with these general views—" On looking at
the map of Holland, and tracing its various streams,
it certainly does not appear singular that frequent
stoppages should take place in that country,
whilst such occurrences are comparatively rare
in Germany; for, as long as the Rhine re-
tains its single course as at Emmerick, no ob-
stacles, excepting elbows, stay the progress of the
current seawards ; but, as soon as it divides at the
Waal and Pannerden Canal, the evil commences and
increases, according to the number of arms and chan.
nels lower down. It is generally agreed that a river
should have as few outlets as possible, in order to
allow it the more effectually to clear itself, and that
the tide should be admitted as far as possible,
whilst, at the same time, the action of the winds
should be
diminished ;
again, that the more
the surface water
the more quickl of aj river is abstracted,
e sand will
accumulate ;
and also that if ay t
cut be made,it is usual for
ice stoppages to take place below, it, so as to raise
the water level above • and it is also agreed that
if a cut be made as Capacious as the river itself,
or be permitted to increase to that extent,
it will
soon get beyond control, whilst the sand will accu-
mulate rapidly; and that when openings exist in dykes
the ice get into eddies, loses its velocity, and by
degrees closes up the passage below the opening, so
as to raise the water above. The question therefore
to be solved with regard to Holland and the system
followed
there, in order to prevent breaches in dykes,
and to save the better part of the country (taking into
account its weak, marshy soil, and its incapacity to
withstand any great force), is whether it be the better
plan to relieve the pressure on the dykes by cuts and
new channels, and local floodings, at the expense
of increasing the number of ice stoppages, and at the
same time diminishing the velocity in the main river,
thereby greatly augmenting its liability to accumu-
lating sand. It is true, as already stated, that the
rivers are at present in such a condition that it must
be very extensive to effect anything of; importance,
but the question is of such vital importance to the
port of Rotterdam, and the certainty of the mouth
of :the Meuse at the Brielle, in the course of
time, closing up like that at Katwyth, if no im•
provements be attempted, is so clear, that it is very
much to be regretted some steps have not been taken,
ere this, to prevent so great a flow of water passing
out by the Holland's diep to Helvoet." The author
directs the attention of the institution to this
subject, and submits the following points for the
consideration of the members :—That the object
to be aimed at in any steps which might be
adopted for improving the Meuse at Rotterdam,
should be to protect and strengthen the shores and
dykes likely to be operated upon by the alterations;
to straighten all the curves on the leek, so as to lessen
chances of ice stoppages; to separate the "Waal and
Meuse waters as much as possible, and to lead off the
former, together with the leek, into the sea, by the
Brielle; to narrow the Bresbosch channel (now divided)
into one, regulating the quantity of water • to close
the Krabbe, the Noord, and the Sprey, with sluice-
gates ; and, for the purpose of widening the outlet,
to join the island of Rosenburgh to the main land at
Vlaardingin, thereby causing the ebb waters to act
upon this island, and with increased velocity, and an
additional quantity of water, attempting to remove
the bar and shoals.

At the monthly ballot Messrs. F. C. Penrose, B.
Hughes, H. Currey, F. P. Smith, and S. Woods
were elected as associates.

APRIL 18.
(JOSHUA FIELD, Esq., President, in the Chair.)
The paper of the evening was a series of " Observa-
tions on the Resistances to Railway Trains at diffe-
rent Velocities," by Mr. Daniel Gooch, of the Great
Western Railway. For the purpose of perform-
ing the experiments, a dynamometer was con-
struced at Swindon, in which all the results

- required were registered upon a large scale on the
same roll of paper, thus exhibiting at one view
and in the same period of time the tractive power
exerted upon the train, and ql6 force and direction
of the wind; the registration 'of the results was made
, upon the paper at every sixteenth part of a mile, and
the time was registered in correspondence with the
distance traversed during every firth part of a second.
The dynamometer spring used was seven feet
six inches long, and very carefully arranged. It was
only necessary to count the number of seconds, or
fractions of a second, in one or more of the distance
divisions, and the speed was , accurately ascertained.
The force and direction of the wind was ascertained
by a wind gouge, placed five feet above the top of
the carriage, with the connexions brought down
to pencils which indicated on the same eheet all
the results. Indicator cards were also taken si-
multaneously from the steam cylinders as frequently
as was practicable, but not continuously, as it was
a service of some danger, the experimnentor being
obliged to sit on the buffer beam of the engine at a
velocity of sixty miles per hour, and in that windy
position to take off four sets of cards in three-quarters
of a minute. The spot selected for performing the
experiments was one mile of railway perfectly
straight and level, and nearly cn the surface of the
ground, and in the plan the height of the trees,
hedges, and every intervening object which could
affect the influence of the -wind is clearly marked.
The experimental train consisted of first and second-
class carriages, each on six wheels, four feet diameter,
taken indiscriminately from the working stock, and
loaded with iron to represent a fair load of pas-
sengers, giving a gross weight for each of ten tons.
Thq. experiments were tried with various weights
and speeds up to one hualdred tons, and to sixty-
two miles per hour, and the results were classified
and arranged in a tabular form, with copious expla-
natory headings, so as to render reference to them
exceedingly easy. The author first reviewed the
deductions of Mr. Wyndham Harding's formula,
u4l6a,
IwBhich was given at the discussion at the institution in
and gave his reasons for dissenting from the for-
in • He then examined critically several experi-
ments recorded in the tables. stating candidly all the
exceptions that could be taken to them ; showing,
also, that although there was a difference of as much
as fifty-two per
as calculated by cent.
shown between the resistance
Mr.
Harding's formula and the ex-
periments made L
by Mr. Hardin which Mr. Gooch, that difference
might be accounted for by the meth ads employed
cal-
culated to produce erroneous were objected to as
results—viz., allowing
carriages to run down inclines by their own gravity,
using wheels of three feet diameter instead of four
feet, having a much greater length of train for
the wind to act upon, ace. He
aretvie.wed the great
effect of a side wind drivingdargued
the
against
s much
flanchas of the wheels against the rarilsma-
and
that the length of a train of carriages was
more
important than its weight. The author did
not
offer any formula that should be applicable for calcu-
lating the resistance of all railway trains, but his
tables gave examples of almost every case that could
occur, and thence data could be supplied for those
who wished to carry the investigation further, and
make a formula for themselves. He arrived at the
conclusion that in practice the friction of the axle
journals was not a constant quantity at all speeds,
and thought that the number and diameter of
the wheels in a train, in proportion to the weight, '
should form elements in any general formula. ;
He showed by experiments that the total atmos.
pheric resistance to a train weighing 60 tons di&red
but slightly from that to a train of 100 tons weight,
if the carriages were small and the train long in the
one case, and the reverse in the other case. The
general result of the diagram of resistance with trains
of one hundred tons and with fifty tons, showed. that
the resistance calculated by the narrow gauge formula
with a fifty ton train, at sixty-two miles and a half
per hour, was thirty-seven pounds. With a train of
one hundred tons, by the same formula, at sixty-one
miles, it was thirty-one ' pounds and a half. The
broad gauge resistance, with a train weighing fifty
tons, at sixty-two miles and a half per hour, was
under twenty-three pounds, and with a train weigh-
ing one hundred tons, at sixty-one miles and a half
per hour, was twenty-two pounds and a half.
We cannot, of course, give fully the results, except
in a comprehensive form, but such were the general
results.

The author then concluded his pd.er by saying that
it appeared to him necessary, before any general
formula for calculating the resistance to railway trains
could be made, that the value of the following ele-
ments, necessary in such formula, should be deter-
mined by experiments.
1. The axle journal friction, at different velocities
and with different weights, per square inch of journal
surface.

2. The resistance to the rotation of the wheels and
axles per pair, at different velocities and with different
diameters.

3. The resistance due to the rolling of the whe&ls
upon the rails with different weights upon them, and
with different diameters.

4. The resistance due to the passage of the train
through the atmosphere, at different velocities with
different proportions of weight, and length and
breadth of train.

5. The resistance due to the oscillation or unsteady
motion of the train at various speeds.
The. author considers that all these vam,s might be
determined, with a considerable degree of accuracy,
by careful experiment.
It was announced that there would be no meeting
on Tuesday April 25 (being Easter Tuesday) ; and
the meeting was, therefore, adjourned till Tuesday,
May 2, when the monthly ballot for members would
take place.

FATAL ACCIDENT TO LADY

MARY FITZROY.

The Sydney plpeTs,-whleli—r-e-ached town yester-
day, bring intelligence of a most lamentable accident,
terminating fatally to the above Noble Lady, the
wife of the Governor of New South Wales, and also
to Lieutenant Masters, one cf his Excellency's aides-
de-camp. The melancholy details are briefly as
follow :—On the 7th of December last his Excel-
lency and Lady Mary, accompanied by Lieutenant
Masters, left the Government House at Paramatta, in
a carriage and four, for Sydney. Lady Mary was
in the carriage, and his Excellency rode on the
box, driving himself, Lieutenant Masters sitting by
his side. His Excellency had scarcely taken his
seat before the horses started off at a brisk pace ;
the grooms ran with them a short distance,
keeping hold of the horses, and did not
loose their hold until ordered to do so. Directly
afterwards the animals darted off at a furious rate,
taking the main road from the Government domain
to the town, his Excellency using every effort in his
power to keep the centre of the road. However, on
approaching an oak avenue, the carriage came in con-
tact with one of the trees with tremendous force,
throwing it completely over, and causing its destruc-
tion. The occupants were dashed out with great
violenceeli
uponL a
he
Lady Mr
head,aryFitzroy we , regretase
of to
say, f
fracturing the base
the skull, and causing blood to flow
from her mouth and ears. His Excellencyra es-
capedy with trifling injuries. The fate of Lieutenant
Masters was unfortunately otherwise—he pitched
on his head, and was completely insensible when
picked up. Lady Mary Fitzroy expired in a few
minutes, and Lieutenant Masters died at six o'clock
the same evening. On the following day an inquest
was held on the bodies, at Government House, when
a ve
sbrdicitpof " Accidental death" was agreed to. Her
Lads
was in her fifty-seventh year. Lieutenant
Masters was in his twenty-seventh. Their remains
were consigned to the grave at Sydney, the funeral
solemnities being attended by nearly the whole of the
Government officers and ministers of the colony.
Upwards of 5,000 persons were present, including
her Majesty's 90th Regiment, which lined the route
from the Government House to the place of inter-
ment. The event has east a perfect gloom through-
out the colony.

with

THE CRESCENT AND TEIE CROSS.—We observe .
pleasure, as an evidence of the great popularity of Mr.
Eliot Warburton's " Crescent and the Cross, that a
seventh edition has just appeared. Tho extraordinarysuccess of the work is not, however, surprising, for it
has attractions for all classes of readers. The realities
of Eastern travel are described with a vividness which
invests them with deep and enduring interest; while the
and cir-
cumstances romantic adventures which the enterprising tourist met
with are narrated with infinite spirit. Mr. Warburton's
route lay through the countries most endeared to the
associations of the classical and biblical scholar. lls
-
i
reflections
recollection
will
such u
with fresh de-
P scenes a
cduemscsrtiapnticoenss and
to the
light. To the reader but partially acquainted with those
countries, sources of interesting information
up which cannot fail to create an appetite f are openedfrom which lasting advantages will be d * or research
Paper.
enved._Evening
ROYAL SAPPEES AND MINERS.
APRIL 20.—Captain Webb, Lieutenant WOOLWICH,
Lieutenant Farrell, Royal Engineers, Wilkinson and
geant, two sergeants, two first. one colour-ser-
geant,
corporals, Royal Sapperscorporals, and three
garrison to till up the 17th company and Miners, left the
course of instruction at Cliath* at
present under a
works, that company having am. in mining on field
themselves in readiness to embarkx'eceived orders to hold
early part of neat inonill for .at Gravesend in the
bernee at the Mauritius.

1
Ou We,lneelay, at eight o'clock, a numerous meeting of
licensed victuallers was held at the Northumberland
Arms, Great Russell street, Covent-garden, for the pur-
pose of taking into consideration the propriety of pre-
sen tin,. a teetimonial to the Earl of Egliuton, as a tribute
of acklewledgruent for his speech on the subject of
racing sweeps in the House of Lords.
Mr. 13E1:Toll having been called to the chair, stated
that the thanks of the licensed victuallers of the metro-
polis, and of the public generally, were most especially
due to the Noble Earl, and he thought that out of gra-
titude they Nero bound to present to him some testimony
of ackuowledgizient or the public spirit he had displayed.
—(Applause.) Ile had not only supported the rights of
the licensed victuallers', pot be bad shown a noble dispo-
sition to support those ontn:ements to which the public
were entitled . (Hear, hear.) .G,. saw no reason why,'
when Derby and other sweeps were
;iroperly conducted,
any interference should take place by the magistrates.
Mr. RYNER said that he fully coneurrt:ti'
ith
A the
obj, et of the meeting, that the Noble Lord shOuLl have
a testimonial presented to him for his advocacy of o.le
rights and amusements of the working and middle
elasses.—(llear.) Ile believed that the chairman had
received iniortnation from Newcastle that the inhabitants
there, interested in Derby and ether sweeps, bad agreed
to present a testimonial to the Noble Lord. Ile thought
that similar steps ought to be adopted in the metro-
:Si iiees..i e-orf(airile(o:t:lrlUe tri' (e,rareran. )tv.i.ee Tee ni
rgarVe addressed
st
os P.,
d whichthe e chair,
ai
werer 'when
t h iia
effect of thanking the Noble Lord for the public spirit
he had evireed, and also for manifesting so honourable
a desire to maintain the rights of the licensed Vic-
tusllers, the amusements of the middle and working
classes of society, and the claims of a British subject
to invest his money in any speculation he might think
proper.
Thanks were voted to the Chairman, who, in reply,
observed that, the feelings displayed that evening were
sufficient to show that the licensed victuallers of the me-
tropolis had no other object in view than to afford amuse-
ment to the public.
The meeting then separated.