New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-16
| THE REMOVAL OF oBELIsKs.
LECTURE BY H. Fl. GORRlNGE.
ADDRESS BEFORE THE AMERICAN SOOlhli vi 0'
ENGrSEERs IN CBTCKERING HALL

,dod There was o large audience in the hall. Inc
lecture was illustrated with various models and draw
ugs and at tho close Irnber OF steeoptoon views OF
tbe obelisk taken Of ts removal at Alex
opdria were exhibited. The following is the substance
of Il cuteunnt. Commander GOrTinges address:
We learn from the writings q the Greek historians
that the ancient Egyptians moved mass OF grano 10
one piece weighing 1000 tons distance or OOO miles
We know that they did other masses weighing as
much 200 tons that distance for monolits oil ths
weight that could only have been narlleu ~ 9yene oM
stand at this distance from the quarry. We know now
these enormous weights were transported over ANA Dt
there Is no record a6 10 nov thC were Iii'eu HLon
the largest monoiths transported ron the quarfes OF
Syone 10 Thebes distance OF 1913 hes Is 1e slauuo ~
the block was moved before the etaue was cut the
weight must have been very much greater II Tue sae
moved after II had been carved tne hPPai on,
poyed for moving without injury must nave Deen sucn
as we do not possess to-day. In modern umes tno
heaviest mass OF granite that has been moVeu GoIs'
able distance by land and water Il the pedesa OF INC
statue Of Peter the Great H WSns UVC Io5 1 go
transported distance OF eight Ioues Just cety n.y.
TO the French artist and engineer stephen t
on essential feature in the execution OF my work -
The moving Of obesks - not mover u1uerlaA,nilE
than ours have been successfully Ieno' ron J r ~
Europe this century but there was one nov 81 ~ %
involved in my work From Egypt 10 the lnouns o tc
11ber Thames and Seine II IL NOT neGesS w IT, Sn
of land and safe harbOrs are aYaADle az shOrI
stretch OF nearly 5000 miles where rough seas are IN
yariably encountered IN every season. Ing 4sSsS uS
lsks were a constructed IN Europe espceiay Ior tne
purpose. The Roman was an Inmeh'o UpSI Das ION
struccd 40 that the bow could he removed IN one pee
The English craft was an iron cylinder ponteu ~ ,T
ends IN was shipped In sections to Alexandra ana pu
together around The Obesk The last Two Lhd no nv
tive power they had TO be towel wherever ney oe
There is no record Of the time consumed IN tne
of the Roman obesk from Egypt 70 ne nI t -" ~, -,
rracS Eyr from Alexandra ftcr traversnga distance
of GOO miles and touching at every polt gu ~" No.
ana never yenturing our 10 sea during storm. Tue
English rnonoh was Inonths On the voyage IRON
Ei@yandria 10 the Thames, distance OF 5OO0
niIes. but OF this three months were spent at
Ferro where It had been towed after ts recovery sta
II took Us thrtYeight days to max '9e EoS ~ TN
Alexandria 10 NeW-IOrk distance oil J.dJu lhc3' w"
cnriors rropositOns were mude 10 me ~ TINS country
one IN bring the shaft over ON the u'gk OF aE u5sc
keel. 'f6e idea OF putting It inside Of thc mold and
slowing You would any olner 6IuE,c sPpa'lol ~
amusc every shlpownCr that applied 10 Ior tpsse,,
and was Obliged finally 60 purchase 5teauer AFTER Elk
months OF fruitlcs- effort 10 chatter one; - -, g.,
It has been claimed bJ the Lngl.h uat ~! piau tol
turning over ana lowering identical with tholrs The
only similarity f. the su7pcnsi0n OF DON hhs" az toI
centres Of gravity. IL WOull nc as nrll W "a w.
assert that tDc Roman engineer had COPIED run me
English it Is to claim that had cone So Tue hona
suspended his oDcsk WIN ropes lueIc ~ 10 Justly
record az to whether hr lltcd II entirely clear OF the
rollers, aud incline to the bccl iha no uiu n"G tes
haps the Roman method OF mounting o"eH5h7 yl iou
metal supports with vacant space between ne holt0n
apae, Is about the same a. TIC alamtltIuI tue iueH
which con adorable part OF tho weight was probably
when tine rollers were cut Gus or puInoe i
ont. We discovered positive cNldchc' on N nollum Oh
our ODe!sh ol H eAoe lca nI ~ ',,1 , ,.ni 10 a.
ton with it, erection 10y me Romans: ~ Us I4'a.f ~
have cndcdyOrfd 10 show that The Roman dd nor tk'
he
erecting n u Is certain that The funchmau took onl
thrccscvrn tns: hut the EngIahuIm i'tcd the obc.k
bOllly III HotIlnal a. nj ,-c,it ~ he
weight or the turning structure IA. M'snt '. &c
heaviest Roman UAcsk s. about 90 TONS lhAt 81 we
tons The radical differences between NY apparatus and
tfat used in London that mine is composed ~ ad
ias'' int P 16sS RGs 0T @gd OF a
sizcs aud forms for facility OF handling and transport thc
English was permanent structure rleted round INC
Ohehsk MY apparatus permitted me 90 llft the shaft
vertically until was clear OF o. supuoH ~ AIrAandrla
exact position l wished u 10 stand; the English appa
raus was limited IN rs functions 60 tho simple turning
OF tue obelk lifting n and lowering t ~ any posiilon
had 10 De- done by hydraulic pumUs, and adjusting II ON
the pedestal impossible. There l- been some qur7
me shaft doubles. owing % inc fact tina, avn only
naval Ocer and not engineer Ianicpaiod this and
oIded On NY plan. This original sketch. with dals aud
signature OF witnsascs Is in nv pOsscasion gave
this society aud dcscrvediy eminent ~ engineering nu
nails. who developed tho plan determined me strains,
lie then took the contract FOR its construction ana suDc
the rnpulX Iron Works Of lrcnt3n Wheie u was
executed 20 Admiralty that every piece htird 70 ii place
without the slightest trouble or need OF adjustment hiF
The obc.k stood ,ear the seashorc in the suburbs OF
Alexandra. II cOn ID not DE einparh'u AZ lal7 Poiul
with TINS 80 view planned hin naGe uru Dl "'U. 30 ~
tutlug cannon balls Tor the ordinary NH'I OF IA" way
sia, difify raising money carry
1879. No the least OF tho u'hcniiics had Ani' a,,n
yus the hostility OF the foreign element IN Eyp 10 lc
rom nl d u
extent dreamed o.. How tle this clement valued
he onClsk prior 10 our arrival may De appreciated Us
their allure 70 protect II rom Tue VahGLs OF t1uri.
aud 10 take any measures 10 pte''I't IT, INC
foreign residents really cared nothing about - re-
Moya but cach IaLonpIy WAnlea !, IeIl2a' 'p a "r
country ana all LufCp aus were Oppo'eu 20 ~ I,H''
10 America. hs was the FocrDt OF their hostility II
would Doc trrso" relate the endless annoysuccs e1
from The Efforts made by the foreign servants OF the
and cmbIItatiun OF the obrh-h lhc lHeHh mrFchhht.
have cpatol Of nc streets although ih'y are eAcmpt
not be- tiir sOrtrd overland t. the put, and 's ihi-
consent tuild NOT De- obtained N19 obliged TO thr0"
away ny apparatus for carrying ont THIS lart oil nay
work ana build ~ great additional expense, large
caissOn ~ which - at AROUND Tor lhc cmbarkatun
suite al the pcrcmplury commands OF The krcliyc'7
Ministers That were e. hlyc % on me slmr con
purpose ana at liked date, We WrrD kept waiting Xix
week, after we ready 10 embark the 0brlrlt Ihw
There dcrrc iu Alexandra capable OF lining a.
weighs nearly hfy tons aud We lad 20 improyisc one
liked staudn tho dock ana tue Heating derrick
succeeded IN liHg IhtIy feet IN the AR aud lad
lowering It INTO her utter hold HLen slight noise was
heard ana Inc pedestal was "O-rrNgl 10 move az
that five out Of The seven strands OF the wic rope with
which II was slung mad brn,cn. We had 10 haul The
vessel out from under H. for had the OthoE two snnd'
broken h would have fallen through her ana completely
desrnyed her and II was an anxious moment untu the
bin., wa ng1ln on IN, Ugtf.r However fhp two
strands OF rope held and on our second attempt ~ EN-
baI il we were successful Tie ship aud obcisp were
placed in dry Dock made 10 the bow at the
ship aud the Obci-k pushed INTO her fOrChDd in udcnt
cally manner as proposed 10 transport ~ over
land, by the cannon hli md channel In
order destroy tie stem Of the vessel tue SHIFT
pushed dagouay Win tc Feel and after 10 was In IL
was turned parallel 10 and secured there. The port
was closed and very soon left AicNAuhrl1.
But before could sail from Alexandria was necc5ary
for me TO provide the steamer nnd effect in
suraDce on her and both OF them gave me great dill
Guilty. One OF the conditions that had been made b. my
friends who bad advanced The money 70 purchase the
steamer they TO DO secured against loss by
covering the vessel aud her cargo with insurance. Up TO
lowest rate premium that had been demanded WAS 10
per cent, but it, becoming evident that would under
take the voyage without insurance rather than submit 90
such an imposition the underwriters ~ London agreed 10
reasonable rates The voyage was without Incident OK
ceptiug the breaking OF SHAFT which @a5 easily re-
placed, AS q spare one had been provided before de
paTture