the two branches of the profession that had ever been one of the main objects of the Institution. He showed that originally engineering was confined to the constructive or mechanical branches; raising heavy weights, building mills, draining mines, and all the primitive wants of mankind. By degrees, as civilization extended, the exigencies of the world became larger luxuries were required that could only bs supplied by greater exercise of talente and skill,-manufactories were multiplied, -manual labour could no longer sufficethe steam-engine was generally employed; and the consequence of this increase of production was that the roads required to be amended, rivers and canals to be improved and cut for conveying this abun dance of merchandise and passengers; whilst docks and harbours required extending for the reception of the shipping for the increasing export trade. These events called into being another class of men, who to great mechanical skill united more than ordinary theoretical knowledge and business habits to enable them to combine and use the powers of all other classes. These men were termed Civil Engineers, in contra distinction to Military Engineerswhose education and experience fitted them solely for the art of war; and by these men Great Britain had been placed first in the list of the civilizers of mankind. As the first president elected from among the Mechanical Engineers, he dwelt on the immense strides made within the last century in the productions of the mechanic arts and in public works under the combined efforts of the two classes alluded to. He then entered more minutely upon the subject of steam-navigation-to which he had principally devoted his personal attention; ending by saying that he must be permitted to feel more than ordinary pride in being elected their president when he looked around him and saw that the association of six young engineers, who in 1818 met occasionally to chat over mechanical subjects, had expanded in the course of twenty-nine years into a society consisting of upwards of 600 members, and comprising within it almost all the engineers of eminence in Great Britain. ANTIQUARIAN RESEARCHES. ARCHEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. Dec. 3. The Dean of Westminster, V.P., in the chair. Several presents were announced, including the publications of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, and a series of models of fonts from churches in Stamford and the neighbourhood, from Mr. Langley of that town. A commuuication was read from the Rev. C. Gaunt relating to a recent discovery of mural paintings in Portslade Church, Sussex; of which drawings were exhibited. The principal subjects appear to be the Day of Doom, on the south wall of the nave, the Offering of the Magi, an armorial escucheon, &c. They are considered to be of the fifteenth century. The Rev. C. W. Bingham described some British remains found in Dorsetshire, and recently presented to the Dorset County Museum by the Hon. Col. Damer and Mr. Moule. This was accompanied by drawingsexhibiting weapons, implements of bone, and other antiquities of the earlier period. Mr. E. B. Richardson communicated notices of objects, supposed to be of Roman date, sent for inspection by Mr. T. Rogers, and found during excavations in the Edgeware Road, at a considerable depth below the foundations of the Watling Street, the stratification of which was very distinctly preserved—and described by Mr. Richardson. Recent cuttings have again exposed to view the formation of this great Roman road, near Oxford Terrace. A plan of remains of the Norman Choir of Chester Cathedral, brought to light during recent restorations, was communicated by Mr. R. Hussey; who remarked that the usual proportion of the earlier Norman structures had there been observed. and that the eastern apse was semi-circular. The plan also illustrated the form of the present Cathedral of Chester as first built, but subsequently modified. Mr. Jabez Allies sent information of a considerable number of Roman coins of Diocletian, Maximian, and Constantius, found during the last summer at Little Malvern, within a short distance from the important fortress known as the Hereford. shire Beacon, which defended the passage of the chain of hills between that county and Worcestershire. The coins, three hundred in number, were deposited in an Several writers had conjectured that this camp with its central prætorium might have been occupied by the Romans; but no Roman remains had previously been found in this locality. urn. Mr. Hudson Turner read a document of the reign of Edward III., illustrative of the coal trade at that period. It detailed certain expenses for purchases of sea-coals for the king's use by writ of privy seal. They were bought at Wynlatone, at seventeen pence the chaldron, brought to Newcastle in keles, and by ships to London; the freight to the me The Dean of Westminster gave an account of a MS. diary kept by Walter Yonge, a Puritan Justice of the Peace, M.P. for Honiton from 1604 to 1628. This Diary is now in the press for the Camden Society. : Various antiquities and drawings were exhibited a large standard measure of bronze bearing the name and badges of Henry VII., also a curious bronze Celt mould, by Mr. Warner; a specimen of jewelled glass, supposed to be Venetian, by Mr. Tucker; Mr. Seddon sent for inspection a pair of beautifully embroidered gloves of Spanish leather, of the reign of Elizabeth; Mr. Nightingale brought a fine example of early Limoges enamel from Lord Northwick's collection, a maple tankard or mazer, and an unique pack of playing cards, fifty-two in number, ornamented with engravings representing the affair of Titus Oates and the Plots of 1678; Mr. Jeckell presented a drawing of the fine Norman font at Toftrees, Norfolk; Mr. Hewitt exhibited a valuable specimen of painted glass, of German art, destined to be placed in the armouries at the Tower. Jan. 7. The Dean of Westminster, V.P. Mr. Winston read a paper "On the Painted Glass in the East Window of Bristol Cathedral," which has been lately repaired by the Dean and Chapter. It is a Jesse window, having each of its lower lights filled with two oval pannels formed by the branches of a vine, and each containing a figure. In the upper tier of lower lights are representations of the Crucifixion, of the Virgin Mary, and of St. John the Evangelist; and above the crucifix is the Deity in the attitude of Benediction. This last is entirely a modern figure; but there is every reason to suppose that it is in accordance with the original design. In the tracery lights above these figures are various heraldic achievements; but there are no heraldic borders of any sort in the window, except a border of yellow fleurs-de-lis on a blue ground which occurs in three of the lower lights. Mr. Winston gave it as his opinion that this window is of the commencement of the reign of Edward III.; and that the four side windows of the choir are of the latter part of the reign of Edward II. Mr. Hudson Turner read a paper "On a large Collection of unpublished Letters of Edward II., when Prince of Wales, recently discovered in the Chapter House at Westminster." These documents throw much light on the personal character of the prince, and show that generally speaking he was not on the best of terms with his father. Among them is a letter addressed to the Queen, praying her to intercede with the King to allow the Prince to have as one of his "valets" Perot Gaveston. This is perhaps the earliest mention (1306) of the name of that celebrated favourite. The prince's musical taste is shown in various directions for the purchase of musical instruments. One letter is particularly curious: he sends his "rhymer," a certain Robert, to the Prior of Shrewsbury, praying that he may be taught the minstrelsy of the "crowther," or fiddle, by a musician in the Prior's service. There are many letters showing the corrupt administration of justice, and illustrating the subject of church patronage at the commencement of the 14th century. Mr. Gomonde, of Cheltenham, communicated some observations on an example of the domestic architecture of the 15th century at Birt's Morton, Worcestershire; illustrated by drawings. A paper was read, by Mr. Cosmo Innes, " On two ancient Effigies in the Conventual Church of Arbroath in Scotland; one of which is supposed to represent William the Lion, and the other being the figure of a bishop. The date of these sculptures appears to be the close of the 13th century. Mr. Goldie, of York, sent a drawing of the founder's tomb in Gilling Church, Yorkshire; an interesting and unpublished example of a class of sepulchral memorials of which the tomb of Sir William de Staunton, in Staunton Church, Nottsengraved in Stothard's "Monumental Effigies "-presents the ordinary type. The Secretary read a letter from the Rev. C. W. Bingham, of Melcombe, co. Dorset, on a peculiar covenant in a farm lease of the reign of Edward III., providing for the proper manuring of the land. The farm consisted of twenty-four acres, and the rent reserved was the half of the produce of all grain growing thereon. Among the antiquities exhibited to the meeting were nine large brass coins of the Emperors Maximian, Diocletian, and Constantius, in fine preservation-part of a large number found last summer at Little Malvern. Mr. J. Talbot exhibited a fine specimen of the Celtic sword, found in Ireland, and an ornamented mace of office of the 16th century.-A spear-head of bone and other early British remains were sent by Mr. Adamson, of Newcastle.Major Macdonald exhibited a fine collection of antique rings and other objects of interest, collected by him during his travels in the East.-Mr. Nightingale sent for inspection a reliquary, with a silver chain attached, taken from the neck of a skeleton in the churchyard of St. Dunstan's, Fleetstreet, in 1831, and engraved in the Gentle. man's Magazine for May 1843: also a boxwood case for a pair of knives, which are curiously and richly carved with the story of the Prodigal Son, the works of mercy, and the twelve apostles, with the date 1602 and the initials of the owner or carver. Feb. 4. The Dean of Westminster in the chair. Charles Tucker, esq. F.S.A., Hon. Sec. read a paper on the Roman remains lately discovered in Lower Thames Street, on the site excavated for a new Coal Exchange. They consist of the hypocaust of a sudatorium in very good preservation, and a portion of an atrium paved with small red tesseræ. Mr. Tucker considered that these remains were those of a small bath (laconicum) attached to a dwellinghouse. A cylindrical shaft, of apparently medieval construction, resting on the tes selated pavement, had been supposed to form part of the building, but without reason. The Roman edifice had been built on piles, many of which were uncovered during the excavations; and it seemed highly probable, from this circumstance and from the character of the soil, that it stood immediately on the banks of the Thames, the waters of which had in the course of ages receded. The spot presented interesting evidence of successive occupation since Roman times, and of the great height to which the débris of many centuries had raised the level of the city. Mr. Tucker's paper was illustrated by a plan of the remains contributed by Mr. Bunning, the Clerk of the Works; to whom it is mainly owing that these ruins have been saved from the destruction which has usually followed similar discoveries in London. Mr. W. Brooks exhibited a plan and gave some account of the excavations now in progress at Verulamium; towards the expense of which the Institute has made a donation of 51. A letter was read from Mr. Ferrey, the architect, respecting the screen at Christchurch, Hants; from which it appeared that, notwithstanding Lord Malmesbury's refusal to entertain the representations of the Institute against the destruction of that curious relic, (see our last Number, p. 183,) the committee for the repairs of the church were fully disposed to let it remain, and an estimate had been ordered of the expense of repairing it. Mr. J. J. Cole made a communication on the intention and use of hagioscopes or low-side windows in the medieval churches; his opinion being that, prior to the introduction of sanctus-bell cots, and commonly when these where not erected, then at the low-side windowthe only real opening in the church except the doors-the sacristan stood, and on the elevation of the Host rang the sanctus bell, as directed in the ancient constitutions. Among the objects exhibited were several antique chessmen formed of bone, found at Woodpery, Oxon, and considered to be of the period of the thirteenth century; brought by the Rev. J. Wilson.Mr. L. Sotheby sent for inspection the gorget, or standard of mail, said to have been worn by Ralph Neville, first Earl of Westmerland, who died early in the fifteenth century; a rare Etruscan vase; various Roman bronze vessels; and the drum of Colonel Colepepper's regimentso distinguished by the defence of Colchester during the Civil Wars. Sir W. C. Trevelyan contributed a large collection of drawings of druidical remains, fonts, crosses, &c. made in Britany. ROMAN BATH DISCOVERED IN LOWER THAMES STREET. MR. URBAN, Feb. 21. DURING the excavations now being made for a New Coal Exchange in Lower Thames-street, Mr. Henry Nixon, the clerk of the works, observed indications of Roman remains, which he closely watched as the men proceeded, and was thus enabled to give due notice to those likely to be interested, of a very important discovery. The spot is opposite the north-west corner of the Custom House, and about 12 feet below the level of the street. Through the kindness of Thomas Lott, esq. the chairman, and the Committee of the New Coal Exchange, and of the architect, J. B. Bunning, esq. every facility has been afforded for antiquaries and artists to inspect the remains for the space of three weeks. Their exhibition to the public being now closed, I desire to commit my observations to your pages for preservation. Having taken perspective views of the remains, as also measurements of every part, I will describe their character, first informing some of your readers that the hypocausts or baths of the Romans appear from Vitruvius and others to have been in some instances very extensive; we may name a public one, that of Caracalla, the length of which was 1,500 feet, the width 1,250 feet; such a luxury varied from this extent to that in the dwelling of a private individual. They will range under the following characters, first, the frigidarium, or cold bath; second, the tepidarium, or tepid bath; third, the laconicum, or sweating bath; and the fourth, the caldarium, or hot bath. The example in Thames street appears to be of the third denomination. This laconicum measured 14 feet each way, with a bow front westward. There was a seat capable of holding two persons formed of tiles, and situate at the east side, joining the south-east corner; beside this seat, to the north, was an opening as for a passage from the east. This door way is about 3 feet from the north-east The wall that separated the laconicum from a room southward, was 2 feet 6 inches thick, and, like all the other walls, formed of Roman tiles, and a thick layer of mortar; the tiles generally run 1 foot 3 inches by 12 inches, and are 2 inches thick (the foundation of the west end of the laconicum is Kentish rag). This wall turns at a right angle to the south, after forming a portion of the south side of the laconicum for 8 feet, and continues 23 feet southward, forming the west side of this the adjoining room, and then turns to the east for 4 feet, inward measurement; the width of the south and west sides is 3 feet; the north and south walls lose themselves under the adjoining premises to the east. The highest portion left standing of the wall of this south room was about three feet, but it appeared to be founded four feet below the pavement, which was of common red tesseræ. The space uncovered measured 23 feet long by 4 feet wide at the south end, and 8 feet wide at the opposite; its real extent is unknown, as the excavations are not to proceed further eastward. One peculiarity observed in the mass of earth to the east I cannot omit observing; it is an horizontal line of dark-red composition, not tesseræ, but a regular bed of 2 inches thick, very hard, running in an even line, the whole length of the room, and about 11 inches above the flooring, while the space between the two is composed of a regular layer of concrete. From this appearance I am led to conclude that another flooring, 1 foot 1 inch, was originally laid above the tesseræ. Whether the tide came up from the Thames and occasioned this we know not, but I saw it rise nearly to that mark about ten days since, and the man who had the charge of these remains informed me that, at 4 o'clock the preceding Tuesday morning, it rose more than a foot above the pavement of tiles. About midway between the north and south ends of this room, there is a projecting well, fully 4 feet out from the earth, resting on a circular bond timber, of elm, 9 inches by 6, which rests on the red line above referred to; the superstructure is 11 feet from bottom to top; the lower half composed of chalk, very evenly squared, while the other half is of bricks, roughly put together. There appears to have been added, by made ground, 3 feet above the well's mouth, which mouth comes exactly on the level of Thames Street. The diameter of this well is 2 feet 1 inch within: it is evidently of a comparatively recent date; and, as the tides have risen even with the bottom of this well, as I have before stated, the question remains, whether it was for a supply of water for the common purposes of the adjoining area, which is about 25 feet square, surrounded by warehouses, every tide; or supplied from a land spring, which is now diverted to another well of a greater depth. There are traces of other Roman walls northward of the laconicum, viz. one appears in the earth eastward 9 feet; another 10 feet from that again, still northward; the south-west angle of which was standing about 14 feet south from the last named, and probably joined therewith, as the remaining portions ran in such direc. tions as would meet Mr. Charles Roach Smith, F.S.A. informs me that he observed towards the east end of this wall several feet of red tesseræ. There are indications of another wall still further north, which apparently ran north to south, and at the eastern limit appears still another, buried in the earth, and thus we may conclude that at least three rooms have been destroyed northward of the two described. Yours, &c. ALFRED JOSEPH STOTHARD, F.N.S. *The south side of this area was for. merly the Old Dog, in Lower Thames Street, a house of considerable note. Its carved entrance is still standing. HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. Feb. 15. The Marquess of Lansdowne moved the second reading of a Bill for establishing DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE ROMAN STATE.-The Duke of Newcastle opposed the Bill as one at variance with the spirit of those statutes by which the rights, the liberties, the reli gion, and the throne of these kingdoms were secured. His Grace moved as an amendment that the Bill be read a second time that day six months.-The Bishop of Winchester concurred in the amendment. Whenever a case of necessity arose for holding communication with Rome, means had heretofore been found for effecting that object. The inconveniences of a direct communication with the See of Rome were many and great. The wording of the Bill itself showed how easy it was to slide into the language of Popery, for therein the Pope was styled the "Sovereign Pontiff," a style that the noble Marquess also used in his speech. The head of the Romish Church had hitherto been termed "Bishop of Rome, otherwise called the Pope."- The Bishop of St. David's supported the Bill, and the Bishop of Exeter opposed it. Feb. 18. On the committal of the same Bill the Bishop of Winchester again objected to the style of "Sovereign Pontiff," which, after a short discussion, was altered to "Sovereign of the Roman States."The Earl of Eglintoun moved a clause enacting that no person in holy orders, or a Jesuit, or a member of a religious order, should be received as an ambassador at the Court of St. James's. The Ministers resisted the amendment, as fettering the Crown, and dictating to a foreign sovereign in the choice of an envoy. Their lordships divided, and the clause was car. ried by 67 to 64.-The Duke of Wellington proposed a clause declaring the supremacy of the Sovereign, which was adopted, and the Bill went through Committee. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Feb. 3. The Attorney-General obtained leave to bring in four Bills:-1. to facilitate the performance of the duties of JusTICES OF THE PEACE, out of sessions, within England and Wales, with respect to persons charged with indictable offences; 2. to facilitate the performance of the duties of justices of the peace, out of sessions, within England and Wales, with respect to summary convictions and orders; 3. to regulate the holding of courts of special sessions and petty sessions; and 4. to protect justices of the peace from vexatious actions for acts done by them in execution of their office. speech, in which he advocated the claims Lord George Bentinck, after a very long of the WEST INDIAN INTEREST to relief at the hands of the British Legislature from the ruin with which they are at present threatened, moved for a Select Committee "to inquire into the present condition and prospects of the interests connected with and dependent on Sugar and Coffee planting in Her Majesty's East and West Indian possessions, and the Mauritius."-The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in assenting to this Committee, disclaimed any intention on the part of Government to depart from the Act passed in 1846. He would state, however, the designs of Government for the relief of the West Indian interest. He proposed to introduce a Bill to permit the use of molasses in distilleries on similar terms with sugar. His opinion was that the present scheme of immigration had not answered, and, believing that a valuable supply of labour might be got from the Kroomen on the coast of Africa, he proposed to advance to the colonies a sum not exceeding 200,000l. for the purpose of carrying on that immigration. Measures will also be taken to increase the emigration of liberated Africans from Sierra Leone and South America, and Government intended to take upon itself nearly all the expense of their removal. He also intended to postpone for five years the repayment of certain loans made to the colonies, and called "Hurricane Loans ;" and in the course of the session he should propose a loan to Tobago, to enable the planters there to repair the damages of a late hurricane. Feb. 7. Lord J. Russell moved the second reading of the JEWISH DISABILITIES REMOVAL Bill.-Mr. Stafford moved, as an amendment, that it be read a second time that day six months; which was seconded by Lord Burghley. After a long debate, the question was adjourned. Feb. 10. Lord Morpeth moved forleave |