DR. LARDNER ON STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH INDIA.
ALTHOUGH studded with too many solemn commonplaces, and mingling with the zeal of an advocate the ipse die-it manner of a pedagogue in his school, Dr. LARDNEICS pamphlet is the most distinct and business-like publication that we have seen in favour of Steam Navigation to India. Against the risks and difficulties attendant upon the punctual execution of the plan, Dr. L tRDNER, indeed, adduces no new facts,—though he makes the novel assertions, that the coral reefs of the Red Sea offer no impedi- ments to the voyage of a steamer; and that there are " numerous harbours, as well on the Arabian as on the Abyssinian awl Egyptian coasts, which would form places of refuge, in case of accidental derangement, or extraordinary stress of weather," for vessels of a thousand tons! He has, however, thrown out some judicious suggestions with respect to the choice of deptit stations between India and Egypt, if they can be effected ; and laid down some excellent rules regarding the build, class, and character of the steamers that should be employed. As regards the first of these points, Dr. LARDNER truly states,. that insular stations between India and Egypt for depots of fuel,. &c. would be far preferable to any on the main land, to avoid the This is the portion most satisfactorily treated, though little new chances of interference or collision with the natives ; and be can be said, and the ground has been often gone over before. The points out, as well adapted for this purpose, the small isle of Came- sketch of the progress of art from its revival in Italy, is very ran in the Red Sea, and Socotra, an island on the coast of Africa, slight and imperfect; notwithstanding it embraces that golden at the extreme verge of the Indian Ocean. There is this little age, the period which produced MICHAEL ANGELO, RAFFAELLI, obstacle, indeed, in the way—that we have not a shadow of right and LEONARDO DA VINCI. The notices of contemporary schools to either of them ; but our author declares, that " to obtain the and artists consist chiefly of loose extracts, taken at random froth cession" of Socotra could not be a matter of any difficulty ; and other writers, interspersed with a few general observations of a he gives an ominous hint as to the other—" Camaran," quoth the superficial kind. There is a great deal of compilation, indeed, Doctor of Laws, " belongs to an independent Sheik, who resides throughout ; and, regarded as a complete and comprehensive trea- upon it in a castle; it has frequently changed masters, and pos- tise on the fine arts, it is, as the author acknowledges, manifestly session alone seems to constitute the title of its present owner." incomplete. The value of the book consists in the justness of the " That snuffbox," argued Mr. VAUX, " belongs to an old gentle- opinions ; which, if not very striking or original, are well ants man, who keeps it in his pocket ; it has frequently changed forcibly expressed. Their promulgation in this shape will bring masters, and possession alone seems to constitute the title of its them in the way of miscellaneous readers, and thus good service
present owner: so, hey presto! let it have a new one." will be done to the cause of art in improving the public taste.
The remarks of Dr. LARDNER upon the steam part of the enter- The strictures on contemporary criticism were scarcely worth prise are entitled to more attention than his geography or his republication; though they serve to show in how unsettled a state -ethics. He proposes that the line from England to India should are the opinions of the most intelligent writers on art, and what be under " one single agency" throughout; and not to be taken wild and fanciful theories they are apt to form for the want of tip from Malta, or have any connexion with the present Post-office practical knowledge to guide their speculations. The essay on Mediterranean packets, unless it were to supersede them. The the Restoration of the Parthenon as a National Monument, re. reason for this is, that parcels and passengers may be " booked" vives a bygone topic, that we suspect lives more strongly in the throughout, without being transferred from one agency to another author's fancy than in the regard of the Scottish people. with divided responsibility. He judiciously urges, that no false We give an extract or two from the remarks on Modern Archi- economy should be used at starting ; and recommends that tecture. The exposition of the pedantry, bad taste, and want of steamers should be built of 1,000 tons and 250 horse power, as invention of the present race of architects, as exemplified in their the most effective size for contending with the seas they will have erections, is spirited and lively. From this sweeping censure Mr. to encounter. The vessels should be numerous enough to allow BARRY in particular is excepted : his design for the new Houses a fresh one to ply between every station ; on arriving at which, of Parliament is characterized as " truly magnificent," and cal. passengers and luggage should be transferred to the steamer in culated " to redeem the national character, and to eclipse any
waiting, leaving the new corner to rest its turn. For, thing that has been produced in the metropolis since the days of ., it is found that the machinery of a steamer requires after moderate inter- Wren." vale to be examined and readjusted ; the fire-places and flues to be swept and The mania for Greek architecture is happily ridiculed, and the scraped ; the boilers to be discharged of their contents, and well cleansed both absurdity of rejecting the Roman modifications clearly demons internally and externally. If this process be omitted, or only observed after strated in the following passages. It should be observed that the protracted intervals of uninterrupted work, the machinery will not only be quickly destroyed, but even while it lasts the performance of the vessel will be writer has a reverential admiration for the Athenian edifices: inefficient; her speed will be diminished, her consumption of fuel will be aug- what he complains of is, that their unity of design is not pre- mented, and that portion of fuel which fails to propel her will be actively served by modern adapters of their style and decorations ; the engaged in working her destruction. Inn word, a steam-engine, like an animal, miscalled Grecian structures of' the present day being mere requires regular repose at reasonable intervals; of which being deprived, it patchwork jumbles of fragments beautiful in themselves, and still ceaPies to be capable of useful labour."
The vessel, engines, and fittings-up, should be specially adapted character and fitness by incongruous combinations and misappro- for this service; the accommodation to be of a liberal and " luxu- rious" kind. They should exactly correspond to one another, not
only as regards magnitude, model, and fitting-up, e work a Grecian Doric column and entablature, piques himself ou his knowledge
" but in every particular, nautical and mechanical ; so that any part o of Grecian architecture, and looks with ineffable contempt on the Roman and
.0m would admit of being interchanged for a similar part of another. Thus, Italian styles, and the ignorance. of his predecessors. Every dwellinghuuse any part of the niachinery or stores, for any one of these vessels, wmild be fitted and shop•front must have its tiny, fluted, baseless, l'esturn columns. Every for any other. The berths and conveniences provided for passengels would public building, be it a church or meeting-house, a palace or hospital, a college
precisely correspond." or club-house, a theatre or gaol, has its Grecian Doric or ionic portico. The expense, exclusive of stations, but including the first cost Whatever may be the style or character of the building in other respects, it of the vessels, Dr. LARDNER estimates at 126,200/. a year. Ile becomes henceforth a genuine Grecian structure. Graceful and appropriate as calculates the returns at 213,000/.; but this supposes that the becomes sickening and nauseous ; more especially the Doric, which is degraded vessels, in stage-coach phraseology," fill." If, however, only half to the most common and plebeian purposes—to petty porches, door.cases, and the number of passengers who now go by the Cape proceeded by chimney-pieces ; nor is it at all unlikely that it will descend at last to the classic the new route, the returns would more than cover the estimated decoration of our candlesticks, bed-posts, and other implements of domestic expenses. The calculation, on the more certain data of newspapers furniture. If the order of the columns be copied—though on ever so pitiful and letters, merely yields, however, some 18,000/. And though Rusty announced to be after such a structure at Athens. * * * we think that, when the certainty of the passage is established, Unless modern architects be prepared to relinquish the cupola, the vault, and
many passengers will prefer the steamers to the longer passage the RI cli— the practice of placing one order above another—the subdivision into round the Cape, we do not believe that the rapt visions of Dr. stories—as well as the application of the orders as appendages and parasitical LARDNER will be fulfilled for years to come. He seems to over- decoration—it is gross affectation and inconsistency to sneer and inveigh as
look or to shut his eyes to the risk of infection, and to the delays they do at the Roman and Italian. Even supposing the Italian masters bad at of quarantine. been the result in the purity of the individual order, or the restoration of the However, as we said some months ago, the experiment ought to temple and other Grecian structures, it is impossible to imagine they could have be tried ; and, if punctually practicable, continued for some time overlooked the admirable scope afforded by the combinations of the arch mat even at a loss. But although three years have now elapsed since vault, and the practice of placing one order above another ; nor could their a Committee of the House of Commons recommended the attempt, acquaintance with the 'Grecian have in the least facilitated the improvement and although the mercantile community both in England and and application of the modern cupola, the boast of the Italian schuol, the India are anxiously moving in the matter, nothing, we believe, suppression of the pure Grecian style has been made to architecture. More. has been done by Government, except to spend some 20,0001. on a over, it cannot be too often repeated, that the superiority of the Grecian can. foolish expedition to the Euphrates. How long will it be before sists, not exclusively in the mere proportions of the individual orders and details, Whig rulers learn practical wisdom, or act with common sense? but in the general composition and collocation of the entire structure, "pre- Here is a matter which all parties must support,or at least refrain seining to the eye one unbloken whole, complete on every side, and graceful in from opposing ; one, too, interesting to various influential classes, not inforior both to the Roman and Italian. involving much expense, or, in its establishment, any difficulties ; and carrying with its attempt alone a certain degree of eclat. FORSTER'S EMINENT BRITISH STATESMEN. If the Tories come into power, we may be sure that short and
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