EARTHQUAKES AND ARCHITECTURE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 24

EARTHQUAKES AND ARCHITECTURE.

TO THE EDITOR OE THE NEW ZEALAND MAIL. Sir, —I venture to aalc you to suppleour report of the discussion on Mr Turnbull’s paper at the Philosophical Society’s meeting last Wednesday by inserting the following extracts which I read on that occasion from a letter written by Mr Edw. Roberts to the Journal of Proceedings of the'Royal Institute of Architects in July, 1888. This paper has been kindly communicated to me by an architect in this town. Mr Roberts,.was, as I understand, resident in Wellington in 1848, attached to the Royal Engineers, and many old settlers here will doubtless remember him well. I am further given to understand that he is a gentleman of acknowledged eminence in his profession, and thoroughly competent to form, and to act upon, a correct opinion. In his letter of last July Mr Roberts says : “I was resident in Wellington during the series of earthquakes in 1848, and witnessed the effect upon the few brick buildings then existing [including the Colonial G-aol on Mount Cook] In process of time it became necessary to provide another gaol, and as a wooden structure was deemed useless, as it would neither be fireproof nor. afford any security for prisoners, it was my duty to adopt some other more suitable material : and 1 proposed the brick building which was subsequently erected, and which successfully resisted the more violent shock of the earthquake of 1855. The bricks for this were specially made for it, and, if my memory serves me right, they were from 14in to 16in long, 7m wide, and 4-Jin thick ; and they were built round 2 inch iron bars, which had been previously inserted in the foundation, and were long enough to go through the plates of the roof. These bars were placed on an average of about sft apart, and formed practically an iron cage, the bars of which were built round with brickwork.” These statements show very clearly that Mr Roberts did not at all think it necessary to neglect precautionary measures when building in brick in Wellington. In reading the foregoing letter to the meeting on Wednesday, I asked whether, in the modern structures now so numerous here similar procautions have been taken. It would seem, indeed, essential that even much greater care ought to have been

exercised, as Mr Roberts’ Gaol is no great height, whereas many of the new buildings have three or'four stories. On the answer to such a question depend some of the chiefest interests of the people of Wellington. There are many still here who can say whether Mr Turnbull’s idea, that the earthquakes of 1848 and 1855 were “ no great v shakes ” after all, is correct or not. If it is not correct, and if there is no guarantee whatsoever against the recurreWa of .such things at any time, is it possible, Sir, to be too careful? Can there be excess of caution in such a matter.—l am, &c., ' W. M. Maskell. stla October.