THE CATHEDRAL SPIRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7417, 31 May 1902, Page 5

THE CATHEDRAL SPIRE.

WOEK OF HE-ERECTION. DIFFICULTIES EXPEBIENCED. The Cathedral Chapter hts obtained a great deal of information in Mgard to taa re-erection of tfhe spire, which was shaken down by the severe earthquake on Nor. 16 last ' • ■ . The utmost difficulty is being expenenc- \ e& jn the matter. It is understood thao •substantial donations , have been promised towards the expense of re-ereefcioav but the trouble is to decide on the method of reerertion, and the material that should be used in, the portion re-erected. ; Information on the subject (has been sought from almost all eartihquake-ridden. countries in the world. It was thought that some idea of the ,proper course to be pursued could be obtained from the structure of spires in those countries. A curious fact, however, is that in no earthquaky country is there a spire nearly so high as that in Obristchurdh, wl4ch. reaches about 200 ft! from the ground. It is generally recognised; that *o carry out the work in brick, in view of the fact , , that the spire has been brought down once, and baa been very severely shaken, on ■another occasion, is quite impossible. . \ , ( Wood, steel, copper, aluminium and other substances have hW suggested. In i<egard to the metals, Qwwever, it is found that there is no reliable information to go upon us to the effect of tile atmosphere at that ltitude. Investigations have shown, that the air above Christchurch at as* altitude af 200 ft is often impregnated with- considerible quantities of salt, carried from the open sea on tfee east, -and this halt to be borne in mind when the question is being considered. . „. It is roughly estimated that the cost of re-erectioa will be about £1000. (