Chapter I: Preface

In carrying out the many duties devolving upon a Borough Surveyor, it has so often been my wish to turn to a practical book of reference upon the many subjects connected with these duties, that I have written the following pages; and I trust that they will form a useful Handbook.

H. PERCY BOULNOIS.

PORTSMOUTH,
_May, 1883_.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
THE TOWN SURVEYOR.

Office of surveyor first legalised -- Clause of Public Health Act
1875, making appointment -- Division of England into districts --
Surveyor to Rural Authority -- Clauses of Act referring to surveyor --
Title of “Surveyor” is an erroneous one -- List of subjects on which
he has often to advise -- Want of Government protection for surveyor
-- Mr. Lewis Angell on protection -- Reasons for Government refusal --
Time will effect a change page 1

CHAPTER II.
THE APPOINTMENT OF SURVEYOR.

Sub-committee to fix salary and duties -- Specimen report and list of
duties -- Test of merit necessary -- Examination by Sanitary Institute
of Great Britain -- Particulars of these examinations -- Syllabus of
subjects -- Specimens of examination papers -- Authoritative
examination, however, still necessary -- Methods to be adopted to
obtain appointment of surveyor -- Canvassing 10

CHAPTER III.
THE SURVEYOR’S DUTIES.

Public Health Act and surveyors of highways -- List of duties
devolving upon surveyor in consequence -- Meetings of boards and
committees -- List of suitable names for committees -- Punctuality --
Reports -- Methodical habits 20

CHAPTER IV.
TRAFFIC.

Interests involved in construction and maintenance of streets --
Requirements of a good roadway -- Wearing effect of traffic -- Mr.
Deacon’s standard -- Effect of horses’ hoofs on roadways -- Remarks on
shoeing -- Traction on roads -- Tables of resistance -- Forces tending
to destroy momentum -- Table of tractive force, etc. -- Another table
giving inclinations -- Proper gradients of roadways -- Table of
resistance by Crompton -- Wheel resistance -- Mr. Haywood and safety
of traffic -- Stopping and starting vehicles -- Safe width of roadways
-- Vehicles and pedestrians passing each other -- Sanctuaries --
Danger of crossings 25

CHAPTER V.
MACADAMISED ROADWAYS.

Laying out new roads -- Macadamised roads a luxury -- Telford and
Macadam -- Specification of roadway, fifty years ago -- Modern
specification of roadway -- Advantages of Telford’s system -- Hard
core -- Concrete -- Table of depths of materials -- Ellice Clarke’s
tables of comparative cost -- Further particulars of comparative cost
-- Streets of Paris -- Cross section of roadway -- Objections to
macadamised roadways -- Notes on maintenance -- Bituminous roadways 34

CHAPTER VI.
ROAD METAL AND BREAKING.

Test of fitness of stone -- Primary investigations -- Qualities
necessary -- List of stones used as road metal -- Variety of materials
used -- Table of comparative efficiency of road metal in France --
Hand-broken stone -- Gauging the size -- Quantity broken per diem --
Machines for breaking stones -- Price of machines -- Work effected by
machinery -- Precautions necessary -- Objections to machinery --
Weight of broken stone -- Specification for supply of road metal 48

CHAPTER VII.
ROAD ROLLING.

First introduction of rollers -- Mr. Parry on steam rolling -- Cost
for repairs -- Number of men necessary -- Fuel used -- Other uses for
engine power -- Spikes for chequering -- Binding material -- Gradients
-- Work effected -- Description of manner in which roller should be
applied -- Method adopted in the United States -- Use of roller for
repairs of roads -- Method adopted at Gloucester -- Effect of weight
of roller on roads -- Advantages of steam rolling -- Mr. Paget on
rolling -- Disadvantages of steam rolling -- Horse rollers 60

CHAPTER VIII.
PITCHED PAVEMENTS.

Economy under heavy traffic -- Noise and slipperiness -- Improvements
effected -- Size of setts -- Description of best class of stones --
Mr. Walker and wear of stones -- The Euston pavement -- The Guidet
paving -- Manchester pavement -- Concrete foundations -- Grouting --
Bituminous mixture -- Stone tram-tracks 73

CHAPTER IX.
WOOD PAVING.

First introduced into metropolis -- Improvements since -- List and
description of many various modern methods -- Sanitary objections to
wood pavement -- Power of absorption of wood -- Preserving processes
-- Wear of wood paving -- Different estimates of life -- Woods
employed -- Advantages of this description of paving -- Objections to
it -- Cost of wood pavement -- Tables of cost and life --
Specification of wood pavement 81

CHAPTER X.
COMPRESSED ASPHALTE ROADWAYS.

Description of asphalte -- Mr. Deland’s test -- Percentage of bitumen
necessary -- Method of construction of compressed asphalte roadway --
Advantages of this description of pavement -- Objections to it on
account of slipperiness -- Gradient -- Cost of asphalte pavement --
Tables on the subject -- Specifications for a compressed asphalte
roadway -- Other descriptions of asphalte roadways -- Hints on the
success or the reverse of asphalte roadways 96

CHAPTER XI.
FOOTPATHS.

Foundation -- List of materials for footpaths -- Mastic asphalte --
Description of manner of laying -- Proportions of asphalte, bitumen,
and grit -- Yorkshire flagging -- Specification for York flagging --
Caithness flagging -- Its advantages -- Blue lias flagging -- Concrete
footpaths -- Description of American concrete path -- Artificial stone
pavements -- Brick footpaths -- Granite slabs -- Artificial asphalte
paths -- Specification of tar pavement -- American tar pavement --
Gravel footpaths -- Sections of paths -- Tarred paths 106

CHAPTER XII.
KERBING AND CHANNELLING, ETC.

Necessity for kerb -- Section of granite kerb and channel -- Setting
kerb -- Cost of kerb and channelling -- Necessity for gutter or
channel crossings -- Gully gratings -- Objects to be attained --
Drawing of a gully-pit -- Drawing of a buddle-hole -- Mr. Baldwin
Latham on the subject 123

CHAPTER XIII.
LIGHTING STREETS.

Gas v. Electricity -- Public Health Act on lighting -- Different hours
at which public gas lamps are lighted -- Hints for a contract with a
gas company -- Supply by meter -- Objections to meters -- Regulators
-- Lamp-posts -- Lanterns -- Burners -- Numbering lamps -- Formula for
determining distance of lamps -- M. Servier on spreading light
uniformly -- Tables of different lights -- Points to be considered in
public lighting by electricity -- Motive power required -- Machinery
necessary -- Regulations as regards fire risks -- Lamps -- Value of
electric light -- Difficulty of photometrical measurement -- Cost of
electric light -- Mr. Shoolbred’s tables -- Comparative cost on Thames
embankment -- Value of these investigations -- Acme of all lighting
129

CHAPTER XIV.
STREET NAMING AND NUMBERING.

Necessity of naming and numbering streets -- Public Health Act on the
subject -- Different methods of naming -- Minton’s china letters --
Cast iron plates -- Painted names -- Enamelled iron -- Wooden figures
-- Enamelled glass tablets -- Size of letters -- Association of names
-- Methods of numbering -- Forms of notice to number 149

CHAPTER XV.
BREAKING-UP STREETS.

The law on the subject -- Water Works Clauses Act, 1847 --
Consideration of the clauses -- What is meant by “plan” -- Specimen of
specification or plan -- Damage caused to roads by opening them --
Private individuals breaking-up streets -- Clauses of the Public
Health Act -- Telegraphs Act, 1863 -- Clauses of this Act --
Advantages and disadvantages of subways -- Power of individuals to
open streets for drains -- Clauses of the Public Health Act on the
subject -- Uncertainty on the subject -- Forms of notices necessary --
Customs prevailing in different towns 157

CHAPTER XVI.
OBSTRUCTIONS IN STREETS.

List of subjects discussed -- Improving line of frontages -- Assessing
value of compensation -- Removing projections of buildings -- What are
legal projections? -- Doors or gates opening outwards -- Forms of
notice necessary -- Vaults or cellar coverings -- Forms of notice
necessary -- Advantages of an “Easement book” -- Rain water from
shutes or down pipes -- Form of notice necessary -- Blinds or awnings
over paths -- Trees overhanging roadways -- Form of notice necessary
-- Surface water from premises -- Hoardings and scaffolds -- Dangerous
Buildings -- Tall chimney shafts -- Dangerous rock -- Forms of notice
necessary -- Temporary obstructions 174

CHAPTER XVII.
IMPROVEMENT OF PRIVATE STREETS.

The 150th section of the Public Health Act -- Criticisms of this
section -- Duties of the surveyor in connection with it -- Specimen
forms of notices -- Carrying out the work -- Taking over private
streets -- Agreement to take over a road -- What is a “road”? -- Legal
definition of the term street 193

CHAPTER XVIII.
NEW STREETS AND BUILDINGS.

Important duty of surveyor -- Clauses of the Public Health Act --
Model bye-laws -- What is a new building? -- The term “ground floor”
-- Alteration of existing buildings -- Deposit of plans -- Clauses of
the Public Health Act -- Clauses necessary in the bye-laws with regard
to deposit -- Form of notice in respect of deposit of plans --
Suggestions for town surveyor in connection with this duty and
examination of plans -- Supervision of buildings in course of erection
-- Stringency of bye-laws -- Protection of life from fire necessary --
Party walls through roofs -- Space at back -- Fee for inspection 206