the city in 1727. The Georgian architecture of Bath is almost a national monument, and many leading architects and others interested in civic architecture and town-planning will take part in the celebration. An exhibition of old prints and drawings will be held, and it is hoped that some of Wood’s original plans and drawings may be forthcoming. Unfortunately, no portrait of Wood himself is known to exist.
The world is so busily immersed in everyday affairs that periodical warnings about the approaching timber famine, especially in softwoods, have generally been unheeded. There have been many such warnings, and the latest of them was given by Professor Francis Story at the recent meeting of the British Association. The present three great areas of softwood supply, North America (Canada and the United States), Scandinavia and Northern Russia, supplying about 95 per cent. of the world’s coniferous timber, are within measurable distance of depletion. The European stocks are being drawn upon to the extent of 3, 000, 000, 000 cubic feet, and the Canadian supplies to the extent of 4, 000, 000, 000 cubic feet, per annum. At the present rate of consumption, the Canadian stocks will be exhausted in 25 years. The world’s supply of coniferous timber, according to Professor Story, will come to an end in 38 years, that is, within the lifetime of the present younger generation. There are still vast forest areas in Siberia, but these include enormous tracts of scrub, burned-over areas and swamps. The rivers flow north to the frozen Arctic Sea and are useless for log transport; there are no railways, and the outlay required to make these stocks accessible would probably result in an excessive cost of the timber. In recent years, the consumption of timber has been developed by other uses than building and paper-making. Wood is the basis of artificial silk, the immense and rapidly-growing new industry. And in addition to the timber normally required for pitprops, sleepers, etc., it must not be forgotten that the tendency of humanity to congregate in cities is leading to a growing consumption of wood for non-returnable crates and boxes in which foodstuffs and other goods are conveyed from the point of production to the centres of population. It is an interesting speculation whether some substitute for softwood will be discovered before the supplies are exhausted, just as some of our mechanical engineers are wondering whether some new motive force will be available before the world’s stock of oil runs out.
The Ministry of Health announcement that, since the War, some 866, 000 houses had been erected up to the end of March last, and that it was hoped the September figures would chronicle the passing of the million mark, has been received with a considerable measure of satisfaction. If our annual requirement of new houses is correctly stated at 100, 000, it will be apparent that the past eight years’ effort has not only furnished the annual quota, but given a substantial surplus to set against the shortage existing at the time of the Armistice. Pride in this achievement must, however, be considerably modified when
we come to analyse these figures and understand their broad significance. It is admitted that the March total of 545, 287 houses built with Government aid, and 320, 855 built without it, represent dwellings for which the occupants are able or willing to pay substantial weekly sums, ranging from 12s. to 40s. a week or more; and it must also be admitted that, in very many cases, the tenants, whether renters or instalment purchasers, are paying for accommodation a far larger proportion of their income than prudence would justify. And while house purchase on the instalment system is a commendable form of thrift, the high cost of houses must limit the spending capacity of the owners in other directions as well as in the matter of general saving. It is not surprising, therefore, to learn that, in numerous cases, the tenants of the new dwellings have found it necessary to sublet part of their houses, with results that often verge upon overcrowding. The graver aspect of the housing question is the fact that, so far, we have only been able, even with the help of a State subsidy, to meet the needs of the comparatively well-to-do. The housing of the poorer classes and the question of slum clearance have hardly been touched, and both problems promise to be difficult of solution.
Viewed in its broader aspects, our achievement in housing gives little cause for congratulation. We have had to build in a hurry, and have not escaped the consequences of undue haste. Land has been developed and houses dumped upon it, with little consideration for town-planning, transport provision or traffic congestion, all of which must be affected by the continuous lateral expansion of our towns. We have had no time to consider whether lateral expansion is a more desirable ideal than the better horizontal development of built-up areas. With the continued growth of immense cities, like London and Manchester, it has become a moot point whether ribbon development in ever-widening circles should be suffered to continue. Such major questions as the redistribution of population and zoning powers for local authorities have had but bare mention; and the importance of regional planning is only beginning to be generally recognised. It is significant that we now speak of housing more in terms of quantity than of quality, on the basis of cost rather than of value. Under economic pressure, the high ideal of the Addison regime has been whittled down to the minimum accommodation permitted by the Public Health Act, and the slogan of “homes fit for heroes” has been shortened to ˮhomes’’ without special qualifica
tion. For the same reason, we have had to accept much flimsy and meretricious building material because of its cheapness; and by all these tokens, many of the new dwellings are “poky” and uncomfortable, as well as shoddy in construction and appearance. Our consolation is that we are no worse off than other countries, and better, indeed, than some. The gravamen of the housing question, the world over, is that the great industrial countries cannot afford to house the major part of their populations on the standard demanded by science and hygiene in the twentieth century.
MANCHESTER TOWN HALL EXTENSION FINAL
COMPETITION RESULT
Accepted design by E. Vincent Harris, F. R. I. B. A., 29 St. James’s Square, London, S. W. The final competition, was limited to six selected architects. The value of the first prize is £1, 000, each of the other competitors receiving £500. The assessors were Messrs. Robert Atkinson, T. R. Millburn and Ralph Knott.
The world is so busily immersed in everyday affairs that periodical warnings about the approaching timber famine, especially in softwoods, have generally been unheeded. There have been many such warnings, and the latest of them was given by Professor Francis Story at the recent meeting of the British Association. The present three great areas of softwood supply, North America (Canada and the United States), Scandinavia and Northern Russia, supplying about 95 per cent. of the world’s coniferous timber, are within measurable distance of depletion. The European stocks are being drawn upon to the extent of 3, 000, 000, 000 cubic feet, and the Canadian supplies to the extent of 4, 000, 000, 000 cubic feet, per annum. At the present rate of consumption, the Canadian stocks will be exhausted in 25 years. The world’s supply of coniferous timber, according to Professor Story, will come to an end in 38 years, that is, within the lifetime of the present younger generation. There are still vast forest areas in Siberia, but these include enormous tracts of scrub, burned-over areas and swamps. The rivers flow north to the frozen Arctic Sea and are useless for log transport; there are no railways, and the outlay required to make these stocks accessible would probably result in an excessive cost of the timber. In recent years, the consumption of timber has been developed by other uses than building and paper-making. Wood is the basis of artificial silk, the immense and rapidly-growing new industry. And in addition to the timber normally required for pitprops, sleepers, etc., it must not be forgotten that the tendency of humanity to congregate in cities is leading to a growing consumption of wood for non-returnable crates and boxes in which foodstuffs and other goods are conveyed from the point of production to the centres of population. It is an interesting speculation whether some substitute for softwood will be discovered before the supplies are exhausted, just as some of our mechanical engineers are wondering whether some new motive force will be available before the world’s stock of oil runs out.
The Ministry of Health announcement that, since the War, some 866, 000 houses had been erected up to the end of March last, and that it was hoped the September figures would chronicle the passing of the million mark, has been received with a considerable measure of satisfaction. If our annual requirement of new houses is correctly stated at 100, 000, it will be apparent that the past eight years’ effort has not only furnished the annual quota, but given a substantial surplus to set against the shortage existing at the time of the Armistice. Pride in this achievement must, however, be considerably modified when
we come to analyse these figures and understand their broad significance. It is admitted that the March total of 545, 287 houses built with Government aid, and 320, 855 built without it, represent dwellings for which the occupants are able or willing to pay substantial weekly sums, ranging from 12s. to 40s. a week or more; and it must also be admitted that, in very many cases, the tenants, whether renters or instalment purchasers, are paying for accommodation a far larger proportion of their income than prudence would justify. And while house purchase on the instalment system is a commendable form of thrift, the high cost of houses must limit the spending capacity of the owners in other directions as well as in the matter of general saving. It is not surprising, therefore, to learn that, in numerous cases, the tenants of the new dwellings have found it necessary to sublet part of their houses, with results that often verge upon overcrowding. The graver aspect of the housing question is the fact that, so far, we have only been able, even with the help of a State subsidy, to meet the needs of the comparatively well-to-do. The housing of the poorer classes and the question of slum clearance have hardly been touched, and both problems promise to be difficult of solution.
Viewed in its broader aspects, our achievement in housing gives little cause for congratulation. We have had to build in a hurry, and have not escaped the consequences of undue haste. Land has been developed and houses dumped upon it, with little consideration for town-planning, transport provision or traffic congestion, all of which must be affected by the continuous lateral expansion of our towns. We have had no time to consider whether lateral expansion is a more desirable ideal than the better horizontal development of built-up areas. With the continued growth of immense cities, like London and Manchester, it has become a moot point whether ribbon development in ever-widening circles should be suffered to continue. Such major questions as the redistribution of population and zoning powers for local authorities have had but bare mention; and the importance of regional planning is only beginning to be generally recognised. It is significant that we now speak of housing more in terms of quantity than of quality, on the basis of cost rather than of value. Under economic pressure, the high ideal of the Addison regime has been whittled down to the minimum accommodation permitted by the Public Health Act, and the slogan of “homes fit for heroes” has been shortened to ˮhomes’’ without special qualifica
tion. For the same reason, we have had to accept much flimsy and meretricious building material because of its cheapness; and by all these tokens, many of the new dwellings are “poky” and uncomfortable, as well as shoddy in construction and appearance. Our consolation is that we are no worse off than other countries, and better, indeed, than some. The gravamen of the housing question, the world over, is that the great industrial countries cannot afford to house the major part of their populations on the standard demanded by science and hygiene in the twentieth century.
MANCHESTER TOWN HALL EXTENSION FINAL
COMPETITION RESULT
Accepted design by E. Vincent Harris, F. R. I. B. A., 29 St. James’s Square, London, S. W. The final competition, was limited to six selected architects. The value of the first prize is £1, 000, each of the other competitors receiving £500. The assessors were Messrs. Robert Atkinson, T. R. Millburn and Ralph Knott.