CiiAf.

II,
CLASS.
547
and speckled than the Fnpplisli mamifactiiie Cnjstal white sheet glass, for glazing pictures
and prints, is inip.)rteil ("rom Florence in cases of 100, 200 and 300 ftet, in fiist, second
and tliird qualities, and appears superior to other glass in wiiiteness, but it has the defect
of ' sweating.' Similar named glass for such purposes made hy Messrs. Chance, ^ippears
to us to be very green, and therefore detrimental to prints and pictures; but on the other
liand it d les not sweat.
1S75. Plate glass is so called from its being cast in large sheets or plates. Its consti-
tuent parts are wliite sand, cleansed w'th purified pearl-ashes, and borax. If the metal
should appear yellow, it is rendered pellucid by tl e addition, in equal small quantities, of
mang.inese and arsenic. It is cast on a large horizontal table, and all excrescences are
pressed out by passing a large roller over tlie metal. To polish it, it is laid on a large hori-
zontal block of freestone, perfectly smooth, and then a smaller piece of glass, fastened to a
plank of wood, is passed over the other till it has received a due degree of polisli. Fortlie
purpose of facilitating the process, water and sand are used, as in tlie polishin:; o.^ marble;
and lastly, Tripoli, smult. emeiy, and putty, to give it lustre; but to affc)rd the fiuisiiing
polish the powder of smalt is usid. Except in the very largest plates, the workmen polisli
their glass by means of a plank having four wooden handles to move it, and to this plank
a plate of glass is cemented.
187G. For the unsilvered polished plate glas for mirrors there are two qualities,
second and best. Tlie Paris factory supplied in 1855 two looking glasses for the
iNIayor's room in the Town Hal at Liverpool, each 15 feet by 10 feet. l'>lisheil/ilate glass
is manufactured for general glazing purposes up to about SO feet superficial, of two quali-
ties, usual and best. Tiie usual thickness is a quarter of an inch ; higher prices are
charged for glass selected to be cut above
-fg
ths , -pgths., and ^ths. thi< k ; while for i.bove
^ths. tiiick, special prices are charged. Tlie best (|uality is declared to be of the very
purest colour, free from specks, and not sutiject to dampness or sweating.
1877. Hough plate glass, cast, is used for roofing, in skylights, windows, &c. , in plates
fiom not above 20 inches lung, to above 120 inches long, in thicknesses of
\, g.
J,
'^, inch, 1
\,
and l,\incli ; but these thicknesses have certain limited lengths. The widths are the same
as for plate glass. This glass is not ground or polished, but rough from the table, and
showing the table marks on its underside,
1878. The patent rough plate glass, which is also cast, must not be confounded with the
aliove. It is extensively used for ridge and furrow roofs, conservatories, manufactories,
skylights, worksliops, and other places where "obscured" glass is reijuired to intercept the
vision without diminishing tlie light. Blinds are unnecessary, and when it is used in green-
houses, no scorching of the plants occurs. The quality known as Jtli. of an inch thick,
weighing about 2 lbs
,
or 32 ounces to the foot, is usually provided for these purposes, and
is no more, weight for weight, than common crown glass. When greater strength is re-
quired, fgtlis. and
\
inch tliick is said to be cheaper and of a finer quality than the common
rough plate; but we demur to this statement, as of late years the inanufacture appears to
liave decreased in strengtii from the greater use of sand for cheapness; in moveable window
frames in warehouses, a lamentable quantity of broken squares is to be seen almost before
the floors are occupied.
1878<z. This glass is m ide of two kinds; I. Pla'n, which is merely marked by the fine
grain of the casting table, and is that above noticed; and II. Fluted, of two sorts. No I,
large jiattern, lia\ing 3^ flutes to tl e inch; and No. 2, .snnall jiattern, having 12 flutes to
the inch. B.ith the plain and the fluted kinds are made jth. I'gths. \.
|ths. and
|
inch in
thickness. The svidth is about 3 feet, and tlie length usually not above 70 inches ; bi.t
75, 90, and 100 inch, s long are also made. When a ckar glass and much nun-transpareucy
are required. No. 2 fluted is the best.
Ih79. Quarry glass is also made in this material
; No. 1 being 6 inches by 'Jjth inches
from ]ioint to jjoint
;
No 2 being 3 inches by 2^'g inch. A tit lined urnamenttd jMient quarry
rouyh jilnte is iiiade tor churches, ch.ijJels, schools, &c. A patent aiamund rutiyh pliile glass
is als) manufactured. A jiatent rough plate, and sheet, 7,er/oru/e</ glass, iiolished or un-
polished, for ventilation, can be obtained in sizes, which retjuire consideration in arranging,
on account of the length of the slits or perforations. It is usually made in columns
1|
inches wide, and
2i
inches apart; the space between each slit vertically being
1|
inches.
Larger sizes^ or the columns wider apart, can be obtained from various inanulacturers, or
lo order.
1880. Many other aiiplications of glass will be ncticed in the ensuing chapter.
We must iiere state that the details given in tliis section are founded upon the price
list issued by ]\Iessrs. Hartley, of Sunderland, and would state our regret tliat the maim-
tinturers have not deemed it advisable for their own interests, to provide someplace in
London, and in other large towns, where the architect can call and compare the qualities of
glass supplied under his specification with standards there placed. It was comparative!}
essy in Ibinier years to judge of good glass; now it is almost impossible.
X N 2