554

6tJ

go Scientific Library $

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

16— S30O1-1

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 1.

—Vol. I.]

JUNE 1, 1875.

r Subscription, 5«. per Annum.l Post
|_ Single Copy, 6c/. J Free.

PAGE

Horology. — Philosophical Dissertation 1

A Treatise on Pitchings. By M. le Francois de

Lalande 3

ORT 3

iecious Stones. — General Observations 4

iAMOND ... 4

Motes of Novelties 5

Becent Applications for Patents 5

The Switzerland Watch Factories 6

Colouring Metals 6

Finger Rises 6

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Novel and Important Improvements in Record-
ing Thermometers 7

The Invention of Telescopes 8

Royal Presents 8

Shop Fittings and Fixtures ... '..'. 10

Novelties in Diamond Work io

The Philadelphia Exhibition 10

To advertisers 12

Prospectus ..', 12

Artificial Light 13

Fire and Burglar Proof Safes 14

PAGE

Present Value of Gold in the Commercial

World ... - 15

Electric Clocks 15

Trade Gossip 1«

Singular Robbery of Jewellery 16

Stray Waifs and Scraps 17

Safe Maxims 17

Important Improvement in Recording Logs for

Ships 18

The Trades' Directory ... 1JI

Advertisements

17-24

7^X777

HOROLOGY.

Philosophical Dissertation.

AS this journal is intended to deal with information, both scien-
tific and practical, in relation to the different interests con-
cerned, we have deemed it best to begin at the beginning, at least
so far as the principles and practice of time-keeping are concerned.
There are few persons of an intelligent turn of mind — and who is
not of an intelligent turn of mind in these days? — who do not exhibit
an ardent curiosity about everything connected with the origin and
progressive phases of that which the poet, as well as our own ex-
perience, tells us wears through the roughest day. Ever since man
began to move about on the face of the earth he has been, by the
force of natural law, an observant and influenced being of the
liighest organization of Morning, Noon, and Night. The opening
dawn, the bright mid- day, and the starry eve, have all in turn
acted upon him, and excited his most profound attention. He
could plainly note the varying seasons changing the face of nature,
and, as he advanced in what we may term instinctive knowledge, he
looked at the heavens, and mapped out for himself the germs of
'the first outlines of astronomy. From these, as a reasoning conse-
quence, horology, in whatever language he first expressed it, would
be deduced. He would soon discover that the motions of the
heavenly bodies regulated the motions of his own ; his rising, his
life- sustaining labour, and his laying him down to rest, with all that
appertained unto them.

"Night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast,
And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger."

* * * *

/

" The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning

Check'ring the eastern clouds with streaks

* * * *

" The morn, in russet mantle clad,
Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastern hi

" But yonder comes the powerful King of
Eejoicing in the East. The lessening cl
The kindling azure, and the mountain's "
Illum'd with fluid gold "

* * * *

" 'Tis raging noon ; and, vertical, the sun
Darts on the head direct his forceful rays
O'er heaven and earth, far as the raitging
Can sweep, a dazzling deluge reigns— — "

* * * *

" Night, sable goddess ! from her ebon throne,
In rayless majesty, now stretches forth
Her leaden sceptre o'er a slumb'ring world :
Silence, how dead ! and darkness, how profound .'
Nor eye, nor list'ning ear, an object finds ;
Creation sleeps."

If the reader will devote a few moments to the study of the above
quotations he will easily be able to connect the ideas there given
with the early dawn of horological science. They are from various
authors, and they beautifully, and most powerfully, express such
thoughts as man might have given utterance to in those ages of his
existence when there were neither clocks, watches, nor dials, and
when the calculations of latitudes, longitudes, and astronomical
places were not ; although transits, eclipses, and all the other

•2

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 1, 1875.

heavenly phenomena went on as usual, and of which we shall have
occasion to speak.

The most ancient known mode of dividing the day and night was,
undoubtedly, the most natural one ; namely, by the motion of the
sun and the stars. Nor is this entirely unpractised even in the
present day. In various parts of Europe, and in the colonies, the
inhabitants of country districts are able, on clear days and nights, to
tell the time with an accuracy sufficient for their wants, and that
woidd make time-keepers seem almost a superfluous luxury. Give
them a clear night, and a well-tried "weather almanack," no matter
how many years old — one that the moon stands well by— and the
unsophisticated peasant is steel-proof against your modern "new-
fangled kickshaws" of chronometers and astronomical regulators.
In these northern latitudes we are all familiar with the astronomical
constellation called Ursa major ; it ♦s,IaJsJrojf^miliarlygknown by the
names of "Charles's wain," the "Wagon and* horses," the
" Plough," and " Great Bear." This constellation is composed of
seven stars, all of which, when looked at, would suggest a wagon
and horses, or a plough. They revolve round the northern pole-
star, and, to a practical watcher, will indicate pretty closely the
tune of night. They may be easily discovered in this way. Look-
ing high up in a northerly direction, two bright stars will be seen,
nearly in a direct line with a small, but very bright one. This bright
one is the North-Polar Star, and the other two are called "the
pointers," as they point to it. Opposite to these "pointers" are
two other stars, forming somewhat the figure of a square. Tailing
away from the last-named stars are three others, which may be
termed the " team," and with which are traced the outline of the
"Plough," or the " Wagon and horses," according to the star-gazer's
fancy. We are not going to trouble the reader with the astrono-
mical names of these stars, which names are all in Greek, but direct
attention to the following diagram, by carefully studying which on
a clear night, the bucolic mind far from the hum of cities, the stroke
of church bell, or the Dutchman's tick, can tell " what of the night."

The subjoined explanation will be understood by the reader.

SAM.

1

c

ti

.*.

* * *

fe

*

i

4,

^

*

* *

%

«

* B

>-

*

- -t

* A

<

>

tZMi

P, in the centre, is the North-Polar Star ; and p, p, p, p, are the
pointer stars of the constellation already mentioned. An evening's
watching of these stars will be found most interesting both astro-
nomically and in respect to the value set upon them for time-keeping
purposes by country people. The seasons make no difference in
their orbital position, as they move in the same path summer and
winter, and year after year ; and, probably, have done so since the
creation of the Universe. The distance between the two pointers
is about one-fifth of the distance between the lowest one and the
Pole-star itself, and the last-named star may be taken, for all but
scientific purposes, to be the turning-point of the heavens. Being so
near that point as the " Plough " is, it consequently describes but
a very small circle round it in its diurnal rotation.

As the stars are brightest in winter, and can be seen so early on
account of the shortness of the days, that season of the year is the
best for looking at them. About five or six o'clock on a frosty
evening the pointers of the " Plough " will be seen underneath the
Pole-star, corresponding to the place marked A in the diagram, the

" team," or the three star-horses, tailing to the west. About mid-
night they will be seen, as at B, to the south ; at six o'clock in the
morning, as at C, to the east, when the naked eye can see them no
more until dark again. Nevertheless they pursue their course, for
a telescope will show them, as at D, at noon tailing up northward,
whilst at sixo'clock, when the sun has disappeared, they will be found
again at A, having completed their circle. Now, country people,
who are well practised in the nightly observation of these stars, are
able to subdivide the circle by means of hill-tops, clumps of trees,
&c, and thus ascertain the time of the night to within an hour.
Indeed, if one had a room-window facing these stars, there would
be no difficulty in constructing a card-board circle with slits in it,
corresponding to the positions of the pointers at known times, and
having intervening slits between the cardinal ones, with the hours
painted thereon. By such a simple home-made night-star dial
there would be no difficulty whatever, on a clear night, in telling
what o'star it was by merely looking at what particular slit the
pointers were visible through. At first sight they seem to move in
a contrary direction to the sun, but this is not so in reality ; for
we have only to consider the diurnal revolution of the earth, and
that these stars are to us over the flattened part of it, where the
meridians of latitude gradually vanish to the polar point, and we will
soon ascertain that the motion, or apparent motion of these stars —
for they are considered as " fixed " — is quite in accordance with the
daily whirl of the earth. It will thus be seen that the movement of
the Plough in the mannerjwhich has here been described may be looked
upon as a system of natural horology coeval with the exercise of
man's intelligence in that direction, and, we may very fairly assume,
was] consulted thousands of years ago, countless ages before me-
chanical horology would be even dreamt of! Nay, as if not to
slight the clockmaker's art, there is a constellation in the southern
hemisphere which astronomers have named Horologhim (!).

From the foregoing observations the reader will find no diffi-
culty in coming to the conclusion that the ancient mode of measuring
time was principally by the inspection of the position of the sun
and stars.

Euripides, the celebrated Greek dramatic poet, who flourished
between the years 480 and 407 before Christ, fully confirms this
view even in his time. He was the Shakespeare of his age, and
wrote, according to the best authorities, about one hundred and
eighty tragedies. In one of them the Chmlis, speaking with
reference to the hour of the night, is made to say, —

" What is the star now passing ?
The Pleiades show themselves in the east,
The Eagle soars in the summit of heaven."

Before the invention of horological mechanism it may be easily
understood that " What is the star now passing ?" was an hourly
question during the night, and the natural divisions of the day
were those chiefly relied upon by people of all ages and conditions.
We have very scant knowledge, apart from Caesar's "Commentaries,"
of what England was even in the days of the Bomans, to say
nothing of what it was in remoter periods of history. One thing-
is quite clear, namely, that the general hyperborean nature of our
seasons was not favourable to either sun or star time-keeping.
But in other parts of the world, both of Europe and the East,
the fair, settled conditions of delightful climates enabled the inhabi-
tants to avail themselves to the utmost, not only of astral horology
for the night, but of the sun and his shadoAvs during the day.
How many ages must have gone by before mankind exercised the
genius to lay the sun under hourly report !

We have now said all that we intend in our introductory essay
upon this most interesting subject ; and, in doing so, we have
steadily kept before us the fact that every inquiring horologist
should know some of the outlines of the philosophy of an art that
may fitly rank among the greatest inventive fruits of the htunau
mind. In our next we shall deal with the dawn of horological
mechanism from the earliest ages, and so continue to our own day.
(To he continued. J

The American Watch Company, of Waltham, Mass., havi;:^
established a branch in London, is removing to the very eligible
premises now in course of completion on Holborn Viaduct, imme-
diately opposite Hatton-garden. Thus, American enterprise comes
boldly into the field directly in the centre of the trade neighbour-
hood. We hear that the results of some tests of these watches,
which have been in the hands of competent judges for several week
are very satisfactory. We shall endeavour to glean what detai
we can of the workings of this company, which stands in such high
repute across the Atlantic, and place the particulars thereof before
our readers as early as possible.

June 1, 1875.]

SILVEBSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

3

A TREATISE ON PITCHINGS.

By M. le Fkaxcois de Lalaxde, of the Academy Royal Sciences, Paris, &c.
(Translated from the French. J

THE following excellent translation from the original article by
the above-named celebrated astronomer, who was born at
Bourg in 1732, is given by the Rev. Mr. Nelthorp, M.A., F.S.A.

I. When it is asked what is the most advantageous form which
can be given to the tooth of a wheel and the leaf of a pinion, in
order that there may be a perfect pitching in strict accordance with
geometry ; by this expression, perfect pitching, we understand that
which fulfils the following conditions : —

1. That the force impressed by the wheel to drive the pinion

be the least that can possibly be exerted.

2. That the velocity with which the wheel drives the pinion

be likewise at each instant the greatest possible, or that
the wheel is able to impart.

3. That both this force and velocity must be always the same
from the moment of contact to the instant when the wheel
ceases to act, or quits the pinion.

4. That the friction produced by this tooth during the whole
period of the driving be the least possible.

II. Persons employed in the art or business have always neglected
this accuracy, because they have regarded it as coming under the
cognizance of pure geometry ; considering either the investigations
too difficult to be put in practice, or else not recognizing their great
utility. It is desirable to make the ideas of geometricians in this
respect better understood, and use every means- to efface these
prejudices.

III. I hope that the great ease with which the curves necessary
to produce a perfect pitching are about to be determined by means
of the simple elements of geometry, will inspire artists wishing to
distinguish themselves by the perfections of their work with the
desire to acquire the little knowledge of geometry which the
following principles demand.

IV. If the force with which the wheel drives a pinion be not
constant and equal, there will be occasions where the force impressed,
will be greater than at other times upon the regulator, or the last
wheel, which will sometimes produce a quickening, at others a
sluggish motion.

V. If the force be not the least possible, all which is in excess
will be pure loss, and only tending to render the friction more
severe, increase the wear and the destruction of the machine. In
large clocks this excess of unnecessary force may be exceedingly
great, so much so, that some have been seen which required a
motive-power of not less than 1200 lb. weight, instead of merely a
few pounds, which would have been just sufficient to raise the
detents and overcome the friction, had the pitching not been
defective.

VI. If the velocity with which the pinion is driven be not
uniform, the same inconvenience will occur. There will be shocks
in the wheel-work, which will prevent the uniformity of movement
mid increase the destruction of certain parts.

VII. From uniformity of the force proceeds the uniformity of
friction, which always changes according as the force is variable.

M. de Roemer (1C75) was the first to perceive, in the last century
(as well as M. de la Hire (1695), in the ninth volume of the
" Memoirs of the Academy," from 16CG to 1699, page 415), the use
to which geometry could be applied in this matter. A most ex-
cellent treatise on this subject, by M. Camus, may be found in
•'Memoirs of the Academy of Science" for the year 1733. M. le Roy,
of the same Academy, has proved certain propositions of this
treatise in a manner easy to be understood, as may be seen in the
fourth volume of the " Encyclopaedia," by means of levers, just in
the same way as M. de la Hire had done (see page 411 of the
" Ancient Memoirs of the Academy"). I propose endeavouring, if
possible, to make these articles more simple in the order and
method of demonstrating them, and by adding such necessary
details as will bring them within reach of the capacity of all men.

VIII. Thus, instead of commencing with a general but com-
plicated proposition, which would be more elegant and would
include the whole matter, I will begin with the most simple case,
that of a wheel which will drive a pinion, or a lantern whose staves
shall be merely lines infinitely drawn out, and so thin as to be
represented by mere points, commencing only on the line of centres

and continuing them beyond. Afterwards, I intend to pass on to
more complex examples.

In order to understand the train of reasoning of this treatise, it
will be necessary to give attention to certain properties of epi-
cycloids which will be briefly explained.

IX. Suppose a circle,
A, (Fig. 1) to roll upon
a right line, C D, in the
same manner as a wheel
upon the road, and that
any point whatsoever, l \^-A

E, of this circle be se- & '
lected, it will be seen
that in the movement of the circle the point E, in going from the
point C, will describe a curve, C E D, called a cycloid; the describing
point E will have reached to D at the end of the movement, and
the line C D will be equal to the circumference of the circle A.
(To be continued. J

F JJ

IVORY.

ALTHOUGH ivory is an organic substance, and not a mineral,
yet writers on precious stones do not fail to speak of it as an
article which has at all times been largely used in works of art,
and chiefly in ornaments of eveiy kind.

In art, ivory is divided into green and dry, exactly as in speaking
of timber for workmen. Articles in green ivory please the eye most,
because they are of a white but slightly greenish tint. Yellow ivory
is inferior in value to the white, because it shows the beginning of
decomposition : oxygenized muriatic acid and the steam and water
of slaked lime nearly restore yellow ivory to its original whiteness.
The ivory of the hippopotamus' teeth is very much valued, because
it never loses colour. Ornaments of most beautiful design in ivory
have been obtained from the ancient tombs, but, on account of their
great antiquity, they were nearly decomposed ; methods have, how-
ever, been discovered by which their original consistency is restored,
and which is accomplished by dipping them in a glutinous solution,
such as thin gum-arabic water, &c. Burnt ivory, or ivory -black, is
usually put at the back of those diamonds which, not being of the
purest water, are set in the manner technically called a notte {i.e.,
dark), and in such case helps to give them an admirable lustre.

Fossil ivory has been excavated of different degrees of hardness,
but always recognizable by its thread-like tissue. Sometimes it
preserves its natural colour ; at others it takes various tints,
according to the substances amongst which it is found ; hence it
would be easily mistaken for a turquoise or a fossil gem, if, when cut,
the colour were the same as that of the surface.

History tells us that Dipcenus and JScyllis, disciples of Daedalus,
excelled in making statues of ivory and ebony. The statues of
Diana and Tegea, and also that of Ajax at Salamis, were entirely of
ivory. The seats of the kings of Rome, and those of the consuls,
were likewise of that material. According to Winckelmann, there
were in Greece upwards of one hundred statues in ivory and gold.

Boethius the Carthaginian, Suidas of Naupacia, Parhasius of
Athens, Phidias and Mys, were equally celebrated for this description
of statuary work.

There are still in existence many antique works in ivory of the
Tyrrhenian, Italo-Grecian, Etruscan, Roman, and Renaissance
periods, and all of which give an exact idea of the dominant taste
in the various epochs, and are examples of the best style of each.

As an ornament, ivory assimilates more with the complexion than
any other material. It is worn extensively in the East, and produces
the same contrast as a white veil, throwing out the light of the
countenance to excellent effect.

Over twenty thousand pairs of tusks are annually used by the
Sheffield manufacturers alone, and in London the largest consumption
is for the manufacture of piano-keys, combs, and sundry ornaments.

On a recent visit to the well-known establishment of Messrs.
Daltrey & Co. (to whom we are indebted for considerable
information), we saw some magnificent specimens of works of art
from this material, among others, paper-knives, valued as high as
20 guineas each, and several other ornaments of exquisite design
and manufacture very unusually met with, as well as a hollow
pyramid cut from a tusk, nearly ten feet in length, and which rare
specimen was much admired in the last Exhibition.

The carvings in articles of white wood, as well as those in ivory,
and the Dresden paintings, which we found exhibited at their
establishment, may be classed as works of art which arc not often
to be met witlu

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 1, 1875.

PRECIOUS STONES.

Fbr (he following instructive and interesting articles on Precious
Stones and the Diamond, ice are indebted to the excellent trans-
lation of Mrs. John Brogden, as published by her from the
Italian of Augusta Castellani.

General Observations.

WE are indebted to Theophrastus, philosopher of Lesbos, for the
most ancient treatise on precious stones. The mineralogical
part of the Natural History by C'aius Pliny includes a list of obser-
vations, many of which are still useful and acknowledged in the
science. But mineralogy has only taken the name and position of
a distinct and separate science in modern times.

Bauer, the German (known by the name of Agricola, which he
assumed in Italy, where he studied with the learned men who
rendered it at that time the home of art and sciences), wrote a work
about the middle of the sixteenth century, " De Naturd Fossilium,'"
under which denomination minerals were then comprehended, and
he was the first person who distributed them into distinct classes.

In Italy, the works of Andrea Cesalpino, of Camillo Leonardo, of
Abramo Portaleone, of Giovan Battista Porta, and of Giovanni
Serapione were already known.

Linnaeus, who found the system of Agricola still in existence,
wished to adopt a new classification for minerals, and was the first
to introduce important observations on crystalline forms.

In 1758, Cronstedt, a Swede, discovered the elementary com-
ponents of metals, and Werner, Ihe Saxon, in 1774, gave some
rides for determining mineral species in an empirical manner, and
was able to define their character with great precision.

After him, the celebrated Abate Hatty, having discovered the
laws which regulate the symmetry of crystals, shed great light on
that science, which he thus founded on a more certain basis.

Chemical discoveries very much assisted the right classification
of minerals, introducing in the science a new law, founded on
analysis, which helped to confirm or slightly modify that which had
been already established as to crystalline forms.

Berzelius, Weiss, Becquerell, Ebelmen, Brewster, Mitscherlich,
Broechi, Spadamedici, Pouzi, and a number of learned men of every
other nation contributed to the advancement of the science.

The learned, generally speaking, divide minerals into three
classes : the first contains combustible minerals ; the second,
metals ; the third, lithoids or stones. These three classes are sub-
divided, as we have already remarked, into genera, species, and
varieties.

To the first class belongs the genus of carbonates, which is
divided into four species, the first of which is carbon, properly so
called, and of which one of the varieties is the cubic carbon, other-
wise the diamond.

The third class distributes stones into twenty-four different
genera, which are subdivided into many more species and varieties.
For the sake of brevity we shall refrain from giving the denomina-
tion of each of these twenty-four genera, or orders, as they are
called by others.

It is sufficient for us to know that amongst these orders are the
alumina, the silicates, and the fluorites.

To the alumina belongs the species of corundum, of which the
ruby, the sapphire, and, in short, all so-called oriental gems, are
varieties. Amongst the silicates is pure silex or quartz, from which
is deiived the varieties of amethyst, rock crystal, plasma, agate,
jaspers, obsidian, and opal ; amongst the fluorites is the topaz ;
amongst the aluminous silicates are the species of garnet, emerald,
felspar and porphyry.

Gems are found naturally under two distinct modes of composition.
Some have the atoms arranged evidently according to a fixed law,
and are called -; crystalline gems," crystallized gems, and crystals.
Others have very minute particles or molecules simply collected
together, without constant regularity of form, and are called
amorphous gems, from the Greek a, "without," nop<pii, "form;" all
the gems that solidify, after having been in a fluid state, belong to
this class : when they are found under condensed gelatinous forms,
like opals, they are called porodine • when they appear to have been
condensed by ignition into vitrifications, they are called "jaline,"f.e.,
vitreou:-* crystals ; this, in mineralogy, denotes a solid body which
presents naturally, and without the assistance of art, a many-sided
figure, more or less regular, which varies almost infinitely.

However, it must be remarked that these can be divided into six
very distinct groups or systems, as follows : —

cubic |

1 st system
2nd ,,
3rd ,,
4th ,.,
5th ,,
6th „

square prismatic,
straight rhomboidal.
oblique rhomboidal.
oblique prismatic,
rhombohedric.

(To be continued.)

DIAMOND.

THE ancients gave the name of aSapas, that is "invincible,"
Latinized by "adamans," to this gem, because they believed
it capable of resisting every chemical agent, without itself ex-
periencing the least alteration.

But this perfect hardness is not the only quality for which the
gem is prized. It holds the first rank for other reasons, and in all
ages it was most precious, and possessed an excessive value. The
diamond is rare, not only because it is in so much request, but also
because it is found only in certain countries, almost always mixed
with other precious minerals, in a comparatively small quantity, and
scarcely ever in a state of complete crystallization. It appears that
Nature elaborates it with infinite difficulty, and is, therefore, not
lavish of this gift.

The diamond, then, is a mineral substance, crystallized in octa-
hedrons and dodecahedrons, as also in almost all the derivations of
these two forms.

Its brightness is so superior to that of every other precious stone,
that it is always distinguished as adamantine.

Its natural surface is often unequal ; its sides are lined, somewhat
convex, and generally appear dulled, or, as they are commonly
called, rough, by the evident action of fire, which Nature uses in
forming them.

It breaks regularly into four principal cleavages.

Reduced to powder, it still preserves its prodigious hardness ; and
though it may appear that this quality might prevent its pulveriza-
tion, yet it must be remembered that the hardness of a body does
not generally prevent its being reduced into minute particles.

This mineral becomes electrical and phosphorescent. It acquires
the first property by friction, but only preserves it fifteen or twenty
seconds.

Its phosphorescent property is apparent not only in a strong
light, but when shaded by glass, paper, or muslin, and even covered
by a sheep's skin, and behind a table of linden wood of the thick-
ness of two hundred millimetres. In order to deprive it of
phosphorescence, it must be wrapped in black or dai k-coloured
paper.

The specific gravity of the diamond varies from 3-444 to 3-550,
that is : —

Oriental Diamond.

Yellow
Kose- coloured

Blue

Green
White

Yellow
White

Diamond of Brazil.

3-550
3-531
3-525
3-524
3-521

3-519
3 444

Placed in the hydrostatic balance, it loses two-fifths of its weight,
and this is the sole point of resemblance between it and the white
topaz of Brazil, excepting the colour.

The different specific gravity of the various diamonds under the
same form is clearly produced by the different degrees of colouring-
proceeding from the metallic oxides, which are heavier than the
crystalline substance which contains them. It seems, however,
that those contained in the American diamond are less pure, and
therefore lighter.

One of the most beautiful qualities of the diamond is its power of
refraction ; that of water is 0-785 ; that of the ruby, 0-739 ; that of
the rock crystal, 0-G54; that of the diamond, 1-396.

The refraction of the diamond is single in the entire crystals ;
when broken, it possesses double, but imperfect refraction, in the
thin layers.

The polarization of light gives in the topaz an angle of 31° ; in the
Strass, 35° ; in the diamond, 22°.

The purest diamonds, that is, those of the finest quality, are quite

June 1, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

devoid of colour ; in other words, when facetted, they reflect all the
prismatic colours.

In the mines, however, these were only found in the proportion
of one-fifth ; those of the second quality, and much less esteemed,
are in the proportion of one-fourth, and are covered with a yellowish,
greenish or bluish colour ; the remainder present the most varied
colours. The colouring principles are due to oxides and metallic
vapours, which in the formation of the diamond are introduced
amongst the molecules.

Coloured diamonds almost always preserve their transparency
and limpidity. Some of these, of a fine yellow, have often more
light than the colourless stones, but some of these become dark,
and even opaque, from the presence of too much colouring
material.

The largest diamonds, in a rough state, were called "parangons,"
and, according to their degree of purity and brightness, were said
to be, as at present, of the first and second water. Small diamonds,
partly rough, are called " grant di sale." The so-called " old-rock"
diamonds are all distinguished by extraordinary light and purity,
and are found in both the Old and New World. Pliny states that
the hardness of the diamond cannot be equalled, and that it
triumphs over fire, so that it cannot be warmed. In more recent
times Cronstedt supposed that the diamond, considering its exces-
sive hardness, ought to be regarded as a formation of particular
elements, rather than of quartz and corundum.

De Born, Scopoli, Pott, Carthenser, and Wollendorf believed it
to be nothing but the purest earth. Bergman was the first who
' ranked it amongst combustibles. Linnaeus said the diamond was
different from all other gems. Buffon looked on it as a distillation
of igneous material produced from water. Guyton Morveau con-
jectured the diamond to be a pure water deprived of that principle
which, at a certain degree of heat, renders it liquid. Baume affirms
that the diamond is a phlogistic material in a particular condition.
Valmont Bomare calls it " the purest rock crystal."

Boece de Boot, in 1609, suspected that the diamond was an
inflammable body. Boyle, in 1673, succeeded in burning it.
Newton in 1704, having measured its refracting force, and found
it greater in proportion to its density, compared with other gems,
placed it immediately amongst combustibles. Averani andTargioni,
in the Florentine Academy of Cimento, made some fine experiments
on the diamond, tending to prove Newton's opinion.

The celebrated Lavoisier proved the true nature of the diamond,
and declared it to be carbon.

In the year 1800 Clowet, "Weller, and Hatchette, placing in a
crucible 60 parts of iron and 1 of diamond, and holding it to an
intense fire, obtained a piece of most perfect steel ; which proved
that the diamond combines chemically with iron, and therefore that
it is a carbon. In progress of time similar experiments were many
times repeated, and all demonstrated that the diamond resolves
itself in carbonic gas.

Brewster believes it to be composed of vegetable elements.
Arago holds it to be hydrogenated carbon; Davy finally has
decided that it is an oxygenized carbon. It has never been pre-
cisely declared who first discovered the diamond, and by what
nation its value was first known and prized.

It is said that the Etruscans, by means of their commerce with the
interior of Africa, knew it, and used it ornamentally. Others affirm
that it was first discovered in Syria. The Greeks certainly valued
it very highly, and attributed to it extraordinary magical virtues.
The Romans also used it, but we cannot assert whether they had it
traditionally from the Tyrrhenians, and afterwards from the Etrus-
cans, or if it first became known to them by means of trade between
Greece and the East.

The ancients, however, only used the diamond in its natural state,
without facetting it or subjecting it to any process but that of being
polished.

It appears, nevertheless, that before the time of Pliny this gem
was very rare in Italy. In the time of the Caesars it became more
common, owing to the more easy communication with the East.

(To be continued.)

A Substitute for Diamond Dust. — Amongst the recent im-
portant inventions is one which a Mr. Mackintosh has patented.
It will command a large amount of attention, as it converts what
is at present a very high cost into a comparatively insignificant
one. It is a method of hardening glass to such an extent as
to render it an efficient substitute for diamond dust. This impor-
tant result is obtained by cooling the glass in refrigerating
moulds.

NOTES OF NOVELTIES.

Fastenings for Jewellery. — Mr. G. Pendleton, of Birmingham,
has recently taken out a patent for fastening jewellery. The
invention consists substantially of three component parts. There
is first a plate or disc of metal, suited to fit within the solitaire,
and having its centre raised in such manner that a recess or grooved
space is formed in which the "post" — hereinafter described — may
revolve. The second component part is the "post," which is a
piece of metal attached vertically to a solitaire back, and which,
when in use. takes through the button-hole of the article of dress
to which the invention is applied. The third component part is
the spring, which is made to fit the inside of the solitaire, and
which spring consists substantially of a thin circular piece or disc
of flat metal, but having so much of it cut away as to leave two
elastic arms, which, when this cut-away disc is placed within the
solitaire, may act as springs upon the two rigid arms of the post
when they come in contact with them.

Buttons, Washers, Rings, Links for Chains, &c. — Mr. J. E.
Harrison, of Aston, has obtained patent rights for these articles.
His invention consists in arranging the piercing tools, by which
the thread-holes for the buttons are pierced in the sheet metal, in
front of the shaping and cutting out tools by which the metal
around the groups of piercings is shaped, or domed, and cut out.
The result of this arrangement is, that at each descent of the com-
pound tool, three (or more) groups of the thread-holes are pierced
in the sheet metal, and three (or more) finished buttons are made ;
the piercings in the sheet metal made by the last descent of the
compound tool forming the thread-holes of the buttons made by the
next descent of the said compound tool. When the thread-holes
of the button are made in a central depression, a shaping tool for
making the said depression is placed between each piercing tool
and cutting-out tool. This invention is particularly applicable to
the manufacture of a single shell sewn through buttons, but may
also be applied to the manufacture of washers, rings, links for
chains, and other like articles from sheet metal.

Mounting for Hand Mirrors. — E. P. II . Vaughan, Chancery-
lane, has patented an invention which consists in an improved
mounting for hand-mirrors, provided with a tubular handle hinged
to the frame, and enclosing a spindle surrounded by a spiral spring.
A number of holes or notches are cut in the fixed part of the hinge
for the reception of the lower end of the spindle, which, entering
therein under the pressure of the spring, locks the handle into any
required position.

RECENT APPLICATIONS FOR PATENTS.

1077. By J. Challender, of Birmingham, for " Improvements in
apparatus for illuminating clocks for public and other buildings."

1254. By F. Nibleh, Hammersmith, for "Improvements in iron
safes, bolts or fastenings for the same, part of which improve-
ments are applicable to other purposes."

1324. ByF. X. F. Heilborn, Birmingham, for "Anew improved
spring earring."

1383. By A. Porter, of Maidstone, for "Improvements in watch-
pockets, and the manner of attaching the same to vests, for
protecting watches.' '

1504. ByH. L. Page, Soho, for " Improvements in studs for collars,
belts, and other articles."

1517. By G. W. Dawson, Birmingham, for "Improvements or
additions to seals and bars for chains, lockets and. charms, and
watch-keys."

1647. By L. Jacob & J. Brown, Birmingham, for "Improvements
in solitaires, sleeve and other studs and like fastenings, or
ornaments."

1852. By R. Whittaker, Blackheath, for "Keyless going barrel
watches."

Mining in America. — From the statistics prepared by the United
States Commissioner of Mining Statistics, it appears the progress of
the mining industry in the Pacific States and Territories during 1873
was satisfactory. The total production was much larger than in
1872. The estimates of the production of the United States in gold
since its discovery in California show the amount in Cali-
fornia in 1848 to be $10,000,000, and in 1873, $17,000,000. The
highest amount was in 1865, $65,000,000. The entire product
from 1848 to 1873, inclusive, was $986,800,000 ; other States and
Territories $254,950,000, being a total $1,240,750,000. Total silver
$186,050,000. Total gold and silver from 1848 to 1873, inclusive,
$1,426,800,000. Gold product before 1848, $14,400,000. Total
gold and silver product of the United States, $1,441,240,000.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

(June 1, 1875.

THE SWITZERLAND WATCH FACTORIES.

AS an instance of the dimensions which horological industry has
attained in Switzerland, the Journal de Geneve gives the
allowing statistics : — In the four cantons of Neuchatel, Berne,
Yaud. and Geneva, more than 25,200 men and 12,700 women are
employed in the various tranches of the business, and of which
number 80,600 belong to Neuchatel and Berne. Of late the trade
has grown most rapidly in Berne, where half a million of common
watches are manufactured annually, at an average value of 40
francs each. In the canton of Geneva the number does not exceed
150,000 per annum, but nearly all of which are in gold cases, and
ornamental, so that their total value is about the same as the half
million produced in Berne.

Yaud makes about the same number as Geneva, the movements
being generally well finished, but many of which are exported with-
out cases, their average value being considered about 55 francs
each. In the same canton about 80,000 musical-boxes of various
descriptions are manufactured.

About half the number, and in proportion of 35 per cent, in
value, of all the watches manufactured in Switzerland are made in
Neuchatel.

The total number of watches manufactured is given as follows : —

Switzerland ...
France
England
America

1,600,000
300,000
200,000
200,000

But, beyond the manufacture in Switzerland, these figures cannot be
taken as positively reliable.

The approximate value of those produced in the above-named
four countries being £4,800,000.

COLOURING METALS.

IT is frequently desirable to alter the natural colour of gold, brass,
and other metals, either for the purpose of ornament or to
render frequent polishing less necessary. For this end, the following
recipes will be found very serviceable : —

To Heighten the Colour of Gold.

Place 4 oz. of saltpetre, 2 oz. of common salt, and 2 oz. of alum,
in a crucible. Add sufficient water to cover the mixed salts. Now
place the crucible on the fire and allow the mixture to boil. "When
this takes place, place the article to be coloured in the mixture,
taking care that it is suspended by a hair. It may be left in the
crucible for about 15 minutes, when it should be withdrawn,
well brushed with a fine scratch-brush, and re-dipped if the colour
is not intense enough.

For small gold articles, such as a keeper or plain ring, &c, a very
good plan is to place them on a lump of charcoal and make them
red-hot under the blow-pipe flame, and then to throw them into a
pickle composed of about 35 drops of strong sulphuric acid to the
ounce of water, allowing the articles to remain therein until the
colour is sufficiently enhanced. Washing the article in warm
water, in which a little potash has been dissolved, using a brush,
and finally rinsing and drying in boxwood sawdust, completes the
operation.

Another colouring mixture, which has been greatly recommended,
consists of a mixture of 20 gr. sulphate of copper, 40 gr. French
verdigris, 40 gr. sal-ammoniac, and 40 gr. saltpetre, dissolved in
1 oz. of glacial acetic acid. The articles, suspended by a
horse-hair, as before, 'are to be immersed into this mixture,
withdrawn and heated on a piece of copper until black. They
are then to be placed in a pickle of equal parts oil of vitriol and
water, which removes the black coating and brings up the colour.'
Washing in weak potash-water, rinsing and drying as before,
terminates the treatment.

Silver.

Silver which has become much tarnished may be restored to its
primitive beauty by immersion in a warm solution of 1 part cyanide
of potassium to 8 of water. (This mixture is extremely poisonous.)
Washing well with water, and drying, will produce a somewhat
dead- white appearance, which maybe quickly changed to a brilliant
lustre by polishing with a soft leather and rouge.

FINGER RINGS.

The Wedding King.

From the " New York Jeweller."

THE fyancel or wedding ring is supposed to have originated at
Borne, where it was usually given at the betrothal as a pledge
of the engagement. Its primitive form was that of a signet or seal
ring, and the betrothed and wedding rings of Luther have been safely
kept in his native country. The first-named one is of gold elabo-
rately worked with the various symbols of the passion of the cruci-
fied Saviour, as the spear, the hyssop, the rod of reeds, the dice,
&c, and the whole is surmounted with a ruby, the emblem of ex-
alted love. Inside are the names of the betrothed pair, and the
date of the marriage (Der 13 Junii, 1535). This ring was presented
by Luther to Catherine Boren at the betrothal, and was worn by her
then as well as after the marriage. The workmanship is elegant,-
and it is said that it was designed by the great reformer's friend,
Lucas Cranach, but the design was by no means uncommon. A
gold ring was found in Coventry Park, near the Town Hall, in the
autumn of 1802, by a person who was digging potatoes. On ex-
amination it was found that on it the Saviour was represented
rising from the sepulchre, with the hammer, ladder, sponge, and
other emblems of His passion. Five wounds were shown, and
which represented the wells of everlasting life, of mercy, pity,
grace, and comfort. This was an amulet, and inside were inscribed
the names of the three kings of Cologne. The wounds of Christ
were often upon rings, and Sir C. Shaw, alderman and goldsmith,
directed by his will (circa 1487) that sixteen rings should be made
of fine gold, with representations of the wells of pity, mercy, and
everlasting life, and which emblems should be given to his friends.
(7b be continued.')

Erection of a New Factory. — We recently had the pleasure of
inspecting the extensive and very complete factory for the manu-
facture of watch movements erected by Mr. James Berry, of
Warrington Road, Prescot. The building, which is large and com-
modious, must doubtless rank among the leading establishments in
the trade. It is]remarkably well -ventilated, and every consideration
seems to have been entertained in order to promote the comfort
and health of those employed therein. The engine-room, boiler-
house, &c, being fitted up by the well-known firm of Wyatt &
Roberts, of Coventry, is sufficient guarantee of its having been done
in the best possible manner, and while no efforts have been wanting
to render the factory complete in every detail, Mr. Berry has cer-
tainly succeeded in such attempt, and the trade will, doubtless, be
well pleased with a visit to the establishment.

The Nickel-Silver Plating Company. — A special meeting of
the shareholders of this company was held during last month, at
the Cutlers' Hall, Sheffield, for the purpose of taking into conside-
ration the position of the company, and that of the vendor and
managing director, Mr. John Unwin. The company was started
less than two years ago. The shares were 2000, at 10/. each. The
vendor received 5000/. in cash and 200 fully paid-up shares. He
guaranteed a dividend of 15 per cent, for a certain number of years.
This dividend has not been forthcoming, and it was stated that the
vendor was not in a position to pay it. One portion of the works
was unremunerative. The directors submitted a resolution that the
vendor should be liberated from his guarantee on condition that he
surrendered the whole of his fully paid-up shares and his rights in
certain new patents, and that part of the works should be sold.
This resolution met with a good deal of opposition on the part of
the shareholders, who were anxious that the vendor should be kept
to his guarantee ; but on the directors stating that it was impos-
sible to obtain the guarantee the resolution was allowed to pass.

Alleged false trading in the jewellery trade led to a recent
meeting in Birmingham for the purpose of taking steps to prevent a
continuance of the evil. The ground of complaint is that persons
represent themselves to jewellers as being general dealers with ex-
tensive business connections, and obtain jewellery in a decidedly
" wholesale " manner, leaving their victims to discover that they are
occupants of lodgings rented at 4s. or 5s. a week, " poor as rats," as
one speaker described them, and turning out to be fraudulent bank-
rupts instead of honest tradesmen. A trade organization is looked
upon as the only safeguard against such fraud, and the meeting
resolved to form a " mutual protection society." The details upon
which the society will be set into operation have not yet been
decided upon.

June 1, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

NOVEL AND IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS IN
RECORDING THERMOMETERS.

O

ANEW and valuable meteorological instrument has recently
been produced by Messrs. Negretti & Zambra, which -will
not only set at rest the controversy and discussion concerning
priority of invention of protected bulbs for deep-sea thermometers,
But will also supply an important want, and prove of considerable
interest to scientific persons, and to meteorologists in particular.

For general information, it should be stated that, until recently,
the only thermometer available for the purpose of registering
temperature and bringing those indications to the surface, was that
commonly known as the Six's thermometer — an instrument acting
by means of alcohol and mercury, and having movable indices with
delicate springs of human hair tied to them. This form of in-
strument registers both maximum and minimum temperatures, and
as an ordinary out-door thermometer is very useful ; but it is
unsatisfactory for scientific purposes, and for the object for which it
is now used (viz., the determination of deep-sea temperatures)
it leaves much to be desired. Thus the alcohol and mercury
are liable to get mixed in travelling, or even by
merely holding the instrument in a horizontal
position ; the indices also may slip if too free,
or stick if too tight. A sudden jerk or con-
cussion would cause the instrument to give
erroneous readings by lowering the indices if
the blow be downwards, or by raising them if
the blow be upwards. It was for this reason that
it became a matter of serious consideration with
Messrs. Negretti & Zambra, whether a ther-
mometer could be constructed which could not
possibly be put out of order in travelling, or by
incautious handling, and which should be above
suspicion and perfectly trustworthy in its indica-
tions. This was no very easy task. But the
instrument submitted by them to the Fellows of
the Royal Society, and which is represented
in the accompanying drawing, seems to fulfil
the above onerous conditions, being constructed
on a plan different from that of any other
self-registering thermometer, and containing
nothing but mercury — neither alcohol, air,
or indices. Its construction is most novel, and
may be said to overthrow all previous ideas of
handling delicate instruments, inasmuch as its
indications are only given by upsetting the in-
strument. Having said this much, it will not
be very difficult for our readers to imagine the
action of the thermometer ; since it is by upset-
ting or throwing out the mercury from the in-
dicating column into a reservoir, at a particular
moment and in a particular spot, that we obtain
a correct reading of the temperature at that
moment and in that spot.

The thermometer in shape is like a syphon with
parallel legs, all in one piece, and having a con-
tinuous communication, as in the annexed figure.
The scale is pivoted on a centre, and being at-
tached in a perpendicular position to a simple ap-
paratus (which will be presently described), is
lowered to any depth that may be desired. In its
descent the thermometer acts as an ordinary in-
strument, the mercury rising or falling according
to the temperature of the stratum through which
it passes ; but so soon as the descent ceases, and
a reverse motion is given to the line, so as to pull
the thermometer to the surface, the instrument
turns once on its centre, first bulb uppermost, and
afterwards bulb downwards. This causes the mer-
cury, which was in the left-hand column, first to
pass into the dilated syphon bend at the top, and
thence into the right-hand tube, where it remains, ^

indicating on a graduated scale the exact tempe- Fis- 1-

rature at the time it was turned over.

The woodcut (Fig. 1) shows the position of the mercury after
the instrument has been thus turned on its centre. A is the bulb ;
B the outer coating or protecting cylinder ; C is the space of rarefied
air, which is reduced if the outer casing be compressed ; D is a
small glass plug on the principle of Negretti & Zambra's Patent
Maximum Thermometer, which cuts off, in the moment of turning,

M

I- SO

40

^

the mercury in the column from that of the bulb hi the tube,
thereby ensuring that none but the mercury in the tube can be
transferred into the indicating column ; E is an enlargement made
in the bend so as to enable the mercury to pass quickly from
one tube to another in revolving ; and F is the indicating tube,
or thermometer proper. In its action, as soon as the thermometer
is put in motion, and immediately the tube has acquired a slightly
oblique position, the mercury breaks off at the point D, runs into
the curved and enlarged portion E, and eventually falls into the
tube F, when this tube resumes its original perpendicular position.

The contrivance for timiing the ther-
mometer over at the bottom of the sea
may be described as a vertical propel-
ler to which it is pivoted. So long-
as the instrument is descending, the
propeller is lifted out of gear and
revolves free, but as soon as the
ascent commences the action is re-
versed, the propeller falls into gear
with a pinion connected with the ther-
mometer, and by these means the ther-
mometer is turned over, and after one
turn it remains locked and immovable.

The engraving, Fig. 2, shows the
general arrangement ; T being the ther-
mometer; S a metal screw connected
with the frame of the thermometer by
a wheel and pinion movement at W ;
S+ is the stop for arresting the move-
ment of the thermometer when it has
made one revolution.

Besides being available for deep-sea
temperatures this instrument must
prove of great value on land, since it
may be carried in any position, and
cannot possibly be put out of order
except by actual breakage ; and there-
fore we are at once provided with the
means of making observations which
will solve some of the most interesting
questions connected with atmospheric
temperature. Hitherto we have been
without any instrument which would
automatically record out of doors the
exact temperature at fixed periods ; we
read of the temperature being so many
degrees of heat or cold yesterday or
last night, but we have no means of
recording how cold it was (say) at mid-
night, or how warm at midday, except
by actually watching the instrument at
those hours. With the aid of this new thermometer in connection
with an inexpensive time-piece, we can ascertain and record the
exact temperature at any hour it may be deemed desirable, and by
its means, and with experiments carried over some period of time,
we may be able to determine, with a degree of accuracy hitherto
only approximately arrived at, which are the coldest or warmest
periods of the days or nights.

Fig. 2.

Important to Givers of Prize Cuts. — By a decision of Mr.
Martineau, in the Wolverhampton County Court, it is made impe-
rative that the Committees of Agricultural Societies must not give
plated cups as "silver cups." A silver cup must be made of that
metal, and not of baser material, either electrotyped or plated. His
Honour, in giving his opinion, awarded to a successful exhibitor at a
dog-show the full value of a silver cup, fer which he had sued, in
place of a plated cup, which had been forwarded to him by the
secretary of the show. This decision will also affect prizes awarded
at races. — British Mail.

New Microscopic Telescope. — Mr. C. B. Boyle recently exhibited
before the photographic section of the American Institute in New
York, a new optical instrument, which he called the microscopic
telescope. It consisted of two parallel telescopes, about three feet
in length and two inches in aperture, connected with hinges at the
ends, and separated to the distance of the eyes by an adjusting screw.
In order to produce the effect of the microscope, he places before
the object-glass prismatic lenses of about 3 feet focus, so that
when these lenses are in position an object 3 feet in front of
the object-glass will be seen with both eyes distinctly, and magni-
fied according to the power of the eye -piece.

THE WATCHMAKEK, JEWELLEE, AND

[June 1, 1875.

THE INVENTION OP TELESCOPES.

THE telescope has justly been considered a grand instrument ;
and it certainly is not a little surprising that man's power
should have enabled him to construct an instrument by which ob-
jects too remote for the unassisted eye to distinguish should be
brought within the range of vision, as if they were only a few yards
froinour eye, and that" thousands of august objects in the heavens,
which had been concealed from mortal view for numerous ages,
should be brought within the limits of our contemplation, and be as
distinctly perceived as though we had been transported millions
of miles through the celestial regions from the space we
occupy.

The celebrated Huygens remarks that, in his opinion, "the wit
and industry of man has not produced anything so noble and so
worthy of his faculties as the knowledge of the telescope ; " inas-
much as if any particular person had been so diligent and sagacious
as to invent this instrument from the principles of nature and
geometry, his abilities would have been more than human ; but the
case is far different, as the most learned men have not been able to
sufficiently explain the reason of the effects of this casual invention.
"Who was the first to construct telescopes, and the exact period
when they were first invented, remains still in some degree of ob-
scurity ; and whilst it certainly does not appear that such instruments
were known to the ancients, we cannot be perfectly decisive on this
point. The cabinets of the curious contain some very ancient gems
of admirable workmanship, the figures of which are so small that
they appear beautiful through a magnifying-glass, but altogether
confused and indistinct to the naked eye ; and therefore it may be
asked, if they cannot be viewed, how could they have been wrought
without the assistance of glasses? And as the ancients have
declared that the moon has a form like that of the Earth, and has
plains, hills, and valleys in it, how could they have known that the
Milky Way is formed by the combined rays of an infinite number of
stars? For Ovid states, in reference to this zone, that "its
groundwork is of stars." Nevertheless, whatever knowledge the
ancients may have had of the telescope or other optical glasses, it
is quite evident that they did not possess telescopes of the power
and magnitude which we have.

Among the moderns, the illustrious Friar Bacon appears to have
acquired some rude ideas respecting the construction of the tele-
scope. " Lenses and specula," says he, " may be so figured that one
object can be multiplied into many, that those which are situated at
a great distance may be made to appear very near, that those which
are small may be made to appear very large, and those which are
obscure very plain." From these expressions it appears highly pro-
bable that this philosopher was somewhat acquainted with the
general principle both of telescopes and microscopes, and that he
may have constructed telescopes of small magnifying power for his
own observation or amusement, although he never brought them
into general use. He was a man of extensive learning, and
made such rapid progress in the sciences, when attending the Uni-
versity at Paris, that he was esteemed the glory of that seat of
learning.

The next person supposed to have acquired a knowledge of tele-
scopes was Joannes Baptista Porta, of Naples, who flourished in the
sixteenth century. He discovered the camera obscuru, the know-
ledge of which may perhaps have led to the invention of the tele-
scope ; although it is not known that he ever constructed such an
instrument. JJes Cartes considers James Metius as the first maker
of a telescope, and says that " as he was amusing himself by making
mirrors and burning-glasses, he casually thought of looking through
two of his lenses at the same time, and found that when so doing
distant objects appeared very large and distinct." Others assert that
this great discovery was first made by John Lippershain, a spectacle
maker at Middleburg, or, rather, by his children, who were divert-
ing themselves with looking through two glasses at a time and
placing them at different distances from each other. But Borellus,
who wrote a work on the invention of the telescope, says that
Zacharias Jansen (who was likewise a spectacle maker in the same
town) made the first telescope in 1590. Jansen was a diligent
inquirer into nature, and, being engaged in such pursuits, was trying
what use could be made of lenses for these purposes, when he for-
tunately hit upon the construction ; and having found the arrange-
ment of glasses which produced the effect desired, he enclosed them
in a tube, and hastened with his instrument to Prince Maurice, who,
thinking that it might be of use to him in his wars, desired the in-
ventor to keep it a secret. But the telescope was soon destined

to more noble and honourable achievements. Jansen is said to have
directed his instrument towards celestial objects and made many
important discoveries, though not aware of their importance at the
time of his observations.

(To be continued.)

ROYAL PRESENTS.

ON the opposite page will be found sketches of two very beauti-
ful gold watches, forming part of five similar instruments
manufactured, to the order of the King of Siam, by Messrs. Barraud
& Lund, of 41, Cornhill, London ; as will be seen by the inscription,
quoted below, they are presents, and handsome ones too, from the
King of Siam to five of his "worthy counsellors and friends," the
name of one of them, Phon, Phya Blasha Karawongse, is already
well known as the writer of the letter in which His Majesty offered an
almost unlimited hospitality to any English savant wishing to take
advantage of the position of that country for viewing the total eclipse
of the sun which has taken place, and he and other faithful
counsellors like him are evidently receiving tangible proofs of their
august master's appreciation of their services.

Each present consists of a very handsome gold watch, Albert
chain, and locket, enclosed in an elegant casket of coromandel
wood. The watches are keyless half chronometers, in " sight "
hunting-cases, handsomely engraved ; the movements are 18e size,
with double-roller escapements, chronometer balances, and Brequet
springs, winding and setting with or without a key. The keyless
work is the " reliable" action, a speciality of the firm, for the pur-
pose of combining simplicity with security. The engraving on the
cases is light and elegant, and on a large plain medallion on the
back are the royal arms and monogram in blue enamel ; on the
inner dome is an inscription as follows : —

1874.

His Majesty,

Phra Bat Sondet Phea Paramindr

MAHA CHULALONKORN

Phra Chula Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua

KING OF SIAM,

Presented this token of esteem to His

most worthy Counsellor and Friend,

Phon, Phya Blasha Karawongse,

Councillor of State.

The only distinction being the five different names of those
honoured with the present. The chains are very heavy, weighing,
with the locket, about 5 ounces each. The patterns are quaint,
for each chain has been composed of alternate links, or knots of 18
carat gold, silver, and nak, being a combination supposed to have
great efficacy as a charm ; this nak is also a high standard of gold,
but alloyed with copper to give it a deep red colour. The lockets are
composed of a like combination. The locket proper is of 18 carat
gold, on one corner of which is a plate of dead silver, on^which again
is raised the royal arms and monogram in NAK.

By special efforts they were finished and packed off in time to
reach their destination and be presented as New Year's presents
(Siamese calendar), and only a few had an opportunity of inspecting
them before they were sent away, which is to be regretted, as,
perhaps, a more valuable and elegant suite of presents are seldom
seen, and the most unqualified admiration was expressed by all who
were fortunate enough to see them.

JuNfi 1, 1875.]

SILVEESMtTH'S tfEADE JOUENAL.

10

THE WATCHMAKEK, JEWELLER, AND

[June 1, 1875.

SHOP FITTINGS AND FIXTURES.

" TTYTXF. feathers make line birds," and many articles which are of
_C themselves both elegant and attractive may be improved in
appearance by a judicious arrangement, and by being placed in
caskets or eases which will do justice to the articles therein die-.
played. We are led to these remarks by a recent visit to the exten-
sive establishment of Mr. Frederick Sage, of Gray's-inn-road,
London, which stands in such high repute for excellence in every
description of office, shop, and show-room fittings and fixtures,
counters, glass cases, mirrors, fancy stands, &c.

Having been shown through the different departments of this
manufactory, we must confess we were quite astonished at its ex-
tent, as well as with the numerous appliances and improvements in
machinery which we had an opportunity of inspecting. In the
sample-room we saw some very handsome patterns of air-tight
mahogany fittings and specimens of mouldings. Passing into the
show-room, we found a well-assorted stock of air-tight counter-cases,
new styles and shapes of counters, centre-cases, jewellers' velvet
stands of exquisite manufacture, jewellers' tickets, and every descrip-
tion of glass shades, all of which articles are fully and minutely
described in the detailed and explicit catalogue issued by this
house. From the last-mentioned department we were conducted
through the "joiner's shops, the brass-finishing department, the
polishing-room, glass-cutting shops, and a host of other rooms and
departments ; and as space does not permit of our entering into
anvthing like a full description, we must content ourselves by
mere enumeration and a few passing remarks thereon. Suffice it,
however, for us to state that the glass-cutting shop, the joinery
department, and the brass-finishing shop, are in particular supplied
with appliances and machinery which would greatly surprise those
who have not had an opportunity of inspecting them. Large plates
of glass are rapidly cut up by machinery with an exactitude and
precision which is really astonishing.

Machines driven by steam-power are provided for all kinds of
brass -finishing and the manufacture of brackets, and metal articles
vised for jewellers' shops and windows ; and here we may mention
that Mr. Sage is the inventor of a most useful machine specially de-
signed for filing all kinds of metals, which performs the work
in less than one-twentieth part of the time that would be required
by a man to do it with files. One great speciality of Mr. Sage's
business is the manufacture of air-tight show cases, and the
great perfection to which he has carried this branch is doubtless
due to the enterprise displayed by him in providing the best
machinery, totally regardless of cost or trouble. Another prominent
feature with this house is, that it was the first to introduce quilted
satin linings for counter- cases, trays, &c. These articles, manu-
factured in a rich blue colour, and applied to fine ebony or black
wood, relieved by lines and figures in gold, have a most beautiful
and pleasing effect. Among the other manufactures of the firm are
oval shades and stands, with velvet-covered trays for earrings,
lockets, thimbles, and jewellery of every description. In shape
they are adapted for different classes of jewellery, great care being
taken to give a clear view of each article, and not to crowd together
as in the old-fashioned forms. Where several articles are shown
on one stand, the surface is so shaped as to show each of them to
the best advantage, and permit of the removal of one without the
displacement of the rest. Many of these designs are of the most
ingenious character, nearly all of which are registered to prevent
unauthorized imitation.

In conclusion, we may state that Mr. Sage's establishment is the
only one to which an award was made at the Vienna Exhibition for
articles of his manufacture. Visitors to the South Kensington
Museum and the Alexandra Falace may see in either place
specimens of cases manufactured by this firm, whilst for further
information they cannot do better than visit the manufactory,
where they will find hundreds of elegant and clever designs for shop
fittings and fixtures, which our space does not permit us to re-
capitulate, but which are all of a very attractive and tasteful
character.

A CONCESSION* important to commerce has been granted by Hussia.
Goods sent from Prussia to Austria on Russian railways, via Brest
and Kiev, are not to be subject to visitation at the custom-house,
or to duty of any kind. The shortest way from East Prussia to
Southern Oalicia crosses the Russian railways*

NOVELTIES IN DIAMOND WORK.

YERY few branches of art have advanced with more rapidity during
the past ten or fifteen years than that of diamond working.
And one of the leading recent novelties in that line is the new design
of necklace, pendant, and earrings represented on the opposite page,
and manufactured by Messrs. A¥illiams & Son, of Hatton-garden, to
whose courtesy we are indebted for the illustration.

Although it is not possible to present a perfect description thereof
by the pen, and even the engraver finds it difficult to properly
realize the effect to the reader, we cannot pass over the ingenuity,
beauty, and attractiveness thereof without furnishing a few details
concerning the articles alluded to.

The centre ornaments represented consist of pendant and ear-
rings, styled the classic-harp pattern, formed of the very best
selected brilliants and fine oriental pearls, so as to render the effect
in wear both pleasing and novel.

The necklace — the chain of which is shown running round the
pendant and earrings (and which is represented in reduced size) — is
of exquisite design, and one of the most beautiful ornaments which
we have seen, and cannot be better explained than by directing
attention to the accompanying drawing, and stating that the centre
flower is so made that it may easily be removed and made to form
a separate ornament -either for the neck or the hair.

The entire set is well worthy of inspection, which will fully repay
those who may visit the establishment for that purpose.

THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION.

THE salient points of the general regulations affecting foreign
exhibitors at the Philadelphia Exhibition of 1876, and the
special regulations governing the free importations of exhibits, as
determined by the Centennial Commission, are, so far as at present
decided, as follows: —

The Exhibition will open at Philadelphia on May 10, and close
on November 10, 1876.

Before December 1, 1875, the Executive must send in plans
in detail showing individual allotments,' with all catalogue infor-
mation.

No charge for space.

No charge made for a limited quantity of steam and water
power. The quantity to be arranged at time of the allotment
of space, and any excess of power to be applied for at same
time, and to be furnished by the Centennial Commission at a
fixed rate.

Goods for exhibition to be considered as bonded and exempt
from customs duties.

The usual noxious and explosive substances are prohibited.

Exhibitors or their agents are responsible for the packing,
forwarding, receiving, and unpacking of their goods, at both the
opening and the close of the Exhibition. The owner, agent, or
consignee must be present to receive goods.

Reception of exhibits will commence on January 1, 1876, and
no article will be admitted after March 31, 1876.

The installation of heavy objects requiring special foundations
or adjustment should, by special arrangement, begin as soon as
progress of works will permit.

Space assigned and not occupied on April 1, 1876, will revert
to the director-general for re-assignment.

All goods must, under penalties, be removed before December
31, 1876.

The objects exhibited will be protected against piracy of
inventions or designs. Sketches, drawings, photographs, or other
reproductions of articles exhibited will only be allowed upon the
joint assent of the exhibitor and director-general.

The Centennial Commission will take precautions for the safe
preservation of all objects in the Exhibition, but will not be liable.
Facilities will be arranged by which exhibitors may favourably
insure their goods.

Special regulations will be issued concerning the exhibi-
tion of fine arts, the organization of international juries, awards
of prizes, and sales of special articles within the buildings, and other
points not touched on in these preliminary instructions.

June 1, 1375.]

SlLVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

11

is

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

tJuNE 1, 1875*

THE

wliitrjniuiluT, gcfacllcr, m\h ^xlbmml%

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to tlie interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Published at 8, Cross-street, Hatton^garden, E.C.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance | commencing
from any date. Single Copies, Gd. each,

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Hatten-garden Post Office.

No one is authorized to collect money without production of
Printed Form of Receipt, bearing the Office Stamp.

TO ADVERTISERS.

... £4 0

0

2 5

0

1 10

0

1 2

6

0 12

0

0 7

0

0 3

6

0 5

0

Tnt pages of the Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith
present a Wide field of operations, as those represented therein may
bring their announcements before the immediate attention of all
trades to which they are specially addressed, as well as purchasers
throughout the LTnited Kingdom, America, the Colonies, and all
foreign markets.

All advertisements and correspondence should be forwarded as
early as possible in each month.

SCALE OF CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.

One Page

Half ditto

One-tliird ditto ...

Quarter ditto

One-eighth ditto

One-sixteenth ditto ... ...

Per Inch third across Page ...

Ditto half across Page

The above Scale of Charges is subject to a Discount of 10 per
cent, for Orders of Six Months, and 20 per cent, for Orders of
Twelve Months.

Advertisements of Businesses Wanted, Businesses for Disposal,
Employers Wanting Assistants, Partnerships, and kindred announce-
ments, are charged at the rate of Is. CtZ. for Five Lines.

Country and Foreign Subscribers are invited to furnish any
Communications which they may consider interesting.

The services of an energetic and reliable person are required for
the advertising department of this journal. Applications to be
made by' letter only, to the Publisher, 8, Cross Street, Ilatton
Garden, E.C.

The attention of our readers, and the trade generally, is called to
the form of subscription order, which will be found on page 19.
"When two or more copies are forwarded to one address, or in
instances of subscription clubs being formed so that the copies for
such club are sent to one person, a discount of 10 per cent, will be
allowed from the regular subscription rates, but in no instance will
such deduction be made for subscriptions of less than one year.

PROSPECTUS.

IN the present days of commercial activity no branch of
industry can be without its leading representative journal,
and experience shows that the time has now arrived when the;
various trades, to the interest of which our labours will be directed,-
require a medium equal to others representing different commercial
pursuits, and, with the view of possessing which, they should secure
to themselves a properly recognized organ wholly devoted to their1
own peculiar interests.

With the object of supplying this great desideratum, we have
determined to issue a new and independent monthly publication,
bearing the title of the —

WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND SILVERSMITH'S
TRADE JOURNAL,

of which this is the first number. As such undertaking must
necessarily entail considerable anxiety and labour to establish it
on a firm basis, so as to become of real benefit to the trades it will
represent, we respectfully solicit the kind co-operation and
support of every one whom it may concern, whilst the following
outline will give a fair idea of its aim and general usefulness.
Each number will contain leading articles, penned by men of
practical experience, upon subjects of particular interest to Watch
and Clock Makers, Jewellers, Gold and Silversmiths, Electro-platers,
Opticians, Assayers, and all the other allied branches of these
important trades ; also, illustrated articles upon the Novelties,
Patents, and noteworthy Specialities, both British and Foreign,
a brief Monthly Record of Passing Events, Trade Changes, in-
teresting items of Gossip, important Legal and Arbitration Pro-
ceedings, the result of Public and other Sales, original contribu-
tions upon Art, Applied Science, the Labour Question, Letters
from our Own Correspondents in the Provinces, Foreign and
Colonial Notes, Practical Hints, Notes and Queries, and a variety
of other useful and interesting subjects.

From this brief sketch it will be seen that such a journal can
hardly fail to prove of considerable benefit to its supporters, as it
will present an opportunity for free interchange of ideas and
suggestions on questions affecting the interests of the trades, and
at the same time keep its readers fully and regularly posted as to
what is going on, besides affording manufacturers and wholesale
houses valuable assistance in their business transactions with ex-
porters, agents, and the retail trades.

In concluding these remarks, we especially wish to point out to
manufacturers and wholesale houses the great advantage of inserting
their trade announcements in the advertising columns of such a
journal, and we respectfully direct their attention to the enclosed
order-forms, in the hope that they will communicate their wishes as
early as possible to the publisher, who will be pleased to afford
them every information, as well as offer them the benefit of his
experience and assistance in drawing up or arranging their notices.

Continuing our untiring endeavours to please, we shall at all
times deem it a favour if our readers or friends will forward us any
suitable contributions likely to prove of general interest, or make
suggestions, which will be received with thanks and due attention.

All communications to be addressed —
Proprietors of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith,

8, Cross Street, Hatton Garden, E.G.

JtJNE 1, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

13

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT.

THERE is, perhaps, no occupation in which the amount and
quality of artificial light is more important than it is in that
of a 'watchmaker and jeweller, who is dealing continually with
objects of small size, which require to be adjusted in their proper
positions with the greatest possible exactitude. As a rule, not-
withstanding this, the members of the trade are not as carefid as
they should be in the matter ; and it is only exceptionally, if at all,
that they use any of the special contrivances by which common
modes of illumination may be improved. Engravers habitually
employ a globular glass vessel, filled with water, which acts as a
condenser to concentrate light where it is wanted, and to withdraw
it from surrounding parts. In this water it is usual to dissolve a
little sulphate of copper, or blue vitriol, which serves to neutralize
the excessive yellowness of common gas-light, and to render it much
less irritating to the eyes. In other trades, the globe of water is
used only to concentrate light upon the work which is under
observation, and so to make up for what would otherwise be
deficiency. The frame-work knitters of the midland counties
for example, who weave stockings, and generally what is called
"hosiery," upon frames in their own cottages, and who often live
in villages where no gas is to be procured, always use the water-
globe to supplement the faint light of a single tallow candle : or,
more properly speaking, to guide a large portion of this light to the
fabric on which they are employed, instead of suffering it to be lost
in other parts of the room. The effect of the globe differs with its
position in reference to the flame. If the two are very near
together, the light which passes through the globe will spread out
a little, like that from a policeman's lantern ; but, if the globe and
the flame are farther apart, the beam will be brought into smaller
compass, as if by a burning-glass, and may all be condensed upon a
single point. An afternoon walk through the streets of any large
town, however, will show us watchmakers working at a bench by
the aid of naked batswing gas-burners, seldom of the best con-
struction, and placed one for each man in such a manner that most
of their light is wasted, while all of them together give out an
unpleasant amount of heat, and consume and vitiate the air which
the occupants of the room are breathing, besides casting cross-
shadows in all directions. If employers and workmen would only
give to this question a small portion of the thought which its
importance demands, it would be easy for them to make arrange-
ments which would be conducive at once to comfort and economy.

All artificial light is the result of a chemical combination between
the oxygen of the air and the hydrogen and carbon of the substance
which is burnt to afford illumination. This substance is always a
gas ; because, even if, like oil, it is liquid at common temperatures,
it is vaporized in the wick before being burnt by the heat of the
flame to which it is drawn up. Chemical union must be a union
of definite qualities. So much oxygen unites with so much hydro-
gen to form water, and with so much carbon to form carbonic acid,
and cannot unite with more or less than the proper amount. If, there-
fore, the due proportions are not observed, there is something over
which is always wasted, and often noxious. This may be seen most
easily by stopping with a finger the opening underneath the common
circular gas-burner, which is known as an argand burner. By this a
large portion of the air is shut out, and the carbon of the gas no
longer finds oxygen enough for its requirements. Hence, it is no
longer burnt, that is to say, it no longer unites chemically with
oxygen, but a large portion of it is driven off in the form of a thick
black smoke, which renders the air suffocating and unpleasant,
while the flame becomes red and dull. On the other hand, if there is
too much air for the gas, the flame is unduly cooled, and the quality of
the combustion is reduced in consequence. For perfect combustion
it is necessary that the air and the gas should come together exactly

in the right proportions ; and then, and only then, is there no waste
of the combustible material, whatever it may be. It is all burnt, all
used in light-giving, and the brightness and colour of the light
which it affords are the best that can be attained. On the other
hand, if the proportions are not right the combustion is imperfect,
which means that the same thing takes place which is seen in the
above-mentioned experiment with the argand burner, although
probably not to the same extent. The products of perfect combus-
tion are carbonic acid and water, and nothing else, and these are
comparatively harmless to liviDg beings. When the combustion is
imperfect only part of the carbon is converted into carbonic acid.
Another part is driven off as smoke, that is to say, as a finely-
divided black powder, which falls as dirt upon everything in the
room, and which it is very uncomfortable to breathe. Another part
is not converted into carbonic acid, but into a different compound,
which is called by chemists carbonic oxide, and which, even in
small quantity, is highly deleterious. The^ colour of the imperfect
flame is defective, being tinged with red or yellow instead of being
white, and its illuminating properties are very inferior ; so that,
when the due proportions between the air and the combustible are
not observed the consumer suffers in every way. He does not
obtain the light which he pays for ; and part of his combustible
substance is worse than wasted, for it is rendered injurious alike to
health and to property. In the case cf an oil-lamp, it seems compara-
tively easy to get the right proportions ; but in the case of coal-gas
the original difficulty of doing so is greatly enhanced by the varying
pressures at which it is delivered, so that much more is forced through
the burners at some periods than at others.

During the last three or four years, great advances have been
made towards the attainment of perfect combustion for illuminating
purposes ; and these have been mainly due to the labours of Mr.
Silber, the founder of the Silber Light Company. Mr. Silber first
turned his attention to oil-lamps ; and, after prolonged and costly
experiments, he succeeded in making burners, both for colza oil and
for petroleum, which not only maintained the right proportion
between the supply of air and the supply of fuel, but which also
delivered a portion of the air into a part of the flame which had not
previously received any. His lamps were, in simple language, oil
furnaces which consumed all their own smoke, and which yielded
flames of a size, brilliancy, and whiteness which had never before
been approached. Perhaps the best test of the quality of their light
is that it displays all colours correctly, as sunlight would do, so
that it would enable the operation of " matching colours," so justly
dear to the female heart, to be accomplished accurately in the
evening. The drawback to these lamps was that they consumed a
great deal of oil, not light for light, but absolutely, so that they
were more costly in use than was needed for some requirements.
A person who burnt one moderator lamp, which gave a light equal
to that of twelve candles, and who found this light sufficient for his
purposes, might obtain a light equal to that of twenty-six candles
from a Silber lamp of the same size, which would burn half as much
more oil as the old one. If he did not want the light, the new lamp
would be extravagant. But the person who burnt two moderator
lamps could replace them both by one Silber, getting more light
from it than from its two predecessors together, and saving one
quarter of the oil which he formerly consumed. When the lamps
were perfected, Mr. Silber next turned his attention to gas ; and,
having already worked out the principles on which complete com-
bustion depends, he succeeded in applying these principles to gas-
burners also, both argand and batswing, and in such a way as to
obtain either a much-increased illumination for the same consump-
tion, or the same illumination for a diminished consumption,
according to the wants of the consumer. To the argand burners,
moreover, he attached an ingenious governor, by which compensa-
tion can be made for the variations of pressure upon the supply,

N

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 1, 1875.

The effect of all those inventions is, that the whole of the oil or gas
employed is turned to good purpose, and is manufactured, so to
speak, into light of the best and purest quality. Nothing is dis-
persed wastefoUy in the air of the apartment; and nothing is
dissipated in the form of noxious and imperfectly-oxidized compounds.
Whatever kind of fuel may be used, the purchaser obtains full value
for his money.

For the purposes in which our readers are most interested, it is
necessary to inquire not only how the best light may be jirocured,
but also how it may be best disposed to meet the requirements of
the -workman. In all labour there are frequently-recurring moments
of repose ; and in all fine varieties of labour, such as are calculated
to tax the sight, it is desirable that these intervals should afford
rest to the eyes. Brilliant light stimulates and fatigues the eyes,
comparative darkness relaxes and refreshes them. The writer of
this article was told by an eminent oculist always to read or write
in the evening by a shaded lamp, and also that the shade should
itself be opaque, or nearly so, and lined with a white, reflecting
surface. Thus arranged, it throws an abundance of light upon the
page or the table ; but yet the eyes, whenever they are raised from
their occupation, are raised to obscurity. Of the advice thus given
him, he has found the value by experience, and acts upon it con-
stantly. Xo-sv, the great brilliancy of the Silber-argand burners,
whether for oil or for gas, allows their flame to be covered by an
opal globe, which does not permit the flame itself to shine through
it as a bright central spot, but diffuses from its whole surface a per-
fectly uniform, soft, white illumination, a sort of artificial daylight, in
all directions. Such a globe, even if there is no other protection for
the eyes, is much less stimulating to them than any naked flame, or
than any flame which is covered by ground-glass only. But to such
a globe it is perfectly easy to add a cover which shall shade its
upper portion and cast nearly all its light upon the bench, and the
height of this cover might be easily arranged so as to suit the
habitual level of the hands of the workmen. On a small bench,
moreover, say, where four men are employed, and where four
common batswings are now burning dingily and wastefully, it would
be easy to replace them by a single Silber-argand, placed centrally
and fitted with an opal globe. The effect would be like that of
diffused daylight, the saving of gas would be very considerable, and
its cost, as well as the vitiation of the atmosphere, would be spared.
There would be no cross-shadows from the different burners ; and,
if more light were required for any purpose, it would be easy to
fix before each workman a common bull's-eye, supported by a
jointed stem so that it could be set at any desired height or angle.
Such a bull's-eye would furnish a concentrated beam, in which the
work could be held at any time when a particularly strong illumina-
tion was required ; and the beam, while it would light up the work,
would not fall directly into the eyes of the workman. In every
calling it is necessary, or at least desirable, to seize hold of and
utilize all the aids which, can be obtained from extraneous sources,
or from the researches of men who are engaged in other pursuits ;
and the researches of Mr. Silber, whilst they will be of advantage to
all, except those — if such there are — who get up at sunrise and go
to bed at sunset, promise to be especially useful to those who are
engaged in fine handicrafts. We counsel our readers to consider
whether the lights which they now employ are such as to fulfil all
their requirements ; and, if they are not, to make trial of " Silber
burners " without delay.

Tiif. principle of correct time-keeping qualities of a watch or
clock may be compared to an exact circle with a pivot or centre
exactly equi-distant from any point of the circumference. The
truer the circle (as well in distance as in height) the more exact the
performance. — New York Watchmaker and Jeweller.

Messes, LAWSON & GODDABD, of No. 5, Ilatton-garden, have on
view some remarkably handsome works of art in bronze groups
and statuettes, marble and ormolu clocks, and other articles.

FIRE AND BURGLAR PROOF SAFES.

rrUIE trades represented by this Journal being peculiarly liable to-
J_ the special attentions of the "gentlemen of the crowbar," we
have thought it fitting to devote a short space in our first number
to the consideration of the best means of rendering such attentions
unprofitable to the occupants of "Thieves' Alley" or "Rogues'
Walk."

The frequent jewel robberies during the past few years prove
that burglars have attained such a degree of adroitness and efficiency
in their profession, that ordinary iron safes offer little resistance
to their endeavours, but are opened with as much ease and confidence
as if they were mere wooden boxes. Indeed, so far from affording
any security, they serve as mere indicators to point out the proper
point of attack, and so save the burglar's valuable time. The making
of a safe fireproof for books is comparatively an easy matter, but to
the watchmaker and silversmith it is vastly more important to have
protection against thieves, as he can insure against fire, but if his
stock be clandestinely removed, no insurance policy can cover the
risk, and he must bear the loss as best he may. It is therefore to him
a capital consideration how best to insure his stock against the
special risk to which his avocation exposes him, and for which, in most
cases, he would pay a high premium if the guarantee of a responsible
office were available. The art of burglary, says the Engineer, has
all but risen to the dignity of a science, developing, in the best men
of the fraternity of thieves, skill which, if applied to honest labour,
would lead to eminence. Mechanical engineering loses nothing in
such hands, and we question if the practical forces of nature is
better understood in the great workshops of the country than in
" Thieves' Alley" or "Rogues' Walk." The fact that valuables in
a portable form are lying within reach is sufficient to make it a keen
incitement for them to exhibit the utmost amount of skill and
caution in planning and carrying out the details of a bank or jewel
robbery, that we seldom hear of failure or a bungling attempt being-
made ; yet how comparatively few watchmakers think it worth
their while to have more than a mere iron shell, which is dignified
by the name of safe ! The great Cornhill robbery, some years ago,
startled the trade by the ease with which the iron safe was opened,
and yet this safe was stronger than ninety-nine out of every hundred
to be found in our silversmiths' shops. In a letter of that time by
Mr. Chatwood to the leading Journal, in answer to a taunt that safe-
makers had not kept pace with burglars, he pointed out, that for years
he had been prepared to make safes, which from the principles of
construction could notj be opened, but that, owing to the parsimony
of the trade, there was no demand for safes of a higher price than
the one recently opened at Mr. Walker's, whereas his safe would be
many times more money. In 1860 Mr. S. Chatwood took up the
question of defence v. attack, and by the introduction of sound
mechanical principles has gradually raised the manufacture of fire
and burglar proof safes to rank as an important addition to
practical engineering. -Her Majesty's Privy Council have marked
their appreciation of the value of his original invention by advising
that such patent be prolonged for a further term of five years.
Moved by the responsibility attaching itself to a trade so peculiar,
Mr. Chatwood has ever laid it down as a principle, that the
risk and not the price should be first ascertained ; and then, that an
article more than equal to the risk be produced, and a fair profit
added, which if the trade would not pay, they should be left without
excuse in the event of robbery.

Acting upon this principle, Mr. Chatwood patented in 1860
his "Intersection" of hard and soft metals, and his "Invincible
Lock," under which patent all his "Intersected " steel safes are made.
His next improvement of moment was the "Tee Frame," which
was invented and patented by him in 1862. In the year 1865 he
invented and patented the "Solid Flange Lock Case," the "Stud
Bolt," the "Hook Bolt," and the "Claw Bolt." In 1S66 he
introduced the "Platinum Plug Lock." In 1867 he accepted the
International Safes' Challenge at Paris, which has been so graphically
described by Mr. George Augustus Sala in his " Battle of the Safes."
In 1868 he patented and perfected a system of welding safes in one
solid mass, and in so adapting his patent "Tee Frame " as to over-
lap the front edges of the safe body ; and in the same year he also
introduced a most valuable improvement, termed his " Patent Mid
Tee Frame," for rendering double-door safes equal in strength to
single doors. We have not mentioned his invention for making a
watchmaker's shop itself a safe, or his patented strong rooms for
banks, comprising as they do the result of much thought and
ingenuity in [adapting means to an end. The patents for the in-
ventions and' improvements alluded to being vested solely in Chat-
wood's Patent Safe and Lock Company, Limited, of Bolton, it will

June 1, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

15

be well for purchasers to satisfy themselves that they procure
safes direct from the manufacturer, either at Bolton or at their
London Depot, 120, Cannon-street, especially such as "Intersected
Steel," "Overlapping Tee Frame," "Solid Flange Lock Case,"
safes with bolts that move in a line parallel to edge of door, &c,
&c, and which are the sole inventions and improvements of Mr.
Chatwood.

The editor of Iron, writing on this subject, says, " Mr. Chatwood
stands alone as an example of the thorough concentration of
inventive faculty and mechanical skill, orderly perseverance and
indomitable energy, devoted to the conception and development of
one special aim," and he may justly be congratulated on having
succeeded in demonstrating to the world that, by the application of
correct engineering principles, defence is rendered more formidable
than attack, and that the question of perfect immunity from the
depredations of scientific burglars is, after all, merely one of cost.

At the recent Vienna International Exhibition, Chatwood' s safe
was pitted against the world for 1000?., but, after the experience of
Paris, no one was found to take up the challenge, and the " Chat-
wood" was awarded the only medal of any sort for burglar-proof
safes. At the Manchester Exhibition this year are exhibited a good
selection of these safes and bank-room doors, one of the latter weigh-
ing some two tons, embodying Mr. Chatwood's latest improvements.
This door is one of two, for a steel strong room, which the
Chatwood Safe Company are now erecting for a bank. This strong
room, with its inner safes, will weigh nearly forty tons, being the
largest steel safe in England, and of which we hope to give a
description on a future occasion.

Meantime we commend to our friends the consideration of in-
surance by adopting Chatwood's safes of a high quality, treating the
rate of depreciation as a premium, and in this way they may leave
their valuable stocks securely insured.

These safes are sold subject to a trial of thirty-six hours with
any kind of burglar's appliances before delivery, in which they
stand alone ; but while this offer seems somewhat bold, it is a per-
fectly safe one, as by the various arrangements introduced, the
amount of forcing power capable of being brought to bear is
reduced to an almost nominal figure, while the holding is infinitely
in excess.

PRESENT VALUE OP GOLD IN THE COM-
MERCIAL WORLD.

ELECTRIC CLOCKS.

The existing stock of gold in the commercial world at the
present moment exceeds 1,000,000,000?. (one thousand millions)
sterling. It would be interesting to ascertain how much of this
enormous sum is in the form of gold coin, but so far as we know
there are no means of determining the question. The productive-
ness of tbe mines reached its maximum in 185G, when the aggregate
outturn was 32,000,000/. :— United States, 15,000,000?. ; Australia,
14,000,000/. ; and Russia, 3,000,000/. Since 1856 the yield has
been declining. Last year the estimate is 19,250,000/., of which
Australia produced 8,752,000/., the United States no more than
0,000,000/., and Russia, 4,500,000?. It will be noticed that the
falling-off has been by far the greatest in the mines of the United
States. In 1856 they were the most productive. Last year they
yielded little more than two-thirds of the outturn of the Australian
mines, and not much more than one -third of their own production
in 1856. There was a .great falbng-off in the yield of the Australian
mines also. But, on the other hand, there was an increased
productiveness in the Russian mines, very considerable relatively,
though absolutely not large. Allowing for the 3,000,000/. to make
good wear and tear, the additional supply last year, to meet the
demands for all the world both for coinage purposes and the arts,
was but little over 16,000,000/., or not greatly more than half the
additional supply of 1856. Assuming that no fresh mines are
discovered, it would seem probable, therefore, that the rise of
prices due to the increased supply of gold has now reached its
maximum. Indeed, if the productiveness of the mines continue to
decrease, a fall is not improbable. This would undoubtedly be an
advantage. On the other hand, since 1848 trade has received
extraordinary extension, as well as extraordinary development.
Much more gold is consequently required for the settlement of in-
ternational engagements. If the decreasing productiveness of the
mines should cause a scarcity of metal sufficient to embarrass the
money markets, this trade would necessarily suffer.

FOR a number of years the application of that wonderful and
mysterious physical agent termed electricity to the controlling
and rewinding of clocks has engaged the attention of eminent
scientific and practical men, and considerable inventive genius
has been expended thereon with different degrees of success. A
power so instantaneous and energetic in its action, so cheap and
easily procured, so cleanly and free from danger, possesses advantages
highly desirable, which at first sight appeared easily applicable to
the desired object. Experience has demonstrated that in the
controlling of them, as hitherto applied to the pendulum bob, it
cannot be depended upon. The slightest variation in the current
produces different arcs of vibration, thereby interfering with the
isochronism of the pendulum, and consequent variation in time-
keeping. Another serious drawback is the fact that at the opening
and closing (especially the former) of the circuit, a bright spark
passes. At the moment, connection is broken, the intense heat of
which oxidizes the metal and materially reduces the strength of the
current, owing to increased resistance, and eventually stopping it
altogether. Another obstacle is the liability of the battery getting
out of order, mainly owing to the rapid consumption of the zinc
electrode, and weakening of the exciting liquid. It is this last-
mentioned difficulty that has acted mainly against clocks arranged
for rewinding at certain intervals. The zinc and liquid have been
gradually wasting during the intervals, and, after a few weeks' action,
have stopped or required a renewal of the active elements of the
battery. "We are enabled, however, to inform our readers that a
prospectus will shortly be issued relative to an entirely novel inven-
tion, recently patented in England, France, Austria and America, by
Mr. J. W. Wignall, and now in possession of Mr David Cowen,
of Withy Grove, Manchester, termed the " Self-winding Clock."
The advantage of this over all previous attempts lies in the fact that
the electric current is applied without the slightest spark, and by an
ingenious and simple mechanical arrangement throws the battery
entirely out of action during the intervals between the winding, thus
suspending all waste of the zinc electrode and exciting liquid, the
surmounting of which difficulties render it certain that these clocks
will go from one to two years without interference. The barrel
and fusee being entirely dispensed with, present several advantages :
— firstly, the absence of barrel, arbor, spring, main wheel, fusee,
fusee ratchet, &c, reduces the cost in producing the movement, and
at the same time reduces the requisite propelling or motive power to
the merest fraction ; and, secondly, the liability to broken springs,
chains or clickwork, and likewise the cost of their renewal or
repairing, which in these clocks will be altogether obviated. ' The
battery has in all other instances been detached from the clock,
but in the one under review it forms part and parcel of the clock
itself, and is enclosed in the same case without increasing the bulk
or interfering with its ap»pearance. It is a well-known fact, that a
great amount of money is paid annually for the mere winding
of clocks, especially on the railway lines, private residences,
warehouses, banks, church and turret clocks. In all these cases
it will be a positive boon in the saving of expense alone. Other
advantages and details will be fully and clearly set forth in the
forthcoming prospectus, and which, coupled with a careful inspection
of the clock alluded to, will doubtless attract the full attention of the
trade, and secure the patronage of the general public.

Why G old changes Colour. — It is well known that the human
body contains various humours and acids similar in action to, and
having a like tendency towards, baser metals, as nitric and sulphuric
acids have, viz., to tarnish and dissolve them, varying in quantity in
different persons ; and of which theory we have abundant proof in
the effects which the wearing of jewellery produces on different
persons. Thousands wear continually, without any ill effect, the
cheaper class of jewellery with brass ear- wires, whilst if others wore
the same article for a few days, they would be troubled with sore
ears ; or, in other words, the acids contained in the system would so
act on the brass as to produce ill results. Instances have occurred
in which articles of jewellery of any grade below 18 carat have been
tarnished in a few days, merely from the above-named cause. True,
that these instances are not very frequent, nevertheless, it is as well
to know them, and they are sufficient to prove that it is not in
every case the fault of the goods not wearing well — as it is generally
called — but the result of the particular constitution by which they
are worn.— New York Watchmaker and Jeweller,

Ill

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AHD

'— J^*M

[JuNfi 1, 1875.

TRADE GOSSIP.

LONG, heavy, pendant earrings are coming into fashion again in
America.

The Jeweller's Circular of New York says that Chicago thieves
complain that the jewellery they are compelled to steal out there is
of the kind that you can take " your choice from for one dollar."

The Duchess of Medina-Cceli has in her possession a pearl necklace
which is composed of twelve strings of large and rare pearls, and is
valued at 85,0002, When worn, the upper string fits round her
throat, whilst the lowest falls to her waist. — New York Jeweller.

A MICHIGAN watchmaker has just finished the construction of a
calculating machine, on which he has been engaged for several
years. It is described as a very complicated contrivance, with more
thau 2100 specially formed pieces of machinery, mostly of steel, and
put together compactly. Its calculations not only cover the four
simple rules in integral numbers, but likewise a variety of difficult
problems besides. — Ibid.

The celebrated house of Christofle & Co., of Paris, has introduced
a new style of bronze or copper work, ornamented with gold and
silver, and to which the name of bronze incrustes has been given.

Birmingham jewellers are doing a brisk trade with South America,
Mexico, and the West Indies.

Lockets representing tortoises, richly mounted in various
coloured gold, are very fashionable in Paris.

SINGULAR ROBBERY OP JEWELLERY.

AN extraordinary charge of robbery was recently heard at the
Northern Divisional Police-court, Dublin. Three men, named
Jas. Reynolds, Wm. Butler, and Jno. Hanley, described as betting
characters, wyere charged with having stolen 30 dozen of diamond
and other rings, of the value of 3000/., the property of Messrs.
George, of King's-terrace, London, jewellers. Mr. George deposed
that he was a passenger on board the City of Dublin Steam Packet
Company's steamer St. Patrick, from Liverpool, on Monday, and
had brought with him three valises, containing six cases of diamond
rings and other things, of the value of close upon 3000Z. He
placed the cases under the cabin table. From what he learned from
the steward, he looked for the valises about midnight, when the
steamer was nearing the Bailey Light, and found that two of them
had disappeared, and that the other had been tampered with ; that
all the rings, amounting to thirty dozen, were gone. Charles Davis,
steward of the St. Patrick, stated that he saw Mr. George place the
valises under the table in the cabin. About twenty minutes before
midnight he noticed Hanley and Butler sit down at the table, and
after a short period rise and remove the three valises. After some
little time they returned and brought back one valise. Witness had
feigned sleep, and from a sofa watched the proceedings, and
immediately informed Mr. George, whose berth was in the same
compartment with Hanley. The captain was also communicated
with, and, after some consideration, it was determined to arrest the
prisoners, who were found standing together on deck near the stern.
The captain and some of the crew accordingly surrounded them, and,
as they did so, Butler fell back and dropped something, which
appeared to be a large handkerchief rolled up, overboard. Witness
heard the parcel strike against the side as if it contained something
very heavy. The steamer was then abreast of the Bailey lighthouse.
The prisoners were kept in custody until the arrival of the vessel at
the North Wall, when they were handed over to the police.
Captain Ewer and two of the crew of the St. Patrick corroborated the
evidence of the steward. The prisoners were remanded.

Use of Gold in- Artificial Gems. — Gold and its salts are em-
ployed in the preparation of artificial gems. In the artificial topaz
1 grain of gold in 1000, with 30 or 40 grains of antimony-glass,
has been detected. In the best specimens of the fictitious ruby we
have a similar mixture, but the yellow is changed to red by re-
melting in the oxidizing flame of the blow-pipe. In the artificial
amethyst and the Syrian garnet we have either the purple of cassius
with oxide of cobalt or fulminating gold with antimony. The
perfection of some of these fictitious gems is such as to deceive many.
The great crucial test for gems, their hardness, can, however, soon
decide between the genuine stone and the most perfect imitation,
which, after all, is nothing but coloured glass.

Hall-Marking of Jewellery, &c. — Some time ago the Society
of Arts offered a prize of £25, placed at their disposal by Mr. E.
W. Streeter, for an essay on this subject, with ' suggestions for an
improved system. Seventeen essays were sent in for competition,
but as none of them were of a sufficiently comprehensive character
to justify the committee in selecting any one for the prize, they
recommended the Council, with the assent of Mr. Streeter, to renew
the offer. Mr. Streeter having given his assent to this course, the
Council have now renewed the offer of the prize. It is suggested
to competitors that the essays shall treat on : — a. The history of
hall-marking in this country, showing, with some degree of detail —
b. The processes adopted and now in use. c. The merits and
demerits of the present system, and how far it meets the wants
of the public on the one hand, and satisfies the manufacturer on
the other, d. If any system desirable, what should it be, and by
whom, or under what authority should it be carried out ? e. The
systems in use in foreign countries, and how far they meet the
wants both of the public and the manufacturer. The essays must
be sent in not later than the 1st of June, 1875, marked with a
motto or cypher only, accompanied by a sealed letter, with the
corresponding motto or cypher marked outside, giving within the
name and address of the writer of the essay. The Council retain
the right of publishing the prize essay in the Journal, and they
reserve the right of withholding the prize altogether, or of awarding
a lesser sum, if the judges shall so recommend.

The Duration of Life. — In ancient Home, during the period
between the years 200 and 300 a.d., the average duration of life
among the upper classes was 30 years. In the present century,
among the same classes of people, it amounts to 50 years. In the six-
teenth century the mean duration of life in Geneva was 21-21 years,
between 1814 and 1833 it was 40-68 years, and at the present time
as many people live to 70 years of age as, 300 years ago, lived to the
age of 43. In the year 1693 the British Government borrowed
money, the amounts borrowed to be paid in annuities, on the basis
of the mean duration of life at that time. The State Treasury made
thereby a good bargain, and all parties to the transaction were
satisfied. Ninety-seven years later, Pitt established another ton-
tine or annuity company, based on the presumption that the mor-
tality would remain the same as 100 years before. But in this
instance it transpired that the Government had made a bad bargain,
since, while in the first tontine 10,000 persons of each sex died
under the age of 28, 100 years later only 5772 males and 6416
females died under this age. From these facts it appears that life,
under certain favourable influences, has gained in many and probably
An all its forms and manifestations, both in vigour and duration.
To still further promote this tendency, it is only necessary that
those conditions under which the attainment of the desired end is
possible be made to accord with the fundamental natural laws. —
Deutsche Versicherungs-Zeitung.

The casting of the statue of the late Prince Consort, to be placed
under the dome of the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park, has been
completed at the foundry of Messrs. Prince & Co., Southwark.
The figure is seated in a chair of state, and is of colossal size, being
15 ft. in height from the base to the crown of the head. The artist,
the late Mr. J. H. Foley, R.A., fortunately for the nation, com-
pleted the model before his death. The casting was most successful.
The statue would have been completed some months since but for
an unfortunate accident. The workmen were removing a portion of
the mould, weighing some 20 tons, from one part to another of the
foundry, when a chain broke, and the vast mass fell to the ground,
thus destroying the labour of months, and at a loss to the founders
of nearly 400/. Fortunately no injury was done to the men. The
statue will soon be fixed in its final resting-place.

Facts Concerning the Nova Scotian Gold Fields. —

Total yield of gold, 1861-1874 inclusive 236,364 oz.

Total yield from quartz mines 228,509£ ,,

Total yield from alluvial and concentrations ... 2,354^ ,,

Value of total yield, at £4 sterling per oz £947,456

Value of yield from quartz mines ... ... ... 914,038

Value of yield from alluvial and cement mines ... 9,418
Average yield per ton of 2240 lb., 0-8396 oz. . . . 16 dts. 19-67 gr.

Average yield per capita in the mines daily ... ... 7s. 8-432d.

Total daily number of miners, 1862-74 591

Aggregate number of days' labour ... ... ... 2,397,772

Total quantity of quartz crushed 302, 305y tons

Number of mills (in operation) ... ... ... 17

Aggregate number of stamps ... ... 130

Greatest depth attained 520 feet

Estimated acreage explored under present development 150
Estimated auriferous territory (square miles) ... 3000

June 1, 1875.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TEADE JOUKNAL.

17

STRAY WAIFS AND SCRAPS.

Punctuality. — Unpunctual persons impede business and poison
pleasure. Make it a rule to be as punctual as possible. Such a
habit secures a composure which is essential to comfort ; for want
of it many persons live in a constant fever, and put all about them
in the same state.

Whenever you buy or sell, let or hire, make a clear bargain, and
never trust to " We shan't disagree about trifles."

Friendship. — Be not the first to break with a friend. Sorrow
gnaws the heart of him who hath no one to advise with but himself.

Few things are impracticable in themselves, and it is for want
of application, rather than of means, that men fail of success.

There are three kinds of men in this world — the " AY ills, the
Won'ts, and the Can'ts." The former effect everything, the others
oppose everything, and the latter fail in everything.

By relying on our own resources we acquire mental strength ;
but when we lean on others for support, we are like an invalid who,
having accustomed himself to a crutch, finds it difficult to walk
without one.

Keep doing, always doing ; and whatever you do, do it with all
your hearf, soul, and strength. Wishing, dreaming, intending,
murmuring, talking, sighing, and repining, are all idle and profitless
employments. The only manly occupation is to keep doing.

SAFE MAXIMS.

1. Firmly resolve never to owe a debt.

2. Acquire promptly and thoroughly some useful calling.

3. .Resolve not to be a rover : where you have stuck your stake,
stand by it.

4. Comprehend that there is work almost everywhere for him
who can do it.

5. Realize that he who earns sixpence a day more than he spends
must get rich ; while he who spends sixpence more than he earns
must become poor.

A Curious Gem from Lake Superior. — The New York Watch-
maker and Jeweller says, " Dr. Van R. Rich, of Oswego county,
possesses one of the most curious gems that has ever been brought
before the attention of connoisseurs, and is pronounced by jewellers
and others to be among the most exquisite of Nature's specimens,
and for which experts have been perplexed to find a name. It was
found by a Huron Indian on the shores of Lake Superior, and is a
compound of four classes of stones blended together so as to con-
stitute a perfect gem of rare beauty. The stones comprised in it
are agate, cornelian, perite, and crystal. Among the other remark-
able features of this curious gem are the appearance upon each side,
as if from the hand of an engraver, of a resemblance to a miniature
crown, the clearly-defined forms of a black-and-tan dog, the head
of an owl, the tracings of the shores of little lakes, and other remark-
able phenomena rarely, if ever, found in stones of any kind.

Alleged Robbery of Jewellery. — Hector J. Pullan, of 6, Addi-
son Road, was brought before Mr. Knox on the charge of stealing
jewellery, above i'OOOZ. in value, from his employers, Messrs. White
& Campbell, jewellers, of New Bond Street. — Mr. Ryan prosecuted,
and Mr. Poncione, jun., defended. — Mr. Ryan having opened the
case, called Mr. Thomas Gammon, pawnbroker, of Sloane Street,
who produced a bracelet pledged on April 15, with other articles,
by the prisoner, for 40Z. — In reply to Mr. Poncione, the witness said
the prisoner left the contract notes for the articles in his possession.
— Mr. Thomas White, of the firm of White & Campbell, identified
the articles produced, and said they bore the stock marks of the
firm, and were missed when stock was taken. — In reply to Mr.
Poncione, the witness said the articles were purchased from the
manufacturers, and other houses might have similar goods supplied
them by the same manufacturers, but they bore the marks of his
partner, who would attend on a future occasion. — Detective-sergeant
Meiklejohn said he apprehended the prisoner, and on telling him the
charge he exclaimed, "Good God, do you mean it?" and witness
then told him that he had found 4CKM. worth pledged in Sloane
Street. Witness found a jewellery case and a pistol and ammuni-
tion.— In reply to Mr. Poncione, the witness said the pistol was not
loaded, but the prisoner had some ammunition in his pocket. — Mr.
Knox remanded the prisoner, and refused to accept bail.

FRANCIS HOWARD,

MANUFACTURER OP

SILVER AND ELECTRO-PLATED
FISH CARVERS, FISH EATERS, DESSERTS,

BUTTER KNIVES, PICKLE FORKS, CASES, KNIFE,
FORK, AND SPOON, &c.

WEST-END WORKS,

WEST STREET, SHEFFIELD.

GEORGE WARR/SS & CO.,

MANUFACTURERS OF

PLATED DESSERTS, FISH CARVERS,

FISH EATERS, BUTTER KNIVES,
PICKLE FORKS, ELECTRO-PLATED

SPOONS AND FORKS, &c, &c.
SCHOOL OF ART A^OIfcKS,

32, HOWARD STREET, SHEFFIELD.

TRADE SUPPLIED.

London Agent-Mr. THOMAS LAVIN, 69, Comhill, E.G.

JAMES COWEN & SONS

(21 Years with Joseph Rodgcrs 8{ Sons),

Late of Queen's Works, Division Street,

MANUFACTURERS OF ALL KINDS OF

TABLE CUTLERY, PLATED DESSERTS, FISH CARVERS,
FISH EATERS, PICKLE FORKS, BUTTER KNIVES, &o.

INDUSTRY WORKS,
42, CAMBRIDGE STREET, SHEFFIELD.

J. C. JENNENS',

MANUFACTURER OF
25, GKEAT SUTTON STEEET,

CLERKENWELL, LONDON, E.C.

A. & H. ROWLEY,

67, RED LION STREET, CLERKENWELL, E.G.,

BRASS FINISHERS,

MANUFACTUEEES OF

CLOCK CASES IN BRASS, ZINC, AND WOOD.

Ornamental ®rass Work,

RINGS AND GLASSES FOR CLOCKS, BAROMETERS, TELEGRAPHS,

AND GAS METERS.

GOTJH"TEB &c DESK IR-A-IDLS-

BRASS WORK CLEANED, LACQUERED, & BRONZED.

ALL KINDS OF CLOCK & BAROMETER GLASSES FITTED.

ESTABLISHED 1810.

18

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLEE, AND

[June 1, 1875.

IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT IN RECORDING LOGS FOR SHIPS.

ABOUT 115 years ago a certain Mr. Massey, of Clerkenwell,
devised an instrument for measuring the speed of streams or
currents, which invention, it seemed to him, would also he
useful for measuring the distance run by ships. He accordingly
arranged one for that purpose, and which was constructed in two
parts, viz., the "register" and "rotator," the former being a fiat
brass box somewhat of the shape of a partly-opened fan, the
small end being provided with an eye, to which was attached
a rope about thirty-five or forty fathoms long, for the purpose
of towing the apparatus ; at the broad end was also an eye attached
to a spindle, which was caused to revolve by means of the rotator,
which was a metal tube having a conical end in front, and fitted
with four vanes, or blades, placed at an angle attached to the
register by means of a piece of rope, the end of which was also
fastened to the spindle eye just mentioned, the complete machine
being towed in the water at the stern of the ship. For some time
this appeared to be all that was needed, yet it must have occurred
to some one, possibly of lazy propensities, that if the register could
be fixed on the ship's rail it would save the
trouble of hauling in. The result of this
idea was that a great many seamen
and mechanics of all countries,
America, Germany, Sweden,
Holland, &c, exercised
their skill in trying to
solve the problem,
but hitherto with-
out success, sim-
ple as it ap
pears to be,
and things
remained

sharks, they, it seems, having a particular fancy for anything moving
in the water, especially if it be of bright metal, whereas, one of the
chief advantages of the "Pendant Log" is, that although the
propeller, or rotator, as it is usually called, is subject to be carried
away the same as any other appliance which must necessarily be
towed in the water, still the moment this has occurred it can be
detected by a glance at the register, which, of course, ceases to
work and a fresh rotator can be immediately applied. Supposing
the night to be stormy and the ship running on a dangerous coast,
the log is set when a light is sighted ; the distance to the next one
being known to a nicety, it is evident that the safety of the ship
is almost entirely depending on the log ; but there is no possible
means of knowing whether it is still attached to the line or not,
except by hauling in and examining it, the continual doing of which
renders the instrument useless, since it would be best half of its
time out of the water. But with the "Pendant Log," the register
of which being fixed to the rail, it can be examined at any moment,
or even easily felt with the hand in the dark, because, if the rotator
is gone, of course the machine ceases to register.
There is yet another advantage to which we
must refer, namely, that of cost, and
this will probably recommend it to
ship-owners and all who are in-
terested hi ship supplies ;
price being the same
the old sort, in the
run it is
cheaper, because
the only part
likely to be
lost is the

pretty much
the same until
the year 1860,
or thereabouts,
when we find a
Mr. "Walker, a rela
tion of the original
Mr. Massey, taking out a
patent for a combined log,
that is, the rotator and register
being contained in one part, which
was of course a more portable instru
rnent, and which is the article sold to the
present time ; but we ought to mention that, some years previous
to this, a Mr. Friend, of Southampton, produced a very convenient
instrument which contained all its mechanisms in one part, but
which, not being quite so handy as that of Mr. Walker, the latter
gained the good opinion of the seafaring people. The invention
now introduced to our readers is that of a pendant log patented
by a Mr. Reynolds, of London, and which has been brought out
by Messrs. Cohen, Jacob, & Co., Wholesale Opticians, of Ely
Place, and by the success it has already met with, we may fairly
conclude that it will shortly supersede any other log now in use ;
its special feature is that its register is attached to the ship's rail,
and can therefore be referred to at any time without the necessity
of hauling in, the rotator only being towed in the water. This, it
may bs said, is only a matter of convenience, but certainly not a
small one, especially in cold weather ; when every one on deck is
pretty well benumbed, to have to handle about forty fathoms of
wet line is not one of the most enjoyable things possible ; but
apart from all consideration of convenience, there are others, which,
perhaps, are far more important. Those now in use are frequently
fouled by seaweed or engineer's waste thrown overboard from
steamers, and get entangled in wreckage or fishing sets, or, which is
more singular, if not uncommon, bitten off by large fish, such as

rotator, which
is of compara-
tive little value,
while in the old
sort, if anything
goes, it must be the
entire working part.
From statements made by
the proprietors, it appears
that the secret of its success
over all other plans which have been
tried lies in the fact that it is slung
in a kind of frame, or hanger, and its pivots,
or trimmings, are so placed that the weight is balanced, thus
preventing any unequal friction against the sides of the spindle.
It can be well imagined that the turning power of the rotator
having to be transmitted along 280 feet of thin rope, a very
slight hitch anywhere about the spindle would cause the rope to
become full of turns or knots, indeed it would very soon be ever
hopelessly entangled, and hitherto this has been the difficulty, but,
owing to the aforesaid method of slinging, the spindle always
gets a fair, straight pull ; even supposing an eye or a ring to be
fastened to the end of the register instead of the sling; for the
purpose of turning the weight of the log resting on the spindle
is sufficient to prevent it working correctly. The shoulder of
the spindle works on anti-friction rollers, which are of hardened
steel, and these again bear on hard steel plates, it having been
found that nothing else will resist the wear sufficiently, and thus
made, we are told that they have been used for many thousands
of miles without showing any undue signs of wear. Doubtless this
great improvement in recording logs is destined to supersede
all others now in use, and those interested in such an article will
do well to inspect it at the manufacturers', where every information
can be had.

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

("Subscription, 5s,\ Post
|_ pei- Annum. J Free.

No. 2.— Vol. I.]

JULY 5, 1875.

HOROLOGY — II. Philosophical Dissertation 25

Effects on Artisans Employed in Working in

Metals 2G

Finger Eings 27

The Goldsmiths' Art — From the Earliest Times... 27

The New Invasion- 2S

The Invention of Telescoprs 30

The Silver Trade Pension Society . ..30

Interesting Scientific Experiment. — Eating

Chronometers by Telegraphy 31

Bailey's Turret Clock ..: 31

CONTENTS.

Trade Gossip

Proposed Master Jeweller and Silversmith

association of Birmingham

our illcstrateh supplement

New Alarm Tills

Poetry. — Time

Precious Stones.— General Observations ...

The Diamond;

Koyal Astronomical Society

Boyal Microscopical Society
Curiosities of Clocks and Watches

page

.. 34
s

.. 34

. 34

.. 34

.. 34

.. 35

Correspondence ... 37

Useful Hints to Watchmakers and Jewellers

— Enamels 33

Watch and Clock Making in Switzerland ... 3S

Patents 39

Stray Waifs and Scraps 40

Jewellers 40

Sale of Works of Art — Bare and Antique Clocks 40

Jewellery Cases and Fittings 40

The Trades' Directory 42

Advertisements 41— 4S

HOROLOC4Y.

II. — Philosophical Dissertation Concluded.

AT the conclusion of our last paper we promised here to give
some information with respect to " the dawn of horological
mechanism from the earliest ages." That promise we are unable to
fulfil in our present number, on account of the simple fact that the
train of philosophical thought was so powerfully attractive that we
were obliged to follow it to the end. We also trust that the know-
ledge which we have penned in that direction may not be without
its influence upon the thinking faculties of those for whom we have
chiefly written. We will shortly mention the labour that scientific
writing involves. The value of a well-informed intellect does not
consist so much in what the very limited memory of a man may he
able to retain, as to know where to go and get exactly the book he
wants when he wants it. As an illustration of this we have always
endeavoured to make our memory more of an index to the special
volumes of scientific knowledge, which it is our happiness to culti-
vate, than what necessarily must be a superficial smattering of the
text of the volumes themselves. What is a book without an index?
Let the reader answer for himself, and, when he has done so, he
will have no difficulty in solving the supplemental problem of what
a brain is without an index. He may depend upon it that a well-
indexed brain that can " pitch " upon the volume it wants is far
more useful to its owner than if it was stuffed to the full with odds
and ends of all kinds, without being readily able to know where
"further particulars," as the newspapers say, can be reliably
obtained. As we are about to say something in our next of the
early methods of time-keeping, and as we had not the felicity to live

in the days of ancient Egypt or imperial lioine, so as to have seen
the various instruments with our own eyes, we are forced to confess
that we must get what we write from books. We hope that we shall
be forgiven, as, after what we are about to say, the cynical reader is
quite welcome to do the same thing, and so save himself the trouble
of reading this article any further.

First of all, we spent an entire afternoon among the references in
that unrivalled intellectual storehouse, the reading-room of the
British Museum. We subsequently digested what we read, and we
have now before, us, during the present writing, some half-dozen
goodly volumes, one of them being in Greek and one in Latin.
Any one who chooses, therefore, to fellow our course of action will
readily discover how easily he may toss this paper on one side and
have clone with it if he pleases.

The late Mr. Charles Frodsham, than whom no man living was
entitled to raise his voice with more authority, thus speaks, in his
" Elements of Watch and Clock Making," of the value of book-
learning, in its way, to the man of chronometric mind : —

" One of the most important facts in the advancement of every
art and science is the knowledge of its literature, 'ihere are many
valuable books on horology, which, though not up to the last idea,
are at least valuable beacons to avoid the waste of time in making
researches already known ; 'and the student,' in the language of an
eminent writer, ' instead of trusting to the resources of his own
single mind, must ransack a thousand minds, and thus make use of
the accumulated wisdom and experience of ages, so that he may take
his point of departure from the last line and 1 >oundary to which science
has advanced.' I refer to this point the more strongly from what 1
daily witness in the failure of almost a life-time spent upon aban-
doned mines of invention, arising from this very want of knowledge ;
thus the world has often passed by men who have thus employed them-

26

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[July 5. 1875.

solves, and left them in the rear instead of in the van of science, to <
which place, perhaps, their industry and natural talent would
otherwise entitle them.

'• At the International Exhibition, amidst the galaxy of mechani-
cal skill and ingenuity, which sometimes seemed almost endless in its
vast variety of combinations, many old schemes were presented to
us as new. with an apparently perfect ignorance of their authors
that they had long been rejected as valueless, whilst others ex-
hibited the same identical principles, claiming them as inventions
■which might be possible ; but a perfect knowledge of the progress of
the art would have prevented much of this. Mechanical scheming
is so fascinating that, as lung as the world lasts, men will indulge in
the hope of discovering perpetual motion and perfect time-keeping
by the ranontoir escapement — the watchmaker's philosopher's stone.
\ aluable inventions might be almost stumbled upon in the early
history of mechanical progress, but now the discovery of new prin-
ciples is rendered a thousand times more difficult, and shows the
necessity of being well up in the progress of the art. Indeed, I
think there is little doubt but there has been more time spent by

at minds upon clocks and watches than upon any other art or
science ; and they may be truly said to have been the nursery of
engineering and manufacturing skill. There are but few new or
important inventions in any of the horological sections, though there
were many very clever adaptations of old principles to new pro-
cesses ; yet no competent judge ever for a moment supposed that
this arose from any want of mechanical genius, but rather from the
advanced knowledge of the art, that watchmaking had never been
fully developed and understood, and that the principles hitherto in use
are still open to further researches and discovery. There is a great
difference between discovery and invention. Arnold invented the
compensation balance, but another may discover its minute error,
together with its cause and remedy. Graham left us his beautiful
astronomical-clock escapement and mercurial pendulum, but both
are almost the study of a life-time to bring these principles to that
perfection that we shall have an almost unerring astronomical clock.
Mr. Denison, in his recent work on clocks and watches, has treated
this subject in an able manner, yet, from the want of accurate
data and more extended experiments, he has left the subject incom-
plete. But so it is, for, although 150 years have passed away, we
are still making experiments to discover the disturbing causes which
interfere with the isochronism of the pendulurn."

This was written in 1862, and, as the writer was not only an emi-
nent scientific and practical horologist, but one of the jurors of the
Horological Section of the Exhibition as well, he had ample oppor-
tunities of ascertaining the worth of an intimate acquaintanceship
with horological literature. "We will now proceed a little further
on our way.

There has been some "learned" spider-thread splitting as to
what the meaning of Time is. Those who are very fond of diver-
sion of that kind and wish to be particular can, no doubt, find ample
material to work upon ; indeed, the question may be fined down to
an equality with that celebrated one of what were called "the
schools " of some centuries ago, when much ink was shed and much
noise wasted throughout Europe in the endeavour to settle how
many angels could dance on the point of a needle !

" Time," says the celebrated French astronomer, Laplace — " time
is to us the impression left on the memory by a series of events, the
existence of which we are sure was successive. Motion is suitable
to serve as a measure for it, because a body not being capable of
being in several places at once, incapable of ubiquity, must, in pass-
ing from one place to another, occupy successively all the inter-
mediate parts. If, at each point of the line described, it is animated
by the same force, its movement will be uniform, and the portions
of that line may measure the time employed in traversing them."

Here is a text upon which the more philosophical youths of the
watchmaking trad •. may compose sundry agreeable and instructive
horological sermons ; they will see that all contrivances, from the
clepsydra of a buried world to the mercurial pendulum of to-day,
are bound up with it.

Let u:-; see v. j.o was Laplace, and why he was celebrated, before
we commit ourselves to his definition of Time.

Pierre Simon Laplace first saw the light at a small rural place
called Beaumont -en-Auge, near Honfleur, his father being a farmer.
He received a good mathematical education. He went to Paris at
the age of eighteen, just as we come from the country to London
to find the streets that we were told had gold pavers. lie had

tere of introduction to D'Alembert, the famous scientific star of
his day. Curiously enough this celebrity was an abandoned child,
the police having made him over to the wife of a Paris plumber, who
wanted an adoption. The plumber's wife was a very matter-of-fact
woman, for, when her foster-son had made some publicity by his

writing, she would, on seeing a new book of his, shake her head
sorrowfully, and exclaim, "You will never be anything but a
philosopher — and what is that but an ass who plagues himself all
his life, that- he may be talked about after he is dead? " To such a
worthy as this philosopher did Laplace send his letters of introduction,
but no notice was taken of them. He then hit upon another plan.
He wrote a letter upon certain principles of mechanism, the reading
of which so pleased the great man that the young aspirant was
immediately sent for. "Ila!" exclaimed D'Alembert, on meeting
him, " you have found out a better way of claiming my attention than
by letters of introduction." Here is a valuable hint to our young
readers when they want to get within earshot of their superiors.
Laplace sent a specimen of his handiwork ; he showed the other what
stuff he had in him, apart from unheeded letters of introduction. The
next step was a chair of mathematics in the Military School of Paris,
on D'Alembert's recommendation, in 1768-69. From that he went
on until he reached a pinnacle of comparison with our own Sir
Isaac Newton — by Frenchmen, thought even greater. His grand
work was the " Mecanique Celeste," in five large quarto volumes and
two supplements. This production embraces the laws of equilibrium
and motion, the figures of the celestial bodies, the oscillations of the
sea and the atmosphere, the motions of the celestial bodies, the
theory of the moon and the more distant planets, and the system of
the universe generally. He also wrote a book called, " L' Exposition
du Sysleme die Monde" and two others on the theory of probabilities.
He died in May, 1827, his last words being akin to those of other
great men who lived before him: "That which we know is very
little ; that which we do not know is immense."
(To be continued.)

EFFECTS ON ARTISANS EMPLOYED IN"
"WORKING IN METALS.

WOKKERS in metals may be considered under five heads, as
workers in arsenic, copper, lead, mercury, and, lastly,
workers in gold and silver.

Arsenic. — The fumes of arsenic are extremely pernicious. It is
an artificial production, and is prepared principally in Saxony from
cobalt ores. Whilst the latter in the crude state are roasting
for the purpose of obtaining zaffre, the vapours arising from the
oxide are condensed in a long and large chamber, and to these
potash is added. The mixture is then sublimed, and the white
oxide is obtained, leaving potash with sulphur. This employment
is a dangerous and, in a short time, fatal one ; and accordingly con-
victs, whose punishment vrould otherwise be death, are condemned
to it. The men in the copper -smelting works of Wales and
Cornwall are affected by the arsenical vapours arising from the
crude ore, and they rely upon oil as an antidote, with which they are
supplied by their employers. They are sometimes attacked with a
cancerous disease similar to that which infests chinmey-sweepers.
The arsenical fumes are believed to exempt them from fever. Some
other artisans, as, for instance, paper-stainers and glass-workers,
occasionally use arsenic and suffer headache and sickness from its
employment.

Mercury.- — More than a century ago, Jussien gave an account of
the workmen in the quicksilver mines of Almaden, in the province
of La Mancha in Spain. "The free workmen at Almaden," he
says, "by taking care on leaving the mine to change their whole
dress, particularly their shoes, preserved their health and lived as
long as other people ; but the poor slaves who could not afford a
change of raiment, and took their meals in the mine, were
subject to swellings of the parotids, apthous, sore-throat, saliva-
tion, pustular eruptions, and tremours.

Gold and Silver. — Workers in gold are subject to several per-
nicious vapours, the worst being that which arises in the process of
dry colouring, from the fusion of saltpetre, alum, and common salt.
It produces great distress in the head and nervous system.
These evils are aggravated by a bad posture and the foul air of
crowded work-rooms, so that an old jeweller is seldom met with.
A communication made to Mr. Thackrah, by a master, is interesting
and pathetic. We give it, though gloomy, as it is not by conceal-
ing the evils of trade that they are to be remedied : — "The men drop
off from work unperceived and disregarded. I am quite at a loss to
know what becomes of them. When they leave off working, they
go, and are seen no more. Some, perhaps, become applie *uts for
charities, but so few have I known of the ages of sixty or seventy,
that, leaving work, they seem to leave the world as well — a solitary
one appearing at intervals to claim some trifling pension, or seek;
admission to an almshouse." Workers in silver have a tolerably
healthy occupation ; they suffer but little from effluvia, with the
exception of some who work in badly-constructed work-rooms.

July 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

27

FINGER RINGS.

(Continued from page 6.)

WE do not always look for wisdom in the rulers of the earth,
and therefore need not be surprised that a superstitious
observance was upheld by the kings of England. Similar to the
curious practice of touching for the king's evil was that of hallowing
cramp rings. Every Good Friday the king hallowed, with much cere-
mony, certain rings, the wearers of which were saved from the falling
sickness. The practice took its origin from a ring long preserved
with great veneration in Westminster Abbey, which was supposed
to have great efficacy against the cramp and falling sickness, when
touched by those who were afflicted by either of those disorders.
The ring was reported to have been brought to Edward the Con-
fessor by some persons coming from Jerusalem, and to have been
the same that he had long before given privately to a poor man who
had asked alms of him for the love he bore to St. John the Evan-
gelist. In the " Liber Niger Domus Regis Edw. IV." is the follow-
ing entry: — "Item to the kynge's offerings to the crosse on Good
Friday out from the countyng-house for medycinable rings of gold
and sylver clelyvered to the jewel house xxvs." The practice was
discontinued by Edward VI., but in the previous reign Anne Eoleyn
sent some rings to a Mr. Stephens, with the following letter : —
"Mr. Stephens, I send you here cramp rings for you and Mr. Gre-
gory and Mr. Peter, praying you to distribute them as you think
best."

Inscriptions upon rings were common in olden times, and it is
supposed that the fashion of having mottoes, or " reasons," as they
were called, was of Roman origin, for the young Romans gave rings
to their lady-loves with mottoes cut on gems, such as " remember,"
" good luck to you," " love me, and I will love thee." In the four-
teenth and fifteenth centuries the posy was inscribed on the outside
of the ring, and in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it was
placed inside. In the year 1624 a little book was published with
the following title : — " Love's Garland ; or Posies for Rings, Hand-
kerchiefs and Gloves, and such Pretty Tokens that Lovers send their
Loves." Some of these mottoes have become pretty well hackneyed
in the course of years ; thus the Rev. Giles Moore notes in his
journal, under the date 1673-74:, " Bought for Ann Brett a gold ring,
this being the posy — ' When this you see remember me.' " In some
cases instead of words the stones are made to tell the posy by means
of acrostics ; thus, to obtain Love, the following arrangement is
made —

L apis lazuli,

O pal,

V erde antique,

E merald :

and for Love me, malachite and another emerald are added.

For the words Dearest and Regard the stones are arranged as
follows : —

D iamond,

E merald,

A methyst,

R uby,

E merald,

S apphire,

T opaz.

R uby,
E merald,
G arnet,
A methyst,
R uby,
D iamond.

In one of these rings belonging to a gentleman the lapis lazuli
dropped out, and he took it to a working jeweller in Cork to be re-
paired. When he got it back, however, he found topaz in place of
the lapis lazuli, and therefore he told the workman a mistake had
been made. " No mistake," answered the jeweller ; " it was Repeal ;
let us Repeat, and we may have it yet."

(To be continued.)

THE GOLDSMITHS' ART.

FROM THE EARLIEST TIMEf.

Makble can be stained different colours by the following sub-
stances; blue, solution of litmus; green, wax coloured with
verdigris ; yellow, tincture of gamboge or turmeric ; red, tincture
of alkanet or dragon's blood ; crimson, alkanet in turpentine ; flesh,
wax tinged with turpentine ; brown, tincture of logwood ; gold, equal
parts of verdigris, sal ammoniac, and sulphate of zinc in line
powder.

IN enumerating the arts necessary to the goldsmith of the Middle
Ages, niello was mentioned as holding an important place. It
consisted in filling with a black metallic enamel the fine incisures of
an engraving executed on silver. Theophilus, the early writer so
often referred to, is the oldest authority regarding it : in his time it
had already become an ordinary accessory to the metal-worker.
Two centuries and a half later, when wood engraving and printing
were becoming known in Italy, a goldsmith in Florence, dis-
tinguished for niello engraving, received the credit of having in-
vented engraving for printing, or rather, let us say, discovered the
practicability of printing from engraved metal plates. This was
Maso Finiguerra, than whom "no one ever was known," says
Vasari, " to put so many figures in so small a space, and with such
correctness of drawing;" and, if we compare his designs v.ith
those of other artists then living, we shall find his reputation was
well deserved. Among the nielli preserved in the Cabinet of
Bronzes of the Florentine Gallery, may be seen a pax * executed by
Finiguerra, as proved by a public document then existing, in 1452,
for the baptistery. This little elaborate work is rendered historical
by Finiguerra having been so celebrated by Vasari, and this being
possibly the very piece of work he refers to. The only impression
of this pax is preserved with great care in the Imperial Library of
Paris : Finiguerra, of course, after his discovery, finished his work
by filling it with the niello, preventing the possibility of further
impressions being taken.

The process of the discovery is thus described by Vasari : — Before
j>ouring the nigellum on the engraving, before, indeed, it was quite
finished, wishing to see how it would appear, lie proceeded to take
a mould in clay, according to the custom. From the clay mould, a
cast in sulphur was obtained, into which he rubbed lampblack, and
so had an exact representation of the original when completed and
filled with the nigellum. It occurred to him, when thus employed,
that he might preserve a reverse of it, as the lampblack was easily
lifted out of the lines by pressure ; so he wetted a piece of paper to
make it pliable, rubbed it against the surface with a burnisher, and
found he had a beautiful impression. He then threw aside the
sulphur cast, went over the same process with the original silver
plate, and thus the engraver, from being an auxiliary to the
goldsmith, became an independent agent of infinitely more artistic
importance (1460). Such may have been the process of the early
experimental artistic engravers; but we must transfer the scene to
Germany, and put back the date perhaps fifty years. It is long
since Strutt showed that the date 1460 is really posterior to that on
existing prints executed in Upper Germany, and since his time
many others have been observed bearing an earlier contemporary
character. Martin Schon, whose work is in the highest manner
skilful, died in 1486, leaving forty years' good labour behind him ;
and his master Zwott, or whoever he was, takes us back to the
earlier years of the printing press. We have the master of 14C6,
and the numerous productions of Israel von Mechen, going back to
the date spoken of by Vasari, while his master again brings us to an
early year in the century.

Immediately the process was known in Italy, many aitists began
to cut their sketches on copper, or, as it is said, on pewter ; the
goldsmith and painter Pollaiuolo, Baccio Baldini, and a greater than
either, Mantegna, being earliest in the new practice. Yet they did
not at first sell the impressions ; perhaps these were not thought
worth anything ; but they thus preserved proofs of what they had
done, or gave them to their friends. Ptolemy's " Geography,"
printed in Rome in 1478, was illustrated by twenty-seven maps
engraved by two Germans; and in 1481 appeared in Florence an
edition of Dante, embellished by engravings by Baccio Baldini,
from designs by Botticelli, not printed on the pages, but pasted into
spaces left by the types. These are executed with very fine lines
of a scratched appearance, such as would not give off very many
impressions. Botticelli himself engraved, but more frequently
prepared the designs : this disunion of designer and engraver was
soon characteristic of Italian practice, where the art very shortly
became very mechanical, and, except in the case of Agostino Carracci,
it was never practised by an original designer. At first, however,
Mantegna adopted the graver ; but the artist who elevated it to
the highest position, in the opinion of collectors at least, was Marc'
Antonio Raimondi. (To be continued.)

* A pax was a small plate decorated with a representation of some
sacred or traditionary subject ; it was furnished with, a handle at the back,
and, on being kissed by the priest, was handed round the altar rails among
the devout, after the Agnus Dei in the mass, to receive the kiss of peace.

•28

THE WATCHMAKEB, JEWELLEE, AND

[July 5, 1875.

THE NEW INVASION.

nr\HE "Now Invasion is upon us; of that there can be no mistake.
We believe, therefore, that, in the face of such a self-evident
truth, we cannot do a better service to the watch trade all over the
empire of Great Britain than rouse attention to the fact. It is no
use in scolding at the invading tide, it is here ; the resistless wave
is silently rising all over England, and we have counselled ourselves
to be borne peacefully upon its surface, rather than risk forcible
removal and submersion. Having now sounded the tocsin, we will
endeavour to give such facts and "details of this invasion as we have
been able to ascertain.

At the western end of the Viaduct, on the south side of Ilolborn-
circus. facing the Prince Consort's equestrian statue, the rambler
in the metropolis will find before him one of those newly-built
palaces— monuments of commerce in elaborate stonework — which
are the glory of trade and the pride of the modern Londoner. Upon
its dark, enamelled, facial band, deeply indented in letters of gold,
are the ominous words —

These are the invaders, and, before we proceed to give the cause
and the method of their invasion, Ave will tell our readers who they
are, and where they come from.

The Waltham Watch Company, for such is the name of this
new, powerful rival, is celebrated, even among the great horological
confederations of the United States, as standing in the very fore-
most rank. It was originally established in 1853, at Roxburg,
Massachusetts, but the dust of Eoxburg was too strong for its deli-
cate organism. In consequence of that irremediable drawback the
company revised itself on a considerably enlarged plan, and re-
moved to the village of Waltham, in the same State, about eight
miles from the City of Boston. Here, in a park-like enclosure upon
the banks of the Charles River, the remodelled manufactory was
built, revivified, and put into successful operation, far removed from
all disturbing elements, as well of dust as of noise ; it has since pur-
sued the prosperous tenour of its way. We have been furnished
with some evidence of this prosperity, which we shall lay before
our readers towards the conclusion of this article, and which, we
believe, will somewhat astonish the " fathers " of our English trade.
The Waltham factory presents the appearance of a double quad-
rangle, the main-office block closing in the right-hand square. This
block, being surmounted with what the Italians call a campanile, or
bell-tower, rising through the roof of the front elevation, is orna-
mentally completed, heavenward, by a very tall flag-staff. From
this mainmast of one of " Uncle Sam's " cruisers, on high-days and
holidays, waves proudly the inspiriting " Star-spangled banner."
The left-hand quadrangle is again closed in by another main build-
ing, whilst beyond, still further to the left, extend three sides of
another square of buildings, the fourth line of the square being-
open. The estate is laid out in gardens, walks, shrubberies, and
meadow-land, and is bordered by about 125 villas, cottages, and
flower-plots of the managers and work-people. Turning our eyes
for a moment into one of the interior departments, we discover three
rows of benches running down a rather long room. At these
benches are seated work-people, male and female, busily employed
at their several avocations. Two rows of engine -shafting and
driving-bands give motion to the machinery that is fixed upon the
benches — for, as has been stated, nearly everything is done here by
machinery— and this room, as well as all the others, presents one
quiet atmosphere of healthy work, order, and regularity. Even the
traditionally foul-smelling engine-room has, at Waltham, all the
adjuncts of a conservatory ; the wall shelves are well-stocked with
flowering annuals, and the glass portion of the roof is covered with
the tangled paths of creeping plants. We have seen large photo-
graphs of the works and the surrounding scenery, and they call to
mind at once the idea of such a series of similar buildings standing
on the banks of our own Thames, on the valley-land sloping down
from the beau'iful Richmond Hill. Far away, we repeat, from dust
and noise, among such pleasant surroundings, are the instruments
fashioned that have come into the English market by the thousand
to challenge our long-worn supremacy. Such is Waltham.

For almost a generation, if not longer, it has been a strengthen-
ing argument all round— from the bench of the artisan in watch-
work, the student of the science, and the home of the purchaser

that the wal ch of the future, in fulfilment of true horological destiny,
must be the offspring of automatic machinery. When we say
" true horological destiny/' we mean that the practical embodiment
of cal science shall be a sound, reliable timekeeper within

reach of every man and woman who desires to have one. We all
know that, in these days, such is not the case, for there are thou-
sands upon thousands of "runners " made, imported, and distributed
yearly among its, that only too sadly "keep the 'beat' of promise
to the ear, but break it to the hope." The result of this destruction
of the confidence of, we may say, the millions of watch buyers is
the fervent wish that, as American mechanical genius has given us
the well-known interchangeable rifle, the lock, and the sewing-
machine, it would make us its debtors for the faithfully-constructed,
interchangeable watch. In December, 1868, a lecture was delivered
by Professor Pepper, at the Polytechnic Institution, upon the subject
of watchmaking by machinery, about which the Times, in its report,
thus speaks : —

" For a long time the belief has been entertained that the more
delicate parts of the watch can be made by the hand alone, and, con-
sequently, that the workmen to whom they afford employment are
free from all risk of competition with those stupendous mechanical
powers which, in every direction, are encroaching upon the field of
manual labour. Now, however, a question arises whether such is
actually the case."

There is no question whatever about it now, as the reader will
most conclusively find further on ; and that, too, in a way that
must rudely shake the strongly conservative nature of the English
working watchmaker.

In the "Artisans' Report on the Vienna Exhibition of 1873,''
published by the Society for the Promotion of Scientific Industry,
we find the following in relation to the watch trade : —

" I do not think there were 100 English pocket watches exhibited
in the whole exhibition, and little, if anything, that was new among
theni. * * *

"In looking round the exhibits of watch manufacturers, I found
that there were few attempts at reducing the cost of making up
watches. The English watches shown in the Vienna Exhibition
are, as far as workmanship, &c, is concerned, as near perfection as
possible ; but the price asked for such watches demands that it
should be so. When £35 is asked for a plain, full-plate lever watch,
it is only to be expected that it is the best production of skilled
workmen." (Of course, a gold watch is meant.) " What we want, in
my opinion, and in the opinion of almost all the watchmakers 1
have come in contact with, is a watch capable of every-day wear,
and keeping reasonably correct time, at a cost making it accessible
to everybody. I know our watch manufacturers will say they do
supply such a watch ; but my experience is against that, for the
middle-priced English lever, watch is no more to be depended upon
than the same class of Swiss watches. A well-finished and well-
cased silver lever cannot be sold at present under 81. to 101.

" I may here at once say that I saw nothing new (in our trade) of
any importance, or likely to effect any radical change in watch-
making in the Exhibition."

These opinions were written by a London journeyman watch-
maker, who was selected as the type of the superior intelligence
of his class, and sent over to report specially upon the products of
his own trade. It is no use, therefore, in hiding our heads, ostrich
like, in the sands of our own conceit, for that will not alter the
hard, irremovable facts that have been long coming, and have at
length come upon us. From what we have seen of these American
machine-made watches, we have been reluctantly forced to the
conclusion, however grievous it may seem to us, that the days of
watchmaking by mere hand labour, are as surely numbered as were
those of the Lancashire hand-loom, after its resistless steam rival
had developed its omnipotence.

Let us, however, go further ; from the workman to his superior,
the scientific horologist, and hear the last-named upon this question.
Sir Edmund Beckett (late Mr. Beckett Denison), one of out-
most eminent authorities, says, in speaking of the American system,
in his " Clocks, Watches, and Bells " — " There are accounts of some
of these factories, where watches are made by machinery, so that
every piece will fit every watch of the same pattern ; on the same
principle as Hobbs' locks. There can be no doubt in the mind of any
one who understands machinery, that this is the best, as well as the
cheapest, way of making machines wliicJi require precision and uni-
formity."

The importance of the words which we have put in italics cannot
be too much dwelt upon.

Again, "I can give no description of the American machinery
here, but its elements are — stamping plates, and the holes in them,
and the wheels, and then cutting the teeth of many wheels together.
Although labour is dearer in America than here, this machinery
enables them to undersell English watches of the same quality.
* * * and if our English makers do not bestir themselves,
they will lose the trade,;'"&c.

July 5, 1375.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

29

In selecting a movement to work upon, the Waltham directors
settled upon the going-barrel lever, and, furthermore, to employ-
machinery wherever such employment was of practical value. A
visitor to the works tells * us that " machinery is employed when-
ever possible, for the rolling of plates of brass, steel, silver, drawing
wires for pinions, pins and screws, punching, swaging, cutting,
polishing, burnishing, drilling. Jewels and jewel-holes are almost
the only work not done by machinery."

In the rejection of the fusee the managers of the works had to
take two important items into consideration ; these were the reduc-
tion of cost and the breaking of fusee -chains. Our American
cousins being credited with much more active locomotary habits
than ourselves, the breaking of chains — at least such chains as the
great bulk of their imported watches were supplied with — was an
annoyance, and one which it was highly desirable should be elimi-
nated from what was to be sent forth as the future standard watch
of America. They are as well aware on the other side of the
Atlantic — are those cousins, and erstwhile customers of ours — as
we are, that the hundreds of pieces of which the fusee-chain is
composed present so many hundreds of chances of breakage every
wind up. Indeed, upon this very point the writer of this article
has a confirmatory word to say. We have lately been visited by a
gentleman who has spent the past winter and spring in travelling
through the eastern and north-eastern parts of Europe, but chiefly
in Turkey and Egypt. In the course of conversation we casually
drifted into horological matters. He said that, when camping
up the Nile with his party of native servants, he dreaded nothing
so much as winding up his watch in the morning before starting, lest
he should break the chain ; and that nothing should induce him
to go through the same ordeal again. He mostly carried two
watches with him when travelliog, in case of an accident ; on the
occasion under notice, however, as ill fortune usually manages these
things, he left his best instrument behind, through the forgetfulness
induced by the hurry of departure. Luckily he escaped misad-
venture. A dead timekeeper away under canvas in the land of
the Pharaohs would be no joke.

In fixing, therefore, upon the going-barrel the American company
were mainly influenced by mechanical and economical considera-
tions. Persons, either when travelling or living away from the
places where chains could be mended, would eagerly adopt a system
that guaranteed them both good time and freedom from chain-
breaking. The fusee was, accordingly, passed on backwards to the
same category as the verge movement of our forefathers. Speaking
upon going-barrels, Sir Edmund Beckett says, ' ' But it is obvious
that, as the force of the spring is greater when it is tightly wound
up than when it is loose, the force of the train will be very far from
constant throughout the day, although that may not affect the going
of the watch from one day to another. On the other hand, there is
found to be a very singular exception to that rule of Dr. Hooke's,
stated just now, inasmuch as there is a position of the spring coiled
in a barrel in this way, in which there is no material variation of its
force for a few turns. And certainly some of the foreign watches
made in this way go very well."

The rule of Dr. Hooke is that one known to every watchmaker ;
namely, that the force of a spring varies as the degree of tension.
In Dr. Hooke's time — 1635 to 1702 — every maxim devised or applied
by an educated man was put into Latin, hence the above one is
always written : " Ut tensio sic vis." He is described as a short,
thin, crooked man, very weak-looking, but very wiry ; yet, notwith-
standing his apparently delicate formation, he lived sixty-seven
years, seldom going to bed until the small hours had well set in,
and killed himself at last by exhaustion in the pursuit of science.
He is buried in the church of St. Helen, Bishopsgate-street. All
watchmakers honour his distinguished memory, as the man who,
notwithstanding the dispute with Huggens, invented the spring-
balance for watches. But, to return to the principle of the going-
barrel, upon the authority previously quoted—

"Even if a watch does go rather faster at one time than another
(which it is not certain that such watches do), it is of no conse-
quence, provided they go uniformly from day to day ; and there has
been strong testimony published in the Horological Journal that
they do, when well-made, of course. 1 have seen watches with
tapered mainsprings (though the foreign ones are not tapered),
which you could not perceive any difference in the force, by the
usual testing apparatus of a weighted level-, whether the spring was
wholly wound up or not. And, if this is so, the addition of any
more machinery, being superfluous, is mischievous, and only in-

* Practical Magazine, June, 1874.

creases the expense and size of the watch and risk of the chain
breaking, perhaps the most common of all accidents. There is
evidently a tendency in watchmaking now to dispense with svich
machinery, except for marine chronometers, which are required to
go uniformly at all times of day, and not merely from day to day.
Accordingly, both in Switzerland and America, which are gradually
stealing away our common watch trade, as well as that in many
kinds of clocks, the fusee and chain (which I will describe pre-
sently) are almost universally omitted. * * *

" But in that case there is another risk of breaking, for when the
spring breaks the barrel recoils violently from the sudden removal
of the pressure, and often breaks some teeth of the great wheel
fixed upon it." Just so. And sometimes splits the jewels and
fractures the balance-staff into the bargain.

The defects and danger mentioned by the author quoted are
provided for in the new watches in this way : firstly, with respect to
the alleged want of uniformity of going-barrel time throughout the
day.

The mainspring of the Waltham watch is unusually long ; one
that we tried, belonging to a London No. 16 size, 'measured 22 inches.
When wound up, this spring takes about eight full turns — a number
which, of course, makes the upper turns very even in the pull. To
run the watch the usual twenty-four or twenty-six hours, only three
and a half of these turns are uncoiled. The result of this length of
mainspring is, that the resiliency of it is practically a " constant,"
the meaning of which every maker knows ; and before that
" constant " is disturbed by the opening out of the lower coils in
the barrel, it is time to wind the watch up again for the new day's
action. Nothing of the kind can, certainly, be more beautiful to
the eye, or more delicately respondent to the touch than these springs.
We are assured that the greatest care and scrutiny] are exercised
in their manufacture, selection and adjustment, and that the same
supervision is bestowed upon the one at the other end of the
machine.

The late Mr. Charles Frodsham was not only a practical watch-
maker, but a scientific horologist and experimenter. In his
" Elements of Clock and Watchmaking," he tells us that " the true
seat of the time-keeping principle in every watch or chronometer
resides in the union of a perfectly hardened and tempered balance-
spring and a perfect compensation balance, the weight and diameter
of the balance being in just proportion to the motive force." We
have been again assured that those two important conditions, joined
to the specially resilient character of the spring, govern the whole
of the manufacture of the watches at Waltham.

AVith respect to the breaking of the mainspring which has been
already mentioned, that is provided for in this way. Upon the
upper pivot of the arbor of the centre wheel is what is called
" Fogg's Patent Safety Pinion." The arbor is tapped with a triple
left-hand thread, and upon this thread the pinion screws. This
pinion does the usual pinion work, being toothed into the great
wheel on the barrel. The action of the wheel upon it is in the
tightening direction of the screw ; when then the mainspring flies,
the recoil of the great wheel whips the safety pinion off the arbor
and thus instantaneously releases the whole of the movement.

The special value of the interchangeable system is this. A stock
of all the parts of a movement is kept in hand, even to jewels and
screws, and duly classified and registered in their several sizes.
Should, therefore, any wearer of one of these watches have anything
happen to it, from the splitting of a jewel to the breaking of a main-
spring, he has only to send the number of his watch to the agent at
London, New York, Chicago, Boston, or wherever an agent may be
either in Europe, or America, and the return post will convey to
him an exact duplicate of the broken article, which he can have
fitted in any part of the world where the most humble watchmaker
can be found. He need not even send the " bits," but simply the
number of his watch. That, it must be admitted, is a great stride
onwards to that of having to send the watch entire.

The company employs 1000 persons, including some of the most
inventive mechanical minds in America ; and there is a trained staff
of assistants, presided over by Mr. E. Bobbins, the company's
treasurer.

In the year 1874 the works turned out 100,000 silver watches and
10,000 gold ones, every one of which were sold almost as rapidly as
they were made. We have not the slightest conception here of
watchmaking on the scale of this stupendous magnitude, that re-
duces the cost of production between 30 and 40 per cent.

Messrs. Bobbins & Appleton have established the European and
Colonial Agency in London, and already their watches are keeping-
time in Hindostan, China, Australasia, and New Zealand, and few
places are becoming better known to the English-speakiDg watch
trade than Waltham Buildings, Holborn Circus.

so

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[July 5, 1875.

THE INVENTION OF TELESCOPES.
(Continued from page 8.)

3"T is not improbable that different persons about Middleburg hit
upon the invention in different modes about the same time.
[ppersheim seems to have made his first rude telescope by adjusting
two glasses on a board and supporting them on brass circles. Other
workmen, particularly Metros and Gunsen, in emulation of each
other, seem to have made use of that discovery, and by the new
form they gave it, made all the honour of it their own. _ One of
them considering the effects of light as injurious to distinctness,
placed the glasses in a tube blackened within. The other still more
cautious, placed the same glasses within tubes, capable of sliding
one in the other, both to vary the prospects, by lengthening the
instrument according to the pleasure of the observer, and to render
it portable and commodious. Thus it is probable that different
persons had a share in the invention, and jointly contributed to its
improvement. At any rate it is undoubtedly to the Dutch that Ave
owe the original invention. The first telescope made by Gunsen
did not exceed 15 or 16 inches in length, and therefore its mag-
nifying power could not have been very great.

The" famous Galileo has freemen tly been sitpposed to have been
the inventor of the telescope, but he acknowledged that he had not
the honour of being the original inventor, having first learned from
a German that such a instrument had already been made, although
from his own account it appears that he had actually re-invented
this instrument ; the following is the account in his own words of
the circumstances, which led him to construct a telescope. " Nearly
ten months ago (namely in April or May, 1C09), it was reported that
a certain Dutchman had made a perspective through which many
distant objects appeared distinct as if they were near. Several
eflects of this wonderful instrument were reported, which some
believed and others denied ; but, having it confirmed to me a few
days after by a letter from the noble John Badoverie, at Paris,
I applied myself to consider the reason of it, and by what means I
might contrive a similar instrument, which I afterwards attained to
by the doctrine of refractions. And first I prepared a leaden tube,
to whose extremities I fitted two spectacle glasses, both of them
plain on one side, and on the other side one of them was spherically
convex, and the other concave. Then applying my eye to the
concave I saw objects appear pretty large and pretty near me,
they appeared three times nearer and nine times larger in surface
than to the naked eye ; and soon after 1 made another, which
represented objects about sixty times larger, and eight times nearer ;
and at last having spared no labour or expense, I made an instru-
ment so excellent as to show things almost a thousand times larger,
and above thirty times nearer than to the naked eye. In another
part of his writings, Galileo informs us that he was at Venice when
he heard of Prince Maurice's instrument, but nothing of its con-
struction ; that the first night after he returned to ^Padua he solved
the problem, and made his instrument the next day, and soon after
presented it to the Doge at Venice, who, to do him honour for his
grand invention, gave him the Ducal letters which settled him for
life in his lectureship at Padua ; and the republic, on the 25th of
August in the same year (1610), more than tripled his salary as
professor.

The following is the account which this philosopher gives of the
process of reasoning which led him to the construction of a
telescope — "I argued in the following manner: the contrivance
consists either of one glass or more ; one is not sufficient, since it
must be either convex, concave, or plane ; the last does not produce
any sensible alteration in objects; the concave diminishes them; it is
true that the convex magnifies, but it renders them confused and
indistinct, consequently one glass is insufficient to produce the
desired effect. Proceeding to consider two glasses, and bearing in
mind that the plane glass causes no change, I determined that the
instrument could not consist of the combination of a plane glass
with 'either of the other two. I therefore applied myself to make
experiments on combinations of the two other kinds, and thus
obtained that of which I was in search." If the true inventor
is the person who makes the discovery by reasoning and reflecting,
by tracing facts and principles to their consequences, and by
applying his invention to important purposes, then Galileo may be
considered as the real inventor of this telescope. No sooner had he
constructed this instrument (before he had seen any similar one)
than he directed his tube to the celestial regions, and his unwearied
diligence and ardour were soon rewarded by a series of new and
splendid discoveries, lib described the four satellites of.Jupiter,
and marked the periods of their revolution.:;; he discovered the phases

of Venus, and thus was enabled to adduce a new proof of the Coper-
nican system, and to remove an objection that had been brought
against it. He traced on the lunar orb a resemblance to the
structure of the earth, and plainly perceived the outlines of
mountains and vales, casting their shadows over different parts of its
surface. He observed that when Mars was in quadrature, his figure
varied slightly from a perfect circle, and that Saturn consisted of a
triple body, having a small globe on each side, which deception was
owing to the imperfect power of his telescope, which was insufficient
to sIioav him that the phenomenon Avas in reality a ring. In viewing
the sun he discovered large dark spots on the surface of that
luminary, by which he ascertained that that mighty orb performed
a revolution round its axis. He brought to view multitudes of stars
imperceptible to the naked eye, and ascertained that those nebulous
appearances in the heavens which constitute the Milky Way consist
of a vast collection of minute stars, too closely compacted together
to produce an impression on one unassisted vision.

(To be continued. J

THE SILVER TRADE PENSION SOCIETY.

I^HE seventeenth anniversary dinner of this society was held on
Tuesday, 15th ult., at the London Tavern. In the absence of
the Lord Mayor (who was announced to occupy the chair), Mr.
Alderman and Sheriff Ellis presided, and was supported by nearly
seventy of the friends of the society. As on all occasions of this
kind, the heads of our constitution had homage paid them, the com-
pany evidently approving the apt reference of the chairman to the
action the Prince of Wales was taking with regard to |he promotion
of the musical skill of the country. The chairman submitted that
they had reason to be proud of, and grateful for, the sendees given
to the country by the army and the navy, and he then proposed the
healths of those Avho were associated with our military organization,
including the volunteers. For the army and navy, Mr. Davis re-
sponded, while Lieutenant Lambert acknowledged the toast on behalf
of the auxiliary forces, saying that the volunteers were much in-
debted to the City for encouraging them by offering prizes for
shooting. Before giving the next toast the chairman explained
that the absence of the Lord Mayor was unavoidable. When his
lordship promised Mr. Holland (the honorary secretary) to attend
he had an earnest desire to do so. What he (the chairman) now
proposed to them was, " Success to the society," which was founded
to relieve the old or afflicted of the silver trade, as well as their
widows. In supporting the society they would do a charitable act,
and induce the Avorkman to put forward his best efforts in the inte-
rests of his trade. He gave a few statistics bearing itpon the
society, which, he said, was founded in 1836. Since its foundation,
117 pensioners (65 males and 52 females), had been elected. There
Avere now 12 males and 33 females on the list. The funds of the
society had increased much, but there was no reason why they
should not be still further multiplied. Instead of the possession of
900?. per annum, they might have 2000Z. or 3000/. He concluded
by commending the charity as one which had strong claims upon
their benevolent support. Mr. George Adams proposed "The
health of the chairman," thanking that gentleman for his able advo-
cacy of the claims of the charity. The toast Avas responded to, and
the chairman, in doing so, pointed to the association of the corpora-
tion with the benevolent attitude of the country. He hoped, there-
fore, that they Avould ahvays find a citizen ready to respond to the
call to preside on occasions like these. Mr. B. Garrett proposed
" Prosperity to the corporation," which, he maintained, had justly
acquired a high reputation throughout the country. Mr. Under-
Sheriff Sedgwick responded. He submitted that the corporation
would, if occasion impelled it, be found to be a formidable
bulwark, not only against attacks upon its privileges, but, if
necessary, as in former times, the liberties of the people.
Mr. Holland, CO, gave "The health of the president" (Mr.
Adams), Avho took an active interest in the Avelfare of the society.
The toast was ansAvered, and then the chairman proposed "The
healths of the trustees" (Mr. Holland, Mr. S. Smith, Mr. G.
Lambert, and Mr. John Mansfield). This was replied to by Mr.
Lambert. " The committee, auditors, and shop collectors," pro-
posed by Mr. Feron, was answered by Mr. N. Esterbrooke. " The
visitors," given by Mr. J. AldAvinckle, was acknoAvledged by Mr. J.
Taylor. The secretary (Mr. Manton) announced that the subscrip-
tions amounted to about 180/. " The ~ selection of music av.is by
Madame Ashton, Madame Manton, Mr. T. W. Simons, and Mr.
Theodore Distin; Mr. F. H. Cozens being at the piano.

July 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

31

INTERESTING- SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENT.

Rating Chronometers by Telegraphy.

AVERY interesting, as well as remarkable experiment, which is
probably unique in the history of telegraphy, was conducted
a few weeks since by Mr. John A. Lund (of Messrs. Barraud & Lunds,
Cornhill), at the offices of the Indo-European Telegraph Company,
and in which instance, question and answer travelled over a distance
of 1,620,000 miles nearly as quickly as they were spoken. The
cause of this experiment (which necessitated the closing for a time
of all intervening stations between Teheran and London, a distance
of 3700 miles) was a desire expressed by Captain Sartorius, brother
to the captain of Ashantee celebrity, and who is now at Teheran,
Persia, to check with absolute correctness the variation between a
chronometer watch in use for surveying purposes, and supplied by
this firm, and the true Greenwich time here. The instrument alluded
to is not a full- chronometer, but a half- chronometer, double roller
lever, pocket watch, of a kind which Messrs. Barraud & Lunds,
find able to stand the wear and tear of riding and pocket

use, and yet keep a rate for Jm scientific observations,
and of which this is a rcpresen- J||| tation. The time here

Teheran to about half-

the telegraph superin-

Sartorius at the Te-

\ Black was in charge of

Lund was in attend-

nometer set to exact

first message broke

wires had not been

afterwards the mes-

from Teheran, and

on the long tape,

at the Moorgate-

Give the

nineteen past

it on till

was effected

down the

which con-

and copper

causing an

current for

of the

indicated- -

calling out

eight,"

nine,''

as the

went by

completed

was eight o'clock, equal at

past eleven p.m. Major Smith,

tendent, was with Captain

heran instrument, and Mr

the one here, while Mr.

ance with a ship's chro-

Greenwich time. The

at Berlin, where the

coupled ; but shortly

sage was sent through

was uncoiling itself

like a piece of paper

street instrument

signal current at

eight, and keep

twenty." This

by holding

small handle

nects the zinc

wires, thereby

electric

the space

minute

Mr.Lund
"fifty-
"fifty-
" sixty,"
seconds
which

the minute. At the word " sixty " the handle was loosed, and Captain
Sartorius would the same instant know that it was 8.20 p.m. Green-
wich time. To check the minute differences of individual observa-
tions the experiment was repeated two or three times, the result being
that Captain Sartorius's watch was shown to be about two seconds
behind Greenwich time. It was necessary to take several observa-
tions, as there was something wrong with the German "relays " a
time or two. The delay is a connexion with fresh batteries, which
feed the wire at intervals, because if the wire were charged with a
current sufficiently strong to go the whole distance it would soon be
worn out, or, in technical language, lose its conductivity. On the
other hand, a single weak current would diffuse itself before reach-
ing the end of so long a journey. While the current was flowing
its duration was marked by a long black line on the paper at
Teheran, and when it stopped there would be a sharp "click,"
as the pressure in the London handle was removed. Perhaps the
most marvellous fact about the whole thing is, that (as is well
known to telegraphists) the " earth current," or stream of electricity
which completes the circuit from battery to battery, finds its way
through the earth from Teheran to London without any wire or
other connection whatever till it finds the battery from which it
started, and this, too, instantaneously. When the experiment
itself was concluded, there were a few friendly inquiries by Mr.
Lund about the chronometer which Captain Sartorius took with
him. " How was it going? " " Oh, very well, thank you ; it was a
second slow at Constantinople," comes back the answer, as if only
across a shop counter. " Glad to hear it." "Much obliged for the
trouble you've taken in London." "Very welcome." "Good
night ! " Such exactitude of time is, of course, only absolutely
necessary in scientific investigations, but in these, as in the late
transit of Venus, it is of great importance to know what the true
time is. Messrs. Barraud and Lunds appear to pay special attention

to this department, as their Cornhill establishment is fitted in
every room with the most ingenious contrivances for registering
Greenwich time. In one of them, which is especially worth notice,
an electric shock leaves a mark from a hand charged with ink on the
face of a chronograph, thus getting rid of even the infinitesimal error
arising from observation by the eye or ear in the ordinary methods.

BAILEY'S TURRET CLOCK.

ON the following two pages will be found engravings of one of the
large turret clocks manufactured by the well-known firm of
Bailey & Co., of the Albion Works, Salford, Manchester. It is
what is known in workshop parlance as the " lathe-bed " pattern, in
contradistinction to those which are called the "cage" pattern,
made by our forefathers out of strips of wrought iron bolted toge-
ther to form a cage, and bushed with brass where requisite. There
are points of superiority about this clock to which we think profitable
attention may be directed by those engaged in mechanical pursuits.
The adjusting of the external dials by means of the internal minute
dial is very simple. The old-fashioned way to do this was to have a
long bearing on the pallet shaft to enable the pallet wheel to be
disengaged, and thus to "run down " the clock until the right time
was indicated outside. If this was done in a clumsy manner, very
often the teeth were damaged, and sometimes entirely stripped by
allowing the pallet to slip into gear when the wheel was revolving
at a great speed. Messrs. Bailey effect the operation in a totally
different way. Fig. 1 is plan of hour shaft with a friction clutch
lock-nut and set dial. Fig. 2 is the friction clutch, and Fig. 3 is
elevation of dial and bevel, and on reference to the large engraving-
it will be seen with what ease the upright shaft which leads to the
dials may be adjusted by this simple arrangement. The pendulum
has appeared in many shapes in the hands of horologists ; many ol
the means of compensating for the effects of temperature on theii
length seem to be ingeniously contrived to create a great evil in
order that a little one may be cured. The most approved system of
compensation is the mercurial. A steel rod carrying a glass jar con-
taining mercury, the expansion of the mercury upwards will com-
pensate for the lengthening of the steel rod downwards, and thus
keep the centre of oscillation at one fixed distance from the point of
suspension. The compensation is only applicable to small clocks.
If a wood pendulum rod be used, well dried and varnished, its ex-
pansion is very trifling, and very little compensation is required
Figs. 4 and 5 show the front and side elevation of the wood pendu-
lums used in the large clocks made by Messrs. Bailey & Co. At the
bottom of the rod, at Fig. 4, is a cotter pin, upon which rests a
brass rod standing up the centre, about 12 inches long ; the bob
rests on this rod, a cotter pin driven through its centre causing all
the weight to rest on the upright brass rod ; the expansion of the
rod of wood and the suspension springs is compensated by the ex-
pansion of the small brass rod. The way in which these large pen-
dulums are adjusted will be seen and understood by reference to the
upper ends of Figs. 4 and 5. A brass nut is let into the rod through
which works a bolt having a milled head resting on the crutch
This crutch is so arranged that the pendulum slides between its
two jaws. This simple manner of adjustment at the top of the
pendulum is an obvious improvement on the plan of adjustment used
at the bottom, as it enables a slight adjustment to be made without
stopping the clock. The horizontal adjustment for the springs at
the top of the pendulum has been copied from the small French
clocks. This enables the clock to be put in beat if a slight variation
takes place after it has been fixed.

When winding the heavy weights of the striking parts of large
clocks the winch handle cannot be used direct on the drum shaft ; a
pinion wheel being added to the wheel similar to the arrangement
of a hoisting crab ; Fig. 7 shows a plan adopted by Messrs. Bailey for
using the first pinion of the train for this purpose. It will be ob-
served that the pinion works loose from the second wheel when
required for winch purposes, the ratchet wheel and clicks enabling
this to be done, but when required for the clock purposes it is equal
to a fast pinion wheel, and thus does duty for both. This improve-
ment is so obvious that no comment is required. Although the
clock here illustrated has been designed by Mr. AV. H. Bailey, it is
only doing justice to the late Richard Roberts, of Manchester, to
say that the specific improvements mentioned have been very slightly
altered from his designs, with the exception of the framework. The
wheels in this clock are of hard gun metal, engine cut, and the
pinions are of hardened steel. The drums have a worm cut on them
to enable the wire rope to coil freely. A number of these clocks are
being fixed at home and abroad by Messrs. Bailey & Co., one of a
larger size, and to strike the quarters, having during the past few
days been fixed at Walkden Church, near Manchester, having been
presented by Mr. William Crompton, ex-mayor of Wigan, an exten-
sive iron and coal proprietor. — Engineer.

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLER, AND

[July 5, 1875.

o

Ph
hh
<J

of
M
ti
o

O

H

pq

H 3

M

Q

o

Q

Ph °
Ph «

Q

t>
O

Ph

M

H S

M

n

m

ft
m
m

W

R
H
Eh
O

rt

Eh

O
o

•Si

N

CO

^^iiir^T

July 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

35

PRECIOUS STONES.

General Observations {continued from page A.)

Hardness — In gems, hardness denotes not only tenacity, but also
the greater or less resistance which they oppose to being cut,
scratched, or polished by others ; thus, while the diamond, from its
small tenacity, is easily broken, and does not give out sparks under
the action of the steel, it is the hardest amongst gems, because it
cuts all other bodies without being itself marked by them.

The hardness of gems, considered as the attraction of cohesion,
that is, in the power they have of resisting the blows they receive to
break and divide them, mechanically differs considerably in the same
species, according to the direction of the cutting, the surface of the
stone on which the trial is made, and its more or less perfect quality.

Hardness and not cohesion is the basis on which general experience
rests for determining to what species a given gem belongs. For
such a purpose practitioners adopt the file ; but the mineralogist rubs
the stone which is to be tried against another, beginning with the
hardest gem, which is the diamond, and thus forms, by comparison,
a graduated table, which is useful afterwards for new trials and
experiments.

In many crystals perpendicular planes at right angles exist, and
it appears that between these planes the cohesion is so slight that
they can be separated with greater facility there than in any other
place. This particular property is called " cleavage." In some
gems it is very easy to ascertain the point of cleavage, but in others
it is found with difficulty. Many gems, as for example, rock-crystal
and emerald, will only break into irregular fragments.

Specific Gravity .—In order to determine the specific gravity of
different bodies, distilled water is chosen as a means of comparison.

If it be a gem which, weighs 17 carats in the air. and in the water
but 12, there will be

"Weighed in the air ... ... 17 carats.

^Yeighed in the water ... ... 12 ,,

Difference ... ... 5

Now dividing the weight of the gem 17 by the difference 5, the
quotient will be 17 : 5 = 34 which represents the specific gravity
of the gem which has been put to the proof. It is often very
useful to know the specific gravity of gems, as a means of deter-
mining their quality, and to prevent the danger of their being
changed for others, similar in appearance, but very different in
value ; as for instance the diamond and the jargoon.

Jn the case of cut and polished gems, it is therefore of great use
in ascertaining the class towhich they belong, without the possibility
of injuring them by the otherwise necessary operation of filing.

The comparison of the specific weight of gems was, according to
Emmanuel, known to and practised by the Ancients, and certainly
in the Indies for many centuries, in order to ascertain the quality of
a precious stone.

(To he continued. J

THE DIAMOND.

{Continued from page &.)

THERE are said to be five different kinds of diamonds, viz., the
Indian, the Arabian, the Cyprian, the Macedonian, and the
Sidente. The two first described by Pliny are really diamonds ; but
the others are white corundums, that is, very pale sapphires,
esjDecially the Cyprian, denoted thus : Vergens in aereum colorem.

The most probable opinion respecting the place whence the ancients
obtained the diamond is, that it was India; but the question remains
yet — what was the particularly adamantiferous part of that
country ?

We only know that the Greeks named the central river of India,
Adamas, which is now called Mahy-nady. In Pliny, we find the
African diamond of Gournsel mentioned, and this river flows near
Constantina.

The mines and adamantine deposits of Visapour were discovered
in 1430, and those of Golconda in 1662. Afterwards others were
found in Borneo, in Sumatra, in the Celebes, in the gold mines of
Antioquia in Brazil, Columbia, Carthagena, and California. In
modern times the villages of Mannensurg and of Muddemurg in
Asia, are celebrated as being places where the largest known
diamonds are found.

At Latarivai, also in Asia, the largest and finest are procured ;
and those of more usual size at Gani, Malacca, Bisnagur, Gazerpelle,

Gouart, Pegro, and other places situated near Mont Catti, an
immense chain of granite which extends from Bengal to Cape
Cormorin.

In the last century, the most important mines were those of
Partial, situated about twenty miles from Golconda. Diamonds are
also found in the river Gomel, which empties itself into the Ganges ;
in Krichwak, and in many other places.

Now, as formerly, the principal market for these precious gems is
held at Benares, and at Borvanipord, in the province of Bengal.

In the territories of the city of Pontianak and of Benjerusassin,
situated in the south-eastern part of the island of Borneo, and in the
Crystalline mountains of the north of that island, very rich mines of
diamonds are found ; the most famous of them being situated near
Landak, one of the principal cities. The largest are sent to Batavia,
whence they go directly to Holland. The smallest are sold at
Pontianak. At Murtapsera, the ancient residence of the Sultan,
the inhabitants themselves search for diamonds in the surrounding
mines. About the year 1810, diamond deposits were discovered in
the district of Douladoulo in Sumatra. In the Malays the island of
Celebes has some, but there are very few at Gava. The Chinese
have so few diamonds that one can scarcely believe they possess
any mines. The signs of rank, and the precious decorations of which
the celestial emperor, the imperial princes, and mandarins make
such parade, are in pearls, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, jade and coral,
but diamonds are never seen.

In Siberia diamonds have been found in strata of ferruginous clay
on Mount Ural ; and this discovery has destroyed the formerly
received opinion concerning the formation of this gem.

Pliny had noticed the river Gournsel near Constantina as being
adamantiferous, and Herscart de Thury, in 1840, confirmed the
truth of this opinion by presenting to the Institute of France some
diamonds procured there by himself.

About the year 1729, Bernardo di Fonseca Lobo discovered very
rich diamond lands sixteen leagues long, and twelve leagues wide, at
Brazil, in the province of Minas Geraes, a district of Serva da Frio.

The central point of the mines here opened is the little city of
Tejuco (Dramantusa), situated 134 leagues from Bio de Janeiro,
and 240 from Balisa. It is the residence of the general intendant,
and contains upwards of 6000 inhabitants, all employed in ex-
cavating the mines, which at the beginning yielded abundantly ;
the first twenty years it is calculated that about 3,000,000 carats
of rough diamonds were dug out, but the product did not continue
in the same proportion, it diminished gradually ; in the five years
from 1801 to 1806 they only yielded 23,135 carats ; and in the ten
years from 1807 to 1817, but 18,000. Other mines were discovered
in 1831 not far from these, on a very high mountain of the same
province. There are also mines at Tibbigi near San Paulo in the
province of Goyaz ; in the plains of Cubaja ; in the river of Audaya ;
in that of Mai Koverde, and also in Brazil.
(To lie continued. J

ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

THE last meeting before the long vacation was held at the
Society's Rooms, Burlington-street, on the 11th ult., Professor
Adams, president, in the chair.

Mr. Jecky explained the use of two ancient instruments, which
he had presented to the society. Mr. Marth exhibited a drawing
of the orbits of the satellites of Saturn, as they would appear
from the earth about the middle of August next. Mr. Dunkin
read a paper by Mr. Proctor on " Photography of the Transit of
Venus." Mr. Nelson read a paper on an instrument for measur-
ing the magnitude of the stars. The meeting then terminated.

ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.

nnilE usual monthly meeting of this society was held on the 2nd
J_ ult., Chas. Brooke, Esq., F.R.S., vice-president, in the chair.

A number of presents to the society were announced and ac-
knowledged. Mr. J. W. Stephenson exhibited and explained a
simple method for enabling any person to measure the angle of
aperture of an objective. Mr. Charles Stewart gave an interesting-
account of the results of an examination into the minute structure
of the Bucephalus polymorphus, and illustrated his observations by
drawings and enlargements therefrom upon the black-board. Mr.
Slack explained the use and management of Mr. Wenham's reflex
illuminator, and pointed out the means of obviating the difficulties
which were found to arise when it was used in connection with
objectives of large angles, after which the meeting was adjourned
to October 6th.

86

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[July 5, 1875.

THE

oohtdmutluT, gchrellcr, nub' jfilteimuil/,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, aiul kindred Trades,

Published at 8, Cross-street, Hatton-garden, E.G.

Subscription. 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date. Single Copies, 6d. each.

Advertisements. Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at llolborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

No one is authorized to collect money •without production of
Printed Form of Receipt, bearing the Office Stamp.

TO ADVERTISERS.

Igr NOTICE. — In future the date of publication of this Journal
will be the 5th of each month.

The pages of the Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith
present a wide field of operations, as those represented therein may
bring their announcements before the immediate attention of all
trades to which they are specially addressed, as well as purchasers
throughout the United Kingdom, America, the Colonies, and all
foreign markets.

All advertisements and correspondence should be forwarded as
early as possible in each month.

PROSPECTUS.

SCALE OF CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.

One Page

Half ditto

One-third ditto ...
Quarter ditto
One-eighth ditto
One-sixteenth ditto
Per Inch third across Page
Ditto half across Page

£4 0 0

2 5 0

1 10 0

1 2 G

0 12 0

0 7 0

0 3 6

0 5 0

The above Scale of Charges is subject to a Discount of 10 per
rent, for Orders of Six Months, and 20 per cent, for Orders of
Twelve Months.

Advertisements of Businesses Wanted, Businesses for Disposal,
Employers Wanting Assistants, Partnerships, and kindred announce-
ments, are charged at the rate of Is. Gd. for Five Lines.

Country and Foreign Subscribers are invited to furnish any
Communications which they may consider interesting.

The services of an energetic and reliable person are required for
the advertising department of this journal. Applications to be
made by letter only, to the Publisher, 8, Cross Street, Hatton
Garden, E.C.

The attention of our readers, and the trade generally, is called to
the form of subscription order, which will be found on page 19.
When two or more copies are forwarded to one address, or in
instances of subscription clubs being formed so that the copies for
such club are sent to one person, a discount of 10 per cent, will be
allowed from the regular subscription rates, but in no instance will
such deduction be made for subscriptions of less than one year.

IN the present days of commercial activity no branch of
industry can be without its leading representative journal,
and experience shows that the time has now arrived when the
various trades, to the interest of which our labours are directed,
require a medium equal to others representing different commercial
pursuits, and, with the view of possessing which, they should secure
to themselves a properly recognized organ wholly devoted to their
own peculiar interests.

With the object of supplying this great desideratum, we have
issued a new and independent monthly publication, bearing the
title of the —

WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND SILVERSMITH'S
TRADE JOURNAL,

of which this is the second number. As such undertaking must
necessarily entail considerable anxiety and labour to establish it
on a firm basis, so as to become of real benefit to the trades it will
represent, we respectfully solicit the kind co-operation and
support of every one whom it may concern, whilst the following
outline will give a fair idea of its aim and general usefulness.
Each number contains leading articles, penned by men of practical
experience, upon subjects of particular interest to Watch and
Clock Makers, Jewellers, Gold and Silversmiths, Electro-platers,
Opticians, Assayers, and all the other allied branches of these
important trades ; also, illustrated articles upon the Novelties,
Patents, and noteworthy Specialities, both British and Foreign,
a brief Monthly Record of Passing Events, Trade Changes, in-
teresting items of Gossip, important Legal and Arbitration Pro-
ceedings, the result of Public and other Sales, original contribu-
tions upon Art, Applied Science, the Labour Question, Letters
from our Own Correspondents in the Provinces, Foreign and
Colonial Notes, Practical Hints, Notes and Queries, and a variety
of other useful and interesting subjects.

From this brief sketch it will be seen that such a journal can
hardly fail to prove of considerable benefit to its supporters, as it
presents an opportunity for free interchange of ideas and suggestions
on questions affecting the interests of the trades, and at the same
time keeps its readers fully and regularly posted as to what is
going on, besides affording manufacturers and wholesale houses
valuable assistance in their business transactions with exporters,
agents, and the retail trades.

In concluding these remarks, we especially wish to point out to
manufacturers and wholesale houses the great advantage of inserting
their trade announcements in the advertising columns of such a
journal, and we respectfully direct their attention to the enclosed
order-forms, in the hope that they will communicate their wishes as
early as possible to the publisher, who will be pleased to afford
them every information, as well as offer them the benefit of his
experience and assistance in drawing up or arranging their notices.

Continuing our untiring endeavours to please, we shall at all
times deem it a favour if our readers or friends will forward us any
suitable contributions likely to prove of general interest, or make
suggestions, which will be received with thanks and due attention.

All communications to be addressed —

Proprietors of the

Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith,

8, Cross Street. Hatton Garden, E.C.

July 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

37

CURIOSITIES OP CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

CORBESPONDENCE.

THE identical watch that Quare made for James II., 'and that
was preferred by him, was in possession of John Stanton, of
Benwell, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, when, in a letter to the Morn-
ing Chronicle, dated December 11, 1823, he gave the following
description of it: — " The outer case, which is of very pure gold, is
embossed with the king's head, under which, on the right, is Fame
in the clouds, with a trumpet at her mouth, which is held in her left
hand , in her right is a wreath, which she is raising as if to crown
him ; on the left are two winged boys supporting the royal crown,
under them a tower and fortifications, on which is a flag flying ;
under all is the sea running close to a fort, and on the sea is a ship
under sail. This case is also beautifully engraved and pierced with
scroll-work, ornamented with cannon, mortars, shot, shell, kettle-
drums, colours, and other trophies of war, and with crowns, sceptres,
and other emblems of royalty. The face is of gold, with black
Roman letters for the hours and figures for the minutes. In the
centre is a piece of pierced work in gold upon blue steel, represent-
ing the letters 'J. R. R. J.,' combined so as to appear like an orna-
mental scroll, above which is the royal crown. The box is
exquisitely pierced with scroll-work, intermixed with birds and
flowers ; about the hinge is engraved a landscape, with a shepherd
sitting under a tree playing upon a pipe, with a dog at his feet, and
houses, trees, &c, in the distance. On the back of the box two
circular lines are drawn, between which is the following inscription :
— ' James II. Gloria Deo in excelsis sine pretio rectimi mini maid lege
ablatum brio. Rcgi restititrtur.y Inside the circle described within
the inner line is engraved a figure of Justice in the clouds, reclining
upon the left elbow, the hand holding the scales ; in her right hand
is a sceptre, with which she points to three bishops beneath her, with
an altar before them. On one side of the altar is the Tower of
London, with a group of twenty-nine men carrying similar bags, of
which there are several more lying in the foreground; under all a
lion and a lamb are lying together. The watch is considerably
thicker than, but otherwise not much above, the common size, and
every part of the engraving beautiful and distinct. It goes accu-
rately, and is in a perfect state of preservation."

A patent was granted to Daniel Quare, on August 2, 1C95, for the
invention of a portable weather-glass or barometer. He was much
respected by the trade to which he belonged. At his funeral, on
March 20, 1724, most of the watchmakers of London were present.
He was interred in the Quaker's burying-ground, at Buuhill Fields.
Several artists followed in the same line as himself, particularly
Tompion, Julien le Roy, Collier, Larcay, and Thiout.

Quare's rival, Edward Barlow, whose real name was Booth, was
born near Warring-ton, and ordained in the English College, at
Lisborn. He took the name of Barlow from his godfather, Ambrose
Barlow, a Benedictine, who suffered at Lancaster for his religion.
Dodd, in his Church history, says of Barlow, " He has often told
me that at his first perusing of Euclid that author was as easy to
him as a newspaper. His name and fame are perpetuated for being
the inventor of the pendulum watches, but, according to the usual
fate of most projectors, while others were great gainers by his in-
genuity, Mr. Barlow had never been considered on that occasion,
had not Mr. Thompson (accidentally becoming acquainted with the
inventor's name) made him a present of 200/. He published a
treatise on the " Origin of Springs, Wind, and the Flux and Reflux
of the Sea," 8vo, 1714, and died about two years afterwards, nearly
eighty-one years of age.

The Rev. G. S. Wasey has a magnificent gold repeater by
Tompion, apparently as good as ever it was, and weighing over
6 oz. Madame Banzalie, of Paris, had a large gold repeating watch
set with diamonds, and that chimed the hours. It formerly belonged
to the King of Spain. In the South Kensington Museum is a gilt
metal repeating watch, chased and pierced, the sides being orna-
mented with hunting subjects, and the back with scroll-work ; the
dial is engraved and gilt ; the maker's name is " Thomas Taylor, in
Holbourn ;" the diameter is 2\ in., and the article was purchased at
the Bernal sale for 3Z. 10s. In the "Philosophical Transactions"
appears an account by Godfrey William de Leibnitz, of his portable
watches in 1675. This eminent mathematician and philosopher was
born at Leipzig, in 1646, and died in 1716.

To silver the inside of hollow glass vessels, globes, convex mirrors,
&c, the following amalgam, which becomes fluid at a low heat and
adheres to glass, may be used :— Lead and tin of each 2 oz. ; bismuth
2 oz. ; mercury 4 oz. Add the mercury to the rest in a melted
state and remove from the fire. Mix with an iron rod.

[ We wish it to be understood that we cannot necessarily identify ourselves
with the opinion of our correspondents, as our columns will be open to all, so
long as communications do not contain matter of a personal character.']

*** All letters intended for insertion must be authenticated by the name
and address of the writer — not necessarily for publication, but merely as an
evidence of good faith. Communications should be written on one side only
of the paper, and forwarded to this office on or before the 2§th of the month.

Proposed Master Jeweller and Silversmith's Association for
Birmingham.

To the Editor of the " Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith."

Sir, — Some of the Birmingham master jewellers and silversmiths are
moving in the right direction ; they propose establishing an association, the
objects of which are to give valuable information to its members as to the
trustworthiness of traders in jewellery and silver goods, and to raise a fund
to prosecute fraudulent traders. If the association does nothing else than
accomplish two such objects, it deserves all the support and encouragement
the trade can give it. Of late, jewellers in particular have been preyed upon
by unworthy traders, who nominally buy, and actually do not pay for, the
goods they have the audacity to select.

Men of straw seem to eclipse men of real substance now-a-days, and by a
clever contrivance and systematic fraud obtain great quantities of valuable
goods, and then slaughter them wholesale ; sometimes paying a small sum
in the pound, and sometimes quitting the country, their whereabouts being
unknown. Poor jewellers never receive any money at all, and have the
satisfaction only of knowing that the vagabonds have, like some monarch^
of old, retired from business, and for the rest of their days live in quiet
seclusion on the continent, or in the far-off colonies.

The proposed Jeweller and Silversmith's Association, if properly set on
foot and adequately supported by the trade, not only in Birmingham but also
that of London, much could be done by way of caution, which in many cases
would save struggling manufacturers from ruin, or next to ruin. The trade
wants purging from a number of reckless, moneyless traders, and the only
effectual means of bringing so desirable a thing about is to join together
and to unite for means, as necessary as they are positively obvious.

A good association would act as a deterrent to those who prowl about the
country seeking whom they may defraud, and would regenerate, in some
measure, the jewellery trade from its present state.

Everything depends upon the master jewellers and silversmiths, both in
Birmingham and London ; and it would be an excellent combination if
both would co-operate and form a great trade association.

Yours truly, Jeweller.

iT Owing to a heavy pressure of matter, which will all be found of
interest to the various trades we represent, the continuation of
some articles commenced in our last, and a variety of other subjects
are necessarily laid over till our next issue. Thanking the trade in
general for the favourable manner in which our journal has been
received, we can only give the full assurance that our iitmost
endeavours will be exerted to merit a continuance of support and
approval.

The Prussian Government has offered two prizes of the value of
about 1501. and 500Z. respectively, for a method of cleansing plaster
casts, statues, &c, and for the invention of a new material, which,
while possessing all the advantages of plaster, will not deteriorate by
repeated washing. It is not necessary that the washing material
or the new substitute for plaster should be white : it may give a
yellowish, or even warmer tint, provided that the colour is even.
Samples of the substances, either for mixing with plaster so as to
render it washable, or of the substitute for plaster, must be
forwarded in the usual way, with mottoes on them and on the
accompanying letters, to the K. P. Ministerium der geistlichen
Unterrichts und Medicinal-Angelegenheiten, Berlin, not later than
December 31, 1875.

The following alloy of copper will attach itself firmly to surfaces
of metal, glass, or porcelain : 20 to 30 parts finely blinded copper
(made by reduction of oxide of copper with hydrogen or precipita-
tion, from solution of its sulphate with zinc) are made into paste
with oil of vitriol. To this add 70 parts mercury and triturate well ;
then wash out the acid with boiling water and allow the compound
to cool. In ten or twelve hours, it becomes sufficiently hard to
receive a brilliant polish, and to scratch the surface of tin or gold.

THE WATCHMAEEE, JEWELLEE, AND

July 5, 1875.]

USEFUL HINTS TO WATCHMAKERS AND
JEWELLERS.

ENAMELS.
Fritz ok White Flux.

THE basis of all enamels, is a highly transparent and fusible glass
called Fritz, Flux, or Paste, which readily receives a colour on
the addition of metallic oxides. It may be made by one or other of
the following formula? : —

No. 1. Red lead 1G parts, calcined borax 3 parts, powdered flint-
glass 12 parts, powdered flints 4 parts, fuse in a Hessian
crucible for 12 hours, then pour it out into water, and reduce it to
a powder in a biscuit-ware mortar.

No. 2. Tin 3 parts, lead 10 parts, mix calcine in an iron pot
at a dull cherry-red heat, and scrape off the oxide as it forms,
observing to obtain it quite free from undecomposed metal; then
reduce it to fine powder by grinding and elutriation. In this state
it is known among enamelers as Flux or Calcine, 4 parts of this
calcine are next mixed with an equal weight of pure sand or
powdered flints, and one part of sea salt or other alkaline matter ;
the mixture is then partially fused in a Hessian crucible, by which
it undergoes semi-vitrification.

No. 3. Chaptal. Lead and tin equal parts, calcine as above,
and take of the mixed oxides or calcine, and ground flints of each,
1 part, pure carbonate of potash 2 parts, and proceed as before.

No. 4. Wynn, Flint glass 3 oz., red lead 1 oz., as last.

No. 5. Wyiuii Red lead 18 parts, borax (not calcined) 11 parts,
flint-glass 1G parts, as last.

No. 6. Wynn. Powered flints 10 parts, nitre and white arsenic,
of each, 1 part, as last.

The precise qualities of the products of the above processes
depend greatly upon the duration and degree of heat employed. By
increasing the quantity of sand, glass, or flux, the enamel in rendered
more fusible, and the opacity and whiteness is increased by the
addition of oxide of tin. The use of borax should be avoided, or it
should be used sparingly, as it is apt to make the enamel affloresce
and lose colour.

Black Enamel.

No. 1. — Calcimed iron (protoxide) 12 parts ; mix and add an
equal weight of white flux, and fuse as before.

No. 2. Cloivet. Pure clay 3 parts, protoxide of iron 1 part. A
fine black.

No. 3. Peroxide of manganese 3 parts, zaffre 1 part ; mix and add
it, as required, to white flux.

Blue Enamel.

No. 1. AVhite frit, or flux, coloured with oxide of cobalt.

No. 2. Sand, red lead, and nitre, of each 10 parts, flint glass, or
ground flints, 20 parts, oxide of cobalt 1 part, more or less, depend-
ing on the desired depth of colour.

Brown Enamel.

No. 1. Manganese 5 parts, red lead 1G parts, flint powder 8 parts,
as before.

No. 2. Wynn. Manganese 9 parts, red lead 34 parts, flint powder
1C parts.

No. 3. Bed lead and calcined iron, of each 1 part, antimony,
litharge, and sand, of each 2 parts. To be added in any required
proportion to white frit, according to the colour desired. A little
oxide of cobalt, or zaffre, is frequently added to alter the shade.
Green Enamel.

No. 1. Flux, or frit, 2 lbs., black oxide of copper 1 oz., as before.

No. 2. As the last, but adding red oxide of iron \ drachm, less
decisive.

No. 3. Copper dust and litharge of each 2 oz., nitre 1 oz., sand
4 oz., flux, or frit, according to colour wanted.

No. 4. From transparent frit any quantity, oxide of chormium
enough to colour. Colour superb ; it will stand a great heat ; in
common hands, however, it frequently turns on the dead leaf tinge.

No. 5. Transparent flux 5 oz., black oxide of copper 20 to 40
grains, oxide of chromium 2 grains. Besembles the emerald.

No. G. From blue and yellow enamel in the required proportions.
Olive Enamel.

Blue enamel 2 parts, black and yellow enamel, of each 1 part.
See brown enamel.

Orange Enamel. .

No. 1. Bed lead 12 parts, red sulphate of iron and oxide of anti-
mony, of each 1 part, Hint powder 3 parts, calcine together, powder
and melt with flux 50 parts.

No. 2. Wynn. Eed lead 12 parts, oxide of antimony 4 parts, flint
powder 3 parts, red sulphate of iron 1 part, calcine, then add flux,
5 parts to every 2" parts of this mixture.

Purple Enamel.

No. 1. Flux, or frit, coloured with oxide of gold, purple precipi-
tate of cassius, or peroxide of manganese.

No. 2. Sulphur, nitre, green vitriol, antimony, and oxide of tin,
of each lib., red lead GO lb., mix, fuse, cool, powder, and add rose
copper (red oxide) 19 oz., zaffre 1 oz., crocus martis lj oz., borax
3 oz., and of a compound formed of gold, silver, and mercury lib.,
fuse, stirring the melted mass with a copper rod all the time, then
place it in crucibles, and submit them to the action of a rever-
beratory furnace for twenty-four hours. This is said to be the
purple enamel used in the Mosaic pictures in St. Peter's, at Borne.
(7b he continued.')

WATCH AND CLOCK MAKING IN SWITZERLAND.

ONE of the largest and most interesting branches of Swiss industry
is the watchmaking trade. It is carried on to an immense and
still increasing extent in the mountainous districts of Neuchatel,
in the French portion of the Canton of Berne, and in the town and
neighbourhood of Geneva. It has been a source of wealth and
comfort to many thousands of the inhabitants, who, in the seldom-
visited villages of the Jura, have gathered around them a large
portion of the enjoyments of life. Switzerland has long furnished
the largest supply to foreign markets.

The art or trade of clockmaking was introduced into the
mountains of Neuchatel in a manner worthy of notice. As early as
the seventeenth century some workmen had constructed clocks with
weights, but no idea had been conceived of making them with
springs. About the end of that century, an inhabitant of the
mountains, returning from a long voyage, brought with him a watch,
which was an object previously unknown in the country. It was
put into the hands of a skilful workman to be repaired, who
succeeded in doing so, and then tried to make a similar article.
He succeeded in effecting this also, notwithstanding the difficulties
which lay in his way, he having to construct the tools with which he
wrought, as well as all the different movements of the watch.
His success naturally created a great sensation ; other workmen
were stimulated to try what they could do, and a new branch of
industry sprung up in the mountains of Neuchatel. During the
first forty or fifty years a few workmen only were employed in
watchmaking ; and owing to the numberless difficulties they had to
surmount, to the slowness of execution caused by the absence of
convenient tools, the want of proper materials, &c, the productions
and profits were inconsiderable. They began at length to procure
the articles of which they stood in need from Geneva, and after-
wards from England ; but the high prices which these articles cost
induced many of the workmen to attempt to provide them for
themselves. They not only thus succeeded in rivalling foreign
tools, but they eventually made many superior ones, till then
unknown. From that period they have constantly invented other
instruments in order to facilitate and perfect the art of watchmaking ;
and at the present moment the manufacture of watchmaking tools
and appurtenances is become a branch of industry of so much
importance, as to enable the inhabitants to supply them to those
countries from Avhence they formerly imported them.

It is about a century since a few merchants began to collect
together small parcels of watches in order to sell them in foreign
markets. The success which attended these speculations induced
and encouraged the population to devote themselves still more to
the production of articles of ready sale ; so much so, that nearly the
entire inhabitants have embraced the watchmaking trade. The
population has increased threefold, independently of the great
number of workmen who are established in almost all the towns of
Europe, in the United States of ■ America, and even in the East
Indies and China. From this period a great change has taken place
in the country of Neuchatel, where, notwithstanding the barrenness
of the soil and the severity of the climate, beautiful and well-built
villages are everywhere to be seen, connected by easy communica-
tions, together with a very considerable and industrious population.

The spirit of adventure is very strong among the industrious
inhabitants of the Jura Mountains. A great many of them have
travelled into very remote countries, whence some have returned
with considerable fortunes. A few years ago a watchmaker of
Neuchatel found his way to China, where he amassed a handsome
property by importing watches ; and he returned home siuce,
accompanied by a young Chinese, whom he caused to be instructed
in the trade, and who afterwards sailed for Canton to establish a
business there.

July 5, 1875.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TKADE JOUKNAL.

39

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical goods, or kindred articles."

2019. Thomas Greaves, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Jeweller, for an invention of "Improvements in the construction of
solitaires and studs, applicable also to snap fastenings for boots, gloves,
and other dress purposes." — Dated 2nd June, 1875.

2147. Marie Leon Paul Hans, of Vincennes, department of the Seine,
Prance, a Captain in the French Artillery, and Hippolyte Alexandre
Hyacinthe Hermary, of 43, Eue St. Dominique, St. Germain, in tbe
city of Paris, France, a Captain in tbe French Artillery, for an inven-
tion of "Improvements in barometers." — Dated 11th June, 1875.

2242. Joseph Norman Harmer, of Whittlesea, and Alfred Stafford
Wright, of Doddington, both in the county of Cambridge, for an in-
vention of "Improvements in tbe manufacture of watchmakers' peg-
wood and other similar articles, and in tools or apparatus employed
therein." — Dated 18th June, 1875.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

1928. To Thomas William Greaves, of Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, for tbe invention of "Improvements in solitaires."

1951. And to Charles Besancon, of Boulevard de Strasbourg, 23, at
Paris, Gilder, for the invention of "An improved spring button link or
fastener."

2019. To Thomas Greaves, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Jeweller, for the invention of " Improvements in the construction of
solitaires and studs, applicable also to snap fastenings for boots, gloves,
and other dress purposes."

2140. To William Soutiiwood, of South Crescent, in the county of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the invention of " Improvements in date
and month indicators, chiefly for attachment to clocks and other time-
keepers."

2147. To Marie Leon Paul Hans, of Vincennes, department of the Seine,
France, a Captain in the French Artillery, and Hippolyte Alex-
andre Hyacinthe Hermary, of 43, Rue St. Dominique, St. Germain,
in the city of Paris, France, a Captain in the French Artillery, for tbe
invention of " Improvements in barometers."

2194. To William Brookes, of 02, Chancery Lane, in the county of
Middlesex, Patent and Registration Agent, for the invention of " Im-
provements in watches, chronometers, and such like time-keepers." — A
communication to him from abroad by Frederic Fitt, of the city of
Ottawa, in tbe county of Carleton, in the province of Ontario, in the
dominion of Canada.

Inventions Protected for Six Months, on the deposit of
complete Specifications.

1945. Leander Eaton, of Worcester, in the county of Worcester, state
of Massachusetts, United States of America. " Regulating chrono-
meters, watches, and clocks."

Patents Granted in Foreign States.
France.

105,573. Ulmann, for "Improvements in the manufacture of lace-buttons
and gold and jewellery buttons and medallions." — Dated 2nd Novem-
ber, 1874.

105,594. Le Clerc, for " Fastenings for jewellery and dresses." — Dated
7th November, 1874.

105,762. Ognard, jun., for "Improvements in the manufacture of clock-
work, especially for watches and toys." — Dated 20th November, 1874.

105,790. Jefferys, for " Improvements in studs, solitaires, and other
fastenings or ornaments for dress." — Dated 21st November, 1874. —
(English Patent, 31st October, 1874.)

105,849. Desbordes, of Paris, for " Improvements in manometers, baro-
meters, dynamometers, pyrometers, indicators, metallic thermometers
and other similar instruments." — Dated 27th November, 1874.

106,026. Malfait, for " Clocks with moving figures operating the pendu-
lum."— Dated 8th December, 1874.

(Certificate of Addition.)

102,232. Courty, for " Improvements in jewellery." — Dated 31st October,
_1874.

2335. Auguste Conod, of Lausaune, Switzerland, Watch and Clock
Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements in electric clock
apparatus, parts of which are applicable to ordinary clocks." — Dated
26th June, 1875.

Belgium.

37,154. L. Eaton, for an imported invention of "Regulating chronometers,
watches, clocks, &c."— Dated 31st May, 1875. — (French Patent, 27th
May, 1875.)

Austria.

15. A. Fromel, of Vienna, for " A process of ornamenting and lackering
plate." — 1 year.— (Secret.)— Dated 13th March, 1875.

List of Patents relating to Jewellery, Watchmaking, &c,
issued by the United States Patent Office.

161,007. Tools for Turning Metal, C. Cummings, Virginia city, Nevada.
Brief, — The construction of the cutter with a conical boss, and the
shank with a countersunk hole, whereby, by means of the bolt and nut,
tbe cutter is securely held from turning while at work, and a perfect
degree of adjustment is permitted.

161,211. Clock Cases, Henry J. Davies, Brooklyn, N.Y. Claims. — 1.
The entablature, A, arranged in an elevated position, and constructed
to receive and support the clockwork, and the glass shade arranged
over and enclosing the clock movement. 2. Tbe elevated entablature
constructed to receive and support the clock movement, and the glass
shade enclosing said movement, the pendulum of the clock passing
downwardly through said entablature and vibrating within a case below
the entablature.

161,236. Mainspring for Watches, C. Hunter, Elgin, 111. Brief. — A
mainspring having a tongue cut near its outer end to engage in! a
suitable recess in the barrel, and act as a safety attachment of the spring
and barrel.

161,239. Stem-setting, Watches, J. F. TJ. Fukgenson, Locle, Switzerland.
Brief. — In a stem-setting watch the combination of a sliding pin
working in the stem and a ring surrounding said stem, whereby the
setting mechanism is thrown into gear by pressure upon said ring,
transmitted through said sliding pin.

101,244. Watch Plates, F. A. Lange, Glashutte, Saxony. Brief. — A watch
plate provided with a slot, through which the barrel arbor may pass,
and the barrel thus be removed without raising the plate.

161,262. Stem-winding Watches, C. S. Mosely, Elgin, 111. Brief— Main-
spur wheel is chambered out, tbe crown, or mitre wheel gearing with
the winding stem, being inserted in chamber. An intermediate gear-
wheel, connecting the mainsj)ur wheel, and the one on the winding
arbor is carried on a plate pivoted on mainspur wheel, and so kept
normally out of gear with winding arbor.

16 1 ,306. Watch-keys, Albert Wanner and Charles A. Wanner, New York.
Brief. — A watch-key consisting of a barrel composed of two sections,
each section having one side of its interior of a width equal to the
width of the arbor to be wound, and two sides at right angles thereto
and parallel with each other, said sections being permanently connected
together by a cylinder or collar, as shown, whereby an imperceptible
joint is formed, and the corners of the arbor to bo wound are prevented
from acting upon the meeting points of the sections composing the
barrel.

161,297. Ornamental Chains, C. Tiiiery, Newark, N.J. Brief — An
ornamental chain composed of a series of separate rings or links, united
by secondary chains passed through said maia rings or links.

101,421. Watch-keys, Henry Loiimeger, Shreveport, La. Brief. — Tbe
watch-key screws into or upon a hollow push-rod attached to a stud
rising from the catch spring.

161,513. Watches, J. R. Hopkins, Washington, D.C. Brief— A watch
movement in which tbe operative parts are placed upon and revolve
with a centrally-pivoted spring barrel, and the balance wheel is pivoted
at the centre of such motion.

161,674. Pendulum Clocks, F. Eckel, 'New York. Brief— The crutch
wire and anchor escapement work upon the same axis, which forms a
flexible joint to alter their position, as the position of the clock frame
is altered.

161,712. Watch Cases, Simon B. Simon, New York. Claim. — A cylin-
drical watch case constructed as described.

161,725. Stem-winding Watches, Charles V. Woerd, Waltham, Mass.
Brief. — The means for actuating the mechanism whereby tbe watch is
changed from a stem-winder to a stem-setter, consisting of the combi-
nation, with a watch of a cam, and a thumb catch for actuating the
cam, and tbe flattened surface or landing whereby the cam is caused to
rest steady after being raised until again pressed back into the case.

101,813. Calendar Movements of Clocks, Thomas H. Mott, New York.
Brief. — A notched incline, a four-year wheel with teeth of varying
length, and a spring dog, with downwardly projecting pin, act in
combination, so that in the longest months all the notches are left
exposed for engagement with the pin, and in the shorter months one
or more of the notches are covered by the longer teeth of the wheel,
to permit the pin to pass directly to the notch representing the first
of the month, preparatory to a new revolution.

161,822. Cannon Pinions for Watches, S. Ramey, Pataskala, Ohio.
Brief. — A cannon pinion is firmly united to the upper portion of a
friction sleeve, and the lower portion of the sleeve is split part of its
length to form a spring to clasp the arbor.

161,957. Watch-spring Equalizers, C. Hanson, Huddersfield, England.
Brief. — A spring pivot, acting through suitable mechanism upon a
lever, presses it upon the barrel with greatest force when the spring is
fully wound, the pressure being gradually diminished as the spring is
unwound.

161,969. Dies for forming Bezets on Metallic Backs for Jewellery,
C. Knapy, New York. Brief. — A blank of tbe desired outline is
stamped from a plate, and at the same time a rim turned up. The
edges of the rim so formed are bent inwardly by the dies claimed, the
upper die having a projecting flange that carries the rim down into a
groove in tbe lower die. A part only of the rim is operated upon at once

10

THE WATCHMA'liEli, JEWELLER, AND

[July 5, 1875.

102.018. dock-striking Mechanisms, G. II. Blakesley, Bristol, Conn.
Brief.— In a rack and snail striking mechanism, the combination of
the snail, stop-pin. rack, cam-pin all operating together.

162,785. Spring-hinges, Joseph Aitkin, of Brooklyn, N.Y. Brief. —
A sleeve through which the pintle passes is placed midway between
the eyes of the two leaves of the binge. This sleeve carries a flat
tpring, which 1 as one end secured to one of the leaves. The tension
of this spring is adjusted by a collar and a short pin, which rests upon
one leaf. Claim. — The movable sleeve B, having holes H, and pro-
vided with the spring A, attached in combination with the leaves C
and I) and pin G, all constructed and operating as and for the purpose
set forth.

162,896. Magic Lanterns, A. G. Bvznv, of Philadelphia, Pa., Claim.
— 1. The combination of the body A of a stereopticon or magic
lantern with the cover B, hinged to one side of the said body, as set
forth. 2. In a magic lantern, a lamp and chimney combined with the
top of the body, substantially as described, so as to permit the with-
drawal and replacing of the said lamp and chimney, as specified. 3.
The lens-holder D, perforated in the manner and for the purpose
described. 4. The lens-holder D and its flange/, in combination with
the studs e at the end of the box. 5. The chimney frame composed of
the endle?s strips m and n of sheet metal and the connecting-strips p,
with their grooves x, .r.

153,000. Stands for Stereoscopes and Graphoscopes, James Cremer, of
Philadelphia, Pa. Application filed 14th April, 1875. Claim. — The
adjustable stand for stereoscopes and graphoscopes, consisting of
the handle 1, the socket-piece 2, the clamping hinge-joint 6, and the
base a', the said parts being constructed and arranged substantially in
the manner described, for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

163,125. Clock-escnpements, Geo. W. White and Walter I. Leary, of
Edenton, N.C. Application filed 17th July, 1874. Claim.— The
plates are provided at their ends with hooks, the shanks of which
are pivoted to the plate, in combination with the wheel provided with
the detents or teeth, shaped as shown. In a clock-escapement, a bar
or arm. provided with a hinged engaging-tooth, substantially as
specified.

163,161. Mainsprings for Watches, Jno. A. Dawson, of Boston, Mass.,
assignor to Florentine A. Jones, of Schaffhausen, Switzerland. Ap-
plication filed 15th December, 1874. Brief. — A mainspring safety
attachment, consisting of a supplemental piece attached to and swing-
ing on the outer end of mainspring, to engage in a recess in the barrel,
and act as a stop-work for the winding mechani m.

STEAY WAIFS AND SCRAPS.

Multitudes in their haste to get rich are rained every year. The
men who do things maturely, slowly, deliberately, are men who
most often succeed in life. People who are habitually in a hurry
generally have to do things twice over.

An American newspaper says that a clergyman in a certain church,
on a recent occasion, discovered after beginning the service, that
he had forgotten his notes. As it was too late to send for them he
said to his audience, by way of apology, that this morning he should
have to depend upon the Lord for what he might say, but in the
afternoon he would come better prepared.

Ax Irishman's Letter. — Here is an Irish gentleman's letter to his
son, in college : " My dear Son, — I write to send you two pair of
my old breeches, that you may have a new coat made out of them.
Also, some new socks which your mother has just knit by cutting
down some of mine. Your mother sends you two pounds without
my knowledge, and for fear you may not use it wisely, I have kept
back half, and only send you one. Your mother and I are well,
except that your sister has got the measles, which we think would
spread among the other girls if Tom had not had it before, and he
is the only one left. I hope you will do honour to my teachings ;
if not, you are an ass, and your mother and myself your affectionate
parents."

A young Bostonian met with a comical mishap recently. His
watch breaking down just before he set out for the opera, of which
he is a frequenter, he stepped into a jeweller's shop, where he is well
acquainted, for the purpose of having his time -piece repaired, and
obtained a substitute for it in the shape of a handsome Swiss watch,
loaned him by the courtesy of the proprietor of the establishment.
Thus equipped, the young gentleman took his seat at the opera, and
everything went well until the middle of the second act, when
suddenly he heard strains of sweet music not in the score, wafted
sweet and low in his neighbourhood. People to right of him, people
to left of hitn, people on all sides of him queried aud wondered.
Finally, horrible to relate, the unfortunate man found that the music
issued from his vest pocket, and as he franticly pulled out the
watch, the strains of the Swiss waltz thrilled his soul. He stood
not upon the order of his departure, but went at once.

JEWELLERS.

THE numerous readers of Greville's memoirs will probably remem-
ber his references to the great court jewellers, Rundell &
Bridge. He mentions that the former left a larger amount of
personality than had ever hitherto been sworn to at Doctors'
Commons — a remarkable circumstance, which probably may be
accepted as indicating that lie was the wealthiest shopkeeper that
England, up to that time, had ever known. Mr. Rundell left the bulk
of his property to his great-nephew, one Joseph Neeld (not Neal,
as Mr. Greville has it), and that gentleman's son proceeded to found
a family by buying a large landed estate and marrying the sister of
the philanthropic Lord Shaftesbury. The marriage was productive
of neither family nor felicity, and the estates passed, at his death, to
his brother, who was made a baronet in 1859. This gentleman, very
ungratefully, entirely " sinks the shop " in his pedigree, which
preserves as stony a silence about old Uncle Rundell, from whom all
the good things come, as another family which has sprung to fame
from brass-button making does of its founder. Perhaps if old
Rundell, notoriously gruff and surly to most of his belongings, could
have foreseen how completely he was to have been suppressed, he
would have founded the Rundell Hospital instead of the Neeld
family, after the fashion of George Heriot.

"Jingling Geordie " began business, in a very small way, in
Edinburgh about 1580. The little shop he occupied was only pulled
down in 1809, when the bellows and forge which he had used
were found there. James I. took such a fancy to him that he
brought him up to London, and by 1624, when he died, the
Jingler had acquired a fortune of 50,000/., which represented more
than three times that sum to-day.

Jewellers in those days, and for long after, were bankers and
money lenders also, and it is probable that a good deal of Heriot's
money was made in this business. The office of court jeweller
must, down to a recent date, have been in most countries one
requiring a good deal of tact and discretion. Such persons were
continually in the thick of all sorts of difficulties and scandals, and
were applied to for help by courtiers and fine people in desperate
straits. The famous firm of Bcehmer & Bossinge, crown
jewellers of France, who supplied the diamond necklace, no doubt
' ' knew a thing or two " of the court gossip of those days quite as
curious as the details which Charles Greville so enjoyed pumping
out of the royal brother's old valet-de- chambre. Rundell was quite
up to dealing with his " august" customers.

" What a heap) of money you must make, Rundell !" said the
Duke of York, walking round the shop and poking his nose into
everything, one day. " Pretty well, your Royal Highness, but," with
an unmistakable inflection in his voice, " we sometimes have to wait
a long time for our money. ' ' A check was sent very soon afterwards.

SALE OF WORKS OF ART.

Rare and Antique Clocks.

AT a sale of Mr. Gladstone's collections, held at the rooms of
Messrs. Christie, Manson, & Woods, in lung-street, St.
James's, on the 23rd ult., among other works of art was a handsome
clock, in a metal-gilt case, formed as Minerva in a chariot drawn by
two horses, and standing on a plinth with a frieze of figures. This
clock was purchased at Mr. Canning's sale in 1828. The highest
price of any article in that day's sale was brought by a Louis XY.
staircase clock, a regulator, in tall rosewood case, mounted with
ormolu, scrolls, and fleurs-de-lis, the top surmounted by a seated
figure of Cupid, the movement by Le Roy, which fetched no less
than 450 guineas.

JEWELLERY CASES AND FITTINGS.

WE recently had the pleasure of visiting the various departments
of Mr. Jeffreys' extensive factory in Robin Hood-yard,
Leather-lane, and noticed some artistic novelties in velvet stands
for jewellery ; clock-shape and other handsome lamps for outside
of jewellers' shop windows ; stands for watches, and many other
requisites for combined ornament and use in jewellery establish-
ments. We also noticed some very handsome show cases, and in
particular, one very elaborately finished in black and gold, and
manufactured for the firm of Messrs. Mumford & Son, to be used
by them in the Paris Exhibition, as well as another of the same
description for Mr. Rimmel, the well-known perfumer. Mr.
Jeffreys was a recipient of a diploma of merit for stands exhibited
at the Vienna Exhibition, and, from the large and varied stock
which he always keeps on hand, is enabled to fully satisfy the re-
quirements of those needing such articles.

^/ttZZP^

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 3.— Vol. I.]

AUGUST 5, 1875.

t Subscription, 5s. 1 Post
per Annum. J Free.

PAGE

Horology — III. Early Mechanical Contrivances ... 49

Bare Workmanship in Presentation Plate ... 50

Finger Kings 51

Birmingham Master Jewellers and Silver-
smiths' Association 51

Curiosities of Clocks and Watches 52

The Act for Registration of Trade Marks ... 53

Trade Gossip 53

The Precious Stones of Ceylon 53

The Boyal Jewels of Persia 54

Watchmen Watched 54

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Correspondence of the Year 1611 Concerning

Striking Clocks ..". 54

American Fashion Gossip 54

horological literature 54

The Invention of Telescopes 55

The New Jewel Kaleidoscope 55

British Horological Institute 55

Our Gallery.— Sir John Bennett, F.B.A.S 56

The Trial of the Pyx 5S

The Electric Motor and Clock-dial at the

New General Post Office* 58

A Treatise on Pitchings 59

The "Graphoscope"

Special Notice

The Clockmakers' Company

Quekett Microscopical Club

" The Post Office Watch and Clock, Goldsmith,
Jeweller, and Precious Metal Trades' Di-
rectory"

Mile's Alarm Till

Display of Historical Plate

Patents

The Trades' Directory

Advertisements 63

PAGE
. 59
. 60
. 61
. 61

HOBO LOGY.

{Continued.)

III. — Early Mechanical Contrivances.

WE dealt in our last Number with the natural method by which
the inhabitants of the world measured the day and night,
ages and ages ago, and it is curious to trace how the intellect of
man continued to investigate cause from effect; how he missed
his way, and how he strayed, as it were, upon something that he
was not seeking. There is no science which shows this more forcibly
than that of horology, and no art more clearly demonstrates it than
that of measuring time by mechanical means. Mankind has always
measured its time in different ways, and according to climate and
race. Euclid, the world-famed geometer, says, in his book on
"Phenomena," that the visible parts of the parallels passed over
by the northern stars are large in proportion as the distance of
those stars from the arctic is less. " We judge of it by the time
that they occupy in passing below the horizon being more or less
different from that occupied above it." "This passage proves,"
says Arago, in his " Popular Astronomy," "that in the time of
Euclid, 300 years before the Christian era, they possessed the
means of subdividing time." As we have just said, different nations
have different ways. We do it by the accumulation of days
through the stages of weeks, months, moons, and years, on the
one hand, and the subdivision of such days in seconds, minutes,
and hours, on the other.

In threading our tangled way through the dimly-lit mazes of his-

tory, for the purpose of discovering who began to measure his day
by periods of smaller recurrence, we are, to our utter astonishment,
confronted by " that heathen Chinee ! " Yes, there he stands, and
boldly tells us that he was the first who supplemented star-gazing
by something that he made himself. But let us hear the names of
his measures. "We allow him the honour of some important inven-
tions and discoveries. Notwithstanding what has been said to the
contrary, we may now justly concede to China the origin of the art
of printing, the composition of gunpowder, and the magnetic
compass ; to these we may add the invention and manufacture of
silk and porcelain. A well-informed writer says, ' ' There cannot be
the least doubt of the art of printing having been practised in
China during the tenth century of our era. The precise mode in
which they operate is certainly different from ours, but the main
principle, that of multiplying and cheapening books, by saving the
time and labour of transcription, is altogether the same. The
invention of powder, as compounded of 'sulphur, saltpetre, and
willow-charcoal,' is carried back by the Chinese to a very remote
date, but its iDarticular application to fire-arms seems to have been
Phiropean. The Chinese name has no reference whatever to guns,
and simply implies fire -drug, which seems to show that the composi-
tion was applied by them merely to fireworks (in -which they excel
at present), and other harmless or useful purposes, long before their
unwarlike spirit could have suggested the use of guns to themselves
or they could have borrowed the notion from Europe. With regard
to the compass, the attractive power of the loadstone had been
known to them from remote antiquity, but its property of commu-
nicating polarity to iron is for the first time explicitly noticed in a
Chinese dictionary finished in A.D. 121. Under the head of ' Load-
stone ' appears this definition : ' A stone with which a direction can

50

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1875.

be given to the needle.' The same word (cfttn) is used by them to
express the magnetic and the common working-needle, as among
ourselves. Pere Gaubil, in his history of the Tang dynasty, states
that he found, in a work written 100 years later than the above, the
use of the compass distinctly recorded."

Such are some of the Chinese scientific landmarks, and they are
mentioned here for the purpose of showing the ground that a people
stands upon who claim to be the first among the nations of mankind
who invented mechanical methods of measuring time. We shall
see.

The first mention that is known of any mechanical measuring
instrument is, undoubtedly, in 2 Kings xx. 9 — 11. It is the
sun-dial of Ahaz that is spoken of, and the shadow is said to have
gone back from its point ten degrees. The sick king, Hezekiah,
asks the prophet Isaiah for a supernatural sign, by which it may be
known that the monarch will be healed on the third day. Part of
Isaiah's answer is another question to the king, thus : " Shall the
shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees ? "
Hezekiah replied that "it is a light thing for the shadow to go
down ten degrees : nay, but let the shadow return backward ten
degrees."

Verse 11. "And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and
he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone
down in the dial of Ahaz."

In Isaiah xxxviii. the same narrative is repeated, but in slightly
different language. The king Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah are
again together, and Hezekiah is sick and receives a sign.

Verse 8. " Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees,
which is gone down in the sun-dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.
So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone
down."

We are not told what length of time a degree on this dial stood
for ; therefore we are unable to say how much that particular day
was longer than any other. If, however, the degrees were of the
same length as our meridianal ones, namely, four minutes to a
degree ; then, that particular day would be forty minutes longer
than usual. King Hezekiah lived about 750 years before Christ.

After the dial, came the clepsydt-a, or water-clock, although more
than one learned authority seems to place the water-clock first in
point of age. However, that does not matter much to us here ;
furthermore, there are very convenient places where these things
can always be found when one is in any doubt about them — and
where they mostly wander to — namely, the mists of antiquity.
"Their origin is lost in the mists of antiquity" pretty well settles
any further inquiry in a backward direction, and so closes the argu-
ment that way. And now about the dial, merely premising that
there are lunar as well as solar dials, one for the moon and another
for the sun.

The word "dial" is formed from the Latin dies, day, because of
its showing the hour of the day. It was also called sciathericum
horologium, which means " the hour by the shadow of the pin." Let
us air our learning a little, now that the opportunity offers. Skia
(2k<o) is the Greek word for shadow, and sciutheras was the shadow-
pin denoting the sun's passage across the dial. When the Romans
incorporated into their own language words from the Greek, k was
changed for c, and that accounts for sciathericum, instead of, as one
would naturally expect, skiathericum. Curiously enough, the words
"sketch," "shade," "overshadow," "shading," "to be shady,"
and many others, all more or less belong to skia. Skene is a tent,
and skeneso is to dwell in a tent ; skenema is a nest, whilst skenos is a
hut, as well as a tent. Skiatropheo is to rear in the shade, that is,
to bring up tenderly, covered from the storm-winds of childhood ;
furthermore, to wear a shade. Few persons wouldthink that the stable-
slang word, " skittish," came from the Greek skitaloi, but having
in that language a much " broader " meaning than it has in ours.
There is also another Greek word pretty well known among both
masters and workmen in its English form, that is skimbos. ° Now,
skimbos, in Greek, means lame, limping ; and scamping, in English,
hardly needs an explanation here, so far as turning out limping
work is concerned. We must not omit to say that, among all these
"sci's"and "ski's," sciatica has nothing to do with them. That
disease has its Latin name from the Greek word iskion, the hip-joint,
id est, gout in the hip.

But there is one well-known comical word that is suggested here,
namely, " skedaddle." This word was not " in society" in England
until the American civil war. In America, it was used by the
Northern soldiery contemptuously towards the Southern. When a
northern regiment fell back, it was said to "retire upon its supports,"
but when a Southern one did the same thing, it was said to have
" skedaddled." At the first appearance of the word here the Times
drew public attention to it. Lord Hill then wrote and stated that

it was an old Dumfriesshire word, excellent Scotch, and that it
meant "to spill." The milkmaids, for instance, would cry out,
" Yer skedadding a' the milk ! " idest, " You are spilling it all." How-
ever, we can do better than that with respect to the word's origin.
There is a Greek word called skidnemi, skedannumi, to scatter ; skid-
namiai, to be scattered. Now, as many of what are known as
" slang" words came originally from very respectable families, it is
not at all unlikely but that "skedaddle" maybe much nearer to
classic literature than either ourselves or brother Jonathan's
children may imagine. " Skedaddle," dressed in Greek costume,
looks thus: SkcSowujui. But, for a most amusing and instructive
book, full of research about such vagabond offshoots of languages
from all parts of the world, we strongly recommend those interested
to procure the "Slang Dictionary," published by Messrs. Chatto
& Windus, of Piccadilly. It contains many thousands of words,
and is a perfect storehouse of both the ancient and modern univer-
sally-spoken but unwritten tongue. Our latest edition is one of
1869, but we saw a new one, with considerable additions, advertised
for publication not many months ago.

Quitting this pleasant philological gossip for a moment, we now
define a sun-dial in something like the following way : — It is an
arrangement of certain lines on a surface, flat, or otherwise, so
contrived as that the shadow of the " style," or " pin," shall touch
such certain lines at given hours, or parts of hours, of the day ; or
that a ray of sunlight, passing through a slit, or hole, and falling
upon some time-measuring surface, shall produce the same effect.
By many writers, the pin, or style, of the dial, is called the gnomon,
a name which, perforce, throws us back on our "larnin' " (save the
mark!) again.

Gnomon (pronounced nomoii) is a Greek word, literally signifying
"rule " and "judge." Another form is gnoma, opinion, knowledge,
proof ; gnoriso, to make known, to declare, &c. ; gnorisma, sign,
evidence ; and gnosis, knowledge, &c. ; the medical term diagnosis,
knowing through, prognostic, knowing before the happening of the
event, &c. But the juvenile reader must not think that diagnosis
and diagonal are near relations, which, unless warned, he may very
likely do. Diagonal is composed of two Greek words, did, through,
and gonia, a corner: idiomatically, "from corner to corner."
Gnomon is thus printed in Greek Tvwfiov.

As all dial-plates are now flat, the gnomon, or shadow-style
represents the axis of the earth, or at least is parallel to it. The
ancients used hemispherical dial-plates, and they so arranged their
instruments that the shadow was thrown in a line of the north
polar star. This made the hour lines on the dial circular arcs,
at regular distances of one hour each, or fifteen degrees. The
Greek writer, Herodotus, the "father of history," as he is called,
says that his countrymen got both the gnomon and the sphere from
the Babylonians. There was, in a former age, a science of
gnomonics, but the astronomical clock has reduced it to mere
scientific toying ; thus, a sun-dial in a garden is a pleasing addition,
and most gentlemen do not think such a place properly furnished
without. We quite agree with them ; it is good for trade, and for
inquiring minds, and, were we in their position — were it merely a
case of " send to the bank " — we would have a grand " astronomical
regulator" inside the front door and a 20Z. "chimer" in every
room in the house.

Then there is the " gnomic projection " for maps, as well as for
dialling, which, although not practically belonging to horology, is
nevertheless scientifically related to it. and is very interesting to
read about. We have, however, "run down" for this month, but,
next one, we will resume the thread of our somewhat " free-and-
easy " discourse.

RARE WORKMANSHIP IN PRESENTATION
PLATE.

WE recently had an opportunity of inspecting a magnificent
presentation shield presented to Earl Spencer, by the Ward
Union Hunt. The shield, which is of sterling silver, weighing
230 ounces, is a magnificent piece of workmanship of rare artistic
merit, and was supplied by Mr. Edward Johnson, of 89, Grafton-
street, Dublin, having been manufactured by the well-known firm
of Martin, Hall, & Co., of Sheffield. The centre of the plate is a
representation of Diana with the dog, the four cardinal points
showing stags' heads, while the other parts bear excellent represen-
tations of the different stages of hunting scenes.

The Celtic work is entirely saw-pierced and laid on, thus pro-
ducing a very fine effect. The general models of the various figures
are of unusual merit, and every emblem is wrought in the most artistic
and finished style, of which the manufacturers may well feel proud.

Aug. 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUKNAL.

51

FINGER RINGS.

(Continued from page 27.)

AMONG the Italians of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries it
was usual for ladies to give their lovers rings which contained
their portraits, and were made with the fede, or two hands clasped.
It was usual, also, for lovers to wear the rings given to them by
their mistresses on holidays, as we find in England's " Helicon "
(1600)—

" My songs they be of Cinthias prayse,
I weare her rings on Holly-dayes."
Bassanio and Gratiano give the rings which they received
respectively from Portia and Nerissa to the young doctor and
his clerk after the discomfiture of Shylock, although Portia had
said —

"This house, these servants, and this same myself
Are yours, my lord — I give them with this ring,
Which when you part from, lose, or give away,
Let it presage the ruin of your love,
And be my vantage to exclaim on you ; "

and Bassanio had answered —

" When this ring
Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence.
Oh then be bold to say, Bassanio's dead ! "
Imogen gives her husband, Posthumus, a ring when they part, and
he gives her a bracelet in exchange. "Although," he says, "my
ring I hold dear as my finger, 'tis part of it," yet he gives it up
to Iachimo to test the virtue of his wife. In Beaumont and
Fletcher's " Cupid's Revenge" a lady describes a man's presents to
his mistress —

" Given earrings we will wear,
Bracelets of our lover's hair,
Which they on our arms shall twist,
With their names carved on our wrist."
Sometimes the man gave a ring to his lady. In Davison's
"Rhapsody" (1611) there is a sonnet from one who sent his
mistress a gold ring with the posy " Pure and endless ; " and when
Richard III. brings his rapid wooing to a conclusion he gives
Lady Anne a ring, saying —

"Look how this ring encompasseth thy finger —
Even so thy breast encompasseth my poor heart,
Wear both them, for both of them are thine."
In Spain the gift of a ring is looked upon as a promise of
marriage, and is considered sufficient proof to enable a girl to
claim her husband. In the fifteenth century love-rings occur with
the orpine (TclepMum), commonly called "midsummer men," engraved
upon them, a device which was chosen because the bending leaves
of that plant were presumed to prognosticate whether love was true
or false. It was used for love divination late into the last century.
The gimmal, jimmal, gimbal, or gimmon ring was a pretty
invention, which continued a favourite for many years. It was a
twin or double ring, and took its name from the word gemelli.
Sometimes it was formed of three pieces of gold wire, and even
four occasionally. In the latter case the result was a puzzle ring—
" Thou sendest to me a true-love knot, but I
Beturn a ring of jimmals, to imply
Thy love bad one knot, mine a triple tye." — Herrick.
At first it was a simple love token, but afterwards was converted
into a ring of affiance, the lover putting his finger through one of.
the loops, and his mistress, hers through the other.
"A curious artist wrought 'em
With joints so close as not to be perceived,
Yet are they both each other's counterpart ;
Her part had Juan inscribed, and his Layeta ;
(You know those names were theirs) and in the midst
A heart divided in two halves was placed ;
Now if the rivets of those rings inclosed

Fit not each other, I have forged this lye, _ n

But if they join you must for ever part."— Dryden, "Don Sebastian.
Mr. Crofton Croker, in his privately-printed catalogue of Lady
Londesborough's collection, describes and figures a very interesting
jimmal ring consisting of three rings, which separate and turn on a
pivot. The two outer ones were united by two clasped hands,
concealing two united hearts upon the middle one, which was
toothed at the edge. The following is the account given of the use
to which the ring had been put :—

"There can be little doubt, from the specimens which have
come under observation, that it had been used as a betrothing ring
by an officer of the king's German legion with some Irish lady, and
that the notched ring was retained by some confidential female

friend who was present as a witness at the betrothal ceremony —
usually one of the most solemn and private character — and at which,
over the Holy Bible placed before the witness, both the man and the
woman broke away the upper and lower rings from the centre one,
which was held by the intermediate person. It would appear that
the parties were subsequently married, when it was usual, as a proof
that their pledge had been fulfilled, to return to the witness or
witnesses to their contract the two rings which the betrothed had
respectively worn until married, and thus the three rings which had
been separated became re-united, as in the present instance.

St. Martin's rings, which were fair to the eye, although only brass
or copper within, were frequently given as presents to girls by their
sweethearts. They are often referred to in old English literature
to point amoral; thus, in "Plane Percivall, the Peace Maker of
England" (1589), we read, "I doubt whether all be gold that
glisteneth, sith St. Martin's rings be but copper within, though
they be gilt without, sayes the Goldsmith." And in Braith-
waite's "Whimzies" (1631) they are mentioned, with counterfeit
bracelets, as commodities of infinite consequence ; " they will pass
for current at a May pole, and purchase a favour from their Maid
Marion."

The name originated from the very extensive franchises and
immunities which were enjoyed by the inhabitants of the precincts
of the Collegiate Church of St. Martin's le Grande. The gilding
and silvering of rings made of copper or latten was prohibited by
statute 5 Hen. IV. c. 13, under a heavy penalty, and in consequence
the "disloyal artificers," against whom the enactment was made,
appear to have taken refuge in the hallowed district. By another
statute (3 Edw. IV. c. 4) it was declared unlawful to import rings of
gilded copper or latten, but the Act was not to be prejudicial or
hurtful to any persons living in St. Martin's le Grande. In the
same reign the like reservation of the rights of the Dean of St.
Martin's and his colony of outlaws was made ; and thus it was
that St. Martin's rings obtained their name.

The supposed heathen origin of the marriage ring well-nigh
caused its abolition during the time of the Commonwealth, as
Butler tells us in " Hudibras " —

" Others were for abolishing that tool of matrimony, a ring, with
which the unsanctified bridegroom is married only to a thumb."

Wedding rings, however, have been supposed by some to have
been worn by the Jews prior to Christian times, but Selden says
that they were only used when the Jews found them prevalent
around them. About the commencement of the sixteenth century
Hebrew betrothal rings, called Mozol Touv (a word which, freely
translated, means "joy be with you," or, "good luck to you") were
common among the German Jews. They were usually surmounted
with a small house, temple, or tabernacle, by way of bezel.

Whatever may have been the origin of the wedding ring, the
Church took care that it should be considered a holy thing.

The "Doctrine of the Masse Booke" (1554) contains a form for
the hallowing of the woman's ring at wedding, in which are the
following prayers —

"Thou maker and conserver of mankind, gever of spiritual
grace, and graunter of eternal salvation, Lord, send thy blessing
xipon this ring, that she which shall weare it maye be armed wyth
the vertue of heavenly defence, and that it maye profit her to
eternal salvation thorowe Christ," &c.

" Halow thou, Lord, this ring which we blesse in thy holye name ;
that what woman soever shall weare it may stand fast in thy
peace, and continue in thy wyl and live and grow and waxe old in
thy love," &c.

Holy water was then to be sprinkled upon the ring.
(To lie continued.)

BIRMINGHAM MASTER JEWELLERS AND
SILVERSMITHS' ASSOCIATION.

WE have received a copy of the rules and regulations adopted
by the above-named association, and are glad to learn that
the recent endeavours of its members are producing the desired
effect, and that the trade is awakened to the necessity of stamping
out the systematic frauds which have hitherto been practised with
impunity. A number of unprincipled dealers have, for some time,
preyed upon all those they could possibly defraud, and the course
now adopted by the association is calculated to give it a high stand-
ing in the eyes of the trade, and to increase confidence in legitimate
business transactions, exciting a wholesome influence on all interested
therein. We hope to be enabled to give satisfactory reports of the
progress of the newly-formed association.

52

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1875.

CURIOSITIES OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

(Continued from page 37 .)

IN 1680 Clement, a London clockmaker, invented the cylinder
escapement, with the horizontal wheel, but this plan was not
brought into use until the following century.

The engraved portrait of Edward Backwell, alderman of London,
who died in 1679, was published ; it represents him in a flowered
gown, with a watch. In a gallery at Hampton Court Palace is the
portrait of a man with a watch in his hand, the artist being Peter
Van Aelst, who nourished in the seventeenth century.

There is extant a round silver watch with double case, of the time
of William III., which measures upwards of 2 in. in diameter and
1^ in. in thickness. In the centre of the dial-plate is chased a shield,
with an escalop shell and a satyr's head, and on it is engraved the
maker's name, "Wise, Reading." The hours are in Roman numerals,
the minutes marked with strokes, with the five minutes distinguished
in Arabic numbers on ovals outside the circle of strokes. The
figures are engraved on silver, filled in with black enamel. The
hands are of blue steel ; on the back plate is inscribed, " Luke
Wise, Keading; " and the cock is very richly wrought.

A touch-watch is one by which the time of day may be felt.
Brequet invented une montre de touche, in which the hours were indi-
cated by eleven projecting studs around the rim of the case, while
the pendant marked twelve o'clock. In the centre of the back of
the case was placed an index, or hand, which, when moved forward,
would stop at the portion of the hour indicated by the watch, so
that, by means of the studs and pendant, the time could be easily
felt and counted. For instance, at half-past two the index would
stop in the middle of the space between the second and third studs
from the pendant. To the blind, as well as to persons travelling by
night, the touch-watches must have been invaluable. The subjoined
advertisements, for the recovery of touch-watches which had
been stolen, occur in newspapers of the years 1678 and 1692
respectively : " Lost, out of a person's pocket, upon Wednesday night,
being the 27th of November, betwixt Prince's-street and St. John's-
street (Clerkenwell), an old flat, silver watch, with a studded case,
and little knobs against each hour to feel what's o'clock. It was
made by Mr. John Bayes. Whoever brings it to Mr. Adams, a
barber in Stanhope-street, near Clare-market, shall have twenty
shillings reward." In the London Gazette, No. 2844, February 1692,
we read: "Lost, between Piccadilly and St. James'-street, on
Monday last, in the evening, a gold watch, made fast in a gold
studded case, with high pins on each hour ; made by Mr. Taylor, at
the end of Fetter-lane, Holborn. Whoever brings it to Mr. Harri-
son, goldsmith, at the 3 Flower de Luces, in the Strand, shall have a
guinea reward." The late Duke of Wellington possessed a fine
watch of this description, which was presented to him by the King
of Spain. A touch-watch, for the use of the blind, was exhibited
by Mr. Dent, in 1851 ; it was of his own manufacture.

A satirical poem, published in 1690, entitled " Mundus Muliebris,"
describing a fashionable lady's toilette, says —

" Gold is her toothpick, gold her watch is,
And gold is everything she touches."
In the same poem references are made to the lady's diamond
crodie, which was the hook to which were chained the wearer's
watch, seals, intaglios, and the like.

The English watchmakers of the seventeenth century became so
famous in their craft that, lest inferior articles should be sold
abroad as their productions, a law was passed in 1698 obliging all
makers to put their names on their watches.

Lady Fellows has the following watches, all of which are of the
seventeenth century : — A silver watch, the outer case of which is in
the form of a skull ; on the back is an hour-glass and the words
" Incertite 7tora," " JEsterna respice," and other sentences. The
case opens at the lower jaw. The maker was J. C. Vuolf. A
silver cross opening to contain a watch, but the works are absent.
The numerals are engraved, and outside is a lamb engraved ; at the
lower end is a seal, marked with the sacred monogram. A crystal-
cased watch by Jean Rousseau, in the form of a cross, with gilt
engraved dial-plate and small silver dial, with a landscape in the
centre. An oval metal-gilt watch by John Wrighte, engraved with
sacred subjects and inscriptions ; round the side is a silver band of
scriptural subjects, and inside the lids the crucifix and the offer-
ings of the Magi. A gilt-metal oval watch, with a silver belt, in-
scribed " Vigilate el orate, quia, nesdtis Twram" It has an engraved
dial-plate, with a landscape in the centre, and a silver ring with
numerals. A metal watch-case in the form of a book, the cover
being pierced to show the hours marked on the dial. A square
table-watch, with iron works and gilt dial-plate, fitting into a silver

case. An oval silver tulip-shaped watch by Thomas Hande, the
projecting leaves being chased in a chequered pattern. The silver-
engraved dial has a landscape in the centre, and a crystal face. A
large round watch-case without works ; it has a bell, an engraved
dial-plate, and a pierced back and front of arabesque scrolls. A
round silver repeater and alarum watch, with a pierced and en-
graved side, of Bacchus on a cask, and flowers. It has a silver dial-
plate, with gilt centre, and an outer shagreen case. A round silver
repeater and alarum watch by Piquet, a Rennes, with a silver- gilt
centred dial-plate. A round silver alarum repeater watch by Elias
Weckerlin, « Zug, with pierced flower back, silver dial, gilt centre,
and a steel key. A small round silver4 watch by J. B. Vuicar, a Zug,
with a steel hand and an engraved silver dial-plate. A crystal-
cased watch by Ayme Noel, carved with fluted rays, having a silver
dial and enclosed in a silver outer case. An oval crystal-cased
watch by Croymarie, carved with cross-lines and pellets, engraved
gilt face and silver dial. A round silver watch-case, chased with
vertical and curved lines, and flowers between, with a silver dial.
A small oval silver-gilt plain watch by Robert Grinkin, of London,
with crystal face and silver dial. A large oval repeater-watch,
with metal open-scroll side round the bell, silver back and dial.
The name on the works is " Hierosme " " Grebauul." An oval
metal repeater- watch, with pierced back, small silver dial, and land-
scape in the centre. A large silver repeater-watch by Jean Vallier,
a Lyon, with pierced floriated ornament and white enamelled dial-
plate. A round silver watch by Henry Terold, of Ipswich, with
chased interlacing bands, and silver dial. A round silver watch by
Louis Herve, with fluted rays and white enamelled face. An oval
silver watch by Dupont, a Castres, with engraved side, of birds and
squirrels ; engraved dial-plate with indexes to show the hour, days
of the week and month, age of the moon, and constellation ; inside
the cover is fitted a sun-dial, with box for a compass. An oval
watch by G. Benard, with open gilt-metal sides, silver back and
front ; inside the cover is a sun-dial without the gnomon ; the dial-
plate is engraved with cherub, birds, and dogs, and has a silver
ring with numerals. An oval gilt-metal watch by Papus, a Rennes,
in plain cases, with gilt dial-plate and silver ring of numerals. An
oval silver watch by William North, of London, with gilt face, and
two dials showing the day of the week and month, the hour, and
the age of the moon. An oval metal repeater-watch by " On Cusin,
a Autun," with plain cases and pierced side, and a gilt chatelaine
with filigree centres. A plain oval metal watch, with black
numerals and steel hour-hand, and no minutes. An oval metal
watch, with engraved silver band round the side, silver dial en-
graved with Time, Venus, and Cupid, and gilt border. An oval
metal-gilt watch by Augustin Forfard, Sedan, with plain cases,
silver ring of numerals on gilt ground, and steel hour-hand. An
oval silver watch by C. Gillier, a Berne, with engraved borders and
centre subjects, silver ring of numerals on dial-plate, engraved with
a landscape, and chased border. A round silver repeater alarum-
watch by Collet, a Rouen, with pierced floriated side, and silver
dial, showing the hour and days of the month. A round silver
watch by John Drake, in Fleet-street, with plain outer case, silver
dial, and steel hand. A round silver repeater-watch by Chamber-
laine, of Chelmsford, with pierced flowers at the back, and silver
dial, showing the hour and days of the month. A round silver
watch by "Thos. Chamberlaine, de Chelmisforde," with silver dial.
A silver-gilt octangular watch by Leonard Papon, a Gean, in plain
case, with engraved dial, and no numerals. An octagonal silver-gilt
watch by Josias Jolly, a Paris, with engraved border, and land-
scape in the centre of the face. An octangular metal-gilt watch in
a plain case, with crystal face, and small dial ; on the back is a pen-
dulum which projects below the case. An octangular metal-gilt
watch, the case being pierced at the back with geometrical orna-
ments, and in front with the Agnus Dei; the dial is inlaid with
enamel flowers. An octangular crystal-cased watch by Pattru, cut
in diamond facets, and engraved dial with Cupids and flowers. An
octangular metal-gilt repeater-watch, with pierced back, engraved
borders, and inlaid enamel dial. An octangular metal-gilt repeater-
watch, with pierced back, in floriated ornament, open sides round
the bell, and silver dial with black Roman numerals. An octangular
gilt repeater metal watch, with maker's initials, G. H., pierced
ornaments on the back, front, and side, and nielloed silver dial, with
a smaller gilt dial in the centre. An octangular silver watch by Jere
Johnson, of Exchange-alley, engraved with scrolls, crystal face cut
in diamond facets, and silver dial with gilt border.

The following watches, also of the seventeenth century, belong to
the undermentioned persons : — Messrs. Farrer have a French gold
watch, the case of which is painted on enamel, with the Holy
Family and other sacred subjects. Also, a gold watch by Theodore
Girard, of Blois, the back and dial of green translucent enamel,
white border, and engraved with flowers. Mr. George Field has a

Aug. 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

53

square gilt pedestal watch by Ferment, of London, with figures of
Faith, Hope, and Charity at the angles; and another with two
small medallions of busts of the electors of Germany on each side ;
four Cupids at the top ; set all over with garnets and diamonds ;
resting on a base supported by four eagles and garlands between.
The height is two inches and three-quarters. Mr. S. Addington has
a round watch, with a painted enamel case of Venus and Adonis, in
an outer case of leather ornamented with gold studs in flower
patterns. Also, a circular enamelled watch by Stieler, a Berlin,
painted with the rape of Europa, and portraits round the edge.
Also, a metal circular watch, with enamelled painting of Mars and
Venus. Also, an enamelled watch with a portrait of William III.
on horseback at the battle of the Boyne in front. On the dial is
painted St. George and the Dragon. Jt is in a gold perforated outer
case. Also, a watch of quatrefoil form, with a ring of ruby enamel
in the centre ; round the side are stone medallions, with blue ena-
melled frames, resting on a swivel frame of silver-gilt, chased with
masks and dolphins.

(To be continued.)

THE ACT FOR REGISTRATION OF
TRADE MARKS.

mHE Bill entitled "An Act to Establish a Register of Trade
Marks" has just passed through the House of Lords, and
been ordered by the House of Commons to be printed.

The Bill, which contains eleven clauses, provides for the registra-
tion of trade marks, under the superintendence of the Commissioners
of Patents.

Among other provisions, the Act requires that the trade mark
must be registered as belonging to particular goods, or classes of
goods, and the registration of a person as first proprietor shall be
" prima facie evidence of his right to the exclusive use of such
trade mark, and shall, after the expiration of five years from the
date of such registration, be conclusive evidence of his right to the
exclusive use of such trademark." Any one registered as the
proprietor, who is not for the time being entitled to the exclusive
use of a trade mark, is liable to be proceeded against by any person
feeling himself aggrieved, who has the option of applying either to
a court of law or equity, or to a judge in chambers for a rectifica-
tion of the register, and the judge may award damages to the party
aggrieved. In case of more than one person claiming to be regis-
tered as the proprietor of the same trade m;irk, the registrar may
refuse to comply with the claims of any of such persons until their
rights have been determined by the court, and " the registrar may
himself submit or require the claimants to submit in the prescribed
manner their rights to the court." The registrar is precluded from
registering, without the special leave of the court, in respect of the
same goods or classes of goods, " a trade mark identical with one
which is already registered with respect to such goods or classes of
goods, or so nearly resembling the same as to be calculated to
deceive.'

TRADE GOSSIP.

A New Enameling Process. — Mr. J. H. Robinson, of Liverpool,
has recently invented a process, which, he claims, is not only
cheaper, but in which the resulting product is free from those specks
of dirt which seem inseparable from the present methods of
manufacture.

Turquoise and tortoiseshell jewellery is again fashionable.

A watchmaker in Brooklyn, U.S., claims to have cleaned 5844
watches within the past year. This would be at the rate of about
1 12 per week, and if our Brooklyn friend does so good a trade in
that branch alone, he cannot complain of dull times.

Several of the Connecticut clock factories have been compelled
to close in consequence of having effected too many sales " on time."

The Pope has sent the Shah a Florentine mosaic table and a
bronze model of the triumphal arch of Septimus Severus, at Rome.
The presents will be delivered by the Archbishop of Heraelia-
— New York Jeweller.

We learn that there has lately been brought in the market a cheap
foreign imitation of the Waltham watch manufactured by the
American Watch Company. They are said to be imitations of the
trade mark of the above-named watches, and purchasers will there-
fore do well to be cautious.

The scheme of the examinations of the Society of Arts is to be
thoroughly revised, a committee having been appointed for the
purpose. The programme for 1876 will be issued as soon as the
details are settled.

THE PRECIOUS STONES OF CEYLON.

THE station of Ratnapoora, about sixty miles from Colombo, is
the centre of the gem-producing district, which extends for
about fifty miles along the base of that mountain range. Gems
are occasionally found in other parts of the hills, but seldom of
sufficient value to repay a formal search ; but in this district alone
it is a regular occupation of the people. Here the digging is carried
on in the beds of streams, and in the alluvial plains lying in the
valleys upon their banks.

The gems found in this locality are the sapphire, the ruby, and
topaz. The spinal ruby is also found, but more rarely ; also the
cat's-eye amethyst and beryl.

Gem-digging is principally carried on by the native Cingalese.
In the intervals of their agricultural operations, parties of villagers,
from three to six, join in partnership, contributing their labour and
the implements required. They camp out for weeks, and often
months, for the purpose. The work is carried on either in their own
land, or on the waste or crown land, and, if successful, the produce
is sold and the proceeds divided among them.

As to the locality, picture to yourself a brook, varying from ten
to fifty feet wide, bordered by luxuriant vegetation, among which
plumed groups of bamboo are the most conspicuous, winding through
a narrow level strip of grass or rice land abutting on abrupt hills
clothed with evergreen woods and clumps of palm trees, above which
the higher hills ascend draped in dark primeval forest. In such a
secluded spot may be seen half a dozen natives in scant clothing,
and with coarse straw hats, carrying three or four long hoes, and as
many sifting-baskets, and a few dried talpac palm leaves, each eight
or ten feet long, to form a tent until they can build a hut from
branches or materials on the spot. The first thing they do is to
probe the sandy bed of the stream with a twelve-foot rod ; and,
from long practice, the natives, accustomed to the work, can Ibrm a
good guess of the nature of the subsoil, and the probability of
finding the gem deposit of which they are in search.

When the place is decided on, they form a loose dam of sticks and
stones above the spot, to turn off the force of the stream, leaving a
sufficient current to carry away the sand and earth excavated ;
within this dam a pit is dug, six or eight yards square, according to
the nature of the soil, from which the sand is dragged into the tail
of the stream, to be carried away by the current. The hoes used are
a little larger and more hollowed than those used for scraping mud
from our roads, but the handles are 15 or 20 feet long, for the layer of
gravel in which the gems are found is often that depth below the
bed of the stream. The men work up to their waists in water, and
in favourable weather it takes four or five days, or a week, to dig a
pit 12 or 18 feet deep, if all goes on favourably ; but, being dug
under water, it has a constant tendency to fill up by the action of
the stream.

The excavators draw up their hoes carefully, and pour the gravel
they contain into the baskets held by their companions standing in
the water. The baskets are about 2 feet across, woven closely and
evenly of fine bamboo splints, with a strong round border.

The basket-men throw out the large stones, break up the mud
and gravel, and sift it in the water, which carries off all the refuse.
The coarse gravel is then washed out of the baskets by a circular
motion under water, while the baskets are being constantly
replenished. The gems are so much heavier than the other stones
that they always make their way to the conical point at the bottom
of the basket, and the operator can wash out all the gravel to the
last handful without fear of their escaping. He then examines this
small quantity, which consists of garnet sand and seen gems, and,
having secured anystonesof value for cutting, throws awayallthe rest.
The digging for gems in dry ground is more laborious, lacking
the aid of water of the stream to carry away the mud. The
localities are the same; but, instead of digging in the bed of the
stream, large pits are dug in the adjoining meadow land until the
gem stratum is reached ; the gravel is then carried in baskets to the
bank of the stream and sifted in the water, as before. Ihis, however,
is a more certain mode of obtaining all the precious stones which
are in the pit, many of which escape notice by the other mode,
where the work is carried on under water, and, as it were, in the
dark, and many good stones escape the hoe ; on this account old
diggings under water often prove very remunerative. — New York
Jewellers' Circular.

(To be continued.)

Knowledge is the treasure of the mind, discretion the key to it ;
and it illustrates all other learning as the lapidary doth unpolished
diamonds.

54

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1875.

THE ROYAL JEWELS OP PERSIA.

I WENT," says a recent writer, "with the Turkish minister, an
Italian, and a Russian lady, to see the Shah's jewels, which are
certainly the greatest sight in their way that the -world can
show. We presented ourselves at the palace aud were received by
Yahya Khan, who took us out of the second and inner great court
of the palace into a small quadrangle, not far from the sacred
precincts of the harem. We then went up a steep staircase to a
small room about 20 feet by 14 feet, where jewels to the value of
- I (00,000 or $7,000,000 were laid out on carpets at the far end of
the room. Near the jewels, on a chair, sat the Mustaufiul Mamalik,
or Persian chancellor of the exchequer, and being a Saiyid, wore
the sacred colour.

In such a show of gems as seemed to realize the wonders of
Aladdin's lamp, the eye was too much dazzled and the memory too
confused for description to be possible. But I remember that at
the back of all was the Kaianian crown, and on either side of it two
Persian lambskin caps, adorned with splendid aigrettes of diamonds.
The crown itself was shaped like a flower-pot, with the small end
opened and the other closed. On the top of the crown was an
uncut ruby, apparently without flaw, as large as a hen's egg. In
front of the crown were dresses covered with diamonds and pearls ;
trays with necklaces of pearls, rubies, and emeralds, and some hun-
dreds of diamond, ruby, and turquoise rings. In front of these, again,
were gauntlets and belts covered with rubies and diamonds ; and,
conspicuous among them, the Kaianian belt, about a foot deep,
weighing, perhaps, about eight pounds, and one complete mass of
pearls, diamonds, emeralds, ami rubies. Still nearer to us stood a
drinking bowl, completely studded with enormous jewels ; a tray-
f ul of foreign orders set in brilliants ; and in front of all lay a dozen
swords, which are worth a quarter of a million each. Along with
these were epaulets covered with diamonds, and armlets so con-
trived that brilliants revolved and kept up a continuous scintillation.

It was difficult among so many to single particular gems.
Perhaps, however, the first place ought to be assigned to the
famous "Darya-i-Nor," or "Sea of Light," the sister diamond to
our Punjab trophy, the " Koh-i-Nor," or " Mountain of Light."
It is 1£ inch long, 1 inch broad, and | inch thick. It has the
name of Fath Ali Shah on one side, and the inscribing this name
reduced the value of the diamond, so at least said Yahya Khan. It
is a monstrous diamond, but not very brilliant. The Persians say
that the " Sea of Light " and the " Mountain of Light " were jewels
in the sword of Afrusiab, who lived 3000 years B.C. Kustum took
them from Afrusiab, and they continued in the crown of Persia till
they were carried away by Timour, from whom they descended to
Mohammed Shah, King of Delhi, and Nadir brought them from
India ; but when he was slain, Ashmed Shan Abdalli carried off the
Koh-i-Nor, which descended to Shah Shuja, and was taken from
him by Runjet Singh. The Darya-i-Nor remained in Persia with
the greater part of the other gems that Nadir brought from India.

Among the rings is one in which is set the famous Pitt diamond
sent by George IV. to Fath AU Shah. Another very large diamond
is the Taja Hama, or the Diadem of the Phoenix. It seemed as bio-
as the top of a man's thumb. There is also the finest turquoise
in the world, 3 or 4 inches long, and without a flaw ; and a
smaller one of unique beauty, f inch long and f inch broad.
The colour was lovely, and almost as refreshing to the eye
as Persian poets pretend. There are also many sapphires as large
as marbles, and rubies and pearls the size of nuts ; and 1 am certain
that I counted nearly a hundred emeralds from \ inch to 1^ inch
long and 1 inch broad. In the sword scabbard, which is covered
•with diamonds, there is not a single stone smaller than the nail of a
man's little finger. Lastly, there is an emerald as large as a walnut
covered with the names of the kings who had possessed it.

WATCHMEN WATCHED.

THE Shive Governor Company of Bethlehem, Pa., U.S., has
recently introduced a new time detector, which is said to check
any neglect of duty on the part of those whose business it is to watch
premises or factories, and which records the visits of watchmen to
certain localities.

The clock cannot be tampered with, and any dereliction on the
part of the watchman is plainly revealed beyond the power of
concealment.

CORRESPONDENCE OP THE YEAR 1611
CONCERNING STRIKING CLOCKS.

THE following letter, from Gilbert, Earl of Shrewsbury, to Sir
Michael Hickes, of the year 1611-12, is preserved in the
Lansdown MS. in the British Museum, No. 92, Art 80 :—

"I perceived by you to-day that you understood My Lord
Treasurer's design was to have a watch, but I conceaved he wysshed
a strikynge Clock, made lyke a Watch, to stande oppon a Cubbart,
and suche a one (though no new one, and yet under a dozen years
ould) I have found oute, and send you by this bearer, which I pray
you deliver to his Lordship from me, and tell him that I am very
well perswaded of the truth of it or else 1 should be ashamed to
send him so gross and rude a piece as this is, and if I hadd thought
his Lordship could have well forborne it but for four or five dayes
longer, I would have bestowed a new case for it, for this is a very
bad one. If his Lordship would not have it stryke, either in the
dayes or nights, the striker may be forborne to be wounde up, and
so the Watch being wounde up it will goe alone. It will goe twenty-
six houres, but I wysh it may be wounde up every mornyng or
nyght aboute 8 or 9 o'Clock which will be sufficient untill the next
day or nyght at the same tyme.

" I am weary with my longe journey today to Greenwich, and
with waytinge on the Queen, overstandyng myself, and therefore I
will hast to bedd, and ever remayne,

" Yr very assured lov : friend,
' ' This Tuesday nyght " Gilb Shrewsbury "

" To my very good friend

" Sr Michael Hycks, Knight."

AMERICAN FASHION GOSSIP.

rnHERE is in fine jewellery but little change in the styles this
season. For earrings, the diamond solitaires, set in platinum
clamps, single pearls, held in short gold hasps, and the pansy, with
a diamond dew-drop glistening in the heart of the flower, are the
favourites in costly jewels, while the less expensive are the coloured
gold balls, cut or cbased. Brooches, if worn, are of various designs
according well with the rings ; but these are almost altogether dis-
carded for the pendants so much liked, which are now worn most
frequently suspended from a black velvet band, instead of the
weighty chains of former time. In all styles of jewellery the
coloured, or bright-yellow, gold is used to the exclusion of all
other.

In fancy goods there is a new and showy, but not very attractive,
jewellery of antique device, inlaid, or rather burnished, with Persian
colours, and set with diamonds and pearls. The workmanship upon
these sets is perfect in its minuteness and very complicated, as ea h
atom of rich colouring must be laid on with telling effect, hence it
is very costly.

A very pretty style of ball earrings, with oval pendant, is of dia-
monds and pearls encrusted on gold. These are unique and elegant
in the extreme.

Earrings shaped like conch shells, the outside of the shell en-
crusted with diamonds, and the inside enamelled with pink enamel,
a cluster of diamonds suspended from the inside, and a cluster of
diamond leaves surmounting the whole, are something new and
exquisite.

In coloured ornaments, the " Bonanza," which is the name given
to the large painted porcelain brooches so much worn now, and jet
and rubber sets, also painted in bright colours, are the most in
demand. The favourite designs for these are the heads of cherubs,
Beatrice and the Italian boy. In jet, these sets cost from three to
I fifteen dollars a piece, and the porcelain pins, mounted in oxydized
silver, range in price from three to eight dollars.

A novelty is the ivory tablet, enclosed either in a shell or amber
case, with a small watch, warranted to keep good time, on the out-
side of the case. — New Fork Jeweller.

HOROLOGICAL LITERATURE.*

A somewhat lengthened review of this book, which is in type, has
been unavoidably postponed.

* A Rudimentary Treatise on Clocks, Watches, and Bells, bv Sir
Edmund Beckett, Bart, (late E. B. Dennison, LL.D., Q.C., F.R.A.S.),
President of the Horological Institute. Sixth Edition revised and enlarged.
With numerous Illustrations. Lockwood & Co., London, 1875.

Aug. 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

55

THE INVENTION OP TELESCOPES.

{Continued from page 30.)

THE result of Galileo's observations were given to the world in a
small work entitled " Nuncius Sidereus," or ".News from the
Starry Regions," which produced an extraordinary sensation among
the learned. These discoveries soon spread throughout Europe, and
were incessantly talked of, and were the cause of much speculation
and debate among the circles of philosophers. Many doubted ;
many positively refused to believe so novel and unlooked-for an-
nouncements, because they ran counter to the philosophy of Aris-
totle and all the preconceived notions which then prevailed in the
learned world. It is curious, and may be instructive, to consider to
what a length of absurdity ignorance and prejudice carried many of
those who made pretensions to learning and science. Some tried to
reason against the facts alleged to be discovered ; others contented
themselves, and endeavoured to satisfy others, with the simple asser-
tion that such things were not, and could not possibly be ; and the
manner in which they supported themselves in their incredulity was
truly ridiculous. " 0 my dear Kepler," says Galileo, in a letter to
that astronomer, "how I wish we could have one hearty laugh
together ! Here at Padua is the principal professor of philosophy,
whuin I have repeatedly and urgently requested to look at the moon
and planets through my glass, which he pertinaciously refuses to do,
lest his opinion should be overturned. Why are you not here?
What shouts of laughter we should have at this glorious folly ! and
to hear the professor of philosophy at Pisa labouring with the
Grand-duke with logical arguments, as if with magical incantations
to charm the new planets out of the sky." Another opponent of
Galileo, one Christmann, says, in a book he published, " \Ve are not
to think that Jupiter has four satellites given him by nature, in
order, by revolving round him, to immortalize the Medici who first
had notice of the observation. These are the dreams of idle men,
who love ludicrous ideas better than our laborious and industrious
correction of the heavens. Nature abhors so horrible a chaos, and
to the truly wise such vanity is detestable."

One Martin Horky, a would-be philosopher, declared to K pier,
" I will never concede his four new planets to that Italian from
Padua, though I should die for it;" and he followed up this declara-
tion by publishing a book against Galileo, in which he examines
four principal questions respecting the alleged planets : 1. Whether
they exist? 2. What they are? 3. What they are like? 4. Why
they are? The first question is soon disposed of by declaring
positively that he has examined the heavens with Galileo s own
glass, and that no such thing as a satellite about Jupiter exists.
To the second, he declares solemnly that he does not more surely
know that he has a soul in his body than refected rays are the sole
cause of Galileo's erroneous observations. In regard to the third
question, he says that these planets are like the smallest fly com-
pared to an elephant; and finally concludes, on the fourth, that the
only use of them is to gratify Galileo's "thirst of gold," and to
afford himself a subject of discussion. Kepler, in a letter to Galileo,
when alluding to Horky, says, " He begged so hard to be forgiven
that 1 have taken bim into favour upon this preliminary condition,
that I am to show him Jupiter's satellites, and he is to see them,
and own that they are there."

The following is a specimen of the reasoning of certain pretended
philosophers of that age against the discoveries of Galileo:.— Sizzi, a
Florentine astronomer, reasons in this strain : " There are seven win-
dows given to animals in the domicile of the head, through which
the air is admitted to the rest of the tabernacle of the body, to en-
lighten, to warm, and to nourish it ; two nostrils, two eyes, two
ears, and a mouth ; so in the heavens, or in the great world, there
are two favourable stars, two unpropitious, two luminaries, and
Mercury alone undecided and indifferent. From which, and many
other similar phenomena in nature, such as the seven metals, &c, we
gather that the number of planets is necessarily seven. Moreover, the
satellites are invisible to the naked eye, and therefore can exert no
influence on the earth, and therefore would be useless, and therefore
do not exist. Besides, the Jews, as well as other nations, have adopted
the division of the week into seven days, and have named them
from the seven planets. Now, if we increase the number of the
planets, this whole system falls to the ground." The opinions which
then prevailed in regard to Galileo's observations on the moon were
such as the following : — Some thought that the dark shades on the
moon's surface arose from the interposition of opaque bodies
floating between her and the sun, which prevent his light from
reaching those parts ; others imagined that on account of her
vicinity to the earth, she was partly tainted with the imper-
fections of our terrestrial and elementary nature, and was not of

that entirely pure and refined substance of which the more remote
heavens consist ; and a third party looked on her as a vast mirror,
and maintained that the dark parts of her surface were the reflected
images of our earthly forests and mountains.

Such learned nonsense is a disgrace to our species, and to the ra-
tional faculties with which man is endowed, and exhibits, in a most
ludicrous manner, the imbecility and prejudice of those who made
bold pretensions to erudition and philosophy. The statement of
such facts, however, may be instructive, if they tend to guard us
against those prejudices and preconceived opinions which prevent
the mind from the cordial reception of truth, and from the ad-
mission of improvements in society which run counter to long-
established customs. For the same principles and prejudices,
though in a different form, still operate in society, and retard the
improvement of the social state, the march of science, and the pro-
gress of Christianity. How ridiculous is it for a man, calling him-
self a philosopher, to be afraid to look through a glass to an existing
object in the heavens, lest it should endanger his previous opinions !
And how foolish is it to resist any improvement or reformation in
society because it does not exactly accord with our existing opinions
and with the " wisdom of our ancestors ! "

It is not a little surprising that Galileo should have first hit on
that construction of a telescope which goes by his name, and which
was formed with a concave glass next the eye. This construction of
a telescope is more difficult to be understood in theory than one
which is composed solely of convex glasses, and its field of view is
comparatively very small, so that it is almost useless when attempted
to be made of a great length. In the present day, we cannot help
wondering that Galileo and other astronomers should have made
such an instrument, the use of which must have required a great
degree of patience and address. Galileo's best telescope, which he
constructed with "great trouble and expense," magnified the diame-
ters of objects only thirty-three times ; but its length is not stated,
which would depend upon the focal distance of a concave eyeglass.
If the eyeglass was two inches focus, the length of the instrument
would be five feet four inches ; if it was only one inch, the length
would be two feet eight inches, which is the least we can allow to
it, the object glass being thirty-three inches focus, and the eyeglass
placed an inch within this focus. With this telescope Galileo
discovered the satellites of Jupiter, the cresent of Venus, and the
other celestial objects to which we have already alluded. The
telescopes made in Holland are supposed to have been constructed
solely of convex glasses, on the principle of the astronomical tele-
scope, and if so, Galileo's telescope was in reality a new invention.

THE NEW JEWEL KALEIDOSCOPE.

THE above-named instrument, introduced and manufactured by
the London Stereoscopic Company, is of very special interest
to manufacturing and working jewellers, and others, inasmuch as
it produces an endless variety of the most beautiful designs and
devices of exquisite beauty. We regret that space does not permit
our giving the trade a detailed description thereof at the present
moment, the many important topics which we find necessary to
insert precluding the possibility of our placing the full merits
thereof before our readers in this number. In our next we propose
to do justice to its scientific claims hi an illustrated article,
explaining the instrument.

BRITISH HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE.

rnHE annual meeting of this institute was held on the 20th ult.
The report and balance sheet showed favourable progress
during the past year, and were unanimously adopted. Sir Edmund
Beckett, Bart., LL.D., Q.C., F.R.A.S., was elected president,
Messrs. John Jones, F.B.G.S., and Samuel Jackson, Glasgow, vice-
presidents, and Mr. Thomas Mercer, treasurer.

Votes of thanks were enthusiastically passed to the president,
vice-presidents, treasurer, and secretary. Messrs. James Pigott
and C. H. Hawkins were re-elected auditors, with thanks for past
services.

The committee of the Horological Journal visited the extensive
clock factory of Messrs. Gillet & Bland, at Croydon, on the 27th ult.,
and witnessed many of the interesting operations in clockmaking.
We regret that want of space precludes the possibility of our
giving detailed particulars in our present number of the interesting
and satisfactory visit, and which topic is unavoidably laid over for
our next.

5tf

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5. 1875.

OUR GALLERY.

SIR JOHN BENNETT, F.R.A.S.

IT is our intention, from time to time, as circumstances permit,
to give portraits and short biographical notices of the most
prominent members of the affiliated trades represented in this
Journal. On the present occasion we will commence with the
gentleman whose name stands at the head of this column, and who
occupies such a conspicuous position in the City region of clocks
and watches.

Sir John Bennett is sprung from one of the oldest families in
Sussex, and his country seat, the Banks, Mountfield, near Roberts-
bridge, is stated to have descended (entailed) in the family since
the Conquest ; and in the picturesque churchyard of the village
repose many generations of the Bennetts. The family has also been
for centuries "connected -with the City of London, for we read of
Sir Thomas Bennett, of the Mercers' Company, who was an alder-
man in 15S2. Sheriff in 1591, Lord Mayor in 1603, and Governor of
the Irish Society in 1615.

Sir John Bennett was born in 1814, at Greenwich, his father, the
late Mr. John Bennett, being established there as a watchmaker.
The subject of our notice was educated at the Grammar School of
the Leatherseliers' Company, Lewisham, where he showed such
proficiency that the headmastership was held in reversion for him.
The sudden demise of the elder Mr. Bennett, however, sent him to
the business of the watch, instead of to the desk of the pedagogue ;
he was, we are told, intended to pass from the school to college,
and thence through the university to the Church. In consequence
of his success in constructing some instruments for the Greenwich
Observatory, he became a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.
In 1846 he " opened shop" in Cheapside, and the writer of this
notice has heard him say that the first customer who entered was a
gentleman who bought a sixpenny watch-key! "What great
events from trifling causes spring," saith the poet, and from a
sixpenny watch-key has sprung the very extensive business at
" 65 ard 64." If that early sixpence has been preserved, duly
mounted and labelled, what a potent reminder of a successful com-
mercial career it would now be; from opening the then small shop
in the City, to becoming, not only one of the leading men in his
trade, but also a landed magnate in the county of Sussex.

This being a trade journal it is not within our province to enter
into the political or private life of the gentleman with whom we
are now dealing ; this, however, we may take upon ourselves to say,
namely, that Sir John has always been in the foremost rank of both
social and educational progress. He organized the Greenwich
Society for the Diffusion of Knowledge, and, under the care of his
brother, Dr. William Bennett, fostered it until it numbered over
eleven hundred members, and a library of some twelve thousand
volumes. Lectures upon various subjects were also regularly de-
livered by some one of the well-known scientific and literary men
of the day, alternated by concerts and music of the highest order.
He is exceedingly sociable in his character, and loves to surround
himself with a selected circle of friends in his country home ; so
much so, that " Sir John Bennett's garden parties " have become
a summer institution to the City. We have never been to one of
them, but we know gentlemen who have, and we have seen photo-
graphic groups of visitors and scenery. From what we have heard,
and what we have seen in the way mentioned, we should conclude
that a day at the "Banks" must be something to be long re-
membered.

In the early part of his business career he commenced a life of
lecturing upon trade matters. Under the title of "Women and
Watchwork," he proposed to extend, or rather engraft the Swiss
system upon the English, in other words, tobring women into the trade.
We recollect these lectures well, and the large amount, both of public
and trade interest, which they created ; indeed, some of them we at-
tended, and placed abstracts of their purport before the newspaper
reading world in various ways. He, too, became a " card " in the
correspondence of ihe daily journals, defending his views with his
pen. After he had thoroughly examined the work in the Paris
Exhibition of 1867, he made an extensive tour of inquiry through
[Switzerland. The results of that tour were given to the trade upon
his return to town ; but meetings were held in Clerkenwell, in
which the strongest opposition to his views were manifested, and
the agitation has been, so to speak, " hung up " ever since. Should
it ever be revived an entirely new element will have to be taken
into the controversy. The readers of this journal will at once guess
that that element is the machine-made watch of America. The
comparatively gradual method of change in the system of manufac-
ture then advocated throughout the 600 gratuitous lectures of Sir

John Bennett, will now be superseded by the disciplined organiza-
tion of the factory, the youthful hand, the automaton machine, and
the steam-engine ! Even Switzerland itself is threatened by the all-
conquering power. In our opinion, it is deeply to be deplored that
ever Sir John Bennett opened a shop at all. We say it with all
deference and respect that, being one of the most keen-sighted
business men alive, had he become exclusively a manufacturer, there
would have been steam watch and clock factories in Clerkenwell a
quarter of a century ago ; so that, long ere this, importing watches
to England would have been carrying coals to Newcastle in more
senses than one. But " it was not to be," as the fatalist would say.
He heard the Swiss watchmakers declare that they owed their
exceptionally leading position in watch manufacture, so far as
possession of the markets of Europe was concerned, to the universal
system of education that prevails among them, a system that carries
with it a good practical knowledge of drawing, and all that belongs
to it By means of this youthful training the Swiss boy or girl was
enabled to grasp the principles and practice of the trade at a much
earlier period than could otherwise be possible. This is now gene-
rally admitted on all sides, and means are, we believe, being taken
to make up for past omissions.

When the agricultural movement assumed a character of reality
Sir John Bennett entered into it in a most practical way. Being a
landed proprietor, and an extensive hop-grower, of course he has
faim servants. His waggoner being a married man with a family,
he caused that useful member of the larm establishment to put down
on paper the disposal of the week's wages to the uttermost farthing.
It was a curious and a striking document, full of food for reflection
to the upper bucolic mind, every item telling its own unvarnished
tale. He went carefully over the document, with the assistance of
"measter,'' himself; and "measter's" running commentary would
have gladdened the hearts of both waggoner and " missus " to have
heard. It settled the wages question so far as The Banks farm
was concerned, as there was, without any application whatever, a
general rise all round.

In the beginning of 1872 he was elected without opposition to the
School Board, in which place he soon let it be known that the broad
principles of the Act were his " platform," and that he did not intend
to be over velvet-gloved towards those who sought to cripple its
utility. The result of this " march forwards " of his was, that, at
the following general School Board Election, a combination of the
most intolerant sectarian bigotry defeated him. In using these
terms we are merely repeating the language of persons who, although
opposed to him in some educational details, lamented the exclusion
of such an onward man from such a body. In purely political ques-
tions he has always espoused what is known as advanced Liberalism ;
and he was, for many years, one of the Council of the late Ballot
Society.

During his year of office as sheriff, there was some friendly dis-
cussion in certain quarters, about conferring senatorial honours upon
him. We believe that, were it not for Mr. Gladstone requiring
Greenwich for the present, Sir John would " sweep the board " of
the voters upon the Liberal side, and so represent his native borough
in Parliament.

With respect to those about him in the conduct of his business,
although he will have every man at his post during the hours of
duty, and duty to be done when there, yet, and we speak by the
book — no employer shows greater consideration towards his people.
Were we to state all that we can absolutely vouch for, we might be
suspected of exaggeration in this respect. Even of the numerous
instances with which we are acquainted we must restrain ourselves
from mentioning a single one ; partly because we have no authority
to do so, and would, therefore, be taking an unwarranted liberty.
These are our only reasons for not giving " chapter and verse," aud
we trust that our readers will see that they are very good rec,sms too.
Some years ago he attracted the notice of the town by experi-
ments on the night illumination of large dials, having a back to back
face projecting from the upper part of the shop front. We believe
that these were caused by some remarks respecting the proverbial
gloominess of the Horse Guards' clock. We do not know what
conclusions were arrived at, but it* was among the most effective
that we had seen. One word here about dial fighting. We luve
seen many plans tried, and — fail. The outside light thrown on the
clock-face does very well if the clock is only a short distance from
the observer. The Horse-Guards' clock is lighted in this way, but,
even with the average value of eyesight, the opposite side of White-
hall is about the comfortable practical limit. Ground glass, with
inside gas, is good a little bit farther off; but, in our opinion, the
purely white glass that is so like porcelain, is far superior under
the same circumstances. Notwithstanding all the plans that have
hitherto been tried, we quite agree with an opinion that we heard
many years ago, namely, that until some plan can be found to

Aug. 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

57

illuminate the hands only of a clock, leaving the rest of the dial
completely dark, we shall not have discovered the most valuable and
economical principles of clock illumination. But even the most
saving plan, at the present price of gas, must be very costly ; and,
if capitalized for, say ten years, would amount to such a sum as
would astonish the thoughtless thousands who only look up at the
clock at night, and walk on.

The next grand surprise of Sir John Bennett was the great Gog
and Magog clock on the roof. Gracious goodness ! what a sensation

that august but ponderous assembly. The removal of the Blue-
coat boys from the dingy "promenades" of Little Britain, and
Newgate, and Cloth Fair, to the green lanes and meadows of the
country has long been an earnest desire of his. He is one of the
governors of Christ's Hospital, and on grand days and " supping
nights," no greater favourite with the boys has entered the school
for many years than the worthy " Sheriff (that was) with all the
watches."

He was elected, without opposition, Sheriff of London and Mid-

SIR JOHN BENNETT, F.FLA.S.

was in Cheapside the day the enclosing screens were taken away !
'Busmen came to a standstill ; the wild hansom was paralysed ;
railway vans moved not; telegram boys climbed up lamp-posts ; the
footways were literally packed with people to look at the new " ham-
mermen." Complaints were made by imprisoned office-keepers, but
the crowd still collected regularly every hour. However, those
' ' striking images " have departed to country quarters, to be replaced
by larger and more powerful men.

Sir John Bennett has for many years represented the " Ward of
Cheap " in the Court of Common Council, but his ideas of pro-
gress and non-red -tapism are, at least, half a century in advance of

dlesex for 1871-2, during the year of Lord Mayor Gibbons, his
brother Sheriff being Alderman Truscott. We well remember
watching on that ninth of November the departure and arrival of
the procession from the windows of the Guildh all-tavern ; the
weather was so full of warmth and sunshine, that, but for the
length of the day, it might have stood for midsummer. History, in
the person of Sir John Bennett, seems destined to repeat itself.
Should he live a few years longer— and he is a remarkably jovial
young-looking gentleman — the watch trade of London will be able
to point to the impersonation of its honour in the civic throne at
the Mansion House, and exclaim :— Behold ! Time is !

5S

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLEE, AND

[Aug. 5, 1875

THE TRIAL OF THE PYX.

THIS trial, which is one of the most ancient customs still retained
— the first known writ for a trial of the Pyx dating from the
time of Edward I., 1-281— was held on the 21st ult., at the Gold-
smiths' Hall, pursuant to the provisions of the Coinage Act, 1870.
Although this is a trial of which the general public have possibly
but little knowledge and in which they may take small interest, it
is, nevertheless, very importaut both to the Deputy-Master of the
Mint and his staff and also to the community at large, inasmuch as
the verdict is, in fact, an acquittance to the Mint authorities for
the faithful and proper discharge of their heavy and responsible
duties during the past year, and an ample assurance to the public
that the large amount of additional coinage of gold and silver
annually manufactured at the Mint and put into circulation is up to
its legal standard both as to weight and fineness. At ten o'clock,
a.m., the following public officers, summoned by the Treasury to
attend the trial, were assembled at Goldsmiths' Hall: — Sir Frederick
Pollock, who, in virtue of his office as Queen's Remembrancer, is
named in Her Majesty's Order in Council as the president at such
trials ; the Hon. C. W. Freemantle, Deputy-Master and Controller
of the Mint ; Mr. W. H. Chisholm, Warden of the Standards, who
has charge of and produces the trial plates of gold and silver, and
the scales, weights, and other accessories used on this occasion ;
together with Mr. Walter Prideaux, the Clerk of the Goldsmiths'
Company, and nine freemen of the company summoned to serve as
jurors.

The proceedings were opened by the Queen's Remembrancer
calling upon his clerk to read the warrant ordering the trial to be
held. Sir Frederick Pollock then charged the jury, remarking
that, as it was the first time of his attending to preside at a trial of
the Pyx, he thought the occasion appropriate for making a brief
reference to the history of the important proceeding of the day and
to the Royal and distinguished personage who, in former times
had discharged the duty of presiding. In some years the Sovereign
presided in person, inasmuch as in 1611 James I., attended by
Henry Prince of Wales, presided at the trial ; as in 1669 did
Charles II. accompanied by the Duke of York and Prince Rupert.
Four years later Prince Rupert, himself a scientific chemist, appears
by the records to have been the president. Generally, however,
the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper presided; among whom, in
1620. occurred the name of Lord Verulam, and in 1649 that of
Bradshawe, then Lord President of the Council of State. On
many occasions the Archbishop of Canterbury presided, and the
names of Abbot, Laud, Tenison, and others were so recorded.
From 1718 to 1870 the Lord Chancellor always presided, except in
1787, when the Right Hon. William Pitt was the president. The
Queen's Remembrancer, after making a few further remarks upon
the importance both to the officers of the Mint and also to the
public of the examination the jurors were called upon to make of
the work executed at the Royal Mint in the past year, left them to
the performance of their duty.

The jury having informed him that they should be prepared to
deliver their verdict at 6.30, p.m., and having possessed themselves
of small portions of each of the gold and silver trial plates produced
by the Warden of the Standards to assist them in estimating their
assays of the purity of the various coins submitted to their test,
retired to the laboratory of the Goldsmiths' Hall to commence their
operations.

It may be observed that the present trial plates were first used at
the trial of the Pyx on the loth of July last year, having been
specially manufactured of metals perfectly free from all alloy. To
give an idea of the immense difficulty which is found in obtaining
pure gold or silver, it may be stated that before this result was
arrived at no fewer than 284 assays had to be made as to the gold
plate and 548 as to the silver. The following extract from the
first schedule of the Coinage Act, 1870, will show at a glance the
delicacy of test to be observed by the jury in weighing and
assaying the various moneys submitted to their trial, and the
closeness to standard to which the officers of the Mint are obliged
to work. The Imperial weight in grains only is here given :—

Coin.

Weight.

Remedy.

Sovereign

... 123-27447 ...

... 0-20000

Half-sovereign ...

... 61-63723

... 0-10000

Half-crown

... 218-18181 ...

... 0-90909

Florin

... 174-54545 ...

... 072727

Shilling

... 87-27272 ...

... 0-36363

Sixpence

... 4.3-63636 ...

... 0-18181

Fourpence

... 2909090 ...

... 0-12121

Threepence

... 21-81818 ...

... 0-09090

The " remedy" is the difference between the standard and actual
weight allowed to the Deputy-Master in the manufacture of the
various coins — a margin he has always been well within. The
standard fineness for gold coins is ll-12ths fine gold and l-12th
alloy, or millesimal fineness 916-66, the remedy being millesimal
fineness 0-002.

For silver coins the standard fineness is 37-40ths fine silver and
3-40ths alloy, or millesimal fineness 925- ; the remedy being
millesimal fineness 0-004.

The past year, as stated by the Deputy-Master of the Mint in
his annual report lately published, has not been remarkable for any
excessive demand for gold or silver coinage ; the former having
been considerably below the average, and the latter more than
one-fourth less than in the preceding year. The weight and value
of gold and silver coined during the year ending the 30th of June
last and the amount thereout deposited in the Pyx for trial
will be seen in the subjoined statement: — -235-464 oz. of gold
were made into sovereigns, of which two were put into the
Pyx ; and 43,327.120 oz. were used for half-sovereigns, out of which
241 coins were set apart for the Pyx ; the total value of the gold
coined being 169, 62U 16s. 2d

Of silver, 1,781,280 oz. were converted into a coinage of the value
of £489,852, out of which the following coins were placed in the
Pyx — viz., 855 half-crowns, 96 flori"S, 915 shillings, 292 sixpences;
of Maundar Money, two fourpences, 317 threepences, two two-
pences, and six penuies, making a tutal of £173 lis. 3d. silver coins
set aside for this trial. By the terms of her Majesty's Order in
Council of the 29th of June, 1871, the authorities at the Mint are
bound to place in the Pyx for trial one coin from each 151b. troy
weight of gold coins and one out of every 601b. troy weight of
silver coins manufactured.

The tests applied by the jury are most complete and exhaustive,
consisting first of counting all the money in the Pyx to see that it
tallies with the statement of its contents given in by the officers of
the Mint ; the next test is to weigh as many coins as the jurors
choose to select to see that each coin is within the prescribed
remedy as to weight ; these coins are next melted into an ingot,
which is assayed and compared with the trial plate to test the
remedy as to fineness. The residue of all the coins is next weighed
in bulk and tested as to "remedy" in the aggregate. The jury
next take from such residue any number of coins they may think
fit and assay them separately — -this last process, as will readily be
understood, being the most crucial test that could possibly be
applied to a manufacture of such proportions as the gold and silver
coinage of this country. The verdict was delivered to the Queen's
Remembrancer at 6.30, as arranged, and was in terms most satis-
factory to the public and to the Deputy-Master and his staff.
— Mechanic.

THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AND CLOCK-DIAL AT
THE NEW GENERAL POST-OFFICE.

IN our last we briefly alluded to the erection of the above by the
well-known firm of Messrs. Cooke & Sons, of York. Want
of space prevented our giving a detailed description thereof, and
which we now place before our readers, believing it to be a matter
of general interest. The dial, which is 6 feet in diameter, being
fixed in a position which is not very accessible, it was found
necessary to place the motion work, which might require occasional
examination, where it could easily be got at, and this necessitated
long connecting rods (about 45 feet altogether), several pairs of
bevel wheels, and sets of friction rollers, and it will therefore be
understood that a motor of considerable power would be required
to put all these into motion, as well as the wheel work and hands
of the dial every second. It must, therefore, have been very
gratifying to the contractors to find that the electric motor which
they had arranged and constructed was so completely master of its
work that the current sent at each beat of the pendulum of the
standard clock in the gallery {from one small Leclanchc cell) was
quite strong enough to perform the required work, and to place the
hands of the dial in regular motion. The motor itself consists of two
pairs of electro magnets, each about three inches in length, placed
opposite to each other in a flat plate of metal, a permanent magnet
of the horse-shoe form being suspended between them, from which
an arm carries a double ratchet at its upper end, and by means of
which the requisite motion is communicated to the connecting rods
and wheel. The whole is covered by a glass case, and presents a
very neat appearance, and so far has given every satisfaction to the
engineers and officials connected with the postal telegraph depart-
ment.

Aug. 5, 1375.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

59

TREATISE ON PITCHINGS.

(Continued from page 3.)

IF the same circle A (Fig. 2), in place of rolling on a right line,
roll on the circumlerence of another circle, C M D, the de-
scribing point E, from the time it leaves the point G, until it arrives
at the point D, will describe
another curve, C E D, more
rounded thau the former, this
is called an epicycloid.

X. If the same generating
circle a A (Fig. 2), in place of
rollirigupon the exterior or con-
vex circumference of the circle,
move itself within the interior
circumference from G to H,^|
the describing point E, which
was at G, will describe another
form of epicycloid, G E H ; it
would describe the same curve
if its diameter, instead of ex-
tending from E to T, were to
extend from E to the very
opposite part, P, of the circum- /v

ference. - FiS- 2-

XL If the generating circle (Fig. 2) become equal in diameter to
the half of the circle in which it rolls, its circumference will always
pass through the centre, K, of the circle which serves for the base,
and the describing point K will pass over a diameter I K F of the
same circle. It is easy, by experiment, to prove the correctness of
this : make two circles of cardboard, one of which must be hollow
and of a diameter double the other, which is to roll within it ; but
it will be easy to prove it geometrically in the following manner :
— Since the diameter of the small circle is half the diameter of the
large one, its half circumference, K 0 N, will be equal to the quarter,
I N, of the other ; thus the describing point, which I suppose to be
at K, will have arrived at the point I, when the half circle, K O N,
shall have applied all its points successively to those of the arc N I,
which is its equal ; thus, the point N will arrive at K, and the point
K at I, without quitting the semidiameter K I ; if, however, it be
still questioned whether the point K of the circle K 0 N has
always been upon the same right line K I, let us take the arc N O,
which is the quarter of the generating circle, and N P, which is the
eighth part of the circle, which stands for base ; it is certain that
these two arcs are equal, and that the point O will arrive at P, but
the line O K is equal to the line P R, since O K is the chord of
90 degrees in the small circle P R, the half of the chord of 90 de-
grees in the large circle, and that the halves of parts in the great
circle are equal to whole parts in the small one ; thus, the point O
being at P, the line O K will coincide with the line P R, and the
point K will be at R, that is to say, still upon the diameter F I.
The like may be shown with regard to all the other points in which
the describing point K of the small circle passes along a diameter of
the large one.

XII. Let us return to the epicycloid of An. IX (Fig 2),
described by the generating circle A, rolling on the circle
C D ; it can be well enough seen that all the points of the gene-
rating circle will apply themselves successively to as many points
of the arc C D ; by this continuous application the circle A will
describe an arc, C D, equal to the whole of its circumference, and the
describing point will trace on this paper an epicycloid, C E D. But
it is necessary to observe that precisely the same thing will happen
if it be supposed that the small circle A be fixed in the air by its
centre, S ; that it possesses the freedom to turn only on this centre,
and that the circle which serves for its base lurns also on its centre,
K, together with the paper on which the figure is traced ; for the
centre of the circle A not changing its position, whilst the arc G D
is movable, and causing to turn on its centre this generating circle,
will be the same thing as when, the arc C D being fixed, the circle
A was movable ; all the points of the generating circle will be
successively applied to all the corresponding points of the arc C D,
and the describing point E of the circle fixed at S will describe on
the paper, or movable plane of the figure, the same epicycloid which
it had described on the fixed paper when the circle was movable ;
the respective situations of the parts of the figure will be identical
in both cases. If the circle K O N, in place of rolling within the
circumference of the centre, N P I, revolve around a fixed centre V,
whilst the circle N P I D, turning around its own centre K, draws
along the circle K O X by its circumference, N, the describing point
will describe the same line, F I, on the plane of the circle N P, as
in Art. XL

THE " GRAPHOSCOPE."

FOR VIEWING PHOTOGRAPHS, DRAWING.", AND PICTURES OF ANY KIND,
OR NATURAL FLOWERS.

Fig. 1.

ALTHOUGH the graphoscope is not entirely a new instrument,
nevertheless, as its utility and great merits are not generally
understood, we have thought it advisable to present a few remarks
concerning it.

So simple and practical
is this instrument that
little need be said as to
the mode of using. It
can be focussed to suit
any sight, whether long
or short. Plain or colour-
ed photographs, when
viewed through the large
lens, will be found to
stand out with the round-
ness and reality of natu-
ral objects.

Fig. 1 shows the instru-
ment open for viewing
large objects, such as
prints, photographs,

paintings, &c. To open it, raise the hinged platform, under which
is the large lens sliding on two brass bars, which allows of sufficient
adjustment of the lens to the centre of different-sized pictures.
Having put the lens in position, as shown in the diagram, raise the
easel at back, and place the object upon it. To obtain the proper
focus, move the easel with both hands towards the lens.

Fig. 2 shows the instru-
ment adjusted for use as a
stereoscope, in which case
the large lens is replaced
under the platform, and
the hinged frame, with the
two stereoscopic lenses,
raised and fastened in po-
sition by the hook, and the
easel moved, as before, to
suit the vision.

For transparent stereo-
graphs only, the instru-
ment should be so placed that a good light passes through the lens
at the back. By night, a lamp or other strong light can be used
with advantage.

These instruments, which are gradually coming into gem ral use,
are manufactured by the well-known firm of Xegretti & Zambra, of
Holborn-viaduct and Cornhill, who also keep on hand a large and
varied assortment of coloured photographs suitable for the same,
'ihe instrument, with an appropriate set of photographs, is of con-
siderable interest, and forms a very handsome and instructive
present. When its merits are fully understood and appreciated, the
graphoscope will doubtless command a very extensive sale.

Chimes and Carillons. — The corporation of Manchester have
decided upon having a great clock and carillons for their magni-
ficent new town hall, and have selected Messrs. Gillett & Bland,
of the Clock Factory, Croydon, to carry out the work. The clock
is to strike the hours upon a bell of seven tons, and to chime the
four quarters on eight bells, the time to be shown upon four 16-feet
illuminated dials. An automatic gas apparatus will be fitted to the
clock for turning the gas up and down, and so constructed as to suit
all seasons of the year. The clock will also have an electric connec-
tion with the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. The carillon
machine, on Gillett & Bland's improved patented system, is to play
thirty-one tunes (a fresh tune for every clay in the month) on seven-
teen bells, weighing altogether about 30 tons, and will also have
barrels for changes similar to ringing a peal, and an ivory key-board,
the same as a pianoforte, attached to the machine, so that any
musician can play tunes upon the bells with the fingers as easily as
playing a pianoforte or organ. Taken altogether, this will be the
largest work of the kind in the United Kingdom, and will cost
about 7000Z. The 7-ton hour- bell will be the largest struck upon
by a clock in this country, excepting Westminster, and about two
tons heavier than the one at St. Paul's. The bells will be cast by
Messrs. Taylor. — Times.

60

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1875.

THE

Sllatrlnmifecr, griur-Ucr, anb ^iltoimtlj,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Published at 8, Cross-street, Hatton-garden, E.C.
Birmingham Agency : 52, Frederick Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, j ayable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

No one is authorized to collect money without production of
Printed Form of Receipt, bearing the Office Stamp.

TO ADVERTISERS.

S4

0

0

2

5

0

1

10

0

1

2

6

0

12

0

0

7

0

0

3

6

0

5

0

g^ NOTICE. — In future the date of publication of this Journal
will be the 5th of each month.

The pages of the Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith
present a wide field of operations, as those represented therein may
bring their announcements before the immediate attention of all
trades to which they are specially addressed, as well as purchasers
throughout the United Kingdom, America, the Colonies, and all
foreign markets.

All advertisements and correspondence should be forwarded as
early as possible in each month.

SCALE OF CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.

One Page

Half ditto

One-third ditto

Quarter ditto
One-eighth ditto
One-sixteenth ditto

Per Inch third across Page ...

Ditto half across Page

The above Scale of Charges is subject to a Discount of 10 per
cent, for Orders of Six Months, and 20 per cent, for Orders of
Twelve Months.

Advertisements of Businesses Wanted, Businesses for Disposal,
Employers Wanting Assistants, Partnerships, and kindred announce-
ments, are charged at the rate of Is. 6d. for Five Lines.

Country and Foreign Subscribers are invited to furnish any
Communications which they may consider interesting.

The services of an energetic and reliable person are required for
the advertising department of this journal. Applications to be
made by letter only, to the Publisher, 8, Cross Street, Hatton
Garden, E.C.

The attention of our readers, and the trade generally, is called to
the form of subscription order, which will be found on pa«e 64.
When two or more copies are forwarded to one address, or in
instances of subscription clubs being formed so that the copies for
such club are sent to one person, a discount of 10 per cent, will be
allowed from the regular subscription rates, but in no instance will
such deduction be made for subscriptions of less than one year.

SPECIAL NOTICE.

WE desire to call the special attention of our readers to the
fact that, in conducting tbe separate departments of this
Journal, we do not intend to, in any single instance, allow its
editorial columns to be in the slightest manner subservient to the
advertising interests of the work. By such remark we wish to
convey, in respectful but plain terms, that we shall not for a
moment condescend to a system of what is commonly termed
" puffing " various firms or articles, simply and solely for the
consideration of advertising patronage. We believe that
such a system is not alone beneath the dignity and standing of
independent journalism (such as we aspire to be classed with),
but is, in the end, extremely pernicious to the organ which adopts
it, bringing home the true maxim that —

" Dissemblers more often deceive themselves than others."

Taking our stand on the solid ground of flattery to none,
but justice to all, we shall endeavour to conduct these pages
in such a manner as to show that if a proper Scientific Trade
Journal cannot be supported without being compelled to lend its
columns to praise any and every thing for the subservient interest
of its advertisements, our services will not be given in such a
manner. We are led to these remarks by several causes— firstly,
because we would have our readers clearly understand that we
look upon our editorial pages as journalism, and those of ad-
vertising as business interests. We shall, therefore, at all
times endeavour to editorially notice and allude to any novelties
or matters of scientific and other interest, whether or not the
parties interested therein are Subscribers to or Advertisers
in our Journal. Encouraged by the success already achieved,
and by the large circulation so readily gained by so young
a periodical, we may with confidence believe that general
business interests of houses engaged in the various kindred
trades will be well advanced by insertion of their cards in our
pages; and whilst we are thankful for any and every support
rendered in our business enterprise, we must impress upon all
minds that such support will not have the slightest inter-
ference WITH OUR EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT. Secondly,

because, on applying for some general information on certain
scientific matters concerning the recent manufacture of an article,
we were informed by the proprietors that the information could not
be afforded us, for the reason "that they did not contemplate adver-
tising at present." Now, we must confess our inability to understand
what reference scientific information of general public interest
can possibly have to advertising. If it were for one moment
supposed that we would have thrown our pages open to freely
"puff" any certain house or article in return for an advertise-
ment, such has been entirely an erroneous impression, and as

SUCH, WE WOULD HAVE IT CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD AT THIS

early STAGE OF OUR career. In so placing our stand before
our patrons, we trust that we shall not be viewed as assuming
too independent or arrogant a position, since such is far from
our intention. Of the necessity of receiving support from the
various trades we represent we cannot speak too strongly, for if
a trade organ is to be properly conducted, it must be strengthened
by proper support ; and as our remarks will in all instances be
entirely based on the merits of the subject only, we trust to
thereby enjoy the full confidence of all, feeling well assured that
when such shall have been secured our efforts will be rewarded
by a realization of the truism —

"Confidence is the Companion of Success."

Aug. 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

61

THE CLOCKMAKERS' COMPANY.

THIS company gave a ladies' dinner at the Crystal Palace on the
8th ult., under the presidency of the Master (Mr. W. Lawley,
CC). About forty sat down. The absence of Mr. S. Isaac, M.P.,
Major Bousfield, M.P., Colonel Croll, and others, was excused by
telegrams. Amongst those present were — Mr. Alderman Carter, Mrs.
Lawley, Mr. Deakin, M.P., Mr. and Mrs. Hies, Mr. Moore (senior
warden), Miss Moore, Miss Burgon, Mr. G. S. Adams (junior
warden), Mr. and Mrs. Randall, Mr. Grant, Miss Trouyhton, Miss
Lowe, Mrs. and Miss Hyde, Mr. G. W. Adams, Mr. and Mrs. Farnan,
Mr. and Mrs. Addison, Mr. and Mrs. R. Miles, Mr. Wing, Mrs.
Barretto, Mrs. Durell, Mr. and Mrs. Welborne, Mrs. Patton,
Miss Parker, Mr. and Mrs. Butcher, Mrs. Simpson, Mr. Deputy
and Mrs. Atkins. The company having partaken of the " loving
cup," the usual loyal and military toasts were proposed,
followed by " The Houses of Parliament." To the latter toast Mr.
Deakin, M.P., responded. "The health of the father of the
company " (Mr. J. Grant) was warmly given, and Mr. Grant took
occasion, in a few responsive sentences, to contrast the present state
of the company with its condition fifty years ago. The contrast was
one favourable to its present position. "The lord mayor and
magistrates " formed the subject of the next toast, and, as may
naturally be expected from the Master, he spoke in spirited terms
of the public usefulness of the members of the corporation. Mr.
Alderman Carter replied, concluding by proposing, in eulogistic
phrases, "The health of the Master." The toast having been
acknowledged, Mr. G. Moore, Mr. C. Welborne, and Mi-. J. Grant,
respectively, became the oratorical representatives of the wardens, the
late master, and the past masters. " The health of the clerk" was
also given by the Master, who remarked that during the thirty years
Mr. Deputy Atkins had held that position the company had gone
on increasing in prosperity and public estimation. The concluding
toast, that of " The ladies," was acknowledged by Mr. Deakin,
M.P. The music of the occasion was under the direction of Mr.
J. J. Burgess, who was assisted by Miss Minnie Curtis, Madame
Burgess Withers, and Mr. Dudley Thomas ; Mr. F. H. Cozens
presiding at the pianoforte.

QUEKETT MICROSCOPICAL CLUB.

AT the tenth annual meeting, held at University College on the
23rd ult., Dr. Matthews in the chair, it was shown that the
society had progressed during the past year. At the regular meet-
ings, which were generally well attended, excellent papers had been
read and much useful information given. The total amount of
income was 29 1Z. 13s. lid., leaving a balance in hand of 731. 9s. 9d.
Votes of thanks were passed to the officers, and a special vote of
thanks was tendered to the council of the University College for
the privilege afforded of meeting fortnightly in the library of that
building. Dr. Matthews delivered the customary " President's
Address," at the close of which the ballot took place, with
the following result: — Pres'dent, Dr. Matthews; vice-presidents,
Messrs. F. Crisp, R. T. Lewis, B. T. Lowne, T. C. White; trea-
surer, F. W. Gay ; hon. sec, J. E. Ingpen ; hon. sec. for foreign
correspondence. Dr. M. C. Cooke; and, to fill vacancies on com-
mittee, Messrs. M. H. Johnson, F. Oxley, T. Rogers, and J. A.
Smith.

THE POST-OFFICE WATCH AND CLOCK, GOLD-
SMITH, JEWELLER, AND PRECIOUS METAL
TRADES' DIRECTORY."

THE second edition of this really valuable work has recently been
issued, and as it is doubtless already in the hands of every
member of the various trades represented therein, it needs no
comment from us in reference to the many merits and claims which
are well known and appreciated by all who require to use such a
book. It may, however, be stated, with all confidence, that the volume
which contains such a complete and reliable classification of the
various trades above named is not alone useful, but really essential
to every business house interested therein.

As an example of its accuracy, we may mention that out of several
thousand copies of this Journal recently addressed from the work,
only three have failed to reach their destination, and these, owing
to removal of the parties since the compilation of the book. We
predict a most extensive circulation for the work in which so much
useful and interestii:r matter is contained.

DISPLAY OF HISTORICAL PLATE.

AT the recent international banquet given at Guildhall, the City
companies contributed to form a very interesting exhibition
of historical plate, in which display many rare and curious relics of
civic history were included. Amid the vast collection were — the five
silver-gilt gamecocks of the Skinners' Company, as also a silver
pea-hen, of great merit as a piece of antique handicraft. The Pepys
cup of the Clothmakers, and a Nunn saltcellar, of the date of 1660,
belonging to the same company. A very choice set of six small
silver candlesticks, belonging to the Cordwainers, and the Henry-
the-Eighth and Charles-the-Second covered cups, with their jingling
bells, belonging to the Barbers Guild. The Fishmongers Company
exhibited the Doncaster shield, formerly the property of the Marquis
of Hastings, having been won by his horse, The Earl, besides their
merman and mermaid ewers, both old, though widely differing in
age, six high-gilt cups of various epochs, and a dolphin saltcellar of
quaint design. The most central place in front of the precious array
was given to the milkmaid of the Vintners, whose 'prentices have
often found it no easy task to drink from the inverted farthingale
of the little figure, and from the swinging pail she bears aloft, before
attempting the final feat of " kissing the maid." The o dest piece
of plate bearing an inscribed date was the goblet in the possession of
the Innholders Company, round the rim of which drinking-vessel
runs the legend, " This is the gift of Grace Gwalter, in remembrance
of her deceased husband, John Gwalter, 27th February, 1599."
But there were far oiler pieces among that priceless collection.
The oldest, pr >bably, was one of the mace-heads of the Saddlers
Company, surmounted by its crest, the horse passant ; a finer and
far more ancient specimen than the same company's larger emblem,
gilt, and showily displayed. Not later than 1186 can be the period
of that first- mentioned piece of silversmith's work. There were the
famed college cups of the Drapers Company, the Leigh cup of the
Mercers, and a laboriously finished wagon and tun, of the year
1500, lent by the last-named guild. The Merchant Taylors and the
Grocers sent a quantity of very massive plate, mostly modern, and
of good design.

MILE'S ALARM TILL.

SOME method of effectually securing cash tills other than
by lock and key has long been a great commercial desidera-
tum. None but those who have charge of "the till" know fully
the nuisance of having to lock and unlock over every cash transac-
tion. Now, the key, being on a bunch with many others, is often
buried in the mass, and requires searching out, never, of course,
being at the tup when most wanted ; then, sometimes called away
elsewhere hurriedly, the key is inadvertently left in the lock,
leaving the contents of the till to sundry and divers risks, not to
mention the annoyance that occasionally happens when keys are left
at home or lost.

Yankee smartness, however, has come to the rescue, and in Mile's
alarm till we have greater security than the ordinary lock affords,
whilst no key is needed.

The arrangement is very ingenious, but difficult to describe. The
locking apparatus is placed at the back of the drawer, but is worked
by five key-plates (similar to pianoforte keys), which are underneath
the drawer, and near the front, so as to be easily pressed by the
fingers.

In the lock are five shifting tumblers, which can be taken out and
rearranged, in any order that may be desired, in such a way that
only on certain of these tumblers being raised by pressing the finger-
plates forward can the drawer be opened.

For instance, it is desired that 1, 2, 5, shall be the open Sesame;
these three tumblers are arranged, in accordance with very simple
instructions given on printed directions, and the till is closed, after
which it can only be opened by pressing the corresponding keys
forward, 1, 2, 5. If a thief, or any one not in the secret of the
arranged order, attempts to open the drawer by pressing other keys,
a bell rings, giving immediate notice that some one is tampering
with the lock.

The order of the tumblers may be changed daily, or as often as
desired, to the extent of thirty different changes.

These alarm tills have a very large sale in the United States,
and Mr. F. Sage, shop-fitter, 80 to 84, Gray's-inn-road, London,
is the appointed agent for their sale in this country. We anticipate
a great demand when once they become known. We are informed
by Mr. Sage that he did not accept the agency until a trial of the
till in his own offices for nearly three years satisfied him of its
advantages and perfect security.

62

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1875.

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical goods, or kindred articles.

2298. William Beockell. of 37, New Bond-street, in the county of
Middlesex, for an invention of " A combined collar stud, and cravat
fastener.''— Dated 23rd June, 1S75.

2310. Alfred Littleiiales, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Engraver, for an invention of " Improvements in fa-tenings for soli-
taires, sleeve links, shirt and other studs, cravats, neckties, neck and
other bows, and other articles." — Dated 24th June, 1875.

2335. Auguste Conod, of Lausaune, Switzerland, Watch and Clock
Manufacturer, for an invention of "Improvements in electric clock
apparatus, parts of which are applicable to ordinary clocks." — Dated
26th June, 1875.

2456. Marius Antony Pradier, of 7, Bedford-street, Bedford-square,
for an invention of "The e^By mode of fastening and unfastening
studs, sleeve links, and solitaires, by means of the screw principle, and
are in one piece." — Dated 8th July, 1875.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

2310. To Alfred Littlehales of Birmingham, in the county of^Warwick,
Engraver, for the invention of " Improvements in fastenings for
solitaires, sleeve links, shirt and other studs, cravats, neckties, neck
and other bows, and other articles."

2382. To Juan Nepomuceno Adorno, of Harley-street, Cavendish -square,
in the coimty of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the invention of " Im-
provements in watches and -locks."

2456. To Marius Antony Pradier, of 7, Bedford-street. Bedford-square,
for the invention of " The new or improved method of fastening and
unfastening the stud, sleeve link, and solitaire, by means of the screw
principle."

Inventions Protected for Six Months, on the deposit of
complete Specifications.

2367. Charles Louis Tiiiery, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, in the
state of Massachusetts, in the United States of America, praying for
Letters Patei t for the invention of " Improvements in machinery for
manufacturi) g watch cases and kindred articles."

Notices to Proceed.

764. John" Cheshire, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Cork-
screw Manufacturer, has given notice in respect of the invention i f
" Improvements in solitaires, sleeve links, and other like dress fasten-
ings and ornaments."

865. And William Brookes, of 62, Chancery-lane, in the county of
Middlesex, Patent and Kegistration Agent, has given notice in respect
of the invention of " Improvements in fastenings for sleeve buttons,
solitaires, and studs, whi«h improvements are also applicable to other
ornamental articles of dress." — A communication to him from abroad
by Antoine Benjamin Durrande, of Paris, in the republic of Prance,
Jeweller.

Patents Sealed.

406. Matthew Wilcox, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Manufacturing Jeweller, for an invention of " A combined seal and
watch key." — Dated 3rd February, 1875.

528. Louis Weill and Henry ETarburg, both of Hatton Garden, in the
county of Middlesex, Manufacturers and Importers, for an invention
of " Improvements in musical boxes and other similar instruments." —
Dated 12th February, 1875.

Patents on which the Stamp Duty of £50 has been paid,
and dates of their production for Certificate.

2078. Fredekick James Ritchif, of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland,
Watch and Clock Maker, for an invention of "Improvements in
sympathetic clocks.''— Dated 10th July, 1872.

Letters Patent for Inventions which have become Void
by reason of the Non-payment of the additional Stamp
Duty of £100, before the Expiration of the Seventh
Year from the date of such Patents, pursuant to the
Act of the 16 Vict. , c. 5, sec. 2.

2140. John Bidder, of Islington, Alfred Claud Lorraine Lamb, of
Twickenham, and William Camden Scrivener, of Westminster, all
in the county of Middlesex, for an invention of " An improved clasp
or fastener for necklaces and other personal ornaments and wearing
apparel."— Dated 17th July, 1872.

2189. John Jf.fterys, of Tottenham-cotirt-road, in the county of Middle-
sex, Jeweller, for an invention of " Improvements in studs and
buttons."— Dated 10th July, 1868.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

United States of America.

163,424. John Varley, of New York, N.Y., assignor to Stephen Hickson,
of the same place, for " Methods of booking gold-leaf." Application
filed 20th March, 1875. Claim.— The method herein described of
booking gold-leaf, consisting in applying each leaf to a perfectly-
dried sheet of tissue-paper, or other suitable backing, and then sub-
jecting the same to heavy pressure.

163,613. J. F. Steward, of Plr.no, 111., for "Revolving stereoscopes."
—Application filed 13th July, 1874.

163,648. Joseph Gall, of New York, N.Y., for " Spectacles." — Applica-
tion filed 5th February, 1875.

163,680. John A. Miller, of Paducah, Ky., for "Watch-regulators."
— Application filed 2nd February, 1875. Brief. — A watch-regulator
in which the screw operating the regulator-arm is attached to the side
of the bridge, and connected by a screw-nut with the collar of the
regulating-arm.

163,771. Addison Hathaway, of Chicopee Falls, and F. Hathaway,
of Springfield, Mass., for "Watch-keys." — Application filed 15th April,
1875. Brief. — A watch-key, having a revolving cylinder, the ratchet
connection between the parts being formed by the friction of the
spring in unwinding upon the sides of the cylinder.

163,868. V. Himmeii, of New York, N.Y., for "Pendulum-clocks."—
Application filed 19th October, 1874. Brief. — A clock so constructed
that the pendulum will adjust itself in vertical position, although the
frame of the clock be inclined.

163,981. Leander Eaton, of Worcester, Mass., for "Regulating chrono-
meters, watches, &c." — Application filed 8th March, 1875. Brief. —
Adjusting parts of regulator bent in position by locking-levers.

164,092. Eugene Jeanjaquet, of Springfield, 111., for "Safety-wheels for
watches." — Application filed 18th December, 1874.

164,112. John B. Ulmar, of Boston, Mass., assignor to himself and
George R. Kelso, of the same place, for " Sleeve-buttons, &c." —
Application filed 19th February, 1875. Brief. — One end of the spring
is extended and bent around the edge of the outer disk, to facilitate
the adjustment of the parts.

164,119. Ciias. Wills, of Attleborough, Mass., for " Watch-chain
swivels." — Application filed 19th October, 1874.

164,177. John C. W. Jefferys, of Tottenham-court-road, England, for
" Stud-fastenings." — Application filed 16th January, 1875. Brief. —
The helix is attached to a flat shank, and falls outside of the periphery
of the front disk of the button at one side

164,210. C. M. C. Prentice, of Monroeville, Ohio, for "Compensation-
pendulums." — Application filed 13th March, 1875.

164,384. Theophilus Mayhew, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., for " Time-record-
ing instruments." — Application filed 23rd January, 1875. Brief —
A time-recording instrument operated by pneumatic pressure upon
a friction-brake, in which, when both hands are engaged, the pressure
may be applied by a tube placed in the mouth, or exerted in any
other suitable manner.

164,561. Wm. H. Hoffman, of Passaic, N J., assignor to the New York
Steam-Engine Company, of New York, N.Y., for " Tool-receptacles
for metal-working machines." — Application filed 2nd March, 1875.
Brief. — In a hollow cylindrical support, provided with openings
on opposite sicle=, rests, on vertical pivots, a secondary cylinder, which
also has openings corresponding to these in the outer shell. The
inner cylinder is provided with shelves, and by turning it upon its
axis until the openings are opposite the solid wall of the outer shell,
the closet is closed.

Belgium.

37,226. F. Malfait, for an imported invention of " Clocks with moving
figuies working the pendulum." — Dated 9th June, 1875. — (French
Patent, 8th December, 1874.)

Trade Marks registered in the United States of America.

2535. Hugh Mulligan, of Philadelphia, Pa., for "Watches." — Applica-
tion filed 9th April, 1875.

" ' Genl. George Washington, Exhibition Watch, 1876. Phila-
delphia.' "
2597. J. Eugene Robert & Co., of New York, N.Y., for "Watches."
— Re-registration. — Application filed 9th September, 1872.
" Word ' Longines.' "

2628. Louis Strasburger & Co., of New York, N.Y., for " Watches."
— Application filed 30th April, 1875. — Case B.

" Words ' R. Lanier, Geneva,' with the figures of an arrow and
two stars."

2629. Louis Strasburger & Co., of New York, N.Y., for "Watches."
—Application filed 30th April, 1875.— Case C.

" Letters and words ' James Picard, Geneva,' and the figure of a
five-pointed star."

2630. Louis Strasburger & Co., of New York, N.Y., for " Watches."
— Application filed 30th April, 1875.— Case D.

" letters and words ' Ph. Doret, Locle,' with the figure of a
Maltese Cross."

2631. Louis Sthasbukgbr & Co., of New York, N.Y., for " Watches."
— Application filed 30th April, 1875.— Case E.

" Letters and words, ' Ph. Doret, Locle,' with the figure of a crescent'

Aug. 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

63

" By hand-labour it is impossible for this country to compete with Switzerland in the
Watch Trade ; and, if we would hold our own in Europe in this branch of industry, we must
follow the example of the Americans, who have successfully used machinery in the manu-
facture Of Watches." — Extract from the " Times" jf December 18, 1868.

THE

AMERICAN WATCH COMPANY

(OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS)

Have been established. £JO years, and. within that time have produced

850,000 WATCHES OF ALL GRADES AND SIZES.

Why American "VValtham Watches are cheaper than English Watches of the same grade is
explained by Sir Edmund Beckett (late Mr. E. B. Denison) in his work on Clocks, Watches,
and Bells, in which he says, page 322 : " Although labour is dearer in America than here, this
machinery enables them to undersell English Watches of the same quality ; " and that the system
of making watches by machinery is the only correct one is held forth by this eminent authority
in the same work, in which he says : " There can be no doubt in the mind of any one who
understands machinery that this is the best as well as the cheapest way of making machines
which require precision and uniformity."

FOR PARTICULARS APPLY TO

H Q 38 38 X 3ST S & APPLE TO jSTj

GENERAL AGENTS,

WALTHAM BUILDINGS, H0LB0RN CIRCUS, LONDON, E.G.

64

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1875.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important ff ahire of our Directory Columns -will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four tines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDEY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street, Fins-
bury. E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MUBRAY & CALLIEU, 22, St. J. hn's Square, E.C.

NEGBETTI & ZAMBBA, Holboru Viaduct, E.C. : Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill, E.C. ; 122, Eegent
Street. W.

WEBSTEE, J., 8S, St. John Street Eoad, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHAT WOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C., and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BEUGGEE & STEATJB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEEEE. KUSS, FKITSCHLEE, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

CObEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C., and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Eue Beran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clrck Factory, White Horse
Eoad, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Eochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, .fee; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established
1844.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BEOTHEES. 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London E.C.
MABCUS (MAUEICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn

Viaduct. London, E.C.
EUTHEEFOED, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Bow, E.C, and

33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MOEDAN (SAMPSON) & CO., 41, City Eoad, and 72,

Cheapside. London, E.C.
TANN, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, E.C; Eeliance Works,

1, Hope Street, Hackney Eoad, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KING, 66, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

HUTTON & CO., 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.C

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEOEGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C

SUNDELL (KEISCHEE) & CO, 48, Brushfield Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBEEG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C
JONES, A. EDWAED, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C
LITTEN (T. E), 64, Hatton Garden, London, E C
WILLIAMSON, HENET, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DEEW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Eoom, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-
mates free.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWAEDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Eoad, London, E.C.

JEFFREYS, CHAELES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103.
Hatton Garden, E.C.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK. Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDAED (O. GILBEET), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Eue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDERS

SAGE, FEEDEEIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Eoad, W.C

WATCH BALANCE MAKERS.

COLLIS, S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London,
E.C.

WATCH CAP MAKERS.

BAKEE, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENEY, 48, Eahere Street, Goswell Eoad, Lon
don, E.C.

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Eoad, London, E.C

STEAM, ALFEED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKERS.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Eydon Crescent, St. John
Street Eoad, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HAEGEEAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liver-
pool.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEEEDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Eoad,
London. E.C

SAGGEESON, EOBEET, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON , EDWAED JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Eoad, London, E.C.

ORDER FORM FOR SUBSCRIPTION.

fc©7-_-

$UB£CRIPTION.
POST PAID.

-S-SJ

I Year .
6 Months

s. d.
5 o

• 3 o

A 11 Subscriptions payable in
advance.

Teem of Subscription.

... i8y

To the (Proprietor of the

" IBakljnrakr, fribtller, antr Siltomitfj."

(Please forward the " Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith

to .undermentioned address for the ensuing months, for ,

which find s. enclosed.

JVame

Address

"f/fpLBpk

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Begistered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 4.— Vol. I.]

SEPTEMBER 4, 1875.

t Subscription, 5s.\ Post-
per Annum. J Free

CONTENTS.

HOROLOGY— IV. CLEPSYJiRA
HOUOLOGICAL LlTEKATURli

Finger Kings

The Stereoscope

New Snow Spectacles ...

Beaumarchats

Poetry. — Lipe

Precious Stones

page

... 73

... 75

... 7G

... 77

... 77

... 78

... 78

,.. 79

PAGE
. 79

The Diamond

Rare Workmanship in Binos

The Sicker Safe and Strong-room Company,

Limited 80

Useful Hints to Watchmakers and Jewellers 80

Among the Electroplating 81

The Goldsmith's Art 83

Our Illustrated Supplement 84

"Negretti and Zambra's Encyclopedic, Illus-
trated, and Descriptive Catalogue " 85

The Sultan's Gems 85

Novelty in Show Cases for the Philadelphia

Exhibition 8-3

Patents 6G

The Trades' Directory 8S

Advertisements 87-9G

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

IV. CLErSYDIiA.

THE clepsydra, or water-clock, may, in point of antiquity, claim
the palm as the first purely mechanical timekeeper. Being an
ancient article, the name in the original is, as may be expected,
ancient also. The name is a compound of two Greek words,
kleplo, to hide, and Jindor, water ; Jclepsydra, from hidden water.
When the contrivance was used specially to measure time it was
given the name mentioned above. The infirmity called "klep-
tomania " is from the same root, the "mania" being a madness,
and the " klepto " being the "hiding," otherwise, a madness for
stealing or hiding things. Perhaps some of our readers may
have met with -well-authenticated cases in their time in which
a "hiding," in the black-strap sense, would have been the most
fitting treatment. We once came across a youngster of an appro-
priative turn of mind in that direction, who had been taken flagrante
delicto, as the lawyers say. He pleaded, in harrowing language, that
lie was a poor, afflicted kleptomaniac, and " could not help it." We
admitted the plea, as far it went, by stating that we were also
"fearfully" afflicted with the anticleptic furor, which always
seized us when we saw any one taking what did not belong to
them, and that at that moment it was coming very strongly upon
us. A yard of finger-thick rattan, "operated" by the " anti,"
solved the problem and restored the balance of business relations
in a very few minutes.

The clepsydra measured the time by the flowing of water in
such a way that, as the water fell in the reservoir, an index at the
outlet showed the degrees or length of time occupied by the
running. The use of these instruments is, perhaps, coeval with
the earliest applications of man's ingenuity. We are told that the
Chaldeans and the Egyptians used them before (and afterwards
in conjunction with) the sundial. Vitruvius says that Ctesibius
introduced clepsydrae into Rome 245 years before the Christian era.
Whilst mentioning his name, we may remark that he made the most
famous water-clock that was ever known. There have been, also,
clepsydrae made to tell the time by the flow of mercui;y. They did
not all waste or run off the water, some of them indicating the
hour by the change of level in the water only. It is recorded that
Tycho Brahe, the astronomer, in the time of Galileo, used them
for astronomical observations. This was as late as the last quarter
of the sixteenth century. In Egypt they served for sunless
weather when the dial would, as a matter of course, be non-
effective ; and their existence in that country is dated as far back
as the time of Ptolomy III., which agrees with the date already
given. All horological readers will be well aware that the best
constructed clepsydra of that period had two important defects ;
one was that the running of the water was governed by the density
of the atmosphere, and the other, that it ran more readily when
the supply vessel was full than at any other period. About the
year 1750, however, a certain M. Amontous invented an instru-
ment of the kind free from such drawbacks.

The ancients regulated discourses by the varying states of the
clepsydra, when orators or lawyers delivered speeches in public and
before the tribunals ; but, like the modern watch, its water proto-
type was multiplied to meet the necessary requirements.

74

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Sept. 4, 1875.

Supposing that several speakers were to follow each other, then
the '-authorities " of the debate provided each one of them before-
hand with a water-clock. These were vases only, filled with water
and set running when the speaker began. Out of this practice
arose the phrase, ••They are still at the first water; " or, " They
have reached the second " or "have begun the third water."

Another expression familiar to our boating men was also much
used. When a speaker thought that his adversary's vase had done
leaking, he would cry out, "You are encroaching on my water,"
&C, &c. Again, human nature was strongly inclined, even two
thousand years ago. to love its neighbour as itself—" over the left."
Here was one way in which they did their little bit of " besting"
towards each other. The persons who had charge of the clepsydra?
uuder the Court were frequently persuaded to make the hole in
my " clock " very small, and in the clocks of all my enemies as large
as they could with safety. The consequence of this little "friend-
ship "' was, that your water ran out in a shorter time than you
expected, whilst mine was to me a profitable time longer. When
they saw no chance of enlarging the outlet, they mostly managed
to dab lumps of wax on the inside of the vase, so that it should
not hold as much water as it would otherwise do ; in order, too,
to prevent discovery upon examination, these ancient innocents
took care to remove the wax which they had used to decrease the
capacity of the vases that they were against. We do not think
that even the "heathen Chinee" has been able to improve much
upon that. To be sure the game was rather risky, for if taken
"red-handed" both hands and heads stood a bad chance of remain-
ing long with their owners. We have changed all that now. Our
detected knavery is wiped out by "ten shillings and costs, and
don't be found out any more."

Any one so disposed may amuse himself by making a clepsydra.
Here is one method of construction. Take, say, a cylindric vessel,
and, by experiment, ascertain, after filling it, the line of surface
when the water has been running out of it by an orifice for twelve
hours. The distance between this line and the upper surface is
then to be measured. As the part of the time, one hour, is to the
whole time, twelve hours, so is the same time twelve to a fourth
proportional, 144 (1 : 12 : : 12 : 144). Divide the altitude of the
vessel into 144 equal parts. Here the last will fall to the last
hour ; the three next above to the last part but one ; the five next
to the tenth hour, &c. Lastly, the twenty-third to the last hour.

The arithmetical reasoning is given as follows : " For, since the
times increase in the series of the natural numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c,
and the altitudes, if the numeration be in the retrograde order from
the twelfth hour, increase in the series of the unequal numbers,
1. 3, 5, 7, 9, &c, the altitudes computed from the twelfth hour
will be as the squares of the times 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, &c. Therefore the
square of the whole time, 144, comprehends all the parts of the
altitude of the vessel to be evacuated. But a third proportional
to 1 and 12 is the square of 12, and consequently it is the number
of equal parts into which the altitude is to be divided, to be dis-
tributed according to the series of the unequal numbers, through
the equal intervals of hours. Since, in lieu of parts of the same
vessel, other less vessels equal thereto may be substituted, the
altitude of a vessel emptied in a given space of time being given,
the altitude of another vessel to be emptied in a given time may
be found ; viz., by making the altitude as the squares of the times."

Hence we see the method of constructing the clepsydra? used by
the ancients.

The name, too, has been given to an hour-glass of sand.

In other words, if the water be perfectly pure, and the outlet
very small, the rate of descent will be something like this : —

Jn one half the whole time of emptying, three-fourths of the
whole of the water will have passed away, while in one-fourth of
the whole time seven-sixteenths of the whole will have been dis-
charged. Again, supposing that the vessel had been kept silently
fed to the upper line of surface, then the whole quantity of fluid
would have run out in exactly half the time to that occupied in
simply emptying one vesselful. This can be readily accounted
for when we consider a " constant " in the unvarying weight of the
full-fed vessel as compared with the varying weight of the merely
full vessel without feeding, diminishing as it did every instant.

An ancient writer, named Sextus Empiricus, says that " the
Chaldeans divided the zodiac into twelve equal parts, as they
supposed, by allowing water to run out of a small orifice during
the whole revolution of a star, and dividing the fluid into twelve
equal parts, the time answering to each part being taken for that of
the passage of a sign over the horizon."

We have said that Vitruvius had ascribed to Ctesibius of Alex-
andria the invention of the clepsydra ; but it is plain to readers of
ancient history that some method of measuring time by means of

running water, primitive though it might have been, was in opera-
tion at Athens long before the time of Ctesibius. This is stated
on the authority of various passages in Demosthenes, the great
orator of antiquity. These water-clocks were, on other authority,
introduced to the Roman people by P. Cornelius Scipio Nasica, in
the year 594, after the building of the city, or about 157 years be-
fore the birth of Christ. These statements only show how un-
certain ancient history is with respect to dates and details.
Another writer of the period alluded to says that the water- clocks
were a Grecian invention, first brought out at Rome under the third
consulship of Pompey. In the most common kinds two vessels were
used, one for the emptying and one for the receiving. In the re-
ceiving vessel was a float, and upon the side was an index by which
the float indicated, as the water rose, what the time was.

Of Ctesibius himself, we are told that he was an Alexandrine
Greek who lived between the years 150 and 120 before Christ. It
does not necessarily follow that he may not have lived both earlier
and later ; but the above dates may be taken as something reliable,
as they are given on the authority of Pliny, the elder. Ctesibius was
the instructor of Hero, the famous Hero of antiquity, about whom
we cannot resist saying a word. There were two of the name, and,
curiously enough, both of them were writers on mechanical subjects.
It was the elder one that was the pupil of Ctesibius. The younger
one is placed as living more than 700 years later than the
other. He wrote a book on machines in war, one on geodesy —
then meaning practical geometry, on the attack and defence of
towns, on military tactics, and other similar works.

Hero, the elder, enjoyed a great reputation, so much as having
been credited with the original discovery of the germ of the steam
engine. Had he gone but a step further and reached its practical
application, where would the world have been now ? Among his
writings were some on appliances in war, the raising of heavy
weights, on the manufacture of darts, pneumatics, the construction
of automata, and on dioptrics, or the refraction of light. Such was
the Hero of our hero.

Ctesibius himself was the inventor of various hydraulic machines
and of other machinery of that day ; he also wrote on practical
geometry. Besides the invention attributed to him of the clepsydra,
he "brought out" a water-organ, a pump for raising water, and,
according to Philo, of Bysantium, a mechanical contrivance similar
to the modern air-gun. There is, unfortunately, nothing left behind
to tell us the particulars of these inventions, except a little about
the water-pump. That was much in principle like what we have
now in the forcing-pump, There were two valves, an entering and
exit one. The water was raised by exhaustion into a cylinder,
when the entering valve closed, and the action of the piston opened
the issuing one and forced the fluid onward.

The most marvellous reflections that rise in the mind of the
reader after reading of all these wonderful inventions — most won-
derful for the period of the world — are that the steam-engine was
not evolved in some shape or another. What a " hit" that would
have been, to be sure ! However, we will resume this part of our
subject in a future Number, when we hope to be able to describe the
clepsydra of Ctesibius, and also give an illustration of it. It is a
singular and wonderful piece of mechanism, and will be appreciated
as such, we feel sure, when it comes under the reader's review.

There are eight metals more valuable than gold, as the following-
will show. It may be worth while to mention that the first four
are never sold by the pound, but they are quoted respectively for
the sake of comparison ; indium, van,:dium, ruthenium, rhoclium,
palladium, uranium, osmium, iridium. Indium, which was only
discovered in 1863, is found only in the zinc-blendes of Friesburg,
and is a white metal of rare brilliancy, but practically of little value.
Vanadium is found in Mexico and Peru, where it exists in lead ores,
under the name of vandiate of lead ; ruthenium, rhodium, palladium,
and iridium are all precipitates of platinum, and very hard metals,
the last being insoluble in acids, except when oxidized. None of
these metals are found in quantity, or free from other metals ; nor
are they very useful ia the arts, like gold and silver, neither could
they be coined into money without infinite trouble ; so that there is
little danger of their superseding gold and silver for useful purposes.

The producing upon plated ware or silver a lustreless, very
finely-ground surface, termed by the trade, " satin finish," has been
accomplished hitherto by the use of swiftly-rotating brushes made of
fine wire. A manufacturing firm at TVallingford, Connecticut, have
recently found that the sand blast performs this work much more
rapidly and effectually, and have introduced the necessary apparatus
for its employment in their large silver-plate works. By interposing
rubber screens of suitable shape, any fancy patterns or letters are
easily printed on the metal surface.

Sept. 4, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

75

HOROLOGICAL LITERATURE.*

THE late Mr. Charles Frodshain, in his lecture, "A Few Facts
connected with the Elements of Watch and Clock Making,"
thus speaks : " One of the most important facts in the advancement
of every Art and Science is a knowledge of its literature. There
are many valuable books on horology, which, though not up to the
last idea, are at least valuable beacons to avoid the waste of time in
making researches already known."

We cordially endorse that statement; and, although made in
1862, is as forcible now as the day it was uttered. But, if anything
were wanted to confirm it, it is the book before us. From a com-
paratively small treatise published in 1850, it has now become a
goodly volume of some four hundred pages, well and amply illus-
trated, and has found sufficient public favour to carry it into the
sixth edition. The author says, in his preface, that he has in-
corporated the Appendix of the last edition in the present one,
"besides many other alterations and additions, which would have
increased the size and cost of the book if it had not been printed in
smaller type than the former editions — about the same size as that
Appendix." He further says that he has especially enlarged the
chapter on bells. We find, however, that that chapter would have
been considerably enlarged if all that is said about bells had been
put into it. For instance, amoug the clockwork we find details of
the "Cambridge and Westminster chimes," " Doncaster quarters,"
" Worcester and Chester Cathedral quarters," and the Royal Ex-
change, together with " chime tunes." Of course all these are in
their proper places, being indissolubly bound up with the striking
action of turret clocks ; and we only mention them here to show
what an amount of information upon the subject these pages afford.

The Westminster bells have an entire chapter to themselves, and
here may be read all that is necessary for simply understanding the
question about Big Ben the First and Big Ben the Second. The
reader is also further told where to complete this knowledge.

This will be good news for the campanologists, both amateur and
professional. In fact, the bell chapter occupies over forty pages,
and includes particulars of the founding, weights, dimensions, and
musical notes of all the great bells of Europe. We have heard
some learned discourses by enthusiastic " bellmen " on the qualities
and merits of famous peals. To such gentlemen we would say that
the condensed information to be found in this chapter is worth
more than the price of the whole book. There is, furthermore, a
model specification for the guidance of those who may be resi-
dentially interested in providing for their own neighbourhoods the
most lovable of all loving music of either present or early homes,
namely, bell music. Although the chapter is the last in the book,
and not immediately connected with ourselves, we have given it the
precedence on the principle of the courtesy of horology. We will
now deal with our more intimate subject.

To those who may be in possession of the last edition of this
work, we would say, " Keep it." [ The reason is, that there are some
details there which have been necessarily crowded out in the present
edition to make way for newer matter. The book opens with a
glance at " time," and its early measurement by sundials, water-
clocks, and hour-glasses. There is an equation table, and an
explanation of sidereal, solar, and mean time, which those who de-
sire to be considered intelligent would do well to read. Of the sun-
measuring instruments the dipleidoscope is the most modern. To
those who have never seen one, we may add that its form is that of
a hollow prism, that it reflects two images of the sun up to a mo-
ment of coincidence, when the two images form one, then that is
solar noon. A demonstration of its action is given in the descrip-
tion of it.

In the clockwork all the old familiar historical escapements are
reproduced. We say "familiar," because they are familiar to us;
but, to the rising generation of horologists a study of them would
be a most interesting novelty. Take the conical pendulum, and old
De Tick's balance. A study of the action of a bottle-jack in
motion would not be a bad practical beginning at this point. Of
pendulums the author says —

"There seems no doubt, however, that the first person who in-
vestigated and established the mathematical theory and properties
of the pendulum was Huyghens, the Dutch philosopher, in the
seventeenth century, but it seems equally certain that the first
pendulum clock was made for St. Paul's Church, in Covent-garden,

* A Budimentary Treatise on Clocks, Watches, and Bells, by Sir
Edmund Beckett, Bart, (late E. B. Dennison, LL.D., Q.O., F.R.A.S.),
President of the Horological Institute. Sixth Edition revised and enlarged.
With numerous Illustrations, Loekwood & Co., London, 1875.

by Harris, a London clockmaker, in 1621, though the credit of the
invention was claimed also by Huyghens himself, and by Galileo's
son, and Avicenna, and the celebrated Dr. Hooke, the undoubted
inventor of the balance spring of watches, and the discoverer of its
theory."

It is very remarkable how enticing are mechanical pursuits to
some minds, especially clock and watch work. Here is a singular
instance of it.

Christian Huyghens was born at the Hague, in 1629. His father
held a high position there, having been secretary to no fewer than
three Princes of Orange, and was also known favourably in literature
by the publication of some Latin poems, &c. The eldest brother
of the mathematician came to England with William III., in his
late father's post. Christian says that the idea of the pendulum
first came to him in 1656, and its application to the clock is ex-
plained in his " Horologium" 1658.

Huyghens spent a long lifetime in pendulum experiments, as well
as in other mathematical investigations. Sir Edmund Beckett
seems to be certain that the first London clock was made in 1621,
by -;Harris. Authorities differ, for Beckman, on the authority of
Selden, in his preface to Hengham, mentions the famous clock-
house, " with a clock to be heard by the courts of law, out of a fine
imposed on the Chief Justice of the King's Bench in the sixteenth
year of Edward I.," or in 1288. We have been told that this was a
sundial ; indeed, we have had it pointed out to us on one of the
houses that formerly faced Westminster Hall. But a dial is not
" heard by the courts of law," nor would Henry VI. have given the
keeping of it to the Dean of St. Stephens, with 6d. a day for the
purpose. Besides, a sundial would not want a " clock-house."
We are, furthermore, told that the clock had been actually seen in the
early part of Elizabeth's reign. Another writer, in 1751, says that
"the first pendulum clock made in England was, in the year 1622,
by Mr. Fromantil, a Dutchman." So that if we are to attach any
weight to these statements, here we are again landed high and dry
on the sand-bank of doubt and uncertainty.

Sir Edmund's observations on pendulums are very comprehensive,
and show a life-long acquaintanceship with both the practice and
the theory.

Of watches and chronometers we believe some late information
will be found, as well as a hint about oil. Then again, that fruitful
source of the inventor's brain, the compensation balance, has not
been lost sight of. Any one plunging, or about plunging, into the
agitated waters of "compensation" had better begin here. And
the same also with escapements ; from the verge to the chrono-
graphic, they are here. There is one of them, " the lever chrono-
meter, which we should have liked to have seen more of, as it has
had a very chequered career.

Sir Edmund gives, as one reason for not having gone into the
minute details of watchmaking, the fact that " it is the less neces-
sary now that the Horological Journal exists." We regret this, be-
cause a large number of his readers may never see that publication.

The Horological Journal is the official record of the Horological
Institute. It stands upon somewhat isolated ground, and its circu-
lation necessarily partakes of its exclusive character. So long as
there is an institute, so long must there be a periodical record of
that institute's doings ; and the seventeen volumes of the Horological
Journal contain more thoroughly scientific and practical information
on modern horology than exists any where else in the world. We
are far from deeming it a rival, because, from its elevated, official
position, it can afford to look serenely down upon the troubled
waters of commercial enterprise in which we are buffetting about.
The journal can never be a rival to any ordinary publication em-
bracing the broad interests of affiliated trades. It has its own
mission to fulfil, and fulfils it well, and the only rivalry that we
shall ever be ambitious of will be the rivalry of ability. Every
watchmaker of any pretension to progressive intelligence must have
the journal. We only hope that we may find a place on his table
for subjects beyond the scope of the older horological lamp.

Sir Edmund Beckett mentions in his book the watch-factory
systems of America. Of course, not having seen them, he has to
content himself with saying very little about them. They
present, however, a most marvellous indication of both mercantile
and mechanical progress ; in good truth, from the result of such
inquiries as we have been able to make, the American machine-
made watch must now be taken as an important factor in the
home and colonial trade. The celebrated Waltham Company
have, as our readers are already aware, established themselves
firmly here in London; and since we last mentioned them, we
learn that their ' ' work " is radiating along every line of the compass.
An illustrated treatise on their machinery and system of inter-
changeable manufacture would be a fitting supplement to the book
which we now cordially recommend to our readers.

70

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Sept. 4, 1875.

FINGER RINGS.

(Continued from page 51.)

IN the Hereford, York, and the Salisbury missals directions are
given at the marriage for the ring to be put first on the thumb,
after on the second finger, then on the third, and, lastly, on the
fourth finger. The rubric still ordains the fourth finger, because it
is the ring finger; and the left hand is chosen, it is said, because
the wife is in subjection to her husband, but this is doubtful. It
is true that official rings are worn on the right hand, but the left
hand has more usually been the favourite one for rings, probably
because it is less used than the right.

In many parts of the continent wedding rings are worn by
husbands as well as by wives. The wedding ring worn by Luther,
to which we have previously referred, was a gimmal, and consisted
of two perfect rings. On one hoop was set a diamond, as the
emblem of power, duration, and fidelity, and, on the other, a ruby,
for exalted love. On the mounting of the diamond were engraved
Luther's initials, and on that of the ruby his wife's, so that when
the two paits were joined the letters came close together. The
motto within was, " Was Gott zusammen fuget soil kein mensch
scheiden " (What God doth join, no man shall part).

Formerly widows wore their ring on the thumb, as an emblem of
widowhood, and we find the following trick mentioned in the
Spectator: —

"It is common enough for a stale virgin to set up a shop in a place
where she is not known, where the large thumb ring, supposed to be given
her by her husband, quickly recommends her to some wealthy neighbour,
who takes a liking to the jolly widow that would have overlooked the
veritable spinster."

The old wedding ring usually had its motto, which was often
pretty and appropriate. AVe will set down a few of these posies
that were once common : —

" Let lyking laste."

" As God decreed so we agreed."

" Knit in one by Christ alone."

" In Christ and thee my comfort be."

" First love Christ that died for thee,

Next to Him love none but me."
" Let us share in joy and care."
" United hearts death only parts."
" A faithful wife preserveth life."
" This and the giver are thine forever."
" This hath alloy, my love is pure."
" The diamond is within."
" I like my choice."
" Love and live happily."

The wedding ring of St. Louis, of France, was set with a sapphire
intaglio of the Crucifixion, and bore on the hoop the motto,
"Dehors cet anel, pourrions avoir amour." Anne of Cleves' posy
was "God sende me wel to kepe." Richard Beauchamp, Earl of
Warwick, temp. Henry VI., had three daughters, who all married
noblemen. Margaret's husband was John Talbert, Earl of Shrews-
bury, and the motto of her wedding ring, " Til deithe depart."
Alianour married Edmund, Duke of Somerset, and her motto was,
" Never newe." Elizabeth married Lord Latimer, and hers was
" Til my live's end." An old Earl of Hertford's wedding ring con-
sisted of five links, the four inner ones containing the following
posies of the earl's own making : —

" As circles five by art compact shows but one ring in sight,
So trust united faithful mindes with knott of secret might ;
Whose force to break no right but greedie Death possesseth power,
As time and sequels well shall prove. My ringe can say no more."
Lady G'athcart, on marrying her fourth husband, Hugh Maguire,
in 1713, had the following posie inscribed on her wedding ring :

" If I survive,
I will have five."

Dr. John Thomas, Bishop of Lincoln, in 1753, married four
wives, and, being of the same mind with Lady Cathcart, he selected
a like motto for his fourth wife's ring, viz. : —

" If I survive,
I'll make them five."
The community of fishermen inhabiting the Claddagh at Galway
rarely intermarry with other than their own people. The wedding
ring is an heirloom in a family, and is regularly transferred from
the mother to the daughter who is first married, and so passes to
her descendants. Many of those still worn are very old.

The women of the gipsy tribes wear plain, massive gold wedding
rings, which are occasionally pawned by their possessor when in

want of money, but in most cases are scrupulously redeemed.
Many superstitions are associated with the wedding ring, and some
of them still linger on. It was once a widely-spread belief that a
special nerve or artery stretched forth from the heart to the ring
finger, and it is not a little remarkable that this notion is derived
from Egypt, so that the wedding ring of to-day is placed upon a
particular finger, because, many centuries ago, an Egyptian appro-
priated that as the ring finger, from some supposed virtue that
existed in it. Macrobius writes that those Egyptian priests who
were prophets, when engaged in the temple near the altars of the
gods, moistened the ring finger of the left hand (which was that
next to the smallest) with various sweet ointments, in the belief
that a certain nerve communicated with it from the heart.

It has been thought that the wedding ring possesses certain
curative powers ; thus, it is believed that a stye in the eye will soon
disappear after being rubbed with the "plain gold ring." Most
women are very loth to take off their wedding ring, and it seldom,
if ever, is allowed to leave the finger. Its loss is thought to be an
evil portent of some importance. In Sir John Bramston's auto-
biography (1631) it is related that his stepmother dropped her ring
off her finger into the sea near the shore when she pulled off her
glove. She would not go home without the ring, " it being the
most unfortunate that could befall any one to lose the wedding
ring," and after a general search the seekers met with success.

Among Moore's juvenile poems will be found a tale called the
" Ring," which is a version of an old and widely-spread German
legend. A young knight, who is about to be married to a beautiful
girl, places the wedding ring on the finger of a statue, thinking it
to be a place of safety. When he comes for it the marble finger
has turned up, and he is unable to get his ring off. He comes again
to break the finger off and release the ring, when he finds the finger
open, but the ring gone. He is in dismay, but obtains a new ring,
with which he is married. At night, however, a spectre cold, like
the marble statue, comes between the bride and bridegroom. The
former cannot see it, but the latter sees it, feels it, and hears it
speak these words : —

" Husband, husband, I've the ring
Thou gav'st to-day to me ;
And thou'rt to me for ever wed,
As I am wed to thee J "

At daybreak the spectre departs, but comes again each night,
until, with the assistance of an old monk, the knight goes to a place
where four roads meet, and obtains his ring again,

Still, in spite of these notions, the gold wedding ring is by no
means an indispensable part of the marriage ceremony, for curtain
rings, church keys, and rings made from gloves, or leather of any
kind, have been used as a substitute.

Marrying with a rush ring was practised by designing men to
deceive their mistresses, and on account of this abuse the practice
is strictly prohibited by the constitutions of Richard, Bishop of
Salisbury, in 1217.

" And whilst they sport and dance, the love-sick swains
Compose rush rings and myrtleberry chains."

Quarles' " Shepheard's Oracles," 1646.

In Greene's "Menaphon" is the following reference to rush
rings : — " 'Twas a good world when such simplicitie was used, saye
the olde women of our time, when a ring of a rush would tye as
much love together as a gimmon of gold ; " and Douce refers
Shakspeare's expression, " Tib's rush for Tom's forefinger," to this
custom.

There is another ring which is not so well known now, but which
was pretty common in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. It
was a frequent custom in the Middle Ages for widows to take a vow
of chastity or perpetual widowhood, in token of which they received
a peculiar robe and ring.

Eleanor, third daughter of King John, and widow of William
Mareschal, Earl of Pembroke, made a vow of celibacy to Edmund,
Archbishop of Canterbury, and Richard, Bishop of Chichester,
after the death of her husband, and received the ring and mantle of
profession in public. A few years subsequently she broke her vow
and married Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, not, however,
before the strongest remonstrances had been made by the pious
archbishop. The marriage was generally regarded as null and void,
and it was only after the greatest exertions had been made for the
pope's sanction, and vast sums of money had been spent, that a
dispensation was obtained. In the will of Lady Alice West (1395)
mention is made of " a ring with which I was espoused to God."
In 1473 Katherine Rippelingham, "widow advowes," bequeaths
" her gold ring with a diamante sette therein wherewith she was
sacrid." (To be continued.)

Sept. 4, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

77

THE STEREOSCOPE.

THE stereoscope derives its name from two Greek words — <n<.pzAv
(stereon), a solid object, and oKoirew (skopeo), I look at, inas-
much as the effect is such as to make the observer imagine that a
really solid object (in the geometrical sense of the term), instead
of a flat object, is placed before him.

Various optical combinations have been proposed and contrived
for the purpose of producing this effect. In some the visual rays
proceeding from the pictures are thrown into the requisite direction
by reflection, and in others by refraction.

In the first form given to the instrument by Professor Wheatstone,
its inventor, the visual rays proceeding from the two pictures were
deflected by two plane reflectors placed at a right angle, so that in
entering the eyes they proceeded as if they had diverged from a
common point, at which the object represented by the pictures
would, therefore, appear to be placed. In the lenticular stereo-
scope, invented by Sir David Brewster, the visual rays proceeding
from the two pictures are deflected and made to diverge from the
desired distance by means of two eccentric double convex lenses.
One advantage of this arrangement is, that the convexity of the
lenticular eye-pieces may be such as to produce any desired mag-
nifying effect within practical limits upon the two pictures. The
tubes containing the eye-glasses are made to draw in and out, so
as to be adapted to different eyes, and are fixed by pins which pass
into slits made in them in that position in which the deflected rays
have the proper degree of divergence.

In the accompanying drawing (Figs. 1 and 2) are illustrations of
the original Reflecting Stereoscope of Professor Wheatstone,
Fig. 1 being a front view, and Fig. 2 a plan of the instrument.

Fig I.

In his able paper, read before the Royal Society, the professor
describes A A as two plane mirrors, about 4 inches square, in-
serted in frames, and so adjusted that their backs form an angle
of 90° with each other ; these mirrors are fixed by their common
edge against an upright, B, or, which was less easy to represent in
the drawing, against a middle line of a vertical board, cut away in
such manner as to allow the eyes to be placed before two mirrors.
C C are sliding boards, to which are attached the upright boards,

Fig. 2.

D D, which may thus be removed to different distances from the
mirror. In most of the experiments hereafter to be detailed, it
is necessary that each upright board shall be at the same distance
from the mirror which is opposite to it. To facilitate this double
adjustment are employed a right and left-handed wooden screw,
r I ; the two ends of this compound screw pass through the nuts,
e e, which ^are fixed to the lower parts of the upright boards, D D,
so that by turning the screw pin, p, one way the two boards will

approach, and, by turning it the other, they will recede from each
other, one always preserving the same distance as the other from
the middle line/. E E are panels to which the pictures are fixed
in such manner that the corresponding horizontal lines shall be on
the same level ; these panels are capable of sliding backwards
and forwards in grooves on the upright boards, D D. The
apparatus having been described, it now remains to explain the
manner of using it. The observer must place his eyes as near as
possible to the mirrors, the right eye before the right-hand mirror,
and the left eye before the left-hand mirror, and he must move the
sliding panels, E E, to or from him, until the two reflected images
coincide at the intersection of the optic axes and form an image
of the same apparent magnitude as each of the component pictures.
The pictures will, indeed, coincide when the sliding panels are in
a variety of different positions, and consequently when viewed
under different inclinations of the optic axes ; but there is only
one position in which the binocular image will be immediately seen
single, of its proper magnitude, and without fatigue to the eyes,
because in this position only the ordinary relations between the
magnitude of the pictures on the retinae, the inclination of the
optic axes, and the adaptation of the eye to distinct vision at
different distances are preserved. In all the experiments detailed
in the present memoir, these relations are supposed to remain
undisturbed, and the optic axes to converge about 6 or 8 inches
before the eyes. If the pictures are all drawn to be seen with the
same inclination of the optic axes, the apparatus may be simplified
by omitting the screw, r I, and fixing the upright boards, D D, at
the proper distances. The sliding panels may also be dispensed
with, and the drawings themselves be made to slide in the grooves.
This form of the instrument being now obsolete, we show, in
Fig. 3, another style of the stereoscope in general use, and in which

the observer looks directly at the
drawings instead of at their reflect-
ed images, the two being made to
coalesce by the introduction of two
prisms or semi-lenses into the eye-
pieces of the instrument. This
form possesses the advantages of
cheapness and portability, but can
only be used with small drawings,
and does not admit of the same
amount of adjustment as the re-
flecting stereoscope.

In Willats's " ScientificManual,"
from which we have extracted, will
be found a detailed description of
the stereoscope and the manner of taking pictures suited for it, as
well as copious extracts from the able paper of Professor Wheatstone,
already referred to. According to such authority, " it is rigorously
true, that the surprise and admiration excited by the stereoscope
does not arise from the truth of the picture which it presents, but
from the strong exaggeration of perspective and relief which it
exhibits. It is very true/' says that author, " that no art of the
draughtsman or painter could produce such effects, but it is equally
true that no such effects could be produced by the objects

Fig. 3.

themselves."

(To be continued.)

NEW SNOW SPECTACLES.

M1

R. WILLIAM WHITE COOPER, oculist, has devised a
new kind of spectacles to prevent snow blindness. It is well
known that a long exposure to the intense white of the snow in the
polar regions is most harmful to the sight ; to meet this difficulty,
spectacles of green-tinted glass, surrounded by gauze, have been
proposed. These will, however, fail in practice, as the glass part
of the spectacles is liable to get dim and cloudy, while the gauze and
the wire, by means of which the spectacles are fastened behind the
ears, will in an arctic climate become so cold that to the human skin
they will have the sensation of being made of red-hot wire. Mr.
Cooper's snow spectacles have neither glass nor iron in their composi-
tion, for they are made of ebonite, and are tied on to the head by a
velvet cord. They resemble somewhat two half walnut shells
fastened over the eyes. Their great peculiarity, however, is that
the wearer sees through a simple slit in front of the pupil of the eye.
The sides of each eye box are perforated with minute holes, in
order that the wearer can get a side view of objects. These glasses
will also prove useful to travellers by railway, insomuch as they keep
out the glare of the sun and prevent the admission of dust into the
eye. To engine drivers, therefore, they would be invaluable, espe-
cially when exposed during sleet, snow-storms, or windy weather.
They are also agreeable when reading at night by lamp or gas light

THE WATCHMAKEE, JE WELLE E, AND

[Sept. 4, 1875.

BEAUMAECHAIS.

THIS extraordinaiy man, whose real name was Pierre Augt
Caron, was born in 1732. His father was a watchmaker oJ

i'ttstin
Caron. was born in 1732. His father was a watchmaker of the
Quartier Latin, and he was the only boy of six children. He was
brought up to the paternal calling, for which, in his early years, he
seems to have bad but little taste, and to have been much neglected
for music, of which he was passionately fond.

Of the education he received we have very little means of judging ;
it could not have been very liberal, but he spared no labour, in after
years, to make up for its deficiencies. At this period, however,
when the almost oriental lines of caste, which had obtained under
the Grande ilonarque, were being broken down by the freer manners
of the court of bis successor, and class was gradually blending with
class, not only by association, but by marriage, the Parisian
bourgeois was making rapid strides both in education and refinement,
and in these respects was equal, if not superior, to his descendants
of a century later. Thus we find the elder Caron to have been a
man of some cultivation. Two of the sisters were remarkable for
taste, wit, and educated intelligence ; one was a very fine musician,
the other, Julie, who retired later in life into a convent, is not un-
known in literature. Thus we find that the early youth of the
future author of "Figaro" Avas passed in an atmosphere, and among
associations, more genial than his birth might lead us to suppose.

Young Pierre was decidedly precocious, and a sad scapegrace, and
probably sat to himself thereafter for the portrait of Cherubino. At
thirteen he was in love with a girl several years older than himself,
and, when she laughed at him, meditated upon the desirability of
suic:de. Two or three years later his father expelled him from home
on account of irregularities of conduct, taking care, however, first
of all that he should find a safe shelter beneath the roof of a near
relative, whence the prodigal wrote very penitent letters, to which
the father replied by an offer of reconciliation upon certain condi-
tions, which reveal the nature of the offences. Among others, were
that no orders were to be taken or executed in the business without
his knowledge and authority, a condition which points to specula-
tions ; that he was to rise at six, and work till supper-time, against
which we may write predisposition to idleness ; that he was not to
go out pleasuring except on Sundays, and then only among his imme-
diate relations and friends, and that he was always to be home
by nine at the latest — upon which we comment, love of late hours
and indefinite company ; and that the only time he should give up
to music was that between supper and bed-time. Rather rigorous
conditions these, would think apprentices of the present day. Never-
theless the culprit assented to them all, and, benefiting by the lesson
he had received, applied himself so diligently to his trade, that at
twenty he invented a new system of escapement, which proved to
be a very valuable improvement in watchmaking. His discovery,
published in a number of the Mercure, 1753, was impudently appro-
priated by Lepante, watchmaker to the Luxembourg, who trusted for
impunity to the obscurity of the inventor. But little did he know
Pierre Caron, who at once commenced a law suit against him, the
first of many, for his life was one long series of litigations, one of
which extended fifty years beyond it. The Academy of Sciences,
before which the question was brought, decided in his favour. This
affair made some noise in Paris, and even attracted the attention of
the court. The king ordered one of the new watches, and Caron
presented to Madame de Pompadour a tiny watch, of exquisite
make, set in a ring ; after this he was employed by all the courtiers,
and took the name of the "King's Watchmaker."

"As soon as Beaumarchais appeared at Versailles," writes a con-
temporary, "the women were struck with his lofty stature, his
slender, elegant figure, the regularity of his features, his bright,
animated complexion, his confident bearing, that air of command
which seemed to raise him above all who surrounded him, and finally
with that involuntary ardour which he exhibited on their appear-
ance."

One day a very handsome lady, about ^thirty, brought a watch
to the shop to be repaired. A glance gave him his cue ; he requested
and obtained permission to be himself the bearer when it was
finished. The lady was the wife of M. Francquet, a clerk of the
royal kitchen, who was very old and infirm. She conceived a violent
passion for the young watchmaker, and the husband seems to have
made no objection to the close intimacy that ensued ; indeed, so
plaisant was he that a few months afterwards he made over to
him his office, in consideration of an annuity, and, to complete the
obligation, died soon afterwards.

Within eleven months of the demise of M. Francquet young
Caron espoused the widow and assumed the title of De Beau-
marchais, from a fief supposed to belong to her — a fief which,
it i.s probable, existed only in his imagination. She survived her

second nuptials scarcely a twelvemonth, and, having neglected
to register the marriage contract, he lost all her property. Those
musical studies, which his father had so rigorously restrained,
now stood him in good stead, and were the means of' his first real
advancement. Besides being a very fine performer upon the harp,
an instrument then scarcely known in France, he had made some
improvements in its construction. His success was so great that
Louis' four maiden sisters desired to have ' a taste of his quality,'
and in a short time he became their musical instructor ; but not for
hire, he soared too high for that. Such was the favour and
familiarity he now enjoyed at court that on one occasion, every
chair being occupied when he entered the music-room, so eager was
the king to hear him that he pushed his own seat towards him and
insisted upon his taking it. He even won the good opinion of the
not too sociable Dauphin, who paid him the high compliment of
saying, " He is the only man who speaks the truth to me."

That sitch favours should slightly intoxicate a young bourgeois,
and inflate him with exaggerated notions of his merit, is not at all
surprising. Nature had created him something of a coxcomb, and
such associations were not calculated to correct that tendency.
These failings and jealousy of his sudden rise, made him many
enemies among the courtiers, who took frequent opportunities of
mortifying and insulting him. One day a young noble requested
him to examine his watch which he asserted was out of order.
" Since I have left off the business I have become very unskilful in
it," replied Beaumarchais, coolly. "You will not refuse me this
favour," persisted his tormentor. Beaumarchais took it, held it up
as high as he cotdd on pretence of examining it, and then let it fall.
" I warned you, monsieur, of my unskilfulness," he said, with a low
bow, and passed on.

His influence with "mesdames" enabled him to confer a favour
upon a person whose gratitude laid the foundation of his future
colossal fortune. Paris du Verney, the celebrated financier, had
just erected the Ecole Militaire, but the building and its purposes
having been designed by Pompadour, who, since the beginning of
the seven years' war, had fallen into disfavour, was looked coldly
upon by the royal family, and during nine years he had vainly en-
treated a royal inspection of his work, which languished for the
want of such patronage ; he was now a very old man, and this visit
had become the most desirable object of his life. It is a striking
proof of the consideration in which Beaumarchais was held at the
time when we find so rich and noted a man as Du Verney applying
to him to bring about the accomplishment of his wishes. And he
had not mistaken his man ; in a short time the clever young-
courtier prevailed upon the king's sisters to visit the ecole, and soon
afterwards the king himself followed their example. As a reward
for this service Du Verney gave him a share in a speculation to the
amount of 60,000 francs, and thus commenced a connection which
brought much wealth to Beaumarchais, and which was dissolved
only by the death of his patron — Temple Bar.

LIFE.

The following inscription is from Greyfriars churchyard.

Our life is but a winter's day,
Some only breakfast, and away ;
Others to dinner stay

And are full fed ;
The oldest man but sups

And goes to bed.
Large is his debt

That lingers out the day,
He that goes soonest

Has the least to pay.

We are in receipt of the first three numbers of the Canadian
Masonic News, edited by Bro. Rev. E. M.Myers, P.M., P.J.P.P.G.C.,
R.S., whose name and fame in masonry is sufficient guarantee of its
editorial claims, whilst we recognize the " clippings " from works of
equal merit. The work having in its aim —

"To make men just in their station,
Contains naught but what's good
To be understood

By every enlightened Free Mason."

We are indebted to the New York Jeicelhr's Circular, The Jewish
Chronicle, and several other journals, for kind notices and good
wishes, for which encomiums they will please accept our best thanks.

Se t. 4, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

79

PRECIOUS STONES.

General Observations [continued from page 35.)
Brightness, Colour, and Transparency. — Gems acquire more or less
brightness, lively, varied colouring, and transparency in proportion
to their single or double refraction, and to the polarization of light.
The brightness of gems may be distinguished as follows : —

1. Adamantine brightness. That -which gives out the splendour
peculiar to the diamond.

2. Vitreous brightness. That which resembles glass.

3. Resinous brightness. That which shines as if the surface had
been rubbed with oil.

4. Pearly brightness. That which resembles the particular light of
a pearl.

5. Silky brightness. That which gives the appearance of silk stuff.
The value of a gem depends principally on the beauty of its colour.

The colouring material is generally composed of metallic oxides.
The wonderful variety of colours in the gems, which more than all
others resemble those of the solar spectrum, gave rise to the diversity
of names which are often given to the same substance. The red
corundum is the Oriental ruby ; the blue corundum is the Oriental
sapphire ; the yellow corundum is the Oriental topaz ; the blueish-
green emerald is now called beryl-quartz, has many names, and more
or less value in its different colours. There are crystals which not
only have a varied gradation of the same colour, but also present
three distinct colours. We have seen quartz in which the central
disc is red surrounded by a green zone, ending in a white band.
Corundums have been seen in which shone red, blue, and yellow ;
and we sometimes see the tormaline variously coloured, watered,
and marked with strange figures.

In some gems the colour differs according to the reflection or
transmission of light. The opal, with reflected light, is prismatic ;
and wnli transmitted light it is whitish. The formaline, with re-
flected light, is red, blue, or some other equally bright colour ; but
with transmitted light it is olive. Many crystals present beautilul
changes of light when this is reflected in certain given directions,
as in the Labradors, the moon-stone, and the asteria. Minute crevices
cause the iridescence, as in the stone called iris. Many gems are
more or less transparent — that is, they possess in a greater or less
degree the power of transmitting light ; and, according to these
degrees, they have different denominations. That stone is called
" transparent " which when placed before an object does not im-
pede its view. When the stone allows &n object to be seen indis-
tinctly through it, it is called ' ' semi-transparent ; ' ' and ' ' translucent "
when ir allows the light to pass, but hinders the view of objects.

Electricity is produced in gems by heat, friction, or violence. In
some gems it is caused by warming them at the fire, and then they
are said to possess pyrelectricism. Electricity is produced by friction
in the topaz, the amt-thyst, all quartz, the diamond, the garnet, and
emerald. Some crystals become electrical by percussion, as, for
instance, the Iceland spar. Some stones conduct, others reject
electricity, which in those cases is either positive or negative. The
power of retaining electricity, when produced, is very variable in
stones, and the time which elapses before they lose it forms a valuable
mark of distinction amongst them. The Indians have for a long
time been aware of this property peculiar of gems. The celebrated
Haiiy speaks of it at great length, while describing many instru-
ments used by him to certify the phenomenon.

Fusion and Solution. — The facility or difficulty experienced in melt-
ing or dissolving a gem serves to indicate the elements of which it
is composed. The diamond alone will not dissolve, although it is
combustible. All the corundums can be dissolved by means of
borax, but with great difficulty ; the emerald, the jargoon, and the
spinel, more easily. Caloric produces very different effects on other
gems: some change colour, others swell and crackle, and many
others burn, are changed into vitreous globules, into a kind of
cement, into a powder ; and in some others phosphorescence is pro-
duced. Many other precious stones besides the diamond are in-
capable of injury by acids ; amongst these are the corundum and
the spinel. Not a few change colour in acids, as, for example, the
German agate. (To be continued.)

Books and Magazines Received. — "A Treatise on Watch-work,
Past and Present," by Rev. H. L. Nelthropp, M.A., F.S.A., E. & F.
Spoon, London and New York (to be reviewed, in our next).

"The Encyclopaedic Catalogue of Mathematical, Philosophical,
Optical, Photographic, and Standard Meteorological Instruments,"
Negretti and Zambra, Holborn Viaduct.

The New York " Jewellers' Circular," for August.

"The Scientific American Horological Journal," for September ;
and other usual monthlies.

THE DIAMOND.

(Continued from page 35).

THE origin and mode of formation of the diamond is, however, a
question still involved in doubt and obscurity, and this is in-
creased by the singular fact that it has never yet been found in its
original bed or native matrix. The ruby, the sapphire, the emerald,
the topaz, the hyacinth, and, in fact, every other crystalline mineral
known has been found imbedded in some veinstone or rock, where
it was evidently formed ; and if we find these gems in sand or
gravel, as is the case in India or in Brazil, we have no doubt that
they come from the wearing down of these rocks — a process which
the harder crystals have escaped, though often not without a partial
abrasion of their surfaces. The most diligent search has, however,
failed to detect the diamond in any such rock. The well-known
desire of mineralogists and geologists to get some clue to the original
associations of the diamonds has even stimulated fraud, and dia-
monds have been ingeniously cemented into cavities among crystals
of quartz in such manner as to suggest that the original matrix of
the gem had been discovered. In a specimen of this kind from
Brazil, the application of a solvent showed that the diamonds were
only held in their place by some artificial cement, and the precious
specimen was at once deprived of its scientific value.

A year or two since mineralogists were, therefore, greatly gratified
to hear that a Russian mineralogist, Von Jeremejew, had solved the
problem. It is well-known that diamonds are found in the sands of
the Urals, and this observer declared that he had found the matrix
of the germ in the mineral known as xanthophyllite, a crystalline
foliated mica-like silicate, which is found in that region, and which
he declared to be full of microscopic diamonds. There was nothing
at first sight improbable in this. Crystals of imbedded minerals are
by no means uncommon. Thus the mica of Haddam, Connecticut,
sometimes encloses small and beautiful crystals of garnet, and else-
where tormaline crystals are found similarly imbedded. Small
specimens of the precious mineral were distributed among mineralo-
gists, mounted on slides for the microscope, and the writer was
permitted to feast his eyes upon what, under a high magnifying
power, seemed to be numerous well-defined and brilliant crystals of
diamond, imbedded in the transparent xanthophyllite. But alas!
for the delusions of the microscope when in unskilled hands or
when looked into only by uncritical eyes. AVe have known minute
air-bubbles to be mistaken for entozoa by too credulous physiolo-
gists, who anxiously sought the latter by the aid of the instrument ;
and we are now informed that the minute diamonds of Von Jereme-
jew are not more substantial. Prof. Knop, who has lately sub-
mitted the supposed diamond-bearing xanthophyllite of the Urals to
a chemical and microscopical examination, asserts that they have no
existence, and that the forms supposed to be diamonds are small
empty cavities in the mineral, from which previously existing cry-
stals of some other substance than diamond has been removed by
solution ; and he has moreover succeeded in producing the same
appearance by submitting what seemed homogeneous portions of
the mineral to the action of an acid, which removed the imbedded
and soluble crystals.

The diamonds of all parts of the world are, as is well known,
found in gravel or sand, sometimes recemented into a rocky mass.
But they are associated with various other crystalline minerals
■ — such as tormaline, etc. — evidently derived from the ruins of cry-
stalline rocks ; and we may confidently expect that sooner or later
the true matrix of the diamond will be found in a crystalline rock.
It should be said that although diamonds have been found in
Brazil imbedded in a micaceous sandstone, this is regarded as only
a reformed and cemented rock.

The New York Jewellers' Circular for August is to hand, and,
as usual, contains a variety of instructive and interesting matter,
reflecting considerable credit on its publishers. Our American
cousin is, however, mistaken in the impression that the excellent
articles which we reproduced from its pages were not duly acknow-
ledged, since such acknowledgment was made at the commencement
of the articles alluded to, and not deemed necessary when the same
were continued from number to number. For good wishes the
Jewellers' Circular will accept our best thanks and reciprocation.

Experiment shows that 1 per cent, or less of phosphorus so far
modifies cast iron that it will resist the action of concentrated
sulphuric acid to a greater degree than when entirely free from
phosphorus ; and those who separate silver and gold by the sulphuric
acid process find that some cast-iron vessels are destroyed in a few
weeks, while others will last for years.

so

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Sept. 4, 1875.

RARE WORKMANSHIP IN RINGS.

rnHE accompanying engravings represent part of the testimonial
presented to Dr. E. Harold Browne on the occasion of his
being translated from the bishopric of Ely to the see of Winchester,
when a subscription to a very considerable amount was raised,
among the clergy and laity of the former diocese, for the purpose of
presenting his lordship with some object or objects that would
testify to the personal regard entertained towards him and the high
appreciation of his labours.

The testimonial ultimately took three forms : one, a portrait of
the bishop, and presented to Mrs. Browne ; another, a costly dessert
service ; and lastly, two massive episcopal rings, of rare and ex-
quisite workmanship and design, and which are represented in the
accompanying engravings, reproduced from the Art Journal.

The large oval ring— three separate views of which are here
produced — consists of a magnificent sapphire mounted in gold ;
on one side appears a minute, but well-modelled, figure of St.
Swithin, the first Bishop of Winchester ; and on the other side is
that of St. Etheldreda, Abbess of Ely : both figures are sunk in
concaves.

The other ring, with the vesica-formed bloodstone, shows the
arms of the see of Winchester quartered with those of the new
bishop ; on the sides respectively are sculptured in relief the letters
alpha and omega. Both rings were designed and executed by Mr.
John Brogden, Henrietta-street, Covent-garden ; and whilst engrav-
ings exemplify the taste displayed in the designs, the skill of the
workmen engaged in producing them is a matter which reflects the
highest credit on all parties engaged in their manufacture.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STRONG-ROOM
COMPANY, LIMITED.

rnHE first general meeting of this Company was held at the Great
Western Hotel, Birmingham, on the 27th ult.

The Chairman, Mr. G. J. Smith, presented a very satisfactory
report on the position of the Company, and announced that the
Directors have leased, on most favourable terms, the extensive pre-
mises adjoining the Soho Station, oa the London and North West-
ern Railway, and which were formerly occupied as Messrs. Baines'
Railway Turn Table Works. The premises are to be considerably
enlarged and altered so as to adapt them to the requirements of the
Company ; and when finished are expected to form one of the
largest and most complete safe manufactories in the kingdom.

The Chairman also stated that the Company had just completed
an important contract for an Eastern Government and which is
anticipated to lead to extensive and profitable results ; and that
there are on hand at present time, orders which will tax to the
fullest extent the resources of the present works to execute. Amonc
such contracts are a number of safes and strong-rooms on the
Sicker principle, for some of the largest Banking Companies in the
Midland counties, besides orders for bullion and jewellery estab-
lishments.

The report was adopted unanimously, and after the usual vote of
thanks to the Chairman the meeting terminated.

USEFUL HINTS TO WATCHMAKERS AND
JEWELLERS.

(Continued from page 38J

Red Enamel.

"VrO. 1. Paste or flux coloured with the red oxide or protoxide
J_\ of copper. Should the colour pass into the green or brown
from the partial peroxidation of the copper, from the heat being
raised too high, the red colour may be restored by the addition of
any carbonaceous matter, as tallow or charcoal.

No. 2. By tinging the glass or flux with the oxide or salts of gold,
or with the purple precipitate of cassius. These substances produce
shades of red, inclining to crimson or purple of the most exquisite
hue. The enamel often comes from the fire quite colourless, and
afterward receives its rich hue at the lamp.

No. 3. Wynn. Sulphate of iron (calcined dark) 1 part, a mixture
of 6 parts of (lux (No. 5) and 1 of colcothar 3 parts. Dark red.

No. 4. Wynn. Red sulphate of iron 2 parts, flux (No. 1) G parts,
white lead 3 parts. Light red.

ROSE-COLOURED ENAMEL.

Purple enamel (or its elements) 3 parts, flux 90 parts
add silver leaf or oxide of silver 1 part, or less.

mix and

Transparent Enamel.
The frit or flux described above, without colouring matter.

Violet Enamel.

No. 1. Purple enamel 2 parts ; red enamel (No. 2) 3 parts ;
frit 6 parts.

No. 2. Saline or alkaline frit cr flux any quantity ; peroxide of
manganese, enough to colour. As the tint depends on the metal
being at the maximum of oxidation, contact with oily or car-
bonaceous substances should be particularly avoided.

White Enamel.

No. 1. Calcine (from 2 parts of tin and 1 part of lead) 1 part,
fine crystal glass or frit 2 parts, manganese a few grains ; powder,
mix, melt, and pour the fused mass into clean water ; again powder
and fuse, and repeat the whole process three or four times, avoid-
ing contamination with smoke, dirt, or oxide of iron. A fine dead
white.

No. 2. Washed diaphoretic antimony 1 part, fine glass (free
from lead) 3 parts ; mix and proceed as before. Very fine.

No. 3. Lead 30 parts, tin 33 parts; calcine as before, then fuse
50 parts of this calcine with an equal weight of flints in powder
and 100 parts of salt of tartar. A fine dead white enamel.

For white enamel the articles must be perfectly free from foreign
admixture, as this would impart a colour. When well managed,
either of the above forms will produce a paste that will rival the
opal.

Yellow Enamel.

Superior yellow enamels are less easily produced than those of
most colours ; they require very little flux, and that mostly of a
metallic nature. The following come highly recommended bv
experienced artists : —

No. 1. Prom frit or flux, fuse with oxide of lead and a little
red oxide of iron.

No. 2. Lead, tin ashes, litharge, antimony, and sand, of each
loz., nitre 4oz. ; mix, fuse, and powder, and add the product
to flux or frit, enough to reduce the colour.

No. 3. White oxide of antimony, alum, and sal ammoniac, of
each 1 part, pure carbonate of lead from 1 to 3 parts (all in
powder) ; mix and expose them to a heat sufficiently high to
decompose the sal ammoniac. Used as the last. Very bright
coloured.

" Pleasure is man's chief good ; to enjoy reasonably is his wisdom
and his duty ; it is the great lesson of human life, but a lesson
which few have learned, and none less than those who proclaim
themselves masters of art in it." — Young.

Ambition is like a wild horse, which prances unceasingly until it
has thrown off its rider.

A Young Lady who had no time to spare in making garments
for the poor, has been engaged three weeks embroidering a blanket
for her poodle dog.

Sept. 4, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

81

AMONG THE ELECTROPLATING.

WHEN Volta, in the closing year of the last century, instead
of "pursuing his investigations into the preventability of
x hail-storms, invented the Voltaic Pile, he little imagined what
germs of entirely new industries he was giving to the world. And
why it was called a "pile" we may as well state at once. The
original instrument, shall we say, was composed of discs of zinc,
silver and pasteboard, laid on, hand-over-hand, in the same order,
to the extent of more than a hundred, until they formed a regular
pillar, or pile, the uppermost one being silver. To the zinc plate at
the bottom and the silver one at the top were attached two sepa-
rate wires, and then was the battery made, with its positive and
negative poles ; or, to speak, perhaps, more correctly, all the phe-
nomena of the ordinary electric battery could be produced.

Experimenting went on without much practical advancement
until the late Professor Daniell brought forth the Daniells, or
" constant battery," as it has been called. That invention may be
broadly taken as the practical commencement of electro-metallurgy.
In 1801, the celebrated Dr. Woollaston published, in the Philoso-
pkical Transactions, the following statement: — "If a piece of silver,
in connection with a more positive metal, be put into a solution of
copper, the silver is coated over with the copper, which coating will
stand the operation of burnishing." But, notwithstanding what is
here set forth, "electro-metallurgy," says Mr. Smee, "may be
said to have had its origin in the discovery of the constant battery
by Professor Daniell." We have to mention that Mr. Smee
himself is an electro-metallurgist of established reputation.

Not having space here to enter upon the scientific progress of
the art, nor even to mention the names of the investigators — they
are so numerous — we have to take our readers along the more
commercially practical part of the work now under notice.

Having determined, if possible, upon inspecting the modus
operandi of electroplating as a branch of manufacture, the next
thing was to find the means of doing so. With a frieud at court,
which, as the old proverb tells us, is better than money in your
purse, we got over the preliminary difficulty, and soon found our-
selves on the high road to where we wanted to go. We may fairly
presume that there are hundreds of tradesmen who are engaged in
distributing electroplated articles among customers every day in
the year who have, of necessity, from want of opportunity, a rather
hazy notion of how it is all made. We will endeavour to tell them.

After passing through the inquisitive ordeal of the private
counting-house, and having our limits of action much more circum-
scribed than we at first intended, we were duly given in charge and
marched off. Our first visit was to the metal receiving room, where
all the unwrought stores are kept. Here we saw the walls honey-
combed with shelves, pigeon-holes, drawers, &c, all laden and
occupied; whilst the floor, too, was covered with "goods," just
as they had been delivered from the flatting-mill and the foundry.
There were rolls of sheet metal, varying from 8 inches to 20 inches
in width ; here whole regiments of plates for the fashioning of
those gigantic haunch-of -venison dishes that one sees occasionally
at grand imperial and civic banquets ; there, wire of all gauges
for bordering and other ornament. Some in the solid was twisted
to resemble a rope, whilst other portions were partially prepared
for that which they would ultimately assume. Then, again,
there were castings of every imaginable — ay, and unimaginable
pattern, too. Huge stamping dies were methodically arranged in
"most admired disorder;" indeed so methodically, that they
suggested the idea of a new kind of oddly-sided shot for as oddly-
bored guns. We expressed the confusion of ideas produced by
what we saw around us, but we were told that, notwithstanding
appearances, whatever was wanted by any department could be
easily and hastily found, almost in the dark, by the person requiring
it. After that statement Ave speedily concluded that the receiving
store was no place for the uninitiated, and, fancying that some of
the weightier articles were moving uneasily towards where we were
standing, we made a sign that it would be agreeable to us to take
our departure and leave them quietly to themselves ; the door was
unlocked and we breathed the air of liberty again.

The next place we entered was a large workshop in which the
various operations of stamping, soldering, and " fitting" were
being carried on. The first thing that attracted our attention was
the stamping work. This is, as may be inferred, of every kind and
degree for which such an operation is practicable. The rapidity
with which this kind of work is done forms an important element
in the economy of production. The stamped pieces are passed
on to the next operation. Supposing the form to be the plinth of
a candelabra, or the branches, then they go to the candlestick-maker,

who " mitres and wires " the pieces very carefully together and gets
them ready for soldering. To those who have never seen soldering
done in the " wholesale " way in which the electroplater does it, it
is very interesting, as it is quite plain that a considerable amount
of practice is required for the more delicate part of the work.
What is more, when the article is ready for the purchaser, the
keenest of keen eyes would not be able to find the seams of this
soldering. It is done in a somewhat different way from that in
which " Tom, the tinker," puts on an old teapot lid ; here it is.
The article is placed on a charcoal hearth upon a revolving iron
table, as represented in the accompanying drawing, and the work-

man, by means of a fan-fed blowpipe specially arranged, turns the
flame upon the joint, adding the solder, until a complete surface
fusion takes place and the junction is complete. Considerable care
and experience are required at tlm work to prevent mishaps.

Dishes and plates, and many other articles, are stamped out of
the thicker metal, after which the ornamental edging, filled with
brass underneath, the better to stand wear and tear, are soldered
on in sections. Then follows " flat-hammering," or "planishing,"
to obtain a perfectly level surface of the central part ; this is
succeeded by " repairing," or "riffling," to bring out sharply the
ornamental work, &c, which is so much admired in such articles.
"Riffling" is done by small hand tools, called "riffles," in some-
thinglike this way. Suppose that the edge, or "mounting," as it
is technically termed, of a dish was a rope, or a chain-cable, then
the workman, with the point and edge of his "riffle," cleans out
every twist, and bend, and link, until the whole design is brought
up in prominent relief to the eye. The same is done with foliage,
tracery, "fretwork," more commonly speaking, "network," &c.
In the latter kind of ornamentation, however, such as we see in
liquor, cruet, and other frames, fruit-stands, &c, the operation is
called "pierce-working," which carries with it its own meaning.
The last processes before plating are "buffing," and chasing, and
engraving. When these have been done to satisfaction, the article
has to be chemically cleaned, to free it from grease and all other
impurities, so as to fit it for the plating-bath, of which we will now
speak. We cannot here enter into the history of electro-metal-
lurgy from the discoveries of Brugnatelli, Woollaston, and
Daniell, in the beginning of this century, until its development
as a national industry, our immediate purpose being more practical,
but we believe that, in the present day, no two methods are
precisely alike in detail.

In preparing the bath the general principle is, first of all, to
dissolve the apportioned quantity of silver in nitric acid ; then the
acid is carefully washed out, cyanide of potassium is added ; and
when the mixture has been properly prepared, it becomes the
plating solution. The articles, having been, as already mentioned,
chemically washed, are then placed in suspension by wires from a
rod connected with the negative pole of the battery, when depo-
sition immediately commences. It is very interesting to see a row

82

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[Sept. 4, 1875.

of forks, or spoons, or, say, a tea-urn, a family of tankards, the
members of a large centre-piece, enormous venison dishes, &c.,
quietly lowered into the bath, and other articles, which have had
their turn therein, as quietly taken out, beautifully covered with
silver. Any thickuess can be deposited. All the articles that we
saw were best German silver, and on account of that would not
show the wear by any means so soon as the old method of plating
upon copper or iron. Everybody has heard of " Sheffield plate,"
but very few persons know how it was made. "Well, it was in this
way :—

An ingot of copper was cast the required size, and upon it was laid
a similar piece of silver. They were fastened with wire, and heated
up to nearly melting-point in the furnace ; then they were passed
through rollers, according to the gauge required, and converted into
plates. From these plates the articles were afterwards made. All
ornamental work or " mounting " had to be stamped out and fastened
on with soft solder, so that the best of them had very little holding
power. All ornaments, feet, handles, figured work, &c, were
fashioned much in the same way, filled with lead and tin, soldered
together, and with the same soft solder stuck on to the main body
of the article. Candlesticks were filled with resin, pitch, or what-
ever would answer the same purpose. Spoons and forks were made
of iron, and the silver soldered on. It is quite clear that, under
such circumstances, only soft solder could be used for "mount-
ing ; " hence the breaking off of the ornaments of Sheffield-plated
goods was always an alarming fact, as many a good housewife knew
to her temper and her cost.

Let us now look at the advantages of electroplating when done
in an honest, substantial manner.

In the first place, for best-quality goods nothing but hard white
metal is used, itself capable of taking a high polish. When in its
normal state, that is, as it comes from the store, it is formed into
whatever is required. The joints are closed, and the work put
together with what is termed hard silver solder, by means of the
action of the blow-pipe. Under these conditions the seaming and
jointing all through are the strongest parts of the pieces in hand.
Thus, contrary to the obsolete Sheffield process of plating before-
hand and then making the article, the electroist makes first and
plates afterwards. The saving of waste and labour by the change
can be readily understood ; indeed, the economy, both in regard to
cost and excellence, cannot be too strongly impressed upon the
public mind. Furthermore, with respect to complex, delicate orna-
mentation— the fairy-fingered work of our plate-service — the
electro-metallurgist is not compelled, as in bygone days, to rely
exclusively on steel dies, his resources go far beyond. He can
model what he listeth, cast from his model, and silver and adorn
afterwards — even to the embodiment of the Shakesperian brain-
created Queen Mab —

" In shape no bigger than an agate stone
On the forefinger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomies
Athwart men's noses as tbey lie asleep ;
Her wagon spokes made of long spinners' legs,
The cover of the wings of grasshoppers ;
Her traces of the smallest spider's web ;
Her collars of the moonshine's watery beams ;
Her whip of cricket's bone ; the lash of film ;
Her wagoner a small grey-coated gnat,
Wot half so big as a round little worm
Prick'd from the lazy finger of a maid ;
Her chariot is an empty hazel nut,
Made by the joiner squirrel, or old grub,
Time out o' mind the fairies' coachmakers."

The final stages are "burnishing" and "finishing." The "finish-
ing" consists in submitting the plated article to the action of
" bobs," or small leather discs, fed by finely-powdered lime, and
revolving so rapidly as to be seen almost motionless on horizontal
spindles. After this operation they are " coloured " with the
naked hand and rouge. Burnishing, as its name implies, carries
its own meaning with it, and needs little further explanation.

Forks and spoons are struck in dies from the sheets, filed up,
prong-pointed, and prepared for plating in the usual way. ' ' Spoon-
work," which, by-the-by, includes forkwork as well, is not bur-
nished, but ' ' finished ; " the same may be said of engraved and
some other kinds of goods. The burnishers, by the way, are always
ladies, and, from what hasty, askant views we were enabled to take,
we should say very cheerful and pleasant-looking ladies, too. They
have nice, upstairs, well-lighted rooms to work in, and of them it
maybe charmingly said, that they live all day long amid a profusion
of glittering wealth. Still, when at home, the handling of plain
steel three-prongers and common crockery must be a kind of

relief to them ; much like what looking in at shop windows upon
the shining products of their nimble fingers is a pleasure to our-
selves. The burnisher works with quite a family of tools tipped
with blood-stone, and steel, fixed in little handles, to enable her
to brighten up every hole, corner, and crevice, of what she is
engaged upon. And then the Show Room. By the time that the
work of the burnisher and the finisher have reached the " Show
Boom," that work has both the look and the ring of sterling silver.

Before we enter there, however, we will just mention that there
is a "model-room." In that room models are made, and models
are broken; others are preserved and duly "booked." Here a
regular registry is kept, and, should any design not in stock be
required, the " Registry " is consulted, the particular "lost one"
unearthed and handed over for reproduction at once, without any
trouble whatever. On the walls are placed facsimiles of designs in
chasing and engraving, all numbered and entered in the "duty-
roster." From the model-room we passed into the next room, and
the appearance was so singular that we could scarcely realize for
the moment where we were. The technical name is "The Hospital,"
a name which our readers will have no difficulty in understanding.
It virtually consists of the "maimed," the "halt," and we might
almost say the "blind." In cases, and on tables and floor, are
examples of every article shaped, or silvered, in the works, in a state
of "casualty." Centre-piece palm-trees lopped of their foliage, and
forsaken camels standing by the bare, and sometimes branchless
trunks ; wine-coolers that certainly will not hold water ; grand
candelabra, without the ghost of a place for a single candle ; flower
vases into which flowers could never be put ; decanter frames, that
look as if they had been born and bred of the marine-store's darkest
slum, to say nothing of the thousand-and-one crowds of rank and
file, all disabled and useless ; in other words, not to be too enig-
matical, the " hospital " is the place iu which all articles are kept in
a partial condition of forwardness, awaiting their turn to be fully
equipped and turned out for immediate duty.

Whilst we are here we may mention that another great advan-
tage of electroplating is to be found in the fact that all the old,
worn Sheffield-plated goods can be passed through the silver bath
and thoroughly revivified, without in the slightest degree interfer-
ing with their ornaments or engraving. This must be of great
benefit to persons who have probably inherited plated services on
the old plan, and which, from the wear of, it may be, generations,
the silvering have become so dilapidated as to prevent its reappear-
ance upon the table. We may add that electro-gilding is as easily
done as the plating. We saw a number of things that were await-
ing their turn for a " new lease of life."

From the hospital we passed into the "glass-room," where we
seemed to have taken leave of the metallic and entered the crystal
world. Here were whole batteries of dismounted claret jags and
brandy decanters ; full battalions of newly-recruited sugar-basins,
cream-ewers, butter-dishes, ice-buckets, "pickles," and cruets, all
ready to be called to the front for " mounting" and service at a
moment's notice. Having duly inspected these extensive "reserves,"
we wended our way to —

The Show Room. — This apartment, like all similar places, is filled
with glass cases containing the multifarious products of the manu-
factory, from a salt-spoon to a tea-urn ; and from the tiniest of
platters up to the great Gog-Magog channelled and welled venison
dishes that have been already mentioned. It would be a hopeless
task to enumerate a collection of goods that requires a separate
catalogue of its own.

Nor can we say to the reader, " Go and see ; " for the simple
reason that ice were only there on sufferance ourselves, upon a duly
accredited introduction ; nevertheless, present your card and try.
The establishment is a manufactory pure and simple, and con-
sequently its doors are only open to those who are commercially
engaged between the manufacturer and the general public in the
distribution of these particular wares.

Upon looking round the Show Room, however, our eyes rested on
three " notions " which we cannot forbear describing. These were
a brandy-and-soda frame, a spoon-warmer, and a table — we will
not spoil the " deal " by telling what this is now.

The brandy-and-soda frame is a very handy arrangement. On
each side is placed a bottle of soda-water, at each end a glass, and
the brandy decanter in the centre. Should the same plan be desired
for a larger party it can be easily carried out. As we have said, it
is exceedingly handy and compact, and can be readily removed by
a servant, either from the butler's pantry or the cellaret of the
sideboard.

The next article is one that, considering the oddity of the design
and its novel application, will be sure to provoke much mirth round
whatever dining-table it is seen upon ; we understand that it has

Sept. 4, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

83

barely reached the outside public as yet, that is the " spoon-
warmer."

The design is an American cottage cooking-stove. First of all,
boiling water is poured down the chimney until the receptacle is
full, then you open over the fire-grate and put a gravy-spoon in.
But the spoon is not touched by the water ; the water surrounds
this spoon oven, and so effective is the action that, on a dining-room
table, the spoon would keep up to blistering heat for hours. It is
the greatest novelty of its kind that we ever saw, and, besides being
a comical ornament to the table, is exceedingly useful, and will be
sure to become very popular.

are attached to the whips at the head of the lashes, whilst the latter
are wound round their several handles. We were told that this
laughable trifle — for laughable it is — has been so much appreciated
that it has enjoyed a very extensive patronage. Such were the
three novelties that attracted our attention.

Upon looking round we were agreeably, and we might add, artisti-
cally surprised to see a revival of the antique silver pattern for both
candlesticks and candelabra, a pattern that is now so very much

The above illustration is merely a front view, in order to show
the gravy-spoon in place, the full dimensions being about 7 inches
long, 5 inches broad, and 4J inches high. The square portion of
this new silver-spoon-hot-water oven is somewhat smaller than the
measurements here given, as we included the length and breadth of
the hearth part, and the length of the four little legs. It is very
unique.

The third article is the table — what d'ye call it ? — that we men-
tioned just now. It consists of a horse-shoe silvered plate as a
stand filling up the centre. From the ends of the shoe rise a
hunting spur, rowel, and all complete. Upon the plate are a pair
of hunting-boots, whilst in front is a hunting-cap laid upon its
crown. Out of one of the boots may be seen the handle of a
hunting-crop, or whip, and out of the cap another one. Now, the
secret is this. Upon lifting one of these whips you find — spirit of
Dian — a gilt spoon! Yes, one boot is a "mustard," another a
" pepper," whilst the cap is the " salt." The pretty little gilt bowls

admired, and that brings vividly before us the early part of the-
eighteenth century. Queen Anne, Godolphin, Admiral Rooke, and
the capture of Gibraltar, Blenheim, Marlborough, Bamillies, the
Union of England and Scotland, and many other great events. A
steady current of public taste has been for some little time running
in the direction of such work, and, judging from the signs before us,
ample appliances have been called into requisition to provide for it.
We saw many other things worthy of notice, which we must re-
luctantly pass by, but we will, however, say a word about

That important personage, "the buyer," has just entered the
room with one of the firm, and, as our presence may be embarrass-
ing, we will quietly vanish.

Such is the story of our visit, plainly and briefly told, and we
hope that our readers have been entertained by it, possibly some-
what instructed.

The manufactory that we visited was that of Messrs. B. Hodd &
Son, of Hatton-garden. In order to prevent the slightest atom of
misapprehension, we beg to state that the only thing they are re-
sponsible for here is that of allowing us to go over the works,
examine the various processes, and ask a few questions. With this,
we make our bow and take our leave, handing down to posterity
what we saw Among the Electroplating.

THE GOLDSMITH'S ART.

(Continued from page 27.)

WHILE Francia practised the goldsmith's art as well as painting
in Bologna, says Vasari, the best of his numerous disciples
was a young man called Marc' Antonio, originally a worker in
niello, and now a more skilful designer than his master. Albert
Durer had begun to publish his engravings on copper, and, seeing
these, Marc' Antonio determined to give himself to the new art.
He went to Borne ; Baphael acknowledged his great power of easy
and correct outline, took him into the army of his pupils, and, it is
said, occasionally worked on the plates with him, making his own
colour-grinder pull the impressions, that Marc' Antonio might not
lose his time. This last circumstance shows us that the engraver
in these golden days printed his own plates.

The engravings by Marc' Antonio are very numerous, and are
principally from Baphael's pictures. They are certainly very
inferior as engravings to the works of several contemporary German
engravers, both in the incredible dexterity exhibited by those artists
in execution and in the character expressed. Indeed, his copuDg,
for sale in Italy, thirty of Durer's woodcut prints of the " Fassion
of Christ," and also nearly all the twenty called the "Life of the
Virgin," is an acknowledgment of his own inferiority in design at
least, as his affixing Durer's monogram was a proof of his dishonesty.
Yet perhaps Baphael can never be so well rendered as he has been
by Marc' Antonio's hand ; and this superiority, coupled with the
tradition of Baphael himself having worked on the plates, will
always make the productions of M. Antonio historically important,
although inferior to others then appearing. The best of all the
early Italian engravers appears to me to be Andrea Mantegna, an
artist of such trenchant skill that no technical difficulties could
stand before him. His influence as a painter affected all the schools
of Italy, which can scarcely be said of any other artist of the early
or middle time. But it is not only in technical matters and
knowledge of the antique that he is supremely distinguished, his
poetic perceptions and his inventions are equally great.

After the first century of engraving in Italy, the prints issued
became numerous beyond calculation, representing, for the most
part poorly, all the pictures and decorations produced by the great
artists.* But of later engravers in Italy it is not necessary to speak,
except, perhaps, to mention Baphael Morghen, whose restoration
on copper of Da Vinci's " Last Supper " has made the world better
acquainted with that great work than any other means could have
effected.

(7b be continued.^)

The Goldsmiths' Company have given a donation of 100L to the
council of the Charity Organization Society.

* Hundreds of these old plates were bought by a dealer in Eome and
reprinted with his name and date on them, Carlo Losi, 1773-74, rather
puzzling the uninitiated. It was the same with another dealer, Salamanco,
whose imprint, "Ant. Sala. Ex.," is a sure mark of inferiority in the im-
pression.

M

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Sept. 4, 1875.

THE

©latdnrntluT, getwllcr, anlr ^ifasmiij,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Published at 8, Cross-street, Hatton-garden, E.C.
Birmingham Agency: 52, Frederick Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, jayable in advance; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

Xo one is authorized to collect money without production of
Printed Form of Receipt, bearing the Office Stamp.

TO ADVERTISERS.

OUR ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT.

£4

0

0

2

5

0

1

10

0

1

2

6

0

12

0

0

7

0

0

3

6

0

5

0

g§f NOTICE. — In future the date of publication of this Journal
will be the 5th of each month.

The pages of the Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith
present a wide field of operations, as those represented therein may
bring their announcements before the immediate attention of all
trades to which they are specially addressed, as well as purchasers
throughout the United Kingdom, America, the Colonies, and all
foreign markets.

All advertisements and correspondence should be forwarded as
early as possible in each month.

SCALE OF CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.

One Page

Half ditto

One-third ditto ... ...

Quarter ditto
One-eighth ditto
One-sixteenth ditto
Per Inch third across Page
Ditto half across Page

The above Scale of Charges is subject to a Discount of 10 per
cent, for Orders of Six Months, and 20 per cent, for Orders of
Twelve Months.

Advertisements of Businesses Wanted, Businesses for Disposal,
Employers Wanting Assistants, Partnerships, and kindred announce-
ments, are charged at the rate of Is. %d. for Five Lines.

Country and Foreign Subscribers are invited to furnish any
Communications which they may consider interesting.

The services of an energetic and reliable person are recpiired for
the advertising department of this journal. Applications to be
made by letter only, to the Publisher, 8, Cross Street, Hatton
Garden, E.C.

The attention of our readers, and the trade generally, is called to
the form of subscription order, which will be found on page C4.
"When two or more copies are forwarded to one address, or in
instances of subscription clubs being formed so that the copies for
such club are sent to one person, a discount of 10 per cent, will be
allowed from the regular subscription rates, but in no instance will
such deduction be made for subscriptions of less than one year.

WE have the pleasure of again presenting our readers with an
illustrated supplement, shewing designs of jewellers' and
goldsmiths' art-work in Syria and Palestine. The articles of illustra-
tion arc alluded to by Mrs. Mary Eliza Rogers in her able article on
art-work in Syria and Palestine.

The necklace, of which a full-size representation is given in
Fig. 1, is of very pure gold, and is an especially characteristic
example of Syrian design and workmanship. It was purchased
by our friend Professor T. L. Donaldson, at Jerusalem, in the
year 18C8.

It is a very ancient pattern, but is being constantly reproduced
with variations in detail and combination.

The central jewelled ornament projects about one-third of an
inch. The middle stone looks like a carbuncle, but it is a rounded
ruby, for rubies are very rarely cut into facets in Syria. The sur-
rounding stones are of a pale green colour, and very rudely cut.
From this centre-piece is suspended a little circular convex open-
work ornament. It is very delicately and carefully wrought, with
globules of gold so artistically arranged upon it to catch the light,
that they produce almost as much effect as if pearls had been
employed.

The cross which hangs from this rosette is of fine filigree-work,
enriched with numerous globules of gold and five precious stones.
The central stone is a smooth ruby, the four others are very poor
pale green stones, badly cut and clumsily set. There is no attempt
at accuracy or regularity in the workmanship of this cross, but it is
well balanced and has a very rich and pleasant effect. Perhaps it
would not look so well if reproduced with precision and mathematical
exactness, though it might be greatly improved by having good and
well- cut stones introduced into it.

The very freedom of Syrian filigree-work gives a pleasant im-
pression ; there is nothing monotonous in it, although the materials
are so simple, being merely bands and slender ropes of gold curved
into graceful lines, golden globules of different sizes, and little flat
pieces of gold of various shapes to reflect light.

The illustration (Fig. 2) shows what rich effect may be produced
by a skilful arrangement of a set of pendants. Mr. Rogers speaks
of having seen this ornament in use by a lady at Baalbcck. She
wore a red tarbusli, which was almost concealed by folds and muslin,
and violet-coloured crape. To this crape the glittering gold orna-
ment was hooked, a little towards the left side of her head, and on
the other side bunches of yellow eArerlasting flowers and diamond
ornaments were fixed.

It will be seen that the pendants, which are embossed and chased,
are threaded at regular intervals and divided by gold beads and
tubes. The little ornaments at each end, which conceal the sharp
hooks, are set with turquoises. Similar designs are spoken of, in
which instances the pendants were pierced, and divided by small
pearls, while the hooks were mounted on triangular finials set with
large pearls.

Fig. 3 represents a small pendant worn by a child in the East, and
sewn to his tarbusli. The resemblance of the centre to the pahn of
a hand will easily be traced. In this palm will be noticed a double
triangle neatly embossed, and seven points representing the seven
planets. A little model of an open hand is regarded as a potent
charm against the evil eye in Syria, and even in Italy the same idea
prevails among the uneducated.

Fig. 4 is a representation of another small pendant with the in-
vocation, Ya Allah! "O God!" embossed upon it, and it will
readily be perceived how easily composite necklaces of this kind
may be vai'ied.

SUPPLEMENT TO THE

Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith's Trade Journal.

Fi£

Ffc. 4.

Vie. i.

Fig. 2.

'

Sept. 4. 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

" NEGRETTI AND ZAMBRA'S ENCYCLOPEDIC,
ILLUSTRATED, AND DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE.
500 pages, large 8vo. Negretti, Holborn Viaduct."

THE title of this work indicates the comprehensive and practical
utility which it so fully sustains. Unlike the majority of simi-
lar volumes, the one before us renders its readers deeply indebted
for the valuable and instructive information therein contained, and
becomes of considerable educational value, not only on account of
the detailed descriptions and engravings of various scientific in-
struments, but likewise for the numerous essays of an explanatory
and historical character which are found in its pages.

Every important instrument is not alone fully explained, but its
entire arrangement plainly exhibited by carefully-drawn engravings,
and numerous tables are added in order to render the book a standard
work of reference.

As an instance of one of the very many detailed descriptions con-
tained therein, we have selected the following account of that
valuable and important instrument known as the self-recording
aneroid barometer, shown in the accompanying illustration.

THE SULTAN'S GEMS.

"This instrument is arranged to show the various fluctuations
that have taken place in the barometer during the observer's ab-
sence. It consists of a large and carefully finished Aneroid, and an
eight-day Clock ; between these is placed, in a vertical position, a
revolving cylinder having a metallic meter scale. Close to this
paper is a pencil mounted on a metallic rod, and moved up and down
as the variation of atmospheric pressure acts upon the vacuum
chamber of the Aneroid ; at every hour this pencil is made to mark
the paper by simple mechanism in connection with the Clock.

" By this means a black-dotted, curved line is produced onthe paper,
showing, at a glance, the present height of the barometer — whether
it is falling or rising — how long it has been doing so, and at what
rate the change has taken place ; all of which are particulars most
essential to know, and which can only be obtained from an ordinary
barometer by very frequent and regular observations."

We might give numerous other quotations of an equally interest-
ing character, but would scarcely know where to commence or stop,
since each page of the book reveals some new and important matter.

An index of nearly forty pages assists the reader in the search
after general information, and will be found a guide of no ordinary
value.

The work should not only be in the hands of every one interested
in the trade, but also in possession of the educated public.

"I NEVER complained of my condition," says the Persian poet
Sadi, " but once, when my feet were bare, and I had no money to
buy shoes ; but I met a man without feet, and became contented
with my lot."

The wind is unseen, but it cools the brow of the fevered one,
sweetens the summer atmosphere, and ripples the surface of the
lake into silver spangles of beauty. So goodness of heart, though
invisible to the material eye, makes its presence felt ; and from its
effects upon surrounding things we are assured of its existence.
— Anglo-Indian Advertiser.

Farmers gather what they sow, while seamstresses sew what
thpy gather.

FROM a recent letter from Constantinople to the Providence
Journal, we quote : "The accounts which are given of the
riches hoarded in the palace have the savour of the tales of the
' Arabian Nights.' Beyond doubt, a vast deal of wealth, in the form
of diamonds and precious stones, is accumulated there. The
ostentatious display by the Shah of Persia of his wealth in this
direction, on the recent tour of visitation with which he favoured
Europe, is well-known. Among a profusion of jewels on
his person, he was accustomed to wear a cap heavily embroidered
with diamonds, and fastened at the front with a brilliant of enor-
mous size. On the occasion when the Sultan was to receive him as
his guest, the grand staircase and the corridor leading to the
audience room were, in anticipation of the arrival of the Shah, ordered
to be laid with heavy Smyrna rugs studded all over with diamonds,
emeralds, and sapphires, so that the royal visitor was obliged to
tread under his feet the evidences of greatness which he, wore on his
head. The Sultan received him, as he stepped upon the staircase, in
a plain dress, wearing his usual simple fez of scarlet cloth, and
without personal adornment of any kind. A neat bit of sarcasm
for a barbarian. Any visitor at Constantinople can procure a
firman from the Sublime Porte to visit the imperial treasure-house
at the old Seraglio, where he will see more wealth in jewel-studded
trinkets, diamond-mounted sword-hilts, belts, scabbards, horse
furniture and caparisons, cups, vases, articles of Eastern workman-
ship, and single stones of immense value, than would buy the crown
jewels in the Tower of London twice over. A specimen of the con-
tents of this repository, in the form of a golden throne set with
precious stones, and which were formerly a present from Persia,
is to be sent to the Centennial Exhibition. It was one of the
contributions of Turkey to the Vienna Exposition. Just now it is
the fashion for the women of the harem to make costly presents to
the Sultan. These presents are usually something in the direction
of the national armament. The mother of the Sultan, who seems
to have a head for business, has the credit of inventing this
substantial form of feminine blandishment. Some fine pieces of
artillery have been thus contributed to wake up the royal favour."

NOVELTY IN SHOW CASES FOR THE
PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION.

MR. C. JEFFREYS, of Hatton Garden and Robin Hood Lane, is
completing a very elaborate and novel show case for the
Philadelphia Exhibition, and which we have recently had an
opportunity of inspecting. The case is six feet square and eleven
feet in height, at the top of which is the flag of all nations. The
ornamental part round the top of the case is supported by elaborately
carved pillars and presents a remarkably handsome appearance.
One very novel and peculiar feature of the case is that, although of
such large dimensions, it may easily be taken to pieces and the
entire article packed in a box 6 ft. by 3 ft. Instead of requiring
considerable time and labour to separate and replace, the different
parts are so hinged together that the work of packing and unpacking,
taking down and placing up, is a very easy matter. This is a new
feature in the manufacture of large show cases, and will doubtless
be generally adopted. The entire case will be one of the finest
specimens of workmanship which has been produced, and will show
the American trade what the skill and ingenuity of our English
makers can accomplish, and we think that very few specimens of
show cases will command more attention than the one here alluded to.

While passing through the factory, we had an opportunity of
inspecting the many different departments, each of which contains
a selection of handsome articles in the process of manufacture.
Among them maybe mentioned the shop front building department,
occupying three floors, where the shop fronts and larger fittings are
turned out ; the brass finishing and brass fitting room, where all
the brass work is executed; and here we saw several elaborate
patterns of brass brackets for shop windows.

The lamp-making department, where lamps and reflectors for out-
side of shop windows are made, has many facilities for the manu-
facture of improved articles for such purpose. Passing into other
rooms, where the manufacture of trays and stands form a leading
and distinct branch of the establishment, we saw handsome speci-
mens of trays, velvet stands, jewel cases, trays for exhibiting jewel-
lery in windows, and numerous other articles used by the trade.
We can hardly select one of which to speak specially, since the
assortment thereof is so extensive, embracing every variety and
description necessary to complete a well-fitted establishment,
finished in all styles, and calculated to suit all tastes.

86

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLER, AND

[Sept. 4, 1875.

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches. Clocks, Optical goods, or kindred articles.

12827. Robert Wharton Parkin, of Sowerby Bridge, in the county of
York, Safe and Lock Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improve-
ments in locks for safes, strong rooms, and other purposes.'' — Dated
11th August, 1875.

2868. Johann FlSSLTHALKR, of 24, Northampton-square, Clerkenwell, in
the County of Middlesex, Watch Maker, for an invention of "Im-
provements in perpetual calendars or almanacks." — Dated 14th
August, 1875.

2809. James Muirhead, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, North
Britun, for an invention of " New or improved studs for fastening
sleeves, shirt-fronts, and which may be used for other similar pur-
poses."— Dated 14th August, 1875.

2917. Alfred John Higham, of 13, Blackheath-terrace, Blackheath, in
the county of Kent, Gentleman, for an invention of " Improvements
in clocks and other timekeepers." — Dated 18th August, 1875.

2921. John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's-inn-fields, in the county of
Middlesex, Gentleman, for an invention of " Improvements in electric
clocks or clock-work."

29G9. Franz; scus Xaver Ferdinandus Heilborn, of Birmingham, in
the county of Warwick, Jeweller, for an invention of " Imjjrovements
in fastenings for articles of dress and ornaments, and in locket and
ornament suspenders." — Dated 24th August, 1875.

2970. Elijah Atkins, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, for an invention of " Improvements in solitaires, sleeve links,
and other like articles." — Dated 24th August, 1875.

2985. William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton-buildings, London, for an invention of
" Improvementsin watches and similar timekeepers."

Notices to Proceed.

1517. George William Dawson, of Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, Manufacturing Jeweller, has given notice in respect of the
invention of " Improvements in or additions to seals for chains, bars
for chains, lockets, and charms, which improvements or additions
may also be applied to watch keys." — As set forth in his petition,
recorded in the said office, on the 24th day of April, 1875.

Patents Sealed.
704. John Cheshire, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Cork-
screw Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements in solitaires,
sleeve links, and other like dress fastenings and ornaments." — Dated
2nd March, 1875.

Letters Patent for Inventions which, have become Void
by reason of the Non-payment of the additional Stamp
Duty of £100, before the Expiration of the Seventh
Year from the date of such Patents, pursuant to the
Act of the 16 Vict., c. 5, sec. 2.

24G9. Charles John Curtis and Augustine Fiddes, both of the city and
county of Bristol, for an invention of " Improvements in safes and
strong rooms." — Dated 7th August, 1868.

2809. James Muirhead, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, North
Britain, for the invention of "New or improved studs for fastening
sleeves, shirt-fronts, and which may be used for other similar pur-
poses."

Patents Granted in Foreign States.
France.
100,212. Dumoulin-Froment, of Paris, for " Mechanical contrivances for
regulating ele;tric apparatus, such as telegraphs, clocks, registering
apparatus, and especially Morse dial-telegraphs." — Dated 31st Decem-
ber, 1874.

Austria.

12 Bolzani & Fussel, of Vienna, for " Obtaining gold, platina and silver
articles combined with irisated shells." — 2 years. — (Secret.) — Dated
21st April, 1875.

49. C. L. Lustig, of Vienna, for "Obtaining 'so-called niello bronze."'
—3 years.— (Secret.)— Dated 30th April, 1875.

Prussia.
10. H. Merlet, of Nantes, for "A suspension of pendulums for time-
pieces."— 3 years. — Dated 18th June, 1875.

Belgium.
37,445. W. Soutiiwood, for " Improvements in day and month indicators

for clocks, &c."— Dated 12th July, 1875.
37,562. L. A. Casset, for "A process for obtaining transparency in

leaves of gold, platina, &c." — Dated 2nd August, 1875.

United States.

164,714. Frank R. Bucklin, of East Tilton, N.H., for "Tools for
pivoting watch-wheels."— Application filed 8th May, 1875. Brief. —
A plunger or piston is provided in its outer end with a seat to receive
the pivot and post of a wheel to be repaired, the wheel being held in
place bv a retaining-cap, through which the post to be repaired
projects. Above the cap is a retaining socket, in line with the socket
in the plunger, to contain and hold in place the pivot while being
soldered.

164,819. John C. Dueber, of Cincinnati, Ohio, for " Watch-keys." — Ap-
plication filed 28th April, 1875.

164,918. Isaac N. Hopkins, of Lockport, assignor of one-half of his right
to G. H. Shattuck, Medina, N.Y., for "Watch-case springs and
catches." — Application tiled 17th April, 1875. Brief. — New spring
may be inserted without removing the catch for cover, the catch being
attached to the push-pin.

165,009. W. I. Ludlow, of Rochester, N.Y., for " Pencil-cases." — Appli-
cation filed 3rd December, 1874.

165,199. John J. Bausch, of Rochester, N.Y., for "Eyeglasses." — Appli-
cation filed 8th May, 1 875. Claim. — An eyeglass provided with self-
adjusting nose-pieces closed at both ends, as and for the purpose
described.

165,251. Wii. H. Peckham, of Big Springs, Kans., for "Eye-glasses." —
Application filed 9th June, 1875.

165,275. Lyman W. Thompson, of Cherry Valley, N.Y., for "Safety-
pinions for watches." — Application filed 25th April, 1874. Brief. —
A safety-wheel in which the recoil, when the mainspring breaks, acts
upon a flat curved spring, causing a stud attached thereto to rise from
the inclined notch in the third wheel, thus releasing said wheel from
connection with the train.

165,317. R. B. Esler, of Philadelphia, Pa., for " Charms for Watch-
chains." — Application filed 15th April, 1875.

165,432. W. A. Terry, Bristol, Conn., for Calendar Clocks. Brief—
A perpetual Calendar, in which the varying changes of the months and
years are regulated by the contact of a compound lever, with certain
stop devices.

165,548. A. A. Cowles, New York, N.Y., for Calendar Clocks. Brief. —
The cylinder, carrying the calendar for the month, is moved through
the medium of a lever actuated by certain devices connected with the
striking mechanism.

165,635. Oliver D. Warfield, Chicopee, Mass. Brief — Elastic bars
form a case or cover for a watch key, knife blade and several other
tools.

165722. Thomas W. Fry, of Providence, R.I., for " Setting gems." — Ap-
plication filed 23rd June, 1875. Brief. — ■" The receiving-cup protects
the gem from dust, &c." Claim. — " In a setting for stones of jewellery,
the combination of a crown or other open setting with a stone-receiv-
ing cup, substantially as and for the purpose described."

165,723. Joseph TJ. Gerow, of Brooklyn, N. Y, for "Pen and pencil
cases." — Application filed 2nd February, 1875. Brief. — " The pencil
is extended by the reverse movement of the pencil-slide, which at the
same time projects the extension-tube. Projecting the pen retracts the
pencil if it be extended. Either pen or pencil may be projected sepa-
rately, and the pencil is retracted by pressing in the extension-tube."

165,774. Phillip H. Wheeler, of Rockford, 111., for " Watch-makers'
boxes." — Application filed 31st October, 1874.

165,811. John Feix, of San Francisco, Cal., for "Crucibles." — Appli-
cation filed 7th July, 1875. Brief — "A crucible of ordinary con-
struction is provided with a ring or annulus of the same material, to
fit upon the mouth or top of the same forming a continuation of said
crucible, to hold the loose metal or bullion packed therein, thereby
preventing the ingress of coals, or the loss of metal by slushing."
Claim. — " In combination with an ordinary crucible, a ring or annulus
adapted to fit upon the mouth or top thereof and form a continuation
of the same, substantially as and for the purpose herein described."

165,840. Luke S. Kellogg, of Leon, N. Y., for " Clock-calendars." — Ap-
plication filed 22nd May, 1875. Brief. — "The lift-bar is carried up
by the revolution of the hour-hand shaft, and actuated by its connect-
ing devices, the ratchet-wheel carrying the calendar. The incline be-
low the notches permits the bar to drop to its first position."

165,904. Myron W. Wiard, of Waukegan, 111., assignor to himself and
Charles F. Wiard, of the same place, for "Eyeglasses for watch-
makers."— Application filed 30th June, 1875.

Designs Patented in Foreign States.
United States.

8406 to 8408, inclusive, dated 22nd June, 1875. Leonard S. Beals, of
Astoria, N. Y., for a "Breast-pin." — Application filed 2nd June, 1S75.
Term of patents 3£ years. Cases A1, B\ and C.

8409, dated 22nd June, 1875. Leonard S. Beals, of Astoria, N.Y., for a
"Scarf-ring." — Application filed 2nd June, 1875. Term of patent
3£ years.

8421, dated 22nd June, 1875. Charles Kitschelt, of New York, assignor
to Nicholas Muller's Sons, of the same place, for " Thermometers." —
Application filed 14th May, 1875. Term of patent 7 years.

Sept. 4, 1875. j

SILVEBSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

87

" By hand-labour it is impossible for this country to compete with Switzerland in the
Watch Trade ; and, if we would hold our own in Europe in this branch of industry, we must
follow the example of the Americans, who have successfully used machinery in the manu-
facture Of Watches." — Extract from the " Times" of December 18, 1868.

t n e

AMERICAN WATCH COMPANY

(OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS)

Have been established. SO years, and -within, that time have produced

850,000 WATCHES OF ALL GRADES AND SIZES.

Why American Waltham Watches are cheaper than English Watches of the same grade is
explained by Sir Edmund Beckett (late Mr. E. B. Denison) in his work on Clocks, Watches,
and Bells, in which he says, page 822 : " Although labour is dearer in America than here, this
machinery enables them to undersell English Watches of the same quality ; " and that the system
of making watches by machinery is the only correct one is held forth by this eminent authority
in the same work, in which he says : " There can be no doubt in the mind of any one who
understands machinery that this is the best as well as the cheapest way of making machines
which require precision and uniformity."

FOR PARTICULARS APPLY TO

ROBB1NS & APPLETQN,

G-ENEBAL AGENTS,

WALTHAM BUILDINGS, H0LB0RN CIKCUS, LONDON, E.C.

88

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Sept. 4, 1875.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns ■will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firm
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two -line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £"1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY (W. T.)lt. CO., 2 and 12, "Wilson Street, Fins-
bury, E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MURRAY & CALLIEU, 22, St. Jc hn's Square, E.C.

NEGRETTI & ZAMBRA, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. : Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. : 45, Cornhill, E.C. : 122, Regent
Street. W.

WEBSTER, J., 88, St. John Street Road, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOODS. 120. Cannon Street, E.C., and Lancashire

Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.
PHILLIPS & SON", Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,

Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER & STEAUB, 70, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMERER. KUSS, FRITSCHLER, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C. and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C., and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Rue Be"ran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's GoTernment) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Rochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established
1844.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BROTHERS. 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C.
MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn

Viaduct. London, E.C.
RUTHERFORD, JAMES. 2, Wilderness Row, E.C , and

33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MORDAN (SAMPSON) & CO., 41. City Road, and 72,

Cheapside. London. E.C.
TANN, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, E.C; Reliance Works,

1, Hope Street, Hackney Road, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, GG, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

BUTTON & CO.. 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.C.

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEORGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C.

SUNDELL (ERISCHER) & CO, 48, Brushfield Street, E.;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBERG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. ED WARD, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. E.), C4, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON, HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

AND

DREW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Room, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-
mates free.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWARDS, JOHN, 2G, St. John Street Eoad, London, E.C.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden, E.C.

SAGE, FREDERICK. Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C. ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Rue Birau-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDERS

SAGE, FREDERIC, Steam Works, Commercial Euildings,
SO to 84, Gray's-inn Road, W.C.

WATCH BALANCE MAKERS.

COLLIS, S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London,
E.C.

WATCH CAP MAKERS.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 48, Rahere Street, Goswell Road, Lon
don, E.C.

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Road, London, E.C.

STEAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKERS.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Rydon Crescent, St. John
Street Road, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liver-
pool.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 2G0, Goswell Road,
London, E.C.

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London. E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C.

JUST PUBLISHED.
NE G-IfcETTI &, ZAMBRA'S

ENCYCLOPAEDIC CATALOGUE

Of Mathematical, Philosophical, Optical, Photographic, and

STANDARD METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS,

Containing numerous Comparative Tables of Reference, and Illustrated ly upwards of

ELEVEN HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS.

Royal 8vo, Cloth, gilt lettered— Price 5s. Cd.

Opticians and Meteorological Instrument Makers

To Hkr Majesty the Queen*, and H.R.H. the Prince Of Wales.

HOLBORN VIADUCT, 45, CORNTULL, and 122, REGENT STREET.

LONDON
AGENCY,

STREET,

SaUARE,

CLERKENWELL.

*f/S TILBY*>\.

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the- Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Ecgistered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 5.— Vol. I.]

OCTOBEE 5, 1875.

[ S&ljsti'iption, 5.
per Annum.

Post
Free.

PAGE

horology — v. c'lepsydr.e 97

■Curiosities of Clocks and Watches 98

A Treatise on Pitchings 99

Precious Stones 100

■The Brilliant 101

Finger Kings 102

Ancient Brooches and Dress Fastenings ... 103

CONTENTS.

Page
The Clock and Chimes at Lightclifpe Church 103

"I Mak Sicker" 104

Book Notice 105

The Queen's Necklace 106

Celebrated Goldsmiths of Olden Times ... 107

The Precious Stones of Ceylon i«7

The Stereoscope 10s

page
Useful Hints to Goldsmiths, Jewellers, &c. ... 109

American Fashions 109

Tool for Measuring Lever Escapements 109

Patents HO

Stray Waifs and Scraps Ill

The Trades' Directory 112

Advertisements 111-120

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

V. — Clepsydrae.

"E give in the present number an illustration and descrip-
tion of the celebrated clepsydra of Ctesibius, and if our
readers -will study it a little, they will have no difficulty in sufficiently
comprehending the action of it. We may well wonder, with the
perfect machinery of our day in its various automatic ramifications,
at the contrivances of the ancient engineering world. Although
man's inventive genius has, especially since the introduction of
-steam, bounded forward at a marvellous pace, yet his nature seems
to be much the same. The great aims of the engineers of those
times were the perfection and invention of machines for the de-
struction of their kind : the sling, the dart, the catapult, and the
ballista, as the artillery of war. It is a curious feature of human
character that the successful commander is always placed on a
pedestal immensely higher than the successful inventor or dis-
coverer. Such is our nature, and has been from the earliest ages,
that the " mighty men of valour" have been more greatly exalted
than the mighty men of science. Astronomy, electricity, chemistry,
.and mechanism must stand aside until the acclaimed conqueror and
his cavalcade pass. Indeed, the pursuit of arms has been held from
the dawn of history to be the noblest profession of man. In proof
of it we find that, at the very time of the invention of the clepsydra,
'Ctesibius was thinking more about the art of war — for he wrote a
book on it — than he was thinking about time-keeping. Hero, too,

who missed, by little more than a ray of inventive light, the dis-
covery of the practical application of steam, wrote on the appliances
in Avar and the manufacture of darts. Nearly three thousand years
ago we find the minds of the great not in connection with sundials,
or water-clocks, but with war, as is shown by the following, from
2 Chronicles xxvi. 14-, 15 : —

Verse 14. " And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the
host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows,
and slings to cost stones."

Verse 15. "And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by
cunning men, to be on the towers and bulwarks, to shoot withal.
And his name spread far abroad ; for he was marvellously helped,
till he was strong."

Coming down the stream of history, past a ballista and catapult,
we come upon other progeny of the same family. Caesar, Cicero,
Livy, Seneca, Tacitus, and other ancient writers, refer both to the
catapult and the terrible battering-ram. Titus employed large
numbers at the siege of Jerusalem, and there were above two
thousand surrendered at the fall of Carthage. Vegetius, a writer
of the fourth century, speaks of artillery under the names of ballistae,
onagri, scorpiones, arcabalistse, fustibuli, and fundae, but not one
word about any time-keeping instrument. And the same feeling
passes on through the age of gunpowder. The 81-ton gun
tried the other day at Woolwich is far more talked about than
would be the finest instrument that chronornetric ingenuity coidd
invent to measure the courses of the stars and direct the noble ship
over the pathless ocean. However " noble ': the profession of arms
is in defending the weak against the strong, and punishing the
wanton aggressor, we are afraid that, appealing as it does to the
destructive faculties of mankind, it has had, and has, not only too

98

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Oct. 5, 1875.

prominent a place in the estimation of nations, but, until we are
educated for much higher purposes, it is likely to continue to have.
It is i elated that Ctesibitis was the son of a barber, the last trade —
razor and shears not-withstanding — that would give to the world an
inventor and writer upon appliances in war. One would have
thought that " lathering," according to his notions, would have
taken a different direction altogether. However, he was not all
war, and to show what he did in another direction, we will now
draw the reader's attention to that.

The engraving represents the ex-
terior of this great monument of the
mechanical ingenuity of antiquity.
The world is indebted to Claude
Perrault, the illustrious architect of
Paris, for the reproduction of the
machine from the text of Vitruvius ;
whilst the more illustrious astrono-
mer has given it a place in his no
less famous book.

On the right is seen a winged
child in tears. These tears, falling
drop by drop from the siphon of
a cistern which has a constant level,
feed the clepsydra. On the oppo-
site side is another winged child
standing on the head of a dolphin,
having an arrow in his right hand
pointing on the hours of a column.
Near the bottom of this column are
two circles, the one indicating the
signs of the zodiac and the other
the names of the months. On the
pedestal is an entablature of the
chariot of the sun, and underneath,
another of a river god. Here is
one of the beauties of the arrange-
ment. The tears that fall from
. one child causes the other with the
arrow to rise and mark each succes-
sive hour. The reader will observe
two sets of hours, one for day and
the other for night. The interval
between the rising and the setting
of the sun was divided into twelve
The clepsydra' Trc^siBius, be- parts equal in each day, but diffe-
siobeu by Pekbault. rent from one aay to the other, so

Ft-omArrogo's" Popular Astronomy." that a different dial was required

for each day in the year. The
column, therefore, turned on its axis, and, to produce that turn-
ing, we must refer to the concealed mechanism in the pedestal ;
we shall, also, there find the causes of the other effects. Through
the leg of the weeping child is a tube that supplies the tears from
the reservoir. These tears fall into a small basin at the child's feet,
and pass away through a hole and down a pipe that crosses at
the bottom and empties into a perpendicular water-tight compart-
ment which occupies that part of the pedestal to the right of the
river god, and immediately under the dolphin statuette. In this
compartment is a rod fixed into a square cork float at the lower
end, having the dolphin and child at the upper end. Now, on the
principle of water finding its level if left to flow without inter-
ruption, it follows that when the tears accumulate and fill the
crossing pipe opening under the float, that float must rise, and
with it the recording angel on the dolphin's head. But, once up,
the reader will say, how does it get down again ? Well, that, too,
is very simple, and the very means of letting it down are utilized
for other work.

At the end of the twenty-four hours the float has reached the
top. At the bottom of the float clamber is the end of the shorter
limb of a siphon, having its bend at the top where the float is
stopped ; the lower end opens into the float, whilst the other and
longer limb crosses the pedestal and terminates beneath a platform.
The action is this :- — As the water in the floating chamber rises, it
also rises up the short limb of the siphon beside it. When it
reaches and fills the siphon's bend, that instrument is put in action
and the chamber water begins to flow through it, and continues
until the chamber is completely empty, and the float, dolphin, and
child are at the bottom again, ready to begin the marking of the
next day's hours ! But the siphon water does not run to waste yet.
Under the platform of the pedestal is a small water-wheel, into the
troughs or buckets of which this siphon water flows ; these troughs
are so arranged that the wheel revolves by the weight of the water

only once in six days. At one end of the axis of the wheel is a
six-leaved pinion that takes into a crown-wheel. The crown-wheel
having sixty teeth, as against the water-wheel's pinion of six leaves,
consequently it only makes a complete turn in sixty days. On the-
arbor of the crown-wheel is a pinion, taking into another wheel in
the centre of the pedestal, of six times the pinion's dimensions ; con-
sequently, the wheel only turns once round in three hundred and
sixty days. Now, mark what this is for. This last-named wheel is-
keyed on a shaft at its lower end, where the pinion takes into it, and
at its upper end into the hour column, which revolves in three hun-
dred and sixty days. The last duty that the water did was that of
turning the bucket-wheel. The reader will thus see that arbors,
pinions, and crown and centre wheels are much older as portions-
of time-keeping machinery than a great many people are probably
aware of. Yet there they were in action fully two thousand years
ago ! We cannot but admire the inventive contrivance of the man
who visibly made the falling tears of a statuette-child mark the-
days and months of the year. Such was the clepsydra of Ctesibius.
We may very fitly conclude our observations on the clepsydra by
stating that, although, since the middle of the last century, it has
been a mere scientific toy, there are, we believe, one or two ex-
ceptions to that. On referring to the latest report of the astrono-
mer-royal from Greenwich, we find that a water-clock is in daily
use there. Whatever its construction is, we may depend upon it
that, in the words of the learned head of that scientific establish-
ment, " its performance has been most satisfactory."

(To he continuecl.J

CUBIOSITIES OF CLOCKS AE"D WATCHES.

{Continued from page 52.)

TVTICHOLAS FACCIO, of Duiller, a mathematician, who was-
\y\ born at Geneva, or Basle, on February lGth, 1664, is said to-
have first invented the application of jewels in watchwork, to
diminish the friction of the pivots, at the beginning of the last
century. The experiment was, however, tried much earlier. To
Faccio belongs the merit of having been the first to discover and
apply the art of piercing rubies, to receive the pivots of the balance-
wheel, prior to, or about, the year 1700. In the London Gazette of
May 11th, 1704, we read : " Her Majesty having granted to Mr.
Nicholas Faccio, gentleman, of the Boyal Society, Peter Bebaufres
and Jacob Bebaufres, watchmakers, her letters patent, &c, for
the sole use in England, &c, for fourteen years, of a new art
invented by them, of figuring and working precious or common
stones, crystal or glass, and certain other matters, different from
metals, so that they may be employed in watches, clocks, and many
other engines, as internal and useful parts of the engine itselfr
in such manners as were never yet in use. All those that may have
occasion for any stones thus wrought, may be further informed
at Mr. Bebaufres' in Church-street, near St. Anne's. There they
may see some jewel watches, and some essays of free watches, and
wholly free watches, and all belong to the same art." The in-
ventors, Faccio and the two Bebaufres, were not satisfied with
their fourteen years' patent, and, therefore, they applied to Par-
liament for an extension of the term, and also for an Act for the-
sole monopoly of the art of clock and watch jewelling. This
application was opposed by the Clockmakers' Company (inaUjre
their own chartered monopolies in past times), and the matter
was referred to a Committee of the House of Commons, who de-
cided against the applicants. In the journal of the company are
the following entries relating to this affair: —

1704, Becember 11th. — "A Special Court was called upon the'
occasion of Nicholas Faccio, Peter de Baufre, and Jacob de BaufreT
having petitioned the House of Commons, for an Act for the sole
applying precious and more common stones in clocks and watches,,
and for the enlarging the term of their patent. Their reasons for
such an Act were read, as also reasons of several members of the
Court by way of answer, and it was ordered that the Master,
Wardens, and Assistants should petition Parliament and oppose
the Bill."

1705, January 5th. — " The Master reported there has been a
constant diligence used in obstructing the Bill in Parliament,
brought in on the petition of Nicholas Faccio, Peter de Baufre,
and Jacob de Baufre, for the sole supply of precious and more
common stones in clocks and watches, viz. : That Parliament had
been petitioned against the Bill, and that the petitioners had been
heard by Counsel before the Committee on the Bill, who had made
such amendments to it that they thought it best to destroy it, and
had therefore struck out all parts thereof save the words ' Be it Enacted,'

Oct,

1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

99

and reported accordingly. The Master also acquainted the Court,
that in the proofs brought against the Bill there was an old watch
produced, made by Ignatius Huggeford, that had a stone fixed in
the cock and balance work, that was of great use to satisfy the
Committee ; and it was ordered that the Renter Warden do buy
the said Watch, if he can, to be kept for the Members of the Court.
The same was bought accordingly of Henry Masson, for 21. 10s.,
he having bought it of Henry Scale, and it was placed in the
blaster's hands."

There seems to be a touch of sarcastic humour about the passage
we have italicised above. The watch purchased by the company
was exhibited by them to the Society of Antiquaries of London,
■on June 8th, 1848. It was made before the use of the penduluin-
spring, and had a large amethyst mounted in the cock. Huggeford
was a London maker. A pamphlet, published in 1701, purports
to convey the "Reasons of the English Clock and Watchmakers
against the Bill, to confirm the pretended new Invention of using
precious and common Stones about Watches, Clocks, and other
engines; " and another contains "Reasons humbly offered by the
Jewellers, Diamond Cutters, Lapidaries, Engravers in Stone, &c,
against the Bill for Jewel Watches."

By the Camden Society's "Original Letters," vol. xxiii., we find
that Dr. William Derham wrote to Richard Towneley, on March
28th, 1705, as follows : — "The new contrivance of applying precious
stones to watches, I had the good fortune to see, when Mr. Facio, the
inventor, and an ingenious man, and Mr. Debaufre, the workman,
presented their watches, to have the approbation of the Royal
Society. I found they had a better opinion of their invention than
I could have ; for I never thought it to deserve an Act of Parlia-
ment .... One of these contrivances I remember I saw
some years before in a large wooden house watch, contrived and
made by one Mr. Westell, an ingenious gentleman in London."

Faccio seems to have been a good scholar, and an ingenious man.
Bishop Burnet, in the first letter of his Travels, dated September,
1685, speaks of him as an incomparable mathematician and
philosopher. In 1G87 he came to England, and made the acquaint-
ance of Sir Isaac Newton. He was a teacher of mathematics in
Spitalfields, and being early one of the French prophets, he applied
his pen with some acuteness, and much appearance of piety, in
their behalf, becoming their chief secretary, and committing their
warnings to writing In 1707 Dr. Ames, one of their brotherhood,
having lately died, these impostors gave notice that he would rise
again within a fortnight. Guards, however, were placed at his
grave to prevent any tricks being played. At last Nicholas Faccio,
John Detude, and Elias Marion were prosecuted at the charge of the
French churches in London, and sentenced by the Court of Queen's
Bench to stand twice on the scaffold at Charing Cross and the
Royal Exchange, with a paper denoting their offence, as disturbers
of the public peace and false prophets. Faccio was too lavish in
the prosecution of inventions and projects, which never repaid him.
He died at Worcester in 1753. Many of his original letters and
papers are in the British Museum ; and among them is one' of his
Latin poems, entitled 'X. Facii Buellerii Auriacus Throno-Ser-
•vatus,' in which he claims to himself the merit of having saved
William HI. from falling into the hands of the French by a
stratagem of Count Fenil, a Piedmontese, which Faccio fortu-
nately rendered abortive in 1680. In the beginning of that poem,
which contains a curious narrative of the whole affair, he lengthily
and not inelegantly describes the jewel-watches of which he claimed
to be the first inventor.

In the South Kensington Museum is a gold watch in a chased
and embossed outer case ; the gold dial is also chased. The
maker's name is Debauffre, of London. The diameter is If inches.
This watch was purchased at the Bernal sale for 11/. 10.s\ Mr.
A. J. B. Beresford Hope has a square green enamelled watch, with
a painted dial, the maker being Debaufer, of London. Probably
both of these watches were made by Faccio's co-patentees ;
although the orthography of the names differ.

Besides the above, Mr. Hope has also a gold repeater-watch,
with a chased outer case, the subject being Jupiter and Juno.
It is of the eighteenth century, and the maker was Herrmann, of
Xeuberg. Also a silver repeater-watch, with white enamel dial,
■the maker being Boursalt, of the same period. Also a gold watch,
with complicated movements and dials on the back and front, the
date being the same as the above.

(To he continued.J

Why is a thief your only true philosopher ? — Because he regards
■everything from an abstract point of view, is opposed to all notions
of protection, and is open to conviction.

A TREATISE ON" PITCHING^.

(Continued from page 59.)

IT is an essential property of the cycloid, and of all epicycloids,
that the line drawn from the point of contact to the describing
point be always perpendicular to the cycloid.

C E D (Fig. 3) is a portion of a cycloid described by the circle
A E D ; the describing point is E ; the
point of contact, which changes contin-
ually, will be at A when the describing
point E describes the small portion E e of
the cycloid, or we may imagine that at
that very instant the circle A E D turns
very slightly on the point A, in such a
way that the line A E describes a small
arc, E e, of a circle H E G-, of which the
centre is at A. This circle will be mixed *
up with the cycloid at E e, since both are
described by the point E, therefore the
line or radius A E, which is perpendicular
to its own circle, will also be perpendicular to the cycloid at E.
The like may be shown with regard to all the points of the cycloid,
and in all the epicycloids similar to Fig. 2.

XIV. Next to these preliminary ideas, we are about to pass on
to the general principles of the demonstrations, which must be
well understood before proceeding farther. Let the circle M K repre-
sent a wheel without teeth (Fig. 4), and the small circle MN a pinion
without leaves ; let the wheel drive the pinion by the simple con-

H

Fig. 3.

Fis. 4.

tact of its circumference, from M to N, in such a manner that the
pinion be compelled to turn with the wheel, each around its own cen-
tre, as was seen in Art. XII., the circle A and the circle C M D
of Fig. 2. It is clear that then the circumference of the pinion will
have precisely the same velocity as the wheel, since each point of
the wheel will cause a point of the pinion to pass on ; this will
therefore be the greatest velocity that the wheel can impart to the
pinion, for it will not be capable of giving a velocity greater than it
actually possesses. It is again certain that the wheel will drive the
pinion with the greatest velocity of which it is capable, for it will
act through a lever, C M, equal to its radius, in such a way that the
motive force impressed at Z, to turn the pinion by means of a
wheel, could not act on the point M by a shorter lever, otherwise it
would act in the direction M Q, perpendicular to the lever or radius,
P M, of the pinion, and there is not any other direction more
favourable than that which acts perpendicularly.

In the supposition we have just made of the movement of the wheel
and its pinion there is no friction, because the wheel and pinion only
touch each other in one point, and that the same point of the
wheel does not run along different points of the pinion, which
would be necessary to produce friction ; or, if there be any,
it is the smallest possible, because the least amount of friction
is that of a rubbing surface of which the direction is parallel
to that against which it rubs, or the direction of the movement of
the wheel which takes place in the line of the tangent M Q is the
same as the direction of the pinion ; the rubbing force is also the
smallest possible, since a wheel which ought always to act by its

* Confonder, joined together.

10(1

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Oct. 5, 1875.

circumference, can only act by its radius, and always perpendicularly

to the line of centres.

XV. "We shall then have satisfied all the conditions of a perfect
pitching, if we can give teeth to the wheel M K and leaves to the
pinion M X, such that when the teeth of the wheel act on the
leaves of the pinion the force, velocity, and direction of the
wheel and pinion at M remain the same as they were in the case
which we have just supposed, where the action took place at the
point of contact M.

XVI. To accomplish this object, I, in the first place, consider
one of the radii P T as a leaf of the pinion ; through the point
of contact M of the two circumferences, I let fall upon it a per-
pendicular It M S ; from the centre C of the wheel I draw C R,
and a line C S perpendicular to the line RMS. I am about to
prove that the action of the radius C R, to drive the point R of
the pinion, will be the same as the action of the point M in the
case of Art. XIV., in order to drive the radius P M.

XVII. If the motive power Z, instead of acting through an arm
of the lever C M, on the point M, acted by means of a lever C V,
which should be the half of C M, it would be a double advantage ;
but if this double gain were applied to the point X of the pinion in
such a way that P X should be the half of P M, as there would be
at the point X a half less amount of force to raise the weight Y,
things would remain in the same condition, and the motive force
would act with the same force as before on the weight Y.

It would be the same in regard to the velocity. The motive
force Z would only give at the point V the half of its velocity,
but that amount of velocity applied to the point X would pro-
duce a double velocity at the point M ; thus the velocity would be
again the same as in the case given at Art. XIV.

The same effect would be produced if a quarter, or any portion
whatsoever of the radius M C, of the wheel be cut off, provided that
the quarter, or any similar portion, of the radius P M be taken
away, because as long as there exists the same relation between the
lever C V or C M, through which the motive force acts, and the
lever P X or P M, by means of which the weight Y or the pinion
offers resistance, the force and velocity will be always the same,
as in Art. XIV.

XVIII. In the case where the wheel acts upon the point R
of the radius P R, the line R M S being drawn perpendicular
to P R and CS; C S is the lever through which the wheel acts,
and P R is the lever through which the pinion resists ; for
whether the force which pushes the pinion be placed at R, or
M, or S, it will always produce the same effect ; there is only
the distance C S to the centre of the wheel which determines its
effort upon the pinion. Every time that the line of direction
R M S passes through the point of contact M, of the primitive
pinion and primitive wheel, the line C S and the line P R will
be in the same relation to each other as C M and P M, for the
triangles C M S, P M R are alike, since the angle S M C is equal
to the angle P M R, being vertical opposite angles, and the angles
at S and R are right angles ; thus, the two triangles being equal
in all respects, their homologous sides will be proportionals, and
C M will be to P M as M S is to M R ; there will then be between
the lever of action C S and the lever of resistance P R the same
relation as between € M and P M ; therefore there will be a force
and a velocity equal to those we had in Art. XIV., when the wheel
drew the pinion along by its circumference at M.

XIX. Here, then, is a general proposition which will serve as
the groundwork for all we are about to advance. Every time
that the line M R, drawn from the point of contact of the two
circumferences perpendicular to the leaf of the pinion, shall pass
on to the point R, whither the leaf will be led, the pinion, being
driven through this point there, will receive from the wheel the
same force and the same velocity as if it had been drawn along
by the point M ; that is to say, its force and velocity will be the
greatest possible. Thus, every time that the leaf of a pinion be
driven by the tooth of a wheel, it is required that the line drawn
from the point of contact of the two circumferences to the driving
point, or the touching of the leaf and the tooth, fall perpendicular
to the leaf and the tooth.

XX. To apply this principle to a pinion which shall be com-
posed of staves infinitely drawn out into thin lines, represented
by mere points, such as A, B, C, D (Fig. 5), it is necessary to
recall to mind that the primitive wheel M C, drawing along the
primitive pinion M D by its circumference, a point D taken in
the circumference of this pinion will describe an epicycloid ODE,
Art. XII., and that it is an essential property of this epicycloid
that the line M D, drawn from the point of contact M to
the describing point I), be always perpendicular to the curve,
Ait. XI IT. ; therefore, if we make a tooth having the form of the

curve C E, it will drive the point D, in accordance with the
conditions laid down in the preceding
article, that is to say, the line drawn
from the point of contact M to the
driving point will be always perpen-
dicular to the leaf and the tooth.

XXI. It is perfectly immaterial that
the tooth C E act only on the pin,*
or on the stave D,f or that there be
at the same time several teeth acting

on several pins, for each one will sustain a part of the effort

which would have been combined against one only, and the entire

action of the wheel will be the same as before.

(To be continued.)

FlO. 5.

PRECIOUS STONES.

General Observations {continued from page 79).

FROM the most remote antiquity, and previous to every historical
tradition, men anxiously sought for gems, and it pleased even
the most rude and savage people to use them as ornaments and
signs of civil, military, or religious dignity. Of this we are certain
from the discoveries made in the most ancient tombs of Asiatic,
Tyrrhenian, and Egyptian people, where gems were found, differing-
in quality, but almost all cut and wrought in the same manner.
It appears that sapphires, emeralds, rubies, pearls, as well as-
jargoons, garnets, and agates, were the gems most anciently known
and used. Before these, we find ornaments were used of amber,
glass, and enamel, together with bronze, gold, and silver, whence
we conclude that, although nature supplied man with very hard
stones, which required no labour but that used in discovering and
digging them out, he, nevertheless, applied himself first to the
manufacture of glass, amber, bronze, silver, and gold, before using
gems, perhaps on account of the difficulty of giving these a form
suitable for armlets, necklaces, buckles, diadems, and rings. It is-
also remarkable that these ornaments of amber, as well as of glass,
stone, silver, and gold, have been found from the first wrought
in the same fashion, in the tombs of Tyrrhenia, Etruria, Egypt,
Assyria, and Mexico. Whence in all parts of the world it has been
found, according to the most recent discoveries and studies, that
amber, bronze, glass, silver, gold, and enamel have been always
used first ; afterwards oxides and agates in their natural state, but
soon after engraved ; and lastly, gems, at first merely polished in
their primitive forms, but finally engraved and in relief. The form
of these ornaments and jewels was especially similar in that primi-
tive period, as much in Egypt, Phoenicia, Assyria, as in Italy,
Germany, and America. Amber was found in a great variety of
forms, because more easily fashioned ; glass was always in perforated
globules, which, when threaded, formed necklets or bracelets ;
bronze, silver, and gold were found in forms differing according
as the ductility of the metal allowed fine and finished work.
Agates, like glass, were pierced as beads, or made into " margue-
rite," flat, circular, oval, rhomboidal, or square. They were
afterwards found engraved as cylinders and scarabsei, but also-
pierced ; finally, gems were obtained in their natural crystalline
form, but polished on the outer facets to give them transparency
and brightness ; after which they were, with much labour, pierced,
and at last engraved. With regard to gems, as to many other
things, the ancients had uncertain, if not altogether false, notions,
almost always mixed with foolish superstitions. Pliny and
Theophrastus asserted in their writings that, in order to preserve
health, it was useful to wear certain gems. Every one knows how
universal was the use of amulets, which were generally gems to
which secret or supernatural virtue was attributed, as that of giving
beauty, youth, honour, power, and fortune. The twelve stones
which in the breastplate of the high priest of the Hebrews indicated
the twelve tribes of Israel, are the same as those which, amongst
the Romans, signified the twelve months of the year, and the signs
of the Zodiac. They are : —

1. Jacinth

Dan

Aquarius

January.

2. Amethyst

Gad

Pisces

February.

3. Jasper

Benjamin

Aries

March.

4. Sapphire

Issachar

Taurus

April.

5. Agate

Kaphtali

Gemini

May.

G. Emerald

Levi

Cancer

June.

CheriVe.

t F.

Oct. 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

101

Leo

July.

Yirgo

August.

Libra

September.

Scorpio

October.

Sagittarius

November.

7. Onyx Zabulon

8. Cornelian Reuben

9. Chrysolite Asber

10. Beryl Joseph

11. Topaz Simeon

12. Ruby Judah Capricornus December.
An ancient Hebrew tradition states that when the high priest, on

days of humiliation, asked the Most High to forgive the Israelites
their sins, the precious stones of the breastplate cast an extra-
ordinary lustre if the Lord graciously granted pardon, but became
dull when His wrath was great towards His people.*

The Indians believe that a diamond taken with them in their long
journeys is a certain earnest of safe return to the bosom of their
families. f In the East the ruby is a stone of good augury, provided
it is never shown to friends ; it presages evil when it has a blackish
spot.J The same stone is given by the Chinese in token of sincere
friendship. § Even in the present day the Persians believe that
wearing the spinel causes joy and prevents evil dreams. || Not a
few people even in Europe think it very unlucky to receive the gift
of an opal, or to possess a sapphire. One of the principal deities of
the Peruvians — Esmeralda — had a niche formed of an enormous
emerald. 5[ Now, in speaking of the value of gems, we must
mention a term known to all, and commonly used to distinguish
broadly the most precious stones — the term Oriental gems. In fact,
the gems discovered in the East generally excel in beauty those
found in the "West. But the qualities by which precious stones are
distinguished from each other, and which in a greater degree prevail
in the Oriental, are. as we have already stated —

1. Hardness. 5. Chemical composition.

2. Colour. 6. Crystalline form.

3. Clearness. 7. Barity.

4. Specific gravity.

Therefore, according as these qualities, either all, or almost all,
are united in good proportions in the same gem, the higher is its
value and the more it is prized amongst precious stones and
feminine ornaments. Whence, in giving a list of precious stones
according to the value at present attributed to them, the above-
mentioned qualities must be taken into account, and allowance made
for the different value caused by diversity of size, greater or lesser
transparency, and so on. Thus, considering them as equal in
quality, they may be ranked as follows : —

1. Diamond. 7. Turquoise. 13. Aquamarine.

2. Ruby. 8. Garnet. 14. Peridote.

3. Sapphire. 9. Beryl. 15. Chrysolite.

4. Emerald. 10. Jacinth. 1(3. Tormaline.

5. Pearl. 11. Amethyst. 17. Rock crystal.

6. Opal. 12. Jargoon. 18. Agate.

(To he continued.)

THE BRILLIANT.

TN Italy they generally denominate that diamond a "brilliant"
I which is cut on every side in many facets. "With us the
brilliant is a diamond rendered brilliant— that is, worked on the
wheel to give it in certain proporiions planes or facets, which,
according to the law of optics, reflecting back luminous rays, cause
the gem to shine with great brilliancy. It is not improbable that
iu a very remote period the Indians understood the method of
polishing the diamond. A passage in Pliny (XXXVII. iii. 15),
"the polished hexahedral diamond thins to a point," leads us to
suppose that in his time it was known that the diamond itself was
capable of wearing away other diamonds, and, therefore, of facetting
and polishing them. They say, however, that antiquity of about
5000 years since claims a diamond which was polished on its natural
planes, and belonged to King Carna, who, in India, was said to have
lived 3000 years before the Christian era. It appears that, until the
time of Charles the Great, the diamond in Europe was only planed
on its natural facets and polished; four very large ones of this
description can be seen even now in the buckle of that emperor's
mantle. It appears probable that even in India they then began to
cut the diamond, so as to add new facets to the natural ones.

About the year a.d. 1000 we find that in the jewels used by tl.e
great personages of Europe were sometimes diamonds having four
rectangular planes and one upper facet, in the form of a parallelo-
gram, leaving the under part in its natural state, but the stone on
either side being equally polished ; and this particular form pre-
serves to this day the name of Indian, or, technically speaking,
lustre of India. The wandering merchants who kept alive the Indo-

* Emmanuel, p. 28. t Feuchfcvranger, p. 149. J Ibid. § Ibid, flbitl. II ibid. .

European commerce through the Caucasus, the Caspian, and the
Steppes of Asia, were, perhaps, the first to bring into Europe the
ideas which the Hindoos possessed on the art of diamond cutting.
From the Bosphorus it reached the "West ; the Franks with Baldwin,
the Venetians with Enrico Dandolo, the Hanseatics by the Valley of
the Danube, derived it probably from Constantinople, and brought
it to France, Italy, and llolland. Certain it is that from the begin-
ning of the fourteenth century this art was practised with great
industry in Paris and Venice ; this is confirmed by the registry of
the French Commune, and by the ancient Venetian shops. Thus,
in the inventory of jewels belonging to Louigi D'Angio, made in
1365, various diamonds are mentioned, amongst which one having
eight facets, and another in the form of a shield.

In 1407 we find that this art made remarkable progress in Paris,
under thedirection of a workman named Hermann, whichname sounds
more German than French. About that time the Duke of Bur-
gundy, at a banquet which he gave in the Louvre to the King of
France, presented to the noble guests, amongst other gifts, eleven
diamonds, valued at 786 golden crowns. "We are assured that in
1465 Bruges rivalled Paris in this respect, and amongst the legalized
experts of that city there are registered in that year three diamond-
cutters, or diamants-Kper. Finally, the same year, Louigi di Ber-
qucen, native of Bruges, and renowned as a mathematician and
goldsmith, having perceived that the art of diamond-cutting was
still in its infancy, and deriving rules for it from mathematical and
optical principles, he arranged the inclination of the facets so as to
produce the wonderful effects of light which are so much admired
in the brilliant, and to which it has scarcely been possible to add
anything from his time to our days.

A book entitled " The Wonders of the East Indies," attributes to
Berqueen not only the perfecting but the invention of diamond
cutting. This we have already proved untrue ; let it be sufficient
for the Bruges goldsmith to claim the merit of having (if we may
so express it) given the diamond its true light. Roberto di Ber-
queen, his nephew, relates that Chaides the Bold gave him five
thousand ducats as a reward for cutting three very large diamonds,
of which hereafter we shall relate the history. The disciples of this
celebrated engraver went to Paris and Antwerp, but for want of
rough material their art languished. And thus it went on until
Cardinal Mazarin gave it new impetus, and protected it, so that in
Paris diamonds were cut for all the courts of Europe. He entrusted
to his engravers the twelve largest diamonds of the crown of France,
that they might be newly cut, and thus have their lustre increased,
therefore these were called the twelve Mazarins. About this time
some Italian artists, who were very clever engravers, tried to cut the
diamond. The hardness of this stone was conquered by art and
perseverance. Giacomo da Trezezo, a Milanese, was the first to win
praise in this difficult work. Clement Birago, also a Milanese, cut
on the diamond the likeness and coat of arms of Prince Charles, son
of Philip II., and this is asserted by Clusio Lomazzo, and Guilianelli.
It is said that the celebrated Caradosso delighted in similar work.
A lion's head, a Leda, and a head of Antinous, were, according to
Caire, engraved iu diamond by Giovanni and Carlo Costanzi, who
were Romans. Whilst Venice, London, and Amsterdam, with
treaties of commerce provided for the necessity of procuring sets of
rough diamonds, France, after Colbert, did not foresee that the
diamond mines of India would be nearly exhausted, and meanwhile
fettered the art of diamond cutting by making regulations even to
the number of tools to be retained by each artist ; thus the industry
of which we speak continually declined, and although under the
great minister of Louis XIV. there had been seventy-five engravers,
the greater part of them were dispersed at the revocation of ^he'
Edict of Nantes. Some withdrew to Holland, others to England,
and the few who remained lost their work for want of the rough
material. Under Louis XVI., near the close of the ministry of
Calonne, a stranger, named Schrabsacq, wished, with the help of
the state, to revive this art in Paris ; he therefore opened a work-
shop, with twenty-seven mills for cutting diamonds, but in a "short
time he disappeared from Paris, and went no one knew whither.
One of the engravers of the ancient Venetian school, Vinceirzo
Peruzzi, near the close of the seventeenth century, when trying to
deprive inferior diamonds of colour, and to cut the'm so that they
might acquire the brightest lustre, discovered the double facetting
which renders the play of light so wonderful in the ' brilliant, and
which is now adopted in gems of the best quality. At Venice those
who exercised that art continued longer than was the case in France.
Some remained there even in 1825, but the last of these died blind
and poor in the hospital. At present diamond cutting is principally
practised in llolland ; after that country in England, and after
England in Fia-ice^ wh^rc it .promises to revive. ' ' '
(7b be continued.)

102

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Oct.

1875.

FINGER RINGS.

(Continued from page 7G.)

Fkom "Rambles of an Archaeologist."

IX continuing the history of finger rings we shall briefly show
the large amount of anecdote and curious collateral informa-
tion it abounds in. Our illustrations depict the great variety of
design and ornamental detail embraced by so simple a thing as a
hoop 'or the finger. It would be easy to multiply the literary and
the artistic branch of this subject until a volume of no small bulk
resulted from the labour. Volumes have been devoted to the
history of rings — Gortaeus among the older, and Edwards,* of New
York, among the modern authors. The ancients had their Dac-
tyliotheca, or collection of rings ; but they were luxurious varieties
of rings for wear. The modern collections are historic, illustrative
of past tastes and manners. Of these the best have been formed
by the late Lord Londesborough (whose collection was remarkable
for its beauty and value), and Edmund "Waterton, Esq., F.S.A.,
who still lives to possess the best chronological series of rings ever
brought together. "We have had the advantage of the fullest access
to each collection.

It is in the oldest of histories, the books of Moses, that we find
the earliest records of the use of the finger ring. It originally
appears to have been a signet, used as we now use a written auto-
graph ; and it is not a little curious that the unchanged habit of
Eastern life renders the custom as common now as it was three
thousand years ago. "When Tamar desired some certain token by
which she should again recognize Judah, she made her first request
for his signet, and, when the time of recognition arrived, it was
duly and undoubtingly acknowledged by all.f Eig. 1 exhibits the
usual form assumed by these signets. It has a somewhat clumsy
movable handle, attached to a crossbar passing through a cube,
engraved on each of its facets with symbolical devices. Sir John
Gardner AYilkinson speaks of it as one of the largest and most
valuable he has seen, containing twenty pounds worth of gold.
"It consisted of a massive ring, \ an inch in its largest diameter,
bearing an oblong plinth, on which the devices were engraved,
1 inch long, G-lOths in its greatest, and 4-10th's in its smallest
breadth. On one face was the name of a king, the successor of
Amunoph III., who lived about is c. 1400; on the other a lion,
with the legend 'lord of strength,' referring to the monarch;
on one side a scorpion, and on the other a crocodile."

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

Judah's signet was, of course, formed of less valuable material,
and had, probably, a single device only. The lighter kind of
hooped signet, as generally worn at a somewhat more recent era
in Egypt, is shown in Eig. 2. The gold loop passes through a
small figure of the sacred beetle, the flat under side being engraved
with the device of a crab. It is cut in cornelian, and once formed
part of the collection of Egyptian antiquities gathered by our consul
at Cairo, Henry Salt, the friend of Burckhardt and Eel/.oni, who
first employed the latter in Egyptian researches, and to v horn our
national museum owes many of its chief Egyptian treasures.

From a passage in Jeremiah (xxii. 24) it appears to have been
customary for the Jewish nation to wear the tignet ring on the
right hand. The words of the Lord are uttered against Zedekiah —
"Though Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim, King of Judah, were the
signet on my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence."

The transition from such signets to the solid finger ring was
natural and easy. The Biblical record treats them as contempo-
raneous even at that early era. Thus the story of Judah and
Tamar is immediately followed by that of Joseph, when we are
told "Pharach took off the ring from his hand and put it upon
Joseph's hand,'' when he invested him with authority as a ruler
iu Egypt. Dr. Abbott, of Cairo, obtained a most curious and

* " History and Poetry of Finger Bina " f Genesis, chap, sxiviii.

valuable ring, inscribed with a royal name. It is now preserved,
with his other Egyptian antiquities, at new York, and is thus
described in his catalogue: — "This remarkable piece of antiquity
is in the highest state of preservation, and was found at Ghizeh,
in a tomb near that excavation of Colonel Yyse's, called ' Campbell's
Tomb.' It is of fine gold, and weighs nearly three sovereigns.
The style of the hieroglyphics is in perfect accordance with those
iu the tombs about the Great Pyramid, and the hieroglyphics within
the oval make ihe name of that Pharoah (Cheops) of whom the
pyramid was the tomb." Fig. 3 represents this ring, and beside it
(Fig. 4) is placed the hieroglyphic inscription upon the face of the

Fig.

Fig. 4.

Fig 5.

ring, which is cut with the most minute accuracy and beauty.
Kings of inferior metal, bearing royal names, were worn, probably,
by officials of the king's household. Henry Salt had one such in
his collection, which was afterwards in the remarkable collection
of rings formed by the late Lord Londesborough. It is represented
in Fig. 5, and is entirely of bronze. The name of Amunoph III.
is engraved on the oval face of the ring, exactly
as it appears on the tablet of Abydus in the
British Museum. Amunojjh (who reigned, ac-
cording to "Wilkinson, B.C. 1403-loG7) is the
same monarch known to the Greeks as Mem-
mon ; and the colossal "head of Memmon,"
placed in the British Museum through the
agency of Mr. Salt, has a similar group of
hieroglyphics sculptured on its shoulder. There
was another kind of official ring, which we can
recognize from the description of Pliny, and of
which we give an engraving (Fig. G) from the original, in the
author's possession. It is of bronze, and has engraved upon its
face the figure of the scarabasus ; such rings
were worn by the Egyptian soldiers. The
lower classes, who couid not afford rings of
precious metals, but, like their modern de-
scendants, coveted the adornments, purchased
those made of ivory or porcelain. In the
latter material they abounded, and are found
in Egyptian sepulchres in large quantities ;
they are very neatly moulded, and the devices
on their faces, whether depicting gods, em-
blems, or hieroglyphics, are generally well and clearly rendered.
This fondness for loading the fingers with an abundance of rings
is well displayed on the crossed hands of a figure of a woman
(Fig. 7), upon a mummy case, in the British Museum. Here the

Fig. o.

Fig. 7.

thumbs, as well as the fingers, are encircled by them. The left
hand is most loaded ; upon the thumb is a signet with hiero-
glyphics on its surface, three rings on the forefinger, two on the
second ; one formed like a snail shell, the same number on the
next, and one on the little finger. The right hand carries only
a thumb ring, and two upon the third finger. These hands are
cut in wood, and the fingers are partially broken. "Wilkinson
observes— tjie left was considered the hand peculiarly privileged

Oct. 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

103

to bear these ornaments, and it is remarkable that its third
finger was decorated with a greater number than any other,
and was considered by them — as by us— par excellence, the
ring finger ; though there is no evidence for its having been so
honoured at the marriage ceremony." Herodotus narrates a curious
antique legend he obtained in Egypt concerning the ring of
Polycrates. It is remarkable as having spread into the legendary
history of all countries, being still credited by the commonalty.
We shall have hereafter to note its existence as an old London
tradition ; but the version of the Greek historian is briefly thus : —
Amasis, King of Egypt, conceived an extraordinary friendship for
the Greek, Polycrates, and, observing that the latter was attended
by unusual success in all his adventures, reflected that such un-
varying felicity seldom lasted through life, and the end of such a
career was often calamitous. He, therefore, advised him to pro-
pitiate future fortune by seeking some object whose loss would
produce most regret, and voluntarily casting it away from him
where it could never be recovered, rolycrates attached most
value to a signet ring he constantly wore ; it was of gold, set with
an emerald, cut by" Thcodorus, of t»'amos, a famed engraver of
gems. He went out in a galley, far on to the open sea, and then
cast his precious ring into its water, returning in an excess of grief.
Some six days afterwards a fisherman came to his gate, bearing
a fish so fine and large he deemed it to be only fiited for the table
of Polycrates. The King of Samos accepted the gift, the fish was
sent to the royal kitchen, and on opening it a valuable ring was
found in its stomach. It was at once taken
to Polycrates, who immediately recognized
his abandoned treasure, which he now
valued the more as it seemed to be re-
turned by divine interposition. In the
comparatively modern era of Roman rule
in Egypt rings of fanciful construction were
occasionally worn. In the British Museuin
is a remarkable one (Pig. 8) having the
convolutions of a serpent, and the head of
Serapis at one extremity, and of Isis at the
FlG s- other ; by this arrangement one or more of

them would always be correctly posited. It has also the further
advantage of being flexible, owing to the great sweep of its curve.
(To oe continued.)

ANCIENT BROOCHES AND DRESS FASTENINGS.

From "Rambles of an Arclixolorjist."

The Clock and Chimes at Lightcliffe Church. — The clock
and chimes which are now fixed in the tower of the church at
Lightcliffe .have been presented by Mr. Ripley, M.P., and the
whole work has been entrusted to Messrs. Gillett & Bland, Steam
Clock Factory, Croydon. The clock is fixed in the chamber below
the bells, and strikes the hours upon a bell of 18 cwt. with a
hammer of 58 pounds, and chimes the four quarters on six bells, a
differeut chime for each quarter. The time is shown upon four
dials, each 4 ft. 8 in. in diameter ; they are made of iron, all cast in
one piece, in the skeleton form, projecting from the face of the
tower several inches, and in the centre is a representation of the
sun, which is gilt, the figures and minutes being also gilt. The
clock frame is of massive cast iron, on the horizontal plan, all cast
in one piece, and so made that any wheel can be taken out separately
without disturbing the other part3. The clock altogether is Gft.
long, 3 ft. in height, and 2 ft. G in. wide, and it weighs altogether
about one and a half tons. The escapement, which is singularly
delicate and effective, is the invention of Sir Edmund Beckett, Q,.C,
and is technically termed the "Double three-legged gravity." It
has considerable advantages over the ordinary "dead beat" and
other escapements, and it is said that clocks made in this way are
capable of keeping much better time. The pendulum (instead of
the usual wooden rod) is a compensated one, made with zinc and
iron tubes, and has a cylindrical bob at the bottom weighing over
2 cwt. The motive power is given to the clock by weights, of
about one ton, suspended from cast-iron barrels by steel wire lines,
altogether 450 ft. in length. All the wheels are of the best gun
metal, beautifully polished and cut. The bearings for the pivots to
run in are also of gun metal. There are two engraved and silvered
dials on the clock showing minutes and seconds for the purpose of
regulating and adjusting the outer ha'n Is, and for taking oBserva?*
tions. There is also an apparatus fitted up in the ringing-room 'foi;'
pulling off all the hammers from the bells simultaneously before
commencing ringing, so as to prevent the possibility of their being
knocked off by the ringers. The workmanship and materials of
the clock are of the very best description, and the inhabitants of
Lightcliffe can now boast of having one of the finest public clocks;
in this part of the country. — Bradford Observer. ■ ■ r' ■-.■

EVERY artist who paiuts an historical picture knows the difficulty
of obtaining the necessary minutix, in order to give vraisem-
blanee to his picture, as the authorities are widely scattered, and can
only be brought together by those who know where to look for
them, for often they lie hidden in illuminated MSS., or in books of
considerable rarity, seldom looked at by the general reader, and only
fully appreciated by literary men and students. We propose to
show how varied and curious the history of any article of dress be-
comes if studied carefully, and how such minor details indicate
clearly defined periods, as faithfully as any other historic data.

The use of the fibula, or brooch, was, in all probability, first
adopted by men to secure the outer cloak upon the shoulders. It
originated among the ancient Greeks, and appears to have been
considered as a characteristic of Greek costume, even after it had
long been adopted by the Romans, as may be understood from a
passage of Suetonius, in his life of Augustus, "He distributed among
various other persons, tugm and pallia, and made a law that the
Romans should wear the Greek habit, and the Greeks the
Roman habit," that is, that the Greeks should wear the
toga, and the Romans the pallium. Now, though it is certain
that the pallium, or cloak, was peculiar to the Greeks, and
that many authors, besides Suetonius, testify the same, yet it
is as evident that this article of dress became afterwards the
common habit of Greeks and Romans. . The earliest form in which
we meet with a fibula, is that of a circular disc, having a pin cross-
ing it behind, which
passed through the folds
of the cloak, and Avas
hidden from sight by
this outer disc. It re-
tained that form forages,
and is rarely seen upon
antique monuments in
any other shape. It is
very clearly represented
upon the statue of Paris,
as shown in Fig. 1. It
will be seen that the
cloak covered the left
arm, the opening being
upon the right one,
where the brooch re-
Fra. l. posed on the shoulder,

leaving the right arm free. There is a very beautiful and well-
known antique statue of Diana, representing the goddess fastening
her mantle in the same manner. The character of this outer gar-
ment varied with the seasons, but whet'ier heavy and warm, or light
and cool, it was usually plain in its character, or simply decorated
with a border and corner ornament. Sometimes, when worn by
great personages, it appears to have been decorated with needle-
work, and shot with threads of gold. Such a one is described in the
" Odyssey " (Book xix.), as worn by Ulysses :—
" In ample mode
A robe of military purple flowed
O'er all his frame : illustrious on his breast
The double-clapping gold the king contest.
In the rich woof a 'hound, mosaic drawn,
Bore on full stretch, and seized a dappled favui ;
Deep in the neck his fangs indent their hold,
They pant and struggle in the moving gold."
When the brooch secured the short military cloak of the Romans, it
was usually worn in the centre of the breast. As the desire for
personal display increased, a brooch was worn on each shoulder,
the ladies often wearing a row of them to close the sleeve left open
down the arm. Occasionally they were also used to fasten the tunic
above the knee, in

'< , ';':' ''-Queen and huntress, chaae and fair,"
the way tliat .Diana appears to have secured hers before she indulged
iti the chase. As luxury increased in the Roman empire, these
articles of utility became also ornaments of much cost and splendour.
The art of the goldsmith was devoted to enrichments for them, that of
the enameller to brilliant colouring. They increased in size greatly,
and became distinctive of rank and wealth. The influence of
Eastern" taste, when the seat of royalty was transferred from Rome
to Constantinople, was visible 'in the jewellery afterwards usually
worn*; nor w.;s the taste confined only to the fair sex, the men in
the East being still as fond Of jewellery as the ladies of the harem.
• ■ : ' ' (To'be continued.y

104

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Oct. 5, 1875.

"I MAK SICKER."

THIS is the motto of an ancient Scottish family, the meaning
being " I make sure," and, as showing how the old can be
applied to the new, the word "sicker" has been taken as the
name of the latest "safe" candidate for public patronage. We
had lately an opportunity of examining this safe and taking note
of its principle of construction. Many of our readers will re-
member seeing the huge sicker safe, which was lent for use in last
and the previous years' International Exhibition at South Ken-
sington, where it occupied a conspicuous position in the southern
annexe. It is our invariable rule, in reviewing any manufacture,
to carefully avoid giving our remarks the taint or possible con-
struction of a "puff." We shall, therefore, in speaking of this
subject, which is one of weighty importance to the trades we
represent, be scrupulously tenacious in the observance of this rule.
The mechanism and construction of the patent is remarkably simple,
and with a few details, aided by the engraving, our readers will,
we feel sure, arrive at a just and fair opinion on the merits of a
novelty which has certainly called forth very considerable approval
in the mechanical world.

of this tool is the special object of the Sicker patent, -whether
applied to safes, deed chests, or strong rooms. To explain the
principle of mechanism we cannot do better than avail ourselves
of the lucid description thereof 'given by the Engineer: —

" On the inner face of the framing of the safe, and upon its four sides,
are a series of pierced knuckles, and these pierced knuckles have the same
general figure of one-half of the joint of a door or butt hinge. On the
inner face of the door of the safe there is placed a series of other
pierced knuckles having the same general figure as the other half of the
joint of a door or butt hinge. The knuckles on the door are fixed in such
positions that when the door is closed they engage respectively with the
knuckles on the framing of the safe. "When each pair are thus engaged
together they resemblo the joint of a hinge, excepting that there is no pin
or axis passing through them. On the inside of the door is a series of
sliding bolts, and these bolts carry pins or axes. Connected with these
bolts is mechanism which, on the turning of the knob or handle of the safe
door, can bo made to shoot forward the pins or axes into the openings in
the engaged knuckles, and thereby join them together as the knuckles of a
hinge are joined together by their pins or axes. When the pins or axes
are in their shot or advanced position they securely fasten the door,
whether it be of a safe or of a strong room. To withdraw the pins and
thereby unfasten the door, the handle, whose movement in one direction
shot them, has merely to be turned in the opposite direction.

BINGLE-DOOR SAFE, WITH LOCK CASE REMOVED,
SHOWING MECHANISM OF THE BOLTS.

The bodies or walls of the safes are composed of alternate plates
of iron and drill-proof steel, united by screws and cone-shaped
rivets through holes countersunk on both sides. The bodies are
united at their angles by similar fastenings, but passing in addition
through heavy angle iron. Round the back and front are broad
bands with bevelled edges, to frustrate the use of a cramp. The
doors are composed of three plates, the centre one being drill-
proof steel, united similarly to the bodies. These plates are
graduated in size correspondingly with the two wedge bars round
the facing of the frame. The steel is impenetrable under a
Whitworth's steam-drilling machine with a pressure of half a
ton.

We have thus described the features of the sicker safes so far as
relates to drilling, or separating their bodies by means of prising,
and now come to tliat most formidable, which " with a fulcrum
would raise the world," the lever, or more familiarly known as
the " wedge." It was this tool which enabled the valuable chro-
nometers and jewellery to find their way into the fiddle-cases of
the " Caseley gang" to the tune of many thousand pounds' loss to
Mr. John Walker, of Cornhill, London. It is this tool to which
j;u nerous, ot'.i nviee good, safe? have yivldud. The absolute defeat

" The mechanism by which the bolts are actuated may either consist of
a series of levers worked from the spindle, from the knob or key of the
safe door gearing with the bolts described, or the bolts may gear with a
toothed wheel on the spindle and the knob ; or again, the bolts may be
connected together by chains set so that by operating on one or more uf
the bolts the whole series are actuated. At present the inventor shoots or
withdraws the bolts by a mechanism which may be thus described. On
the longer sides of the 'inner face of the door, and parallel therewith, there
work vertical sliding bolts, and near the top and bottom of the dcor
horizontal sliding bolts also work. These bolts are geared together by
cranked levers turning on centres. The vertical bolts carry a series of
pins for entering the openings in the engaged knuckles on the sides of the
safe and door ; and each of the horizontal bolts carries its pin for entering
the openings in the engaged knuckles on the top and bottom of the safe and
door. As may be imagined, the pins are situated in a line with the re-
spective openings in the knuckles into which they are to enter. The bolts
are shot and withdrawn by means of a centre wheel which communicates
with the knob or handle outside. The spindle of the knob is carried by
the cross-bar on the wheel, and the wheel is connected with the vertical
bolts by cross-bars or levers. The sliding bolts are guided so as to move in
a rectilinear direction by the tops of the arm carried by the base plates of
the knuckles, engaging in slots in the sliding bolts. The tops of the arms
arc secure.! in the slots by screws and washers.

Oct. 5, .875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

101

" When the door has been closed, and the handle so turned as to shoot
the pins into the knuckles, the wheel is fastened in its shot position by
means of a lock placed above it, whose bolt shoots down and engages with
stops or shoulders on the wheel."

It will thus be seen that each pair of knuckles or lugs forms five
distinct fastenings, and as there are eight pairs employed on the safe
■we illustrate, the bolts have forty interlaciugs alternately between
the door and body of the safe. The base plates of the lugs are
dovetailed and counter-dovetailed, and they are so inserted in slots
that prising or leverage could only tighten them, and to force them out
of position by any external means would obviously be a mechanical
impossibility. Another important feature of the safe is the lock,
called the " Sicker Duplex " which is really two distinct locks in one.
The locking of the first acts on the stop of the safe, the locking of
the second throws a drill-proof steel plate over the keyhole of the
first. It will therefore be apparent that the Sicker patent aims not
only at remedying one or two known weaknesses in the construction
of safes, but it boldly asserts absolute security and frustrates any
illicit attack which can be contemplated. The safes are supplied
with a most perfect system of fire-proofing upon the steam-
generating principle. The patent has now been before the public
about three years, and we are informed that it has already so
established itself among banking, jewellery, bullion, and other
mercantile firms that the demand for it has far exceeded the capa-
cities of supply, and consequently has led Mr. J. Felton Elwell. the
patentee, to form his business into a limited company, as " The
Sicker Safe and Strong Boom Company, Limited." The directors
are at present erecting works at Soho, Birmingham, adjoining the
station on the London and North Western Railway, which, when
complete, will form one of the most extensive manufactories of safes
in the kingdom. "We may have occasion at a future date to give our
readers a description of this manufactory, and the labour-saving
machinery which will be employed there, the subject of an absolutely
secure safe being one worthy of all consideration.

BOOK NOTICE.

A Treatise on Watchwork, Past and Present. By the Bev. H. L.
Nelthropp, M.A., F.S.A. With Illustrations. London : Spon,
Charing- cross.

THIS book, of some three hundred and odd pages, is the pro-
duction of an enthusiastic amateur ; that is, of a gentleman
who does not follow watchmaking as a profession or calling. The
author says that the difficulty of the student in obtaining the re-
quisite information has induced him to devote a portion of his
leisure time to the volume before us. Productions of the scientific,
or the practical and scientific kind, could not be in better hands
than those of a clergyman, with leisure time, who possesses the fire
within and the means to keep that fire burning. A clergyman
is always a highly-educated person, and if he resides in a quiet
part of the country, far removed from the din and social war
of cities, with no care about the provision of Sunday dinner or the
quarter's rent, his leisure time is leisure time indeed. When he
directs such time in the path of practical science, we venture
to affirm that he is conferring a far greater benefit upon his
countrymen than in giving utterance to any quantity of wretched
wrangling about "positions," "interpretations," and all the mud-
spattering of the miserable odium iheologicum. The author very
truly says, in his preface, that, with the exception of the rudimentary
treatise, reviewed in our last number, no one has ventured of late
to treat on horology. He speaks of the French as being much
ahead of us in such matters ; but, as the books are both scarce and
dear, they are beyond the reach of wages-earning people ; to supply
such a deficiency is the object of the book before us.

We think that we can afford good reasons why such literature
is so comparatively scarce with us. In the first place, working
watchmakers, as may be expected, have not the necessary literary
ability to write books. A man who begins to learn his trade at
fourteen years of age, after having served seven years at the bench,
is not very likely to be able (or to have the opportunity) to undergo
a grammatical training. True, there have been exceptions ; but
those exceptions have mostly had their bread buttered on both
sides in some other way. Boyal personages have written books,
composed music, and even made excellent fiddlers — the latter, to
the unbounded delight of Jack afloat. But, then, as we have said,
their bread was buttered on both sides in another manner, and they
could, therefore, follow the bent of their several inclinations.
Again, horological literature does not pay the hand-to-mouth man.
If the writer has a handle to his name, moves in the society of the
upper classes, and can guarantee his publisher against loss, then

we say, that, with a good book, it will pay him, and very likely pay
him well in the long run. One good method of turning out a new
standard work would be, for the man of experiment and practice
to make his notes and carefully go over them with the man of
horological literary power, and see what they could bring forth
betwreen them ; immediate, or, indeed, any pecuniary recompense
being pushed entirely out of sight. We strongly believe that
Beid's celebrated book was produced in this way, and a good way,
too.

Mr. Nelthropp begins at the beginning by telling what a watch
is, the definition of trade-terms, followed by no fewer than fifty-
three illustrations of a watchmaker's tools. We have a historical
summary of the time-keeping business from the earliest period
down to the present. We next pass on to the calculations of the
numbers for wheels and pinions, taken and acknowledged from
Beid's book ; also a chapter on dial-wheels and motion-work. Then
the several escapements are dealt with, all of which are pretty fully
illustrated ; and, further on, a few pages on repeating and keyless
work. There is a good chapter on springing, and another on the
jewelling of pivot-holes. The concluding chapters will be better
understood by being read than by anything that we can say here.
A few words about the choosing of a watch and selecting a good one
would be greatly appreciated by the watch-buying community, if
the watch-buying community could be induced to appreciate any-
thing tending to its and our comfort and profit iu the way of watch-
work. Of the said community we verily believe that there is not
more than 1 per cent, who knows how to wind up a watch properly,
simple as such an act is. We have seen cooks wind up their roast-
ing-jacks with a better knowledge of mechanical ways and means
than many men their watches. When ignorant usage spoils the
going, such men fly to the regulator, as if that was some unseen
spirit whose touch would put their own blundering right. After
playing at push and pull in this way for a week or so, off they rush
to the watchmaker aud unfold a list of woes enough to drive the
poor man mad. Again, we have known people repeatedly leave their
watches " to be seen to," when only winding-up was wanted. A most
amiable, business-like gentleman of our acquaintance adopted the
very profitable practice of charging half-a-crown for that operation,
when nothing else was wrong. He mostly kept the instrument a
couple of days or so before returning it to the delighted owner.
A well-disseminated knowledge of the principles of watchwork
would be very satisfactory to both the makers and wearers of watch-
work. Mr. Nelthropp gives that information most fully.

The book finishes with the celebrated Lalaude's "Treatise on
Pitchings," which is added by way of appendix.

Taking the work altogether, there is a large amount of informa-
tion in it, both for the practical man and the amateur, that has
been most laboriously got together. It is well worth reading by
every one who has any interest in either watches or watchmaking.
Our advice is — Bead it.

Pickpockets in France. — French pickpockets carry on their
business with great system as well as great cunning. The following
story is related in a French journal : —

" A physician officially connected with the prison of La Force,
and much beloved by his light-fingered patients, perceived on leav-
ing the Varietes one evening that his pocket had been picked, and
that his opera-glass was gone. Next day, on meeting the denizens
of La Force, he expressed his displeasure at the occurrence. ' It is
all very well,' said he, ' for you to say I am popular among you, but
I am treated just as others are. Some of your friends contrived to
relieve me of my opera-glass last night at the Varietes.' ' That
was only because they did not know you, doctor,' replied a prisoner.
' Who was on duty at the Varietes last night? ' he inquired, turning
to a comrade. The answer was given in a whisper. ' You shall
have your glass to-morrow,' he added. Next day a person called on
the physician's wife. 'Here,' said he, 'are all the opera- glasses
stolen two nights ago at the Varietes : please to point out the doc-
tor's.' The lady having done so, the obliging pickpocket handed it
to her, restored the others to their cases, and disappeared."

It is related that upon one occasion, when Commodore Judkins
was in command of the Scotia, a fussy little gentleman came to him
just as the steamer was leaving Liverpool, and asked if he thought
the Scotia would arrive in New York upon a certain day in time for
him to catch the noon train for Philadelphia. J udkins looked at
him a moment in silence, and then, taking out his watch, replied,
" I fear, sir, we shall be five minutes too late ! "

Greek was the first foreign language which Cato, the celebrated
Boman censor, acquired, and which was accomplished in his old
age.

100

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Oct. 5, 1875.

THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE.
From '• 'J\wi>le Bar."

ALTHOUGH the story of the "Queen's necklace" has often
been related, it still possesses a double interest. On the one
hand we desire to know the whole truth about an affair which, by
patting the honour of the beautiful Marie Antoinette in question,
struck at the heart of royalty, and contributed to precipitate the
Revolution. On the other hand, the trial which ensued exhibited
men such as they were in public and private life previous to that
epoch. The brilliant and corrupt society of the end of the eighteenth
century is painted in bold relief in this drama — a drama more
original and varied than the Manage de Figaro, and one which has
for its principal actors the Cardinal de Rohan, Madame de Lamotte,
and the charlatan Cagliostro.

Louis de Rohan, Cardinal, Grand Almoner, Bishop of Strasbourg,
Prince of the Empire, and member of the French Academy, the
real hero of the piece, was penetrated as little as any man in France
with the spirit of his position. Gallant, magnificent, of a noble
figure and graceful manners, he pleased and surprised by his incon-
sistencies. " 11 n'etait rien de ce qu'il devait etre ; mais il etait
aimable autant qu'on peut etre hors de sa place et de soncaractere."
Such is the description given of him by Madame de Genii's. Under
an agreeable exterior, however, raged a wild ambition and the
fiercest passions, without principle or curb to restrain them. He
had, moreover, wit and learning, and possessed a taste for the occult
sciences. Of his embassy to Austria on the partition of Poland, no
other souvenir remains than his pomp, his debts, and his public
gallantries with the ladies of the court and others less distinguished.
It is related of him at Vienna that, on the anniversary of the fete
Dieu, he threw into disorder, with his hunting retinue, a religious
procession which he met on the way. Recalled at the instance of
Maria Theresa, he fell into disgrace. Louis XVI. could not tolerate
a prelate so scandalised by his habits ; Marie Antoinette felt for him
an aversion, mingled with contempt, which she was at no pains to
disguise. The prince had begun to despair of ever emerging from
this mortifying disgrace, when he met Cagliostro and Madame de
Lamotte. At this period Cagliostro was as celebrated as Vol-
taire, and was talked about as much as Beaumarchais. He
pretended to be the high-priest of a kind of natural religion, whose
devotees were to be pure as the rays of the sun ; and in order to
protect themselves against calumny, they were to have neither Avives
nor light pleasures, nor a fortune of more than 50,000 francs. No-
thing about him was wanting to excite astonishment and curiosity.
Everything was bizarre and mysterious respecting his fortune, his
birth, his manner of living, and his speeches. His success was pro-
digious. Fanaticism reached so high that not only was his portrait
and that of his wife to be seen on fans, rings, snuff-boxes, and
medals, but his bust was sculptured in marble, cast in bronze, and
placed in the palaces of the noblest amongst the nobility. Under
one of these busts this inscription, engraved in letters of gold, might
he read, " The Divine Cagliostro." The greatest personages of the
day, such as the Duke of Luxembourg, the Prince Soubise, were his
familiars. The success of Cagliostro was a triumph for the Cardinal.
He it was who had taken him by the hand, and as it were introduced
him to the public. In his hotel the most important and the most
mysterious stances were held. He spoke of the great enchanter with
respectful and eloquent admiration ; an admiration which was not
the effect of surprise and the illusion of a curiosity skilfully excited,
but an admiration which existed for upwards of five years, and
perhaps to the last, in the generous mind of the Cardinal.

]\Iadamede Lamotte, the heroine of the drama, was descended, by
Henry, Baron of Saint-Remy, from the royal house of Valois. It is
not known by what means the family sank into their final degrada-
tion. It is related that the father of Madame de Lamotte, Jacques
de Saint-Remy, was a man of athletic figure, who lived by hunting,
by depredations in the forests, and even by stealing fruit ; whilst
his children, half-naked and neglected, depended on the charity of
(he villagers; that in 17G0 Jacques de Saint-Remy determined to
abandon Fontelle and go to Versailles to coin money, on the strength
of hi3name of Valois; that on the night of his departure he sus-
pended his second daughter, a baby in swaddling-clothes, at the
window of one of the inhabitants of the place who had most enriched
himself with the spoils of his ancient seigneurie ; that taking with
him only his parchments, he set out on foot, dragging with him
his eldest daughter Jeanne, his son, and his wife ; that he arrived
ill at Boulogne ; and that having excited the pity of the Baroness de
Choiseul, was enabled to die in a comfortable bed at the IIotel-Dieu.
Abandoned shortly afterwards by her mother, the little Jeanne went

begging about the streets of Paris, crying, " Pity an orphan who is
descended by the direct line from Henry II., king of France." One
day, whilst, selling flowers in the Champs Elysees, she attracted, it is
said, the attention of the Countess of Boulainvilliers, the wife of
the provost of Paris, who took her home, educated her, and obtained
from the king for her and her sister a pension of (100 francs, and for
their brother the Baron de Valois a pension of a thousand francs and
a free admission into the Naval School. Subsequently she passed
some time in the Abbey de Longchamps; but exhibited little taste
for a convent life, even relaxed as was the discipline at the time.
Shortly after she returned to Bar-sur-Aube, her native place, with
her pension of GOO francs. There she met the Count de Lamotte, a
handsome man, and of an honourable family, but with very equivocal
pursuits, and steeped up to his ears in debt. To defray the expenses
of the wedding, Mdlle. de Saint-Remy mortgaged two years' pension,
whilst M. de Lamotte sold a horse and a carriage which he had
bought on credit. Thus provided, they went to Paris to seek their
fortune. Madame de Lamotte, who reckoned on the eclat of her
name to obtain credit and favour, soon understood that, "in a
country like France, there were only two ways of demanding alms :
at the church-door, or in a carriage." Penetrating sometimes into
good society, where she strove to form connexions ; mingling
occasionally with that crowd of petty intriguers who lived
from day to day on imaginary credit and hung about the court, she
attached herseif to whatever might place her amongst this mendicant
class. Into every hand she thrust her petition and knocked at every
door ; she sought and obtained an audience of the old Marshal de
Richelieu. She went to Luciennes to introduce herself to
Madame du Barry ; prayed her to receive her as a companion ; and
placed in her hands a memoir which she had signed Marie Antoinette
ile France de Saint- llemy de Valois, femme du Comic de Lamotte. She
wearied out with her solicitations the comptroller-general, the
lieutenant of police, and the ladies who were said to be basking in
the sunshine of the court, in order to obtain, if not useful assistance,
at least some louis. One day she pretended to faint in the waiting-
room at Madame Elizabeth's. Madame, informed that a lady of
quality was dying of hunger in her ante-chamber, sent her maids-of-
honour to her, gave her some money, and had her pension raised to
1500 francs. Madame de Lamotte, encouraged by this, tried on new
games of the kind ; but without success ; for she was never admitted
into the presence of the queen. Excited, sick with pride and envy,
bitter against Marie Antoinette for not receiving her, devoid of any
moral principle, it may easily be imagined what she became after two
years of this life of flattery and prayers addressed in vain to the
powerful, of continual affronts and a daily struggle against the
pecuniary embarrassments which beset her. She lost, with the hope
of succeeding by honest means, whatever modesty and scruples
remained to her. As her mind grew profoundly morose, her natural
talent for intrigue became thoroughly developed. She greedily
received the thousand reports, true or calumnious, which were in
circulation respecting the courtiers, and especially the Queen. She
knew how a position might be made in the world by speculating on
the weaknesses of the great ; and she determined to profit by her
knowledge. She had, in a word, all that was wanted to become a
dangerous character, a mauvaise citoyenne; so much the more
dangerous indeed because she was fascinating.

(To he continued.)

Alleged Theft of Jewellery. — On the 8th ult , a rather clever
capture was made in Edinburgh of a lady and gentleman who are
alleged to have endeavoured to carry off a diamond ring from a
jeweller's shop in that city. It seems, says the Glasgow Evening
News, that the gentleman, who gives the name of Miller, has been
staying for two months in some of the best hotels in Edinburgh,
and that he has been occasionally joined by a lady from Glasgow.
They have gone to various jewellers in the city and made good
purchases, and in the course of yesterday they went to Messrs.
Hamilton and Crichton's, George-street, and asked for a sight of
the diamond rings. On a case being shown to them, a shopman,
it is said, observed the gentleman slip one of the value of 140/. into
the sleeve of his coat, and substitute another worth only 10/. The
shopman kept the visitors in play until two policemen arrived, and
then said they must allow themselves to be searched. The gentle-
man at once put down the ring alleged to have been lifted, and he
and the lady were marched off to the police office, where they were
detained. The prisoners have a genteel bearing, and were dressed
in fashionable style. At the Edinburgh Police Court the parties
were remitted to a higher court on the charge of attempting to steal
a diamond ring from the premises of Hamilton and Crichton.

Oct.

1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

107

CELEBRATED GOLDSMITHS OF
OLDEN TIMES.

THE following account of the celebrated goldsmiths is from a
plate of their arms in the Secretary's Office of the Goldsmith's
Company, and may be interesting to our readers.

1100. Leofstane, Goldsmith, Frovost of London.

1189. Henry Fitz Alwyn, Fitz Leofstane, Goldsmith, and Mayor of

London.
1200. Ade, the King's Goldsmith.
1222. Itger, Goldsmith, Master of the Mint.
1258. William, the King's Goldsmith, Master of the Mint.
1275 to 1281. Gregory de Rokesby, eight times Mayor, Chief

Assay Master of all the King's Mints in England.
1280. "William Farringdon, Goldsmith, Sheriff of Loudon.
1308, 1323. Sir Nicholas Farringdon, Goldsmith, Mayor four times.
1255. William de Gloucester, Goldsmith, Keeper of the Dies.
1276. Jocce the Goldsmith, Keeper of the Dies.
1410. Sir Dru Barentine, twice Lord Mayor, died 1415, Foster

Lane.
1415. William Fitzhugh, Goldsmith, Comptroller of the Mint.
1452. Humphrey Hayford, Goldsmith, Comptroller of the mint.
1485. Bartholomew Read, Goldsmith, Master of the Mint.
1527. Martin Bowes, Goldsmith, Master of the Mint.
1543. Sir Martin Bowes, five times Mayor, Goldsmith, Master of

the Mint.
1545. Lawrence Warren, Goldsmith, Mint Assay Master.
17*2-1722. Sir Francis Child, Goldsmith, Temple Bar, Mayor.
1712-1740. Faul de Lamerie, Crown Goldsmith.

EXGKAVEUS TO THE MlXT.

1100. Otto the elder and younger, Goldsmiths.

1150. W. Fitz Otho, Goldsmith.

1243. BichardAbel, do.

12G5. Thomas Fitz Otho, do.

1280. Hugh Fitz Otho, do.

1290. Thomas Fitz Otho, do.

1294. William Fitz Otho, do.

1389. J. Edmund, do.

1422. Gilbert Van Brandeburg, Goldsmith.

1432 John Orewell, do.

1455. William W odeward, do.

1401. German Lynch, graver of the puncheons.

1483. John Shaa.

1487. Nicholas Flynte.

1509. John Sharpe.

1520. Demaire.

1553. Deric Anthony.

1555. Vincentius.

1500-78. Deric Anthony.

1579. Manestrelle.

1612. John Dicker.

1011. Charles Anthony.

1628-30. Nicholas Briot.

1033. Edward Greene.

1040-49-58-72-74. Thomas Simon.

1648. Thomas Rawlings.

1072. .lames Roetier.

1072. Norbert Roetier.

1072. Philip Roetier.

1072. Joseph Roetier.

1674-88. John Roetier.

1672. Feter Blondeau, Engineer, his patent expired in 1088.

1015. Henry Harris.

1706-26-27. John Crokcr.

1706-26. Samuel Bull.

1706. Gabriel Clerk.

1727. John Rolles.

1737. Beresford.

1729-40. J. Sigismond Tanner.

1741, 1749. James Anthony Dassier.

1741. Richard Yeo.

1741, 1742, 1749. J. Ralph Ocks.

1742. John Tanner.
1764. Lawrence Natter.
1771. Thomas Fingo.
1779. Lewis Pingo.
1787. John Pingo.

1797. Nathaniel Marchant.

THE

PRECIOUS STONES OP CEYLON.

(Continued from page 53.)

THE Moor traders are very expert in the manufacture of false
gems. On the occasion of the building of a church in Kandy,
a Moorman bought up all the broken coloured glass from the painted
windows; and ou being asked for what purpose, confessed that it
was "to make precious stone for English steamer passenger at
Galle." They also imitate the rough stones, and occasionally even
deceive the more experienced. They are sometimes themselves
taken in. On one occasion a Moorman endeavoured to induce one
of a party of native diggers to sell him a sapphire surreptitiously.
to which the Cingalese agreed; and the next day the Moorman
came prowling about, and watching the digging and sifting, till a
beautiful rounded blue stone appeared shining among the wet
gravel ; a bargain was struck with a few signs, and the money and
stone exchanged with the utmost secrecy. The Moorman dis-
appeared, to gloat over his knavery and his gains ; but, to his
dismay, found that his beautiful gem was a piece of roughed glass,
which the Cingalese had provided himself with and quietly slipped
into his basket.

The Ceylon ruby is seldom free from a tint of blue, and it is a
remarkable fact that while the blue colour can be expelled from
such stones by heat, the red colour is indelible, and the native
jewellers avail themselves of this peculiarity to improve the colour
of their rubies. It is very common to find stones one half blue and
the other half colourless, and some have merely a crust of blue
on one or more sides. The native lapidaries take advantage of this
in cutting, and by leaving the coloured part on the under surface,
form a foil which gives a fine blue to an otherwise valueless stone.
. The opalescence above mentioned is found in rubies and sapphires
as well as in topaz; it is worse than any flaw in depreciating their
value ; a crack or cavity can be cut out, but opalescence, which is
most difficult to detect in an uncut stone, reveals itself in the
cutting, and often runs in a pencil through the whole breadth or
length of a gem, destroying its clearness and colour and rendering-
it comparatively worthless. When such stones are cut hemi-
spherical en cahoclon at a certain angle to the axis, they form the star
stone, showing a star of six rays in a strong light. This is very
pretty as a fancy stone, but is of no value as a gem.

We will now take a look at the proceedings of the native lapidary.
His means and appliances are few, consisting of a pair of laps
attached to spindles by a composition of rosin and sand melted
together. One lap is of lead, on which pounded corundum or
adamantine spar is used for reducing the stones and shaping them
in the rough. The other is of copper, for polishing the facets.
Instead of diamond powder, they use for this purpose a fine silex
extracted from the calcined husks of rice. The laps are lodged in
a frame and worked by a bow. The native lapidaries use no gem
pegs or mechanical instruments for regulating the angles, but work
entirely by eye and touch, and it is wonderful the precision they
attain, although it is difficult for them to bring the gems to a
perfect level by hand, and consequently all native-cut stones are
known by a slight bevelling of the facets. In the towns they have
now adopted the European horizontal laps and fittings. The stone
to be cut is fixed on the end of a stick with the same luting of rosin
and sand, and applied by the left hand to the vertical plate, while
the right hand works the bow.

In cutting a stone the natives sacrifice everything to size. Gems,
to show their most beautiful light and colour, should be cut across
the axis ; but, as in most cases the stones are longest in the direc-
tion of the prism and pyramid, they cut them parallel to the axis,
and their brilliancy is lost.

We have before noticed the combination of colours in sapphire—
the Ceylon ruby being never found without a tint of blue. To
expel this, when the stone is formed for polishing, it is rolled in a
ball of wet lime and placed in a pan of charcoal, which is gradually
raised to a white heat with a primitive bellows, or blowpipe, made
of a tube of bamboo ; after being kept at a white heat for about
twenty minutes or half an hour, the ball is taken out and allowed
to cool, and when broken open the stone will have lost the blue
tint without injuring the crimson. By the same process, the tint
of blue can be expelled from a stone which is nearly white ; if,
however, there is any crack or flaw in the stone it is liable to fly
to pieces. It would be imagined that the natives discovered this
evanescent quality of the blue colour by accident. AVe knew a
gentleman who had been very successful in digging, and had a
number of fine blue sapphires ; unfortunately his bungalow was
burnt down, and among the ashes of his furniture he found many
of his gems, but all as white as glass, and their beauty lost for ever.

1(8

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Oct. 5, 1875.

THE

eihtrlmrakr, gelueller, mii #ilfar8mttjr,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Published at 8, Cross-street, Hatton-garden, E.C.
Birmingham Agency: 52, Frederick Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Ilolborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

No one is authorized to collect money ■without production of
Printed Form of Receipt, bearing the Office Stamp.

TO ADVERTISERS.

£4

0

0

2

5

0

1

10

0

1

2

6

0

12

0

0

7

0

0

3

6

0

5

0

g^* NOTICE. — In future the date of publication of this Journal
will be the 5th of each month.

The pages of the Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith
present a wide field of operations, as those represented therein may
bring their announcements before the immediate attention of all
trades to which they are specially addressed, as well as purchasers
throughout the United Kingdom, America, the Colonies, and all
foreign markets.

All advertisements and correspondence should be forwarded as
early as possible in each month.

SCALE OF CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.

One Page

Half ditto

One-third ditto

Quarter ditto
One-eighth ditto
One-sixteenth ditto
Per Inch third across Page
Ditto half across Page

The above Scale of Charges is subject to a Discount of 10 per
cent, for Orders of Six Months, and 20 per cent, for Orders of
Twelve Months.

Advertisements of Businesses Wanted, Businesses for Disposal
Employers Wanting Assistants, Partnerships, and kindred announce-
ments, are charged at the rate of Is. 6d. for Five Lines.

Country and Foreign Subscribers are invited to furnish anj
Communications which they may consider interesting.

The services of an energetic and reliable person are required for
the advertising department of this journal. Applications to be
made by letter only, to the Publisher, 8, Cross Street, Hatton
Garden, E.C.

The attention of our readers, and the trade generally, is called to
the form of subscription order, -which will be found enclosed.
"When two or more copies are forwarded to one address, or in
instances of subscription clubs being formed so that the copies for
such club are sent to one person, a discount of 10 per cent, will be
alb we 1 from the regular subscription rates, but in no instance will
sudi deduction be made for subscriptions of less than one year.

THE STEREOSCOPE.

{Continued from page 77).

HAVING described the ordinary forms of the stereoscope, and
endeavoured to render clear the principles upon which the
stereoscopic effects depend, we may now pass to that form of the
instrument known as the improvements of Mr. G. C. Cooke.

As these improvements have stood the test of time, and as the
manufacturers, Messrs. Negretti & Zambra, so well known in con-
nection with scientific instruments, have received nothing but praise
of them, we cannot do better than append a descrijitive account
given thereof in the Art Journal : —

"The improvements made by Mr. Cooke are several, and we
must endeavour to render them as intelligible as possible to our
readers. Ordinarily, the stereoscopic lenses are placed in cylin-
drical tubes, without any arrangement, by which the eyes are left to
view the picture undisturbed by the lateral rays which naturally
fall upon them. Mr. Cooke applies to his stereoscope conical, or
pyramidal, or trumpet-mouthed tubes for the eye-pieces, as shown

in the accompanying
woodcut; by this ar-
rangement the eyes are
protected, the field of
view is increased, and
larger lenses than usual
can be employed :
therefore less impedi-
ment ,or obstruction
than heretofore is of-
fered to the rays ema-
nating from the picture,
and the eye of the ob-
erver is enabled to
range more freely over
the field of view. One
difficulty has constantly
presented itself in the
use of the ordinary
lenticular stereoscope.
Whatever may be the
conditions of vision,
whether the observer
had 'long or short
sight,' the same lenses
were used, and fre-
quently the pictures
were very imperfectly
seen ; and we are con-
vinced that in many
cases the stereoscopic
effect was never seen
at all — imagination, to
some extent, supplying
the deficiencies of the
eyes or the instrument.
" In the new form of
stereoscope we have
the adaptation to the
eye-pieces of addi-
tional movable lenses,
adapted to different
kinds of sight, for the

observer in viewing the pictures These leJeZTe^teSct6
concave, plano-convex, or double-convex, as ma be requireedmSCa1^
they are adapted to he instrument in such a m/nner ^ ™ > a™
moved into and out of use by means nf =mQH l*,™,. ■ " .-

through the sides of the b,x, as shown *&$££™ ffSffTS
desirable, these lenses may be coloured, or coloured" glass mavbe
similarly adapted to the instrument, s0 as to throw any paSar
tint or colour over the picture when viewi the SJJ ™c^
arrangement the snowy appearances 0f some photographs are re*
moved and many charming effects may be pSduced-the <*oldeu
glow of a meridian or of a tropical sun may be cast over the knd"
scape, the roseate tints of a summer evening may be imitated or
we may look upon the grey valleys and the purple hills of the

Oct. 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

109

gloaming of the autumn. Beyond this, such an arrangement pre-
sents to the philosopher the means of studying some of the laws of
natural colouration in a manner — as it appears to us — far more satis-
factorily than with the coloured spectacles of Wollaston or
Herschel. These lenses or glasses, in Mr. Cooke's stereoscope, may
either be placed immediately below the eye-piecets, as would be
most desirable for persons having short or defective sight, or they
may be placed about half way between the picture and the eye-
pieces, as would be best if it be desired to magnify the picture. If
magnifying lenses of short focal distance are employed, and placed
immediately under the ordinary lenses, then the picture must be
brought nearer to the eye, for which purpose a shelf or ledge, upon
which the picture is placed, is adapted to the inside of the instru-
ment. This arrangement is shown at the opening nearest the eye-
pieces. In addition to this there is the adaptation, immediately
above the space occupied by the picture, of a double passe-partout,
or frame, for the purpose of preserving uniformity of size in the
pictures, as well as to prevent any light from being reflected from
their margin and confusing the eye.

" The arrangements which have been described open for the
stereoscope a new epoch : the instrument is rendered effective for
every pair of eyes, and all the adjustments are of the most simple
kind, so that any person can at once readily obtain the conditions
best suited to his circumstances of vision. The screen, or as the
inventor calls it, the passe-partout, is a very ingenious and a most
important introduction. With it in the stereoscope you look abso-
lutely into a dark chamber, and see, in all the beauty of light and
shadow, the picture you desire to see, and that alone ; there is no
intrusion of pieces of lateral images upon the stereoscopic one. The
power of magnifying the picture is another improvement ; and look-
ing at the ordinary picture, and at it when magnified, the difference
is such as can scarcely be understood unless it is seen. In one case
we looked upon a champagne country, beautiful in all the effects of
distance, but bounded by a band of indistinct hills ; in the other,
every tree put forth additional clusters of leaves, and the remote
hills were developed in all their characteristic details. In one
example a temple of Thebes was seen, and we were pleased with the
truthful representation of ancient Egypt ; while in the other we
realized — which we had never done before — the colossal grandeur
of those temples which were designed as emblems of eternal power,
and to subdue the minds of the worshippers by the awful vastness
of their sculptured columns. Hieroglyphics, which were but dimly
seen in the smaller pictures, came forth distinctly in the larger one,
and it required but small effort of the imagination to feel that you
looked upon the actual ruin of a fane in which a Pharaoh had
prayed to the mighty and mysterious Isis. For portraits, there is
in this instrument a novelty ; instead of looking on a miniature of
our friends, there they are, in size and solidity, before us.

" After a most careful examination of all the conditions of Mr.
Cooke's stereoscope, we are bound to state that it is by far the
greatest improvement which has been made in this most interesting
instrument."

Possession of Jewellery without a Satisfactory Account. —
On the 30th ult. John Judge, described as a general dealer, of
G, Westminster-buildings, was charged, at the Clerkenwell Police-
court, with being drunk and incapable of taking care of himself,
at Blue Anchor-alley, St. Luke's, and with being in the possession
of jewellery of the value of between 4007. and 5001., and not giving
a satisfactory account of the same. Police-constable Driver, 301 G,
said on Wednesday evening he found the defendant in a helpless
state of intoxication. As he had some parcels with him he took
him to the police station. The next morning Inspector Peel
asked the defendant what the parcels contained, and after some
demur he said jewellery, and that he had purchased it at different
places and at various times. The parcels contained silver watch-
cases, signet rings, gold and silver rings, bracelets, gold and silver
Albert chains, diamond rings, pebble eyeglasses, lockets, and other
gold and silver articles of great value. The defendant, in reply to
the charge, said that he could not deny that he was the worse for
liquor. If time were given to him he should be able to give a
proper account of where he had purchased the whole of the articles
that were found in his possession. Mr. Barstow remanded the
defendant for a week, and refused to take bail. The articles found
on the prisoner may be seen at Old-street Police-station.

Mrs. Herschel, wife of Captain Herschel, F.R.S. (grandson of
the celebrated Sir William Herschel), is now engaged on a memoir
of Miss Caroline Herschel, the accomplished sister and assistant
of Sir William, compiled from her own journals. Several letters of
the great astronomer, hitherto unpublished, will be included in
the volume. — Aihenxum.

USEFUL HINTS TO GOLDSMITHS, JEWELLERS,
AND OTHERS.

Valuable Receipts for Goldsmiths.

STANDARD gold is compounded of 440 grains of fine gold, and
40 grains (Troy weight), to the oz. alloy ; therefore, When you
judge how much gold a piece of work will take, compound it to the
standard weight by the following directions -.—Assay Weight — The
weight of gold is a pound, which is divided into 12 ozs., each oz. into
24 carats, each carat into 4 grains, and, lastly, each grain into 4
quarters ; then you see the assay quarter-grain is in reality li grain
Troy.

On Melting and Refining.

In melting Brass Gold, urge the fire to a great heat, and stir the
metal with the long stem of a tobacco pipe to prevent honey-
combing. If steel or iron filings get into gold while melting, throw
in a piece of sandever the size of a common nut ; it will attract the
iron or steel from the gold into the flux, or sublimate of mercury
will destroy the iron or steel. To cause gold to roll well, melt with
good heat, add a teaspoonful of sal ammoniac and charcoal, equal
quantities, both pulverized, stir up well, put on the cover for 2
minutes, and pour.

To Refine Sweepings containing Gold or Silver.

To 8 ozs. of the dirt, which has been washed and burnt, add
salt 4 ozs. ; pearlash 4 ozs. ; red tartar 1 oz ; saltpetre £ oz., mixed
thoroughly in a mortar, melt in a crucible, and dissolve out the
precious metals in a button.

To Fuse Gold Dust.

Use such a crucible as is generally used for melting brass ; heat
very hot ; then add your gold dust mixed with powdered borax ;
after some time a scum or slag will arise on the top, which may be
thickened by the addition of a little lime or bone ash. If the dust
contains any of the more oxidizable metals, add a little nitre, skim
off the slag or scum very carefully ; when melted, grasp the crucible
with strong iron tongs ; and pour off immediately into cast iron
moulds, slightly greased. The slag and crucibles may be afterwards
pulverized, and the auriferous matter recovered from the mass
through cupellation by means of lead.

AMERICAN FASHIONS.

From the " New York Jeweller's Circular."

Amber jewellery is much sought after.

Lockets are universally worn; the newest designs are heavy and
expensive, precious stones being extensively used for ornamentation.

Intaglios are becoming quite popular. They are cut in or hol-
lowed out of stone so that an impression taken therefrom would
present the appearance of a bas-relief, the reverse of a cameo.

Paste diamonds in silver mounting, designed for belt, shoe, and
other buckles, that used to delight the hearts of our great -grand-
fathers, are coming into fashion, and may be seen in the cases of the
leading retail jewellers

TOOL FOR MEASURING LEVER ESCAPEMENTS.

MR. SAMUEL JACKSON, vice-president, has placed at the
disposal of the council of the British Horological Institute
the sum of 51. 5s. as a premium for the best instrument or measuring
tool for easily testing the completed lever escapement, the amount
in degrees of impulse and locking angles, also the ultimate arc of
escapement.

Tne ;council therefore invite competition for this prize. The
instruments must be left at the institute not later than April 1st,
1876. — Horological Journal.

Acknowledgment. — We have to acknowledge the kind courtesy
of Messrs. Longman & Co., Spon & Co., Negretti & Zambra, and
Virtue & Co., for use of blocks for illustrated articles.

Books and Magazines Received.—" Grammar of Colouring," by
Ellis A. Davison. Lockwood & Co , Stationers' Hall-court. The
New York Jeweller's Circular. The Horological Journal ; and usual
monthlies.

Ill)

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Oct. 5, 1875.

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical goods, or kindred articles.

3153. Joseph PEARSON, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Pat-
tern Maker, for an invention of " Improvements in fastenings for
solitaires, sleeve links, shirt and other studs, purses, bags, and other
like articles." — Dated 11th September, 1875.

3220. Louis Marie Dktenre, of the city of Paris, in the republic of
Franc, Gentleman, for an invention of " Improvements in the manu-
facture of imitation steel ornaments and jewellery." — Dated 15th Sep-
tember, 1875.

3227. Louis Marie Detenre, of the city of Paris, in the republic of
France, Gentleman, for an invention of '' Improvements in the manu-
facture of imitation jewellery set with stones."' — Dated 15th September,
1875.

3238. Ephraim Smith, of Carlisle-street, Soho, in the county of Middlesex,
for an invention of " An improved snap or fastener for bracelets,
necklets, and other ornamental and useful articles." — Dated lGth Sep-
tember, 1S75.

Notices to Proceed.

1852. Richard Whittaker, of 8, Eaton-grove, Dacre-park, Blaekbeath,
Loudon, his given notice in respect of the invention of " Keyless -
going barrel watches."

2052. Matthias Petersen, of Altona, Prussia, has given notice in respect
of the invention of " An improved chronometer escapement."

2S69. James Mi'ikiiead, of Glasgovf, in the county of Lanark, North
Britain, has given notice in respect of the invention of "New or im-
proved studs for fastening sleeves, shirt-fronts, and which may be used
for other similar purposes."

2874. Carl Leonard Herman Lammers, of Gosforth, in the county of
Northumberland, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Im-
proved apparatus for indicating time in different localities or
positions."

Patents Sealed.

705. John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's-inn -fields, in the county of
Middlesex, Gentleman, for an invention of " Improvements in snap-
hooks." — A communication to him from abroad by Francis C. Nye, of
New York, in the United States of America. — Dated 2nd March, 1875.

985. Frederick Marmaduke Marsden, of Ilenham Villa, Lee-road,
Blackheath, in the county of Kent, for an invention of "Improvements
in button fasteners, and in apparatus for attaching the same. " — Dated
17th March, 1875.

1245. John Joseph Wainwrigiit, of Birmingham, in the county of War-
wick, Merchant and Manufacturer, for an invention of " A new or im-
proved watchman's detector." — Dated Gth April, 1875.

1324. Franziscus Xaver Ferdinandds Heilborn, of Birmingham, in
the county of Warwick, Jeweller, for an invention of "A new or im-
proved spring earring." — Dated 12th April, 1875.

2501. Frederic Niblett, of Hammersmith, in the county of Middlesex,
for an invention of " Improvements in safes, strong-rooms, and similar
structures for containing valuable property and in fastenings for the
same." — Dated 12th July, 1875.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

2017. To Alfred John Higiiam, of 13, Blackheath -terrace, Blackheath,
in the county of Kent, Gentleman, for the invention of " Improve-
ments in clocks and other timekeepers."

2021. To John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's-inn-llelds, in the county
of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the invention of "Improvements in
electric clocks or clock-work." — A communication to him from abroad
by Emile Johanni Gondolo, of Paris, in the republic of France.

2070. To Elijah Atkins, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Manufacturer, for the invention of " Improvements in solitaires, sleeve-
links, and other like articles."

2985. To William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton-buildings, London, for tbe invention of
" Improvements in watches and similar timekeepers." — A communica-
tion to him from abroad by Alfred Henry Potter, of Chicago, Illinois,
United States of America, Watch Manufacturer.

2986. To James Mallinsoh, of Welwyn, in the county of Herts, for the
invention of " Improvements in cocks and in sluice and slide valves to
regulate the flow of steam, water, and other fluids."

3118. To Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the firm of Harris and
Mills, of 23, Southampton-buddings, in the county of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, for the invention of " Improvements in watches." — A
communication to him from abroad by Henri Jacot-Burinam, of
Bienne, in the Canton do Berne, in the Swiss Confederation.

3238. To Ephraim Smith, of Carlisle Street, Soho, in the County of
Middlesex, for the invention of "An improved snap or fastener" for
bracelets, necklets, and other ornamental and useful articles."

Patents which have become Void.

Letters Patent for Inventions which have become Void by reason of the
Non-payment of the additional Stamp Duty of 501., before the Expira-
tion of the Third Year from the date of such Pateiits, pursuant to the
Act of the 16 Vict., c. 5, see. 2, for the week ending the 18th day of
September, 1875.

2713. Edward Hawkins, of Warren-street, Fitzroy-square, in the county
of Middlesex, for an invention of " Improvements in compensating
balances for chronometers, applicable also to other timekeepers." —
Dated 13th September, 1872.

Letters Patent for Inventions which have become Void by reason of the
Non-payment of the additional Stamp Duty of 1001., before the Expira-
tion of the Seventh Year from the date of such Patents, pursuant to the
Act of the 16 Viet., c. 5, sec. 2, for the week ending the l&th day of
September, 1875.

2822. Matthew Augustus Soul, of 3, Leadenhall-street, in the city of
London, Patent Agent, for an invention of "Improvements in spring
pendulums for chronometers and clocks." — A communication to him
from abroad by Christian Johann Heinrich Carl George Augustus
Voss, and Walter James Monnington, both of the city of Hamburgh. —
Dated 14th September, 1868.

Patents Granted in British India.

20. John Tidmarsh, of 3, Wellesley-place, in the town of Calcutta,
Optician and Watchmaker, in the employment of the firm of Messrs.
Madeley & Company, of the same place, Opticians and Jewellers, for
an invention of " Ascertaining the sight of any person, and selecting
lenses, pebbles, and glasses of the proper focus for spectacles and
eve-glasses, and called 'Tidmarsh's sight measure.'" Dated 29th
May, 1875.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

France.

106,292. Turin, of Bony-Luxembourg, for "An almanac clock." — Dated

20th January, 1875.
106,452. Eegnault, of Besan;on, for " A metallic composition imitating

gold, requiring no gilding and withstanding atmospheric action." —

Dated 29t,h January, 1875.
106,559. Avril, of Nancy, for " A machine for polishing watch-glasses."

—Dated 18th February, 1875.
106,570. Fjurnie.i, for " Manufacturing metallic ornamental hoops for

jewelry." — Dated 2nd February, 1875.
106,581. Petersen, for "A so-called 'German escapement for chrono-
meters.' " — Dated 26th January, 1875.
106,585. Riottot, for " Improvements in the construction of so-called

' telescopic pencil-cases.' " — Dated 26th January, 1875.

(Certificate of Addition.)
105,239. Lion and Guiciiard, for "A compensated aneroid barometer." —

Dated 18th January, 1875.

Prussia.
14. M. Petersen, of Altona, for " An escapement for chronometers." —

3 years. — Dated 16th August, 1875.
Belgium.
37,652. C. Roulina, for an imported invention of " A machine for

rough-cutting diamonds." — Dated 13th of August, 1875. — (French

Patent, 24th July, 1 875.)
37,655. E. J. Gondolo, for an imported invention of " Improvements

in electric flocks." — Dated 14th August, 1875. — (French Patent, 20th

April, 1875.)
37,734. V. Heinen, of Liege, for " An apparatus for forging the small

teeth of gearings for watches." — Dated 25th August, 1875.
37,820. L. M. Detenre, for an imported invention of "Manufacturing

trinkets imitating steel, by stunping." — Dated 6th September, 1875. —

(French Patent, 14th August, 1875.)

United States.

6 510. James H. Boyd, of Chicago, 111., for " Furnaces for reducing ores
of precious metals." — Patent No. 144,184, dated 4th November, 1873.
— Application filed 8th January, 1875.

165,746. William H. McCoy, of Desmoines, Iowa, for "Sundials." —
Application filed 10th September, 1874.

105,764. Otto Schuette, of Paris, France, for " Photometers." — Appli-
cation filed 16th June, 1875. Brief. — " Rotating disk of sections of
varying degrees of transparency. Sections successively brought be-
tween the eye and a lens and the light to be tested. The power of
a given light determined by the section through which its rays are
powerful enough to pa?s, and just enable the marks thereonto be
read."

165,774. Philip H. Wheeler, of Rockford, 111., for "Watchmakers'
boxes." — Application filed 31st October, 1874.

165,786. John Daniel Brez, of Brooklyn, N.Y., for " Stem-winding
watches." Application filed 23rd June, 1S75. Brief. — ■" A coupling-
piece, connecting the winding-arbor with the steam proper, permits
removal of the movement from the case without disturbing the stem."

Oct. 5, 1S75.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

Ill

105,810. Gazzam Gano, of Cincinnati, Ohio, for "Thermometers."—
Application filed 28th November, 1874. Brief — " Illustrated cards
are fixed to the back plates, said cards representing scenes indicative
of various temperatures, corresponding with indications of the mercury
at different parts of the scale."

105,933. Eleazek Kempsiiall, of New Britain, Conn., assignor to him-
self and William Nash, of the same place, for "Snap-hooks." — Appli-
cation filed 7th July, 1875.

105,991. Chas. Fasoldt, of Albany, N.Y., for "Tower-clocks." — Appli-
cation filed 17th April, 1875. Brief. — " In a tower-clock, the driving
mechanism of the hands arranged separately from the clock-train,
the connection of the parts being such that any irregularities in the
movement of the hands, will not affect the operation of the train."

100,057. I. B. Abrahams, of New York, N.Y., for " jewellery -pins.'
Application filed 19th December, 187-4.

100,220. Ciiauncev C. Parker, of Brooklyn, N.Y., for " Eyeglasses.''
— Application filed 8th July, 1875.

100,307. August Hermann, and "W. H. Taylor, of Stamford, Conn., for
" Anodes for electroplating with nickel." — Application filed 20th June,
1875. Brief. — " The particles of metal are compressed into the usual
carbon anode while it is yet plastic. To a metallic anode the particles
are attached by any adhesive substance."

100,433. Edward Weston, of New York, N.Y., assignor to Steyens,
Roberts, and Havell, of Newark, N. J., for " The manufacture of
anodes for nickel-plating." — Application filed 10th July, 1875. Claim.
" A process for forming anodes for electro-plating, consisting of mix-
ing particles of metal with a cement when in a plastic state, and then
moulding, pressing and baking the mass to form a solid body of the
required size and shape, substantially as herein set forth."

100,741. Ciias. R. Bacon, and Lf.utiiold C. Brown, of San Francisco,
Cal., assignors to the Cornell Watch Company, of the same place,
for "Safety centre-pinions for watches." — Application filed 19ih June,
1875.

100,942. L. D. Sibley, of Vineland, N.J., for "Stereoscopes." — Appli-
cation filed 17th March, 1875.

107,003. Ansel S. Buckelew, of Colusa, Cal., for "Watch-case springs."
— Application filed 20th June, 1874. — Brief. — "A watch-case spring
that may be readily fitted to different sizes of cases by filing the pro-
jections, said projections being made very thin and slight."

107,090. C. Fontavne, of New York, N.Y., for " Magic-lanterns." — Appli-
cation filed 9th July, 1875.

Labels Registered.

312. The Dueber Watcii-Casf. Manufacturing Company, of Cincinnati,
Ohio, title, " The Dueber Watch-Case M'f'g Co." — Application filed
13th August, 1875,

Re-issues.

0557. Antonio Quirolo, of Hoboken, N.J., for " Stereoscopes." — Patent
No. 150,311, dated 27th October, 1874— Application filed 8th July,
1S75.

Designs Patented.

8557. William F. Mcller, of New York, N.Y., for " Clock-cases." —
Application filed 24th July, 1875. — Term of patent 7 years.

Trade Marks Registered.

2799. Joseph Gall, of New York, N.Y., for "Spectacles and Eyeglasses."
Application filed 5th February, 1875. " A spread eagle, with the
words 'J. Gall's 'above it, and the words 'Achromatic spectacles and
Eyeglasses ' below it."

2820. Hugh Mulligan, of Philadelphia, Pa., for " Watches." — Applica-
tion filed 24th July, 1875. " Words and figures ' General Andrew
Jackson. Exhibition Watch, 1870. Philadelphia.'"

2830. Andrew L. Smith, of Geneva, N.Y., for "Spectacles and spectacle-
frames." — Application filed 22nd December, 1874. " The letter ' C '
and the words ' Crystal Spectacles,' arranged in an ornamental border."

STEAY WAIFS AND SCEAPS.

A LITEKAL-MINDED youngster was picked up by a visitor of the
family, who, dangling him on his knee, said: "I wish I had this
little boy ; I think there's money in him." To which promptly
responded the child, " I know there is, for I swallowed a fourpenny
piece when I was at grandma's the other day.

An American confectioner, who two years ago taught his parrot
to exclaim " pretty creature " as every lady entered his shop, has
since amassed a large fortune.

A missing man was lately advertised for and described as having
a Roman nose. He won't be found ; such a nose as that will never
"turn up."

CLOCKS, WATCHES, & BELLS.

Just Published,
A RUDIMENTARY TREATISE on CLOCKS, WATCHES, and

BELLS. By Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart, (late E. B. Denison), LL.D.,

Q O, F.R.A.S. Sixth edition, revised and enlarged, with numerous

Illustrations. 12mo, cloth boards, 5s. (id. Pottage 4d.

"As a popular, and, at the fame time, practical treatise on clocks and bells, it is
unapproached." — English Mechanic.

"Ths best work on the subject probably extant So far as wo know it has

no competitor worthy of the name." — Engineering.

"The only-modern treatise on clock-making."— HoitOLOGlCAL JOURNAL.

"There is probably no book in the English language on a technical subject so easy to
read, and to read through, as the treatise on clocks, watches, and bells, written by the
eminent Parliamentary Counsel, Mr. E. B. Denison — now Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart." —
Architect.

"A mass of reliable information which cannot be obtained elsewhere." — The Jew-
eller and Metalworker.

London: Lockwood & Co., 7, Stationers' Hall Court, E.C.
JUST PUBLISHED.

NEGRETTI & ZAMBRA'S

ENCYCLOPAEDIC CATALOG UE

Of Mathematical, Philosophical, Optical, Photographic, and

STANDARD METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS,

Containing numerous Comparative Tables of Reference, and Illustrated I y upwards of

ELEVEN HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS.

Royal Svo, Cloth, gilt lettered — Price 5s. Cd.

Opticians and Meteorological Instrument Makers

To Her Majesty the Queen, and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales.

HOLBORN VIADUCT, 45, CORNHILL, and 122, REGENT STREET.

LONDON
AGENCY,

RIVER STREET,

MYDDELTON SQUARE,

CLERKENWELL.

W. H. BAYFIELD,

<&kdw ditkter aiut $\\m f later,

WATCH DIAL, AND

GENERAL METAL WORKER,

51, GREAT SUTTON STREET,

CL1RKINWELL, laONDON, E.C,

Oxidizing, Parcel Gilding, Ormolu, Silversmiths' and Jewellers'
Work, done for the Trade.

OLD ZINC CLOCKS GILT AS IN PARIS.

112

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND;

[Oct. 5, 1875.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firm,
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two -line Entry of Nome and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for ticelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is t'l Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY ("W. T.) <t CO.. 2 and 1-2, "Wilson Street, Fins-
bury. E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Eourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MUBBAY .t CALLIEU. 22, St. John's Square, E.O.

NEGRETTI <fc ZAMBRA, Holborn Viaduct, E.G.: Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill, EC. ; 122, Begent
Street. V>*.

■WEBSTEE, J., SS, St. John Street Eoad, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire

Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.
PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherhorne Street,

Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BBUGGEB & STEAUB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEBEE. KTJSS, FEITSCHLEE, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsburv, W.C

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 3G and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Bue Beran-
ger. Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory. White Horse
Eoad. Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Eochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, <fcc. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established
1S44.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BEOTHEES. 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London. E.C
MAECUS (MAUEICE) k CO., Waterloo House, Holborn

Viaduct, London, E.C.
BCTHEEFOED, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Bow, E.C, and

33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MOEDAN (SAMPSON) &. CO., 41, City Eoad, and 72,

Cheapside. London. E.C.
TANX, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, E.C: Eeliance Works,

1, Hope Street, Hackney Boad, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KING, 66, Hatton Garden, London
E.C Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases. Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

HTJTTON & CO.. 5 and G, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phccnix Court. Newgate Street, London, E.C.

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEOEGE) & SON, SO, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C

SUNDELL (KEISCHEB) & CO, 48, Brushfield Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBEBG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. EDWAED, 9.3, Hatton Garden, London, E.C
LITTEN (T. E.), G4, Hatton Garden. London, E.C
WILLIAMSON, HENEY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E.C.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DEEW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Eoom, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Boad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, 103, Hatton Garden, EC Esti-
mates free.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWAEDS, JOHN, 2G, St. John Street Eoad, London, E.C.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden, E.C

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings. 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDAED (C GILBEET), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronzs Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 ond 37, Ely Place, E.C ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Bu» Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDERS.

SAGE, FEEDEBIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Eoad, W.C.

WATCH BALANCE MAKERS.

COLLIS, S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London,
E C

WATCH CAP MAKERS.

BAKEE, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell,
London, E.C

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENEY, 4S, Eahere Street, Goswell Boad, Lon
don, EC

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Eoad, London, E.C.

STEAM, ALFEED, 12, Ashby Street, London, EC

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKERS.

WILLIS. THOMAS J., 10, Eydon Crescent, St John
Street Eoad, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HABGBEAVES (I.) £ CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers. 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liver-
pool.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

COWEN, DAVID, 2S, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEEEDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 2G0, Goswell Boad,
London, E.C.

SAGGEESON, EOBEET, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C

THOMPSON (EDWAED JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Boad, London, E.C

EDWARD DAY,

E-EPI1TBB -A3STD -A-SSATSTIEIR/, -«§i»-

Dealer in Gold, Silver, & Alloys. Purchaser of Gold & Silver in Bars, Lemel, Jewellers' Sweepings, Dentists' & Photographers' Waste.

Sole Agent in Great Britain for Monsieur DECAUX, of Paris.

Manufacturer of Hollow Gold Beads, Bead Chain, Beaded Wire, Gallery Borders, Solid and Hollow Signet and other Rings, Settings,

Brooch Ornaments, Chains, &c, &c, for Manufacturing Jewellers.

£5 8, WARSTONE LANE7 BIRMINGHAM.

J. WEBSTER,

BAROMETER, THERMOMETER, HYDROMETER, AND
SACCHAROMETER MANUFACTURER,

Wholesale and for Exportation,

89, ST. JOHN STREET ROAD, CLERKENWELL, LONDON, E.C.

Begistar Thermometers 6f all descriptions. Daxjej/s, Mason's & Lestik'S Hygrometers,
Improved Sympiesometors, &c.

TO JEWELLERS AND SILVERSMITHS.

Advertiser desires an engagement as Salesman or Assistant.
Thoroughly experienced. Could manage a Business if required.
Good references. Address —

H. J., Office of this Journal.

^// TILBY^L

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Eegistered for Transmission Abroad,

No. 6.— Vol. I.]

NOVEMBER 5, 1875.

per Annum, j Free.

Horology— VI. Dialling
Veneered Diamonds ...

Coral

Finger Rings

Light Sovereigns

A Measuring Instrument

AGE

CONTENTS.

Paoe

PAGE

121

The Guikwar's Gems

... 124

Obituary

132

122

Horological Telegraphy

... 125

Trade Patterns

132

122

Curiosities of Clocks and Watohes

.. 130

Precious Stones

133

123

Ancient Brooches and Dress Fastenings

... 130

Never Too Late to Learn .,.

133

124

Our Illustrated Supplement

... 132

Patents

134

124

Book Notices

... 132

Advertisements

135-144

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

VI. — Dialling.

IN our third article we somewhat anticipated what may, even now,
very appropriately be repeated here in a briefer form. We spoke
of the sun-dial of Ahaz as the first mention in any record of a
mechanical time-keeper ; and we also quoted several verses from
2 Kings xx. 9 — 11, as well as from Isaiah xxxviii. 8, to which
the reader may turn and refresh his memory.

Dial, as before stated, is derived from the Latin word dies,
days ; the ancients furthermore called the instrument by the name
of sciaihericum, from its measuring the time by a shadow. But there is
a great diversity in dials, both of the sun and moon ; and this
diversity arises from the different positions of the planes, and the
various figures of the surfaces upou which such planes are described.
Some of the names explain themselves, and will be familiar to our
readers, whilst others are not on such every-day familiarity.
Thus, we have the equinoctial, the horizontal, vertical, polar, direct,
erect, declining, inclining, reclining, cylindrical, &;c. Dials are further
classed as primary, and secondarij.

A primary dial takes in the horizontal and the vertical ; that is,
when they are drawD on the plane of the horizon, or perpendicular
to it, on the planes either of the meridian, or " prime vertical,"
when they are vertical dials. To the primary class may also be
added such as are drawn on the polar and equinoctial planes, though
neither horizontal nor vertical.

An equinoctial dial is, as its name implies, described on an equi-
noctial plane, or a plane representing that of the equinoctial.
" A plane that is oblique to the horizon, either hangs over towards
it, and makes an acute angle with the plane of the horizon, or it falls
off backwards from it and makes an obtuse angle therewith." As
this is rather over-scientific for the general reader, we will try
and make it a little plainer, if we possibly can as we go on. The
plane that falls back from the horizon is called a reclining plane. If
it falls back equal to the complement of the latitude of the place
where it is fixed, then it is said to be in the plane of the equinoctial,
thus an instrument constructed upon these lines would be called an
equinoctial dial. Again, equinoctial dials are divided into upper
and lower ; or, in other terms, zenith and nadir. Each division of
the equinoctial dial has its separate functions, arising in this way.
As the sun only illumines the upper surface of an equinoctial plane
when he is on the northern side of the equator, or our half of the
earth, an upper equinoctial dial can only show the hour during the
spring and summer season. On the contrary, as the sun only shines
on a lower equinoctial dial, while he is over the southern half of the
earth, or on the other side of the equator, it follows from the same
law, that a lower equinoctial dial can only shadow the hours in the
autumn and winter months. Tn order, however, to combine the two
forms so as to serve for all the year, from the first day of January to
the last of December, an upper and lower equinoctial dial are joined
together ; that is, drawn on each side of the plane. Therefore,
since the sun illumines one side or the other of an equinoctial dial
the whole day, whatever may be the season of the year, such a united
dial will show the hours of a day as long as the sun shines on it.

As we are not in this article writing for "learned persons," we
think that we had better explain the meaning of the more difficult

122

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1875.

scientific terms that have been given, in order that the unlearned
reader may have some idea of what he has been and may be reading
about. And here we may say, parenthetically, that nothing so annoys
the ordinary reader — indeed, we may say disgusts him — more than
having presented to him a mass of scientific verbiage without any
explanation of what the unusually hard words mean. We hope
that we have, hitherto, steered clear of that whirlpool, and that
we shall continue to do so. We will illustrate what we mean by an
anecdote, which was related to us as follows : —

" Having ' shut up shop ' for the day, we strolled out, as is our
wont, for our evening ' constitutional,' and, at the .'end of it, turned
in with a friend to take our ease at an inn. We found what is
known as a 'parlour company,' and an elderly gentleman, apparently
one of the 'lights' of the place, holding forth in grand style upon,
of all other subjects, what he was pleased to style ' metaphysics.'
' He' ' spoke logic,' ' he did ; ' and the transmigration of souls — for
he went as far as that — became in his mouth the 'transfiguration'
of souls! We could not help quietly smiling at the 'raving' of an
otherwise apparently intelligent man, who was, certainly, old enough
to have sense to know when to hold his tongue. Our smiling at
him at once turned the torrent of his talk upon us, when he asked
us if we ' understood metaphysics ? ' Well, our knowledge was
exceedingly small in that direction. He thought so. He had often
seen the smile of ignorance. Hid we know anything about logic ?
Well, not much. But, said our friend, before he slaughtered us
quite in such an intelligent company, perhaps he would be kind
enough to tell us the meaning of the term, what it implied, and
where did the word ' metaphysics ' come from ? That was a
poser. Everybody was silent and fixed their gaze upon him. ' He
was a logician, he was, and knew what logic was, he should think ; '
accompanying this with what was meant to be an uncommonly
knowing toss of the head. We further asked him what logic was ?
and how the term ' logic ' came to be applied ? After a consider-
able amount of wrangling, our friend gave him a friendly caution
to be careful and not hold forth among a class of very respectable
persons about subjects, the meaning of the very names of which he
did not know, and not to use many-syllabled words which he did
not understand. During the conversation a gentleman, holding a
prominent position in the parish, entered the room, and upon learning
the state of affairs he nodded to our friend, whom he knew well, to
leave for a minute or so. This was done, and in the interval there
was much whispering between the newly-arrived one and the
leading members of the company, the result of which was the hasty
vanishing of the ' logician.' Our friend's friend had let the cat out
of the bag as to who and what that friend was, which the man of
loud voice and big phrases finding to seriously disagree with him,
put ' about ship ' and vanished. We heard afterwards that his
place in that assembly was not rosy ; especially when he attempted
' tall talk.' " We are now, of course, addressing ourselves to readers
whose opportunities of book-learning may have been probably more
limited than our own, and we here gladly offer to share with them
what little we ourselves know. The above anecdote may serve to
point the moral that, in talking or reading about any subject, it is of
the first importance to a right understanding thereof, that we should
have a correct knowledge — at least sufficiently correct for all
practical purposes — of the terms used. Had the pretentiously
"learned man" of that "parlour" company been able to have
answered when questioned, that "transmigration" was formed of
trans and migro, a removing from one place to another, without
any reference whatever to " souls " (when we come to the Pythago-
rean doctrine we use the Pythagorean language, and say,
"metempsychosis ; thus meta, expressing change, or in, psyche, soul) ;
and had he said that " logic " was from the Greek word logos, speech,
discourse, and from deduction, the art of reasoning ; had he known
that ' ' Metaphysics " was also a compound Greek word, meta, in this
sense, " after," and physikos — physis — "nature," i.e. the first princi-
ples of thought, and their investigation, he would not only have
saved himself a considerable amount of ridicule and annoyance on
that particular evening, but also from the lowered estimation of his
own friends and companions that followed. We have forborne in
these illustrations to use the Greek letters, partly because they
involve slightly different spelling, and partly that we are now
specially addressing our present observations to the younger and
less-informed readers of this journal. Of the Uteral truth of the
anecdote we have not the slightest doubt, as one of the parties
interested in it at the time is an old and respected friend of ours,
and he assured us that it was but an index of what he frequently
met with in places where better information ought to prevail.
"We tell the tale as 'twas told to us."

It may be objected that what we have been saying partakes much
of the character of the schoolmaster. That is exactly what we

intend it to do. Why has the long wail been continued about the
threatened decadence of the English artisan from the want of
technical education ; and why is that artisan now clamouring to
Parliament at his School board, and in his trade society, for technical
education for his children ? Because the publications bearing upon his
particular trade that came within his reacli either assumed that he was
already acquainted with the technicalities of his own business, or were
unable to furnish the proper information. The English workman
has been at home and foreign international Exhibitions ; he has seen,
either by himself or his delegates, the value of foreign design ; and
hungering after that knowledge to apply it to his own solid handi-
craft, he calls out for technical education. Now, it is quite clear that
the first step on the pathway of technical education is a knowledge
of the meaning of the terms used, and why such terms came to be
so applied ; even this very word technical, how many men in a
shop can tell that it is derived from the Greek Tckne, skill, cunning,
contrivance : and that TeJcnao, and Teknaomai, mean to make by art,
to execute ingeniously. These are the reasons which have
induced us to stand a little on one side of our subject for the
purpose of stating that in a journal of this character, addressing
itself to the intelligence, formed and forming, of the affiliated
representative trades, the meaning and application of terms belong-
ing both to pure and practical science should be given when that
science, or its art, is under survey. There may be some who differ
from us ; but, under the pressure of the inner consciousness that we
are doing right, we shall persevere to the end,
{To be continued.)

VENEERED DIAMONDS.

THE enterprising capitalists who are pecuniarily interested in the
Keely motor will doubtless be glad to learn of another great
discovery, which promises results certainly as astounding as those
due to the "watery vapour." Abundant opportunities for invest-
ment are offered. The discoverer has worked twenty-eight years
at the process, a little more than double Keely's time ; and unlike
the latter colossal genius, he doesn't keep the secret to himself, or
lock it in the bosoms of a chosen few, but spreads it before an
astonished world in this wise. Anybody can try it for himself, and
have a small Golconda in an incredibly short period of time. We
extract from gigantic advertisements in the daily journals, the
" Process of Producing the Parisian Diamonds."

" The body is of crystal, which is the hardest and best substance
that could possibly be used for the purpose. Then, after the crystals
are cut in proper shape, they are put into a galvanic battery, which
coats them over with a liquid, that is made of diamonds which are
too small to be cut, and the chippings and cuttings that are taken
off of diamonds during the process of shaping them. Thus all of
the small particles of diamonds that have heretofore been compara-
tively worthless, can now, since this great discovery, be used to
produce diamond liquid." — Scientific American.

Cokal. — The composition of coral has been carefully investigated
by Professor Dana. Ordinary corals have a hardness a Httle above
that of common limestone or marble, giving out a ringing sound
when struck with a hammer. This may be owing, he considers, to
the carbonate of lime being in the state of aragonite. It is a com-
mon mistake to suppose that coral, when first taken from its watery
bed, is soft, and hardens through exposure. The live coral may feel
somewhat slimy in the fingers, but if the animal matter be washed
away it is found quite hard. Chemically the chief constituent of all
is carbonate of lime, in the proportion of 95 to 98 parts in 100, with
1J to 4 parts of organic matter, and some earthy ingredients, such
as phosphate of lime with a trace of silica, amounting usually to less
than 1 per cent. Forchhammer found 2-1 per cent, of magnesia in
Corallium rubrum, and 6-36 in Jsis hippuris. The source of these
constituents are the sea water and the ordinary food of the polyps,
the process of absorption, assimilation, and secretion going on in
them as in all animal organisations. — English Mechanic.

Information has been received from the Astronomer Koyal of
the discovery of another planet by M. Paul Henry, of the Paris
Observatory. The position and quality of the new planet, as de-
scribed by M. Le Verrier, are as follow: "Eight ascension two
hours thirty-eight minutes ; declension, north, fifteen twenty-five ;
twelfth magnitude ; motion very slight in declination."

At Pribram, in Bohemia, the Adalbert shaft of the silver and
lead mines has reached the extraordinary depth of nearly 3300 feet.

THE

Watchmaker, Jeweller, & Silversmith,

§

% 5|tontbb frnbc |oumnI,
Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, & kindred Trades.

8, fj-ROss Street, Jjatton ^Garden, ^London, (

iCX-^z^c^-c

Q^f-e&cj£ts?z.<?7/ /-£& Ztju>& c/isueZ- &-*/#^ £#-zz^\

Nov. 5, 1875.]

SlLVEKSMrTH'S TKADE JOUKNAL.

128

FINGER RINGS.

(Continued from page 102.)

THE ancient Assyrians, though remarkable for that love of jewel-
lery which has ever been the characteristic of the Eastern
nations, appeal- to have worn no finger -rings. Yet many of their
bracelets are admirably designed for the purpose if produced on a
limited scale ; and they were worn by men as well as by women.
Bonomi, in his "History of Nineveh and its Palaces" observes,
*' that not a single case occurs, amidst all this display of personal
jewellery, of a finger-ring ; the entire absence of this ornament in
sculpture, wherein details of the nature are so elaborately and
carefully attended to, leads to the conclusion that the finger-ring
^as an ornament then unknown."

Among the earliest traces of western civili-
zation the finger-ring appears. Fig. 9 is an
Etruscan ring of gold, now in the British
Museum ; upon the face are chimeras opposing
each other. The style and treatment of this
subject partake largely of the ancient character
of Eastern art, and, like that, is very decisive
and conventional.

The Greeks and Romans literally revelled in
rings of all styles and sizes. Nothing can be
more beautiful in design and exquisite in finish
than Greek jewellery, and the custom of decorating their dead with
the most valued of these ornaments has furnished modern museums

Fre 9.

Fig. 10.

Fig. 11.

-with an abundance of fine specimens. Figs. 10 and 11 are copied
from originals found in the more modern Etruscan sepulchres, and
are probably contemporary with the earliest days of the Roman
empire. Fig. 10 is admirably adapted to the finger ; being made
of the purest gold, it is naturally slightly elastic ; but the hoop is
not perfected, each extremity ending in a broad leaf-shaped orna-
ment, most delicately banded with threads of beaded and twisted
wire, acting as a brace upon the finger. Fig. 11 is equally meritor-
: ious ; the solid half -ring is completed by a small golden chain
■attached to it by a loop passing over studs ; the links of this chain
: are perfectly flexible, and of extreme delicacy, they resemble the
modern guard-chain, or to speak more properly, the modern chain
imitates the ancient one; and we shall meet in the course of our
; researches with very many other instances of the oft-repeated fact,
tthat "there is nothing new under the sun." This ring mania was
mot content with considering the ring as an ornament, or even as a
talisman ; a new science was revealed, the Dactyliomancia, so named
from two Greek words, signifying ring and divination. The per-
formance of its mysteries was in itself so simple, that it was deemed
expedient to add certain formulae, in order to make them more
expressive. A ring was held, suspended by a fine thread, over a
round table, on the edge of which were placed counters engraved
with the letters of the alphabet. The thread was shaken until the
ring, touching the letters, had united as many as formed an answer
to a question previously put. This operation was preceded and
accompanied by certain ceremonies. The ring was consecrated
with divers mysterious forms. The person who held it was
arrayed in linen only ; a circle was shaved round his head, and in his
hand he held a branch of vervain. Before commencing the gods
were appeased by prayer.* This practice long prevailed, and is men-
tioned by Gibbon as having given rise to the persecutions for the
• crime of magic, in the reign of the Emperor Yalens, at Antioch.
The simplest and most useful form of ring, and that, by conse-
■quence, adopted by the people of all early nations, was the plain
•elastic hoop, as shown, in Fig. 12. Cheap in construction and con-
venient in wear, it may be safely said to have been generally patron-
ized from the most ancient to the most modern times. Fig. 13
gives us the old form of a ring made in the shape of a coiled ser-

* Barrera, " History of Gems and Jewels."
Roman Empire," chap. XXV.

" Decline and Fall of the

pent, equally ancient, equally far-spread in the old world, and which
has had a very large sale among ourselves revived as a "decided

Fig. 12.

Fig. 13.

novelty." In fact it has been the most successful design our ring-
makers have produced of late years. Yet this antique ring may add
another "new idea " to the modern designer. It is made on the
principle of some of our steel rings which we use to hold household
keys, widening their circle by pressure. In this finger-ring the part
in the mouth is inserted loose, so as to draw out and increase to the
size of the circle needed."*

Though a great variety of form and detail was adopted by Greek
and Roman goldsmiths for the rings they so largely manufactured,
the most general and lasting resembled Fig. 14, a Roman ring, pro-
bably of the time of Hadrian, which is said to have been found in the
Roman camp at Silchester, Berkshire. The gold of the ring is
massive at the face, making a strong setting for the carnelian, which
is engraved with the figure of a female bearing corn and fruit. By
far the greater majority of Roman rings exhumed at home and
abroad are of this fashion, which recommends itself by a dignified

Fig. 14.

FIG. 15.

simplicity, telling, by quantity and quality of metal and stone, its
true value, without any obtrusive aid.

Sometimes a single ring was constructed to appear like a group of
two or three upon the finger. Mr. Edwards has furnished the
example (Fig. 15). It has the appearance of three rings united,
widened in the front and tapering within the hand. Upon the wide
part of each are two letters, the whole forming ZHCAIC, " Mayest
thou live."

The Romans often preferred the Greek language in their most
familiar customs.

Among the beautiful objects of antique art collected by B. Hertz,
Esq., and sold by auction in 1859, by Messrs Sotheby and Wilkinson,
were many antique rings inscribed with sentences and mottoes of a
remarkable kind. Those bearing Greek inscriptions were the
wordiest, such as — " I love not lest 1 go astray ; but I observe well,
and I laugh." — "They say what they will ; let them say, I care not."

Many were evidently memorials of friendship ; one represented a
hand pulling the lobe of an ear with the word "Remember;"
another, with a similar device, with the motto " Remind me of the
noble character." Others were inscribed — EYTYXI — " Good luck
to you," and "I bring luck to him who wears this ring." Among
the Latin inscriptions were simple good wishes expressed in the
words " Vivas " and " Bene ; " or sentiments expressed in few words,
such as — " Love me, I will love thee ; " " Come, I will not ; " " Be
greeted, Fabiana." Many were simply inscribed with the names of

Fig. 16.

Fig. 17.

the persons to whom they were presented, such as, VLP.PRISCELLiE
("Ulpia Priscilla"); others with the names of the owners, as
Valeria Cleopatra, and Hermadion Caesaris. A massive silver ring
inscribed with the name "Sabbina" is engraved (Fig. 16) from the
original in the Londesborough collection. We place beside it
(Fig. 17) a ring with a very different device, but one that cannot

* " The History and Poetry of Finger-rings," by Charles Edwards.

124

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov.

187^

fail to be looked on with singular interest. It is marked with the
Labarum, the oldest sacred monogram of Christianity, which
Constantino believed he saw in a vision, and placed upon his
victorious standard and his coins with the motto — " In hoc signo
vinces ! "' This ring came from the Roman sepulchre of an early
Christian, and the hand for which it was originally fashioned may
have aided in the conquering war of the first Christian emperor ; or
may have been convulsed in an agonizing death, "thrown to the
beasts " of the circus, but reposing after death with the first martyrs
to the faith.

Clement of Alexandria suggests to the Christians of his era, that
they should have engraved devices of symbolic meaning allusive to

Fig 18.

their faith in place of the heathen deities and other subjects cut by
Roman lapidaries ; such as a dove, which symbolizes life eternal and
the Holy Spirit ; a palm-branch, peace ; an anchor, hope ; a ship in
full sail, the Church ; and others of similar import.

Gorius has preserved a representation of a gold ring (Fig. 18)
which he believes to have been presented by a Roman lady to the
victorious charioteer in the horse races; it is of peculiar form, but
one that was a favourite with Roman wearers. The bust of the
donor appears on the summit of the ring, and on each side are the
heads of reined horses, as shown in our cut.

Her name is engraved on the lower part of the hoop, and on each
side AMOROSPIS. The latter properly being HOSPES, having
the aspirate omitted and an 1 for an E, induces Gorius to consider
it a late work of the Roman era.

{To he continued.)

A Measuring Instrument. — A very useful measuring instrument
has been patented by Mr. E. Russell Morris, of the " Morris Patents
Engineering Works," Birmingham. It is intended for general
measuring purposes and entirely supersedes the measuring tape or
rule, as it renders employment of two persons entirely unnecessary in
taking measurements. It is simple and accurate, and appears to be
coming into general use. A medal was awarded for it, at the
Manchester Exhibition (Pomona), 1875. Messrs. Negretti & Zambra
are the London vendors of the instrument.

Light Sovereigns. — The Bank of England clip every light
sovereign that comes into the Bank. The weighing of every
sovereign is accomplished quickly; they weigh 3000 in an hour
with one machine. Mr. Palmer, the Deputy-Governor, informed
the House of Commons Select Committee of last session on banks
of issue that last year the Bank of England weighed coin to the
amount of £23,100,000, and rejected £840,000, or about 3-6 per
cent, as being light gold. For this last amount the Bank paid the
value, making a deduction for the deficiency of weight, which is
generally about 3d. or 4d. per light sovereign. It was stated to
the committee that boxes of correctly-weighed gold, sent by the
Bank of England to Scotland, frequently came back without having
been opened, and Mr. Palmer stated that there is then some reduc-
tion for light weight. He explained this by adding that the mere
shaking of the sovereigns on the journey will make a slight differ-
ence. There is a point at which every sovereign becomes light, and
many sovereigns turn that point on the journey. Mr. Hodgson,
M.P., a Bank director, stated that in a box of 5000 sovereigns the
number which would be found to have turned the point would
generally be about eight if they have not been disturbed ; and he
added, " You are aware that the sovereign which is in your pocket
at 8 o'clock in the morning is not the same sovereign at 12 o'clock
at night." After this rather alarming announcement it is satisfac-
tory to find Mr. Hodgson stating also that the charge for light
weight on the eight deficient sovereigns would be about 2d. per
coitT, making only 16d. on the box of £5000 ; so that, says he, "it
jeally amounts to nothing."

THE GTJIKWAR'S GEMS.

LEAVING the throne-room through a small door on the left hand
side, we find ourselves on an extremely narrow veranda, which
encircles a small square well which occupies the centre of the
palace from top to bottom. Above we see similar verandas, and a
number of natives looking over the railings. Beneath are a number
of Arab and other soldiers keeping watch over several things,
among them a sacred flag which is hung across the well on occasions
of high festival. On the opposite side are a number of closed
stanchioned windows, which guard the jewel-room, or jemdarkhana.
Moving to the right there are rooms which look like dungeons, and
are guarded by sentries. At the end of the veranda we enter a little
close-smelling room, which would be dark were it not for the light
of some wicks thrown in a salver of oil — a light which, we are told,
is never allowed to be extinguished, so that it to some extent
resembles the holy fire of the Parsees. Here, in a corner on the
left, is a door — the outer entrance to the jewel-room. After some
delay, an elderly Maharatta makes his appearance and opens the
lock, and we enter a room which is as black as night and awfully
stale smelling. One of the grated windows facing the well is thrown
open, and by the little light thus obtained we perceive a number
of shelves, which are loaded with State archives. Another
ponderous black door being unbarred, we enter a dark room — the
jewel-room. While a window is being opened, we prepare to be
surprised with the flash of a thousand jewels, but are rather
disappointed to find only a number of iron-clamped chests of drawers
ranged round the room. But these drawers contain the State
jewellery, worthy, 000, 000/. sterling, report says ; and on the custodian
pulling out one of the deep drawers in a central chest, and producing
enormous morocco-covered cases, which are opened tenderly, we
have no need to be longer disappointed, for a sight of a novel
description meets our eyes. Here in one case lies displayed a breast-
piece composed of chains of diamonds, numbering seventy-nine in
all. All the diamonds are beautiful, but there are three in the
pendant of ten which are conspicuously so, while one at least
deserves to be called magnificent. This particular one occupies the
centre of the pendant, and is, I believe, known as the Star of the
South. It is nearly as large as a rupee, and its brilliance would,
if you were inclined to be more poetical than covetous, remind
you of nothing so much as a mass of Indian sunlight, gathered from
the haunts the sun beats upon with greatest intensity, and compressed
into the sparkling block before us. This diamond cost Khunderao
90,000/., and, like all great diamonds, has a history, though not
such an interesting one, perhaps, as the Sancy diamond, which, you
will remember, was found in the body of a servant of Baron de
Sancy, who had been deputed to carry it as a present to the King
of France, but, being attacked by robbers on the way, swallowed
it in order to baffle their attempts to find it. According to Harry
Emmanuel, one of our standard authorities on the history of great
diamonds, the Star of the South was found in 1853 at Bogagem, in
the Province of Minas Geraes by a negro. When rough it weighed
254^ carats, but since the cutting it weighs only 125 carats. It is
of an oval form, and was cut by — and was, before it fotmd its way
to India and tempted the Guikwar, the property of — Mr. Coster,
of Amsterdam. It is not perfectly white and pure ; but neverthe-
less, it is reckoned one of the finest large diamonds in the world.
The large oblong diamond fixed above the Star is flat, and
possesses nothing like the purity and brilliancy of its great rival.
It cost 300,000/. The whole breast-piece of diamonds cost over
half a million sterling, and is one of the most beautiful necklaces of
that description extant. When we have finished admiring the Star
of the South and its seventy-eight multiradiant companions, we are
shown a necklace composed of a number of chains of pearls, each of
remarkable size and purity. This necklace is valued at 50,000/. I
have been told that pearls do not retain their beauty for more than
fifty years ; and I could not help thinking it a pity that fate would
not permit such a thing of beauty as this necklace to remain a joy
for ever. Drawer after drawer is opened and case after case of
jewels displayed, until the miserable dungeon seems to begin to
look radiant. Rings, with stones in them large enough to stretch
across three of your fingers ; necklaces of diamonds, mostly flat
and dull-looking, with pear-shaped emerald drops ; nose-rings of
pearls and emeralds ; ear-rings of wheels of diamonds, and chains
of gold; these and similar curiosities are displayed in succession
before our delighted eyes until we are sated with sights, and leave
the old Maharatta, who has watched the goings out and comings in
of the jewels for twenty or thirty years, to put the cases back into
the drawers, and bar and double-bar the doors and windows of
the dungeons which compose the Jewelkhana. — Once a Week.

Nov. 5. 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

125

HOKOLOG-ICAL TELEGRAPHY.

THE transmission of Time by means of electricity has been so
fully developed and so extensively appHed, as to have estab-
lished itself as one of the public scientific institutions of the
country ; and not of this country only, but of every nation of both
hemispheres that lays any pretension or claim to belong to advanc-
ing civilization. The great and perfect Observatory of Greenwich,
seated on the summit of the ■well-known upland from the valley of
the Thames, has long been famed as the centre of the astronomical
and horological world. When, therefore, the wondrous powers of
that mysterious agency that takes no note of space, that unites
ocean-divided continents, that makes Ai-iel's girdle a laggard in
encircling the earth, that enables us to hold instant converse with
ten thousand miles apart — when those powers had unfolded them-
selves they claimed and soon enchained the attention of the
astronomer and the horologist. The recent death of Sir Charles
Wheatstoue is a fitting starting point for this subject. Let us only
for a moment consider that it was no further back than the year
1837, that the deceased electrician, in conjunction with Mr. Cooke,
took out the first patent for deflecting magnetic needles, and now
see where the combination of electricity and magnetism ranks in the
world's history. At the banquet given to Mr. Cyrus Field, a few
years ago, Mr. Latimer Clark sent messages and received answers
the same evening between London and Washington, New York,
Cuba, Newfoundland, &c. As one marvellous instance a message
was sent from Valentia, Ireland, to California, and an acknowledg-
ment received in — two minutes! It seems almost incredible that
any communication between places so many thousands of miles apart
could be held in the short period of one hundred and twenty
seconds !

Horological Telegraphy, as a system, began in 1852, and those
who want to know all the practical details of it at that time will
find them in a very able and comprehensive lecture delivered by
Mr. William Ellis, F.R.A.S., the then Superintendent of Time at
the Greenwich Royal Observatory, before the Horological Institute,
in 1865, and published in the Institute's journal. The Astronomer
Royal was in the chair, and, as if to show " what great effects from
trifling causes spring," he stated that, he "hardly knew how the
Time signal came to be first proposed ; it was somehow, partly in
conversation, partly in other ways ; how, it cannot exactly be said,
but to Mr. C. F. Walker, Mr. Edwin Clark, Mr. Latimer Clark, and,
afterwards, Mr. C. F. Varley, is the existence of the system mainly
due."

The time is delivered every hour from the 60th- second beat of
the normal clock of the Observatory. By a very beautiful con-
trivance this 60th beat transmits an instantaneous pulse, by the
aid of relays, to whatever part of the kingdom it is in connexion
with ; this normal clock is the time-soul of the country. It is kept
correct by means of calculations deduced from the workings of the
transit instrument, the great equatorial, and the sidereal and solar
clocks.

The stars which the transit instrument observes are called " clock
stars ; " because that on account of their enormous distance from the
earth they are mere points of light in the telescope, whilst from the
very same cause, their position, in relation to this planetary pea,
the earth, has never been known to shift a single hair's breadth
since they first dawned upon mankind ! When we consider that
the nearest star to us is 211,340 times as far off as the sun ; and
that light, which arrives here from the sun in 8£ minutes, requires
three years and four months to come from the nearest star ; 6£
years from the next nearest, and 21 years from Sirius, the brightest
of all, where then must the " clock stars " be ? Arago tells us
that, in his deductions from HerschelPs star-observation, some
of the isolated stars are so distant that, taking light to travel
from the sun in 8J- minutes, the light of a star visible in a tele-
scope of forty feet focal length would not reach the earth in a less
period than 2700 years ! To those who are fond of a neat little
problem we will put it in this way. As 495 seconds (the time
of light from the sun) is to 92 millions of miles (estimated sun's
distance) how many millions of miles will 2700 years represent?
From this it will be seen that the Observatory is not far wrong in
taking the " clock stars" as fixed points from which to measure the
diurnal revolution of the earth. The right ascension of one of these
clock stars means the time that a correct sidereal clock should show
when such star is on the meridian exactly. The chronograph of the
transit instrument then records the time that such star passes each
wire of the observing telescope ; the mean of these is taken, and
comparisons being made with the two small representative clocks
already spoken of, some necessary computations are worked out,

when absolutely true time presents itself as the result. This is the
time that governs the great normal clock of the Observatory, and
by it is distributed far and wide throughout the length and breadth
of the land. In this brief outline we have been obliged to pass over
all the mechanical details which, with the necessary diagrams, are
very interesting.

Little do the thousands of persons, who daily test their watches
by the deflecting needle in the chronometer-maker's shop, or office,
know the enormous amount of brain power and experiment that has
been bestowed to obtain so apparently simple -looking a conclusion.
Private Horological Wires.— Our next duty is to show in
what way the time current is received at private stations, and what
is done with it there. For this purpose we will visit an old-estab-
lished high-class firm in the city, feeling sure that the trade will
cheerfully endorse what we are about to say, when we tell our
readers that for generations the house has stood in the very fore-
most rank.

Messrs. Barratjd & Lund's, of 41, Cornhill, have, in addition to
sustaining a high reputation as practical horologists, extensively
employed the Greenwich time-signal system. Cultivated it, perhaps,
(and we say this without the slightest desire to depreciate other
justly-respected names in the art), more extensively than any
chronometer-makers with whom we are acquainted. We will,
therefore, take their method as our example, and use it for our
present exposition.

How Time is made at Greenwich. — As this firm has a private
wire from Greenwich, we must now go back to the Observatory nor-
mal clock. The correction of that clock, for error, after the true
time has been ascertained in the way we have just stated, is as
follows, and is the invention of the Astronomer Royal, having
superseded an older method of his. " A permanent bar magnet is
fixed in a vertical position on the pendulum of the normal clock, and
a coil of wire, without an iron core, placed also in a vertical position
immediately underneath the magnet, is fixed to the clock case. The
coil occupies such a position that, when the pendulum hangs at rest,
the end of the magnet is exactly over the centre of the coil. At
every vibration of the pendulum the lower end of the magnet
passes close over the upper end of the coil. The wires of the
coil are led to a commutator placed in the computing room between
the two small sidereal and mean solar clocks. By turning the handle
of this commutator to one side, a battery current is placed in con-
nexion with the coil ; by turning it to the opposite side the direction
of the battery current is reversed ; in one case there is attraction
between the adjacent ends of the magnet and coil, in the other case
there is repulsion ; when attraction exists, the pendulum being con-
tinually pulled towards the centre is accelerated ; when repulsion
exists, the pendulum being continually driven from the centre is
retarded. When the handle of the commutator stands upright, the
current is cut off from the coil and no effect is produced on the
pendulum. To effect an acceleration or retardation of one second
of time, a battery of such strength is at present employed as will
produce that amount of change in about ten minutes. _ The simple
coil of wire is used without iron core in order to get rid of the at-
traction which would exist between the iron and magnet when the
apparatus is not in use, as such attraction might be variable. This
manner of daily correcting the clock, by magnet and coil, has been
in use since the year 1860."

We mention this method of correcting the clock, somewhat in
detail, in order to show the value that belongs to Messrs. Barratjd
& Lund's time wires, which will be described further on. The nor-
mal clock, with which we have been dealing, is corrected to mean
time every morning at 10 o'clock, except on Sunday, when the hour
is a little before 1 p. m. ; and as such correction hardly ever needs
more than the fraction of a second, the character of the clock may
be easily understood.

In order to send the time signals outwards, the normal clock has
a contrivance set on the minute and seconds hands in such a way
that no current can pass until those two hands coincide at the exact
seconds beat of 60. At that instant the hour relay of wires is called
into action and as instantly guns fire, balls drop, and needles deflect
wherever the current reaches.

The Chronometer Room, at Cornhill.— Let us now enter Messrs.
Barraud & LUND'9 chronometer room on the first floor of the
house. We observe by the way that the walls are shelved from floor
to ceiling, and every shelf is crowded with ships' chronometers
undergoing the process of examination and rating : whilst on adjoin-
ing desks are large official-looking folios, in which the conduct and
characters of these instruments are written. _ _ ■

Upon a braoket over the mantel-piece stands what is technically
termed the " Relay." Our illustration shows the instrument with the
necessary complement of ascending and descending wires ; it is in

126

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1875.

direct communication with the Greenwich normal clock, which has
already been so fully explained.

The name of "relay" hardly sufficiently conveys the meaning of
the functions of these instruments. They receive the main line
wire, and by means of their electro-magnets, pass on the current to
as many wires as may be attached to them. It is by means of these
relays that telegraphic communication is carried on throughout the
country. Furthermore, they re-strengthen the main line current ;
for, however exhausted that current may be, if it has only sufficient

balls, and deflects needles all over the kingdom. There is a power-
ful relay at London-bridge, and another at the Telegraph -street
Station, Moorgate-street, of which more presently. For the dis-
tribution from the last-named place, Mr. C. F. Varley, the electrician,
has invented what he calls a " Chronopher." This Chronopher is a
clock controlled by the Greenwich clock, and feeds two relays which,
with other arrangements, send currents east, west, north, and south.
There is also at the London-bridge station what is named a " Switch
Clock ; " this clock is, like the Chronopher clock, under Greenwich

THE RELAY-DISTRIBUTOR.

life left to touch the relay that reviver imparts full power to all the
wires belonging to it, each wire working in original force. For
these reasons we have called it here the " relay-distributor," thinking
that this name will be better understood. These relays play such
an important part in electric telegraphy that we will mention one
or two of them. The first is the hourly relay at the Observatory
which is fed by the normal clock and distributes time signals any-
where and everywhere. The pull of its armature by the clock
current creates new and independent currents, and fires guns, drops

guidance, and is used for " switching " time from the Observatory
pendulum to various places ; in fact, these relays are asleep until
the main line current arouses them to vigorous action. The wires
that supply the time signals are termed " horological wires," and
are used for no other purpose.

The relay- distributor at Messrs. Barraud & Lund's is a double
one, and receives its current direct from the Greenwich Observatory
clock as a single relay, after which that current is directed on to
two sets of wires. The object of thus splitting it is to make sure of

Nov. 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

127

efficiency in the event of either of the circuits getting out of order
at any time. The signal is transmitted to one set of wires in the
usual way, by drawing the keeper of the magnet against a fixed
point ; whilst on the other set of wires the circuit is completed by a
small screw with an ivory point in the keeper pressing against an
arched flat spring. This spring yields sufficiently to allow the
previously mentioned wires to be closed up, and yet ensures its own
business being efficiently done. This relay-distributor has never
failed to transmit its split current for over three years, and, we may
add, that its distinguishing specialty is the invention of Mr. Lund
himself. We must not omit to mention that this room pos-
sesses an astronomical clock for the purpose of rating the chro-
nometers.

We have spoken of the ascending and descending wires ; we will
follow one of these up to —

" The true seat of the time-keeping principle in every watch or
chronometer resides in the union of a perfectly hardened and
tempered balance-spring, and a perfect compensation balance, the
weight and diameter of the balance being in just proportion to the
motive force." Here "beating" is scrutinized, rim-screws turned
in, and turned out, ovens and ice-boxes worked, compensations
adjusted, and all the delicate and multifarious operations that
produce the perfect timekeeper. The timing-room has also its
"astronomical clock " and its "wire ; " but here under these special
conditions. The wire consists of a number of very fine threads
formed into a kind of cord, having a galvanometer at the end.
Being in this peculiar form it has all requisite pliability just as a
hempen cord woidd have, and time is taken in this manner. The
observer having placed himself in front of whatever instrument is
undergoing the timing process, takes up a small wooden ruler in one

The Timing Room. — This room is under the special care of Mr.
Bridgman, the general foreman, and is fitted up with every
appliance for the purpose to which it is devoted. In this
apartment, as in a school, all the timekeepers through the
establishment have to take their finishing lessons under the tutelary
discipline of the foreman. A very large population of watches, of
one kind and another, must have felt his influence during the best
part of a generation. Here along the windows, fronting, what
watchmakers love so well, a northern aspect, is the bench, and at
that bench what is known as the "timing" is performed. There
main springs are "rodded," and their "pull" settled, balances
poised and their springs examined, to ascertain if that wonderful
compound of the correct eye, the well trained hand, the experienced
judgment, and the knowledge of isochronism, that are the sine qua
non of the high-class "springer" has done its duty. Ah, well
might a late eminent horologist exclaim : —

hand, and the galvanometer attached to the magneto -electric wire
cord in the other. One end of the ruler is rested on the clock case,
and the other end in the ear. Fixing his eyes steadily on the
galvanometer, whilst the ear follows the count of the beat of the
clock by means of the ruler held against it, the instant that the
tiny "click," speaks from the Greenwich normal clock, he makes
his "equation" and reports true time to the tenth of a second!
Now, as the tenth of a second is but the 600th part of a minute,
and as 36,000 tenths go to make up an hour, let us hope that even
the neglect of that fraction may never lose a man either a train, or
a legacy.

But this same timing-room has an interest of its own, apart from
anything that may have been imparted to it by horology. In
No. 41, Cornhill, there once lived a respectable " money-scrivener,"
and citizen of London, named Gray, and to him, on the 26th of
December, in the year of grace, 1716, was born a son, afterwards

L28

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1875.

named Thomas. This son was the only oue of twelve children that
survived the period of infancy — a most unusual and distressing
mortality in one family. Most people have read a very feeling,
sympathetic poem, commencing —

,: The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea,

The plowman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me."

Those are the opening lines of the Elegy in a Country Church-
yard, and were written in that of Stoke-Pogis, Buckinghamshire,
about twenty miles from London, the writer being Thomas Gray.
He was laid in it himself, in August, 1771, in his 55th year ; and
that, too, without either "storied urn or animated bust," until
1770. when Mr. Penn erected a monument to him. The room has
not been, altered in its structural form in any way.

The back bed-room, too, has a special interest attaching to it
arising out of a singular incident or two. Some years ago the fore-
man wanted to drive a few nails into the wall beside the fire-place.
On tapping it, however, with his hammer he found the sound quite
hollow. This had never been suspected, and application to Mr.
John Lund, the father of the two present members of the firm, pro-
duced an opening which brought a closet to light. On a shelf were found
several parcels of papers, and amongst them the rent and poor-rate
receipts of the house, dated 1670. The rent at that time was 487.
a year ! Only fancy an entire house in Cornhill let at 487. a year !
The occupant of that floor at a later period seemed to sell hair-
dye, for in another parcel was a letter from a customer praising its
miraculous power, and enclosing five 17. notes, and an order for a
fresh supply, with directions that the change, 8s. Qd., should be
forwarded into the country with the dye. Singularly enough there
was the packet containing the 8s. 6(7. ready to send, but never
sent. The silver had not escaped the " ravages of time ; " it was
quite black.

Those two rooms constitute the second floor of the house. On
the floor above is a chronometer stock room, and the clock-makers'
room. As these call for no particular remark, we will leave the
chronometers to their quietude, and the men to their work, and
come downstairs.

The Self-recording Time-signal Chronograph : — Passing to
the office part of the establishment, we find a most ingenious appli-
cation of " ways and means " to the intended purpose by the instru-
ment whose illustration is given above. It is to secure a permanent
record of the Greenwich time-signal, should no one be present at
the important moment to receive it. This instrument consists of an
electro-magnet (connected with one of the wires passing from the
relay in the chronometer room previously mentioned), a bell, and an
ordinary " dotting chronograph," so named because its second hand
is' split, the end of the upper one dipping down through a tiny
reservoir of ink in the point of the under one. This chronograph
is placed on a stand (with a shallow well to keep it from shifting) in
such manner that the tail of the magnet keeper passes through the
bow and just touches the push-piece, which passes through the pen-
dant. The signal is received in this way. Within ten minutes —to
be exact — before the signal, the chronograph is set exactly coincident
with the standard clock in the office, and being placed on its stand,
awaits the arrival of the time current, which makes the keeper drive in
the push-piece, ring the bell, and, co -instantaneously, the chrono-
graph hand dots the dial, thereby leaving a visible record of the pre-
cise moment when the Greenwich pendulum completed the hour !
This dot can be referred to at any time during the day. Mr. J. A.
Lund has the merit of this valuable combination of what may be
called an electro-magnetic self-recording time mechanism. The
illustration is from a drawing that was made with the utmost care
and minuteness, in order to convey as clearly as an illustration can,
the useful and unique instrument here described.

The Ortho-current Instrument. — This instrument is a current
insurer, and is fixed near its inventor, Mr. John Lund, in his private
corner. Its mission is to sever true currents from false ones. It
sometimes happens, during the prevalence of high winds, and,
probably, other causes, that from the blowing together of the over-
head wires, currents are sent where not intended. The wires are
said to strike and rope by the force of the storm ; and to produce
great confusion on arriving at the wrong destinations. In order to
keep clear of this Mr. Lund has invented what we call the " Ortho-
current " instrument ; it consists of the following arrangements.
A small bracket clock breaks the circuit at two minutes past the
hour, re-connecting only at two minutes before the hour, or four-
sixtieths of the hour. This is effected by means of a brass wheel
that is carried on a pinion once round in an hour. This wheel is
cut down in its periphery, so as to leave the four-sixtieths as a

projection . The desired effect is produced by bending the end of one
of the wires that rest on the periphery, so that when the "lump"
comes round, it not only " makes contact " but also keeps that wire
clean for continuous use. This instrument has only failed to make
a right contact twice in about two years. Mr. Lund says that he
finds it so exceedingly useful that he hardly knows what he should
do without it. To look at it, it seems simple enough, and, like many
valuable articles of ingenious simplicity, one feels surprised that it
should perform its functions so regularly, and with so comparatively
few interruptions to its action.

THE PUBLIC ASTRONOMICAL STANDARD CLOCK.

We now come to the last, but not the least, interesting member
of this widely-known timekeeping establishment ; namely, the astro-
nomical regulator at the entrance door; it is called the "Lobby
Clock." This clock has been familiar to more than one generation!
of " city men " long before horological telegraphy was known. We-
will now direct the reader's attention to our very faithful illus--
tration of it. Underneath the 60 of the minute circle, and jus*
within the corresponding part of the seconds circle, will be observed
another one still smaller, and somewhat sunk below the surface
of the dial. It has a very small hand of peculiar shape fixed on its
centre between two projecting studs. That small circle is the dial
of the galvanometer, and that peculiarly-shaped hand is the " needle '
of the same instrument ; it is in connexion with the Greenwich
clock in the same way that the other instruments are. This clock
receives the Observatory mean time current at eleven a.m., which is
the time shown by the illustration. The reader will, therefore, see
that the hour-hand is at the 11, the minute hand at 60, and the
seconds hand also at 60. Now, when the 60th beat of the Green-
wich normal pendulum completes the hour, the needle in this dial
deflects to the right. It is shown in the act of doing so, and, as
the minute and seconds hands are exactly over the 60, the clock is
right with Greenwich mean time. This, too, is Mr. Lund's own
arrangement, and it fulfils every expectation. The clock has a mer-
curial pendulum, but want of space prevents its being shown.

This clock has been long looked upon as the horological imper-
sonation of the firm ; indeed, some obstinate persons have been
heard to declare that the clock is the only " Barraud & Lunds' "
in existence. In this, however, they are greatly mistaken, as they '
will speedily discover if they only venture within the folding doors..
So extensively is this old favourite appreciated in the Cornhill part of
the city, that from several enumerations which have been made, the ;
persons who compare their watches with it average about 1000 a day. .

Time-telegraphing to the East. — So much for the local use :
Messrs. Barraud & Lunds have made of Horological Telegraphy,,
but they have given it a still more extended use, a short account of
which we will give if our readers follow us in thought to the
Indo-European Telegraph Company's offices, in Telegraph-street,
Moorgate -street.

This office is in communication with all the chief stations which
go to make the vast continent of Asia, and is sending and receiving
messages to and fro every hour of the day. It so happens that
Captain Sartorious, brother of " Ashantee Sartorious," is at Teheran,
the capital of Persia, with whose Shah we are all familiar. Captain
Sartorious has a "Barraud & Lunds'" pocket half-chronometer,
with their peculiar double-roller lever escapement. Now, Teheran
is some 3700 miles from London, and it was required to be known
in what relation the Captain's watch stood to Greenwich mean
time. Our time was eight o'clock in the evening, and at Teheran
about eleven p.m. Major Smith, the Superintendent of Telegraphs
was with Captain Sartorious at the Teheran instrument, whilst Mr.
Black was in charge here. Mr. Lund was beside him with a marine
chronometer set to the exact beat of the Royal Observatory normal
clock, the properties of which we have already so fully explained.
The first trial was interrupted at Berlin, but that having been recti-
fied, and the line reported clear, in a few minutes the 3700 miles
distant message began uncoiling itself at the London instrument.

Then came the words — " Give the signal-current at nineteen past
eight, and keep it on till twenty." Down went the instrument
handle, Mr. Lund at the same time calling out the seconds from the
chronometer, as they were to pass over the wire, — ' ' fifty-eight,
fifty-nine, sixty! " at which beat the signal-current " clicked," and
closed at Teheran, and at that instant both gentlemen would see
that it was 8.20 p.m. by Greenwich Time. That was a feat in tele-
graphy ; the seconds beat of a London chronometer making itself
pulsate simultaneously in Persia ! Several experiments were made
during the evening ; but the above will serve to explain the whole
of them. Upon their conclusion a few personal inquiries were made
from each instrument, and also about the going of the Captain's
watch, concluding with a ' ' much obliged for the trouble you've

Nov. 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

129

taken in London." "Very welcome." "Good night." "Good
night."

Now, the most extraordinary thing in this — as in all other ex-
periments— was, that in the return earth current from Teheran — its
course back again

was so rapid that
we have no expres-
sion to convey the
infinitesimal por-
tion of time occu-
pied by it. The
relay we have al-
ready indicated is
a re-strengthening
by fresh batteries,
and magnets of the
out-going wires,
when the incoming
current has acted
upon them.

Speed of the
Electric Current.
— It has often been
attempted to mea-
sure the speed of
the electric current.
Again, another
question naturally
arises among those
who are not con-
versant with the
working of electric
magnetism, and
that is, How, with
all these "relays "
that we read of
there is no loss of
time; especially
when it is con-
sidered how small
a period a tenth
of a second is?
The return of the
earth current in
the experiment just
noticed to the very
place whence it
started — having
been to Persia and
back — an entire
distance of 7400
miles — was so in-
stantaneous that no
name can be applied
to it that we could
at all comprehend.
Electricians have
endeavoured to
give a measure to
the speed of the
electric current, and
the best thing that
they have been able
to do is to say that,
at least, it travels at
the rate of 200,000
miles a second ; in
other words that it
goes a thousand
miles in the 200th
part of one second
of time ! Let any
one look at the pen-
dulum of Messrs.
Barraud & Lund's
standard clock as
it makes one beat,
and then ask them-
selves if they could possibly comprehend what the 200th part of
that would be ? Relays, when in working order, even if they en-
circled the orbit of the earth, would not have the slightest effect in
etardingthe electric current. It has been estimated that it would

THE PUBLIC ASTRONOMICAL STANDARD CLOCK.

go eight times round the globe in less than one swing of that

pendulum !

When the late Sir Charles Wheatstone was Professor of Natural

Philosophy at King's College, about the year 1834, he was develop-
ing his discoveries,
and making experi-
ments on the speed
of the electric cur-
rent. One of these
is very interesting.
He placed the ter-
minations of half a
mile of wire so
close to each as to
see the entering and
departing spark.
He then had a steel
mirror fixed on the
seconds hand of a
watch, and by wind-
ing it up, and trig-
ging the chain he
got 360 revolutions
in a minute from it.
Whilst it was run-
ning he discharged
the sparks on the
revolving dial. The
object sought was
this. If any time
was occupied by
the current in pass-
ing through the
half mile of wire
the entering and
terminating sparks
would be seen on
different parts of
the dial. This was
not so ; they were
seen as one spark,
thereby clearly pro-
ving that the cur-
rent was less than
the 360 th part of a
minute in running
the half mile. This
was the experiment
which it is said
determined him to
devote himself to
the work of using
electricity for the
purpose of distant
communication ; in
other words, the
development of the
electric telegraph.
The experiment
was a beautiful one,
andledtothegrand-
est wonders which
the world has ever
known.

We have now
said nearly all that
we set down for
ourselves on taking
up our pen. We
have kept as much
as possible within
due limits, con-
sidering the nature
of the subject. If
we have succeeded
in awakening any
_ latent interest in
our readers we shall
have done some good. Perhaps many were not previously aware
of the vast grasp which such a high department of practical
science requires. It has been to us a labour, but " a labour of
love," and as such we trust that it will be received.

130

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1875.

CURIOSITIES OP CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

{Continued from page 99.)

IN the South Kensington Museum is a gold watch-ease, chased
and embossed with a mythological subject. It has perforated
arabesque work borders and raised medallions, containing emblems
and figure-subjects. It is believed to be of French manufacture,
about the year 1700. It was purchased for twelve guineas. In the
same collection is a silver watch, the inner and outer cases of which
are ornamented with openwork. The diameter of this article is two
inches and a quarter; the maker's name is "Ackers, London ;" the
date is the early part of the eighteenth century ; and it cost the
nation £4.

In the Tatler for January 21st, 1709-10, appeared the follow-
ing advertisement : — " A plain gold watch, made by Thompson, with a
gold hook and chain, a cornelian seal set in gold, and Cupid sifting
hearts, was dropped from a lady's side in or near Great Marlborough
Street, on Thursday night last. Whoever took it up, if they will bring
it to Mr. Plaistow's, at the ' Hand and Star,' between the two Tem-
ple Gates, in Fleet Street, shall receive five guineas reward. John
Hammond." The house bearing the sign of the " Hand and Star,"
is of very ancient date ; it bore tbat name in the time of Edward
VI., Mary, and Elizabeth, when Richard Tottel pubUshed law books
there. It then was, as it now is, numbered 7 in Fleet Street, and is
in the occupation of Messrs. Butterworth, the legal publishers. In
the number of the Tatler next following the one above named
appeared this letter, dated January 23rd, 1709-10 : — " Mr. Bicker-
staff, I am bound in justice to acquaint you, that I put an advertise-
ment in your last paper about a watch which was lost, and was
brought to me on the very day your paper came out, by a footman ;
who told me that he would have brought it, if he had not read your
discourse of that day against avarice ; but.that since he had read it,
he scorned to take a reward for doing what in justice he ought to do.
I am, sir, your most humble servant, John Hammond."

We read in the Postman for April 13th, 1710, as follows : —
"Lost, in White Conduit Fields, or thereabouts, a silver pendulum
watch, with a silver chain and a brass seal to it. Whoever brings it
to Mr. Greatorex, at Busby's Folly, shall have a guinea reward."

In the Tatler for November 2nd, 1710, is an amusing paper, pur-
porting to be an advertisement of, certain articles which had been
stolen from Lady Fardingdale by her serving-woman. Among the
many articles enumerated, as part of my lady's paraphernalia, is " a
large new gold repeating- watch made by a Frenchman."

Steel, in the Tatler for December 16th, 1710, in reference to the
prolixity of some talkers, says : — " For the utter extirpation of these
orators and story-tellers, which I look upon as very great pests of
society, I have invented a watch which divides the minute into
twelve parts, after the same manner that the ordinary watches are
divided into hours ; and will endeavour to get a patent, which shall
oblige every club or company to provide themselves with one of
these watches, that shall lie upon the table, as an hour glass is often
placed near the pulpit, to measure out the length of a discourse. I
shall be willing to allow a man one round of my watch, that is, a
whole minute, to speak in ; but if he exceeds that time, it shall be
lawful for any of the company to look upon the watch, or to call him
down to order. Provided, however, that if any one can make it
appear he is turned of threescore, he may take two, or if he pleases,
three rounds of the watch, without giving offence. Provided also,
that this rule be not construed to extend to the fair sex, who shall
still be at liberty to talk by the ordinary watch that is now in use.
I would likewise earnestly recommend this little automaton, which
may be easily carried in the pocket without any incumbrance, to all
such as are troubled with this infirmity of speech, that upon pulling
out their watches, they may have frequent occasion to consider
what they are doing, and by that means cut the thread of the story
short, and hurry to a conclusion. I shall only add, that this watch,
with a paper of directions how to use it, is sold at Charles Lillie'e."
Charles Lillie had a shop at the corner of Beaufort Buildings, in the
Strand, where he sold snuff, perfumes, and such things, and took in
letters for the Tatler and Spectator which were directed to him at
the desire of Steele, who befriended him greatly.

At a meeting of the British Archaeological Association, held on
April 27th, 1859, Mr. John Glutton exhibited a richly-chased silver
watch-case of the time of Queen Anne. It was two inches in dia-
meter ; the upper ring being decorated with flowers and scrolls ; the
lower part having in its centre a nude finger of Pallas, the goddess
of war, seated, and equipped with helmet, spear, and shield ; in the
distance was a tent. The surrounding border was divided into
eight cartouches, two occupied with vases of flowers, and two with
profile busts, one being a bearded male, the other a female. The

first might have been intended for a Druid, and the second for Queen
Anne, for, although differing from her later portraits, it resembled
some of her earlier medals. At the same meeting, Mr. Alfred
Thompson called attention to a watch-case of gilt metal, barely two
inches in diameter, elegantly chased with flowers, scrolls, a seated
female figure, and three standing warriors. This specimen was of
the time of George II., and apparently the work of George Michael
Moser.

In the South Kensington Museum is a gold -repeating watch, the
inner case of which is richly chased and perforated, and bears the
royal arms of England. The outer case is embossed with a hunting
subject. The maker's name is " Z. Michau George Albrecht." The
length of the article is two inches and a quarter, and the width one
inch and seven-eighths. This watch is said to have formerly belonged
to George I. It was purchased at the Bernal sale for £15. In the
same museum is a circular watch in a rock-crystal, facet-cut case, of
English make, about 1720. Its diameter is one inch and three-
quarters ; and it was purchased for £12.

Mr. H. De Mere has a watch-case of gold filigree, which belonged
to the Chevalier de St. George, the " Old Pretender." It is of
Italian make, and of the eighteenth century.

In 1721 appeared the following advertisement : — " Lost on Wed-
nesday the 11 instant (as supposed between Leadenhall and Spittle-
fields Markets,) a small Gold Watch, made by Anthony Harrison in
Birchin Lane, with a green spotted blood-Stone, hanging to a black
Ribbon, set in Gold ; and engrav'd, the Arms, a Lyon Rampant
over three Bars ; the Crest, a Tyger's Head with a Ducal Coronet.
If offer'd to be sold, pawned, or valued, stop it, and give Notice
to Mr. John Chadwell, Goldsmith, in Castle Alley, Birchin Lane,
and you shall have Nine Guineas Reward and no Questions ask'd."

In Sir John Soane's Museum, Lincoln's Inn Fields, is a thick silver
watch, which was formerly in the possession of Sir Christopher
Wren, who died in 1723. The face of it is "with centric and eccen-
tric scribbled o'er."

The horizontal escapement was invented in 1724 by Graham, an
apprentice of the celebrated Tompion, and to whom we are indebted
for two of the most valuable improvements in clocks ever made,
namely, the dead beat or Graham's escapement, and the mercurial com-
pensation pendulum. Graham's horizontal escapement is still exten-
sively employed in the Swiss and Geneva watches ; but in those of
English manufacture it has been superseded by the duplex, and
more recently by the lever, which is only the application of the
dead beat escapement to a watch. The inventions of Graham and
Harrison, together with the art of jewelling the pivot holes of
watches, only practised in England, gave to English watches at the
commencement of the last century such a pre-eminence that the
wealthy of every other country sought to obtain them.

(To he continued.)

ANCIENT BROOCHES AND DRESS FASTENINGS.

(Continued from page 103.)

rpHESE enamelled brooches are frequently found in places where
Roman towns once stood. They may, in fact, be said
to abound in most museums. We select two, as examples, from the
York Museum, a collection singularly rich in relics of Roman art.
York was one of the most important stations in England, and here
died the Emperor Septimus Severus, in the year 211, at the age of
sixty-five, " worn out with anxiety, fatigue, and disease, " says the
Rev. C. Wellbeloved, the historian of York. He had returned from
his successful war in the north, but had achieved victory with the
loss of fifty thousand of his soldiers. Caracalla, his eldest son, was
with him at the time, but immediately set out for Rome. In the
year 304 ,when the empire was divided between the Csesars Galerius,
Maximianus, and Constantius Chlorus, Britain fell to the share of
the latter, who immediately came over and fixed his residence in
York. He died two years afterwards, and his son, Constantine the
Great, by Helena, a British princess, succeeded him, being pro-
claimed emperor by the army at York, where he was at the time of
his father's death. The first of these elegant brooches is of circular
form (Fig. 2a), like a raised shield divided into several com-
partments. The side view placed with it will enable the reader to
understand the arrangement of the pin, which moves freely on a pivot,
the point held by a curve in the lower projecting bar. The second
example (Fig. 26) was found near Bootham bar, and is of more
elaborate design. The raised centre is divided into ornamental
compartments filled with rich purple and white enamel colours;

Nov. 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITITS TEADE JOUENAL.

131

The point of the pin is here brought closer to the brooch, as if it
had been intended to fasten a finer kind of material than the
preceding one, which from its width would take in a coarser
texture. The use of enamel colours as enrichments to metal
ornaments belongs to the later days of Rome. Sometimes the

Fig. 2.

Fig. 2.

work is very coarse, but specimens occur (though rarely) of
extremely delicate execution. It was executed in what the French
antiquaries term the champhve manner, that is, the part to be
enamelled was cut, or hollowed, by a graving tool in the surface,
and then filled with fusible colours, rubbed when cool to a level
surface. This decoration was not confined to small articles of

Fig. 3. '

jewellery, but was used for belts and sword handles. An ad-
mirable example of a small bronze vase thus beautifully en-
riched was found in excavating the triple tumuli popularly known
as the Bartlow Hills, in Cambridgeshire. Horse trappings were
highly enriched in the same manner. Boxes aud small articles of
furniture were also inlaid with enamelled plaques of metal. A
tendency to great variety of design characterized the jewellery of
the Byzantine empire ; and the old circular fibula, that had been
worn contentedly for so very many centuries, was discarded for new
forms, which were again cast aside at the caprice of the wearer,
attracted by the ever-varying designs of the jeweller. The bow, or
harp-shaped fibula, retained its place when once introduced nearly
as long as its circular forerunner. One of the finest specimens of a
fibula of this kind is here given, copied from the original, which was
discovered about twenty years ago by labourers employed on the
railway near the town of Amiens, at a spot where other objects of
the Gallo-Roman period were met with. The place may probably
have been the cemetery of the town when the masters of the world
ruled there. The workmen found a leaden coffin of great thickness
which contained two skeletons, the smallest having within it many
articles of female ornaments. These consisted of a pair of gold
earrings of very peculiar and original design ; a gold ring set with a
carnelian, on which was engraved a youthful figure riding on a
goat ; a pair of slender armlets of gold ; a pendent ornament of glass,
evidently formed to wear as a charm to keep off the baneful effect
of the evil eye, so much dreaded by the ancients ; and this buckle

Fig. 4.

(Fig. 4). The latter is constructed of the finest gold, the bow
decorated with an upright row of pellets, and three small flowerets

across the centre. The shaft is covered with most delicate chased
ornament, or reeded patterns, soldered to the surface ; a row
of raised studs are each in the middle of a curved quatrefoil, the
outer border raised in lines of indented decoration of that
highly cultivated and artistic nation always excelling their Roman
brethren, and the richer class in Rome patronizing them in
preference. Nothing can exceed the delicacy and beauty of Greek
jewellery, the Roman being of a heavier and less artistic taste. The
character of the two nations may thus be clearly traced in so in-
significant an article as a breast-pin. Figs. 5 and 6 represent two
of the most ordinary forms of the bronze bow-shaped fibulae as worn
by the ordinary classes. Fig. 5 was found at Strood, in Kent, in a

FtG. 5.

brick-field opposite Rochester Castle, on the other side of the
Medway, which field had been the cemetery of the city when the
Romans ruled it. The reader will notice in both the latter instances
the pin is a continuation of a coil of strong metal, of which it is
formed, and which gives it great strength and elasticity. When
the latter was passed through the several folds of the dress, and the
end secured in the strong metal catch below, it would not be easy
to unfasten the garment or lose the pin. The second example is
less stiff in contour, and from it the reader may more clearly com-

Fig. 6.

prehend the arrangements for securing the pin. Here, again, the
pin proceeds from spirals at the upper part of the brooch. These
common articles were sometimes made more attractive to the eye by
decorating the upper portion with coarse enamel colours. A specimen
is given in Fig. 7 ; it is of clumsy form and cheap construction ; it
was found, with many other minor antiquities, among heaps of bones
in the well-known caves at King's Scarr, about two miles north-east
of Settle, in Yorkshire — caves that are conjectured to have been
the homes of the old Britons, who once lived a semi-savage life in
them. In the excellent museum at Boulogne are preserved many
articles found in the immediate neighbourhood, and belonging to the
Gallo-Roman period. Among them is the bronze fibula, Fig. 8, which
shows the very decided arc formed by the upper part and the mode
by which the point of the pin was secured in the sheath below.
Sometimes these bow-shaped fibulae were made with an extremely
large and ugly bow, which hung over the dress. They are
occasionally met with six inches in width, with a pin an inch or two
longer, being used for the heavier winter cloaks. The gore-shaped
pendant is made hollow, and is often decorated with incised lines

Fig. 7.

Fig. 8.

and zigzag patterns. They appear to have been in most favour
among the Roman provincials in Gaul and Britain, particularly as
the nature of the winters obliged them to seek ia the heavy woollen
sagum, or in the skin-mantle, some greater protection against the
inclemency of the weather than their Southern conquerors required.

(To be continued.)

182

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1875.

THE

wTHtrlruwftcr, gcdrcllet; mft ^iltowillrt

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Published at 8, Cross-street, Hatton-garden, E.G.
Birmingham Agency : 52, Frederick Street.
Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Eemittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W,

No one is authorized to collect money without production of
Printed Form of Eeceipt, bearing the Office Stamp.

OUR ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT.

BOOK NOTICES.

IN presenting our readers with the accompanying illustrated sup-
plement we have to acknowledge our indebtedness to the
" Rambles of an Archaeologist" for the designs, as well as for the
complete information respecting the imaginative faculties of the
designers, of the age to which our illustrations refer — viz., the close
of the sixteenth and early part of the seventeenth centuries —
which gives us an abundance of small engravings, comprising a vast
variety of designs for all articles of ornament ; and from them we
have selected those in the accompanying supplement.

Fig. 1 "represents a cross of singular elaboration and beauty, now
the property of Lady Londesborough. It is a work of the early
part of the sixteenth century ; the ground being of frosted gold,
upon which is a foliated ornament in cloissonne enamel of various
colours. It is also enriched with pearls and crystal; the lower part
of this cross is furnished with a loop, from which a jewel of value
might be suspended. Perhaps no article of personal ornament has
exhibited a greater variety of design and decorative enrichment
than the cross," and our readers will, therefore, be interested in
some of the ancient patterns thereof.

Fig. 2 represents two designs of necklaces of widely different eras.
" The upper one was possessed by a Roman lady, whose entire
collection of jewellery was accidentally discovered at Lyons, in 1841,
by some workmen who were excavating the southern side of the
heights of Fourvieres, on the opposite side of the Seine. From an
inscribed ring and some coins deposited in the jewel box, the lady
appears to have lived in the time of the Emperor Severus, and to
have been the wife of one of the wealthy traders, who then, as now,
were enriched by the traffic of the Ehone. The necklace is of gold,
set with pearls and emeralds ; the cubical beads are cut in lapis
lazuli, as are the pendants which hang from others. This love of
pendent ornament was common to all antique necklaces, from the
days of ancient Greece to the end of the sixteenth century. The
second specimen is an illustration of this; it is copied from the
portrait of a lady (bearing date 1503) and composed of a series
of enamelled plaques, with jewels inserted, connected with each
other by an ornament or chain."

Figs. 3 and 4 are " specimens of pendants of the seventeenth
century, then so commonly worn by rich ladies. These were some-
times elaborately modelled with Scriptural and other scenes in their
centre, chased in gold, enriched by enamel colours, and resplendent
with jewels."

The famed " Griinc Gewolbe " at Dresden have many fine exam-
ples ; in the Louvre are others, and some few of a good kind are to
be seen in the Museum at South Kensington. The portraits of the
age of Francis I. and our Queen Elizabeth frequently represent
ladies in a superfluity of jewellery of a most elaborate character.
The portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots, in our National Portrait
Gallery, is loaded with chains, brooches, and pendants. This love of
elaborate jewellery was a positive" mania with many nobles in the
olden time. James I. was childishly fond of such trinkets. His
letters to his favourite, Buckingham, are often full of details of the
jewels in which his majesty delighted.

Grammar of Colouring. By Ellis A. Davidson, Esq. With illus-
trations. London : Lockwood & Co., Stationers' Hall Court, E.C.

THE object of the well-known author of this excellent work
seems to be that of rendering the subject less abstruse and
complicated than hitherto, to those seeking instruction in that
branch of ornamental art, and in which aim he has been signally
successful. The book is one that has long beea needed, and wiil
be found to contain considerable information practically useful to
students, as well as to those more advanced in the art.

The work is divided into five parts, treating respectively of : —
"Colours Generally," "Practical Colouring," "Oils and Varnishes,"
"Modes and Operations of Painting," and the "Characteristic
Features of the various styles of ornament."

In every instance, the rules are laid down with careful precision
and clearness, and illustrative drawings are most satisfactorily given
wherever they are necessary or advisable. In a word, we cannot
but heartily endorse the many high commendations already bestowed
on the work and with the utmost confidence commend it to the
perusal of our readers.

Messrs. Macmillan & Co. will shortly publish, under the title
of The Modern Telescope, a series of lectures delivered at the Royal
Institution by Mr. J. W. Lockyer, with notes and additions by Mr.
G. M. Seabroke.

OBITUARY.

JT is with deep regret that we have to record the death of Sir
Charles Wheatstone, who died on the 20th ult., at the age
73.

Sir Charles Wheatstone was a distinguished honorary member of
the British Horological Institute, and took a deep interest in its
welfare, as well as in the advancement of all matters connected with
Horology.

Professor Wheatstone was one of the jurors of the Universal
Exhibition at Paris in 1855 in the class for "heat, light and
electricity." on which occasion he was appointed by the late
Emperor a Knight of the Legion of Honour, on account of his
" application of the electric telegraph." In 1872 he acted as one of
the adjudicators in awarding the prize of the Horological Institute
for the best essay on Isochronism. He was one of the jurors of the
Exhibition of Work, held at the Institute in 1873 ; and last year again-
performed the duty of adjudication in connection with the essays on
the subject of compensation. He was also chosen a correspondent
of the French Imperial Institute of Sciences, and an honorary
member of the principal academies of science in Europe.

TRADE PATTERNS BY PHOTOGRAPHY.

fnHE trade is indebted to Mr. J. W. King, of St. John's-square, for
[_ his happy idea of issuing photographic patterns of various descrip-
tions and designs of articles of jewellery. Mr. King intends issuing
a monthly series of such patterns of lockets, brooches, bracelets, &c,
and judging from the specimens before us, they are most admirable
facsimiles of the original articles. The periodical issue of such
patterns will be a very great convenience to the trade, especially to
country purchasers, and will entirely obviate the delay and risk
hitherto involved by sending articles backwards and forwards on
approbation. Country jewellers especially will find them of great
service when out soliciting : with these photographs in the pocket
an order may frequently be secured which might otherwise be lost.
In the shops they will also be of use, containing many patterns which
would not be in stock at all times. The undertaking is one which
will doubtless meet with the full support of the trade. Each design
is copyrighted, and the price of the plates, being but sixpence each,
must ensure a very large circulation. Speaking of the enterprise and
manner in which the plates are produced, the Photographic News
(an undeniable authority) says, "Mr. King's photographic patterns
are admirably executed." Orders for the monthly series should be
forwarded direct to Mr. King, or may be sent through the office of
this journal.

The following inscription is to be seen in the churchyard, Malaga,
Spain : — " Here lies Juan Perrez, who was a good father, a good
son and a good husband. Note. — Do not mistake him for his
younger brother, who bears the same name, and is now in penal ser-
vitude in Ceuta."

Supplement to the "Watchmaker, Jeiveller, and Silversmith.

Fig. 4.

Fiff. 1.

Fig. 2.

Nov. 5, 1875.]

SILVEBSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

133

PRECIOUS STONES.

[Continued from page 100),

Aquamarina.

THIS stone is so named from its colour, which so much resembles
sea-water.

Like other gems, it is divided into Oriental and Western.

Amongst those which, on account of their hardness, are called
" Oriental," the most hard is merely a light-blue corundum with a
slight tint of green and yellow. It is easily known by its specific
gravity, which is always above four. This gem is very scarce, and
it would have all the value of other corundums but for the colour,
which is common to a great number of other stones possessing little
value. The others are found in the island Ceylon, and from it they
take their name. They are of a deeper greenish-blue colour, which
renders them somewhat different from the Western stones. Their
specific weight varies from 3-549 to 3-908, and it is thought that
their hardness nearly equals that of the Brazilian chrysolite. They
resist the wheel more than the others, and their brightness exceeds
that of the Western gems. These are very transparent, and take a
beautiful polish notwithstanding their inferior hardness, which is
less than that of the topaz. The specific weight is from 2-70 to
2-77. They possess double refraction, but in a weak degree. The
cleavage is brilliant and wavy, sometimes scaly. Their primitive
form is an elongated hexagonal prism. They melt when exposed to
fire and lose their colour. They are found in Daouria, in the
Uralian mountains, in Siberia, in the Altai mountains, and in
America. When analyzed they yield —

Siles 08

Alumina
Glucine
Lime . . .
Iron

15
14

2

1

Those from Brazil are at present most prized because they are
most beautiful.

The aquamarina of Saxony is a variety of quartz very little valued,
and in that country it takes its name from the different stones whose
colour it resembles ; thus, the blueish is called aquamarina ; the
yellow, topaz ; and the olive, chrysolite. Great crystallizations of
Western aquauiarinas are found. That which was exhibited in
London in the year 1855 was very beautiful. Caire possessed one
which weighed 540 carats.

Fine and beautiful aquamarinas are worth from four to five
hundred lire* the ounce ; those which are beautiful, but small, are
valued at but twer.ty-five.

The ancients used the aquamarina in its natural state, and also
engraved, and they tell us of several celebrated intagli on that
stone. They knew it under the generic name of aquamarina, and
perhaps they often confused it with the beryllus, of which Pliny
says, " It has the same nature as the emerald, and is of a green
colour."

Agate.
So called from the Latin name, Achates ('Axcittjs), of the
Sicilian river now called Drillo, on whose shores this substance
is found. This term generally indicates a great variety of semi-
transparent quartzes. Agates are found in almost every part of the
earth. Some are found in the East, some in the West, and the
difference of their constituent parts makes the specific weight vary
from 2-5891 to 2-6901.

The agate, properly so called, like that of Sicily, is naturally
translucent ; less transparent than crystalline quartz, but yet less
opaque than jasper : it is too hard to be scratched even by rock-
crystal ; it takes a very good polish ; it is never found in regular
forms, but always either ini nodules, in stalactites, or in irregular
masses. Nevertheless, the agate called chalcedony frequently
crystallizes in rhomboids. The Sicilian agate is often of a pale or
grey colour, veined in a variety of forms ; sometimes it is spread in
reddish-violet spots. The " fasciatella " agate is like a sample of
many agates united in a single piece and disposed in bands close to
each other, like ribbons or belts. The bands are sometimes in right
lines ; others are curved, and then of a circular form arranged round
a common centre.

Eye agates consist of those parts of the stone in which the
cutting discovers circular bands of very small diameter, arranged
with regularity round one circular spot. These circles are
frequently so perfect that they appear to be traced by the compass,
and consist of two or three, seldom of a greater number. The

first round is white ; the second, black, green, red, blue or yellow ;
the most rare are those whose circles are at equal distance from the
centre.

The tree, or dendrifica, agate (from the Greek SevSpov, a tree)
is that in which the material being formed in successive strata, it
has allowed access between the strata to metallic solutions, which,
under the pressure of the air and by the solidification of crystals,
remain there in a metallic state after evaporation. It is called tree
agate when the enclosed pieces represent trees, and muscosa when
the pattern resembles flies : very seldom are these two phenomena
represented together on one piece. Agates are found containing
impressions of different plants, and of what appear groups of herbs,
bushes of box-tree, and ramifications of various sorts. The tree
agate of the East is superior to that of Europe ; the beautiful
polish which it takes, and its natural brightness, contrast in a
marvellous manner with the dark-coloured ramifications. When
the colour of the plants is red the agates are more valued, because
more rare.

Figured agates are greatly admired for the form of their spots.
Towards the close of the last century they were much in demand
and brought a high price, whence they were eagerly sought for, and
perhaps deservedly, on account of their singularity ; for they were
discovered with such combinations of design as would appear
impossible without a hand and mind to have executed them
purposely. In fact, the figures formed by metallic oxides inside
the agate do not exist in a natural state exactly as they appear
when the stone is cut. The skilful artist often finds it necessary to
cut away some lines, marks, or spots which would otherwise deprive
the design of regularity ; whence it may be said that, in this respect,
the lapidary resembles to a small extent the sculptor who carves the
statue from the block, cutting away the superfluous parts. No little
study and cleverness are requisite in deciding on the best treatment
of the spots existing in the interior of the stone, and in executing
the intagli so that they produce the best effect. Camello Leonardo
da Pesaro states that he has seen a figured agate in which were
distinctly represented seven trees on one even ground. Boece do
Boot declares that he possessed one in which a mitred bishop was
designed ; on another Roujet saw a Turk ; Caire had one on which
was delineated a cock in an attitude of defiance.

Crystallized agates are those whose mass is divided by numerous
fissures into divisions, which are either square, triangular, or
radiating. They are vitrified, translucent quartz.

The agate xyloidina, so called from the Greek word £6\ov, wood,
is that kind generally designated agatized wood.

The Oriental agate is almost always transparent, and of a vitreous
light ; its material is homogeneous, and resists acids, being harder
than the Western agates. Agates of all sorts have the property of
acquiring stains of every colour by artificial means ; black is given
by boiling the stone in honey, in olive oil, or in water and sugar,
and afterwards in sulphuric acid, which carbonizes the oil and sugar
absorbed by the stone. To give a red colour, protosulphate of iron
is added to the sulphuric acid, by which means the iron remains
oxidized. The blueish colour is obtained by using yellow prussiate of
potassium, together with protoxide of iron. The Oriental, as well
as the Western agate, when much variegated, is used in works of
art. We have beautiful fragments of cups, both smooth and carved,
in this substance which bear comparison with the most classical
remains of the art, wealth, and magnificence of antiquity.

(To be continued.)

'* A lira is about equal to 8%d.

Never Too Late to Learn. — It is a great mistake to suppose
that but little can be accomplished after a man has reached the age
of thirty or forty years. Nine-tenths of clever men have exhibited
more vigour of intellect at fifty years than at any previous period
in their lives.

Franklin was forty before he began in real earnest the study of
natural philosophy.

Sir Henry ISpellman only commenced the study of science when
he was between fifty and sixty years of age.

Alfieri, whose writings wrought a revolution in the dramatic
literature of Italy, was left without a father in his infancy, and
only commenced to study in late years.

John Ogilby, the author of poetical translations of Virgil and
Homer, commenced to study Latin when considerably above forty
years of age.

Boccaccio, one of the most illustrious Italian writers, suffered
nearly half his life to pass without improvement.

Handel was forty-eight years of age before he published any of
his great works.

134

THE WATCHMAKEB, JEWELLEK, AND

[Nov. 5, 1875.

PATENTS.

Notices to Proceed.

928. Thomas William Greaves, of Birmingham, in the county of War-
wick, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improvements
in solitaires."

2019. Thomas Greaves, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Jeweller, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Im-
provements in the construction of solitaires and studs, applicable also
to snap fastenings for boots, gloves, and other dress purposes."

2194. William Brookes, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the county of Middle-
sex, Patent and Registration Agent, has given notice in respect of the
invention of " Improvements in watches, chronometers, and such
time-keepers." — A communication to him from abroad by Frederic
Fitt, of the city of Ottawa, in the county of Carleton, in the province
of Ontario, in the dominion of Canada.

2242. Joseph Norman Harmer, of Whittlesea, and Alfred Stafford
Wright, of Doddington, both in the county of Cambridge, have given
notice in respect of the invention of "Improvements in the manufac-
ture of watch-makers' peg- wood and other similar articles, and in tools
or apparatus employed therein."

2335. Auguste Conod, of Lausaune, Switzerland, now of 8, Southampton
Buildings, London, Watch and Clock Manufacturer, has given notice
in respect of the invention of " Improvements in electric clock appara-
tus, parts of which are applicable to ordinary clocks."

2985. William Eobert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, has given notice in
respect of the invention of " Improvements in watches and similar
timekeepers." — A communication to him from abroad by Albert Henry
Potter, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, watch manu-
facturer.

Patents Sealed.

1865. William Morgan-Brown, of the firm of Brandon & Morgan-Brown,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London,
and 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, for an invention of " Improvements in
photometers." — A communication to him from abroad by Otto Shuette,
Engineer, of 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris.— Dated 21st May, 1875.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

2993. To Albert Williams, of Church Street, Kensington, in the county
of Middlesex, for the invention of '' Improvements in optical instru-
ments to be employed either for amusement or for useful purposes."

3183. To Joseph Pearson, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Pattern Maker, for the invention of " Improvements in fastenings for
solitaires, sleeve links, shirt and other studs, purses, bags, and other
like articles."

3226. To Louis Marie Detenre, of the city of Paris, in the republic of
France, Gentleman, for the invention of " Improvements in the manu-
facture of imitation steel ornaments and jewelry."

3227. To Louis Marie Detenre, of the city of Paris, in the republic of
France, Gentleman, for the invention of "Improvements in the manu-
facture of imitation jewellery set with stones."

3238. To Ephraim Smith, of Carlisle Street, Soho, in the county of Mid-
dlesex, for the invention of " An improved snap or fastener for brace-
lets, necklets, and other ornamental and useful articles."

3576. To Antoine Julien Hypolite Delcarte, of St. Gilles, Brussels, in
the kingdom of Belgium, Merchant, for the invention of " Improve-
ments in telescopes."

3591. To Caleb Lawden Shaw, of Birmingham, in the county of War-
wick, Manufacturing Jeweller, for the invention of " An improvement
or improvements in the construction of lockets."

Patents which have become Void.

Letterb Patent for Inventions which have become Void by reason of the
Non-payment of the additional Stamp Duty of 501., before the Expira-
tion of the Third Year from the date of such Patents, pursuant to the
Act of the 16 Vict., c. 5, sec. 2.

2870. Benjamin Haas, Watch and Clock Maker, of 104, Boulevart Sebas-
topol, Paris, France, for an invention of " Improvements in watches,
showing the date of the month, and days of the week." — Dated 30th
September, 1872.

2970. Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the firm of Harris and Mills,
of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the county of Middlesex, Patent
Agents, for an invention of " Improvements in electro-magnetic clocks."
— A communication to him from abroad by William Monroe Davis, of
Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, United States of America. — Dated
9th October, 1872.

3129. William Henry Goss, of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the county of Staf-
ford, Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements in manufac-
turing articles of jewellery, dress ornaments, dress fastenings, and other
materials."— Dated 23rd October, 1872.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

France.

106,655. Tedesciii, of Paris, for "A circular pendulum for clocks." —

Dated 1st February, 1875.
106,809. Levavasseur and Laverdure, for " Improvements in jewelry

articles, small bronze and fancy articles." — Dated 15th February,

1875.
106,834. Duterne, of Damery, for "Improvements in the manufacture of

tower-clocks."— Dated 9th March, 1875.
106,868. Gay and Morgan, of Paris, for " Using a substance called rosa-

line, obtained from the rosy parts of shells, in jewellery." — Dated 19th

February, 1875.
106,907. Lehmann, of Paris, for "A chemical product for facilitating

jewelry work, &c." — Dated. 23rd February, 1875.
166,789. Vuillemin, of Crangot, for "Improvements in clock-work." —

Dated 1st March, 1875.

{Certificates of Addition.)

104,056. Mrs. Redier, for " Watches."— Dated 3rd February, 1875.

105,402. Lahmeyeu and Franchette, for "Improvements in the con-
struction of mysterious clocks." — Dated 8th February, 1875.

105,630. Lepaire, for "Manufacturing eye-glasses and opera-glasses." —
Dated 6th February, 1875.

Prussia.

14. M. Petersen, of Altona, for " An escapement for chronometers." —
' 3 years.— Dated 16th August, 1875.
Belgium.

37,934. J. Challender, for an imported invention of " Improvements in
apparatus for illuminating clock-dials, &c." — Dated 27th September,
1875,— (French Patent, 24th September, 1875.)
United States.

6610. James H. Boyd, of Chicago, 111., for " Furnaces for reducing ores
of precious metals." — Patent No. 144,184, dated 4th November, 1873.
— Application filed 8th January, 1875. Brief. — " Ore is pulverized,
fed through hopper nearest the stack into the revolved desulphurizing-
cylinder, passed through connecting-pipe into revolved roasting-
cylinder, and on to the reducing-hearth. Hot air passes through the
desulphurizing-chamber to oxygenize the agitated ore. Fluxes are
introduced by the second funnel to the roasting-chamber. Slag runs
continuously from the surface of metal in the reducing-chamber. Here
metals are stirred in contact with lead. Bullion formed of lead and
precious metals is withdrawn into the overflow-pot, which has a gate
to regulate the height of metals in reducing-chamber. Iron, copper,
&c. are raked off. Suction and condenser may be applied to air-outlet
to save vaporized products. Products of combustion pass through
reducing-chamber and through roasting-cylinder, and around the desul-
phurizing and oxygenating cylinder. Cold air enters at the rear and
bottom of the furnace and passes forward to the grate."

166,990. Augustine Jewett, of Lynn, Mass., for " Collets for balance-
springs of watches." — Application filed 3rd February, 1875. Brief.
— "A collet constructed as described, so that the inner end of the
balance-spring may be attached as near as possible to the centre of the
balance."

167,019. Jas. E. Potter and Alfred J. Richardson, of Providence, R.I.,
for " Jewelers' screw-presses." — Application filed 28th April, 1875.
Brief. — "The nut is made separate, so that it may be replaced when
worn. The lower collar of the rest passes freely over the lower screw-
thread."

167,063. Ansel S. Buckelew, of Colusa, Cal., for " Watch-case springs."
— Application filed 20th June, 1874, Brief. — " A watch-oase spring
that may be readily fitted to different sizes of cases by filing the projec-
tions, said projections being made very thin and slight."

167,089. Frederic Fitt, of Ottawa, Canada, assignor of one-half of his
right to Wm. Fingland and Benj. J. Draper, of the same place, for
"Independent escapements for watches." — Application filed 2nd June,
1875. Brief. — " A removable plate, holding the escapement and regu-
lating devices, is held in position by a single screw, which operates a
stop device for stopping the movement of the remaining parts of the
works when the escapement is removed."

167,174. C. Hopkins, of Waltham, Mass., for "Watch-case tools." —
Application filed 2nd January, 1875. Brief. — " The tool is provided
with cutting and burnishing edges, for fitting watch-cases."

167,192. Granville M. Norwood, of Beverly, Mass., for " Solutions for
cleaning gold, silver, &c." — Application filed 9th July, 1875. Claim. —
" The herein-described solution for cleaning gold, silver, &c., formed of
water, cyanide of potassium, ammonia-water, alcohol, oil of sassafras,
or similar aromatic substance, and precipitated chalk, substantially in
the proportions set forth."

167,327. Jos. Gall, of New York, N.Y., for " Thermometers."— Applica-
tion filed 5th February, 1875. Claim. — " 1, as a new article of
manufacture, a transparent thermometer-case, perforated at its upper
and lower ends, and closed at its upper end by a cap, within which is
fitted a device wherein is received the upper end of an inclosed ther-
mometer-scale, said scale being steadied and held in position thereby,
substantially as described. 2, the combination of a transparent ther-
mometer-case, perforated at its two ends, with a thermometer and
scale, substantially as and for tho purpose described."

Nov. 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

135

167,372. Marshal Wheeler, of Big Eapids, Mich., for " Mainspring
attachments for watches." — Application filed 8th July, 1875. Brief. —
" An attachment for equalizing the force of the mainspring by drawing
its outer end nearer the centre when the watch is wound up, and the
force of the spring is greatest, and returning it toward the circum-
ference as the spring is unwound and its power decreased."

167,407. Ealph S. Mershon, Zanesville, Ohio, for " Watch-regulators." —
Application filed 3rd July, 1873.

167,634. William A. Belcher and David J. Plume, of Ophir city, Utah,
for " Hollow staffs for watches." — Application filed 26th June, 1875.

167,872. E. Bourquin, of La Heutte, Switzerland, for " Escapements for
watches." — Application filed 2-lth July, 1875. Brief. — " An escape-
wheel, formed with two rows of reversely-inclined teeth, acts upon a
single pallet instead of the two commonly used."

167,963. Wji. N. Weeden, of Waterbury, Conn., assignor to Benedict and
Burnham Manufacturing Company, of the same place, for " Clock-
cases." — Application filed 29th July, 1874.

168,065. Jonx J. Thornton, of Cleveland, Ohio, assignor of one-half of
his right to Dan H. Ridgway, of the same place, for " Compound
balance-staffs for watches." — Application filed 18th May, 1875.

168,185. David Rousseau, of New York, N.Y., assignor, by mesne'assign-
ments, to Wm. P. Smith and S. Samuels, of the same place, for
" Eleotric circuit-breaking clockwork." — Application filed 13th August,
1875. Brief. — " The circuit-breaking train of wheels acts only at the
time when, in the course of the revolution of a pin-wheel in the time-
keeping train, the pins hav6 advanced sufficiently to allow the escape
of an arm projecting from a spindle of the circuit-breaking train."

Trade Marks Registered.
2950. Brown & Brothers, of Waterbury, Conn., for "Brass, German-
silver, and silver-plated goods." — Application filed 24th July, 1875.
"A human head and a star."

2979. Schwob, Brothers, & Co., of New York, N.Y., for " Watches."—
Application filed 8th July, 1875. " Congress Watch, New York."

2980. Louis Strasburger & Co., of New York, N.Y., for "Watches."—
Application filed 11th August, 1875.

CLOCK AND WATCH MAKERS' ASYLUM.

AVERY interesting ceremony in connection with the above
institution, was enacted on the 23rd ulto., the day appointed
to commemorate the completion of the building.

A large company of ladies as well as gentlemen, invited by the
committee to witness the proceedings, assembled at the Railway
Tavern, Colney Hatch, shortly after two o'clock, and proceeded to
the asylum, where a space had been hastily roofed in close to the
Memorial Houses. Here, after a sh ort prayer had been offered,
Mr. D. Clarke, the chairman of committee, called upon Mr. S. A.
Brooks, as the originator of the proposal, to unveil the memorial
stone of the " Workmen's Memorial House." After the ceremony
had been concluded, the committee and visitors — in all about 90 — sat
down to lunch or dinner at the Railway Tavern, Mr. Clarke pre-
siding. The toast of " The Asylum " was responded to by Mr.
Thompson, who remarked that the watchmakers in 1814 established
the first benevolent society in England ; and watchmakers had also
been the first to build an Asylum from the shilling subscriptions of
its working members, an example he commended to other trades.
The toast of " The Workmen's Memorial House Committee" was
coupled with the name of Mr. Brooks, its chairman, through whose
rare enthusiasm and indomitable perseverance the arduous task of
obtaining the subscriptions was mainly accomplished. Mr. Brooks
referred to the success of the undertaking ; but declined to arrogate
the whole of the praise to himself ; and desired specially to share
what honour there might be with Mr. Baxter, of the firm of Grim-
shaw and Baxter, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Ward, Mr. Birchall, and the
Hon. Sees, of the Committee — Mr. Hartshorn and Mr. Spring.
The health of Mr. Clarke, the chairman, was proposed in particu-
larly eulogistic terms. — Horological Journal.

Watch and Clockjiakers' Pension Society*. — The half-yearly
general meeting of the subscribers to this society was held at the
Shakespere's Head Tavern, Mr. Glasgow presiding. The chief
business of interest was the election of a male annuitant. Out of
three candidates, Martin Wilkes, watch finisher, was elected by a
large majority. This excellent society is in a flourishing condition,
and fully merits the support of the trade in general.

Trade Report. — In Birmingham, the jewellery trade is showing-
indications of considerable improvement, chiefly in orders from the
London market. The electro-plate trade is likewise busy.

In Sheffield, orders for plated goods are also coming to hand, and
trade in that branch is improving.

CLOCKS, WATCHES, & BELLS.

Just Published,
A RUDIMENTARY TREATISE on CLOCKS, WATCHES, and

BELLS. By Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart, (late E. B. Denison), LL.D.,

Q.C., F.R.A.S. Sixth edition, revised and enlarged, with numerous

Illustrations. 12mo, cloth boards, 5s. 6d. Postage 4d.

"As a popular, and, at the same time, practical treatise on clocks and bells, it is
unapproached." — English Mechanic.

" The best work on the subject probably extant So far as we know it has

no competitor worthy of the name."— Engineering.

"The only modern treatise on clock-making." — HOROLOGICAL Journal.

"There is probably no book in the English language on a technical subject so easy to
read, and to read through, as the treatise on clocks, watches, and bells, written by the
eminent Parliamentary Counsel, Mr. E. B. Denison — now Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart." —
Architect

"A mass of reliable information which cannot be obtained elsewhere."— The Jew-
eller and Metalworker.

London : Lockwood & Co., 7, Stationers' Hall Court, E.C.

JUST PUBLISHED.

NECHIEXTI Sd Z A. M! IBRD'S

ENCYCLOP/EDIC CATALOGUE

Of Mathematical, Philosophical, Optical, Photographic, and

STANDARD METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS,

Containing numerous Comparative Tables of Reference, and Illustrated by upwards of

ELEVEN HUNDRED E N G E A V I N G 8.

Eoyal 8vo, Cloth, gilt lettered— Price 5s. 6d.

35TEGEETTI & ZJ±.l&ttTi,J±.,

Opticians and Meteorological Instrument Makers

To Her Majesty the Queen, and H.E.H. the Prince of Wales.

HOLBORN VIADUCT, 45, CORNHILL, and 122, REGENT STREET.

LONDON
AGENCY

RIVER STREET,

MYDDELTON SQUARE,

CLERIiEN'

W. H. BAYFIELD,

<&kttw d&tfc m& Jlite f) later,

WATCH DIAL, AND

GENERAL METAL WORKER,

51, GREAT SUTTON STREET,

CLEE1ENWELL, LONDON, E.G.

Oxidizing, Parcel Gilding, Ormolu, Silversmiths' and Jewellers'
Work, done for the Trade.

OLD ZINC CLOCKS GILT AS IN PARIS.

136

THE WATCHMAKEB, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1875.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firm,
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for tivelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street, Fins-
bury, E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometerB and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MTJBRAT & CALLIEU, 22, St. John's Square. E.C

NEGRETTI <fc ZAMBEA, Holhorn Viaduct, E.O. : Char-
terhouse Street, E.C.; 45, Cornhill, E.C.; 122, Begent
Street, W.

WEBSTER, J., 88, St. John Street Road, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 320, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire

Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.
PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,

Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER <fc STRAUB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMERER, KUSS, FBITSCHLER, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Rue Be'ran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Rochdale Town Halls, Boston. St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established
1S44.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BROTHERS, 34, Elv Place, Holborn, London, E.C.
MAECDS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn

Viaduct, London, E.C.
RUTHERFORD, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Row, E.C, and

33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MORDAN (SAMPSON) & CO., 41, City Road, and 72,

Cheapside. London, E.C.
TANN, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, E.C; Reliance Works,

1, Hope Sireet, Hackney Road, London, E.C -

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, G6, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

HUTTON & CO.. 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.C

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEORGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon.

don, W.C.
SUNDELL (KRISCHER) & CO, 48, Brushfleld Street, E.;

and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBERG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C
JONES, A. EDWAED, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. R), 64, Hatton Garden, London, E.C
WILLIAMSON, HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &':, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E 0.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DREW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-eases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Room, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C Large stock on
view.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-
mates free.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWARDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Road, London, E.C.

JEFFBEYS, CHARLES, Jewellery Ca6e, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden. E.C

SAGE, FREDERICK. Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock »nd
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also.
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hattoa
Garden, London, E.C

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Placif, E.C; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Ru« Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDERS.

SAGE, FREDERIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildiags
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Road, W.C.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURER.

N. LAWRENCE, 5, Dyer's Buildings, opposite Furnival's
Inn, Holborn, London, E.C; Manulactory, Haveloek
Works, Walker Street, Sheffield.

WATCH BALANCE MAKERS.

COLLIS, S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London
E.C

WATCH CAP MAKERS.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street. Clerkenwall
London, E.C

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 48, Rahere Street, Goswell Road Lon
don, E.C

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Road, London, E.C

STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKERS.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Rydon Crescent, St. John
Street Road, London, E.C

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers. 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liver-
pool.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 200, Goswell Road
London, E.C

SAGGEESON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c., Prescot, Lancashire

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C

THOMPSON .EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C

J. >V. KXING^

JEWELLERY & MATERIAL WAREHOUSE,

15, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE, CLERKENWELL, LONDON, E.C,

Oldest and Cheapest House for all kinds of Materials, Stones,
Pastes, Brooch and Locket Glasses, Mats, Swivels, &c, &c.

K1WJ& " JEWELLERY PI10T0GRAPI1S" No. 5, containing Ten Patterns of Bright Gold
Crosses, now Ready, price Sixpence.

TO JOURNEYMEN WATCH JOBBERS.

WANTED, at once, a thorough Competent Hand. Apply in own
writing, stating age, qualifications, salary required, &e., to Alfred
Carver, Watchmaker and Jeweller, Falmouth.

J. WEBSTER,

BAROMETER, THERMOMETER, HYDROMETER, AND
SACCHAROMETER MANUFACTURER,

Wholesale and for Exportation,

89, ST. JOHN STREET ROAD, CLERKENWELL, LONDON, E.C.

Register Thermometers of all descriptions. Daniel's, Mason's & Lesiie's Hygrometers,
Improved Sympiesometers, &e.

TO JEWELLERS AND SILVERSMITHS.

Advertiser desires an engagement as Salesman or Assistant.
Thoroughly experienced. Could manage a Business if required.
Good references. Address —

H. J., Office of this Journal.

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Entered at Stationers' Hull. —Registered for Jransinimon Abroad,

No. 7.— Vol. I.]

DECEMBEE 5, 1875.

L per Annum. J Free,

Horology— VII. Dialling

Precious Stones

Westminster Clock ..,

Eoyal Astronomical Society

Presentation of the Freedom of the City of

London to the Astronomer Eoyal

Ancient Measures

Boyal Microscopical Society

CONTENTS.

PAGE I

145 j The Queen's Necklace

146 | Watch and Clock Makers' asylum

147 A Treatise on Pitching*

14S ; Veneered Diamonds Again

Finger Eings

149 Bells for St. Paul's

149 Watchman! What of toe Night...
149 Show Case Making

PAGE

... 150

... 150

... 151

... 15l

. 152

.. 153

... 154

.. 154

Coventry jEnterprize— Erection of a New

Watch Factory 155

The Supposed Unlawful Possession of Jewel-
lery 155

Novelties in Clock Cases 15G

Patents 156

Trade Directory 158

Advertisements..,

157—168

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

VII.— -Dialling.

IN our last month's article we opened tlie subject of sun-dials and
in this one we propose to continue it. Having mentioned what
an equinoctial dial would do, we will now go into further particulars,
and show how to make one, and " work it."

Those who have practised dialling say that the equinoctial one
is the " finest, easiest, and most natural of all dials," but, to make
it fully effective, the necessity of drawing it double, as mentioned in
our last, has a deterrent effect upon its use ; still, as its construc-
tion explains the reasons for the other kinds, and as it enforces an
excellent practice in drawing dials, we will here lay down the
method.

And first of an upper equinoctial. Describe, from a centre C,
a circle A B D E, and by two diameters, A D and B E, intersecting
each other at right angles, divide it into quadrants A B, B D, D E,
and E A. Subdivide each quadrant into six equal parts, by the
right lines Cj, C.„ C,, &c, which lines, as may have been surmised,
will be hour lines. .Through the centre C drive a " style," or pin,
perpendicular to the plane A B D E. Having now marked off the
dial, let it be raised so as to be in the plane of the equator, the
line CI2 in the plane of the meridian, and the point A looking
towards the south ; the shadow of the style will show the hours both
of the forenoon and the afternoon. To explain a little further. It
will be evident, upon consulting the drawing which the reader will

have made, that the hour circles include so many arcs of the equator
of fifteen degrees each, which, again, may be subdivided into four
minutes for each degree. From this it follows that, the plane
A B D E being supposed to be in the plane of the equator, the
horary circle will also include arcs of fifteen degrees of the circle
A B D E. Therefore, since the angles 12 Cu, 11 Cl0, 10 C9, &c,
are each here supposed to be fifteen degrees, the lines 0,2, Cj,, C10,
C9, &c, are intersections of the hour circles with the plane of the
equinoctial. Furthermore, since the angle, or obliquity of the style,
represents scientifically a line that is supposed to pass through the
axis of the earth, its distance from the centre of the earth being
inconsiderable, and it being the common diameter of these hour
circles, the style's shadow will cover the hour-line C12 when the
sun is on the meridian, or the 12 o'clock circle; Cn, when in the
circle at 11 o'clock ; C10, when in the circle of 10 o'clock, &c.
This is the upper equinoctial dial, and some of our readers might
find less profitable amusement during some of these long winter
evenings than in constructing one.

To describe the construction of a lower equinoctial dial, the
reader has merely to follow the above directions, with the exception
that no hour line is to be drawn beyond that of six o'clock.

We will now proceed to state in what way a universal equinoc-
tial dial is made, and as its construction is an index of the true
scientific mind, apart from the importance of the thing itself, we
bespeak attention to what follows.

Take a plane (or plate; of metal, ivory, or slate, and construct
upon it an upper equinoctial dial, as already directed; and upon a
plate of similar dimensions put a lower equinoctial dial. In the
centre of the lower circle cut a small sunk basin, and in it place a
magnetic needle. In the centre of the upper circle plate fix the

14G

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Dec. 5, 1875.

shadow pin, and from the corner of the lower one let a nicely
graduated quadrant sweep up. Now, take these two plates, and
join them at their edges so that, when the upper one is raised from
the Bat upon its hinges, the sun's shadow line shall cross both the
upper and lower hour circles ; at the same time let the loose end of
the quadrant pass through a corresponding slit at the corner of the
upper plate. By means of the compass-needle — if it is one ad-
justed in a case, so much the better — this compound dial may be so
placed, that the 12 hour line shall be in the meridian of where the
observer stands ; again, by the aid of the quadrant, the whole con-
struction may be so raised, that it will serve as a dial in any part
of the world. This is known as the " Universal dial."

The next kind of dial is the horizontal, which, as will be surmised,
is struck on a horizontal plane, that is, a plane parallel to the
horizon. The principle of this dial is that, since the sun may
illumine the horizontal plane whenever he shines, at all times
throughout the year, when above the horizon, the hours can be
shown in the same way. The horizontal dial is, perhaps, on this
account more frequently made than any other ; it is what we
so often see erected upon a pillar, standing in the lawn in front of
a gentleman's house. This is the method of constructing one.

Having laid down the plate, take and draw a meridional for the
twelve o'clock hour line. From any point taken at random, erect a
perpendicular, so that the angle from the upper point of the
meridional shall be equal to the elevation of the north polar axis.
From the extreme point of the perpendicular make another angle,
also equal to the elevation of the pole, falling back upon the
meridional line. Across the circle draw a right line, and from the
centre through the divisions of the quadrant draw the hour lines
and divisions, and when that is done enclose the work by a square,
a circle, or an oval figure. Bear in mind that the style is always
placed parallel to the earth's axis, and that the hour lines are the
intersections with the plane of the dial of other planes, passing
through the style inclined to one another at an angle of fifteen
degrees, or one hour in time, successively.

In large dials where the extensive dimensions of the circle will
admit of it, much greater accuracy can be obtained than in the
ordinary way ; but then the method is more scientific, and can only
be carried out by those who are accustomed to intricate calculations.
In those cases the geometrical lines are mostly set aside, and in their
place the lines are determined by trigonometrical computation. This
computation was very laborious until the year 1707, when M.
Clapies, in the Memoires de V Academie Roijale des Sciences, gave to the
world a new, easy, and comparatively expeditious method. For a
horizontal dial, the elevation of the pole of the place being given, the
question was to find the angles which the hour-lines make with the
meridian in the centre of the dial. He laid it down as a canon that :
as the whole sine is to the sine of the elevation of the pole of the
place, so is the tangent of the sun's distance from the meridian for
the hour required, to the tangent of the angle required. We have
to express our regret that, on account of pressure both upon time
and space, we are unable to furnish diagrams to illustrate the
reasoning that governs all these arrangements ; we will, however,
try if we can demonstrate one or two of the leading constructions
before we have done with the subject. We may here mention, by
the way that, since the perfection to which clock mechanism has
attained the necessity for the use of sun-dials has declined, still,
the working out of the rules and the method of constructing are very
instructive and interesting. Every intelligent mechanic has at least
a window-sill. His first business is to ascertain how near the south
his window faces. Assuming that to be all right, we cannot imagine
a cheaper pleasure, either for himself and family than to work out
the necessary lines, and make a sun dial. A bit of a school slate, a
rule, a pair of compasses, a word or two about the meridian of the
place and — (here it is.

{To he continued.')

PRECIOUS STONES.

[Continued from page 133.)

A single bitter word may disquiet an entire family for a whole
day. One surly glance casts a gloom over a household; while a
smile, like a gleam of sunshine, may light up the darkest and
weariest hours. Like unexpected flowers which spring up along our
path, full of freshness, fragrance, and beauty, so do kind words^and
gentle acts, and sweet dispositions make glad the home where peace
and blessings dwell. No matter how humble the abode, if it be thus
garnished with grace, and sweetened with kindness and smiles, the
heart will turn longingly toward it from all the tumults of the
world ; and a home, if it be ever so humble, will be the dearest spot
beneath the circuit of the sun.

The Amethyst.

THE amethyst, like all gems, is both Oriental and Western.
The Oriental amethyst is a clear corundum of a violet colour,
somewhat reddish, and of an elegant, velvet-like appearance, very
bright, perhaps less hard than the ruby ; specific gravity four, of
weak double refraction, and it cuts deeply into the rock crystal.
The Western amethyst can be distinguished from it by the fact
that, when rubbed, it preserves vitreous electricity but twenty or
thirty minutes, whereas the Oriental preserves it many hours.

The Western amethyst is a clear quartz, coloured violet by the
oxide of manganese which it contains, of the specific gravity of 2-7 ;
it crystallizes in the form of a hexagon, terminated at the heads by a
species of cone with six facets. These crystals are often in masses,
and the base is always less coloured than the top. The colour is
more or less dark, and does not resist fire. This gem possesses
double refraction, but in a moderate degree. It is motionless under
the magnetic needle.

It may be remarked that amethysts are generally found in metal-
liferous mountains, and are always in combination with quartz and
agate. This substance is found in Ceylon, Siberia, Kamtschatka,
Arabia, Brazil, Prussia, Hungary, Spain, France, and Italy. The
Carthaginian Spanish amethysts are of a very beautiful purple- violet
colour, very similar to that of the Oriental, to which, however, they
cannot compare in hardness. The Brazils supply some very valuable,
which, when cut, are worth from 1000 to 3000 lire the kilogramme.
There are immense lines of them at one hundred leagues from Bahia,
but the difficulty of extraction and of transport has rendered them
useless hitherto.

Unpolished amethysts, in their ordinary condition, are very much
prized, and it is easy to know what country they come from, because
those from Siberia often have the points of the crystals mixed with
chalcedony ; those from the Brazils are fragments coming from con-
siderable masses, partly fibrous and partly crystallized ; those from
Hungary are under the form of crystals joined together in a strange
manner, whilst the largest are surrounded by many others much
smaller ; as to those from Mexico, they have the points of the
crystals perfectly white.

There remains a great number of antique engraved amethysts,
and Pliny gives as a reason for this that they are very easily cut
(sculpturis faciles). The Western stones were preferred, but were
generally of a pale colour and rather inferior quality, and King
asserts that an engraving on a dark stone may be suspected of being
modern. Scarabsei, both Egyptian and Etruscan, in amethyst,
are rare. Roman intagli in this stone, however abundant, are
seldom of good execution.

In all ages amethysts were used as feminine ornaments. With
regard to their colour, Pliny says, " Adricinium crystalli descendent
albicante purpura? defectu.'"

The Romans gave the name of amethyst to many different sub-
stances, beginning with violet corundum down to the purple garnet.
Perhaps the name is of more ancient origin, therefore the vain
Greeks interpreted it as from their language, because it was believed
that he who drank from an amethyst cup was secure from the effects
of any poison it might contain.

Amazzonite.

This stone, easily mistaken for green jade on account of its colour,
is nevertheless quite different, as it belongs to the felspars, of which
it possesses all the properties. The amazzonite is absolutely
opaque ; unlike the jade, it takes a very bright polish ; its colour is
a beautiful pear-green, and, fixing the eye on it, the longer it is
looked at the brighter and more beautiful it appears. Its material
is compact, no pores are visible in it ; it is, however, covered with
very minute marks in the form of little straws, which are of a
bghter green. When it is grey-green, the marks are of a greenish-
white; and when the ground is of a darker green the marks or
points are very close to each other, and of a darker shade, although
always to be clearly distinguished on the ground colour.

They are found in both East and West, in Siberia as well as in
America.

There are veins of it on the Russian frontier of Mount Ouralska •
and the miueralogists of that country call it Krim-spath, that is!

Dec. 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

147

green-spar ; which name is more suited to the substance than that
of " stone of the Amazons," or amazzonite, as this name was not the
result of scientific examination, but given because the stone was
found at a short distance from the River Marafion, or Amazon, near
the savage American tribe of Eupinambas.

It was known to the ancients, who procured it from the East ;
but we are not certain by what name they particularized it. Caire
speaks of a beautiful antique vase made entirely of this stone, and
which he saw in Florence.

This gem, which is easily engraved, can be used with fine effect in
every sort of precious ornament.

Amber.

Although amber is not a stone, all writers place it amongst gems,
as well for its value as that it has been used ornamentally by almost
every nation of the earth from the remotest period, and anterior to
every historical record.

Feuchtwanger asserts that the Phoenicians sailed to the Baltic for
the sole purpose of procuring amber there. I am of opinion, with
Italian archaeologists, that the Tyrrhenians, long before the Phoeni-
cians, had explored those seas and drawn from the coasts incredible
quantities of amber, with which they made ornaments of every
kind and domestic utensils. This is proved by the vases, cups,
spindles, and other articles of unknown use, collected by me from
the necropoli of the very ancient Pelasgic cities of Italy.

The Tyrrhenians, and afterwards the Phoenicians, exchanged this
substance with the Greeks, who named it electrum, i)\tKTpov. Homer
says that the Trojan women wore necklaces of amber.

It seems that the electrical phenomena which this material
exhibits were observed by the ancients, since Talete, as a result of
his observations, came to the conclusion that amber was animated.
Philemon and Pliny thought it a fossil ; and the latter person said,
" heat resuscitates amber."

Tacitus, having observed that it often contains insects, believed
that it was a vegetable juice, and from this it derives the Latin
name of succinum, or sap. People used it as an amulet, and it was
administered as a drug. -

Even in our own day many naturalists have considered amber a
mineral ; but Sweigger and Brewster finally proved that it is a
resinous gum ; that is, the fossil juice of a now extinct tree of the
primeval period, called the amber tree.

This substance is found iu round nodules, which vary from the
size of a grape stone to that of a man's head, and sometimes several
of them are grouped together.

When broken, one surface appears concave and the other con-
vex ; it is translucent and transparent ; has single refraction, and
resinous light. It is found in different gradations of colour, from
greenish-yellow to reddish-yellow. It oxidizes in the course of
years and darkens into red, but its dust is always of a whitish-
yellow. It scratches chalk, but is scratched by carbonate of lime.

This substance, under the action of the blow-pipe, burns with a
yellow or blueish-green flame, emittingadense smoke having a pleas-
ing smell, and leaving a carbonized residue. Warm oil bends and
makes it pliable, but it does not melt so soon as other gums, as it
requires the heat of 517 degrees Fahrenheit. By distillation it
produces an acid, which from its name is called acido succinico, and
an essential oil named oil of amber, whilst in the retort there
remains a brown deposit known as amber resin, which is used as a
varnish. Insoluble in water, it dissolves in alcohol, as also in a solu-
tion of subcarbonate of potass. Its component parts are carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen, with lime, alumina, and silex ; of a specific
weight varying from 1-080 to 1-085 ; its power of refraction is from
1-365. Mixed with drying oil of linseed and essence of turpentine,
it makes another excellent varnish.

Amber is found thrown from the sea on the shore. It is gathered
in great abundance by the fishermen on the Prussian coasts after
the autumnal tempests of the Baltic.

It is also found in China and America ; in small quantities in
Sicily ; and in Catania a very singular kind, of a blueish colour.
Even in France some is found.

In Prussia, however, there exist numerous caves of amber, which
are explored by practised miners at a depth often of more than 100
feet. The amber of the mines differs from that of the waters
only in being more brittle, and it is often covered with a
thick crust of clay.

Those ambers which contain insects take the name of insectif erous
amber. The yellow amber cut in the form of beads, either smooth
or in facets, is much used, both in the East and West, as a feminine
adornment. In the East it is called Karabe, and used to ornament
pipes, pistols, guns, daggers, and yataghans.
[To be continued.)

THE WESTMINSTER CLOCK.

ON the 9th ult., the members of the Horological Institute to the
number of nearly two hundred assembled in the great clock
chamber, at Westminster, to hear a lecture delivered by Sir Edmund
Beckett, the designer of the clock, upon its history, construction,
and performance. The day was exceedingly dull, and the small
modicum of daylight that found its way into the chamber simply
made " darkness visible." As the lecture was a lengthy one, going
a good deal into particulars, we find upon looking over our notes,
that we can give no more than an abstract of it.

Sir Edmund, after alluding to the darkness of the day, plunged
at once into his subject, assuming that many of his hearers had seen
the picture of the clock in his book [Clocks, Watches, and Bells,
which we reviewed some time ago.]

The necessity for making a clock of that enormous size arose from
the unusual amount of work that it had to do. The dials are
22^- feet in diameter, and there are very few rooms in London upon
the floor of which one of these dials would lie, its area being
400 feet. That is the largest one in the world with a minute.
There is a dial at Mechlin 40 feet in diameter, but it has no minute-
hand, which makes a vast difference in the work that the clock has
to do. In the Westminster clock there were four dials, with minute-
hands 11 feet long, besides three feet of counterpoises. These hands
were exposed to wind and snow, but had only been stopped by
snow once, when many miles of telegraph wire all over the king-
dom had been broken down. He said that, although all the hands
are counterpoised, still, the entire weight to be moved at every beat
of the pendulum was not less than a ton and a half — (he meant all
the moving part of the clock.) To effect this the fall of the weight
is 170 feet, and the weight itself lj- cwt. He next alluded to the
method of deciding upon the escapement, and mentioned the re-
montoire that was put into the Royal Exchange clock in 1845, the
first of its kind ever used in this country. After two or three years'
performance, however, it was found to be knocking itself to pieces,
and so old Mr. Dent tied up the remontoire with a piece of string.
This produced a laugh ; after which Sir Edmund went on to say
that he invented a better escapement that was put into the great
clock that kept time for the Exhibition of 1851. That clock is
now at the Great Northern Railway station, King's-Cross, and is
a minute-pause one, which the lecturer forgot to state. Next to
the Westminster clock, it is accounted the best public clock in
London. It does not strike, and the long hand, instead of moving
at every beat of the pendulum, only jumps at the last beat of the
minute. Considerable amusement is often caused by persons com-
paring their watches, and not seeing the minute hand move in the
orthodox fashion, jerk the "chrono " into their pockets, and turn
away in disgust.

Sir Edmund then referred to his likeness, to his book in con-
nection with the three-legged escapement, the 'scape-wheel of
which in the first escapement of the Westminster clock has only
an inch in diameter, and a sixth of an ounce in weight, being-
driven by a watch-spring wound up every half-minute, so that that
great pendulum was driven by a less weight than many a small
church clock. He next gave a description of the double three-
legged gravity escapement, the hanging arms, or pallets, and the
easy way in which they are always lifted by the clock. He
spoke of the opposition it met with at first, but said that now all
the best public clocks in the country were made with it. From ex-
periment he had found that the force required to keep the pendu-
lum swinging properly was equal to rather less than an ounce
falling an inch at every beat. The next point was the awkward way
in which the clock had to be placed in the tower on account
of the want of arrangement for it, and in passing he alluded
to the oblique "leading off" rod, saving a deal of trouble and
expense caused by the former plan of a straight one. Each
pair of hands with their counterpoises and wheels weighed over
6 cwt., and the tube rods to them ran on friction-rollers.
The quarter and hour striking was next spoken of, with a
passing reference to an endless crab near the dial's wheel rest,
for the purpose of raising or lowering anything into the
clock room. The weights of the quarter bells are, respectively,
4 tons, 33, 26, and 21 cwt., and the problem of making them strike
agreeably and evenly was what had to be solved. This brought up
the question of "flies," and the common fault in large clocks to
make them too short in the vane. There was no clock in the world
lifting such hammers as those on the bells ; no calculation could be
made beforehand as to what size the flies (should be. That room was
24 ft. by 18 ft., yet there was only just room to get them large enough.
All the striking levers were lifted by cams instead of pins, the cams

148

THE WATCHMAKER JEWELLER, AND

[Dec. 5, 1875.

being made of iron faced with steel, and screwed to a barrel bolted
on to the great wheel. The rope barrel is cast-iron 8ft. long, and the
rope is made of steel wire rather over half an inch thick ; the other
topes are the same. The late Mr. Eulliamy had invented pins half
an inch thick to strike that huge hour-bell ; but had his plan for a
clock been adopted, it would have broken itself to pieces with such
au arrangement in less than a week. In order to equalize the strik-
ing of the quarters, two hammers were put to the fourth bell with
two sets of cams for raising them. All the levers are 19 inches in
lensrth. So much for the quarters.

The hour-striking part had to lift a hammer capable of bringing
out the full tone of a bell of 1U tons weight. The present bell is
partially cracked, and, on that" account, the hammer is only four
ewt. instead of nearly eight cwt., as was originally intended. The
" lift " is 13 inches at every blow. (Here the quarters chimed, and
the clock struck. When the flies had finished their terrible noise,
Sir Edmund said that to do such work as that was no joke ; which
any one hearing them could easily believe).

The lifting of such an hour hammer was no joke either, and to
do it the lifting cams had to be made of the great thickness of
2.V inches, with ten cams in the nine^feet circumference of the wheel.
He called our attention to the absence of jar by the striking, re-
marking that in most great clocks a jar existed such that, in the
fall of a hammer like the one above, would have made itself felt
during the striking, not only through the clock, but, also, the walls
of the tower. There was no noise in the machinery when the
clock struck the hour, whilst a great spring on the hammer tail
acted as a buffer to the blow. Then followed some criticism of his
critics, and he passed on to the winding arrangements.

The striking parts, both quarters and hours, take five hours each
to wind, twice a week ; but the going part goes the full eight days.

Steam-power, water-power, the tide, and even the tread of people
walking over Westminster-bridge were one, and at first, all pro-
posed by several ingenious people, the mention of the last named
method raising hearty laughter. However, it was finally decided
to wind the clock by hand, and by hand it is wound. A provision
for the hours and quarters striking during winding is made, by a
lever dropping in front of the winding handle, just a minute before
the striking time, when the winder pulls the winding gear out of
action, with the greatest ease, and resumes when the striking is over.

With respect to the general rate of going of the clock, which is pub-
lished in the Report to the Visitors of the Royal Observatory yearly,
the following is the rate : — It was under one second of error for
83 per cent, of the days of the year, and only two seconds on 3 per cent,
of the days, or about ten days in the whole year; which uniformity
has been maintained for several years. He then referred to a state-
ment that in consequence of dark nights, no star observations could
be taken at Greenwich for ten days, when the astronomical clocks
were a second and a half wrong ; thereby, showing that the West-
minster clock could compare favourably, even with them.

The clock reports itself to Greenwich twice a day, when the true
time is sent back by " wire," and then the men attending, can easily
correct any error. The compensation is by means of zinc tubes at
the bottom of the pendulum. This pendulum is a two second one,
being 13 feet long, i.e. to " the centre of oscillation," but 15 feet in
all, and weighs nearly 700 lbs. It is carried by a 3-inch wide spring,
t0 thick. Each of the two three-legged escape-wheels is 6 ins.
long, and the fly- vanes are 12 inch by 2 inch. The clock frame is
16 feet long, 6 feet 6 inches wide, and partly on the top of the shaft
walls, and partly on cast-iron plates bedded on the walls, and going
right through a back wall as well.

The hands are set for large alterations, through the hour-wheel,
as in other large clocks, whilst to retard or advance it is merely an
operation of lifting the pallets, or holding the escape wheel so many
beats. It can be sent on a second a day, by putting an ounce weight,
or the 16,000th part of the weight of the pendulum, on the collar at
the middle of the rod ; sperm is the oil that is used. The clock cost
4080/., the architect's dials 5334Z., the balls 6000?., but their frames,
which were designed by Sir Charles Barry, the same architect of the
tower, cost 66001.

These are the material points of the lecture, upon the conclusion
of which Mr. Jackson, one of the Vice-presidents of the Ilorological
Institute, carried the unanimous vote of thanks of those present, to
Sir Edmund Beckett. In his reply he animadverted severely upon
the people of London being so far behind the great towns of the
kingdom inreliable public clock accommodation, and the proceedings
then terminated.

ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

A New JERSEY tobacconist, with commendable frankness, adver-
tises, " I shall continue to keep on hand imported cigars of my own
manufacture."

THE first meeting after the long vacation was held at the Society's
Rooms, Burlington House, on the 12th ult., Professor Adams
(President) in the chair ; Secretaries, Mr. Dunkin and Mr. Ran-
yard.

The President observed that amongst the gifts which had been
presented to the Society since their last meeting in June was a very
important series of solar photographs, taken by the late Canon Sel-
wyn at Ely. They represented a complete sun-spot period of eleven
years. Knowing the interest which the Society would take in these
solar autographs (as he used happily to call them), the Canon had
intended to present them before bis death.

Professor Adams called upon the Astronomer Royal to make a
communication to the Society, and so doing he took occasion to ex-
press his hearty congratulations, as well as those of the Society, to
the new Freeman of the City of London.

Mr. De La Rue desired that ocular demonstration of the honour
that had been conferred on the Astronomer Royal by the City might
be given to the Society. The casket was then brought into the
room and placed upon the table.

The Astronomer Royal, who was received with much cheering,
said that after the recess he thought it would not be improper to
state the general course of work which had been going forward at
the Royal Observatory since they last met. In the first place they
were commencing to prepare a new star catalogue, including the
results of observations for eight years ; and in connection with star
observations he would mention that Mr. Christie, in paying close
attention to these observations, had come to the conclusion that
something had gone wrong with the micrometer screws of the
transit circle. On examination it was found that these screws, which
must have been used at least a hundred thousand times, were be-
ginning to get worn. Happily they had other microscopes to which
they could refer for the purpose of examining the graduation of the
circle, and this defect would soon be remedied, and a correction
allowed for past errors. Beyond the ordinary course of observatory
work, Mr. Christie was engaged in a series of observations of the
satellites of Saturn. These observations had been made possible,
and indeed had been suggested, by the ephemerides which Mr.
Marth had published in the transactions of the Society. And he
wished to impress upon every one, who thought that he had made
out a law, that the step to take was to be observed, and they, the
old class of astronomers at the Observatory, would undertake the
task of following it out. Suggestions had been made as to the pro-
bability of the recurrence of physical changes upon the planet
Jupiter. They had been endeavouring also to note these changes,
but it appeared to him that what especially wanted doing was to
note the spots and clouds on some particular part of the planet's
surface ; and, as we know the rotation period of Jupiter pretty well,
we might compare the appearances on the same part of Jupiter as it
reappeared from revolution to revolution. The next thing to remark
upon was the progress being made at the Royal Observatory in solar
photography. They had now for more than a year taken photo-
graphs with considerable regularity, and in one respect it had been
a very thankless task, for there were fewer spots on the sun now
than he could ever remember. The next subject that had engaged
their attention was stellar spectroscopy. In this they had been fol-
lowing in the footsteps of Mr. Huggins, who had pointed out to
them what might be learnt as to the approach or receding of stars
from or towards us in the line of sight. As to this a goodly number
of observations had been collected, and a paper had been written
upon the subject by Mr. Christie, which would, no doubt, be pub-
lished in the " Notices." He was bound to say that at first the ob-
servations had not agreed very well, but latterly they had grown
more consistent. The difficulties that had to be encountered could
not be conceived by any one unacquainted with the spectroscope
and all its subordinate parts. Oue of the chief obstacles to be over-
come seemed to be the difficulty of getting plane surfaces to the
prisms. On the whole, he might say that the results of the obser-
vations agreed in the main with those of Mr. Huggins. It had been
his (Mr. Huggins's) privilege to start a science, and it was theirs to
revise it. (Applause.) They intended to follow up this matter,
and in time they hoped to produce results which would do honour
to Mr. Huggins's invention. He would warn, however, anyone who
wished to work, either in this direction or upon the protuberances of
the sun, that they would have to face plenty of expense and trouble.
They were also busily at work at the Observatory on the .reduction
of the observations on the transit of Venus. This was a heavy
work, and one that would last a long while. It was not so much
the reduction of the observations of the transit itself, as of the ob-
servations immediately connected with it, such as the correction

Dec. 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

149

of the instruments ; when this was accomplished the rest would
be easy. The Society would be aware that, in a paper which
he presented to them many years ago, he had pointed out
that he would prefer observations of the opposition of Mars
in 1877, to observations of the transit of Venus, for the purpose
of determining the Sun's distance. It would be in the power
of almost any observer provided with a good equatorial, and
more especially of those who happened to be situated near the
equator, to determine the parallax of the sun, probably, better than
it could be determined in any other way. To aid in endeavouring
to carry this out, they had prepared at the Observatory, a chart of
the path of Mars amongst the stars during its opposition in 1877,
and he trusted that the Society would allow this to be published in
their monthly notices. (Applause.)

Mr. De La Rue then gave an account of the preparations that
were making at Paris and Vienna for the promotion of physical as-
tronomy. He said that at Paris a large reflecting telescope, only
half an inch less in diameter than that at Melbourne, was just com-
pleted. It would be mounted within a house that could be wheeled
away. Besides this large instrument, M. Leverrier intended to
take photographic observations with an instrument of large aperture.
He had also been much struck with what had been done at Vienna.
The old observatory was in the middle of the city, bat Dr. Littrow
had succeeded in getting the Austrian Government to found an ob-
servatory really worthy of the empire. It was to be outside the
city, and was to stand upon an area of some fifteen or seventeen
acres. There was to be a central dome of forty-five feet in diameter
which would hold a refractor of twenty-seven inches aperture, by
Mr. Grubb. Besides this there would be other domes and telescopes
devoted to the search for minor planets and comets. A reflector
would be devoted to photography, and altogether steps were being
taken to promote physical astronomy, which he was afraid would
leave England far behind, unless our Government was induced to
follow up by rendering help.

Professor Pritchard was then called upon to read a paper on the
"New Physical Observatory at Oxford." He said that he had in-
tended to give the Society an account of what they were doing, but
after what he had heard of the magnificent preparations that were
being made at the expense of the Austrian Government he felt that
the efforts that were being made by his little University were of far
too insignificant a character to be mentioned. The Professor then
sat down, but on being pressed by the President and the Society, he
said that it must not be supposed that his University, which was
poor, could compete with the resources of a Government like that
of Austria. He was sorry that Mr. De La Rue should have
appeared to lend his countenance to the scheme of a Government
Physical Observatory, which he could only characterise as a
"gigantic job." (Applause and much disturbance.) The learned
Professor was then prevailed on to give an account of the building
and instruments in the new Oxford Observatory, a large photograph
of which was displayed at the meeting. The building has consider-
able architectural pretensions, and consists of two domes, joined by
a corridor, in which is the transit-room, a library, and rooms for
computers. The instruments are already mounted, work has com-
menced, and much interest appears to be taken in it by members of
the University. The Professor called especial attention to the form
of the shutters of the great domes : they were made in three pieces, to
slide up one over the other. Round the top of the dome, but not
interfering with the opening of the shutter, is ornamental ironwork,
which greatly adds to the architectural appearance of the building.
The domes are large enough to contain, one of them, atwelve-and-
a-quarter inch refractor by Grubb, and the other the large instru-
ment of Mr. Ue La Rue.

The Astronomer Royal said that, in respect to the best form of
dome, he had recently received a letter from Professor Winnecke,
stating that he intended at the new observatory at Strasbourg to
follow the form of drum dome which had been adopted at Green-
wich. With regard to architectural features for an observatory,
he felt that in these matters " handsome is that handsome does,"
and he feared that from his experience the shutters that Professor
Pritchard had described would be a never-ending source of trouble
to him.

Lord Lindsay said that his experience was entirely in favour of
the drum domes ; they were less liable to get out of order. He had
taken drum domes to Mauritius, and on any future expedition he
should take drum domes again. Lord Lindsay then read a paper on
the progress of the reduction of his observations of the transit of
Venus. — English Mechanic.

PRESENTATION OP THE FREEDOM OP THE CITY
OP LONDON" TO THE ASTRONOMER ROYAL.

A Milwaukee woman, recently convicted of forgery, applied to a
newspaper for the appointment of penitentiary correspondent.

ON the 4th ult., the freedom of the City of London was
presented to Sir G. B. Airy, Astronomer Royal, at the
Guildhall.

In addressing the Astronomer Royal, Mr. Benjamin Scott, the
City Chamberlain, remarked : — "You, Sir George, have incessantly
devoted yourself to the valuable walks of practical Astronomy.
It was this view of your public services which very naturally
attracted the attention of this Corporation, whose resolution
recognises especially ' your eminent services in the advancement
of practical science, whereby you have so materially benefited the
cause of commerce and civilisation.' By the compilation of nautical
tables of extraordinary accuracy, and by the improvement of
chronometers, placed for comparison under your observation and
correction, our naval and merchant services have been enabled
safely to navigate the ocean, to protect and conduct the co mmerce
of this great nation. When difficulties, apparently insurmountable,
obstructed the development of navigation by iron vessels, your
solution of the magnetic problems submitted to you swept all
difficulty from the path of progress in that direction. When the
national standards of measure and ponderosity were by accident lost
to the nation, you were applied to for the accomplishment of their
restoration with that mathematical exactitude which was indispens-
able, and more recently you undertook the very onerous and respon-
sible task of organising and superintending the expeditions despatched
to remote parts of our globe for the critical observation of the
transit of Venus, with the view of securing the greatest possible
accuracy in the measurements within and beyond our solar system
It needs not that I should assert that from the apparently trifling
task of determining the standard yard to the more dignified and
difficult undertaking of measuring the sun's distance from our earth,
you, Sir George, performed the duties allotted to you to the entire
approbation of the Government and the scientific world. The
solution of the problem of finding a correct measuring line for the
heavenly bodies will not be considered as finally and conclusively
settled until the year 1882 shall have passed. Allow me to express
the hope that, in unbroken health and unclouded intellect, you
may, in your official capacity, be permitted to watch over the com-
pletion of this the noblest and most important problem of practical
astronomy, with which your name will be honourably associated
to the end of time."

Mr. Scott having presented Sir G. B. Airy with a copy of his free-
dom, the Astronomer Royal replied in suitable terms.

ANCIENT MEASUREMENTS.

(From the New York " Jeiveller")

AT a recent meeting of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, a paper
on "Ancient Metrology," by Mr. F. R. Condor, C.E., was
read. In this paper Mr. Condor indicated the confused and con-
tradictory state of our present knowledge of the subject, and pro-
ceeded to establish an absolute metrical base, identifying the barley-
corn, which the Hebrew writers state to be the unit of length
and weight with the long measure barley-corn and with the Troy
grain. The grounds of identification were — (1) actual measure-
ment and weight of full-sized grains of barley at the time of the
harvest; (2) determination of specific gravity according to statements
made in Hebrew literature ; (3) actual dimensions of ancient
Jewish buildings, and actual weight of a Babylonian talent now
in the British Museum, which corresponded to Mr. Condor's
determination of 960,000 Troy grains within one per mille. The
remarkable double division of the Chaldee metrical system, which
is both decimal and duodecimal, was then explained, and shown to
apply to measures of length, area, capacity and weight. The origin
of the Troy ounce, the diamond carat, the Spanish ducat, and other
existing divisions is traced to the early system employed by the
Phoenician traders.

ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.

A MEETING of the above Society took place on the 3rd ult
H. C. Sorby, Esq., F.R.S., president, in the chair. Three new
fellows were elected, and a very interesting paper was read by the
president " On a new method of Measuring Bands in Spectra."

The secretary also read a paper by Dr. J. J. Woodward (U.S.A.)
" On Frustutia Saxonica," and some further observations iipon the
subject were made by Mr. J. H. Slack, and Mr. J. Mayall, jun.

L60

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[Dec. 5, 1875.

THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE.
From " Temple Bar.''
{Continued from page 106.)

ABOUT the year 1781, Madame de Lamotte was first introduced
to the Cardinal, at Saverne by the Countess Boulainvilliers.
The Cardinal received warmly this young woman, interesting by
her age. her figure, her spirit, and especially by the contrast of her
poverty with the greatness of her pedigree, lie felt astounded at the
misery in which the court left the descendants of Henry II., and
promised his influence to support their complaints. Shortly after-
wards. Madame de Lamotte received 2,400 francs from the funds of
the Grand Almonry. Gratitude and her incessant wants often
renewed her visits, and the impression which she made upon the
Cardinal became more and more deep. The pride of the prince
-was flattered — not less than his gallantry at the idea of protecting,
in a woman so agreeable, a lady so illustrious. He entered into her
views, gave her advice, directed her course. He also confided to
her the'bitterness of his position, the unjust prejudices of Marie
Antoinette against him, and his vain attempts to explain his con-
duct. He revealed to her how impatiently he endured the coldness
and disdain of the Queen, of that " woman of proud beauty and of
seductive grace ; " and gave her an insight into his own strong
passions, which were so much the fiercer as they had to be curbed
and restrained.

It was at this period that Madame de Lamotte began to propagate
the report of her relations with the Queen. She told the Cardinal
that Marie Antoinette, having seen her at Madame Elizabeth's, had
read her petition with interest, and promised her her royal favour ;
shortly after this, she added that the Queen had condescended to
receive her, and that she had been privately admitted into her
Majesty's boudoir. The Cardinal, too dissipated to calculate, too
amorous to distrust, too vain to imagine he could be deceived,
listened and believed ; and went so far as to write an elaborate
apology and to intrust it to Madame de Lamotte. Some days after,
the latter brought a reply written on a small sheet of paper em-
broidered with blue vignettes, in which Marie Antoinette is made
to say : "I have read your letter; I am charmed no longer to find
you guilty. I cannot yet grant you the audience you desire ; when
circumstances shall permit, I will advise you. Be discreet." Letters
and answers succeeded one another ; and during the months of May,
June, and July, 1784, a correspondence took place between the
Cardinal and Madame de Lamotte — a correspondence which included
many pretended letters of the Queen.

These little notes, with the blue vignettes, which gradually
became less and less cold and reserved, stirred up all the passions
which fermented in the heart of the Cardinal. However, if they
made him hope everything, no favour had as yet been accorded him.
On the contrary, they pointedly impressed upon him that he must
have patience, and that the time had not yet arrived when he could
publicly, in the eyes of the King and of the court, receive tokens of
his return to grace ; and, indeed, at Versailles the Queen continued
to display towards him the same contemptuous indifference. This
waiting drove him to despair. Unquestionably he never doubted
the authenticity of the correspondence ; but the sentiments which
the letters portrayed in such vivid colours, were they real ? It was
true he could not pass publicly from so deep and long a disgrace
into sudden and marked favour ; but was there not some way to
give him to understand that he was pardoned, and — it must be said,
since he dared to think it himself — that he was loved? Perhaps a
secret interview might not be refused him ? The tone of the letters
encouraged him to ask it. At first his fair correspondent hesitated ;
but at last promised; and the interview took place in the park of
Versailles on the 11th August.

On that day, about ten o'clock in the evening, just when it was
growing dark and the nearest objects could scarcely be distinguished,
a group descended towards the Bosquet de Venus. It consisted of
M. and Madame de Lamotte, one Ketaux de Villette, and a Mdlle.
d'OIiva ; Madame de Lamotte in a black domino, and Mdlle. d'Oliva
in a shawl thrown over her head. Villette and Lamotte lagged
behind. Madame de Lamotte went away for a moment, whilst
Oliva remained in the shade alarmed and embarrassed. Soon after,
conducted by Madame de Lamotte, the Cardinal Prince de Bohan
appeared, disguised, and followed by a confidential friend, the
Baron de Planta. The prince bowed as Oliva presented him With
a rose, saying : " You know what that means." The Cardinal
took the rose and was about to reply, when a footstep was heard
approaching ; and Madame de Lamotte, who had gone away for a
moment, ran up to them, and in a low and hurried voice said :

" Make haste, make haste away ! " Villette, rushing up to the side
of Mdlle. d'Oliva, whispered, " Madame Elizabeth and Madame le
Comtesse d'Artois are coming."

Two hours after, at the Belle-Image inn, the actors in this scene,
so lightly played, were supping gaily at the expense of the unfortunate
Cardinal.

This interview was decisive for him ; he wished to see, and he
had seen. Henceforth no more doubts, no more suspicions, no more
arriere pensees. From this time he reflected not, neither did he
open his eyes ; his good sense, his clear-sightedness, his coolness,
abandoned him altogether. The dreams of his diseased imagination
took a bodily existence and enveloped him as in a cloud. He fell
under the dominion of a thought which ruled him pitilessly ; he
became the blind instrument of a woman who led him captive by
every passion of his heart. Henceforth, urged by an irresistible
force, he marched onward without looking around him, without
seeing or hearing, his eyes incessantly fixed upon that exquisite
" image of the Queen presenting him with a rose." He marched
onward to his ruin, calm and confident.

August had not passed when Madame de Lamotte demanded
60,000 francs "for a poor and respectable family, in which," she
said, "the Queen was interested." The Cardinal immediately
borrowed the sum and sent it to Madame de Lamotte by the
faithful Planta. In November a new demand was made for a
loan of 100,000 francs, in the name of the Queen. This fresh sum
was raised in the name of the Cardinal by the baron, who was even
authorized to sell some property if additional aid were required.

Madame de Lamotte thus passed suddenly from poverty to opu-
lence. To regulate this transition, however, she went to Bar-sur-
Aube, and sojourned there some time. Still she was impatient to
display her good fortune and to humiliate by her luxury those who
had witnessed her wretched childhood and her absurd marriage.
It was not without admiration, then, that the people of the little
town saw arrive, " first a heavy-laden fourgon, drawn by a fine team
and followed by two led-horses of great value ; then, preceded by
two couriers, M. and Madame de Lamotte in an elegant berlin."
Everything was on the same scale of extravagance ; Madame de
Lamotte wore embroidered silk dresses, and glittered with jewelry ;
she purchased a house, went so far even as to pay her debts, and
liberally distributed alms. Such was the use made of the 160,000
francs ; but this was only the prelude : it is time to come to the
imperial fraud of the necklace.

{To he continued.)

WATCH AND CLOCK MAKERS' ASYLUM.

rTMIE annual festival of the' above named Institution was held at
the Agricultural Hall, on the 23rd ult. About 150 sub-
scribers and friends sat down to dinner, presided over by Mr. D.
Clarke, chairman of the Committee.

In giving the toast of " Prosperity to the Asylum," the chairman
traced its progress from the foundation of the Asylum eighteen years
since, and appealed for its support.

A high tribute was paid to the chairman, in the remarks of Mr. S.
Jackson, who, in very eloquent terms, proposed Mr. Clarke's health.
In the course of his reply, Mr. Clarke called attention to the desire
for a fund to endow the Workmen's Memorial Home, and said that
he would be pleased to receive subscriptions towards it, at 173,
Goswell Road.

We hope that all interested therein will respond to such a de-
serving appeal.

In order to secure perfectly regular motion in the clock-work
applied to revolving lights in lighthouses, Dr. Hopkinson, the
scientific adviser of the glassworks of Messrs. Chance & Co., near
Birmingham, states that he has introduced a simple centrifugal
governor. The governor balls have to lift a heavy weight, which is
in the form of a fly-wheel, and the circumference of which, on
being raised slightly, presses against certain fixed pads, the friction
of which soon diminishes the velocity of rotation of the fly-wheel
and the governors sufficiently to allow these latter to fall back to
their original position. He calculates that work to the extent of
500 pounds per minute must be done on the governor in order to
accelerate the clock one second per hour. This form of governor
possesses the advantage that it checks any acceleration of the clock
more promptly than when friction rubbers are carried by the gover-
nor balls ; and it is also easy to adjust." — New York Jeweller.

Dec. 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

151

A TREATISE ON PITCHINGS.

(Continued from page 100.)

-B

Fig. g.

XXII. We come now to another case, which is much more
complicated, but which is also more serviceable in the use, and
ought to be nearly always employed, on account of the facility
which it gives in the practice. We suppose that the leaf of the
pinion C D is a rectilineal plane which passes through the centre C
of the pinion, represented by the line C D (Fig. 6), it is required
to determine the tooth
HDO, which ought to
drive the leaf C P, in
accordance with the laws
of perfect pitching.

Describe a circle C dD M,
Avhose radius shall be half
of that of the primitive
pinion, and suppose this
circle movable around the
point 0, which is its cen-
tre, in such a way that
the circumference of the
primitive wheel M II
draws simultaneously the
circumference of the pin-
ion, which turns on the
point C, and the circum-
ference of the small circle
C d D M, which turns ou the point O, or that the small circle be
drawn by the pinion, which comes to the same thing. When the
wheel has described the arc M II the primitive pinion will have
described the arc M V, which is precisely the same length as M H,
and the small circle will have described the arc M D, which is
likewise equal to the arc M H, since each point of the wheel has
been applied to each corresponding point of the pinion and of the
small circle, and has passed over as much of the one as the other.
In this movement of the small circle around the centre O the point
D of the small circle will describe on the plane of the wheel an
epicycloid HDO, Art. XII., and as it rolls also in the pinion, it
will describe on the surface of the pinion a right line C D ; or the
line M D, drawn from the point of contact M of the two circum-
ferences, is a perpendicular to the epicycloid II D O, Art. XIII.,
the same line M D is perpendicular to C D, for the angle M D C,
being formed in a semicircle, M D d C, is necessarily a right angle ;
thus the line drawn from the point of contact M, of the two
primitive circumferences to the describing point D, or contact of
the leaf and tooth, will be at one and the same time perpendicular
both to the leaf and the tooth, which will satisfy the conditions
required. We have therefore this general proposition, if the leaf of
a pinion be a rectilineal plane, directed towards the centre, the
tooth of the wheel which ought to drive this pinion, taking it only
in the line .of centres, must be au epicycloid generated by the
rotation of a circle, of which the diameter is the half of that of the
pinion, on the exterior circumference of the wheel.

XXIII. We are now in a position to pass to a more general
proposition, and to demonstrate that the pitching will always have
the required conditions. If the leaf and the tooth are generated by
the revolution of the same generating circle, rolling within the
primitive pinion, hi order to describe the leaf, and on the outside of
the wheel, to describe the tooth. We may remark that that
condition has already taken place in Art. XX and XXII. ; for in
the first case, Art. XX., the pinion itself rolled upon the wheel in
order to describe the tooth ; and to describe the leaf, which was
only a point, it could only roll within itself, but in an infinitely small
quantity, that is to say, not at all. In the second case, Art. XXIL,
the same circle rolled within the interior of the pinion in order to
describe a right line, which we supposed the leaf of the pinion to be,
and it also rolled upon the circumference of the wheel in order to
describe there the tooth.

XXIV. Let us take, then, any circle
D M C (Fig. 7) which shall be smaller
than the pinion A M E, and of which
the centre F shall be always fixed on the
line of centres F M ; the pinion, turning
from M towards A, and the wheel from
M towards B, will draw along the gene-
rating circle and the describing point
from M towards D ; then the point D FlG- 7-

will describe an epicycloid A D G on the surface of the pinion,
and another epicycloid B D H on the plane of the wheel, Art. XII. ;

those two epicycloids will always touch each other in a point D, since
the describing point generates both the one and the other at the
same time ; the line M D, drawn from the point of contact M to
the point D, will be always perpendicular to each of them, Art.
XIII. ; since the line M D describes at each instant, exceedingly
minute, an arc of a circle, of which the centre is M, and which wiil
form an extremely small portion of each of the curves ADO,
B D H ; thus, in giving to the leaf of a pinion the curve A D G,
and to the tooth of a wheel the form B D II, we shall have fulfilled
all the conditions of a perfect pitching, which reduce themselves,
Art. XIX., to this, that the line drawn from the point of contact to
the driving point be always perpendicular to the leafand to the tooth.

XXV. As it is advantageous that the
leaf of the pinion should be convex as well
as the tooth, it is necessary that the gene-
rating circle should have a diameter
greater than the radius of the pinion, in
order that the leaf may be convex on the
side of the wheel, as may be seen in Fig.
8, where M B is the wheel, M A the
pinion, M D the circle which described on
the plane of the wheel the tooth B D, and
on the plane of the pinion the leaf A D ;
finally, it will be always more convenient
to make from the leaf A D a right line, as

It may possibly have been remarked, up to the present, that the
wheel having driven the pinion, always beginning at the line of
centres, the pitching has been ever taken in projection on the cir-
cumference of the primitive wheel, which has increased the wheel by
the length of a tooth, and that the primitive pinion has been
diminished by the quantity of the pitching ; the reason being that
the perpendicular drawn from the point of contact M to the leaf and
to the tooth cannot fall without the circumference of the pinion, nor
within the wheel, unless both were concave, which is impossible in
use* (To be continued.)

Fig. s.
have already said.

VENEERED DIAMONDS AGAIN,

WE extract the following from the Scientific American: —
" Sydney Smith once observed that it required a surgical opera-
tion to get a joke into a Scotchman's head. We do not know whether
the anonymous individual who has just sent us a letter signed ' A
Friend ' hails from the land o' cakes ; but we fear such must be
the case, from the merciless hauling over the coals he inflicts upon
us for our innocent remarks on a cheap jewelry swindle. Now the
veneered diamond man himself twists our paragraph into a com-
mendatory testimonial, and publishes it as such in his brazen adver-
tisements

" Seriously, however, for the sake possibly of others who may also
have misunderstood our meaning, we may plainly state that the
wonderful discovery is a miserable deception. Science has never
been able to produce the diamond artificially, though countless
attempts have been made. Professor Silliman, by intense heat, has
made little transparent globules from plumbago which resembled the
genuine stone ; so, also, globules have been obtained from apparently
fused charcoal, but close examination showed them -to contain
iron and carbon, which proved that the charcoal had never been
perfectly fused. Cagniard de Latour pretended to have discovered
the ingredients of the gem ; but the small crystals shown by him
turned out to be peculiar silicates, which polarized light differently
from the diamond. M. Despretz has conducted experiments which
are probably the furthest advanced of any. By voltaic action he
prepared a pure carbon from sugar-candy, which was deposited
in the shape of microscopic crystals in black octohedrons, or colour-
less translucent plates, the whole of which had the hardness of the
powder of the diamond, and which disappeared on combustion
without leaving any perceptible residue. Being, however, only in
powder, it was impossible to isolate and weigh these crystals, or to
determine their index of refraction of angles of polarization, the
two tests which infallibly distinguish the true diamond. It is re-
ported, also, but Ave know of no confirmatory evidence, that a
mixture of chloride of carbon and alcohol, when acted upon by
galvanic currents for six months, is decomposed with a result similar
to the above.

" As regards the ridiculous theory of the humbug we have re-
ferred to, certainly no refutation of it is necessary. We have a
better opinion of the scientific knoAvledge of the readers of the
Sciehtijic American, and of our journal itself as an educator,
than to credit the idea that others, beside those few intensely
matter-of-fact persons Avho have written, Avondering that Ave could
be so humbugged, will be deceived by so palpable a fraud."

152

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Dec. 5, 1875.

FINGER RINGS.

(Continued from page 123.)

WE have already spoken of the ring-hand and the ring-finger,
but have not noted the origin of the custom of placing the
wedding-ring on that finger. It resulted from an inaccurate belief
that a nerve went from thence to the heart. That the ancients
were indiscriminate in the use of their fingers as recipients for rings
we have already shown ; Mr. AVatcrton has placed in his curious
*' Dactyliotheca " the forefinger from a bronze statue of late Roman
workmanship, wearing a large ring upon the second joint. In Ger-
many it is still customary to wear the ring in this fashion, a custom
they evidently borrowed from their Roman subjugators, and have
retained through every century of change since then.

As the luxury of Rome iucreased the wearing of rings increased
also, and the emperors relaxed the law of restraint. Thus Tiberias,
in a.d. 22, gave permission for gold rings to be worn by all persons
whose fathers and grandfathers possessed property to the value of
200,000 sestercise. The emperors Severus 'and Aurelian ultimately
gave the right of wearing gold to all soldiers of the empire, and the
Emperor Justinian at length gave a similar right to all who had
legal claims to Roman citizenship.

Distinction once broken through, and wealth increasing, ring-
wearing became general. Seneca, describing the luxury and osten-
tation of his time, says, " We adorn our fingers with rings, and a
jewel is displayed on every joint." The ridiculous excess to which
the custom was carried may be understood from Martial's descrip-
tion of Charinus, who wore as many as sixty rings on his hands at
one time, and so fond was he of his jewellery that he kept them
upon his fingers when in bed. They were decorated with a vast
variety of subjects, originally cut in the metal of which the ring
was made, whether gold, silver, or brass ; ultimately the devices
were cut upon stones and gems, occasionally representing the tutelar
deity of the wearer. Thus Julius Csesar wore one with Venus
Yictrix upon it, and his partisans did the same. Pompey's ring was
engraved with three trophies, indicating his victories in Europe,
Asia, and Africa. Many used merely fanciful or emblematic
devices, thus Maecenas had a frog upon his ring. Others wore the
portraits of their ancestors or friends. Publius Lentulus had that
of his grandfather. Cornelius Scipio Africanus, younger son of the
great Africanus, wore the portrait of his father ; but, as he was a
degenerate son of an illustrious sire, the people gave expression to
their disgust at his conduct by depriving him of his ring, saying he
was unworthy to wear the portrait of so great a man.

This ring-wearing became one of the troubles of the wealthy, and,
as the Sybarite complained of the folded rose-leaf inconveniencing
his bed, the rich Roman was fatigued with his rings. Hence came
the custom of wearing light or heavy rings, or, as they termed them,

Fia. 19,
summer or winter rings, according to the season. That there really
was some reason in the complaint will be granted by the reader
who looks on Fig. 10, copied from Montfaucon.* It is a thumb-ring

* " Antiquite Expliqii.ee et Representee en Figures."

of unusual magnitude, and of costly material ; it has upon it a bust
in high relief of the Empress Plotina, the consort of Trajan ; she
wears the imperial diadem, which is here composed of precious
stones cut into facets. This bust would of course come outside the
hand, the narrower part of the wreathed ring passing between the
thumb and first finger. The gorgeous inconvenience of the whole
thing is at once apparent. It probably decorated the hand of some
member of the imperial family.

The enormous sums expended by the wealthy on rings may be
best understood by an allusion to the recorded value of two belong-
ing to empresses of Rome. Thus the ring of Faustina, we are told,

Fig. 20.

Fig. 21.

cost 40,000/., and that of Domitia, 60,000/., reckoning the Roman
sestercia at its modern value.

Sometimes the decoration of a ring was not confined to a single
gem, though such rings were comparatively rare. Valerian speaks
of the annulus bigemmis, and Gorleus furnishes us with the speci-
men engraved in Fig. 20. The larger gem has cut upon it a figure
of Mars holding spear and helmet, but wearing only the chlamys ;
the smaller gem is incised with a dove and myrtle branch. Beside
it are placed two examples of the emblematic devices and inscrip-
tions adopted for classic rings when used as memorial gifts. The
first is inscribed, " You have a love pledge ; " the second, " Proteros
(to.) Ugix " between conjoined hands — a type of concord still
familiar to us.

Though the ancients seem scarcely to have thought of decorating
the circlet of the ring, they occasionally varied its form, producing
novelty at the expense of convenience. Fig. 22 is a whimsical ex-
ample ; it may, however, have been principally used as a signet.
The same may be said of Fig. 23, which has a very broad face
set with an incised stone bearing a figure of Hygeia.

Fig. 22

Fig. 23.

The ancients tell us of charmed rings ; such was the ring of
Gyges, which was reported to have rendered him invisible when he
turned the stone inwardly and closed it in his palm. Execetus,
tyrant of the Phocians, carried two rings, which he was accustomed
to strike together, to divine by the sound emitted what he had to
do, or what was to happen to him.

The most curious adaptation of the finger-ring to a double use
was made by the Romans. It was a combination of a ring and a
key, as represented in Figs. 2-4 and 25, from originals engraved by
Montfaucon in his great work on Roman antiquities. He has
published many varieties, for they are very commonly discovered
in all places where the Romans located themselves. Many have

Fig. 24.

Fig. 25.

been found in London, York, Lincoln, and other old cities, as well
as in the neighbourhood of Roman camps. The use of these rings
is apparent ; they opened the small cabinets or boxes in which the
most precious articles were preserved, and they were less likely to

Dec. 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

153

be lost, mislaid, or improperly used by others, when thus worn
night and day on the finger.

It is recorded of the poisoning Pope Alexander VI. (Borgia) that
he caused a somewhat similar key to be used in opening a cabinet ;
but the pope's key was poisoned in the handle, and provided with
a small sharp pin, which gave a slight puncture sufficient to allow
the poison to pass below the skin. When the holy father wished to
rid himself of an objectionable friend, he would request him to
unlock his cabinet ; as the lock turned rather stiffly, a little pres-
sure was necessary on the key-handle, sufficient to give the trifling
wound that ultimately proved mortal. Poisoned rings were known
to the ancients. When Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, was
overcome by Scipio Africanus, it is recorded that he fled to Bithynia
and ended his life by poison, which for that purpose he had re-
served in a ring.

Rings formed of bone, amber, and glass were provided for the
poorer classes, as was the case in ancient Egypt. They were also
used as mortuary rings, and are found on the hands of the dead in
Italian sepulchres. The AVaterton collection supplies us with two
specimens. Fig. 26 is of amber, cut to appear as if set with a stone.
Fig. 27 is of glass, also made as if set with a jewel. The body of

Fro. 26. Fro. 27.

this ring is dark brown with bands of white crossing it ; the jewel
is y. How.

in the later days of the Roman empire the simplicity and purity
in decorative design that the Roman obtained from the Greeks
gave way to the ostentatious love of gaudy decoration taught at

Fro. 28.

Fro. 29.

Byzantium. Jewellery became complicated in design ; enrichment
was considered before elegance. The old simple form of finger-
ring varied much. Fig. 28 is given by Montfaucon. Fig. 29 is in
the Londesborough collection, and was found upon the hand of a
lady's skeleton, buried with a child in a sarcophagus discovered, in
1846, in a field near Amiens, called " Le Camp de Caesar; " on
two of her fingers were rings, one of which was set with ten
round pearls, the other (here engraved) is of gold, in which
is set a red carnelian engraved with a rude representation of
Jupiter riding on the goat Amalthea. The child also wore a ring
with an engraved stone. The whole of the decorations for the
person found in this tomb proclaim themselves late Roman work,
probably of the time of Diocletian.

In 1841 a curious discovery was made, at Lyons, of the jewel-
case of a Roman lady containing a complete trousseau, including

Fro. 30.

Fro. 31.

the rings here engraved. Fig. 30 is of gold ; the hoop is slightly
ovular, and curves upwards to a double leaf supporting three cup-
shaped settings, one still retaining its stone, an African emerald.
Fig. 31 is also remarkable for its general form, and still more so for
its inscription, "VENERIET TVTELE YOTVM," explained by
M. Comarmond as a dedication to Venus and the local Tntela, the
guardian of the navigators of the Rhine ; hence he infers these
jewels to have belonged to the wife of one of these rich traders in
the reign of Severus.

The simplest form of finger-ring worn by the Gaelic ancestors
consisted of a band of metal merely twisted round to embrace the

finger, and open at either end. Fig. 32 shows one of them, found
in excavating at Harnhani Hill, near Salisbury, a locality celebrated
from the earliest recorded time as the true centre of ancient Britain.

Fro. 32.

Fro. 33

The prevailing form of the old Celtic finger-ring is shown in Fig.
33. It is formed of thick twisted wires of fine gold, which fashion
seems to have been in most favour with all the early Celtic tribes.
The south Saxons retained to the last the simple form of wire
rings, which, as we have already shown, originated with the most
ancient peojjle. Fig. 34 represents one of the plainest of these wire
rings, and which was exhumed from a tumulus on Chatham Downs,
near Canterbury, in 1773, by the Rev. Bryan Faussett, who says
the bones were those of a very young person.

Fro. 34.

Fro. 35.

The industry of the same collector furnishes us with Fig. 35, a
specimen of a wire ring so twisted as to resemble a seal ring, or one
set with a stone ; the wire round the finger having been beaten out
flat. It was discovered in the extensive Saxon cemetery on Kingston
Downs, near Canterbury, on the Dover road.

Ireland seems to have boasted of a higher civilization at an earlier
period than the sister kingdoms, her ancient art works being re-
markable for their skilled and tasteful elaboration. The Londes-
borough collection includes two remarkable rings (Figs. 36 and 37)
which were found, with other gold ornaments, near the very re-
markable tumulus known as "New Grange," a few miles from
Drogheda.

Fro 30.

Fig. 37.

They were accidentally discovered, in 1842, by a labouring man,
within a few yards of the entrance to the tumulus, at the depth of
two feet from the surface of the ground, and without any covering
or protection from the earth about them.

Two bracelets of thick twisted gold were found with them.
Another labouring man, hearing of this discovery, carefully searched
the spot whence they were taken, and found a denarius of Geta,
which may aid us in arriving at some conclusion as to the age of
these curious works. The stone in both rings is a cut agate.

(To be continued.)

BELLS FOR ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.

A MEETING was held at the Mansion House, on the 2nd ult., for
the inauguration of a fund for furnishing St. Paul's Cathedral
with a peal of bells for striking the quarter hours. The Lord Mayor
presided, and the Dean of St. Paul's showed that a peal of bells
was particularly required.

In moving that it was desirable that a peal of bells should be
supplied to the Cathedral, Sir Edmund Beckett, Q.C., cited
Bradford, Rochdale, Manchester, Doncaster, Exeter, Worcester, and
other towns, and stated that it was not creditable to LondDii that
St. Paul's Cathedral should be behindhand in this respect. The
resolution was seconded by Mr. Cazenove and carried unanimously.

After some further remarks by Dr. Stabler and other?, a
committee was formed to collect subscriptions.

134

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Dec. 5, 1875.

"WATCHMAN, WHAT OP THE NIGHT ?:

AMONG the recent patents is an ingenious novelty, and valuable
perfection of mechanism, in the shape of Control "Watches,
introduced by Messrs. M. Selig, Junr. & Co., and admirably designed

to indicate punctuality, as well as register its neglect.

Time after time scores of lives have been sacrificed through the
simple neglect of a •watchman, -who, relying on the absence of any
record of his inattention, heedlessly violated the trust reposed in

him, and through his negligence sent many an unsuspecting victim
to his grave. However well organized the arrangements in ware-
houses, factories, mines, prisons, or on board vessels, may be, yet to a
second or third party they furnish no proof that the watch has been
properly observed at the stated periods. As a check against neglect
of such duty, the control watch introduced by
Messrs. Selig & Co. will be found of the greatest
value, as it is calculated to compel the watch-
man to do his duty, and by such means pre-
vent numerous accidents, often attended by most
serious and fatal results. The arrangement of
the watch is shown in the accompanying illus-
tration.

It is wound up every day, and one of the paper
dials put in, which is fastened by means of the
knob on the axle ; it has to be regulated in ac-
cordance to the actual time and to the engraved
arrow at the side, the key must remain in the hands
of the head-man. Every one on duty gets a key,
each key being different and furnished with a pro-
jection to act only on the spring belonging to it.
Every ten, twenty-five, or forty-eight minutes, or
every hour, in accordance with special arrangements,
the watchman has to turn his key once in the
key hole which makes a sharp pointed pin move
towards the paper dial and makes its own dis-
tinctive mark upon it. Every twelve hours —
when the watch is over — the paper dial is taken
out of the watch it will record for every watch-
man if, WHEN, and how often he has done his
duty. Should one person have to control several
places it can likewise be attained by giving the
watch to the man to carry and by fastening the
keys to the different places.
Captain Wilson, of the "Eagle" line of transatlantic steamers,
writes that "these control watches have proved themselves to be
particularly practical, useful and secure for the exact controlling of
men on duty."

SHOW-CASE MAKING.

HAVING recently made a visit of inspection to the factory
of Mr. Jefferys, 103, Hatton Garden, and examined the
various processes, we are further confirmed in our opinion that
show-case making has become an art of some position. The inter-
minable inventing and scheming from the tiny stand of a diamond
ring up to the great sixteen feet case, to show the goods placed in
them to the best advantage, would surprise the uninitiated. With
respect to the cases for the smaller articles of jewellery that the pur-
chasers carry away with them, such' as are for watches, ear-rings,
lockets, rings, bracelets, &c, there is considerable ingenuity and tact
brought to bear. In some instances, such as for goblets, and mugs,
the case is built up like a cask, then sawn through, and afterwards
covered with leather and lined with satin, or velvet. Some white
silk velvet was shown to us at the price of five-and-twenty shillings
a yard. For other articles the shape has to be cut out of the solid
wood, and then covered. In the covering some handy fingers have
to be employed, and, as may be guessed, these belong to what a
sensitively polite friend calls the "lady gender." They sit round
a large circular table, in the centre of which is a goodly sized glue
pot kept liquid by gas underneath, and the lady neatly "dabs" on
the covering or lining, as the case may be, witli a rapidity that only
practice can give. The wonder is that such costly satins and velvets
can be so quickly handled without the glue getting upon the
wrong side. Whilst we were there a messenger came in with an

-C irat diamond to have acase fitted to it off hand. It was s;iid to

be the largest " clean " diamond that had come from the South

Afric Perhaps the more out-of-the-way country jewellers

ken to the amusing but effective optical illusions

advanced brethren. In one that we saw, several sides

Ivered glass were set up round a velvet " banking," and a bow

plate front. On the bank were a number of pins for rings. Place

a ring upon one of them, and look through the bow-plate, you will

oo fewer than four rings, the attractive power of which in a shop

window need not be argued.

Passing into a room we saw a show-case six feet by two feet,

with rounded ends, lined with chequered pattern-quilted scarlet
coloured satin. It looked very tasteful, if not bordering on the
grand, the highly-polished finish setting it off well. Adjoining it
were what are called " country cases " for general purposes. These
cases we were told could be made from six feet to sixteen feet in
length ; indeed, we saw one case having for its cover a single plate
ten feet long. After that length it is considered prudent to put
bearings in to preserve the glass from the chance of breakage either
by weight or jarring. We saw several cases that had done duty at
the Vienna Exhibition ; and were having their ebony repolished
and their gilding touched up to be ready for service in other
quarters. These were upright, wardrobe-shaped ones, standing by
themselves, with plate glass on all sides, fixed in a framing of twisted
ebony pillars capped and gilt. They looked very handsome. We
also noticed a large square case with a canopy over it that was being-
built for the Philadelphia Exhibition. The place for the attendant
was in the middle, the counter being all round. One feature which
is cultivated as a specialty by the firm, is the manufacture of out-
side reflecting shop-lamps. Upon going upstairs we were shown
the method of tennoning the frame-work, and also the grooving for
the glass plates so as to produce an air-tight and dust-tight case —
for all the cases possess those properties. Some polished glass plate
edges and bevelled require a word. We saw several with the edges
as smoothly polished as the surface, the lines being curved as well
as straight. The mode of bracketing glass shelving almost invisibly
is interesting, and displays considerable adaptability.

Gold lettering on glass tablets is another part of the business, and
some very finely -.wrought specimens were shown to us. "We were
informed that the utmost care was taken in tlie production of all
work that came to the front ; indeed, the articles themselves showed
as much when closely looked at. Upstairs the men were at work
upon an order for a large number of single lavatories for a new
hotel. They are made of white pine and highly polished, being
"picked out" with ebony.

We were very much pleased with what we saw. and as there are
secrets in every trade, so are there in that of show-case making.
We saw them, and promised not to divulge them, a promise which
we most religiously mean to keep.

Dec. 5, 1875.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

155

COVENTRY ENTERPRISE.
ERECTION OF A NEW WATCH FACTORY.

"VTOW that "watches made by machinery are being extensively
_L\ introduced into England, the manufacturers in this country
are commencing to bestir themselves, and endeavouring to compete
■with their foreign rivals. It is, therefore, a matter of interest to
chronicle any step taken by the leading houses at home ; and in the
present instance we may with every propriety draw the attention
of our readers to the extensive and well-arranged factory recently
erected at Coventry, by Messrs. Newsome and Yeomans, of that
town.

Coventry is well-known as the chief seat of watchmaking in Eng-
land ; that branch of industry having been commenced there early
in the eighteenth century.

In 1727, George Potter, a watchmaker, was mayor of that city,
where there are now several large watch manufactories, in one of
which steam-power is employed for turning, polishing, and other
purposes.

Having recently had an opportunity of personally inspecting the
premises alluded to, we found them most admirably constructed
for light, ventilation, and warmth, as well as for the health and
comfort of the employees.

On entering the building we pass through a well-arranged lobby
to the offices situated on the first floor of the establishment, imme-
diately in front of which (and separated only by a partition consist-
ing almost entirely of glass) is the main workshop or finishing
room, 120 feet in length, and accommodating over fifty workmen.
This workshop is directly under the eye of the principals in an
adjoining office, and is constructed with every regard to the re-
quirements of the men employed.

Awatchmaker'soccupationbeing of exclusively asedentarycharacter,
badly ventilated, or non-sufficiently or overheated workshops become
extremely injurious to the workman, who has to pass twelve hours
every day at his bench ; and in this respect Messrs. Newsome and
Yeomans have succeeded in adopting every possible measure which
could tend to the benefit of those employed in their establishment.
The other workshop is situated on the ground floor, and is about
forty-five feet in length. Both are provided with " Howarth's
.Patent Ventilators," admitting pure air from below, and carrying
off all foul air from the top. These ventilators enable the room to
be regulated to any temperature, and which is a great advantage not
hitherto enjoyed in most watch manufactories, the absence of which
has so greatly tended to the ill health of the employees. Another
great improvement which we noticed is that of a separate coat
room which enables the workmen to leave their coats and hats
therein, and obviates the disagreeable custom of the men hanging
their damp overcoats around the Avorkshop. The cloak room being-
heated the coats and hats of the men become thoroughly dried
during the working hours. In addition to this advantage, the prin-
■ cipals have provided a tea room comfortably fitted up, and in which
are placed several books and periodicals, enabling the men to take
their tea with every comfort without leaving the premises. Alto-
gether the factory is certainly one of the most complete, although
not the largest, which we have inspected. We also noticed the
great advantage of the factory being heated by means of hot air.
This must be far better than the ordinary method, as the work can
doubtless be better polished and put together when the dust, ashes,
and smoke of a stove are dispensed with, besides which it ensures a
uniform temperature throughout the workshop.

The principals of the establishment are thoroughly practical men,
who devote their attention to the production of a good durable
watch, at a reasonable price, so as to keep pace with those imported
from abroad. Their watches are all made to gauges, a system
having many decided advantages, the chief of which is, that in
the event of any wheel or pinion being broken or lost, it may easily be
replaced without sending the entire watch, and by the aid of
machinery they are enabled to produce their articles at moderate
figures. One special branch of their extensive business is the manu-
facture of the higher class gold \ plate, centre seconds, keyless, and
other description of watches, on all of which special care and atten-
tion is bestowed. On the 30th ult., the completion of their new
premises was celebrated by a dinner, the following account of
which is quoted from the Coventry Standard;—

" On Saturday evening last the employees of Messrs. Newsome
and Yeomans, watch manufacturers, and their friends, to the
number of about 120, met at the Craven Arms Hotel to celebrate
the opening of Messrs. Newsome and Yeomans1 new watch factory
by a dinner, the cost of which was defrayed by the gentlemen

at the head of this enterprising firm of watchmakers. Mr. I. J. T.
Newsome presided, and Mr. Samuel Yeomans occupied the vice-
chair. Amongst those present were Major Caldicott, W. R. V, T.
Dewes, Esq., District Coroner, the Eev. G. Tabberer, Vicar of
St. Peter's, Coventry, Mr. H. B, Francis (manager of Lloyd's local
bank), Messrs. J Oswin, S. Freeman, J. Dowell, W. J. Newsome,
S. Yeomans, sen., W. Norris (builder), &c, &c. After a sumptuous
repast had been served up in Mr. Claridge's excellent style, the
Chairman gave "The Queen" and "The Prince and Princess of
Wales and the rest of the Royal Family "—toasts which were
loyally drunk by the company present. — "The Army, Navy,
Yeomanry, Militia, and Volunteers " was next proposed by the
Chairman, and responded to by Major Caldicott, who was received
with loud applause. In the course of his observations the Major
said the Coventry volunteers were as efficient as the volunteers
in any other place in England, and he was very proud of his
company and battalion.

"In conclusion Major Caldicott proposed the toast of the evening,
' Health, long life, success, and happiness to Messrs. Newsome
and Yeomans' (loud applause). They were celebrating an event
which was an important epoch in the life of Messrs. Newsome and
Yeomans, who, after many years of hard work and much anxiety,
had been so successful as to complete the erection of a large factory,
which had been so constructed as to afford the workpeople in their
employ the greatest possible amount of convenience and comfort.
After commenting upon the consideration of Messrs. Newsome
and Yeomans for their employees, he expressed a hope that other
manufacturers would follow their example, aud that ere long we
should see many such factories as theirs in our old city. He
concluded an excellent speech by proposing the toast which was
received with great enthusiasm, and suitably responded to by Mr.
Yeomans. Other toasts were given and duly responded to.
During the evening, which was a very enjoyable one, the proceed-
ings were enlivened by a number of excellent songs and glees, sung
by a glee party, consisting of Messrs. Wood, Gregory, Capp,
Smith, and Jones."

THE SUPPOSED UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF
JEWELLERY.

JAMES BULLOCK, who described himself as a dealer, of 21,
Church-street, Soho, charged with being in possession of a
diamond pin, and not giving a satisfactory account of the same,
was again brought before Mr. Newton. Mr. Montagu Williams
appeared for the defence. From evidence already given it appeared
that Detective-sergeant Butcher followed the prisoner into a
tavern in the Haymiarket, and charged him with being in unlawful
possession of a pin that he was wearing, and the prisoner said he
bought it at Debenham's Auction Rooms three years ago, and that
he had been in the constant habit of wearing it. The prisoner then
handed Butcher a diamond pin, a horse-shoe pin set with white
sapphires, a small necklace and locket, and some rings, one with
the stone taken out. At the station, on searching the prisoner, the
constable found two 5/. notes, besides which he was wearing a watch,
chain, and locket. The prisoner said he could prove where he bought
all the articles, and gave the detective a key, telling him that on
going to Mr. Hack's, 21, Church-street, he would find a bag which
the key would ojDen. On the constable opening the bag he found
a box containing seven watches, three having the bows off, and
there was one bow in the box, and some rings and loose stones. In
the bag there were also two rings, one of which had seven stones
in it, and the other nine. Some of the watches had the glasses
broken. In all, there were nineteen watches in the bag, a pair of
black opera-glasses, and other property. On the case being re-
sumed at the Marlborough-street Police Court on the 8th ult.,
Detective-sergeant Butcher asked for a remand, stating that he
had made inquiries at different jewellers, amongst others at Messrs.
Goddard's, and he believed he should be able to get further infor-
mation, the pin being mounted in a style called a ducal crown,
and such pin? not being commonly made.

A gentleman, who stated that he was a diamond merchant,
stepped forward and asked that some articles he had entrusted the
prisoner with on approbation might be returned to him — the articles
being a cluster diamond ring and a pendant.

Mr. Newton told the applicant that as he was going to grant a
remand, he had better wait till the next occasion.

Mr. M. Williams asked Mr. Newton whether he would take
bail.

Mr. Newton replied in the negative, and remanr'ed the prisoner.

156

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Dec. 5, 1875.

THE

cHatcImmkr, griuxllcr, imir ^iltewiijr,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
London, E.C.

Birmingham Agencies.

Mr. A. F. Wakrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. THOS. Lewhton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swixdex & Sons, 27, 28, & 29 Temple Street.
Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

Xo one is authorized to collect money without production of
Printed Form of Receipt, bearing the Office Stamp.

NOVELTY IN CLOCK CASES.

MESSRS. SWINDEN & SONS, of Birmingham, have recently
registered a very handsome pattern clock case, the design of
which is given in the accompanying drawing. It is manufactured

finely polished,
sunk pattern,
sides being of
The special
it is intended
which chimes
striking the
gong. It is a
a mercurial
a 14-inch dial,
and minute
centre wheel
usual way.
particular
likely to be-
in use.

seem to be a
o Id-English
clock. They
old moniters,
and the moon
comers ; a n d
in the entrance
is undoubtedly
tial - lookin g
ture. It was
that the late
ens thus wrote :
cheerful, corn-
clock ! H o w
vey to others
comfort and
that this old
for years to
other thin g
life could
does? (I will
few things
proved the
true, untiring
often have I
winter even-
society in its
how often in

of pollard oak,
with a carved
the front and
plate glass,
clock for which
is a movement
on eight bells,
hours on a
regulator with
pendulum, and
with the hour
hands on the
arbour in the
The case is of
merit, and
come general
These clocks
revival of the
eight-day ease
have the noble
with the sun
in the upper
one of them
hall of a house
a fine, substan-
piece of furni-
of one of these
Charles Dick-
" M y old,
panio n able
can lever con-
an idea of the
consolat io n
clock has been
me ? What
that has not
cheer me as it
not say how
that have) has
same patient,
friend ! How
sat in the long
ings f e el i n g
cricket voice !

the summer twilight, when my thoughts have wandered back to a
melancholy past, have its regular whisperings recalled them to the
calm and peaceful present ! "

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent.

3677. William Kobert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention of
"An improved diamond holder and method of inserting, fitting, and
securing diamonds in metallic holders." — A communication to him from
abroad by Joseph Wild Branch, of Saint Louis, Missouri, United
States of America, Manufacturer. — Dated 22nd October, 1875.

3690. William George White, of New Maiden, in the county of Surrev,
Engineer, for an invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of
steel safes and strong room doors, and in the mode of fastening them,
parts of which improvements are applicable to iron safes." — Dated
25th October, 1875.

3881. Thomas Perks, the younger, of the firm of Thomas Perks & Sons,
of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Jewellers, for an invention
of " An improvement or improvements in earrings." — Dated 8th Novem-
ber, 1875.

Notices to Proceed.

2310. And Alfred Littlehales, of Birmingham, in the county of War-
wick, Engraver, has given the like notice in respect of the inven-
tion of " Improvements in fastenings for solitaires, sleeve links, shirt
and other studs, cravats, neck-ties, neck and other bows, and other
articles."

2335. And Auguste Conod, of Lausaune, Switzerland, now of 8,
Southampton Buildings, London, Watch and Clock Manufacturer, has
given the like notice in respect of the invention of "Improvements in
electric clock apparatus, parts of which are applicable to ordinary
clocks."

3626. Samuel Chatwood, of Bolton, in the county of Lancaster, Safe and
Lock Engineer, has given the like notice in respect of the invention of
"Improvements in safes and strong rooms and in locks and apparatus
connected therewith, some of which improvements are applicable to
other purposes."

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

3227. To Louis Marie Detenre, of the city of Paris, in the republic of
France, Gentleman, for the invention of " Improvements in the man-
ufacture of imitation jewellery set with stone?."

3591. To Caleb Lawden Shaw, of Birmingham, in the county of War-
wick, Manufacturing Jeweller, for the invention of " An improve-
ment or improvements in the construction of lockets."

3662. To William Jephcott, of Birmingham, in the comity of Warwick,
Watch Maker, for the invention of " Improvements in the cases of
watches, clocks, timepieces, lockets, and other similar articles."

3940. To Edmund Johnson, of 94, Grafton Street, in the city of Dublin,
for the invention of " Improvements in ear pendants."

Patents Sealed.

1928. Thomas William Greaves, of Birmingham, in the county of War-
wick, for an invention of " Improvements in solitaires." — Dated 26th
May, 1875. ss$*»*i8^»

2194. William Brooks, 02, Chancery Lane, in the county of Middlesex,
Patent and registration Agent, for an invention of ■' Improvements in
watches, chronometers, and such like time keepers." — A communication
to him from abroad by Frederic Fitt, of the city of Ottawa, in the
county of Carleton, in the province of Ontario, in the dominion of
Canada. — Dated 15th June, 1875.

2052. Mathias Petersen, of Altona, Prussia, for an invention of " An
improved chronometer escapement." — Dated 4th June, 1875.

Patents which have become Void.

Letters Patent for Inventions which have become Void by reason of the
Non-payment of the additional Stamp Duty of 501., before the Expira-
tion of the Ihird Year from the date of suck Patents, pursuant to the
Act of the 16 Vict., c. 5, sec. 2.

3129. William Henry Goss, of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the county of Staf-
ford, Manufacturer, for an invention of ''Improvements in manufac-
turing articles of Jewellery, dress ornaments, dress fastenings," &c.
—Dated 23rd October, 1872.

3256. Thomas Walker, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, for an invention of " Improvements in fastenings for scarfs,
ties, cravats, and other articles of dress," — Dated 2nd November.
1872.

Patents Granted in British Colonies and Dependencies.

Canada.

Jacob E. Buerk, of Boston, Mass., U.S., for " A watchman's time
detector." (Indicateur de quart.) — a years,— Dated 24th June, 1875.

Dec. 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL,

157

Patents Granted in Foreign States.
France.

106,632. Dessendier, for " Opening watches with slide ring eyes." — Dated

30th January, 1875.
106,674. Knaust, for "Economical cocks." — Dated 3rd February, 1875.
106,761, Benoist and Tiievenot, of Besancjon, for " A lathe with multiple

fixed gravers for watchcases." — Dated 2nd March, 1875.
166,789. Vutllemin, of Cranoot, for " Improvements in clockwork." —

Dated 1st March, 1875.
106,809. Levavasseur & Laverdure, for " Improvements in Jewellery

articles, small bronze and fancy articles." — Dated 15th February,

1875.
106,834. Duterne, of Damery, for " Improvements in the manfactare of

tower-clocks." — Dated 9th March, 1875.
106, 878. Laboureau, of Paris, " For fastenings for ear-drops and studs."

—Dated 19th February, 1875.
106,907. Leiimann, of Paris, for "A chemical product for facilitating

jewellery work, &c." — Dated 23rd February, 1875.
107,046. Mrs. Soldano, for a " A clock-work for travelling clocks striking

the quarters and with minute repeaters." — Dated 3rd March, 1875.

107.281. Mrs. Redier, of Paris, for "Improvements in clock-making."
—Dated 13th March, 1875.

107.282. Eedier, of Paris, for " A tell-tale for watchmen.'- — Dated 13th
March, 1875.

107,421. Ybrv, of Tourzel, for clock-work." — Dated 1st May, 1875.

107,509. Marti & Martin, for "A machine for cutting pieces of clock-
work, &c. by hand or automatically." — Dated 1st April, 1875.

107,533. Guillaume, of Paris, for "Watches that can be worn as medal-
lions and watch trinkets." — Dated 5th April, 1875.

107,621. Clarke and Smith, for " Improvements in treating ores, mine-
rals, and other bodies containing metals, to obtain gold, silver, and
other prodccts therefrom, and in the apparatus employed therein." —
Dated 12th April, 1875.— (English Patent, 26th December, 1874.)

107,668. Matthey, for " A spring remontoir for watches, clocks, &c." —
Dated 19th April, 1875.

(Certificates of Addition.)

106,632. Dessendier, for ["An opening-watch, with a slide eye-ring." —
Dated 3rd February, 1875.

105,630. Lepaire, for "Manufacturing eye-glasses and opera-glasses." —
Dated 6th February, 1875.

105,402. Laiimeyer and Franciiette, for " Improvements in the. con-
struction of mysterious clocks." — Dated 8th February, 1875.

92,966. Levy, for " Watch-keys."— Dated 4th March, 1875.

103,950. Maox, for '• Regulation of watches."— Dated 10th April, 1875.

Belgium.
37,934. J. Challender, for an imported invention of " Improvements in
apparatus for illuminating clock-dials, &c." — -Dated 27th September,
1875— (French Patent, 24th September, 1875.)

Italy.

19. D. F. Dormoy, of Couthenans, for " A system of stopping watches." —
6 years. — Dated 5th April, 1875.

United States.

167,872. E. Bourquin, of La Heutte, Switzerland, for " Escapements for
watches." — Application filed 24th July, 1875. Brief. — " An escape-
wheel, formed with two rows of reversely-inclined teeth, acts upon a
single pallet instead of the two commonly used."

167,925. T. D. Osborne and W. W. Le Grande, of Louisville, Ky., for
" Watchmen's time-checks." — Application filed 21st August, 1875.

167,963. Clock Cases.— W. N. Weeden, Waterbury, Conn. Brief '.=-" A
sash for clock fronts formed, from a single piece of metal, the shoulders
being produced by doubling the metal inward."

168,065. John J. Thornton, of Cleveland, Ohio, assignor of ont-half of
his right to Dan H. Ridgway, of the same place, for " Compound
balance-staffs for watches." — Application filed 18th May, 1875.

168,185. David Rousseau, of New York, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assign-
ments, to Wm. F. Smith, and S. Samuels, of the same place, for
" Electric circuit-breaking clockwork." — Application filed 13th August
1875. Brief. — " The circuit-breaking train of wheels acts only at the
time when, in the course of the revolutiun of a pin-wheel in the time-
keeping train, the pins have advanced sufficiently to allow the escape
of an arm projecting from a spindle of the circuit-breaking train."

161,429. Charles Teske, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for " Watch-regula-
tors."— Application filed 19th August, 1875."

168,527. George P. Reed, of Melrose, Mass.. for "Watch-keys."— Appli-
cation filed 15th September, 1875.

168.581. Albert H. Potter, of Chicago. 111., assignor of one-half of his
right to J. H. McMillan, of the same place, for " Barrel-arbors for
watches." — Application filed 11th August, 1875.

168.582. Albert H. Potter, of Chicago, 111., assignor of one-half of his
right to J. H. McMillan, of the same place, for " Escapements for
watches."— Application filed 11th August, 1875. Brief — " Arranging
the trip-spring in a chronometer-escapement at an acute angle to the
lever carrying the locking- pallet. by attaching it to a radial arm on said
lever."

168,583. Albert H. Potter, of Chicago, 111., assignor of one-half of bis
right to J. H. McMillan, of the same place, for " Compensation-
balances for watches." — Application filed 11th August, 1875. Brief. — ■
" Auxiliary bows, having their inner portion brass and outer portion
steel, are pivoted to the arms of the balance to provide additional
compensation."

168,620. E. C. Covell and M. M. Robinson, of Laconia, N.H., for
" Lockwork attachments for clocks." — Application filed 21st September
1875. Brief. — " Device for permitting the hands to be turned back-
ward without operating tha striking mechanism."

168,774. Watches. — Eugene J. Pacaud, SchufFhausen, Switzerland. Brief.
— " A screw, threaded at its inner end, and provided with a flange, the
latter being located between the dial and top plate of a watch, and
acting in combination with an elbow lever."

168,855. John N. Thomson, of Providence, R.I., for " Bracelets." — Appli-
cation filed 9th November, 1874.

169,224. S. Wm. Babbitt and Henry B. Beach, of West Meriden, Conn.,
assignors to the Wilcox Silver-plate Company, of the same place, for
" Spoon-holders." — Application filed 5th August, 1875.

Trade Marks registered in the "United States of America.

2979. Schwob, Brothers, and Co., of New York, N.Y., for " Watches."—
Application filed 8th July, 1875.

" Congress Watch, New York."

2980. Louis Strasburger & Co., of New York, N.Y., for "Watches."—
Application filed 11th August, 1875.

" Words ' Leopold Huguenin ' in connection with the figure of a loco-
motive."

3022. The Southern Calendar-Clock Company, of St. Louis, Mo., for
"Clocks." — Application filed 20th August, 1875.
" Word or name ' " Fashion."
3089. H. Muim'sSons, of Philadelphia, Pa., for "Finger rings." — Appli-
cation filed 22nd September, 1875. — Case A.
" Representation of a crown and a lion."
3097. The Vulcanite Optical Instrument Company, of New York and
College Point, N.Y., for " Spectacles, eyeglasses, and other optical in-
struments made of hard rubber." — Application filed 28th September,
1875.
"Letters and characters ' V. O. I. Co.'"

Designs Patented in Foreign States.

United States.

8742. Hermann J. Muller, of New York, N.Y., for " A clock-case.'
Application filed 25th September, 1875. — Term of patent 14 years.

CLOCKS,

WATCHES,

Just Published,

& BELLS.

A RUDIMENTARY TREATISE on CLOCKS, WATCHES, and
BELLS. By Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart, (late E. B. Denison), LL.D.,
Q.C., F.R.A.S. Sixth edition, revised and enlarged, with numerous
Illustrations. 12mo, cloth boards, 5s. Od. Postage 4d.
"As a popular, and, at the same time, practical treatise on clocks and bells, it is
uuapproaehed." — English Mechanic.

" The best work on the subject probably extant So far as we know it has

no competitor worthy of the name." — Engineering!.
"The only modern treatise on clock-making." — Hop.olOGIcal Journal.
"There is probably no book in the English language on a technical subject so easy to
read, and to read through, as the treatise on clocks, watches, and bells, written by the
eminent Parliamentary Counsel, Mr. E. B. Denison — now Sir Edmnnd Beckett, Bart."—
Architect.

"A mass of reliable information which cannot be obtained elsewhere." — The Jew-
eller and Metalworker.

London : Lockwood & Co., 7, Stationers' Hall Court, E.C.
JUST PUBLISHED.

ENCYCLOP/EDIC CATALOGUE

Of Mathematical, Philosophical, Optical, Photographic, and

STANDARD METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS,

Containing numerous Comparative Tallies of Reference, and Illustrated ly upwards of

ELEVEN HUN DEED ENGBAVINGS.

Boyal 8vo, Cloth, gilt lettered — Price 5s. 6d.

n^riEG-IEairllTTI & Zl-A-IMIIBIR^-,

Opticians and Meteorological Instrument Makers

To Her Majesty the Queen, and H.E.H. the Prince op Wales.

HOLBORN VIADUCT, 45, CORNHILL, and 122, REGENT STREET.

158

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Dec. 5, 1875.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of onr Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Tivo-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Tivo-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

AROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street, Fins-
bury, E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MURRAY <fc CALLIEU, 22, St. John's Square, E.C.

NEGEETTI & ZAMBEA, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. : Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill, EC. ; 122, Eegent
Street. W.

WEBSTER, J., 88, St. John Street Eoad, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock "Works, Bolton.

GEEEING & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell "Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKEE SAFE AND STEONG EOOM COM-
PANY, LIMITED, Cecil Street, Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BEUGGEE & STEAUB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEEEE. KDSS, FEITSCHLEE, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Eue Be'ran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Eoad, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Eochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established
1S44.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BEOTHEES, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C.
MAECUS (MAUEIC'E) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn

Viaduct, London, E.C.
BUTHEEFORD, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Row, E.C, and

33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADEINS <fc SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MOEDAN (SAMPSON) & CO., 41, City Eoad, and 72,

Cheapside. London, E.C
TANN, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, EC: Eelianee Works,

1, Hope Street, Hackney Eoad, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CAELOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, C6, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

HTJTTON & CO., 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phcenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.C.

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEOEGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C.

SUNDELL (KEISCHEE) & CO, 48, Brushfleld Street, E.;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBEBG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C
JONES, A. EDWAED, 93, Hatton Garden, London, EC.
LITTEN (T. E,), G4, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON, HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
Loudon, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E C.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DREW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Eoom, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C Large stock on
view.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-
mates free.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWAEDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Eoad, London, E.C.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden, E.C

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, SO to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Eue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FEEDEEIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Eoad, W.C

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENEY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets,, &<:., 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURER.

N. LAWRENCE, 5, Dyer's Buildings, opposite Furnival's
Inn, Holborn, London, E.C. ; Manufactory, Havelock
Works, Walker Street, Sheffield.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER.

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell,
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENEY, 48, Eahere Street, Goswell Eoad, Lon
don, E.C.

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Eoad, London, E.C.

STEAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Rydon Crescent, St. John
Street Road, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAURICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Union Street, Coventry.

PENLINGTON & BUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

COWEN, DAVID, 2S, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Road,
London, E.C.

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 14G, Goswell
Road, London, E.C.

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Ring Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, BirmlDgham.

MAURICE MICHAEL,

Kfctlt**!* ****** *R*

FOR HOME AND EXPORT.

^ .i**t**t;*ttf

*

Full Plate, Thr,ee-Qu,ar.ter, Plater, Centre {Seconds, ^nd Keyless.

UNION STREET, COVENTRY.

Dec. 5, 1875.]

SILVEESMITH'S TKADE JOUBNAL.

159

" By hand-labour it is impossible for this country to compete with Switzerland in the
Watch Trade ; and, if we would hold our own in Europe in this branch of industry, we must
follow the example of the Americans, who have successfully used machinery in the manu-
facture of Watches."— Extract from the " Times" of December 18, 1868.

THE

AMERICAN WATCH COMPANY

(OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS)

Have been established SO years, and. Trithin that time have produced

850,000 WATCHES OF ALL GRADES AND SIZES.

Why American Waltham Watches are cheaper than English Watches of the same grade is
explained by Sir Edmund Beckett (late Mr. E. B. Denison) in his work on Clocks, Watches,
and Bells, in which he says, page 822 : " Although labour is dearer in America than here, this
machinery enables them to undersell English Watches of the same quality ; " and that the system
of making watches by machinery is the only correct one is held forth by this eminent authority
in the same work, in which he says : " There can be no doubt in the mind of any one who
understands machinery that this is the best as well as the cheapest way of making machines
which require precision and uniformity."

FOR PARTICULARS APPLY TO

BOBBINS & APPL1TON,

G-ENEBAL AGENTS,

WALTHAM BUILDINGS, HOLBORN CIRCUS, LONDON, E.C,

1 uo

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Dec. 5, 1875.

ROBERT M. MARPLES,

1G, WORSH1P-ST., EIIVSBTJIfcY, LOINXJOJV, E.C.,

SOLE AGENT FOR EUROPE TO

THE 8ETH THOMAS CLOCK COMPANY.

SOLE AGENT IN LONDON TO

THE E. N. WELCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

Manufacturer and Importer of all kinds of American Clocks, in American, English, and French Cases. Importer
of French Marble Clocks and Vienna Regulators, &c, &c. Agent for the WALTHAM WATCH COMPANY.

ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUES AND PPJOE LISTS ON APPLICATION,

SPECIALLY ADVANTAGEOUS TERMS TO SHIPPERS AND LARGE BUYERS. GOODS SHIPPED FROM NEW YORK

OR LONDON AT BUYER'S OPTION.

SELF-WINDING CLOCK.

This Clock Winds Itself for one or more Years, thus saving a vast amount of labour and expense.

PROSPECTUSES SHORTLY. (WHEN READY, DUE NOTICE WILL BE GIVEN).

a 8,

Z>-A.T7-ro COWEN (Patentee),

WITHY OIROVE, MANCHE8TEE.

COHEN, JACOB, «S5 C20«9

WHOLESALE MANUFACTURING OPTICIANS & NAUTICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS,

j IMPORTERS OF CLOCKS, BRONZES, MUSICAL BOXES, AND OPTICAL GOODS, |

Manufacturers of Marine Lever Clocks of all descriptions. Specialities in Clocks and Barometers combined.

36 & 37, ELY PLACE, HOLBORN, & CHARTERHOUSE ST., LONDON, EC.

A.3Srr> lO, E.TTE BERANGEE, PARIS.

EDWARD DAY,

-«8»- FjEPHSTER M3STJD ASSATER, -«s>8"-

Dealer in Gold, Silver, & Alloys. Purchaser of Gold & Silver in Bars, Lemel, Jewellers' Sweepings, Dentists' & Photographers' "Waste.

Sole Agent in Great Britain for Monsieur DECAUX, of Paris.

Manufacturer of Hollow Gold Beads, Bead Chain, Beaded Wire, Gallery Borders, Solid and Hollow Signet and other Rings, Settings

Brooch Ornaments, Chains, &c, &c., for Manufacturing Jewellers.

53 8, WARSTOIVE L^ISTE, BIRMINGHAM.

THE "STANDARD" IfcllVO SIZES.

The Jewellery Trade is earnestly urged to adopt the " Standard " Ring Sizes as the future gauge by which, to make rings
they possess so many advantages over all others, and are acknowledged to be the only ones that can be depended upon for accuracy
They may be had from all respectable Factors and Manufacturers, and from the Makers, B. H. JOSEPH & CO.,

20, Frederick Street, Birmingham.

J3\ 83VTART,

Shop Front Builder and Airtight Show Case Maker,

33, NEWHALL STEEET, BIBMINGHAM.

'all business places suitably fitted.

DESIGNS AND ESTIMATES GIVEN.

>SfSTILB£±h

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 8.— Vol. I.]

JANUAKY 5, 1876.

|~ Subscription, 5.0 Post
j_ per Annum. J Free.

PAGE

Horology— VIII. dialling - ... 169

Precious Stones 171

Prizfs Awarded by the Goldsmiths' Company 171

Ancient Brooches and Dress Fastenings ... 172

Where 173

The Queen's Necklace 174

CONTENTS.

PAGE

"Wheeler's Illustrated Catalogue op Clocks.

Watches, and Jewellery 175

The Clockmakbrs of the Schwarzald 176

An Important Invention for Manufacturing

Jewellers and Others ... ... 177

The Sicker Safe and Strong-room Company,

Limited 177

Competitive Watch Trials at Geneva

The Economic Microscope

Finger Rings

Patents

Advertisements

PAGE

... 177
... 177
.. 178
... 179
180-192

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

VIII. — Dialling.

SINCE we last wrote we have been asked how to set about
dialling in a practical way, the cost of the requisite tools, how
to handle them, &c, in fact, to give an elementary lesson at the
bench, as it were. It appears that many of our readers have little
plots of gardens in open parts of towns, and they would like to
amuse themselves and ornament their homes in such a useful
manner. We concluded our last with : "A bit of a school slate, a
rule, a pair of compasses, a word or two about the meridian of the
place, and — there it is."

They smile and say, " Yes, there it is, but that is just where we
are not. We want a little more information if you please, before
you go any farther. As the year will shortly be on the turn, we
should like an Easter sun to shine upon a little garden dial of our
own making." That is all very fair, and we have great pleasure in
complying with the request as far as we can. The only real diffi-
culty is with the meridian for the particular place of each particular
dial ; however, we will see what can be done.

The best way to begin will be to procure a pair of compasses for
taking off distances, and, if suitable to the strength of your pocket,
a second pair to carry a pencil, if not, then -the first-named pair
must be one of those that have an extra half leg to carry a pencil-
point. The advantage of having two pairs is that you need not be
continually pulling out the dividing to put the pencil one in. Next

to the compasses get a nice flat rule — if with bevelled edges so much
the better — about eighteen inches long. Most artisans have a
" two-foot " of some kind ; we always carry one ourselves, and find
it uncommonly handy at times. Having thus furnished yourself,
the best way will be to try your skill on paper. Get a bit of
drawing-sheet and either glue or tack it on a small board. Then,
with your rule and pencil, mark off exactly the size of the dial that
you intend to construct, making an hour-line border to give neatness
to it. We are now going the simplest way to work, assuming that
we face the south exactly, and that the dial is to be a horizontal one
with the style that is to cast the shadow standing up in the centre.
Draw a line from left to right that shall equally divide the dial face
and will serve for the eastern and western hours. Straight across
at right angles, through the same central point, mark off a space
equal to the thickness of the edge of your style, probably one-tenth
of an inch. This space will evenly divide the dial into an eastern
and western side. We next extend what we will call the upper line
of the square to double its length. VV e will call the central point
of the square A, the termii.ations of the style bed C and E, and the
extended upper line G to H. We draw a line from A obliquely to
the right, equal to the latitude of the place, which we can mark off
by means of a semicircular flat brass instrument, called a protracter.
This line will cut the prolonged one G H, and we mark the point as B.
Then the angle CAB will represent the latitude of the place. It has,
also, to be observed that the upper edge of the style should represent
the axis of the earth, which will be the case if it is made so that that
edge shall correspond in its slope with the angle of latitude already
mentioned. The earth is so minute an object when compared with
the enormous distance of the sun, that the time shown upon a dial
is the same as, supposing the earths axis to be real instead of

170

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLEE, AND

[Jan. 5, 187G.

imaginary, and the earth to be, say, of glass, the sun would shadow
by shining upon the axis itself. Consequently the style of a dial
is always placed parallel to the earth's axis, whatever position the
dial may be calculated for. Upon the line A B, from C, draw a line
to represent the angle of the equator, and at the point where it cuts
A B, call it D. Then, with the compasses open to the length of C D,
prolong the line C beyond the square, and call it C F.

We now come to an important operation which will require a few
preliminary words. First of all, there is but one equator, although
there are many meridians, every place having a different meridian
to the places east and west of it. The circle of the equator divides
the earth into northern and southern hemispheres, whilst the
meridian circle cuts it into eastern and western halves at that
particular meridional point. The meridian, then, is the place where
the sun is at its greatest height for the day in the journey from east
to west, and is called the noon of that place. The circumference
of the earth is divided into 360 degrees, and, as the earth turns
round once in twenty-four hours, each of these degrees will in turn
pass under the sun and constitute the meridian, or noon, at that
instant. As every degree takes four minutes of time, therefore
fifteen degrees would just occupy an hour. Popularly we say that
the sun travels from east to west ; those to the east of us have their
noon before we have it, and those to the west have it after us,
whilst those on the same meridional line have their noon with us.
Thus when it is twelve o'clock in the day at London it is twenty
minutes past nine in the evening at Melbourne, in Australia, and
about seven o'clock in the morning at New York. But we need not
pursue this part further ; its relevancy to what follows will be seen.

Now take the compasses and mark off 15 degrees from the line
of the style at C, which we will call the noon line, to the right on
the line G H ; that point will be one o'clock. Go on from there in
the same way for other hours ; then from the centre, A, draw lines
to meet those on G H, which will be the hour-lines of one, two, and
three, afternoon. Do the same thing on the G side of the line,
which will be eleven, ten, nine, in the forenoon. The other
hours are found by taking the horizontal line from A to the left
equal to the excess of A C, above C D, and make the angles
also of six, five, four on the right side equal to 15 and
30 degrees respectively. Then take six, seven, and six, eight,
equal to six, five, and six, four, &c. ; and, drawing seven and
eight for morning and evening, after the same proportions, the
whole of the hour-lines from four in the morning to eight in the
evening will be completed, and you may set up your dial.

We will now treat of the vertical dial. The meaning of the
term is from vertex, the turning-point at the top. Of these dials
there are many varieties, depending upon what vertical may be
pitched upon; the principal ones, however, are the prime vertical
and the meridian. From these, again, radiate south, north, east,
and west.

Dials which lie on the cardinal points of the compass just named
are called direct dials. If any other vertical is chosen the dial is
said to decline. If the circle whose plane is worked upon should
be perpendicular to the plane of the horizon, which is the position
assumed in all those which we have now mentioned, then the dials
are particularly denominated " erect ; " thus, erect north, erect
south, &c. When otherwise, the plane being oblique to the hori-
zon, they are said either to incline or decline. An erect south dial,
when particularly described, is that on the surface of the prime
vertical circle, and has a southern aspect It must be understood
here that, since the sun shines on the plane of the prime vertical dial
looking towards the south, when on his daily path, he consequently
passes from the prime vertical to the meridian. In this we have
solar illumination six hours before and six hours after noon ; there-
fore a south dial will show the hours from six in the morning until
six in the evening, and, of course, embracing the whole of the win-
ter half of the year. Let us now try and set out the lines for such
a dial.

Take a plate of the intended size, and, having squared it, draw
a line down on the central diameter. This line we will call the
meridional one, marking the upper point as A. About one-fourth
the distance below A, and mark it G, and another below that, E ;
draw from C, a short distance to the right hand, another straight
line, marking it D. The lines now connecting the three letters
will make an angle, C, A, D, equal to the elevation of the equator.
We then draw another line, A to D, to join the one from right to
left, that is, from C to D ; and from D we draw obliquely, towards
the left, another line, so as to make this new angle, C, D, E, equal
to C, A, D, which, as stated above, is the angle of the equator.
What will now be seen will, by lying on its side, with the point to
the right hand and the open part to the left, be a figure like a large
V ; thus >, having a line straight down the centre. This is the

line C D ; and the other lines making up the double triangle are,
of course, from A to D, and from E to D, the letter D being the
point, as it were, from which all the lines now branch.

AA'e will step on one side for a moment, in order to be as plain as
possible. The angle A, D, K, with that part of the meridional line
from A to E, form what is called in geometry an equilateral triangle,
or one having equal sides. But the line C D through the centre of
it entirely changes its character, in fact demolishes it as an equi-
lateral triangle altogether. This line C D what is called "bisects"
it, cuts it in two, and converts each half into a right-angled triangle,
having different properties altogether. The theorem of a right-
angled triangle is as follows : — "In any right-angled triangle the
square described upon the hypothenuse, or side opposite to the
right angle, is equal to the squares described on the sides which
contain the right angle." The hypothenuse, signifying that which
stretches under, is the sloping line stretching underneath the other
two lines and enclosing the angular space made by them. This
figure forms the celebrated problem known to geometrical students
as " the 47th of the 1st," or the 47th problem of the First Book of
Euclid. If the student will add three other sides to the hypothe-
nuse, and make a square, and, also, make two squares of the two
remaining sides of the figure in the same way, he will begin to see
the nature of it. This problem is said to have been discovered by
Pythagoras, a famous Greek geometer, whose name has become
immortalized by it. It is related of him that upon its discovery
he was so transported with joy that he sacrificed a hundred oxen
to the gods for having put it into his head.

We will now return to our dialling. Right across the plate, in
mid-distance from left to right, draw a line and mark it G H ; this
line, in fact, will be at right angles to the meridional line, and with
it will cut the dial plate into four quarters. We go down the meri-
dional line with the compass from E to a distance equal to that of the
oblique line E D, and call it B. With this distance we place one
leg of the compass on B and describe a quadrant on the right-hand
side, the lower point of which mark F, the sweep being from E to
F. You may now divide this quadrant into six equal parts, then
from B draw lines through the quadrant points so as to cut the
horizontal line, G H. Then from the top, A, draw other lines cutting
these points through the edges of the plate ; draw a border line
within the plate, and where the lines from A cut this border, there
will be the places for the hour numbers, the last named lines being
the hour-liues, with this addition. From where the longe-t quad-
rant line cuts the G H line at H draw another cutting through the
point at A ; this will be the five o'clock line, and mark it accord-
ingly. It must be borne in mind that this right-hand part is the
afternoon side of the dial and must be numbered as such, proceeding
from the meridional line and marking it twelve ; then going round in
regular order to every hour-line, the horizontal one, that is the
upper boundary of the square running through A, being the six
o'clock line on that side. We next mark off the left of the line by-
taking the distances from the hours on the right ; but, in this
instance, as we are now with the forenoon we work backwards.
That is, we commence at the meridian of twelve o'clock, then
eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, and six, at the hitherto unmarked
end of the upper horizontal line through the point A. Having
now got our hour-lines and figures all right, we rub off every-
thing else that shows how the work was done. We strike
a small circle round the point A, the hour-lines all terminating
at the circular line ; this gives an appearance of neatness to the
work. The last thing we do is, on the point A fix an oblique style
at an angle equal to the elevation of the equator that has been
already spoken of. Or on C you may erect a perpendicular style
equal to the radius C D. Again, you may get a triangular plate of
the dimensions of the angle A, D, E, upon that part of the meridional
line between A and E, standing on its edge, or, more correctly
speaking, perpendicular to the plane of the dial. AVe have here a
set of hours from six in the morning to six in the evening, and if
the style is set at any of the three places indicated the shadow will
toiKh all the hour-lines marked upon the plate.

(To be continued.)

The number cf watch-cases marked at the Assay offices. Gold-
smiths' Hall, for the year ei.ding May lb74, were 31,924 gold and
109,814 silver ones.

The number manufactured in Switzerland for the year ending the
same date, was 1,600,000.

The largest telescope yet manufactured is being made at Dublin
for the Austro-Hungariau Government.

Jan. 5, 1376.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAI.

171

PRECIOUS STONES.
{Continued from -page 147.)

Adularia.

THIS stone is so called from Adula, the Latin name of Mount
St. Gothard, as the best kind is obtained there, and particularly
from that part called the " Monte della Stella." Adularia belongs
to the febpars, of which it is the purest kind. Its crystals have
one of the greater diagonal. Their primitive nodus is an oblique
prism with rhomboidal sides, whose base is an oblique-angled
parallelogram ; the secondary forms present an oblique prism with
four facets, a large rectangular prism, a tablet with six
facets, and a rectangular prism with six facets. Masses of
rough adularia are found in which there frequently exist double
crystals, and yet in this state of perfect union they have different
degrees of hardness. Some also are opaque, others translucent or
clear. This union of massed crystals causes the iridescence which
often distinguishes those found in Italy, France, Germany. Norway,
America, aDd the Isle of Ceylon. That which comes from ' the
Monte Stella is transparent, and has whitish reflections tinted
with green and blue ; some pieces shine with pearly light, others
are of an iridescent green colour which resembles the eye of a fish,
which often, in very thin lamina, becomes by reflection a pale rose
colour. This gem is remarkable for its brightness, which may com-
pare equally with that of pearl and glass. It is very easily worked,
having three cleavages, and has double refraction. Its cleavage is
perfect concave. Being altogether destitute of electricity, it does
not act on the magnetic needle. When exposed to the action of
the blow-pipe it melts into a transparent white glass. Its specific
weight is 2-5 ; the heat, 0-1861.
The analysis of adularia gives —

Alumina -------- 20

Silex -..-64

Potash 14

Lime --------- 2

Although adularia scratches rock crystal, it is less hard than
quartz. It is very difficult to specify its precise hardness, as the
same piece contains portions which, being iridescent, are naturally
soft, others, of a milky whiteness, which are harder, and, lastly,
others which surpass the rock crystal in resistance. This substance,
which has so many peculiarities, and is so specially prized for the
pearl-white reflections which seem to move about inside the stone
when it is turned, frequently owes more to the art of the lapidary
for its admirable effects of light than to its natural beauty. In
commerce it has a strange multiplicity of names ; now it is adularia,
again it is lunaria, or moonstone, sunstone, girasol, fish's eye, water
opal, or opal of Ceylon, according to the colours reflected. From
Siberia we have a special quality which is of a yellow colour
sprinkled over all the surface with an innumerable quantity of
small golden spots, produced by very small crevices in the lamina.
The most beautiful, cut invariably into smooth beads, have reflections
j form of a star diverging from the centre, but are very rare. It
is wrong to confuse this species of adularia with the Oriental
aventurino, because, although it may have the same nppearance, it
has not similar hardness. The adularia from Ceylon is generally
in larger pieces than that from St. Gothard, but it is not so bright.
The brilliancy and slightly blueish whiteness of the moonstone
(lunaria) of Monte Stella are indescribable ; however its value is
diminished by certain oblique lines which cross it internally. It
does not appear that the ancients used this felspar, nor do we
believe that it can be engraved. Caire, nevertheless, asserts that
Pini had a head of Achilles engraved on a moonstone by Grassi,
and that it came out with extraordinary effects. He believes, how-
ever, that the ancient names of astrios, lapis specularis, and
selenites applied to this stone.

Apatite.

This mineral was thus named by Werner, from the Greek word
to deceive, on account of its deceptive colour, which resembles
that of many other precious stoues, whence, before its nature was
precisely determined, many mineralogists were led into error. It
contains 90 per cent, of subsesquiphosphate of lime, and the
rest fluoride of calcium.

It is found in hexagonal crystals; its fracture is concave- it has
a vitreous lustre, of a sea-green colour of blueish-green, blueish-
violet ; often white, and sometimes red, grey, or yellow. It is some-
times transparent and sometimes opaque.

It resembles the beryl and emerald ; its specific weight is from
3 to 3-235. In some specimens, especially in the white variety a
blueish opal tint is observed in the direction of the vertical axis. '

It is fragile. Some are phosphorescent in heat, others become
electrical by friction. This substance does not melt under the
action of the blow-pipe, excepting at its extreme edge It dissolves
slowly in nitric acid, without effervescence. On account of the
phosphoric acid which it contains when solid, it is very useful as
a manure. Apatite is generally found in primitive rocks traversing
granite, serpent marble, and in the rocks of the spent volcanoes in
Saxony, England, Switzerland, Norway, ai.d many American
countries, where there is a great trade in it as a material for
enriching land.

Asparagine, which is a yellowish, translucent variety of apatite, is
found in Estremadura.

Argirite.

Argirite is a stone only known in modern times by the description
given of it by the ancients, who also named it nrgirodama and
magnes, and it appears that in somewhat more recent times it was
called argentina.

Caire tells us, on the testimony of Theophrastus, that argirite, or
mognes, was a very lustrous stone, so like silver that it might easily
be mistaken for it ; its texture, and the large-sized pieces in which
it was found allowed of its being formed, carved, and engraved
in every manner ; therefore the ancients made it even into vases,
and it was much prized and used in many different ways. Hill
observes that the precious stone which the Greeks named magi.es
was totally different from that which to-day is generally understood
under the name which we translate magnetica. Kirman gives the
denomination of argentina to the schistose spar, which has a very
bright pearly light. Hauy, at the word Argentina, says : see
moon stone. Dutens believed that argentina was a resplendent
girasol on a silvery white ground: but the description of argentina
does not give us the characteristics of the girasol, which always has a
little yellow inside, is semi-transparent and sometimes transparent,
whereas the argirite was necessarily opaque from its similarity to
silver. Caire says that by chance he became possessed of a hard
stone whose appenrance led him to compare it with argirite, " which
was thought quite lost, and had been sought for so long." He
continued : "It is formed of very thin leaves ; a very bright silvery
colour pervades it, without the deviating hues which are seen in
cats' eyes."

I remember two objects of similar form, of unknown use and
material, like cornucopias terminated by two horses' heads, which
were in the Compana Museum. They were of a whitish colour and
were much oxidized, whence, at first sight, it seemed a recent
precipitate of silver ; but this was not so, as under the action of
light they did not become darker, but always remained white.

Now, might not these two cornucopise have been formed of the
unknown argirite? Mineralogists can see and examine them in the
Paris Museum.

PRIZES AWARDED BY THE GOLDSMITHS'
COMPANY.

THE prizes recently awarded by the Goldsmiths' Company, with
a view of encouraging technical education in the design and
execution of works of art in the precious metals, are as follows : — ■

J. Watkins, 18, Godfrey-street, King's-road, £50, for design of a
centre-piece of good proportion, to be executed in gold, inlaid with
ivory, and having figures representing literature, art, science, and
music.

Owen Gibbons, 36, Moore-street, Chelsea, £25, for a very good
design for a volunteer shield.

Thomas W. Sharp, 38, Beaufort-street, Chelsea, £25, for design
for a loving cup.

A. Aitchison, 6, Muscovy-court, Trinity-square, £25, design for
a presentation casket.

J. J. Shaw, 5, Muscovy- court, Trinity-square, £25, design for a
casket in gold and cloisonne enamel.

Albert W. Austin, 89, Lilford-road, Stoke Newington, £25, for
the execution of a repousse figure, and ornamental work on a silver-
gilt article of plate.

E H. Stockwell, 15, Greek-street, Soho, £25, for a very good
design for a presentation casket.

The annual award of prizes for the above-named object is an
important and well-directed resolve of the company, and it has
likewise been decided that a travelling scholarship of £100 per
annum may be awarded by the wardens to a student who has
shown exceptional talent, and who shall have obtained a prize for
design three successive years, in order to enable him to study art in
the precious metals on the continent of Europe.

172

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan. 5, 187G.

ANCIENT BROOCHES AND DRESS FASTENINGS.

Fi-om "Rambles of an Archxolotjist.''1

{Continued from page 131).

ALLUSION has already been made to the extreme taste for
showy jewellery, and gaudy personal decoration, indulged in
by the later Roman rulers, after the seat of government had been
removed to Constantinople. It seems to have increased as their
power decayed, for the rude paintings, and mosaics of the eighth
and nine centuries depict emperors aud empresses in dresses literally
covered -with ornament and jewellery — indeed, the artists must
have put forth their best strength in depicting the dresses, as if
they had received similar orders to those given by good Mrs. Prim-
rose, who expressly desired the painter of her portrait to put as
many jewels on her stomacher " as he could for the money."
Fig. 10. The bust of the Emperor Constantine Pogonatus (so

Fig. 10.

called from the ample beard the monarch wore) is an example of
male foppery. This emperor came to the throne a.d. 668, and died
in 635. It will be perceived the two brooches fasten his outer gar-
ment, one upon each shoulder. That upon the right one is highly
enriched, but the original, as really worn by the emperor, was most
probably much more so, by chasing, enamel, and jewels, which the
artist had not space, or perhaps ability, to express. From it hang
three chains, which were most probably formed of hollow gold
beads, cast in an ornamental matrix, such having been found in
Crimean graves, and les- frequently in those of the Germanic and
Gaulish chieftains and aristocrats. To the ends of these chains were
affixed circular ornaments sometimes decorated with enamel, like the
Y^rk fibulae already described, and sometimes with cameos, set in a
gold framework ; for as the Arts decayed, the finer works of this kind,
executed in the palmy days of Rome, were much prized and valued
as the worns of a race who were acknowledged to be mentally
superior.

The empresses naturally wore a greater abundance of jewellery
than their lords ; they also wore great circular brooches on each
shoulder, but they increased the pendent ornaments by adding heavy
gold chains, which hung across the breast, and from the brooches
on both sides nearly to the waist ; at the end of these chains was a
group of smaller chains, each supporting a jewel of varied form, so
that a heavy bunch of them was formed. Ultimately other chains
with pendent jewels were attached to the chain that passed across
the breast, and completely covered that part of the person with
decoration.

In the museum at Mayence is preserved a very curious monu-
mental sculpture, upon which is presented the effigy of the man for
whom it was erected, his wife, and son. He was a sailor who died
at the ripe age of seventy-five, and appears to have been generous
to his lady in the article of jewellery, according to the usual habit of
his craft. Mr. C. Roach Smith, who first published this curious
monument in his Collectanea Antiqua, observes that " she had evidently
dressed for the portrait." She wears a vest, fitting closely to the
arms and bust, and at the neck gathered to a frill, which is enclosed
by a torque, or gold necklet. Over this hangs a garment which
falls gracefully down in front, and is crossed at the breast over the
left arm. The jewellery of the widow is of no common description,
nor niggardly bestowed. Upon the breast below the torque is a
rose-shaped ornament or brooch, and beneath that a couple of

fibulae ; two more of a similar pattern fasten the upper garment near
the right shoulder, and upon the left arm just above the elbow ; an
armlet encircles the right arm, and bracelets the wrist. Fig. 11

Fig. 11.

gives the upper portion of the form of this lady ; judging from the
style of her head-dress she may have lived in the reign of the
Emperor Hadrian. Probably many years younger than her sailor
husband, she appears to have tempered her grief with judgment, and
to have taken advantage of his death to set herself forth to the
world in her gayest costume..

As barbarism increased, and subverted good taste, brooches of the
most absurd forms were invented, and made more grotesque by un-
natural enamel colours. Birds, fish, men on horseback, formed the
face of these brooches, which would never have been understood by
a modern eye, had they not been found with the pins attached to

Figs. 12, 13, & 14.

them behind. Three examples from the great work of Montfaucon
are given in Figs. 12, 13 and 14 ; they were found in Italy and Ger-
many. The first represents a combination of two warlike imple-
ments on one handle — the upper one an axe, the lower a bipennis.
The second specimen is made like a bird ; we have given it at an angle,
to show the way the pin was fastened on the back of it. The third
specimen is a fish, which might pass for a fair representation of some
member of the finny tribe, whose proper name need not be too
curiously asked for ; but unluckily the designer of the brooch, in-
dulo-ino- in the grotesque, has represented some monstrous bird with
bat's ears emerging irom one side of the fish.

We give two specimens, one from the banks of the Rhine, the other
found opposite our own shores. Fig. 15 represents a bird, probably
of the hawk kind, whose eye has been made the socket for a garnet,

Fig. 15.

Fig. 16.

and the extremity of its tail a receptacle for another piece of jewe
lew. It was found on the site of the Roman station at Cologn

ewel-
ne.

Jan. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

173

Fig. 17.

Fig. 1C, which is of plain bronze, is niwre fortunate as an attempt to
represent a cock ; it was discovered, with many other curious
antiquities, at Etaples, near Boulogne, and is preserved in the
museum of the latter town.

A very distinct character pervades the ornamented works of the
ancient nations that once inhabited the British Isles. A curious

discovery of the fibula (Fig. 17)
was made at Stamford, Lincoln-
shire. It was found in the pro-
cess of enlarging a stone pit in
the parish of Castle Bytham.
It is described by Mr. Akerman,
in his " Fa^an Saxondom," as
"a ring fibula, of white metal,
gilt, in very excellent preserva-
tion, and set with four gems
closely resembling carbuncles.
An irregular interlacing pattern
is worked over the whole fiout
surface, but it is perfectly plain
behind.'' Mr. Akerman is in-
clined to think that it lias a
Scandinavian character, and fa-
vours the supposition that its owner was a Banish lady.

This supposition seems borne out by the researches of Br. Bavis,
in his interesting ethnographical sketch of the various ancient popu-
lations who have in-
vaded and inhabited
Anglia in pre-his-
toric times, prefixed
to that very valu-
able work, the "Cra-
nia Britannica." He
of opinion that a-
buut the time of Cae-
sar, the population of
our island through-
out the northern and
midland counties
was derived from
the tribes of Jut-
land and North Ger-
many, and that the
Southern portions of
the island were ex-
clusively filled by
the Saxon immi-
grants.

A fibula of very
peculiar form is
fouud in these Nor-
thern counties in
great abundance.
We give au example
of Fig. 18 ; it is of
bronze, and was
found at Briflield,
Yorkshire, in the
grave of a female.
Sometimes these fi-
bulas are richly ornamented with interlaced patterns, and heads of
strangebirds and animals. They are then generally gilt,andhave been
found of enormous size, eight inches in length by six in breadth.
I imagine these very large brooches fastened the heavy outer cloak,
the smaller being used for lighter portions of the dress.

Fig. IS.

Fig. 19. Frc. 20.

The ordinary form of brooch worn by the humbler classes is
shown iu the two specimens, Figs. I1) and 20 ; both are of bronze,

with very slight attempt at ornament, and were found by labourers
employed in repairing the road on the line of the Watling Street,
about a mile from the Koman British settlement, at Cesterover,
between Bensford Bridge and the road leading from Ilugby to
Lutterworth.

Two specimens of the circular fibulas of the Southern Anglo-
Saxons are given in Figs. 21 and 22. They were both found in
Kent, where the wealthiest and most refined Saxons were located.

It is curious to note how completely in design and execution they
resemble such as are fouud in South Germany. In the Augsburg
Museum are some identical in design and execution with Kentish
specimens in the Mayor Museum at Liverpool. They appear as if
made by the same workmen.

These fibulas arc generally much-enriched on the upper-surface.
A soft enamel, or slices of pearl (which have generally perished),
probably filled the outer rim in Fig. 21 ; the centre is here raised,

Fig 21.

and is formed of pearl, in (he centre of which is a garnet, and
slices of garnet aie cut to fit the triangular ornaments; to give
them great* r brilliancy, they are laid on a thin piece of gold foil.
Fig. 22 is of more elaborate disign ; the use of garnet is again
apparent, but the spaces between the jewellery are filled with a

JUr^OTr

Fig. 22.

double row of incurvated ornaments, made of fine threads of gold ;
sometimes the threads of gold are reeded or plaited, of two or three
finer gold threads. I have been assured by practical goldsmiths
that more delicate work could not be done in the present day.
All tho^e small ornaments are made singly, and then fastened in
their places. They excite astonishment at the great refinement that
must have characterized the Anglo-Saxons, and which is carried
out in other articles found in their tumuli.

(To be continued.)

Where. — Where is the railway passenger who, when he leaves
the train, is so uncommonly polite as to shut the door after him?
Where is the public orator who can ever keep his promise to say
" a few words only? " Where is the organ fiend who will move off
from your door without your fetching a policeman ? Where is the
builder who never lets his bill exceed his given estimate ? Where
is the barber who can manage to content himself by cutting your
hair simply, without making any cutting observations on its scanti-
ness ? And lastly, where is the young lady who can pack her own
boxes, and not leave half her "things" behind her?

174

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan. 5, 1876.

THE QUEENS NECKLACE.

(Continued from page 150).

THE jewellers of the Crown, Bohmer and Bassange, had collected
the finest diamonds that could be obtained for love or money,
and had made them into a necklace of rare beauty. This necklace,
it is said, was worth not less than 1,800,000 francs. Intended at
first for Madame du Barry, the makers hoped they might be able to
sell it to the Queen. In 1778, during the American war, Bohmer
showed the pa rare to Louis XVI., who was so pleased with it that
he wished the Queen to have it, costly as it was. But Marie
Antoinette declined to increase the financial embarrassments of the
State by indulging her fancy. " We have more need," she said, " of
a vessel than a bijou." Several times Bohmer tried to induce her
majesty to purchase the necklace, but in vain. After peace was
signed in 1785 he renewed his attempt at Versailles, but not daring
to offer it himself to the Queen, having been so frequently refused,
he sought some one who could introduce the subject to her
majesty. A person named Achet suggested to him, as one capable
of performing that service, the Comtesse de Lamotte, a lady of the
House of Valois, and reputed to be in high favour with the Queen.
Madame de Lamotte, who accounted for her sudden wealth by her
influence at court, soon entered into an arrangement with Achet.
At the first interview on the subject, however, she pretended to be
undecided. She knew not whether it were possible to take the
step proposed, but she was curious to see this magnificent parure.
Bassange took the necklace to her house : when she told him that
she should like to be of use to him, but that " she was reluctant to
mix herself up in this sort of thing," she neither refused nor
promised: "perhaps she would find a favourable opportunity."
Three weeks passed ; then, on a fresh application from Achet, she
requested the jewellers to come to her. At this second interview
she told them she hoped they would succeed in selling the necklace
within a few days, since a grand seigneur would be authorized
to treat for it. Three days afterwards, the 24th January, 1785, she
presented herself at the jewellers' with her husband at seven o'clock
in the morning, and announced that the person charged with the
negotiation woidd shortly visit them : she added, however, that it
was not necessary to mention her name to this person, her only
motive in this negotiation being the pleasure of obliging them.
M. and Madame de Lamotte then withdrew, and a quarter of an
hour afterwards the Cardinal appeared. After having examined
the necklace and inquired the price, which the jewellers fixed at
1,600,000 francs, he told them that "he was authorized to purchase
it, that it was not for himself, and that he did not know whether he
was at liberty to reveal the name of the purchaser ; but should he,
however, not be able to do so, he would make some private
arrangement." On the 29th of January he sent for Bohmer and
Bassange to his hotel, and informed them that he was authorized to
treat for the necklace, but under the express command of secrecy ;
at the same time making the following propositions : " The value of
the necklace should be fixed by MM. Doigny and Malliard shoidd
the price (1,600,000 francs) at which they wished to sell it be
thought too great ; the payment was to begin at the end of six
months, when 400, 000 francs would be handed over to them, a similar
sum to be paid every six months until the whole was liquidated.
If these conditions were agreeable, the necklace was to t»e ready
by the 1st of February, at latest."

The jewellers accepted these terms and signed the agreement.

Madame de Lamotte, who had taken care that her name should
not be mentioned in the affair, had thus lost no time. On the 29th
of January, the prince concluded the negotiations ; on the 31st
Madame de Lamotte brought to him the Queen's ratification ; and
the next day he wrote to the jewellers to bring the necklace as soon
as possible. Bohmer and Bassange obeyed orders. The prince
then informed them that it was the Queen who had purchased it,
and showed them the terms they had accepted signed Marie
Antoinette de France. The jewellers knew neither the writing nor
the signature of her majesty, since she was accustomed to give her
orders viva voce, or to communicate them by one of her ladies-in-
waiting. The prince told them he could not leave the paper with
them, but showed a letter from the Queen containing these words :
"lam not accustomed to treat in this way with my jewellers ; you
will keep the paper by you and arrange the rest as you think
proper." The Cardinal assured them, moreover, that he would
deliver the necklace that very day, and in the afternoon wrote the
following letter ; —

" Moss. Bohmer, — Her Majesty the Queen has informed me that the
interest, which shall be due after the first payment, should be paid succes-

sively with the capital until the whole debt is discharged. — Signed, Cardinal
Prince de Kohan. Paris, 1st February, 1785."

_ The same evening the prince went to Versailles, accompanied by
his confidential valet, who carried the casket. Arrived there, lie
proceeded to Madame de Lamotte's, and at the door took the casket
from the hand of his valet, sent him away, and ascended the stair-
case. Madame de Lamotte was alone in a dim half-lighted apart-
ment. Soon afterwards a door opened, and a voice cried, " From
the Queen;" the Cardinal then retired to a recess. A man
appeared, who delivered a note to Madame de Lamotte. Who was
that man? The cardinal believed he recognized in him a person
attached to the Queen's chamber, and that he had already seen him
in the park of Versailles on the evening of the scene in the Bosquet
de Venus. Madame de Lamotte, having read to the Cardinal this
note, which ordered him to give the casket to the bearer, took it from
his hands, and delivered the precious box to the messenger. It was
Retaux de Villette, who immediately disappeared.

From this moment the two Lamottes had their hands full of
diamonds. They paid a watchmaker for a time-piece with a couple,
worth 2700 francs. They sold or pledged at Paris jewelry to the
extent of 3600 francs, and at Regnier of 8500 francs. On the 15th
of February Villette offered three packets of diamonds, valued at
about 20,000 francs. The party to whom they were offered,
suspecting him of robbery, denounced him to the police. Summoned
before the Commissary of police at the Chatelet, Villette declared,
not without hesitation, that he received the precious stones from
Madame de Lamotte-Valois, who had instructed him to sell them.
An inquiry was made at the Bureau de Surete whether any infor-
mation had been given respecting a robbery of diamonds, and as no
complaint had been made, Villette was set at liberty. This circum-
stance opened the eyes of the Lamottes to the danger of converting
the debris of the necklace into money in France ; so in the month
of April, Mons. de Lamotte crossed over into England, where he
sold not only some stones detached from the necklace, but more
important pieces of the parure.

Whilst the necklace was thus being scattered about the world, the
Prince de Rohan believed it to be in the hands of the Queen. He
saw Bohmer and Bassange during the early part of February, and
begged them to take the first opportunity they might have of
approaching the Queen, to thank her. He thus remained to the
month of June in the blindest security. From the fate of the neck-
lace he was, moreover, greatly distracted by the success of Cagliostro,
who had just arrived in Paris. It was the age of miracles, of enthu-
siasm, of the foundation of the Egyptian Lodge ; and the prince
lived in a dream between Cagliostro and Madame de Lamotte,
between the marvels of alchemy and the correspondence of the
Queen, doubly duped, doubly deluded. He went three or four
times a week to sup at the hotel of the Rue St. Claude with his
friends, Saint-James and the Baron de Planta. Madame de
Lamotte, who affected a profound respect for a man of super-
natural powers, was sometimes admitted to these reunions. She
there enchanted every one with her wit ; Cagliostro displayed his
most ingenious machines ; and Mons. de Rohan was as happy as he
could be in this petite societe, where too many brilliant men of honour
shone for him not to be infinitely amused.

In the mean while the prince awaited with impatience the time
so often alluded to in the letters, when he should be received once
more into the royal favour. His presence in Paris, and his visits to
Versailles, disquieted Madame de Lamotte. Might he not, wearied
by these perpetual delays, attempt to gain an audience of the Queen
of his own accord ? She perceived the danger, and persuaded him
that his absence was necessary whilst they were completing the
work of his elevation. He therefore left for Saverne about the
beginning of May. On his return, in the middle of June, the Car-
dinal expressed to Madame de Lamotte his astonishment that the
Queen had not worn the necklace, either at Versailles on Whit-
Monday, or at the fetes which had just taken place at Paris in
celebration of the baptism of the Due d'Angouleme. Pressed by
his questions, Madame de Lamotte told him that, since he would
know the real motive, the Queen thought the price of the necklace
excessive, and that she required a reduction of 200,000 francs, or,
according to the terms of the agreement, a valuation ; if not, it
would be returned. The prince, full of faith, negotiated this little
affair with the jewellers, who accepted, not without reluctance, the
reduction ; stipulating, however, that when the first payment
became due they should receive 700,000 francs instead of 400,000.
Early in July the Cardinal saw the jewellers, pressed them again to
thank the Queen, and dictated the following letter for them : —

"Madame, — We are exceedingly gratified to believe that the last arrange-
ments which were proposed to us, and to which we assented with zeal aud

Jan.

1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

174

respect, are a new proof of our submission and devotion to the orders of
your majesty ; and we hare a real satisfaction in thinking that the most
beautiful partirc of diamonds which exists will grace the greatest and the
best of queens."

This letter was delivered to Marie Antoinette on the 12th of July.
At the moment Bbhrner presented it, the Comptroller-General en-
tered, so that the jeweller went away without an answer. When,
shortly afterwards, the Queen sent for him to demand the meaning
of this mysterious epistle, he had left Versailles. " The Queen,"
says Madame Campan in her Memoirs, "entered the library. She
held the paper in her hand. She read it to me, saying that as I had
guessed that morning the conundrums of the Mercury, perhaps I
could discover the meaning of that which the stupid Bohmer had
just given her. As soon as she had finished reading, she crumpled
up the paper, and burnt it at a taper which remaiued lighted in the
library for the purpose of sealing letters, and said, ' It is not worth
keeping.' She commanded me, when I saw Bohmer, to ask for an
explanation."

Thus this letter — unintelligible, it is true, to any one not in the
secret of the intrigue — revealed nothing to Marie Antoinette ; and on
the other hand, the silence of the Queen after the 12th of July served
to confirm the prince and the jewellers in the belief that she had
the necklace. Thus everything turned out favourable for Madame
de Lamotte ; and this letter, which might have destroyed her, gave
her time to put the finishing touch to her fraud, and consummate it
with impunity.

The day of payment arrived. Madame de Lamotte went to the
prince, and showed him a short note, in which the Queen was made
to say that " she had disposed of the 700,000 francs set aside for the
jewellers and that she could not pay them until the 1st of October ;
but that the interest should be ready." The surprise and perplexity
of the Cardinal at this intelligence can easily be imagined. He now
heard, too, that a lady-in-waiting on the Queen (Madame Campan)
had declared, some days after the receipt of the letter, that her
majesty didn't know what it meant. The jewellers too informed
him that the minister of the king's household (Baron de Breteuil)
had sent for them. He then found the writing of the Queen. It
struck him also to compare the writing on the margin of the agree-
ment, and was immediately astounded at the difference of the letters.
The most terrible suspicions now crossed his mind. He sent for
Madame de Lamotte, and looking at her fixedly, said, "You have
cruelly deceived me;" and reproached her bitterly. Madame, how-
ever, soon appeased his anger and allayed his suspicions by bringing
to him, in the name of the Queen, 30,000 francs — the interest to be
paid on the 1st of August. The prince could not of course imagine,
justly observes Carpardon, that this woman, whom he believed to
be in want, — to whom he sent every now and then four or five
louis,— had on the 27th of July borrowed these 30,000 francs from
a notary, giving as security some diamonds from the necklace. She
hoped, moreover, to dupe the jewellers as well as the prince ; to
make them accept this fresh delay as they had already accepted the
reduction of price, and by means of these 30,000 francs to purchase
their silence until October. This time, however, they would not
enter into her views. They took the money, not as interest, but on
account ; and, refusing to wait any longer, declared they would go
at once to the Queen, and take steps to obtain payment of the pro-
mised capital. This resolution, which rendered discovery of the
fraud inevitable and immediate, determined Madame de Lamotte to
force on the denouement.

On the 3rd of August she sent for Bassange. On his arrival,
she asked him whether he had seen the Cardinal recently, and
whether he had communicated anything fresh. On receiving an
answer in the negative, " The prince," she said, "is in the greatest
perplexity. The agreement, which was signed apparently by her
Majesty the Queen, is a forged signature. How is he to escape from
his embarrassment ? / don't know. At all events, take your pre-
cautions with respect to him ; he has a considerable fortune, and is
well able to pay you." When she saw Bassange stunned, as it were,
by this disclosure, she endeavoured to assure him " that the Cardinal
was a very wealthy nobleman ; that they must get him into their
hands, and insist absolutely that he should engage to reimburse
them. She added that the misfortune of the prince had arisen from
the writing which he had given them to deliver to the Queen ; and
that if the Cardinal had consulted her, she would have insisted on
nothing being done, being persuaded that the Queen would be sure
to be offended." Thus this artful woman urged the jewellers at the
denouement of the affair, as she had at the beginning, to secure
themselves with regard to the Cardinal, and to bind him so that he
could not escape. It was a bold but sovereignly -clever manoeuvre,
it must be confessed, thus to open the eyes of the jewellers. Would
it not, however, have been better to tell the truth, since in a few

days it must be detected ? Would it not have been better to have
enlightened the jewellers, and by them the Cardinal, to let him see
the net in which he had entangled himself, and therefore to impose
upon him the necessity of treating at any price with Bohmer and
Bassange ? Was it not the only way to stop the proceedings of
those at court, and to bury the fraud in a silence which all" had an
interest in keeping?

Madame de Lamotte calculated wrongly ; and in his examination
the Cardinal declared, "that certainly he would have preferred to
pay, and leave Madame de Lamotte to enjoy the fruit of her
intrigues, had nothing been said about the affair."

The conduct of Bohmer, however, defeated madame's new scheme.
The same day he had an interview with Madame Campan, who
perceived that Bohmer was the victim of a swindle, and that the
name of the Queen had been mixed up in a fraud of the most
dangerous and audacious character. Next morning Bassange went
early to the Cardinal's ; but instead of using clear and unequivocal
language, — instead of speaking plainly to him of the interview he had
had with Madame de Lamotte, — instead of telling him distinctly that
the pretended signature of the Queen was a forgery, — "he begged
pardon beforehand for the question he was about to put, and which
might appear somewhat indiscreet."

"Monseigneur," he said, " I wish to know if you are quite certaiu
of the intermediary person you have employed in the negotiation
about the necklace with the Queen. I put this question because
you have informed me on several occasions that there was an
intermediary person engaged in this negotiation."

The Cardinal hesitated to reply, appeared thoughtful, and ended
by saying: —

" If I hesitate to answer you, it is not because my reply is not
quite ready ; I only reflected whether I ought to tell you all." And
then he added, as if on second thoughts, "I ought and will. If,
after this, I should tell you I have treated directly with the Queen,
would you be satisfied ? "

"Yes, Monseigneur," replied Bassange.

"Well, then, I assure you I have treated directly with her
majesty. Do not," he added, "mention this conversation; for I
would contradict you, and deny it in toto. You need not be
anxious ; go and allay the apprehensions of your partner."

Obviously by speaking in this way the Cardinal deceived
Bassange with the intention of removing all anxiety from his mind,
and preventing a fatal termination should the affair be noised
abroad. Are we to suppose that from this moment he knew the
whole truth, and was certain he had been duped by Madame de
Lamotte ? Nothing proves it. His conduct during these last days
seems to indicate, on the contrary, that he was not disabused
until the moment of his arrest, or perhaps even later, as he himself
maintains, when immured in the Bastille, and then only by the
confessions of Villette and Oliva.

Scarcely had Bassange left the Hotel de Strasbourg, when
a messenger arrived from Madame de Lamotte, informing the
Cardinal that she was detained at home, and begging him to come
and see her. He went, and found her in despair, the tears
streaming from her eyes. She told him that she could no longer dis-
guise the fact ; that the goodness with which the Queen had honoured
her had created many enemies ; that she had not sufficient strength
to face calumny ; and that she thought it best to pass some time in
the country. She was so troubled, however, that she entreated, as
a favour, that he would give her an asylum in his house. According
to the Abbe Georgel, Madame Lamotte, determined to drive the
prince to extremities, did not stop at this vague falsehood. "I
have just come from the Queen," she added; "I described to her
the distress of Bohmer, the impossibility of your satisfying him, and
the scandal that must ensue. Then her majesty, forgetting her
former kindness, declared she would deny having the necklace from
me, that she would deny the authorization, and that she woidd
take steps to have me arrested, and would ruin you."

(To he continued.)

Wheeler's Illustrated Catalogue of Clocks, Watches, and
Jewellery. — We are in receipt of this excellent pamphlet, published
by Mr. Thomas Wheeler, of Preston, and find it well worthy of
perusal. It contains many useful particulars relating to the nature
of the construction of a watch, besides patterns of. various articles
of jewellery, and will be found very useful to shop-keepers and
others.

We should never remember the benefits we have conferred, nor
forget the favours received.

THE WATCHkAKES, JEWELLED, and

[Jan. 5, 1876.

THE CLOCKMAKERS OF THE SCHWARZWALD.
(From the New York "Jewellers' Circular.")

rpHE Baden State Railway, running in an unbroken line from the
y Rhine plain at Mannheim to the shores of the Bodensee at
Constance, forms two sides of that part of the Grand Duchy of
Baden which in Germany is called Badischer Schwartzwald. Along
this line go great numbers of English tourists hurrying- to Switzer-
land and rushing back again to England, but they seldom set foot
in any part of this district except in the town of Freiburg, a
pleasant point to break a long and somewhat tedious journey.
The dark hills thickly covered with pine trees, which the traveller
sees from the windows of his carriage, generally serve to remind him
of the grander mountain he has left or of the peaks which he hopes
to climb. But among these hills is much picturesque and quaint
scenery, of a character at once unique and distinct from that of coun-
tries more frequented by the traveller. From any high ground lofty
hills can lie seen extending towards the horizon, more or less clothed
with black pine forests, broken here and there by the lighter foliage
in the valleys, or by the open patches of cultivated land. There are
cottage farms, with huge black and spreading roofs, better built,
and showing signs of greater prosperity and comfort than in most
mountainous districts. The village houses are less thickly grouped,
and everything indicates an active and industrious people. In the
valleys are many charming landscapes ; the scale is small, but the
perfect union of water and rock, of wood and meadow produces
harmonious and delightful pictures. Among the thick and fragrant
woods the scenes are different, more weird and wild, but none the
less attractive. Among these woods and hills dwell a people who
unite the simplicity and kinduess of the mountaineer and agriculturist
with the shrewdness and energy of the artisan of the town. They
cultivate their land with surprising care, and work at the manu-
facture of clocks and watches, glass and straw articles, with a
diligence which has been rewarded by great success. They are so
energetic and desirous of doing well in life, that, like the men of the
Canton < iraubumlen and the Oetzthal Alps, they willingly leave their
own country and go away to England, America, or France, where they
work hard, chiefly at clocks and watches. But to this desire for
bettering their condition is united a strong love of home, so that in
three or four years they come back with sufficient money to buy
themselves a piicce of land, on which for the rest of their days they
live ; they settle down, and their children will do as they have done.
The first thing which a stranger docs at Furtwangen is to see the
exhibition of the Gewerbevcreins, and at Tryberg the Gewerbe
Hall, open from May to October. The latter is a wooden building
of some taste, where every variety of clock can be seen which the
ingenuity of the Schwarzwalder can devise or his fingers execute.
Bound the walls and on the tables are clocks of every sort. Nearly
all are of wood, though here and there is a fragile one of straw or
ivory. The first which attracts attention is a very fine specimen of
wood carving ; the figures and design are cut in lime wood, and it
stands two feet high. The fingers and hours arc of ivory. The at-
tendant puts it to two o'clock, and it forthwith plays a melodious air,
as of the most delicate flutes. 'Die next is still larger, and as the
hour strikes a miniature band plays " Der Wacht am Jlhein." We
pass on to one made of beach and walnut, the dark and light wood
being charmingly blended. As the fingers touch the hour, two
helrneted trumpeters step out and blow the reveille. Then there
are cuckoos which strike up at the hour and thrushes who sing at
the quarter, venerable monks standing beneath the belfry ring the
hour when midnight comes. The automaton clock coincs next, and
we watch a sort of Pickwickian fat boy feed himself with rolls till three
has finished striking. The taste and minuteness of the carving in
the largest or the smallest point are very great ; the regulator on
the pendulum of the smallest clock represents, perhaps, an oak leaf,
or some simple but still graceful object. Nor arc more methodical
and stronger-looking clocks wanting ; they arc of every kind ; they
will suit the kitchen or the boudoir. The excellence of the
external work is equalled by that of the machinery, for, having
once gained a reputation, the inhabitants of these hilJs tal<e care
that it shall not be lost. The Gewerbevcrein, or Union, guarantee
the goodness of each clock which hangs on the walls.

Thirty year, ago a really good litlle clock could have been
bought for sixpence or eightpence, but now, with communication
more easy, the small ones are sold for four or five shillings, the
cheapest trumpeter for six pounds. Every workman has his special
piece of work ; one carves the figures, another prepares the dial, a
third the wheels, a fourth the pendulum, so that on one clock many
hands are employed. Under this system, within a radius of sixty

English miles, the number of clocks or watches turned out annu-
ally is nearly 700,000. Figures convey but small impressions to
the mind, but if it is remembered that 5000 men are working at
this trade, and "that there are only about 2500 inhabitants in Furt-
wangen and 1500 in Tryberg, it will be seen how strong a hold this
trade has upon the people of the Schwartzwald.

It chanced that towards the end of the seventeenth century a
family named Kreuz, more enterprising or clever than their neigh-
bours, lived in the village of Neukirch. They made a rude clock,
works and frame of wood, with a weight, and this was given or sold
to the parish priest. This idea was not lost upon others of the
enterprising Schwarzwalders, and the example was soon followed
and not long afterwards the farmhouses of the district began to be
adorned with wooden clocks. Two men were very apt at the work,
they may also be called the fathers of the art ; their names were
Lorenz Frei, called " the AVoodworker," and Solomon Henniger, of
St. Margen. The germs now rapidly developed ; the simple carv-
ing of wooden stands or frames gave place to the more elaborate
work of ornamental clockmaking ; the wood, the Avant of other
occupations, the uncommon industry, acuteness, and union of the
people, the freedom from political and other disturbing causes all
promoted this quick growth. Hawkers sold the clocks throughout
Germany, and the Schwartzwald soon became celebrated throughout
the empire.

The clocks were at first very simple in construction, wooden
wheels and carved frames. It was not until between the years 1730
and 1710 that the first cuckoo clock— which is one of the class
called Spieluhren, or clocks of amusement — was introduced by Franz
Ketterer, of Schonwald, a small hamlet on the hill above Tryberg,
who is the real originator of the description of clock for which the,-
Black Forest is most noted. This was novel enough for a time, but
more minds set to work, and forty years later Anthony Buffner
devised the first flute clock. Soon a real, noteworthy advance took
place, in the introduction of the first pendulum clock. Then the
fancy of one, Kirner, a Schwarzwalder, who had become court
painter to the King of Bavaria, suggested that very pleasant instru-
ment, the trumpet clock. There were now five hundred persons
engaged in the clock trade in the Black Forest, and it had become
the recognized occupation of the people. The work was all done by
hand ; not for some years was machinery used. But instead of the
primitive fashion of each family working for themselves, masters and
workmen began to appear ; and as time went on, the change became
more and more complete, till, in 1849, the Grand Duke Leopold was
asked to assist in founding a clock and watchmaker's school. The
government of Baden at once acceded, and they gave ten thousand
florins for the purpose of defraying some of the building expenses:
and to carry on the work of the institution — the community of
Furtwangen gave wood and materials— and in 1850 the Clockmaker's
School at Furtwangen was opened. Tims almost before the work-
men of England had begun to think of technical schools, the
peasants of a distant German province had already set one on foot.
It has given new impetus to the work, and by the introduction of a
special literature and instruction in no small degree aided the
general education of the people of this and the neighbouring villages,
as well as the actual technical branch which it was created to
improve. The school has two main objects. Firstly, the education
of the young by literary and theoretical teaching in the elements on
which the art of clockmaking is composed, that is, in the general
principles common to any scientific manufacture, and in the more
intricate details belonging specially to this one branch. Secondly,
the improvement of the trade by a practical school or workshop,
where the theories already taught can be carried out, where new
improvements and methods can be tried, and where practical
instruction can be given. Two important principles are acted upon
in carrying out these aims, — the instruction is free, and it is not in
the place of, but subsidiary to, and based on, that which is given in
the Zolkschule, or public elementary schools. This is important to
notice, because there is too great a tendency in England to begin
at the wrong end, not only in the lower branches of technical'
instruction but also in those of a higher and more intellectual grade,,
and make technical supply the place of general teaching. Briefly
put, these are some of the details connected with the school :— The
age of admittance is fourteen,' and the pupil must have passed
through the Folkschule ; a yearly examination, yearly distribution of
prizes ; a library containing technical and scientific books and
models, and a period of study not confined to any particular time or
length. Tlie subjects taught are: (a) freehand and ornamental
drawing ; (I>) arithmetic, geometry, and lineal drawing ; (c) con-
structive drawing ; (d) mechanics and natural science : (e) heads of
German industry and mercantile business ; (/) French, wherj
possible,

Jan. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

177

There are a few minutiae to notice as to the workshop. The most
important arc that the workers must bring their own tools, unless
they can show satisfactorily that they arc too poor to afford them,
when they will obtain them freely at the shop. The government
defrays the expense of living at Furtwangen of those also who would
be unable to attend out of their own means. There are saw-mills
and other appliances for doing the rougher work, preparatory to tho
more delicate details of the instructive workshop. Lastly, the whole
is under the supervision of the government, through the minister of
industry. The school and shop have both succeeded well, the trade
increases every year, the prosperity of the people in an equal degree.
As railways are extended, and the means of communication, not
only with the immediate parts of Germany, but with the more
distant countries of Europe and the world, become more easy,
so undoubtedly will be seen a further extension of the business of
the Schwarzwald.

It will be seen from these brief sketches that the wanderer in the
Black Forest can not only receive pleasure from the charms of a
peculiar and beautiful scenery, — he has also opportunities of study-
ing some social features hardly to be found in more populous places.
He finds— a long way from the great centres of commerce and
manufactures — a simple and kind-hearted people, carrying on an
ingenious trade quietly, yet actively, and keeping pace with modern
improvements, for the peaccfulness of the pine woods and the patri-
archal simplicity of the villagers' lives seem to enable them to labour
without the disturbing influences at work among so many industrial
communities.

THE ECONOMIC MICROSCOPE.

AN" IMPORTANT INVENTION FOR MANUFAC-
TURING JEWELLERS AND OTHERS.

The New "Cellini" Kaleidoscope.

THE above-named instrument just introduced, and manufactured
by the London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company, is one
of such merit and importance to manufacturers, that it merits a far
more detailed description than the pressure on our pages will admit
of insertion in the present number, for which reason, we can but
briefly notice its introduction, and hupe to enter into a more complete
account of its various advantages in our next. Sullice it, however, for
us to remark that the powers of the instrument are such as to
render it of great value to designers in all branches, especially
manufacturing jewellers, who will doubtless welcome its introduction
as a highly useful aid in their business. AVe are informed that the
demand is already greatly in excess of the possibility of the supply,
and as the matter is of such importance to the various trades repre-
sented in our pages, we shall endeavour to place all the particulars
before their notice in our next number, and, if possible, to give
sketches or illustrations of designs produced by the instrument.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STRONG-ROOM
COMPANY, LIMITED.

AT a meeting of the board, held on the 21st ult, at the offices,
89, Snow-hill, an interim dividend of 10/. per cent, per
annum, for the half-year ending November 30, was declared payable on
the 15th January next. It was also resolved that, " in anticipation of
the company taking possession of the new works at Soho, and the
consequent extended operations of their business, the remainder of
the 65,000 shares offered in the original prospectus be issued at par,
and that preference in allotment be given to existing shareholders.''

COMPETITIVE WATCH TRIALS AT GENEVA.

mHE Society of Arts of Geneva, in celebration of its centenary,
J_ proposes to have an international competitive trial of
pocket chronometers and fine watches, to be conducted at the
Geneva Observatory under the superintendence of the Director
Professor Plantamour. All timekeepers for competition must be
delivered at the Observatory before noon of the 14th February
1876, and must be accompanied by a certificate bearing the number
of the watch or chronometer, the name of the maker°the name of
the timer, a description of the escapement and of the balancc-sprino-
and any other details of construction— independent seconds'
chronograph, fusee, ka.—IIorobxjicul Journal.

A MONG the many recent and valuable additions to scientific,
f\_ instruments we notice the Economic Microscope, designed and
manufactured by Messrs. It. & J. Beck, of Cornhill, and which
combines the advantages of high-class workmanship, with portability,
utility, and convenience. As the microscope is now such an absolute
necessity for tho student, to enable him satisfactorily to carry on his
investigations, it is more than ever incumbent on the optician to
construct a sound, economic instrument adapted to the special
requirement! of this large and increasing class.

Of late years, professors of our colleges have recommended
students to purchase foreign microscopes, as being sufficiently good
for their necessities, as well as less costly in price. The instrument
to which we herein allude is, however, not only mire convenient in
arrangement, but can likewise be purchased at a much lower price
than those imported from foreign makers ; and although originally
manufactured to meet the urgent requirements of students, this
excellent instrument is likewise admirably adapted for the use of
amateurs, and those who desire to assist beginners.

In order to convey a clear idea of the instrument alluded to, we
herewith show a drawing thereof.

The foundation of the
stand is a heavy horse- shoe,
base A, at the bend of
which is a firm pillar B,
having at its top a hinge-
joint C, which allows the
body D to be inclined at
any angle, and is sufficiently
firm to permit of its being
placed in a horizontal posi-
tion for use with the
camera lucid t.

The body is supplied
with a draw or lengthening
tube, V, which must be
pulled out to give the full
power to the object-glass
F. The course adjustment
11 is produced by a rack
and pinion conveniently
placed, which moves the
body-tube 1), carrying
the object-glass F and
eye-piece E up and down
with great precision. The
slow motion is given by the
tube II sliding over the
inner stem with a spring
inside, and adjusted by the
milled head I.

The instrument is sup-
plied with two eye-pieces,
and two object-glasses, a
one-inch, magnifying 45 to
110 diameters, and a quar-
ter-inch from 155 to 3;i0 diameters.

The stage K upon which the object is placed has two springs, LL,
the pins attached to which maybe inserted in any of the four holes
on the stage, and by their pressure (which can be varied by pushing
them more or less down) they will hold the object under them, or
allow it to be moved about with the greatest accuracy. The mirror
M, besides swinging in the rotating semicircle, N, is attached to a
bar, O, with a joint at each end allowing a lateral movement, so as
to throw oblique light on the object, and for this purpose (the
diaphragm P having been moved) the tube into which it slides has a
semicircular piece cut out on either side. The diaphragm P slides in
the sub-stage fitting, nnd consists of a tube containing two small
stops or holes. The instrument is also supplied with a side con-
densing lens, S, for the observation of opaque objects fitting into
any of the holes on the stage K, and supplied with a universal joint
for placing it in any position.

A pair of forceps, T, for holding a minute object, also fitting into
the holes on the stage K. A pair of brass pliers for use in water.
A glass plate with a" ledge, specially intended for the examination
of fluids, and a few piece's of thin glass for covering the object under
observation. The instrument fits into a neat mahogany case, with
lock and key, and from its many advantages and highly useful com-
binations will doubtless have a very great sale, the more so as its
practical merits become generally known.

ITS

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan.

1876.

FINGER RINGS.

(Continued from page 15;"!.)

Medleyal Rings.

HPIIE rings worn by the higher class of our Anglo-Saxon ancestors
during the Heptarchy -were often very beautiful and of
imposing form. One of the finest we have seen belonged to the
Rey. H. B. Hatchings, of Appleshaw, Hants, and was found in a
meadow at Bossington, near Stockbridge, in the same county, by a
labourer, who saw it among a heap of peat. We give a side and
front view of this interesting relic ; the whole is of gold, and is of

Fig. 33.

n-. 39.

considerable weight and thickness ; the gold threads are all
beautifully reeded, and the lettering and head executed with great
care. The inscription reads— "WOMEN EHLLA FID IN
XPO," equivalent to its owner saying, "My name is Ella, my
faith is in Christ."

The beautiful and remarkable collection of rings formed by
Edmund Waterton, Esq,, F.S.A., to which allusion has already been
made, includes a ring of South Saxon workmanship which was
found in the Thames at Chelsea in 1856. The face of this ring
(Fig. 40) is an elongated oval, with a circular centre. Within this
circle is the conventional figure of a dragon, surrounded by
convoluted ornament, reminding us forcibly of the prevailing
enrichments so lavishly bestowed on old Runic monuments at home
and abroad. Four quaintly-formed heads of dragons occupy the
triangular spaces above and below this centre. This ring is of
silver. The ground between the ornament has been cut down,
probably for the insertion of niello or enamel colours.

Fig. 40.

Fig. 41.

Fig. 41 is an historic relic of singular interest, and a remarkable
work of early art. It is the ring of Ethelwulf, King of Wessex (the
father of Alfred the Great), who reigned a.d. 836-838, and bears
the royal name upon it. It was found in the parish of Laverstock,
Hants, in a cart-rut, where it had become much crushed and defaced.
The form is remarkable, the front rising pyramidally. Two birds
of conventional form face each other, a flower ornament dividing
them. These decorations, like those on Mr. Waterton's ring, just
described, are relieved by a ground of glossy blueish-black enamel,
cavities having been cut between the ornament for its infusion.
This ring is of gold, weighing 11 dwts. 14 grs. ; it is now preserved
in the British Museum.

Mr. Waterton is the fortunate possessor of a ring second only in
interest and value to his royal relic. It is the ring of Ahlstan, Bishop
of Sherborne, the friend and counsellor of King Ethelwulf, who
flourished a.d. 817-867. It was discovered in Carnarvonshire and has
the name of the bishop in divided letters distributed on the circular

rosettes of the design ; they are connected by lozenge-shaped floriated
ornaments, having dragons in their centres. Our cut (Fig. 42) gives the
general form and detail of this beautiful ring, which is remarkable
for the elegance of its design. It is of gold, like the preceding

Fig. 42.

ring, both being admirable illustrations of the champ-hve process of
enamelling practised in the ninth century.

A remarkable discovery of coins and treasure was made in 1840
by workmen employed in digging at Cuerdale, near Preston, in
Lancashire. It consisted of a large mass of silver in the form of
ingots or bars of various sizes, a few armlets and rings, and portions
of other ornaments cut into pieces as if for remelting. With them
were packed nearly 7000 coins of various descriptions, consisting of
Anglo-Saxon pennies, others struck by the second race of French
kings, a few Oriental coins, and others which appear to have been
coined by some of the piratical northern chieftains. This treasure
was minutely examined by E. Hawkins, F.R.S., of the British
Museum, and he came to the conclusion that it had been deposited
about the year 910, and that the ornaments must be considered such
as were worn about the time of Alfred, or perhaps somewhat
earlier. The rings retain much of the primitive British form, as will
be seen on examining the two selected for engraving here. Fig. 43
is beaten out into a broad face, which is covered with an indented

Fig. 43.

Fig. 44.

ornament produced by a chisel-shaped punch of triangular form,
the points of two conjoined in one pattern ; the edge of the ring on
each side is further enriched by a series of dots. Fig. 44 has a still
broader face, which is decorated by grops of three circles each,
somewhat irregularly distributed over the surface, with indented lines
between them. The open end of this ring has been drawn together
and secured by a coil of wire. Such rings were probably worn by
the middle classes.

" The passion for gems and jewellery was expressive among all the
Gothic nations. When Alaric pillaged Rome his booty in this way
was enormous, and it was recorded that his princess, Placidia,
received, as a present from the conqueror's brother, fifty basins filled
with precious stones of inestimable value. Not only were the
persons of these sovereigns and nobles covered with gems, inserted
in girdles, sword-scabbards, on borders of garments or shoes, but
vases, dishes, bowls, drinking-cups, as well as portable articles of
furniture, caskets, &c, were similarly enriched. The Ostrogoth and
Visigoth kings amassed, in Tolosa andNarbonne, immense treasures
in gems and gold and silver vessels. When Narbonne was pillaged
the number of ornaments of pure gold enriched with gems that fell
to the conquerors would scarcely be credited were the details
recorded by less trustworthy authors, or not corroborated by some
few works of the same age which have fortunately descended to us.
The church shared largely in this wealth ; crosses, reliquaries, and
sacred vessels of all kinds were made of the most costly material
and encrusted with gems. One of these ancient works may still be
seen in Cologne Cathedral — the chasse, or reliquary, containing the
reputed skulls of the three Magi, of whom we shall soon have to
speak more fully. This remarkable work is studded all over with
engraved intaglios of Roman workmanship. Churchmen at this
time were clever artificers, and St. Dunstan, great statesman as he

Jaw. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

179

was, in the British, and St. Cloi, in the Gallic church, both skilled
working goldsmiths, have since become the patron saints of
confraternities of their followers.

The higher clergy on all solemn occasions displayed much
personal decoration. A jewelled ring was part of the adornment of
a bishop when arrayed in full pontificals. It indicated his rank, was
made for him, and buried with him. The treasuries of our old
cathedrals still possess a few of these rings. One of the earliest and
most curious is kept by the Dean of Winchester, and is represented
in Fig. 45. It was found during the repair of the choir, under
the tomb of William Rufus, and is supposed to have been the
pontifical ring of Henry de Blois, cardinal, and Bishop of

Fig. 45.

Fig. 40.

Winchester, a.d. 1129. It is a massive ring of solid gold, set with
an oval irregularly-shaped sapphire, en cabochon, polished only, not
cut, held in its heavy socket by four fleur-de-lys, and still further
secured by drilling through its centre a passage for a gold wire — a
reckless way of treating valuable jewels which is characteristic of
almost all these early works.

Fig. 46 is an ordinary pontifical gold ring of investiture used in
the Anglican Church about this time. It was found at Winchester,
and is preserved with Fig. 45, described above. It has a very
massive setting for a large blue sapphire, and is very characteristic,
though simple in its design.

Dignity, as exhibited by weight and simplicity, seems to have
been chiefly regarded in the design of these old episcopal insignia.

In the sacristy at York Minster is preserved a very excellent
specimen (Fig. 47) ; this was found in the tomb of Archbishop
Sewall, who died in 1256. With it is kept another fine ring, of more
elaborate design (Fig. 48), which was discovered in the tomb of
Archbishop Greenfield, who died in 1315. The foliations which

Fig. 47.

Fig. 48.

curl around the central stone and its setting take the prevailing
forms adapted in architectural enrichments of the archbishop's age.
The stones usually chosen for such rings were ruby, emerald, or
crystal, and had a significance usual with all things connected with
the Roman Catholic Church ; ruby indicated its glory, emerald its
tranquillity and happiness, and crystal its simplicity and purity.
The diamond typified invulnerable faith, the sapphire hope, the onyx
sincerity, the amethyst humility.

In the old romance of " Sir Degrevant" we are told that at the
marriage of the hero there came

" Archbishops with rings
More than fifteen."

In the romance of "King Athelstan" (also a work of the
fourteenth century) the king exclaims to an offering archbishop

" Lay doun thy cross, and thy staff
Thy mitre and thy ring, that I to thee gaff —
Out of my land thou flee."

Dr. Thomas Arnold, of Rugby, learned German at forty in order
that he might read Niebuhr in the original. Let these examples
tell upon the general character, and invigorate and cheer all
undertakings.

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent.

4292. William Jacksox, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Jeweller, for an invention of " Improvements in lockets, brooches,
bracelets, and other like ornaments and ornamental fastenings." —
Dated 10th December, 1875.

4333. Marius Anthony Pradier, of 7, Bedford Street, Bedford Square,
in the county of Middlesex, Manufacturing Jeweller, for an invention
of " A new and improved method of fastening and unfastening the
shirt, collar, or other etud, sleeve-link, and solitaire, by means of the
screw principle." — Dated 14th December, 1875.

4367. Ferdinakd Muller, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Merchant, for an invention of " Certain improvements in keyless
watches." — A communication to him from abroad by Proellochs
Freres, Schaffhouse, in the republic of Switzerland. — Dated 16th
December, 1875.

4403. Richard Quin, of Poland Street, Oxford Street, in the county of
Middlesex, trading under the style or firm of Moran and Quin,
Jewellery Case Makers, for an invention of " Improved opening and
closing arrangements applicable to caies for containing jewellery,
plate, papers, pictures, and other artieles." — Dated 18th December,
1875.

4498. Juan Nepomuceno Adorno, of Harley Street, Cavendish Square, in
the county of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an invention of "Improve-
ments in watches and clocks."— Dated 24th December, 1875.

Notices to Proceed.

2917. Alfred John Higiiam, of 13, Blackbeath Terrace, Blackheath,
in the county of Kent, Gentleman, has given the like notice in respeot
of the invention of " Improvements in clocks and other timekeepers."

3212. Hermann Van Dyk, of 12, West Smithfield, in the city of
London, has given the like notice in respect of the invention of " Im-
provements in reticules, travelling bags, jewel cases, dressing-cases,
work boxes, and other similar receptacles."

Patents Sealed.

2242. Joseph Norman Harmer, of Whittlesea, and Alfred Stafford
Wright, of Doddington, both in the county of Cambridge, for an
invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of watchmakers'
peg-wood and other similar articles, and in tools or apparatus
employed therein." — Dated 18th June, 1875.

2310. Alfred Littlehales, of Birmingham, in the county of War-
wick, Engraver, for an invention of " Improvements in fastenings for
solitaires, sleeve-links, shirt and other studs, cravats, neck-ties, neck
and other bows, and other articles." — Dated 24th June, 1875.

2335. Auguste Conod, of Lausaune, Switzerland, now of 8,
Southampton Buildings, London, Watch and Clock Manufacturer, for
an invention of "Improvements in electric clock apparatus, parts of
which are applicable to ordinary clocks." — Dated 26th June, 1875.

3118. Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the firm of Harris and Mills,
of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the county of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for an invention of " Improvements in watches." — A commu-
nication to him from abroad by Henri Jacot-Burmann, of Bienne, in
the Canton de Berne, in the Swiss Confederation. — Dated 6th Septem-
ber, 1875.

3677. William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention of
" An improved diamond holder and method of inserting, fitting, and
securing diamonds in metallic holders." — A communication to him from
abroad by Joseph Wild Branch, of Saint Louis, Missouri, United
States of America, Manufacturer. — Dated 22nd October, 1875.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

367.

4333. To Marius Anthony Pradier, of 7, Bedford Street, Bedford Square,
in the county of Middlesex, Manufacturing Jeweller, for the invention
of "A new" and improved method of fastening and unfastening the
shirt, collar, or other stud, sleeve-link, and solitaire, by means of the
screw principle."

To Ferdinand Mi/ller, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Merchant, for the invention of " Certain improvements in keyless
watches." — A communication to him from abroad by Proellochs Freres,
of Schaff house, in the republic of Switzerland.

4403. To Richard Quin, of Poland Street, Oxford Street, in the county of
Middlesex, trading under the style or firm of Moran & Quin, Jewel-
lery Case Makers, for the invention of " Improved opening and closing
arrangements applicable to cases for containing jewellery, plate, &c."

180

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan. 5, 187G.

Patents which have become Void.

Letters Patent for Inventions which have become Void by reason of the
h t-payment of the additional Stamp Duty of 50Z., before the Expira-
tion of the Ihird Year from the date of such Patents, pursuant to the
Act of the 16 Vict., <: ;"), sec. 2.

3838. Fritz Robert-Theuiiek, of the firm of Jlobert-Theurer et fila, of
Chaux lie Fonds, Switzerland, Manufacturer, for an invention of
'• Improvements in apparatus for winding and setting the hands of
watches."— Dated 17th December, 1808.

3366. Thomas Kesnei.lt, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Gas
Fitter, for an invention of " Improvements in blow-pipes used in sol-
dering and brazing metals, and for other purposes." — Dated 20th
December, 1872.

3885. Latjbentius Andreas Walbemar Lund and Edmund Axmans, both
of (>0, Chandos Street, Strand, in the county of Middlesex, for an inven-
tion of " Improvements in the manufacture of brooehes, buttons,
solitaires, and other articles of jewellery." — Dated 21st of December,
1808.

Grants of Provincial Patents For Six Months.

3881. To Thomas Peeks, the younger, of the firm of Thomas Perks
and Sons, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Jewellers, for
the invention of " An improvement or improvements in earrings."

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

France.
107,900. Mott, for " Improvements in the calendar motion of clocks and

watches."— Dated 30th April, 1875.
107,920. Duriez, for "Improvements in Jewellery." — Dated 1st

May, 1875.
107,927. Edge, for "Improvements in the manufacture of the movable

heads of watch-chains, &c." — Dated 1st May, 1875.
108,186. Eaton, for "Regulating chronometers, watches and clocks."

—Dated 27th May, 1875.
108,19(5. Lepevre, jun., for "An eight-day night and day clock."

—Dated 28th May, 1875.

Belgium.

38,192. J. Damoiseau, of Andenne, for "A mysterious clock." — Dated
9th November, 1875.

United States.

If59,378. David Siiive, of Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to the Shive
Governor Company, for " Watchmen's registers." — Application filed
lflth October, 1873.

109,458. Ezra Mac Nutt, of Philadelphia, Pa., for "Watch-
regulators." — Application filed 8th May, 1875. Brief . — " A set-screw
in the nut attached to a micrometer watch-regulator, for the purpose
of holding the nut in the same position when taken apart for repairs,
&c, and an adjustable curb-pin, in combination with a stationary
curb-pin, for the purpose of clamping or loosing the hair-spring, as
may be required."

109,512. John K. Bioelow, of Springfield, 111., for " Watches."—
Application filed 2nd April, 1874.

Designs Patented in Foreign States.

United States.

8785. Edward E. Barrows, of Attleborough, Mass, (for j" Watch-
chain links." — Application filed 15th September, 1875. — Term of
patent 3| years.

8780. Daniel A. Beam, of Newark, N.J., for ) a "Chain-link."—
Application filed 23rd October, 1875. — Term of patent 3.'- years.

8789. Hermann J. Mdllee, of New York, for "Clock-cases." — Appli-
cation filed 29th October, 1875. — Term of patent 7 years.

169,687. Henry Fick, of New York, N.Y., for " Globe attachments to
clocks." — Application filed 23rd October, 1875.

169,775. John 8. Caerow, of Philadelphia, Pa., for" Clicks for bracelets."
— Application filed 19th August, 1875.

169,787. Victor Domor, of Bristol, Tenn., or "Watch-plates." — Applica-
tion filed 15th September, 1875. Brief. — "A top plate made in re-
movable sections, with flange rigidly attached thereto, forming the
dust-cap, the movement being arranged in recesses formed in the top
plate."

169,868. Edwin Want, of New Haven, Conn., for "Eye-glasses." — Appli-
cation filed 20th June, 1875.

169,917. J- W. NrSTHOii, of Philadelphia, Pa., for " Eye-pieces for tele-
scopes.''— Application filed 19th October, 1875.

109,920. John N. Thomson, of Providence, R.I , for "Bracelets." —
Application filed 3rd March, 1875.

Italy.

145. M. Petersen, of Alton a, for "An escapement of chronometers.' —
0 years, — Dated 25th September, 1875,

THE

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL.

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, IIatton Garden,
London, E.G.

BtRMINGHAM AGENCIES.

Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, &. 29 Temple Street.
Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jewelleii, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holboru Viaduct Post Office, W.

No one is authorized to collect money -without production of
Printed Form of Receipt, bearing the Office Stamp.

THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION.

THE attention of Exhibitors at the above-named Exhibition is
particularly directed to the —

SPECIAL NOTICE on page 184 of this Journal

GLASS SHADES & STANDS

FOR CLOCKS, ORNAMENTS, dc.

GLASS SHELVING

AND SILVERED GLASS,

FOB

JEWELLEES' SHOP FITTINGS.

BENT FRONT & OTHER SHOW CASES.
GLASS LETTERS,

FOR FIXING ON SHOP FRONTS.

GEORGE HOUGHTON & SON,

(Formerly G'LifebET, IIoutihton & Son,)

89, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON, W.C.

S. J. LAZARUS & CO.,

129, LONDON WALL, LONDON, E.C.,

MANUFACTURERS OF

SPECTACLES AND EYE-GLASSES

Also Importers of every description of OPTICAL QDODS .

m

1-1

<« .
60 J*

W .-!

SOLE MANTTFACTTXRERS OP

Dr. Menist's Pantoscopic Tinted Lens Spactacles for Weak
and Defective Sight.

The Cheapest House in England for BrarJUian ft We Spectacles.

Jan. 5, 187G.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

181

3VEIIDXji-A.I^*13 EfcAIlL/W'A.'Sr.

Through Service of Fast Trains between London and
Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, Derby, Manchester

JANUARY, IS

Leicester, Nottingham,
, and Liverpool.

t».

STATION.

Victoria(L.C.&D.) dep.
Ludgate Hill ...
Moorgate Street
St. Pancras

Leicester i

Nottingham

Derby

Manchester

Liverpool (Central)

Sheffield

Leeds

Bradford

FltOM LONDON.— WEEK DAYS.

SUNDAYS.

a.m.

a.m.

a.m.

am.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m. 1

p.m.

li m.

Fast.

Fast.

Exp.

Exp.

Exp.

Exp.

Fast.

Mail.

Exp.

Mail.

7 50

8 48

10 55

2 0

2 50

3 55

7 42

1 35

7 35

8 25

9 24

11 28

2 32

3 25

4 32

8 18

2 10

8 10

8 40

9 37

11 25

2 43

3 35

4 40

8 27

2 26

8 23

5 15

8 55

10 0

11 45

3 0

4 0

5 0

8 50 , ...

2 50

8 50

7 26

11 39

12 17

2 20

5 27

0 19

7 21

11 29 ! ...

5 24

11 29

8 14

12 35

1 10

3 25

6 15

7 10

8 13

12 25 i ...

6 20

12 25

8 18

12 40

1 10

3 23

6 27

7 9

8 15

12 24

6 20

12 24

10 0

3 0

5 5

8 10

8 45

10 0

8 0

11 15

3 50

6 5

9 0

9 40

11 25

8 50

9 4

1 18

1 55

4 11

7 45

9 0

1 43

8 25

1 43

10 23

2 35

3 0

5 35

9 5

10 10

3 0

10 2)

3 0

11 10

3 25

C 15

10 10

10 35

3 55 1

11 20

3 55

o
o

cc

°S
2 <

-O

<£±

QO.

UJ

W

CflC

fifa

3 U Q

to £

4j g

a a

M °

w f

w 2

* * 1

> = i

sis

i — 6 w o
S <2 > o p.

£3 S

H«6

I « — (V, H -
H « "'

H

tD

3 Efo „ .
I . so';
iSdgogi

^T3 fcui

STATION.

Bradford dep.

Leeds ,,

Sheffield „

Liverpool (Central) „

Manchester ... ,,

Derby ... ■■■ ... ,,

Nottingham ... ,,

Leicester „

St. Pancras air.

Moorgate Street.. „
Ludgate Hill
Victoria (L. C. &D.)„

TO LONDON.— WEEK DAYS

SUNDAYS.

a.m.

a.m.

a.m.

a.m.'

a.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

P in,

Mail.

Exp.

Exp.

Exp.

Fast.

Fast.

Exp.

Fast.

Mail.

Fast.

Mail.

9 20

9 80

11 55

2 30

4 30

5 0

9 15

1 20

8 45

2 40

9 45

10 35

12 50

:s 0

4 45

5 40

10 5

2 15

10 5

4 12

S 0

10 39

12 5

2 20

4 30

5 55

G 58

11 20

4 17

11 26

10 30

12 0

2 35

4 0

9 45

4 0

7 0

11 10

1 0

3 35

4 50

10 35

4 50

G 15

8 38

10 20

12 56

3 10

5 15

6 40

1 0

G 53

1 0

G 15

8 40

11 15

12 55

3 15

5 15

6 40

7 45

12 55

6 35

12 55

7 25

9 32

12 5

1 46

4 9

G 3

7 35

S 50

2 0

7 23

2 0

10 30

12 0

2 20

4 5

6 43

8 40

10 0

11 3";

4 30

10 5

4 30

10 46

12 14

2 35

4 26

6 57

8 57

10 13

10 56

12 35

2 51

4 36

7 19

9 2

10 31

11 29

1 7

3 30

5 12

7 56

9 37

11 9

o
o
cc

C3 w

2§

i°
<(5
n:Z

Q(L

HI

US

Z-l

< <n

323

:^i«

$ 5«

■gfjs-

6=0

*!*

o 2 a

P 372 = 3
P « g « °

s a

*■§

a

8S

. „S"o J

2h cs > a>

s s s g a

o n o = =.

D«%, 187C.

JAMES ALLPORT, General Manager.

JUST PUBLISHED.
NEGRETTI & Z A. M 15 JR, AS S

ENCYCLOPEDIC CATALOGUE

Of Mathematical, Philosophical, Optical, Photographic, and

STANDARD METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Containing numerous Comparative Tables of Reference, a d Illustrated ly upwards

ELEVEN HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS.

Eoyal Svo, Cloth, gilt lettered — Price Ss. Gd.

Opticians and Meteorological Instrument Makers

To Her Majesty the Queen, and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales.

HOLBORN VIADUCT, 45, CORNIIILL, and 122, RECENT STREET.

CLOCKS, WATCHES, & BELLS.

Just Published,

A RUDIMENTARY TREATISE on CLOCKS, WATCHES, and
BELLS. By Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart, (late E. B. Donison), LL.D.
Q.C., F.R.A.S. Sixth edition, revised. and enlarged, with ninuerou,
Illustrations. 12rno, cloth boards, 5s. (Id. Postage 4d.

"As a popular, and, at the same time, practical treatise on clocks and hells it is
unapproaehod." — English Mechanic.

. So far as we know it ha.i

ipproachoa. — E.vtLLill MECHANIC.

" The host work on the subject probably exlant.
no competitor worthy of the name." — Engineering.

"The only modern treatise on clock-making." — Horological Journal.

"There Ls probably no book in the English language on a technical subject so easy t>
read, and to read through, as the treatise on clocks, walches, and bells, written by t to
eminent Parliamentary Counsel, Mr. E. B. Denton— now Sir Edmund Beckett Part"—
ARCHITECT.

"A mass of reliable information which cannot be obtained elsewhere."— The Jew
elleu and Metalworker.

London: Lockwood & Co., 7, Stationers' DTall Court, E.C.

PRICE SIX SHILLINGS.

EDE'S
GOLD AND SILVERSMITHS' AND JEWELLERS' CALCULATOR:

For showing at sight the exact value of any quantity of Gold, from 23i. to £5 53. per ouaca ; of Silver, from 3i. to 10s. per ounce from one
»rain to KM) ounces ; and of Diamonds from £2 to £12 per carat. Also tables of Duties on Gold and Silver.

CAREFULLY REVISED BY

JEHOSHAPHAT ASPIN, Accountant

(Formedi/ Actuary of the Finsuury Savings Bank).

lozn-zdojnt :
ST, JOFN'S SQUARE, E.C-

182

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan. 5, 1876.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for tivelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Tiuo-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDBY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street, Fins-
bury, E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourdon's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MUBEAY & CALLIEU, 22, St. John's Square, E.C.

NEGBETTI & ZAMBBA, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. ; Char-
terhouse Street, E.C; 45, Cornhill, E.C. ; 122, Eegent
Street. W.

WEBSTEB, J., 88, St. John Street Eoad, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEEEING * TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKEE SAFE AND STEONG BOOM COM-
PANY, LIMITED, Cecil Street, Bitmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BEUGGEE <fc STEATJB, 79. High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEBEE, KUSS, FEITSCHLEE, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Eue Be'ran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Eoad, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's GoTernment) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Eochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, HampBtead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
•very description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established
1844.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BEOTHEES, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London. E.C.
MAECUS (MAUEICE) <fc CO., Waterloo House, Holborn

Viaduct, London, E.C.
EUTHEBFOED, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Eow, E.C, and

33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.O.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MOEDAN (SAMPSON) <fc CO., 41, City Eoad, and 72,

Cheapside. London, E.C.
TANN, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, E.G.; Eeliance Works,

1, Hope Street, Hackney Eoad, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KING, 66, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

HUTTON & CO.. 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court. Newgate Street, London, E.C.

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEOEGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C.

SUNDELL (KEISCHEE) <fc CO, 48, Brushfleld Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBEEG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C
JONES, A. EDWARD, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. E.), 64, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON. HENEY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
Loudon, E.C

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E G.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DEEW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Boom, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, 108, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's lEn Eoad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWAEDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Eoad, London, E.C.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largeBt stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden, E.C.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDAED (O. GILBEET), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in PreciouB Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, i, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 35 and 37, Ely Place, E.C. ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Eue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FEEDEEIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Eoad, W.C.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENEY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets,, etc., 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURER.

N. LAWEENCE, 6, Dyer's Buildings, opposite Furnival's
Inn, Holborn, London, E.C; Manufactory, Havelock
Works, Walker Street, Sheffield.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER.

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKEE, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street. "Clerkenwell,
London, E.C

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENBY, 48, Eahere Street, Goswell Eoad, Lon
don, E.C.

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Eoad, London, E.C.

STEAM, ALFEED, 12, Ashhy Street, London, E.C.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Eydon Crescent, St. John
Street Eoad, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HAEGBEAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry .
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAUEICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfofc Street, Coventry.

PENLINGTON 4 HUTTON, Chronometer and Watoh
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN <fc SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEEEDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Eoad,
London, E.C

SAGGEESON, EOBEET, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, <fcc, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street. Clerken-
well, London, E.C

THOMPSON (EDWAED JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Eoad, London, E.C.

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENEY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Bing Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Eegent Place, Birmingham.

MAURICE MICHAEL,

mU Hit

FOR HOME AND EXPORT.

FULX Ph-ATE, THR,EE-QuyVRTER. Pj.ATE£, CeNTRE $EC0ND^, y\ND KeYJ^JS.

NORFOLK STREET, COVENTRY.

Jan. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUBNAL.

183

" By hand-labour it is impossible for this country to compete with Switzerland in the
Watch Trade ; and, if we would hold our own in Europe in this branch of industry, we must
follow the example of the Americans, who have successfully used machinery in the manu-
facture of Watches." — Extract from the " Times" of December 18, 1868.

THE

COMPANY

(OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS)

Have been established. 20 years, and. Avitliin tliat time have produced

850,000 WATCHES OF ALL GRADES AND SIZES.

Why American Waitham Watches are cheaper than English Watches of the same grade is
explained by Sir Edmund Beckett (late Mr. E. B. Denison) in his work on Clocks, Watches,
and Bells, in which he says, page 322 : " Although labour is dearer in America than here, this
machinery enables them to undersell English Watches of the same quality ; " and that the system
of making Avatches by machinery is the only correct one is held forth by this eminent authority
in the same work, in which he says : " There can be no doubt in the mind of any one who
understands machinery that this is the best as well as the cheapest way of making machines
which require precision . and uniformity."

FOR PARTICULARS APPLY TO

ROBB1NS & APPLETON,

GENERAL AGENTS,

WALTHAM BUILDINGS, H0LB0RN CIECUS, LONDON, E.C,

181

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan. 5, 1876.

SPECIAL NOTICE.

TO INTENDING EXHIBITORS AT THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION.

The Proprietors of tin's Journal, intending to compile a special article referring to and giving detailed account of the articles
connected with the kindred trades represented by this Journal, and which are intended for the Philadelphia Exhibition, invite full
information from any Exhibitors who would de-ire to have their articles mentioned iu the List to be prepared for insertion in our
columns. As the special article is intended to appear in our next Number early information is particularly requested.

lO, WORSII1P-ST., FIZVSBTTJEfcY, LOIVJOOJV, E.C.,

SOLE AGENT FOR EUROPE TO

THE' SETH THOMAS CLOCK COMPANY.

SOLE AGENT IN LONDON TO

THE E. K Y/EICH MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

Manufacturer and Importer of all kinds of American Clocks, in American, English, and French C.ises. Importer
of French Maible Clocks and Vienna Regulators, &c, &;. Agent for the WALTHAM WATCH COMPANY.

ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUES AND PRICE LISTS ON APPLICATION.

SPECIALLY ADVANTAGEOUS TERMS TO SHIPPERS AND LARGE BUYERS. GOODS SHIPPED FROM NEW YORE

OR LONDON AT BUYER'S OPTION.

CO.,

WHOLESALE MANUFACTURING OPTICIANS & NAUTICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS,

1 IMPORTERS OF CLOCKS, BKONZKS, MUSICAL ISOXLS, AND OPTICAL GOODS,']

Manufacturers of Marine Lever Clocks of all descriptions. Special itios in Clocks and Barometers combined.

36 & 37, ELY PLACE, HOLBORN, & CHARTERHOUSE ST., LONDON, EC.

-A-XnTXD lO, iFlTXE BERANGEE, PARIS.

■"is 3 -

ARD DAY,

K/EFI BE/ .A-IsriD -A-SS-A-YIEIR/,

Dealer in Gold, Silver, & Alloys. Purchaser of Gold & Silver in Bars, Lemel, Jewellers' Sweepings, Dentists' & Photographers' Wast

Sole Agent in Great Britain for Monsieur DECAUX, of Paris.

Manufacturer of Hollow Gold Beads, Bead Chain, Beaded Wire, Gallery Borders, Solid and Hollow Signet and other Rings, Settings

Brooch Ornaments, Chains, &c, &c., for Manufacturing Jewellers.

W AK8TON Id

LANE,

BIRflllNGHAM.

THIS " 8T^VTVI>^VI£I> « RING SIZES.

The Jewellery Trade is earnestly urged to adopt the " Standard " Ring Sizes as the future gauge by which to make rings
they possess so many advantages over all others, and are acknowledged to be the only ones that can be depended upon for accuracy
They may be had from all respectable Factors and Manufacturers, and from the Makers, B. H. JOSEPH & CO.,

20, Frederick Street, Birmingham.

it. smart,

Shop Front Builder and Airtight Show Case Maker,

.33, NBWHALL STREET, BIRMINGHAM.

ALL BUSINESS PLACES SUITABLY FITTED.

DESIGNS AND ESTIMATES GIVEN.

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

/

cr

2, 73 &

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 9.— Vol. I.]

FEBEUAEY 5, 1876.

L pei- Annum. \ Free.

PASS

horology— viii. dialling 193

hobological telegraphy in america 194

Thb Astronomer Royal 194

Curiosities op clocks and Watches 195

Thb New Fire-Alarm: Apparatus at Bradford 195

Thb Meteorological Society 195

Ancient Brooches and Dress Fastenings ... 196

Bbtiews 197

CONTENTS.

Melting and Mixing

The Queen's Necklace

Monthly Record of Bankruptcies

Royal Astronomical Society

Royal Microscopical Society

To Intending- Exhibitors at the Forthcoming
Exhibition op Scientific Instruments at
South Kensington

PAGE
197
198
199
199
199

199

PASB

"Fast Bind, Fast Find" ... 200

Registration op Trade Marks 203

The Exhibition op Scientific Apparatus ... 203
Value of the Imports and Exports of Gold

and Silver Bullion and Specie 203

Patents 204

Advertisements 204-21U

HOROLOGY.

{Continued.)

VIII.— Dialling.

BEFORE we enter upon the general features of the present
paper we had better explain a term, if we have not already
done so, that lias been frequently used in these articles ; that is, the
term " prime vertical." The reason why we mention it now is that we
have heard of some of our interested readers saying that they do not
clearly comprehend what a "prime vertical" means. It is very
simple. A prime vertical is the plane perpendicular to the horizon ;
that is, if you open a book, let one half lie flat on the table, and the
other half straight up, or perpendicular to it, the straight-up side
is the prime vertical. In other words, the wall of the house or
garden is the " prime vertical " to the surface of the ground. These
few words are necessary, for so long as learned persons will continue
to use learned phraseology, so long will wn-learned persons, like
ourselves, require explanations.

This very " tall talk " is a damnifying vice of many writers of the
present day. Only this very morning we took up a daily paper that
especially cultivates the patronage of the million, and what did we
rind ? Why, in the first fourteen lines of one leading article there
were no fewer than three Latin quotations ! and, what was worse, there
was not the slightest necessity for the use of any one of them,
as the meaning could have been far better and more forcibly
expressed in plain, sturdy English. Some time ago the same paper
had an article on domestic cookery, in relation to the school lectures
upon that subject at South Kensington. That article was especially

addressed to the wives of the artisan class ; but it was so overladen
and be-plastered with French interlarding from Parisian cookery
books as to be utterly unintelligible to any person who had not
mastered what we may call the kitchen slang of continental hotel
life. And this article was professedly written for the enlighten-
ment of the wives and daughters of English working men ! Of
course it was received by them with the contemptuous laughter and
disgust that it deserved. All sensible scholars have been long agreed
that there is nothing whatever connected with English life, in its
working, its playing, its fighting, and its praying, that cannot be
well and forcibly expressed in the sonorous, copious vocabulary of
the country.

Again, one of the special trades-union weekly papers, which one
might suppose would particularly consider the linguistic acquire-
ments of those for whom it professes to exist, gives in a recent num-
ber an account of the opening of the new Aquarium at Westminster.
But it cannot get along without what is little better than a slang
expression that may sometimes be seen in the columns of half a
dozen newspapers within a day or two of each other ; it occurs
thus: "The raison d'etre of the Royal Aquarium," &c. Now the
English of this raison d'etre is simply the reason why a thing was
made, or built, or is in existence. Further on visitors are changed
into habitues, whilst a glance or striking appearance becomes a coup
a" ail. In another place we saw a leading article open with, "For
some occult and esoteric reasons," &c. Now esoteric is from the
Greek esoteros, hidden, mysterious, whilst occult is from the Latin
occulto, meaning exactly the same thing ; and both of them are
combined in the common, easily-understood English word "secret."
It will thus be seen that this grandiloquent kind of writing is the
merest and most contemptible "snobbery" of its kind that can be
imagined. Indeed there are two well-known daily papers in which

104

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1876.

two writers can always lie traced ; the one by his inability to get
along without reason d'etre, and the other by the iuvpossibility
of his moving through a leading article unless he has "occult and
esoteric " close to him. What would be thought in common-
sense society if a maker sent round a descriptive note of something-
he had with an "occult and esoteric" spring, and the moment that the
box or case was opened, instead of the appearance being surprising,
it would present "the coup d'ceil?" Why, he would be laughed at for
a " stuek-up fool, ' ' and very properly so, too. An odd expression,
now and then, by way of a change, may be pardonable ; but the
perpetual "cadishness" of the "highfalutin " school is intolerable,
and should always be resented whenever it makes its appearance.
One "largest-circulation-in-the-world " newspaper has long had an
unenviable notoriety in this respect. We have been induced to
make these observations as a protest against the use of unwarrant-
able non-English quotations in writing, especially for readers, the
great bulk of whom have had to earn their own "living" since
they were about fourteen or fifteen years of age. When the reader
was put into the workshop to learn how to fight the battle of life,
these writers were, probably, being stuffed full of Latin and Greek.
When readers and writers meet in after years in the columns of the
"penny daily," the understanding of the one is "fogged," not to
say insulted, by what is, in our humble opinion, mistakenly called
the " learning " of the other.

Having thus expressed ourselves, we will now proceed on our
usual way.

As we have previously dealt with the mode of constructing a
south dial, we will now face to the right-about and speak of the
opposite point of the compass.

A north dial, or erect direct north dial, to be precise, is one that
we describe on the surface of the prime vertical, looking northward.
Unless under very exceptional circumstances, we very much doubt
whether any of our readers ever saw a north dial ; probably they
may have seen it without knowing what it was. We are all well
aware that the sun only shines upon the northern dial surface when
advancing from the east to the prime vertical, and from the same
vertical to the west ; and when we see that he is in or on the prime
vertical at six o'clock in the morning, and again at six o'clock in the
evening, a north dial will ouly show the hours before six a.m.
and after six p.m. From this it is conclusive that, as in autumn
and winter the sun does not rise before six o'clock, and sets before
six in the afternoon, a north dial is useless during the time men-
tioned. The way, therefore, to make " a complete job " of it, is to
join a north dial to a south one, which junction will give all the
hours that the sun is above the horizon. We will now state how to
make a vertical north dial.

From the central point A, in the upper third of the plate, draw
a meridian line to the extremity, making a small circle of any size
round the same point. At A make an angle, which we will call
D A C, equal to the elevation of the equator, C being on the
meridional line. Then from C, taken at pleasure, erect a perpen-
dicular or line from the extremity of D, which will be C D, meeting
the line A D, as has been stated. Next make another angle from
D, similar to A D 0, touching the meridian at E, which will be
the angle C D E. On the meridian, from the point E, with the
distance E D, mark off to a point, which we will call B, or, for
difference' sake, we will place 1 beside E, and call that distance'l B.
We have now A at one extremity of the meridional line, andwili
mark the opposite extremity as S. Again, take I B, equal to E D,
and draw that distance at right angles to the meridional line. From
B, with the radius B I, describe a quadrant, or the fourth part of a
circle exactly, which divide on the arc into six equal parts. Through
the two extreme division lines of this arc, from B, draw lines to the
edge of the plate, and where one cuts the line from right to left mark
it as B d. Prolong this last line on each side, and mark the extremi-
ties G and H from B, making the first division of the quadrant next to A,
draw a line extending toH. Do thesameon thesideof G,andwhere
the corresponding quadrant division line to B d cuts the line G H,
mark it h ; this will make I h on one side equal to I d on the other
of the meridional line, as well as I G equal to I H. Now take a
ruler and lay it on so as to touch the point A, and where the line
B d cuts the line G H, and to A and H, and A and G, and on the
opposite side to A and h. Then draw the lines pointed out, and
also a horizontal line through the centre A. Then the extremities
of those lines will be the hours of 4, 5, and 6 respectively, on the G
side, and 6, 7, and 8 on the H side. But we have not done yet.
Lastly, in A fix an oblique index A D, making an angle DAE
with a meridian line in the plane of the meridian, equal to the ele-
vation of the equator. Or, instead of this index, put a triangular

lane
be

the hours of the forenoon ; and A6, A7, and A8, will be the hours
of the afternoon, as will be shown by the shadows of the several
indexes. Or, again : Take a south dial, whose construction has
been previously published, and, if the hour -lines 4 and 5, together
with 7 and 8, be continued beyond the 6 A6, and the triangle
A D E turned about its pole A till A E fall directly against A12, it
will be converted into a north dial, minding what has been said
about the reversal of the hours.

AYe do not know whether it is of any importance to describe how
to draw a vertical north or south dial trigonometrically ; but we
will just allude to it. These dials only differ from the horizontal
in this wise. That the angle formed by C A D is equal to the com-
plement of the elevation of the pole of the place ; so that the same
method of reasoning, for those who care to pursue it, will serve as
for the horizontal one. We do not suppose that many of our
readers will try the trigonometrical method ; but should they do
so they will make the second term the complement of the elevation
of the pole of the place. They will please to bear in mind, too,
that a " complement" is, in geometry, the defect of an angle from a
right angle ; and that the defect of an angle from two right angles
is called its supplement. Such hints, now and then become useful,
as they are apt to stimulate some further inquiry on the part of the
aspiring student.

(To he continued.)

i ™ T e(iuator- ur, instead ot this index, put a triangul

plate EDA, on the meridian line A E, perpendicular to the pla
ot the dial. Then, as we have just mentioned, A4, A5, AG, will

HOROLOGICAL TELEGRAPHY IN AMERICA.

WE have been favoured by Messrs. Barraud & Lund, of Corn-
hill, with the following extract from a letter received by
them from the well-known house of Messrs. Bond & So», at Boston,
Mass., U.S.A., relative to horological telegraphy there : —

" We have read the paper received from you with much interest "
(alluding to the article on ' ' Horological Telegraphy," in the November
number of this Journal), " and it may interest you to know how it is
arranged here. The subject of the telegraphic transmission of time
signals is one of very great . importance, and, although its introduc-
tion here has been comparatively recent, its use is rapidly becoming
general. The first step was taken about twenty years ago, when
we built a private line to the Cambridge Observatory, and received
signals every day at noon by taps, and for many years we sent
signals in the same way once a week to numerous railroad centres,
watchmakers, &c, within a radius of three hundred miles, carrying
a chronometer to the different telegraph stations for that purpose.

" Abouteight years ago, however, we erected a clock at the Obser-
vatory, at Cambridge, which was arranged to break the electric
circuit and send a signal every two seconds, omitting the signal on
the 58th second, so as to leave an interval of four seconds before
each minute ; and also omitting about twenty-five seconds before
each five minutes. These signals came into the city oyer an
independent wire, which is there by a relay divided into two circuits,
one for the northern and the other for the southern section of the
city. These wires run to all the railroad depots, public offices,
telegraph offices, and such other stores as desire it, the signals
being given either by a vibrating needle or by a sounder ; this last
being usually preferred. Every morning ako the various railroads
put their own telegraph lines in connection with the time wire by
relays, and sent the signals for a certain time to all their stations ;
one road, having ten branches, has a very large relay, with connec-
tions for each branch, so that all the stations on all the branches
received the signal at the same time.

"In relation to the speed of the telegraphic signal, some interesting
experiments were lately made at the Cambridge Observatory, when
a signal was sent to San Francisco and back (nearly 7000 miles),
with the departure and return of the signal being recorded on the
cylinder of a chronograph ; the difference in time was 0-7 seconds ;
and further experiments, with shorter loops, showed that this loss
was due entirely to the relays, each relay causing a loss of
0-1 second."

THE ASTRONOMER ROYAL.

AS a recognition of the valuable and lengthened services of Sir
George Airy, the Astronomer Royal, it has been determined
by the Treasury that, as a special instance, the salary of this
appointment shall be increased, but that on the resignation of the
present Astronomer Royal it will revert to 1000/. per annum.

Feb. 5, 1876.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

195

CURIOSITIES OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

(Continued from page 130.)

SULLY, writing in 1724, says that there were a number of
watchmakers throughout Europe who, knowing the high
value set upon English watches, made no scruple to apply the names
of the most skilled masters to their vile productions. That watches
of British make were highly esteemed both by the noble and the
scientific the following anecdote will serve to illustrate : — Mau-
pertius, a French mathematician, was made prisoner at the battle of
Molwitz and taken to Vienna. The Grand Duke of Tuscany,
afterwards emperor, pleased at seeing a man of such great repu-
tation, treated him with marked kindness, and asked him whether
he regretted the loss of any particular property which the Hussars
had taken from him. Being much pressed to answer, Maupertius
acknowledged that he wished to have saved a watch of Graham's
make, which he had used in his astronomical observations. The
duke also had one by the same maker, but it was enriched with
diamonds. "See," said he, taking the watch from his pocket, and
presenting it to the savant, " it was but a joke ; they have brought
it to me, and I now return it."

The reputation of Graham's watches was very great during the
last century, and he became the fashionable watchmaker of the
day. The London Magazine for 1753 gives us an account of the
ingredients required in the manufacture of a fop — " Monsieur
A-la-mode." One was —

" A repeater by Graham, which the hours reveals,
Almost overbalanced with knick-nacks and seals."

Lord Chesham has the following choice and curious watches : —
A watch with an Oriental agate case, set round in front with sparks
of diamonds mounted in gold. It is attached to a short gold chain,
and it was made by Graham. A gold double-case repeater- watch,
pierced and chased in relief with Orpheus and animals, by the
same maker. It is attached to a chatelaine chased with trophies,
from which are suspended two heart-shaped lockets and two boxes.
A gold double-case watch chased in relief with the offerings of the
Magi. Graham made this one also. It is suspended from a chate-
laine, from which hang two seals, two broloques, and a miniature of
a lady. A gold rej>eater-watch in a double-case, chased and pierced
with busts and scrolls, by the same maker. It is attached to a
short gold chain. A double-case repeater-watch chased and
pierced with coronets and scrolls. On the back are a cipher and
coronet set with diamonds. The maker was Collier, of London. It
is attached to a chatelaine containing a compass, calendar, seal,
small watch in a filigree case, and two keys. A gold watch, made
by Jodin, of Paris, attached to a chatelaine, both being enamelled
with hawking animals, and birds ; and with them are two enamelled
scent-boxes and a key. And a gold watch set with diamonds, the
centre of the case being a bloodstone. The maker was Hubert.
It is suspended from a chatelaine, to which also hang a tassel and
locket containing hair.

The Royal Society are in possession of a gold watch which was
presented by Mrs. Conduit to Sir Isaac Newton, who was born in
1642 and died in 1727. The chasing on the outer case is beauti-
fully executed, and represents Britannia pointing to a medallion, on
which is a bust of the philosopher.

At a meetiug of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, held on
April 11th, 1864, an account of a gold watch, which was said to
have belonged to Prince Charles Edward Stuart, was read by Mr.
George Seaton. It appeared that this watch belonged to a lady
who had then recently died in reduced circumstances, and that her
maternal grandmother was the eldest sister of John Leslie, the
eighth and last Lord Lindores, who died without issue in the year
1814. In the belief that this watch had formerly belonged to the
prince, and that the King of Sardinia was then the representative of
the house of Stuart, its late owner bequeathed it to that monarch.
Mr. Seaton pointed out that in this last matter she was clearly
mistaken, as the representative of the house of Stuart was Francis
V. of Modena. The watch was described as having an unusual
arrangement of the Roman figures on the dial, the hours being
engraved on little lozenge-shaped plates, and the filigree case having
as ornaments six white stones or crystals. Dr. John Alexander
Smith exhibited a curious watch , the gift of Gustavus Adolphus to
a Scottish officer in his service. It was oval in shape, with cases of
rock-crystal set in silver, and an inscription, ' ' Donum Gust.
Adolplii Regis Invicti Jacobo Braimer lYibuno Militum Virtutis
Prsemium." The officer was Colonel Braimer, who is said to have
married Lady Brunton, sister of General Leslie, who was created
Earl of Leven, and it now belongs to his descendants, the family of
the late Captain Braimer, R.N., of Falmouth. It was exhibited by
the good offices of Mr. Ralph E. Scott.

The Daily Post of February 14th, 1729, contains the following :—
" Whereas a Gentleman's Coach was robb'd by two Highwaymen,
between 6 and 7 of the clock, the 11th Instant in the Evening, between
Hyde Park Corner and the Back of Buckingham House, in the road
to Chelsea, and took away a Gold Watch and a Diamond Ring,
with some money and a Sword. The watch was made by William-
son, London ; and in the Case was an Equation Table by Edmund
Sturgis, Watchmaker, Dublin. And the Ring had this Inscription,
H. B. Knt. obt. 1 July, 1714. To the Watch were two Seals, one
a Crystal of Socrates' Head, set in Gold ; another triangular with
Arms engraved, viz. a Sable Cross Or, with the Arms of Ulster, and
a Scutcheon of Pertence, bearing a Butterfly, Field Azure with three
Bars Gule. If any of the above-mention'd are offer'd to Sale ; or
if the Watch, &c. be restor'd, the person apprehending, or restoring
the said Watch and Ring shall have 8 Guineas Reward ; to be paid
by Mr. Pote, Bookseller, at Sir Isaac Newton's Head, Charing
Cross, or in proportion for any Part. Among the Pieces of Money
taken, there was a Half Crown of Philip and Mary. And on the
Scabbard of the Sword there was engraved, on a thin Plate of Gold,
Ralph Jackson, Dublin."

In the South Kensington Museum is a watch, with chatelaine,
seal, and key attached, in gold richly chiselled and embossed. The
length is seven inches and three-eighths and the diameter one inch
and three-quarters. The date is about 1730 : and it was purchased
for 28 1.

Lord George Littleton, between the years 1730 and 1740, wrote
the following lines to Miss Lucy Fortesque, with a new watch ■ —

" With me while present may thy lovely eyes
Be never turn'd upon this golden toy,
Think every pleasing hour too swiftly flies,
And measure time by joy succeeding joy.

" But when the cares that interrupt our bliss
To me not always will thy sight allow,
Then oft with kind impatience look on this,
Then every minute count — as I do now."

THE NEW FIRE-ALARM APPARATUS
BRADFORD.

AT

MESSRS. GILLET & BLAND, of Croydon, have recently fixed a
,new fire-alarm apparatus to one of the bells in the Town Hall,
at Bradford. The apparatus, which is highly spoken of, operates in
the following manner : — A hammer has been fixed to a lever close
to the second bell above the hour bell. This lever is worked by a
cam wheel, revolved by a weight attached to a chain which winds
round a drum in a manner similar to an ordinary clock weight. The
weight is released by means of a stout wire, which is worked by a
lever in the police-office, and on being released the weight slowly
descends, turning round the drum, which, acting on the hammer
shaft, causes the bell to be struck a series of blows at intervals of
ten minutes each, so that if a second alarm has to be rung before
two or three seconds, the striking continues until the weight has
run to the full length of the chain, which occupies about twenty
minutes, and the weight has then to be wound to the top, but it has
been so fixed that the time can be divided into two intervals of
ten minutes each, so that if a second alarm has to be rung before
the weight has been wound up, there will not be any difficulty
arising from the weight being at the bottom. The sound caused by
the striking of the bell is so different from the ringing of any other
bell in the town that no confusion can well arise, and is so loud and
distinct that it can be heard at a great distance.

THE METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY^

THE annual general meeting of this society was held on the
19th ult., at the Institution of Civil Engineers, when the
anniversary address was delivered by the President, Dr. Mann. In
alluding to the establishment of a carefully-planned series of
observing stations by the society, the President illustrated the
absolute necessity of following out the inductive method of research
in meteorology, and supported his argument by a reference to the
history of all the leading branches of physical investigation, in
which the prophetic insight of inspired minds had invariably had
to be elaborated and perfected by the patient labour of subsequent
observation and experiment.

Some curious and notable instances of the molecular effects of
lightning discharge were exhibited during the delivery of the latter
portion of the very interesting address. The various officers and
the council for the ensuing year were then elected.

196

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1876.

ANCIENT BROOCHES AND DRESS FASTENINGS.

THE ancient Irish brooch was unlike others worn in Scotland or
England. It had a lorg central pin, with an open ring at its
Btunmit, allowing free motion to the bar which passed through it,
and varied in size and decoration according to the rank of the

of St. Cuthbert, now one of the treasures of the British Museum
Library, and which is believed to have been executed, as early as the
seventh century, by Eadfrith, afterwards of Lindisfarne, who died
in 721. We are, however, certain as to the date of the bell, for an
inscription is upon it, stating it was made to the order of Donnell
O'Lochlain, one of the old Irish kings, who came to the throne in
1083, and died in 1121.

wearer. The highest price of a silver one for a king, according to
Vallaneey, was thirty heifers, when made of refined silver ; the
lowest value attached to them being three heifers. Larger speci-
mens have been found and mistaken for poniards. They were
made thus large and strong to pass easily through the thick
woollen garments necessary to the cold, wet climate.

This old style of design in ornament continued in use in Ireland
until the twelfth or thin eenth century — in fact until the inhabitants

Fig. 25.

The first brooch discovered in Ireland is in the possession of
Mr. Waterhouse, the goldsmith of Dublin. It is represented in
Fig. 24, and is engraved the full size of the original, but the length
of the long plain pin has been curtailed. It was found accidentally
by a peasant near Drogheda. It is of bronze, decorated with
gems and ornament in enamel, and may probably be of no earlier
date than the bell just alluded to.

A simpler kind of ornamental pin was worn by the lower classes,
of which I give two specimens in Fig. 25, A, B. They are engraved
about half the size of the originals. The first is a plain pin, with
a small ring hanging from its head. The second is unique in its
character, having an old man's head at its summit; it is of bronze,

Fig. 24.
had destroyed its civilization by internecine war. Many works like
the bell of St. Patrick, at Belfast, might, at the first glance, be
fcttributed to the same era as the famous " Durham book " or book

Fig. 26. i

gilt. As we descend in the scale of rank these pins become
plainer, the poorer classes using them of bone, roughly fashioned
by themselves. The common kind of Scottish pin was of veiy
similar character, as the example placed beside those last de-
scribed will show. The head of the pin C projects some distance
in advance of it, as seen in the «ide view. A small cross is in

Feb. 5, 1876.J

SILVERSMITH'S TBADE JOUBNAL.

197

the centre of the tipper part ; the other ornament is convoluted,
and is brought into relief by chasing.

The ordinary form of the later Scottish brooch is that of a broad
open circle, decorated with intricate knot-work or floral designs.
Dr. Wilson, in his " Archaeology and Pre-historic Annals of Scot-
bind," has engraved one very similar, and says, " The interlaced
knot-work appears to have been a favourite device of Celtic art.
(Fig. 26.) It occurs on the sculptures, the jewellery, the manu-
scripts, and the decorated shrines and book-cases of early Irish
Christian art, and has been perpetuated almost to our own day on
the weapons and personal ornaments of the Scottish Highlanders."

The brooch has always been a favourite Celtic ornament, and
is, indeed, almost indispensable to the Highland costume. It is
worn universally by the Scottish Highlanders, both male and
female, and in many Highland families of various ranks favourite
brooches have been preserved through many generations as heir-
looms, which no pecuniary inducement would tempt the humblest
owner to part with.

KEVIEWS.

Time and Time Tellers. By James W. Benson. London: Robert
Hardwicke, 192, Piccadilly.

rpiIIS excellent little work, recently published, contains much
_L interesting and useful information, and although evidently not
intended as a hand-book for the trade, will, nevertheless, enjoy a
large circulation. It is well illustrated, and the typographical
appearance is very creditable. In the first division of the work
the author enters into a dissertation on "Time," and quotes
suitably and cojuously from the different poets as time's "best in-
terpreters." The diversity of the titles of sun-dials is next ex-
plained, and the date of the invention of the clock well considered.
Alluding to the period when the use of jewels was first invented
and applied, the author states: — •"■ About the year 1700 Nicolas
Facio, a native of Geneva, having invented the use of jewels in
watches, and failed in his attempt to persuade the Parisian manu-
facturers into the adoption of his notions, came to London. In
May, 1705, he and two other watchmakers, Peter Debaufree and
.lacob Debaufree, obtained a patent for his invention, to extend
over fourteen years. In December, 1705, they petitioned for a more
extended term, when the Clockmakers' Company opposed their
application upon the ground that the invention was not a novel
one, and in proof of their statement produced a watch made by
Ignatius Huggeford, a member of their own Company, some time
before the application of the pendulum-spring. As this watch had a
large amethyst mounted upon the cock or pivot of the balance-
wheel, the Committee of the House of Commons decided against
Facio's petition and threw out his Bill. This watch has since then
obtained an extensive historical reputation, and is preserved in the
archives of the Clockmakers' Company as one of their most valuable
treasures, for it is the earliest known English jewelled watch, and
is the identical instrument produced before the House of Commons'
Committee as evidence to upset, and which did upset, poor Facio's
claim for an extension of patent. Alas ! for ancient reputations,
it has been but recently discovered that Huggeford's watch was
but a fraud, and that the jewel on the cock, which deceived the
Parliamentary Committee into supposing that Ignatius Huggeford,
an Englishman, had applied jewels to watches long before Facio
had been heard of, has nothing to do with the working of the watch.
The jewel has been merely stuck on, just in the place where a jewel
should be ; but as it is only fixed to the surface of the brass and
no pivot plays in the jewel, it may be averred that the amethyst
has no more to do with the movement of the watch than the
silver ornaments on the watch case. It is clear, by the words of
Facio's petition, that his application of jewelling to watches was
not merely done with the idea of ornamenting them — in that there
would have been no novelty — and it seems probable that the ame-
thyst would have been placed upon the face of the watch if the
object of inserting it anywhere had simply been ornamentation ; to
speak plainly, none other than a fraudulent purpose could be served
by its being placed where it is. It is, we fear, not impossible
that the jewel was placed there at the instance of some of the
members of the Clockmakeis' Company, who being, perhaps, jealous
of the foreign invention, and fearful of its effects upon their own
private trade, were still unable to prevent the grant of a patent in
May, 1703, for fourteen years to the inventor. But by December of
that year, when application was made for the extension of the patent,

they had had time to consider affairs and to prepare their opposition.
We may believe this watch to have been Ignatius Huggeford's and
to have been all that it was sworn to be by the members of that
Company, but when we remark that neither is any mention what-
ever made by them, nor, as far as it appears, any question asked
of them before the Parliamentary Committee as to the jewel being
upon the cock during the whole of the time of its being in their
possession, we cannot but arrive at the conclusion that the jewel
was placed upon Huggeford's old watch — the date of which could
be shown — at the order of some of the members of the Clock-
makers' Company, with the purpose of defeating the patent, and
that the Committee of the House of Commons were not as careful
as they ought to have been in inspecting the jewel, for if they had,
they must have seen the want of connexion between the amethyst
and the pivot, which it was pretended was working in it. The
probability is that at this time our English watchmakers scarcely
knew how to apply a jewel, or .otherwise they would have inserted
the pivot in a proper manner. The story is anyhow a very
extraordinary one, for, supposing the Clockmakers' Company to be
innocent of conspiracy on the subject, it must have been a miracu-
lously curious whim which possessed old Huggeford to insert a jewel
or an ornament in a place where it would not be seen, and still
more wonderful that it should, sham as it was, be placed exactly
where it should suit the purpose of after-litigation. Of course there
can be no imputation arising out of this incident to affect the members
of the Clockmakers' Company of the present time, for they are no
more answerable for what was done above a century and a half ago
than the Parliament of to-day is to be blamed for allowing the
execution of Charles I., or for enacting the laws which led to the
loss of our American Colonies."

(Review to be continued in our next.)

The Trade Marl's Gazette, and Manufacturers and Exhibitors'' Record,
8, Salisbury Court, Fleet Street, London. Fortnightly, price 3d.

WE have received the first number of this journal, the publica-
tion of which was most opportune, as it appeared almost
simultaneously with the enforcement of the new Act of Parliament
on Trade Marks which has just come into operation.

The paper, besides being well printed and smartly written, is
replete with information, not only for those who have already
adopted distinctive Trade Marks for their manufactures, but also
for those who intend using them for the future. The provisions of
the new Act will, if properly applied, tend greatly to promote better
moi'ids in commerce, and alike protect the manufacturer and con-
sumer against fraud.

The Trade Marls Gazette promises to deal with these and other
questions, and to afford concise data for the guidance of manufac-
turers. It will also be a valuable record of facts in connection with
British and International Exhibitions. We cordially commend it to
the notice of those trades with which we are so intimately con-
nected.

MELTING AND MIXING.

IN answer to many inquiries we have to state that in 1871, or
1872, was published a very useful book on the above subject,
which may now, we believe, be obtained at Chatto & Windus's,
Piccadilly, on presentation of the trade card. It is called " The
Private Book of Useful Alloys and Memoranda for Goldsmiths,
Jewellers, &c." We do not know the price of it as we never
possessed a copy, but we should think that it would be somewhere
between three and four shillings— certainly not more than four. It
is 7 in. by 5 in. and under half an inch thick. It contains nearly
one hundred pages of tables of quantities for all the qualities
of alloys and compositions known in the trade. We borrowed a copy
for a particular purpose once, and were agreeably surprised at the
exhaustive amount of information in it. Mr. Collins, the author,
says that it is compiled from notes made by him from the papers
of one of the largest and most eminent manufacturing goldsmiths in
this country — the firm being no longer in existence was the cause
of the publication of the book — and that every alloy, &c, in it may
be relied on, as the memoranda and receipts are compiled from
actual practice. We do not know if the publishers have any
copies on hand ; but whether or no, such a book is not likely to be
re-published for some time. We speak now in the interests of the
trade, as the book furnishes a complete guide to melting and
mixing, to cupel, pot, and furnace.

198

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1876.

THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE
(Continued from page 175).

rpHE prince was plunged into the most cruel distress. That the
Queen, after all her promises, after all her engagements, after
that passionate correspondence which had lasted for fifteen months,
should deny facts clear as the day, should abandon Madame de
Lamotte, and seek to destroy him — it was impossible ! On the
other hand, that Madame de Lamotte, whom he had dragged from
the lowest depths of misfortune, should have deceived him so
infamously for two years ; that the writing of the Queen should
be a forgery, the scene in the park a comedy, the payment of the
30,000 francs a last manoeuvre designed to consummate the fraud —
no, he could not bring himself to believe it. Still he felt himself
enveloped in an impenetrable net. The events of the last few days,
the recent interviews of the jewellers with the Baron de Breteuil,
the peculiar tone of Bassange, the agitation and the tears of
Madame de Lamotte — all foreshadowed a denouement which was
the more dreadful because it was uncertain. What, however, was
he to do ? Should he throw himself at the feet of the King, and
avow the correspondence as well as the purchase of the necklace ?
Such a step — whatever might be the truth, whether he was the
dupe or not of Madame de Lamotte — would compromise the Queen
and ruin himself. Should he disclose everything to his family, to
the Marshal de Soubise, to Madam es de Marsan and Guemenee, and
adopt with them some course which might prevent a public scandal ?
The prince had not the courage ; he felt the ridiculousness of his
position, and dared not confront it. The only person he consulted
was Cagliostro, who, well inspired this time, advised him to go
immediately to the King, and tell him every thing that had happened.

" If I do so," replied the Cardinal, " that woman will be lost."

" If you do not," rejoined Cagliostro, " one of your friends will
do it for you."

The prince, however, refused ; and instead of extracting from
Madame de Lamotte an avowal which would have saved them both,
yielding to her influence to the very last, he consented to receive
her into his hotel, and kept her concealed there for two days.

After this last act, doomed to join indissolubly the fate of the
Cardinal with her own, Madame de Lamotte quitted Paris on the
Cth of August for Bar-sur-Aube, where she had prepared for herself
a charming retreat. The same day Retaux de Villette reached
Switzerland. As to the prince, unwilling to the last moment to
disclose his weakness, racked with anxiety, but incapable of taking a
resolution, he awaited the progress of events. Three days after,
MM. Bohmer and Bassange were sent for to the court. On the 12th
they delivered to the Queen a memoir containing a history of the
necklace ; on the 15th the Cardinal was arrested at Versailles, in his
pontifical robes and in presence of the whole court ; and the next
morning Madame de Lamotte was secured at her own residence in
the country.

Id spite of its complication, the intrigue of the necklace is now
perfectly clear, so overwhelming everywhere is the evidence. From
the day when Madame de Lamotte entered for the first time the
Hotel de Strasbourg until the day of her arrest, we see her acting,
combining her means, arranging her plan, executing it, retouching
it even, and correcting it in the heat of action, according as events
unfolded themselves. We follow the tracks of the magnificent
parure, which passed from the hands of Bohmer into those of
the Cardinal, from the hands of the Cardinal into those of Retaux
de Villette. There is not an incident, not a detail, which cannot be
proved from the confessions of the accused or the declaration of the
witnesses.

At the beginning of the perquisition the Cardinal Prince de
Rohan believed himself to be hopelessly lost. He had had time, it
is true, to destroy his correspondence with Madame de Lamotte ;
he did not, however, know that the latter had also burnt all his
papers during the few hours preceding her arrest. Plunged in this
abyss, he could perceive at last, without being yet absolutely
convinced, that he had been urged on by this woman ; still he was
ignorant as to how she had acted, what means she had adopted,
what stratagems she had conceived. Perhaps he thought she was
only an instrument which the hatred of his enemies had employed
to destroy him. At the examination made at his hotel by the
lieutenant of police, in presence of MM. de Castries, de Vergennes,
and de Breteuil, he declared "that he was the victim of a cruel
intrigue, the proofs of which were not in his possession." By
degrees the light broke in upon the intrigue. Oliva, seized in
Holland, confessed frankly the part she had played in the grove

scene. Villette, captured near Geneva, made corroborative dis-
closures, and confessed himself the author of the false signature,
Marie Antoinette de France.

The Cardinal doubtless deserved the Bastille, but he ought not to
have been sent there. His arrest, resolved on in a fit of anger,
legitimate enough, was a blunder. By this step the court became
unconsciously engaged in a struggle, the result of which could only
be fatal to it. It had seen in the Cardinal a miserable needy man,
who concocted the fraud of the diamonds to pay his debts. It for-
got that he was the head of one of the greatest houses of Fiance,
a prince of the Church and the Empire. It never dreamt what
subtle power lay in genuine esprit de corps. When it was bruited in
Paris that the Cardinal had been arrested, and that it was about a
necklace purchased in the name of the Queen, only one cry arose in
the salons of the noblesse: " Comment, pour un pareil chiffon,
avait-on pu arreter le Grand -Aumonier de France, en habits pontijicaux,
aux yeux de toute la cour ? Comment, avait-on ose le mettre a la Bastille ?
Allait-on /aire revivre, et contre les premiers de Vetat, ce regime de
lettres de cachet qui avait deshonore le regne de Louis XV. ? " Moreover,
such was the temper of the times, that the people refused to
believe that the Queen was not fully conversant with the
whole affair. Oliva was to them a mere myth ; the signature
forged by Retaux de Villette they were convinced was a genuine
signature, and they looked upon Madame de Lamotte as an instru-
ment in the hands of the Autrichienne. No one now dares to echo
these absurd and odious accusations. No sensible man can for a
moment think that the Queen would procure clandestinely a bijou
which the King had offered her ; that if she had a desire to possess
it, she would not have worn it ; that she would have chosen, to
make the bargain, a man whom she regarded as her enemy, and to
whom since his return from Vienna she had not spoken a word ; that
she would have written those letters which Villette declared he had
fabricated ; that she would have induced Oliva to play that scene
in the bosquet to avenge herself upon the prince ; that she would
have broken up the necklace and charged the Lamottes to sell the
pieces ; and lastly, no one can believe that, unable to pay the price,
and yielding to the pressure of the minister of police, who had
discovered the intrigue and threatened to inform the King of it, she
should be infamous enough to abandon, and imprudent enough to
allow to be dragged before the tribunals, at the risk of being over-
whelmed by their revelations, those who were only her tools and
accomplices. The evidence of history supports the hypothesis of
common sense.

The court, however, made another blunder, and that was to bring
the affair before the parliament. Louis XVI. gave the Cardinal the
option of throwing himself on his clemency, or of being dragged
before the parliament, accused of fraud. The Cardinal had no
choice ; to throw himself upon the clemency of the King was to
avow himself guilty of an ignominious offence, and to sign his
dishonour. Pie hesitated, however, a moment, in face of the risks
and the dangers of a criminal trial ; then he wrote to the King,
"that he preferred the parliament as the surest way of unmasking
the intrigue of which he was the victim, and to place in the clearest
light his innocence and good faith." Thus, by a false spirit of
equity, by the influence of new ideas, which were making themselves
felt everywhere, by the desire of rendering homage to the forms
or ordinary justice, perhaps also by the desire of humiliating the
Cardinal, the court placed itself and the Queen in such a position,
that they were tried by the parliament : it was to take an enemy for
your judge ; for at this period the parliament and the court were in
angry opposition. The public also took part with the Cardinal.
Those even who had laughed first at his disgrace ended by com-
plaining that he was the victim of the Queen's vengeance. The
emissaries of the houses of Rohan and Conde, skilfully making use
of the secret press, interested the bourgeoisie and even the populace
in the prince ; the women wore red and yellow ribbons, which
colours they named Cardinal sur la paille. He was said to be ill in
the Pastille ; the public expressed their indignation at the tardiness
of a trial which placed his life in danger. They regarded as an
unjust abuse of authority this delay of a verdict which must, no
one doubted, proclaim the innocence of the prince and restore him
to liberty.

(To be continued.)

The half-yearly meeting of the British Horological Institute
was held on the 18th ult. Want of space prevents our giving a
detailed account of the interesting report and proceedings, but
which we shall duly notice in our next.

Feb. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL

199

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES,

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,

Scotch Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various

Trades represented in this Journal.

Adjudications of Bankruptcy.

Bunker, W., Langley Moor, Durham, watchmaker.

Finberg Mark, 40 Denmark-street, Middlesborough, travelling jeweller.

Jan. 12. Crosby, Eeg.
Webb H. A., Westgate-street, Gloucester, and of Lydney.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Bariiy John C, Neath, watchmaker, Jan. 12. E. P, Morgan, solicitor,

Neatb.
Bunker William, Langley Moor, Durham, watchmaker. Jan. 5. James

Chambers, solicitor, Durham.
Casiimoiie John, High-street, Southampton, watchmaker and jeweller.
Draciiman Morris, Lime-street, Middlesborough, jeweller. Jan. 20. T.

Addenbrooke, solicitor, Middlesborough.
Genese Samuel, Daulby-street, Liverpool, travelling jeweller. Jan. 6.

Peacock and Cooper, solicitors, Castle-street, Liverpool.
Gordon Samuel, Taylor-street, Middlesborough, jeweller. Jan. 18.

Thomas Addenbrooke, solicitor, Middlesborough.
Harris David and Joseph Harris, trading as Harris Brothers,

Vyse-street, Birmingham, jewellers' factors. Jan. 14.
Jones David, Lamb Inn, Ystradyfodvrg, Glamorgan, watchmaker. Jan. 20.

Grover & Grover, solicitors.
Laski N., March-road, Middlesborough, Bennett's-hill, Birmingham,

jeweller.
Lundy James Freer, Cleethorpes-road, Great Grimsby, watchmaker,

Jan. 10. Francis Summers, solicitor, Hull.
Mamloii Philip, Prescott-street, Darlington, jeweller. Jan. 11. J. E.

Joel. so icitor, Newcastle.
Morley A. B., Temple-street, Birmingham, tool maker.
Phillips Ann, Mott-street, Birmingham, jeweller. Jan. 10. John E.

Smith, solicitor, Temple-street, Birmingham.
Webb Henry A., Westgate-street, Gloucester, and Lydney, goldsmith

and jeweller. Jan. 3. Taynton & Sons, solicitors.
Zallewsky Jacob, 8 Hill-street, Sunderland, jeweller. Jan. 5. Graham

& Graham, solicitors, Sunderland.

Trustees and Commissioners Appointed.

AndreoliM. & M. & Co., Greenside-street, Edinburgh, carvers and gilders.

Tr. J. H. Balgarnie, 9 North-street, David-street, Edinburgh. Com.,

J. Elliot, 27 Cockburn-street, and G. Fowler, 38 West Eegister-street,

both Edinburgh.
Edixgton William (Liq.), Spring-street, Paddington, jeweller, Trustee,

James T. Snell, 15 Cheapside, accountant.
Kusel Charles (Bkt.), 1 Bioomsbury-square, jeweller. Trustee, George

A. Cape, 8 Old Jewry, accountant.
Linsley George W. (Liq.), Commercial-street, Leeds, gunsmith and

jeweller. Trustees, James S. Birnfather, East- parade, accountant, and

William Bamsden, Infirmary-street, estate agent, both Leeds.

Dissolutions of Partnership.

Gill J. & G., Grainger-street, West, Newcastle, jewellers. Dec. 7.
M'Grkgor & Gardner, Queen-street, Glasgow, wholesale jewellers, &c.

Sept. 1. Debt, by JohnT. & Robert Gardner.
Eowan & Co., Charles-street, Sheffield. Silversmiths. Dec. 22.

Scotch Sequestrations.

M'Rae & Carmichael, 20 Union -street, Glasgow, wholesale jewellers, also
trading as Caumiciiael & Co., Pollokshaws, watchmakers and jewellers,
and John M'Eae, 315 Crown-street, and John Carmichael, Houston-
street, Glasgow, the individual partners of said Company, as such and
as individuals. Jan. 4. Tr. and Com., Faculty Hall, Glasgow, Jan. 14
at 12. Claims by May 4. Agent, J. Carment, 32 Albany -street,
Edinburgh.

Sutherland & Thomson, Glasgow, wholesale jewellers, and William E.
Sutherland, and Charles C. Thomson, both Glasgow, wholesale
jewellers, the individual partners of that Company, as such, and as
individuals. Dec. 31, with protection. Tr. and Com., Faculty Hall,
Glasgow, Jan. 13 at 12. Claims by May 1. Agents, Eobertson &
Eoss, Glasgow, writers.

Dividends Under Sequestrations.

Stephen Charles, Sauchieball-street, Glasgow, jeweller, 1st, W. D.
Quick's, 49 Bath-street, Glasgow, on and after Jan. 28.

ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

THE mouthly meeting of this society was held on the 14th
ult., Professor Adams, President, in the chair.
The following Fellows of the Society were duly balloted for and
elected : —

Professor Cleveland Abbe; Washington William Barnsby, Esq.,
Saltmarsh Castle, Herefordshire ; Rev. H. Collins, Vicar of Eller-
ton, near Whildrake, York ; Augustus S. Harrison, Esq., Muir
College, Allahabad ; P. Coward Johnson, Esq., Warrenside,
Blundellsands, near Liverpool ; J. Young Messum, Esq., Controller
of Packet Services, General Post-office ; H. C. L. Saunders, Esq.,
Leacroft House, Staines ; Major W. H. Wardell, R. A., 3, Alexandra-
terrace, Sheerness, were balloted for, and duly elected Fellows of
the Society.

A paper was read by the Astronomer Royal relative to the
present state of the calculations for his "New Lunar Theory."
Mr. Dunkin explained that the chief object of the Astronomer
Royal in making these reports to the society was that he was
anxious that the public might know exactly the state in which the
calculations were if any accident happened to him. It would be
remembered that when Mr. Delauney died there was no one who
knew the state in which his work upon the lunar theory had been
left. _ .

A very interesting paper on the time of the phenomena of the
transit of Venus was read by Captain Orde Browne.

Mr. Christie described a new form of solar eye-piece which he
had devised.

Mr. Dunkin read a note by Mr. Webb on the variable star
S. Orionis.

A paper by Professor Winnecke was read on some observations
of the solar eclipse of Sept. 29, 1875, made at the new Observatory
at Strasbourg.

Mr. Plumber read a paper on astronomical nomenclature.

A paper by Mr. Marth was read, containing ephemerides of the
physical observations of Jupiter.

Messrs. Knobel, Barrow, and Neison were appointed auditors for
the ensuing year.

This society has determined to present their gold medal to
Leverrier, the distinguished French astronomer, for his researches
into the phenomena of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Many of his tables have already been utilized by the official astrono-
mers of this country. The medal will be presented by his great
rival and our distinguished countryman, Professor Adams, the
present president of the society. M. Leverrier will deliver an
address on the occasion, when a very large and distinguished
audience will doubtless be assembled.

ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.

A MEETING: of the above society took place on the 5th ult.,
[\_ Chas. Brooke, Esq., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair. At-
tention was called to a number of specimens sent to the society
by Mr. Hanks, of San Francisco ; also some slides of .Aulacodiscua
Riitoni, presented by Mr. Thomas Curties, from material collected
on the late Congo expedition by Mr, Martin, H.M.S. Spiteful. Mr.
Chas. Stewart gave an interesting account of the structure and
development of sponges, freely illustrating his remarks by drawings
on the blackboard, and concluding by stating his reasons for
believing that the well-known perforations in oyster shells were
really the work of sponges. Mr. Hickie exhibited some photographs
from Germany of Navicula crassinervis and Frustulia saxonica, and
read letters from Dr. Rabenhorst and Herr Siebart in support of
his opinion that the two were widely distinct. Three new fellows
were admitted, and Messrs. Bevengton and B. D. Jackson were
elected auditors.

TO INTENDING EXHIBITORS AT THE FORTH-
COMING EXHIBITION OP SCIENTIFIC IN-
STRUMENTS AT SOUTH KENSINGTON.

AN experienced and competent Journalist is prepared to undertake
the position of Superintending Representative on behalf of one
or several exhibitors not competing with each other. Or he will
prepare and see through the press descriptive pamphlets (illustrated
or not) of horological or other mechanical inventions and appliances
The advertiser is well experienced in both theory and principles of
practical science. Terms moderate. Address "Journalist," office
of Watchmaker and Jeweller, 34, Hatton-garden, B.C.

200

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[O^b. 5, 187G.

"FAST BIND, FAST FIND."

Ij^AST BIND, FAST FIND " is indeed among the oldest
' proverbs in our language ; and not our language only, but, we
may add, in the language family of Europe, if not of civilization.
We may safely conclude that "kleptomania " is a disease as old as
Adam — if not older— aud that "conveyancing" has ofttimes
exercised the power of the keenest of wits, and, per contra,
The most "cunning offence." But what a stride from the tradi-
tional "old oak chest" of our ancestors to the fire and burglar
proof safes of the present day ! Let any one look at some of the
prints of the strong German coffers, dear to the soul of the anti-
quary, with their many iron bands and rivels, and multiple locks,
and see in what direction ingenuity went on behalf of " Fast bind,
fast find." To those who are acquainted with the pages of
Reaumur we may have some interesting words to say. The
time is not two centuries old when the oak chest, with its three-
hasp locks, was considered strong enough to hold a set of crown
jewels ! A modern lock-picker would have spent about five minutes
in opening all the locks with a piece of bent wire ; yet they had to
be broken, because " no key was forthcoming to open them." The
most notable of these "securities" in wood has three "tiers" of
iron bar work riveted round it, crossed by others at short distances,

Again,

' A cap-caso for your linen and your plate,
"With a strange lock that opens with A.M. E.N.''

" A lock
That goes with letters ; for till every one be known,
The lock's as fast as if you had found none."

On an old letter-lock of the middle of the seventeenth century are
the words "Sorte ant labore" — ''bychance orlabour"- — which correctly
describe their quality. The oldest locks that are known are those
of the ancient Egyptians, with their wooden bolts and bronze pins.
All these contrivances, no doubt, answered their purpose remarkably
well ; but, as mankind elevated thieving to the rank of a fine art,
the inferior people, the lockers and safers, were bound to do some-
thing for their reputation in the opposite direction, and follow suit.
Having now said a few words upon the ancient articles, we will
come at once to our own days.

The first safe-maker on the new system was the late Mr. Marr,
of London, and the fire-proof material was — well, he would never
let any one into his workshop during filling time, and so that
remained a secret from the general public. He first began to make
in 1834, and had a prosperous run with that and his upright
bolt " detector " lock for a number of years. We have often been
in Man's shop, and listened, with others, to his fervent eulogium

Tub Patent Steel Intehsected Safe.

whereby it was made very strong of its kind. The lock shot twelve
bolts, not into the solid, but underneath a kind of rim that ran all
round the inside of the box. So precious was this fastening
considered that there was a false keyhole in the regular place —
perhaps the greatest safety of all— whilst the true keyhole was
concealed under a plate on the lid, opened by a secret spring; the
lock itself was worth just a pick, three minutes, and the nimble
fingers of a handy fellow ! We pause for a moment to say that it
seems a little singular that, in the days when violence was so
prevalent among all classes of society, the "strong houses " should
have been so very weak, whilst now, when every dirty crossing
sweeper will cry out "police," if you rub closely against him, we
should have arrived at such perfection in the art of, as the song
says, "locking up our treasure."

But, furthermore, it is also not a little curious that for our first
iron coffers we are indebted to the foreigner. Where is the foreigner
in the art of safe-making now ?

Then, with some of those chests and coffers we had puzzle locks,
and dial locks, strong, but simple. As Beaumont and Fletcher say,
in the "Noble Gentleman" —

upon his safes and their thief and fire resisting powers. Of course,
we did not see the broken crockery between the iron slabs, which
constituted his filling, nor had the now well-known "tentative"
method of picking arrived, and we admired accordingly. But Marr
and his safes and locks have passed away, and their simplicity
is noted with a pitying smile, such as that generation bestowed upon
the oak chests and iron-bound coffers of the preceding centuries.

Being recently in the midland counties we made a flying visit to
Stratford-on-Avon, and went to Shakespeare's House. Amid all
that was interesting we saw, in an upstairs room, that marvellous
picture of the immortal bard looking out from its place. We werenota
little surprised to see, further, that it is recessed in a Whitfield's
fire-proof safe, the lady custodian informing us that the safe door

Oxford-street, in that town, to which journey the reader is
indebted for this paper.

Upon looking around us we directed our attention to the most
prominent safes that we saw. Taking one of the class "for great

Feb. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

201

risks against fire and thieves," we naturally made some little exam-
ination and inquiry. We were informed that this quality of safe
has " extra-strong " doors, made throughout of the best boiler-
plate, the body is dove-tailed and strongly riveted together, in
addition to which supports of strong angle-iron are riveted all
round in the inside. It is '; lined and filial with the patent evapo-
rating composition, including the lock cases." This composition
evolves moisture when the heat acting upon it reaches a certain
point, and is ultimately converted into steam that permeates what-
ever other materials of non-conducting nature the safe may be
lined with. The preserving temperature is the boiling point of 212
degrees Fahrenheit, in which paper will not burn. After looking at
the "Impregnable Bullion Safe," we turned our attention to what
may be called the typical model of the establishment. This was
the Patent Steel Intersected Safe, having " the whole of the surface
lined with drill-proof plates, and 1 inch solid thickness in the thinnest
part, the front edge being If inch thick." These safes are also
fitted with the fire-proof evaporating composition, which has been
already mentioned.

The Fastenings. — The next, if not indeed the most important,
in point of interest in a reliable safe is the fastening, which com-
prises the door, its mode of mounting, its bolting, and its locking.
Towards invulnerability in tlvs direction do all first-class safe-
makers tend, and the details of their different principles are
very interesting ; it must be conceded, too, even by the sternest
engineering critics, that a vast amount of mechanical ingenuity
is developed at this point. We have before us illustrations
of nearly every plan of fastening that is known as worth any-
thing, for it must be remembered that the entrance to the citadel
is generally looked upon as its weakest point. The method
adopted in the safe under review, first going all round the joints, is
this. The plates are, as we have just stated, strongly riveted to
corresponding angle-irons in the inside; in addition to this, these
plates are further dove-tailed, the tails projecting slightly above the
surface of the plate. The object of this arrangement is, that, in the
event of a prizing force being applied so as to compress the nar-
row part or neck of the dove-tail, in order to weaken its hold, the
projection comes into use with its greater breadth than the mortise-
cut — as a reversed edge, in fact — and can only be overcome by
pulling the tail clean away. Of course it requires no engineering
skill to know that to literally tear asunder 1 inch or If inch
steel or iron dove-tails must require an enormous force.

We now come to the door. This is hung upon gauged centres
and carriages, which are case-hardened to stand the constant fric-
tion to which such parts of all safe doors are subject: The fasten-
ing consists of a four-sided series of Whitfield's patent screw-bolts,
and a " Whitfield's Mappin's Best Patent Twelve-slide Double-tier
Lock," of which more presently.

u

D

p

/H

t

3

3

1

A

*

<s>\ o H

g

•JoLJ?

[

y

— ^

3
3

I S

£

f

\J

p

u

p

LL

The subjoined illustrations show these screw-bolts, the way in
which they are fixed, and how they work. Their functions are to

frustrate the opening by means either of wedges, the " jemmy," or
the well-known "Jack-in-the-box," or, in fact, by any other method.
The bolts are shown here in the position they assume when shot
into the safe frame, the lock-case and the fire-proof chamber
having been removed in order to make them plainer to the reader.
The outer line of the drawing shows the thick plate of the out-
side of the safe, the inside, where the bolt-heads are seen, being the
locking hold-fast, which is to be found in every safe of any preten-
sion to quality. It will be seen that the screw-bolts not only pass
through the lock-case, but into this outside thick plate, the
bar-frame carrying the bolts is moved by bevelled wheel-
work, and the central bolts, as will be seen, have screw-
ends of 1 inih in diameter, with a deep thread upon

them ; they go into similarly tapped hollow screw-holes by
motion-work from the outside. Their purpose, in addition to the
plain bolts, is to prevent pressure, as it is quite clear that, to force
the bolts inwards, the threads of the screws must be stripped and
the bevelled gearing broken away. The testimony of civil
engineers of position was placed before us as to the high security
afforded by these screw-bolts. When the bolts are fixed, the lock-
bolt is thrown up between two tail-pieces on the cross-heads that
carry the bolts ; this lock -bolt has a toothed end, which firmly
locks up the wheel-work as well as the fastening bolts. It may be
added that the screwing-winch which turns the wheels from the
outside is quite useless after the locking-bolt has been thrown
between the tail-pieces of the cross-heads before-mentioned.
Fig. A is a single door, and Fig. B is a double door.

In the single door the place of the bolts is easily understood,
whilst in the double door the set of bolts on the closing side of the
right-hand half screws into the left-hand, making practically one
door of the two halves. As a further strengthening, however, each
half has independent top and bottom screw-bolts of its own.

One of the special advantages in these screw-bolts is the fact of
their adding greatly to the strength and security of the safe. The
entire bolt work is securely fixed to the main plate of the door, and
not to the lock cases, as we have frequently noticed in ordinary safes.

20S

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1876.

We have now. we hope, made the principle of the safe easy to be
understood by the non-technical reader, and we will now pass on to
the characteristics of the Lock.

Mappin's Liproved Gunpowder-Proof Lock (Fig. 1)

claims the following excellences: — Tt cannot be picked, nor opened
by violence, nor blown off with gunpowder ; the keys cannot
be copied ; and the works are not liable to derangement. " What
more," it may be asked, "do you want in a lock than that?"
We will place the lock fairly before our readers and let them form
their own opinion. Fig. 1 is a drawing of the lock itself, at
about two-thirds the actual size ; the barrel containing the works
being concealed when the lock is fixed on. Fig. a shows the
sliders in the interior of the barrel, or cylinder, on plan. A
is a strong cylinder cf brass ; B is also a brass cylinder fitting

FlO. 2.

accurately into A. These two cylinders have twelve radial grooves,
eight on the top and four on the under side ; the grooves of the
outer cylinder being a prolongation of those of the inner one.
C C C C are steel sliders fitted in these grooves ; the under ones
cannot be seen. E is a double-action lever detector studded at F.
The next is the key, which need not be " figured." The reader will
see the grooves in it at the locking end. In order to make the
matter as plain as we can, we will call these grooves "scoop
grooves ; " that is, that the cut or " scoop " begins at the surface of
the key, and goes gradually down to a certain depth. No two
grooves are either of the same length or the same depth, so that
if one could be gauged surreptitiously it would not be of the

slightest use for a false key, as no other groove would be like it. We
bespeak attention to this peculiar formation of the key ; the small
" on the under side is for the purpose of moving the bolt, and

bit'

is twinned, that is, cut into two halves, grooved for a slider. Fig. 3
is a view of the cylinder and sliders with the key in. Now, the

Fig. 3.

action of unlocking is this : — The key is pushed into the lock, each
groove taking in the end of its own slider. As the key presses on-
ward its grooves become shallower, and the key-shank thickens there.
Consequently the sliders are pushed outward all round in their
grooves to a certain distance. This distance is exactly where the
divisions in the sliders correspond with the joints, where the inner
cylinder B fits into the outer cylinder A. When that occurs the
key can turn the inner cylinder, and by it the bolt. Should any of
the sliders be either forced not far enough or too far, and the bolt
be pressed upon, the triangular detector at the tnp comes into play.
Suppose that a pick or false key were tried ; then the outer cylin-
der would move a little with the attempt to pass the bolt, which
movement would bring down a pallet, or tooth, of the detector into
one of the notches on the inner cylinder, and hold all fast. In this
position it can only be released by taking the false key out, and
applying the true one a little the reverse way, when the unlocking
may be effected.

The outer circular line of the above figures represents a broad
steel spring which holds all the sliders in their proper places.

Such is a description, as well as we have been able to convey it, of
Mappin's lock. The double set of sliders are certainly a great
security, and, if picking is not impossible, must render that opera-
tion very difficult. The keyhole is too small for gunpowder ; and
we have no hesitation in affirming that keys on this principle cannot
be "impressed," or copied, the scoop-formation of the grooves
entirely prohibiting that rascality.

We have now, we think, placed both lock and safe in a fair posi-
tion for the judgment of our readers, and we cannot do better than
conclude in the words of one of the firm which were addressed
to us upon leaving the works — " AVe do not pretend to work
miracles ; but we honestly think that we can make as good locks
and safes as anybody else."

Referring to the position of these safes in the market, it may be
mentioned that many thousands of them are in use protecting
valuable property in all parts of the world, and we are informed
that, notwithstanding the many attempts which have been made to
pick one of their locks, none have yet succeeded, and that they have
in numerous instances successfully resisted protracted fires and
attempts of burglars.

In reference to the fire-resisting qualities of these safes, we find
that, as far back as May, 1854, the following account of a severe test
was given in the Birmingham Journal: —

" On Thursday, some rather interesting experiments were made
upon a piece of land beneath the viaduct of the Great Western
Railway, in Oxford-street. The object was to test the fire-proof
safes of Mr. Samuel Whitfield, whose works are situated in that
locality. Two safes were selected, the one a " holdfast safe," and
the other a " fire-resisting 32-inch banker's safe." Many gentlemen
were present who seemed to take a deep interest in the progress of
the experiments. In the banker's safe were deposited books, loose
papers, and parchments ; it was then locked, the keys given into
the possession of a gentleman present, and the fire kindled at twenty
minutes past eleven. The second safe, which also contained books
and papers, was placed in the fire at twenty minutes past twelve ;
and the two fires were kept up with great vigour during the test, a
cartload of timber and half a ton of coal having been consumed.
At three o'clock the holdfast safe, having been exposed to intense
heat for two hours and forty minutes, was withdrawn from the fire
and opened ; all the contents were found perfect, except that the

Feb. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

203

covers of some of the books were slightly injured, otherwise the
papers were untouched by the intense heat to which they had been
exposed. The fire was still kept up round tbe bankers' safe, a
great portion of the outside of which was red-hot for a considerable
time, as may readily be imagined when we state that the flame
from a quantity of dry wood and a good supply of coal formed a
fire upwards of eight feet in diameter around it, and made the place
so intensely hot that the spectators could scarcely approach the
spot. Shortly before four o'clock preparations were made for
opening this safe ; when withdrawn from the fire, and somewhat
cooled, it was unlocked, the keys performing this work without
difficulty, and, somewhat to the astonishment of many, the contents
were found perfectly safe and uninjured, exhibiting only a slight
degree of dampness. This was considered the more extraordinary,
inasmuch as the outer plates and the lock-case were very much burnt
and altered in shape from the action of the fire. So satisfactory
were the experiments considered, that certificates were given by the
gentlemen present, some of whom expressed an opinion that it was
almost impossible that any iron safe could accidentally be subjected
to so severe a test, and that the trial throughout had been conducted
with perfect fairness."

REGISTRATION OF TRADE MARKS.

WE strongly advise our readers to lose no time in making appli-
cation for registry of their Trade Marks under the provisions
of the new Act, which came into force on 1st of January last. "We
shall be happy to advise upon any points, and to carry out the for-
malities of registration for those of our friends who are desirous
of saving the heavy fees demanded by some patent agents. All
communications to be addressed to the Editor, "Watchmaker,
Jeweller, and Silversmith," 84, Hatton Garden, London, marked
on the outside "Trade Marks."

THE EXHIBITION" OP SCIENTIFIC APPARATUS.

THE Exhibition of Scientific Apparatus, to be held at South
Kensington in April next, is being well supported. Her
Majesty's Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 have lent
their western galleries in Prince Albert's-road, and committees
have been, and are still being, formed in many important countries
for the purpose of collecting instruments for the three departments
of the Exhibition, viz., the historical, the educational, and the
experimental. In Berlin the committee have published an invita-
tion, in which they say, " Science being the common property of
all nations, the Exhibition of the appliances by which it is pro-
moted partakes of an international character. The objects pursued
by the English commission in organizing the Exhibition have in
Germany also been recognized as worthy of attainment, and, in
order to give an impulse in our Fatherland to German participation
in the Exhibition a committee has been formed at the special in-
stance of the Crown Prince and Princess of Germany, which has
been entrusted by the English commission with the collection and
selection of objects worthy of being exhibited."

The Exhibition will consist of instruments and a2)paratus employed
for research, and other scientific purposes, and for teaching. It
will also include apparatus illustrative of the progress of science,
and its applications to the arts, as well as such as may possess special
interest on account of the persons by whom, or the investigations
in which, it had been employed. Models, drawings, or photographs
will also be admissible where the originals cannot be sent.

The apparatus may, in certain cases, be arranged in train as used
for typical investigations. And arrangements will be made, as far
as it may be found practicable, for systematically explaining and
illustrating the use of the apparatus in the various sections.

The cost of carriage of all objects selected for exhibition will be
defrayed by the Science and Art Department.

Forms on which to enter descriptions of objects offered for
exhibition may be obtained on application to the Director of the
South Kensington Museum, London, S.W.

The Exhibition will open on the 1st April, 1876, and will
remain open until the end of September, after which time the objects
will be returned to the owners.

AN ACCOUNT of the declared Real VALUE of the IMPORTS and EXPORTS of GOLD and SILVER BULLION and
SPECIE Registered in the Month ended 31st December, 1875, and in the Twelve Months ended 31st December, 1875,
compared with the corresponding Periods in the Year 1874.

GOLD.

SILVER.

IMPORTS.

EXPORTS.

IMPORTS.

1 EXPORTS.

COUNTRIES.

Month ended
31st December.

Twelve months

ended
31st December.

Month ended
31st December.

Twelve months

ended
31st December.

Month ended
31st December.

Twelve months

ended
31st December.

Month ended
31st December.

Twelve months

ended
31st December.

1874.

1875.

1874. | 1875.

1874.

1875.

1S74.

1875.

1874.

1875.

1874.

1875.

1874.

1875.

1874.

1875.

EUSSIA

Germany

Holland

BELGIUM

France

portugal ]

Azores >

Madeira ... ... J

Spain and Canaries ...

Gibraltar

Malta

Turkey

Egypt

West Coast of Africa ...
British Possessions in

South Africa

British India

China (including Hong

KONG)

Australia

British North America

Mexico 1

South America (Except)
Brazil <fc West Indies) J

Brazil

United States ...
Other Countries

£

2*7^000

81

14,660

79,801

1,130
9,286
4,130

7,841
21,535

9,450

876,177

118,304

240

1,136,622

274,759

£

'"700

100

124,440

91,021

15^177

6,444

588

20,000
5,244

51,318
20,050

63,161

377,418

4

139,125

5,741

6,604

280,241

£

47,600

85,106

10,713

186,114

740,395

132

4,085
75,702
40,628
10,302
223,250
136,263

306,695
265,135

282,586

6,720,877

' 2,479

2,491,828

371,584
4,508,740
1,570,8 H

£

409,098

6,013

284,244

2,022,964

2,490

2,571
114.665
128,027

2,306
526,359
117,321

244,034
91,405

341,669

6,640,881

4,004

1,386,300

257,415
8,257,664
2,261,404

£

4,000
267,220

54,120

1,020

4o"6oO

21,118

175

35,250
1,000

£

l,0l'jl20

8,000

118,840

1,879,106

800

55J000

11*086

l'6,'500

40,277
49,625
*o"l00

£

132"000

47S.026

527.200

5,433,712

354,872

3,752

70,000

91<X663
35,070

10,583

16,000

1,375,960

500,767

9,095

783,936

£

6,4057-37
1,078,945
1,202,124
5,341,074

607,120

591,033
25,000
45,600

65,100
14,029

77,722

2'6'500
80,000

983,109

977,697
576,659
718,977

£

00i550
1,029
2,386

211,682

3,337

50

8,895

100

1^450
3,993

60

39,802
3.8S6
3,900

218,906

2091723
3,656

£

184'.290

100

4,302

110,303

985

■■5(1
3,903
862
40
220
646

1,120

12.444

300

1,112

258,414

17,724

301,081

9,191

£

2.351,968
156,060
262,758

1,172,272

17,651

539

58,224

3,590

50

21,885

40,964

13,317

17,858

371,741
21,250
17,150

3,931,823

64,493

3,477,322

297,254

£

1.152J523

8,498

65,099

1,392,305

13,925

1,062
33,317
11,584
334
14,207
23,587

11,775
122,157

112.730

33,061

843

3,362,660

68,877

3,181,227

506,591

£

20,000

10,258

61,850

277,084

1,295

77,500

94^965
2,805

300
'"lOO

£

9,040
415,175

945

262,000

4-,000

1,955

159,150

23,080
875

1,515

£

742,740
117,08S
212,003
634,580
1,321,658

12,352

1,882,312

*6,6S'3'456
73,817

21,200

24,800

20,595

8,000

107,560

25

25,250

324,546

£

1,000

101,696

192,622

152,763

2,424,210

6,337

1,679,030

10,000

9.271

22,000

30

28,526

15,275
3,231,266

833,131
13,825
1,050

57,354

S9,'280
38,060

Total Value of £

2,581,016 1,207,376
1

18,081,019

23,100,834

423,903

3,191,454

10,641,636

18,810,426

1,377,405'907,787

12,298,169

10,123,955

1,392,157

877,735

12,211,957

8,906,726

* Bullion, chiefly for India, 1 £6,683,431.
Coin, „ China,/ £25.

201

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1876.

THE

eHaicInmilurr, getitcllcr, mtir $Hftenffl£$,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of "Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, IIatton Garden,
London, E.G.

Birmingham Agencies.

Mr. A. F. Warp>illow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29 Temple Street.
Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

PATENTS.

Notices to Proceed.

-1333. Marius Anthony Pradier, of 7, Bedford Street, Bedford Square,
in the county of Middlesex, Manufacturing Jeweller, has given tbe
like notice in respect of the invention of " A new and improved method
of fastening and unfastening tbe shirt, collar, or other stud, sleeve-
link, and solitaire, by means of the screw principle."

3211. James Milwaro Holmes, of Birmingham, in the county of War-
wick, Secretary of the International Agency, has given notice in respect
of the invention of " A new or improved machine or apparatus for
compressing scrap metal, metallic filings, and other metallic waste,
preparatory to remelting the same." — A communication to him from
abroad by Lewis J. Atwood, of Waterbury, Connecticut, in the United
States of America.

4552. Henry Bessemer, of Denmark Hill, in the county of Surrey, bas
given the like notice in respect of the invention of " Improvements in
the manufacture of reflectors, lenses, and optical glasses, and also in
machinery, tools, and apparatus employed in manufacturing and
mounting the same."

Patents Sealed.

2513. Linus Orton Thayer, of Montreal, Canada, and of 1, Leadenball
Street, E.C., city of London, Doctor of Medicine, for an invention of
"Improvements in compounds for dental plates and other purposes,
such as jewellery, artificial coral, buttons, and other similar articles."
— A communication to him from abroad by Volney Smith, of Sche-
nectady, New York, United States of America. — Dated 13th Julv,
1875. H:

2921. John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the county of
Middlesex, Gentleman, for the invention of " Improvements in electric
clocks or clock-work." — A communication to him from abroad by Emile
Joanni Gondolo, of Paris, in the republic of France. — Dated 19th
August, 1875.

3469. James Bay Hosmer, of 63, Queen Victoria Street (Metropolitan
Buildings), county of Middlrsex, London, for an invention of "Im-
provements in portable fire-proof safes, and in wardrobes and fire-
proof closets for buildings." — A communication to him from abroad by
William Albert Shepard, of the city of New -York.

Grants of Provisional Patents for Six Months.

4292. To William Jackson, of Birmingham, in tbe county of Warwick,
Jeweller, for the invention of "Improvements in lockets, brooches'
bracelets, and other like ornaments and ornamental fastenings."

4498. To Juan Nepomuceno Adorno, of Harley Street, Cavendish Square,
the county of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the invention of " Improve-
ments in watches and clocks."

Patents which have become Void.
165. Edward Hipkins, of Kate's Hill, in the parish of Dudley and county

' Tmprove-

of Worcester, Iron Safe Manufacturer, for an invention of "I

ments in iron safes." — Dated 15th January, 1873.
173. Charles Elmes Parker-Rhodes, of 27, Somerleyton Boad, Brixton,
in the county of Surrey, Esquire, late of H.M. Consular Service, for
an invention of " An improved mode and moans for illuminating
clocks and other similar articles." — Dated 16th January, 1873.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.
France.

10S,574. Tiiiery, for " Improvements in machines for manufacturing
watch cases and other like articles." — Dated 25th June, 1875.

108,251, Fumey, sen. and jun., of Foucine-le-Haut, for "A bell-hammer
for public clocks." — Dated 8th June, 1875.

108,269. Recordon and Didibr, for " Electric luminous dials for docks
and watohes."— Dated 8th June, 1875.

Belgium.

38,397. A. J. F. Bertrand, for an important invention of " An index for
the prime mover of watches." — Dated 9th Docember, 1875. — (French
Patent, 18th November, 1875.)

United States.

169,940. W. W. Ald en, of Providence, R. I., for "Braided jewellery."—
Application filed 29th March, 1875.

169,987. Chas. D. P. Gibson, of New York, N.Y., for " Stem-winding
watches." — Application filed 3rd March, 1875.

170,076. Joseph Geldreich, of Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Geo. Doerr,
of the same place, for " Dies for making watch-case centres." — Appli-
cation filed 25th September, 1875.

3942. William Eiiriiardt, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Chronometer and Watch Manufacturer, for an invention of "Improve-
ments in watches." — Dated 24th December, 1868.

173,341. Ansel S. Buckelew, of Coluso, Cal., for " Watch-case springs."
— Application filed 18th September, 1875.

170,443. Wm. Lmiiaeuser of Brooklyn. N.Y., for "Watchmen's time-
detecters." — Application filed 14th August, 1875. — Brief. — " To guard
against dishonest watchmen who open the case and mark the dial
without going their rounds. Provides the time-detecter with an
additional marker, which marks the dial whenever the case is opened."

170,553. Lewis A. Haines, of Westminister, Md., for "Time-locks." —
Application filed'16th October, 1875. — Brv-f. — " Two graduated dials ac-
tuated by time mechanism, and having notches in their peripheries, which
will, at the proper time, release a weighted arm, and allow the bolts
to be unlocked by the turning of a cam-plate. An auxiliary graduated
dial, having a groove and notch in its face, combined with a gravitating-
arm having a pin on one end adapted to enter the groove in said dial,
and ahooked extension on its pivoted end, which, with a stud on spring
cam-plate, will hold the bolts unlocked, and, at the expiration of a
given time, will release the said stud, and allow the bolts to be locked
by the recoil of the cam-plate."

170,558. Patk. B. Hennessy, of Hamilton, Canada, for " Time-
locks." — Application filed 24th August, 1875.

170,625. Robert M. Fryer, of New York, N.Y., assignor to the
Fryer Noble Metal-Mining Company of New York, for " Apparatus
for roasting gold and silver ores." — Application filed 20th May, 1875.

170,644. John \V. Stewart, of Woodville, Tex., assignor of two-thirds of
his right to James K. Durham and John N. Goolsbee, for " Spectacle-
frames." — Application filed 15th July, 1875.

170,212. J. Wallace, Keokuk, of Iowa, for " Geographical Clocks."

170,344. Ansel S. Buckelew, of Colusa, Cal., for " Watch-case springs."

170,423. Marshall Wheeler, of Big Rapids, Mich., for " Solar chro-
nometers."

171,035. A. Monnier, of Sacramento, Cal., for "Watch-cleaning fluids." —
Application filed 27th August, 1875. — Claim. — " The compound herein
described for cleansing watches, jewellery, and other articles, consisting
of distilled water, pure castile-soap, and cyanide of potassium, the pro-
portions being substantially as herein described."

171,058. Frank E. Smith, of San, Jose, Cal., for " Reversible centre-
pinions for watches." — Application filed 7th July, 1875.

171,098. Elijah Clark, of Paris, Ky., for " Electric clocks." — Applica-
tion filed 23rd April, 1875. — Brief. — "Armature-lever, forked, and
used as escapement-lever. Balance-wheel controls circuit."

Grand Duchy op Baden. — Issues and Re-issues.

27. Tiffany and Co., of Geneva, for " An anchor-escapement with a
double disc." — 3 years. — Dated 23rd March, 1875.

28. A Heberle, of Ueberlingen, for " A simple construction of Dutch
clocks." — 3 years. — Dated 1st April, 1S75.

70. E. Farcot, of Paris, for "An Apjiaratus for winding wall-clocks." —

3 years. — Dated 5th July, 1875.
120. J. H. Martens, of Freiburg, for "A chronometer escapement." — 3

years. — 14th November, 1875.
26. F. W. Warsciiau, of Wippa-on-the-Harz, for " A chronometer lever

escapement for second-watches." — 3 years. — Dated 30 December,

1875.

Designs Patentsd in United States.

8811 and 8S12. Thomas G. Brown, of Newark, N.J., for "Sleeve-
buttons and studs." — Applications filed 6th November, 1875. — Term
of patents 3^ years. — Cases A and B.

8313 to 8815, inclusive. Joseph Lehnbeuter and Caspar Claes, of
St. Louis, Mo., for "Show-cases." — Applications filed 22nd July, 1S75.
— Term of patents, 7 years. — Cases A, B, C.

Feb. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUBNAL.

205

Through Service of Fast Trains bet-ween London and Leicester, Nottingham,
Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, Derby, Manchester, and Liverpool.

ITJEBTIUMlRY, 1876.

STATIONS.

Victoria (L. C. &D.) dep.
Ludgate Hill ...
Moorgate Street
St. Pancras

Leicester i

Nottingham

Derby

Manchester

Liverpool (Cestral)

Sheffield

Leeds

Bradford

FEOM LONDON.— WEEK DAYS.

SUNDAYS.

a.m.

a.m.

a.m.

a in.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

Fast.

Fast.

Exp.

Exp.

Fast.

Exp.

Exp.

Mail.

Exp.

Fast.

Mail.

7 50

8 48

10 55

2 0

2 50

3 55

7 42

11 0

1 35

7 35

8 38

9 24

11 28

2 32

3 25

4 32

8 18

11 35

2 10

8 10

8 40

9 37

11 25

2 43

3 35

4 40

8 27

11 40

2 26

8 23

5 15

8 55

10 0

11 45

3 0

4 0

5 0

8 50

12 0

2 50

8 50

7 24

11 39

12 17

2 20

5 27

6 19

7 21

11 29

2 23

5 24

11 29

8 14

12 35

1 10

3 25

6 15

7 10

8 13

12 25

3 15

6 20

12 25

8 18

12 40

1 10

3 23

6 27

7 9

8 15

12 24

3 14

G 20

12 24

10 0

3 0

5 5

8 10

8 45

10 0

5 10

8 0

11 15

3 50

6 5

9 0

9 40

11 25

■> 0

8 50

9 27

1 18

1 55

4 11

7 45

9 0

1 43

4 18

8 25

1 43

10 45

2 35

3 0

5 35

9 5

10 10

3 0

5 20

10 2.

3 0

11 35

3 25

6 15

10 10

10 35

3 55

5 45

11 20

3 55

o
o

01 (0

cc

oS

si

<CL
CC LU
QUJ

CO

1?

a 2 3

5 3

^ oj a,

2a s

3o ^S'g
so q3 o o

ft OJ O-

SCO^

H

H

o

A

all

B'lSI

„, 2 £ S si J

- rfii^-.^ o

£g £ g *«

S-p — «- c fl
i=° es q-m

■OtJ^ as &T3

o § 6(33 S

STATIONS.

Bradford

Leeds

Sheffield

Liverpool (Central)
Manchester
Derby ... •■■ ...
Nottingham

Leicester

St. Pancras

Moorgate Street..
Ludgate Hill
Victoria(L. C. &D.)

dcp.

TO LONDON.-

-WEEK

DAYS

SUNDAYS.

a. in.

a.m.

a.m.

a.m.

a.m.

a.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

pin.

Mail.

Exp.

Exp.

Exp.

Exp.

Fast.

Fast.

Exp.

Fast.

Mail.

Fast.

Mail.

9 20

9 30

11 55

2 15

4 20

5 0

9 15

1 2J

8 45

2 40

9 45

10 35

12 50

2 45

4 45

5 40

10 5

2 15

10 5

4 12

7 55

10 39

12 5

2 20

4 0

5 55

G 58

11 26

4 17

11 26

9 0

10 30

12 0

2 35

4 0

9 45

4 0

7 0

9 50

11 10

1 0

3 35

4 50

10 33

4 50

6 15

8 38

10 20

11 35

12 56

3 10

5 15

6 45

1 0

6 33

1 0

6 15

8 40

11 15

11 35

12 55

3 15

5 15

6 45

7 45

12 55

6 35

12 55

7 25

9 32

12 5

12 30

1 46

4 9

6 8

7 40

8 50

2 4

7 28

2 4

10 30

12 0

2 20

2 55

4 5

6 4)

S 40

10 0

11 35

4 45

10 25

4 45

10 46

12 14

2 35

3 8

4 26

6 57

8 57

10 13

10 56

12 35

2 54

3 32

4 36

7 19

9 2

10 21

11 29

1 7

3 30

4 7

5 12

7 56

9 37

11 9

i bS ^

= »*>*

CC

siS

u ^. c e

2 £"°
<Ot-2

1! S'O

H g
H |
fe §-

§**

Ph S3
EH «5

l°l

aKo
§13
lit

nfc

3 oo

a 93

P.O.

a aj u

o ^J--

■a Mco
g cfl

D a El
43 o°

I. >-1^

c 3

. o

a a - u 3

s s s e q

I °-M IS

Derby, 187G.

JAMES ALLPORT, General Manager.

S. J. LAZARUS & CO.,

129, LONDON WALL, LONDON, E.C.,

MANIIFACTUKEKS OF

SrECTACLES AND EYE-GLASSES

Also Importers of every description of OPTICAL G0OD3.

< .

° o

H
hi

< •

o o

*

SOLE MANUFACTURES S OF

Dr. Menist's Pantoscopic Tinted Lens Spectacles for Weak
and Defective Sight.

The Cheapest House in England for Brazilian Pebble Spectacles.

N. LAWRENCE,

SPECTACLE AND EYE-GLASS MANUFACTURER,

JMPOBTEB OF OPTICAL GOODS,

Manufactiircr of Pebble, Periscopic, Concave, Convex,
and Cataract Lenses.

Warehouse :— 5, DYEE'S BUILDINGS (Opposite Furnival's Inn),

HOLBORN, LONDON, E.G.

Manufactory :— HAYELOOK WOEKS, WALKEE STEEET,

SHEFFIELD.

TO WATCH FINISHERS.— Examiners wanted.
Charles J. Hill, Kussell-terrace, Coventry.

Apply

PRICE SIX SHILLINGS.

SIDE'S

GOLD AND SILVERSMITHS' AND JEWELLERS' CALCULATOR:

For showing at Bight the exact value of any quantity of Gold, from 253. to £5 5s. per ounce ; of Silver, from 3s. to 10s. per ounce, from one
grain to 1000 ounces ; and of Diamonds from £2 to £12 per carat. Also tables of Duties on Gold and Silver.

CAEEFULLY EEYISED BY

JEHOSHAPHAT ASPIN, Accountant

( Formerly Actuary of the Finsbury Savings Bank).

ST.

ill oust idoilsj- :
JOHN'S SQUARE, E.C.

906

THE WATGHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[Feb. 5, 1876.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-live Entry of Name anal Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less then
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months- In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street. Fins-
bury. E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourdeu's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MURRAY & CALLIEU, 22. St. John's Square, E.O.

NE 4RETTI <fc ZAMBRA, Holborn Viaduct, E.G.: Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill. E.C. ; 122, Regent
Street. W.

WEBSTER, J., S8, St. John Street Road, Clerkenwell, E.C.

EURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CnATWOOD'S. 120, Cannon Street, E.G., and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEKRING & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

ITIILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STRONG ROOM COM-
PANY, LIMITED, Cecil Street, Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER <fc STRAUB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMERER, KUSS, FBITSCHLER. & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C., and
Charterhouse Street, E.C., London ; and 10, Rue Beran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory. White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Rochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established
1844.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BROTHERS, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London. E.C.
MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn

Viaduct, London, E.C.
RUTHERFORD, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Row, E.C., and

33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MORDAN (SAMPSON) & CO., 41, City Road, and 72,

Cboapside. London, E.C.
TANN, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, E.C; Reliance Works,

1, Hope Street, Hackney Road, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS .(W. J.) & KING, 66. Hatton Garden, London.
E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs. Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

BUTTON & CO.. 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court. Newgate Street, London, E.C.

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEORGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C.

SUNDELL (KRTSCHER) <fc CO, 48, Brushfield Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLTT1IBERG & CO., 2. Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. EDWARD. 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. R.), 64. Hatton Garden, London, E C.
WILLIAMSON. HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kiDds of Jeweller's Materials.
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &«, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, EC.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DREW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Room, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 t'o 84, Gray's Icn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWARDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Road, London, E.C.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden. E.C.

SAGE, FREDERICK. Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C. GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C. ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Rue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FREDERIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Road, W.C.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENRY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, <fcc, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURER.

N. LAWRENCE, 5, Dyer's Buildings, opposite Fumival's
Inn, Holborn, London, E.C: M*nuiactory, Havelock
Works, Walker Street, Sheffield.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER.

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell,
London, E.C

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 48, Rahere Street, Gosivell Road, Lon

don. E.C.
NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Goa-

well Road, London, E.C.
STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS. THOMAS J., 10, Rydon Crescent, St John
Street Road, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers. 11. Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL. MAURICE. Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconrls. and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export Norfcflr Street. Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and3, St. George's Crescent Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Road,
London, E.C.

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, <fcc., Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 2S & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C

THOMPSON .EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C.

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Ring Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied sWck
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, Birmingham.

MAURICE MICHAEL,

kmtmh

FOR HOME AND

0RT.

tint

Fuijl Pl^te, Thfjee-Qua^tef^ Plater, Centre |3econd£, and Keyle??.

NORFOLK STREET, COVENTRY.

Feb. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

207

" By hand-labour it is impossible for this country to compete with Switzerland in the
Watch Trade ; and, if we would hold our own in Europe in this branch of industry, we must
follow the example of the Americans, who have successfully used machinery in the manu-
facture of Watches." — Extract from the " Times" of December 18, 1868.

THE

AMERICAN WATCH COMPANY

(OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS)

Have been established. SO years, and. within, that time have produced

850,000 WATCHES OF ALL GRADES AND SIZES.

Why American Waitham Watches are cheaper than English Watches of the same grade is
explained by Sir Edmund Beckett (late Mr. E. B. Denison) in Ids work on Clocks, Watches,
and Bells, in which he says, page '622 : " Although labour is dearer in America than here, this
machinery enables them to undersell English Watches of the same quality ; " and that the system
of making watches by machinery is the only correct one is held forth by this eminent authority
in the same work, in which he says : " There can be no doubt in the mind of any one who
understands machinery that this is the best as well as the cheapest way of making machines
which require precision and uniformity."

FOR PARTICULARS APPLY TO

KOBB1NS & APPLKTON,

GENEBAL AGENTS,

WALTHAM BUILDINGS, H0LB0RN CIRCUS, LONDON, E.C.

208

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1876.

THE BRITISH AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE MARKS REGISTRATION SYNDICATE,

Having exceptional Facilities for the Speedy Dispatch of Business, are prepared to
REGISTER BRITISH AND FOREIGN TRADE MARKS,

IN THIS COUNTKY,
T'OR THE TERM OF FOURTEEN YEARS,

And to Hogistor British Trais Marks Abroad at Lowor Oliargos thai aiy othor Ag3ats,and without trouble to thoir Clients.

The Public should note that unless their Trade Marks are protected wider the new Act, they cease to be of any value, so that

Registration is PRACTICALLY COMPULSORY.

Full particulars, with Scale of Official and Agency Fees, will be forwarded to any Address on application to —

THE SECRETARY, BRITISH AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE MARKS REGISTRATION SYNDICATE,

34, HATTON GARDEN, LONDON, E.C.

ROBERT

ARPLES,

lO, WORSH1P-ST., EIIVSBTJIiY., LONDON, E.C,

SOLE AGENT FOR EUROPE TO

THE 3ETH THOMAS CLOCK COMPANY.

SOLE AGENT IN LONDON TO

THE E. N. WELCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

Manufacturer and Importer of all kinds of American Clocks, in American, English, and French Cases. Importer
of French Marble Clocks and Vienna Regulators, &c, &;. Agent for the WALTHAM WATCH COMPANY.

ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUES AND PRICE LISTS ON APPLICATION.

SPECIALLY ADVANTAGEOUS TERMS TO SHIPPERS AND LAE3E BUYERS. GOODS SHIPPED PROM NEW YORK

OR LONDON AT BUYER'S OPTION.

OO IHEESEy, ^j&.CO:09 «§£ CO.,

WHOLESALE MANUFACTURING OPTICIANS & NAUTICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS,

1 IMPORTERS OF CLOCKS, BRONZES, MUSICAL BOXES, AND OPTICAL GOODS, 1

Manufacturers of Marine Lever Clocks of all descriptions. Specialities in Clocks and Barometers combined.

36 & 37, ELY PLACE, HOLBORN, & CHARTERHOUSE ST., LONDON, EC.

-A.2STID lO, RUE BEP^-A-T-TGi-Em, PAEIS.

EDWARD DAY,

REFIKTEB -AJSTID -A-SS-ATSTIEP?,,

Dealer in Gold, Silver, & Alloys. Purchaser of Gold & Silver in Bars, Lemel, Jewellers' Sweepings, Dentists' & Photographers' "Waste.

Sole Agent in Great Britain for Monsieur DECAUX, of Paris.

Manufacturer of Hollow Gold Beads, Bead Chain, Beaded "Wire, Gallery Borders, Solid and Hollow Signet and other Rings, Settings

Brooch Ornaments, Chains, &c, &c, for Manufacturing Jewellers.

£2 8, WARSTOIVE LtIlNE, BIRJ1INGHAM.

THE "STANDARD" HXIVO SIZES.

The Jewellery Trade is earnestly urged to adopt the " Standard " Ring Sizes as the future gauge by which to make rings
they possess so many advantages over all others, and are acknowledged to be the only ones that can be depended upon for accuracy
They may be had from all respectable Factors and Manufacturers, and from the Makers, B. H. JOSEPH & CO.,

20, Frederick Street, Birmingham.

it. smart,

Shop Front Builder and Airtight Show Case Maker,

33, NEWHALL STREET, BIRMINGHAM.

ALL BUSINESS PLACES SUITABLY FITTED.

DESIGNS AND ESTIMATES GIVEN.

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 10.— Vol. I.]

MARCH G, 187G.

"Subscription, 5s. 1 Post
per Annum. J Free

PAGE

Horology— X. dialling 217

Annual Meeting of the Royal Astuono.mical

Society 21S

Eoyal Microscopical Society 2is

The Qdeen's Necklace 219

Progress op Astronomy during the Past Year 219

The Westminster Clock 219

A Treatise on Pitchincs 220

Watch found in a Shark 221 Patents

CONTENTS.

Presentation j to Mr. John Wyciierly, of
Prescot ... '

British Horological Institute

Great Robberies of Jewellery — Temptation
to Hall Porters

Assaying

The New Patent Bell Chiming Machinery ...

The Pendulum

221
221

Horology Til

Our Illustrated Supplement 223

Exhibition of Watchmakers and Jewellers'

Work 22S

Monthly' Record of Bankruptcies 22.S

Value of the Imports and Exports of Gold

and Silver Bullion and Specie 22fij

The Trades' Directory 2;;uJ

Advertisements 2211-210

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

X. — DiAixixq.*

w

E now change our point of the compass and turn eastwards.

/ Y It may be said that that is what we ought to have done at
.first ; follow the example of every-day life and have begun with
east, then to west, north, and south. In dialling, however, matters
at times run the other way, so that one is not always quite free to do
.as he chooses. Besides, our editor is a genius of very " pronounced7'
temperature at times, and we do not like to see good books flying
about the room as if in search of a pair of eyes to read them. As
most of our readers may probably understand what that means, we
will dispense with any further explanation and go on.

An east dial is that one that is drawn, as its name indicates, on
the plane of the meridian looking towards the east. It must be
remembered that, as the sun only shines on such a dial from the
time ofrrising until noon, it is " dead " after twelve o'clock. Still,
for early risers such a dial has its advantages; and, as there are
plenty of up-with-the-lark folks left in the land, we will describe
how to construct such a dial.

On the eastern side of the plane of the meridian draw a right
line, which we will call A B, parallel to the horizon. As a
hypothenuse to this, and as one intended to pass through the

* By an oversight the article in the February number was marked
VIII. It should have been IX. as the previous article was VIII.

centre of the dial, draw another, and call it A K. We have now an
angle A K B, which is equal to the elevation of the equator. On
the upper part of the hypothenuse describe a circle, and cut this
circle in two by a line at right angles to the oblique line above-
named ; this line we will call E C. Being perpendicular to the
hypothenuse it will divide the circle into four equal parts, or
quadrants. Now, subdivide each of these quadrants into six equal
parts. From the centre of the circle, through the points of the
quadrant subdivisions, draw right lines to the edge of the dial-plate.
From the extremities of these last lines draw othei's at right angles
to the line A K ; the intersection of these last two will be the points
at which the hour lines will have to be marked. What, for the
purpose of plainness, Ave will call the " cross " lines will be marked,
commencing with the uppermost one as 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
whilst the line K A will be 12, or noon. Erect a style equal to the
radius of the circle, perpendicular to the plane, or on two supports
at E and C place an -iron rod equal to the semidiameter of the
circle, and this rod will indicate the hours of both sides, if they
are so marked. So much for an east dial. We will now deal
with the other half of this part of the question, and go west-
ward.

A west, or erect direct west dial, as may be understood, is one
constructed for the western side of the meridian. The difference
here is, that whilst the sun only illumines the eastern dial from sun-
rise to noon, he shines upon the western dial from noon until sunset.
From this it will be easily seen that an eastern and western dial
joined together will show all the hours of the day. For such
a purpose they are frequently so joined. The construction of a
western dial is exactly that of an eastern one in principle ; in
practice all the details are reversed, and in the inverted condition
the hours are accordingly written.

218

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[Mar. 6, 1876.

Following in our order we come to the north again ; this time to
the polar part of it. A polar dial is one described on a plane passing
through the polar axis of the, earth, which plane also passes through
the east and west points of the horizon. This description of dial is
divided into two kinds ; the first looks upwards towards the sky, whilst
the second has, to a certain extent, an opposite aspect. As the name
indicates, the polar dial is inclined to the horizon in an angle equal
to the elevation of the earth's pole. A description of it will require
some little attention.

First of all draw a circle of any dimensions, and across make a
horizontal diameter, which we will call H R. Then draw the polar
axis, which will be at an angle of 45 degrees from the perpendicular
of HE; or, in other words, at one half of the quadrant between H
and the perpendicular named. The next thing is to draw an ellipse
on the horizontal line to represent that plane, and another on the
polar axis to represent that plane. The polar plane will pass thr jugh,
or cut the horizontal one in two places, and, by doing so, intercept
a quadrant of the equator between the said polar plane and the
meridian. Now the consequence is this : the upper surface is
illumined by the sun from six o'clock in the morning to six at
night ; whilst the lower face would be shone upon from sunrise to
six in the morning, and from six in the afternoon to sunset.
The reasoning upon which these principles are founded will bear
studying a little. We will now proceed with practical details ; and,
first, on the upper side.

To construct a north polar dial on the upper section, draw a right
horizontal line, and mark it A B, and upon it produce the meridian
line C E. At right angles to the upper end, C, draw another line
parallel to A B. Next divide the meiidional line C E into two
equal parts, and mark the centre as D, with the distance D E describe
a quadrant ; then divide this quadrant into six equal parts. Again,
from this same centre D draw oblique lines through the points of the
intersections of the quadrant. From the lower points where these
lines cut A B draw a series of lines parallel to the meridional line
C D E. The points of intersection of these lines and the quadrantal
lines will be the hour points ; commencing with the meridional line
as 12, and marking off to the right 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, the horizontal side of
the quadrant being 6 o'clock. Continue, and set off to the left
hand from the meridian 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, and, as before, the horizon
of the quadrant being 6 o'clock; do the same after producing an
upper horizontal line, F G, across the upper end of the meridian at C.
Last of all fix a perpendicular style equal to the radius of the
quadrant D E, or on two points at C and E fit an iron rod. Then
will your dial be complete. An upper polar dial differs only from
an east and west dial joined together in the line of six o'clock, in
situation and the arrangement of the hours.

We will next explain what a lower polar dial is. In marking it
off you miss the hours of the forenoon 9, 10, 11, and 12 ; and 1, 2,
and 3 of the afternoon.

We will now present our readers with what we look upon as one
of the most interesting problems in the construction of dials ; this
is neither more nor less than a kind of many-faced production, which
is called the block dial. The way to construct it is this.

Make for yourself an octagonal block, taking care that its eight
sides have sufficient breadth, each and each, to contain the hour
lines of a dial : its front and back sides will be sure to have such
space. Mount it on a glass-shaped foot any height you please, put
ic before you on the table, and take a good look at it. You can then
dismount it, and carry out the following instructions with respect
to it, and you will draw all the primary dials upon it. Perhaps we
may, as a reminder to the very young student, state that an
octagonal block is a figure having front and back faces, with eight
sides round what we look upon as its edge. It must not be con-
founded with octahedron, which is a solid figure having eight
equilateral triangles resting upon equal bases ; it is a Greek com-
pound word — okto, eight, and hedra, a base — turned into Eno-ligh.
The problem given is to draw all the primary dials upon such a
block. Well, let us begin with the uppermost octagon. All that
you need do is as follows : —

Draw a line from back to front of the octagon, equally cutting it
into two, which will be the meridional line, and mark A B. From
any point below A, and at a right angle to it, make another line
equal to the elevation of the pole ; mark the extremity of this as D.
With the same distance as C D, mark off along the meridian and call
it E. Now join D and E and we have the dimensions of the style,
in the form of the triangle C D E. Let us convert this triangular
figure into a mechanical one for the purpose of showing exactly what
it means. Suppose that, instead of its being lines drawn with a
pencil, it was a thing of brass, this would be the result. Upon rais-
ng it on the meridional edge, and keeping it there, you would find
he style of your dial at once; therefore, it serves as the geome-

trical model from whose angles and measurements you can construct
the metal one. The next work that we do is to lay one point of
the compass on C, and the other point on D. Describe a quadrant
round to the line of the meridian again.

We strongly suspect that the reader begins to have a faint
glimmering of what we are driving at.

Having made our quadrant, we next divide it into six equal parts,
with the compass at the point E, where we started from to make the
quadrant ; lay off a horizontal diameter at right angles— mind that —
to the meridional line A B. From B through the six divisional
points of the quadrant produce the same number of lines, cutting
the last made diameter. Then, from the upper end of the
meridional line at A draw more straight lines, each of which will
cut through at the points of junction of the quadrantal and the
horizontal lines; continue these lines to the edges of your octagon.
Number the meridional line at the lower extremity 12, and run on
to 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, &c, to the right hand. On the left-hand side
write 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c, from the same distances as the figures on the
right-hand side. Those figures are the hours of the morning, whilst
those on the left-hand side are the hours of the afternoon, as the
shadow of the style will testify when the sun shines upon it.

Well, before we bid our friendly reader "Good-bye" for the
month, is he fully aware of what he has done ? He has turned his
octagonal side into a simple horizontal dial !

(To be continued.)

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ROYAL ASTRO-
NOMICAL SOCIETY.

nnHE annual general meeting of this Society was held at the
I Society's Rooms, Burlington House, on the 11th ult., Professor
Adams, president, in the chair.

Part of the annual report was read by the secretaries. It
appeared that the Society is in a very prosperous condition — the
number of Fellows has increased by thirteen in the course of the
year. The Society have been living within its income, and a sum
of 2,000Z. has been left to it by Mr. Carrington, one of its deceased
fellows.

In the president's address he alluded to the presentation of the
gold medal of the Society to M. Leverrier. It had been hoped that
the distinguished French astronomer would have been present at the
meeting ; but, owing to an unfortunate mistake as to the day,
M. Leverrier wrote at the last moment to say that he was unable to
attend. The president then gave an historical account of the
investigations of M. Leverrier and of the important physical results
to which he had been led, amongst which was the prediction of a
necessary alteration in our estimate of the sun's distance.

The gold medal was then handed to Dr. Huggins, as foreign
secretary, with the request that he would, in transmitting it to
M. Leverrier, express the interest with which the Astronomical
Society had followed his unwearied researches, and the admiration
with which its members regarded the skill and perseverance by
which he had succeeded in binding together the plauets of our
system, from Mercury to Neptune, with the chain of his analysis.

The following officers and council were then elected for the
ensuing year: — President: Dr. Huggins. Vice-presidents: Prof.
J. C. Adams, Sir G. B. Airy, Mr. De la Rue, and Mr. Lassel.
Treasurer : Mr. Whitbread. Secretaries : Mr. Dunkin and Mr.
Ranyard. Foreign Secretary : Lord Lindsay. Council : Captain
Abney, Mr. Bret, Prof. Cayley, Mr. Christie, Mr. Glaisher, Mr.
Knobel, Mr. Knot, Captain Noble, the Rev. S. J. Perry, Prof.
Pritchard, the Earl of Rosse, and Captain Tupman.

ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.

THE anniversary meeting of this Society took place on the 2nd
ult., H. C. Sorby, Esq., in the chair. The various reports and
annual statements were read, and the following officers elected for
the ensuing year :— President : Henry Clifton Sorby, F.R.S. — Vice-
presidents : Charles Brooke, M.A., F.R S. ; Rev. W. H. Dallinger;
William B. Carpenter, M.D., F.R.S. ; Hugh Powell, Esq.—
Treasurer : John Ware Stevenson, F.R.A.S. — Secretaries : Henry
J. Slack, F.G.S.; Charles Stewart, M.R.C.S., F.L.S.— Council :
Robert Braithwaite, M.D., F.L.S. ; Frank Crisp, LL.B., B.A. ;
John E. Iugpen, Esq. ; Emanuel Wilkins Jones, F.K.A.S. ; William
T. Loy, Esq., Henry Lawson, M.D. ; John Millar, L.R.C.P.E.,
F.L.S. ; John Rigden Mummery, F.L.S ; John Matthews, M.D. ;
Frederic H. Ward, M.R.C.S. ; Francis H. Wenham, C.E; Charles
F. White, Esq.— Assistant Secretary : Walter W. Reeves.

Mak. 6, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

219

THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE.

EIGHT months elapsed before De Rohan was brought to trial.
The parliament devoted eight entire days to the hearing of the
report ; and on the 30th of May the proceedings commenced. At
five in the morning all the members of the family of Rohan, and of
the bouse of Lorraine, men and women, clad in deep mourning, ranged
themselves along the passage which the members had to traverse.
At eight o'clock, the court having assembled, the counsellors of the
King placed their resolutions on the bureau. They were about to
be read, when Robert de Saint Yincent rose " to denounce,'* he said,
" an unheard-of violation of the laws, committed under the eyes of
the court, and in the very sanctuary of justice ; an accused, who
ought to be protected by the laws which he comes to invoke, is here,
however, surrounded, and, moreover, by a military guard — that
accused is Mons. le Cardinal de Rohan." And as if the acquittal
of the Cardinal was certain, "What will become of him,
hedged in as he is by a military force, when you have struck
from him his chains ? He will not be able to withdraw himself
from it ; and for the first time the decision of the court will be with-
out effect, and its decrees remain unexecuted. 1 demand, therefore,
that, before proceeding further, the chamber deliberate upon what
alarms me in respect to itself ; and that it pronounce upon the means
employed against Mons. le Cardinal."

The president replied to the murmurs of a part of the assembly,
that he had his orders on this subject, and that they must listen to
the decisions of the procureur-general. These were, with respect to
the Cardinal, that " he should be forbidden to approach any place
where there was a royal mansion, and all other places which the
King and Queen might make their residence, until it should please
the King to decree otherwise ; that for a time, to be fixed by the
court, he should be deprived of the state and dignity of grand almoner
of France, with which it had pleased the King to honour him ; that
he should be condemned to such sum as the court should think fit ;
and that he should be kept in prison uutil he had obeyed and satisfied
these decrees." The accused were then examined. Placed first in the
dock, Retaux de Villette admitted, weeping, that he had forged
the signature of Marie Antoinette de France ; and, without attempting
a useless defence, confined himself to invoking the pity of his
judges. After him appeared Madame de Lamotte. At this
solemn moment she had lost nothing of her habitual effrontery.
Before entering the hall she had said to one of the officers that
" she was going to confront a knave ; " she advanced with head erect
and a smile on her lips, and covered with a profusion of jewelry.
However, when the official placed her in the middle of the court, and
pointed to the dock, she lost heart for a moment ; but she immediately
recovered herself , sat down, and in less than a couple of minutes ar-
ranged herself so comfortably, that she seemed to be in her own room,
and reclining in the softest of easy-chairs. Being asked by the clerk
whether she did not know the Abbe Sabatier to be favourable to her,
she exclaimed, ' ' Here is an insidious question ; I expected you would
put it ; and here is my answer." She replied to other interrogatories
with the same assurance, and spoke for a long time with great fluency
and an ease and firmness which, though it coixld not move or excite
the court, astonished it. She persisted in maintaining her innocence,
and denounced the Cardinal as the author of her misery. She
asserted that there was no false conspiracy, no intrigue ; but that all
that she had stated of the transactions between the jewellers and
the Cardinal was true ; and that it was only in order to shield him-
self that the Cardinal denied everything. When she left the court,
the president sent to the Cardinal to say "that the seat was vacant,
and that he might present himself before the court." The Cardinal
appeared in a violet robe, and decorated with his orders. His
emotion was visible ; he was extremely pale, and his knees trembled
beneathhim. Five or six voices exclaimed that the Cardinal appeared
ill, and the president invited him to sit down. Skilfully questioned
by some members devoted to his cause, he took courage, and spoke
for half an hour with considerable force, protesting against the
trial, and declaring, moreover, "that he had been completely
blinded by an intense desire to regain the good graces of the
Queen." Having finished his speech, he bowed to the members,
who all bowed to him in return. Mdlle. d'Oliva next followed, but
so affected with grief, that she could not answer a word ; this
touching scene so moved every one that only questions of form
were put to her. There now remained to examine only Cagliostro,
who acted before the judges as he had before the public. He wore
a green dress embroidered with gold, and his hair, braided from the
top of his head, fell in little plaits over his shoulders. "Who are
you ? whence do you come ? " was asked of him. " Noble traveller,"
he replied. At these words every one began to titter ; and Cagli-
ostro, seeing their good-humour, went on with his defence, speak-
ing Italian, Latin, Greek, and Arabic ; he poured out this jargon

with the accent of a Neapolitan prophet, and left the court delighted
to have made his judges laugh. After a long and stormy discussion
the court made its decision. By a majority of three votes the
Cardinal, as well as Cagliostro, were acquitted of the charges
brought against them. Mdlle. d'Oliva was outlawed ; Villette
banished for ever from the kingdom ; Mons. de Lamotte was
condemned to the galleys for life ; and Mdlle. de Lamotte to be
whipped, and branded with a hot iron with the letter V on the two
shoulders ; this done, she was to be conducted to the prison of La
Salpetriere, to be confined there for life.

When it was known that Mons. de Rohan had been acquitted,
the people became delirious with excitement and enthusiasm. The
members as they left the chamber were received with acclamations
and clapping of hands. At the palace, at the Bastille, at the Hotel
de Strasbourg, nothing was heard but cries of " Vive le parlement !
Vive Mons. le Cardinal ! " No sooner had the prince returned to his
hotel, than the Dames de la Halle went to compliment him, and
presented him with a bouquet ; the crowd several times obliged him
to show himself on the balcony with Cagliostro ; and Paris went so
far even as to talk of a general illumination. On the other hand,
the court was struck with consternation at the result of the trial ;
the Queen especially feeling herself grievously insulted and cruelly
wronged by the verdict. In this unbridled joy of the people, in this
triumph decreed to an ecclesiastical debauchee, to the ridiculous
hero of the scene in the Bosquet de Venus, to the bosom friend of
a vulgar and infidel charlatan, what bitter derision of, and what
depth of hate against, the court, against the Queen, and against the
ministers ! Well has it been said that the trial of the necklace was
the prologue to the Revolution.

{Concluded!)

PROGRESS OP ASTRONOMY DURING THE
PAST YEAR.

UNDER the above heading we find the following in the yearly
report of the Royal Astronomical Society. Seventeen minor
planets were discovered since its last annual anniversary. In
the month of November alone six were discovered in Europe.
The number of known members of this remarkable group of minute
planetary objects now amounts to 159. The astronomers who have
been the most active in this department of astronomy are MM.
Palisa, of Pola ; Peters, of Clinton, U.S. ; Borrelly, of Marseilles ;
and Prosper Henry, of Paris. M. Leveau, of the Paris Observatory,
has made a new and elaborate investigation of the perturbations of
D'Arrest's periodical comet. Mr. Langley has given in the Comptes
Rendus the results of his investigation of the relative temperatures
of different parts of the sun's surface. He has employed a refracting
telescope of 13 in. aperture, and has enlarged the focal image of the
sun to a circle of 2 ft. He has made use of a delicate thermopile
composed of 16 pairs of very small elements, and has, in the course
of his experiments, tested Padre Secchi's statements as to the
comparative heat derived from the sun's limb, and from the apparent
centre of the disc, and as to the equatorial regions being hotter
than the polar. Professor Mayer has invented a method for
registering isothermals on the sun's disc, depending on the fact that
the double iodide of copper and mercury becomes darker at a
temperature of 70 degrees C. The blackened surface of a sheet of
thin paper coated with the iodide on the back is exposed to the
image of the sun formed in the telescope, and the different isother-
mals are obtained by using different areas of the object-glass.

THE WESTMINSTER CLOCK.

IN reply to an inquiry in the Mechanic, as to the probable causes of
the small errors of the Westminster clock, Sir Edm. Beckett
writes : — " I cannot give any satisfactory answer to " Aliquando's "
question, as to the probable causes of the small errors of the
Westminster clock, inasmuch as the temperature error and the
barometrical one are compensated or self-corrected, and the va-
riations in friction of the escapement are insensible. I can only
suggest that a pendulum suspended in a tower, narrow for its
height, at 180 ft. above the ground, close to a road with heavy
traffic, is probably subject to tremors by no means insensible at
that height ; and that as thunderstorms sometimes affect it seri-
ously, the smaller variations of atmospheric electricity may affect
it slightly. A few weeks ago there was a paragraph in some
newspapers, saying that after ten starless nights the standard
Greenwich clock was found l|sec. wrong. I have no better au-
thority for it, and I did not think it worth while to inquire, as the
statement was quite consistent with every clock-rate I have ever
seen, even though the error may have been no greater in ten weeks
than in ten days."

220

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Mar. G, 187G.

A TBEATISE OjM" PITCHLNGS.

(Continual from page 151.)

XXVI. Let lis now examine what ought to take place when the
•wheel drives before the line of centres ; this will be the exact
opposite of what has been already said, that is to say, the pinion
will be increased, and the wheel diminished by the quantity of the
pitching. In order to understand the figure which the leaf ought
to have, we must consider that if the leaf which is driven by the
tooth before the line of centres should turn backwards in order in
its turn to drive the tooth, the same curves of the leaf and of the
tooth will continue to give a perfect pitching, but then the leaf will
in reality drive the tooth after the line of centres ; thus the tooth
which drives the leaf before the line of centres, or the leaf which
drives the tooth after the line of centres, give precisely the same
curves.

We ought, then, to transfer to the leaf that which we have up to
the present said of the tooth which drove the leaf after the line of
centres, that is to say, the same curve ought to roll externally on
the pinion in order to describe the leaf, and within the wheel to
describe the tooth ; there only remains to apply to the pinion which
drives that which we said of the wheel when it drove, in all the
preceding articles.

Thus, in the case where we should desire that the tooth which
is driven after the line of centres, or which drives before that line,
be a right line tending towards the centre of the wheel, it is
necessary that the leaf of the pinion be an epicycloid described by
the revolution of a circle of which the diameter is the half of that
of the wheel, and which rolls on the circumference of the pinion ;
this is a consequence of article XXII.

XXVJLl. We can actually find what will be the forms of the leaf
and tooth when the tooth ought to drive the leaf both before and
after the line of centres. To do this we
unite the two preceding cases, and we give
to the leaf and tooth thetwodifferent curves
which are suitable — the one which is only
to serve before the line of centres, the
other which is designed to drive or to be
driven only after the line of centres.

The circumference L F (Fig. 9) is that
of the primitive wheel : the circumference
O o is that of the primitive pinion ; the
leaf of the pinion, s o m or SOM; the
tooth of the wheel p 1 k or PLK; each
is composed of two parts, the portion 1 k of the tooth re-entering
into the wheel which drives before the line of centres ; the portion
projecting, o m of the leaf, out of the pinion which is driven before
the line of centres ; the projecting portions L P of the wheel which
drives after the line of centres ; the re-entering portion O S of the
pinion which is driven after the line of centres. It is therefore
before the line of centres that the pinion furnishes the projecting
part of the pitching, and it is after the line of centres that the wheel
provides it. In the actual line of centres we may say that it is
neither the one nor the other, since the leaf and tooth touch each
other at A. The portion 1 k of the tooth, and the portion o m of
the leaf will be described by any circle whatever, rolling within the
interior L F of the wheel in order to describe 1 k, and upon
the exterior o O of the pinion in order to describe o m
(XXV.) ; the portions L P of the tooth and O S of the leaf will be
generated by any circle whatever rolling on the exterior of the
wheel L F to describe L P, and in the interior of the pinion O o to
describe O S (XX1IL, XXIV.)

If the first circle be found to have for diameter the radius of the
wheel, and the second the radius of the pinion, the parts of the teeth
L K, 1 k, and the portions of the leaves O S, o s, will be right lines
tending towards the centre, Art. XI. We have not marked with
any letter the parts of the teeth and the leaves which are designed
only for symmetry, and take no part in the driving of the pinion •
nevertheless it is necessary to give them the form which will ensure
the greatest steadiness and render easy their disengagement ;
besides, as there are occasions where the wheel-work is under the
necessity of going backwards, we are obliged to shape them almost
round.

XXVIII. If it be asked what ought to be the shape of the leaf
and the tooth when the pinion which is driven by the tooth should
turn backwards to drive it in its turn, it is easy to see that as the
lines of direction and the reciprocal forces are the same, the curves
will also be alike. We must only observe this, that the portion of
the leaf which was driven after the line of centres will thenceforth

drive before that line, and that the portion of the leaf which was
driven before will find itself driving after the line of centres.

Therefore it will only be necessary to describe the curves iia
accordance with the preceding articles, and the same pinion which
ought to be driven by the wheel will serve to drive it ; but if it be
desired that the pinion should only drive after the line of centres,,
we take the pinion such as it was when the wheel drove it before
the line of centres.

XXIX. Here then is a general proposition deduced from all we
have hitherto said : — 1st. The portion which drives after the line
of centres ought to exceed the primitive circumference; that which
drives before the line of centres ought to fall within, whether it be
a leaf or a tooth. 2nd. The portion which drives after the line of
centres, be it a leaf or a tooth, is always described by a circle
rolling externally on the primitive circumference which drives ; and
that which is driven is generated by the same circle rolling internally
on the circumference which is led.

The portion which drives before the line of centres is generated,,
like that which was driven after, by a circle rolling within the-
primitive circumference which drives, and the portion which is
driven before is generated by the same circle rolling on the outside
of the circumference which is driven.

XXX. That which we have up to the present called primitive-
wheel and primitive pinion ought to be understood of two circles
which bear the exact proportion to each other as the number ofr
teeth in the one is to the number of leaves in the other. I suppose-
that C and P (Fig. 4) are the centres of a • wheel of thirty teeth,,
and a pinion of ten leaves ; it is clear that the pinion must make
three turns for each one of the wheel : it ought, therefore, to have
a circumference and a diameter the third of the circumference
and diameter of the wheel. Thus we divide the distance,-
C P, into four parts ; one of these parts, P M, will be the
radius of the pinion, and the remainder, C M, the radius of the
wheel: there we shall have the primitive leaf and the primi-
tive wheel.

XXXI. Although the preceding articles have treated of the
driving, which commences before the line of centres, it is not the-
less true that we ought to avoid it as much as possible, because-
there takes place a rubbing in the contrary direction, and a kind
of butting when the leaf and the tooth enter in with each other ; a
friction which is always more severe than that which takes place
in the disengaging and escape of a tooth ; besides, all the dirt
which is pushed back and driven out of the pinion by this last
movement, is on the contrary brought back and held fast by the
movement which takes place before the line of centres.

XXXII. But it is not always possible to begin the driving of
each leaf precisely in the line of centres ; if the pinion be low-
numbered, as is a pinion of eight leaves or less, the wheel will
necessarily lay hold before the line of centres, above all if the leaves-
of a pinion are of the proper size.

Fig. 10 represents three leaves of a pinion of eight, of
whiclv the right faces driven by the wheel are, D A, D B, and

DC. I suppose that the
jVf q jy diameter of the wheel is

five times greater than that
of the pinion ; it ought to
have five times more teeth,
that is to say, 40 ; thus
each tooth with the space
which corresponds to it will
occupy nine degrees, be-
I cause the fortieth part of
j 360 is nine. We take then
! the arc B E of nine degrees,,
and with a circle, of which
the diameter is equal to B
D, we describe a portion of
an epicycloid E G, which
„ will touch at G the leaf
D A, give to it a like part
G H ; but then there will
remain only B H for the
space of the teeth and the-
thickness of the leaf, which would be too small, for it is necessary
in practice to make the space at the least equal to the complete
tooth*, and the thickness of the leaf equal to that of the tooth, or
even a little larger, above all if it is the pinion which drives. It
will be necessary to break off the tooth then at F, give to it the
like portion F K, in such a way that E K be equal to K B,

* An plicn, to the full, evidently means the full width, or complete tooth.

-"'£

Fig. 10.

Mae. 6, 1870.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL'

221

that is to say, the space equal to the full breadth, aud make the
thickness of the leaf equal to B K. But then the extremity, Fl, of
the tooth will no longer touch the leaf D A, when the succeeding
tooth B L will have laid hold of the leaf D B before the line of
centres.

Thus it is only in pinions above eight, or even nine, that it is
possible to begin the driving on the line of centres by keeping to the
rule of curvatures, which has just been settled, and that for the
solidity necessary ; it is then important to make use of pinions which
have at least ten leaves, which is always possible, more especially in
clocks where the precision which we seek is chiefly necessary. By
this construction we shall have in addition the advantage of making
the curvature of the teeth less, and more uniform, consequently
much more easy to be brought into shape.

XXXIII. The principles which we have just established give
also the least possible amount of friction, and was exacted by
Art. I., because the effort cannot be less than it actually is, and in
following these principles produce the same effect, that the rubbing
surfaces cannot possibly come in contact in smaller spaces, and
experience less resistance.

(To he continual.)

WATCH FOUND IN A SHARK.

ON December 1, 1787, some fishermen fishing in the river Thames,
near Poplar, with much difficulty drew into their boat a shark,
yet alive, but apparently very sickly. It was taken on shore, and,
being opened, in its belly were found a silver watch, a metal chain,
and a cornelian seal, together with several pieces of gold lace,
supposed to have belonged to some young gentlemau who was
unfortunate enough to have fallen overboard, and to have been
caught and swallowed by the shark. The body and other parts had
either been digested or voided, but the watch and gold lace, not
being able to pass through it, the fish had become sickly and
would very soon have died.

The watch had the name of "Henry Watson, London,
No. 1369," and the works were very much impaired. On these
circumstances being made public, Mr. Henry Watson, watchmaker,
in Shoreditch, recollected that, about two years previously, he sold
the watch to Mr. Ephraim Thompson, of Whitechapel, as a present
to his son on his going out on his first voyage, on board the ship
Polly, Captain Vane. When about three leagues off Falmouth, by
a sudden heel of the vessel during a squall, young Thompson fell
overboard, and was no more seen. The news of his being drowned
soon after came to the knowledge of his friends, who little thought
of hearing anything more concerning him.

PRESENTATION TO MR. JOHN WYCHERLY, OF
PRESCOT.

AVERY pleasing incident in connection with the watch trade,
and evincing the kind feeling between employer and workpeople,
recently took place, by the presentation of a testimonial to Mr.
John Wychely, of Prescot, by the people in his employ. The
testimonial consisted of a very handsome silver epergne, and was
accompanied with the following address : — "There has been a very
generally expressed wish amongst the men in your employ to present
to you some token of their appreciation of your well-proved kind-
ness as an employer, and as an acknowledgment of the benefits they
receive from the present state of perfection to which the trade
has arrived ; which by all practical men is admitted to be due to
your knowledge of Watch Movement manufacturing in all its
branches, combined with the more perfect appliances which your
own ingenuity and skill have introduced into its manufacture,
thereby dispensing with much physical exertion, and by an increased
supply of sound movements, ridding the market to a very great
extent of foreign and inferior watches. There is also another
marked feature in your history as an employer ; that is, the shorten-
ing of the hours of labour. The present working hours which you
have adopted compare very favourably with those of ten years ago ;
this boon being of itself sufficient to have gained our gratitude, as
well as that of future generations who may be engaged in this trade.
Such being a few of the considerations which have induced us to
present to you this simple token of our esteem, begging your
acceptance of the accompanying epergne, we respectfully subscribe
ourselves, on behalf of the whole of your employe's."

BRITISH HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE.

THE half-yearly general meeting of the above Institution (and of
which space would not allow us to give a detailed report in our
last number) was held on January 18th, Mr. Glasgow, vice-presi-
dent, in the chair. From the half-yearly report we glean the follow-
ing : — "Although some of the items of income show a slight falling off,
as compared with the corresponding half of last year, the council
have every confidence in the continued advancement of the Institute;
the deficiency referred to, being caused solely by lax collection of
accounts, will result in an increased income during the half-year
ensuing. The term of four years, which the Goldsmiths' Company
had specified as the duration of their yearly gift of 50/., having
expired, the council applied to the company for a renewal of the
grant, and the Goldsmiths' Company have considerately resolved to
continue the grant for a further period of four years. Mr. Jackson,
vice-president, has placed a prize of 5/. 5s. at the disposal of the
council for the best tool for measuring lever escapement angles. The
conditions of competition were published in the Journal for October.
The council have submitted to the Goldsmiths' Company the pro-
priety of holding an exhibition of watchwork, under their auspices."
The chairman and Mr. Bickley alluded to the necessity of primary
education, remarking "that the results of efficient primary educa-
tion would be to raise the status of their trade. The apprentices, at
present, were in many instances taken from the errand-boys, and
were quite unable to appreciate anything beyond the actual work
they were engaged on. Mr. Jackson desired to impress upon the
rising generation the necessity of obtaining technical instruction.
There appeared to him to be no reason why every young man in the
trade should not learn mechanical drawing, as he would learn to
write. He knew that to attain eminence in their art required years
of assiduous devotion, and almost servile toil. As a Greek philo-
sopher had truly observed, "The gods sell all their kindnesses for
pains and labour." The chairman had adverted to the prize offered
for a tool for measuring escapements. He believed such a tool
would be a great acquisition. The meeting concluded with the
usual vote of thanks to the chairman and officers.

GREAT ROBBERIES OF JEWELLERY.

Temptation to Hotel Porters.

ON the evening of the 28th ult. a daring robbery was committed
at Tower House, Shooter's-hill, the seat of Lord Teynham.
The fairuTy dine at eight o'clock, and consequently most of the ser-
vants were engaged in the lower part of the house at that hour.
About that time an entrance was effected through a second-floor
window into one of the bedrooms, and nearly 1000/. worth of
jewellery and plate was carried away. The burglars appear to have
been acquainted with the geography of the premises and the habits
of the household, and probably concealed themselves in the grounds
until the dinner-hour afforded them an opportunity for effecting the
robbery.

On the same afternoon a quantity of plate was stolen from the
house of a gentleman at Wickham, about a mile distant from Lord
Teynham's residence.

The residence of the Earl of Egmont, at Banstead, was entered by
thieves between eight and nine o'clock on the same evening, and
4000/. worth of jewellery stolen from the countess's bed-room.

Eight hundred pounds' worth of jewellery, the property of an
English firm, has been stolen from a leading hotel in Dublin, to
whose porter it was entrusted for delivery at a Dublin jeweller's by
the representative of the firm, who was stopping at the hotel. The
porter is missing.

The chimes of Antwerp Cathedral consist of nearly 100 bells ;
and a singular feeling results from them when they play under
the feet of a person on the summit of the tower (on which is the
gigantic clock-face). They throb through the very stones and
frame of the building, and every nerve of the body, a result due pro-
bably more to the unscientific construction of the frame in which they
are contained than to the weight of the hammers. — HorologicalJournal.

Assaying. — Our next number will contain an exhaustive article
on Assaying. In addition to such historical matter as the subject
affords, the current method will be explained from personal obser-
vation of the process, as derived from a visit of inspection to one of
the leading houses in London. Subscribers desiring extra copies
should send early orders to the publisher, as, on account of nothing
having before been written about the modern system of assaying,
except in expensive books, there will doubtless be a great demand
for our April issue.

■2-2-1

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Mae. 6, 1876.

THE NEW PATENT BELL-CHIMING MACHINERY.

OF all the inventions that have been devised by the teeming
brainwork of industrious humanity in furtherance of the
'• harmony of sweet sounds," none have taken more deep or more
enduring hold of the affections of mankind than bells. Emperors
and hierarehs — rulers of men and rulers of minds — those whose
lives are the beacon-lights of the Christian world, have all looked
upon campanology as something whose advancement was of para-
mount importance. " Men of royal siege," poets, philosophers, and
the unbending devotees of practical science ; the lord in his
ancestral hall and the peasant in his humble cottage home have
smiled the smile of real enjoyment when the ever- welcome peal
"attuned" upon the ear. How often have the poet, the moralist,
and the historian, and even the preacher, under various rhetorical
forms — argument, metaphor, simile — struck home upon the mighty
bell to charm, to persuade, and to convince !

It is not our intention in the present paper to enter into a learned
and technical discussion of the subject ; nevertheless, any account
of either chimes or chiming machinery could hardly be deemed
sufficiently comprehensive 'without saying something about what
that machinery acts upon. Passing by whatever may have been
existent in the ancient world — which is very interesting, but for
which Ave have no space at present — we come upon times pertaining
to the history of our own country.

The first peal of bells known in England were set up, towards the
close of the ninth century, at Croyland Abbey, Lincolnshire. The
first was a large bell, followed in due time by a " ring " of six others.
The invention was said to come from the Campania, in Italy, from
which "campanile," a bell-tower, and " campanology," the art of
bell -ringing, are derived. As may be supposed, with the extension
of bells, bell-founding soon became an art of itself, and was culti-
vated in the monasteries of the period. Then the bells had various
f mictions assigned to them, both religious and profane ; and there
arose bell-founders who made reputations in both ways, which we
shall mention hereafter. Bells, too, were "blessed," according to
the devotional tendency of the time, and inscriptions round the
upper part of the bell were epigrammatic curiosities in then way.
In Spelman's " Glossary " we find a Latin couplet, thus : —

" Lauio Damn varum, Plebum vooo, congrego Clerum,
Dcfunctos ploro, Pcstemfugo, Fcsta decoro."

" I praise the true God, I call the people, I assemble the clergy,
I mourn the dead, I put to flight the plague, I celebrate festivals."

This and some others following were said to be either cut in or
cast upon them. Here is one not unlike the last, but in a cantering,
jingling style that will suggest to some readers a verse or so that
they may have met with in their Virgilian days, namely —

" Qiwdrupcdantc putrcm sonitu quatit ungulo campum"

"The hoof shakes with prancing din the crumbling plain,"

alluding to the cantering of a horse, which the reading of the verse
suggests. Now read what the bell says —

" Funera plango, fulgura frango, sabbate pango,
Excito lentos, dissipo ventos, paco crucntos. "

" I bewail deaths, I dispense lightnings, I promise the sabbath,
I quicken the slow, I dispel the winds, I appease the bloodthirsty."

That is not bad for a bell. Those bell-sayings have been repeated
in various forms on English or other bells. Here are a few : "God
save the Queen, 1599." This means Queen Elizabeth, and two years
after the execution of Mary Queen of Scots. There are several " God
save the King," and "God save King Charles, 1625," with many
quaint ones.

The poets have made effective use of bells. Othello calls out,
in the midst of poor Cassia's drunken scene, "Silence that dread-
ful bell, it frights the isle from her propriety!" And Macbeth
too : " The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell
that summons thee * * * *!"

The monasteries in Scotland and the borders of both countries
were rich in bells ; as witness the pathetic description of the " soul-
bell" in "Marmion" (Canto III.)—

" And bade the passing bell to toll
For welfare of a parting soul.

Slow o'er the midnight wave it swung,
Northumbrian rocks in answer rung ;
To Warkwortk cell the echoes rolled,
His beads the wakeful hermit told ;
The Bamborough peasant raised his head,
But slept ere half a prayer he said ;
So far was heard the mighty knell,
The stag sprung up on Cheviot Fell,
Spread hi9 broad nostril to the wind,
Listed before, aside, behind ;
Then couched him down beside the hind,
And quaked among the mountain fern
To hear that sound so dull and stern."

Of celebrated bell-founders we have read of the Rudhalls, of
Gloucester, who are said to have flourished from the time of Henry
VIII. to the early part of the present century. The West-
minster Abbey bells were out of their foundry. The Purdues, of
Salisbury, too, had a long celebrity ; and Gray, of the eastern
counties, and Watts, Eayres, and Arnold, of Leicester, as well as
Mears, of London, were among our good old bell-founders.

Bell-ringing, Sir John Hawkins tellsus, in the " History of Music,"
is a practice said to be peculiar to England. From the fame which
has been acquired here in that respect this kingdom is called
abroad the Ringing Island. Somuch^for bells^ as bells; and the
reason why we have written this brief introduction is to excite an
interest and lead up to what is to follow. When bell-ringing
began to develop itself as a musical entertainment of its kind, and
church clocks were being moved on the road to perfection, it would
speedily be born of the inventive minds of the age that to make
the clock do the bell-ringing would be a great stride in advance,
and this brings us to —

Bell-chdiing. — This art is stated to have been invented about the
latter part of the fifteenth century, and, like the bells themselves,
it came to us from the continent. Probably most of our readers
have seen the chiming machinery as it is found on the old plan in
our churches. To those who have not we may say that it is con-
structed much in the following manner : — There is a plank-made
cylinder called the barrel, usually about 2 to 3 feet in dia-
meter, and 4 to 6 feet long. All over this barrel, at regulated
intervals, to answer to the notes of the tunes, are strong iron pins.
This barrel is attached to the going part of the clock by wheelwork,
containing a provision for the going part to let off at the fixed time.
The function of the pins is, as the barrel revolves to lift the
levers attached to the hammer-cords, and so make the hammers
strike on the bells overhead. Where the barrel is " pricked " for
more than one tune a sideway contrivance is fixed to it, so that the
pins that played " God save the Queen " this time would miss the
Levers, whilst those intended for " Rule Britannia " would be in the
lifting or pulling position. We ask our readers to pay special
attention to this, as we shall have further occasion to notice it for
the purpose of drawing a comparison. We may just add, by way of
an aid to memory, that a barrel pin, not more than a fraction of an
inch in diameter, will soon wear away by the friction of lever-lifting.
And this is found actually to be th.3 case ; however, we will not
pursue this part of the matter until wj have the opportunity of
placing the two systems, the old and the new, side by side, before
the reader. Our object now, principally, is to make the whole
subject interesting, and then to proceed to a critical examination.

It will be readily understood that when the church clock began
to play music on the bells the hearers were not slow in appreciating
the boon. The system spread rapidly all over Europe, and, in fact,
became a new "institution of the country." The poets and the
dramatists took it in hand, and, to quote a common expression, " its
fortune was made." Then it was that bell- chiming built for itself a
home in the hearts of the people which it has retained to this hour,
and which not only does not weaken, but grows stronger and
stronger every year, as indisputable evidence amply testifies. Of
the poetical allusions to bell-music we cannot forbear giving a few
examples ; they will add zest and cheerfulness to our paper.

In the first place, we find that Shakspere makes Henry IV.
say, in that terrible lecture scene, to the Prince of Wales —

" What ! canst thou not forbear me half an hour ?
Then get thee gone ; and dig my grave thyself ;
And bid the merry balls ring to thine ear
That thou art crowned, not that I am dead."

When Justice Shallow, in "Henry IV.," is "pulling the long bow"
to his cousin Silence, before Sir John Fahlaff, he says —

"Ah, cousin Silence, that thou hadst seen that that this knight audi
have seen ! Ha, Sir John, said I well ? "

Mar. 6, 1876.]

SILYEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

223

" We have heard the chimes at midnight, master Shallow."
"That we have, that we have; in faith, Sir John, we have; our watch-
word was, ' Hem, boy ! ' — Come, let's to dinner : — O, the days that we have
seen ! — come, come."

Dry den says-

" Love Virtue, she alone is free ;
She can teach you how to climb
Higher than the sphery chime."

" And ere we came to Leonard's rock,

He sang those witty rhymes

About the crazy old church clock

And the bewildered chimes." — Wobdsworth.

" With lifted arms they order every blow.
And chime their sounding hammers in a row."

-DllYDEiY.

We will go no further in quoting verses relating to bells and
chiming, but the poets are full of their praises, and so, taking up
the burden of admiration, are the people upon whom the poets have
exercised their influence. It need not, then, be wondered at that
such music has so long been universally popular, so popular that
Ben Jonson thus uses it as a simile : —

" The voice so sweet, the words so faire,
As some soft chime had stroaked the air."

LUND & BLOCKLEY'S SYSTEM.

Messrs. Lund & Blockley, of 42, Pall Mall, clock and watch
makers to the Queen, and to the Imperial Family of Russia, have,
in Imhof's patent, perfected by their own ingenuity, had the rare
honour of introducing to the chime-loving public of these realms
perhaps the greatest improved combination in chiming machinery,
both in principle and practice, that has been seen since the inven-
tion of the art, four hundred years ago. This is saying a great deal,
but, we think that, when our readers have read our description,
they will be inclined to think that we have not come to a hasty con-
clusion ; speaking for ourselves as somewhat acquainted with
mechanical action, we certainly never saw anything like this new
chiming work. But before we proceed further we will state under
Avhat circumstances we saw it. In oue of the closing months of the
year we went to visit the newly-erected church of St. Luke,
Parliament-street, Derby, for the special purpose of seeing the
chime system under notice in operation upon a large and permanent
scale ; and here, we trust, that a few words about the church
itself will be serviceable for the purpose of the better understand-
ing of the whole subject.

The late Eight Rev. Dr. Lonsdale, D.D., whose name was familiar
to the church-going Londoners of five-and-thirty years ago, through
being Principal of King's College, Archdeacon of Middlesex, and
many years preacher at Lincoln's Inn, became Bishop of Lichfield
in 1843. He died in 1867, and the feeling of reverence for his
memory was so deep-seated that it was determined to found a
Memorial Church at Derby in perpetuation of that feeling. The
llev. F. J. Lyall, M.A., took the project in hand with an enthusiastic
belief in its accomplishment, and, to the credit of himself and the
friends whom he gathered round him — foremost among whom, as is
usual in every good work, were the ladies — an enduring monument
of the episcopal life of the " good Bishop Lonsdale " rose heaven-
ward to enrich the architecture of Derby. It was consecrated in
June, 1871, by the present Bishop of Lichfield, the Right Rev. Dr.
Selwyn, the Rev. F. J. Lyall, M.A., being the first incumbent.
The sacred edifice was designed by Mr. Frederic J. Robinson,
architect, of Derby, and ecclesiastical surveyor of the diocese. The
style is that of what is known as the transition period from early
English to decorated Gothic, and makes the structure look every
inch a church ; in truth it has become an attractive feature in the
architecture of the ancient town — the " Northworthige " of our
Saxon ancestors, the "Deoraby" of the Danes, and the favoured
royal borough of Edward the Confessor. The dimensions of the
church are as follows : — nave 85 ft. long, 52 ft. 6 in. wide, and 45 ft.
to the ridge of the roof, all inside measurements. The chancel is
37 ft. long, 32 ft. wide, and 42 ft. high. There are 750 sittings,
all free. The tower is a very imposing part of the entire structure.
It is a square one of 28 ft. at the base, and 23 ft. 6 in. at the level of
the parapet. The total height from the floor is 142 ft.

We now come to the " bell-chamber," which is to us the central
and important goal of all our journey. It is very lofty, and is
15 ft. on every side, or "15 ft. square," on the floor. In order
that what we are about to explain may be the more easily under-
stood, we will here state that this chamber is divided into a lower

and an upper floor. In the upper floor are the eight bells of the
chinch, aud in the lower are the clock and the chiming machinery.
This clock is an admirable specimen of London-made first-class
workmanship. It has a three-wheel high numbered train, Graham
dead-beat escapement, aud 14 compensation balance pendulum.
With only a 15 cwt. going power on a double line, it drives four
pairs of hands on four dials of 5 ft. 6 in. diameter each. It is fixed
on two brackets that are let into the wall of the tower, stands quite
free of the floor, by which means it rests on solid supports, and is
thereby unaffected by joist and boarding vibration. It is snugly
ensconced in a glass case ; and on a plate affixed to it is the follow-
ing inscription : —

"This clock was set going by the Rev. F. J. Lyall, M.A.,
July 16, 1875. D. G." Its only other function, beside driving the
hands, is to lift and let fall a small weight to start the chiming
machinery in the centre of the same clock-room, but which is in no
way connected with the clock frame, consequently avoiding all
possibility of the vibration of the striking and chiming injuriously
affecting the going rate of the clock. This, in itself, is a great gain
for time-keeping.

The following description of a machine manufactured under the
patent for Christ Church, Weymouth, will give us all the informa-
tion we require about its main features. The only difference
between the two being that they have in this case adapted their
plan of making the one weight and the one train of wheels do the
work of the ordinary clockmaker's three weights and three trains
of wheels. This is a very advanced improvement that deserves to
be widely known. We must also emphasize the fact, for the infor-
mation of the clock trade, that the obvious advantages of this plan
make themselves manifest ; but their application can only be
obtained under the patent by which they are covered. We must,
furthermore, note that the actual turret machinery is much larger,
and much more powerful than what is indicated by the wood-cut of
the model, or than the Weymouth machine. The main principles
arc the same throughout ; the mechanical arrangements for the
chiming of the quarters and the striking of the hours being of the
simplest possible kind. Here is the Weymouth machine.

"The machinery, which was made by Messrs. Lund & Blockley,
42, Pall Mall, and William and Mary Yard, Little Pulteney-
street, London, watch and clock makers to the Queen, is constructed
under a patent, which was the invention of Mr Imhof, of 547,
Oxford-street. He originally used it for the drum beaters of the
self-acting organs, of which he is the sole manufacturer in London ;
and it occurred to him that the same idea would answer for the
hammer to strike on bells in chiming machinery. The fundamental
principle of the invention is this — that the discharge of the hammer
should be independent of the lift. In old chiming machinery this
is not so. It will there be found to be done by pins in a barrel of
large and ponderous construction, which, in revolving, lift the levers
to which the hammers are attached, and let them drop again as
their lines of contact are passed. In the patent the hammers are
lifted and held by catches till pins in a barrel of small and very
light construction pass and release them, much in the same way
that a gun is full-cocked by the thumb, and easily discharged by
the first finger. The important points to be considered on making
the machinery are— to have a very easy discharge and rapid lift, in
order to avoid multiplicity of hammers to each bell. This Messrs.
Lund & Blockley have most satisfactorily accomplished. It will be
found that an amount of pressure can actually be applied to the
levers sufficient to break them before they will pass the catches ;
but, touch the catch in the proper place, and they will pass with
the greatest ease. The lift is also very rapid, as many as 24 blows
being discharged per minute, so that two hammers only are required
to give the most rapid repetition on each note or bell which music
can want. The motive power is a weight attached to a drum and
main wheel, intermediate wheel to drive the cam, and a worm wheel
and worm with fans to regulate the speed. Upon the main-wheel
arbor of the machine one of the three barrels belonguig to the
machine, and hereafter to be described, is placed in such a way
that it can easily be removed. This barrel, when the machinery is
started, moves round; and, by means of pins in its surface,
discharges the catches, the levers fall, and the required blows are
struck upon the bells. By means of a simple spring-aetion a loose
pusher is brought into contact with the cam, and the lever is raised
again to the catch, and there held till again to be discharged. The
barrels are made of wood ; they are 10 inches in diameter and 26
inches long, and in them are placed the discharging pins, as before
described, at the proper intervals, to produce given tuues or
changes. The pins are made of brass, and for. the heaviest hammer
would not exceed one-eighth of an inch in diameter ; any pressure
of hammers on the catch which these could not discharge being

224

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[Mae. 6, 1876.

destructive of all proper time-keeping ; and it will be readily
understood that this is the most important point in the machinery,
when it is stated that in two barrels which are used for chiming the
changes for the services of the church, the actual interval of time
elapsing between each blow delivered, is about a quarter of a
second, and the actual space occupied in the circumference of the
barrel one-eighth of an inch. The barrel makes a revolution once
in a minute, ringers ring 28 changes in the same time, and the
imachine is not an attempt only to produce changes at full speed,
but this it positively does ; and as there are eight blows in each
change, it will be seen that 224 blows are discharged and lifted
again in each minute. The barrel being 30 inches in circumference,
multiply 30 by eight, which will give 240, against 224 blows struck.
The 60 seconds in a minute multiplied by four again gives 240,
against 224 struck. These
facts taken into considera-
tion, the precision of the
change — chiming seems mar-
vellous. The time kept is
most perfect, so much so
that if part of a tune be
heard at a distance, and the
wind then fails to carry the
sound for a bar or two, if
the tune be hummed in
proper time, as soon as the
sound is heard again the
note will be found to be the
one required precisely at
that time. The tunes are
' God • Save the Queen,'
' Auld Lang Syne,' 'Adeste
Fideles,' 'Blue Bells of
Scotland,' ' Kule Bri-
tannia,' ' Old Hundredth
Psalm,' 'Home, Sweet
Home.' It will be heard
that each tune is given with
the greatest exactness, and
in no degree mutilated, as is
often the case in chiming
machinery of other kinds,
to meet the difficulty of lift-
ing the hammers in rapidly-
recurring notes on the same
bell. One tune will be played
over twice each third hour,
when the clock is completed ;
the same or a different one
each third hour at will by
simply laying a lever up or
down. The whole machine
is constructed so that each
part is easily accessible with-
out disturbing any other,
and the whole is of the best
materials and manufacture.
There are more points in
connection with the machine
worthy of notice, amongst
others a key-board for play-
ing tunes by hand, but the
principal have been referred
to."

We will now for a moment
direct attention to the illus-
tration, and ask the reader
to follow us through a brief description of it. On the right-hand
side are the rope barrel, the driving-wheels, and the regulating fans,
or " fly," overhead. The rope itself is seen passing round a pulley,
which is hooked into a ring-bolt in the floor, and then ascends to
the ceiling, where it again passes over another pulley, and has the
weight at that end. This arrangement is not that adopted in
turrets where the weight line passes direct through the floor ; but
as our illustration is taken from the beautiful large working-model
in Messrs. Lund & Blockley's shop, Tall Mall, where want of space
will not give the necessary fall, we are bound to explain to the
reader what the wood-cut shows. The next thing that we have
to direct attention to. is the chiming barrel. We have mentioned
that in St. Luke's Church tower, Derby, there are eight bells, that
these bells have the hours and quarters struck upon them, and also

tunes chimed. -Now, the barrel that does all this work is only
1 foot in diameter, and 4 feet 6 inches in length. We
alluded to the old form some little time back, remarking that we
should refer to it again when the time for comparison came. That
time has now arrived, and we will compare.

We have examined the machinery of more than one church, and
this is what we found : — An old 4-feet-by-6-feet barrel in an 8-feet
frame, with a 30-cwt. weight whirling that barrel round to do only
one-third the work of the new machine on its barrel of 1-foot by 4-
feet, and a 15-cwt. weight. These amount to very important
differences in such an equally important matter. In one thing
alone, namely, that there are many, both church and other clock
turrets where, whatever might be the desire of the parties con-
cerned, chimes are an impossibility, on account of the space that

one of these old barrels and
its framework takes up. The
clock must be there, and, as
there is not room for the pair,
the machine cannot enter. We
have stated that the pressure,
or rather the blows, of the
pins of the old machine lift
the levers that pull the
hammer-ropes. Two serious
defects arise here. One is,
that the barrel-pins rapidly
deteriorate ; and another,
coming from that very de-
terioration, is, that the ' ' pull "
gets weak and uncertain.
These are indisputable me-
chanical consequences from
the nature of the things
themselves by the pins wear-
ing out.

j Turn we now to the new
system, as shown by the illus-
tration of the model. Our
readers will see the pins on
the barrel, and, beyond the
latter, the cams, or levers,
with the ropes fastened to
the ends of them, and termi-
nating in the V-shaped bell-
cranks overhead. The other
ends of these cranks that are
unseen among the framework
are what the hammers are
fastened to, so that if the
reader could see a little
further backward on the
upper lift, he would be able
to look on the bells them-
selves. Of course we now
refer to the model before
him : in a church tower, as
will be understood, all that
is on the floor above. Well,
in this system the pins have
nothing whatever to do with
Hf ting the levers. These pins
are about the twelfth of an
inch in diameter, and stand
up in the barrel about a
quarter of an inch ; they
are made of the best brass.
In order to explain their
action we shall have to trust exclusively to our pen, and to the kind
indulgence of the reader whilst we attempt to describe what
cannot be shown.

It will be observed that the levers are all centred on lever-bolts
attached to a part of the framework ; they are distinguishable in
the engraving. As one end of the lever is fastened to the hammer-
rope, we have now to add that the inner end, that next to the
chiming-barrel, is held in place by what resembles the nose-catch
of an ordinary up-and-down door latch. This nose-catch is called
the trigger, and its action is always made certain by the forward
pressure of an adjusted flat steel spring that is end-pinned on the
trigger-plate behind it ; it moves freely on a pivot of its own. We
wish to impress special attention here, as what we have just de-
scribed has an important bearing upon the motions that both lead

Mae. 6, 1876.J

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

22i

up to and from it. At a short distance from the end of the lever
where we now are, there hangs freely in a slight swing motion what
we will call a lifting-bar. This bar has its lower end cut in half-
moon form for a purpose that we are about to show. Immediately
below it, again, is a steel cylinder of small diameter, fixed parallel to
the chiming barrel. To this cylinder are attached, in collets, round
steel bars of the same length, placed at given distances from each
other ; for the sake of clearness, let us say four to the circum-
ference of the cylinder. Of course the usual snail and wheel-and-
pinion work connected with a leading- off rod from the clock are
there, and will have to be taken for granted.

"We think that we are now in a position to wind up and have a
tune. The chiming-barrel, the triggers, the cylinder, the lifting-
bars, the levers, ropes, and hammer-cranks are all there, and in
splendid working order too. What shall it be? "Home, sweet
home." Nothing can be better, or more cheering to us up here in
this cloud-capped belfry, on this "terribly" cold winter afternoon.
To be sure, when our work is over for the day, the warm and wel-
come hospitality of the Clergy House sends forth to us its friendly
mandate that will brook no denial.

Hush ! Whir-r-r ! she is off. The last swing of the pendulum
has caused the discharge weight to fall, slowly and measuredly giving
out the four quarter chimes, followed by one, two, three sonorous
blows on the fine tenor bell of one and a half ton weight, announc-
ing far and near the hour of the day. Before the boom of the last
blow has died away, the machine, without stopping, moves, for the
succeeding performance, the pin-barrel to the suitable position, when
sharply and distinctly chimes out on the crisp, frosty air the dearly-
loved melody of " Home, sweet home! " There is music for you
that is making a name for itself all over Derby, and a far wider
reputation for its mechanism. There's a ping-panging, boom-bang-
ing overhead for you ! Take your hands dowu from your ears ; it is
beautiful ! beautiful ! And what is more, the poorest family within
the sound of its voice can sit by their own fireside and enjoy this
soft melody, "Home, sweet home!" These chimes will help to
make this church a crowded and a well-nourished "institu-
tion" by-and-by, from humble pennies to golden pounds. Mind
the "fly! " Look at the rate at which it is whirling. It is a dan-
gerous customer to be within tapping distance of, and if it chances
to catch you within any of its revolutions, you will long remember
the contact. See into what shapeless and ugly form it has converted
yonder new hat, unluckily brought within its reach. We cautioned
the wearer, but a moment too late. It derives its great speed
from the worm on its axis being geared into a skew-cut wheel, that
is in quick motion behind the winding drum. Just come round here,
and let me point out to you how everything works in unison to the
desired end — harmony.

See how steadily the barrel revolves. No jumping or jerking
forward, but, like an irresistible fate, the barrel-pins withdraw the
trioo-ers, each hammer-lever falls, and the required note is heard to
sound on the bell above. The lifting-bar is instantly drawn into
contact with the lifting lever, and the hammer-lever is again raised
to the locked position ready for the next turn. As in the Weymouth
machine, so here ; the barrels which do the striking and musical
work of the clock can be removed, one after another, and a barrel of
changes put in. There is a barrel for this purpose, and by its means
the machine has several times performed the unparalleled feat of
chimino- a touch of grandsire triples on eight bells — 3126 blows, 392
chano-es with perfect precision in twenty minutes, or at the rate of
three blows for every second of time ! Such a performance has
certainly never been known in this way before. What a vast differ-
ence between this and the old style of work. Should either you or
your friends contemplate blessing any neighbourhood with a set of
bell-chimes, you need be no longer in darkness upon the subject.
" What a ding-dong the bells make with their eight hammers ! " My
dear friend there are sixteen hammers at work, two to every bell.
If you wish a nearer taste of their quality, just run up the stair-
ladder there by the side of the wall, shoot your head into the
belfry loft, and hear them give tongue at home ; you will be de-
lighted. "Lose your hearing!" Nonsense! You will return with
a fine, well-attuned ear for chime music.

"Who is that gentleman entering the chamber?" That is the
Rev. Mr. Lyall, the incumbent, to whom the church may be said
to owe its existence. Although his natural temperament is thought-
ful and grave, as becomes his sacred office, he is now smiling all
over his face, and not only exchanging congratulations with every
one around, but shaking hands with himself, so pleased is he with
his new chimes. The gentleman speaking to him is Mr. Robinson,
the diocesan surveyor, and the architect of the tower we stand in ;
but we will return to our machine.

As we were saying, you see the triggers jump backwards off

their ends of the levers. Now observe. The lever dips a little,
and at that instant a bar of the steel cylinder below strikes into the
half-moon end of the lifting-bar, when up goes this half of
the lever and down goes the other, pulling the rope and striking the
hammer on the bell. That being done, as the raised end of the
lever falls to its place the very end strikes on the nose of the
trigger-catch, forces it back on the flat spring behind it, when,
after passing this nose-angle, the reaction of the spring instantly
jerks the catch forward, and relocks the lever, until the next
barrel -pin in its turn strikes the trigger, and lets the levar off again
for the lifting-bar to be moved by the steel cylinder a? before, and
so on for every blow of every hammer on every bell.

" Click ! Kritch-cht-cht-cht." That is the locking detent when
the tune is played out, and the " Kritching " is the friction of the
fly-vanes upon their shaft, after that shaft has been su Idenly stopped
with the rest of the machinery. It would not do to as suddenly stop
the fly, or the shaft and gearing might break at s >me point or
another. All these little thiugs have to be foreseen aud provided
for.

'1 he bells vary in weight, the largest being about one and a half
ton. There are sixteen levers in at present, but the machine is
constructed for twenty. Each lever has its own rope and hammer,
so that the other four mean four more hammers and two more bells;
in other words a chime-peal of ten bells, the mounting of which is
merely a question for the liberality of those who take a pleasure in
such pleasurable matters.

Every lever can be hooked down when not wanted to play, and
each one can, also, be taken out for any purpose without disturbing
any other; or, in fact, anything but itself and its own "belong-
ings." The whole affair is so simple, when it is examined, that the
wonder is it was never found out before — the wonder of many a
valuable invention.

When the bell-ringers are at work, the whole of the chiming
machinery can be at once thrown out of gear, and when required as
quickly put to work again.

This machine has four barrels, three of them being set for sacred
music only. One barrel can be taken out and replaced by another
in a few seconds. Each barrel plays a number of tunes, changing
by an end- way motion as each tune is fiuished, so that the director
of chimes may have a relay of tunes at his disposal.

But there is a peculiar " faculty " to adapt a name for the occasion
which this machine possesses t hat will be deemed of considerable
value, and that cannot be passed over without due explanation. It
is this. That a piano key-board, as shown in the drawing, can be
attached to the machine, and then with his music book open before
him, the performer can play what he pleaseth at his own sweet
will!

Of course when that takes place the chiming-barrel is thrown out
of gear, and instead of the pins letting off the triggers, that is done
by the player upon the keys, by means of the rods which are seen
in our wood-cut passing down at the back of the key-board to the
barrel-end of the levers. With the exception of the chiming-barrel
the other part of the machinery is at work to pull the hammers.
Nor is there any laborious "fingering" involved, as might be
supposed ; for the triggers and levers are so nicely balanced, each
to the other, that the finger-power that could manage a " brilliant-
toned cottage " would, certainly, bring music out of the bells of
St. Luke's. One of the musical treats of the locality would be,
after duly announcing the fact, for some ambitious " Cecilia " to
take her seat at the key-board, and astonish campanological Derby
with her performances !

What next, and next?

A lengthened and interesting account of the subject will be found
in Mr. George Lund's paper on " Bells and Modern Improvements
for_ Chiming and Carillons," read before the Society of Arts, in
1874, which paper may be had at 42, Pall Mall.

The following are the tunes which the chime-machine of St.
Luke's plays :— " Home, sweet home!" "The last rose of summer; "
" The March in Scipio :" an original march composed expressly
for the bells, by Mr. Housley, the organist of the church ; the
"Blue bells of Scotland;" "My lodging is on the cold,
cold ground." Ancient and modern hymn-tunes : " O rest in the
Lord ! " " Paradise ; " " St. Chad." Hymns 135, 18, and 298.

We have spoken of the ladies being always foremost in every good
work. The church under notice has been the grateful recipient of
their special favours. Miss Lucy Lonsdale, a daughter of the late
bishop, presented a beautifully-wrought pulpit of white alabaster,
having steps on either side. The ladies of the district, known as
"the Clewer Sisters " gave some elaborate embroidery, and the
Messrs. Bemrose, of Derby, the lectern, whilst Mrs. Lyall, the
mother of the rev. the incumbent, was also a valuable contributor.

226

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLEE, AND

[Mae". 6, 187G.

ughly respected m Derbyshire, made, what we can no lesstnan
aright noble offering, a gift of the clock, the bells, and the
es, which have formed the subject of this paper. The church
herwise lamely indebted to her munificence. We were not

But. in addition to all of these, Mrs. Moss, a lady well-known

and highly respected in Derbyshire, made, what we can no less than

term

chimes,

is otherwise largely

aware of these facts during- our visit to Derby ; but, being now in

possession of them, we cannot refrain from making them public.

What a large amount of happiness that one lady must have conferred

upon that neighbourhood !

It is impossible to overrate the value of this great invention as

it has been perfected by Messrs. Lund & Blockley. It is, in its

superiority to the old wooden pin-cylinder, what the ancient clock

of De Tick is to an astronomical regulator ; or the one-hand verge
"turnip " of our forefathers to the elegant, compensated, adjusted

pocket instrument of the present generation. With the model in
Pall Mall are a set of the new hemispherical bells, and those in-
terested in such matters will have every information accorded to
them by presenting their card. We understand that they have
been hung for the machine in several turrets, and are giving much
satisfaction. All the chiming machines and clocks are made at the
clock factory in Great Pulteney-street, Golden-square. We have
been there, and, amid lathes and cutting-engines, moralized over the
changes of times and men that have produced a full-working, clock-
making factory within little over five minutes' walk of St. James's
Palace.

We must not omit to remind our readers that the machine that is
capable of doing all that we have described in this paper only
occupies a space, frame included, of 6ft. 6 in. by 4ft., and 4ft.
high. As we have already explained, any comparison between it
and the old style of machine is entirely out of the question.

We think that we have now said all that there is to say about
this new chiming system. We are happy to hear that the character of
unsurpassable superiority is rapidly spreading, and that orders for
its adoption are being given " thick and threefold." For ourselves,
we have spoken as we have seen and examined ; and our thanks
are due for items of information to all the gentlemen whose names
have already been mentioned. To sum up. Taking the church,
the clock, and the chimes, they reflect lasting credit upon all the
parties concerned in their construction, and upon the liberality of
the founders of the sacred edifice.

The incumbent of St. Luke's, Derby, in his great desire to make
his chinch not only all that a church should be, but even a model
of its kind, has not overlooked the inestimable boon of correct
time-keeping to the business of every-day life. Having settled
himself in the midst of a large, suburban, working population, it is
his intention, as soon as funds are at his disposal, to have a Green-
wich time-wire attached to the clockwork, so that exact time — as
that of the parent Observatory now rules over the country — may
be struck on the great bell at prominent hours during the day. We
believe we are pretty near the mark in stating that the cost would
be about 30/. a year. It is a question entirely for the supporters
of the church, and we hope that they will deal with it in a liberal
spirit, as the money would be well laid out.

Of Mr. Robinson, the architect, it is no more than justice to say
that, apart from the great beauty of the church itself, with which
we are not now immediately concerned, the tower will command
unstinted admiration, and stand as a lasting testimony to his
already deservedly high professional reputation. In this we do not
speak without our warrant, for Mr. Bobinson has been the designer
of many sacred edifices, and is looked up to as the chief ecclesias-
tical architect of the Midland Counties.

To the Bev. F, J. Lyall, M.A., our thanks are also warmly ten-
dered, and we heartily congratulate him on the crowning success of
his labours ; and on the fact that he and his friends can point to a
church of which any pastor, congregation, or town might well be
proud.

Ede'S Gold, Silversmiths,' and Jewellers' Calculator,
which shows at sight the exact value of gold, silver, and diamonds,
at any given price, has akeady reached its tenth edition, and the
usefulness of its contents is fully evinced by the demand which
exists for the work. Dealers in gold and silver, who are con-
stantly in the habit of dealing in minute divisions and subdivisions
of a particular weight, are peculiarly in want of an assistant similar
to that which this work presents. Without it, their only plan is to
adopt a lengthy and intricate calculation (on the spur of the moment),
which is tedious and uncertain, and often devolves onpersonsnot com-
petent to it, resulting in loss of both time and property. With
such an aid the calculator is always safe ; he can refer to what he
wants without delay, and with perfect confidence in the result. The
present edition has been prepared with great care and accuracy.

THE PENDULUM.

IN a very able and interesting paper recently read by Dr. Ander-
son, C.E., F.B.S.E., before the Society for the Promotion of
Scientific Industry, Manchester, he alludes to the pendulum as
follows : —

"We are all more or less familiar with the pendulum, which is
rather a natural fact than an invention. The pre -historic man in
tying the string to the stone did not embody the idea of a pendulum ;
he had the pendulum in his hand every day, but he had not the
capacity to observe its wonderful properties ; just as it is with our-
selves now in regard to other things, which are before our eyes wait-
ing for some one to observe them with more insight.

' ' The pendulum is the best indicator of the progress of time which
man has yet discovered. A cord of a given length will keep the
same time, whether moving in a long or a short arc, within certain
limits, yet the world went on for many thousand years before it
detected this remarkable property. The great Galileo, while still a
young man, was the first to observe the fact from the swinging of a
suspended lamp in the metropolitan church in Pisa, and which he
afterwards confirmed by experiment,

' ' From that time until now the pendulum has been the chief feature
of an ordinary clock. In the clock, however, the pendulum has no
real work to do, it swings in its own way and keeps its own time,
and is independent of man for its good behaviour. It would go on
swinging for ever, except for the frictional and other resistances that
it meets with ; the mechanism of the clock merely marks the time
kept by the pendulum, while the force required to keep matters
going is the earth's attraction, due to the gravity of a weight.

" In the course of time, James Watt, in seeking for a regulator to
his steam-engine, pounced on the pendulum, but he was not able to
apply it in all its innate simplicity. At length his deductive mind
conceived the idea of a double pendulum, united at the top, and
made to revolve instead of to swing, so that centrifugal force would
step in, and he would thus secure all the pendulum advantages by
the modification. In the clock the pendulum has merely to swing,
but Watt gave it a new office — perhaps not quite so dignified as the
former, for it now had to act as a porter — to open and close a door
for the admission of steam, as the engine went too fast or too slow.

" An idea once fairly got hold of in the practical world is seldom
lost to mankind. A quarter of a century passes by, when a step of
promotion opens up to the pendulum. It was made a monitor to a
water-wheel, and, after passing through the fertile minds of Bennie,
Fairbairn, Hughes, and Wren, Watt's governor assumed an entirely
new character. It was now released from the task of opening and
closing the ponderous door which admits the water to the wheel ; it
had to act as an adviser only. It had a small room or office set apart
for its own use, where it could watch and think, without disturbance.
Two orderlies, in the form of bevel wheels, were stationed along-
side, whose duty it was to transmit the messages of the pendulum to
the water-wheel, telling the wheel how to correct its own error when
going either too fast or too slow.

' • Half a century rolls on, when'a much higher duty opens up before
the pendulum in connection with the regulation of certain steam-
engines now extensively made in Lancashire. This new regulator
not only does all that was done in the earlier engines, but, in addi-
tion, it takes into consideration the exact amount of work which is
being done at each moment : it takes note of the pressure of steam,
of the value of the vacuum in the condenser, then, by a recondite
reasoning process, it is able to determine the exact point when it
dare venture to cut off the supply of steam, so that the utmost effect
may be obtained by expansion, and along with that the utmost
economy of fuel. We thus see the material embodiment of ideas to
perform a reasoning process, which neither the man who first con-
ceived the idea, nor any number of men assisting Mm, could perform
in the same space of time."

Morrison's Gold and Silver Solutions, for electro-plating
without a battery, are being extensively used and seem to meet
with general favour. From the terms in which we hear them
spoken of it may be predicted that ere long they will be universally
adopted. The solutions are made from pure gold and silver, and,
by dispensing with the use of the cumbrous battery, any jeweller
may regild his articles in a very simple and inexpensive manner.
They seem to require no elaborate preparation for use, but are
easily applied, and impart a uniform and substantial look to all the
articles treated. Full directions accompany each bottle, and from
the reports which have reached us Ave feel every confidence in
recommending them. The general agency is at Horwitz ic Co.'s
Material Depot, 42, Hatton-garden, London.

Mae. 6, 1876.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

227

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

400. Lionel Cohen Spiers, of the firm of D. and L. Spiers, of Birming-
ham, in the county of Warwick, Manufacturing Jewellers, for an
invention of " Improvements in rings, slides, or fastenings for scarfs,
victorines, and other like articles of dress." — Dated 1st February, 1876.

436. George Hayter Chubb, of 57, St. Paul's Churchyard, in the city of
London, for an invention of " Improvements in safes and strong rooms.''
— Dated 3rd February, 1876.

464. Thomas James Smith, of the firm of Robertson, Brooman, and
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the city of London, Patent Agents,
for an invention of " Improved means and apparatus for setting or
regulating calendar watches." — A communication to him from abroad
by Louis Joseph Crozet, of Rue des Halles, Paris, in the republic of
France. — Dated 4th February, J.876.

483. Herbert John Haddan, of the firm of Herbert and Company,
Patent Agents, of 67, Strand, in the city of Westminster, Civil En-
gineer, for an invention of " Improvements in solar chronometers." —
A communication to him from abroad by Marshall Wheeler, of Big
Rapids, Michigan, United States of America. — Dated 7th February, 1876.

520. Guiseppe Zaffira, of Pentonville Road, in the county of Middle-
sex, Engineer, for an invention of "Improvements in watches, clocks,
and chronometers." — Dated 9th February, 1876.

564. Jean Rucii, of Paris, France, Merchant, for an invention of " A new
or improved process for extracting precious metals contained in the
ingots, the ores, the matts, the goldsmith and silversmith ashes, the
wastes of all kinds, and also in the residues of the amalgamation." —
Dated 11th February, 1876.

697. John Compton Weeks Jefeerys, Manufacturing Jeweller, 14,
Tottenham Court Road, in the county of Middlesex, for an invention
of " An improved fastening for jewellery and articles of dress." —
Dated 19th February, 1876.

720. Thomas Rickett, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Manager of Works, for an invention of " Improvements in sleeve links,
solitaires, and other like fastenings for articles of dress and jewellery."
—Dated 21st February, 1876.

760. William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention of
" An improved maohine for cutting diamonds and other precious
stones," — A communication to him from abroad by Henry D. Stover,
of the city and state of New York, United States of America. — Dated
23rd February, 1876.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

483. To Herbert John Haddan, of the firm of Herbert and Company,
Patent Agents, of 67, Strand, in the city of Westminster, Civil En-
gineer, for the invention of " Improvements in solar chronometers." —
A communication to him from abroad by Marshall Wheeler, of Big
Rapids, Michigan, United States of America.

Notices to Proceed.

3437. Edwin Caldicott, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Engraver, "An improved earring fastener and protector."

3662. William Jephcott, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Watch Maker, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Im-
provements in the cases of watches, clocks, time-pieces, lockets, and
other similar articles."

Patents Sealed.

2827. Robert Wharton Parkin, of Sowerby Bridge, in the county of
York, Safe and Lock Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements
in locks for ' safes,' strong rooms, and other purposes." — Dated 11th
August, 1875.

2969. Franziscus Xaver Ferdinandus Heilborn, of Birmingham, in the
county of Warwick, Jeweller, for an invention of " Improvements
in fastenings for articles of dress and ornaments and in locket and
ornament suspenders." — Dated 24th August, 1875.

4333. Marius Anthony Pradier, of 7, Bedford Street, Bedford Square, in
the county of Middlesex, Manufacturing Jeweller, for an invention
of "A new and improved method of fastening and unfastening the
shirt collar or other stud, sleeve-link, and solitaire, by means of the
screw principle." — Dated 14th December, 1875.

2917. Alfred John Higiian, of 13, Blackheath Terrace, Blackheath, in
the county of Kent, Gentleman, for an invention of "Improvements
in clocks and other timekeepers."— Dated 18th August, 1875.

Patents which have become Void.
295. William Edward Gedge, of 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the
county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of "Improve-
ments in chimney and other clocks, for the purposes of alarm." — A
communication to him from abroad by Auguste Pasquier, of Chateau-
Gontier (Mayenne), France, Clockmaker. — Dated 25th January, 1873.

Patents Granted in British Colonies and Dependencies.

Canada.

No. 5309. Joseph W. Branch, of Saint-Louis, Mo., U.S., for " A method
of inserting, fitting, and securing diamonds in metallic holders for
working in stone." {Manure d'enfoncer, ajustcr et assitjetiir les
diamants dans des manclics metalliqucs pour travailler la pierre.) — 5
years. — Dated 30th October 1875. — Claim. — "1st, the process of in-
serting, fitting and securing diamonds into metallic holders by softening
the holder or holders with heat, and then pressing the diamond into
the metal, which afterwards in cooling contracts upon the diamond.
2nd, the described process of enveloping diamonds in heated metal, and
subsequently by any suitable means such as grinding, removing the
surplus metal and exposing the cutting point of the diamond. 3rd, a
metallic diamond holder or tool having the diamond imbedded or
inserted while the metal is softened by heat."

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

United States.

No. 171,496. Randal T. Andrews, of Thomaston, Conn., assignor to the
Seth Thomas Clock Company, of the same place, for *' Lock-work
attachments to clocks."— Application filed 7th December, 1875. —
Brief. — "When the hands are turned backward a recess in the shaft
receives the lifting-lever, thus releasing it from the action of the lock-
ing-pin."

No. 171,583. Albert Schmidt, of Brooklyn, N.Y., for " Clock striking
mechanisms." — Application filed 1st December, 1875.

No. 171,681. Gustavus Meyer, of Quincy, 111., assignor of one-half of
his right to Julius Franke, of the same place, for " Spectacle-holders."
— Application filed 1st October, 1875.

No. 171,723. William Hagerty, of Monongahela city, Pa., assignor to
himself and John Corey, of the same place, for " Fire-proof safes."—
Application filed 12th November, 1875.— Brief.— " A safe_ constructed
with inner and outer communicating water-chambers, having inlet and
outlet pipes, so arranged that the water flows first into the inner
chamber, thence in the outer chamber, and out through the outlet-
pipes."

No. 172,165. Matiiias Petersen, of Altona, Prussia, for "Chronometer-
escapements for watches."— Application filed 3rd April, 1875.— Brief.
— " A locking-cylinder used in a detached escapement in place of the
detent-spring."

No. 172,182. Gustav Adolph Sciiultz, of Louisville, Ky., for "Watch-
men's detectors." — Application filed 28th July, 1874.

Austria.

90. L. J. Rotii, of Vienna, for " Rotary hammers with stop-hooks for
clock-work."—! year.— (Public.)— Dated 11th August, 1875

Patents Cancelled in Foreign States.
C. Peeper, of Dresden, for "A regulator for spring watches." — Dated
26th October, 1874.— (Cancelled 7th January, 1876.)

Designs Patented in Foreign States.

United States.

No. 8871. Siiubael Cottle, of New York, N.Y., for " A bead for a neck-
lace."—Application filed 27th November, 1875.— Term of patent 3i
years. .

No. 8878. Simon PfAelzer, of Philadelphia, Pa., for "A breast-pm. —
Application filed 27th November, 1875.— Term of patent 3k years.

No. 8885. William H. Halsey, of Newark, N.J., for "A breastpin."—
Application filed 16th December, 1875.— Term of patent 3£ years.

No. 8888. Albert H. Potter, of Chicago, 111., for " Watch-plates. —
Application filed 11th October, 1875.— Term of patent 14 years.

No. 8895. Francis Dimier, of New York, N.Y., for " A necklace."— Appli-
cation filed 13th December, 1875.— Term of patent 3^ years.

Trade Marks Registered in Foreign States.

United States.

No 3995 John Gordon, of San Francisco, Cal., for " Watches and other
' time-pieces."— Application filed 23rd October, 1875.— "Word
'Hermetic.'"

HOROLOGY.

HOROLOGY has enabled us to discover that when the wind
passes at one mile per hour it is scarcely perceptible, while
at the rate of 100 miles per hour it acquires sufficient force to
tear up trees and destroy the produce of the earth ; and, without
the aid of a seconds clock, it would have been scarcely possible to
ascertain that a cannon-ball flies at the rate of 600 feet in a second.

228

THE WATCHMAKEK, JEWELLEK, AND

[Mae. 6, 187G.

THE

cBhMtmhIut, getiielkr, mtir ^iltem%

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 04, Hatton Gakden,
London, E.C.

Birmingham Agencies.

Mr. A. F. Waeiullow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.
Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.
Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies, J
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the ;
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.- •

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable, to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post'Office, W.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES,

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

OUR ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT.

WITH the" present number we have the pleasure of again pre- .]
senting our readers with an illustrated supplement showing
the designs and workmanship of Pendants and a Chatelaine ex-
hibited in the Paris Exhibition, 1867.

The two pendants represented at top are the work of, and were
exhibited by M. 0. Massin, who ranks high among the famous
jewellers of Paris. ' They are examples of the purest and best Art I
exquisitely designed and finished.

The Chatelaine of gold is the work of, and was exhibited by, M„
Boucheron, who received the highest honour the Exhibition could
accord to that eminent goldsmith. It will be found a rare specimen
of Art-manufacture.

The two pendants at foot of page were exhibited and manufactured
by M. Fontenay, of Paris, whose exhibits were among the most
refined, beautiful, and costly of their class, possessing unusual grace
and excellence as works of Art. The ground is jade, the birds and
drops being of diamonds and rubies. Altogether, our supplement
will be found valuable for the Art suggestions which it presents.

EXHIBITION OF WATCHMAKERS' AND
JEWELLERS WORK.

WE learn from the Iloroloyical Journal that a competition in work-
manship, open to all practical ^watchmakers, clockmakers, and
jewellers, in Forfarshire, will be held in Dundee on the 8th of March
next, under the direction of the Dundee Association of Watchmakers
and Jewellers! Three prizes are offered for competition: among
journeyman watch and clock-makers ; six prizes among apprentice
watch and clock-makers ; two among journeyman jewellers ; and four
among apprentice jewellers. The value of the prizes and all infor-
mation may be obtained from the secretary, Mr. Geo. Johnson, 20,
Panmure -street, Dundee. Such exhibitions have a very great and
beneficial influence, both by encouraging the best efforts of work-
people and drawing general attention to the work. We hope to
give full particulars of the articles exhibited.

In view of the considerable increase in the number of thermo-
meters and barometers sent to the Kew Observatory for verification
the committee have determined to open an office in London, for
their reception, so that opticians may avoid the trouble hitherto
experienced in sending them to Kew. This step will be found of
considerable convenience to opticians and others.

At

Adjudications of Bankruptcy.

Brown James, High-street, Spennymoor, Durham, jeweller. Feb. 18

C. C. Durham. Mar. 7, at 11. Marshall, Registrar.
Genese Samuel, 18 Daulby-street, Liverpool, travelling jeweller. Feb. 22,

at C.C. Liverpool. Mar. 7, at 2. Watson, Reg.
Javan Henry W. P., 18 Lever-street, Goswell-road, jeweller. Feb. 23, at

Bankruptcy Court, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Mar. 6, at 12. Murray, Reg.
Rams William C, Devonshire-street, Islington, jeweller's factor. Feb. 22,

at Bankruptcy Court, Lineolns' Inn Fields. Mar. 13, at llrj. Murray,
- Reg.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Bernstine Morris, Gilkes-street, Middlesborough, jeweller. Feb. 24, at

; ' J. H. Draper's, solicitor, Stockton. Mar. 10, at 3.

•Brown James, High-street, Spennymoor, jeweller. 'Feb. 1.

-Cohen- Jacob, Waterhouse-Iane, and Savile-street, Hull, outfitter and

jeweller. Feb. 3.
Comrton Samuel, Frome, Somerset, jeweller. Feb. 7.
Frank Jacob, Mill-street, Pontypridd, watchmaker. Feb. 4.
Gleave William, Swan-street, Manchester, watchmaker. Feb. 18, at

Rylance and Earners', solicitors, 2 Essex-street, Manchester. Mar. 9,

at 3.
Cleave William, Swan-street, Manchester, jeweller, at the Queen's Hotel,

Birmingham, in lieu of the place originally named. Mar. 9.
Goldberg Alexander, Aberdeen-street, Oxford-road, Chorlton-upon-

Medlock, Manchester, travelling jeweller. Feb. 21, at C. Nuttall &

Sons, solicitors, John Dalton-street, Manchester. Mar. 9, at 2£.
Hampton Daniel, and Robert Hampton, trading as Hampton Brothers,

Darlington jewellers. Feb. 15.
Harrington Alfred, Aldershot, jeweller. Feb. 15.
Henschel Simon, Harold-street, Sunderland, jeweller. Feb. 2.
Lewis Abraham, Westgate-road, Newcastle, jeweller. Feb 8.
Morris John, Commercial-road, Newport, jeweller. Feb. 16.
Price Daniel, 33 Balsall Heath-road, Birmingham, jeweller. Feb. 15, at

A. H. Foster's, solicitor, 13 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham. Mar. 14,

at 11.
Schindler Maurice, Meadow -street, Sheffield, jeweller. Feb. 4.
Spencer. Thomas John, trading as Thomas Spencer, 11 Myddleton-place,

St. John's-street-road, goldsmith and jeweller. Feb. 11.
Wetzlar George. 7 Marlborough Villas, Marlborough-road, Dalston,

diamond merchant. Feb. 8.

Dividends Under Sequestrations.

Lewin William, (Liq.), Grosvenor-street, Bond-street, and St. George's-
road, Pimlico, jeweller, 2nd div. Is. 6d. H. H. Ashworth, 3 Salters'-nall-
court, Cannon-street.

Moss Marcus Slazenger, trading as Marcus S. Moss & Co., 59 Corpora-
tion-street, Manchester, jeweller, 2nd and final div. 2s. ; C. Taafe, 44
Northampton-street, Birmingham.

Rowntree Thomas, Scarborough, jeweller. Div. Is. 4J<2. ; J. G. Hart,
Huntriss-row, Scarborough.

Dissolutions of Partnership.

GamerOn John & Son, King-street, Kilmarnock, watchmakers and jewellers.

Nov. 3. Debts by John Cameron, who continues the business.
Gilbert & Pinder, watchmakers, Bolton. _•■
Jones & Walker, eleetroplaters, Birmingham.

Bankruptcies Annulled.
Wolfe Jacob, (Nov. 10) Leeds, York, jeweller. Feb. 23.

Bankrupt to Surrender.

Spennymoor James Brown, jeweller. March 7, at Durham.

Scotch. Sequestration.

Caldenbach Charles, Dundee, watch and clock maker. Feb. 22 at the
British Hotel, Dundee.

Last Days for Lodging Claims.

Etciiss William, (Liq.), George-street, Altrinebam, watchmaker, claim*

by Mar. 11 to Peter Bates, Vernon-street, Stockport, Accountant.

Supplement to the ''Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith:'

^§§ife^

Mae. 6, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUBNAL.

229

AN ACCOUNT of the declared Real VALUE of the IMPORTS and EXPORTS
of GOLD and SILVER BULLION and SPECIE Registered in the Month
ended 31st January, 1876, compared with the corresponding Period in
the Year 1875.

GOLD.

SILVER.

IMPOSTS.

EXPOETS.

IMPORTS.

EXPORTS.

Month ended

Month ended

Month ended

Month ended

COUNTRIES.

31st January.

31st January.

31st January.

31st January.

1675.

1876.

1875.

1S76.

1875.

1876.

1875.

1876.

£

£

&

£

£

£

£

£

Eussia

...

Sweden

Germany

691

100,240

302,000

485, 8S5

104,450

17,835

Holland

21

100

2,500

330

160

2.S00

3.100

Belgium

7,952

458,594

189,800

10,455

750

5,164

46,900

17,710

France

83,852

24.92S

200,216

S97,247

6S,SS1

118,720

263,306

247,453

Portugal l

Azores 1

7,700

...

500

6,525

Madeira J

Spain and Canaries

142

60,530

12,100

Gibraltar

3,340

14,667

2,2S8

6,045

Malta

4,250

150;

GOO

35,000

2,700

5

5,000

Egypt ,.,

60

1,615

370

"West Coast of Africa

8,630

13,3741

592

2,142

3,393

637

2,029

2,950

British Possessions in South

Africa

9,044

68,559i

35

200

British India

10,300

2,S90i

3,821

5,408

10,300

8,496

533,250

279,030

China (including HONG KONG)

500

46,313

...

6,943

2,952

G,565

60

Japan

307,957

39,3321

...

2,876

Australia

497,203

253,687

5,779

1,192

British North America

...

...

...

1,400

Mexico 1

South America {except Brazil) and \

85,611

19,983

88,880

139,600

408,904

196,812

500

35,821

West Indies

Brazil

29,550

46,706

201,494

5,860

5,840

220

United States

1,160,232

5,757

2,800

224,963

151,239

Other Countries

31,955

84,400

500

56,000

6,031

36,240

11,450

Total Value of £

2,241,088 1,179,S00

691,2031,461,742

1,234,609

637,513

915,885

639,034

(IS YEARS UNDER THE LATE G.JOSEPHS)

"WEDDING-RING, KEEPER, & CHAIN MAKER,

Dealer in Second-hand Plate, Jewellery,
Watches, Diamonds, &c,

3, Wilderness How, Clerkenwell. E.C.

SPECIAL NOTICE.

All parcels sent from the country receive im-
mediate attention, and remittance for value
forwarded the same da)'.

H. H. GUTTRIDGE,

PRACTICAL

ENGRAVER,

34, Hatton Garden, E.C.

WANTED, Copies of the September
(No. 4) Number of this Journal. Any
person having spare copies •will oblige by in
forming the Editors.

LUND & BLOOKLBY,

(LATE VINER, ESTABLISHED 1801),

42, PALL MALL (OPPOSITE THE WAR OFFICE), LONDON, S.W.,

CHIMING, MUSICAL, AND PERPETUAL CALENDAR CLOCKS,

TURRET AND CHURCH CLOCKS. PATENT CHIMES MACHINERY.

To Her Majesty the Queen. j€mKg lo the Imperial Family of Russia.

MANUFACTURERS OF CARILLON AMD BELL MACHINES

(IMHOF'S PATENT),

Chimes Machines with one Weight, for Chiming the Quarters, Striking the Hours, Playing Tunes, or full Ringers' Changes.

^ tt «y»t TO pr TT A TVT Tl ^ XT TQ 1Q IC* ^ F*T rM^TT G

wnUXlwXl ilJLM JJ X U JlIJLiJQlX \j XixKJ wJlXjO*

A WORKING MODEL AND BELLS MAY BE SEEN AT 42, PALL MALL, S.W.

Workshops-WILLIAM AND MAEY YARD, LITTLE PULTENEY STREET, W.C.

SPECIAL QUOTATIONS TO THE TEADE.

230

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Mae. 6, 1876.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH,

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

AND KINDRED

The important feature of onr Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Eniry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for tivelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annvrn; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street, Fins-
bury. E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MURRAY & CALLIEU, 22, St. John's Square, E.C.

NEGRETTI & ZAMBEA, Holborn Viaduct, E.G. i Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill, E.C. ; 122, Regent
Street. W.

WEBSTER, J., SS, St. John Street Road, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEERING & TALBOT, Apollo Safo Works, Moseley
Street, Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STRONG ROOM COM-
PANY. LIMITED, Cecil Street, Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Tatent Screw
Bolt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER & STRAUB, 79. High Holborn, W.C.

CAMERER. KCSS, FRITSCHLER, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street. Bloomsbury, W.C

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Rue Beran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory. White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Rochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established
1S44.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BROTHERS, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C.
MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn

Viaduct, London, E.C.
RUTHERFORD, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Row, E.C, and

33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

ELECTRO -PLATE MANUFACTURERS.
ADKINS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MOEDAN (SAMPSON) <fc CO., 41, City Road, and 72,

Cheapside. London, E.C.
TANN. JOHN, 11. Newgate Street, E.C; Reliance Works,

1, IJ l lackney Road, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, 06, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

HUTTON & CO., 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court. Newgate Street, London, E.C.

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEORGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C.

SUNDELL (KRISCHER) & CO, 4S, Brushlleld Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBERG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. EDWARD, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. R.), 64. Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON. HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
Loudon, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &e., 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E C

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DREW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Room, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWARDS, JOHN, 20, St. John Street Road, London. E.C.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden, E.C.

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, SO to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C. ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Rue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FREDERIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
SO to 84, Gray's-inn Road, W.C.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENRY, Manufacturer ' of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets,, &c, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURER.

N. LAWRENCE, 5, Dyer's Buildings, opposite Furnival's
Inn, Holborn, London, E.C; Manutaotory, Haveloek
Works, Walker Street, Sheffield.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER.

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell,
London, E.C

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 4S, Rahere Street, Goswell Road, Lon
don, E.C

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Road, London, E.C

STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS. THOMAS J., 10, Rydon Crescent, St. John
. Street Road, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAURICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 2S & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Road,
London, E.C.

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Preseot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Ring Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, Birmingham.

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANUFACTURING J1W1LL1HS AND GQIaDSMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. FINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC.
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Entered at Stationers Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 11.— Vol. I.]

APRIL 5, 187G.

t Subscription, 5s.l Post
per Annum. J Free

Horology— XI. dialling

Hall-marking of Jewellery

correspondence.— "tlie queen's necklace" ..

Suit Concerning an Alloy for Gold

Extensive and Daring Robbery of Jewellery

to the Amount of £20,000.

Watchmaking.— The going-Barrel Principle

page
241
243
247
247

24S
24 'J

CONTENTS.

The Watch and Clock Makers' Handbook ...

Monthly Hecord of Bankruptcies

Assaying : —

hold in Ancient Times

The Modern Method

The Forthcoming Exhibition of Scientific
Apparatus at South Kensington

page
24!)
249

250

Patents

Finger Rings
Messrs. Greenwood

Establishment...
The Trades' Director-
Advertisements ...

& Sons' New

PAGE

254

25-0

Clock

2SG

258

2")

7-2C8

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

XI.— Dialling.

IN our last article we mentioned the surprise that the reader
would be likely to experience upon having found that he had
constructed a horizontal dial on the uppermost face of his pentagon.
We will now pass to what, for the sake of plainness, Ave will call
the sloping face on the right-hand side. We are endeavouring to
steer as clear of geometrical expression as our subject admits of,
because we are not writing for geometrical readers ; indeed, were
that so there would be very little occasion for us to write at all.

On the front face of the block draw two lines parallel to the
boundary one of the uppermost face already mentioned. These
lines will form a parallelogram across the face of the block, and will
bound the right and left upright sides. We will letter the upper

line, E M; and the lower one, F L. We will now turn our

attention to the "plane," or right-hand sloping face of the octa-
gon, and mark its four points as B C M N. This plane will make
an angle with E M, the upper front face horizontal line, which
angle, or slope of the said plane, may be designated as C M E, will
represent the line of elevation of the pole. Having got these
matters correctly drawn, we thus go on: —

On the plane under notice draw a right line across the lower part

to represent the horizon, which mark as a b. Next draw a

meridian line at right angles through the centre of the horizontal
line, and write c e. Mark where these two lines bisect each other.
Oa the upper part of the plane draw a second horizontal line f g.

We will just look over the work to satisfy ourselves that we are
going on correctly ; for, to a person not used to these things, the
" a b c's," and the angles and parallels, are apt to be a little
puzzling at first.

We will now direct attention to the meridian down the centre of
the two parallel lines already mentioned, and, as in a former method,
divide that line into an upper and a lower half. With the compass
point extended to the distance of one of these halves, carefully
draw a quadrant. You have now got hold of your key, because
by subdividing the quadrant into six equal parts you obtain your
hour-lines, as on previous occasions. You next number off these
hour-lines, taking the meridional one as noon. Before you go
further, you will, where the quadrant lines touch the lower
horizontal line, construct parallel lines, connecting the upper
and lower horizontals, or E M with F L. Having done this, you
will at the extremities of these parallels, or perpendicular lines,
mark the hours, beginning, as has just been said, with noon on the
meridional. To endeavour to make the matter still plainer, let us
mark, say, 12 o'clock at the lower end of the meridian ; then we
must also mark 12 at the upper end, and so on, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, G, to
the right hand. To the left, from 12, we mark 11, 10, 9, 8, 7.
The concluding work is to fix a style upright on the face of this
dial to throw the shadow on the hours ; this style is to be of a
length equal to half that of the meridional line. This, under a new
form, is an upper polar dial.

We will shift our ground and go to the face of the octagon on
the left-hand side, which we will distinguish by the letters A at the
backmost angle, D at the upper front one, and E where it already
stands at the end of the upper parallel line that goes across the front
face of the block. The angle that D E makes with the line E M is
equal on the slope of E U to the elevation of the equator. We next

249

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[April 5, 1876.

describe a circle on this face of the octagon, and across it each way
— side to side, and top to bottom — draw two diameters intersecting
each other at right angles. One of them, the last-named, will be
the line of the meridian, which, with that across, will divide the
circle into quadrants. Now take each quadrant and subdivide it
into six equal parts from the centre of the circle, and we get the
hour-lines. These lines we number off in the usual way of 12, 1, 2,
5, 4, ."), 6, 7. 8, to the left for the afternoon, and 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7,
C, 5, 4, for the morning sun. Consequently, as each division, it is
borne in mind, represents fifteen degrees of the sun's course, they
represent au hour in time ; therefore, in summer, the hours will be
shown from 4 o'clock in the morning until 8 o'clock in the evening.
This construction will add an upper horizontal dial to the octagon
block, after placing upon it a style in the form of a pin through the
centre of the circle, this pin being "of the height of the length of
the line E D, and perpendicular to the plane of the circle upon
which it stands.

AVe next proceed to that side of the octagon, on our right hand,
that is bounded by the extremities of the two horizontal lines across
the front face marked M L, or the straight tip and down side that
lies between the two slopes. We will describe this ylane in this
way. Let it make, with the lower horizontal line, an angle at L
down to II, the lower point of the slope adjoining the base of the
octagon. This angle will be equal to the elevation of the equator,
then proceed as follows : — First of all, draw a meridian line, marked
A B ; between these extremes mark another distance, and call it C.
From C horizontally strike a line, marking it D. You will then
have an angle, C a D, equal to the elevation of the equator.
Draw another line from A to D, which will make another triangle,
a, C, D, equal to the elevation of the pole, and make the angle, or,
rather, triangle, equal to the elevation of the equator, and take care
that D E cuts the meridian in E. Again, through the last-named
central point, draw a horizontal line and mark it G II. Now take
E B, equal to E 1), and with that radius describe a quadrant,
marking it E F. From the upper extremity of the meridian, as a
centre, describe a small circle. From the centre B, with the radius
B E, describe a quadrant, of which the horizontal line will be seen
to be B F. From B, again, at equal distances through the quadrant,
draw right (straight) lines, cutting the great horizontal line G II.
Mark the intersecting points B a, B 1), B c, B d, B e, and 15 II.
Take the same distance as E a, and, on the left-haud side of the
meridian, mark off the spaces E e, E f, E g, E h, and E G. The next
tiling is, from the small circular point at A, draw a series of right
lines on both sides of the meridian, taking care that they cut, or
intersect, the exact points where the quadrantal lines pass through
the great horizontal G II. These latter-drawn lines will mark
the points where the hours are to be engraved. Through the centre
A, as a horizontal, draw another line, and next begin to mark the
hours. At the lower end of the meridional line will be 12, then,
on the left-hand side, go on with 1, 2, :>, 4, .">, 0, 7, 8 in the evening.
On the right-hand side mark 12, 11, 10, >), 8, 7, C, 5, 4. The reader
may ask, How do we find the hours after :"> in the afternoon, and
before 7 in the morning, which are provided for by the bisection of
the great horizontal by the quadrantal lines? Well, it is simple
enough, like anything else, when you know it. Take the hour-line
of 4 in the afternoon, and prolong it through the centre of A to the
edge of the octagon plane. The opposite point will enable the
style to show 4 o'clock in the morning ; 5, the after 5 o'clock line ;
0 in the morning, the 6 o'clock line ; 6" in the 7 o'clock afternoon
line, that of 7 o'clock in the morning. The style that is to be set
up is that described by the angle C a D, which,' as has been stated,
is equal to the elevation of the pole.

This will constitute what wo call our "octagonal" south dial;
but, in order not to lose anything in the way of utilizing our planes
we will now proceed to the opposite space on our left-hand side,
that one answering to where we have just been working, and see
what account we can turn it to.

The first thing that is to be done is to accurately " square ' ' the face
of the octagon, as far as a good T, which can be easily borrowed
from any friend who may be engaged in mechanical drawing.
The next is, down the centre of this square produce the meridional
line, and at the lower extremity of it construct a small circle,
making the point of the line the centre of the circle, and mark that
centre A. At this point make an angle, drawn from previous
practice, equal to the elevation of the equator, by drawing a short
line at right angles to the meridional, marking the meridional point
of that line C, and its farther point I). Next join 1) to A, and you
have the angle required. From D, again, make another angle join-
ing the meridional line in the opposite direction, which angle is to
be equal to the one just completed, marking it E I). Take a
distance, double the distance from A, make a prick with the com-

pass on the meridian and call it E. At the point E, and through
it as a centre, draw a straight line across the face of the octagon,
which line may be marked as O O. Midway between A and E take
a centre and describe a quadrant on the left-hand side, which
divide, as usual, into six equal parts ; through the two divisions
next to the horizontal line of the quadrant draw lines from the
centre B that will cut the long horizontal above, and mark the
cuts as B d and B 0. Continue with the ruler from the circular
centre A, and produce a line bisecting B d at their point in O O'.
Bo the same on the left-hand side at O', when both sides will be
found to be alike. On the lower edge of the plane make use of the
squaring-line to be found there by marking at each extremity of
that line the figures G, G. Continuing this on the left-hand side,
at the points where the oblique lines from A cut through that side
of the square, mai'k 7 and 8. Then turn to the right-hand side, and
from the G, where the lines cut in a similar manner, mark 5 and 4.
Having now done all our marking, we make an oblique index exactly
equal to the slope of A D, that shall, when fixed, from A make the
triangle A D E with the meridian line, in the plane of the meridian
equal t6 the elevation of the equator. If this cannot be readily
done, fix an upright index at C equal to the distance from C to I),
or, if preferred, make a triangular plate to rest on the meridional
line from A to E, and that shall be of the angular inclination of A
to D and D to E. Then will A4, A5, A6, be the hours of the
forenoon ; and, according to the same principles, AG, A7, A8,
will be the hours of the afternoon. We have now an octagonal
north vertical dial.

As circumstances may, however, arise in which a southern form
would be of more service, we will mention shortly how that may be
constructed.

Down the centre, as before, draw the meridian ; but in this case
we must reverse some of our positions, and call the upper portion of
the meridional line A. We then, according to the size which wo
intend the dial to be, take an interval at pleasure with the compasses,
say, from A to C ; we then, in the same way, draw a straight line
across from C to the right, and mark the point I). With the lines
from A to C, from C to D, and from D to A, what is called in
geometry a right-angled triangle, which gives us the elevation of
the equator, join A to D. We have, now, two right-angled
triangles divided by the line from C to D. Where the line D cuts
the meridian at E make it the central point through which to con-
struct a horizon, as in the last dial, from left to right. Take the
distance E D, and with it, on the meridional line, mark another point,
calling it B ; also, with the same distance construct another line to
the right, and mark it T. We have, again, with E B and B F,
another right-angled triangle. This triangle is the one upon which
the quadrant has to be formed and divided, as before, into six equal
parts. The rest is all plain, as well as plane, to try a mild geome-
trical joke — the rest is all plain sailing. The hour-lines are to he
ruled off from through the points of junction of the lines of the
quadrant with that of the horizon, and numbered off, the morning
to the left and the afternoon to the right.

The Sicker Safe and Strong Eoom Company, Limited. — On
Saturday afternoon, the 18th ult., this company went through the
ceremony of " steamingthe boiler " at their new and extensive works
at Soho, which they enter upon this week. It being an occasion of
some moment to the employes, they were invited by Mr. J. Felton
Ewell, the managing director, to be present. Having inspected the
offices, show rooms, workshops, &c, they assembled round the
engine, a splendid example of Messrs. Taugye Brothers' horizontal,
which firm has also supplied the shafting and other portions of the
machinery. Mr. George Joseph Smith, the chairman of directors,
then went through the process of " turning on the steam," prefac-
ing the operation with a few appropriate and felicitous remarks
addressed to the men. All having gone satisfactorily, the visitors
adjourned to a neighbouring tavern, where ample justice was done
to a repast provided. The usual loyal and other toasts for the
success of the company having been heartily received, a pleasant
evening terminated. — Birmingham Morning News.

A VERY good impression of any article of metal having a flat
ornamented surface may be taken by wetting some note-paper with
the tongue and smoking it over a gas-flame. The article is then
pressed upon the smoked part, when, if the operation be carefully
conducted, a clear impression will appear. This can be made
permanent by drawing the paper through milk, and afterwards
drying it. — Scientific American.

April 5, 1876.1

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

248

HALL-MARKING OF JEWELLERY.

THE following paper on the IJall-marking of jewellery was read
by Mr. Alfred Lutschaunig before the Society of Arts, at its
fourteenth ordinary meeting on the 8th ult : —

" The paper I have the honour of reading to you to-night, on the
subject of Hall-marks, has for its object, not merely to lay before
you the general outlines of the system at present in operation, but
also to make some remarks on the manufacture of jewellery, and
the abuses which are practised by unprincipled manufacturers and
traders on the ignorance and good faith of the public. The subject,
though at first sight insignificant, assumes, when carefully looked
into, great importance, and culminates, when thoroughly examined,
into a veritable national question, as I shallendcavour to show further
on.

"I shall also, after touching upon all points, propose the outlines
of a new system, which should take the place of the old one, and
this, I believe, will form the debatable ground. We all know that
the love of ornamentation is a passion which has to be gratified,
and we cannot say to the public, ' If you arc not satisfied with what
is offered to you in the way of jewellery, do without the gewgaws.'
The craving after ornamentation is almost a vice. The passion can
be traced back through all ages, and to all nations, whether savage
or civilized, in all countries, and in all climates. Naked humanity
ornaments its skin ; dressed humanity adorns its dress. But nature
in all cases, according to the views of humanity, requires a little
touching up. This admitted, then, that ornament, and particularly
gold ornaments, arc absolutely necessary to the well-being of
society, let us examine them . I have but a short time allowed me this
evening, and I can only just lightly touch upon every point. The main
and principal object of this paper is, after showing up the actual
state of the jewellery trade, and proving, if possible, the thorough
inadequacy of the present system of Hall-marking, and the action
of the Goldsmiths' Company as a protection to the public, to
excite a discussion which may lead to a remodelling of the at
present existing state of things.

" Of the ten assay towns of the United Kingdom, we may safely
say that three or four almost monopolize the marking of the whole
of the jewellery manufactured in this country, and, when we con-
sider what millions of articles are produced, it is at once evident
that each article cannot be properly and separately examined. The
moment we admit this fact, we also admit that a system requiring
a separate examination of everv small object, and a separate
stamping, say, even of every lii k of a chain, is a thing impossible,
and must, sooner or later, make way to a simpler and more effica-
cious system, embracing the whole of the goods, large and small,
manufactured of gold and silver. "We will say nothing of the great
temptation to forgery which the present system affords, and which
is so common that the Hall-mark is as good as no guarantee at all.
The Goldsmiths' Company hardly ever prosecutes ; there must be
an instinctive dread of touching upon this tremendous question.
It feels that if the question were ouce fully started, it could not
face the astonished and indignant British public.

" Then, as if to invite and make forgery easy, and bewilder the
public, look at the extraordinary varieties of marks which we have
here represented. You see it requires a special study to under-
stand them.. Of course, when the marks are genuine, the parts on
which they are struck are also of the quality indicated by the marks.
I do not wish to attack the honesty of the assay, but then there is
no safeguard against what is called transposition and addition.
The piece of metal immediately adjoining the piece marked nniy be
of a different quality altogether. There was a letter in the Times,
only a few days ago, from 'A Bond-street Goldsmith.' It is quite
short, and I will read it, as it confirms what I say : —

" ' Permit rae to say that I must heartily endorse the remarks in your
leading article on Mr. Gladstone's speech relative to the duties of our
great City companies. Surely, after such a note of warning, the masters
and wardens of the various guilds will put their " shoulders to the wheel."
Foremost among them ought to stand the Goldsmiths' Company. Their
charter gives them power " to send wardens from shop to shop among the
goldsmiths, to assay if their gold be of the touch specified in the statute."
if they would but exercise this privilege, and visit all shops occasionally,
the public would benefit immensely. Frequently goods are brought to me
stamped 18 carat, maker's mark, &c, under an impression that they are
Hall-marked, but they in reality are only colourable imitations, base metal
invariably being found between the gold parts. So extensively is this
practice carried on, that there are hundreds of watch-chains now in circu-
lation, one link bearing the mark 18 carat, the next link, not marked,
quality about 6 carats ; and so on throughout the chain. It is impossible
for the public generally to detect these frauds, and I assert that it is,
therefore, the absolute duty of the Goldsmiths' Company to search out and

prosecute all and any person making, selling, or otherwise disposing of such
spurious articles. I trust some real good in this direction may yet be
effected by the Goldsmiths' Company.'

" Then, there is another complaint against the present method of
Hall-marking ; the punches are clumsy, and spoil and disfigure the
work — can, in fact, not be used at all on fine work. Watch-case
makers have frequently told me that they have sometimes the
greatest trouble in flattening down the metal that has been made
to project by the rough use of the punch. A delicate outline punch
would be far preferable.

" You are aware that the Goldsmiths' Company recognizes three
lower standards and three higher standards.

The numbers 0 = 0-375 ~ 37.1 per cent, of gold.
12 = 0-500 = 50" „
15 = 0-625 = 02.1 ,,

18 = 0-750 = 75
20 = 0-833 = 83J
22 = 0-017 == 91-3

French.
0-750
0840
0-920

" If we examine these figures in another way we find that, though
in decimal form, and in the form of per-centag>, they are very irra-
tional; yet, when viewed in another way, they show a certain
method.

" If we take, for instance : —

I) carats = 9-24tks = a
12 „ = 12-24ths = |
15 „ = 15-24ths = |
18 „ = 9-12ths = '.» oz.

20 „ =10-12ths-- 10 ,

22 ,, — ll-12ths = II .

geld iii 12 oz. or 1 lb. trov.

"In the first iustance we have '■'>, 1, and 5-eighths, for the lower
standards.

" In the second instance we have 9, 10, and 11 ounces of o-old in
the pound troy.

"These calculations are, however, old-fashioned and complicated.
I may be permitted to remark here that, amongst other things, our
weights and measures require also a thorough revision. A°pound
troy, for instance, is less than a pound avoirdupois, but an ounce
troy is more than an ounce avoirdupois, for the one pound has
12 ounces, whereas the other is divided into 16.

"To return to the gold standards, I will remark that 22-carat is
only used for the coin of the realm and for wedding rings. 18-carat
is the most suitable for working. And 12-carat ought to be the
lowest, as the metal would then be half-and-half, and has as much
right to be termed gold as brass.

" I pass over the marking of silver, as I shall have no time to enter
upon that subject this evening. It is, besides, of minor import-
ance.

" We have now superficially glanced at the theory of Hall-marking,
we will pass to see how it works in practice.

" I must really, at reaching this point, pay a tribute of justice to
Mr. Edwin W. Streeter, of New Bond-street, who, indignant at
the discredit that was being brought on the jewellery trade,
called together, on the 6th of April, 1873, a select number of friends
and the members of the press, and exhibited a number of articles
bearing the mark of the Hall. The articles were picked speci-
mens of ingenious swindling. The subject was readily taken up
by the press, and very able writers have done their best to excite
public attention and call special notice to the growing evil. Mr.
Streeter, for thus stepping prominently forward as the champion
of honest jewellery, deserves the greatest credit, and I am sure the
public of London will show a due appreciation of his exertions.

" I will now read to you extracts from a few of the leading papers,
written under the impression of what had been seen in Conduit-
street on the afore-mentioned 6th of April. These extracts chime
in so remarkably with the subject of my paper, that I have decided
to embody them. There is, besides, much valuable moralizing ;
and coming, as they do, from able writers of the press, and corro-
borating all my statements, 1 have considered it very advisable to
quote them : —

" ' On Saturday evening, a considerable number of gentlemen connected
with the jewellery trade, including the President of the Pawnbrokers'
Association, attended the conference at the establishment of Mr. Streeter,
Bond-street, for the purpose of inspecting a large quantity of spurious
Hall-marked jewellery, with a view to proving that the process of Hall-
marking, adopted by the Goldsmiths' Company, is no protection to the
public, in the purchase of what they are led to believe to be a guarantee
that the articles so purchased are genuine. A large collection of articles
was produced and examined, but tho selection of two or three will suffice

"211

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[April 5, 1876.

to illustrate the fact that the public are subjected to the most astounding
frauds, even with respect to that which is looked upon as jewellery of first-
class character, and for which the highest price is paid. A lady's elastic
neckchain, bearing the hall-mark as 18-carat gold, the value of which, if
genuine, would be 11/., was found to consist mainly of silver and red lead.
A pawnbroker had lent (>'. 10s. upon it, and when assayed its intrinsic
value was found to be 22,*.

'• 'A chain on which a pawnbroker was induced to lend 11., was found to
be worth 86s.

" 'Another chain, every link of which is stamped as 18-carat gold, and
on which 101. had been lent, was found, on being assayed, to be but
11} carat.'

" This article was reprinted in the Times.

"The Daily Courier, of Liverpool, April 8th, 1873, says —

"The process of Hall-marking adopted by the Goldsmiths' Company is
no protection to the public, in the purchase of what tbey are led to believe
to be a guarantee that the article so purchased is genuine. A large collec-
tion of articles were produced at Mr. Sti'eeter's, in Loudon, and examined,
to illustrate the fact that the public are subjected to the most astounding
frauds, even with respect to that which is looked upon as jewellery of a
first-class character, and for which the highest price is paid. An adver-
tisement from an East-end jeweller was produced, offering to supply Hall-
marked gold rings to the public at 5s. each and upwards, and a ring, with
liis invoice, was produced, which, although bearing the Hall-mark, was
found to be filled with cement.

" 'A brooch, the outer casing of which was thin gold, and Hall-marked,
was filled with copper exactly fitting the mould of the brooch. These
frauds, it is contended, are committed by working jewellers, to whom the
West-end firms entrust their gold to be manufactured, and it is argued
that, so long as the Goldsmiths' Company consent to Hall-mark unfinished
and hollow jewellery, there is no check. In France and America the Hall-
marking is done by Government, and they refuse to affix the mark until the
article is completed. If that system were adopted, and every shopkeeper
compelled to guarantee the qualify of the gold he sells, the public would be
protected.'

"The following is from the Standard, April 7, 1873 : —

'•'The question of the Hall-marking of jewellery is one of the greatest
importance to the public. The amount spent yearly in gold and silver
articles is immense, and there are few who do not, at some period of their
life, expend money in watches or jewellery for themselves or others. The
belief in so doing they are buying articles of an intrinsic value, approaching
at least to the sum paid for them, and that the goods will retain their
value for a long period, and be thus a sort of investment for money,
operates in a large number of cases as an inducement to people to spend
more money upon jewellery than they could otherwise afford to do. Good
jewellery indeed is always within a small amount worth the money given
for it, and should approach nearly to its weight in sterling gold. In the
days of our forefathers this was so. No gold was allowed to be sold under
sterling, a severity which afterwards relaxed to 18-carat gold bein" per-
mitted. With 18-carat gold people at least knew that they were getting
goods containing three-fourths of their weight in gold. Now, however
the Halls mark 15, 12, and 'J carat, while articles are exposed in' the win-
dows of the jewellers' shops called gold, but containing only one-twentieth
part of the precious metal.'

" This is a very important fact, and I wish to hring it out most
emphatically. Whether this immoral system of cheating should be
permitted may be a question, but it is one in which I do not purpose
entering. The more urgent question of Hall-marking is now before

•"People who really wish to buy good articles always ask if they are
Had-marked To them the umnte ligible hieroglyphics convey no more
distinct idea than if they were arrowheaded characters.' "

" On the important question of so-called ' duffing '* jewellery I
can only venture a few remarks in passing ; it is a wide field too
extensive for me to-night. It embraces not only the metal but also
the stones It consists chiefly of goods thickly gilt, containing an
alloy winch is anything but precious metal, and with a forced Hall-
mark. °

"A few word:; more from the Standard, and I have done with mv
quotations. J

" 'The articles exhibited at Eond-street were all genuine Hall-marked
articles, articles which a careful purchaser, armed with a treatise on Hall
marks a powerful magmf'ying-glass, would have bought fearlessly, and would
have taken home under a profound conviction that ho had received full
value for his money. '

"The present system of marking any pieces of unmade-up iewel-
lery, and of hollow pieces evidently intended to be filled up with

" Duffing," a flang word for cheating.

base metal, is offering a premium to dishonesty. In fact, as it stands
at present, the Hall-marking does more harm than good. For if
there were no Hall-marking the purchaser would only go to trades-
men of known respectability, and take his guarantee as to the
quality of the gold, whereas at present he is careless, relying on the
Hall-mark. It may be said that the halls prosscute in cases of
forgery. That they have the power to do so is undoubted ; but
when we consider the fact that we are inundated with worthless
jewellery, and that we scarcely ever hear of a prosecution, it is
evident that, in the first place, they are so wealthy that they do
not care about the trouble of prosecuting; aud that, in the second
place, they do not desire it to be made public how little purchasers
can rely upon the hieroglyphics known as Hall-marks. Even the
members of the Goldsmiths' Company, the ultimate arbiters in such
matters, confess that they are powerless in many cases. It is not
very long since they issued a regulation not to mark chains, except
of a specified weight and character, in consequence — to use their
own words — 'of having discovered that extensive frauds were
being committed ' in the matter of gold chains, which, if the
present practice of marking were continued, they could see no means
of preventing.

' ' Here we have it, on their own showing. Any one looking at the
daily police reports, cannot fail to notice the frequent cases of base
coinage. The solicitor to the Treasury would attest to the ex-
treme difficulty of keeping even the coin of the realm unsullied.

"The anomaly of the law on the subject of Hall-marking will be
readily understood from a decision given by Commissioner Kerr,
in the case of Defries v. Dalton and others, heard in the City of
London Court. The plaintiff had purchased some goods Hall-
marked 15-carat, which, on testing, were found to be!)-carat. The
Commissioner decided that the plaintiff could not recover against
the defendant, but could recover against the Goldsmiths' Company,
who had put on the goods stamps defining weight and value which
were wrong. Such a judgment offers no relief. No one in the
trade would bring an action against that corporation. It would bs
fighting against tremendous odds. There is another case where
the law, and consequent justice in England, is too weak for the
rich, too dear for the poor.

" We find, on the one hand, too much importance attached to the
Hall-mark, and on the other a great prevailing ignorance as to its
real meaning. What with date letters, municipal marks, lions
rampant, and lions passant, makers' marks, and duty marks, there
are about 250 cabalistic signs, unintelligible to the British public.

"It has long been my idea that the time has arrived to do away with
the action of the Goldsmiths' Company altogether. The Goldsmiths'
Company is an obsolete institution, one of those remnants of the
dark ao-es incompetent to coj>e with the present state of things.
The impotency of the Company to meet the evil is apparent by the
number of charters which have been found necessary to be granted
to it ever since the year 1392. The first charter to the Company
was in the reign of Richard II., 1392, bearing date 6th of February,
and we may consider that this corporation here first steps forward
on to the stage. It grants and gives license to the men of the said
craft of goldsmiths of the City of London, to be a perpetual commu-
nity or society of themselves, and elect yearly out of themselves
four wardens, to oversee, rule, and duly govern the said craft and
community. This is the beginning of the Right Worshipful Com-
pany of Goldsmiths of the City of London.

"In 1162, Edward IV., another charter was granted. In 1504,
Henry VII., a further charter was found necessary.

" But the natural tendency to mix too much alloy seems ever to
have been very great, for as far back as 1238 frauds are recorded as
having been practised by gold and silver smiths, and it became
necessary to introduce some legislation to prevent this practice.

"The great mischief, however, as far as we are concerned, begins
with the passing of the Bill allowing articles of the three lower
standards to be stamped — reign of Queen Victoria, 1851. Here the
reins seem to have dropped from the hands of the Goldsmiths'
Company altogether, and it has lost all control over the millions of
articles flooded into the market. Forgeries, transpositions, addi-
tions, loading, filling, and all the clever swindling that clever crafts-
men can devise, have been adopted with impunity.

" Then, again, the charters of the Goldsmiths' Compauy make no
provision for the frauds now being practised in our colonies. Of
course all has changed, and the old body cannot march with the
times. Watch-cases are sent from Switzerland and America with
forged English Hall-marks, and are sold in India, China, Australia,
JapaD, and the rest of the world. What control can the Gold-
smiths' Company possibly have in these cases ?

"Nothing short of a clearly-defined and a clearly-expressed personal
guarantee of a jeweller of established reputation will meet the evil.

April 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

245

The Company can no longer control tlie immensity of the jewellery
trade, and a new Act of Parliament is absolutely indispensable,
relieving this body of its duties, and taking the supervision into its
own hands. This duty will devolve naturally on the Mint. The
revenue which Government derives from the assay offices, for duty
on gold and silver stamped, might be also greatly increased, and
levied in a simpler manner ; and the public would be satisfied as to
the quality of the goods they buy.

"I have consulted many friends as to the possible modifications in
the present system, and all agree with me that the time has come
for the old edifice to be pulled down, and for a more modern struc-
ture to take its place. No half measures will meet the evil. Never
mind the vested interests of a wealthy corporation. The battle will
be fierce, but the victory will be to public opinion.

" Jewellery, as I have already said, is a vanity and a luxury, and is
purchased only by people who have money to spare. A tax upou
jewellery, therefore, would be felt by no one. This is necessary, in
order to replace the small revenue to Government I have already
mentioned. An intending purchaser, who has made up his mind to
spend, say, about 100Z., will just as readily spend 1101. as 100/. for a
jewel. It seems, therefore, very rational to tax such a pure luxury,
instead of burtheuing the very necessaries of life. And, were this
scheme to succeed, as I think it must, what a pleasant satisfaction it
would afford to think than an impost upon what we have to spare
can successfully compete with the crushing duties on the most
needful for the sustenance and comfort of life of other nations. I
sincerely hope this will be a hint to legislation. I shall endeavour
to show also what the probable financial result would be of the
introduction of such a new scheme.

"Inspectors of weights and measures go theirrounds, Custom-house
officers are on the constant look-out to protect the revenue, fussy
analysts annoy well-meaning tradesmen, but it seems nobody's
business to look after the adulteration of the precious metals. There
is no established legal definition of the word ' gold ; ' nobody to
prosecute forgeries. The Goldsmiths' Company is too busy, and
shrinks from being brought prominently forward, for a thorough
investigation of the present state of things would hasten that inevi-
table fate which cannot be far off.

" I will quote an example of the indifference with which this
corporation treats complaints respecting forgeries. The Secretary
of the Liverpool Pawnbrokers' Association, Mr. Alfred Hardaker,
had once occasion to present himself to the Goldsmiths' Company
with a gold chain bearing a forged 18-carat mark. The metal only
assayed 11J carats. A promise was given then that the matter
should be investigated, but, after some delay, it was decided to let
the matter drop, on the ground that the marks were not forgeries of
their Hall.

" On the 4th of February, 1856, it was ordered by the House of
Commons that a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into the
offices for assaying silver and gold wares in the United Kingdom.
The members nominated for the Committee were : — Messrs. WUsod,
Liddell, Stanley. Hankey, George Alex. Hamilton, Spooner, Brand,
Wilkinson, William Ewart, Bentinck, Peacocke, Muntz, Dunlop,
and Masterman.

" Persons, papers, and records were sent for from the assay towns
of the United Kingdom, and the following report, after a good deal
of discussion, agreed to : — -

" Eeport.

" The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the offices for assaying
gold and silver wares in the United Kingdom, have considered the matters
to them referred, and have agreed to the following report : —

" ' 1. Your Committee have examined a large number of witnesses from
the principal assay towns throughout the United Kingdom.

"'2. I he existing assay offices are ten in number, and are established at
the following places, setting them down in order according to the amount
of assaying performed at each office : — London, Birmingham, Sheffield,
Exeter, Chester, Glasgow, Dublin, Edinburgh, Newcastle-on-Tyne, York.

" ' 3. The state of these offices, as to management and efficiency, differs
widely. Your Committee find that those offices, in which a larger amount
of assaying is performed, are conducted in a satisfactory manner ; while
the smaller offices are, generally speaking, in an inefficient condition, and
do not afford proper security to the public for the accuracy of their work.,

" [There is an admission at once, after a careful investigation, that
they do not afford proper security to the public]

" ' 4. Your Committee are of opinion that the inferior condition of the
smaller offices maybe accounted for by their imperfect constitution, and by
the absence of effective regidations, existing in the larger offices, for the
testing the accuracy of assays — [and the public is expected to place faith in
the Hall-mark in the face of this admission] — and partly by the more
limited income which the smaller offices derive from assaying, and the
consequent want of funds to place them in a superior condition.

" ' 5. In the progress of their inquiry it has been made manifest that the
laws regulating the assaying of gold and silver are in a most conf ussd and
unsatisfactory state.'

" [I shall not be accused, I hope, of libelling the Company, and
my object, partly, in reading to you this rather dry report, is to
protect myself. The proofs of the correctness of my assertions are
numerous enough.]

" ' These laws are scattered throughout a multitude of statutes, some of
which are of very ancient date. Almost every assay office is established
and regulated by statutes or charters exclusively applicable to itself. Thus
the assay offices at London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Chester, Edinburgh,
Glasgow, and Dublin, are regulated by separate statutes, differing more or
less widely in their provisions.

" ' 6. Your Committee are of opinion that the practice of assaying is
calculated to afford protection to the public against fraud, and ought to bs
maintained, and they regard it also as a convenient mode of collecting the
revenue.

"'7. Your Committee strongly recommend that the several statutes by
which the assay offices are now governed should be repealed, with a view
to removing the anomalies and confusion of the existing law, by consolida-
ting into one statute all the provisions requisite for the establishment, and
regulation of assay offices throughout the United Kingdom, whereby their
constitution maybe placed upon a sound footing, and full security afforded
to the public for the correctness of assays in all offices without exception.

" [From this it is apparent that the Committee were not satisfied
as to the correctness of the assays.]

" ' 8. Your Committee further recommend that, among other provisions of
such a statute, power be given to open new offices at any place in the
United Kingdom, where it can be shown, to the satisfaction of the Treasury,
that the manufacture of gold and silver wares requires such establishment
for the convenience of trade, and where the income derived therefrom
wou'd be sufficient to defray the expenses ; and to close any office where
the amount of work is insufficient to support it, or where the work is
inefficiently performed.

" ' 9. Your Committee do not apprehend any serious difficulty in framing
a comprehensive measure, by which all assay offices shall be placed upon
a uniform and well-regulated system, applicable alike to England, Scotland,
and Ireland.'

'May 1, 1856.

The Remedy.

" I have laid before you, to the best of my abilities, the system of
Hall-marking at present in operation, and have pointed out its many
shortcomings. I will now venture to suggest a new scheme, which
is to supplant the action of the obsolete and badly-regulated Gold-
smiths' Company.

" In framing the new scheme 1 shall have to bear in mind not only
the protection of the pubbc, but also the revenue to the Govern-
ment.

" Before even attempting to grapple with the evil, we must begin
by—

" 1. Complete abolition of the'action and interference of the Gold-
smiths' Company. The grievances against this Company, shortly
summed up, are : — Nonfulfilment of duty ; inability to devise a
simple, practicable and rational method of control over the ever-
increasing manufacture of jewellery ; and a drowsiness of action as
regards all innovations required by the altered state of things. I
will add, that in the face of the present progress, the Goldsmiths'
Company stands like an old dilapidated house in the midst of
modern, handsome buildings.

" 2. The adoption of only three standards, 12 carats (articles to
melt down to 11 carats), 18 carats (articles to melt down to 17
carats), 22 carats (articles to melt down to 21 carats).

" I would here remark that 12-carat ought to be the lowest that
should bear the name of gold. A legal definition of the word might
here be inserted, namely, any article which is not all through alike,
and does not melt down to 11 carats, is not to be termed gold.

" 3. Government inspectors to be appointed, with power to buy at
fixed prices any article in any stage of manufacture, at any time,
from the jeweller's workshop, for the purpose of having them
assayed. (The Factory Act now in force gives this power in other
instances.)

" The manufacturer would have to send a batch of goods to be
inspected and examined, the inspector reserving unto himself the
right of breaking up the whole, should one piece be found defective
as to quality.

" "What a risk an attempt at fraud would here involve ! _ The touch-
stone might be used by the assayer, as in France ; but this is a purely
technical question.

" A new Act of Parliament should be passed, which might be called
'The Gold Adulteration Act.'

246

THE WATOHMAKEE, JEWELLER, AND

[April 5, 1870.

"All articles that are plated should be marked plated.

" No doubtful, unintelligible, cabalistic signs, imitating as closely as
is safe the real Hall-mark, would then be practicable. The simple
word ' plated * would say all, its absence would be misdemeanour.

••1. Every jeweller to give a written guarantee or invoice ; and
all jewels to bear the jeweller's or manufacturer's mark for
identification.

•• 5. Every jeweller or dealer in jewellery to have a licence, forfeit-
able in ease of misdemeanour.

■• (I. An ad valorem duty tobeimposed on all jewellery manufactured,
and charged on the gross proceeds of every jeweller's yearly sales,
value of gem jewellery included.

"We will now enter upon a rough calculation as to how much a
duty of 10 per cent, would produce every year to the Treasury. It
is a rough and approximate calculation merely, and nearer guess-
work than anything else ; but the difficulty is in this instance no
greater than' in the first estimate of the probable yield of the
income-tax.

"1 estimate the number of first-class jewellers in the United
Kingdom at 2400 (there would be as many more small ones), each
selling yearly, on an average, to the value of 5000Z. (gross value.)

"This would give 12,000,000/. for money expended every year by
the British public on jewellery. Ten per cent, on this amount would
yield 1,200,000/., which, of course, the public would be charged
with by the jeweller.

'•Watches and gem jewellery are here included. There exists no
good reason why watches should not pay duty.

" The jewellery from Germany and France should pay a propor-
tionate duty.

"All wrought silver should pay an ad valorem duty, which, on
3,000,000 ounces yearly, would be at, say, Is. per ounce, 150,000Z.

" Goldbeaters' leaf , which is mostly imported, should also pay duty
in the form of a stamp on every book.

" In short, I think that, with the existing machinery for collecting
the revenue, such as income-tax collectors and others, with perhaps
an additional slight expenditure, the trade in jewellery and gold
might be taxed, to the detriment of really nobody, so as to yield a
million and a half sterling every year to the Treasury."

After the paper had been read, the following discussion ensued : —

"The Chairman (Major- General F. C. Cotton, RE., C.S.I.) said
the demoralization arising from the present state of things was very
great, and it was very evident that the present state of the law left
the public open to any amount of deception.

" Mr. Edward J. Watherston, while thanking Mr. Lutschaunig for
his able paper, and acknowledging his facts, came to very different
conclusions. He was a member of the obsolete corporation to which
reference had been made, and might make this remark with refer-
ence to it, that, considering the enormous increase of the population
■ over which they now presided, it was no wonder that the Goldsmiths'
Company did not now answer the purposes for which it was intended,
when founded in the reign of Richard II. He felt certain the time
was come when there ought to be no Hall-marks at all, when, in
fact, they should be replaced by the reputation and character of the
maker. It would never do to go back to the old-fashioned legisla-
tion now recommended, which had been completely overturned at
the abolition of the corn laws, and could never be re-introduced.
It was impossible in these days of free trade, when the commerce
of the country had so enormously increased, to go back to a state of
protection. His opinion was, that any one should make chains of
1-carat quality if he liked, though, of course, he preferred the high-
class trade, with which he hoped his name would always be con-
nected. People came to him, and to other first-class manufacturers,
and never asked for any Hall-mark ; they could not get Hall-marked
lobsters, carpets, pianofortes, coats, or other articles, and he thought
the trade of a goldsmith should be as free as that of a fishmonger
or any other. He had heard the report of the committee, and felt
sure that if the question was put before them now they would make
no such foolish suggestions as that there should be any kind of
espionage over the trade. In fact, with the present population it
would be impossible ; it would keep the whole of Scotland-yard
going to look after the goldsmiths. If you wanted to buy good
furniture you must go to a first-class shop, and if you did not you
might get chairs which would not bear sitting on. He believed he
spoke the sentiments of the trade, when he said that the Legislature
ought to make it incumbent on every man to give a guarantee for
■what he sold, and then fine him by the criminal law if he cheated.
If a man sold an article as 15-carat which was only 6, the county
court or police court would be the proper place for him.

" Mr. Streeter asked how a jeweller could give a guarantee that an
article was, say 15-carat gold, when, as often happened with lockets,
the box was of copper.. Some of the first houses used copper boxes

with gold lockets ; and much of the so-called 15-carat gold would
not assay more than 12.

" Mr. Watherston said he only stood up for free trade. Let every
man make what he pleased, if he could find buyers.

" Mr. Webber said copper boxes did occur certainly, but he very
seldom met with them. He did not think there was much value in
Hall-marks in a good class trade ; at any rate he had not found it
so in twenty years' experience. If he stated that his goods were
16, 18, or 20 carats, it was accepted without a question, and there
was an end of it. Practically he found the Hall-mark an encum-
brance, especially when an article was wanted in a great hurry,
because they took the best part of a working day to stamp and
examine the article. He had been much interested by the figures
given in the paper as to the proportion of gold in 15, 18, and 22-
carat quality, and thought the numbers were simple and easily
remembered. He chiefly differed from him as to the duty, which
he thought would never be accepted. It was perhaps not generally
known that at present the duty was only levied on wedding and
mourning rings, though others might be Hall-marked. The time
was gone by for levying a duty on one particular trade, and he could
not find words to express his feeling of the iniquity of any such
measure. The figures given, however, as to the amount of business
done by jewellers were very much under-stated.

" Mr. White asked if he had rightly understood Mr. Lutschaunig to
say that he heard of jewellery containing red lead?

' ' Mr. Lutschaunig said he had had to take to pieces at the Liver-
pool Assizes a lady's bracelet, composed of a very thin band of gold,
under which was soldered a very thin band of silver ; it thus formed
a kind of tube, of the snake pattern, the interior of which was filled
with red-lead putty. The value of the gold in the bracelet was
about 16s., whereas, if it had been what it professed to be, it would
have been worth 91. or 10/.

"Mr. White thought the man who made it deserved something for
his ingenuity. He held that the public were very much to blame
for their own want of enlightenment in this matter, and suggested
that the simplest way of testing the quality of jewellery would be
by taking the specific gravity. York, which was his native town,
was no longer a place of assay, and it was not right that such small
places should be ; when he lived there, there were two jewellers, and
one assayer, and he was so intelligent that he did not know prussiate
of potash under the name of ferrocyanide of potassium. If he was
a fair specimen of provincial assayers it was no wonder that jewellery
of a doubtful character was produced. He must say he should not
like such a system of espionage as was carried on in some places
under the auspices of district analysts, whose powers in many cases
led to great abuses.

" Mr. H. T. Wood wished to ask Mr. Lutschaunig what system of
marking he proposed for adoption when the Goldsmiths' Company
was abolished. The great fault in the present system was that it
was exercised by a series of absolutely irresponsible bodies, for he
believed only the Assay-office in Birmingham was in any way
responsible for its actions, its assays being tested every year at the
Boyal Mint. He was not aware whether the same thing prevailed
at Sheffield. It appeared to him that what the trade had to com-
plain of was the present defective system of Hall-marking rather
than the thing itself. There was a natural feeling in every tradesman
that he was insulted if his wares were tested, and a mark put \rpon
them ; but that was quite a mistaken feeling. Those who under-
stood the matter could take up a chain and ascertain its quality,
but the public had no means of knowing, and it was not every one
who had the opportunity and means of dealing only with first-class
tradesmen. There was a great difference between jewellery and
such things as coats and carpets, because of the intrinsic value. A
person who bought a gold watch or chain looked upon it as a sort
of investment, and expected to get nearly as much as he gave for it
if he wanted to sell it, and therefore he required some kind of
guarantee of its value. This the Hall-mark, as at present existing,
did not seem to provide for ; but a simple and proper system would.
He should be glad, therefore, to hear any plan proposed which the
public could easily understand, and which shordd take the place of
the bewildering hieroglyphics now made use of.

" The Chairman proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Lutschaunig,
who had brought forward a most important subject, whether they
agreed with him or not as to the remedy he proposed. He did not
think it possible now-a-days to introduce a tax upon the goods sold
in any man's shop, but it seemed quite reasonable to forbid any
Hall-mark on gold below a certain standard. It also seemed pretty
clear that the Goldsmiths' Company were no longer equal to the
task imposed upon them, and that some further legislation on the
subject was needed.

" Mr. Watherston felt sure the general feeling of the trade would

April 5, 187C]

SILVEKSMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

247

be that no gold below 18-carat should be marked. Twelve-carat
gold was altogether an anomaly.

" The Chairman thought it would be well to abolish the carat system
altogether, and speak of it as a per-centage.

" Mr. I. Chapman said he believed the lower qualities were allowed
to be introduced in order to assist the country watchmakers at a
time of great depression, when they were suffering considerably from
foreign competition.

" The vote of thanks having been passed,

" Mr. Lutschaunig said gold and silver had never been classed with
those articles which were within the province of free trade. Ever
since the year 1200 they had been considered as equivalent to the
coin of the realm, weight for weight, and free trade in such articles
was impossible. There were many honest jewellers, but also many
dishonest ones, and articles were palmed off for gold which were only
partially made of that metal. This sort of lie was doubly dangerous,
because it contained a particle of truth in it. The public were safe
as long as they had to do with honest men, but they were exceed-
ingly credulous, and required to be protected. It would not do to
allow the market to be inundated with doubtful articles, for it was a
dangerous principle to allow of any sophistication in articles so
nearly allied to the coinage. The trade was free at present, and how
did it work ? Ever since the year 1200 the Government had been
trying to prevent this adulteration of precious metals.

" Mr. Watherston said the era of protection was finished with the
abolition of the corn laws, and he believed before long the duty on
silver plate would be taken off, for the amount paid now was very
little more than it was half a century ago, and the export trade was
almost nil.

"Mr. Lutschaunig said his proposal was that every manufacturer
should be compelled to produce all articles lie manufactured, small
or large, and deliver them to the inspector in bulk ; the latter
should then take one at random and assay it, and if it were defective
in quality he should be authorized to break up the whole. The
Hall-mark should be abolished, but the revenue to the Govern-
ment must be replaced, and he could not see any objection to a tax on
what was a pure luxury. The public would pay the duty, not the
jeweller, though of course it would be levied on him in the first
instance. If fifty millions worth of jewellery were sold annually,
so much the better, it would produce a large revenue. Only silver
was stamped at York, but he believed the charter was not withdrawn,
as the name was mentioned in the House of Commons report. He
did not propose any marks, but thought a law should be passed that
all jewellery should be of a certain staudard, that the definition of
the word gold should be established, and that competent inspectors
should be appointed with the power of visiting manufactories, which
would be no more inquisitorial than cases under the Factory Acts.

" Mr. Streeter suggested in conclusion that the difficulty might be
met by every jeweller being required to state the quality of the
goods on the invoice."

[In quoting the above paper and discussion from the Journal of
the Society of Arts, we do not necessarily identify ourselves with all
the remarks therein contained, nor in any manner allude to the
working of the Goldsmith's Company, but merely give the sub-
stance of the paper as it was read, and the discussion which ensued.
Ed. W. J. §■ S.j

Assaying and Telegraphy.— The Patent Plumbago Crucible
Company, of Battersea Works, London, have recently received a
considerable order for furnaces, muffles, assay crucibles, etc., from
the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States. We under-
stand the company will make a good display of their manufactures
at the " Centennial " at Philadelphia, to which city they not long
since supplied a quantity of their porous cells to Professor Barker.

Ede's Gold, Silversmiths', and Jewellers' Calculator, which
shows at sight the exact value of gold, silver, and diamonds, at any
given price, has already reached its tenth edition, and the usefulness
of its contents is fully evinced by the demand which exists for the
work. Dealers in gold and silver, who are constantly in the habit
of dealing in minute divisions and subdivisions of a particular
weight, are peculiarly in want of an assistant similar to that which
this work presents. Without it, their only plan is to adopt a lengthy
and intricate calculation (on the spur of the moment), which is
tedious and uncertain, and often devolves on persons not com-
petent to it, resulting in loss of both time and property. With
such an aid the calculator is always safe ; he can refer to what he
wants without delay, and with perfect confidence in the result. The
present edition has been prepared, with great care and accuracy,
by Messrs. Turner & Co., St. John's-square, E.C., is sold at the
low price of six shillings, and should be in the hands of every
goldsmith, silversmith, jeweller, and diamond merchant.

CORRESPONDENCE.

" THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE. "
To the Editor of the "Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith."

Woodside Lodge, Church Road,

Upper Norwood, March 18, 187G.
Dear Sir, — In the very interesting account of the "Queen's
Necklace," which you have concluded in the number of your in-
structive journal for the present month, the singular escape of
Madame Lamotte is not mentioned.

I enclose you an extract from Madame de Barrera, on " Gems and
Jewels," published 1860, now a very scarce book, which you may
think of sufficient value to print. Yours respectfully,

H. L. Nelthropp.

"The wretched woman who had raised this tempest was sentenced to bo
flogged, branded on both shoulders, and imprisoned for life. When the
former part of the sentence was executed she poured forth a torrent of foul
abuse of the Queen ; and, though she was immediately gagged, enough was
heard and reported to form the ground of the vilest calumnies. Her
husband, who had escaped to England, was condemned by default. He
retaliated by the threat of the publication of a pamphlet, in which the?
Queen and the Minister, Baron de Breteuil, were strangely compromised,
if his wife were not set free. Such a threat, from such a quarter, would
seem deserving only of contempt. Strange to say, however, Madame La-
motte was not only permitted to escape to England ten months after, but
the Duchess of Polignac was sent across the channel to purchase the silence
of the infamous pair with a large sum of money. It is very probable that
the conduct of the Baron de Breteuil, the implacable enemy of the Prince-
cardinal, was not of a nature to be revealed to the world, but that the
Queen, who could have nothing to fear from such a source, should have
allowed herself to take a step so liable to misconstruction, proved very un-
fortunate. The bribe, too, was thrown away, for though one copy of the
diatribe was burnt, a second was published some time after. A singular
circumstance connected with this slanderous ' Memoir of Madame La-
motte ' is, that the copies, now extant in the Imperial Library of Paris,
were found in the Palace of Versailles when it was taken possession of by
the Eepublican Government."

SUIT CONCERNING AN ALLOY FOR GOLD.

Birmingham County Court.

Before Mr. H. Cole, Q.C.", Judge. — John Moore Kemp, gold-
plater, sued Henry John Cox, electro -plater, for a return of 50Z.
p£*id under a memorandum of agreement for the sale of a certain
discovery in the manufacture of gold, the consideration of which
agreement, it was alleged, had failed.

In August, 1874, defendant went to the plaintiff and represented
that he had discovered an alloy for the manufacture of gold, and
offered to sell the secret for 300/. He submitted a stone ring as a
sample of the invention, and this resisted the action of nitric acid.
The plaintiff ultimately agreed to pay 150Z. for the secret. An
agreement was drawn up. in which the defendant and a gold-plater,
named John Poppenberg, who was acting as agent for the defendant
in the manufacture of the alloy, undertook to give the plaintiff all
the information required. The plaintiff thereupon authorized his
manager to sign the agreement on his behalf and pay a deposit of
50/. on account. A short time afterwards the plaintiff went to
Poppenberg's place of business, and the latter took certain metals — ■
consisting of gold, silver, copper, and platinum — and put them into
a crucible and melted them. The ingredients were melted four times,
and the plaintiff took one of the pieces that had been melted, and
sent it to be rolled ; and in the rolling it cracked, and proved
utterly useless.

Defendant stated that the secret was first brought under his
notice by John Poppenberg, who received the whole of the 50Z.
He was not aware that the piece of metal manufactured from the
alloy would not admit of being rolled.

John Poppenberg said he was present at the time of the secret
being shown to Mr.' Kemp. He had previously been getting 10/. a
week out of the secret. He had been expending a lot of money,
and was in embarrassed circumstances. Mr. Cox, the defendant,
had been doing him a good turn at the time, and he then said to
him, " We will go shares in this matter." Witness filed his petition
some time after selling the secret. His creditors received a dividend
of Is. in the pound.

His Honour said the question for the jury to decide was whether
the secret which had been shown to the plaintiff was capable of
producing the articles of the kind and qualities mentioned in the
agreement.

The jury, after a short consultation, decided that the defendant
had failed to perform his agreement.

His Honour then gave a verdict for the amount claimed.

218

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[April 5, 187G.

EXTENSIVE AND DARING ROBBERY OP JEWEL-
LERY TO THE AMOUNT OP ,£"20,000.

ON E of the most daring and systematic robberies which has been
committed for several years past was perpetrated between two
o'clock on Saturday afternoon, the 25th ult., and one p.m. the follow-
ing Jay. during which time (but most probably,on the afternoon of the
first named day) the establishment of Messrs. J. R. Williams & Son,
diamond merchants and manufacturing jewellers, of 108 Hatton-
garden, was entered, and jewellery and diamonds to the above-
named amount stolen.

Up to the present time no clue has been found to trace the per-
petrators of this bold and extensive robbery. One or two theories
have presented themselves and are being closely followed up by the
police, but as it would be indiscreet and prejudicial to the strenuous
endeavours which are being exerted to give publicity to any details,
we refrain from so doing. As the window shutters of the estab-
lishment are left open every night, and a gaslight enables the police
and passers-by to see the interior of the office where the iron safes
containing the valuables are kept, it is reasonable to suppose that
the robbery was committed before dusk on Saturday, when any one
seen in the office from the outside, might have been taken for one of
the persons connected with the establishment, and thus have dis-
armed suspicion. Mr. Williams is a man of great caution and fore-
sight, and the care which he has for years exercised to guard against
robbery, renders it the more surprising as well as doubly painful to
all his friends, that such wholesale theft should (up to the present
time) have been so successfully committed. Before leaving his
warehouse, he personally inspected the fastenings and safes every
evening, and although it has been his regular custom to visit the
establishment every Sunday to see if everything was secure, he
always made such visit without taking the keys of the safes with
him, so careful was he to guard against any attack which might have
been planned or attempted on such occasions.

When he visited the premises on Sunday, the 26th ult., about
1 o'clock, he unlocked the street door as usual, without finding the
least indication of anything wrong. Passing through the ware-
house door, which was still secured by one of Chubb's locks, Mr.
Williams saw everything in perfect order, the safes being closed
and the floor clear of any litter or sign of intrusion. Looking to-
wards one of the front windows, however, he was startled by per-
ceiving a number of jewel-cases on the counter, hidden from an
external view of the warehouse by an opaque glass screen. Find-
ing the cases to be mostly empty, Mr. Williams tried the safes,
which were all locked. One of the cases, containing a number of
watches, had been rifled, and only two or three of the most
valuable taken, showing that the thief knew what was best worth
securing. Mr. Williams was obliged to return home for the keys
of the safes, and when he got back again to the house of business
he was able to open them as easily as if they had not been tampered
with. In fact, it then became perfectly evident that not only these
receptacles of costly property, but the front door and door of the
counting-house, had been opened with false keys made from moulds
which must have been taken from the true ones.

The following is a list and description of the property stolen, for
the recovery of which and apprehension of the thieves, a reward of
600/. has beeu offered, or in proportion to the amount recovered.

" 1 wheatear and cornflower spray for the hair, about 16 ct. diamonds ;
1 smaller do., 5 ct. diamonds ; 1 wild rose and two leaves, forming pendant,
10 ct. diamonds ; 1 do. earrings to match, 8 ct. diamonds ; 1 pair of pearl
and diamond border eartops, centre pearls 58 grains, brilliants 7 carats ; 1
pair very fine centre pearls, 65 grains, set round with very fine brilliants
and with single diamond tops, value complete 4002. ; 1 pearl pendant,
centre pearl 36 grains, and drop pearl about 30 grains, brilliants about 11
carats ; 1 large yellow diamond, 18 carats, forming snap for necklace ; 1
brilliant cable pattern links, forming chain of diamonds, 370 stones, 18£
carats ; 1 fancy brilliant cross, 5 ct. diamonds ; earrings to match, 3£ ct.
diamonds ; 1 pair cluster flower earrings, value 80/. ; 3 diamond ornaments,
mounted on velvet as necklet and forming brooch, and 1 pair of earrings,
100/. ; 200 carats of loose melee brilliants, with these an old English drop
brilliant about 6 grains ; 1 brilliant key brooch, about 3 carat brilliants ; 4

fold lockets, two with diamond stars, one with diamond band and button
oles, one enamelled holbein band ornament (with large off-coloured brilliant
centre), each locket about 60/. ; 1 pair brilliant eartops, slightly off colour,
6| cts. ; 1 do., 2 carats each stone, very fine ; 1 do., 1^ carat the pair ; 1
brilliant pendant, the centre forming a cross with diamond loop, 150/.; 1
pearl and diamond star centre locket, with pearl and enamel border, and
large pearl tie loop, set in gold ; 1 pair enamel earrings to match, 50/. ; 1
pair diamond three-drop earrings, silver set, 70/. ; 1 do., silver set, with five
drops, 60/. ; 1 do. pink pearl earrings, with small diamonds, four drops,
24/. ; 1 natural rose leaves and stem, all formed in brilliants, 300/. ; 1 pair
of brilliant comet star earrings, star tops, 67/. ; 1 smaller do., 50/. ; 1 large
brilliant and rose diamond cross, entwined border, 100/. ; 1 pair falling star

earrings, with wire between, 60/. ; 1 pair earrings, centre rubies, 10 grains
each, set round with turban of rose diamonds, 60/. ; 1 pair very long
diamond lace pattern earrings, 6^ carats of diamonds, 100/. ; 1 diamond
pendant, silver set, also forming centre of bracelet, gold taper band, dia-
monds on shoulders, 105/. ; 1 gold strap bracelet, with brilliant buckle and
strap piece, enamelled, 60/. ; 1 pair large top and drop rose diamond
earrings, in cut down silver settings, 50/.; 20 brilliant silver-set 5-stone half-
hoops, between 30/. and 60/. each, rose diamonds between ; 15 gold skeleton
set diamonds, half-hoops, value 12/. to 25/. ; 1 ruby and pearl bracelet, band
1£ inch wide 20/. ; 1 wide bracelet, row of pearls in centre, two rows of rose
diamonds, and two bars of purple enamel If in. wide, 60/. ; 1 gold band
bracelet, 1£ in. wide, with coral and pearl button hole centre, value 20/. ; 1
pearl and ruby centre bracelet, 1^ in. wide, 17/. ; 1 locket centre bracelet,
pearl star, taper band, pearls on shoulders, 18/. ; 4 or 5 Roman corded
filigree bracelets, about 1 in. wide ; 1 large Roman mosaic swan-centre
gold filigree chain necklace, earrings to match, 30/. ; 1 interlaced shoulder
small cameo and rose diamond centre ; 1 very fine emerald centre and two
brilliant three-stone ring, 150/. ; 1 very fine one ruby and two brilliant
three-stone ring, centre ruby 2 carats, 60/. ; 10 very fine opal half-hoop
rings, value 15/. to 52/. ; 1 ruby half -hoop, rose between, 60/. ; 2 brilliant
band rings, claw settings, each brilliant 6 grs., fine quality, each 33/. ; 1
brilliant cluster ring, seven brilliants on head, two on shoulders, silver cut
down settings, 42/. ; 1 brilliant single-stone trumpeted belcher ring, 3 carats,
70/. ; 1 split shank 10 grain brilliant, 42/. ; 1 fine round opal, set round
with ten brilliants, 23/. ; 1 dark oriental ruby, 6 grs., set round with eight
small fine brilliants, 55/. ; 1 crystal monogram 'A.E.I.' locket 3/. ; 1 green
enamel coral set locket, rose diamond in centre, 5/.; 31 plain gold oval
lockets, thirteen from 21. to 5/., eighteen 1/. to 3/. ; 5 round engraved open
back lockets, 13*. to 26s. ; 2 engraved ball lockets, 17s. and 19s. ; 7 flat
sardonyx lockets, 12s. each ; 2 crystal Prince of Wale's feather gold-mounted
lockets, 30s. each ; 1 silver locket with pencil, 30s.

" Bracelets — 1 half hoop centre, with seven corals and rose diamonds
between, 27/., 1 in. wide band ; 1 with diamond band centre, with two button
holes. 60/., 1 in. wide ; 1 with three bars of turquoise, 16/. ; 1 set, of narrow
bangles, one onyx, one coral, one pearl, value of set 17/. ; 1 narrow holbein
enamelled, set with five brilliants, 16/. ; 4 or 5 sets of Roman gold and
mosaic pendants and earrings, value each about 15/. ; 1 cameo, set in Roman
filigree ; 1 Roman filigree vase pendant and earrings, enamelled centres
about 20/.

" Seals, keys, and charms — 11 red cornelian revolving seals, 1/. 4s. to
1/. lis. ; 1 blood stone and cornelian seal key, 21. 8s. 1 sardonyx bird
seal, 1/. 17s. Qd. ; 1 amethyst seal, 1/. 5s. ; 1 coloured knot watch key ; 17
compasses, 8s. to 1/. 3s. ; 2 coral shell mortar charms, 1/. 15s. each ; 1 18-
carat rabbit charm, 21. 15s. ; 1 coloured lanthorne seal key, 4/. ; 6 18-carat
blood stone seals, 21. 15s. to 4/. 8s. each ; 1 crystal compass, corded border,
21. 10s. ; 3 18-carat hall marked, 21. 12s. to 31. 3s., the letter ' B ' and some
other letter will form the initial hall mark ; 5 18-carat seals, 1/. 15s. to
3/. 3s. ; 1 18-carat Aneroid barometer charm, 41. 15s.; 4 coloured gold
seals, 11. 5s. to 21. 2s. ; 5 small gold seals, 10s. Qd. each ; 15 coloured gold
bolt rings, 6s. 6c?. to 10s. Qd. ; 10 coloured gold bolt swivels, 9s. ; 2 crystal
compasses, coloured gold mount, 21. 2s. ; 5 18-carat gold swivels, lis. Qd.

" Pins — 9 square onyx cameo, plain Roman settings ; 12 oval do., do. ;
12 oval shell cameo, in fancy gold settings ; 1 cameo, set round with six
small brilliants ; 1 eight-head enamelhd, ' Bell ; ' 1 thread head square
onyx cameo, Roman set ; 3 en*mel dogs' head, terrier bulldog, and mastiff .
6 enamel head, Garibaldi, Sbakspere, &c. ; 1 crystal, cat in basket, 51. ; ,'
do., racehorse and jockey, 51. ; 2 do., bulldog and terrier, each about 4/. ; 1
carbuncle shell, pearl centre; 2 oval plain carbuncle, undercut; 24 horse
shoe, various, gold and platinum, some modelled rough ; 1 fancy pearl
enamelled cap, pearl forming head, ruby eyes and diamond tongue; 1-
diamond star disc, 1 ruby do. ; 36 cheap coloured gold, assorted values,
ranging from 10s. to 1/. 10s. ; 1 single pearl.

" Albert chains — 1 18-carat curb, open curbs, fetter and knot, fetter and
three rings, twisted fetter, twisted end fetter and knot, fetter and three
rings, fetter and ring; 1 bright fancy open curb ; 1 bright fancy fetter and
ring ; 1 9-carat heavy close curb, about 3 oz. ; 1 9-carat fetter ring and
knot, about 2 oz. ; 1 9-carat flat fetter and ring.

"Necklet chains— 5 flexible, various widths, from 31. to 10/. ; 2 Brazilian
large size, 51. to 6/.; 4 smaller do., 1/. 10s. to 21. 10s. ; 12 fancy pattern
1/. 10s. to 31.

"French chains, 18-carat — 1 ruby -mounted ornament lady's albert,
about 15/. ; 6 do., 8/. to 13/. ; 2 ruby-mounted guard chains, 10/.

" Brooch chains — 8 guards, various patterns, fancy fetter, &c, 51. to 12/. ;
6 brooch, various patterns, 3/. to 8/.

" Lockets — 2 square, mounted with padlocks in platinum ; 1 gold match-
box ; 1 George and Dragon, plain gold ; 6 enamel, monogram ' A.E.I. ; ' 1
gold, with pearl star, 13/. ; 1 gold, lozenge-shape ; 13 gold engraved, from
1/. 10s. to 3/. ; 28 do., from 10s. to 21. ; 3 square portemonnaie, each 1/. 10s. ;
1 stirrup, 21. 4s. ; 1 small onyx, 21. 6s. ; 1 ruby and pearl wreath, 1/. 10s. ; 1
lion's head locket seal, 21. 10s. ; 1 cameo signet ring, engraved shoulders,
4/. 10s. ; 1 sard intaglio signet do., Byron, 3/.

" Gold watches — One No. 37754, 14 size, jewelled 6 holes, compensation
balance, value 10/. 10s. ; one 37761, 16 size, 6 holes, gold balance, 10/. 10s.;
one 37768, 16 size, 6 holes, 11/. ; one 37287, 16 size, 8 holes, both compen-
sation balance, 11/. 5s. ; one 37615, 12 size, 2 holes, crystal glass, 4/. 10s.;
one 37494, 14 size, 6 holes, O.F., 10/. ; one 37893, 16 size, 6 holes, compen-
sation, O.F., 11/.; one 4107, 16 size, 6 holes, f -plate, plain case, 13/. ; one
3922, 10 size, 10 holes, f-plate, hunter dome, 16/. 16s. ; one 37971, 10 size

Apeil 5, 1876/1

SILVEKSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

249

2 holes, gold dial, O.F., 81. ; one 37958, 14 size, 6 holes, compensation
balance, O.F., 10/. 10s. ; one 4064, 4 size, 4 holes, f-plate, gold dial,
engraved, OF., 101. 10s. ; one 4233, 12 size, 6 boles, gold balance, crystal
glass, 12Z. ; one 38035, 16 size, 6 holes, gold balance, O.F., 101. 10s. ; one
4416, 14 size, ^-plate, 8 boles, compensation balance, O.F.. 131. 13s. ; one
4229, 10 size, 6 holes, f-plate, gold balance, hunter, 13Z. 13s. ; one 38361,
14 size, 6 holes, compensation balance, O.F., 101. 15s. ; one 38362, 14 size,
6 holes, compensation balance, O.F., 101. 15s. ; one 38036, 16 size, 6 holes,
gold balance, O.F., 101. 10s. ; one 38261, 16 size, 6 holes, compensation
balance, O.F., 111. ; one 18792, 16 size, 8 holes, compensation balance, O.F.,
11Z. 15s. ; one 4237, 12 size, 6 boles, f-plate, gold balance, O.F., 111. ; one
4412, 16 size, 8 holes, f-plate, compensation balance, O.F., 13/. 13s.; one
4240, 14 size, 6 holes, gold balance, xtal., 131.; one 4433, 12 size, 6 holes,
gold balance, hunter, 14Z. 10s. ; one 4200, gold hunter, 18/. ; one 4500,
gold hunter, 17/- One silver, No. 37755, 14 size, 2 holes, steel balance,
4/. 10s.

The keys must have been made with great skill from moulds
secured at some moment when Mr. Williams may have laid his keys
down while in his office, and here we cannot refrain from uttering a
word of caution to those having valuables under lock and key,

" NEVER PLACE YOUR KEYS DOWN FOR A SINGLE MOMENT" which

may present sufficient opportunity for an impression, but always,
whether safes are locked or open, keep the keys concealed. We
fervently hope that the active and pursuing measures which are
being followed up by the police will bring the perpetrators of this
bold robbery to justice, and lead to the restoration of the property.
Dealers and the trade in general should lend every aid in their
power by keeping a sharp look-out in case of any of the property
beiDar offered to them.

WATCHMAKING.

The Going-Barrel Principle.

A CORRESPONDENT of the English Mechanic writes as follows
in that journal of the 24th ult. : —

" I quite agree with your correspondent, ' Naturalized,' that the
principle adopted by the Waltham Company — the going barrel — is
the best one for the production of a good, sound, cheap watch, and
I am satisfied that it could be applied with success in this country.
At the same time I may observe that it would be by no means such
an easy matter as some persons, unacquainted with the watch trade
of England, might think it to be.

"It is quite true, as your correspondent observes, that prejudice
runs high in tbe trade against the adoption of the principle in this
country, and so highly conservative are the workmen — of course I
do not refer to their politics Cso also are the factors, or merchants,
and the retailers) — that I am satisfied that if a manufacturer deter-
mined to adopt the principle he would have to produce most of the
materials himself, and, following the example of our volatile Prime
Minister, ' educate a party ' of workmen up to the question.

" Now this, it is perfectly clear, would require that a man should
be possessed of not only an extensive knowledge of the trade, but a
considerable capital, and, as your correspondent intimates, plenty of
English pluck. I am afraid few manufacturers could be found
possessing all these requisites ; but, given these conditions, I firmly
believe that a thorough good time-keeper, in a strong hall-marked
case, could be produced at a price that would place it within the
reach of thousands of the people who are now unable to procure a
sound, reliable watch.

" It will, perhaps, be a source of satisfaction to ' Naturalized '
to learn that I am informed, on good authority, that a manufacturer
of some eminence in England has already erected a large factory, in
the Midlands, where he is engaged in the production of a watch of a
somewhat similar character to the Waltham — of a quality and at a
price that, unless I am very much deceived, will cause a revolution
in the watch trade of England.

" W. H. B."

THE WATCH AND CLOCK MAKERS' HANDBOOK-

MR. "E\ J. BRITTEN, the well-known editor of the Horological
Journal, and also the teacher of the Art classes of the
itute, has compiled the above valuable shilling's worth for the
benefit of the trade. It contains "simple rules for calculating
Conversions, Lever Trains, Motion work, Fusees, lengths of Pen-
dulums, Clock Trains, &c, &c." Tables of the different rules
are given, together with examples sufficiently plain and brief; and,
also, ample directions for making zinc and [steel compensating
pendulums. It is a very useful consulter to have handy on the
bench — no waste of words in it.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES,

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Adjudications of Bankruptcy.

The first date is the date of the Adjudication, the second is the date of
the first General Meeting of the Creditors.
Benjamin Frederick P. and Hugo Warner, trading as Phillips &

Warner, Northampton-street, Birmingham, jewellers' factors and

stone-dealers.
Senior Allen, Grove-street, Huddersfield, dealer in watches and jewellery.

Mar. 16. At C.C. Huddersfleld. April G at 11. Jones, jun., Eeg. "

-Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

The first date is the date of the Petition, the second is the date of the Meeting
of the Creditors.

Abrahams Victor, 107 Cleethorpe-road, Great Grimsby, jeweller. Feb. 26.

F. Summers, solicitor, Hull.
Appletree Isadore, Wills-street, Aston, near Birmingham, jeweller.

Mar. 2. Edwin Parry's, solicitor, 30 Bennett's-hill, Birmingham.
Clark Eichard Philip Charles, Colston-street, Bristol, jeweller. Mar. 2.

Benson & Thomas, solicitors, Broad-street, Bristol.
Cohen Israel, Soho-hill, Birmingham, jewellers' factor. Mar. 7. Charles

B. Hodgson, solicitor, Waterloo-street, Birmingham.
Fairley John, Craven-street, Chapel-fields, Coventry, watch manufacturer.

Mar. 4. O. Minster, solicitor, Coventry.
Fisher George, Westgate-road, Newcastle, jeweller. Mar. 13.
Goldberg Alexander, Aberdeen-street, Chorlton, Manchester, jeweller.
Leon Herntz, Claverton-street, Bath, jeweller. Mar. 18. At27Colmore-

row, Birmingham. April 5 at 2.
Eubinstein Bernard, Vittoria-street, Birmingham, jeweller. Feb. 29.

A. H. Foster's, solicitor, 13 Bennett's-hill, Birmingham.
Samuel Louis, Stocks-street, Cheetham, Manchester, jeweller. Mar. 13.

Dividends.

The Dividends are payable at the offices of the respective Assignees or
Trustees named at the end oj each notice. Bkt., Insl., Liq., or Asg.. following
the name, indicates whether the dividend is under a Bankruptcy, Insolvency,
Liquidation, or Assignment.
Lashmore John (Liq.), Southampton, watchmaker. 1st and final div.

4s. 4d. ; J. J. Burnett, 2 High-street, Southampton.
Morris Aaron (Bkt.), Sunderland, jeweller. 1st and final div. 2s. 3d. ;

H. Eawlings, John-street, Sunderland.

Dissolutions of Partnership.

Alfred Faulkner and William Iles Fairell, Eyde, Isle of Wight,

jewellers.
Angell & Browne, 10 Strand, goldsmiths and jewellers. Jan. 3.
Brown & Dodds, Eiddle's-court, Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, silver platers,

&c. Feb. 29. Debts by Eobert Brown.
Buller, Hutchinson, & Co., Bartlett's-buildings, jewellers and merchants.

Jan. 1. As regards Thomas H. Tapley.
Collingwood & Son, 46 Conduit-street, Hanover-square, jewellers.
Tebbitt & Son, Foster-lane, wholesale jewellers.
Wolf & Passmore, Bradford, jewellers and silversmiths. Jan. 1 . Debts

by Harry Passmore.

Bunkes William.
Mar. 13.

Bankruptcy :Annulled.
Jan. 27. Langley Moor, Durham, watchmaker.

Sleeting'.
Genese Samuel (Bkt.), Daulby-street, Liverpool, jeweller.
pool, April 7 at 11, exam.

At C.C. L.ror-

Last Days for Lodging' Claims.
Stuart John (Bkt.), Liverpool and Coventry, watch manufacturer. (The
notice of declaration of div., which has been paid, was not gazetted.),
Claims by April 5 to Thomas Gibson, 47 North John-street, Liverpool,
or will in default be excluded from the benefit of the div.

Meetings of Creditors under Sequestrations.
S brvice John, Newton-Stewart, Wigtown, watchmaker, &c. W. D. Quick's
75 Bath-street, Glasgow, April 6 at 1. Consider acceleration of div.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Apeil

ASSAYING.

GOLD IN ANCIENT TIMES.

[Assay; French, Essayer; Italian, Assaggiare ; Spanish, Ensayer.
To prove ; to take or make proof ; to make trial.]

SUCH arc the forms and meanings of the word assay in one of
our great dictionaries ; we will, however, proceed to a more
extensive application of the term, both in scientific and practical
senses, confining ourselves exclusively, or nearly so, to silver and
gold. In by-gone times the term was used indifferently as assay,
essay, and say ; the proof or trial of the goodness, purity, and
value of metals and metalline substances. In ancient statutes such
proving was called The Touch, and those who were officially
connected with it were called The Keepers of the Touch ; whilst in
the seventeenth century the " Warders of the Touch ' ' are mentioned
as the declared persons who had charge of the marking punches
at Goldsmith's Hall. We will refer more especially to this part of
the subject hereafter.

Assaying in some form or another must have existed far beyond
the period known as that " whereunto the memory of man runneth
not," for we find it mentioned in a great volume that is pretty well
known to all our readers. Mr. Lutschaunig in his " Book of
Hall Marks," in the opening chapter of the subject upon gold and
silver, says: "At the mention of these metals, associated as they
are with the grand and magnificent, with all that is costly and rich,
with all that tells of rank, and fortune, and greatness, we feel but
little inclined to believe in the meaner uses to which they are made
to adapt themselves, and wherein their beautiful pl^sieal properties,
which have gained for them such high renown, are comparatively
lost." After enumerating the very extensive use of gold in the
decorative arts, the writer concludes his introduction thus : " Beloved
and coveted by all grades of society, from the king and the lord to
the pauper, gold is the great lever of our actions — the ' open-
sesame,' the key to every door; it is the adorner of every virtue,
and the beautifier of our every feature ; it is the symbol of wealth
and power, the boast of kings, the pride of nations ; all men bow to
it ; all things that are of man can be purchased with it ; and — be it
said with sorrow — it is too often the great goal of our earthly ambi-
tion— its possession the aim of our endeavours." With Avhich
expressions most people cordially agree.

"And 'tis gold
Which makes the true man kill'd and saves the thief ;
Nay sometimes hangs both thief and true man : what
Can it not do and undo ? " Cymbeline.

" Look you, I love you well; I'll give you gold,
Hid me these villains from your companies ;
Hang them, or stab them, drown them in a draught,
Confound them by some course, and come to me,
I'll give you gold enough."

" Hence ! pack ; there's gold, ye come for gold, ye slaves."
" He pours it out ; Plutus, the god of gold,
Is but his steward."

Thou ever young, fresh, loved, and delicate wooer,
Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow
That lies on Dian's lap ; thou visible god
That solder'st close impossibilities,
And mak'st them kiss ; that speak'st with every tongue
To every purpose ! O thou touch of hearts !
Think, thy slave man rebels ; and by thy virtue
Set them into confounding odds, that beasts
May have the world in empire." Tision of Athens.

" How quickly nature falls into revolt
When gold becomes her object!
For this the foolish, over-careful fathers
Have broke their sleep with thoughts, their brains with care,
Their bones with industry ;
For this they have engrossed and piled up
The cankered heaps of strange achieved gold." Hen. IV., p. 1.

"The gorgeous east with richest hand
Showered on her kings barbaric pearls and gold."

At what period when mankind began to'dove gold — too often inordi-
nately— there is no history to tell ; even the scant records of the
most ancient nations of the world bear testimony to that love.
Allowing that to be so, it is only reasonable to assume that there
must have been some method of assaying it that has not come down
to our own time.

To go. however, as far over the waters of history as we can, we will
refer to some passages in the well-known book previously alluded
to. We find in the second chapter of Genesis that " a river went
out of Eden to water the garden, and from thence it parted, and
became into four heads. The name of the first is Pishon : that is it
which compasseth the whole land of Chavilah, vdiere there is '/old; and
the gold of that land is good." Now, that passage, which is said to have
been written nearly 4000 years ago (as commonly accepted), and from
the expression that the gold of that land was good, it clearly points
to some existent method of establishing tlmt fact. Good gold
implies bad gold, consequently there must hav? been some mode of
ascertaining that fact.

In Exodus, chap, xxv., we have directions for the making of the
tabernacle, and the ark is directed to be overlaid with pure gold,
within and without, as well as a crown of gold " round about."
There are also to be a number of gold rings, and the mercy- seat is
to be of pure gold, having on the ends two cherubims of beaten
gold. Again, the table was to be overlaid with pure gold, whilst
the dishes, spoons, covers, and bowls were all to be made of pure
gold. Many other articles were also to be made of the precious
metal and " beaten work of pure gold." Now we desire to
specially call attention to that extra instruction, that the gold shall
be pure gold. Let any one examine the text for themselves (in the
original Zaav Tahow) and, we apprehend, they will have little
difficulty in arriving at the conclusion that there was some well-
planned mode of obtaining this purity that such particular instruc-
tions were given about.

In the first book of Kings, chap, x., we read that the Queen of
Sheba gave King Solomon a hundred and twenty talents of gold, as
the tribute of her admiration for his wisdom. He made two hundred
targets and three hundred shields of beaten gold ; his great ivory
throne was overlaid with gold ; all his drinking vessels were of pure
gold, whilst the navy of Hiram was engaged in bringing gold from
Ophir. Here, again, the word "pure" plainly tells of someway
that they had in making it pure, and knowing when it was so. Not
content with all this gold King Solomon " made silver to be in
Jerusalem as stones." Ophir must have been the great gold-produc-
ing country of the Biblical world, for Job counsels that it should be
laid up as stones. In Chronicles we read of David giving instruc-
tions to Solomon about the building of the temple, in the fittings
and furniture of which gold plays a very important part ; next to it,
silver. And here comes a singular passage from Job. " Surely,"
he says, " there is a vein for the silver, and a place for the gold
where they fine it." The word "fine" in the sentence at once
directs our attention to the fact that they had an assay. We are
told of Abraham, that "he was rich in cattle, and in silver and gold."
If we may be allowed to draw deductions from kindred sources, we
might almost infer that the ancient world was not without a certain
amount of chemical knowledge in such matters. Indeed, of this
there is little doubt, for it is more than probable that the Israelites
during their sojourn in Egypt learned a great deal in such branch
from the Egyptians, who were supposed to be better versed therein,
and that they probably turned such knowledge to good account in
manufacturing the articles for the Tabernacle, and no doubt the
possession of that knowledge was an unfortunate aid in the turning-
out of the " golden calf." To return to our subject, however, we
have read that on a mummy that was unrolled about five-and-twenty
years ago, an inscription was found upon the linen written in
indelible ink. Upon being analyzed this ink was found to have been
dissolved in — what does the reader think? — Nitric acid ! Now, if the
ancient Egyptians had the knowledge appertaining to nitric acid, it
is very likely that their chemistry would include a knowledge also
of muriatic acid, the liberation of salts, and the articles necessary
for dissolving the golden calf that Moses destroyed by grinding to
powder.

If we follow up our investigation through the pages of the
Bible we shall find gold and silver mentioned in more than 300
places ; and, what is very pertinent to our purpose, the term
" refined " frequently occurs. Almost everything that was required
for carrying on the worship of the Temple of Solomon, from crowns
to candlesticks and snuffers, was made of gold. What do we find
in the first book of Chronicles, already quoted? "He gave of gold
by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of
service ; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all
instruments for every kind of service. Even the weight for the
candlesticks of gold, and for the lamps thereof." And so on
through a long list of cherubims, chains, rings, tables, flesh hooks,
spoons, wedges, earrings, shields, tongs, hinges, basins, candle-
sticks, snuffers, censers, steps, footstools, &c, &c.

The Chinese, too, from the records of their immemorial history,
were well acquainted with the character of gold, and always dealt

April 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

251

with it as a substance whose value surpassed every other metal and
commodity, with the exception of precious stones. "John China-
man" is as fond of gold as anybody else. In fact, the Australian
miners say that when " John " quits a claim every one else may as
well pack up and go with him.

There must have been an enormous quantity of gold in the ancient
world, and the question naturally arises, what has become of it all '?
Semiramis, the celebrated Queen of Assyria, ornamented her capital
of Babylon with statues of pure beaten gold. Two of them, those
of Jupiter and Ehea, were each forty feet high, and weighing a
thousand talents. We have all heard of Darius, King of Persia,
through the writings of Herodotus, surnamed the " Father of
History." So plentiful was gold with that monarch that his officers
had not time to "coin" it for the king's service. It was run in a
molten condition into earthen pots ; when it cooled, the pots were
broken, and pieces of gold were chipped off from time to time and
weighed out as wanted. Again, there was Croesus, King of Lydia,
whose name to be " as rich as Croesus," has founded a proverb ; as
applying to a man who is known to be " warm," or who has "made
his pile," as they say in America. Well, Croesus had an army of
460,000 foot, and 60,000 horse soldiers. He made a gift to the
Temple of Delphi — his church — of no less a sum than 3,000,000/.
of our money. In the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus, the Egyptian
public treasury held gold to the value of 178,000,000/. The
Roman Emperor Augustus had more than 32,000,000/., bestowed
upon him by the legacies of friends ; whilst Tiberius left nearly
23,000,000/. in gold at the time of his death. Vespasian, on his
accession to power, called for the enormous sum of 322,916,000/.,
as the estimate wherewith to carry on the service of the country.
Our dear old friend Marc Anthony, too, whom we all know so well
through his soul-stirring oration over the dead body of Csesar in
the play, managed to afterwards squander 5,500,000/. of the public
money.

Whilst we are speaking of the Romans we must not omit to
mention that they had an assay, the Obrussa, or trial of gold ;
aurum, obryrum, or exactum, signifying the purest gold. There were
also argentum, pustulatum, the finest silver ; or purum pulum ;
argentum infectum, bullion, unwrought, or uncoined silver ; factum,
plate ; that is, made, or wrought silver ; signatum, coined silver ;
mtmmus aaper, new-coined ; betus ov frit us, old, &c.

What the common people had in the way of money it is impos-
sible to ascertain ; but their masters were very well off indeed.
Apicius, the model man of ancient dinner- givers, spent nearly
500,000/. on luxurious living. When his fortune came down to
about 81,000/., he became so fearful of dying of starvation on what
he termed so small a sum, that he finished his miserable life by
poison. Pliny says, that one Lollia Paulina had a full-dress
jewel worth 322,291/. Julius Csesar presented the mother of
Brutus with a pearl that was valued at close upon 50,000/. ; whilst
the one that Cleopatra is said to have swallowed during supper
with Anthony was worth 80,729?. Our old acquaintance iEsop,
the fable-writer, who lived at the Court of King Croesus, put on the
table at a small dinner-party of friends, a dish that cost him 807/.
Caligula, too, is reported to have spent on a single supper the
almost incredulous sum of 80,700/. odd. Lucullus, another
of the princely lights of those sumptuous times, is stated to have
given for suppers in the hall of Apollo, a regular sum of 1614/.
One of their " town houses in Rome cost 352,786/., and another
119,479/. Cicero, who is so much admired for his splendid orations,
gave over 800/. for a table that was made of citron. To crown all,
what is known in classic history as the aurea domus, or Golden
House of Nero, must have cost an immense sum ; Otho laid out in
completing only a portion of it. no less than 403,645/. Even a
fish-pond was sold for 32,291/., and the fish of Lucullus fetched the
same sum. Romans were inordinately fond of fish.

These incidents are mentioned here to show, not only how plenti-
ful gold was among the Roman nobility, but also to indicate how
it was disposed of, although we are not in possession of their method
of assaying. Notwithstanding all this, their love of gold was as
great as ours is in the present day. For instance, their great
satirist, Horace, thus gives his mocking advice to the citizens. We
will give the verses in the original, and supply a translation that
shall be sufficiently near for all practical purposes : —

" Villus argenttim est auro, virtutibus armn,
Ocives, eives, quesrenda pecumum primum est ;
Virtus post nummos."

" Silver is of less value than gold ; gold than virtue. O citizens, citizens,
seek wealth first ; virtue, after money."

" Isne tibi melius suadet, qui, rem facias ; rem
Si possis rede ; si non, quo cunghc modo rem 1 "

"Does he advise you best, who says, ' Make a fortune ; a fortune, if you
can, honestly ; if not, a fortune by any means ? ' "

" Vt quidam memoratur Athenis
Sordidus ac dines, populi contemne re voces
Sic solitus : Popidis me sibilat ; at mihi plaudo
Ipse doini, sbnul ac nummos contemplor in area.
Tantalus a labris sitieiisfugientia capiat
Flumina. Quid rides ? Mutato nomine, de te
Fabula narratur."

" As a certain person is recorded to have lived at Athens, covetous and
rich, who was wont to despise the talk of the public in this manner : ' The
people hiss me abroad ; but at home I applaud myself as soon as I con-
template my money in my chest. The thirsty Tantalus catches at the
streams which elude his lips. Why do you laugh ? The name changed,
and the tale is told of you.' "

Passing from the Romans to the Greeks, we have only space for
one of their methods, and that was the famous hydrostatic assay of
King Hieron's crown by Archimedes, the celebrated philosopher, of
Syracuse. In order that this mode of testing may be understood
we shall have to go a little out of our way to explain the principles
of it ; but, first of all, we will give the story of the crown.

Archimedes was related to Ilieron II., who ascended the throne
of Syracuse when the former was quite a young man. This Hieron
was the son of one Hierocles, a wealthy citizen and a very able
man, as a prince and administrator, and he would be the first to
recognize and appreciate the talents of his gifted kinsman ; the
latter was born about 212 years before the Christian era. Hieron
had delivered to a goldsmith a certain weight of gold to be made
into a votive crown. This having been done the crown was
returned to the king iceighing the proper weight, and so far there
seemed to be nothing to complain. Somehow, or other, however,
it occurred to his majesty that his golden gift was alloyed with
silver ; but to determine the fact without injuring the crown was
the problem to be solved. As Archimedes was known to be
"fathoms deep" in mathematical studies, the king, the crown, and
the philosopher were soon in "solemn conclave," the result being
that the verification of the matter was left in the hands of the
maste» of theorems and demonstrations. His mind became
possessed with the problem, and a key to the solution was not
long in coining forth. Bathing was one of the great duties of
every-day life among the nations of that period, and Archimedes
went to bathe. The bath being full of water as he stepped into
it, he was mentally struck by the very simple fact that a quantity of
the water of the same bulk as his body must come out of the bath
before he could be covered all over with the remainder of the fluid.
Here was the secret unlocked "as by a stroke of the enchanter's
wand." By a deductive reasoning process, quick and bright as
the lightning's flash, he saw that by immersing a weight of pure
gold equal to what should have been, or would be in the crown, if
it were unalloyed, in a suitable vessel filled with water, and mark-
ing how much was displaced by the crown itself, he could find out
whether it, or the pure gold were the greatest in bidk. We have it
on the authority of Vitruvius that, "As soon as he had hit upon
this method of detection, he did not wait a moment, but jumped
joyfully out of the bath, and running naked to his own house,
called out with a loud voice that he had found what he sought.
For as he ran he called out in Greek, ' Eureka ! Eureka ! ' " (I have
found it, I have found it!) It is stated on the further authority of
another historian — one of that time — that from the moment of the
philosopher explaining his discovery to the king, Hieron declared
that he could never refuse to believe anything that Archimedes
told him.

The method that he pursued was something in this way. A
lump of gold of the quality which had been given out for the crown,
and of the same weight, was placed in a suitable vessel, and that
vessel was then carefully filled with water, level with a given mark
afterwards made. The assaying piece was then as carefully removed,
allowing all the water that would drip to drip from it.

The line of flow in the water was next accurately noted, and the
crown gently immersed. If the water rose to the line mentioned,
and remained there, it was proof positive that the metal had not been
tampered with, it was all right ; if it had, the water-line would rise
higher, and it would be bad for the goldsmith. History does not
say which way the verdict went; but the principle of proof is
founded upon the following "law" appertaining to hydrostatie
truths.

•J.vi

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Apeil 5, 1876.

"If two bodies Lave equal magnitudes, their absolute weights will
be iu the same proportion as their specific gravities." By way of
demonstration we will take different substances : — A cubic foot of
water under certain scientific conditions weighs 1000 oz. avoirdupois,
and that standard is always taken for practical purposes as well.
Now, it has been found by experiment that, reducing the quantity
from 1000 oz. to 1000 grains we arrive at the following results. If
the bulk of 1000 grains of wTater at a given temperature 40 degrees,
be ascertained and weighed, then the same bulk of beaten gold,
such as King Hieron's crown, would weigh 19,350 grains. Or, to put
it another way ; if the water is taken to mean 1, let it be ounce or
pound, as the case may be, then the gold will be 19-35, hammered,
and 19-25 times the same weight, if cast. We have stated that a
cubic foot of water at the temperature of 60 degrees, Fahrenheit's
thermometer, weighs very precisely 1000 oz. avoirdupois. From
this it will follow that a cubic foot of gold will weigh 19,350 oz. and
19,250 according as it is hammered or cast; whilst silver will weigh
only 10,470 oz. To come a little lower down in detail, we know
that a cubic inch of water weighs 253-34 grains, or 0-528 oz. troy ;
cast gold 10.160 oz. troy; silver, 5,525 oz. ; and copper, 4.602 oz.
troy. A vessel that would be filled with 1000 grains of water,
would hold 19,250 grains of cast gold, and 10,470 grains of silver.
Thus it is that gold is 194 times the weight of water, and silver 10£
times less Tooths that weight. The solution of Archimedes can
now be understood ; namely, as a given weight of gold is only
about one half the bulk of the same weight of silver; whilst the
former would raise the water in the vessel to the height of the
displacement of that bulk, the silver would require nearly as
much room, and consequently, as the water would rise in
accordance with the bulk immersed, we see at once that the
great mathematician was right. If one-fourth of the gold that had
been given out to make the crown had been taken away, and silver
melted up in its place, that silver, as has been shown, requiring
more room, even when melted and hammered, bulk for bulk, than
the gold, would have shown, by the rise of the water-surface, that
"something was wrong." Let any one try the experiment with a
cubic inch of lead, and a cubic inch of marble. They will find that
they will require about four times the size in marble to weigh that
of the lead, whilst it will correspondingly act on the rising of the
water ; or if the cubic inch of marble be immersed, whilst it will
raise the water to the same height as the le:,d, it will only weigh
about one-fourth of the lead's weight. Thus we see another appli-
cation of the value of mathematical science.

Assaying by the Touch. — The first that we read of this mode of
assaying was in the reign of Henry I., but according to other writers,
in that of Henry II. It appears that the Bishop of Salisbury of
that day was the Royal Treasurer of the State ; and, although he
considered that the money paid into the King's Exchequer for his
Crown rents was both numero et pondere— right in number and
weight— it might, nevertheless, be mixed with copper or brass.
Then came the "trial by combustion," not unlike the method of
assaying silver — and the officer who made it was called the Tusor,
whilst the trial itself was named Essaium. All the particulars will
be found in the " Black Book of the Exchequer," by Gervase, of
Tilbury. The touch-needles were formed of small pieces of gold,
silver, and copper, both pure, and in graduated combinations of
alloy, fixed upon beforehand. The stone used is one of the
blackest that can be found, and was of very fine grain, the black,
rough marbles, or soft black pebbles from the beds of no-tidal
rivers being deemed the best for the purpose when well-smoothed.
The way of using the touch was to rub the metal to be tried upon
it, and then beside it rub on the touch-needle that, experience had
shown, would produce the same colour on the stone as the metal
had done, after the places had been wetted by the tongue. In 1667
a book, called the " Touchstone for Gold and Silver 'Wares," was
published, which contained full directions upon the subject. In the
seventeenth century there was a black marble called Basanus
Hibernicus, or the "Irish Touch-stone," found in the county of
Antrim, which had the reputation of the most superior quality for
the purpose of testing the precious metals. For an off-hand imme-
diate approximation to value the touch-stone is still used in most
jeweller's shops where second-hand manufactured articles are brought
in, either for sale, or, by known persons, to have the jeweller's
opinion taken on their value. Mr. Lutschaunig has reduced even
the touch-stone and needles to something like a system. For
instance, he has changed them to the " Star and Touch-stone," the
star having six gold points, of the respectively known qualities of 7,
'■), 12, 15, 18, and 22 carats. He has, also, a touch-stone and set of
' needles " for silver ; the method of using both the gold and silver
'ouches are fully set out in his "Book of Hall Marks," to which
illusion has already been made in this paper.

THE MODERN METHOD.

The Assay by Cupellation.

The art of assaying in its relation to gold and silver is to deter-
mine their state of purity, and the nature of the deteriorating
mixtures, if any. When amalgamated with what is called " alloy,"
the amount of that amalgamation can be determined. It may be
here mentioned that the term "alloy" is, according to lexico-
graphers, derived from the French term a la lot, meaning " as the law
allows," in relation to the admixtures of baser metals with gold and
silver to form a legal standard. All these have to be determined
by the skill and accuracy of the assayer, and the confidence
voluntarily reposed in him is second to nothing known throughout
the whole social or mercantile world. A bullion merchant, a mint,
or a bank, chips an atom of an ingot and sends it to the assayer,
and, upon his report, transactions of enormous amount take place,
with the utmost reliance upon his statements.

We recently were granted permission to spend an afternoon in
one of our leading assay offices, to witness all the processes, and
the results of what we saw are briefly embodied in this paper.

Upon entering the office with our specimen, say, of gold, to be
assayed, it is taken in, and has a number assigned to it, and is
passed on to the " balance-room." This room is shut off by double
doors, and every precaution taken to prevent noise and the admission
of dust; all talking is strictly prohibited in here, whilst "no
admittance," whether with business or withoutit, is at all tolerated.
The visitor hears nothing, in fact, but the faintest buzz of the faintest
whisper. You look round for the cause of this, and it is pointed
out to you that there are desks along one side of the room, that
each desk has a " weigher," and that those weighers are working
with atoms of gold upon balances standing on the desks in glass
casesof their own, which balances, are sensitive to the one-thousandth
part of a grain. In good truth, you move through the place "with
'bated breath and whispering humbleness " after hearing that
information. Our assay is next passed on to a gentleman called
the " junior weigher," who dexterously clips a piece off it and
places that piece in his balance. Having weighed it, it is then
handed to the " senior weigher," who repeats the process. The
next procedure is to place the assay so weighed on a board
wrapped up in a certain quantity of pure, thin lead. What is the
lead for? it may be asked. Well, it is for this. To form a carrier
for the base metal contained in the assay, of which we will say more
hereafter.

The assay having taken its place among others on the afore-
named board, is carried up to where the furnaces are. Here
the register board awaits the whole of them, such board
having eighty-eight " receptacles " for as many assays. The
arrangement of these receptacles correspond with the eighty-
eight cupels already made red hot in the muffle furnace.
Whilst the assays are dropped into their cupels we will make
some little inquiry about the latter. A cupel is made of moistened
bone-dust, and its peculiar property in this direction lies in the fact
that, whatever portion of the lead is not destroyed by sublimation
the cupel absorbs, and with it the whole of the base metal. Each
cupel will only stand one assay ; it has done its work, is thrown
on one side to be carted away, ground up, and purified for dust for
new cupels. The cupels that we saw were about an inch in cube,
with a smal cavity in the centre to hold the assaj\ The
register-board, also, is marked to agree with what follows. A
workman, with a pair of long tongs, nimbly " snaps up " each assay
and drops it in its assigned cupel on the furnace floor, which
furnace is already nearly white hot. We have now the specimen in its
place in the furnace agreeing with the place it had on the register-
board. From all these circumstances we learn one important fact,
namely, that from the moment the assay is numbered, that
number and identity are never lost sight of until it returns to
the balance-room, its quality written down, and made ready for
delivery to the purchaser. It seems scarcely credible at a first
thought, but, when you see it, and follow it all round, and note
the faultless organization that prevails, the thing is plain enough.

The furnaces of an assayer are called muffle furnaces, the fire
occupying a space outside of and round their sides. When the
muffle is closed the following entries have to be made on suitably
printed forms.

"Date. Muffle number. Time commenced. Time completed.
Remarks." The furnaces are about 2 ft. 6 in. high. The square
aperture which receives the muffle and fuel is about 12 in. by
15 in. Coke is generally used as fuel ; but steam coal was being
burnt in the furnaces under notice. The muffle is really the
assaying furnace that is placed within the fuel-burning furnace,
and takes its requisite heat from the latter ; those muffles were

i2J

Ai

187C]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

253

made of fire clay. To show the rapidity with which cupels can
be made by means of a fly press, we were informed that 240 of
them could be made in forty minutes.

When the assay has been a sufficient time in the furnace to
solidify it is taken out and cooled. The next operation (bearing
in mind that we are assaying gold) is to extract . any silver
that may exist in it, as the cupellation is not sufficient for
that purpose. It is hammered, and rolled into a thin strip, and
then softened by annealing before a blow-pipe. It is then rolled
up and put into one of a series of ninety small cells of platinum,
that are joined altogether in one frame. This frame is placed
in a platinum pan of boiling dilute nitric acid, the specimen,
on account of its thinness, being in the best condition for the acid
to act upon the silver. The little cells are "slitted" on their
sides, to enable the acid the more freely to work through them.
The first bath is a comparatively weak solution of the acid ; but,
after it, the specimen is placed in a stronger one, in order to
take out any portions of silver that may still remain. This having
been effected, it is now purified in two boilings of distilled water
to purify it from the acid solution ; after which, it is annealed
in the annealing furnace, taken out, cooled, and carried back
to the balance-room. Here the same accurate weighing is
repeated, the weight now to the 1000th part of a grain is ascer-
tained, and, being compared with what it was before departing
on its journey of purification, a balance is struck, and the differ-
ence duly recorded. It is now " signed, sealed, and delivered "
to the customer. We wonder what particular mode of assaying-
was prevalent in Shakspeare's time when A>igelo, the goldsmith, says,
in the " Comedy of Errors :" —

" Saving your merry humour, here's the note
How much your chain weighs to the utmost carat;
The fineness of the gold, and changeful fashion."

The assay which has been described above, terminating with the
separation of the silver from the gold, is termed the "gold parting
assay," because it parts one metal in its strong affinity from the
other ; even other metals, including copper, when cupellation does
not do it sufficiently. There is one great improvement in assaying
to which we must call attention, and that is the difference between
the new and old methods of extracting the silver after cupellation.
We have already detailed the small cells of 90 in a frame by which
the specimens, or cornets, as the technical name is, are held in the
nitric acid bath. We will now mention the old way.

It was formerly called quartatton, or inquartatlon, and was thus
performed. The cornet, button, or specimen, as the reader may
choose to call it, having been "flatted," and rolled, was placed in
a kind of bottle called a " matrass," with about 3 oz. of water,
nitric acid added from time to time, and heat applied by a sand bath.
When all the silver was dissolved by the acid, cooling gradually took
place, washing followed and annealing completed the process. Our
90 pieces according to that method would occupy two persons for
three hours. By the plan that we saw in operation, one person can
do the same amount of work in forty-five minutes ! Now this
difference is a matter of very simple arithmetic ; thus : As two
men's work is to three hours, what is the ratio existing between that,
and one man's work for three-quarters of an hour? As there are
four three-quarters of an hour to three hours, and as only one man
is employed during that three-quarters of an hour, instead of two
for three hours, it follows, "according to Cocker," that only one-
eighth of the time is now taken up. But, besides this the bottles
were likely to be broken, and the whole of the assay lost. Even
now, however, the "matrass" method is sometimes used for
assays where the gold product is likely to be in a broken form.

This report of every assay is duplicated in a book arranged for
that purpose, so that the bank, or bullion merchant can refer to it
years and years after it has been made. Each delivery paper is
stamped with such dates and letters as will enable the firm to
trace every one concerned in the assay as long as paper and book
are in existence. The working of the system is so perfect that there
seems nothing left to be desired. Assays received from the country
in the morning are sent off with their report the same evening.

The assaying of silver proceeds much upon the same principle as
that of gold with a few differences in the details ; one thing being
that the cupellation is made at a comparatively low tempera-
ture. The fused litharge having the power of moistening, as it
were, the cupel, is quickly absorbed by the bone-dust as the- assay
proceeds. In the last position of the melting the button exhibits
great agitation in the cupel, shows all the colours of the rainbow,
■and finally settles into the state called "brightening," " figura-
tion," or " coruscation." Litharge, it may be observed, is "stone-
silver," fused protoxide of lead^frora the Greek, lithos, a stone,

and argyros, silver ; f ulguration is from the Latin fulrjeo, to flash, or
shine, whilst coruscation is sparkling by shaking ; throwing off sud-
den flashes of light. We need not, now, go more minutely into
this part of the subject.

Messrs. Johnson & Sons, assayers to the Bank of England, the
Royal Mint, and bullion brokers, was the establishment where we
were introduced to witness the processes that we have briefly
attempted to describe. The firm was formerly in Basinghall-street,
before they removed to where they are now, in Cross-street,
Finsbury. The present building has been specially designed, fitted,
and furnished, so far as money, ingenuity, and experience could
design, fit up, and furnish a modern assay office. On entering
from the street, the visitor ascends a flight of stone steps,
moves along a passage, and reaches the receiving and delivery
desk. This desk is glassed in from, intrusion, and a glass partition
bars the way in the other direction. At this desk, or desk-closet
rather, everything is received, and given, and all inquiries are
made. One part of the counter is occupied by telegraph instruments,
whose wires are in connection with both the Brokers and
Melters to the Bank of England ; and if we judge by the bell-
tinkling that went on whilst we were within hearing, those instru-
ments have anything but a sinecure time of it. We may say, here,
that the smallest quantity required for a silver assay is 1 dwt., and
for a gold, or gold and silver assay, half a dwt., whilst for "sweep ' '
the weight of half a pound is necessary. Steam mills for grinding
" sweep " ores, residue, &c, are available when wanted. We will
now take note of the arrangements around us.

The great objects to be achieved in the construction of the build-
ing were, to remove the assaying and balance-rooms as far as prac-
ticable from the action of jthe street vibration, dust, and noise.
Upon looking around, as far as we could ascertain, those objects
seem to have been effectively attained. After getting into the
inner passage we reach the door of the Balance-room and- — obtain
admission. We have mentioned this room before, in connection
with the weighing of the assay. We find ourselves in a lofty, well-
warmed, well-lighted, and well-ventilated apartment. The roof
is of saddle-back form, and through properly selected glass plates
fixed in it the light is admitted without glare. The warming is
effected by means of hot-water apparatus all round the walls, whilst
the ventilation is said to be as perfect in its action as can be desired.
In the Balance-room, as we have stated, no talking is permitted
under any pretence whatever, the business being conducted in a
whisper. The gentlemen who work at the balances never seem
to walk ; they flit about, what little movement they do use, as
though they were holding converse with the governing genii of
gold and silver whom no one can see but themselves !

The details of our visit having been previously described, it only
remains for us to acknowledge our thanks to the Messrs. Johnson
for the information they gave us, and the facilities so courteously
placed at our disposal.

THE FORTHCOMING EXHIBITION OP SCIEN-
TIFIC APPARATUS AT SOUTH KENSINGTON.

LAST week we paid a visit to the South Kensington Museum for
the purpose of gathering some particulars relative to the
forthcoming exhibition of scientific apparatus. We must tender
our acknowledgments to Mr. Norman Lockyer, who has charge of
that department, for the courtesy with which he received us, but we
found that the various entries are in so disarranged a form that no
particulars could be correctly obtained at the present moment. We
understand, however, that the astronomical, horologicar, and elec-
trical sections will be very full of interesting objects. Arrivals are
coming from all the scientific centres of Europe, but, as usual in such
instances, the senders are all delaying till the last moment and even
after the announced time. We hope to be enabled to give full par-
ticulars in our next. At present all is confusion.

Messrs. T. & J. Bragg, of Birmingham, have just finished a
rare specimen of art, in a badge and chain manufactured by them
for the Mayor of Swansea. The Chain of Office has been presented
te the Corporation of Swansea by Mr. Frank Ash Yeo, whose year of
office as Mayor of that borough expired in November last. The
ornament is of massive Gothic design, and executed in that manner
and style for which Messrs. Bragg have so wide and merited a reputa-
tion, reflecting considerable credit on all parties concerned in its
design and manufacture.

25 ;

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Apkil 5, 1876.

THE

whtclTinaluT, |efoeller, mft |ffltowiijrt

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
London, K.C.

Birmingham Agencies.

Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.

Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.

Messrs. SwiNDEN & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.

Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

S39. John George Henry Hoch, of 283, Brixton Eoad, Brixton, in the
county of Surrey. Watch and Clock Manufacturer, for an invention of
"An improved system of public and other clocks." — Dated 29th
February, 1876.

891. William Whittle, of Smethwick, in the county of Stafford, Engi-
neer, and James Newman, of Small Heath, near Birmingham, in the
county of Warwick, Jeweller, for an invention of " Improvements in
coating -with metals light articles composed of metal, such as nails,
screws, tacks, and other similar small wai-es, as well as the light parts
of machines, as also in the machinery, apparatus or appliances for
effecting the same." — Dated 2nd March, 1876.

927. James Coggins and George Baxter, trading in co-partnership as
Stampers and Piercers, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, and
Thomas William Greaves, Jeweller, of Birmingham, aforesaid, for an
invention of " Improvements in single or compound telescopic crotchet
crooks and handles, and which said invention is also applicable to tooth-
picks, pipe probes, and other like articles." — Dated 4th March, 1876.

95G. Thomas William Greaves, Jeweller, of Birmingham, in the county
of Warwick, for an invention of " Improvements in ornamenting soli-
taires and other articles of jewellery with pressed glass, and which said
improvements are also applicable for other useful purposes." — Dated
6th March, 1876.

1051. Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the county
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of " Improvements in com-
pensation balances for marine and other chronometers." — A communi-
cation to him from abroad by Joseph Thadoeus Winnerl, of Paris,
France.— Dated 10th March, 1876.

1091. Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the
county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, for an
invention of " Improvements in pocket alarums or alarm watches." —
A communication to him from abroad by Charles Frederic Dietz-
Monnin, of the firm of Tapy Brothers & Company, of Paris, in the
republic of France, Manufacturers. — Dated 13th March, 1876.

1149. Nugent Wells, of Newport, in the county of Monmouth, Optician,
for aa invention of " Improvements in mariner's compasses." — Dated
• 17th March, 1876.

1178. Hippolyte Collot, of 55, Lamb's Conduit Street, in the county of
Middlesex, Jeweller, for an invention of " Certain improvements in
solitaires." — Dated 18th March, 1876.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

400. To Lionel Cohen Spiers, of the firm of D. & L. Spiers, of Birming-
ham, in the county of Warwick, Manufacturing Jewellers, for the
invention of " Improvements in rings, slides, or fastenings for scarfs,
victorines, and other like articles of dress."

436. To George Haytlr Chubb, of 57, St. Paul's Churchyard, inthecity of
London, for the invention of "Improvements in safes and strong rooms."

404. To Thomas James Smith, of the firm of Robertson, Brooman, &
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the city of London, Patent Agents,
for the invention of " Improved means and apparatus for setting or
regulating calendar watches." — A communication to him from abroad
by Louis Joseph Crozet, of Rue des Halles, Paris, in the republic of
France,

520. To Giuseppe Zaffira, of Pentonville Road, in the county of Middle-
sex, Engineer, for the invention of " Improvements in watches, clocks,
and chronometers."

697. To John Compton Weeks Jefferys, Manufacturing Jeweller, 14,
Tottenham Court Road, in the county of Middlesex, for the invention
of " An improved fastening for jewellery and articles of dress."

To William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the invention of
" An improved machine for cutting diamonds and other precious
stones." — A communication to him from abroad by Henry D. Stover,
of the city and state of No v York, United States of America.

To Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the
county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, for the
invention of " Improvements in- pocket alarums or alarm watches." —
A communication to him from abroad by Charles Frederic Dietz-
Monnin, of the firm of Tapy Brothers & Company, of Paris, in the
republic of France, Manufacturers.

760.

1091.

Notices to Proceed.

520. Giuseppe Zaffira, of Pentonville Road, in the county of Middlesex;

Engineer, has given notice in respect of the invention of "Improvements

in watches, clocks, and chronometers."
3991. Duncan McGregor, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, North

Britain, Chronometer Maker and Optician, has given notice in respect

of the invention of " An improved instrument for directly verifying

compass indications."
4130. William Ford Stanley, of Great Turnstile, Holborn, in the county

of Middlesex, has given the like"] notice in respect of the invention of

"Improved machines or clocks to register conditions of the atmosphere,

and to keep correct time."

Patents which have become Void.

657. Mortimer George Cole, of Belvedere House, Bexley Heath, in the
county of Kent, for an invention of " Improvements in watches and
other timepieces." — Dated 4th March, 1869.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

Bavaria.

108. A. Spanier, of Frankenthal, for "A machine for the manufacture of
watch-glasses." — 2 years. — Dated 9th August, 1875.

United States.

No

172,630. William Imiiaeuser, of Brooklyn, N.T,, assignor to Elise
Imhaeuser, of the same place, for "Watchmen's time-detecters." —
Application filed 7th January, 1876. — Brief. — "A marking device
attached to the lid of the case, and vibrated both horizontally and
vertically by the action of the key passed through the lid."
No. 5442. Albert H. Potter, of Chigaco, 111., U.S., for " Improvements
on watches." (Perfeotionnements aicx montres.) — 10 years. — Dated 1st
December, 1875.

France.

108,632. Jefferys, for "Improvements in solitaires for sleeve links." —

Dated 2nd July, 1875.
108,806. Soutiiwood, for " Improvements in calendars applicable to clocks

and other chronometers." — Dated 12th July, 1875.
108,818. Dalloz, for " A machine for cutting and polishing precious and

other stones." — Dated 14th July, 1875.
108,905. Smith, for " Improvements in the treatment and manufacture of

metals and their alloys." — Dated 21st July, 1875. — -(English Patent.

20th July, 1875.)
108,966. Roulina, for " A machine for roughing diamonds." — Dated 24th

July, 1875.
108,549. Berger and Neiter, for " Applying concave mirrors to jewellery.""

—Dated 8th July, 1875.
109,041. Brion and Boudet, of Paris, for "Applying cork sheets in the

manufacture of microscopes employed by watchmakers and others." —

Dated 30th July, 1875.
109,170. Trouve, for "Electric almanacks or calendars." — Dated 10th.

August, 1875.
109,118. Devienne, of Lille, for "A mechanism of electric clocks, appli-
cable to all clocks or regulators." — Dated 18th August, 1875.
109,213. Deteure, for "Obtaining metal objects imitating steel jewellery

and gold articles by stamping." — Dated 14th August, 1875.
109,295. Plubbau and Guerand, for " Improvements in the manufacture

of click and spring-work for watch-keys." — Dated 19th August, 1S75.
109,386. Ingelbach, for "A machine for engraving cameos on precious

stones, onyx, agate, and othor hard stones." — Dated 28th August, 1875.
107,030. Farcot, for " A clock with an auxiliary remontoir." — Dated 19th.

August, 1875.

Apeil 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUKNAL.

255

FINGER RINGS

(Continued from page 149).

THE episcopal ring, being thus necessarily a mark of rank, was
worn about this time over the gloves ; sometimes as a thumb
ring, and often of very large sizes. The ornaments of the clergy

Fig. 53.
The crossed keys surmount a coat of arms on one side of the ring,
the keys alone appear on the opposite side ; foliated ornament fills
the space above the circlet on either side. This ring is set with a
large crystal.

We close our series of episcopal rings with one found in the
cathedral at Hereford during the repairs of the choir in 1843, which
rendered the removal of the beautifully-carved alabaster monument

Fig. 50.
became more massive as the wealth of the Church increased. As
the clergy were during church service separated from the laity,
many of the latter were at a considerable distance from them.
This may be a reason for the size adopted for episcopal rings. A
late dean of St. Patrick's had in his collection a very large ring of
this kind, represented in Fig. 50, from a sketch made by the author
when it was in the possession of W. Huxtable, F.S.A., in 1847. It
was of bronze thickly gilt, and set with crystal.

This peculiar form was generally adopted for rings at this period.
The Londesborough collection furnishes us with a curious specimen
(Fig. 51), formed of gilt copper and set with a small ruby, which
must have stood forth from the finger in what would now be con-
sidered as a most inconvenient manner. Fig. 52 exhibits the form
of the plain hooped ring, simply decorated with quatrefoils on each
side of the stone (in this instance a small irregularly-shaped sap.

Fig. 51. Fig. 52.

phire), which is embedded in a somewhat solid setting projecting
from the ring.

In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1848 is engraved a massive ring,
also of brass thickly gilt, the hoop chased with the arms of Pope
Pius II. (the famed iEneas Sylvius), and his name, Papa Pio, between
the tiara and the cross keys. On each of the four sides of this ring
appears one of the four beasts of the Revelation, typifying the
Evangelists ; they are executed in high relief. It is set with
a large topaz. This ring has since passed into Mr. Waterton's fine
collection, who is the fortunate possessor of others of the same
class. One in the Londesborough collection is here engraved (Fig.
53), as a good specimen of the general design adopted for such rings.

of Bishop Stanbery unavoidable. This bishop held the see from
1452 until his death in May, 1474. Upon opening the tomb a few
fragments of bone were discovered, very small portions of the mere
remains of the silk of the robes in which the body of the bishop
was enveloped, and this beautiful ring, of which views are given in
Figs. 54 and 55. It is of gold, set with a sapphire ; the sides of the

Fig. 51.

Fig. 55.

ring are decorated with sprays and flowers on a ground of dark
enamel, and inside is the motto " En bon an."

A very large ring, bearing great general resemblance to the
episcopal ring, was occasionally worn as a thumb ring by the laity.
A specimen of such a one is selected from the Londesborough
collection in Fig. 56. It is somewhat roughly formed of mixed metal,
and has upon the circular face a conventional representation of a
monkey looking at himself in a hand mirror. This is surrounded
by a cable moulding, and on each side is set two large stones. The
outer edge of this ring is also decorated with a heavy cable mould-
ing. Inside, next the finger, is the cross and sacred monogram,
placed on each side of the mystic word anamzapta, which we shall

Fig. 5G. Fig. 57.

immediately have to explain more fully when speaking of the rings
commonly worn as charms.

These massive thumb rings were indicative of wealth or import-
ance when worn by the middle classes who had obtained any
municipal position. When Falstaff speaks of his slenderness in
his youth, he declares that he could then have " crept through an
alderman's thumb ring." Like the massive gold chains still worn by
the honourable fraternity, they told of a trader's wealth. The
inventories of personal property belonging to the burgesses in the
Middle Ages contain frequent allusions to such rings, without
which they would have felt shorn of an important part of thei
hard-earned honours. Among the wills and inventories preserved
at Bury St. Edmund's, published by the Camden Society, is one
made by Edward Lee, of that town, bearing date 1535, in which he
bequeaths to a friend "my double wreathed ryng of gold whych
I wear on my thumbe." From this description it is evident that
this ring must have borne great resemblance to that given in Fig. 56,
with its outer cable or double-wreathed pattern. There is a brass
in Hastings' Church, Sussex, with the effigy of a gowned citizen
wearing such a ring. That such rings became in the end indicative
of that class, and were retained in fashion for this reason when they
had been long discarded from general use, may be safely inferred
from the description of a character introduced in the Lord Mayor's
Show in the year 1664, who is said to be " habited like a grave citizen
— gold girdle and gloves hung thereon, rings on his fingers and a
seal ring on his thumb." Such rings were evidently used, according
to the most ancient mode, as personal signets by such as were
not entitled to bear arms ; hence originated the quaint invention
known as ''merchant's marks," which were impressed on mer-
chandise, painted on shields instead of armorial bearings,
inserted in memorial windows of stained glass, and worn on the
thumb for constant use in sealing. A very fine ring of this kind is
engraved in the Journal of the Archaeological Institute, Vol. III.,
and is here copied in Fig. 57. It was found in the bed of the
Severn, near Upton, and is probably a work of the fifteenth century ;
it is of silver, and has been strongly gilt. The hoop is spirally
grooved, and upon the circular face is a large letter H surrounded
by branches. (To be continued.)

256

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[April 5, 1870.

MESSES. GREENWOOD & SONS' NEW CLOCK
ESTABLISHMENT.

WE may congratulate trade or. the completion of one of the most
magnificent edifices of its kind that has hitherto been
erected in this country. Indeed, we are inclined to question -whether
any edifice so artistic, as grand, and capacious for its purpose, even
on" the continent of Europe, as the one under notice can be found-
The building is situated in Farriugdon-road, a little to the west of
Clerkemvell-green. Its appearance is most palatially imposing,
and when we consider that we are looking upon the first specially-
designed building of its kind in England we feel an interest in
it which would not arise in the ordinary way. The style is Gothic
— that kind of Gothic that we may denominate the " severe early ; "
in fact, to the non-architectural observer, it looks like the transition
link from the Anglo-Norman to the Gothic. We will describe it
as viewed externally from the street.

We have, first, a half -sunk basement, then the ground floor, the
windows of which are between Gothic columns, and headed with the
semi-lancet arch, to display all the characteristics of the style. Above
this is the first floor, and above the window heads is a broad facia-
band across the entire front, having, in Gothic letters, "John
Greenwood & Sons, Lmporters & Manufacturers." Higher up is
another floor, and above that, again, a fourth, each window of which
is columned and headed in keeping with those of the ground floor.
In the space over each window-head are circular stone tablets, upon
which are carved shields of arms, one being those of the City of
London, another of the county of Middlesex, and on others the
emblems of time and eternity. Above the parapet, the front takes
a triangular form, terminating in a finial, or upright bouquet-
looking form of stone-piece. In the centre of the triangle is a large
illuminated clock, which will be sure to be appreciated in the
neighbourhood, as it shows time there alone in its glory. In the
upper part of the triangle, just below the finial already mentioned, are
three more shields, a large central and two side ones ; the side ones
are respectively 18 — 75, whilst the central one we take to be the arms
and crest of the Greenwood family. The pitch of the roof is, as may
be inferred, very high, in accordance with the rest of the style.

Before we enter into details we may as well mention that the
basement is for store-rooms and the packing and receiving of
goods. The ground and first floors as show-rooms, of which more
directly ; and the second and third floors, as store-rooms for the
superior classes of goods, the roof being turned to account as a
clock-chamber. The building is in best stock-brick work, dressed
with wrought Bath and Portland stone, the roof being covered with
plain tiles. The floor of the basement is concreted and asphalted,
so that no damp nor vermin can possibly make a lodgment. The
day-lighting below is by front and back windows, whilst the first
floor is lighted by ceiling lights in its projection a little from the
upper part at the back. The roof -lighting is by dormer windows,
as is usual in high-pitched roofs. The site has been dug out of a
deep slope, upon which stood some remains of the old " slums " of
that part of Clerkenwell ; and it is a singular fact that, notwith-
standing its immediate proximity to the old "Clerk's Well,"
" Oldbourne Bridge," and the "River Fleete," not a single article
of archaeological interest was found ; not even so much as the always-
discovered " tobacco pipe, sir, as the ancient Roman army used to
smoke along with Joolyus Seezur." But, notwithstanding this,
something rather costly was unearthed, the disposal of which is
well worth seeing by those interested in building upon very old
upland sites. This something was neither more nor less
than a sewer, below which the basement floor had to go about
25 ft. We were told that upon this unexpected discovery the
architect raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth in a manner
that only very clear photography could adequately reproduce.
However, as the sewer belonged to that tremendous power, the
Metropolitan Board of AVorks, it would not sink out of sight by
being gasped at ; nay, more, its protectors would not allow it to
be turned a single inch out of "the even ten our of its way," for
all the architects and clocks in London. The best thing that
could be done was done ; that was that a 12-in. iron pipe was
knee-dropped from the sewer's level, carried into the main base-
ment, bellied at a height of 7 ft. from the floor, and run into
the sewer in the street. And all for the small sum of 200/. That
is what people get for meddling with old sewers under the guardian-
ship of great boards. Again, in consequence of this peculiarity of
the sewer, the drainage of the premises has to be conveyed into a
well and pumped up every day or so into one of the affluents of
the Fleet, at an expenditure of 50/. a year. The excavation of the
whole site produced about 5000 loads of earth.

The door of this large building is on the right-hand side, up a
few steps, and opens into a small lobby. Passing through tho
doors of this lobby, we are in front of the inquiry and delivery
counter, having, on the right, a large, commodious glass room, as
the counting-house. There is a capital arrangement here that
might be considered worthy of imitation ; it is this : under the
window furthest from the main door, on that level, is the goods
entrance from the street to the basement. Between the top of the
basement window and the bottom of the counting-house window
an opening has been cut and glassed on the inside, commanding
a full view of the basement entrance. The consequence of this is,
that it is impossible for any one to pass that entrance without
darkening the counting-house opening, and so drawing attention to
whoever is going down or coming up from the stores and packing-
rooms.

We now take a survey in front of us, and see an extensive apart-
ment, 40 ft. by 70 ft., shelved and countered along its sides, whilst
from its centre rises a noble Gothic staircase to the floor above,
entering that floor through a large square opening, giving the
appearance of galleries above. This staircase, and, indeed, all the
wood-work, is made of varnished pine, which produces a very chaste
effect. Passing towards the right, we come upon the watch depart-
ment, occupying three sides of a small square. Here all the watch
nationalities are to be found from both sides of the Atlantic chal-
lenging attention. Passing down the right-hand avenue we come
upon the Anglo-American clock collection, very full and very
diversified in size, shape, and quality. From the end of this avenue
runs a cross one, having upon its counters musical and fantastic
clocks from the Black Forest, and Vienna regulators. Under one
glass case was an artificial rose-bush, and when the mechanism was
set in motion a bird, sitting on its nest, flapped its wings, another
began drinking at a running fountain, whilst a third warbled forth
delightful music. Again, another clock, in an artistically- carved
case some 4 ft. high, chimed the quarters, struck the hours, and as
soon as the hours had struck a pair of gates flew open and two
buglers, in Highland regimental full dress, came to the front and
sounded the "assembly" upon their bugles — at least, they seemed
to do so, the visual deception was so good. A third clock showed
a ship in full sail going out of harbour, a church on one side of that
harbour, and a sentry walking round within the battlements of a
tower on the other, whilst a perpetual express railway train rushed
along the summit of the precipitous rocks in the background.

Passing by this collection we enter upon the English and French
departments, where the retail dealer may select to his heart's con-
tent and his purse's lowermost depth. The Vienna regulators, too,
in their long, black cases, take up a "slice " of this avenue. We
next come to the " lift," which runs from the basement to the top-
most story. Its safe load is half a ton, and it is worked by hand on
an endless rope, having stopping-power and safety clutches, in the
event of the main rope breaking.

Ascending the large staircase, we find a great embarrassment of
riches. Immediately facing us are the private offices of the firm,
screened and glass-paned in true Gothic style, presenting a very
effective appearance. On looking around we find the apartment of
the same dimensions as the one below ; buthere all is quiet, all is still,
for this is the art treasure-chamber of the establishment. Here are
clocks in malachite, clocks in alabaster, clocks in marble, clocks in
bronze, and clocks in golden fretwork. The customer can be grati-
fied here up to, we believe, 250 or 300 guineas. A man of artistic
culture, and a well-fed cheque-book, would have great self-strug-
gling in moving round this richly-stored apartment in keeping his
name off his paper. We cannot jDarticularize much, because the
place would require a descriptive catalogue to itself. All we can
say is, that it would be difficult for auy one in the trade not to find
here what would suit his customer. At the further end of the room
is the musical-box department, where melody and mechanism can
be enjoyed to the greatest perfection ; in fact, whole orchestras can
be heard, singly, in pairs, in companies, in battalions, or all
together.

As we have written for the information of the trade exclusively,
we presume that the trade will see for itself. There are 40,000
clocks and watches to choose from, and that's something. Behind
the main building are workshops, stables, and a dwelling-house.
The whole establishment is heated by a hot-water apparatus by the
Messrs. Bacon, whilst the lighting is on the ventilating system of
Messrs. Benham & Sons.

As we have already indicated, it is the first large erection of the
kind in Great Britain that has been specially thought out and
designed for its particular purpose.

The building was erected by Mr. Nightingale, of Albert Embank-
ment, from plans made by the architect, R. Plumbe, Esq.

iS//r/LsTZ)fa

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Enteral at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad,

No. 12.— Vol. I.]

MAY 5, 1876.

t Subscription, Ss.l Post
per Annum. J Free

PAGE

Horology— XII. dialling 2G9

South Kensington Scientific Exhibition ... 270
Important New Koute and Service of Trains

to Scotland 270

Precious Stones 271

British Horological Institute 271

A Treatise on Pitchings 272

Curiosities of Clocks and Watches 273

Improvement in Spectacles 273

CONTENTS.

Finger Eings

The Dundee Exhibition of "Watchmakers and

Jewellers' Work

Clock and Watchmakers' Asylum

Crowns

Some Facts Concerning the Life, Trials, and
Misfortunes of Henry Sully, •Watchmaker

Messrs. Elkington's Works of Art at the
Philadelphia Exhibition

PAGE

274

275
275
276

277

Correspondence : —

"TheHatton Garden Jewellery Bobbery."

Patents

Monthly Eecord of Bankruptcies

Prices Cuhrent for Gold and Silver

Improvement in the Manufacture of Pencil

Cases ...

The Trades' Directory

PAGE

278
279

280
280

280
282

Advertisements

...281-292

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

XII.— Dialling.

IN Article XI. we concluded our^instructions -with reference to
the octagon block, upon the several faces of which, as suitable
for our purpose, we drew the lines and angles for six different dials ;
and, if those instructions are carefully worked out by a painstaking
reader of a mechanical turn, we can assure hini that he will be well
pleased in the admiration that his work will produce when finished.
Let us assume that the octagon is finished and mounted ; the best
mounting is on a circular foot, such as what small globes are
fixed on. Then let the block be so placed as that the southern side
shall face the south, and the sun will indicate the hours of the day
on several dials at once. Another thing, when it is considered that
for a common slate dial the price is from 50s. to 60s., such an in-
strument as the octagon would be intrinsically worth a ten-pound
note, a great deal depending on the character of the design and
finish. We will now explain the nature of what are known as —

Secondary Dials. — These dials are all those that are drawn on
the planes of circles that are neither horizontal, prime vertical,
equinoctial, nor polar. They form the class that either decline,
incline, recline, or de-incline, as wdl be subsequently shown.

Declining dials are erect or vertical dials, which decline from
east, west, north, or south, as the case may be. Furthermore, they
are such as cut either the plane of the prime vertical or of the
horizon at oblique angles. "We may mention, by the way, that the
use of declining dials is of frequent occurrence, for this reason, that

the walls of buildings and gardens upon which dials are usually
drawn commonly deviate from the cardinal points of the compass.
The different kinds of declining dials take their names from the
compass-points to which they severally belong, or, rather, from
which they have a real declination. Thus, there are south declina-
tion, north declination, and even declination from the zenith. One
of these will afford scope for a problem in trigonometry, thus : —

1. The declination of the plane, and the elevation of the pole of the
place being given, to find the angle formed in the centre of the
dial by the meridian and substyle. The rule is as follows : —

As the whole sine is to the tangent of the complement of the
height of the pole, so is the sine of the angle of the declination of
the plane to the tangent of the angle required.

2. The declination of the plane being given, and the elevation of
the pole of the place, to find the angle formed in the centre of a
vertical declining dial, by the substyle and axis.

Rule. — As the whole sine is to the sine of the complement of the
elevation of the pole, so is the sine of the complement of the
declination of the plane to a side to be presently explained, the sine
of the angle required.

3. The declination of the plane, and the elevation of the pole
given, to find the difference of longtitudes ; that is, the arc of the
equator comprehended between the meridian of the place and the
meridian of the plane.

Rule. — As the whole sine is to the sine of the height of the pole
of the place, so is the tangent of the complement of the difference
of longitudes.

4. The angle of the difference of longitudes, and that of the axis,
with the substyle being — to find the angles formed in the centre of
a vertical declining dial, between the substyle and hour-lines.

This last-named problem takes in three cases, in this wise ; — The

ro

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[May 5, 1876.

hour-lines, whose angles are sought, may be — (a) Between the
meridian and substyle; or (b) 'Beyond the substyle ; or (c) On
that side of the meridian where the substyle is not. In the («) and
(b) eases the dirYerence'is to be taken between the sun's distance
from the meridian at that hour, and the angle of the difference of
longitudes, found by the last problem ; and in the (c) case the sum
of those two angles is to be taken, and the following rule applied : —

As the whole sine is to the sine of the angle between the axis and
substyle, so is the tangent of the difference of the sun's distance
from the meridian and the difference of longitudes, or of the sum
of those two angles, to the tangent of the angle required.

5. The angle formed by the substyle, with the hour-lines, and
that of the substyle, with the meridian given ; to find the angles
formed between the meridian and hour-lines in the centre of vertical
declining dials.

A. The angles of the hour-lines between the meridian and sub-
style are found by subtracting the angle formed by the substyle
with the hour-line from the angle formed by the substyle with the
meridian.

B. The angles beyond the substyle, and on the opposite side to
that of the meridian, are found by adding those two angles.

C. Those on the other side of the meridian are found by taking
their difference.

Such are the five general propositions that are laid down as
necessary for the construction of a vertical declining dial trigono-
metrically, and we will here give a few directions for their practical
application.

Draw a horizontal line and mark it H P. At half distance on

the left-hand side draw a perpendicular and mark it A N ; from

A, to cut through the centre of the line H P, draw another one,

marking its lower extremity M, and from P, again, draw an oblique
line to the left that shall cut the perpendicular A N at N. From
G draw an oblique line to the right, cutting the line P at the same
distance from 1ST that G is from H, and back again with another line
to cut the horizontal at the centre of that line and mark it D. The
point of this angle — to speak plainly — that cuts the line P mark as
F. You will now have a triangle GFD. G F is the height of the
pole of the place, so is the sine of the angle of the declination of
the plane G F D to the tangent G D of the angle required,
GAD. u '

"We may as well mention that, in describing the trigonometrical
method of laying down the kind of dial under consideration, we
have assumed that those who intend trying it are somewhat
acquainted with the definitions of geometry. As there may, how-
erer, be one or two who would like to burnish up " nicely " for this
particular purpose, we will help them a little before we conclude
this article. We all know that any common object is geometrically
termed a solid, and that a solid has surfaces. These facts estabbsh
the conclusion that the boundaries of surfaces are called lines," so
that there is no need of any mathematical definition in that direc-
tion. Where lines begin and end such extremities are called points ;
and, also, where they cross, or "intersect" one another. Again,
surfaces are called either plane or curved. Plane, in this sense,
means even, or level, such as a table or a floor; whilst curved
means rounded or bent. From this it follows that, as with surfaces,
so with lines, they are either straight or "right" lines, or curves.
By the peculiar action of the rays of light from an object acting
through the eyes upon the brain, we are enabled to know, according
to the nicety of our sight, the value of what we are examining. A
straight line has been mathematically defined as that which lies evenly
between two points ; although, as this world continues to " raise "
people who are expressly born to "cavil on the ninth part of a
hair," so that definition has been disputed. For ourselves we are
quite satisfied with it as it is.

From what has just been stated it will be understood that work-
men looking along a right line with one eye closed can see instantly
whether it is perfectly straight or not. When we were on a visit
to the rifle factory at Enfield we saw one whose sole business it was
to "tap" rifle barrels on an anvil with a hammer, and then, after
each tap he would raise a barrel to his eye and look along it. He
was the straightener, for no machine could equal his tap and his eye.
We will now speak of an angle. Any two straight lines touching
each other, form an angle of some kind, which any shilling book on
the subject wdl easily explain. As there are curved lines as well
as straight ones, so we have curved angles and straight ones. This
condition of things, again, leads on to spherical trigonometry and
plane trigonometry. The purpose of plane trigonometry is the
calculation of the value of plane triangles, as the other is of spherical
triangles. It is with plane triangles chiefly that dialling has to deal
lhe complement of an angle consists in its difference from a right
angle ; the latter being one straight line cutting through, without

leaning to the right or to the left, another straight line. The
supplement of an angle is its difference from two right angles. A
sine may be taken to be a straight line drawn perpendicular to the
diameter of the circle, from one extremity of an arc to the other.
As these are the principal terms the least likely to be understood by
the non-geometrical reader, so far as dialling is concerned, we need
not demonstrate the construction and properties of chords, tangents,
secants, &c, but will credit the reader with a sufficient acquaintance
with them.

SOUTH KENSINGTON SCIENTIFIC EXHIBITION.

WE visited this Exhibition up to the earliest practicable time
before going to press, and saw that everything is in a very
advanced state. In looking over the list, however, we found some
well-known names ' ' conspicuous by their absence." As the galleries
are to be publicly opened on the 12th instant, we suppose that those
who have not already put in an appearance do not intend doing so.
We saw much to admire, and heard something to regret.

Amongst the fullest and most scientific contributors is, as might
be expected, the Horological Institute. It will show a series of
drawings by the Art Classes of all the recognized escapements, both
in their entirety and in detail ; there will also be a considerable dis-
play of the same articles in a finished state, and an interesting
collection of springs. But there are the elements of a storm-cloud
overhead. It appears that the Council of the Institute has taken
great umbrage at learning that finished chronometers, and other
things devoid of pure scientific interest have been accepted ; as the
Institute looks upon this as tending to make the Exhibition a kind
of bazaar, it has been under consideration to withdraw from it
altogether. We sincerelyhope, for the sake of horological art, that
this will not be done. The United Service Institution will show the
timekeeper that accompanied Captain Cook in his explorations ; and
the Naval Museum, Greenwich, will also put in an appearance. Of
private exhibitors, Messrs. James Poole & Co. will have by far the
largest Collection ; that will consist of chronometers, chronometer
movements, and keyless mechanism; we are promised something
worth looking at, and need not fear disappointment, Mr. A. J.
Higham has a regulator with a new form of gravity escapement ;
Messrs. Charles Frodsham & Co., of the Strand, have another
regulator, and marine chronometers ; and Osnaghi, of Vienna, pre-
sents some new electric clocks. Major Taylor, P.M., shows a four-
dial water-clock, whilst another gentleman has produced a real
clepsydral escapement. Mr. H. W. Ley has a new kind of com-
pensated pendulum, and a gravity escapement. The Commissioners
of Patents have sent in an ancient striking clock ; and the Messrs.
Eitchie, of Edinburgh, are going to show what the modern Athens
can do in the way of regulators. There will be some electro-ballistic
chronometers, to show how the flight of shot is measured, whilst
the now historical clock that M. Foucault used in his celebrated
pendulum experiments in the Pantheon, at Paris, to prove the axial
revolution of the earth, will be shown. Hamburgh is in great
strength ; and so are other places in Germany. Both astronomical
and meteorological instruments will be sure to attract a large amount
of attention. We cannot at present, for obvious reasons, say more,
but hope to describe matters more fully when the Exhibition is
opened to the public.

IMPORTANT NEW ROUTE AND SERVICE OP
TRAINS TO SCOTLAND.

THE Midland Railway Company having opened the Settle and
Carlisle line, a new and important service is thereby afforded
between England and Scotland, and which addition to the vast
extent of service of this popular line will give numerous facilities
and advantages to those travelling in that direction. Carriages of
improved description and with all modern appliances will be run
direct between St. Pancras (London), and Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The route is one winch has, for a considerable time, been greatly
needed, and will doubtless receive the greatest share of public
patronage, as with the usual energy and liberality of this company
every detail has been carefully considered which can possibly add
to the comfort and convenience of the traveller.

The Worcester Cathedral Chijies. — Two additional, or half-
tone, bells, the gift of Mr. C. W. Lea, have been added to the
Worcester Cathedral Chimes, enabling arrangements to be made for
completing the twenty-eight tunes which the carillon machine was
originally constructed to play.

May 5, 1876.

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

271

PRECIOUS STONES.

{Continued from page 171.)

AVENTURINE.

IT is said that the accidental discovery of the artificial composition
of a red vitreous substance, sprinkled internally with bright
gold-coloured filings, and similar to the quartz much used in jewels
of the peruke period, caused the name of aventurine to be given
to both, merely distinguishing them by the addition of artificial or
natural.

Scientifically speaking, one cannot, from such a term, under-
stand one special stone, since the agate, jasper, chalcedony, rock-
crystal, opal, and even the commonest fluate of lime, exhibit at
times the golden filings, and therefore, as with respect to the asteria,
so with the aventurine, there are stones of every species which
receive this name from the accidental quality above mentioned.

Thus Borson had a chalcedony covered internally with a golden
sand ; it was aventurine chalcedony. Bossi describes a garnet
jasper with small golden dots ; it was an aventurine jasper. In
New Granada a similar stone was found, there called pentaura ; it
therefore is an aventurine stone.

We are of opinion that the aventurine quartz is the stone de-
scribed by Pliny under the name of sandastro, which some people
call garamantite. It is found in India, in a place of the same name ;
and also in Arabia. The greatest beauty consists in the drops of
gold which always sparkle inside, but never on the surface.

Some people esteem the Arabic more than the Indian stones.
There are two qualities of aventurine quartz, of which the most
common, which has marks of yellow mica, or Muscovy talc, is
found on the shores of the White Sea, in some mines of Silesia, of
Bohemia, France, and Siberia ; the other, more rare, has bright
reflections from minute chinks, and is found in Spain and Scot-
land.

Its specific weight is from 2-6 ; it slightly scratches rock crystal,
has a bright light, does not acquire electricity from heat, and has no
power over the magnetic needle. The ground colour is generally
russet-brown, but there aresome of yellow, grey, reddish-white, and
green with black and white marks. However, aventurine quartz has
two different aspects, viz., semi-transparent and opaque ; the first
has the exact specific weight of 2-6670, the second 2-6426.

The great demand for aventurine quartz, when it was fashionable,
originated the idea of making the stone artificially. I do not believe
that chance could, by an accident happening to a workman, make
such a fine combination ; therefore, with many modern authors, I
claim the glory for Miozzi, who, in the infancy of modern glass work,
after long study, was the first to make an aventurine glass, which,
-excepting in hardness, excelled all other aventurine stones. He,
however, was jealous of his secret, which he carried with him to the
grave.

After many years, in 1827, another Venetian, named Bibaglia, with
infinite labour and perseverance, succeeded in composing a yellowish-
brown enamel, tolerably consistent, but very easily melted, and
superior to all other aventurine in beauty. Its analysis gives —

Silex 0-652

Phosphoric Acid 0-015

Deutoxide of Copper 0-030

Protoxide of Iron 0-065

Lime ' 0-080

Magnesia 0'045

Soda 0082

Potash : 0-021

This, however, like all chemical analyses, is not the formula for the
real composition of this substance.

AXINITE.

The name of this mineral is derived from the Latin axis, the
edge of the axe, and was given to it because its crystalline form
resembles that utensil. It is also called Thumerite, from the name
of Mount Thumor, where it was first procured. It is found in great
agglomerations, and in somewhat different forms, which may, how-
ever, all be reduced to the rhomboidal, that is, to an oblique rhom-
boid, or prism with four sides, so much compressed as to make the
angle so sharp that it resembles the edge of an axe. It is trans-
lucent, and sometimes transparent ; it has single refraction ; its
light is vitreous and resinous ; its colour brown, violet, blue, grey, or
yellow. It scratches glass, but is scratched by the topaz ; it yields
a whitish powder; its specific weight is from 3 -27. It becomes
electric when warmed or rubbed ; under the action of the blow-
pipe it melts into a brown-grey glass ; acids have no effect on it
and it is composed of lime, alumina, and silex, with oxide of iron

and manganese. It is found, principally in primitiverocks, but also
in others of different formations, in the Dauphine, in the Pyrenees,
in Norway, and at St. Gothard. This mineral, especially that from
the Dauphine, takes a beautiful polish.

Beryl.

The stone which the ancients named beryllus is none other than
that now called aqua-marina, of Ceylon, of which we have already
spoken.

Compared with other gems, the beryl is but little prized at the
present day, being procured in great abundance and found in all
parts of the globe ; whereas the ancients had it only from India,
and prized it as much as the emerald, with which they even con-
founded it ; so that the enormous emeralds of which Theophrastua
and Apion speak are now thought to have been aqua-marina, as
this stone is found in very large pieces.

There are very few undoubtedly antique intagli in this stone, and
they are as rare as those on the emerald. Generally the engraved
graved beryls are Ionian work, whereas the engravings on emeralds
are Roman. But, although the Romans did not engrave the beryl,
they facetted it, and it was the only stone they cut in that manner.
They used it for ear-drops and rings. When the shade of Cynthia
appears to Propertius, he remarks that —

" Et solitam digito beryllon adederat ignis."

Here we may remark, it appears that the ancients applied the
term "beryllus" also to a magnifying-glass, and perhaps they used
aqua-marina for the same purpose.

This supposition is rendered probable from two reasons : the first
is that in the German language spectacles are called "6n7fe," and
no other derivation has been found for this word than the Latin
" oeryllus ,-" the second is that Nero is said to have looked at the
spectacle in the theatres through a very large emerald.

We have already seen how easily the ancients confounded the
emerald with the beryl, and therefore we do not think it unlikely
that Nero's emerald was an aqua-marina cut for the purpose of a
magnifying-glass.

In corroboration of the above, we bring to the notice of the reader
the fact that Nicola de Cusa, Bishop of Brixen, who died in 1454,
gave the name of "Beryllus" to one of his works for this reason, that
" by means of its assistance, people could understand things other-
wise incomprehensible ; " and in the second chapter he expressly
says, "The beryl is a bright, colourless stone, to which a concave
or convex form is given by art, and by means of which whoever
looks through it sees things otherwise invisible to the naked eye."

BRITISH HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE.

AT the April meeting of the Council of the above Institution
it was announced that three competitors for the prize offered
by Mr. S. Jackson had sent in, by the stipulated time, tools for
measuring the angles of lever escapements, and an anonymous letter,
addressed to the Council, asking, on behalf of a would-be competitor,
for an extension of time, was read. It was, however, decided that
the advertised conditions should not be disturbed, and that the
prize should be awarded by three adjudicators. Mr. Bacon and Mr.
Tilling were appointed to act in that capacity, in concert with
some gentleman to be named by Mr. Jackson. A statement was
made respecting the position occupied by the Institute in connection
with the Loan Exhibition of scientific objects at South Kensington,
by Mr. Glasgow, who, on visiting, with the Secretary, the rooms set
apart for the exhibition, found that finished chronometers, show
cards of chronometer manufacturers, and other articles of no
interest in a scientific point of view, had been sent for exhibition.
Mr. Glasgow said that, although the Institute had taken considerable
trouble in making a collection of compensation balances, &c, and
had sent a fist to the South Kensington authorities, it would not, he
thought, be out of place, under the altered state of things, if the
Council would consider the propriety of withdrawing altogether
from what appeared likely to degenerate into a bazaar. It was, he
considered, a breach of faith to ask the Institute to prepare objects
of scientific interest, and then to invite members of the trade to
send in whatever they chose. Eventually, it was decided that the
whole matter should be left to the discretion of Mr. Glasgow.

A Universal Exhibition of Fine Arts, independently of the Annual
Exhibition of tthe Works of Living Artistes, will be opened in
Paris, on the 1st of May, 1878, and will be closed on the 31st of
October following. An ulterior decree will determine the conditions
of this Exhibition. The Minister of Public Education and of Fine
Arts is charged to carry out the present decree,

272

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[May 5, 1876.

A TREATISE ON" PITCHINGS.
(Concluded.)

XXXIV. There remains now only to treat _ of the pitching of
contrate or crown wheels, under these conditions that the wheel
should drive a pinion C, or be driven by this pinion.

It is necessary to consider the circumference of the wheel in the
place where it acts as a right line, perpendicular to the axis of the
pinion, and consequently to suppose that the tooth of the wheel
■which acts upou the leaf is moved in a plane perpendicular to the
axis of the pinion, just as if it were a straight rack or toothed ruler.
It is true that this supposition is not exactly correct, above all, if
each leaf of the pinion be driven a little too far, that is to say, if the
pinion be low numbered, because the driving point will be a little
nearer the centre of the wheel towards the end of the driving than it
ought to be if the circumference of the wheel were rectilineal ; this
difference will be nearly equal to the versed sine of the arc which
the wheel described from the Hne of centres to the end of the driving
(which may be extremely small), there will then result a slight
friction of the direction of the axis of the pinion, but it is hardly
possible to pay any attention to it in theory without a very compli-
cated calculation, from which little advantage can be derived in
practice.

XXXV. Let us then suppose a right line C A (Figs. 1 and 3)
movable from A to C, and which causes a circle A to move round
its centre ; we understand by that which has been said in Articles
IX. and XII., that this circle will describe by its point, E on the
plane, which we suppose moved itself with that line, a cycloid C E D :
and that the line A E, drawn from the point of contact A to the
describing point E, will be always perpendicular to that cycloid.

If we desire to give to

the line C F, teeth, by ML 0 _ _ _£

means of which it can
drive the pinion repre-
sented by the circle A,
by a point A considered
as a stave infinitely drawn
out into a thin line ter-
minating in this point, it
will be necessary to give
to those teeth the form of
a portion of the cycloid
A K (Fig 3). At the
same time we can imagine
that if the hne X M,
(Fig 10), represents a
portion of the primitive
circumference of the con-
trate wheel, which ought
to drive a pinion of which
the leaves OKD are radii
of the pinion, the teeth of this wheel ought to be portions of the
cycloid O P, described by the revolution of a circle, of which the
whole diameter is equal to O D, on the line O N.

In effect we ought to say in this very case all which has been
said in the others, and above all in the general proposition, Article
XXXIII. ; that is to say, the same circle ought to roll within the
pinion O S, in order to describe the leaf O.R, and on the wheel
O N, to describe the tooth O P ; the right line being nothing else
than a portion of a circle, of which the radius is infinite.

XXXVI. The method which we have followed for the sake of
determining the preceding curves does not possess the advantage of
being able to determine the form of a tooth fitted to drive any leaf
whatsoever of a given figure, a3 M. de la Hire has done, although
in a manner not over lucid.

M. de la Hire had perceived the advantage which might often be
gained by employing roulettes, in the place of staves or leaves of
pinions, in machines where there exists a tendency to great friction ;
he wished therefore to discover the form of teeth adapted to drive
these roulettes. Let the pinion D K, (Fig. 11.), which ought to
be driven by the wheel K B, and which carries the roulettes D, be
the epicycloid B D, which will serve to drive the point B ; in order
to find the curve G H fitted to drive the roulette, of which the
radius is D F, it is only requisite to describe from all points in
the curve B 13 small circles of which the radii shall be equal to
D F, and to draw another curve G II, which shall touch them
all ; this curve will be parallel to the epicycloid B D, and will pro-
duce always on the point F of the roulette the same force and the same
Telocity as the epicycloid B D would produce on the point D ; it will

Fia.

likewise have the same force, since the line D K is alike perpendicular
to the epicycloid, the roulette, and the curve G F.

XXXVII. By a similar method it is possible to find the curve
fitted to drive a leaf A G (Fig. 12), which shall be a radius of
the primitive circumference of the pinion B G. From the point B,

Fig 11.

FIG. 12.

taken in the line of centres, we describe the epicycloid B V X,
which will serve to drive the point B, as in the Article XX. ; and
through the extreme end G of the leaf of the pinion, when arrived
at G, we describe the arc of a circle G V, which has the same centre
as the wheel B K ; at the point V, where this circle will cut the
epicycloid, draw the line V I, which will make, with the radius
C V of the wheel, the angle C V I equal to the angle C G A ;
we must do the same thing for all the points where the leaf G
can be met with, and the curve which will touch all the lines, V I
being applied in the direction K M will produce on the leaf A G
the same effect as the epicycloid B V X would have produced on
the point G ; for the line V I will coincide with G A, which will
become the tangent to the curve at the driving point, in such a way,
that the movement of the leaf B G will be precisely equal to
the movement of the point B, if it had been driven by the epicy-
cloid B V N.

XXXVIII. In this manner it is possible to suppose for the leaf
of the pinion every other curve, ellipse, parabola, hyperbola, &c, placed
in any manner whatsoever, and find mechanically the shape of the
tooth adapted to drive it uniformly ; but these researches would be
more curious than useful, and notwithstanding the universality of
this method, that which we have given a full account of is
infinitely more preferable, in that it serves to exhibit the nature of
the curves we employ, and the point of the tooth which at each
instant acts upon the pinion.

XXXIX. The same curves may be employed in machinery on
various occasions ; for instance, the leaves or cams of a mill-shaft
placed horizontally, and which raises the hollow or solid pistons
of pumps, powder and paper mills, fulling mills, hammers for
forges, floats of wheels used in certain hydraulic machines, wards
on the nose of a key-bit, cut in such a way as to be able to over-
come the resistance of the springs, and make it impossible through
their means for the locks to be opened except with the particular
key ; they may also be applied to the bevelled edge of the bolt,
which ought to rub against the staple of the lock in order to
facilitate the closing, and in many other circumstances which bear
no relation to my subject.

XL. The principles which clockmakers have followed up to
the present are very far off those which we have endeavoured to
establish ; there has been always much difference and uncertainty
in their methods, or rather they have never had any defined
method. In Germany pinions are made lantern-shaped ; in France,
like grains of barley ; in England, thin flanked — that is to say, with
leaves flatted on the sides. It would appear that fashion has done
all, and that experience has not taught a single thing. A very
skilful clock-maker has said that all the rules relating to this
subject may be reduced to the gaining of force, and the avoiding of
side pressure or friction. In order to gain force, he gives to the
leaves of the pinions the form of staves of a lantern ; that is to say,
the most circular possible, provided that they be always driven
by the point most distant from the centre. This is all which could
well be proposed for the best in default of not going back to those
true principles which demand the aid of geometry. In order to
avoid side pressure or friction, the same artist requires that the set
of teeth of the wheel (or rather the wheel) be more spaced than
filled up ; but these two considerations furnish nothing precise,
they were on the whole but feeble precautions.

XLI. By that which has been said, we can understand why clock-
makers exact that pinions which lead should be made larger than
when they are driven ; for whenever a pinion leads a wheel, if the
teeth of the wheel were as large as those of the pinion they would
not be able to disengage themselves.

May 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

273

XLIL It would therefore be of advantage to all clockmakers to
trace, according to the method we have laid down, templets or
callipers for the different sizes of the wheels and pinions they em-
ploy ; by this means they would soon have the hand in to that form
most advantageous in the shaping of the teeth, and would not lose
anything by being able to accomplish their work with ease.

It is usual to advance, as an argument against all new methods,
the difficulty of execution, no matter how advantageous they may
be. There is, however, a great deal that is arbitrary in this diffi-
culty, for it almost entirely depends on the habits which a great or
small number of workmen have contracted in some part of the
work ; everything which has actually turned out to be easy appeared
at its first origin to be impracticable, and all which to-day appears
unusual and difficult will become, in the course of time, easy and
commonplace.

CURIOSITIES OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

{Continued from page 195;.

PIERRE AUGUSTE CARON DE BEAUMARCHAIS, born at
Paris, in January, 1732, was the son of Caron, a watchmaker of
that city ; and was by his father brought up to the same profession, in
which he showed considerable skill, gaining a prize from the French
Academy of Sciences for an improvement in watchmaking when
only twenty-two years of age (a detailed account concerning him
has been given in a previous number of this journal).

In Scots' Magazine for October, 1747, are the following lines on
a watch, by Mr. J. Byrom, commonly called Dr. Byrom, the
inventor of a system of shorthand, and they are to be found
in his printed works. The same lines are attributed to T. Hall,
in 1739. They appear without the author's name in the Gentleman's
Magazine for May, 1749 —

" Could but our tempers move like this machine,
Not urged by passion, nor delayed by spleen,
But, true to nature's regulating power,
By virtuous acts distinguished every hour ;
Then health and joy would follow as they ought
The laws of motion and the laws of thought,
Sweet health to pass the present moment o'er,
And everlasting joy when time shall be no more."

On the face of a very old watch, the outer case of which is of gold
of the finest workmanship, encrusted with precious stones, is re-
presented in enamel a landscape, with a single figure, apparently that
of a traveller. The sun is disappearing behind a range of moun-
tains, and the legend round it, in raised letters, is " Vada e vengo ogni
giorno, ma tu andrai senza ritorno," supposed to be addressed by the
sun to the traveller.

The Gentleman's Magazine for 1748 gives an account of one of the
Marquisof Worcester's projects, which was "awatchtogo constantly,
and yet needs no other winding from the first setting on the cord or
chain, unless it be broken, requiring no other care from one than to be
now and then consulted with, concerning the hour of the day or
night ; and if it be laid by a week together it will not err much, but
the oftener looked upon, the more exact it shows the time of day or
night." This seems to have beeu a project for a machine to measure
time by perpetual motion — the will-o'-the-wisp of many mechanicians
in past ages. In the same magazine, for the following year, we find
a suggestion to watchmakers, as to the construction of a watch
which should move always without winding up.

The celebrated French physician, Binel, relates the case of one of
the most eminent watchmakers in Paris, at the end of the last
century, who was infatuated with the chimera of perpetual motion,
and to effect this discovery he set to work with indefatigable ardour.
Through unremitting attention to the object of his enthusiasm his
mind became completely deranged. He imagined that he had been
guillotined, that his head had been mixed with those of some other
victims, and that the judges, repenting of their cruel verdict,
had ordered the heads to be placed on their respective bodies. By
some mistake, he conceived that the head of one of his unfortunate
companions had been placed upon his shoulders ; and this idea
haunted him day and night ; but in his madness he zealously
prosecuted his endeavours to obtain never-ending motion with the
aid of watch-wheels and other mechanisms. A person of a lively
and jocular turn was engaged to play the following trick upon the
demented horologist. Their conversation was directed to the
celebrated miracle of St. Denis, who carried his head under his arm
and kissed it as he went along. The watchmaker vehemently
maintained the possibility of the fact, and endeavoured to confirm
it by an appeal to his own case. His companion burst out into a
loud laugh, and said to him, in a tone of mockery — "Why, you
fool, how could St. Denis contrive to kiss his own head ? Was it

with his heel ? " This unexpected repartee struck the lunatic
forcibly ; he retired quite confused, amidst the laughter that it
produced ; and he never after spoke of the misplacement of his
head.

In 1753 a watchmaker, who was also an astrologer, was living in
Bloomsbury. About this time a base girl, named Elizabeth Can-
ning, trumped up a false tale about a gipsy, alleging that under
Bethlehem wall she was seized, robbed, and gagged, and thence
dragged to Mother Wells's, and Enfield AVash, where she was
nearly starved to death. The affair caused great excitement
for more than twelve months ; but ultimately the girl was tried
and convicted of perjury, and sentenced to seven years' trans-
portation, on May 8th, 1754. A soothsaying horologist cast her
nativity ; but he was out in his reckoning, as will be seen by
a comparison of the before-mentioned facts with the following
predictory advertisement which appeared at the time : —

" As by an advertisement, April, 1753, I was confidently sure ;
from the nativity of Elizabeth Canning; that her case was certainly
true ; from two directions that came up at that time ; one the
Midheaven to the Square Moon ; Lilly 676, viz., it produces the
disesteem of the commonalty, thwarting and contention ; by base
and unworthy women ; lost of honour ; it produces the sentence of
some magistrate or judge against them, &c, the other the Moon to
the Opposition of Saturn ; he is Lord of horrible misrule and
tragical mischief ; all manner of mischief that can be devised ;
divers positions concur, to the like effect, so as to prove it a
truth beyond contradiction, testified by numbers of the most
learn'd men from experience in all ages ; from the application of
Mars to Jupiter the 30th day of this month ; who is esteem'd the
Worker of Justice ; I verily believe, and doubt not, that Elizabeth
Canning will by then be freed from all the dangers she labours
under. John Haeman, Watchmak'r, Bloomsbury."

Charles IH. of Spain, who commenced his reign in 1759,
established in New Castile a mechanical school, of which the
avowed object was to form eminent proficients in the useful art of
dialling and watchmaking ; but a writer in 1809 tells us that up to
that time it had not produced a single pupil. At the King's College
at Madrid was also a school for mechanics, in which the pupils were
particularly initiated into the mysteries of watchmaking, and early
in the present century this institution was under the superintendence
of the brothers Charost. However, the mechanical arts have never
been held in high estimation in Spain, and when pursued there have
not obtained much success. We do not find that it has ever
supplied any important horological mechanisms.

In the South Kensington Museum is a minute watch in the form
of an apple, in a gold enamelled case, surrounded by a belt of seed-
pearls. The stem or handle is in gold filigree work. It is of Geneva
manufacture, about 1760. It was purchased for 11. 14s.

We read in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1762, under date
May 29th, that "Mr. Peyton, dry fish monger, opposite the water
house, London Bridge, received by the Chester stage coach a parcel,
carriage paid ; this when opened appeared to contain a gold watch
in a shagreen case, with a gold chain and a red cornelian seal set iii
gold, which had been given to his wife by her father, and had been
lost between eight and nine years from her bedside. Immediately
after the losing it Mr. Peyton made use of all common methods of
endeavouring to recover it, by advertisements, hand-bills, &c, but
to no purpose ; till at length he had it in this manner most unex-
pectedly restored to him very safe, and without seeming to have
met with any injury during the whole time it was missing."

IMPROVEMENT IN SPECTACLES.

THE pantoscopic tinted spectacles on Dr. Menist's principle, and
of which Messrs. S. J. Lazarus & Co., of 129, London "Wall, are
the sole manufacturers, possess many valuable advantages, one of
these being that they enable the wearer to see distant objects with-
out removing the spectacles. It is well-known that if distant objects
are viewed by the same ordinary spectacles used for reading, writing,
&c, the sight is very greatly impaired thereby, and that the wearer
ia compelled to frequently change his glasses for those of stronger
magnifying power. The spectacles under notice obviate these diffi-
culties, and are fitted with Penscopic tinted lenses, so that the wearer
can see therewith to better advantage than with the glasses generally
used, and they can be used for many years without it being necessary
to have them changed for those of greater magnifying power.

They are admirably adapted for shading the eyes from the sun,
fire, gas, or other bright lights, and consequently greatly add to the
preservation of the sight. These spectacles are registered, and bear
the stamped mark S. J. L. & Co., and will be found a boon to all
those requiring their use.

274

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLEB, AND

[May 5, 1876.

FINGEB KINGS

(Continued from page 255).

THE custom of placing initial letters on rings is a very old one-
They are sometimes surmounted by crowns or coronets,
hence they have frequently been mistakenly appropriated to royalty.
Rin^s of this kind, with a crowned I upon them, were
once called " King John's rings." It is most probably the
initial of the Saviour's name as King of the Jews, in the same
way that the crowned M may indicate the Virgin Mary as
'• Queen of Heaven," a favourite popish designation. Such rings
may have been worn from religious feelings or from the super-
stitious belief of the efficacy of holy names as preservatives
from evil. The baseness of the metal of which they are often
made, and their consequent small value, precludes the possibility
of their having belonged to royalty. The same remark will apply
to a ring also engraved in the Journal of the Archaeological Institute,
and now in the possession of the Rev. Walter Sneyd. It is there
described as of mixed yellow metal gilt ; on either side of the hoop
there is a crown of the form commonly seen on coins of the
twelfth century, and on the signet are the words, ROGERIVS REX,
chased in high relief. In the form of the character they corres-
pond closely with legends upon coins of Roger, second Duke of
Apulia, of that name, crowned King of Sicily a.d. 1129 ; he
died a.d. 1152. This ring has every appearance of genuine
character, but it is difficult to explain for what purpose it was
fabricated, the inscription not being inserted, and the letters
in relief all suited for producing an impression. It seems very
improbable that King Roger should have worn a ring of base
metal ; and the conjecture may deserve consideration that it was a
signet not intended for the purpose of sealing, but intrusted, in lieu
of credentials, to some envoy. The popular literature of the
Middle Ages abundantly proves this custom to have been in general
use. The tale of "Ipomydon," in Weber's "Ancient Metrical Ro-
mances," notes the gift of a ring to the hero from his mother, which
is to be used as a token of recognition to his illegitimate brother,
and which is brought secretly to his notice by being dropped into
his drinking-horn. In the " Romance of Florence and Blancheflor "
a ring serves the purpose of letters of introduction when the hero is
en his travels, and ensures him hospitality when he deserves it.

Rings sometimes bore the name and title of the Saviour in full,
as in Fig. 58, from the Londesborough collection ; two hands
are clasped in front ; it was therefore, most probably, a gift, or
betrothal ring. It is silver, somewhat rudely fashioned.

mmmmtmmftm

Fig. 58.

Fig. 59.

The inscription (here engraved below it) is in uncial characters,
and, shorn of its somewhat awkward abbreviation, reads, " Jesus
Kazareneus Rex." The same collection furnishes us with the
specimen of a religious ring (Fig. 59), apparently a work of the
fourteenth century. It has a heart in the centre, from which springs
a double flower. On the upper edge of the ring are five protuber-
ances on each side ; they were used to make a certain number of
prayers, said by the wearer, who turnedhis ring as he said them, and so
completed the series in the darkness of the night. Such rings are
often of very common occurrence, and must have been in general
use. They are sometimes furnished with more prominent knobs
as in Fig. 60. They are termed decade rings when furnished with

Fig. 60.

ten bosses, which were used to count the repetition of ten Aves,
but they are occasionally seen with one or two additional bosses;
when they are eleven they notify ten Aves and a Paternoster; the
addition of the twelfth marks the repetition of a creed.

Allusion has already been made to the mystic virtues attributed
to stones during the Middle Ages, and for the fondness for collecting
antique gems. They were coveted not only as works of art, but
for their supposed power over the circumstances of life or the wel-
fare of individual wearers. The idea very probably originates with
the Gnostics of the East, who engraved stones with mystic figures,
believed to impart good luck or to keep off evil influences. So
completely had this belief gained hold on all classes, that a Gnostic
gem set as a ring was found on the finger of the skeleton of an
ecclesiastic, in the Cathedral of Chichester, " affording indubitable
evidence that these relics were cherished in the Middle Ages by
those whose express duty it was to reprove and check such gross
superstition."

This belief was ultimately reduced to a system. An old French
lapidaire, compiled in the thirteenth century, assures us that a stone
engraved with the figure of Pegasus or Bellerophon is good for
warriors, "giving them boldness and swiftness in flight," very con-
tradictory qualifications, it must be allowed ; one, with the figure of
Andromeda, had the power of conciliating love between man and
woman. " A gem bearing the figure of Hercules slaying a lion, or
other monster, was a singular defence to combatants. The figure
of Mercury on a gem rendered the possessor wise and persuasive.
The figure of Jupiter, with the body of a man and the head of a
ram, made the man who bore it believed by everybody, and he was
sure to obtain anything he asked. If you find a stone bearing the
figure of a hare, it will be a defence against the devil ; if you find
a dog and a lion on the same stone, it will be a preservation against
dropsy or pestilence. The figure of Orion was believed to give
victory in war. If you find a stone in which is Perseus holding in
his right hand a sword, and in his left the Gorgon's head, it is a
preservation against lightning and tempests, and against the assaults
of devils. A stone on which is engraved a long-bearded man sitting
on a plough, with a bending in his neck, and four men lying down,
and holding in his hand a fox and a vulture, this, suspended about
the neck, enables you to find treasures. If you find a dove with a
branch of olive in its mouth, engraved in pyrites, and mount it in a
silver ring and carry it with you, everybody will invite you to be
his guest, and people will feast you much and frequently. The
figure of a syren, sculptured in a jacinth, rendered the bearer
invisible. A fair head, well combed, with a handsome face, en-
graved on a gem gave to the bearer joy, reverence, and honour.
Such were the qualities attached to ancient gems in the Middle
Ages."* Many plain stones were also believed to have magical virtues.
Thus, the amethyst prevented drunkenness, and was consequently
often set upon wine cups. The crystal clouded if evil was about to
happen to its wearer. Amber wasgood against poison, hence drinking-
cups were formed from it. The topaz cured and prevented lunacy,
increased riches, assuaged sorrow and anger, and averted sudden
death. Such was the faith placed in stones until the end of the
sixteenth century. Dr. Donne speaks of —

"A compassionate turquois, that doth tell,
By looking pale, the wearer is not well."

But the most curious of all these superstitious beliefs attached
itself to the crapaudine, or toad-stone. It is most unattractive to
sight, of an opaque dirty-brown tint, and known to mineralogists
as a variety of trap rock. It was believed to have most sovereign
virtues against poison, if pounded and drank ; and, like the turquoise,
to give warning of its presence by a change of colour when simply
worn in a ring. It was believed to exist in the head of the toad.
Fenton, writing in 1569, says, " There is found in the heads of old
and great toads a stone which they call borax or stelon ; it is most
commonly found in the head of a he-toad." It was not easily attained,
for the toad " envied so much that man should have that stone,"
says old Lupton, in his "Thousand Notable Tilings." Hence
came a true test for such stones, according to the same credulous
author, who thus enlightens us : —

" To know whether the toad-stone, called crapaudina, be the right
and perfect stone or not, hold the stone before a toad so that he
may see it, and if it be a right and true stone the toad will leap
towards it and make as though he would snatch it from you."

"It should be obtained," says a mediaeval author, "while the
toad is living ; " and this is to be done by simply placing him upon a
piece of scarlet cloth, " wherewithal they are much delighted, so that
while they stretch themselves out as it were in sport upon that
cloth, they cast out the stone out of their head, but instantly they
sup it up again, unless it be taken from them through some secret
hole in the same cloth."f

* T. Wright, M.A., &c, in '
t Marsarius, quoted in Topsel's

Archaologia," Vol. XXX.
' History of Serpents," 1611.

May 5, 1876.]

SILVEBSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL,

275

Lupton, whom we have just quoted, tells us of " a rare good way
to get the stone out of the toad," which has the advantage of
great simplicity. It is to be done thus : — " Put a great or overgrown
toad (first bruised in divers places) into an earthen pot ; put the
same into an ants' hillock, and cover the same with earth ; which
toad at length the ants will eat, so that the bones and stone of
the toad will be left in the pot." Boethius relates how he watched
a whole night an old toad he had laid on a red cloth, to see him
cast forth his stone, but the tedious watch was not rewarded ; the
toad retained his jewel, and he had nothing from thence to
" gratify the great pangs of his whole night's restlessness."

Fig. 61.
The Londesborough collection supplies us with two remarkable
specimens of rings connected with toad superstition. Fig. 61 is of
mixed metal gilt, having upon it the figure of a toad swallowing a
serpent. There is a medieval story of a necromancer introducing
himself to another professor of magic by showing him a serpent
ring, upon which the latter, who did not desire any one to interfere
with his practice, produced his toad-stone ring, observing that the
toad might swallow the serpent, thereby intimating his power to

Fia. 62. Fig. 63.

overcome him. Fig. 62 is curious, not only as containing the true
toad-stone, but also that the stone is embossed with the figure of a
toad, according to the description of Albertus Magnus, who de-
scribes the most valuable variety of this gem as having "the figure
of the reptile imprinted upon it."

The elder poets have, as usual with them, turned into a moraliza-
tion this fabulous bit of natural history. Lyly, in his " Euphnes,"
observes, "The foule toad hath a faire stone in his head." Shake-
speare has immortalized the superstition in the most effective and
beautiful manner, when he declares how —

" Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Yet wears a precious jewel in his head."

Superstition did not confine its belief to a few charms ; it ranged
over more than we can now record. In the Londesborough collec-
tion is the massive thumb ring delineated in Fig. 63, having
the tooth of some animal as its principal gem, fondly believed by its
original owner to have mystic power over his well-being. To
" make assurance doubly sure," it is set all round with precious
stones, all believed to have magical virtues. Superstition was not
confined to the real world of animal life, but ranged over the fabu-
lous natural history, which mixed largely with the true in all men's
minds at this credulous era of the world's history, when persons put
more faith in false charms for the cure of disease or the prevention
of evil than in the power of medicine or the value of proper pre-
ventives. The horn of the unicorn, the claw of the griffin, and other
relics of equal verity and value, were sought eagerly by those rich
enough to procure them, and when obtained were believed to ensure
much good fortune to the possessor. A fear of the " evil eye " —
that bugbear which still disturbs the happiness of the lower-class
Italians, and of the Easterns generally — was carefully provided
against. One great preservative was the wearing of a ring with the
figure of a cockatrice upon it. This imaginary creature was sup-
posed to be produced from the rarest of all things, a cock's egg,
foolishly believed to be laid on certain occasions under magic in-
fluence and planetary agencies. Sir Thomas Brown, in his "Vulgar
Errors," describes this imaginary creature "with legs, wings, a
serpentine and winding tail, and a crest or comb somewhat like a
cock."

The Londesborough collection supplies us with a thumb ring
(Fig. 64) having two cockatrices cut in high relief upon an agate.

The eye of the living cockatrice was believed to be so deadly as to
kill by a look, to which Shakespeare alludes in " Twelfth Night," and
again in " Borneo and Juliet " —

" Say thou but 7,
And that base vowel /shall poison more
Than the death-darting eye of a cockatrice."

There was, however, a counter action to the danger, for it was
also believed that if a person saw the creature before it saw him,
then the cockatrice died from the effect of the human eye. To this
Dryden alludes —

" Mischiefs are like a cockatrice's eye,
If they first see they kill, if seen they die."

The figure of this bird merely gave security against the evil eye ;
it had no other effect ; and for this purpose various engraved stones

FiG. G4.

Fig 65.

were used. Thus, Fig. 65, from the same collection, has set in its
centre a Gnostic gem, with cabalistic figures, believed able to avert
the dreadful glance.

Such stones were, of course, " far sought, dear bought ; " and
rings believed to possess such covetable power had a high money
value. How, then, were the poor, still more ignorant and supersti-
tious, to be aided ? Craft came to the aid of faith : demand as
usual, produced supply, and inscription took the place of costly
jewels. Rings were fabricated in silver and baser metals having
cabalistic words upon them, the names of spirits or of saints. To
meet the poorest ring-wearer, they were even cast in lead and sold
on the cheapest terms. They were believed to prevent cramp and
epilepsy. One in the Londesborough collection is inscribed with
the mystic word ANAMZ APTA. In a manuscript of the fourteenth
century, in the library at. Stockholm, we have this receipt for the
falling sickness : " Say the word ' Anamzaptus ' in his ear when
he is fallen down in that evyll, and also in a woman's ear, ' Anam-
zapta,' and they shall nevermore after that feel that evyll."

THE

DUNDEE EXHIBITION" OP "WATCHMAKERS
AND JEWELLERS' WORK.

AT the recent exhibition of the Dundee Association of Watch-
makers and Jewellers, the watchmakers' competition was
divided into two sections, three prizes being offered for competition
among journeymen and six among apprentices. The work exhibited
consisted chiefly of turning, such as staffs, cylinders and pinions. The
following being the order in which the prizes were awarded, — first,
Peter Cumming ; second, Geo. H. Johnston ; third, John Angus,
in the section for journeymen. In the work of apprentices, where
clock-work, pinions, and such-like predominated, the prizes were
awarded as follows — first, C. Harris, Newport ; second, P. Forbes,
Dundee ; third, T. Peebles ; fourth, R. Watson ; fifth, C. Sword ;
sixth, J. Boyack. The jewellers' competition was also divided into
two, there being two prizes for journeymen and four for apprentices,
and contained some very handsome specimens of Scotch jewellery.
The first prize was gained by Mr. J. McPherson for a ring set with
Scotch pearls, and the second by Mr. J. Kirk, for a Scotch brooch.
The successful apprentices were — first, Geo. Anderson, for a col-
oured gold brooch ; second, W. Sellars, for a coloured gold-mounted
clan and pebble brooch ; third, Alec Mathers, for a clan and Scotch
pebble brooch ; fourth, Jas. McKay, for sleeve links. Altogether the
Exhibition was considered a great success, although there would
have been far more competition had longer notice been given.

Clock and Watchjiakers' Asylum. — The Annual Meeting of the
subscribers of this institution took place at the Foresters' Hall,
Wilderness Row, on the 10th ult., Mr. Daniel Clarke presiding. John
Nelson was elected an inmate of the Asylum, Mr. Christopher
Rowlands was re-elected treasurer, and Mr. S. Jackson and Mr.
Mercer, who, with Mr. Birchall, retired from the committee, by
rotation, were re-elected. Mr. Cole, of the firm of Usher & Cole,
Mr. G. J. Moore, and Mr. Harris, were also appointed to serve on
the committee. The satisfactory position of the Institution was
alluded to by several speakers.

276

THE WATCKMAKM, JEWELLER, AND

[May 5, 1876.

CROWNS.
From the British Trade Journal.

CROWNS, ornaments of the head denoting imperial or royal
dignity, have a. carious history, traceable from a mere fillet or
circlet of gold to their adornment with the richest jewels. The
radiated appears to be the earliest form of the royal crown with
which we are acquainted. It is found upon Persian, Syrian, and
Greek coins, and on that of Augustus and other emperors, down to
the destruction of the Roman Empire. The strophium, bandelet or
fillet, and the laurel wreath were used as crowns in very remote
ages. In Constantine's time the fillet of pearls came into use,
which the later Byzantine emperors turned into a coronet ; it was
originally a mere fillet, then a garland, subsequently stuff adorned
with pearls. Manuel Pakeologus, crowned in 1363, wore a close
crown studded with pearls. The trefoil upon the crown is thought
to be of Gothic introduction. We find it upon the coins of Clovis
and his sons, which has induced antiquaries to call it the fleur-de-
lis ; but the truth is, these trefoils were used on Constantinopolitan
crowns before the time of the Franks, and afterwards on those of
German princes in no way allied to Charlemagne. Aubrey, the
antiquary, was of opinion that the fleur-de-lis is really a spear-head
adorned with flowers of the lily kind, having the middle part solid.
The iron crown of Lombardy takes its name from the narrow iron
band within it, which is about three-eighths of an inch broad, and
one-tenth of an inch in thickness. This band is traditionally said
to have been made out of one of the nails used at the crucifixion,
and given to Constantine by his mother, the Empress Helena, the
discoverer of the Cross, to protect him in battle. Afterwards it
was used at the coronation of the Lombard kings, primarily at that
of Agilulfus, at Milan, in the year 591. The outer circlet of the
crown is composed of six equal parts of beaten gold, joined together
by hinges, and set with large rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, on a
ground of blue gold enamel. Within the circlet is the iron band,
without a speck of rust, although it has existed for more than 1500
years. When the Emperor Napoleon was crowned king of Italy (at
Milan, May 23rd, 1805), he placed the iron crown upon his head
with his own hands, exclaiming, " Dieu me Va donne, gare a qui la
touche " (" God has given it to me, beware who touches it") ; it was
the haughty motto attached to it by its ancient owners.

"Luke's iron crown" was a punishment inflicted anciently on
regicides, or other criminals, in Hungary, aud consisted in placing a
crown of iron, heated red-hot, upon the head. The Earl of Athol,
who was executed for the murder of James I., King of Scots, was
previously to his death crowned with a hot iron. It may be in
reference to this that in Shakespeare's "Richard III.," Act IV.,
Scene 1, we read —

" Oh, would to God that the inclusive verge
Of golden metal that must round my brow
Were red-hot steel, to sear me to the brain ! "

The Hungarian crown, worn at their accession by the Emperors
of Austria, as Kings of Hungary, is the identical one Avorn by
Stephen, 800 years ago. It is of pure gold, and weighs 9 marks,
6 ounces (14 pounds). It is adorned with 53 sapphires, 50 rubies,
1 emerald, and 338 pearls.

With regard to the crown used in our own country, a fillet diadem
of pearls appears on several of the Saxon Sceatta?. Similar diadems
or fillets adorn the heads of many of the Heptarchic kings.

Alfred's crown has two little bells attached; it is said to have
been long preserved at Westminster, and may have been that
described in the parliamentary inventory taken in 1649. The circle
surmounted by three small projections first occurs upon the
coins of Athelstan ; on some of Edred's coins the projections
end in pearls. A radiated cap appears first on a coin of
Etheldred II., and the trefoil ornament is upon a few of the
coins of Canute. Several varieties of arched cap and crown
appears upon the coins of Edward the Confessor. The close
or arched crown, which appears on some of the Confessor's
coins, is used on all the types of Harold, and was adopted by the
earliest Norman kings. On the Confessor's and the Conqueror's
coins we see labels appended at each ear : these, as we learn from an
anecdote related by William of Malmesbury, in wearing the crown,
were fastened by a clasp or button beneath the chin. William I.
wore his crown on a cap adorned with points and leaves alternately,
each point being tipped with three pearls, while the whole crown
was surmounted by a cross. William Rufus discontinued the
leaves. On the coins of Stephen and Henry II. the open crown with
fleur-de-lis appears. Henry IH. was crowned with a plain circle of
gold, in lieu of the crown, which had been lost, with the other jewels

and baggage of King John, in passing the marshes of Lynn, on the
Wash, near Wisbeck. Edward III. wore his crown ornamented with
points, fleur-de- lis alternately, and fleur-de-lis and crosses, as at
present. Selden had read that Henry V. was the first of them who
wore the arched crowns, and in a window of Ockholt manor house, in
Berkshire, 1465, there certainly remained, till within a few years,
the arms of Henry VI. and his queen, Margaret of Anjou, in
separate coats, both surmounted by the arched barred crown. From
Henry VII. downward this arched crown, with the globe and cross,
has been continued.

"St. Edward's crown" was made in imitation of the ancient
crown said to have been worn by the Confessor, and kept in West-
minster Abbey till the beginning of the civil war in England, when
with the rest of the regalia, it was s eized and sold. A new crown
was prepared for Charles II.

A magnificent crown was made for George IV. with the jewels of
the old crown and jewels borrowed of Rundell & Bridge, the
crown jewellers. This crown was 15 inches in height; the
arches were not flat as in the former crown, hut rose almost to a
point, and were surmounted by an orb of brilliants, upon which was
placed a Maltese cross of brilliants, with three fine pearls at its
extremities. The arches were wreathed and fringed with diamonds,
and four Maltese crosses of brilliants surmounted the crown, with
tour large diamond flowers intervening. On the centre of the back
cross was the ancient ruby which was worn at Cressy and Agin-
court by the Black Prince and Henry V. ; while the centre of the
front cross was adorned with a unique sapphire, more than 2 inches
long and 1 inch broad ; and a band of large diamonds, emeralds,
sapphires, and rubies completed a magnificent diadem. It was
estimated to be worth 150,000L, and the expenses upon it, prepara-
tory to the coronation of George IV., amounted to 50.000Z. or
60,000£. over and above the addition of the inestimable sapphire.

The imperial State crown was made by Messrs. Rundell &
Bridge, in the year 1838, with jewels taken from old crowns, and
others furnished by command of Her Majesty, and is thus described
by Prof essor Tennent : — "It consists of diamonds, pearls, rubies, sap-
phires, and emeralds, set in silver and gold : it has a crimson
velvet cap with ermine border, and is lined with white silk. Its
gross weight is 39 oz. 5 dwt. Troy. The lower part of the band,
above the ermine border, consists of a row of 129 pearls, and the
upper part of the band of a row of 112 pearls, between which, in
front of the crown, is a large sapphire (partly drilled), purchased
for the crown by George the Fourth. At the back is a sapphire of
smaller size, and six other sapphires (three on each side), between
which are eight emeralds. Above and below the seven sapphires
are 14 diamonds, and around the eight emeralds 128 diamonds. Be-
tween the emeralds and the sapphires are 16 trefoil ornaments, con-
taining 160 diamonds. Above the band are eight sapphires,
surmounted by eight diamonds, between which are eight festoons
consisting of 1 48 diamonds. In the front of the crown, and in the
centre of a diamond Maltese cross, is the famous ruby said to have
been given to Edward, Prince of Wales, son of Edward the Third,
called the Black Prince, by Don Pedro, King of Castile, after the
battle of Najera, near Vittoria, a.d. 1367. This ruby was worn in
the helmet of Henry the Fifth at the battle of Agincourt, a.d. 1415.
It is pierced quite through, after the Eastern custom, the upper
part of the piercing being filled up by a small ruby. Around this
ruby, in order to form the cross, are 75 brilliant diamonds. Three
other Maltese crosses, forming the two sides and back of the crown,
have emerald ceutres, and contain respectively 132, 124, and 130
brilliant diamonds. Between the four Maltese crosses are four
ornaments in the form of the French fleur-de-lis, with four rubies
in the centres, and surrounded by rose diamonds, containing respec-
tively 85, 86, and 87 rose diamonds. From the Maltese crosses
issue four imperial arches composed of oak leaves and acorns ; the
leaves contain 728 rose, table, and brilliant diamonds ; 32 pearls
from the acorns, set in cups containing 54 rose diamonds and one
table diamond. The total number of diamonds in the arches and
acorns is 108 brilliant, 116 table, and 559 rose diamonds. From the
upper part of the arches are suspended four large pendent pear-
shaped pearls, with rose diamond caps, containing 12 rose diamonds,
and stems containing 24 very small rose diamonds. Above the arch-
stands the mound, containing in the lower hemisphere 304 brilliants,
and in the upper 244 brilliants ; the zone and arc being composed of
33 rose diamonds. The cross on the summit has a rose-cut sapphire
in the centre, surrounded by four large brilliants, and 108 smaller
brilliants."

Summary of Jewels comprised in the Crown.

1 large ruby, irregularly polished ; 1 large broad-spread sapphire ;
16 sapphires; 11 emeralds; 4 rubies; 1363 brilliant diamonds;

May 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

277

1273 rose diamonds ; 147 table diamonds ; 4 drop-shaped pearls ;
273 pearls.

Unlike most other princely crowns in Europe, all the jewels in
the British crown are really precious stones, whereas in other State
crowns valuable stones have been replaced by imitations. Odd
mischances befall crowns. At the close of the late Abyssinian war
the true crown of King Theodore was bought at the capture of
Magdala, from a common soldier, by a Prussian officer attached to
the expedition, and was by him presented to his sovereign. His
Majesty had his attention drawn to Lord Napier's order, forbidding
the sale of articles taken by the army, and the crown was forwarded
to the British Government.

SOME FACTS CONCERNING THE LIFE, TRIALS,
AND MISFORTUNES OF HENRY SULLY, THE
WATCHMAKER.

(From the Mechanic.)

THE materials at command from which to form the biography of
Henry Sully are very few and scarce, inasmuch as there is no
notice of him in any of the leading English cyclopaedias, which is
somewhat surprising, considering that he was a prominent member
of the horological profession in most of the Continental cities.
Beyond a tract written by a lover of his genius the only means at
hand we gather from two distinguished and diligent workers of the
horological art, who obtained what little is known of him from
occasional remarks in the writings of foreign artists. Henry Sully
was an Englishman, born in 1680, and apprenticed at an early age to
a celebrated watchmaker of London, named Gretton, under whom
he made great progress, he being most assiduous in his attempts to
improve timekeepers, which soon gained for him some reputation
among those connected with the supporters of his employer ; and,
on completing his apprenticeship, he immediately set to work to
construct a watch which might be the means of discovering the
longitude at sea. Having, in the year 1703, shown his plans to
Sir Isaac Newton, and, receiving great encouragement from him, so
increased his desire to attain his object by means of a timekeeper
that he laboured incessantly to produce such to perfection ; but his
object requiring much time — which was money — was ill-suited to the
condition of a needy watchmaker — for such he was ; and before he
could complete his instrument circumstances compelled him to
leave his country. He went to Holland in 1708, where he
remained until 1715, from whence, after having become
acquainted with the French and Dutch languages, he went
to Vienna, where he acquired German. His genius and
conversation obtained for him there the notice of Prince
Eugene. The Duke d'Aremberg and Count de Bonneval in-
duced him to accompany them to the army on the Rhine.
There he had the charge of the watches, and several Ger-
man noblemen became his patrons and friends ; and on peace
being restored Sully returned to Paris with the Duke d'Aremberg,
who gave him apartments in the Hotel d'Ausbac, with a pension of
600 livres. Soon after his arrival in Paris he was introduced to
Julien Le Roy, who writes of him : "In our first conversation we
disputed the merits of French and English watches, but I was on
the weaker side, our watches at that time being inferior to those of
London." Shortly afterwards, when the Duke d'Aremberg went to
reside at the Cloitre de St. Germain l'Auxerrois, Sully followed him,
and there married.

Though a foreigner, Sully applied for the post of " Maitre Horlo-
ger," but the Parisian watchmakers, alarmed at his reputation and
supporters, united in opposing him in his desire to obtain such an
appointment. His friends, however, obtained for him a donation
from the Regent of 1500 livres, which Law, of Lauriston, the noted
Scotch speculator, was charged to remit to him under the authority
of the Court of Versailles. Law, who was a clever man, went to see
him, and, having discovered Sully's talents, considered him to be a
person highly qualified, and the best adapted person to be engaged
in establishing a manufactory for clocks and watches, with a view
to the benefit of France. He soon afterwards communicated this
design to Sully, who, at his request, went twice to London to engage
workmen for the purpose ; and, having engaged sixty, they with
their families were located at Versailles. The manufactory thus
formed existed about two years, and Sully was the director. But
expenses resulted, the workmen had to be paid, expensive tools were
supplied by Sully in order to produce work of a required standard. But
as Law was thoroughly ignorant of the practical part of the business he
could not understand why so small a profit resulted, and, therefore,
began to murmur. Nevertheless, these two years formed the most
prosperous period of Sully's life. Handsome apartments, steward,

servants, workmen to carry out his ideas, with ample funds, of
which he had the management, everything for a time equalled his
wishes ; but this enviable state was of short duration. The ex-
penses of the manufactory were necessarily great, and Law,
suspecting Sully of extravagance, displaced him. Spirit-broken at
this reverse, Sully returned to Paris, took furnished apartments,
fell dangerously ill, and sorrow retarded his recovery. But Law
relented and changed his conduct towards Sully, through which,
fortunately, a nobleman became acquainted with him, felt much
for the disagreeable situation in which Sully was placed, and
sent him, as a present, some shares in the public funds — value
12,000 livres — which enabled him to feel again in easy circum-
stances, and at once turned his attention to the means of bringing
horology to perfection. For this purpose he proposed, under the
protection of the Duke de Noailles, to establish a manufactory at
ISt. Germains. In this he was so well assisted by the duke as to be
enabled to take a commodious house, and procure a number of
workmen from Paris, London, and Amsterdam, who were employed
solely under his direction. All his energy was exerted in exciting
his men to surpass those of Versailles ; thus for some time the two
manufactories were endeavouring to emulate each other. But the
times changed. Law was obliged to leave France in consequence
of the scarcity of money ; the manufactories suffered much, espe-
cially that of Sully. His small capital soon became exhausted by
paying clever workmen to produce difficult pieces of work, for
which, when completed, there were no purchasers, and consequently
the scheme was abandoned. The English Government at length
became aware of the injury likely to befall this country from the
loss of clever artisans, and granted 3000Z. to the workmen employed
in the French manufactories, to enable them to return and again
settle in London. This grant, together with the liberal offers of
several noblemen, induced Sully to return to his native country
with his workmen. After continued struggles he found himself
again dependent upon his personal labour, which was insufficient to
maintain himself. A leaning to the scenes of his former happiness
determined him to return to Versailles, which enabled him to stem
the tide of human requirements, and by degrees his position im-
proved, and being clever, his affairs assumed a favourable aspect.
Having procured a few skilful workmen he again indulged in his
favourite pursuit, and produced a chronometer, the escapement of
which was his own invention. For some time it went well, and its
exhibition produced orders from several ambassadors who wished to
present them to their various sovereigns. These orders, with others,
were too much for our poor countryman's finances ; he was, there-
fore, obliged to request those who desired them to advance cash
when giving the order. But when they were completed he found
that they were not quite to his mind. His various attempts to
correct the faults occupied much time ; his subscribers became tired
of waiting, and demanded their money back.

During his attempts to improve those timekeepers his debts
became excessive, and to add to his misfortunes his most valuable
tools were sold with other property during his absence, to pay
arrears of wages due to his workmen ; he was thus reduced to
poverty. He again returned to Paris, and grief once more brought
on a long illness, and during his convalescence he joined the Society
of Arts, which formerly met at the Louvre. The last time he
attended that society he read a translation of a letter he had
received from the celebrated Gregory, on the utility of mathematics
Towards the end of the same week, having heard of an individual
who had something new in horology to show to the society, he took
the address incorrectly, and in the search overheated himself, and
died four days after of inflammation of the chest in October, 1728.
He was buried with funeral honours opposite the door of the
sanctuary of St. Sulpice. His last days were employed in en-
deavouring to make chronometers useful to navigation, generously
sacrificing his own interests in an attempt which, if successful, he
felt sure would benefit mankind and be the means of preserving
innumerable lives.

The Richest Silver Mine in the World. — The Consolidated
Virginia mine is the most profitable in the world. During 1875 it
yielded 169,307 tons of ore worth 98 dollars per ton. Since Decem-
ber last about 600 tons have been hoisted daily. As soon, however,
as the connections with another shaft are complete it is computed
that this hoisting capacity will be increased to 2000 tons per day.
The superintendent of the mine says that, even under this great
drain, there is enough ore in sight to last for many years. The
almost fabulous amount of wealth which still lies buried, and which
the drillers of the miners have not yet exposed, cannot be con-*
jectured. — Scientific American.

278

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[May 5, 1876.

MESSES. ELKINGTONS WORKS OP ART AT THE
PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION.

4MON G the loading and most prominent exhibitors at the Philadel-
phia Exhibition will be Messrs. Elkington & Co., whose contri-
on will be of an aggregate value of about 100,000/. They are
having assigned to them a place of honour in the centre of the
English department, where their show cases will occupy a fourth of
the entire space beneath the tower ; and the collection will not only
be one of the largest, but probably the finest and most important of
the kind ever exhibited, surpassing even the magnificent display which
was made by the same firm at the Vienna Exhibition, and some of the
plate which they will show to the Americans is pronounced by the
most experienced judges to be the finest ever produced. The articles
form a deeply interesting exhibition of themselves, and include two
silver dessert services, each of the value of two thousand guineas,
though one of them consists only of three pieces. We may state
that, large as will be Messrs. Elkington's contribution to the Exhibi-
tion, it will be confined entirely to what are essentially works of the
highest art, for the firm are not troubling themselves to send out
any of the ordinary domestic articles of silver and electro-plate, such
as dishes, forks, spoons, &c. They prefer rather to invite the atten-
tion of the world to specimens of highly-decorative work, all of which
have been produced at their own manufactory, most of them being
designed and all executed under the personal superintendence of their
chief artistes, M. Morel-Ladeuil and M. Willms. The articles
selected for exhibition consist, for the most part, of decorative dessert
services, vases, shields, mirror frames, plaques, and tazzi.

The collection may be described as illustrating the three principal
classes of repousse work in silver, enriched by gilding and enamelling ;
repousse work in iron, decorated by inlaid and damascened patterns
in gold and silver ; and champ levee and cloisonnee enamels. In all
of these departments considerable progress has been made since the
Vienna Exhibition ; but in none of them is it more noticeable than
in the cloisonnee enamels, which far surpass the Chinese or the modern
Japanese examples of the art, and even approach very nearly to the
exquisite beauty of the old Japanese. It forms an imperishable
picture, capable of resisting everything but intense heat and great
violence, and of a material which lends itself with especial readiness
to rich and harmonious colouring, while the delicate bright metallic
lines bordering the cloisons form a pleasiug contrast to the compara-
tive dulness of the opaque glass. The perfection to which Messrs.
Elktngton & Co. have now brought the art has only been reached
by numerous experiments, and many and costly failures ; but the
work which is now produced leaves little to be desired. It may be
mentioned as a special feature of enamel work that it does not admit
of being copied or reproduced by any other method, and hence that
it can never lose its rare and costly character. The champ levee
enamel, which is chiefly used for the decorative enrichment of metal
work, is of a more simple kind.

The repousse work in iron is of especial interest ; and, although
extremely costly originally, it differs from enamel in this — that an
imitation of it can be produced at a moderate price. The artist
commences with a dish or other article of fine wrought iron, and on
the upper surface of this he engraves the outline of a pattern. The
dish is then reversed, and is beaten at the back by punchers and
hammers until the traced pattern is rendered concave at the back,
and correspondingly convex on the upper surface. The prominences
thus produced are finished in detail by chasing, and when this is
done the dish is ready to receive further decoration by inlaying,
or by damascening. For the inlaying, grooves corresponding to the
lines of a traced pattern are cut in the iron, and these grooves are
filled by gold or silver wire, which is driven into them by punches,
and then finished upon the surface as may be required. Damas-
cening is a slightly different process, which somewhat resembles
embroidery, and leaves the hand of the artist free to follow his
fancy, and to produce any flowing outlines that he may desire.
A very exquisite specimen of this work is an oval mirror frame,
damascened with birds and arabesques. The arabesques are simply
burnished, but the birds are sculptured until the outline of almost
every feather may be traced. Messrs. Elkington exhibit some
copies of this kind of work, of which their well-known " Milton
shield," from the original at South Kensington, is an example ; but
they only copy originals which are in museums, or otherwise public
property ; they include the copyright of an original repousse work
in the price charged to any private purchaser. The most remark-
able examples sent to America are a dessert service, a tazza, and
some dishes or plaques. The dessert service is in iron repousse,
inlaid with gold and silver, relieved by exquisitely-chased panels of
oxidized silver, and supported on crystal pillars, delicately engraved

with incised and gilt ornamentation. The tazza is in repousse silver,
with a border of iron damascened and incrusted with gold, and the
principal subject (which has occupied M. Morel-Ladeuil, the artist
of the Helicon vase and of the Milton shield, two years in execu-
tion) is a Pompeiian lady at her toilet, attended by her slaves.
The relief is so high that the figures seem almost as if undercut,
and the work is regarded altogether as one of the finest specimens
ever executed. A smaller plaque, by the same artist, is an
allegorical group representing Charity, and another is a farmyard
composition, in which a child is frightened by some clamorous
poultry.

The decorative dinner and dessert services are of various styles —
Egyptian, Grecian, Pompeiian, Romano-Greek, and Renaissance.
They are made either in massive silver or in copper electro-plated,
in either case relieved by gilding ; and two complete services, con-
sisting of centre-pieces, plateaux, candelabra, and fruit stands, are
richly decorated with champ levee enamelling, and panelled with
gold.

The cloisonnee enamels, which are included in this collection, are
all, we need scarcely say, exceedingly fine. M. Morel-Ladeuil's
exquisite tazza, the magnificent dessert services, and the Venetian
mirror designed by M. Willms, with its very beautiful framework
of solid silver, inlaid with gold, are beyond description. In the
production of these splendid works Messrs. Elkington must stand
unrivalled, and they will even add to their great reputation by the
valuable collection of articles sent to the American Exhibition, and
which are of a most elaborate description.

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE HATTON GAEDEN JEWELLEEY EOBBEEY.

To the Editor of the Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith.

Sir, — I observe in your able journal for the present month, an account
of the above robbery, and had you not ventured upon the difficult task of
explaining the modus operandi of the affair, I should not have trespassed
upon your space for reply. The following letters, which I addressed to the
daily journals, will show you my own opinion of the matter : —

" Being the manufacturer of the two safes in use by Messrs. Williams, I
beg to state that from an examination of the safes themselves, and the
premises in which they are situate, I have no hesitation in arriving at the
conclusion that both the locks of Messrs. Chubb and Son on the office door,
and my own locks on the safes, were unlocked exactly as they were designed
to be, i.e., by their own keys, or by others deliberately made from them. I
am afraid that the true explanation of robberies of this character must be
sought rather in breaches of trust or culpable negligence than in the
unaided efforts of ' Carroty Fred ' and his clique. Messrs. Williams are
themselves satisfied that an improper use has been made of their
several keys, but how, when, or by whom they are unable to say. They
have requested me to change the combination of the locks, so that the false
keys will not fit, which I have done. Bankers, diamond merchants, and
others having charge of large amounts of value would do well to have their
locks changed occasionally, so as to lessen the risk of an improper use of
their keys."

Since writing the above letter I have been surprised to learn that it is a
common practice in some houses in the trade for a trustworthy party to
have charge of one of the keys of a safe, and for the duplicato to be kept
in the drawer of another safe of inferior make, to which safe access is open
to the clerks. I am quite sure this state of things arises from want of
consideration. The best place for the duplicate keys is undoubtedly in a
small sealed box lodged with the firm's bankers, with instructions not to
deliver it up except to the principal, or to his written order. I some
years ago designed for bank use a small steel key box for the pocket, in
which to send the leading keys of a bank to a place of secrecy and safety
off the premises. This box is made out of a short length of round cast
steel, bored out, one end being left solid, and having a small plug lock in
the other. The leading keys which it is desired to send away from the
bank, are dropped into the box and locked up by the manager, who retains
the small key. The key box is then carried away in the pocket of one of
the bank assistants, who, however, can gain no information as to its
contents. I would suggest that the duplicate keys of all safes containing
large amounts of value should be locked up in key boxes — sealed and lodged
away from the premises in which the safes are situate. I prefer to deposit
them with bankers for safe custody, and to ensure proper registry, so that
the fact of the duplicates being called for will at once be made known, and
breaches of trust be rendered more difficult. While I feel bound to state
the utter impossibility of the keys having been " made from moulds
secured at some moment when Mr. Williams may have laid his keys down
in his office," I quite agree with your caution.

I remain, yours truly,

SAMUEL CHATWOOD,

Bankers' Safe and Lock Engineer.
120, Cannon-street, London. E.C.,
April 29th, 1876.

May 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TKADE JOUENAL.

279

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

1455. Richard Werdermann, of Princes Street, in the county of Surrey,
Civil Engineer, for an invention of " Improvements relating to the
extraction of gold, silver, and other metals from ores and other sub-
stances, and in apparatus therefor, which apparatus is applicable for
other purposes." — Dated 5th April, 1876.

1528. William Henry Alford, of Ventnor, Isle of Wight, in the county
of Hants, for an invention of " Improvements applicable to finger
rings, bracelets, and other similar articles." — Dated 11th April, 1876.

1529. To John Compton Weeks Jefferys, 14, Tottenham Court Road,
in the county of Middlesex, Manufacturing Jeweller, for an invention
of "Improvments in scarf- rings and other like dress fastenings and
ornaments." — Dated 1 1th April, 1876.

1720. Gtustav Wilhelm Schujiaciier, of Portland, in the county of Cum-
berland and state of Maine, one of the United States of America,
Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements in thermometers."
— (Complete Specification.) — Dated 22nd April, 1876.

1830. Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the county
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of " A combined calendar
and time-piece with perpetual automatic adjuster attachment for the
irregular number of days in the different months." — A communication
to him from abroad by Miner Hamlin Paddock, of East Clarkson,
Monroe county, State of New York, United States of America. — Dated
1st May, 1876.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

956. To Thomas William Greaves, Jeweller, of Birmingham, in the county
of Warwick, for the invention of " Improvements in ornamenting soli-
taires and other articles of jewellery with pressed glass, and which said
improvements are also applicable for other useful purposes."

958. To William Baxter, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
and Thomas Greaves, also of Birmingham aforesaid, for the invention
of " Certain improvements in studs or solitaires."

1178. To Hiitolyte Collot, of 55, Lamb's Conduit Street, in the county of
Middlesex, Jeweller, for the invention of " Certain improvements in
solitaires."

1272. To Henry Walker, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Gun Manufacturer, for the invention of " Improvements in fastenings
for solitaires, sleeve links, collar and other studs, gloves, bags, and
other articles."

1340. To John Thornton Bintley, of Beckenham, in the county of Kent,
Civil Engineer, for the invention of " Improvements in cases for
watches and clocks.

1445. To Richard Werdermann, of Princes Street, in the county of
Surrey, Civil Engineer, for the invention of " Improvements relating
to the extraction of gold, silver, and other metals from ores and other
substances, and in apparatus therefor, which apparatus is applicable
for other purposes."

4434. James Webster, of Clerkenwell, in the county of Middlesex, Ther-
mometer Maker, " Improvements in clinical thermometers."

4445. Edward Thomas Hughes, of the firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123 Chancery Lane, London, " Improvements in treating
certain metallic alloys for imparting resonance thereto." — A communi-
cation to him from abroad, by Benjamin Silliman, of New Haven,
Connecticut, Chemist, and Horace Cornwall Wilcox, of West
Meriden, Connecticut, Manufacturer of Britannia Ware, both in the
United States of America.

4498 Juan Nepomuceno Adorno, of Harley Street, Cavendish Square, in
the county of Middlesex, gentleman, " Improvements in watches and
clocks."

1720. Gustav Wilhelm Schumacher, of Portland, in the county of
Cumberland, and state of Maine, one of the United States of America,
Manufacturer, " Improvements in Thermometers."

Inventions Protected for six months by deposit of a
Complete Specification.

3662. William Jephcott, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Wateh Maker, for an invention of " Improvements in the cases of
watches, clocks, timepieces, lockets and other similar articles." — Dated
21st October, 1875.

Patents which have become Void.

1114. John Goettler, of 45, Spencer, Street, Northampton Square,
Clerkenwell, in the county of Middlesex, for an invention of "Improve-
ments in keyless watches." — A communication to him from abroad by
Olivier Courvoisier, of 1, Rue de Seyon, Neuchatel, in the republic of
Switzerland.— Dated 26th March, 1873.

1295. William Carron, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Machinist, for an invention of "Improvements in fastenings for
brooches, sleeve links, and other articles of jewellery, ornament and
dress."— Dated 8th April, 1873.

Patents granted in British Colonies and Dependencies.

5562. Ansel S., Buckelew, of Jersey, N. J., U.S., for "A watch-case
spring." (Resort de boitier de montre) — 5 years — Dated 10 January,
1876.

5575. Benjamin Silliman, of New Haven, and Horace C. Wilcox, of
West Meriden, Ct., U.S., for "A process for imparting resonance to
metallic alloys." (Procede pour donner de le sonorite aux alliages
metalliques.) — 15 years. — Dated 10th January, 1876.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

Prance.

109,416. Fauvel, for " Anti-neuralgic and electro-galvanic spectacles and

eye-glasses," — Dated 4th September, 1875.
109,429. Potter, for " Improvments in the manufacture of watches and

chronometers." — Dated 1st September, 1875.
109,649, Jacot-Burmann, for " Ladies' watches with a pendant remontoir

and anchor escapement." — Dated 18th September, 1875. ^

109,756. Mathonnet, of Marseilles, for " A combined watch and clock.

—Dated 2nd October, 1875.

Certificate of Addition.

100,708. Daubrive and Clerget, for "Improvements in barometers."—
Dated 15th September, 1875.

Belguim.

39,044. P. Doms and G. Yantichelin, of Louvain, for " Improvements
in church clocks, and means of making them go at all temperatures. —
Dated 25th February, 1876.

39,134. C. Vranckx, of Tessenderloo-Hasselt, for " A stop escapement for
clocks."— Dated 18th March, 1S76.

Austria.

51. J. Jacobowits, of Grosswardein, for " A simplified repetition pendu-
lum clock."— 1 year.— (Secret.)— Dated 6th November, 1875.

79. C. A. Mayrhofer and J. Reiciiardt, of Vienna, for " Electro-pneu-
matic clocks."— 1 year.— (Secret.)— Dated 14th November, 1875.

United States.

172 827. Isaac N. Hopkins, of Lockport, assignor of one-half of his right
to H. W. Preston, of Albion, N.Y. for "Watch-case springs."— Appli-
cation filed 9th November, 1875.— Brief.—'1 An auxiliary spring ad-
justable on the catch and lifting-spring, and provided with a nib to be
fitted in the hole in the case ordinarily occupied by the screw.

172,932. Chauncey C. Parker, of Brooklyn, N.Y., for "Eyeglasses. —
Application filed 13th January, 1876.

173 011. George Hunter and Charles S. Moseley, of Elgin, LI., assig-
nors of one-tenth of their right to the Elgin National Watch Company,
of the same place, for " Cannon-pinions for watches."— Application
filed 12th January, 1876.— Brief.— "A tongue cut in the side of the
pinion-barrel is bent inwardly against a tapering staff, to prevent the
pinion from rising on the staff."

173,036. Anton Meyer, of Stuttgart, Germany, for " Watchmen s tirae-
detecters."— Application filed 4th Janury, 1876.— Brief— "A continuous
strip of paper is supplied from a reel to the drum operated by the
clock-movement. On its way to the drum the strip passes over a sup-
port placed opposite a series of marking devices operated by suitable
keys. An index on the drum marks the time on a-stationary dial on
the case." _ . ,.

173,053. A. Philippe, of Geneva, Switzerland, for "Stem-winding
watches."— Application filed 7th January, 1876.

173,072. R. J. Sheeiiy, of Boston, Mass., for " Electric-clocks —Appli-
cation filed 16th November, 1&I5.— Brief.— " To sound the bell, shunts
the current around a resistance, through which it normally passes,
therebv increasing the attractive force of an electro- magnet ^ sufficiently
to operate an auxiliary armature, whose lever carries the bell-hammer.

8937. George W. Gill, of Philadelphia, Pa., for "A locket. —Applica-
tion filed 30th December, 1875.— Term of patent 3£ years. _

8944. Charles T. Sloan, of New York, N.Y., for " Breast-pins, &c. —
Application filed 13th December, 1875.— Term of patent 3| years

173,139; H. A. Seymour, of Bristol, Conn., for " Clockbells. —Applica-
tion filed 3rd January, 1876.

280

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[May 5, 1876.

THE

whtdjnmkr, fcfaelltr, sub $iltorail#t

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
London, E.G.

Birmingham Agencies.

Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.

Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.

Messrs. Swdsden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.

Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES,

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch. Sequestrations, &c., &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Brecknell Job, Lower Union -street, Torquay, jeweller. Apr. 5. Hooper

and Wollesi, solicitors, Torquay.
Capell Francis, Bell Barn-road, Birmingham, watch material dealer.

Apr. 5. A. Pointon, solicitor, Temple-road West, Birmingham.
Carter Egbert, sen., Tottenham Court-road, jeweller. Apr. 22. Hope,

jun., 35 Great Jaines-street, Bedford. H. E. Bice, solicitor.
Collins Joseph, Alfred-street, Warstone-lane, Birmingham, silversmith.

Apr. 22. J. M. Green, solicitor, 43 Waterloo-street, Birmingham.
Harris Frederick H. B., 27 Claremont-sqi;are, goldsmith and jeweller.

Apr. 19. Spyers & Sons, solicitors, 1 Winchester House, Old Broad-
street.
Imply Bedford, Mary-street and Cannon-street, Birmingham, gilt jeweller

and publisher. Apr. 20. W. Morgan, solicitor, 37 Waterloo-street,

Birmingham.
Levehb Wolff, 4 Caroline-street, and 47 Adam-street, Cardiff, jeweller and

pawnbroker. .Apr. 25. M. Morgan, solicitor, Cardiff.
Michael James, trading as J. Michael & Co., Soho-hill, Handsworth,

jewellery factor. Apr. 7. Crowther Davies, solicitor, 25 Bennett's-

bill, Birmingham.
Miles James and Frederick Spon, 33 Aldersgate-street, jewellers. Apr. 5.

Lumley and Lumley, solicitors, 15 Old Jewry-chambers, and 22

Conduit-street, Eegent-street.
Moxox Thomas, Great Hampton-row, Birmingham, jeweller. Apr. 24.

Crowtber Davies, solicitor, 25 Bennett's-hill, Birmingham.
Myers Barxett, 1 Beatrice-crescent, Birmingham, jeweller. Apr. 22.

C. B. Hodgson, solicitor, 13, Waterloo-street, Birmingham.
Shaw James, Cheapside, Leicester, jeweller. Apr. 12. Fowler, Smith &

Warwick, solicitors, Leicester.
Yi ale Thomas Jajies, Onslow-road, Newtown, Southampton, watchmaker

and jeweller. Apr. 7. Coxwell, Bassett & Stanton, solicitors,

.Southampton.
Williams John, trading as John Egbert Williams & Son, Hatton Garden,

London, -jewellers. Inns of Court Hotel, 269 High Holborn. Lewis

and Lewis, solicitors, 10 Ely Place.

Notices of Dividends.

The Dividends are payable at the offices of the respective Assignees or
tecs named at the end of each notice. Bid., Insl., Liq., or Asg., following
ame, indicates whether the dividend is under a Bankruptcy, Insolvency,
'datum, or Assignment.

Baenaed Abhee (Bkt.), Bedford Circus, Exeter, dealer in jewellery. Div.

Is. fid. ; any day ; Mr. Fewing. Queen-street, Exeter.
Ldwabd Joseph, Aldersgate-street, City, jeweller, ijtlis Id. ; Wednesday

next and three subsequent Wednesdays ; Mr. Paget, 34 Lincoln's-Inn-

Fields.
I'jjiLLiPEOH William CBkt.), Richmond-row, Liverpool, jeweller. 2nd and

final div. 3s.; any Wednesday between 11 and 2; H. Bolland, 10,

South John-street, Liverpool.

Discharges Granted and Bankruptcies Annulled.

Sarl Abraham, 45, Cornhill, Silversmith. (The property has been realized
and has not yielded sufficient to pay the expenses of the bankruptcy)
Bankruptcy closed Mar. 23.

Dissolutions of Partnership.
Aland & Feron, 18 Great Sutton-street, Clerkenwell, water-gilders. Mar.

31. Debts by John Aland.
Faulkner & Fairall, Eyde, jewellers. Mar. 24. Debts by W. I. Fairall.
Fear & Davis, 57 Northampton-street, Birmingham, jewellers. Oct. 2.

Debts by Edwin S. Fear.
Gueen Charles & Son, Augusta-street, Birmingham, jewellers. Mar. 31

Debts by Charles Green.
Havell & Cox, 4 Belsize Park-terrace, Hampstead, jewellers. Feb. 19.
Horton & Mayer, 3 Frith-street, Soho, working jewellers. Dec. 31

Debts by Alfred E. Horton.
Jones & Walton, Hockley, Birmingham, jewellers. Dec. 31. Debts by

Thomas W. Jones.
Magson & Turner, Eyley-street, Coventry, watch springer and engine

turner. Jan. 17.
Myers W. & G., Eichard-street, Birmingham, jewellers and factors. Dec.

31. Debts by George Myers.
Needham, Owen & Co., Sheffield, electro plate manufacturers. Jan. 19.
Ogden, Son, & Hitchin, 28 Blackfriars street, Manchester, art meta

workers. Mar. 15. Debts by James Ogden.
Oswin, Bolzani & Co., 7 Thomas-street, Shude-hill, Manchester, jewellers.

Apr. 7. Debts by William H. Oswin.
Silverston I. & A., Summer-hill, Birmingham, jewellers. Jan. 28. Debts

by Abraham Silverston.
Tebbitt & Son, 6 Foster-lane, jewellers and importers. Mar. 4. Debts by

Alfred T. Tebbitt.
Tuck & Godfrey, 12, St. James-street, Clerkenwell, jewellers. Jan. 1.
Turpin Bros., Banner-street, St. Lukes, watch manufacturers. Feb. 4.

Sequestrations.
Muirhead Lewis P. & Co., Glasgow, goldsmiths, &c, and Lewis Potter
Muiriiead, sole partner of said firm, as such, and as an individual.
Apr. 18, with protection. Tr. and Com., Faculty Hall, Glasgow, Apr.
28 at 2. Claims by Aug. 18. Agent, William Officer, S.S.C.

Dividends under Sequestrations.
Fraser William, High-street, Inverness, jeweller. Equalizing and 2nd,
and final, Thomson, Johnston & Jackson's, 70 George-square, Glafgow,
on and after May 1.

Scotch Sequestrations.
Barnett John, Argyle Arcade, Glasgow. Apr. 26, with protection claim
by Aug. 26. Agent, Jame3 W. Knox, Glasgow.

Trust Deeds Granted.

McEae John, Pollockshaws, watchmaker and jeweller. Claims with John
Wight, 150 Hope street, Glasgow, by May 19.

Dast Days for Dodging Claims.

Javan Henry W. P. (Bkt.), 18 Lever-street, Goswell-road, jeweller.
Claims by May 15 to T. Leighton, 21 Snow-hill, Birm'njhain.'

Prices Current for Gold md Silver.— Value Given for Old
Gold and Silver by Assay. — Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. 9d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver.— Fine Gold, 85s.- 3d
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. per oz. Standard Silver, 4s. 6Jd. to
4s. 8d. (variable).

Improvement in the Manufacture of Pencil Cases. — Messrs.
E. Wolff & Sons have invented and patented a great improvement
in an adjustable metal case for holding cedar pencils. It is about
four inches long and made of aluminum or other metals, but instead
of being fitted with " leads " a cedar pencil, the entire length of the
case, is inserted. A telescopic slide propels the pencil when wanted
for use, and this is so compact in its arrangement that the whole of
the pencil can be used. The advantages are an economical use of
pencils, the avoidance of the trouble of fitting leads (often difficult
to procure of the right size), and the point is not rickety, but always
firm. A box containing four pencils, price 6d., is sold with the
case. Prices of cases are : Aluminum (superior quality) 3s. 6d. ;
nickel plated (equal in wear to silver), 2s. 6d. ; electro-plated silver
Is. 6d. ; white metal Is. The article will doubtless be in great
demand.

July 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

13

INDEX TO SECOND VOLUME.

An Interesting " Find."

Astronomy, Explanation of Principle Terms, 27,

53, 78.

History of, 31,58, 102, 203.

,, Shooting Stars, and Aerolites, 35.

Alexandra Fountain Toilet, 4.
Aluminium, Its future in the arts, 101.
Awards at the Centennial, 123, 176. 201.
American Gold and Silver Mines, 194.
Trade Items, 204.

„ Fashions, 219.

„ Astronomical Achievement, 247-
Artificial Pearls, 302.

B

Bells, Chimes and Carillons, 9.

Bankruptcies, Monthly Record, 12, 3G, 59. 84, 108,

132, 156, 175, 205, 228, 253, 276, 302.
British Horological Institute, 29, 55, 78, 83, 124,

203.
Brittany Matrimonial Custom, 34.
Bennett, Sir John, New Clock and Chimes, 123.
Book Notices, 131, 154, 199, 249, 300.
Breinerhaven Infernal Machine, 172.
Bryant Testimonial (Illustrated), 222.

Clock, An Extraordinary, 2.

„ Case Manufactory, 7.
Clocks, Public, 26.
Clocks, Public in Vienna, 300.

n „ New Principle of Illuminating, 29.

Clock, Master Humphrey's, 51.

„ Repairing Account, 51.

,, at Strasburg, 51.

„ and Watchmaker's Asylum, 124, 153.

„ Chimes, (New), at High Wycombe, 194.
Curious Calculation, 29.

Curiosities of Clocks and Watches, 53, 125, 149,
202, 227, 269, 291.
„ of Ancient Clocks, 74.

Curious Clock, 266.

Coral. Doings of the Coral Animalcule, 10, 11.
Chinese Divisions of Time, 81.
Chronological Utility of Eclipses, 133.
Controlled Public Clocks, 146.
Chronometers, 226.
Competition for Prizes, 268.
Correspondence, 227, 243, 274, 299.

Diamond, Story of a, 34.

The Hastings, 129.

,, Light, 153.

„ cut Diamond, 249.
Discovery of Roman Coins, 128.
Discoveries, Important Valuable, of Treasures, 152.

The Cesnola, 152.
Destruction of New York Offices of Waltham

Company, 242.
Duty on Plate, 300.

Exhibition, German, in 1878, 29.
Early Watches, 50.
Eye-sight, Extraordinary, 34.

Finger Rings, 6, 32, 55, 82, 100.

Field and Opera Glasses, New Patent Self-Rig's-

tering, 7.
Forged Antiques, 34.

Fac-simile Printing Process, Byford's Patent, 2£7<
Farthings and Silver Pennies, 270.

Family Rrlic, 273.

Frauds on Chatwood's Patent Safe and Lock

Company, 275.

G

Gem, Valuable Roman, 129.
Goldsmiths Company's Important Prosecution, 3,
50.

Prizes, 203.
Greenwich Time'Signals and Chronometer Rating,
33.
„ Observatory, 105.

Trials for 1877, 122, 179.
Time, 205.
Going-Barrel Up and Down Work, 123.
Gold, 126, 150, 174, 198, 220, 248, 272, 292.

,, in Persia, 271.
Golden Tooth, 148.
Grotesque Designs in Silverware, 129.
Guileless Jeweller, 204.
Gigantic Silver Fountain, 267.

H

Horology, 1, 25, 50, 74, 98, 121, 145, 169, 193,

217, 265, 289.
Honesty in the Workshop, 29.

I

Illustrated Supplement, 155.
Iron Crown of Lombardy, 121.
International Patent League, 157.
Inscriptions on Old Coins, 170.
Improvements in Dress-holders, 180.

,, in Timing Clocks by Electricity, 195.

Inland Revenue Prosecutions, 222.

Jewellery, Anglo-Saxon, 108.

„ Cingalese, 170.
Jewellers and Goldsmiths Meeting at National

Chambers of Trade, 244.

London Legend of the Clock which Struck Thir-
teen, 271.

Lecture on a Comprehensive and Easy Method of
Examining Geneva Watches with Cylinder
Ecapement, 293.

M

Machine, New Engraving and Chasing, 3.

,, New Engraving, 84.
Mirror of the Month, 27, 60, 84, 130, 154, 171,

199, 226, 242, 270, 291.
Metalwork among the Hindoos, 28.
Mayoral Chain, 100.
Monster Clock, 153.

Morrison's Gold and Silver Solutions, 155.
Moon, Apparent size of, 3.

N

New York Jewellers' Circular, 7.
Notes of an Ancient Gothic Crown, 148.
New Patent Watch and Chain Hook, 251 .
New Method of Mounting Microscopical ObJeM",
267.

On the Study of Barometers, 30P<
Optics, The Eyes and Spectacles, 4.
Old Plate, 52.

Old Coins, Inscription on, 170.
Observatories, 268.

Prices Offered for Best Blowpipe Apparatus, 299
Precious Stones, 4, 77, 99.

,, Action of Sunlight upon them, 7.

Prices Current for Gold and Silver, 12, 36, 60, 84.
Patents, Monthly Record of, 13, 37, 60, 85, 109,

133, 156, 180, 206, 229, 252, 277, 301.
Prosecution by the Board of Excise. 30, 124.
Philadelphia Exhibition, Watches, Jewellery, and

Silverware Exhibits, 56, 79.
Passage of the Earth through the Tail of a Comet,

100.
Prince Rupert's Jewels, 147-
Present State of the Jewellery Trade, 241.
Patent Hand-Vice, 299.
Plate Tax, 302.

Queries and Replies, 225, 251, 270.

Recipes and Practical Information for the Trade,
2, 5, 33, 35. 51, 52, 81, 85, 107, 131, 155, 199,
226, 243, 293.

Recovered Rings, 147.

Royal Treasures, 147.

Rights of Inventors at the Paris Exhibition of
1878, 243.

Robbery, Hatton Garden Jewellery, 11.

Remarkable Meteor, 130.

Royal Astronomical Society, 27, 153, 171, 218.
„ Microscopical Society, 29, 153, 171, 219.

Rising in the World, 31.

Satellites of Uranus, 34.

South Kensington Museum, Loan Collection of

Scientific Apparatus, 8.
Spectacle Makers' Company, 11.
Silver, The Depreciation of, 59,

,, its Recovery from Cast-Iron Crucibles, 104,
Swiss Society of Arts Chronometer and Watch

Trials, 75.
Seth Thomas Clock Company's large Clock at the

Centennial, 106.

227.
ShellCameos, 128.
Schliemann Discoveries, 178.
State of Commerce in the Watch Trade in France

and Switzerland, 219.
Series of Letters on Existing Ills in the Watch

Trade, 181, 224, 250.
Special Notices, 228, 252.

Time Ball in New York, 298.

Turners' Company Competition for Silver-Medal, 4.

Travellers, 5.

Telescope, New Patent Galilean Walking-Stick, 11.

Treasure of Golconda, 132.

Trade Items, 290.

Valuable Roman Gem, 129.

w

Wonder9 of Science, 11.
Wonders of Horology, 27 1.
Watch-Cleaning, 83.
Watchmaking at the Centennial, 80.

„ in the United States, 200.

„ by Machinery at Birmingham, 219.

Watchmakers, Celebrated, 99.
Work in Gold and Silver of the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth Centuries, 103.

14

THE WATCHMAKEB, JEWELLEB, AND

[July 5, 1877.

" By hand-labour it is impossible for this country to compete with Switzerland in the
Watch Trade ; and, if we would hold our own in Europe in this branch of industry, we must
follow the example of the Americans, who have successfully used machinery in the manu-
facture of Watches." — Extract from the " Times" of December 18, 1868.

"The section which conspicuously brings out the enormous strength
of America as a producing power is that of tools ; and still more
especially the vast array of machine tools for metal, which are the
parents of all other machines — more than 100 exhibitors have each a
group that commands the admiration of all who take the trouble to
examine them in detail. These tools are for all purposes : small arms,
sewing machines, clocks, watches, and all branches of machine making
and engineering, and almost all are finished in a style superior to that
of any former exhibition. Probably the most exquisite set of machine
tools ever made is that exhibited by the American Watch Company, of
Massachusetts. No mere words can convey an idea of their high
standard of excellence ; they must be felt and handled. What the
Whitworth gauges are to true circles, these lathes and tools are to all
forms required in the manufacture of watches. Add to this, great
convenience in arrangements and fixtures to produce the parts of a
"watch so exact as to be almost interchangeable." — The Times, October 28th, 1876.

FOR PARTICULARS APPLY TO

loBBINg & II PPL ETON,

GENEEAL AGENTS,

WALTHAM BUILDINGS, HOLBORN CIRCUS, LOUDON, B.O.

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silver

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Begistcrcd for

No. 13.— Vol. II.] fj ,2y 7 ,j(7 JUNE 5. 1876\^

, and kindred Trades,

mar a i

CONTENTS.

'<Ja^tm

[Subscription, bs.\ Post
per Annum. J Free

horology— xiii. dialling

Wonderful Mechanical Contrivance

An Extraordinary Clock

To Silver Clock Faces, &e

Important Prosecution by the Goldsmiths'

Company ,

The Apparent Size of the Moon

A New Engraving and Chasing Machine

Precious Stones ... ' ,.

Chinese Silversmiths ... ... ,

The Eyes and Spectacles

page
1

■2

Travellers

Finger Eings

Action of Sunlight upon Precious Stones ...

Clock Case Manufactory

A New Patent Self-Kegistering Field and

Opera Glass

The Sicker Safe and Strong Boom Company..,
Loan Collection of Scientific Apparatus at

the South Kensington Museum

Bells, Chimes, and Carillons

Coral

***"■

PAGE

The New Patent Galilean Walking-Stick

Telescope 11

The Hatton Garden Jewellery Robbery ... 11

Spectacle-makers' Company 11

Wonders of Science 11

Prospectus 12

Monthly Eecord of Bankruptcies 12

Patents 13

The Trades' Directory 14

Advertisements 1-3-24

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.}

XIII.— Dialling.

DECLINATION. — Passing from trigonometry, as explained in our
last number, we have now, before proceeding furtlier, to
deal with "declination" and "declinator," before we go any-
further in the same direction. As the description which we
shall have to give will require some thinking over, we may
as well, in a homely way, tell the student to put his " considering-
cap " on at once, and make up his mind for study. It must be
remembered that knowledge of this kind, being of a solid and
enduring nature, and calculated to raise its owner in an intellectual
condition far above his fellows, it has, like the honest fruits of
steadily-applied industry, to be steadily worked for. The old adage
of "no royal road to learning " is especially true with regard to the
mathematical phase of the reasoning powers. Calculating prodigies
are not born every year ; hence the intuitive feat of a Bidder, who
could multiply twelve figures by twelve figures, mentally, without
pencil or slates, is a phenomenon that the world does not often
behold. Again, the late Zerah Colburn, for some time editor of
Engineering, could multiply any number less than 10 into itself
successively nine times, telling the results faster than they could be
taken down. He called out from mental calculation alone the num-
ber 8 multiplied fifteen times into itself, and was right in every
figure ; he has multiplied two figures by two figures, such as 29 by
37, eight times ;]but that was a feat. He was asked, when a mere
boy, at one of the private exhibitions of his powers, what number,

multiplied by itself, gave 106,929, and he replied 327, before the
question could be written for Mm! he was further asked what was the
cube root of 268,336,125, when he instantly answered, 645 ! Now,
taking the most rapidly known methods, no ordinary person with
whom we are acquainted could work out the result in less time than
from three to five minutes. He was asked how many minutes there
are in forty-eight years ; he as quickly responded 25,228,800 !
Furthermore, " Could he tell what two numbers multiplied together
would produce 247,483 ? " "Yes," said he, on the moment ; "the
numbers 941 and 263 will do it." And they are the only two
numbers that will. The next wonder was for him to name a num-
ber that would divide 36,083 exactly. "There is no such number,"
was the answer ; and that is the fact. But the most extraordinary
fact of all is, that the boy was entirely ignorant of the usual
methods of calculation, and could not work out on a slate simple
sums of multiplication or division ! He could give the answer the
moment he saw the figures ; the rest was, therefore, superfluous.
Numerous other examples could be given, but what has been already
stated will be sufficient to indicate the nature of the only "royal
road " to learning known, that is, being born with it. How few
the instances are the world is already aware ; and what has been
stated here is more for the purpose of pointing the moral than
adorning the tale. We will now proceed on our more particular
way.

Declination, in its relation to horology, is an astronomical term
implying the distance of the sun, a star, planet, or any point of the
terrestrial sphere from the equator, either northward or southward ;
and this declination is either real or apparent, according as the
point under consideration is real or apparent. Here we are led to
the properties of a great circle and what it means. A great circle
of the earth, speaking of it as a sphere, is that which divides it into

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[J,

187G.

two equal parts, or hemispheres, having its centre in the centre of
the inscribed sphere. From this it can be deduced that all great
circles are equal, and cut each other into equal portions or hemi-
spheres. The great circles are the horizon, the meridian, the
equator, the ecliptic, the colures, and the azimuth. Horizon is from
the Greek word orison, a limit or bound ; oriso, "I terminate; " signi-
fying the upper and visible part of the earth in relation to the light
of the sun being upon it, the lower half being in darkness or night,
for the time being. The poles of this circle are called the zenith
and nadir ; the former meaning the point directly overhead, and the
latter that as directly under foot. The meridian is that circle that
passes through the poles of the earth and the place where the
observer may be. It comes from meridies (mid-day) beeause when
the sun in its course from cast to west touches and passes through
this circle it is said to be mid-day. The meridional circle is used to
determine longitude as from a fixed point. Different nations have
different meridians, but that of Greenwich pretty well regulates the
east and west, and the time all over the world where civiliza-
tion goes. The equator is the great circle of the sphere which
is equally distant from the two poles of the world. It is called
the equator, for the reason that when the sun is there the days
and nights are equal. It is also called the equinoctial line ;
hence the phrase so common with sailors, " crossing the line."
Every point in the equator is the distance of a quadrant from
the terrestrial poles, by which it will be seen that the equator
divides the earth into two hemispheres, one of which is the northern
and the other the southern. Occasion frequently arises for the
conversion of degrees of the equator into time, and for the recon-
version of time into degrees of the equator. This was mentioned
in a previous article when we spoke of degrees of longitude and
time from the meridian of Greenwich, and of four minutes of time
to one degree, and fifteen degrees to one hour. The ecliptic circle
is that in which the sun seems to move in his apparent course round
the earth. The name comes from the Greek word ckleipsis, a leaving
or falling off ; because it is in this circle that all the eclipses take
place — the leaving, or falling off of the light of the sun, or of other
planetary bodies, takes place, so far as our seeing them is concerned.
The ancients had frightful ideas of eclipses, supposing them, like
comets, to be the signs of terrible disasters. Plutarch, the historian
of the times of ancient Eome, assures us that it was not allowed to
talk publicly of any natural causes of eclipses. Great noise was
made with high-sounding instruments, and loud shouting raised.
During eclipses of the moon they believed that she Avas in some
kind of maternal labour, and that the noises would assist her. In
consequence of this belief a proverb arose ; namely, that a very
talkative woman was said to be making her tongue rattle for the
purpose of _ helping the moon in the moon's labour. It may be as
well to add that the talkative ladies by no means felt themselves
complimented by the expression. Then the magicians were held to
have had something to do with the affair, such as plucking the
moon out of the sky and making her skim over the grass. The
natives of Mexico formerly kept fasts during eclipses, and their
women sacrificed certain parts of their bodies in sympathy with what
they believed the moon to be suffering. They imagined that the
sun, her husband, had been quarrelling with her, and had beaten
and wounded her ! The colures are two great circles imagined to
intersect each other at right angles in the poles of the earth. The
name comes from a Greek word kolouo, to cut off, and oura, a tail •
they are so called because part of their imaginary course is invisible
to us, and so seems cut off. One of them is said to pass through the
solstitial and the other through the equinoctial point of the ecliptic.
The equinoctial colure determines the equinoxes, and the solstitial
the solstices. The ecliptic being thus divided into four parts, the
four seasons of the year are thereby marked out. The azimuth
circle is to denote an arch of the horizon comprehended between the
meridian of the place and any given vertical. Again, it shows the
angular distance of the horizontal point which is directly under a
star from the north point of the meridian. As the meridian goes
through the zenith— already explained— of a place, and is exactly
perpendicular to the horizon, it will also be found to be a vertical
circle. It is to altitude what longitude is to latitude, and what
right ascension is to decimation. It is the distance between two
great circles passing through the zenith instead of through the poles-
the reckoning is from the south point of the horizon. The name is
a corrupted word from the Arabic, as-samt, the as being the article
al assimilated to the initial letter before which it stands. The
meaning of mmt is "a way, a road, a path," and, more
broadly, " a path, a tract, country or quarter." There is an azimuth
circle for taking the altitude of the sun at sea; the theodolite
answers the same purpose on land. The working of azimuth
instruments involves a thorough knowledge of spherical trigonometry

and is chiefly confined to the use of astronomers, navigating officers,
and extensive surveys of large tracts of the earth's surface. The
azimuth shows what distance the sun and any of the stars are from
the horizon.

We have now, we believe, given a brief explanation of the great
astronomical circles that are more or less connected with horology ;
but there are also other circles, such as diurnal ones, which are im-
movable, and are supposed to be described by the several stars, and
other points in the heavens, in their daily rotation round the earth,
or, to speak more correctly, in the rotation of the earth on its axis.
These circles are all unequal to each other, the equator being the
greatest. Then there are circles called " secondaries of the
ecliptic," used for measuring the latitude of the stars, "circles of
excursion," of "perpetual apparition," "perpetual occultarion,"
and others not pertinent to this article. However, as what has
been here stated is necessary to be known to the student of what
is to follow, we will leave him to master the details until next
month ,

WONDERFUL MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCE.

AN entry in Evelyn's diary, of February 24th, 1655, gives an
account of a curious mechanical contrivance which the writer
had lately seen. This was a table-clock, the balance of which was
only a crystal ball sliding on parallel irons, without being at all
fixed, but rolling from stage to stage till it was thrown up to the
utmost channel again, made with an imperceptible declivity ; thus,
by a continual vicissitude of motion, entering the eye every half
minute, and the next half giving progress to the hand that showed
the hour, and giving notice by a small bell, so that in 120 half-
minutes, or periods of the ball's falling on the spring, the clock
part struck. The clock was richly ornamented, and had been
presented by a German Prince to King Charles I.

AN EXTRAORDINARY CLOCK.

rpHE French journals give us the following description of an
extraordinary piece of mechanism in the way of clocks : —
" It chimes the quarters, plays sixteen tunes, plays three tunes
every twelve hours, or will play at any time required. The hands
go round as follows : — One, once a minute; one, once an hour ; one,
once a week ; one, once a month ; one, once a year. It shows the
moon's age; the rising and setting of the sun; the time of high
and low water, half ebb and half flood, and, by a beautiful contriv-
ance, there is a part representing the water, which rises and falls,
lifting some ships at high-water tide as if they were in motion,
and, as it recedes, leaves these little automaton ships dry on the
sands. The clock shows the hour of the day, day of the week, day
of the month, month of the year, and in the day of the month
there is provision made for the long and short months. It shows
the signs of the zodiac ; it strikes or not, chimes or not, as may be
desired ; and it has the equation table, showing the difference of
clock and sun every day in the year "

To Silver Clock Faces, etc. — Old silver lace £ oz., nitric acid
1 oz. Boil them over a gentle fire for about 5 minutes in an
earthenware pot. After the silver is dissolved take the mixture off
and mix it with a pint of clean water, then pour it into another
vessel free from sediment, then add a tablespoonful of common
salt, and the silver will be precipitated in the form of a white
powder or curd ; pour off the acid and mix the curd with 2 oz.
salt of tartar and i oz. of whiting all together, and it is ready for
use. To use. — Clean your brass or copper plate with rottenstone
and a piece of old hat, rub it with salt and water with your hand.
Then take a little of the composition on your finger and rub it
over your plate, and it will firmly adhere and completely silver it.
Wash well with water. When dry, rub it with a clean rag and
varnish with this varnish for clock faces : — Spirit of wine 1 pint ;
divide into 3 parts, mix 1 part with gum-rnastic in a bottle
by itself, 1 part spirits and £ oz. sandarac in another bottle, and 1
part spirits and -A oz. whitest gum benjamin in another bottle : mix
and temper to your mind. If too thin, add some mastic : if too
soft, some sandarac or benjamin. When you use it warm the silver
plate before the fire, and with a tiat camel's hair pencil stroke it over
till no white strokes appear, and this will preserve the silvering for
many years.

June 5, 1870.]

SILVEESMITlTS TEADE JOURNAL.

IMPORTANT PROSECUTION BY THE
GOLDSMITHS' COMPANY.

AN important prosecution, affecting the fraudulent simulation of
antique plate, has been instituted by the authorities of the
Goldsmiths' Company ; and the steps thus taken by the great civic
guild to which is entrusted the responsible duties of assaying and
stamping the precious metals will be considered of special interest
to the trade in general. The proceedings are against Edwin Brown,
electro-plater, of 71, Princes-street, Leicester-square, who is charged
with feloniously transferring the marks of dies used by the Gold-
smiths' Company in London to certain goods in base metal, with
intent to defraud.

At the first hearing of the case the assistant clerk to the Gold-
smiths' Company pointed out that, for some time past, a practice
had been systematic of transferring old hall-marks into plate of an
inferior alloy ; but there had been so much difficulty in tracing the
real offenders that the company had hesitated to initiate prosecutions
of which the issue must necessarily have been uncertain. At last,
however, a clue was obtained which could be followed right to the
centre of the labyrinth of fraud ; and the particular electro-plater in
question was summoned to account for his malpractices.

A man who had worked for him for twelve months past deposed
that he had chased for the prisoner, last March, a cream-ewer, which
was produced in court, and the bottom of which, when the workman
took it in hand, had no hall-mark upon it. He had also worked on
a coffee-pot, which was likewise produced, and he saw a new base
being affixed to it — the base being that of an old salt-cellar. These
.articles were sold to a silversmith in Oxford-street. A gentle-
man in the assay office of the company, who had been in its
employ for thirty years, testified that he saw the two articles
in the window of the shop in Oxford-street ; and that he
subsequently purchased them. They were then examined at the
official's leisure ; and it must be here explained that at Goldsmiths'
Hall a register is kept of the marks put on plate during successive
years, and that for every twelve months the stamp of a different
year is used. The cream-ewer which had been bought in Oxford-
street bore a small Roman " I," with the usual additional marks of
the Company, and the associated marks represented the date of the
plate to be the year 1744. The cream-jug was then assayed, and
was found to be of inferior silver. Another bottom had been soldered
to the original base, there being a layer of solder between
the two. The coffee-pot bore the letter "M," thus purporting
to have been manufactured, or at least
On assay it proved, like the cream-jug,
weights under uthe legal standard. A
the Oxford-street tradesman's appearance
out, and the captive electro-plater was
bail. That bail should have been refused may at first sight
appear rather harsh, but Mr. Newton was of opinion that
it was of the utmost importance that neither the principals
nor the accessories — whoever they might be — in the fraud should
be afforded any opportunity for collusion or for " squaring" things,
so as to make them "comfortable" either for the perpetrators or the
instigators of a most pernicious and barefaced swindle.

At the second hearing on the 24th ult. Mr. W. S. Prideaux, of
the Goldsmiths' Company, prosecuted, and Mr. J. A. Alsop
defended. Mr. George Lewis, sen., represented Mr. Gooch, a
person concerned in the case. Mr. David Lazenby Gooch, silver-
smith, 504, New Oxford-street, was then sworn, and in reply
to Mr. Prideaux said: "The cream-ewer produced I had in my
shop. It was brought to me by Brown, with other articles.
I gave 10s. 6(Z. an ounce for it. Nothing was said at the time
about the make. I assumed it to be old and genuine. I looked
at the mark. For a modern one I should have had to pay
about 9*-. an ounce. I had another coffee-pot of a similar kind
and sold it. I gave 12s. per ounce for it, and bought it as
old. Both articles were brought to me by the prisoner himself
as being old." — By Mr. Alsop: "I bought the coffee-pot first.
I saw it first on going to the prisoner's shop respecting some
repairs. It was plain then, and he asked me to buy it, stating
that he was going to chase it. I told him to let me see it when
it was chased, and he did so, and I then purchased it. I
bought the coffee-pots in February, and the cream-ewer in
March. I cannot say to whom I sold the first coffee-pot.
It was hall-marked. I sold it for 9/., having given 11. 12s. for it." —
In reply to the magistrate, the witness said that he sold it as old,
and did not know that it was not so. — By Mr. Alsop : " I bought the
cream-ewer as an old article at 10s. Gd. per ounce, paying 6/. 5s. 6</.,
and I have the entry in my books." — Some further evidence was
given, and the prisoner was committed for trial.

marked, a.d. 1747.
to be two penny-
summons to compel
was therefore taken
remanded without

THE APPARENT SIZE OP THE MOON.

DR. MONTUCCI contributes to the Memorial Diplomatique the
following particulars referring to the apparent difference of
the diameter of the moon, and in which he endeavours to prove that
it is due solely to refraction,

"Everybody," he says, "must have noticed the enormous size of
the full moon when it rises at dusk, just when the sun has set.
That it is owing to an illusion is notorious — first, because our
satellite cannot undergo any real change in size during its short
progress from the horizon to its culminating point ; and secondly,
because, whether observed at the former or the latter, the microme-
tric measurement of the visual angle under which it is seen is always
the same. This curious circumstance has always been a puzzle to
scientific men. La Place says that, since the celestial hemisphere
above our heads appears to us depressed, the rays coming from the
horizon must seem to us longer than those from the zenith. Other
physicists, finding this explanation unsatisfactory, assert that
our judgment is led astray at the horizon by the trees and
houses bordering on it, and which, having a size known to
us by habit, induce us to compare the moon to these objects,
and so to think it larger than it is at the culminant point, where
it is quite alone, without any type of comparison in the vicinity.
To prove this explanation of theirs, they prick a hole through a
card, and look through it at the moon on the horizon, thus covering
all the terrestrial objects that might lead us astray ; and in this
way the moon's disc is indeed reduced to a much smaller size." Dr.
Montucci expresses his astonishment at finding that atmospheric re-
fraction, the only reasonable cause of the phenomenon in his opinion,
is not only overlooked in this question, but actually rejected by all
school-book writers on natural philosophy, as well as by graver
men. The demonstration by the pricked card he shows to be
worthless; "for," says he, "go about in an evening and look at
the gas lamps through the card, and you will find them suddenly
dwindle down to pins' heads, because you reduced the radiation of
light by narrowing the field of vision. In the same way, if you
look at the moon, it becomes less, just like the gas flame ; but do
not imagine that it is thereby reduced to its culminating size. No,
you cannot have two sets of weights and measures ; if you look at
the moon through the hole when she is at the horizon, you must do
exactly the same when she is at the zenith ; and then you will see
her smaller than ever you saw her." The card thus being set aside
for ever, Dr. Montucci proceeds to examine whether the illusion can
be brought about by a type of comparison, and he enumerates
several reasons why it cannot, among which is this : When
the moon rises close to a large mass of houses or a moun-
tain standing out in high relief above the real horizon, she loses her
exaggerated diameter very quickly as she goes higher up ; so that,
by the time she has reached the top of the prominent object, she
has diminished considerably. But that object is still there — it has
not changed : then how comes it that, the type of comparison being
the same, the object compared has diminished? Illusion from that
source cannot therefore be pleaded here. Dr. Montucci next takes up
refraction as the sole explanation possible. The misty atmosphere
presents itself to the eye of the observer as a concave lens : the
moon is outside, and forms with the atmosphere a divergent lens,
which enlarges objects on a dark ground. Hence the moon, as weli
as all terrestrial objects are increased in size on being projected by
refraction through the atmosphere. This view of the case, the
author confirms by various experiments with concave lenses.

A NEW ENGRAVING AND CHASING MACHINE.

ANEW machine for producing chased or engraved groundwork
on gold, silver, or plated jewellery has been patented by
Mr. Atchison, of Boston, U.S.A. The machine is adapted to re-
quirements for working on any thickness of metal, and engraving
tools of different sizes. Can be removed and fitted according to the
work intended to be done. In describing the machine an American
journal says: — " The ground- work is produced on the metal with
great rapidity, the tools delivering 5335 cuts per minute, and the
apparatus can be attended by a child. As the sale of jewellery and
silverware depends almost entirely upon the ornamentation, it need
hardly be added that a machine of this description, making a very
excellent imitation of handwork, is one of considerable economical
value to the jeweller and plate manufacturer. We are informed
that the machine produces fourteen styles of groundwork, claimed
to be superior to satin, or pearl, or sand blast finish in depth,
durability, and beauty."

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 5, 1870.

PRECIOUS STONES,

(Continued from page 271).

BtJORT.

THIS {particular species of adamantine carton, which seems placed
by nature between crystallized carbon and the pure diamond,
bears a" name of unknown etymology, but certainly of Dutch origin.
Most frequently it is of spherical form, and its crystallization is so
irregular that it resembles the most complicated knots in certain
woods.

It is a mixture of molecules without order or continuity, and these,
adherino- by the force of cohesion, are the cause of its wonderful
hardness.

it has not any regular cleavage. The boort is externally more
rough than some uncut diamonds ; most frequently it is of a greyish-
white, and cannot acquire the diversified colours of the pure diamond,
which it, however, exceeds in specific gravity. With us it is only used
to polish the regularly crystallized diamond ; and for this purpose it
is pounded in a mortar, and its dust, mixed with oil and spread over a
surface of soft iron, renders the friction of the true diamonds more
efficacious, and this assists in obtaining the polish and splendour of
the different facets.

It is known that, whatever the variations of certain crystals, it is
easy by means of their cleavage to reduce them to a regular deter-
mined form ; but in the knotty diamond this is impossible, as its
texture does not permit of cleavage.

The knotty diamond is found in the mines of Brazil, whence it is
sent to Europe.

Some people say that the boort is cut and used by the Orientals ;
but, even if this be so, they certainly have not in it a bright or
valuable gem.

Caciiolong.

A barbarous name not yet translated into any European language,
and originating in Bokhara, from the words of its dialect, each,
river, cholong, atone ; that is, " stone of the river." It belongs to
the variety of the opal calcedony ; opaque on the surface, and of a
milky white; when broken, the interior has a pearly reflection,
slightly translucent at the sharp edges. Harder than the opal, this
substance takes a good polish ; it is unaltered under the action of
the blow-pipe, and its specific weight is 2-2.

The cacholong is found in separate bits in the rivers of Bokhara,
in the Feroe Islands, in Ireland, in trap-rocks, and in Greenland.

It is also procured in France and in Champigny, near Faris ; it is
brought from the caves of calcareous breccia, and some of it is hard,
of bright cleavage, whilst others are light, rough to the touch of the
tongue, and soft as chalk, and therefore of inferior quality, and to
be regarded as imperfectly formed.

There is a variety of this stone called striped, coming from Feroe
and Ireland, which, being composed of thin strata of white and
opaque opals over strata of calcedony, often bluish or greenish,
makes very fine cameos. Italian artists call it French stone.

Calcedony.

This hard stone is thus named from the province of Calcedony,
in Asia Minor, whence, in ancient times, it was procured in great
quantities. It is a variety of agate quartz, generally of a milky-
white colour, sometimes bluish ; and this last tint somewhat
increases its value.

The calcedony is semi-transparent, but sometimes opaque and
translucent. Its cleavage, although concave, is a little scaly and
quite opaque, which helps to distinguish it from the carnelian, the
sardonyx, the plasma, the chrysoprase, the onyx, silex, and cacho-
long. It is found abundantly in uniform pieces, or in strata, within
nodules of agate, and is round, uniform stalactiform, primitive
rhomboidal, and seldom in crystallized cubes; under this last form
it encrusts crystals of shining quartz, of indrepore, of wood, and of
various other substances.

It is not fusible, nevertheless the colour pales under the action of
heat, but without producing water.

Its specific weight is from 2-0. When analyzed the result is —

Silex ...
Alumina

84
10

Sometimes alumina gives place to lime.

Like all gems, it is distinguished into Oriental and Western.

This latter, less hard than the other, and also than the white
agate, is of a milky light ; it is common, and but little valued.
There i? one remarkable variety which has red or grey dots on a

striped milky ground , and is known by the name of stone of St.
Stephen .

According to Pliny, the fine calcedonies so much esteemed by the
ancients came from Africa; they were bought at Carthage, and then
citt and engraved in Rome. At present this stone is found in
France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Transylvania, Norway, Icelaud,
and the Feroe Islands. Those of a green colour are procured only
in India, and are very rare. Those specimens, however, are particu-
larly prized which contain a drop of water inside, although it does
not always remain, as can be observed in some rock crystals, from
which the water at last disappears by means of evaporation.

The term " calcedonious stone" is applied to all gems having
internally a milky tint. Rubies, sapphires, chrysolites, bluish
diamonds, all diminish greatly in value when the term is applicable
to them.

The ancients used the calcedony very much in making valuable
ornaments ; the primitive Babylonish seals, in form of the cylinder,
and the latest Sassaman stamps were formed of this stone. Wo
also see Etruscan scarabaei and Greek and ltoman intagli in this
material.

Statuettes of the period of the decadence of Roman art are found
in this material, and it appeals that bluish calcedony was considered
better and preferred for this kind of work.

Calcedonyx.

This stone is very rare and little known ; its name is an abbre-
viation of calcedononyx. Its rarity therefore is the cause of the
difficulty that exists in distinguishing it from the onyx agate,
which it much resembles. It is much harder than this stone, but the
difficulty of determining the degree of hardness without testing the
stone prevents the possibility of ascertaining whether a given sub-
stance be really calcedonyx, except by the lapidary who tests it ou
his wheel.

Barbot is said to have determined the specific weight of this sub-
stance, which, according to him, is 2'6180.

It is often even more translucent than agate.

It appears that it came from the East, and was not only known to,
but engraved by the ancients, and these engraved stones are the
only specimens in existence of the calcedonyx, as at present none
is found in any part of the world that we are aware of.

In the ancient collection of Genevosio, Caire saw an engraved
calcedonyx representing a warrior seated opposite a dead body.
In the Viennese cabinet of engraved gems there is another, which
represents a young man leaning on a column.

Chinese Silversmiths. — The men of the Shan tribes, in the
kingdom of Pong, China, are expert silversmiths : — "Their enamels
are very brilliant, and employed with beautiful effect in the floral
patterns which form the principal stock of designs. The only other
forms of ornamentation, the rope-shaped fillets and rounded studs
or bosses, singularly resemble those found on the diadems or arm-
lets of the early historical periods of Scandinavian art. The plain
torques or neck-rings in use, especially among the Hotha Shans,
only differ from the ancient Irish type by their more rounded form,
and by the pointed ends being bent outwards, in lieu of being ex-
pended into cymbal-shaped faces. Another kind of torque is of the
same shape, but covered with leaf ornaments and cones in filigree
and enamel, alternating with red or blue stones or pieces of glass.
Torque-like, hollow rings, covered with floral enrichments, are worn
as bracelets ; sometimes they are gilt with very red gold and en-
amelled, a jewel being usually set in the centre. Another form is a
silver hoop, nearly two inches in breadth, with rounded edges and
filigree borders, most elaborately set with floral rosettes of three
circles, rows of leaves, brown, green, and dark purple, centred by a
large silver stud," — From " Mandaly to Ajomlcn " by Dr. Anderson.

The Alexandra Fountain Toilet (one of which has been
presented to the Princess whose name it bears, and who by letter
expresses her great admiration), meets many requirements in the
Toilet Bottle. It is always stoppered, and does not allow the per-
fume to evaporate ; and by pressing a small ornament at the top,
you get a fine jet of perfume, just sufficient for the handkerchief,
without saturating it and wasting the perfume. The great object
of this invention is the obtaining of liquid perfume from the bottle
in the form of a jet by simply pressing the knob, thereby dispens-
ing with the opening or closing of the bottle and ensuring no waste
of scent. Owing to the usefulness, cheapness, dm-ability, and
beauty of these bottles they are likely to supersede all others.

The Turners' Company will this year give their silver medals and
the freedom of the company to the workman showing best specimens
of hand-turning in wood, pottery, and diamonds.

June 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

THE EYES AND SPECTACLES.

AN old writer, Hying before the days of illuminating gas and
kerosene, remarks that the " first sign of the need of spectacles
is a tendency to bless the man wh<". ir-vr^ted snuffers." In this age
we should say that the first sign is to find one scolding about the
publisher of his daily newspaper, who is charged with filling his
columns with type growing every day more diminutive and indis-
tinct. "When a man or woman reaches the age of forty-five or
fifty, it is generally found that some aid to the natural vision is
required. The discovery of this want is very liable to be made
soon enough. There is also a foolish pride which prevents some
people from adopting spectacles after the discovery is made, and
the eyes suffer greatly in consequence. There is no truth relating
to vision more important, and which, therefore, should be more
clearly understood, than this ; that in every case of defective eye-
sight, whether it proceeds from advancing age, or from congenital
causes or from accident, artificial aid should be resorted to with-
out delay. The tendency is in all, or nearly all, cases towards
irreparable injury, when this aid is withheld. It is true, bad or
ill-adapted spectacles may, and do, cause injury, and so do im-
proper medicines, or injudicious food or regimen. If proper care
is used in selecting glasses, and the right ones obtained, they
strengthen vision, and the vigour of all the functions of the organs
concerned in the phenomenon of sight is increased. A child dis-
covered to be " near sighted," should be promptly furnished with
appropriate glasses, and they should be selected, if possible, under
the advice of a competent medical man or optician. In the case of
persons who have passed middle life, as soon as it is noticed that
the best artificial light is sought, or that letters grow apparently
smaller or less distinct, or that the near point at which one cau see
distinctly is more than eight inches from the eye, the time for
spectacles has arrived. In adopting them under these circumstances,
we place an artificial lens outside of the eye to supplement the
natural change of that within the eye, and by doing so, we add to
power and normal action of the whole optical apparatus. The use
of spectacles enables the eyes to work comfortably without fatigue ;
and they should always be strong enough to effect this object. It
is difficult to give any rules for selecting glasses, as there are many
exceptions to be considered. The natural changes in vision come
on gradually, and glasses need to be changed to meet this modifica-
tion as age advances. At first the change is sb'ght, and may not
several years after it commences be so marked as to become posi-
tively annoying. In the early periods of decay of sight, glasses
having a focal length of 60 inches will usually suffice ; later
in life they must be changed for those of forty, or even ten
inches.

Glasses of a focal length of 60 inches will require one to hold the
object looked at a distance of 14 inches. If, at 14 inches, the let-
ters of a book are seen most distinctly, the focal length of the glass
is usually well adapted to those whose vision is slightly impaired.
The distance should be quite accurately measured, as glasses of ten
inch focal length require a modification of the reading distance, of
only about three inches less. The first spectacles should at first only
be used for reading in the evening, and when no longer sufficient they
may be superseded for evening work by others, and the first pair re-
served for reading by daylight, or for writing, which requires less
critical vision, especially if ink be used that flows black from the
pen.

Short-sightedness is a malformation of a somewhat serious nature,
as short-sighted eyes are diseased ones, and they require special
treatment. Never allow a child or a friend thus afflicted to fall into
the hands of " travelling quacks," or those who make loud claims
to optical knowledge. In all large cities there are reputable medical
gentlemeD who make a speciality of the treatment of eye affections,
and they are the proper persons to consult. It cannot be too
universally known that short sight tends to increase ; and that if
it increases at all rapidly, it tends also to destructive changes, and
therefore it is an affection which requires prompt attention.

Perfection of eyesight is essential to our welfare and happiness,
and any one who neglects these precautions, upon the observance
of which its preservation depends, will find cause for deep repen-
tance in later life. Young men and young women who suffer them-
selves to fall into the habit of reading by fire-light or at a window
by the waning light of evening, or at a considerable distance from
lamps and gas burners, are guilty of acts for which they must suffer.
Parents should promptly interfere to prevent the formation of such
dangerous habits.

In the use of glasses, the tendency is toward those which are held
in place by a spring pressing upon the nose. This form is con-
venient, and will do very well for purposes other than for reading

or writing, when prolonged use is required. The nip upon the nose
is often painful, and creates uneasiness ; and besides the focus is
liable to become disarranged. For these reasons and others, the
glasses held in place by bows passing behind the ears are the best
and safest for reading and study. The lenses should be of the best
construetion, and pure crown-glass affords a material better than
" Brazilian," or other "pebbles." The frames of spectacles should be
of blue steel, light, strong and perfectly fitted to the wearer. They
should be kept perfectly clean, and this should be accomplished by
the use of soft wash leather, and not by linen handkerchiefs, which
are apt to scratch the lenses by the small particles of silicious or
other hard substances which they hold.

TEAVELLEES.

rilHE following remarks (extracted from the Neiv York Jewellers'
I Circular) concerning travellers are by no means inappropriate
to our pages, and may be read with interest and advantage to firms
having such representatives.

" Good work ' on the road ' demands the best sort of men.
The work is severe, the wear and tear terrible, the temptations
great, and the reward seldom over-high. It takes a sound body to
stand the fatigue, a clever tongue to do the business, a clear head
to pass judgment on men. The success or non-success of a house
often rests with its travellers, and we see new concerns built up
into stability by the shrewdness of their ' drummers, ' and old ones
ruined by their recklessness every day. Too much stress can there-
fore scarcely be laid on having good men 'on the road,' or too
hearty credit awarded to the better class of travellers.

"It is therefore evident that first-class houses should be
represented by first-class travellers, men who know the trade and
how to reach them, and know also, what is more important, whom
not to reach ; cautiousness as well as enterprise is needed on the
road quite as much as in the home management of a house, and no
small portion of losses sustained by the trade is to be attributed to
the employment of the youthful and inexperienced travellers more
anx;ous to sell goods than cautious to protect the interest of their
employers.

' • AVe do not mean by this to say that younger men are not to
be employed as travellers, and it is to be said that many heads of
houses of the present day made their position by good work on the
road when they were young men. But the standard has been
lowered since that day, and first-class houses employ callow men
they would not have thought of employingfifteenor twentyyears ago.
We are putting in a word for the employment of the best men, at
fair wages, men who understand their business and their customers.
A good house cannot afford to economize on its travellers, who are
to it what scouts are to the general in command. It is their
business to gauge thoroughly the responsibility of any house of
which they deal, to get at the bottom facts ; they keep their
employers thoroughly informed as to the foundation of any rumour
affecting credits. And for such purposes experience can be replaced
only by marked ability. Aside from the question of gaining an
audience where less able men would be refused, the traveller's
knowledge of the character and relation of his connection is to be
acquired only by a considerable apprenticeship of careful attention,
and the winning of wide and familiar acquaintanceship. His know-
ledge is then part of the capital of his house.

" But no article upon commercial travellers is at all fair which does
not emphasize the patient hardships of their life. To get ' on the
road ' is the chief ambition of a host of youngsters, but it means
the hardest work agoing. The strain on the nervous system is
terrible, and life is soon spent, too, often with little thanks. The
traveller must work all day and travel all night, be always in trim,
no matter what he may have had to stand, prove himself wise as
the owl and cunning as the serpent. There is no rest for him,
and too often no thanks. He has everything to lose and little to
gain. All this should be recognized by employers, and the best
way to recognize this is the practical economy of paying for the
best men that can be got. Make it worth while, in short, for
good men to take to the road."

A Good Lacquer. — A preserving lacquer for brass or bronze
which gives a beautiful gilding to the articles, is prepared simply
by dissolving 332 parts of rectified spirit, 16 parts of shellac, 4
parts of dragons' blood, and 1 part of turmeric root. The metal to
be lacquered is warmed, and the varnish applied by means of
a sponge. Brasswork becomes beautifully gilded by this applica-
tion. As the liquid is a spirit solution it is, of course, necessary to
keep it in a well-stoppered bottle. — Scientific American.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 5, 1876.

FINGER RINGS

(Concluded from page 275).

IN the Journal of the Archseological Institute, vol. iii., is an en-
graving of a curious magical ring copied in Fig. 66. It was
found on the coast of Glamorganshire, near to "the Worm's Head,"
the western extremity of the county, where numerous objects have
been found at various times on the shifting of sands, such as
fire-arms, an astrolabe, and silver dollars. This ring is of gold,

I ^ZARA.-ZAI-DEZ6V6Ll

[►frPGBKL-GVT-eVTTANll

Fig. 66.
much bent and defaced, and inscribed with mystic words inside and
outside the hoop. Their talismanic character seems to be sufficiently
proved by the English medical manuscript preserved at Stockholm
already alluded to, in which, among various cabalistic prescriptions,
is one for " peynes in theft. . . . Boro berto briore + vulnera
quinque del shit medicina mei + Tahelal + Ghether + + + Othman."
The last word should probably be read Guthman, and it is
succeeded by five crosses, possibly in allusion to the five wounds
of the Saviour.

As a preventive of peril by travel and sudden death, the names of
the three Magi, or the "Kings of Cologne," as they were more
popularly termed, were believed to be the most efficacious. Their
bodies travelled first to Constantinople, thence to Milan, and lastly
to Cologne, by various removals. The faithful may still view the
skulls of the Arabian kings who visited the Saviour in the manger
(if we can believe the old legend,) in the richly-jewelled reliquary,
guarded so sacredly in the Cathedral of Cologne. Their posses-
sion brought enormous revenues to the building, and a heavy tax is
still imposed on all who would see them. It was once believed (and
may be still) that anything that had touched these skulls had a
protective virtue. Their names acted as a charm, and were in-
scribed on such articles of wearing apparel as girdles, or garters, of
which many specimens exist in the curious collection of Mr. C.
Roach Smith, and were found at London in excavations, or in the
Thames.

Upon rings they are most common ; two are here selected from
the Londesborough collection. Fig. 67 is a thick gold hoop, inscribed
with their names, Jaspar, Melchior, Balthazar, and the abbreviated

FlS. 67.

FIG. 68.

motto, "In- god • is • a • r •;" which the late Mr. Crofton Croker
thought might probably mean "In God is a remedy." Fig. 68
furnishes a good example of a fashion of hoop ring prevalent in the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, flat inside and angular outside. Each
face is inscribed with the same talismanic names. It is formed of
cheap mixed metal, was found in London, and presented to the
collection by Mr. Roach Smith.

Inscriptions on rings became at this time very common, nor
were they confined to mystic or sacred words. Mottoes of love and
gallantly were frequent, as well as moral sentences, and those strictly
heraldic. In the curious inventory of the plate and jewels of the
Luke of Anjou, compiled about 1360, mention is made of a ring with

Fig. 6a

Fig. 70.

a large square emerald surrounded by letters in black enamel. The
representation is copied in Fig. 69. It is a weighty ring of fine
gold, and was found in 1823at Thetford, in Suffolk. Thedevice which
appears upon this ring is an eagle displayed ; on the inner side is

engraved a bird, with the wings closed, apparently a falcon, with a
crown upon its head. The following poesy, or motto, commencing
on the outer side is continued on the interior of the ring: — DEUS.
ME. OUROYE. LE. VOUS. SEUIR. A. GREE. COM. MONN.
COUER. DESIRE. — " God work for me to make suit acceptably
to you as my heart desires." The devices appear to be heraldic, and
the motto that of a lover, or a suitor to one in power. The eagle is
the bearing of several ancient Suffolk families. It was also a badge
of the House of Lancaster, and Thetford was one portion of the
Duchy of Lancaster,

These mottoes, or "reasons," as they were sometimes termed,
were occasionally engraved in relief. Fig. 70 represents a specimen
from the Londesborough collection. It is of gold, and was found in
the Thames. The inscription upon it is— SAN S "VTLINIE— « With-
out baseness," — a motto that may have been adopted by some Bayard
of the middle ages.

Fig. 71. Figs. '

A very early ring, with an unusual pretty poesy, is in the collection
of J. Evans, Esq., F.S.A., and is engraved (Fig. 71). It is of gold,
set with a small sapphire, and is inscribed — JE. SUI. ICI. EN. LI'V.
D' AMI. — "I am here in place of a friend."

It was probably made at the beginning of the fourteenth century.
Fig. Tl is chased with Norton's Motto, "God us ayde ;" and Fig. 73
is inscribed withinside with the sentence, " Mulier viro subjecta esto."
Both are works of the fifteenth century.

Fig. 74.
In Bromsgrove Church, Staffordshire, are the fine monumenta
effigies of Sir Humphrey Stafford, and his wife (1450), remarkable
alike for the rich armour of the knight, and the courtly costume of
the lady. She wears a profusion of rings, every finger, except
the little finger of the right hand, being furnished with one. They
exhibit great variety of design, and are valuable as exponents of
the fashion of that day. We engrave in Fig. 74 the hands of the
lady, as uplifted in prayer, with four of the rings, the full size of
the originals.

Fig. 75.

Fig. 76.

Recurring to the ancient people whose sacred records o-ave us
the earliest knowledge of the use of rings we may profitably devote
some attention to the very beautiful rings formerly used by the
Hebrews for betrothals and weddings. The Londesborough collec-
tion furnishes us with two fine examples, engraved in Fi<rs. 7fe
and 76. They are often termed " tower rings," from the figure of

June 5, 1876.]

SILVEBSMITH'S TEABE JOUENAL.

the sacred temple placed on their summit. In the first specimen
it takes the form of a sexagonal building, with a domed roof of an
Eastern character ; in the second it is square, with a deeply-pitched
roof, having movable vanes at the angles, and is probably the
work of some German goldsmith. Upon the roof of the first is
inscribed in enamel letters the best wish — "Joy be with you" —
that a newly-married couple would command. The same words
are inscribed in more richly -designed letters on the curve of the
second ring. Both are of gold, richly-chased, enamelled, and
enriched by filigree work, and are sufficiently stately for the
most imposing ceremonial.

A third Hebrew ring of less striking appearance, but of equal or
greater curiosity, is also engraved from the same rich collection
shown in Fig. 77. It bears on its surface a representation (in
high relief) of the temptation of our first parents, who are sur-
rounded hy various animals, real and imaginary, their joint

ACTION OP SUNLIGHT UPON PRECIOUS STONES.

Fig. 77

residents in Paradise. The workmanship of all these rings lias
been dated to the commencement of the sixteenth century.

We close our series with a wedding ring, commemorative of a
marriage which excited the marked attention of the entire
Christian community, as a vigorous protest against monkery by
that " solitary monk that moved the world" — Martin Luther.
Renouncing the faith of Rome, he revoked his vow of celibacy,
and completed its total severance from its creed by marrying a
lady who had once been a nun, named Catherine Boren. The
ring, here engraved, is that used on the occasion. It is of elaborate
design and execution ; a group of emblems of the Saviour's passion,
the pillar, the scourge, the spear, and various other objects, com-

D Ma-rUnotulhcro Xhthannauho^n

I3IUNI I5Z5
Fig. 78.
bine with a representation of the crucifixion, a small ruby being
set in the centre of the ring above the head of the Saviour. We
engrave this most interesting object of personal decoration as it
appears to the eye (Fig. 78), and also the full design in plans ;
beneath it are the names and date inscribed on the inside of the
ring.

The Sicker Safe and Strong Room Company have removed
from Cecil-street, Birmingham, to their new and extensive works at
Soho. Messrs. W. C. B. Cave and Alfred Rhodes, of Birmingham,
were recently elected as Directors, the first-named gentleman as
chairman.

The New York Jeweller's Circular, that deservedly popular organ
of the jewellery and kindred trades in the U. S. of America, has re-
cently changed its appearance, and now reaches its readers in an im-
proved form. Its cover has elaborate and emblematic designs, and
without undue flattery we may truly welcome it as "the handsomest
paper of the kind in existence." Any praise which we could bestow
would in truth fall short of its many merits, and in extending to it our
hearty welcome in its " new attire " we would sincerely add our best
wishes for its uninterrupted prosperity and success.

DR. SCHNAUSS has directed attention to the fact that certain
minerals are quite sensible to the action of light. Strangely
enough this property extends to the very hard minerals, and reaches
its maximum in the hardest of all minerals, the diamond. According
to Dr. Fright, under certain circumstances the coloured diamond is
as sensitive to light as chloride of silver. The ancients knew that
certain coloured precious stones gradually grew paler in the sunlight,
and that this was very distinctly the case with the beautiful grass-
green chrysoprase. They said that when worn for a long time set
in a ring or pin, it finally lost a greater part of its beautiful colour,
and that this could be recovered by wrapping it up in a cloth soaked
in wine and keeping it in a cellar. Even the much harder, trans-
parent, dark green emerald is also influenced by light in time, as
the author found to his sorrow in the case of an emerald ring, which
he had worn seven years.

The diamond, however, exhibits the most interesting phenomena
under this influence. If coloured diamonds are highly heated, the
colour disappears more or less completely, and in most cases
permanently. Sometimes the colour is merely changed by ignition,
and the original colour may be restored by the influence of the sun's
light. A diamond merchant named Martin exposed a diamond to
a very high temperature, in order to destroy its brownish colour, but
the stone became a permanent rose red. Coster treated another
diamond in the same way, and that too turned rose red ; but the
most remarkable part was that this colour was only permanent in
the dark, and disappeared in four or five minutes if exposed to the
sun's light, the stone acquiring a weak brown colour. This change
also took place in a room where the light was by no means bright.
Another diamond, of a dirty yellow colour, was ignited in a current
of hydrogen in a porcelain tube and allowed to cool there. The
colour disappeared, but not the lustre. If this specimen was exposed
to diffused light for six minutes its original colour returned. The
experiment was repeated in this way, the stone being heated in
chlorine gas, at as strong a heat as could be obtained by saturating
the gas used by benzol vapour ; it was farther heated at a lower
temperature in a mercury bath, the diamond being wrapped in
platinum foil ; each time the colour disappeared and remained absent
in the dark, but as soon as the stone was exposed for a few minuter
to diffused daylight it regained its yellow colour.

These phenomena are thought by Dr. Schnauss to be related to that
of phosphoresc ence. In addition to the cases mentioned by him, we
would recall the fact, usually stated in text-books on mineralogy,
that a variety of topaz from Brazil, when heated, assumes a pink or
red hue resembling that of the Balas ruby.

CLOCK CASE MANUFACTORY,

DURING a recent visit to the North we had an opportunity of
personally inspecting the extensive manufactory of Messrs.
1'anenberg & Co., at Leeds. In the workshop we saw cases of
every conceivable design and pattern in hand, and found that an
immense number are turned out every week. Passing into the
fitting room, we found a large number of hands busily employed in
regulating and fixing the works in cases, and others timing and
setting watches.

We believe that the secret of the success of this house is the
energetic manner in which its business is conducted — the many and
successful exertions which it puts forth to offer new patterns and
designs, and thus present attractions which keep up a steady trade
even in dull times. Established over twenty-seven years, the firm
has deservedly gained a reputation which places it far above any
remarks of praise, nevertheless the agreeable surprise which we
experienced in visiting and inspecting the establishment is well
worthy of being alluded to as an evidence of the extent of trade which
is carried on by this house in every description of goods to which we
have referred. ^^^

A NEW PATENT SELF-REGISTERING FIELD AND
OPERA GLASS.

MESSRS. ELIAS DRUIFF & CO., of Hatton Garden, have just
introduced a new field and opera glass possessing very many
excellent advantages, among which is the desirable one that when
once adjusted to the sight, an index marks the particular sight
required, and it is easy to set it thereto at any moment ; besides
which, it can always be kept in that particular position either while
in use or when in the case. The glass is a decided improvement on
the previous styles, and will no doubt have a very extensive sale as
it is moderate in price and superior in make and finish.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June- 5, 1876.

LOAN COLLECTION OP SCIENTIFIC APPARATUS
AT THE SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM.

THE exhibition alluded to above was privately opened by Her
Majesty the Queen, on the 13th ult., and, as the Times justly
remarks, " although the Loan Collection is the exact equivalent, as
regards science, of the collection we have foreshadowed as regards
art, it is far too early for an equal amount of popular interest to be
taken in it. The interest, however, if more limited, will perhaps be,
on the whole, more intense in the case of those interested at all, for
our people are beginning gradually to learn what science has done
and what its future position must be, especially in a country like
England, where science is wanted so much, if it be taught so
sparingly. We believe it is no secret that those who have had to do
with the formation of this collection have found in many cases that
for want of such a national repository many instruments in the
possession of private persons — instruments of the highest importance
now that the history of science is looked after — have either been
broken up or lost. This remark applies even to our public depart-
ments, which, as a rule, have only to do with the present, so that an
instrument, however great its value may be from a scientific point of
view, is regarded as lumber the moment it is superseded. The
recommendation of the Duke of Devonshire's Commission, therefore,
that a museum should be established, doing for the Physical and
Mechanical Sciences what the British Museum — to take an instance
— does for the science of Natural History, is one which might be
carried out in the most perfect and at the same time economical
manner in course of time, if it were understood that instruments
that had served their purpose, whether for investigation or for use,
would find an asylum where they would be looked after. It is
rumoured that the Royal Society is not disinclined to transfer the
instruments that it possesses to the charge of the nation under proper
guarantees.

"It is a subject of general regret that America, being so occupied
with her Exhibition, has up to the present time sent nothing to the
collection. The activity of American men of science is so great,
especially in the fields of astronomy and geological exploration, and
science is so much more warmly taken up both by the States and the
Central Government there than here, that the collection would have
been much richer for their contributions. As it is, however,
American activity is by no means unrepresented, English men of
science having contributed objects they have received from their
American friends.

" The decision of the authorities that the Loan Collection, like the
Kensington Museum, shall be open free on Saturdays, Mondays, and
Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and that the charge for admission
on other days shall only be 6d., is, we think, a very wise one. If the
Science and Art Department can look after the interests of non-
scientific visitors by organizing demonstrations of the various instru-
ments, or, at all events, a daily bill of fare of some kind which shall
throw life into the memorials of the past, and into the uses and
applications of the instruments used in the present day, we think it
possible that such demonstrations would be as warmly appreciated
by outsiders as the series of conferences already announced is sure to
be by the men of science themselves.

The first of the Conferences arranged in connection with the exhi-
bition was held on the 16th ult. The section "Physics" was
selected for the opening day, the President being Mr. W. Spottis-
woode, F.R.S., and the Vice-President, Mr. W. de la Rue, F.R.S.
Professor Cary Foster, F.R.S., Professor Guthrie, F.R.S Professor
Tyndall, F.R.S., Professor Sir W. Thomson.

The proceedings commenced with a few words of welcome from
Viscount Sandon, who spoke as follows : — I have come down to
express my gratitude, and that of Her Majesty's Government to
the different men of science who are the real authors of what I may
call the present success. I have had means of knowing personally
the extraordinary sacrifices of time and labour of those men of
science in this country who have produced the success. It is grati-
fying, if only for one reason — it has shown what a feeling of intel-
lectual brotherhood exists. We have had the highest men of science
of this kingdom working together to produce this very remarkable
exhibition. When we think of their zeal and self-sacrifice and deter-
mination, the country cannot be too grateful. And these qualities
have not been confined to this country, but far beyond this island.
It had been a matter of universal remark, the zeal, the determina-
tion, and friendly feeling which has been shown by men of science

all over the world. We have — the Lord President and myself

done all that we could do to make this not a gazing place merely
but to give as much instruction as possible to those who desire to
receive it. These Conferences will be a source of the greatest

possible gratification, old friendships will be renewed, new friend-
ships will be created between men of science of other parts of the
world. These Conferences will, we trust, be much appreciated.
The examination of the collections will be much assisted by the
admirable handbooks which have been prepared by men of the
highest capacity. Allow me also to express my sense of the very
high service which the officers of the Science Department have
rendered; their zeal, their highly- cultivated intelligence, devotion
of time and almost of health — we have reason to be proud of serving
the Queen in concert with such officers. To the different men of
science I express my hearty good wishes for exertions towards the
continued success of the Exhibition. When these Conferences
come to a close we shall feel that a great work has been done on
behalf, not of this country only, but for the whole of the world.

The President (Mr. Spottiswoode) then delivered his inaugural
address. He looked upon the Exhibition as marking a great epoch
in the scientific world, inasmuch as they had gathered together a
collection of instruments from all parts of the earth — instruments
that were not only models of ingenuity and skilful workmanship,
but also evidences of deep thought and searching intellectual labours.
The present was the first serious, or, at all events, the first success-
ful, attempt that had been made at a cosmopolitan collection of the
kind. He took the opportunity of thanking the English and foreign
societies and institutions that had contributed to it, and referred in
detail to many of the pieces of apparatus to which attached a
historical interest. A museum consisting entirely of relics of this
kind, however of deep interest though it might be, was of compara-
tively little moment compared with one embracing the recent
developments of experimental science. In contemplating the older
instruments there was one point which must forcibly strike those
who were accustomed to work with modern apparatus. It was the
question, how did the earlier philosophers manage to achieve the
results they did with the crude means at their disposal. The truth
was, that in the development of a scientific theory there were several
stages. There was the early dawn of its conception ; the grasping
of the early principles ; their realization in their main outline ; and
their subsequent perfection by reduction to exact natural laws. It
was in this last stage that the modern complicated instruments were
to be regarded as of inestimable value. Frequently a complicated
instrument underwent simplification in the course of its use, and
this was quite natural, as our first efforts were directed to the
elaboration of that which would solve the problem under considera-
tion, and our next to the consideration whether the solution might
not be effected by a more simple process. By bringing together in
one place such a progressive collection as they had there they were
enabled to afford the scientific man a comprehensive and vivid picture
of the history of science. Before concluding, he threw out the
suggestion that such of the instruments as were now of no practical
use, but simply of historical interest, might be left at South Kensing-
ton on permanent loan, thus forming a valuable addition to the
Museum. Many individual persons, as well as societies, might be'
glad to avail themselves of a safe national repository for instruments
that they might possess of historical value. They had, however,
collected together there not only scientific instruments, but also
men whose powers had led up to their development. He would,
therefore, bid them welcome, and assure them that all would listen
with interest to the discourses which they would deliver on their own
special subjects, on which they had expended such admirable thought
and energy.

Mr. Warren de la Rue, in proposing thanks to the President,
strongly expressed a hope that the collection might be the nucleus
of a permanent one.

The addresses arranged for the day were then delivered as
follows : —

Mr. W. Huggins, D.C.L., F.R.S., "On the present state of
Spectroscopic Research relating to the Stars and Nebulaj." Mr.
Huggins said he had nothing new to bring forward, but he gave a
brief account of the methods employed.

Mr. Norman Lockyer, F.R.S., " On Spectroscopic Research in
Solar and Molecular Physics." The name of Captain W. de W.
Abney, R.E., was associated with Mr. Lockyer on the programme.
The address referred to the application of photography to recording
observations on the spectrum. After describing the arrangements
by which photographic plates are used to receive impressions instead
of the eye, some of the results obtained were referred to. A portion
of the lines of spectra are being carefully mapped, and, as there
seems a fair prospect of the number of observers being increased,
there is hope that our knowledge will extend at a rapidly progressing
rate. In passing from a solid to a gaseous state bodies give out
frequently no less than five dissimilar spectra. Here is indicated a
vast field for future research.

June 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

9

Professor Soret described " a spectroscope with a flourescent eye-
piece."

Mr. H. C. Sorby, F.R.S., spoke on the original form of spectrum
microscope, and the various subsequent improvements and additional
apparatus. The address was a rapid historical summary, and the
spectrum eye-piece and binocular apparatus designed and exhibited
by Mr. Sorby were explained.

Professor Clifton, F.R.S., spoke of interference and instruments
for the measurements of optical wave lengths. He referred rapidly
to the successive work of the men of science bearing on the subject
and that of the undulatory theory of light, and described the
apparatus he has improved and lent to the collection. Among the
other results he has obtained, he quoted the observations on the
wave lengths of sodium light. The mean of observations is that
they are -000589 millimeters.

After an adjournment for lunch,

M. Wartmann, of Geneva, described several experiments he had
made with radiometers, and did not concur in Mr. Crooke's views.

Many of the articles to be seen at South Kensington possess great
historic interest as showing the crude forms in which the early
pioneers of science clothed their ideas, these often standing side by
side with the perfected apparatus, of the most modern and improved
form or character. For here may be found, among other things,
the telescopes of Galileo, Newton, Herschel, and Posse ; Steven-
son's "Puffing Billy" and the engine "Rocket;" the earliest
example of the marine engine ; Tycho Brahe's quadrant ; and the
siderostats of Foucault, and how many objects of priceless value
and intense interest.

The arrangement of the exhibition is one which could hardly have
been improved upon ; nationality is disregarded, and the objects are
grouped strictly according to classes. The beneficial result of this
is, that you can examine the productions of the various countries in
any given branch of scientific appliances, without trouble or loss of
time, so that comparative research becomes an easy matter.

The first edition of the catalogue contains 617 pages and 4576
entries under twenty-one sections, which really constitute the circle
of the sciences. A handbook is also published which contains intro-
ductory notices to the several sections, prepared by English savants
under the direction and at the request of the Lords of the Committee
of Council on Education.

In a future number we shall particularize such exhibits as are
connected with the various trades represented in this journal.

BELLS, CHIMES AND CARILLONS.

IN the March number of this journal we inserted a paper on
bell-chiming machinery, and described the erection of such
machinery (of Messrs. Lund & Blockley's system) for St. Luke's
Church, at Derby.

We subsequently had the pleasure of inspecting another set
of machinery, prepared by the same firm, for the church of St.
Matthew's at Surbiton, and, as many details were, owing to want of
space, necessarily omitted in our last description, we may with every
due propriety make mention thereof in our present number. In the
machinery under notice our attention was first attracted to the
barrel, made of mahogany and containing 3500 small pins of hard
drawn wire, that number corresponding with the same number of
blows on eight bells. Passing on to the machinery itself, we next
noticed a very great improvement on the old system, which is that
the lifting of the hammer is done quite independently of the dis-
charge ; or, in other words, on the old plan, the pins lifted the
hammer by means of the lever, and as soon as the pins in the
barrel passed the line of contact with the lever, the lever fell and
the blow was struck. Consequently, notwithstanding every pre-
caution, the edge of the pins, one of the most important parts, were
the first to wear. Thus while in the old style everything was at-
tended with friction, the new system does away with all friction in
the barrel, which simply discharges a catch which holds a lever,
and through it the hammer ready to fall and strike its bell. Another
great advantage of the machinery under notice is its being so con-
structed that any one part can be taken out for repair without dis-
turbing any other, even to every lever and every catch, up to any
number. The benefit of this arrangement was fully explained to
us by Mr. Lund in the following remarks :—

"After machinery 6f the same description had been fixed at
Ipswich some short time, I had left it at nine o'clock on the Satur-
day evening, after it had chimed the quarters and played its tune
twice over, and upon my return, at nine o'clock on Sunday mornin»
—of course you understand that I was only there to see all was

right— to my great dismay I found that the heavy rain of the night
before had run through an unstopped hole in the lead floor of the
bell-cbamber above, and that the machinery was most carefully
watered all over. Of course by Monday red rust was everywhere
where I had not been able to wipe it off the day before. A work-
man and myself began at seven o'clock on Monday morning. It
only missed striking the quarters for two hours ; it played as usual
each third hour, and was as free from water and rust as ever it was
by six o'clock the same evening, much of the steel work having been
repolished. Had it been needful to take all the machine to pieces
at once, three days at least of silence would have been necessary."

After a careful examination of the entire machinery, and having
been favoured with a full explanation of its many details, we clearly
perceived that among its numerous advantages and improvements
may be included : — Extreme simplicity of all the parts of action ;
lightness of all the several parts, yet perfect strength and dura-
bility ; high finish and accuracy, absolute steadiness and ease of
discharge, by which perfection is obtained in the music or changes,
or whatever work the machinery is called upon to perform ; rapidity
of lift, by which multiplicity of hammers is avoided and weight
saved ; ease with which repair can be done to any one given part
without disturbing the machine as a whole ; and last, but not least,
cheapness, not the cheapness which is obtained by inferiority of
workmanship, but cheapness which is obtained by simplicity of
action — not using three actions where one will do because our
ancestors did it that way three hundred years ago, and therefore it
must be right, and consequently, saving material and labour, which
make the cost. After having viewed the machinery alluded to, we
paid a visit to the Factory of Messrs. Lund & Blockley, which
is situated in William and Mary Yard, Great Pulteney-street,
Golden-square, within about two minutes' walk of Regent-circus.
In the lower shop we found a forge in full blast upon the iron- work
of the shop, and benches and lathes around. One lathe was capable
of taking in a 3 ft. wheel. It was, also, a surfacing and screw-
cutting one, self-acting, double-headed stock, 6 ft. centres, 9 ft.
bed, back gear, and an overhead motion for steam power. We also
saw a smaller telescopic one, and we think two others. In the
upper shop there were the requisite fitters' benches, and fuzee and
wheel-cutting engines. The fuzee engine was up to the largest
sized spring-going work, and seemed to be in " apple-pie order."
The under-mentioned orders were in various stages of forwardness.

Six large mahogany drum-clocks, of 2 ft. 6 in. diameter ; each to
show thirteen different times at thirteen different places. By some
persons these instruments are called " longitude " and " meridian "
clocks, from their showing the hour at places according to the
longitude of the place. The drum-clocks above-named will have
back and front dials. The next was a small, turret time-piece to
show the time on 2 ft. 6 in. illuminated bracketed dials for the
Liverpool, London, and Globe Insurance Company's office at
Montreal. A turret clock to show time on two 5 ft. copper dials, and
strike the hours on a 12 cwt. bell, for Papworth Church. A turret
clock for Hawkshead Church to show time on a 6 ft. dial ; and to
chime the Cambridge quarters, and strike the hours. These famous
quarter chimes are at St. Mary's Church, Cambridge, from which
town they derive their name, and it is said that they were invented
by the well-known Dr. Crotch, in 1780, from one of Handel's melodies.
There are, also, several smaller turret clocks in course of manu-
facture. Among many that are ordered, two patent chiming
machines are being fitted up, one for eight bells. Another machine
for thirteen bells, for Mitford Church, Northumberland. This
set of machinery will not only chime for all the services, but
there will be several barrels of seven tunes each, and a key-board
will be attached for playing the chimes by fingering. Similar
key-boards are at Highbeach and Weymouth, and are very much
appreciated.

We noticed the works for two large spring quarter-clocks in
ebonized and gilt cases, to chime the quarters and strike the hours
on eight bells. These clocks have a combined mechanical action by
which the arm of a beautifully- carved ivory figure apparently strikes
the hours on a bell. They are also provided with a perpetual
calendar movement, by which the day of the month is given
correctly for all the long and short months of the year, and
the 29th of February once in four years. On the last night of every
month the month is changed, the succeeding one being seen in its
first day on the following morning. This principle of clock me-
chanism is peculiar to Messrs. Blockley and Lund, covered, we
believe, by patent. It can be applied to watches as well as to
clocks. The years following leap-year are also shown by a movement
that takes place on the night of t he 31st of December. Such a clock,
whether applied to public or domestic |purposes, will be a source of
great utility.

10

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[June 5, 1876.

CORAL.

Doings of the Coral Animalcule.

mi

^HE structures reared in tropical seas by the coral animalcule
are amongst the greatest wonders of nature. That a con-
gregation of creatures almost too minute to be seen by the naked
eye, should be able to raise up mounds of a stone-like substance,
hundreds of miles in extent, and in some places forming considerable
groups of islands, seems at first so unlike all that we know of
nature, that we can scarcely bring ourselves to assent to it ; yet
the fact is so thoroughly proved, that all doubt upon the subject
has long been abandoned.

The coral animalcule, or polype, taken apart from the rocky mass
which it rears, is a creature of gelatinous substance and simple
structure ; some species are about the size of a mite, others much
smaller. It has the power of secreting from the sea carbonate of
lime, which it deposits for the purpose of forming a mansion for
itself. The deposits of a vast number together form the substance
called coral. On any face of coral containing living animalcules,
they are seen, each occupying its own small cell, with its hair-
like tentacula spread out at the opening, to catch the still smaller
sea-animalcules on which it lives. A thousand cells, each with its
living tenants, have been counted upon a surface which a man's
finger could cover. The young appear first as eggs, which, after
floating about for a few days, become attached to the surface of
the coral : when perfectly developed, they commence building their
own cells, and quietly entomb the preceding generation. The
mass thus increases in bulk, and it does so not in a random manner,
but in certain forms which are in the main regularly observed.
Some rise in the form of trees, shrubs, mosses, mushrooms ; some
bear sportive resemblances to pitchers and fingers; a particular kind
form a roundish mass marked with wavy lines, like the human
brain. The corals which take these comparatively small forms are
found in water so much as a thousand feet in depth. Different
species (Porite, Millepore, &c.) raise mound-like structures, which
are often of vast extent: these are believed not to exist more than
two hundred feet below the surface. They only can exist in the sea,
and therefore the structure always terminates when it reaches the
surface. They are found, however, carrying on their operations in
surfs and breakers which would swamp a boat.

The productions of this animalcule in the Pacific and southern
oceans form obstructions to navigation of so serious a nature, as to
call for particular attention from the mariner. The ultimate purpose
served by many of them, in the formation of dry land in the midst
of the ocean, gives them also a high interest in the eyes of the
geologist. They take several distinct forms, to which special names
have been applied.

Those called coral reefs and atolls are submarine rocks of coral,
usually ascending so near to the surface of the sea, that their
existence is indicated to the navigator by breakers. They are found
remote from land, are in vast numbers, and often of great extent,
and generally effect an irregularly circular form, having a pool of
comparatively still water in the middle, called a lagoon. Storms
throw up masses of broken coral upon them, which accumulate to
the depth of some feet above high water, forming chains of islets
along the reef. The whole reef in this condition is called a "lagoon
island," or more conveniently an "atoll," a word borrowed from
the South-Sea Islanders. Some reefs have many islands upon them,
some have few, and some have none.

A coral reef may be defined a wall or mound of coral rock, built
up in the ocean from a considerable depth, and generally returning
into itself, so as to form a ring, with a sheet of still water in the
interior. "Every one," says Mr. Darwin, "must be struck with
astonishment when he first beholds one of these vast rings of coral
rock, often many leagues in diameter, here and there surmounted
by a low verdant island, with dazzling white shores, bathed on the
outside by the foaming breakers of the ocean, and on the inside
surrounding a calm expanse of water, which, from reflection, is of a
bright but pale-green colour." The wall of coral rock forming the
ring is generally from a furlong to half a mile in breadth, averaging
about a quarter of a mile. In one rare case it is three miles. The
diameter of the atoll, or circle formed by the reef, varies from less
than one mile to thirty or forty. There is one fifty miles in
length by twenty in breadth ; so that, if the ledge of coral rock
forming the ring were extended in one line, it would be 120 miles in
length. Assuming it to be a quarter of a mile in breadth,
and 150 feet deep, here is a mound compared with which the walls
of Babylon, the great wall of China, or the pyramids of Egypt,
are but children'.-; toys ; and built, too, amidst the waves of the

ocean, and in defiance of its storms, which sweep away the most
solid works of man.

The wall of coral is generally breached in one or more places ;
and when the breaches are deep enough to admit a ship, the atoll
affords a convenient and safe harbour.

Some of the atolls are perfect circles. The external side of the
reef often plunges to a depth of 200 or 300 fathoms, at an angle
of forty-five degrees, or more. At Cardoo Atoll, no bottom was
found with a line of 200 fathoms (1200 feet), at the distance of
sixty yards from the reef. The internal side, on the other hand,
shelves gradually towards the centre of the lagoon, forming a
saucer-shaped cavity, the depth of which varies from one fathom to
fifty. In no instances has it been found entirely filled up. Beyond
the line where the coral ceases to grow, the bottom of the lagoon
consists of rolled fragments of it, or a whitish mud consisting chiefly
of the same substance in a comminuted state. Much of this mud
is supposed to be produced by certain species of fish and molluscous
animals which browse upon the coral, grinding it down to fine meal,
part of which will pass from them and be deposited by the water.
From this description, it will be seen that an atoll closely resembles
in form the cone of a submarine volcano, the coral reef representing
the rim, and the lagoon occupying precisely the place of the
crater.

The islets formed on these reefs are very singular objects. In
storms, the sea throws up fragments of coral, sometimes mixed with
sand. The outer and lowest stratum of this matter, which is bathed
by the sea at high tide, is sometimes converted into a brecciated
coral rock by calcareous infiltrations from the water. Above this,
and generally at the distance of 200 or 300 yards from the outer
margin of the reef, the loose fragments, cast up in strong gales,
mixed occasionally with sand and shells, accumulate till they form a
bank rising from six to twelve feet above high water, with the
highest side towards the sea, from which the surface slopes inward
to the lagoon. The ordinary width of these islets is under a quarter
of a mile, and their length varies from a few yards to several miles.
The island connected with Keeling Atoll, in south latitude twelve
degrees, and east longitude ninety-six degrees fifty-four minutes,
abounds in cocoa trees, sprung from nuts brought by the currents from
the ocean from Sumatra or Java, six hundred miles distant. Turtles
browse on the sea-weeds which grow in the lagoon. The islands
are inhabited, and these two articles supply the people with food.
What is singular, fresh water is obtained from wells which ebb and
flow with the tides. It has been suggested that the rain water, being
specifically lighter than the salt, keeps floating on its surface, and is
subject to the same movements.

Barrier reefs are another form of productions of the coral animal-
cule ; and of these many specimens are found in the Pacific and
Indian Oceans. They encircle islands of primary, secondary, or
volcanic rock, with only a narrow channel between. Except in
being thus formed in conformity with the outline of an ordinary
island, they resemble the other kind of reefs in all respects. They
have scattered islets, are pierced by breaches, and their exterior
sides are steep and deep, while their interior are shallow, and slope
gently.

There are two very remarkable barrierreefs known. The first is that
which runs along the north-east coast of Australia, 700 miles in
length. It is divided from the land by a lagoon channel from ten
to thirty miles broad, and from ten to sixty fathoms deep. The
other runs parallel to the shores of New Caledonia for a length of
400 miles. It accompanies the shores for 250 miles, and continues
for 150 miles more in the same direction, affording presumptive
evidence that the island has a submarine prolongation of this
extent. At some places it is but a few yards from the island ;
at others it is twenty miles ; and so steep was its exterior side
found to be in one instance, that at two ship-lengths from the reef
no bottom was found with a line of 900 feet.

There are small atolls sometimes placed in elliptical rows, with a
sheet of water in the centre, and thus becoming constituent parts
of a large atoll. There is an example of this arrangement in the
Maldiva archipelago, where the combination is carried a stage higher.
This group extends over a space of 470 miles in length by fifty in
breadth, and forms, as it were, three orders of atolls. First, you
have 100 of these little reefs, with pools in the centre, so disposed
as to form one large atoll, fifty or sixty miles long, by ten or fif-
teen broad, with a lagoon twenty-five fathoms deep. Next, twenty
of these large atolls of the second order are arranged in the shape
of a narrow ellipse, so as to form one vast atoll of the third order,
470 miles in length by fifty in breadth, with a lagoon in the interior
of unfathomable depth.

It will be observed, that where any of the reefs above-described
have islets, habitable or otherwise, on their surfaces, these have

June 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOUENAL.

11

been formed not by the animalcule, which cannot work above the
sea, but by matters thrown up by storms, and accumulated above
the coral. We are now to advert to examples of the coral mass
itself being found in the character of dry and habitable land, to
which, of course, it must have been transformed by the elevating
forces recognized by geologists. Coral banks are found in most of
the Sandwich Islands many yards above the sea. In one, they
form three strata, each ten feet thick. In Oahu, Mr. Pierce, an
intelligent European, who has lived there sixteen years, is convinced
that elevation is at present going on "at a very perceptible rate."
Elizabeth Island (south latitude twenty-four degrees, west longitude
129 degrees,) eighty feet high, is entirely composed of coral. Five
of the " Cook and Austral " islands (south latitude twenty degrees,
west longitude 160 degrees) are of coral rock. The sixth Mangaia,
300 feet high, is, with the exception of a little basalt, entirely of
coral ; and having a flat top with a lagoon-shaped cavity in it, is
evidently an upraised atoll. Tongataboo, one of the Friendly Isles,
is entirely of coral. Eoua and Vavao, in this group the former 200
or 300 feet high, are of the same substance. Anamouka, another,
twenty or thirty feet high, with a salt-water lake in the middle, is,
in truth, an atoll, only a very little elevated. Savage Island, forty
feet high (south-east of the friendly group,) exhibits tree-shaped
corals still unbroken, a proot that its elevation is recent. In the
Navigators' group (south latitude fourteen degrees, west longitude
170 degrees), large fragments of coral were found on a steep hill
at the height of eighty feet, imbedded in a base of decomposed
lava and sand. On the New Hebrides (south latitude eighteen
degrees, east longitude 168 degrees), coral, seemingly of recent
origin, is found at a great altitude. New Ireland (south latitude
four degrees, east longitude 153 degrees), which belongs to the
Salomon group, presents beds of madreporite rock, with the corals
little altered, forming a newer line of coast modelled round an
ancient one. In the Mariana group (north latitude fifteen degrees,
east longitude 146 degrees), a succession of cliffs of madreporite
limestone present themselves. In the great circular chain of islands
extending from the Bay of Bengal to Japan, embracing Sumatra,
Java, Timor, Ceram, the Pliilipines, and Loo Choo, there are corals
or beds of sea-shells at considerable heights !

Amongst all the great deeds of man, there is no instance of his
forming dry land for himself in the bosom of the sea ; but it is
evident that this mighty feat has been accomplished, on a vast and
magnificent scale, by an animal forming, in his eyes, but a mere
gelatinous point. How wonderful to reflect on the greatest of
labours thus effected by apparently the humblest of instru-
ments !

The productions of the coral animalcule have not as yet been
studied to any satisfactory results. How they should build mounds
inclining to return into a circle, or encircling islands, and how
they should form a series of the smaller circles into one larger one,
are curious questions, worthy of the most careful attention of the
naturalist. In the case of barrier reefs near land, it might be
presumed that the condition of the sea, either as to its tranquillity
or the food found in it, might be the directing agency ; but no
such presumption can be formed with regard to atolls. Mr. Charles
Darwin, who served as naturalist in the expedition of the Beagle,
in the years from 1832 to 1838, took advantage of his opportunities
to study the coral reefs of the Pacific and Indian oceans ; and,
from what he observed, formed a theory that they go through a
series of stages in connection with subsidences and rises of the
earth's surface. He considers a reef fringing an island the
first stage ; then he presumes the island to sink ; the coral
advances till it rises in a circle round the submerged land. When
the island has been fairly covered over, and the reef raised to the
surface around it, an atoll is the result. In support of his theory,
he particularly adverts to the fact, that the coral animalcule is not
found to work below the depth of 200 feet: to account for
mounds of 1000 feet depth, therefore, we must presume that the
work was begun upon a bottom much nearer the surface, but which
has since sunk. There are many objections to Mr. Darwin's theory,
which we shall not trouble our readers with ; while it seems to us
that he lays too much stress on the opposite difficulty, as it is by no
means improbable that the lower parts of the coral mounds are the
work of a species different from that which exists near the surface.
It is, however, likely, from what we know of the changes of level
in the solid parts of the earth's surface, that coral reefs have sunk
in some few scattered instances, as we know they must have risen in
others.*

• Mr. Darwin has published an elaborate work on the Coral reefs ; and
this paper is to be considered as little more than an abridgment of a
lengthened review of that work which appeared in the Scotsman.

THE NEW PATENT GALILEAN WALKING-STICK
TELESCOPE.

MESSES. COHEN, JACOB & CO., of Ely-place, have just in-
troduced and are the sole manufacturers of the new patent
Galilean walking-stick, invented and patented by Mr. Ince Hosking,
of Ventnor, I.W.

The telescopic arrangement of this instrument is the same as that
used by Galileo in his astronomical observations. It consists of a
convex object and a concave eye-glass. For its application to all
kinds of sticks and staves, viz., walking-sticks, alpine-stocks, fishing-
rods, hunting or other whips, umbrellas, &c, &c, or to any kind of
rod, the inventor has been granted Her Most Gracious Majesty's
Royal Letters Patent.

To the tourist, the pedestrian, and to travellers every ounce of
additional weight is of moment, and the patent Galilean walking-
stick enables them to dispense with the ordinary cumbersome
heavy telescope, or the binocular with its case and straps. This
walking-stick may be converted in an instant into a powerful tele-
scope by simply attaching the object-glass ; this glass, when de-
tached, is so portable that it may be carried in the waistcoat
pocket, being, with its mounting, only an ounce and a half in
weight. It is, moreover, exceedingly useful as a reading-glass ; and
the ' ' matchless " smoker may light his cigar by means of its focal
power.

It is a perfect " Tria juncta in uno." The pedestrian obtains
the support which he so often requires in shape of a stick or staff,
while the tourist finds the compass an almost indispensable
companion, and the telescope enables the observer to gratify the
eye by obtaining a correct definition of distant objects. Vessels are
discernible in a clear atmosphere at a distance of 25 miles.

THE HATTON GARDEN JEWELLERY ROBBERY.

WE are pleased to hear that Messrs. Williams & Son, of Hatton
Garden, the heavy sufferers by the recent extensive robbery,
have made satisfactory arrangements, so that their business will
continue as heretofore. Up to the present time no clue has been
discovered leading to the apprehension of the thieves or restoration of
any of the property, and Messrs. Williams & Son have issued the
following circular: —

Dear Sir, — The loss we suffered by robbery on the 25th March last
was a great shock to us, and caused a partial suspension of our business up
to this time.

We met our oreditors yesterday, and they accepted a composition that
was generous on their part, and they unanimously passed a vote of sympathy
and of confidence in our honour and integrity ; having still their support
we are now enabled to resume business, which we shall do with all the
energy in our power.

We shall continue to pursue our former mode of business by selling fine
goods at lowest prices, and we appeal to the kind feelings of our customers
to assist us under the severe loss referred to, by putting all the business they
can in our way. Yours faithfully, J. E. Williams & Son.

London, 108, Hatton Garden. May 19, 1876.

SPECTACLE-MAKERS' COMPANY.

A DINNER was given bv this company on the 19th ult., the
occasion of the Right Hon. G. J. Goschen, M.P., being admitted
on the court of assistants. The Master, Mr. W. M' Arthur, M.P.,
presided, supported by the Upper Warden, Sir A. Lusk, M.P., and
among the gentlemen present were the Earl of Kimberley, the Earl
of Camperdown, Sir T. Bazley, M.P., Sir T. Chambers, M.P., Sir
T. Dakin, Sir B. S. Phillips, Messrs. J. G. Hubbard, M.P., C.
Newdegate, M.P., A. M Arthur, M.P., G. Goldney, M.P., P.Twells,
M.P., D. M'Laren, M.P., J. Cowan, M.P., J. Pender, M.P., H.
Birley, M.P., G. Anderson, M.P., H. Edwards, M.P., R. Davies,
M.P., T. Cave, M.P., J. T. Agg-Gardner, M.P., R. H. Alexander,
the renter wardens ; Sir G. Airy, Vice-Admiral Sir C. Shadwell, and
Colonel and Alderman Sir W. Rose. The usual loyal and several other
toasts, including that of the Right Hon. G. J Goschen, were given
and duly responded to.

WONDERS OF SCIENCE.

A GRAIN OF GOLD has been found by Muncke to admit of
being divided into ninety-five thousand millions of visible
parts : that is, by the aid of a microscope magnifying one thousand
times. A sovereign is thus capable of division into ten millions of
millions of visible particles.

12

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 5, 1876.

THE

^afrjmmlver, g*fixeller, awfr ^iltomiljr,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
London, E.C.

Birmingham Agencies.

Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.
Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

OUR SECOND VOLUME.

IT is with great satisfaction that we commence (with the present
number) the Second Volume of this journal. The considerable
improvement which is evident in its pages is not the result of a day,
but that of steady work from month to month since the date of
our first appearance.

Representing trades which partake of the character of Arts, the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith is intended to be both
an Art journal and a practical trade representative ; and although
we had at the commencement of the undertaking hoped that our
endeavours would be appreciated, nevertheless we must express
very agreeable surprise at the general, hearty, and enthusiastic
manner in which our pages have been received. The many
encouraging encomiums which have reached us from all quarters
give us every reason to believe that we are supplying a want which
really existed, and can but tend to stimulate us in our endeavours
to make the journal a welcome and useful visitor in every establish-
ment connected with the various trades which it represents. True
that we cannot possibly accomplish such aims without the assistance
of the trade, but the very liberal encouragement which we have so far
thankfully received leads us to hope that it will not be withdrawn,
but that new supporters will rally around us, and strengthen our
exertions, which we assure our readers will be] strenuously put forth
to render the journal worthy of their support. As this early stage
of our career is not a fitting time to claim credit for the little which
has been effected by our unceasing labours, we can only say that to
' : Promise little and perform the more " is the motto which, though
not ostentatiously put forth, has yet engraven itself upon our mental
tablet, regulated our past, and will govern our future career. We
are proud to possess evidence that our subscribers take an interest
in our labours and object, as well as appreciate our endeavour to
carry out the principle which we have chosen to govern us.

Mew professions appear unnecessary, new subscribers will be more
vffective ; and we therefore only venture to hope that those who are
not already on our list will be enrolled without delay. With the
commencement of a New Volume let us have renewed support, and,
with the issue of the Third, we trust that our readers will be
enabled to recognize the aptitude of our motto, and adherence
thereto.

Prices Current for Gold and Silver. — Value Given for Old
Gold and Silver by Assay. — Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. 7d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver.— Fine Gold, 85s. 3d.
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. per oz. Standard Silver 4 . 6£d. to
4s. 8d. (variable).

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES,

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Band William Thomas, St. Butts, Coventry, watch manufacturer. Apr. 28.

Gleeson John, Coldwell Street, Wirksworth, Derby, jeweller, &c, at
Harrison & Co., accountants, 18 Wardwick, Derby. June 15 at 11.

Hareis Henry, trading as Henry Harris & Co., Warston Lane, Birming-
ham, jewellers' factor. C. B. Hodgson, solicitor, 13 Waterloo Street,
Birmingham.

Ireland Henry, 31 Smithford Street, Coventry, watchmaker, at C.C.,
17 Little Park Street, Coventry. June 12 at 2.

Miles and James Frederick Spoun, 33 Aldersgate Street, jewellers and fancy
goods importers. May 4. Lumley and Lumley, 15 Old Jewry
Chambers.

Paulin Elizabeth, trading as Alexander Swinney, Morpeth, Northumber-
land, ironmonger and jeweller, at Thomas Nicholson, solicitor,
Bridge Street, Morpeth. June 9 at 3.

Schawlow Colman, Church Street, Cardiff, tobacconist, jeweller and furni-
ture-dealer. Apr. 28. D. W. Davies, solicitor, 11 St. John Street,
Cardiff.

Whitehall Edwin, Commercial Street, Newport, jeweller. May 6.

Shaw James, Cheapside, Leicester, watchmaker and jeweller. Fowler,
Smith & Warwick, solicitors, Leicester.

Kyezor Baron Isaac, 11 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, optician
and importer. May 8. Treherne & Wolferstern, solicitors, 20 Iron-
monger Lane.

O'Connor James W. B., commonly called James William Connor, Treorky,
Tstradyfodwg, Glam, jeweller. May 4. Hollier & Williams, solicitors,
Pontypridd, Glam.

Weatherhilt Sam Pratt, trading as S. P. Weatherhilt & Co., Boldmere
Road, and Lower Loveday Street, Birmingham, and Bond Street,
Coventry, jeweller. May 9. W. Fallows, solicitor, 12 Cherry Street,
Birmingham.

Dodwell Mathew, Hertford Terrace, Coventry, watch and jewel manufac-
turer. May 11. Edwin Jaques, solicitor, 40 Cherry Street, Birming-
ham.

Elwig Daniel, St. Ives, Hants, watchmaker and jeweller. May 15. G. N.
Day, solicitor, St. Ives.

Levy David, Middlesborough, jeweller. May 18. J. W. Teale, solicitor,
13 Albert Road, Middlesborough.

Owston John, Keighley, watchmaker and jeweller. May 19. Robinson &
Robinson, solicitors, Keighley, June 9 at 2.

Smith Walter F., Lincoln, watchmaker. May 16. W. T. Page, jun.,
solicitor, Flaxengate, Lincoln.

Tacker David, Bridge Street, Carmarthen, watchmaker and grocer.
May 17. W. D. Evans, solicitor, Queen Street, Carmarthen.

Dissolutions of Partnership.

Hancocks & Co., Bruton Street and New Bond Street, jewellers. Apr. 12.

As regards Charles F. Hancock, jun.
Rutledge Richard and Edwin Baker, under the style or firm of Rutledge

& Baker, 23 George Street, and 53 Buckingham Street, Birmingham.

Electro-platers. As regards Edwin Baker. May 23.

Adjudications of Bankruptcy.
Michael James, Soho Hill, Handsworth, Staffs, jewellery factor. May 1.

Trustees Appointed-

Bury John H. (Liq), Bury, jeweller. Trustees, Edwin B. Harding, Brown
Street, Manchester, accountant, and Thomas Whitehead, Bury,
auctioneer.

Barnet Thomas H. (Liq), Winterton, Lincolnshire, watchmaker. Trustee,
Benno Cohen, 5 Mytongate, Hull, jeweller.

Leon Herntz (Bkt), Bath, jeweller. Trustee, William Prior, 9 Somerset-
buildings, Bath, accountant.

Discharges Granted and Bankruptcies Closed-

Samuel Joseph Simon (Bkt 1853), 67 Hatton Garden, watch manufacturer.
Certificate allowed Mar. 3.

Bankruptcies Annulled.

Genese Samuel (Feb. 22), Dalby Street, Liverpool, jeweller. May 19.

Scotch Sequestrations.

Baunett John, Argyle Arcade, Glasgow, jeweller. Apr. 26.
Knox J. W-, 51 West Regent Street, Glasgow, writer. Agent.

June 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

13

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

2008. Henry Yarndley, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Manufacturing Jeweller, for an invention of " An improved catch or
clasp, applicable as a fastening for solitaires, books, purses, and
other articles of a like or similar nature." — Dated 13th May, 1876.

2075. Johann Ernst Friedrich Ludeke, of 6, St. Benets Place, Grace-
church Street, in the city of London, for au invention of "Anew
self-renewing movement or power for clocks and watches, and other
useful purposes." — Dated 17th May, 1876.

2119. James Carpenter and George Martin, of St. John Street, Eoad,
Clerkenwell, in the county of Middlesex, and of Tooting, in the county
of Surrey, Clock Manufacturers, for an invention of " Improvements
in clocks "or similar-time keepers." — Dated 19th May, 1876.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

1528. To William Henry Alford, of Ventnor, Isle of Wight, in the
county of Hants, for the invention of " Improvements applicable to
finger rings, bracelets, and other similar articles."

1529. To John Compton Weeks Jefferys, of 14, Tottenham Court Eoad,
in the county of Middlesex, Manufacturing Jeweller for the invention
of " Improvements in scarf -rings and other like dress fastenings and
ornaments."

Notices to Proceed.

839. John George Henry Hocii, of 283, Brixton Eoad, Brixton, in the
county of Surrey, Watch and Clock Manufacturer, " An improved
system of public and other clocks."

891. William Whittle, of Smethwick, in the county of Stafford, Engi-
neer, and James Newman, of Small Heath, near Birmingham, in the
county of Warwick, Jeweller, have given the like notice in respect of
the invention of "Improvements in coating with metals light articles
composed of metal, such as nails, screws, tacks, and other similar
small wares, as well as the light parts of machines, as also in the
machinery, apparatus, or appliances for effecting the same."

Patents on which the Stamp Duty of £50 has been Paid,
and Dates of their Production for Certificate.

1736. Alexander Parkes, of Gravelly Hill, near Birmingham, for an
invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of metallic alloys." —
Dated 13th May, 1873.

1846. Samuel Chatwood, of the Lancashire Safe and Lock Works, Bolton,
in the county of Lancaster, for an invention of " Improvements in
safes and chambers for storing valuables." — Dated 21st May, 1873.

Patents which have become Void.

1624. Herbert Aspinall, of 107, Oldham Street, Manchester, in the
county of Lancaster, Watchmaker, for an invention of '• Improvements
in watches and chronometers." — Dated 5th May, 1873.

Re -issues.

6924. Henry J. Davies, of Brooklyn, N. Y., for " Clock-cases."— Patent
No. 161,211, dated 23rd March, 1875. — Application filed 31st January,
1876.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.
France.

108,069. Quinche, for " A remontoir toy watch." — Dated 27th September,
1875.

109,431. Eobert, for "Insulating supports for crystal dials in myste-
rious clocks." — Dated 29th September, 1875.

109,058. Lourdelet for " Improvements in pendulum clocks." — Dated 14th
October, 1875.

109,840. Crozet, for " Improvements in remontoir movements of watches."
— Dated 8th October, 1875.

109,916. Lemire and Gegueldre, for " A bracelet with a parasol carrier."
—Dated 12th October, 1875.

109,951. Guay-Lebrun, for "Double studs for cuffs." — Dated 13th Oc-
tober, 1875.

109,970. Catrin, for " Gilding, silvering, or metallizing." — Dated 18th
October, 1875.

109,988. Marin-Cudraz, of Paris, for " Various systems of studs of cuffs
with a watch and perpetual calendar." — Dated 18th October, 1875.

110,003. Christian, for "Crystal watch-cases."— Dated 22nd October,
1875.

110,100. Berger and Pellerin, of Paris, " Animated Jewellery." — Dated
29th October, 1875.

110,115. Moche, for "Improvements in chain-fasteners."— Dated 28th
October, 1875.

110,134. Boillot, for "Calibres for watch-motion."— "Dated 8th Novem.
ber, 1875.

110,204. Desury, of Vannes, for " Applying the ocean jet of the bay of
Eoguedas, near Vannes, to jewellery in general." — Dated 19th Novem-
ber, 1875.

110,281. Margaine, for " Applying a remontoir with equal constant power
to the circular escapements of travelling timepieces." — Dated 10th
November, 1875.

110,302. Clavel-figard, for " Improvements in the manufacture of
tortoises for jewellery article?, &c." — Dated 15th November, 1875.

110,355. Euch, of Paris, for " Extracting the precious metals contained in
ingots, ores, in matt, gold-ashes, waste and residues of amalgamation."
—Dated 16th November, 1875.

110,448. Neumann, of Paris, for " A safe."— Dated 23rd November, 1875.

110,497. Bourdon, of Paris, for " Opera-glasses with movable object-
glasses." — Dated 29th November, 1875.

110.511. Lods, of Paris, for "Improvements in the spring-boxes of
motions of watches, clocks, &c." — Dated 29th November, 1875.

( Certificates of addition. )

106,026. Malfait, for " Clocks with pendulum motion." — Dated 30th

October, 1875.
108,377. Eichard, for " Improvements in the construction of metallic

barometers, manometers, and thermometers." — Dated 29th November,

1875.

Belgium.

39,203. H. D. Stover, for an imported invention of " An improved
machine for cutting diamonds and other precious stones." — Dated 28th
March, 1876.— (French Patent, 27th March, 1876.)

39,275 H. Alexandre, of Liege, for "A lock for safes." — Dated 5th
April, 1870.

Austria.

53. J. Kriweczky, of Vienna, for " Obtaining sets of teeth of gold and
silver without soldering." — 1 year. — (Secret.) — Dated 23rd December,
1875.

97. E. Sieger, of Vienna, for " Giving printed materials the appearance
of ivory." — 1 year. — (Se?ret.) — Dated 29th December, 1875.

Kingdom of Italy.

20. E. G. Gondolo, of Paris, for " Improvements in electric clocks." — 6

years. — Dated 12th October, 1875.
62. G. Caspani, of Milan, for " A clock and index for public carriages." —

6 years.- -Dated 21st October, 1875.
104. A. H. Potter, of Chicago, for " Improvements in clocks and similar

timepieces." — 6 years. — Dated 14th December, 1875.

United States.

9005. Eobert B. Esler, of Philadelphia, Pa., for " A watch-charm." —
Application filed 29th September, 1875. — Term of patent 7 years.

9008. Hermann J. Muller, of New York, N. Y., for "Clock-cases." —
Application filed 5th February, 1876. — Term of patent 3J years.

173,531. Shubael Cottle, of New York, N. Y., for " Ornamental links
for necklace-chains." — Application filed 27th December, 1875.

173,572. Eandal T. Andrews, of Thomaston, Conn., assignor to the Seth
Thomas Clock Company, of the same place, for " Calendar-clocks." —
Application filed 22nd January, 1876. — Brief. — " The calendar move-
ments are operated by spring levers of peculiar construction, which are
engaged with the different wheels, and released therefrom by the action
of pins placed upon vibrating levers moved by the clock-work."

173,585. W. T. Carroll, of Worcester, Mass., for "Spinning-rings." —
Application filed 5th August, 1875. — Brief. — " A spinning-ring having
its interior commencing at or near the under side of the race, and ex-
tending to the base of the ring-shank, tapered, making a circular
opening, which decreases gradually in size from at or near the under
Bide of the race to the bottom of the shank."

173,638. Samuel Hughes, of Charleston, S. O, for " Packing-rings." —
Application filed 14th January, 1876. — Brief. — " The waaring-ring
protects the cup -packing, and may be readily and cheaply replaced."

Patents granted in British Colonies and Dependencies.

Victoria.

2188. Henry Eosales, of Walhalla, Mining Engineer, for an invention of
" An improved process of extracting gold from pyrites." — Dated 14th
March, 1876.

Patents Sealed.

4130. William Ford Stanley, of Great Turnstile, Holborn, in the county
of Middlesex, for an invention of " Improved machines or clocks to
register conditions of the atmosphere, and to keep correct time."-^
Dated 29th November, 1875.

14

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 5, 1876.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HEXDBY (W. T.) <fe CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street, Fins-
bury, EC. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MURRAY <fc CALLIEU. 22, St. John's Square, E.C.

NEGEETTI <fe ZAMBBA, Holborn Viaduct, E.G. : Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill, E.C. ; 122, Begent
Street. W.

WEBSTEE, J., 88, St. John Street Eoad, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEEBING & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STBONG BOOM COM-
PANY, LIMITED, Cecil Street, Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BEUGGEE & STEAUB, 79. High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEEEB. K.USS, FBITSCHLEE, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street. Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.G., London ; and 10, Eue Be"ran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Eoad, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Eochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1844.

GEEENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Eoad, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BEOTHEES, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C.

MAECUS (MAUEICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct. London, E.C.

EUTHEEFGED, JAMES. 2, Wilderness Row, E.C, and
33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

WIEGEL, B., Jun., Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27,
WellingtoB Street, Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stones mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MOEDAN (SAMPSON) & CO., 41, City Eoad, and 72.

Cheapside. London. E.C
TANN, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, E.C; Eeliance Works,

1, Hope Street, Hackney Eoad, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & ETNG, 66, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

HUTTON & CO., 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.C.

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEOEGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C.

SUNDELL (KEISCHEE) & CO, 48, Brushfield Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBEEG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C
JONES, A. EDWAED. 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. E), 6i. Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON. HENEY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E 0.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DEEW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Eoom, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWAEDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Eoad, London, E.C.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden. E.C.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDAED (C. GILBEET), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C. ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Eue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FBEDEEIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Eoad, W.C

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENEY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys; Bracelets, Necklets, <fcc, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURER.

LAWBENCE, N, 5, Dyer's Buildings, opposite Furnival's

Inn, Holborn, London, E.C. ; Manulactory, Havelook

Works, Walker Street, Sheffield.
LAZAEUS(S. J.)&CO., Manufacturers of Spectacles and

Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,

129, London Wall, E.C.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKES, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street. Clerkenwell,
London, E.C

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENEY, 48, Eahere Street, Goswell Eoad, Lon
don, E.C.

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Eoad, London, E.C

STEAM, ALFBED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS. THOMAS J., 10, Eydon Crescent, St. John
Street Eoad, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HAEGEEAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11. Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAUEICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of yeare.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and-3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFOED, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEEEDITH (WTLLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Eoad,
London, E.C.

SAGGEESON, EOBEET, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London. E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWAED JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Eoad, London, E.C.

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENEY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Eing Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Eegent Place, Birmingham.

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANUFACTUKING J1W1LL1KS AND GOLDSMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

V^arehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. PINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC.
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

iSrifji&ph

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Begistered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 14.— Vol. II.]

JULY 5, 1876.

t Subscription, 5s.l Post
per Annum. J Free

PAGE

Horology— XIV. Dialling 25

Correct Public Clocks 26

MlRROE OF THE MONTH 27

Boyal Astronomical Society 27

An Explanation of the Principal Terms made

use of in Astronomy 27

Metal-work among the Hindoos 28

British Horological Institute 29

Eoyal Microscopical Society 29

New Principle of Illuminating Public Clocks 29

Curious Calculation 29

CONTENTS.

Honesty in the Workshop

German Exhibition in 1878

action by the board of excise for dealing in

Plate without a License

History of Astronomy

Finger Eings

Greenwich Time Signals and Chronometer

Bating

Forged Antiques

The Satellites of Uranus and Extraordinary

Eyesight

page

29
29

30
31
32

PAGE

A Story of a Diamond 34

Shooting Stars and Aerolites 35

Demagnetization of Watches 35

Hints and Useful Eeoeipts for Watchmakers

and Jewellers 35

Prospectus 36

Monthly Becord of Bankruptcies 36

Patents 37

The Trades' Directory 38

Advertisements

39-48

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

XTV.— Dialling.

THE union between horology and astronomy is so close that in
dealing with the scientific principles of the one we are obliged
to enter upon the domain of the other in order to be properly under-
stood. Let us put a question. What is horology ? The best answer
that we can give in this sense is, that horology in its practical life is
the mechanical demonstration of certain astronomical action. This
answer might readily be amplified, or reduced to a more strictly
logical form ; but that would encumber the student with strange
expressions which might jar upon his "common sense." The old
eight-day cased hall clocks pointed in the direction of mechanical
astronomy for the enlightenment of the family circle. We all
recollect the jolly farmer -looking face of the sun, and the equally
happy motherly-faced moon, as the pair rose and set, and set and
rose in their firmament above the grand and noble dial.

Cunning clockmakers have still further improved upon this homely
astronomical clock mechanism, until the almost absolutely perfect
has been reached ; we shall deal with them when we come to that
part of our subject, in the meantime we will return to our dialling.

We recently gave the method (and the reasons upon which it was
based) of drawing a vertical declining dial trigonometrically ; we will
now follow that on with the next in order, thus : —

To describe a vertical dial, declining from the south to the east or
west, geometrically.

In our last number we explained the meaning of declination, and

the great circles of the sphere in their relation to horology. We have
again occasion to refer to them before we can go any further ; we
also mentioned the " declinator," and this is the proper time and
the proper place to explain what the last-named instrument is. We
will take this opportunity of stating that the facts which we are
conveying of the astral-horological kind will be found a useful and
elevating addition to the reader's stock of general information, what
we may call solid knowledge. Taking, then, that declination in
astral-dialling is the distance of the sun from the equator, either
northward or southward, this leads us to the declination of a plane
or wall in dialling. This is an arc of the horizon comprehended
either between the plane and the prime vertical circle, if we account
it from east to west, or between the meridian and the plane, if we
take it from north to south. There are many ways given by mathe-
maticians for working out the declination of planes ; but, perhaps,
the handiest of all, and the most practical, is by a simple instrument
called a declinator ; declination, inclination, and reclination can be
determined by it. It is constructed in the following manner : —

Take a square wooden board of about 12 inches on the line, and
mark the angles \ ^ ; and between A and D describe a semi-
circle that shall take up the space on the board. Next divide the
upper line B C into equal parts at E. This makes two quadrants
of the semicircle. Divide these quadrants into 90 degrees, each
beginning from E for each quadrant. On A D, the lower line of the
board, mark the quadrantal line as F, put a pin in the centre F, and
fix a movable wooden ruler upon it, with a small box-compass
attached to the free end.

To take the declination of a plane. Place the side of the board,
which has now become the declinator, A D, to the side of the pro-
posed plane, say the wall of the house, for instance ; then move the

26

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[July 5, 1876.

ruler with the compass steadily backwards and forwards, this way
and that, about the centre F, until the needle rests upon the line of
the magnetical meridian of the place. Now, when this has been
done, mark when the rider is resting on the magnetical meridian, as
before said, and cute the quadrant in E, then the plane is either north-
ern or southern. If it cuts between D and E the plane declines to
the west; Or if between A and E, it declines to the east; the
quantity of the angle will be what is formed by the diameter F E,
and the movable rod. So much for taking the declination of a
plane.

We nest turn to take the inclinations and reclinations of planes.
For this purpose we have to slightly alter the instrument. Instead
of the ruler and the compass-needle, we remove them and fit on a
thread at F, having a plummet, at the loose end. We then apply the
side B C of the declinator to the wall, or plane, for our measurement.
If the plumb-line cuts the semicircle in the point E, it is quite
evident that the plane [is horizontal, the line neither going to the
right nor to the left ; but, on the other hand, if it cuts the quadrant at
any point between the centre and the extreme angle, that will be the
angle of inclination*, which angle can be determined by the degrees
on the board. Furthermore, if we apply the side A B to the plane
again, and the plumb-line cuts E, then the plane is vertical. From
this it will be seen that, if the quantity of the angle of inclination
be compared with the elevation of the pole and equator, it is easily
known whether the plane be inclined or reclined.

The inclination of a plane in dialling is the arc of a vertical circle,
perpendicular to the plane and the horizon, and intercepted between
them. Here is another way to find the inclination of a plane. Take
a quadrant and apply its side to the side of a square, at the same
time applying the other side of a square to a plane. If the plummet
falls parallel to the side of the square, then the lower side of the
square stands level ; at that point draw a horizontal line, upon which
erect a perpendicular, and apply the square to the perpendicular. If
the plummet now falls parallel to the side of the square, then that
is also a level line, and the plane stands horizontally. If the plummet
does not fall parallel to the side of the square, even the square, as
in the first-named method, until it does. Then draw a perpendicular,
to which apply the square, and observe what angle the plummet
makes on the quadrant with the side of the square. That is the
angle of the inclination of the plane. There is, also, a method of
taking the declination of a wall by a magnetic compass, pure and
simple ; and it is this : — Apply that side of the compass upon which
the north is marked along the side of the wall ; the number of
degrees over which the north end of the needle fixes will be the
declination of the wall, and on that side. If the north point of the
needle tends towards the north, that wall will have the sun at noon ;
whatever number of degrees it goes, either east or west, the compass
can be made to show them. Having now described what a decli-
nator is, we will next proceed to show how it applies to further
dialling.

Let it be sought to describe a vertical dial, declining from the
south to the east or west, geometrically, as contra-distinguished from
the trigonometrical way.

First of all find the declination of the plane by means of the de-
clinator, which has been just explained ; then draw upon it a horizontal
dial, according to instructions that have already been given, taking
care to use suitable drawing-paper. Make a horizontal line, which
we will suppose to be the line of contingency of the horizontal with
the equinoctial plane, and mark it G — H. Upon this line we will
find a meridian, and mark it A E. Through the point where it cuts
the horizontal line at E draw an oblique line above G on the left
hand, and below H on the right, this line to have such an inclination
that it will make an angle with G H equal to the declination of the
givenplane. This line we will mark as I at the upper extremity
and K at the lower ; the angle H E K will be equal to the declination
of the given plane. From this it follows that, as G H represents
the intersection of the prime vertical with the horizon, I K will be
the intersection of the inclining plane and the horizon. If the given
plane decline to the west, the part of the line IE must be raised above
GE; on the contrary, it must be depressed below the same GE,
should it decline to the east. We have next to draw a right line
parallel to the given plane, or wall, as a duplicate of I K. Now,
assuming a point in that line to answer to the point E of the meridian
that cuts the horizontal line G H, then set off on the drawing-paper
from the right line, I K, the requisite hour-lines, &c, as has been
previously explained. Now from the point E draw a perpendicular,
EC, equal to (he distance of the centre of the horizontal dial from its line
of contingency. Draw other lines thence to the several points of the
hour-lines, and let fall a perpendicular, A D, from the centre of the
horizontal dial A, to the line of contingency, I K, and transfer the
distance E D from the point E upon the wall. Having done this,

C D will be the substylar line. We will now take the line ADC,
and make a right angle of D C ; the hypothenuse of this right angle,
or line from A to C, will be an oblique index which can be made to
be fastened on the wall at the -point C, according to the angle D C A.
And that is how to draw a vertical dial, declining from the south to
the east or west, in a geometrical manner.

To draw a vertical dial declining from the north towards the east
and west. Take the declination of the plane, as previously laid
down, bearing in mind that north dials are only south dials inverted.
Next draw a vertical dial declining from the south, and invert it so
that the centre, C, before mentioned, looks to the horizon, and the
point E to the zenith. Let the hours on the right hand be set off
towards the left, and also contrariwise, taking care to omit those
hour-lines which in such a dial could not be properly shown. A very
easy, practical way is, after drawing a south declining dial upon paper,
to prick the points required upon it with a pin. Having done this,
attach the face of the paper to the wall against which the dial has to
be fixed ; the prickedpoints on this side will then show all the necessary
points for a north declining dial.

We must leave this part for the present and return again to some
further elementary explanation of the circle, which will serve to
supplement what we said upon the subject in our last.

The reader having been informed of the nature of the great
astronomical circles, we do not think that we can now perform a
better work than in explaining the way in which they are used
for measuring purposes, all which purposes are closely connected
with the higher horology.

A circle has a centre, a diameter, a radius, and a circumference.
That which the circumference encloses is called the area. Any
straight line from the centre to the circumference is called a radius,
whilst a continuation through the centre — or perhaps, more plainly
speaking, any straight fine from one part of the circumference to
tne opposite part that cuts through the centre, is called a diameter,
from dia, through, and metron, a measure ; that is, that it cuts the
area of the circle through in a measured form. From this it will be
seen that two radii make one diameter. Any portion of the circum-
ference is called an arc. Itinay be said, " Everybody knows that."
That may be true within certain limits ; but in treating of the
properties of a geometricalfigure that plays so important a part, not
only in astral-horology, but in horological mechanism, the student
must carry on his reasoning from first principles, or he will inevitably
arrive at what will be understood as a " slip-slop " conclusion.

"We have often to consider," says Arago, "especially in
astronomy, not only entire circles, but portions of a circle which
have received distinctive names." We will explain these names
and their functions in our next.

CORRECT PUBLIC CLOCKS.

PROFESSOR GRANT has addressed a long and interesting
letter to the Lord Provost of Glasgow respecting the transmis-
sion of correct time from the Glasgow Observatory to the City and
Port. At the conclusion of the Professor's letter, which is written
with the object of inducing the Town Council of Glasgow to con-
tribute to the maintenance of what is acknowledged to be a great
boon to the inhabitants, he says—

" I shall conclude this communication with a brief reference to
what Liverpool has done with a view to the dissemination of correct
time. Like other advancing communities, this town is frequently in
the habit of applying to Parliament for its sanction to Bills relating
to the commerce of the port.

" On one of such occasions, while the Bill was passing through the
House of Commons, a clause was inserted to the effect that, inas-
much as the determination of correct time is a matter of primary
importance for maritime purposes, the Mersey Dock and Harbour
Board should be held bound to establish an observatory adequately
endowed and provided with instruments suitable to be employed for
effecting this object. This occurred somewhat more than 30 years
ago. The authorities of the Port of Liverpool loyally responded to
the wishes of the Legislature. A commodious observatory was built
on the north bank of the Mersey, which was equipped with magni-
ficent instruments, and presided over by a director and a staff of
assistants. About five or six years ago, when the extension of the
commerce of the port rendered it necessary that the Observatory
should be removed to the other side of the river, a new observatory,
with a dwelling-house for the director attached to it, was built at
the expense of 15,000£. This is the way in which the great Port of
Liverpool shows its appreciation of correct time."

July 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

27

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

JULY.

THIS month was originally called, by the Romans, Quintilis, from
the Latin word quinque, fire, because it was the fifth month in
the year before Nujia added January and February. It afterwards
received the name of Julius (hence July), in honour of Julius
Csesar.

The Saxons called July Hen-monath, signifying leafy-montli, or
foliage-month, the Saxon word lien, and the German liain, meaning
wood or trees. They also called it Hey-monath or Hay-month, be-
cause in July they generally made their hay harvest.

The principal days of dedication in the modern English calen-
dar in this month are the 15th, in honour of St. Swithin, a bishop
of Winchester in the ninth century, and the 25th, consecrated to
the memory of the apostle, St. James the Great.

St. Swithin first put on the monastic habit in the old monastery
at Winchester. He was of noble parentage, and passed his youth
in the study of grammar, philosophy, and the Scriptures. Swithin
was promoted to holy orders by Helmstan, Bishop of Winchester,
at whose death, in 852, King Ethelwolf granted him the see. In this
he continued eleven years, and died in 868.

St. James, surnamed the Great, or the Elder, to distinguish him
from James the Less, or Younger, was a native of Galilee, and left
his property to follow Christ. Of his ardent zeal no other proof is
necessary than his becoming the victim of Herod Agrippa. The
Spaniards esteem him their tutelar saint.

July brings summer to the full. It is generally accounted
the hottest month of the year. The excessive heat of this
month frequently occasions an evaporation, something like steam,
only not so visible, from the surface of the earth and waters, which
forms into clouds, and afterwards falls again to the earth as rain.
These summer storms are generally accompanied by thunder and
lightning, and, from the almost constant process which is going on
during the heat of July, they are usually very frequent and heavy,
and often deluge the country with excessive floods.

ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

THE June meeting of this society was held at Burlington House
on Friday, the 9th ult. Wm. Huggins, Esq., D.C.L., President,
in the chair.

Mr. Brett read a short paper upon the proper motion of some
bright spots which he had observed upon Jupiter.

The following candidates were elected Fellows of the society :—
Andrew AinsHe Common, Esq., of 37, Eaton-rise, Ealing; James
Love, Esq., 8, Talbot Lodge, Bickerton-road, Upper Holloway.

Seventy-six presents were announced, amongst them a box of
letters which had been received from the nephew of the late Mr.
Sheepshanks, who was for many years secretary of the society,
and a diligent correspondent of many distinguished European
astronomers.

Dr. Mann was called upon to give a verbal account of a compari-
son which he had instituted between the performance of a 3^ -inch
achromatic, by Ross, and a 6£-inch silver-on-glass reflector, by With.
It appeared that the comparison had only been made as to the
definition of objects upon the moon. Dr. Mann was of opinion that
he could see nothing with the 6i-inch reflector that he could not
also see with the refractor, and that the shadows of objects as seen
with the refractor were distinctly blacker than those seen with the
reflector, which he described as being all of a neutral tint

Mr. Wentworth Erck said that he had had an opportunity of
comparing two telescopes of nearly the same aperture— namely,
a 9-rnch reflector and a 7|-inch refractor. He could corroborate
Dr. Mann s statement as to the greater darkness of the field in the
case of the refractor than in the case of the reflector. The reflector
however, gave smaller and sharper discs for stars, and consequently
was better suited for separating minute double stars.

The Astronomer Royal said that he had the good fortune some
years ago to test one of Cauchoix's great reflecting telescopes at
the Pans Observatory. It was necessary, in order to make it per-
form well, to blow up a bag of air in the cell behind the reflector,
but when the air was blown in so as to give a proper tension to the
speculum the definition was better than that of any other instru-
ment he had ever seen. There was no doubt that in the reflector
there was only the geometrical condition of one surface to consider,
while in the refractor there were four surfaces, and also the irra-
tionality of the dispersion of the two glasses, which could never be
made properly to balance one another.

Mr. Dunkin read a paper by Professor Simon Newcomb, " On a
hitherto Unnoticed Apparent Inequality in the Longitude of the
Moon." Lord Lindsay exhibited an adaptation to the ordinary allizi-
muth instrument designed to give a rough equatorial motion.

Mr. Plummer read a paper on photometric experiments upon the
light of Venus.

Captain Noble read a note on the alleged specular reflection from
the body of Venus.

AN EXPLANATION OP THE PRINCIPAL TERMS
MADE USE OP IN ASTRONOMY.

JEra, a series of years commencing from a certain fixed point of
time, called an Epoch. Thus the Christian JEra is the number of
years since the birth of Christ.

Obs. — Authors, however, generally use the terms Mra and Epoch
synonymously for the time from which the computation commences.
Altitude signifies the height of the sun, moon, or stars above the
horizon, reckoned upon a vertical circle, in degrees, minutes, &c. :
in other words, it is the arch of a vertical circle intercepted
between the stars and the horizon ; also the elevation of any of the
heavenly bodies above the horizon.

Amphiscii, a name given to the inhabitants of the torrid zone on
account of their shadows falling at one time of the year towards
the north, and at another time towards the south.

Amplitude is an arc of the horizon contained between the east or
west point of the heavens and the centre of the sun, star, or planet,
at the time of its rising or setting.
Angle, the inclination or opening of two lines meeting in a point.
Antxci, a name given to those inhabitants of the earth who live
under the same meridian and at equal distances from the equator,
but on opposite sides of it.

Antipod.es, those inhabitants who live on contrary sides of the
globe with their feet directly opposite to ours, being those who
walk feet to feet.

Aphelion is that point in the orbit of a planet in which it is at its
greatest distance from the sun.

Aquarius, a sign of the zodiac, containing ninety-three stars.
Armillary Sphere is an instrument composed of the principal
circles which are usually drawn upon an artificial globe.

Aries, the Ram, a sign of the zodiac comprising forty-six stars,
into which the sun enters about the 20th of March, or the begin-
ning of the spring quarter.

Ascii, the inhabitants of the torrid zone, so called because the sun
being twice a year in their zenith, their bodies at those times cast
no shadows.

Atmosphere is that collection of vapours or body of air which
surrounds or encompasses the earth.

Attraction is that property of matter by which bodies are made to
approach each other without any sensible agent either drawing or
impelling them. It may be divided into the attraction of gravity
and the attraction of cohesion,

Attraction of Gravity is that by which all bodies tend towards the
centre, or act on each other at a distance. From hence proceed
almost all the motions and changes in the system. It is by this
principle that light bodies ascend, that projectiles are regulated in
their courses, the vapours ascend, and the rain falls, the waves
roll, the air presses, and the sea is swelled or decreased by the
vicissitudes of its flux and reflux.

The Attraction of Cohesion is that which unites the insensible
particles of bodies together into their different masses, and causes
the roundness we see in drops of water or quicksilver.

Aurora, the morning twilight, which begins to appear when the
sun is about 18 degrees below the horizon.

Aurora Borealis is an extraordinary meteor or luminous appear-
ance, showing itself in the night in the northern parts of the
heavens. Various reasons have been given by philosophers for this
phenomenon, but as no two of them agree, and perhaps are all
mistaken as to the real cause, we shall not trouble the reader with
their conjectures. It is very common in countries near the pole,
but rarely in England, none being recorded in our annals from
Nov. 14, 1574, till the surprising one of March 6, 1716, since which
time, however, they have been more frequent.

Azimuths are great circles which pass through the zenith and
nadir, and are perpendicular to the horizon. The azimuth of any
celestial object is an arc of the horizon contained between the east or
west point of the heavens, and a vertical circle passing through the
centre of that object.

(To be continued.)

2S

THE WATOHMAKEB, JEWELLEE, AND

[July 5, 1876.

METAL-WORK AMONG THE HINDOOS.

By Dr. Alexander Hunter.

THE arts of working in gold, silver, copper, bronze, brass,
bidryware, kooftgaree, enamel, bell-metal, zinc, steel, and
iron, have long been practised in India ; and in some districts of the
country, where these Art-manufacturers have been encouraged,
they are brought to great perfection ; while in others we find them
still in their primitive and almost rude simplicity, but characterized
by local peculiarities and tastes, which give to some of them an ar-
tistic value somewhat akin to the bronze and metal works of Japan
and China ; though they far surpass most of the manufactures of
these countries, and evince a thorough acquaintance with both the
theory and practice of geometry, the principles and applications of
design, the selection and arrangement of patterns particularly
adapted for filling spaces, as well as those suited for peculiar works
in metal. In addition to these important qualities, the productions
in mixed metals in India evince a taste in the harmony of colours,
and a knowledge of the chemistry of metals, and salts of metals,
that surprise European manufacturers, and prove that different
races, though apparently behind in what is called the onward
march of European civilization, have still attained to various degrees
of excellence, more especially to a freedom of drawing and to mani-
pulative dexterity which have escaped detection or appreciation
amongst refined or highly civilized nations. As several of the
processes of manufacture are peculiar to India, and the principles of
the chemistry of metals are thoroughly well understood nearly all
over India, it may not be out of place to call the attention of our
manufacturers to one or two points to which great importance is
attached by the Hindoos. The first of these is a knowledge of free,
bold, linear drawing, and the early acquisition of the power to draw
clear outlines. This art is taught in most parts of southern India
by the females, who commence teaching their children to draw
either on sand or on a mud floor, which is washed daily ; when the
children are older they draw on a black wooden board, the colour
of which is renovated in a cheap way about once a fortnight, with
lamp black and the mucilaginous juice of the fruit of the briony,
Coccinea Indica, or Covei codei (Tarn.), or the juice of the flowers of
the shoe-plant, Hibiseus sdbdariffa. It may not be generally known
that this flower, if rubbed upon white paper, produces a most useful
substitute for litmus paper, a very delicate test for acidity in so-
lutions, and that the flowers of several species of Hibiscus give a
good shining polish to boots or shoes ; hence the common name of
shoe-plant. Several coloured flowers are employed in the same way
to produce chemical test-papers, or tinted surfaces for ornamentation.
The fresh flower is rubbed on white paper till the juice exudes, and
thus in a few minutes a most delicate test-paper is produced, or a
tinted surface of varied gradations can be made, and by combining
different flowers mixed tints are the result. In this simple way a
considerable knowledge of the chemistry of flowers, leaves and
fruits of plants, has been acquired ; and we shall have occasion to
refer hereafter to the chemical uses of several plants in some of
these descriptions of manufactures in metals. Another important
branch of education which is entrusted to the females of southern
India are the rudiments of arithmetic and practical geometry, with
the principles of colour, derived from flowers, coloured earths, and
cheap substances, that can be applied to floor or wall decoration.
Although these do not come under our consideration at present, I
must make a sh'ght allusion to them, as the patterns from which the
forms of some of the most elegant manufactures in metals are taken
can generally be traced to flowers, fruits, or seeds ; and the punches,
or steel tools, used in their ornamentation are almost invariably sug-
gested by some parts of the same plant or flower which suggests
the design.

It is not known with any certainty when works in the precious
metals were first manufactured in India. Some of the ornaments
in gold and silver which have been found in old tombs, accompanied
by beads, necklaces of cut carnelian, agate, rock crystal, and felspar,
have been enclosed in cinerary urns with calcined bones and teeth ;
these are believed to be upwards of two thousand years old ; but
there are others dating a few centuries after the Christian era which
bear a striking similarity to the Etruscan and Grecian periods of
Art, and are accompanied by manufactures in bronze and pottery
very like those discovered in Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Etruria.
During the early Buddhist periods, or from 2400 years down to the
third century of the Christian era, it is supposed that the arts of
Greece and Borne found their way to India ; and at a subsequent
period the son of one of the Boman emperors, who was banished
for his licentious profligacy, visited Cambodia, and took with him
skilled carvers, sculptors, and workers in precious metals. It is

probable, that India could boast of efficient workmen of her own
training even before these periods. Many of the oldest ornaments
in gold found in the tombs, cairns, cromlechs, and kistvaens evince
a considerable amount of skill in manipulation and taste in design.
The best of these were recently discovered in the Salem, Coimba-
tore, and Mysore territories, and on the Neilgherries.

One point that seems always to have been insisted upon by the
gold and silver-smiths in India, is the selection of pure, unalloyed
metals. This seems to simplify and expedite the process of manu-
facture, and probably accounts for the delicacy of the workmanship,
as pure metals are more ductile than alloys.

The finest gold filigree work of southern India is manufactured at
Trichinopoly, and is remarkable for the delicacy and intricacy of its
workmanship. There are four or five varieties of rose pattern, and
three or four of snake-pattern chains ; the latter are very delicate,
fine in texture, singularly pliant, and remarkably good imitations of
real snakes. The rose-patterns are more elaborate in appearance,
though not actually so difficult to manufacture. The process
appears very simple, and the tools employed consist of a few fine
steel hammers, fine pincers, a few blow-pipes, two or three highly-
polished steel anvils, a burnisher, steel-scraper, a pair of fine
compasses, and delicate scales and weights. So particular are the
workmen about the purity of the metals, that they refine their gold
or silver five times, by melting under a strong blast heat, before
commencing to work with it. They are also very particular about
the surfaces of their hammer and anvil being very highly polished
and burnished. The work is commenced by beating the metal into
thin plates nearly uniform, cutting these into long strips, and
drawing them into very fine wire, by passing through perforated
steel plates, with a pair of strong steel pincers. The holes in these
steel plates are carefully punched of graduated sizes, and are
drilled of a circular form ; the plate is then tempered, or case-
hardened, and strongly hammered on both sides, till quite cold, the
holes being frequently re-drilled and hammered. The plates are
very strong and heavy, from six to eight inches long, two or three
broad, and about two-thirds of an inch in thickness. They are
firmly secured in a strong bench-vise, and the wire is drawn
through them while the metal is kept heated by a blow-pipe. After
the wire is drawn, most of the dexterity of manipulation, and the
beauty of the patterns, depend upon the practical skill of the
artisans, who, for the most part, work from memory, and without
any pattern before them, although most of the native jewellers have
books containing a variety of patterns ; the beauty of these
depends chiefly upon delicate workmanship, or on curious and
original combinations.

The localities where the best and most tasteful work is produced
are Trichinopoly, Cuttack, Travancore, Vizianagrarn and Delhi.
This manufacture is very similar to the. filigree -works of Malta,
Genoa, Paris, Florence and London ; but it is finer in India, and
cheaper. Some varieties, in which burnished, frosted, and chased
metallic surfaces are combined with the filigree-work, bear a con-
siderable resemblance to Scandinavian jewellery ; but the latter is
more tinselly in effect, and coarser than the best specimens from
Cuttack and Trichinopoly. The Chinese and Japanese under-
stand filigree manufacture, but their works are not so tasteful, nor
do they appear to be so much appreciated as those of India.

In commencing the manufacture of inlaid works in different
metals, as brass, copper, bell-metal and silver, sheets of brass or of
pure copper are usually selected, and cut into pieces that will form
the required shape by hammering. The metal is frequently heated
to a dull red to prevent it from splitting ; and if the form is com-
plex, the vessel is made in several pieces, the edges of which are
beat' out thin, and the overlapping edges, after being thoroughly
cleaned from oxide by scraping or by nitric acid, are heated and
welded together with a hard solder of brass, to which a little borax
and resin in fine powder are added. The form of the vessel is then
refined by hammering, the inside being supported by a rounded
metal-anvil, held in the left hand. In some cases the planishing
steel hammer and the rounded anvil fit upon each other accurately ;
at other times the object is finished and polished on the turning-
lathe. The surface to be decorated is then slightly oxidized by
being oiled, smoked, and heated ; the pattern is drawn upon it with
a sharp steel point, and finished with a graving-tool. Sometimes
the pattern is very carefully drawn upon thin paper ; this is pasted
upon the polished metal, and the outline is made out with a
succession of punched and dotted lines. When elaborate or complex
patterns are required, punches are made of very fine steel to pro-
duce portions of these, as flowers, rosettes, or delicate curves.
When patterns are to be produced by combinations of two metals,
as brass upon copper, zinc upon brass, or silver upon copper, thin
sheets of these metals are beaten out, and the patterns are stamped

Jray 5, 1876.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

29

with punches. For this purpose very pure metal is generally
employed, and the surfaces are kept clean and bright, while the
part of the vessel to which it is applied is roughened, and then
moistened with a solution of borax, and the two metals are united
by heating and hammering. The vessel is then cleaned with the
acid pulp of tamarind, and finally polished with whitening, or chalk
and water. Brass vessels are often cleaned with the pounded
leaves of the tamarind or of the Cicer arietinum, Bengal gram, or
chick-pea, beaten into a pulp. This yields an impure tartaric acid
liquor, which produces various shades of colour, often of very
pleasing tints, especially when applied to pure copper and gently
heated. By adding a little cinnabar, or sulphuret of mercury, to
this acid mixture, and then exposing the vessel to heat, after it has
been coated with the mixture, an amalgam is formed which makes
the silver and copper combine. The copper acquires a rich purple-
brown colour, and the silver gets dark on the surface ; but by rub-
bing with chalk, or fine emery powder, the silver resumes its bright-
ness. Vessels of great elegance and purity of form are thus
manufactured at Tanjore and Trichinopoly, where this branch of
industry has met with encouragement, and has probably been
carried on for many centuries. Fine collections of these manufac-
tures may be seen at the India House Museum.

BRITISH HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE.

AT the usual Monthly Meeting, held 13th ult., Mr. Jackson,
V.P., in the chair, a letter was read from the Clerk of the
G oldsmith's Company, stating that the Court of the Company had re-
solved to make a grant of 500/. in aid of the proposed new building
for the institute. On the motion of the chairman a vote of thanks
was passed to the Goldsmiths' Company for their munificent gift.
Mr. Bridgman attended to receive the prize of hi. 5s. which had
been awarded to him by the judges for the best tool for measuring
lever escapements. The chairman said he had had an opportunity of
minutely examining the tool and of testing an escapement with it,
and he felt bound to express his admiration of Mr. Bridgman's con-
ception, and the manner in which he had carried it out.
Several new members were elected.

ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.

AMEETfNG of this society was held on tir ^th ult., Mr. H. J.
Slack in the chair. A number of preserte ,o the society were
announced. A paper on a photograph of Nobert's bands, by the
Count Castracane, was read to the meeting, by Mr. H. C. Sorby.
Mr. Henry Davis gave an interesting account of some new observa-
tions which he had made upon Conocliilus volvox. Mr. Charles
Stewart described and exhibited under the microscope some minute
species found only round the pentagonal opening on the under side
of the shell of the Echinoderms. Two new Fellows were elected, and
the proceedings were adjourned until October, notice being given
that the office and library of the society would be closed dm ing the
month of August.

NEW PRINCIPLE OF ILLUMINATING PUBLIC
CLOCKS.

M^EPH CHALLENDElt has patented a new and excellent
anaiigement for illuminating the disc or dial of church and
turret clocks, at a greatly-reduced cost, and on an improved prin
ciple. The Manchester Guardian says that the invention has been ap

ulied to some of the public clocks in that city with very satisfactory
esults.

Cnuous Calculation. — The curious in calculations, and readers
who have a higher aim, will be interested in the following passage
from a paper on "The Physical Constitution of the Sun," by Mr.
Brayley. A railway train to the average speed of thirty miles an
hour, continuously maintained, would arrive at the moon in eleven
months, but would not reach the sun in less than 352 years, so that
if such a train had been started in the year 1512, the third year of
the reign of King Henry VHL, it would reach the sun in 1864.
When arrived, it would be rather more than a year and a half in
reaching the sun's centre, three years and a quarter in passing
through the sun, supposing that it was tunneled through, and ten
years and one-eighth in going round it. How great these dimen-
sions are may be conceived from the statement that the same train
would attain the centre of the earth in five days and a half, pass
through it in eleven days, and go round it in thirty-seven days.

HONESTY IN THE WORKSHOP.

(From the " Jeweller's Circular."')

ONE of the greatest drawbacks in the jewellery business is, that
so much care is necessary to avoid robbery. The burglar has
to be guarded against, which involves expensive safes and night
watchmen. Keen perception and a watchful eye are continually
required to prevent loss by the shop-lifter and pretended buyer. In
the workshop the manufacturer is in danger of being robbed by his
workmen and apprentices, and no iron safe protects him from their
dishonesty. He has to trust them with the ever-coveted gold, and
often with precious gems. Much thought has been bestowed upon
the subject, and plans for keeping exact account of the stock given
out adopted by many, often embodying details of great minuteness ;
but all such plans are very troublesome and expensive, involving
necessarily the employment of a careful person to keep account,
and, after all precaution, often fall far short of the desired end.
What, 'then, can the manufacturer do to protect himself? Cannot
careful discrimination in the employment of help do much ? Yes;
do we not know the good workman is a poor thief ? and is the
steady, sober, industrious man as likely to be guilty as the idle,
drunken, extravagant fellow who disgraces the shop he works in ?

It may appear like accepting a low standard of morality, but
really self-respect seems to guide many in the paths of honesty ; and
indeed there can be no doubt that an appreciation of the fact, that a
man guilty of dishonesty is degraded in his own eyes, would keep
most from the first act of dishonesty. A systematic arrangement,
no matter how minute in detail, which will prevent robbery, or at
once discover the thief in the workshop, seems impossible, but loss
from dishonesty may be reduced to minimum by the discretion and
keen observation of the executive, whether he be a proj>rietor in
the business or a hired foreman. Where the management of a shop
is left to a foreman, he should be a man whose superiority would
command respect, who should be quick euough in his observation to
know at all times everything which is going on around him, like the
captain of one of the old " liners " between Liverpool and America,
who instantly on coming on deck, without apparently looking aloft,
would call to the mate or watchman, tell him of some trifling irregu-
larity which ought to have received his attention. He should be a
man who understands the business and can explain anything so as to
be easily understood, and cheerfulness, patience, and diligence ought
to be among his qualifications. And, with such a man at the head
of a carefully-selected staff of fairly-remunerated help, there would
be little risk of loss from robbery. Such a man must be well paid,
of course, and he deserves it. He stands on his reputation ; he has
spent his life in studying his business and observing human nature ;
and, moreover, what he receives is a very small insurance on the
amount entrusted to his care.

A word of encouragement or appreciation will often keep a boy,
even a man, in the right path, and " Come, boys, let's make hay while
the sun shines " will ensure the accomplishment of much more than
" Hurry up, there " ever will. Discipline is more necessary in the
one in charge of a shop than in any one else there. His exactness
engenders precision in others, whereas if he be loose in his manage-
ment and knowledge of his affairs and surroundings, looseness will
pervade the whole shop, and looseness means diminution of profit
through misused strength and energy, general unpunctuality, waste
of time through wilfulness and stupidity, and encouraging oppor-
tunity for any one disposed to steal. In the consideration of this
subject one idea suggests itself which might be of service to
manufacturers and dealers ; it is this, that the names of employes
guilty of stealing should be communicated to some designated
centre, and then communicated to the trade generally. Such a
measure might, through fear, prevent some from falling into tempta-
tion, as an employer would consult his list before engaging a new
man.

GERMAN EXHIBITION IN 1878.

AN exhibition of a somewhat unusual character will be opened in
Berlin in 1878, the plans for it being already under discussion
by an executive committee. Its object being to show Germans
what Germans can do, and therefore in what points head can be
made against foreign competition, the whole arrangements will be
strictly national. The Exhibition will be classified in twenty-one
groups, and prizes will be awarded in medals distinguished as for
production, manufacture, commerce, art, science and education.
Workmen's models will also be issued. — Scientific American.

A block of pure silver weighing 4500 lbs. has been sent from the
Real Catorse Silver mines in Mexico to the Philadelphia Exhibition,

30

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLER, AND

[July 5, 1876.

ACTION BY THE BOARD OF EXCISE FOR DEAL-
ING IN PLATE WITHOUT A LICENSE.

MELTON MOWBRAY PETIT SESSIONS,
Tuesday, June Gth.

STEPHEN SMITH, jeweller, Melton Mowbray, was charged, on
the information of Mr. Oates, Supervisor of Excise, with deal-
ing in plate without having a proper license to do so. — Mr. Atter,
Stamford, appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Owston, Leicester,
for the defence. — Mr. Atter, in opening the case, said that the in-
formation against the defendant was laid at the instance of the
Excise. He should be able to show that on the 18th of February-
last an officer of the Inland Revenue called upon Mr. Stephen
Smith, and asked to be shown an Albert chain. He asked for a
good one, and selected one the price of which was 10Z., and its
weight 2r} oz. The sum actually paid for the chain was 9/. 18*.
The question arose, and the Bench had to settle the question,
whether an offence had been committed or not. Mr. Atter then
referred to several sections of the 30th & 31st Vict., c. 90, bear-
ing on the matter of licenses and their conditions, which were
required to be taken out by dealers in plate. He admitted that the
weight of pure gold in the chain was only 1 oz. 11 dwts., but he
held that the defendant had infringed the 5th section of the Act,
which says " that any person who shall trade in or sell any article
in gold or silver, composed wholly or in part of gold or silver,"
&c. The chain purchased of the defendant was 18-carat gold ;
it weighed 2^ oz., and according to sec. 3 of the Act defendant
was liable to a penalty of 50/., he not having a license to deal
in gold over 2 oz. weight. — Mr. Owston, in objecting to Mr.
Atter's interpretation of the law, said that it was not at all likely
that a respectable tradesman, like Mr. Smith, who had been in
business thirty-five years, could be guilty of the charge of fraud,
which the prosecution sought to establish. — Mr. Atter : I do not
charge the defendant with fraud. — Mr. Pochin ; You charge
defendant with fraudulent dealing. — Mr. Atter : I do not ; I charge
him with not having a proper license. — Mr. Pochin : You are to
prosecute, and if you are not here to prove a fraud, you are here for
nothing. If a man uses a gun without taking out a license, he is guilty
of a fraud on the Revenue. A man cannot be hung for his opinion,
and that is mine. — The following evidence was then given : — T. II.
T. Bartlett, examined by Mr. Atter : I am an officer of Inland
Revenue stationed at Scalford. On the 18th of February last I
went to Mr. Smith's shop, in the Market-place, Melton. Mr. Smith
is a jeweller. I saw Mr. Smith. I asked him for a gold albert, and
he took one out of the window. He took out several for me to look
at. I selected one which he said was a good one — 18-carat «old.
He said, " These chains are usually sold by weight." He weiohed
it. It weighed ">\ oz. I paid 9/. I8.s. for the chain and received the
receipt produced. The weight is stated on the receipt. — Cross-
examined by Mr. Owston : I had been in the shop before. I had
not sent a woman there. I had been twice. I asked for a
gold albert — 18-carat. Eighteen-carat gold is composed of
eighteen parts of gold and six parts of alloy. I came to
Melton under the orders of my superior officer. It is not usual
to give notice if a proper license is not taken out. The albert
was sold to me as a gold chain. I have never given the Melton
jewellers any notice. — Re-examined by Mr. Atter : It is not usual
to give notice in these cases as in the cases of carriages. — Mr.
Owston, for the defence, said the case which the Bench had to
decide was one of extreme difficulty. The section of the Act of
Parliament under which the information was laid had never yet
obtained a judicial decision. The Bench had been asked to look at
the Act, and he referred them to the 5th section of the Act on
which he relied. The Act speaks of "articles that are composed
wholly or in part of gold," and throws upon defendant to prove
what part was alloy, and what part was gold. It was evident that
this clause of the Act did not refer to the weight of the chain in
the aggregate, but to the weight of pure gold it contained. Was
the Revenue defrauded in this case? It was true if Mr. Smith had
sold more than 2 oz. of gold he would be liable under the Act.
The informer, when he went to Mr. Smith's shop, asked for a good
gold chain, and he got what he asked for. He got a chain com-
posed of twenty-four parts — composed of eighteen parts gold, and
six alloy. "What Mr. Smith actually sold to this informer was'l oz.
11 dwts. of genuine gold. The defendant had a right to go into the
component parts of which the chain was made. It was a case of
fraud or no fraud, of honesty or dishonesty, and he took it that both
in the spirit and the letter Mr. Smith was innocent. — Witness
Bartlett was recalled, and, in answer to Mr. Frewen, said : When I

first went to the shop I saw only the chain produced and another.
My object was to catch a tradesman trapping. — Oliver Green,
examined by Mr. Owston : I am of the firm of Green & Co., 94,
Hatton -garden, London, and am a dealer in gold. My firm is well-
known. Eighteen-carat gold is six parts less than twenty-four,
which, is the old standard. The chain produced is 18-carat. Such
chains are always composed with alloy. — Cross-examined by Mr.
Atter : We could make chains of pure gold, but they would be very
soft. If a person came to me for a good gold chain he would get
one like the one produced. — By the Bench : We sometimes make
20 and 22-carat gold. 20-carat would not stand ordinary wear.
We have the larger license. We do not know what license our
customers have. — This being the whole of the evidence the magis-
trates retired, and on their return Mr. Frewen stated that the
Bench were unanimously of opinion that the summons should be
dismissed — a decision which was received with applause by a
crowded court.

William Bowley, jeweller, Melton, appeared to answer a similar
charge to the above, and the same professional gentlemen appeared
in the case. — Mr. Atter, in opening the case, said that Mr. Bartlett,
the witness in the last case, went to the shop of Mr. Bowley, on the
28th of February, and asked for some gold alberts. Certain chains
were shown to Bartlett, but they were not good enough. Mr.
Bowley then said he could get one, and he was to call again in two
or three days. Accordingly Mr. Bartlett called again, and defen-
dant took some chains out of the window, one of which was selected
and bought for 15/. Mr. Bowley gave a receipt (produced) signed
"pro Messrs. Green & Co., W. B." Informant then said, " 1 buy
of you and not of Messrs. Green," when defendant said, "Lf I give
you my own receipt, I may have the Excise down upon me." A
receipt was then given on one of defendant's own bill-heads, and
signed "pro G. & Co., W. B."— T. H. T. Bartlett, examined by Mr.
Atter, said: On the 18th of February I called at Mr. Bowley's
shop, Melton Mowbray. I asked for some gold alberts, and some
were shown me. I said I thought they were not good enough.
Bowley said if I would call again in a few days he could get me
some to choose from. On the 29th of February I called again. Mr.
Bowley took from his window six chains, and showed them to me.
I selected one of three chains. Mr Bowley said it was London
weight — pure gold — 18 carat. I took up another of the six chains.
I took it in my hand and asked him the weight. He weighed two
chains. One weighed 2£ oz., the other 1 oz. 16 dwts. I bought the
heaviest, and paid 15/. for it. I received a receipt " pro Messrs.
Green & Co.," and signed by Bowley's initials. I declined to
take that receipt. I said, " I do not know those parties, I am deal-
ing with you, as I might be called upon to pay this over again."
Bowley said, " If I do not put Messrs. Green & Co. the Excise
might be down upon me." I asked him what he meant, and he
said he only held a license to sell gold under 2 oz. weight,
and if he was to sell it over he would be liable to a penalty of 50/.
He then said, " I'll give you one of my own bill-heads." The chain
I produce. The bill was receipted "pro H. C. G. & Co., W.
Bowley." This (the chain) was purchased in a shop at Melton
Mowbray kept by the accused. — Cross-examined by Mr. Owston :
I had been in the shop several times before. I went simply to make
a detection. The gross weight is 2 oz. 16 dwts. without alloy. The
first time I went (the 18th February) for a good gold chain. Bowley
asked me to come again. He did not mention a wholesale house.
I went on purpose to trap him. On the second time I produced
my own chain. I did this by my diplomacy. The one that defen-
dant had was the heaviest. The chain I showed him belonged to
Mr. Oates, the supervisor. Defendant prepared a form of receipt,
which I refused, because it was for Green & Co. I thought I
should not get a conviction if I took it. I wanted to catch Mr.
Bowley for selling without a proper license. I knew that he had
got the chain purposely for me. My object was to get the penalty
of 50/. — Re-examined by Mr. Atter : When I went the second time
the six chains were exposed in the window. — Mr. Owston, in
addressing the Bench on the part of Mr. Bowley, spoke in un-
measured terms of the conduct of the witness Bartlett, who had,
in the most unblushing manner, admitted that he had carried
on this business with the intention of " trapping " and tempting an
honest tradesman. The conduct of this man was unworthy of a
person engaged in her Majesty's service and wearing her livery.
Mr. Owston was continuing his remarks, when he was stopped by
Mr. Frewen, who stated that the magistrates were unanimously of
opinion that Mr. Bowley never intended to commit a fraud, but it
was perfectly right that the Excise should, at all times, do their duty.
The Bench had decided to dismiss the case as against Mr-. Bowley.
— In both cases Mr. Oates gave notice of appeal to Quarter
Sessions. — Grantham Journal.

fuLY 5, 1876/)

SlLVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

31

HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY.

THE science of astronomy, being so beneficial in its effects to the
mind of man, deserves our utmost attention, and claims our
highest admiration.

By this sublime science we are enabled to explore the whole
universe, so far as the human eye can reach, pursue the different
planets in their uniform course, and the devious comet through the
fields of ether, and also trace the laws by which the spheres perform
their evolutions with so much order and harmony. These contem-
plations are worthy every rational being, and have for many ages
engaged the minds of the most intelligent and enlightened men of
every nation. Indeed, it is impossible to suppose a period, even in
the infancy of the world, when the splendid objects which the
heavens present did not attract the attention of mankind, and in-
cite them to observe their motions and their influence on sublunary
affairs. Though the heavenly bodies cannot affect the events of
our lives, nor indicate to us either good or bad fortune, they regu-
late the seasons, the divisions of time, the latitudes and longitudes
of the different portions of the globe, and a variety of things highly
interesting to mankind at large, and to scientific persons in particu-
lar. Without noticing the traditions and fabulous accounts of the
state of astronomy among the antediluvians, we would merely
observe that the Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Egyptians are the
earliest people who cultivated astronomy of whom we have any
authentic account. Their opinions were, however, exceedingly erro-
neous, and mixed with some of the wildest absurdities that could
enter the imaginations of men. Yet they began early to make valu-
able observations on the periodical motions of the heavenly bodies
and on the phenomena of occultations, eclipses, &c, of the causes of
which some of the more judicious formed tolerably correct notions.
Several observations on lunar eclipses were made as early as B.C. 720,
which were afterwards recorded by Ilipparchus, and have been
transmitted to us by Ptolemy.

Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus speak of the Temple of Jupiter
Belus at Babylon, and the lofty tower that surmounted it, as an
observatory, from whence the Chaldeans observed the stars ; the
account by the latter of the golden statues that adorned it is rather
problematical, and little to the purpose.

From the Chaldeans and Egyptians the science passed to the
Phoenicians, who, being a maritime and commercial people, studied
it for the purpose of navigation ; from their having sailed to high
latitudes in the northern hemisphere, they had opportunities of
observing stars invisible to the Chaldeans and Egyptians, and to
them we are indebted for the discovery of the Polar star, so useful
to direct the course of mariners before the invention of the com-
pass.

The Greeks, ever anxious to obtain information in everything
that related to the arts and sciences, travelled into different coun-
tries for the purpose of acquiring the rudiments of knowledge which
they afterwards improved with that diligence and skill for which
they were remarkable. So early as the Argonautic expeditions,
B.C. 1263, it is supposed that they were acquainted with the method
of arranging the stars in constellations, but whether they were the
inventors of this method, or merely adopted the inventions of others,
is not recorded.

Thales, the founder of the Ionic sect, who nourished about COO
B.C., was the first among the Greeks who cultivated this science on
anything like true principles. He explained the theory of eclipses,
and gave an example of the method of cultivating and predicting
them ; he taught the cause of the inequality of the days and
nights. His pupil, Anaximander, who taught between 500 and
GOO years B.C., is supposed to have had a right idea of the globular
form of the earth, to have invented maps and dials, to have dis-

I covered the obliquity of the ecliptic, with the equinoxes and solstices,

and, in conjunction with his master, Thales, to have greatly improved
the arrangement of the stars into constellations. The planets Saturn,
Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury, were known to the Chaldeans,
but their motions and phenomena were not accurately observed above
200 years before the Christian era. The zodiac of the Greeks, pre-
vious to the time of Thales, is thought to have comprised only the
apparent paths of the sun and moon ; but at that period it assumed
a more perfect form, and was divided into the twelve constellations,
or signs of the zodiac, which are retained to this day ; the inclina-
tion of the orbits of the planets to the ecliptic was ascertained,
but the nature of comets was ill understood, they being considered
as mere transient meteors portending some calamity, or at least an
important event.

The name of Pythagoras, who nourished about 590 B.C., is
illustrious, not only as the founder of a sect of philosophers, but as
a sagacious observer of the heavenly bodies. Besides confirming

the opinion of Anaximander that the earth is a globe, he discovered
the true system of the universe, which ignorance and bigotry so
strongly opposed that, with the exception of a few of his immediate
disciples, it was rejected as absurd and impossible, though many
years after its truth was verified beyond contradiction.

It would be occupying space and the reader's time unprofitably
to narrate the absurd fancies and reveries of Anaximenes,
Anaxagoras, and the Greek astronomers, who published conjectures
concerning the heavenly bodies, which appear to us now not only
erroneous, but ridiculous.

Yet, though popular prejudice rendered it dangerous to teach the
solar system as discovered by Pythagoras, and that philosopher
accordingly temporized, teaching publicly the generally-received
notions, and imparting the truth privately only to his confidential
disciples, one of them, Philolans, boldly declared his conviction
that the earth revolved round the sun ; prejudice was as yet, how-
ever, too strong for reason, and it was not received.

As one chief end of the study of astronomy was to measure time
with accuracy, great efforts were made to determine with precision
the apparent motions of the sun and the real ones of the moon, and
to adjust them to each other. After numerous accurate observations,
and many futile attempts, Meton, of Athens, B.C. 430, invented the
period of nineteen years, now called the Metonic or golden cycle,
though many learned men deny him this honour and attribute this
invention to the Chaldeans, many ages previous.

Though the Metonic cycle was at first considered perfectly
accurate, time discovered it to be defective; improvements were
made in it by various succeeding astronomers, but no cycle has yet
been discovered of sufficient accuracy to serve for nice computations.
In the time of Alexander the Great flourished the celebrated
Aristotle and Callisthenes, both eminent astronomers, the latter of
whom, by command of the king, made a distinct and accurate
description of the countries under the dominion of that monarch by
direct measurement and observations of the correspondence of
terrestrial objects with the position of the stars, thereby rendering-
geography, by means of its alliance with astronomy, a real science.
Nor was the cultivation of astronomy confined to the Greeks.
We learn from Cffisar that the Druids diligently instructed their
youth in what concerned the motion of the stars and the extent of
the earth and heavens. Pytheas, an astronomer of Marseilles, urged
by the wish of making discoveries in the science, sailed northwards,
B.C. 380, until he reached an island, supposed to be Iceland, where
he affirmed that in summer the sun rose again almost immediately
after it had set. This, which is now known to be fact, was ridiculed
as fabulous by the philosophers of those days, and Pytheas, who
appears to have possessed great learning and talents, was treated as
a visionary. He discovered that the phenomena of the tides are
connected with the motions of the moon, and that the Polar star
is not precisely at the Pole.

(2b be continued.)

Rising in the World. — Experience continually contradicts the
notion that a poor young man cannot rise. If wre look over the list
of rich men, we find that nearly all of them began life worth little
or nothing. To any person familiar with the millionaires of the
United States, a score of examples will occur. On the other hand,
the sons of rich men, who began life with the capital which so many
poor young men covet, frequently die beggars. It would probably
not be going too far to say that a large majority of such moneyed
individuals either fail outright or gradually eat up the capital with
which they commenced their career. And the reason is plain.
Brought up in expensive habits, they spend entirely too much.
Educated with high notions of personal importance, they will not as
they phrase it stoop to hard work. Is it astonishing, therefore, that
they are passed in the race of life by others with less capital originally
but more energy, thrift, and industry? For these virtues, after all,
are worth more than money. They make money in fact. Nay,
after it is made, they enable the possessor to keep it, which most
rich men pronounce to be more difficult than the making. The
young man who begins life with a resolution always to lay by part
of his income is sure, even without extraordinary ability, gradually
to acquire a sufficiency, especially as habits of economy, which the
resolution renders necessary, will make that a competence for him
which would be quite insufficient for an extravagant person. It is
really what we save, more than what we make, which leads us to
fortune. He who enlarges his expenses as fast as his earnings
increase must always be poor, no matter what his abilities. And
content may be had on comparatively little. It is not in luxurious
living that men find real happiness. — Scientific American,

82

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[July 5, 1876.

FINGER RINGS

(Continued from page 7).

Modern Rings.

THE period known as medieval commeuces with the fall of
ancient Rome under the Gothic invasion, and concludes with
the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in lino. The modern
era, therefore, commences in the middle of the fifteenth century,
during the time of Henry VI.

As private wealth increased finger rings became much more
ornamental ; to the art which the goldsmith and jeweller devoted
to them was added that of the engraver and enameller. Fig. 7!),
from the Londesborough collection, is decorated with floral
ornaments, engraved and filled with green and red enamel colours.
The effect on the gold is extremely pleasing, having a certain quaint
sumptuousness peculiarly iis own. Fig. 80 is a fine specimen, from
the same collection, of a signet ring, bearing a "merchant's mark "
upon its face. These marks varied with every owner, and was as
peculiar to himself as the modern autograph ; they were a combina-
tion of initials or letter-like devices, frequently surmounted by a
cross, or a conventional sign, believed to represent the sails of a ship,
in allusion to their trading vessels. The marks were placed upon
the bales of merchandise and were constantly used where the coat
armour or badge of persons entitled to bear arms would be placed.
The authority vested in such merchant's rings is curiously illustrated
in one of the historical plays on the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth,
written by Thomas Heywood, and to which he gave the quaint title,
"If you Know not Me, you Know Nobody." Sir Thomas Gresham,
the great London merchant, is one of the principal characters, and,
in a scene where he is absent from home and in sudden need of cash,
he exclaims, "Here, John, take this seal ring; bid Timothy presently
send me a hundred pound." John takes the ring to the trusty
Timothy, saying, "Here's his seal ring ; I hope a sufficient warrant."

Fig. 78. Fig. 80.

To which Timothy replies, "Upon so good security, John, I'll fit me
to deliver it." Another merchant, in the same play, is made to
obtain his wants by similar means —

" Eeceive thou my seal ring :

Bear it to my Factor ; bid him by that token
Sort thee out forty pounds' worth of such wares
As thou shalt think most benefltial."

The custom must have been common to be thus used in dramatic
scenes of real life, which the plainest audience would criticize. These
plays were produced in 1G0G, and serve to show that the value
attached to a seal ring descended from very ancient to comparatively
modern limes.

In the Waterton collection is a massive gold signet ring, with the
rebus of the Wylmot family quaintly designed in the taste of the
fourteenth century. In the centre is a tree ; on one side of it are
the letters W Y, and on the other O T. Supposing the tree to be
an elm, tbe name reads AVy-elm-ot, or Wylmot.

In ihe fifteenth and sixteenth centuries religious figures were
frequently engraved on rings.

Fig. 81 represents a ring upon which is very delicately engraved
a representation of St. Christopher bearing the Saviour on his
shoulder across an arm of the sea, in accordance with the old legend-
ary history of this saint.' The circle is formed by ten lozenges,
each of which'bears a letter of the inscription DE BOEN EUEdt.'

Fig. 81. Fig. 82.

The figure of St. Christopher was used as an amulet against
sudden death, particularly by drowning ; for it was popularfy be-
lieved that no sudden or violent death could occur to any person on
any day when he had reverently looked upon this saint's ehVy.
Hence it was not uncommon for charitable individuals to place such
figures outside their houses, or paint them on the walls. There is
a colossal figure (and St. Christopher was said to have been of
gigantic stature) thus painted beside the great gate of the ancient
city of Treves, on the Moselle.

The enameller and engraver are both employed on the ring, Fig.
82, also from the Londesborough collection. The hoop is richly
decorated with quaint, floriated ornament cut upon its surface, and
filled in with niello, then extensively used by goldsmiths for enrich-
ing their works, as it is still in Russia. This beautiful ring is in-
scribed inside with the motto MON COR PLESCR— "My heart's
delight " — and was doubtless a f/a//e d'amour.

Of Elizabeth of Englaud and Mary of Scotland interesting

Fig. 83.

Fig. S4.

mementoes are preserved in the shape of rings. Fig. 83 represents
the gold signet ring of Mary, now preserved in the British Museum.
Upon the face is engraved the royal arms and supporters of Scot-
land, with the motto IN DEFENS, and her initials, M. R. But
the most curious portion of the ring is the inner side of the seal, as
shown in the cut, where a crowned monogram is engraved, which
might have been an unsolved enigma but for the existence in our
State Paper Office of a letter written by Mary to Queen Elizabeth, in
which she has drawn this identical monogram, after signing her name.
Sir Henry Ellis, who first traced this curious history, says, " It is
clearly formed of the letters M. and A. (for Mary and Albany), and
gives countenance to the opinion that the written monogram was
intended for Elizabeth and Burleigh to study ; the subsequent
creation of the title of Duke of Albany, in Lord Darnley, ultimately
opening their eyes to the enigma." Elizabeth's intense dislike to the
Darnley marriage is well known, as she endeavoured to force Mary
into a match with one of her own favourites, the Earl of Leicester.

The Waterton collection boasts of a gem of no inferior interest
in connection with this unhappy marriage. It is the ring of Henry,
Lord Darnley, husband to Mary, Queen of Scots. On the bezel it
bears the initials M. II., united by a lover's knot, and within the
hoop the name engraved of HEN R I. L. D ARNLE Y, and th e year of th e
marriage, 1565. The cut (Fig. 84) shows the face of the ring with the
initials ; below is engraved a fac-simile of the interior of the ring as
a plane surface.

Queen Elizabeth's history, and that of her unfortunate favourite
the Earl of Essex, has a tragic story connected with a ring. The
narrative is popularly known, and may be briefly told. It is said
that the queen, at a time when she was most passionately attached
to the earl, gave him a ring, with the assurance that she would
pardon any fault with which he might be accused when he should
return the pledge. Long after this, when he was condemned for
treason, she expected to receive this token, and was prepared to
have granted the promised pardon. It came not. The queen was
confirmed in the belief that he had ceased to care for her, and pride
and jealousy consigned him to the death of a traitor. But the earl
had, in the last extremity of despair, entrusted the ring to the
Countess of Nottingham, wife of the Lord High Admiral, an enemy
to the unfortunate Essex, who forbade his wife to take any pro-
ceedings in the matter, but to conceal the trust entirely, and secrete
the ring. "When the countess lay upon her death-bed she sent for
her royal mistress, for the first time told her guilt, " and humbly
implored mercy from God and forgiveness from her earthly sovereign,
who did not only refuse to give it, but, having shook her as she lay
in bed, sent her, accompanied with most fearful curses, to a higher
tribunal." Such is the awful account of the sceue by Francis
Osborne. Dr. Birch says the words used by Elizabeth were, " God
may forgive you, but I never can." It was the death-blow to the
proud old queen, whose regret for the death of Essex could not be
quenched by her pride and belief in his ingratitude ; a confirmed
melancholy settled upon her ; she died lonely and broken-hearted.

This ring is now in the possession of the Rev. Lord John Thynue,
and three views of it are given in Figs; 85, 86, and 87. It is of
gold, of extremely delicate workmanship throughout. A cameo
head of the queen is cut on hard onyx, and set as its central jewel : the
execution of this head is of the highest order, and may possibly
have been the work of A7alerio Yincentino, an Italian artist who

July 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

33

visited England and cut similar works for Elizabeth and Burleigh-
It is one of the most minute but the most striking likenesses. The
hoop of the ring is enriched with engraving, and the under surface
decorated with floriated ornament, relieved by blue enamel. It

Fig. 8.5.

Fig. st.

has descended fi-om Lady Frances Devereux, Essex's daughter, in
unbroken succession from mother and daughter to the present
possessor. Although the entire story has met with disbelievers, the
most sceptical must allow that, whether this be the ring or not, it
is valuable as a work of art of the Elizabethan era.

A ring possessing even greater claim to notice, but depending
for its appropriation on its own internal evidence, is the next on

Fig. 8S.

Fig. 89.

our list (Figs. 88 and 89). It purports to be the seal ring of
William Shakspere, and was found March 1G, 1810, by a
labourer's wife, in a mill close adjoining Stratford-on-Avon
churchyard. It passed into the possession of R. B. Wheler, Esq.,
the historian of the town ; and his sister, at his death, presented it
to the museum of Shaksperian relics formed in the birthplace of the
poet. It is of gold, weighing 12 dwts. ; having the initials W.S.
braced together by a tasselled cord ; the only other ornament
upon the ring being a band of pellets and lines on the outer edge of
the bezel.

Is it Shakspere's? It is evidently a gentleman's ring, and of the
poet's era. It is just such a ring as a man in his station would fit-
tingly wear — gentlemanly, but not pretentious. There was but one
other person in the small town of Stratford at that time to whom
the same initials belonged. This was one William Smith, but Ms
seal is attached to several documents preserved among the records
of the corporation, and is totally different. Mr. Ilalliwell, in his
"Life of Shakspere," observes that "little doubt can be enter-
tained that this ring belonged to the poet, and it is probably the
one he lost before his death, and was not to be found when his will
was executed, the word hand being substituted for seal in the
original copy of that document."

In the great poet's will five of his friends have bequests of
memorial rings. Two are his townsmen, Ilamlett Sadler and
William Raynoldes, who each have twenty-six shillings and eight-
pence left them "to buy them ringes; " the other three being the
actors ("my fellows," as he affectionately terms them) John
Heminge, Richard Burbage, and Henry Condell, each of whom has
a similar sum.

Rings were at this time an almost necessary part of the toilet of
a gentleman ; they indicated rank and character by their style or
their devices. Hence the wills and inventories of the era abound
with notices of rings, many persons wearing them in profusion, as
may be seen in the portraits painted at this time. The Germans
particularly delighted in them, and wore them upon many fingers,
and upon different joints of the fingers, the forefinger especially — a
custom still followed by their descendants. The ladies even wreathed
them in the bands of their head-dresses. Rabelais speaks of the
rings Gargantua wore because his father desired him to " renew
that ancient mark of nobility." On the forefinger of his left hand
he had a gold ring, set with a large carbuncle ; and on the middle
finger one of mixed metal, then usually made by alchemists. On
the middle finger of the right hand he had " a ring made spire-wise,
wherein was set a perfect balew ruby, a pointed diamond, and a
Pliyson emerald of inestimable value."

Italy now furnished the most splendid and tasteful jewellery ;
the workmen of Venice exceeding all others. The Londesborough
collection supplies us with a graceful example, Fig. 90. The claws
support the setting of a sharply-pointed pyramidal diamond, such
as was then coveted for writing on glass. It was with a similar

ring Raleigh wrote the words on the wiadow-pane — " Fain would
I rise, but that I fear to fall "—to which Queen Elizabeth added,

FIG. 90.

" If thy heart fail thee, do not rise at all ; " an implied encourage-
ment which led him on to fortune.

In Burgon's life of Sir Thomas Gresham is engraved the wedding
ring of that merchant-prince. " It opens horizontally, thus forming
two rings, which are, nevertheless, linked together, and respectively
inscribed on the inner side with a Scripture poesy. Quod Dens
conjnnxit is engraved on one half, and Homo non seperet on the
other."

(To lie continued.)

GREENWICH TIME SIGNALS AND CHRONOMETER
RATING.

THE Astronomer Royal, in his Report to the Board of Visitors,
June 3rd, 187C, says : —

"There are now in the chronometer room 1G1 chronometers, of
which 128 are box-chronometers, 25 pocket-chronometers, and 8
deck- watches.

" Of these 47 are the property of chronometer makers, being placed
here on the annual competitive trial ; the others belong to the
Government, and have been either returned from service for exami-
nation and repair, if necessary, or are awaiting issue to ships of the
Royal Navy after having been repaired by the maker. All such
chronometers are compared at least once a week, and at some time
during their period of rating are tried for at least three weeks in a
temperature of nearly 100° Fahrenheit. The competitive chrono-
meters, as well as any Government chronometers which appear to
require it, are compared every day ; they undergo two trials in heat
for periods of four weeks each, and are also rated in different
magnetic positions.

"The supplementary compensation mentioned in the last Report
has been applied with success to a number of chronometers, and
in future all chronometers sent in to the annual trial are to be so
fitted.

" From experiments which have been made with one of the
chronometers, to which the compensation piece has been applied, it
is found that the final adjustment of the compensation can be made
with certainty at the Observatory ; and it will thus be unnecessary
to return a chronometer to the "maker, when, as has happened in
a large proportion of cases lately, there is a slight error in the com-
pensation.

" The first six chronometers in the competitive trial of last year
were on the average somewhat superior to those of 1874 ; the chro-
nometer at the head of the list, in particular, being a very fine
one.

"The Greenwich time-ball has been regularly dropped automatic-
ally on every day throughout the year, with the exception of
seven days, when the violence of the wind made it imprudent to
raise the ball, and of two days when there was accidental failure.

" The Deal time-ball was not raised (on account of high wind) on
ten days, and was not dropped, or was erroneously dropped (by
telegraph signals), on seventeen days."

In gilding cast brass articles, which are required to be left dead in
the hollow and chased surfaces, the best plan is first to wash the
article in a solution of caustic soda (a solution of soapmaker's " soda
ash " will do) or potash, then, after well rinsing, dip the article for
an instant in fuming nitric acid, and after it has become thoroughly
acted upon all over plunge it instantly in cold water: the article
should then be well rinsed in hot water, and is then ready for the
gilding bath. Articles of this description seldom ^ require to be
strongly gilt,'the colour being the principal object. The bright sur-
faces°may require to be burnished.— Scientific American.

31

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[July 5,1876.

FORGED ANTIQUES.

Till", ancient art of engraving upon stones, whether in the way of
intaglio or cameo, has often been imitated — the stones which
have been generaUychosenby the engravers being of the agate or quartz

- ion of the rock : the camelian, sardonyx, amethyst, or even the
very hardest precious stones known to us, the ruby and the
sapphire. These have been engraved in various ways,jbut most usually
by means of diamond point and powder — " diamond cut diamond " —
with rapidly revolving wheels or discs of steel. In this way heads
and groups of figures have either been cut into the stone (intaglio)
or else left prominent in high or low relief in one or more shades of
the stone that has been chosen for the purpose, while the back-
ground remains of another shade of colour (cameo). On account of
the hardness of the stones chosen, these little sculptures are, in
fact, indestructible. Many of them are contemporary with the
works of Phidias and other great sculptors of the finest age of
Greek art ; and while the larger marbles have perished, these gems
have lain hidden in the bosom of the earth for well-nigh two
thousand years, during all that dark and dreary time when the
decaying Roman Empire was tottering to its grave— to be turned
up at last by the ploughshare and the spade of a modern civilization,
and adorn the cabinet of a nineteenth- century gem collector. The
writer of this article has in his possession, for instance, a stone
(carnelian) of the exact size of the little-finger nail, with a group
of three figures cut upon it, and so beautifully and skilfully carved
that the finest microscope can discover no flaw or imperfection in
the anatomy of the figures, which are as perfect, in their way, as
the dying gladiator or the Apollo of the Vatican. This gem is of
the time of Augustus, and consequently nearly two thousand years
old. The little drawer of a cabinet on the study table can, there-
fore, hold a collection of antique or modern gems (and many of the
carvings of the eighteenth century are very good), so that a
collector of moderate means and appliances may have within his
reach sculptures as beautiful and perfect — although in miniature —
as those which adorn the galleries of Chatsworth, or even the walls
of the Vatican. It seems a strange thing that a study so fascinating
as the study of antique gems should have almost died out from
among us, or rather should have altogether died out, within the last
hundred years, and should only now begin to have a renaissance.
And we have some difficulty in accounting for the fact. In the last
century it was even fashionable to collect these waifs and strays of
antiquity. A dactyliotheca, or cabinet of gems, was an essential
part of the dignity of a European prince, particularly if he aspired
to be considered a sovereign of good taste ; so that even the bucolical
mind of good King George III. was moved within him to purchase,
at a large price, the cabinet of Consul Smith, which he added to the
small royal collection mainly transmitted by Charles I. Emperors,
empresses, conquerors, and philosophers were alike carried away by
the mania for forming collections of gems. And, of course, all
wealthy people with any pretentions to fashion and taste followed
suit. But the fact is that the Cognoscenti (as they loved to be
called) of the last century made a sad mess when they attempted
gem collecting. They soon found themselves in the position of
the whale between the thresher and the swordfish. They seemed
to have been imposed upon on every side and in every possible way.
The dactyliothecic fever ran so high that it became quite necessary
for the patient to be excessively bled. And a class of forgers
sprung up were quite capable of performing that medicinal office. The
methods were various. Antique engravings were copied by the
dozen, so that for every ancient gem of importance and beauty there
may probably be a score or two of modern replicas about in the
world. These {modem antiques were often crammed down the
throats of turkeys with their food, that by the grinding of the
gizzard they might obtain that roughness of the polished surface —
the wrinkles of age — which is one of the marks of antiquity, Rude
antique engravings were touched up and repolished. And almost
every genuine antique passed through the process of having the
signature of some renowned artist of old forged upon it, by which its
value wars immediately doubled in the gem market of that day. Trices
were quite tempting enough to induce clever rogues to do all they
knew in order to deceive. A thousand pounds was no uncommon
price to be given for a finely-engraved gem which had some savour
of antiquity about it. Then almost in a moment, like a sudden fall
in the stock exchange, the reaction came. " The thermometer fell
below zero in a single night." Thfi world of amateurs began to find
out how heavily they had been duped, and refused to burn their fingers
any longer with the handling of antique gems. In fact, the whole
art became discredited. The forger-artists of the eighteenth century,
and they were a race of clever and excellent workmen, died out and
left no successors behind them. Indeed, so completely had all

public interest in this branch of the fine arts perished, that a dozen
of years ago finely-engraved gems, which would have brought
hundreds but fifty years before, could be purchased without difficulty
for as many pounds. For a second time in the world's history the
art of gem-engraving disappeared from the centres of culture and
civilization. — Fraser's Magazine.

THE SATELLITES OP URANUS AND EXTRA-
ORDINARY EYESIGHT.

AT a recent meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society a paper
was read in which it was stated that a gentleman in Ireland
had lately made several observations of the satellites of Uranus,
using a refractor of only 4-3 in. aperture.

If no mistake has been made here (and it really seems that there
has not) the observer, Mr. Ward, must be gifted with the most
extraordinary eyesight that, has ever been heard of, not even
excepting that of Mr. Dawes.

A STORY OE A DIAMOND.

THE diamond has always enjoyed an undisputed pre-eminence
among precious stones, not only on account of its rarity, but
also from its unequalled brilliancy. Some of these stones have been
sold for almost fabulous prices, and many of the most celebrated
diamonds known to exist have changed hands from time to time
under strange and romantic circumstances.

Among the jewels formerly in the regalia of England was a
diamond of great beauty and value, with which is connected a very
remarkable history. It was once the property of Charles the Bold,
last Duke of Burgundy, who wore it in his hat at the battle of
Nancy, in which he lost his life.

The diamond was found on the field after the battle by a Swiss,
who sold it to a priest for a trifle, and it afterwards became the
property of a French nobleman named De Sancy. The treasure re-
mained in the possession of his family for more than a century,
when one of his descendants, who was captain of the Swiss guard
under Henry III. of France, was commissioned by the king to raise
a new force from the same nation. Henry at length found himself
unable to pay his soldiers, and in this emergency he borrowed the
diamond from the Count de Sancy, that he might place it in the
hands of the Swiss government as a pledge for the fulfilment of his
engagements.

The count entrusted the diamond to one of his "most faithfid
followers for conveyance to the king ; but the messenger and the
treasure disappeared, to the great consternation both of Henry and
De Sancy. The most diligent search was made, but without furnish-
ing any clue to the mystery. So strong was De Sancy's confidence
in fhe perfect probity of his servant, that he felt convinced some
misfortune must have happened to him ; and he persevered in his
inquiries, until he at length discovered that his follower had been
waylaid and murdered by a band of robbers, and the body concealed
in a neighbouring forest.

De Sancy ascertained the locality, and instituted a careful search,
which resulted in the discovery of his messenger's remains. He
next gave directions to have the body opened ; when, to the
astonishment of all but De Sancy himself, the treasure was dis-
covered. It was now clear that the poor fellow, on finding himself
beset beyond the possibility of escape, had swallowed the diamond
rather than that it should fall into the hands of the robbers. The
story has been commemorated in the appellation the diamond has
ever since borne of "the Sancy."

The diamond was purchased for the Crown of England; but
James II. carried it with him in his flight to France in 1688. Louis
XV. is said to have worn it at his coronation. In 1835 it was
purchased by a Russian nobleman for 80,0002.

In Brittany there is said to prevail a very singular matrimonial
custom. On certain fete-days the young ladies appear in red
petticoats, with white or yellow borders around them. The
number denotes the portion the father is willing to give his
daughter. Each white band, representing silver, betokens one
hundred francs of rent, and each yellow band denotes gold and
stands for a thousand francs a-year. Thus, a young farmer who sees
a face that pleases him has only to glance at the trimmings of the
petticoats to learn in an instant what amount accompanies the wearer.

The dial of the large clock at the Houses of Parliament is in
future to remain illuminated till daylight, instead of the light being
extinguished on the rising of the House, as formerly.

_

July 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

SHOOTING-STARS AND AEROLITES.

NEARLY every one must have had some opportunity of noticing,
especially in the fine and calm nights of July and August,
luminous bodies shooting along the firmament and darting towards
the earth, or suddenly disappearing in the atmosphere. Similar
appearances are noticeable in the very clear frosty nights of winter ;
but those which appear in the summer-time are larger, and more
starlike in their brilliancy. Even at this day there are many who
deem them to be really loosed and irandering stars ; and, as imagina-
tion is always very powerfid in ignorant minds, the supposed stars
are connected with divers portents and prophetic indications.

One might suppose that the rapidity with which they disappear,
and the fact that they produce no kind of effect upon our globe,
would suffice to dispel the notion of their being stars ; but where
the mind is not well stored with facts, fancy reigns supreme, and
commands belief in the most inconsistent and absurd suppositions.

These short-lived though brilliant wanderers of the air are to be
explained satisfactorily in a very few words. Our earth is constantly
exhaling volatile particles into the atmosphere, gases are formed,
mixed, ignited by their own force and tendency, and almost
instantaneously deprived of their peculiar nature and blended with
the overpowering and receiving atmosphere.

Occasionally, the meteoric particles being more abundantly
collected, and the state of the atmosphere being favourable to their
gaseous existence, meteors of vast size and great splendour have
made their appearance, and traversed the firmament so long as to
be successively visible in places a thousand miles distant. This was
the case with one which appeared in the year 1783, which was seen
not only in many parts of Scotland and England, but also at Calais,
Ostend, Brussels, Paris, and Nantes in Burgundy. Its appearance
is described as being that of a luminous and nearly globular body,
which, as it progressed, apparently divided into numerous balls of
various magnitudes, but all leaving a luminous train behind them.
Its disappearance, according to the testimony of very numerous
witnesses was accompanied or quickly followed by a report similar
to that of a cannon discharged at a distance from the auditors
—a circumstance the more remarkable as, according to several
observations, the elevation of the meteor could not have been less
than fifty miles above the surface of the earth.

But these were gaseous meteors, which became extinguished and
absorbed by the atmosphere, and must not be confounded with
those solid and ponderous bodies which traverse the atmosphere like
huge and burning globes, and explode with a loud report, which is
sometimes followed by a shower of stones of considerable size and
weight. Early in the present century one of these globes, to
which the name of aerolites is given by some, and that of bolites
by others, appeared in the atmosphere near Caen, in Normandy It
moved very rapidly and at a great height, and had the appearance
of a globe of fire. On arriving just above the town of Aio-le, it
remained stationary for a brief space, and then exploded" with
several loud and sharp reports, throwing stones down upon various
spots for a distance of two leagues and a half around the point to
which its position had seemed vertical. The reports of this extra-
ordinary occurrence reached the French government, and a
scientific man was sent to inquire into the circumstances The
report confirmed all that the inhabitants of the neighbourhood had
alleged, and he ascertained, beyond a doubt, that the stones, of
the kind called thunder-stones, though in some instances only two
or three drachms in weight, were in others as much as from
eighteen to twenty pounds.

In many other parts of the world, and in climates of the greatest
dissimilarity, as Switzerland, Benares, in the East Indies, Oxford-
shire, and Greece, similar meteors have appeared and been followed
by the descent of showers of aerolites, or by single ones of vast
size. Those of them which have been broken have, in their
interior, presented the appearance of pyrites.

Much difference of opinion has naturally existed as to the
manner in which these singular bodies are produced. Some have
supposed them to be fragments of planets detached with such force
as to become subject to the earth's motion, and then precipitated
to the earth by their own weight. On the other hand, some
philosophical chemists imagine that they are chemically formed in
the atmosphere ; fluids disengaging, and the bases approximating
and forming larger or smaller bodies, which ignite by the rapidity
of their motion, and thus explode into fragments, which necessarily
fall to the earth. J

DEMAGNETIZATION OF WATCHES.

Silver Platers' Stripping Liquid.— Sulphuric acid, 8 parts
nitric, 1 part. Used to recover silver from old-plated wire.

WATCHES worn by students and others in technical
laboratories are often rendered useless by being magnetized
by the magnets used in such places. Magnets kept in the house
often create equal mischief by being laid near watches, and much
time and expense are sometimes needed to demagnetize them before
they can be made to work. A serious case of this kind of injury
recently led Professor A. M. Mayer, of the Stevens Institute of
Technology, Hoboken, to experiments which resulted in a very
simple method of demagnetization. The magnetized watch was
laid upon a table in the neighbourhood of a common compass
needle. Each hour on the face was then placed in turn before it
to discover the location and intensity of the magnetism in the
watch. The movements of the compass showed the north and south
poles to be located (say) at the figures v. and xi. while the neutral
points were at viii. and ii. The watch was then held in a horizontal
position before a large bar magnet, the south poles of each being
together. A gentle tilting motion was given to it for a moment,
and on trying the watch again before the compass a sensible
decrease of magnetism was observed. The process was repeated
till the sensitiveness of the watch at that pole was nearly extin-
guished, when the same thing was tried with the north pole of the
watch. After a few trials and comparisons the magnet influence
was found to be removed, and the watch readily resumed its work.

HINTS AND USEFUL RECEIPTS FOR WATCH-
MAKERS AND JEWELLERS.

SiLVERrLATED Fluid. — Dissolve 1 ounce of nitrate of silver in
crystals in 12 ounces of soft water ; then dissolve in the water 2
ounces cyauuret of potash ; shake the whole together, and let it
stand till it becomes clear. Have ready some half-ounce vials,
and fill half full of Paris white or fine whiting ; and then fill up
the bottles with the liquor, and it is ready for use. The whiting
does not increase the coating powder, it only helps to clean the
articles and save the silver fluid, by half filling the bottles.

Jewellers' Armenian Cement. — Isinglass soaked in water and
dissolved in spirit 2 ounces (thick) ; dissolve in this 10 grains of very
pale gum ammonia (in tears) by rubbing them together ; then add
six large tears of gum mastic, dissolved in the least possible quantity
of rectified spirits. When carefully made, this cement resists mois-
ture and dries colourless. Keep in a closely-stopped phial.

Jewellers' Cement. — Put in a bottle 2 ounces of isinglass and 1
ounce of the best' gum arabic, cover them with proof spirits, cork
loosely, and place the bottle in a vessel of water, and boil it till a
thorough solution is effected ; then strain it for use.

To Separate Gold and Silver from Lace, &c. — Cut in pieces the
gold or silver lace, tie it tightly, and boil in soap ley till the size
appears diminished ; take the cloth out of the liquid and, after
repeated rinsings of cold water, beat it with a mallet to draw out
the alkali. Open the linen, and the pure metal will be found in all
its beauty.

Tarnish on Electro-plate Goods may be removed by immersing
the article from one to ten or fifteen minutes, or until the tarnish
is removed, but no longer, in the following solution. Rain water
2 gallons, cyanuret potash J pound ; dissolve and put into a stone jug
or jar, and closely cork. After immersion the articles must be taken
out and thoroughly rinsed in two or three waters ; then dried with
a soft linen cloth, or, if frosted or chased work, with fine clean
sawdust. Tarnished jewellery may be speedily restored by this
process ; but make sure work of removing the alkali, otherwise it
corrode the goods.

To Make Gold Amalgam.— Eight parts of gold and one of
mercury are formed into an amalgam for plating by rendering the
gold into thin plates, making it red hot, and then putting it
into the mercury, while the latter is also heated to ebullition. The
gold immediately disappears in combination with the mercury, after
which the mixture may be turned into water to cool. It is then
ready for use.

Jewellers will find the annexed list of silver solders of consider-
able practical value : — Hard solder, pure silver 16 parts, copper 3i
parts, spelter £ part. Medium : fine silver 15 parts, copper 4 parts,
spelter 1 part. Easy solder : fine silver 14 parts, copper 4£ parts,
spelter 1£ part. Common hard solder: fine silver 12£ parts,
copper 6 parts, spelter 1£ part. Common easy solder: fine silver
114 parts, copper 6 parts, spelter 2 parts. The fusing points of
these solders are as follows :— No. 1, I860 degrees; No. 2, 1843
degrees ; No. 3, 1818 degrees ; No. 4, 1826 degrees, and No. 5,
1802 degrees. — Scientific American.

so

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[July 5, 187G.

THE

^htcInmiluT, gc.forfl.cr, anfo j^Itowii^

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
London, E.C.

Birmingham Agencies.

Mr. A. F. WARRILLOW, 101, Great Hampton Street.

Mr. Tuos. LEIGHTON, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.

Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.

Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

OUR SECOND VOLUME.

IT is with great satisfaction that we commenced (with our last
number) the Second Volume of this journal, and acknowledge
with thanks, the considerable increase of support which has been
accorded it. The considerable improvement which is evident in its
pages is not the result of a day, but that of steady work from month
to month since the date of our first appearance.

Representing trades which partake of the character of Arts, the
"Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith is intended to be both
an Art journal and a practical trade representative ; and although
we had at the commencement of the undertaking hoped that our
endeavours would be appreciated, nevertheless we must express
very agreeable surprise at the general, hearty, and enthusiastic
manner in which our pages have been received. The many
encouraging encomiums which have reached us from all quarters
give us every reason to believe that we are supplying a want which
really existed, and can but tend to stimulate us in our endeavours
to make the journal a welcome and useful visitor in every establish-
ment connected with the various trades which it represents. True
that we cannot possibly accomplish such aims without the assistance
of the trade, but the very liberal encouragement which we have so far
thankfully received leads us to hope that it will not be withdrawn,
but that new supporters will rally around us, and strengthen our
exertions, which we assure our readers will be strenuously put forth
to render the journal worthy of their support. As this early stage
of our career is not a fitting time to claim credit for the little which
has been effected by our unceasing labours, we can only say that to
"Promise little and perform the more" is the motto which, though
not ostentatiously put forth, has yet engraven itself upon our mental
tablet, regulated our past, and will govern our future career. We
are proud to possess evidence that our subscribers take an interest
in our labours and object, as well as appreciate our endeavour to
carry out the principle which we have chosen to govern us.

Mew professions appear unnecessary, new subscribers will be more
effective ; and we therefore only venture to hope that those who are
not already on our list will be enrolled without delay. With the
commencement of a New Volume let us have renewed support, and,
with the issue of the Third, we trust that our readers will be
enabled to recognize the aptitude of our motto, and adherence
thereto.

NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS.

Subscribers whose term of subscription has expired, are reminded
that it is necessary for them to forward order for renewal and
amount of subscription, if they desire the journal continued to
their address.

Prices Current for Gold and Silver. — Value Given for Old
Gold and Silver by Assay. — Fine Gold, 81s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. 7d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver.— Fine Gold, 85s. 3d.
rer oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. t er oz. Standard Silver 4s. 6£d. to
48. 8d. (variable).

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES,

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.
Jackson Benjamin, jun., 229, Broad Street, Birmingham, dealer in fancy

jewellery. May 23.
Ligsworth Benjamin, Local Place, Castle Eoad, Scarborough, jet orna-
ment manufacturer and dealer. May 23.
Marshall Adam, Great Ormond Street, Jarrow, watchmaker.
Rock David, Commercial Buildings, Normanton, York, jeweller. May 22.
Cami'bell Andrew, 77, Newington Causeway, jeweller. June 2.
Cohen Marks Levi, Hope Street, Hanley, jeweller. May 29.
Holden Albert William, Farringdon Road, and St. Thomas Square,

Hackney, electro-plate manufacturer. June 3.
Stycii William, Snape Street, Birmingham, and Waterloo Eoad, Burslern,

late Wolverhampton, working jeweller and ironmonger. May 30.
Davis Josiaii, Wellington Road North, Heaton Norriss, watchmaker

June 7.
Cohen Solomon and Jacob Cohen, Castleford, near Pontefract, jewellers.

June 10. At John J. Freeman's, solicitor, Barnsley, July 7 at 11.
Levy Jacob, Middlesborough, jeweller. June 9th.
Siieppard Charles, High Street, Lewes, watchmaker. June 15.
Sidgwick Joseph, Thinford House, Low Spennymoor, Durham. June 9.
Walker John, Portland, Nottingham, insurance agent and jewellery dealer.

June 15.
Davids Louis Ehirai.u, trading as Louis Davids, Great Prescott Street,

Goodman's Fields, agent in diamond and other precious stones. June

22. At Lewis & Lewis', solicitors, 10, Ely Place, Holborn, July 14 at 3.
Jacobs Louis, Westmoreland Terrace, Newcastle, jeweller and general

dealer. June 20. At J. G. & J. E. Joel's, solicitors, Newcastle,

July 5 at 2.
Keey Wlliam Henry, Lower Arcade, Bristol, watchmaker. June 21. At

C. B. Hodgson's, solicitor, 13, Waterloo Street, Birmingham, July lOat ] 1.
Keey Frederick, 3, Howard Road, Handsworth, electro plater. June 19.

At Hawkes & Weekes, solicitors, Temple Street, Birmingham, July 5

at 12.
Medes John Sidney, Cambridge Street, Southsea, jeweller and agent. June

23. At George H. King's, solicitor, 43, North Street, Portsea, July 11 at 4.
Oswin William Henry, trading as W. H. Oswin & Co., 7, Thomas Street,

Shudehill, Manchester, jeweller. June 24. At Queen's Hotel, New
Street, Birmingham, July 10 at 12. A. D. Edwards, solicitor, 26, Brazen-
nose Street, Manchester.
Wells William Henry, Stoney Street, Frome, and Marston Bigott, Somer-
set, jeweller and fancy dealer. June 19. At the Grand Hotel, Broad
Street, Bristol, July 10 at 3. Dunn & Payne, solicitors, Frome.

Adjudications of Bankruptcy.

Miles James and Frederick SrouN, 33, Aldersgate Street, jewellers. June 2.
Weltzlar George, 7, Marlborough Road, Dalston, diamond merchant.

May 31.

Dividends.
Javan Henry W. P. (Bkt.), 18, Lever Street, GoswellRoad, jeweller. 1st

div. 6s. ; T. Leighton, 21, Snow Hill, Birmingham.
Fisher George (Liq.) Newcastle, jeweller. 1st div. 2s. ; E. T. Pierson, 46,

Jordan Well, Coventry.
Sciilindler Maurice (Liq.), Sheffield, jeweller. 1st and final div. 5s. 6d.
any Tuesday between 10 and 2 ; W. F. Tasker, Wharncliffe-chambers,

Sheffield.

Discharges Granted and Bankruptcies Annulled-
Robertson James Wilson, 100, Aldersgate Street, bullion dealer.
Gluckstein M., 22, Artesian Road, Bayswater, jeweller. June 1.

Last days for Lodging Claims.
Owston John (Liq.), Keighley, watchmaker. Claims by July 8, to William
Smith, Keighley, auctioneer.

Discharge Granted and Bankruptcy Closed.

Moss Marcus S., trading as Marcus S. Moss & Co., Manchester, jewellers.
(A div. of 5s. 6d. has been paid.) Bankruptcy closed June 9.

Scotch Sequestrations.
Barnett John, Argyle Arcade, Glasgow, jeweller. April 26.

Meeting of Creditors under Scotch Sequestrations.
Muiriiead Lewis P. & Co., Glasgow, goldsmiths, &c.
Wilson Edmund, 108, Rose Street, Edinburgh, working jeweller, &c. W.

B. Robertson's, 53, George IV. Bridge, Edinburgh, July 3 at 12.

Consider trustee's discharge.

Dissolutions of Partnership.
McKellen S. D. & Co., Market Street, and Stretford Road, Hulme,
Manchester, and Bold Street, Liverpool, jewellers. April 29. Debts
by Samuel D. McKellen,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 15.— Vol. II.]

AUGUST 5, 1876.

t Subscription, 5s.l Post
per Annum. J Free

Horology— XV. Dialling

Early Watches

The Fraudulent Hall Marks case

Master Humphrey's Clock

clock-repairing account

The Great Clock at Strasburg ...
Old Plate

page

. 49

. 50

. 50

. 51

. 51

. 51

. 52

Useful Receipts for Watchmakers* Jewellers 52 History of Astronomy

CONTENTS.

p
An Explanation of the Principal Terms made

use of in Astronomy

Curiosities of Clocks and Watches

Finger Rings

British Horological Institute

Jewellery and Silverware Exhibits at the

American Centennial

i.GE I PAGE

I The Depreciation of Silver 58

53 \ Monthly Record of Bankruptcies 59

53 | Prices Current for Gold and Silver 60

54 | Mirror of the Month 60

55 I Patents 60

' The Trades' Directory 62

56 ; Advertisements 62—72

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.')

XV.— Dialling.

WE ended our last article by speaking of circles and portions
of circles in their relation to horology, and that we would
explain their functions "in our next." That explanation -we now
propose to give, preceding it by a further statement which will
itself require to be fully gone into at the proper time, namely,
caliper. Without a fair knowledge of the properties of the circle
and its segments, chords, &c, there would, certainly, be little
knowledge of caliper. Of course, all our experienced readers are
well acquainted with the rules and practice of caliper ; but, as we
write for the inexperienced as well, we will just merely give its
etymology now, deferring further observations until it is reached in
its proper turn.

Caliber, cahbre, calibro, qualibre, qua libra, caliper, and calliper —
for in all these various ways is the word spelt — are respectively
from the French, Italian, Latin, and English languages, signify the
diameter of a circular body, all being various forms of the Arabic
word Tcalib, a model. We also use it in a figurative sense for weight,
deducing that application from the Latin word qua libra. An in-
strument called caliper-compasses, with a brass index, is used to
measure the diameters of columns, the bores of guns, and shot, and
also in gauging casks, &c, by excise officers. "I have taken his
cahper " is an expression commonly used in respect to our opinion
of the qualities of the person who may be under discussion. In
watchmaking we know that is used in several ways, from testing
pivoting to " striking " out the whole plan of the instrument. Such

is the etymology and such are the meanings of this every-day used
and useful word, which we will now leave for the present.

We last spoke of the circle, and mentioned some of its charac-
teristic lines in order to fix them in the reader's mind ; we will now
proceed to point out more fully its properties to the horological
student, for without a knowledge of them he can never in reality
thoroughly understand all the principles governing his art.

The greatest straight line in a circle is its diameter, because, in
passing through the centre from one side of the circumference to
the other, it cuts the circle exactly into two equal parts, that line
which is nearer to the centre being greater than the more remote.

It has been found from experience that the most convenient
method for the purpose of the practical application of measurements
is the division of the circumference of the circle into 360 equal parts,
each part being called a degree. Of course the smaller the circle,
the smaller are the distances from one degree line to another, and
the larger the circle the larger the degree distances. In the early
days of scientific investigation no doubt but that these terms were
quite sufficient to express all that was wanted. As time, however,
laid bare the hidden secrets of philosophy, greater exactitude be-
came an imperative necessity ; hence came subdivisions of the
degrees. It having been found, again, that 60 being both a multiple
and a divisor of 360, it was fixed upon as the equal spaces, into
which to divide a degree ; thus, the circle had now received 60 times
360, or 21,600 spaces upon its circumference, these spaces, being the
multiples of 60, got the name of minutes. Still, mathematical
philosophy was not satisfied, and when telescopes showed that even
minutes could be divided, that division was made on instruments
by a very finely micrometroned cutting engine ; these third divisions
were called seconds. There was now produced a measurement of
the circumference of a circle of 360 x 60 x 60, or 1,296,000 parts ;

50

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1876.

these parts, be it remarked, could only be made visible on large
circles. It was still further proposed to divide the second into sixty,
for the purpose of calculation only, and call it thirds. This sug-
gestion, however, was very properly rejected by the astronomers of
the time, and a much finer expansion adopted, namely, the decimal
notation for all divisions beyond that of seconds. The signs for
these various measurements were very sensibly fixed, as a small
circle above the figure, thus 45Q, the Q meaning degrees ; the ' for
minutes, and " for seconds. By this it will be seen that 45°, 50',
55' woidd mean 45 degrees, 50 minutes, and 55 seconds. Notwith-
standing this apparent completeness, it has, nevertheless, its draw-
back, that drawback being that the minutes and seconds of
astronomy are, by the non-scientific, who form the great bulk of the
community, and for whose information the scientific work, con-
founded with the minutes and seconds of time.

The young scientific horologist cannot have it too early impressed
upon him that the minutes and seconds of astronomy are, respec-
tively, the expressions of measurements of space on the great
astronomical circles, and the circles of the sphere. He has heard of
quadrants and sextants for taking observations at sea — the latter
being now almost entirely used — and the theodolite for land. The
sextant, as its name implies, takes in the sixth part of the circle, or
60 degrees, with such subdivisions of minutes and seconds as may be
upon it ; it deals entirely with marine astronomy in its bearing upon
ocean navigation ; it measures the altitudes of celestial bodies, and
is the scientific working brother of the chronometer. It has a
triangular frame, with an arc, or "limb," having the degrees,
minutes, and seconds, cut upon it, which arc has, also, a vernier
attached to it, to enable the measurements to be read off ; it has
glasses attached to the frame, through which the observations are
taken. The scientific principle governing these instruments is a
theorem in catoptrics, or that part of optics that governs the action
of reflected light. This principle, in the sextant and other reflecting
instruments, is that if an 'object be seen by reflection from two
mirrors which are perpendicular to the same plane, the angular
distance of the object is double the inclination of the mirrors. The
double of this angle, consequently, gives the apparent altitude of
the star or other body observed. By means of the altitude, or
distance of the sun, star, &c, and the chronometer, in conjunction
with the tables in the nautical almanack, th e navigator is enabled
to know what part of the globe he is sailing over, and what distance
he is from home and from his destined port.

The theodolite, on the other hand, is entirely for use upon land.
It is the most useful instrument of the geodetic surveyor. It not
only measures angles embracing large surfaces of country, but it
also measures the heights and risings of the land from where the sur-
veyor may be making his observations. The name is a compound of
two Greek words, theaomai, to see, and dolichos, long. It consists of
a horizontal circle, very finely graduated, forming the edge of the
plate upon which the other parts of the instrument are built. Upon
this plate are two spirit-levels at right angles to each other ; the
vernier plate has a small telescope for the purpose of reading off
the graduations on its rim. Upon two inverted Y's, or frame
attached to the axis of the above-named plate, is a large section of
a graduated circle for taking vertical angles ; that is, for measuring
the rise and fall of the land under survey. Over the chord, or
cross-bar, of the circle section is another spirit-level, whilst above
all is the telescope of the instrument, to the underside of which the
spirit-level is attached. The whole has an arrangement of mill-
headed screws for the adjustment of the various parts, and rests
upon an axis which moves freely round in a collet that is screwed
at the junction of three legs, the latter being used to stand the
instrument upon when at work. These explanations may help a
little towards the comprehension of others of a similar character as
they may arise.

The degrees of a circle having now been explained, the student
will be sufficiently informed to discriminate whether the minutes
and seconds that he may meet with in astronomical reading have
reference to time or space. The meaning is, in reality, entirely
governed by hour, and degree. Its hour means time, and degree
means space, their several minutes and seconds, as a consequence,
follow the meaning of the primaries. In order, however, to still
further avoid confusion, in many booksthe words are indicatedthus —
h. m. s. ; and h- m- ■■ ; as well as "• m- 3- for space. It may be useful
to mention here that these degrees have no relation whatever to the
degrees of the barometer and the thermometer; the latter merely
having the same name for the sake of convenience.

Arago says that the ancients regarded the circle as the noblest
of curves, they having the belief that all the celestial bodies moved
in circles. That the circle has always been regarded as a grand
department of geometry has been amply proved by the numerous

attempts that have, for generation, been made to what is called
"square" it. But the circle obstinately refuses to be squared,
notwithstanding the persistent and almost delirious assaults of the
great family of the squarers. Books, pamphlets, plates, and dia-
grams in any quantity have been printed to prove that that par-
ticular writer has " at last " succeeded in the great unsolved problem
of centuries of mathematical inquiry. Somehow or other a close
analysis of the said diagrams of any quantity of curves, angles, and
lines, has simply satisfied the "cold-blooded" mathematical
inquirer that the circle still stood the circle, that no squaring was
possible, and that if it was squared to-morrow, the squaring would
amount to nothing in the way of practical work. We may, here-
after, lay the whole of this question before our readers ; the details
would form a very interesting bit of reading for those who care
about such matters.

We have spoken of the diameter of a circle cutting it into two equal
parts ; thus, on the circle marked in degrees, if one extremity of the
diameter passes through zero, the other must pass through the 180th
degree, or 3f°°, Again, if one extremity of diameter cuts the 90th
degree, the other will, of a surety, pass through the 270th ; because
the two extremities must be 180 degrees apart. In all treatises
upon wheel-work these principles are strictly adhered to. Take the
following, namely, that the circumference of circles are propor-
tionate to their radii. The application of this is very important, as
every reader of geometrical elements will understand. We now
give it in a very homely way. Take a thread and wind it round the
circumference of a circle the radius of which we will call 1. If we
wind the same thread round the circumference of a circle whose
radius is double that of the former, the thread would be twice as
long ; if three times the radius, three times as long, &c. This pro-
portion is true, not only to what we have just stated, but, strangely
as it may appear, to circles whose radii differed from each other in
various proportions. Thus, let us take 1 + ^th, 1 + xJoth,
1 + l-jJ^th, &c, the circumference of the second circle would
exceed that of the first by J5th, that of the third would exceed the
second by y^h, and that of the fourth by i^rs-th.

It will be as well to read these results carefully over, so that they
may be remembered when we come to wheel-work, as they will then
be found to be of great value. But, stop ! — what is this ? The
printer's " D " says that we have not said one single word about
dialling this month, and, as he has not time to be troubled with any
more copy, we must wind up. We will probably wind up the
dialling next month.

(To be continued.)

EARLY WATCHES.

THE New York Jewellers' Circular says : — " Watch " is from a
Saxon word signifying to wake. At first the watch was as
large as a saucer ; it had weights and was used as a " pocket-clock."
The earliest known use of the modern name occurs in a record of
1552, which mentions that Edward the VI. had "one larum or
watch of iron, the case being likewise of iron gilt with two
plummets of lead." The first great improvement, the substitution
of the spring for weights, was in 1850. Early watches had only
one hand, and required winding twice a day. The dials were of
silver or brass ; the cases had no crystals, but opened at the back-
front, and were four or five inches in diameter.

There is a watch in a Swiss museum only three 'Sixteenths of an
inch in diameter, inserted in the top of a pencil case. Its little
dial indicates not only hours, minutes, seconds ; but also the days
of the month. It is a relic of old times, when watches were inserted
in saddles, snuff-boxes, shirt-studs, breast-pins, bracelets and finger-
rings. Some were fantastic oval, octangular, cruciform, or in the
shape of pearl, melons or tulip, coffins.

THE FRAUDULENT HALL MARKS CASE.

THIS case of inserting old hall marks in new articles of plate, the
particulars of which were given in the June number of this
journal, has assumed a new phase. Edward Brown, the electro-
plater, pleaded guilty to inserting the false bottoms, and judgmeut
was reserved. The Goldsmiths' Company thereupon proceeded
against Mr. David Gooch, a silversmith, of New Oxford Street, for
whom the spurious articles of plate were made. At the examination
at Marlborough Street Police Court, Brown said that Gooch in-
duced him to insert the old bottoms, telling him the manufactured
articles would be duly "registered " at Goldsmiths' Hall. Brown
strongly asserted his ignorance of any fraud being practised.
Gooch was committed for trial, and bail refused.

Aug. 5,. 1876.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

51

MASTER HUMPHREY'S CLOCK.

THE GREAT CLOCK AT STRASBURG.

UNTIL a few weeks ago, the original Master Humphrey's clock
was to be seen over the door of the late Mr. Humphrey's sho})
in Barnard Castle, county of Durham. Mr. Humphrey was a
clock and watch maker, and rendered great service to Charles
Dickens, in supplying him with the materials for his ' ' Nicholas
Nickleby," and it was this worthy horologist's clock which suggested
to him the title of that book. The Humphreys have in their
possession a letter from Mr. Dickens stating this, and a copy of the
work containing the autograph of the author. Mr. Humphrey
directed Mr. Dickens and his friend " Phiz " to the school which the
two travellers rendered infamous by their pen and pencil, but it was
by no means the worst of those institutions. The schoolmaster had
been very successful in obtaining pupils, and had become very
tyrannical and insulting to strangers.

He received Mr. Dickens and his companion with extreme hauteur,
and did not as much as withdraw his eyes from the operation of
penmaking during their interview.

But "Phiz," who did not dare to display his drawing materials
openly, sketched him on his thumb nail, and reproduced him so
exactly that soon after the appearance of the novel the school fell
off, and was ultimately deserted. Since that period the "Dothe-
boys ' ' description of school has altogether ceased in the district,
although many of the prison-like structures still remain.

The clock was recently purchased by an eminent and wealthy
firm of leather factors, George Angus & Son, of Newcastle and
Liverpool, and has been sent by them as a present to the Hon.
Isaac H. Bailey, of Philadelphia. It was first intended that the
clock should be placed in the Centennial Exhibition, but owing to
the lateness of its arrival, this matter has been left entirely to the
discretion of Mr. Bailey. It is now placed in the office of its owner,
No. 17, Spruce-street, where it will tick out the hours and minutes
with the same regularity that characterized it in its honoured place,
in front of the shop of Master Humphrey ; there it will perma-
nently remain unless it should be sent for a period to the Centennial.
The clock is a solid structure with a dial two feet in diameter, and
the hours marked in yellow Roman numerals on a slate-coloured
ground. A massive pendulum swings beneath, and heavy weights
move the works. The oaken case with the clock does not accom-
pany it, either because it was too bulky for convenient transportation,
or because it was an accessory introduced by the fertile imagination
of the author, which is probably the fact.

CLOCK-REPAIRING ACCOUNT.

THE New York Jeivellers' Circular furnishes us with the following-
amusing account for clock repairing: — A Worcester gentleman
recently sent a very fine French clock to a well-known jeweller to
be repaired, saying he wished each item of repairing. The following
is a copy of the bill rendered : —

To removing alluvial deposit and oleaginous conglomerate
from clock a la France

To lubricating with oleaginous solution the apex of pinions
• of said clock

$0-50

0-50

0-50

To replacing in appropriate juxta-position the constituent
components of said clock

To adjusting horologically the isochronal mechanism of

said clock . . . . . . (>50

To equalizing the acoustic resultant of escape wheel

percussion upon the verge pallets of said clock . . 0-50

To adjusting the distance between the centre of gravity
of the pendulum and its point of suspension so that

»the vibration of the pendulum shall cause the index
hand to indicate approximately the daily arrival of the

Total

$3-00

A Burmese Editok.— The kingdom of Burmahis at last to have a
journal. The king himself is to be the chief editor and proprietor, and
the royal penman threatens with the penalty of death all his sub-
jects who will not subscribe to his paper. The method is certainly
novel in the way of " working up " a circulation.

ABOUT the middle of the fourteenth century the Canon of
Strasburg wished mightily for a clock which should be
worthy of the magnificent cathedral wherein he would place it.
With this end in view he invited the most learned astronomers and
the most skilful mechanicians to vie with each other in producing
a clock which should astonish the world and be no shame to the
mighty cathedral. A man came forward ; and in 1352 the clock
was finished. The whole of the Chapter was convoked to behold
the first movements of this marvellous machine, which surpassed
the most sanguine expectations. A cock perched at the top of a
tower flapped his wings a few minutes before the striking of each
hour, to warn the faithful against the suggestions of an evil spirit,
which the chief of the apostles himself had no power to resist.
Then Death came and struck upon a sounding bell as many strokes
as the hour required, and an equal number of apostles passed in a
lowly attitude before Christ, who placed His hands upon them in
the attitude of blessing. Finally the chariot of the sun showed by
its course round the dial the months and the seasons ; and the
hands pointed out the different parts of the day, the days of the
week, the days of the month, the age of the world, and the year of
our Lord.

When the canons saw all this, their first feelings were of amaze-
ment and delight ; then they thought within themselves that this
man who had been clever enough to make a wonderful clock for
them, might make many more and deprive their clock of its celebrity.
They immediately determined to deprive the unfortunate man of
his sight, and barbarously executed their sentence, not informing
their victim until afterwards of the cause of their wicked cruelty.
When he learnt it, he cried out, " Oh ! foolish men, what have you
done ? The clock is not finished ; one piece is still wanting which
I alone can supply, and without which it is quite useless." The
man was instantly let to his work, when he seized the main wheel
which set the whole mechanism in motion, broke it, and thus stopped
the movements of the clock for ever. This is the legend of the first
Strasburg clock.

But in 1550 a new clock of Strasburg was to be made, and the
most noted mathematicians of the time were called upon to preside
over its manufacture. The work was interrupted by the death of
some of these. In 1560 it was left solely in the hands of one,
Conrad Volkenstein, an astronomer of Hamburg, who entrusted
the execution of the different parts of the mechanism to the brothers
Habrecht, of Sehaffhausen, and the decoration to Tobias Stimmer,
of Strasburg. This clock was finished on the 28th of June, 1574.
Kauchfuss' work was restored 1669, by Michael Habrecht, and
again in 1732, by Jacques Straubhar. It ceased to act in 1789.

The present clock was commenced by a clever artist of Strasburg,
M. Schinique, on the 24th June, 1838, and finished on the 2nd of
October, 1842.

The central motive power, which is in itself a clock of wonderful
precision, serves to indicate upon a dial-plate, placed on the outside
of the church, the hours and the subdivisions, and the days of the
week, with the signs of the planets corresponding to them. These
indications are repeated inside upon a double dial, one showing the
hours, and another devoted exclusively to the calendar, showing the
month, the date, the Dominical letter, the saint's day, &c. Two
winged beings are seated on each side of the small dial. At each
quarter of an hour the right-hand one strikes upon a bell. Imme-
diately the stroke is repeated on all the dials by automata, one
representing Childhood, another Youth, another Manhood, and a
fourth Old Age. Death, placed upon a pedestal by the side of the
old man, strikes the hour, and every time he fulfils his grave
mission the second of the two winged figures of which we have
spoken reverses an hour-glass.

At mid-day at the striking of the hour a procession of apostles
passes before Christ, who places His hands over them in the attitude
of blessing ; at the same time the cock perched on a tower flaps his
wings and crows thrice. On the ground in front of the clock stands
a celestial globe, demonstrating the daily and annual motions of the
heavens, stars, and planets, with great exactness.

A French machinist has discovered that by keeping his turning
tools constantly wetted with petroleum he was able to cut metals
and alloys with them, although when the tools were used without
the oils their edges were turned and dulled. The hardest steel can
be turned easily if the tools be thus wet with a mixture of 2 parts
of etroleum with 1 part of turpentine.

59

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER. AND

[Aug. 5, 1876.

OLD PLATE.

POSSESSORS of old plate may be glad of the following particulars
relative to the marks which distinguish old English silver and
gold.

MARKS ON SILVER.

The silver marks are various ; 1. The maker's mark ; 2. The hall
(i. i. Goldsmith Hall) mark ; 3. The duty mark; 4. The date mark ;
And 5. The standard mark.

The first shows the maker, the second the place at which the piece
was stamped, the third the reign to which it belongs, the fourth the
year, and the fifth the quality.

More specifically, silver bears five marks : The maker's mark,
consisting of the initials of the maker's Christian and surnames ; 2.-
Date mark, a letter of the alphabet, the character of which indicates
the year : S. Duty mark, which is the head of the reigning sovereign,
in profile ; 4. The hall niark, which is a leopard's head, crowned,
for London ; five lions on a cross for York ; a castle with three
towers for Exeter; three castles for Newcastle; an anchor for
Birmingham : a crown for Sheffield, and a sword between three
wheat-sheaves for Chester ; 5. The standard mark, which is a lion
passant for silver of sterling quality, or which contains 11 oz.
2 pennyweights of silver in the 12 oz.

MARKS OF THE GOLDSMITH'S COMPANY.

The marks of the Goldsmith's Company are as follows : — 1656 to
1675, old English capitals ; 1676 to 1695, small Roman letters ;
1696 to 1715, the Court alphabet ; 1716 to 1735, Roman capitals ;
1736 to 1755, small Roman letters; 1756 to 1775, old English
capitals : 1776 to 1795, small Roman letters ; 1796 to 1815, Roman
capitals ; 1816 to 1835, small Roman letters ; 1836 to 1855, old
English capitals ; 1856 to 1875, old English small letters.

There is no great difficulty in seeing what sovereign's head is upon
the plate, and, to learn the date, this of course must be observed as
well as the date mark.

The goldsmiths in England were incorporated so far back as the
reign of Richard II., but there is undoubted proof that the English
jewellers and workmen had obtained great excellence long prior to
that period.

In the time of Henry II., a certain monk had acquired so great a
reputation for his works in gold, silver, gilding and jewelling that
he was invited by the King of Denmark to superintend his works in
gold, and be his banker or money changer.

The business of banking came gradually to be superadded to that
of a dealer in the precious metals, and led to the latter being-
relinquished in favour of the former.

Thus, to give a notable example, Sir Francis Child served his
apprenticeship to William Wheeler, goldsmith and banker, and
marrying his only daughter, succeeded to his estate and business,
from which originated a celebrated banking firm — the oldest now in
London — Child & Co., of Temple Bar, Sir Francis was born in 1642.
The Earl of Jersey is the principal partner in the banking-house, as
representative of his grandmother. This lady, long known as a
celebrated leader of fashion in London, succeeded to this inherit-
ance, with a great amount of other property, under the will of her
grandfather, Mr. Child. Lady Jersey's mother had eloped with
Lord Westmoreland, and Mr. Child was so incensed that he deter-
mined to prevent the Westmorelands from benefitting by his wealth.
He bequeathed the whole of his property to his grand-daughter —
Lady Westmoreland's eldest daughter, who became the wife of
Lord Jersey. The elopers were hotly pursued by Mr. Child's
direction, and nearly overtaken, when Lord "Westmoreland, leaning
out of a window, pistol in hand, shot one of the leading horses at-
tached to the pursuer's carriage. It is remarkable that Lady
Jersey's own daughter was the last person of consequence married
at Gretna Green, having eloped in 1843 with a young officer of the
name of Ibbetson. This affair made almost as much noise at the
time in the fashionable world as the elopement of her grandfather
sixty years before with the heiress of the millionaire banker. The
accumulation of plate in the old families in England was only
realized in 1862, when an exhibition of art treasures was held in the
building of the South Kensington Museum, to which nearly every
great family sent liberal contributions. The Earls of Stamford and
Warrington were for a long time under the necessity, in order to
comply with the terms of an ancestor's will, of buying a certain
amount of plate every year, and nearly everything in their house for
which silver was at all suitable was made of that metal. The Duke
of Buccleugh has a famous collection. He inherits through an
actress, who was one of the daughters and co-heiresses of the great
Duke of Marlborough, some of the splendid silver ware of that

rapacious warrior, and has, besides, great hoards from various other
sources. The Marquis of Exeter, the direct lineal descendant of the
great Lord Treasurer Burghley, is also very rich in the same way ;
his famous " Burghley House by Stamford Town" being filled with
valuable articles, many dating from the Lord Treasurer's time. At
Knole, a grand old mansion in Kent, formerly the residence of the
Duke of Dorset, is a room in which almost every article is of silver
or massively overlaid therewith. It was furnished by the then Lord
Treasurer — who, it may be fairly inferred, made a good thing out
of his post — for James I.'s occupation on a visit.

The plate held in most esteem in England is that of the time of
Queen Anne, for which the most extravagant prices are frequently
given by amateurs. The universities are rich in silver • but in
many of the Oxford colleges they have none earlier than the time
of Charles n., having given what they had before to Charles I. to
help him in "the troubles." It is the custom for families, when
leaving London or England, to send their plate chests to their
banker's ; and some London firms have immense amounts in their
cellars, which have been lying there for years and years. In one
case a very celebrated firm some time since proceeded to examine
unclaimed chests of plate which had been an extraordinary len<*th
of time in its possession, and had, it seemed, been entirely over-
looked and forgotten, and the contents were distributed amongst
those persons who, after careful inquiry, appeared to have a just
claim to them. The turf has given great encouragement to the
manufacture of ornamental plate of the costliest description, and
the best artists are employed by the leading silversmiths in order to
bring this branch of their trade to the highest perfection. The
greatest fortune probably ever made by a jeweller was made by Mr.
Rundell, of the celebrated firm of Rwndell & Bridge, who left con-
siderably over a million of money. It is said, and no doubt with
truth, that a great deal of Mr. Rundell's money was made bybuyino-
splendid jewels at an immense advantage from French emigres after
1870.

USEFUL RECEIPTS FOB, WATCHMAKERS AND
JEWELLERS.

A new compound for polishing and cleaning metals is composed
of 1 oz. carbonate of ammonia dissolved in 4 oz. water ; with this
is mixed 16 oz. Paris white. A moistened sponge is dipped in
the powder, and rubbed lightly over the surface of the metal, after
which the powder is dusted off, leaving a fine brilliant lustre.

Liquid Foil for Silvering Glass Globes, &c— Lead, 1 part;
tin, 1 part ; bismuth, 1 part : melt, and just before it sets add
mercury, 10 parts ; pour this into the globe and turn it rapidly
round.

Silvering Shells. — Silver leaf and gum water, a sufficient quan-
tity ; grind to a proper thickness, and cover the inside of the shells.
For a gold colour, grind up gold leaf with gum water, and apply to
the inside of the shells.

To Cleanse Brushes. — The best method of cleansing watch-
makers' and jewellers' brushes is to wash them out in a strong soda
water. When the backs are wood you must favour- that part as
much as possible, for, being glued, the water may injure them.

To wash Silverware. — Never use a particle of soap on your
silverware as, it dulls the lustre, giving the article more the appear-
ance of pewter than silver. When it wants cleaning, rub it with
a piece of soft leather and prepared chalk, the latter made into a
kind of paste with pure water, for the reason that water not pure
might contain gritty particles.

To Gild Steel. — Pour some of the etherial solution into a wine-
glass and dip into it the blade of a new penknife, razor, lancet, etc. •
withdraw the instrument and allow the ether to evaporate. The
blade will be found covered with a beautiful coat of gold. The
blade may be moistened with a clean rag or a small piece of dry
sponge dipped in the ether, and the same effect will be produced.

A simple way of Hardening Small Watch Drills. — Heat the tool
in the flame of a candle and then plunge suddenly in the candle urease.
This is done on account of the drills being so small that they will
not retain their heat sufficiently long to enable the operator to
remove them from the source of heat to a vessel containing water
used for hardening. — Scientific American.

Aug. 5, 1376.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

53

AN EXPLANATION OF THE PRINCIPAL TERMS
MADE USE OF IN ASTRONOMY.

(Continued from page 27).

BISSEXTILE, or Leap Year, so called by the Romans on account
of their reckoning the sixth day of the calends of March twice
over. Leap year contains 366 days, which happens every four
years, when a day is added to the month of February to make up for
the six hours which the sun spends in his course each year beyond
the 365 days usually assigned to it. Leap year may be known by
dividing the year by 4, and if nothing remain it is leap year, but if 1,
2, or 3 remain it is so many years after.

Cancer the Crab is one of the twelve signs of the zodiac, into
which the sun enters about the 21st of June, or upon our longest
day. The stars in this constellation are seventy-five in number.

Capricorniis, or Capricorn, is the tenth sign of the zodiac, into which
the sun enters about the 21st of December, or upon our shortest
day. Upon the ancient medals it is represented in the form of a
goat with the hinder parts of a fish ; for the sun entering that sign
on the winter solstice, from whence he begins to ascend towards the
northern hemisphere, the hieroglyphic sign of a goat, which is fond
of climbing and ascends as it browses, seemed to be proper to repre-
sent that circumstance.

Cardinal Points are the east, ivest, north, and south points of
the compass. The word cardinal signifies principal, chief, supreme
Ihus, cardinal winds are those that blow from the four corners of
the compass. The cardinal signs in the Zodiac, Aries, Libra
Cancer, and Capricorn.

In Arithmetic cardinal numbers are such as express positively how
many things there are, as 1, 4, 8, 10, 12, &c.

In Morality, the cardinal virtues are justice, prudence, temperance,
and fortitude.

Centrifugal Force is that force by which any revolving body
endeavours to fly off from the centre of motion in a tangent to the
circle which it describes.

Centripetal Force is that by which any revolving body is made to
tend towards the centre of its orbit.

Charles, Wain, consists of seven remarkable stars in Ursa Maior

or the Great Bear. J '

Crystalline Heavens is the Ptolemaic system, two solid orbs by

means of which the ancients attempted to account for the apparent

motion of the fixed stars.

Colures are two great circles, or meridians, one of which passes
through solstitial points, Cancer and Capricorn, and the other through
the equinoctial points, Aries and Libra. These circles are imao-ined
to intersect each other in the poles of the world, in the one determin-
ing the solstices and the other the equinoxes.

Conjunction is when two stars seen from the sun or the earth
appear in the same point of the heavens or answer to the same decree
ot the ecliptic.

Constellation is a number of stars lying in the neighbourhood
ot each other, which astronomers, for the sake of rememberino- with
more ease, suppose to be circumscribed by the outlines of some animal
or other figure.

Comets are certain erratic or wandering bodies belonging to our
system which move round the sun in very eccentric orbits, and are
principally distinguished from the planets by their tails or some
hairy or nebulous appearance. When a comet is eastward of the sun
and its light marches before it is said to be bearded ; tailed, when
westward of the sun and the train follows it ; and haired, when
diametrically opposite to the sun, having the earth between it, and
all its tail hidden except a few scattered rays.

Cosmical Rising, or setting of a planet or star, is when it rises with
the sun m the morning or sets with him in the evening.

Culminating is a term applied to the sun or a star when it conies
to the meridian of any place.

Cycle is a certain period or series of years which regularly proceed
from the first to the last and then returns again to the first, and
circulates perpetually. The cycle of the moon is a revolution of
nineteen years, in which time the conjunctions and lunar aspects are
nearly the same as they were nineteen years before. The cycle of
the moon consists of twenty-eight years. The cycle of the Roman
indication is completed in fifteen years.

Dag (natural) is that portion of time in which the earth com-
pletes an entire revolution on its axis ; this consists of twenty-four
hours. It is sometimes called the civil day. An artificial day is the
time between the sun's rising and setting, to which is opposed night,
or the time between his setting and rising. An astronomical day
is the time between two successive transits of the sun's centre over
the same meridian, which always begins and ends at noon.

Declination of the sun, moon, or stars, is their distance north
or south from the equator, reckoned in degrees, minutes, &c, upon
a circle which is perpendicular to it.

Direct. — A planet is said to be direct when it moves according to
the order of the signs ; as from Aries towards Taurus, &c.

Disc of the sun or moon is its round face, which on account
of its great distance of the object, appears flat, or like a plain
surface.

Digit, in astronomy, is the twelfth part of the sun's meridian, which
is often used in the calculation of the eclipses.

Diurnal, of or belonging to the day : thus the diurnal motions of
the planet are the spaces they move through in a day.

Dominical Letter is that which denotes the Sunday in almanac
throughout the year. This letter is usually marked in red, It is
named Dominical, from Dominus, Lord.

CURIOSITIES OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

{Continued from page 273.)

ONE of the Lords Ashton, of Forfar, was a watchmaker in 1763 ;
and it is said that the Earl of Cottenham descended from
John Pepys, citizen and clockmaker of London.

At a meeting of the Archaeological Institute, held on July 3rd,
1863, the Earl of Mansfield exhibited several exquisite miniatures
upon wratch-cases of the last century. Among those paintings were
portraits of the unfortunate Queen of Denmark, Caroline, sister of
George IH., and of the famous Streuensee, Prime Minister of Den-
mark, who was executed, in 1772, for an intrigue with the queen.

On June 4th, 1764, the celebrated watchmaker, Arnold, of
Devereux-court, in the Strand, presented to George III. a curious
Liliputian repeating watch of his own manufacture, set in a ring.
The size of the article did not exceed that of a silver twopenny-
piece. It contained 120 different parts, but altogether weighed not
more than 5dwts. 7^grs., which were thus minutely subdivided: —
The movement complete weighed 2 dwts. 2^ grs. ; the great wheel
and fuzee, 2f grs. ; the second wheel and pinion, ~ gr. ; the barrel
and mainspring, 3| grs. ; the third wheel and pinion, £ gr. ; the
fourth wheel and pinion, TVgr. ; the cylinder wheel and pinion,
tT5 gr. ; the balance, pendulum, cylinder, spring and collet, f gr. ;
the pendulum i^5 gr. ; the chain, ^ gr. ; the barrel and main-
spring, If gr. ; the great wheel and ratchet, 1 gr. ; the second
wheel and pinion, \ gr. ; the third wheel and pinion, -* gr. ; the
fourth wheel and pinion, £gr. ; the flywheel and pinion,
JL. gr. ; the fly pinion ^3 gr. ; the hour hammer, J gr. ; the quarter
hammer, J gr. ; the rack chain and pulley, 1 1 gr. ; the quarter and
half-quarter rack, ■§ gr. ; the quarter and half-quarter snail and
common pinion, f gr. ; the all-or-nothing piece, Jgr. ; the two-
motion wheel, 1 gr. ; the steel dial plate with gold figures, 3| grs. ;
the hour snail and star, J gr., and TV. For this delicate and ex-
quisite specimen of art Arnold had to make nearly all the tools he
used in its manufacture. This tiny watch contained the first ruby
cylinder ever made. The king was so pleased with this mechanical
wonder that he presented the donor of it with 500 guineas, as a re-
cognition of his artistic skill. Some time after the Emperor of
Russia, having heard of the king's watch, offered Arnold 1000
guineas if he would make another like it for him. This Arnold
refused to do, so that he might not depreciate the value of his
gift, but allow it to remain unique. The Annual Register for
1770, and the Gentlemen's Magazine for 1771, tell us that on
Christmas Day in the former year Mr. Arnold, a watchmaker in
St. James-street, presented to George III. a small repeating watch
in a ring, the cylinder of which was made of an Oriental ruby.
Its diameter was z\ in., its length ^\m., and its weight ^ gr.

Mr. S. Addington has a large oval watch composed of two pieces
of rock crystal of octohedral form, 3 in. long and 3 in. wide.
The dial shows the hours only ; the bell is placed between
the dial and the works. It was made at Lubeck, and is
said to have belonged to Louis XIV. Lady Willoughby Eresby
has a gold watch with a painted enamel back and portraits of two
children and a dog, with gilt chatelaine of chased figures and Louis
XIV. scrolls. The maker was Agustin of Vienna. Mr. J. G. Gard-
ner has a gold watch made by Graham, of London, the outer case
being repousse with Ulysses and Penelope and Louis XIV. scrolls.

(To be continued.)

Costly Plate for Japan. — Messrs. Garrard, the Queen's gold-
smiths, of the Haymarket, have just completed a most elaborate and
valuable service of silver-gilt plate for the Mikado of Japan.

Si

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1876.

FINGER RINGS

(Continued from page 33).

I

X Ben Jonsou's comedy, "The Magnetic Lady," the parson, com-
pelled to form a hasty wedding, asks —

" Have you a wedding ring? "

To which he receives an answer — •

" Ay. and a poesy ;
Annul us hie nobis, quod sic uterque, dabit ."

lie at once exclaims —

" Good !
TJtis ring will give you what you both desire.
I'll make the whole house chant it, and the parish."

Such rings were known as gemel or gimmal rings, the word
being derived from the Latin gemellus, twins. The two making
one, and, though separate, indivisible, peculiarly fitted them for
wedding rings. Their structure will be best understood from the

Fia. 91. Fig. !il>.

very fine specimen in the Londesborough collection, Fig. 91. The
ring, as closed and worn on the finger, is shown in the uppermost
figure (a). It is set with sapphire and amethyst, the elaborate and
beautiful design enriched by coloured enamels. The lower figure
shows the ring parted (b), displaying the inscription on the flat side
of each section, which is also enriched by engraving and niello.
Dryden, in his play of " Don Sebastian," describes such a ring —

" A curious artist wrought them
With joints so close as not to be perceived ;
Yet they are both each other's counterpart.
(Her part had Juan inscribed, and his had Zaida ;
You know those names were theirs) and in the midst,
A heart divided in two halves were placed.
Now if the rivets of those rings enclosed
Fit not each other, I have forged this lie ;
But if they join, we must part for ever."

A complete illustration of this passage of the poet is afforded in
Fig. 92, from the same collection. It also illustrates Dr. Nare's
remark that "gimmal rings, though originally double, were by
further refinement made triple, or even more complicated ; yet the
name remained unchanged." So Herrick —

,: Thou sen'st to me a true love knot, but I
Return a ring jimmals, to imply
Thy love had one knot, mine a triple tye."

This ring (Fig. 92) is shown (a) as it appears when closed ; it parts
into three hoops, secured on a small pivot, as seen (b), the toothed
edge of the central hoop forming an ornamental centre to the hoop
of the ring, and having two hearts in the middle ; a hand is affixed

to the side of the upper and lower hoop, the fingers slightly raised,
so that when the hoops are brought together, they link in each
other and close over the hearts, securing all firmly.

A mechanical ring of still greater mystic significance is shown

Fig. 93, and is one of the most curious of the Londesborough series;
The outside of the hoop is perfectly plain and is set with a ruby
and amethyst. Upon pressing the stone a spring opens, and
discovers the surface covered with magical signs and names _ of
spirits ; among them Asmodiel, Nachiel, and Zamiel occur, a similar
series occupying the interior of the hoop. Such a ring might be
worn without suspicion of its true import, looking simplicity itself,
but fraught with unholy meaning. It was probably constructed
for some mystic philosopher, or student of the occult sciences,
searching for the philosopher's stone, the elixir of life, and the
power given to man to control the unseen world of spirits.

Jritt. H4. Fig. 95.

We close our review of the art of ring making in the sixteenth
century with two very beautiful examples. Fig. 94, from the Londes-
borough collection, has a ruby in a very tall sitting enriched by
enamel. The sides of the hoop are highly decorated with flowers
and scroll ornament, also richly enamelled. The Waterton collec-
tion gives us Fig. 95. A gold enamelled ring set with a large
turquoise in the centre and surrounded by six raised garnets. This
ring is stated to have subsequently belonged to Frederick the
Great, King of Prussia, whose cipher is upon it.

We must not, however, end this portion of our history Avithont a
reference to the simple but most important "plain gold ring" of
matrimony. It was at this time almost universally inscribed with a
" poesy " of one or two lines of rhyme. Two specimens are here
engraved. Fig. 9G is formed like the badge of the Order of the
Garter — with the buckle in front and the motto of the order
outside the hoop — withinside, are the words, "I'll win and
wear you." The ordinary form of ring is shown' in Fig. 97, and is
inscribed, "Let likinge laste." They were invariably inscribed
witldnside the hoop. Thus Lyly, in his "Eupheses," 1597, ad-
dressing the ladies, hopes they will favour his works, "writing their

Fig. nc. Fig. 07.

judgments as you do the poesies in your rings, which are always
next to the finger, not to be seen of him that holdeth you by tlie
hand, and yet known by you that wear them on your hands." Such
jingling rhymes were in great request, and exerted the ingenuity of
poetasters and small wits. In 1624 a small collection of them was
printed, with the quaint title, "Love's Garland; or, Poesies for rings,
handkerchiefs, and gloves, and such pretty tokens that lovers send
their loves." They are generally in double, seldom in triple lines of
rhyme. The Rev. R. Brooke, of Gateforth House, Selby, has
presented a curious collection of such rings to the South Kensington
Museum. The six following poesies are selected from this series,
as they are good examples of the average inspirations of ring
poets : —

"Seithe God hath wrought this choice in thee,
So frame thyselfe to comfourth mee."

" United hearts death only parts."

" Let us share in joy and care."

"A faithfull wife preserveth life."

" As God decreed, so we agreed."

" Love and live happily."

The custom of thus inscribing rings continued until the middle of
the last century. There is a story told of Dr. John Thomas
Bishop of Lincoln, in 1753, that he inscribed his fourth wife's rim'-
with, these words : —

"If I sui'vive
I'll make them five."

Horace Walpolc says, " My Lady Rochford desired me t'other dav
to give her a motto for a ruby ring," so that at that time poesies
were not confined to wedding rings.

Aug. 5, 1876.]

SILVEBSMITH'S TKADE JOUKNAL.

55

Allusion has already been made to the custom of using rings
as receptacles for relics or poisons. The most famed belonged
to Caesar Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI., both adepts in
poisoning. A grasp from the hand wearing this ring ensured a
very slow, but certain death ; it contained a virulent poison, which
found vent through a small spike, and which was so slight in its
operation as to be scarcely felt, and not usually noticed by the
person wounded during the excitement of the hearty friendship so
well simulated. AVlien conspiracies against the life of William of
Orange were rife, under the influence of the court of Spain (area
1582), the unworthy son of Count Egmont " had himself undertaken
to destroy the prince at his own table by means of poison, which
he kept concealed in a ring. Saint Aldegonde (his friend and
counsellor) was to have been taken off in the same way, and a

fig. 98.

FjG. 99.

hollow ring filled with poison is said to have been found in Egmont's
lodgings."

Fig. 98 represents a curious Venetian ring, the bezel formed like a
box to contain relics. The face of the ring (in this instance the
cover of the box) has a representation of St. Mark seated, holding
his gospel, and giving the benediction. The spaces between this
figure and the oval border are perforated so that the interior of the
box is visible and the relic enshrined might be seen. Fig. 99 is
another ring of the same construction ; it is richly engraved and set
with two rubies and a pyramidal diamond ; the collet securing the
latter stone opens with a spring, and exhibits a somewhat large
receptacle for such virulent poisons as were concocted by Italian
chemists in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
_ The elaborate character of design adopted at this time for Venetian
rings, the highly artistic taste that governed it, as well as the beauty
of the stones employed in settings, combined to perfect bijouterie that
has never been surpassed. Fig. 100 is a ring of very peculiar design.
It is set with three stones in raised bezels ; to their bases are affixed,
by a swivel, gold pendant ornaments, each set with a garnet ; as the

Fig. ioo.

FIG. 101.

hand moves these pendants fall about the finger, the stones glit-
tering in the movement. This fashion was evidently borrowed from
the East, where people delight in pendant ornaments, and even
"affix them to articles of utility. Fig. 101 is a ring of silver, of
East Indian workmanship, discovered in the nuns of one of the
most ancient temples ; to its centre are affixed bunches of pear-
shaped, hollow drops of silver, which jingle Avith a soft, low note as
the hand moves.

We have already alluded to the old Eastern tale of " The Fish
and the Ring," invented some thousands of years since. It has
survived to our own day, and is still related and believed by the
commonalty to the east of London. In the church at Stepney is a
tomb to the memory of Lady Rebecca Berry, who died 1696, in
whose coat-of-arms a fish and an amulet appear. She has hence
been supposed the heroine of a once popular ballad, the scene of
which is laid in Yorkshire ; it is entitled " The Cruel Knight, or
Fortunate Farmer's Daughter," and narrates how one of knightly
rank, in passing a village, heard the cry of a woman in travail and
was told by a witch that he was predoomed to marry that girl on
her arrival at womanhood. The knight, in deep disgust, draws a ring
from his finger, and, casting it into a deep river, vows he will never
do so unless she can produce that ring. After many years a fish is
brought to the farmer's daughter to dress for dinner, and she finds
the ring in its stomach, enabling her to win a titled husband, who
no longer fights against his fate.

The civic arms of Glasgow exhibit a fish holding a ring in its
mouth. This alludes to an incident in the life of St. Kentigern,

patron of the see, as related in the "Acta Sanctorum.'" The queen
who was his penitent, had formed an attachment to a soldier, and
had given him a ring she had received from her husband. The
king knew his ring, but abided his revenge until one day, discovering
the soldier asleep by the banks of the Clyde, he took the ring from
his finger and threw it in the stream. He then demanded of his
queen a sight of his old love-gift, a request she was utterly unable
to comply with. In despair she confessed all to St. Kentigern, vow-
ing a purer life in future. The saint went to the river, caught a
salmon, and took from its stomach the missing ring, which re-
stored peace to all parties.

The occurrence of the fish and ring in the arms of Glasgow
and in the Stepney monument is "confirmation strong as proofs
of Holy Writ " of the truth of these stories in the minds of the
vulgar, who would regard scepticism in the same light as religious
infidelity.

Memorial rings were sometimes made to exhibit a small portrait,
and on some occasions to conceal one beneath the stone.

Fig. 102.

Fig. 103.

Such is the ring, Fig. 102, from the Londesborough collection,
which was made for some devoted adherent of King Charles I.
when such devotion was dangerous. A table-cut diamond is set
within an oval rim, acting as a lid to a small case opened by
means of a spring, and revealing a portrait of Charles executed
in enamel. The face of the ring, its back, and side portions of
the shank are decorated with engraved scroll work, filled in with
black enamel. "Relics" of this kind are consecrated by much
higher associations than what the mere crust of time bestows upon
them, and even were they not sufficiently old to excite the notice
of the antiquary, they are well deserving of attention from their
exhibiting "memorials of feelings which must ever command
respect and admiration." Horace Walpole had, in the Strawberry
Hill collection, " one of the only seven mourning rings given at
the burial of Charles I." It has the king's head in miniature
behind a death's head; between the letters " C. R." the motto,
" Prepared be to follow me."

A much more lugubrious memorial is presented from the same
collection, Fig. 103. Two figures of skeletons surround the finger
and support a small sarcophagus. The ring is of gold, enamelled,
the skeletons being made still more hideous by a covering of
white enamel. The lid of the sarcophagus is also enamelled, with
a Maltese cross in red on a black ground studded with gilt hearts.
This lid is made to slide off and display a very minute skeleton
lying within.

These doleful decorations first came in favour and fashion at the
court of France, when Diana of Poictiers became the nr'stress of
Henry II. At that time she was a widow and in mourning, so black
and white became fashionable colours. Jewels were formed like
funeral memorials : golden ornaments shaped like coffins holding
enamelled skeletons hung from the neck, and watches made to fit
in little silver skulls were attached to the waist,
(To be continued.)

BRITISH HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE.

AT the Annual General Meeting of the above institute, held on the
18th inst., Mr. Jackson, V.P., in the chair, the half-yearly
report was presented and adopted.

Twenty-six new members were elected.

The following were duly elected officers of the institute for the
ensuing year : — President — Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart., LL.D.,
Q.C., F.R.A.S. ; Vice-Presidents— Jno. Jones, F.R.G.S. ; Samuel
Jackson, David Glasgow ; Treasurer — Thomas Mercer ; Council —
C. Bacon; T. Baxter; H. Bickley ; W. B. Crisp; C. Dunn; J.
Evans; G. W. Frodsham; G. Hollister; G. Hooper; M. Immisch ;
H.P.Isaac; E. D. Johnson, F.R.A.S.; C. Killick ; A. Klaften-
berger; V. Kullberg ; C. Lange ; J. A. Lund; G. Mayer; J.
Penn; E. Perrett ; W. G. Schoof; A. Smythson ; R. Strachan,
F.M.S. ; J. Usher; A. P. Walsh; T. J. Willis.

Votes of thanks were passed to the officers of the past year.

56

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1876.

JEWELLERY AND SILVERWARE EXHIBITS AT
THE AMERICAN CENTENNIAL.

THE Neio York Jewellers* Circular gives a full description of the
jewellery and silverware exhibited at the Centennial Exhibi-
tion, and to which journal we are indebted for the following par-
ticulars : —

" Beginning with our own city, we give the place of honour to
the Gorham Manufacturing Co., which exhibits several special
designs in vases and figures from solid silver, and one of the most
complete and elegant collections of silverware for general table use,
taken directly from the best stock ever brought together.

Their chests of solid silver, consisting of various kinds of spoons,
forks, knives, &c, and designed for wedding presents, are in
numerous patterns, and all in exquisite taste, and show a finish in
detail that is remarkable. These chests, a specialty of the Gorham
Co. for the display of their goods, are among the most beautiful
things in this line to be seen.

The most perfect taste is displayed in the contrasting colours of
the satin linings, and in the finish of the exteriors, which are in
oak (Eastlake style), French walnut, sealskin, &c. The most
elaboiate and prominent object in this exhibit is the "Century
Vase/' designed by George "Wilkinson and S. J. Pairpoint, and
manufactured by the Gorham Co. It measures 5 feet 4 inches in
the length of the base, and is 4 feet 2 inches in height, weighs two
thousand ounces (2000 oz.) in solid silver, and is valued at 25,000
dollars ($25,000). It consists of groups of figures and medallions, in
bas-relief, all telling the story of our country during the past 100
years, and typifying our progress in the arts and our advancement in
commerce, &c. The work is a very spirited one, and displays a fine
artistic conception on the part of the designers. A model of a group in
wax, bronzed over with silver bronze by Mr. F. A. Heller, of Buffalo,
will strike the eye as one of the finest objects this company exhibits.
It is about a foot and a half in height, and is entitled "The King of
the Prairie," and represents an Indian woman, a chief's wife,
upholding in her arms her infant son to the admiring gaze of the
tribe. She is seated on a buffalo, which has its head held low in a
vain endeavour to disentangle with its foot a ribbon or band of
some kind which has fallen over its forehead.

The wonderful finish of the details of this group, and the per-
fection of i'S conception, which is thoroughly national, make it one
of the most characteristic things shown. Among other noticeable
arlicles in this exhibit is a Japanese tea set, in satin finish, orna-
mented by a border in rolled work, called the " Hymen " border,
and, of course, emblematical of marriage, and life after marriage.
There are three large and five small pieces in the set, all chased by
hand, in lines and bands of gold in Japanese designs.

Another new and characteristic design is a set for nuts — a silver
dish ornamented with figures of squirrels, and the nut picks having
squirrels on the handles. A " christening " set is an expensive and
elegant novelty — designed, no doubt, for that rare baby born with a
silver spoon in its mouth, we have all heard about, as it is valued
at the small sum of 600 dollars. There is a waiter, saucer, plate,
bowl, night lamp, saucepan, napkin ring, pap-spoon, &c, all solid
silver, in satin finish and highly polished lines, with a charming
allegorical border. The ease in which it is put up is itself a work
of art, being of Russia leather on the outside, and a beautiful com-
bination of ecru and brown satin inside. The coffee, tea, and
dinner sets which this house shows in sterling silver are especially
to be mentioned for the simplicity and elegance of their designs,
and their adaptability for constant use. Some fine pieces of
repousse work are exhibited also, such as a portrait of Dickens,
and a highly polished salver as clear as a mirror, the border of
flowers and fruit repousse.

Passing out of the exhibit of the Gorham Co., one conies directly
into that of J. E. Caldwell & Co., of Philadelphia, who display a
very fine line of silverware, jewellery, and diamonds. Their
specialty in silverware is their " Queen Ann" silver, which is also
characterized as " especially Philadelphian," though Tiffany & Co.
have shown the same kind of work in individual pieces, made for
their stock during the past year.

The ornamentation is a reproduction of old English chasing,
is called hand-made, and is effected by the repousse process. The
pieces present a mass of brilliant decorations iu raised figures of
flowers and foliage, which is rich and showy in the extreme. The
shapes are rather more antique than of Queen Ann's time, and are
singularly graceful and appropriate. Apart from the richness and
effectiveness of the dinner and tea sets shown in this style of work,
is first their durability, as it is impossible to scratch or dent their

surface, and second, their saving of labour, as they can be used
constantly for fifty years, if possible, without any other cleaning
than that obtained from soap and water, retaining for ever the same
brightness. The centre of Caldwell's exhibit is occupied by a
small case, in which will be found two of the largest diamonds in the
Exhibition, and a necklace and earrings of single diamonds which,
if not so large and extensive as others shown, are noticeable for the
purity of the stones and the care with which they have been cut
and set. The solitaires mentioned as among the largest in the
Exhibition, are of 42 carats weight.

The line of jewellery which this house calls attention to is taken
directly from stock, and consists of necklaces, pendants, earrings,
and brooches, bracelets, &c, in solid gold, with settings of diamonds
and other precious stones and cameos, all elegant in design and of
the best workmanship. A novelty in a lady's pin for a lace scarf
or veil, though but a mere trifle, is perfectly exquisite. It repre-
sents a white moss bud with leaves, the bud being almost entirely
silver, just enough gold being mixed with it to slightly colour it,
while the petals of the flower and the leaves are in shaded gold of
green and yellow. In their cases are also some new goods in enamels
on gold, little sets of brooches and earrings ; the brooches are either
a single violet and a field flower in their natural colours, or a bunch
of violets with leaves of burnished gold, or a large Parina violet
with a diamond in the centre, the earrings matching. Nothing
could be prettier than the designs offered.

Tiffany & Co.'s (New York) exhibit is on another side of the
same pavilion, and is characterized by variety and richness, and by
the excess of silverware it displays over jewellery. The place of
honour, however, is given to their diamonds, which are in a case
standing in front of the entrance. They consist of a necklace and
earrings of solitaires, and one ornament for the hair, made in the
form of a feather having an enormous Brazilian diamond on the tip
of it. A necklace of pearls is in the same case, of five strings of
small pearls, beautifully white, and well-matched, also some very
large pear-shaped pearls and rare opals. Other rare pieces of
jewellery are found here, such as a rose made of diamonds and
pearls, and an exquisite set of pearl ornaments. Little else is
shown outside of this case in the way of costly jewellery, though
some in moderate-priced ornaments in an adjoining case are very
fine, such as earrings and brooches, necklaces, scarf-pins, &c, in
entirely new designs in raised gold work of different colours, red,
green, and yellow gold being mixed with platina in very effective
combinations. The designs are all strictly Japanese, and are very
unique. In several a figure is seen blowing bubbles, the bubbles
are represented by pearls and opals, the bubble coming from the
pipe being an elongated pearl or opal, with apparently the bright
glow of the sun upon it. In the favourite conch shell ornaments
they have several new styles for bracelets and necklaces, in carved
heads, with pearl settings transversely connecting them.

Tiffany & Co. have revived, with excellent effect, in the ornamen-
tation of table silver, and also in larger designs, the old niello
decoration, a metallic enamel in black used in the ornamentation of
various kinds of metals before the art of engraving was invented.
They show a very exquisite specimen of the work in a " communion
service," Gothic in style, with the lettering and ornamental lines in
niello. The " nef " style of the sixteenth century is also illustrated
in a table design for fruit or flowers in the shape of a sailing ship of
hammered and repousse work.

The most wonderful specimen of repousse work they exhibit is a
tea set of five pieces, Persian in outline, with the flowers and foliage
so beautifully brought out, that a botanist could classify every leaf
and flower.

It is impossible in our space to enumerate the many novelties they
exhibit in the way of silverware, Assyrian, Indian, Russian, Greek,
and North American, in designs and outline, and ornamented in
every known style of modern and ancient decoration.

Starr & Marcus, of 22, John Street, New York, complete this
admirable quartette. Their exhibit is small but extremely rare and
costly, and consists entirely of gems in diamonds, cameos, &c, in
three small cases. A diamond necklace, pendants, and solitaire
earrings, a number of fine pink orientals, pearls and diamonds,
set as an aigrette, and a brooch of delicate pink coral cameos, and
a necklace of pink coral beads of rare perfection, fill the first case.
The second is occupied by a superb collection of cameos and in-
taglios ; and the third case by a collection of cameos, also selected
and set by this house for the wife of a New York merchan t. The
cameos are not only very remarkable, but the settings are also heavy
and massive in rich cloisonne enamel, and of the most elaborate
and splendid character.

Bailey & Co., of Twelfth and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia,
adjoining this centre pavilion make a small but very rich display.

Aug. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

■ 'i

They show in the centre a case of unset cameos, that they have
been years in collecting, and which are not excelled by anything of
the kind in the Exhibition. They are the very perfection of cameo
cutting, and are both mythological and historical ; the most perfect
likenesses appearing among them of well-known characters in
history. They also exhibit a magnificent necklace and cross,
and brooch and earrings, of diamonds. The diamonds are not
very large but of the very finest quality. Specimens of the " Queen
Ann " silver, similar to Caldwell's exhibit, fill another case.

With these few houses the most important part of the United
States exhibit is covered.

Great Britaix.

Great Britain is represented in silverware solely by the world -
renowned house of Elkington & Co., London, who make a most
noticeable display of art works in gold, silver, and other metals ;
plain table plate in solid silver, and electro silver ; decorative table
jolate relieved with electro gold and oxidized silver ; cloisonne and
champ-leve enamels on silver and copper, and a number of antique art
treasures in metals from the South Kensington Maseum. The centre
of the exhibit is taken up with one of the most elegant and elaborate
pieces of repousse work in silver and steel probably ever constructed,
and is from the hands of M. Morel Ladeuil. It is entitled the
" Helicon Vase," and is illustrative of music and poetry, and was
six years in process of making.

It is not possible for us to attempt to do justice to the fulness
and beauty of the design, or the perfection of the technical execu-
tion. It is a masterpiece of skill and rare artistic conception.

The second important work that catches the eye is the "Milton
Shield," a facsimile copy of the original, which was manufactured for
the International Exhibition of Paris, in 18C7, and purchased by
the English Government at a cost of 15,000;. The subject is taken
from the sixth book of Milton's " Paradise Lost." The present
copy has been reproduced by the electrotype process, and shows
the most exquisite finish. The original work was, like the " Helicon
Vase, " in silver and steel, with enrichments of damascened gold,
and wrought by the repousse process. Morel Ladeuil was also the
artist.

The "Pompeian Toilet" is a plaque about twenty inches in
diameter, made especially for this Exhibition, and is the latest work
of the artist of the two foregoing specimens. It is similar in
materials and wrought by the same process. It represents a
Pompeian lady at her toilet, and is valued at 7500/. The
gilt and oxidized tables of this firm are anions the most beautiful
things the fancy can conceive ; the other articles for house decora-
tions they show are of most graceful forms, and almost oriental in
their rich decorations.

The one style of damascene tracery in gold, and the combination
of highly coloured gold and silver, runs through everything,
imparting a barbaric splendour to the exhibit that is perfectly
dazzling. We need palaces to put these things in, andkings andqueens
to buy them, for though named for domestic use they are really art
treasures that the eye delights to rest upon, but the fingers fear to
handle. With these beautiful specimens of the art of the silversmith
the English exhibit of silverware closes. It is to be regretted that
none of the other Great Loudon houses have honoured us. Their
ab;ence is even more noticeable in the jewelry department, where,
with the exception of Mr. John Neal and Mr. John Jefferys, and
Francati and Santamaria, who offer a very fair collection of gold
and silver jewelry, precious stones, &c, the great jewelry centre of
London remains wholly unrepresented.

Mr. Gibson's display comprises the most exquisite and choice
display of precious stones and ornaments to be found in the building.
Though his exhibit does not cover much space, it has been estimated
to represent more money than any similar exhibition. This is
accounted for by the special beauty and value of each piece of work
and the choice manner in which they are displayed. The designs
seem to be altogether original, and are specially marked by a
refinement of fancy and chaste daintiness of taste which gives to the
whole character of the exhibit a certain elegance that is very
attractive. A set of diamonds and emeralds here shown is valued
at about 20,000/. The emeralds are said to be the finest exhibited.
The diamonds are of the purest water, though small, and show to
great advantage in their setting of sdver.

Noticeable in this case are the number of fine pink corals set in
brooches and bracelets, with diamonds and pearls, and also in a very
fine contrasting setting of blue enamel. The solid goodness of every
piece in this display, and the number of fine precious stones of all
kinds that it embraces, places it among the prominent features of the
whole exhibit. Naturally it also embraces bog-wood ornaments of
all kinds, set in gold, such as are rarely seen in this country, Mr.

James Aitchesin, of Edinburgh, has a characteristic display of
Scottish jewelry in g )ld and silver, and Highland ornaments and
stones (cairngorms) found in Scotland ; and Mr. Charles Byran,
West Cliff, Whitby, displays all kinds of ornaments of the celebrated
Whitby jet.

Fraxce.

The display here of gems and fine gold ornaments is equally
meagre, and chiefly noticeable for the absence of well-known Paris
firms. Fils Boucheron, 152, 153, audl54, Palais Royal, Paris, exh'bit
80,000/. worth of diamonds, made into a coronet and necklace of very
elaborate pattern.

The stones are small and not well matched, and the design and
setting not effective. The contrast of our own settings in diamonds
is in no place so strongly brought out as here. While this parure
represents a good round sum in dollars, it does not much exceed in
effectiveness its paste sisters around it, and this may be as much
attributed to the clumsy manner in which the gems are mounted
as to their lack of brilliaucy. In any one of the American diamond
exhibits, the radiant style in which their best points manifest them-
selves with their airy, limpid appearance, is almost too much to put
into words, and cannot but strike a prejudiced beholder.

MM. Boucheron also show a number of costly diamond orna-
ments in the form of sprigs and flowers, some very fine pearls in
pink and smoke colour, said to be the largest exhibited ; gold
ornaments, very massive and showy, and a coral set, necklace and
hair ornaments, unique and striking in design.

M. A. Fornet exhibits a novelty in "the way of transparent
enamel jewellery, very pretty and not expensive, the sets selling
from 24/. upwards. He has already disposed of all his specimens.
The ornaments have the appearance of being encrusted with various
kinds of stones of different colours, which is, however, the enamel
very cleverly put on, on an open ground of variegated enamel. As
the articles are showy and pretty, and what is called " becoming,"
they are destined to have an ephemeral success with the ladies.

Emile Philippi, Paris, shows some Egyptian jewels (scarabees),
from authentic sources ; and Clerneut & Co., Paris, a fine collec-
tion of pearls and diamonds. Outside of this there is not much
more to note, except the number of dealers who make exhibits of
gilt and imitation and stage jewellery, and imitation precious stones.

Italy.

Eltore Geraldine, Rome, exhibits a rich and varied collection of all
kinds of costly jewellery and precious stones. The special point of
his display is the exquisite sets of Byzantine and Florentine mosaics.

C. i^alvo and Sons, Genoa, and Emile Forte, Genoa, show some of
the finest specimens of gold and silver filigree work which it is
possible to imagine, personal ornaments of all kinds, and card-
receivers, card cases, boxes, &c. The workmanship of these articles
is of the very finest description, the colouring warm and rich, and
the designs graceful and artistic, altogether exceeding the exhibits
of this sort of work made by Portugal and Sweden.

Guiseppe Giouizza, Naples, has the finest collection of coral dis-
played in beads, necklaces, bracelets, brooches, and earrings, combs
and hair ornaments. He numbers in his collection many of the
largest pieces of coral to be found. One, a head set as a brooch, is
almost two inches in diameter, and richly encircled with pearls. This
is kept for private inspection only, as is also a rare necklace in the
beautiful pale pink coral, so difficult to obtain, valued at 1000/.
It is Pompeian in design, and set in fine filigree work, and was ten
years in making on account of the trouble and time it cost to match
the corals.

Niccolo Bellezza, Rome, exhibits a very costly and striking collec-
tion of jewels and ornaments. Specially noticeable are a necklace
of intaglios in Egyptian design, and some Roman ornaments for the
neck of very singular shape ; a collar of diamonds and pale pink
rubies, valued at 20,000/., and a large turquoise, said to be worth
2000/. Also a gold filigree collar for a lady, set with large pearls,
pink rubies and diamonds encircling the pearls, and fastened in front
with a slide, which imitates a cord and tassels, the tassels being
formed of pear-shaped pearls ; the pattern is very unique.

Alessandro Castellani, Rome, exhibits, in a small case, some fac-
similes of antique jewels, which are very interesting, ancient sards,
with intaglios and cameos, and a necklace of engraved emeralds.
Signor Castellani has also a collection in one of the small rooms of
the Italian department, in Memorial Hall, which will delight the
lovers of the antique gold ornaments of the ancient Lombard style,
bronze and silver ornaments of military use by the Crusaders in the
eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries ; gold ornaments taken from
the " Cemeteries of Etruria," and from the " Cemeteries of Caere,"

58

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1867.

700 B.C. : Phoenician ornaments ; sixteenth century jewellery, and
gold Italian. Greek ornaments from Tarenton, 350 B.C., are there
to be seen, besides a number of fine cameos and intaglios.

Sweden and Norway.

P. A. Lie exhibits a case of ornaments in silver filigree work, the
designs of which are very simple, though the execution is extremely
fine, also several pieces of work in solid silver. J. Tostrup,
Christiana. Norway, also exhibits silverware, such as [a centre
piece for fruit and flowers, coffee spoons, candlesticks, &c. The
extreme beauty and finish of the work has surprised every one who
has seen it.

Portugal.

Little Portugal makes a very fine collective display of gold and
silver filigree work, quite artistic in design, and very nearly equal in
work and finish to the Italian display. She also shows some toilet
sets in solid silver.

Germany.

Germany's exhibit consists of two collective displays of gold
ornaments, precious stones, and silver and plated ware. Out of the
fifty exhibitors who contribute their mite to this poor display, there
are but two or three names which are even deserving of mention,
and these are C. Bessinger & Sons, and C. Hertel & Sons, Hainault,
and II. Keller and Wild & Co., from Pforzheim, Bessinger & Sons
especially, showing two very beautiful sets, one in diamonds and
pearls, and the other in turquoise diamonds and pearls. The rest of
the exhibits can only be characterized as mean and poor in the ex-
treme, consisting of the cheapest kinds '. of gaudy ornaments,
set with the cheapest kinds of stones in all the colours of the
rainbow.

Austria.

Markowitsck & Shera exhibit a case of silver ornaments in niello
enamel, very striking in design. Michael Goldschmidt (P. Bessin-
ger, 13, John Street, New York, agent) exhibits a large case of gold
and silver ornaments thickly set with garnets. The case is filled
with the same style of jewellery.

M. Kuch, Prague, shows a small case of real Bohemian garnet
jewellery, similar to the above. Joseph Zasche, Vienna, has a very
pretty and effective collection of porcelain and enamel jewellery,
figures and flowers on a black ground.

Russia.

Here will be found, to the surprise of everybody, two collective
exhibits of some of the very finest silverware in the Exhibition ; not
only unique in design, but remarkably original and different from
anything in silverware the world has ever seen. The exhibit is a
collective one and not large, only filling two cases, and consisting of
massive drinking pitchers or tankards, cake baskets, and a number of
small ornaments. The baskets are in electro gold, and imitate plaited
straws, and have thrown over them a fringed damask, wrought in
silver, with groups of figures in relief upon three sides of them.
The most careful work is shown on every piece exhibited, the
repousse process, cloisonne and niello enamels being used with
great effect, and with taste and judgment.

W. Adler, Moscow, has a case of coloured gold ornaments of very
original designs ; burnished leaves with bugs as jewels upon them,
and a moss-rose and leaves, the bud being one large pearl.

Otto Krumbrugal, Moscow, exhibits some costly stones in neck-
laces and ornaments, and an aigrette in diamonds and pearls which
is a perfect blaze of light. All the jewellery designs shown by this
and other Russian firms differ from other countries, and is well
worth inspection.

Switzerland.

Petit, Pierre & Bryson, and Sharneek & Co., both of Geneva,
exhibit ten small cases of watch chains, and gold brooches and ear-
rings of very ordinary designs.

Brazil.
Nalte has a small case of Brazilian scarabees and other insects,
set and unset. Further than this there is no exhibit of the native
wealth of the country in precious stones. It is a matter of great
regret that the superb collection of diamonds sent by this country
could not have been entered, as they would have added wonder-
fully to the interest of this section of the building.

Spain.

This country ha3 a collective display of silver ornaments, plain
and in enamel, not noticeable for the work or design.

The above notes give a hasty yet comprehensive view of what is
to be seen at the great Exhibition in the way of jewellery. The
department of watches we shall treat of in a separate article."

HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY.

{Continued from page 31.)

FOR want of a just idea of the Solar .System, many phenomena of
the planetary worlds were inexplicable to the ancients. Of
these, their direct and retrograde motions, and their becoming at
times apparently stationary, was no trifling difficulty. Appollonius,
of Perga, endeavoured to explain this phenomenon by cycles and
epicycles, or circles within circles ; but this contrivance afforded by
no means a satisfactory solution.

In Alexandria, that celebrated city of Egypt, founded by Alex-
ander, a school for the cultivation of the sciences was established
by Ptolemy Philadelphus ; astronomy was assiduously attended to by
the students, until its destruction by the Arabs, a.d. 612, after it
had subsisted upwards of 900 years.

Vigorous endeavours were, from time to time, made to introduce
the rational system of Pythagoras, but vulgar prejudice still pre-
vailed. Aristarchus, of Samos,* who flourished about three centuries
before Christ, was one of these enlightened philosophers. B.C.
281, he observed the solstice, and proposed a method for determin-
ing the distances of the sun and moon. Eratosthenes, of Cyrene,f
who flourished a little later, was royal librarian to Ptolemy
Evergetes, and constructed armillary spheres,} which were after-
wards so successfully employed by Hipparchus, and others.
Archimedes, of Syracuse, so celebrated for his geometrical and
mechanical skill, was likewise an eminent astronomer.

But none amongst all the ancient sages is to be compared with
Hipparchus, of Nice, § in Bithynia, for astronomical discoveries and
just views of that wonderful science, who wrote about 140 years
B.C. Although he entertained the erroneous idea that the sun and
planets moved round the earth as % their centre, he discovered that
the time from the autumnal to the vernal equinox was seven days
1 on ger than from the vernal to the autumnal. He formed tables
for the equation of time, on the difference between the real and
apparent time, the latter being indicated by a sun-dial. He
explained the different motions of the moon, and accomplished the
difficult and laborious task of making a catalogue of the stars,
marking their distances, and showing the means whereby their
precise places on the hemisphere of Alexandria might be known.
He calculated, likewise, all the eclipses that were to happen for 600
years. As he makes no mention of comets, it is supposed, either
that he never saw one, or that he considered them merely as
meteors. Hipparchus is said, likewise, to have discovered the
parallax of the heavenly bodies, or the difference of their situation,
as viewed from the centre of the earth, and any point on its surface
This discovery has been of great importance to astronomy.

At Rome this science was not neglected. Posidonius, of Ampanise,
in Syria, though he usually resided at Rhodes, "taught astronomy
occasionally in that metropolis. He was contemporary with Cicero
and Pompey, the former of whom speaks very highly of a celestial
sphere constructed by him. About the same time Cleomedes wrote
a treatise on the sphere, the motions, periods, distances, and magni-
tudes of the planets, and on eclipses ; and although he gathered all
his knowledge from the writings of preceding astronomers, and from
actual observation, his work is valuable as preserving those writ-
ings and handing them down to us, which would otherwise have
been lost. His opinions respecting refraction, the relative distances
of the sun, moon, and stars, and their magnitudes, approximate to
the truth.

The Romans began early to understand the nature of eclipses,
and the method of calculating them, and thus they prevented the
superstitious terrors which sometimes paralyzed the strength of
armies where they happened ; thus Sulpitius Gallas foretold the
eclipse which took place the night before the battle, in which
Perseus, king of Macedon, was defeated by Paulus Enailius. It is
probable that this event contributed to the victory, for the Romans
being forewarned were not alarmed, whilst, it is probable, the
phenomenon damped the courage of the enemy.

Nor did men of the highest rank, and whose ambition might have
been supposed sufficient to occupy all their attention, neglect this
science. Julius Caesar studied it and reformed the Calendar of
Numa. Cicero is said to have been a skilful astronomer, and Varro
was the first that made use of eclipses to regulate chronology.

* A small island in the Mediterranean Sea.

t Cyrene, the capital of Cyrenaica, and onebf the cities called Pentapolis,
in Africa.

% An armillary sphere is composed of several brass circles, which repre-
sent those of the horizon, meridian, ecliptic, &c, drawn on the globe.

§ BiUri/ma, in Asia Minor, now Asiatic Turkey.

Aug.

1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

59

In the reign of Augustus, Caius Manilius wrote a poem, entitled
Astronomicon, which contains much that is valuable, but it is debased
by the reveries of Judicial Astrology ; and Monelaus, a.d. 50, assisted
the science greatly by his discovery of the principal theories in
spherical trigonometry.

In general, however, the Romans paid little attention to
astronomy, and the science fell almost into desuetude, until the
study of it was revived by Ptolemy, a native of Ptolemais, in Egypt,
and a professor in the school of Alexandria, about a.d. 140. lie
collected, and reduced into a regular treatise, the substance of the
writings on this subject then extant, and enlarged the work by
observations of his own. This volume was called by the Arabs,
Almagest, and by the Greeks Megala Syntaxis, or the Great Syntaxis.
It supports the erroneous opinion which still prevailed, that the
earth is the centre of the universe, and endeavours to account for
the phenomena of the heavenly bodies by means so complicated
that they can, with difficulty, be understood, and so remote from
the beautiful simplicity of nature that it is astonishing it could have
had any advocates among the wise and learned. It was, however,
universally received, and so greatly admired that, though by no
means new, it was denominated the Ptolemaic System.

As we have already mentioned, the Alexandrian school was broken
up, and its library destroyed, when the city was taken by the Arabs,
a.d. 642. The books were so numerous, that though they were
distributed among the 4000 public baths in the city, as fuel to heat
them, it was six months before they were all consumed. The
Almagest, of Ptolemy, escaped the general wreck, and was translated
into Arabic, A.D. 827, and into Latin about 1350 ; the manuscript
is said to be still extant in the library of All Souls College, Oxford.
Ptolemy wrote likewise a Geography, in which the situations of
places are, for the first time, pointed out by their latitudes and
longitudes,

(2b lie continued).

THE DEPRECIATION OF SILVER.

THE report of the Select Committee on the Depreciation of Silver,
prepared by Mr. Goschen, the chairman, was issued on the
10th inst. It occupies fifty-one pages. The Committee do not
make any recommendations with regard to legislation, and they
consider that " in view of the many uncertain elements to which
they have pointed, and which necessarily enter into every calculation
as to the future, they are not authorized to offer any further opinion
as to the probable course of the silver market, beyond indicating,
as they have endeavoured to do, the various circumstances which
have to be taken into account." The Committee are of opinion that
the evidence taken conclusively shows that the fall in the price of
silver is due to the following causes : —

1. To the discovery of new silver mines of great richness in the
State of Nevada.

2. To the introduction * of a gold currency into Germany in place
of the previous silver currency. This operation commenced at the
end of 1871.

3. To the decreased demand for silver for export to India.
It should be added —

4. That the Scandinavian Governments have also substituted gold
for silver in their currencies.

5. That the Latin Union, comprising France, Belgium, Switzer-
land, Italy, and Greece, have since 1874 limited the amount of
silver to be coined yearly in the Mints of each member of the
union, suspending the privilege formerly accorded to all holders of
silver bullion, of claiming to have that bullion turned into coin with-
out restriction .

6. That Holland has also passed a temporary Act, prohibiting, ex-
cept on account of [the Government, the coining of silver, and au-
thorizing the coining of gold.

With regard to India and the East, the Committee say : —
So much must depend upon the prosperity of the populations, on
the abundance of the crops, in fact, on their powers of production,
that it is impossible to make any forecast ; and, as regards actual
facts, no more can be stated than, on the one hand, they have
always possessed a very large power of absorbing bullion, while on
the other, that power has been diminished by the growth of the
sums annually payable by India to the Home Government. The
only facts in any calculation as to the future which are certain, and
appear to be permanent, are the increased total production of silver,
and the effect caused by the necessity of the Indian Government to
draw annually for a heavy amount. Both are adverse to the future
value of silver, as far as they go ; but they may be partially counter-
balanced by changes in the trade with the East,

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES,

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch. Sequestrations, &c., &c., relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Asiiek Asiier, 27, Sunderland Street, late Blandford Street, Newcastle,

jeweller. June 24.
Corrall Edwin, Hanley, Staffs, watchmaker. June 29.
Green Eichard Angell, 82, Strand, jeweller. June 20.
Harris Lazarus, 35, North Street, Cheetham, Manchester, jeweller and

general dealer. June 29.
Marston Thomas, Joseph Street, Burslein, late King William Street, Coventry;

watchmaker. June 2G.
Bombacii George, Canon Street, and Dean Street, Aberdare, watchmaker

June 28.
Carter Eobert, jun., 78, Tottenham Court Eoad, late 53, Blackf riars Eoad ,

jeweller. July 1.
Dugdale William, Friargate, Preston, watchmaker. July 7.
Foxall George, Beckenham, late Thavies Inn, London, jewellery factor.

June 27.
Hands William, Mott Street, Birmingham, electro-plate manufacturer

July 4.
Mupden Edward, Snargate Street, Dover, jeweller. July 8.
Barfoot Cornelius Henry, Huntingdon, watchmaker and jeweller. July

Ciiinn Edward William, Huddersfield, jeweller and silversmith. July 14.
Newman Abraham Benjamin, 4, Cambridge Crescent, Gough Eoad, Edgbustuii,

Birmingham, jewellers' factor. July 13.
Pratt James, 3, Wellington Eoad, Forest Gate, watchmaker. July 14.
Price Aaron, 29, Hope Street, Hanley, Staffs, furniture dealer and iovvellcr.

July 8. J

Dovey Henry, 56, Weston Eoad, Brighton, jeweller. July 21. At Henry I.

Coburn's, solicitor, 54, Leadenhall Street, London, August 14 at 2.
Fisher Anthony, 4, Foregate Street, Stafford, watchmaker. July 14.
Langford William & George Langford, trading as William Langford &

Son, College Green, Bristol, watchmakers and jewellers. July 22. At

Barnard, Thomas, Tribe & Co.'s, accountants, Bristol, August 8, at 1.

Benson & Thomas, solicitors, Bristol.

Notices of Second Meeting1.
Walker John, Portland Eoad, Nottingham, insurance agent and dealer in

jewellery.
Harris Lazarus, North Street, Cheetham, Manchester, jeweller. •
Wells William H., Stoney Street, Frome and Marston Bigitt, Somerset,

jeweller and fancy dealer.

Adjudications of Bankruptcy.
Woole Albert I., 138, Edgware Eoad, Hyde Park, jeweller. June 27.
Camrbell Andrew, jun., 77, Newington Causeway, jeweller. July 0.
Bennard William, Weston Eoad, Hastings, electro plater and gilder. July

15.
Humphrey Henry, Brixham, Devonshire, watchmaker. August 19. East

Stonehouse.
Kimpton Charles, 14, Sanders Terrace, Blake's Eoad, Peckham, jeweller,

July 21. At Bankruptcy-court, Lincoln's-iim-fields, August 9 at 12.

Brougham, Eeg.

Dividend.

Lund Laurentius A. W. (Liq.), 60, Chandos Street, Strand, and Cricklewood)
jeweller. 1st div. Is ; S. Lovelock, 19, Coleman Street.

Dissolutions of Partnership.

Abrahams Bros., 92, Vyse Street, Birmingham, jewellers' factors. Juite SO,

Ashwortii John & Co., 20, Thomas Street, Shudehill, Manchester, jewellers.
May 19. Debts by John Ashworth.

Barnett Bros., Vittoria Street, Birmingham, jewellers' factors. May 22.
As regards Henry Barnett.

Bennett M. H. & Co., Wakefield, watchmakers and silversmiths. May 5.
Debts by Matthew H. Bennett.

Biddell & Guasfari, 46, Northampton Street, Clerkenwell, goldsmiths and
jewellers. May 23.

Bird & Bloxwicii, Wheeler Street, Birmingham, jewellers.

Webb C. J. & W. C, 41, Spencer Street, Clerkenwell, manufacturing watch-
makers. May 31. As regards W. C. Webb.

Scotch Sequestration.
Cogiiill Donald, Trongate Street, Glasgow, watchmaker and jeweller,
trading as D. Cogiiill & Co., of which firm he is sole partner. July 13, With
protection. Tr., and Com. Faculty Hall, Glasgow, July 21 at 12. Claims
by Nov. 13. Agent, J. Fisher M'Laren, 67, West Nile Street, Glasgow,

GO

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Aug.

187C.

THE

Stfatfjnnakr, §etu.clki", gob ^iltawitjr,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,
Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades; published at 34, IIatton Gakden,
London, E.G.

Birmingham Agencies.

Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.

Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.

Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.

Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

AUGUST.

THIS month the Romans named Sextilis from its being the sixth
in their calendar, before the change was made by King Numa.
It, however, retained its original name, until Augustus Csesar gave
it his surname, because in it he first became consul, celebrated three
triumphs, and ended the civil wars. Since Numa'sthne, August has
continued the eighth month in the year.

The Saxons called it Arn-monat (or Barn-monat), because they
filled their barns with corn. The Saxon word Am signifies harvest.
They also called it (as well as June) Woad-monath.

August was dedicated by the Romans to Ceres, the goddess of
corn and harvest ; and its first Kalend, or first day, was sacred to
Mars, the god of war. No festival of particular note was celebrated
by them in this month. The first of August is denominated in the
Christian calendar "Lammas Day"; a name which has been
variously accounted for, but which is most probably derived from
an old Saxon term, signifying Loaf Mass, as on this day it was
customary for the Saxons to offer an oblation of loaves made of new
wheat as the fruits of their corn. They also gave alms of bread on
Loaf Lammas, or Lammas-day.

Our ancestors greatly honoured this month of produce. They
mingled merry-making with labour, and rendered the time of
harvest a period of universal gladness. They crowned the wheat-
sheaves with flowers, invited each othe"r to feast at the housing of the
corn, when they danced and shouted, and sung with true glee ; and
that none might be sorrowful at such a joyous time, they made
presents to all who had assisted in getting in the crops. This rural
festival was called "Harvest Home." It is still the greatest rural
holiday in England, because it terminates the most toilsome yet
profitable employment of the farmer, and unites repose and profit
for the remainder of the year. But modern refinements have un-
fortunately stripped the merriments of the harvest home of that
unrestrained and warm-hearted enjoyment which formerly dis-
tinguished them. The master seldom now mingles with freedom
and rejoicing in the delights of the harvestmen, but thinks it
sufficient if he provides a plenteous feast, and allows them to enjoy
themselves in their own way. This change has altered the character
of this festival, for the cheering smile of sympathy and the non-
distinction of rank or station in these rustic festivities were the
chief source of gladness to the honest and humble husbandmen.

Formerly many curious ceremonies were observed by the reapers
at " harvest home " ; they carried images made of straw or
stubble, from the harvest field, round which the men and women
danced and sang to the lively notes of a piper who followed it. In
the north such a figure was called "Kent-Baby." In the isles of
the Hebrides all the reapers join in chanting a harvest song while
they regulate the strokes of their sickles to its notes, thus making
the very act of gathering the harvest a festive employment.

PATENTS.

Prices Current fob Gold and Silver. — Value Given for Old
Gold and Silver by Assay.— Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. 7d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver. — Fine Gold, 85s. 3d.
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. per oz. Standard Silver, 4s. 6^-d. to
4s. 8d. (variable).

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

2647- Oscar M. Draper, of North Attleborough, county of Bristol, state
of Massachusetts, United States of America, for an invention of " Chain
swivels and process of manufacturing the same." — Partly communi-
cated to him by Virgil Draper, of North Attleborough, Massachusetts,
United States of America. — (Complete Specification.) — Dated 27th
June, 1870.

2728. William Charles Smeaton Clark, of Acton Street, Gray's Inn
Road, in the county of Middlesex, for an invention of " Improvements
in tell-tale clocks." — Dated 3rd July, 1870.

2797. Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the county
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of " Improvements in
keyless repeating watches." — A communication to him from abroad by
Ami Louis Junod-Pattus, of Paris, France. — Dated 8th July, 1876.

2852. William Nelson, Stamper and Piercer, of Birmingham, in the
county of Warwick, for an invention of " A new economic combined
ever-point pencil and pen-holder, for the pocket, pocket-book or other-
wise."—Dated 13th July, 1876.

285 5. Albert William Jones, of Camden Town, in the county of Middle-
sex, and Harvey Chamberlain, of Hamsell Street, in the City of London,
for an invention of " An improvement in solitaires and studs." — Dated
13th July, 1876.

2892. Thomas Morgan, Secretary of the Inventors' Patentright Associa-
tion, Limited, 21, Cockspur Street, Charing Cross, in the county of
Middlesex, for an Invention of "Improved watch keys."— A communi-
cation to him from abroad by John S. Birch, of New York, United
States of America. — Dated 14th July, 1876.

2912. Harrison Mill Frodsham, of the Strand, in the county of Middle-
sex, Chronometer Maker, for an Invention of " Improvements in inde-
pendent equi-motive escapements for watches, clocks, and other time-
keepers."— Dated 15th July, 1876.

2913. Henry Matthew Robottom, of Liverpool, in the county of
Lancaster, for an Invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of
keyles watches." — Dated 17th July, 1876.

2958. John Alfred Langston, of Tavistock Street, Bedford Square, in the
county of Middlesex, Architect, for an invention of "Improvements in
illuminating clocks." — Dated 20th July, 1876.

2975. GuisErPE Zaffira, of Pentonville Road, in tbs county of Middle-
sex, Engineer, for an invention of " Improvements in the ' up-and-
down ' movement for watches, chronometers, and spring clocks.". —
Dated 22nd July, 1876.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

1830. To Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the invention of " A combined
calendar and time-piece with perpetual automatic adjuster attachment
for the irregular number of days in the different months." — A com-
munication to him from abroad by Miner Hamlin Paddock, of East
Clarkson, Monroe county, state of New York, United States of
America.

2797. To Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the invention of " Improvements
in keyless repeating watches." — -A communication to him from abroad
by Ami Louis Junod-Pattus, of Paris, France.

2728. To William Charles Smeaton Clark, of Acton Street, Gray's Inn
Road, in the county of Middlesex, for the invention of "Improvements
in tell-tale clocks."

2865. To Albert William Jones, of Camden Town, in the county of
Middlesex, and Harvey Chamberlain, of HamselljStreet, in the city of
London, for the invention of " An improvement in solitaires and
studs."

2913. To Henry Matthew Robottom, of Liverpool, in the county of
Lancaste, for the invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of
kevless watches."

Inventions protected for Six Months on the deposit of
Complete Specifications.

2578. Charles Louis Aulagnier, of Bedford Street, Strand, in the county
of Middlesex praying for Letters Patent for the invention of " Improve-
ments in watches," — a communication to him from abroad by Vve.
de I. Soldano, fils, of Geneva, Switzerland, — was deposited and re-
corded in the Office of Commissioners on the 22nd day of June, 1S76,
and a Complete Specification accompanying such petition, was at the
same time filed in the said office.

2647. Oscar M. Draper, of North Attleborough, county of Bristol, state
of Massachusetts, United States of America, praying for Letters Patent
for the invention of " Chain swivels and process of manufacturing the
same," — the true and first invention thereof, except such part has had
been communicated to him by Virgil Draper, of North Attleborough,
Massachusetts, LTnited States of America, — was deposited and recorded
in the Office of the Commissoners on the 27th day of June. 1S76, and
a Complete Specification accompanying such petition was at the same
time filed in the said office.

Aug. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

01

Notices to Proceed.

2647. Oscar M. Draper, of North Attleborough, county of Bristol,
» state of Massachusetts, United States of America, has given notice in re-
spect of the invention of" Chain swivels, and process of manufacturing
the same." — The true and first inventor thereof, except such part as
has been communicated to him by Virgil Draper, of North Attleborough,
Massachusetts, United States of America.

956. And Thomas William Greaves, Jeweller, of Birmingham, in the
county of Warwick, has given notice in respect of the invention of
" Improvements in ornamenting solitaires and other articles of jewellery
with pressed Glass, and which said improvements are also applicable
for other useful purposes."

958. And William Baxter, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
and Thomas Greaves, also of Birmingham aforesaid, have given
notice in respect of the invention of " Certain improvements in studs
or solitaires."

1091. And Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Building3, in
the county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, has
given notice in respect of the invention of " Improvements in pocket
alarums or alarm watches." — a communication to him from abroad by
Charles Frederic Dietz-Monnin, of the firm of Tapy Brothers and
Company, of Paris, in the republic of France, Manufacturers.

2578. And Charles Louis Aulagnier, of Bedford Street, Strand, in the
county of Middlesex, has given notice in respect of the invention of
"Improvements in watches." — A communication to him from abroad
by Vvede J. Soldans, fils, of Geneva, Switzerland,

Patents Sealed.

464. Thomas James Smith, of the firm of Eobertson, Brooraan, and
Company, of 166, Fleet street, in the city of London, Patent Agents,
for an invention of " Improved means and apparatus for setting or
regulating calendar watches." — A communication to him from abroad
by Louis Joseph Crozet, of Bue des Halles, Paris, in the republic of
France.— Dated the 4th February, 1876.

Patents which have become Void.

2264. William Charles Alldridge, of Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements in collar
studs, solitaires, sleeve links, and other like dress fastenings." — Dated
30th June, 1873.

2389. Frederick Curtis, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and state
of Massachusetts, LTnited States of America, for an invention of " Im-
provements in machinery for cutting diamonds or other gems." — A
communication to him from Charles Myrick Field, resident at Boston, in
the county of Suffolk and state of Massachusetts, United State of America
—Dated 10th July, 1873.

173,

173
173

174
174

174

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

United States.

782. J. E. Graves, of Corry, Pa., assignor of one-half of his
right to Jas. G. Foreman, of the same place, for " Watch-jewel as-
sorters." — Applications filed 29th January, 1876.

,848. Patrick Dever, of Glen Biddle Pa., for " Combined watch
charms and keys.'— Application filed 27th December, 1875.
998. G. S. Porter, of New York, N.Y., for "Buttons and studs."—
Application filed 11th January, 1876. — Brief— "The radial arms
facilitate insertion in the button-hole, and save material in the manu-
facture of the button."

031. J. J. Thornton, of Cleveland, Ohio, assignor of one-half of
his right to D. H. Eidgway, of the same place, for " Safety devices
for mainsprings." — Application filed 16th February, 1874. — Brief. —
" Two springs cut in the upper periphery of a supplementary hoop in
the barrel press lightly against the barrel cover and retain the hoop
in place."

122. CnAS. H. Downes, of Jersey city, N.J., for "Extension pencil-
cases." — Application filed 1st November, 1875. — Brief. — "The collar
is made so that it will revolve with the extension-handle, and thus
prevent scratching. The screw-tube is provided with a polygonal
base fitting into a fluted tube, in which also slides the polygonal base
of the extension-tube, by which construction the pencil may be pro-
jected by turning the extension-tube, whether it is drawn out or
not."

497. Ciias. Downs, of Providence, E.I., for " Manufacture of imitation
jet jewellery." — Application filed 7th January, 1876.

Frax<

111,244. Malfait, of Paris, for " A clock with visible pendulum."— Dated

29th January, 1876.
111,181. Eudeau, for " Soldering glass, plain or cut enamel on metals for

jewellery."— Dated 29th January, 1876.

111,494. Esclatine, of Paris, for "A gauge for measuring watch-glasses.'

— Dated 15th February, 1876.
1 1 1,506. Muirheai), for " Studs."— Dated 14th February, 1876.— (English'

Patent, 14th August, 1875.)
111,513. Serin, of Paris, for " Eepeating clocks." — Dated 14th February,

1876.
111,542. Nadal, for "Improvements in clocks." — Dated 17th February,

1876.
111,672. Leleu, for " Clock-bells with slides and jacks," — Dated 26 Feb-
ruary, 1876.
111,745. Sadoul, of Paris, for "Studs of cuffs." — Dated 2nd March,

1876.
111,753. Caspani, of Nice, for "A clock for controlling public carriages."

—Dated 16th March, 1876.
111,848. Winnerl, for "A compensating balance, and applying the

same to maritime and other precision clocks." — Dated 7th March,

1876.
111,850. Anceaux, of Paris, for " Improvements in clock-work necessitat-
ing less winding." — Dated 11th March, 1876.
111,873. De Laporte, of Paris, for " Using gold-plated copper for the

manufacture of watch cases." — Dated 10th March, 1876.
111,892. Goujon, of Paris, for "Geographical clocks and watches." —

Dated 15th March, 1876.
111,931. Leupaut, of Eomilly-sur-Seine, for "Clock-work." — Dated 23rd

March, 1876.
112,048. Beguelix, of Besancon, for " Stopping the spring of barrillets in

watches, regulators, chronometers, clocks, musical boxes, &c." — Dated

15th April, 187(5.
112,105. Popard, for " Watch-keys with fringed metallic glands." — Dated

27th March, 1876.
112,267. Pihrret, of Neuilly, for "Combined clock-work, for signalling

the striking of clocks." — Dated 5th April, 1876.
112,282. Berger, for " A watch-metronome." — Dated 5th April, 1876.
112,296. Levi, for " Safe mountings of studs." — Dated 6th April, 1876.
112,320. De.meure and Bissey, for "A toy-watch." — Dated 7th April,

1876.
112,336. Marie and Jacob, for " Ornamenting barrel-clocks and other

similar objects by stamping." — Dated 7th April, 1876.
112,523. Deslandes, for " Artificial roses and brilliants for jewelry." —

Dated 20th April, 1876.
112,536. Matthey, for "Eegulating watches by the pendant without

lateral cams. — -Dated 21st April, 1876.
112,546. Bourcier, for "Mounting artificial flowers without shanks,

applicable to jewelry, bronze, &c." — Dated 25th April, 1876.

(Certificates of Addition).

103,638. Grun, for " Spring sleeve-links." — Dated 29th January, 1876.
106,458. The Vallerysthal and Portieux Glass-works Company, for

"A lathe for bevelling watch-glasses." — Dated 10th January, 1876.
106,572. Hermite, for " Improvements in watches." — Dated 12th February,

1876.
110,281. Margaine, for "A remontoir with steady power for circular

escapement of clocks, &c." — Dated 1st April, 1870.
106,638. Grun, for "Studs with interior springs."— Dated 14th April,

1876.

Belgium.

39,885. E. Michiels of Malines, for ' An instantaneous electric contact for
electric clocks." — Dated 28th June, 1876.

39-903. L. Graindorge, of Chokier-Liege-Hollogne, for " A balance ap-
plicable to all cylinder watches." — Dated 30th June, 1876.

United States.

175,057. William Eisele, of Marion County, Ind., for " Finger-rings."—

Application filed 18th February, 1876.
175,230. Gilbert T. Woglom, of New York, N.Y., and Levi Miller, of

Mont Clair, N.J., for "Lockets." Application filed 9th February,

1876.
175,262. Henry D. Stover, of New York, N.Y., for "Machines for

polishing diamonds, &c." — Application filed Kith March, 1876.
175,344. Frank Fisciilein, of Jersey city, N.J., for " Lighting attachments

for alarm-clocks."— Application filed 28th February, 1876.— Brief.—

" The action of the alarm mechanism releases a lever, which brings a

rasping surface in contact with a match secured by suitable supporting

and gage device above the candle to be lighted."
175,494. A. W. Piierson, of North Attleborough, Mass., for " Lockets."

— Application filed 21st February, 1876.

7,002

Re-issues.
Henry J. Davies, of Brooklyn, N.Y., for " Clock-cases.'

-Patent

No. 161,211, dated 23rd March, 1875.— Ee-issue No, 6,924, dated
15th February, 1876.— Application filed 9th March, 1876.

62

THE WATCHMAKER., JEWELLER, AND

[Aug. 5, 1876.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of. Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street, Fins-
bury. EC Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MURRAY & CALLIEU, 22. St. John's Square, E.O.

XEGRETTI & ZAMBRA, Holborn Viaduct, E.G. : Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill, E.C. ; 122, Regent
Street, W.

WEBSTER, J., 88, St. John Street Road, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEERIXG & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STRONG ROOM COM-
PANY. LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER & STRAUB, 70, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMERER. KUSS. FRITSCHLEE. & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street. Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO.. 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.G., and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Rue Be'ran-
ger. Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Rochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141 , for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1S44.

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Road, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BROTHERS, 34, Elv Place, Holborn, London, E.C

MARCUS (MAURICE) <fc CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct. London, E.G.

RUTHERFORD, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Row, E.C, and
33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C

WIEGEL, B., Jun.. Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27.
Wellington Street, Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stories mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MORDAN (SAMPSON) <fc CO., 41, City Road, and 72,

Cheapside. London. E.C.
TANN, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, E.C ; Reliance Works,

1, Hope Street, Hackney Road, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CAGLOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, G6, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

HUTTON & CO.. 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.G., and
Phoenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.C

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEORGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C

SUNDELL (KRISCHER) & CO, 4S, Brushtield Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBERG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. EDWARD, 93, Hatton Garden, London, EC
LITTEN (T. R.), 64, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON. HENRY, S5, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E 0.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DREW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Room, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWARDS, JOHN, 2G, St. John Street Road, London, E.C
JEFFREYS, CHARLES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden. E.C
SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, SO to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C. ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Rue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FREDERIC Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Road, W.C

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENRY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets,, &c, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURER.

LAWRENCE, N, 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C; Manu-
factory, Havelock Works, Walker Street. Shffield.

LAZARUS (S. J.) & CO., Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C

WATCH BALANCE MAKER

GOLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C

WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street. Clerkenwell,
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 4S, Rahere Street, Goswell Road, Lon-
don, E.C.

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Road, London, E.C

STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS. THOMAS J., 10, Rydon Crescent, St. John
Street Road, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAURICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent. Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 <fc 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFORD, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Road,
London, E.C

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, AVILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Ring Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, Birmingham.

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANUFACTUH1NG JEWEIakEKS AND GQIaD SMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. FINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC.
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 16.— Vol. II.]

SEPTEMBER 5, 1876.

t Subscription, 5s.\ Post
per Annum. J Free

Horology— XVI. Dialling

Ccriosities of Ancient Clocks

The Swiss Society of Arts

Precious Stones

An Explanation of the Principal Terms made

use of in Astronomy

The Horological Institute at Lock and Safe

Making ...

PAGE
73
74
75
77

78

CONTENTS.

PAGE

British Exhibits at the Centennial Exhibi-
tion, Watches/Jewellery, and Silverware... 79

Watchmaking at the Centennial 80

Chinese Divisions of Time 81

Silvering Metal Goods 81

Finger Rings 82

British Horological Institute 83

Mirror of the Month 81

PAGE

A New Engraving Machine ... 84

Prices Current for Gold and Silver 84

Monthly Eecord of Bankruptcies 84

Patents 85

Useful Receipts for Watchmakers & Jewellers 85

The Trades' Directory SO

Advertisements 86—98

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

XVI.— Dialling.

WE intend to devote this article to inclined and reclining
dials.

As the name indicates, these dials are drawn on planes that
incline or lean forwards towards a southern horizon, the angle of
which leaning must be either greater or lesser than the equinoctial
plane. We may assume such a dial by supposing a portion of the
plane of the equator raised towards the zenith, and the other
portion correspondingly depressed towards the nadir ; then, further,
suppose this plane to revolve upon a line drawn from the east to
the west points of the horizon. With these assumptions before us,
let us try and convert them into demonstrations by constructing
such a dial.

The first thing to be found is the declination of the plane by
means of the declinator (already explained), and having done so,
draw the declining line, marking it D C. We next produce the
equinoctial plane, which we mark C E, and the vertical plane as
C B. We must make sure of our declinator problem before we
proceed any farther. Having satisfied ourselves upon that point,
we draw a horizontal line, L A, touching the lower points of the
lines which have been previously produced. Then, if the inclination
of the plane falls between the equinoctial plane C E and the
vertical one C B, in such a way as that the angle of inclination
1) C A is greater than the elevation of the equator E C A, on the
upper side draw a north dial, and on the lower a south dial, to an

elevation of the equator, which is equal to the aggregate of the
elevation of the equator of the given place, and the complement of
the inclination to a quadrant.

We will now proceed, secondly. Construct a line of some length,
so that it shall be a tangent, that is, pass over the points of the
plane lines that have been already made ; let it fall below the hori-
zontal line L A to a length as great as that line, and above it to
twice that length ; mark this as H G-. Then, between the
equinoctial lines C E and the horizontal C A, at an equal
distance, produce a fine, C F. Now, if G F falls between the
horizontal line C A and the equinoctial one C E, so as that the
angle of inclination, F C A, is less than the elevation of the equator,
EGA, describe a horizontal dial, ou the principles already laid down
for that construction, to an elevation of the pole of the given place
and the inclination of the plane. Bear in mind that dials of the
above inclination are drawn according to the same rules as primary
dials, with this exception : the index of the horizontal dial must
be fitted under the angle ADC, whilst in the primary dial they may
be under the angle I) F C ; the distance of the centre of the dial
from the line of contingency is, in the first-named case D C, and
in the last-named F C.

Reclining dials are the reverse of inclining dials, and are constructed
upon planes that recline, or lean backwards from the zenith towards
the north, in an angle that is greater or lesser than the polar plane.
The raising and depression towards the zenith and nadir, and the
revolution of the plane from east to west, are precisely the same as
in an inclining dial. Reclination in dialling carries its primitive
meaning with it ; bat, to be more exact, we say that it is the angle
that the plane makes with a vertical plane, intersecting the latter in
a horizontal line. Recline, re, back, and clino, to bend, is to bend
backwards from a straight line, such as a horizontal one, for Instance;

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Sept.

18G7.

decline has. practically, the same meaning, whilst incline is to lean
forwards. To find the inclination of a plane we proceed in tin's
wise : draw a horizontal line, and from each end of that line, with
a compass pencil, strike two arcs of a circle that will cross each
other both above and below the horizontal line. That being done,
lay a Mat ruler in such a manner upon the paper that a fine pencil
mark when drawn will exactly cut through the points -where the
arcs cross each other. This, in geometrical phraseology, is what is
called erectiug a perpendicular. According to Euclid, the theorem
is that •• the angles which one straight line makes with another,
upon one side of it, are either two right angles or are equal to two
right angles." That is, we have cut the horizontal hue into two
equal parts, exactly halved it, as it were. Now comes the practical
application of the scientific problem.

Instead of lines, let us make the horizontal a piece of flat board,
or metal, or slate, and a second one resting edgeways across upon it,
as evenly between the ends of the flat board as the line does upon-
paper geometrically. The reader will now find that he has horizontal
and vertical planes — the planes, of course, being the surfaces of the
boards. If, now, another board be placed upon the horizontal one
edgeways, as before, but leaning away from the upright one, that
board will represent an inclining, a declining, or a reclining plane,
according to which of the two principal planes its position is com-
pared with. It will be {»-clining, leaning to, the horizontal plane,
and c/e-clining, or re-clining from the vertical one. This is a beautiful
demonstration of the union of the scientific and the practical — which,
indeed, all Euclid's demonstrations are. Upon this proposition, the
13th of the first book, is founded that valuable instrument, the
square, so extensively used by architects, engineers, and nearly all
workers in both wood, and stone, and metal. The square is said to
have been invented by Pythagoras, as a carpenter's " tool." It will
be seen that we have not given Euclid's form of demonstration ;
this has been omitted for two good and substantial reasons, i.e.,
those who understand the proposition do not require the Euclidian
demonstration, whilst those who do not know would not under-
stand it ; ergo, in either case it is not wanted.

After some slight consideration, we have hit upon a simple plan
which, we think, will enable the student to first lay down the fines of
the dial mechanically, and, that being done, he can pursue the
geometrical part of it at his leisure.

First of all draw a or horizontal line, of the length desired,

then, upon that, erect the perpendicular after the manner that has
been previously described, by means of the crossing arcs ; but take

care and do not cut through the line. At the point where

the perpendicular rests upon it mark C, for that will be the centre,
and at the extremity B. From this said centre, exactly midway
between the perpendicular and horizontal lines, draw another and
mark it E. This one will be the angular line of 45 degrees. Now,
with a distance on the compasses equal to twice the length of the
horizontal line, from E as a centre, produce a straight line that shall
touch the extremities of the perpendicular and horizontal lines, and
join the points of this straight line by other lines with C. AVe will
call the long line H G, and the joining lines H C and G C. Next,
with a distance equal to one-fourth the horizontal line, from B on
the long line, draw a line from C and mark the upper end of it D.
Again, with the same distance from B to D, draw aline from C that
shall be midway between the horizontal line and the 45-degree line,
where they touch the long line, and mark it F. Now, notice what
we have got on the long or great oblique line that runs from II to G.
The half of the horizontal line will be C A, the next C F, the next
C E, or the 45-degree line ; then C D, the next C B, or the perpen-
dicular, and C H, the reclining angle. That part is completed ; and
upon consulting it, the student will be able to comprehend all that
has gone before in this article. All the lines that we have named
are supposed to be on the right-hand side of the horizontal line ; two
have to be produced on the upper left-hand side to finish the whole
diagram. In continuation of the line G C, produce it upwards,
marking the extremity K ; then, midway between K and II, produce
another line from C, and at the upper end mark it I. We have now,
on the left-hand side of C B, the lines C H, C I, C K, and C L.
This last-named line, L C A, will be seen to be the horizontal line.
We have now the materials before us with which to construct any
of the dials of inclination that may be required for a reclining
dial. °

Taking the line II C as a reclined plane from the vertical B C ;
then, if U C fall between the vertical and the polar plane I C, so
that the angle of reclination, B C H, is less than the distance of the
pole from the zenith, B C I, describe a vertical south and a vertical
north dial to an elevation of the equator, equal to the difference
between the elevation of the equator of the given place and the
angle of reclination. Again, if the reclined plane K C fall

between the polar plane I C and the horizontal one C L, so that
the angle of reclination B C K is greater than the distance of the
pole from the zenith I C B, describe a horizontal upon it to an
elevation of the pole, equal to the difference between the angle of
reclination and the elevation of the equator of the given place.

To draw these dials trigouometrically, we have to find the incli-
nation or reclination of the plane and the elevation of the pole.
These having become known, the angles made in the centre are to
be found by hour-lines. Any dial constructed in this way is, pro -
perly, a horizontal dial for a latitude equal to the particular eleva-
tion of the pole on the plane of the dial. The angles belonging to
it will be found from the instructions previously laid down for a
horizontal dial.

We find the elevation of the pole on the dial plane in this way :
the plane being inclined, either its inclination is greater than the
elevation of the pole of the place, or less ; or it is equal thereto.
In the first two instances, for upper south or lower north dials, the
particular elevation of the pole on the plane is had by taking the
difference between the elevation of the pole of the place, and the incli-
nation of the plane. In the second case, the dial is a polar dial, upon
which the hour-lines will be parallel ; on account of the plane being
placed on the axis of the earth, neither of the poles can be represented
upon it.. For upper north and lower south dials proceed as follows :
— If the inclination be greater than the complement of the elevation,
the complement of the inclination must be added to the comple-
ment of the elevation. If it be less, the inclination must be added
to the elevation. If it be equal, the dial will be an equinoctial dial,
in which the angles at the centre will be equal to the sun's distance
from the meridian. Deinclined dials are those which both decline
and incline, or recline. As we are at this point we will mention
that the use of inclined, reclined, and deinclined dials has become
very rare, being now only called into requisition from scientific
curiosity. The geometrical and trigonometrical construction of the
last-named being somewhat intricate, we cannot give it here ; in
fact, to do so, we must accompany it by an abstruse article upon
astronomical declination. In our last we said something about
circles, and circular arcs ; following that up, it will be our duty in
the opening of. our next to introduce the elements of declination so
far as they will help to elucidate the subject that we have at present
in hand. We do not think that our readers will at all consider the
time wasted in perusing it, as we hope to be able to present it to
their consideration.

CURIOSITIES OF ANCIENT CLOCKS.

THE old clock in the north transept of Glastonbury Abbey was
made, in 1325, by a monk named Peter Lightfoot, at the
expense of Adam de Sodbury, who became Abbot of Glastonbury in
1332. This old clock was transferred to St. Andrew's Cathedral,
Wells, soon after the dissolution of the abbey. It is divided into
24 parts, corresponding with the 24 hours of the day. The horary
numbers, in old English characters on circular tablets, mark the
hours from 12 at noon to midnight, and from thence to 12 at mid-
day again. The horn' index, a large gilt star, is attached to the
machinery behind a second circle, on which are marked the minutes,
indicated by a smaller star. A third and smaller circle gives the
age of the moon, which is marked by a point attached to a circular
opening in the plate, through which the phases of the moon are
shown. Around this aperture is an inscription — " Punctus ab June
monstrat micro sidericus arcus."

On the opposite side is a circle in which is a female figure, with
the motto, " Semper peragrat P/iabe.v The figures of four knights
on horseback, which revolve in opposite directions, were intended to
represent a tournament, in mediaeval times a very popular amuse-
ment. This is the oldest kuown clock striking the hours with a
count-wheel. A figure strikes the quarters with the feet on two
small bells within the church. The costume of this figure is of the
period of Charles I., and must, therefore, have replaced one of more
ancient date.

The motto, " Semper peragrat Phcche " (Phoebe always wanders),
crowns the female figure, while the motto surrounding the moon is
less intelligible, " Ah Hinc monstrat micro .... ericus Archery-
pung." This, it has been conjectured, when perfect, might mean
"That in this microcosm are shown all the wonders of the vast
sidereal hemisphere. " The sense of the last word is obscure. Some
years ago, the original works of this clock being worn out, new ones
were substituted. The old works made by Peter Lightfoot are
preserved at the South Kensington Museum, but the face still
remains.

Sept. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

75

THE SWISS SOCIETY OF ARTS.

Competitive Chronometer and Watch Trials at Geneva.

THE celebration of the Centennial of Swiss Society of Arts has
this year taken place under more than usual interesting
circumstances : invitations were extended to watchmakers of all
countries to compete, and the conditions imposed were more rigorous
than in former years. The trials lasted fifty-two days, during
which the competing chronometers were tested seven days in seven
different positions ; they were then submitted to a temperature of
30°, 35" heat, afterwards at one of 0°, 5° of cold, and the
observations were classed as follows : —

1. Mean daily rate, not to exceed fo second per day ; 2. Variation
in seven positions not to equal two seconds during the seven days'
trial ; 3. Error in compensation, produced by differences in
temperatures, not to exceed \ second per each degree of
temperature ; 4. The regularity of rate as maintained by the
chronometers after having been exposed to the various tests.

The third test was the same as that imposed in 1875, the others
being much harsher than those of the previous year.

In all, eighty-four chronometers were entered for competition ;
seventy-five manufactured in Geneva, seven Locle, and two in
London. Two were withdrawn, and twenty-seven failed to comply
with the requirements of the various tests. The performance of
the remaining fifty-five was far above what was required. In some
few cases, however, during the first few days, the rate was strikingly
irregular, and suddenly they settled down and performed with
wonderful accuracy, and the impression is that had these arrived a
few days earlier their rates would have been much more satisfactory.
In all, twenty-nine of the chronometers obtained prizes.

The premium of honour was awarded to Mr. Ulysse Nardin, of
Locle. Mean variation $fe second per day, mean variation in seven
different positious, r$j second, error of compensation, rib second,
variations before and after tests to heat and cold, n/o second.

Next came six chronometers whose performance was so similar
that they each obtained equal premiums, viz., silver medals.

E. Kegren

0.34

1.26

0.05

0.48

Parkinson & Frodsham

0.47

1.35

0.02

0.04

J. M. Badallet & Co. ...

0.49

1.22

0.01

0.20

H. Radard & Fils

0.39

1.56

0.03

0.13

Perregann

0.50

0.44

0.02

0.86

Fleuhmann & Co.

0.68

0.67

0.03

0.08

The second premium, a silver medal, was awarded to a chronometer
whose maker withheld his name, but regulated by Mr. George
Raymond. The test was as follows: — 0.31, 1.04, 0.15, 0.43.

Then came seven more, to which were voted "honourable
mention," — E. Kegren, 2; Parkinson & Frodsham, 1; J. M.
Badallet & Co., 1 ; H. Radard & Fils, 1 ; rated by George
Raymond, 1 ; Ulysse Nardin, 1. Together, fifteen chronometers
having obtained prizes, fourteen more were so close to the test that
they might almost have won premiums. All have performed much
more satisfactorily than those competing in 1875, and it is a matter
of sincere congratulation that such good results have been obtained
this year. In the report of Professor Plantamour, Director of the
Geneva Observatory, on the international competitive trial of
pocket chronometers and watches, he says : —

" If the manufacturers of our town have liberally responded to
the appeal addressed to them, the participation of the foreign
manufacturers has been so small that the qualification ' inter-
national ' can scarcely be applied to this competition. Indeed, out
of a total number of 84 chronometers, there are only nine from four
manufacturers not established in Geneva, whilst the remaining 75
have been deposited by 13 houses of our town. However, the
number of chronometers that have undergone all the tests required
by the prograrnine is 82 only, two having been withdrawn at the
outset, the irregularities of rates having shown the inutility of
contmuing the observations. The trials have been carried out in
conformity with the programme published the 1st of July, 1875,
save in one point, otherwise unimportant, by which the number of
the chronometers raised a material difficulty. The programme pro-
vided that all the chronometers should be tested simultaneously in
the oven ; then, after a day's interval, in the ice-box, the sixth and
ninth period (the one of which precedes, and the other follows, the
trial of the compensation) being for all of seven days' duration.

" The dimensions of the oven, and the ice-box, not allowing more
than 36 chronometers to undergo the compensation test at the same
time, it was necessary to spread the tests over three consecutive days,
three separate series.

' ' For the chronometers of the first series, the sixth and ninth
periods have been seven days each ; for those of the second series,
the sixth period has been eight days, the ninth period six ; finally,
for those of the third series, the sixth period has been nine days,
and the ninth, five days only. This slight inequality in the relative
duration of the two periods is of no importance. As the question is
to determine the change effected in the average rate of a chrono-
meter at the ordinary temperature, after having passed through
variations of temperature such as those afforded by the difference
between the stove and the ice-house, a period of five days is amply
sufficient to show the average rate during that period; it was
therefore a matter of indifference to prolong by a day or two the
sixth period, and to shorten by as much the ninth period.

" The programme provided four different tests, by fixing for each
of them very restricted limits of variation, which were not to be
exceeded by the chronometers competing for a prize.

' ' These limits being far more restricted than those entitling a
chronometer to a first-class certificate according to the regulations
of the Observatory, the chronometers not possessing the qualifica-
tions imposed for obtaining a first-class certificate were a fortiori
excluded by the conditions of the present competition. The chro-
nometers which come under that category are twenty-seven in
number, for which consequently no notes of rates have been drawn
up ; the detailed notes of rates of the fifty-five other chronometers
are lodged at the ' office' for the inspection of the ' classe.' I have
summed up in the appendix to this report the results of the varia-
tions ascertained in each of the four trials by those fifty-five
chronometers, which are arranged according to a registered number.
'• If we examine the average figures registered for each trial fur
the average of the fifty-five chronometers, the results of this com-
petition may be looked upon as highly satisfactory ; these figures
are certainly within the limit fixed by the programme to qualify for
competing for a prize, whence it may be concluded that the con-
ditions required to deserve a prize have been fulfilled on the
average by all the chronometers, notwithstanding the severity of
those conditions. However, from this it does not follow that all
chronometers are qualified to compete because it suffices, according
to the programme, that the limit be exceeded in one of the four
trials, to preclude a chronometer from all further chance of a prize.
I have marked, by an asterisk, the trials for which the limit had
been exceeded, which consequently brought about the exclusion of
a chronometer, making due allowance for the inevitable uncertainty
which results from the observations in the calculated amount of the
variation. In the observations we are obliged to limit ourselves to
the tenth part of a second, and in the majority of the chronometers,
of which the seconds' dial is very small, and often badly divided, it
is impossible, even with a magnifying-glass, to go beyond, from
which it results that the rate in twenty -four hours is uncertain within
the limits of a tenth of a second at least, from the simple fact
that no account is taken of hundredths of a second, and even if the
figure of the tenth given by the comparison were correct. In seeking
to appreciate, according to the rules for the laws of probabilities,
the influence which the hundredths of a second neglected in the
comparisons may have on the amount obtained for the average
variation of rates from one day to the other, we find that it may
amount to two or three hundredths of a second ; as, more-
over, an error of a tenth of a second in the comparison may be
committed from time to time, and as the correctness of the clock
may also be affected by an uncertainty of this kind daring several
days of clouded weather, the uncertainty attaching to the amount
of variation found by comparison might reach several hundredths of
a second. It might consequently happen, in the cases where the
limit fixed by the programme is exceeded by a very small quantity,
that the unreliability of the comparisons may have been the cause
of it, and not the irregularity of the rate of the chronometer ; for
this reason I have only affixed the asterisk, indicating exclusion, in
those cases where the limit of the programme had been exceeded
by a quantity greater than that which might have arisen by the
inevitable uncertainty of the comparisons.

" The examination of the notes of rate of some of the chronometers
point to a peculiarity which shows that in many cases irregularities
of rate are accidents, which might, perhaps, be attributed to the
manner in which the piece has been carried to the Observatory, and
to the fact that it has not had the time of resuming its normal rate
before the commencement of the comparisons. For these chrono-
meters, it is during the first period only, viz., from the 15th to the
22nd of February, for some even during only the two first day?,
that irregularities of rate have been found out of all proportion with
those which were discovered during the following periods, so that
the average variation would be considerably reduced if the com-
parisons had commenced eight days later,

76

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Sept. 5, 1876.

0 The most remarkable example is given by the chronometer entered
the No. 71, the rate of which, dating from the 22nd of February,
is of a remarkable regularity ; so that from that time uutil the 7th
of April the average variation from one day to the other is + 0,) 24
only, whilst the irregularities of the first week cause the mean
variation, from the loth of February to the 7th of April, to amount
to + 0\ 68. The total of the variations of that week alone is more
than double that of the variations for the six following weeks.

" Out of the fifty-five chronometers there are twenty-six which,
in accordance with the programme, must be excluded from the
competition, as not having fulfilled all the conditions required in all
the trials. Out of this number

16 have failed in one trial only ;

7 ,, ,, two trials;

8 ,, ,, three trials.

"The trial which has given rise to the greatest number of exclusions
(thirteen in all) is the fourth, viz., that of the comparison of the
rate before and after the trial of the compensation, six chronometers
having been excluded by that trial alone whilst fulfilling the condi-
tions required by the others. For the three other trials the number
of the exclusions is nearly the same — from eight to nine.

" It then remained only to make the classification in order of merit
of the twenty-nine chronometers which had fulfilled all the condi-
tions required to enable them to compete for a prize ; and in that
classification, whilst taking into account the result in each of the
four trials, a double importance had to be attributed, as prescribed
by the programme, to the results obtained in the two first trials.
The simplest means, and at the same time the most exact, of making
such a classification is that which I employed in previous competi-
tions. The rank of a chronometer in each trial is determined by a
certain number of points, increasing with the merit of the chro-
nometer, starting from 0 as the limit corresponding to the exclusion,
and proceeding to 100, as representing the absolute perfection for
the two first trials, and to fifty for the two last.

"For each chronometer the points obtained in the four trials are
summed up, and the rank of a chronometer is determined by the
number of points obtained, absolute perfection corresponding to
300 points, the inferior limit of 0 representing the merit of a
chronometer which has simply fulfilled all the conditions necessary
to compete for a prize. The formulae which serve to calculate the
number of points in conformity with the stipulations of the
programme are, if we designate by V, V1, V2, V3, the amount of
the variation expressed in each of the four trials in hundredths of
seconds -.

(60— V) x 1-66 for the first trial ;

(200— V1) x 0-5 for the second trial ;

(20— V2) x 2-5 for the third trial ;

{100— V3) X 0 5 for the fourth trial.

"The annexed schedule gives, for the twenty -nine chronometers
that had to be classed, the number of points calculated by these
formulae for each of the four trials, as well as their total amount ;
the sign — which precedes some of the figures, arising from the
limit having been exceeded by a quantity so smali as not to justify
exclusion, the difference of the limit was negative, and the total of
the points had to be diminished from the corresponding number.

"The last column of this schedule, which contains the totals of
the points, shows that the first portion in order of merit belongs
incontestably to the chronometer inscribed under the number fifty-
two, which has obtained 218 points out of 300 — that is to say,
which is only short eighty-two points of absolute perfection.
Afterwards some six chronometers, for which the totals of points
differ so little that it would be unjust to attempt to attribute to
them any inequality as regards merit, because the difference might
bear upon quantities inferior to the uncertainty arising out of the
comparisons ; in fact, each hundredth of a second in the average
variation corresponds to 1 2/3 point, and as the hundredths neglected
in the comparisons produce an uncertainty of two hundredths of a
second at least in the average variation, an uncertainty of from two
to three points results from this trial only.

" It therefore appears to me equitable to place these six
chronometers exactly on an equal footing, which, naming them
according to the registered number, are as follows : —

No. 16, which has united 144 points

No. 28, „ „ 147 „

No. 34, „ „ 145 „

No. 43, „ „ 144 „

No. 49, „ „ 147 „

No. 71, „ „ 143 „

" The average number of points for these six chronometers is 145,
with a difference of two, more or less, from one to the other, which
difference is not sufficient to cause an inequality.

" We find afterwards, No. 26 closely following the preceding ones
with 138 points (or marks), then the seven following chronometers,
according to the order of inscription, which have all obtained 100
marks and more :

No. 1, with 124. No. 51, with 112.

No. 29, with 121. No. 53, with 100.

No. 42, with 106. No. 54, with 104.

No. 66, with 106.

"In appreciating the result of this competition, with regard to the
rank of the chronometers given by the order of classification, and
the prizes or distinctions which are to be awarded, we must
necessarily take into account the considerable distance which
separates the N o. 52 from the six following ones, and consequently
give it a special distinction, which might be done by awarding
it a prize of honour. A rate as regular as that of this chronometer
during the fifty-two days of the duration of the competition,
and this in all circumstances of position and temperature, is
sufficiently exceptional to deserve a special distinction.

"A first prize exwquo ought to be awarded to each of the six
chronometers which follow, and are classed in the same rank, viz. :

« The Nos. 16, 28, 34, 43, 49, and 71.

" Afterwards, a second prize ought to be given to No. 26, which
follows closely the preceding ones in the order of classification ; at
last the seven chronometers, which have united 100 points and
more, viz. — the Nos. 1, 29, 51, 42, 66, 54, and 53, would be
entitled to an honourable mention.

"If we wish to render ourselves an account of the progress realized
in the timing (reglage) of the chronometers, from the comparison of
the results obtained in the present competition by the best chrono-
meters, with those of last year's competition, we must not take in
a direct manner for the term of comparison the number of the points
or marks, notwithstanding the tests having been the same, because
the point of departure is different. In this year's competition a
much more elevated degree of perfection has been taken, as starting
point, or 0, from which the marks are counted up to the maximum
of 300, representing absolute perfection, which corresponds to a
notable lowering of the number of marks corresponding to the same
variations of rate.

" Thus, this year, the 0 for the average variation from one day to
the other corresponds to an average variation of 0s, 6 ; last year to
one of O-', 8 ; the 0 for the average strain, or digression (ecarf),
according to the position, is this year up to 2s, 0 ; last year it was
of three seconds. For the difference of rate between the sixth and
ninth period the 0 corresponds this year to a difference of one
second ; last year to two and a half seconds. For the compensation
the 0 is the same in the two years, and corresponds to an error of
compensation of 0% 2, per degree. If we calculate the number of
points (or marks) obtained this year by the best chronometers, taking
for starting-point that of last year, we find for

"The No. 52, 245 points ; last year, No. 7, 213 points.

" Average of the six following : —

" 16, 28, 34, 43, 49, 71, 192 points ; last year, Nos. 28 and 21 186
and 185 points.

"26, 181 points; last year, Nos. 1,25, and 2, 174, 174, and 173 points.

" Thus the No. 52, the first of the present competition, is much in
advance of No. 7, the first of last year's competition, and the six
chronometers for which a first prize is proposed this year are in
advance of Nos. 28 and 21 of last year.

" If for the six chronometers having obtained prizes last year we
take the average figure of the variation in the four trials, we find ;
_+0s, 45 ; +1", 01 ; +0", 065 ; +0', 4S.

"This year the average of the eight chronometers for which prizes
are proposed is —

4 0», 43; _+0", 99; +0-, 040; +0% 32,
which figures are all inferior to those of last year.

" E. Plaxtamouk, Professor."

Sept. 5> 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

77

PEECIOUS STONES.

(Continued from page 4).

Historical Diamonds.

rE extraordinary value always attributed to large diamonds,
combined -with their scarcity, rendered it possible to follow for
ages the history of some which belonged to high and celebrated per-
sonages, and never passed into the possession of different families or
persons without great vicissitudes, of which, for the most part,
mention is made in history. In relating that Berqueen was the first
who cut the gem to sixty-four facets, by which the diamond took
the name of brilliant in Italy, we remarked that he had in this
fashion cut three large diamonds, given to him for that purpose by
Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.

The first of these has now the name of Sancy ; it weighs car. 33 J ;
it is of the first water, and in the form of a water-drop. The brave
but unfortunate duke wore this stone in his helmet the fatal day of
Granson. It remained with him on the field of battle, and was
there found by a Swiss soldier, who sold it to a priest for two Turin
lire : the priest, without being aware of its value, resold it for three
lire to some unknown person, whose traces were lost. In 1589, by
means of the form, the weight, and quality of water, this diamond
was known to be in possession of the Court of Portugal. King
Antonio gave it in pledge to the treasurer of the King of France,
Niccola Harley de Sancy, who at last bought it for one hundred
thousand "tornesi." From the family of the treasurer, who possessed
it along time, and from whom it took its name, Henry III. of France
borrowed it. He attempted to pledge it, and so raise money for
the payment of his mercenaries ; and for this purpose he intended
sending it to Switzerland. He therefore consigned it to a trust-
worthy person, who, however, was not able to reach the end of his
journey, for on the road he was attacked and killed by robbers,
which came to be heard of some years after, although at the time
nothing was known of it. It appears, however, that the king's
messenger, wishing to save the gem confided to his care, swallowed
it, to disappoint the robbers. We have not heard how the magis-
trates of the place became aware of the fact, but it is certain that
the dead body was disinterred, and the brilliant, being found in its
stomach, was restored to the house of Sancy. One of the barons of
this family gave it to King James H. of the Stuarts, when in exile
at St. Germain, and he sold it for 625,000 tornesi to Louis XIV.
Thus the Sancy entered the French treasury. In the inventory
made in 1791 it is valued at one million francs. When, in 1792, the
royal treasury was robbed, it disappeared. In 1835 it was found
again in the hands of a partisan of the Bourbons, who sold it to the
Master of the Hunt of the Emperor Nicholas for 500,000 roubles.
Now it belongs to the family Demidoff, of Petersburg.

The second diamond cut by Berqueen was given by Charles the
Bold to Pope Sixtus IV. As described by Benvenuto Cellini, it
always afterwards remained in the pontifical treasury, set in various
forms at different times. It is used at the grand sacredfunctionsby the
pontiffs as an episcopal ring. It is a large thin stone, cut in long,
regular facets ; of fine water, but of little brightness on account of
the single cutting. It weighs 14£ carats, light weight, and may now
be valued at fifty thousand lire.

The third, a misshapen stone, was cut by the clever workman
into a triangular form, and the duke had it set in one of the rings
then worn, formed by two hands clasped in friendship ; he gave it
as a token of loyalty and friendship to Louis XI. of France.

The finest, if not the largest, of known brilliants is that found in
the natural adamantine deposits of Parteal, forty-five leagues south
of Golconda ; in its rough state it had the extraordinary "weight of
410 carats; but the labour requisite for polishing them, and which
lasted two years, reduced the weight to 136| carats. From the cut-
ting it acquired an almost square form, with double facetting, which
imparted great brightness to it. When in a rough state it was
bought by the grandfather of the celebrated Pitt, when governor of
Fort St. George, at Madras, for 312,500 lire. The expense of cut-
ting it amounted to 125,000 lire. The pieces remaining from the
cleavage were valued at from 75,000 to 100,000 lire. The Duke of
Orleans, Eegent of France during the minority of Louis XV bought
u -V1 1717 for the sum of 3'375'000 lire, and from that time this
brilliant has been called the Regent. In the inventory of the trea-
*^°f France, to which it still belongs, its value was estimated at
12,000,000 lire ; but this price is evidently exaggerated.

The largest diamond known would certainly be that' said to be-
long to the King of Portugal, and which is included in the imperial
treasure of Brazil, if there was not a reasonable suspicion that it
may be really but a white topaz. Guarded with jealous care, no

exact description of this gem has ever been obtained ; and this
secrecy gives more foundation for the opinion that it is not a true
diamond. It is said to be of a yellowish colour, and in size nearly
equal to that of a hen's egg ; but in form similar to the chick-pea,
and concave at one side. It was found in Brazil, at a place called
Cay-de-Merin, near the river of Malho-verde. According to Ferri,
it weighs 1730 carats, and according to Marve, 1680. It is valued
at [seven thousand million lire. The slave who discovered it was
set at liberty, from which fact is corroborated the aphorism that
"liberty is inestimable." Besides this, the Emperor of Brazil
possesses two other diamonds of less dubious quality, but of much
smaller size ; the largest of these two weighs 215 carats. They
possess rare beauty, and were found by three bandits near Abayte, a
river that runs in the province of Minas-Gereas. Marve saw them
and states that they are rough, and have a surface of 28 millimetres,
and 9 in depth. Marve also affirms that he saw there two octohedral
diamonds, weighing — one, 134 carats, and the other 120.

A brilliant of pyramidal form, valued at 827,000 lire, belongs also
to the Brazilian treasury, and ornaments the handle of King
Giovanni's staff. Here is still preserved the robe of state belonging
to King Guiseppe I., which has twenty buttons, each of which is
a single brilliant, and all together are worth 2,500,000 lire.

In the neighbourhood of Landak a diamond was found in the
year 1787 which in its rough state weighed 318 carats. It belongs
to the Rajah of Matau, in Borneo. In 1820 the Governor of Batavia
sent Stewart to the rajah to offer him in exchange for this gem
two armed ships of war, and the sum of 150,000 dollars ; but the
rajah refused to give it, on account of a superstition held by his
Malay subjects, who considered this stone as inseparable from the
destinies of their nation, and believed that the water in which it had
been immersed could cure every kind of illness.

Under the name of Nizam a diamond is known which belonged to
the King of Golconda, and weighs 340 carats ; its value is as much
as 5,000,000 lire.

The Grand Mogul diamond was dug out of the mines of Gani.
As described by Tavernier, at first it was thought by some to be a
white sapphire ; but, as there did not appear sufficient reason to
keep to this opinion, it is now spoken of as a true diamond. A
famous Indian captain, named Mirghimola, made a present of it to
the Grand Mogul Aurung-Zeb. It appears that Thamas Koulikan,
so celebrated under the name of Nadir Schah, took possession of
this gem, which therefore, in Persia, would now be called Derya'i-
noor, or Ocean of light. According to Caire, it weighed, when
rough, 780£ carats ; worked, but 279T3jy. He affirms that it is in the
form of half an egg ; that it is cut in rose form, and that it is of a
beautiful water, the colour tending to pink. This gem was cut
in the eighteenth century, in India, by one Ortenzio Borghia, an
Italian.

Marco Polo, Tavernier, Methold, Chardin, Jaubert, and many
other travellers, relate wonderful things of diamonds seen by them
in India, and of which we have no particulars. Amongst these
the most remarkable would be that which Tavernier called the Agrah,
and which, according to him, weighed 645|- carats. The Koh-i-noor,
or Mountain of light, of which we have already made mention when
speaking of diamond- cutting, belonged, it is said, to Carna, King of
Anga ; it is the most anciently known of all large diamonds. It
weighed about 186 carats. The superstitious Hindoos believed that
this diamond brought misfortune to whoever possessed it. It is
said that in the seventeenth century it was given to the already-
nominated Grand Mogul Aurung-Zeb, and from that hour his
dynasty began to degenerate, every son being worse than his father,
until 1739, when the last of these sovereigns, Mohamed Schah, in
the sacking of Delhi, his capital, was deprived of the ill-omened
jewel by Nadir Schah. The conqueror was assassinated by his
generals on'his return to Persia, and the diamond fell into the hands
of one of the conspirators, Ahmed-Schah-Doorannee, founder of
the Afghan monarchy, whose history is a perpetual succession of
crimes. Runjeet-Singh, Schah of the Punjaub, or Five Rivers, ex-
torted it from the last of the Afghan kings of Caboul, Soujah-Schah ;
and, in order to deprive it of its fatal influence, he dedicated it to
the Temple of Juggernaut. But his successor, not respecting the
paternal will, took it from the temple, and the Punjaub became sub-
ject to England. It is said that the English East Indian Company
bought it for 6,000,000 lire. Lord Dalhousie presented it to Queen
Victoria in 1849; and the superstitious Indian subjectsof Great Britain,
always retaining the same idea, attributed to the Koh-i-noor the
revolt of Delhi and the death of Prince Albert. After being taken
to London it was again cut, and consequently diminished in value ;
nevertheless it remained extraordinary on account of its length and
width.

(To be continued.)

78

THE WATCHMAKEK, JEWELLEB, AND

[Sept. 5, 1876.

AN EXPLANATION OF THE PRINCIPAL TERMS
MADE USE OF IN ASTRONOMY.

Earth, the globe we inhabit, is one of the seven planets, and the
third in order from the suu. Eccentricity is the distance between
the centre of an ellipsis and either of its foci.

Eclipse of the Sun is an obstruction of his light occasioned by the
interposition of the moon between the sun and our sight.

An Eclipse of the Moon is when the earth comes between the sun
and moon.

Eliptic is a great circle of the sphere in which the sun always
appears to move, and is so called because eclipses generally happen
when the moon is in or near this circle. The line is supposed to be
drawn through the middle of the zodiac, making an angle with the
equinoctial line of about 23p 30', which is the sun's greatest declina-
tion ; or, more strictly speaking, it is the path or way among the fixed
stars that the earth appears to describe to an eye placed in the sun.
Some call it the way of the sun, because the sun in his apparent
annual motion never deviates from it as all the other planets do more
or less.

Elevation of the Pole is an arc of the meridian contained between
the pole and the horizon ; which is always equal to the latitude of
the place, or the distance of the zenith from the equator.

Elongation is the angular distance of a planet from the sun as it
appears to a spectator upon the earth.

Ellipsis is a figure formed by cutting a cone obliquely to its axis.
It is in a curve of this kind that the planets move round the sun,
and the satellites round their primaries.

Emersion is the time when any planet which is eclipsed begins to
recover its light again.

Epact is the moon's age at the end of the year, or the difference
between the solar year and the lunar one.

Epoch is a fixed point or period of time from whence the
succeeding years are numbered or counted.

Equation of Time is the difference between the equal time and
apparent, or that shown by a perfectly true clock and sun-dial ; by
which is meant the reducing the apparent unequal times or motion
of the heavenly bodies to equable or mean time.

Equator is that great circle which divides the northern from the
southern hemisphere, and being referred to the heavens is called
the Equinoctial. When the sun comes to the equator the days and
nights are equal throughout the world.

Equinoxes are the two points where the ecliptic cuts the equator,
so called because when the sun is in either of these situations the
days and nights are equal throughout the whole globe. In other
words the equinoxes are the precise time when the sun enters the
equinoctial points Aries and Libra ; the former, being the 21st of
March, is called the vernal equinox, and the latter, on the 23rd of
September, the autumnal equinox. Vernal signifies belonging to the
spring.

Ether. — A fine subtile fluid, which is supposed to fill the whole
celestial space between the heavenly bodies and our atmosphere.

Foci of an Ellipsis are two points in the longest or transverse axis,
on each side of the centre, from each of which if any two right
lines be drawn to meet each other in the periphery, their sum will
be always equal to the transverse axis.

Galaxy, or Milky Way, is a large, irregular zone, or band of light,
which encompasses the heavens. This stream of light is supposed
by modern astronomers to be occasioned by a profusion of stars.

Gemini, the Tvnns, the third sign of the zodiac, contains ninety-
four stars. This sign is marked on the globes by the hieroglyphic
of two kids, because at this time the sheep generally bring forth
their young in pairs. In the place of the Egyptian hieroglyphic
the Greeks have substituted without any propriety the twin
brothers Castor and Pollux.

Geocentric Place of a Planet is that position which it has when
seen from the earth.

Qeorgium Sidm. — A new planet was discovered in 1781 by the
late Dr. Herschel, who called it Georgium Sidus in compliment to
the king ; but most astronomers have considered himself as better
entitled to the honour — though some have named this planet
Uranus. Flampstead, Mayer, and Le Moinnier had long ago
observed it as a little star ; but in 1781 Dr. Herschel observed that
it had shifted its place, and by continuing to observe it he found
it to be a planet.

Gibbous is a term used in reference to the enlightened parts of
the moon, whilst she is moving from the first quarter to the full,
and from the full to the last quarter, on account of the dark parts
appearing homed and the light ones convex.

Golden Numbers. — A series of numbers, proceeding from 1 to 19,
used in the almanac for determining the times of newand full moons.

Gregorian Year is that which is so called from Pope Gregory
XIII., who reformed the calendar in the year 1582, which reforma-
tion was not used in England till 1752.

Greyhounds. — A constellation in the northern hemisphere, which
consists of twenty-four stars.

Grus, the Crane. — A constellation in the southern hemisphere,
containing fourteen stars.

THE HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE AT LOCK AND
SAFE MAKING.

{Communicated.')

ON Wednesday, the 16th ult., a considerable gathering ot
members of the Institute, and a few friends, accompanied by Mr.
Jackson and Mr. Glasgow, Vice-Presidents, and Mr. F. J. Britten,
the Secretary, assembled (by previously obtained permission) at
the extensive Lock and Safe Works of Messrs. Hobbs, Hart & Co.
(of Cheapside), situated in Arlington-street, New North-road.

We were received by Mr. Sylvanus, the chief manager of the
firm, and, on account of the number present, it became necessary
to divide us into three parties: Mr. Sylvanus himself taking
charge of one, Mr. Laming, the directing engineer, of another, and
Mr. Calvert, of the third.

Our principal object in visiting these works arose from a desire,
on account of the extent to which automatic machinery is used,
to see the practical application of it in the manufacture of locks
and fkeys. We therefore did not stint ourselves in the matter of
special examination, nor of asking questions. The present writer
cannot enter into a minute, technical description of the different
operations, which it may be hoped will some day be done, but will
just sketch what we all saw as we passed along ; and first of locks.
Upon entering the machine shop the first thing that we noticed
was a formidable shearing and stamping machine, at which a work-
man sat, with a pile of blank lock plates before him. He simply
fed the stamper, and punched every hole for the lock at the rate of
ever so many an hour. After that there was the tapping machine
for the screw-holes, and the shearing for straight edges. In the
brass locks the blank plates are stamped out first of all from a
long strip of brass, and then punched in the punching machine and
screw-tapped; the levers are also stamped out. We saw lock
springs made very rapidly by a young woman. Keys and lock-bolts
are stamped, red hot, out of the solid iron, a steam-hammer die
doing the latter, further operations being cleaning and grinding.
It then goes upstairs to have the " centreing" done, after which the
pin-hole is drilled, and the steps are cut. This step-cutting
machine is managed by a woman, and its automatic action is so
curious that it would require a description to itself; we cannot
even pretend to give an outline of it. It has two quadrants, with
index-hands to regulate its motion, and when the blank key is fixed
on it, it will only cut what the index is set for, and can never go
wrong. All the steps are cut one after another with great precision.
It is next cleaned, and the lock fitted to it, in a manner which we
cannot here sufficiently explain, but it is very interesting, neverthe-
less ; after being fitted it is case-hardened and polished. The
various portions of the lock are collected from the different
machines, taken into the fitting-room, and put together. We saw
a great deal of machinery at work in screw-cutting, tool-making,
&c, that we cannot enumerate, but were full of " wrinkles " to the
clockmaker.

We next went to the Safe Works, and saw how safes were made
fire-proof, burglar-proof, &c, but, however astonishing the different
operations were to us, the technical description of them must be
left to the pen of the literary engineer.

After leaving the works we went into the private office, and here
a real surprise awaited us. This was no less than the union of
horology and lock work. We were shown a chronometric lock
having two compensated lever escapements whirling along in lively
style. We asked, " What those escapements can have to do with
locking ? " It was, however, explained to us that the escapements
governed the action of the lock, that it could be set to any given
hour, and that, until that hour arrived, the keys of the lock were
quite useless ; in fact, they were plugged out until the time came,
when a detent let them in. We understand that a full description
of this singular lock is about to be pubbshed. After admiring it
greatly, Mr. Jackson, in the name of the company, warmly thanked
the firm, through Mr. Sylvanus, for the courtesy that had been
shown to us all over the works, after which we took our departure.
We trust that the firm, following the enterprise of the age, will see
fit to publish a detailed account of the very unique machinery
employed in lock and safe making.

Sept. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

79

BRITISH EXHIBITS AT THE CENTENNIAL EX-
HIBITION. WATCHES, JEWELLERY, AND
SILVERWARE.

THE American Jeweller and Silversmith devotes considerable space
to the description of the exhibits of watchmaking, jewellery
and silverware at the Centennial Exhibition. And in alluding to
exhibits of British, manufacture describes them as follows : —

EXHIBITS OF MR. JOHN NEAL, OF EDGWARE ROAD, LONDON.

The jewellery exhibits in the main building are a constant source
of attraction to all the visitors, and are deserving of more than a
passing glance. England is well represented by several houses,
prominent among which is that of Mr. John Neal, manufacturing
jeweller, watchmaker, and silversmith to the Queen. Although
the space allotted to him (C, 27, near the office of the English
Commissioners) is on one side of the main building, some distance
from the usual avenue of the crowd in the centre, we noticed
hundreds of visitors stopping to admire the fine display. The
exhibits comprise gold and silver jewellery, fine lever watches in
gold cases, and silverware. A specialty is made of the production
of a high grade of lever watches in gold and silver cases, including
split seconds chronograph for timing horses. A large collection of
sterling silver lockets are shown of unique design and of various
patterns, oblong, turban, &c. Some superb bracelets in solid
gold, set in diamonds, breast-pins, lockets, necklets, &c, are among
the chief attractions of the case. Considerable space is given to
the display of fine gold rings set with diamonds, emeralds, opals,
rubies, carbuncles, &c. Fine ladies' and gents' 18 carat hall-
marked gold chains, in a variety of beautiful patterns, are displayed
in the collection of Mr. Neal, as also onyx lockets of great beauty.
A novelty, which would certainly command a ready sale if kept by
jewellers in the United States, is a patent gold pocket pencil,
containing a slide calendar on the top end of the case which can be
readily set for any month in the year. The exhibit of best electro-
plated ware on hard nickel silver, comprising fruit dishes, table sets,
candelabras, &c, is worthy of special commendation. These goods
were exhibited at London, Paris, and Vienna.

EXHIBITS OF MR. WILLIAM GIBSON, MANUFACTURING JEWELLER,
BELFAST, IRELAND.

In passing through the British section in the main building,
we were strongly attracted to the superb display of jewellery made
by Mr. William Gibson, of Belfast. His exhibits of Irish jewellery
cannot fail to favourably impress all persons visiting the Exposition
who have even the most cursory knowledge of the value of articles
in this line. The display is worthy of note, first, because of its
great intrinsic value, rivalling all of the jewellery exhibits in this
particular ; second, for the originahty of the designs shown ; and
third, on account of the locality in which the articles were made.

Belfast has always been famous for its manufactures of linen
goods, but not until within a few years past has it enjoyed any
prestige in the goldsmiths' art. If we may be allowed to form an
opinion from Mr. Gibson's display, we will say that the jewellers of
London and Birmingham must look to their laurels. His plate-
glass show-cases are rich and elegant in appearance, black, striped
with gold, 12 feet in width, and 14 feet in height, with a handsome
canopy draped in blue silk. A copy of tke Belfast arms and
several Irish emblems surmount the whole. It is not of the cases,
however, but of their rich contents to which we invite the attention
of our readers. All the designs of the jewellery exhibited were
made at Mr. Gibson's manufactory in Belfast, and the work executed
under his own supervision. Nothing has been copied from Germany,
France, Italy, or any other nationality ; and in this particular he is
entitled to the great credit of having the most valuable collection of
jewellery to be seen in the Exhibition. The refining processes are
most carefully conducted, and the selections of precious stones
made to correspond with the designs. His daisy hair-pins are
choice morceaus, the leaves being upon delicate springs that yield to
the slightest motion, and thus arranged give the pearl and diamond
ornaments not only the appearance of great richness but a life-like
naturalness, as if one gazed on a living flower bearing upon its leaves
the precious stones as a native production. It is in such things as
this that true art prevails. Mechanism is a sombre pounding out of
designs ; skill enables the mechanician to amplify, and taste to
beautify with such elaboration as correct judgment always suggests.
Mr. Gibson's display evidences a very refined taste, while every
article will bear the closest scrutiny. Among others, his bracelets,
ear-rings, finger-rings, chaplets and tiaras are most exquisite pro-
ductions, calculated to attract attention and to win for him a well-
earned renown at the International Exhibition.

A masterpiece of art and beauty, and the finest collection of
precious stones on exhibition in one set of jewellery, is that of a
pendant set containing large emeralds in the centre surrounded by
diamonds. Separately, they are a breast-pin and ear-rings, and
the whole form a tiara, being connected together in fleur-de-lis with
diamonds. The largest emerald is about lg- inch in length by 1
inch in width, and the other two are somewhat smaller. The
emeralds are the largest and finest we have ever seen in this country,
and the diamonds are all faultless in colour and perfectly matched.
At a low valuation the set is worth $20,000, and the largest emerald
if lost could not be replaced for three times that amount.

Besides his richer jewellery, Mr. Gibson makes a fine display of
Irish bog-oak jewellery, something of which we have seen very
little in this country. The appearance is like jet, and there are,
among others, many characteristic designs that can only be appre-
ciated by those well acquainted with the Irish peculiarities. One
small piece represents a man "wid a shillaly" who has just
knocked down one man and is ready for another, while he says:
"The man who speaks ill of his country deserves a fall ! " Then
the eye lights, just at the right moment, upon the " Harp of Old
Ireland," elegantly carved from the same bog oak. Then figures
of birds, pipes, candelabras, snuff-boxes, &c. Another piece is
that of Paddy driving his pig to Donuybrook fair ; and next we
have the Irishman leaning upon his barrel of whisky, with the ready
shillaly in one hand and a glass of mountain dew in the other.
More characteristic and skilfully-arranged pictures — for such they
really are, though all carved from the bog-oak — we do not remember
to have seen.

Mr. Gibson is the manufacturer of a fine grade of stem-winding
watches, which are much esteemed as accurate time -keepers. He
has on exhibit a representation of the House of Parliament with the
great clock over the main entrance. The latter is made of open
brass work, so that all the movements are readily understood. The
clock strikes the hours and chimes the quarters.

EXHIBITS OF CHARLES JEFFREYS, 103, HATTON GARDEN, LONDON.

The fitting up of jewellery establishments with the necessary
articles for making a proper display of the goods kept in stock is a
business requiring educated taste, originahty, and the most skilful
workmanship. Mr. C. Jeffreys makes a very elegant display of
his goods in the main building, and as all the designs are rich and
tasteful, he finds many who are attracted thereto, and are not
unwilling to express their hearty admiration of the originality and.
taste shown in the production of the articles exhibited. Mr. Jeffreys
employs his own designers, and we are assured that they are kept
constantly busy, new goods being brought out almost daily. Some
sixty of the very elegant and substantial plate-glass show-cases that
have been brought from England, and that contain the manufactures
of as many different firms in London, were made at the manufactory
of Charles Jeffreys. This alone gives such character and publicity to
his establishment as cannot fail to increase an already-extended
reputation of twenty years' business. And when it is further
known that his special case of manufactures in the main building is
composed entirely of new designs, projected and completed within
the past three months, some idea of his extended facilities may be
reached by all interested in this class of manufactures. Upon a
careful examination of the goods in question, we were struck with
their simplicity, [as well as their artistic finish. The jewellery cases,
while rich in design, are constructed of coloured material, calculated
to exhibit the contents to the best advantage, by exposing precious
stones in contrast with appropriate tints. One of these cases
represents a star in blue and gold — blue centre, white and blue
points alternate. Another embraces the harp and heart. Still
another and very elaborate ring case is a scroll of blue and white —
the body white and borders blue. The delicate contrast of these prime
colours add greatly to the beauty of the design. The white body is
perforated for rings, and the jeweller himself must manage these by
the colours and settings of the precious stones. Fortunately, these are
so rich and variegated that good taste will soon point out the proper
place in the tablet for each ring. There are also exhibited several
neat patterns of boxes covered with the finest qualities of leather,
and intended for bracelets and ornaments of similar character.

Mr. Jeffrey's jewellery cases for ladies and gentlemen are manu-
factured with the same remarkable taste, and so arranged that each
particular article has its appropriate place.

His reflecting lamps for show-windows are of very attractive
design. They are so constru cted as to give a full and brilliant view
of every article in the ehow-w indow, and at the same time not to
blur and dazzle the eye of those who are gazing at the display
within.

80

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLER, AND

[Sept. 5, 1876.

WATCHMAKING AT THE CENTENNIAL.

AMONG the many attractive features of the American Centennial
may be found the entire process of manufacturing watches.

The machinery used for this purpose is exhibited by the
WALTHAM WATCH COMPANY, of WALTHAM, MASS.,
and the Scientific American (from which we extract the following
interesting description, written by Mr. Joshua Rose) says that the
department containing the Watchmaking Machinery is so continuously
thronged, that one has to wait his turn to inspect the different
machines. The principal processes exhibited are the manufacture
of the screws, wheels, pinions, jewels, and damaskeening the plates.

The screws are made as follows : —

The wire used is polished wire, cut in lengths of about 12 inches,
the diameter being that required for the size of the screw-head. A
length of wire is passed through a hollow spindle, answering to the
spindle of a lathe-head, and is held by a chuck, whose jaws are
tightened by a spring movement. Upon placing a length of wire
in the chuck, which is done by hand, the first operation is to cut off
the end of the wire so that the first screw will be of the proper
length. The next operation performed by the machine is to turn
down the plain stem ready to be screwed, and this is performed by
a simple square-nosed turning tool, which, by a cam movement,
advances into the work, cutting the whole length of the plain part
of the screw, and advancing toward the centre of the wire until it
is turned down to the proper diameter, whereupon the tool recedes,
and a spindle, answering to the tail-stock spindle of a lathe, but
provided with a pair of dies in the place usually occupied by the
dead centre, advances automatically, and as it meets the screw end
it revolves, while the wire is held stationary, thus cutting the
thread upon the screw to the requisite distance, and then the dies
rotate backward and recede, leaving the screw free ; the chuck
then again grips the wire, and revolves it, while a cutting-off tool
advances and cuts the wire at the distance necessary to leave the
requisite thickness of screw-head, very nearly through. The
cutting tool then recedes, leaving the revolving screw very nearly
severed from the wire, and a cam arm, with a suitable attachment
upon its end, swings over, and, taking hold of the screw, breaks it
from the wire, severing the small section of metal left by the
cutting-off tool, which section has but little more strength (on
account of its small diameter) than is necessary to support the
weight of the screw. The arm carries the screw to a revolving
cutter, or milling tooL which cuts the slot in the head ; this being
done, the cutter lifts, by an automatic movement, out of the way,
and a pin, moving horizontally, forces the screw out from the
holding device in the cam arm, whence it falls into a trough
provided to receive it. The position of this trough is such that the
cuttings, as well as the oil and screws, fall into it, but, being
perforated, the oil drains off and leaves the screws bare. During
each of these operations, the oil is fed by pumps, and the whole of the
movements are performed by the machine itself, so that the operator,
having nothing to do but keep the machines supplied with wire, can
attend to ten of them, each making 5000 per day. The smallness
of these screws may be appreciated when it is stated that one of
them weighs about the nine-thousandth part of an ounce.

The screws are then hardened, and the next operation is to round
the end face of the head, preparatory to polishing it. This is
accomplished by revolving a piece of Arkansas oilstone at a speed
of about 1100 revolutions per minute. The stone is in the form of
a tube, about 2\ inches diameter and \ thick, and is carried on the
end of a revolving spindle, similar to that of a lathe-head, and held
by a similar head and bearings. The screw is picked up with a
email pair of pliers, and put into a small clamp provided in a rest
(similar to a slide-rest), and is then brought into contact with the
outside corner or edge of the revolving oil-stone, which is freely
supplied with oil, while the screw is revolved and moved laterally,
bo that the stone cuts the head rounding and true. It is astonishing
to observe the precision with which the operatives, who are, with
two exceptions, girls, will pick up these miniature screws and place
them into the diminutive hole in the chuck, an operation more
delicate than threading an ordinary needle, and yet it is performed
with comparative ease, and apparently without requiring much
attention or effort ; and we are informed by Mr. Thomas, who
superintends the operations at the Centennial, and to whom we are
indebted for the excellent facilities afforded to us for our investigation
of the operations, that the latter are too delicate to be so success-
fully performed by male labour. The next process is polishing the
heads so that the tempering of the screws will leave the heads a
bright, clear blue. This is performed with a wooden lap of the
same shape and revolved in the same manner as the oil-stone
described above, but running 800 revolutions per minute. The

polishing material used is Vienna lime and oil, the screw being
brought into contact, in this case, with the end of the lap, the
screw being operated as before. The Vienna lime is applied to the
lap on the blade of a knife. The chuck, holding the screws, is in
both these two last operations operated by a crank movement.
When the polishing is completed, the screws are cleaned by the
application of a piece of stem pith, such as is found in some kinds
of wood.

CUTTING THE GEARS OR THIRD WHEELS.

The pinions called third wheels are sent to the Exhibition in the
form of blanks, and are cut as follows : — The machine is provided,
after the form of an ordinary gear- cutter, with two mandrils, one
being in the machine, while the other is being supplied with blanks.
These mandrils are hollow, and have several splits running along
the part on which the pinions are held, thus forming what may be
termed a spring mandril. Twenty-five blanks are placed close
together on the mandril, and are tightened by a thumb -screw.
The mandril is then put into the socket of the machine. The
cutter used is similar to a turning tool, but is V_snaPed on the back
to insure its standing in the proper position — that is to say, with
its face at a right angle to the faces of the blanks upon the mandril.
It is fastened in a revolving head or mandril, which makes about
8000 revolutions per minute, and which is adjustable in height to
accommodate different diameters of wheels, the mandril holding the
blanks being stationary in height under all conditions. This
mandril feeds along under the cutter in such a direction that the
pressure due to the cut tends to force the work back from the
cutter, which prevents the cutter from breaking, as it otherwise
would do. When the cutter has cut one groove through the whole
twenty-five blanks, the mandril holding them recedes automatically,
and rotates the distance necessary to leave the sufficient width of
tooth, when the mandril again advances beneath the cutter, the
whole operation being continued until all the teeth are cut, when
the machine stops itself.

MAKING THE PINIONS.

The blanks of which the pinions are made are short pieces of
wire, and the first operation performed upon them is to chuck them
in a universal chuck fastened to the spindle of the lathe ; the face
of this chuck is bevelled off, so as not to obstruct the vision of the
operator. The blank is turned down first at one and then at the
other end, to nearly tbe required size, a tool and hand slide rest
being employed for the purpose — the rest eoming against a stop to
regulate the diameter to which the tool will turn ; a cutter fixed to
the tail stock spindle faces off the ends and covers them, after
cutting them off to the proper length. Another operator and
machine finishes the turning ; the process just described being the
roughing out or blanking. In this second operation, the attendant
has merely to put them in and take them out of the lathe, which
takes but an instant ; the lathe tools, operating automatically, cuts
the parts the proper diameters and lengths, leaving the work clean,
bright, and true.

CUTTING THE PINION TEETH.

The pinions are now ready to have the teeth cut in them, which
is done as follows : — The delicacy of this operation renders it
impracticable to cut out the teeth at one cut, or with one cutter,
because that would entail that the pinions be held more firmly than
it is practical without bending or, at least, springing them. The
machine is therefore provided with a revolving head containing
three spindles, each provided with a milling cutter. The first is a
thin one, cutting a groove much thinner than the finished size, and
lifted from contact with the pinion during the back stroke, which
greatly preserves the cutting teeth. The second cutter is a little
thicker, and operates the same as the first ; while the third cutter
merely takes a light finishing and very true and clean cut. Oil is
freely supplied to all three of the cutters. One machine will cut
two-hundred pinions a day, and one operator attends to two
machines.

GLOSSING THE PINIONS.

The next process is to gloss or polish the teeth of the pinions —
the glossing material used for this purpose being a fine oxide of
iron. The pinions are picked up by pliers — in this as in all the
former operations — being too small to be handled by the fingers,
and are placed so that the stem on each side of the teeth lie in V
bearings, open at the top. While in this position a lead lap, opera-
ting reciprocally and making about 400 strokes per minute, and
supplied with the glossing material, traverses along the grooves of
the teeth, imparting to them a high polish. Every second or so,
the carriage holding the pinions drops a short distance, and a small
steel arm moves the pinion, so that when the carriage lifts again, the
lead lap will operate in the next tooth-groove. This process is

Sept. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TKADE JOUKNAL.

81

continued until the teeth are glossed to a superior polish, when the
pinions are taken out, and cleaned by brush-wheels revolving at a
high speed. The staff -polishing is performed by placing the pinions
in a small head corresponding to a lathe spindle revolving about
3500 times a minute. At the back of this spindle stand two emery
wheels of the same tubular form as the oil-stone described as used
in the process of screw-head rounding. These two emery-wheels
revolve with the plane of one at a right angle to that of the other.
The polishing-wheel is upon a separate arm, and is circular and
conical, with a flat place on the largest diameter of the cone.

In operation, this polishing wheel, while revolving at about 4000
revolutions per minute, is first brought into contact with the
revolving emery-wheels, which grind sufficient off the end-face and
diameter of the polishing- wheel to bring up the corner quite square,
and thus enable it to polish the pinion staff close up to the teeth of
the pinion. It then swings over to the pinion staff while the latter
is being revolved at a high speed, and traverses along it while
supplied with rouge.

After the polishing-wheel has done its duty, it passes over to the
emery-wheels to get the corner made sharp again, it having become
slightly rounded during contact with the corner of the staff, formed
by its junction with the pinion teeth.

The finishing of the staff is performed by Vienna lime mixed
with alcohol, and applied to a small piece or sup of wood, which is
operated, as a file would be, against the staff, imparting to the work
a very fine and superior polish.

The next process is that of cutting a pivot on the end of the staff,
and rounding off the edges with a very fine small file ; the conical
point of the staff is finished by a steel lap in the shape of a cross,
and having the edges of the laps bevelled off to the necessary taper.
As the lap moves reciprocally, the cone side of one of the edges
rests upon the end of the staff, while another edge of the lap rests
upon a jewel mandril, standing in the position of a dead centre in a
common lathe ; thus the lap is kept in the exact proper position to
ensure that the work shall be all lapped exactly alike. The lap is
supplied with Vienna lime, and alcohol, the finishing touches being
imparted with the same materials applied upon a wooden sup.

The pinions are now ready to be cupped — that is to say, to have
a small cupped recess turned in one side beneath the diameter of
the teeth on the side face, to serve to hold the oil, which operation
is termed "turning under." The lathe is kept running continuously,
the pinion being revolved by friction produced by the back lathe
centre being- held up by a spiral spring to put a pinion in the lathe ;
the back centre, which is in this case a cup made to fit the staff end,
is pulled back against the force of the spring, and the pinion being
placed into position, the spring is let go, and pressing the pinion
against the running cup-chuck, the two revolve together. The
operator performs the turning under, with a graver, by hand, using
an eye-glass during the operation.

HUBBING THE THIRD WHEELS.

The third wheels, being made from sheet brass, have to be
provided with a hub on one side, which is done as follows : —
The wheels are first bored quite true with the teeth and of standard
size. The blank hubs are made from brass wire, and have a small
pin turned on one side, the other side being cupped or recessed to
facilitate the riveting. The press on which the hubbing is performed
has a small hole drilled in the horizontal face, which hole stands
exactly central beneath a vertical plunger or spindle, which operates
in an upright guide. The hub is placed beneath the plunger, and
with the pin placed in the small hole, which thus keeps the hub true,
the wheel is then placed on the hub, against the cupped side of
which the eud of the plunger is allowed to rest. A few light blows
delivered by a hand-hammer upon the top end of the plunger,
causes it to rivet the hub into the wheel. The wheel is next chucked
in a lathe, and the end of the hub is faced off, and is next drilled,
and the diameter of the hub is then turned tapering or conical, the
burr left on the end of the cone by the turning process being
removed by the facing-off tool first used. On the other side, the
wheel is slightly countersunk. The wheels and pinions being
turned quite true, and all the polishing done, the two are put
together by a press, the pinion being forced into the wheel in what
is termed a staking-press.

THE JEWEL WORK.

The jewels come to the Exhibition cut out in small disks, and
with a small recessed conical centre in them, and the first operation
is to chuck them. The lathe-head is provided with a small mandril,
having its end, as well as its diameter, very true. A small spirit-
lamp is held beneath the end of the revolving mandril, to which a
little cement is applied. By holding against it a small stick of the
same, the jewel disk is then applied to the end of the revolving

mandril, to which it will adhere, care being taken to leave the face
containing the small recess outside. Then into this small recess is
placed the point of a piece of steel wire, and the operator, by this
means, moves the jewel upon the chuck until it runs true — an
operation apparently difficult, but which the attendant performs in
an instant. The jewel is then turned by a diamond tool supplied
with water, and held in a small rest moved by hand ; but the
directioa of the movement is guided by the rest, which thus ensures
that the jewels shall be all of one size and shape. The cupping,
necessary to one side of the jewel to retain the oil, is performed by
a diamond tool in the tail spindle of the lathe.

The jewels are then ground by the application of copper tubes
supplied with diamond dust mixed with sweet-oil. Two copper
grinders are used upon the outside, and one upon the cupped
surface of the jewel. Then a similar polishing copper tube is used
upon the outside with much finer diamond powder and oil, and one
is used with the same material for the cupped surface, the jewels
revolving during the operation at a speed of about 5000 revolutions
per minute. The last operation is to drill the jewels, which is
performed with a fine diamond drill, inserted half way from each
side of the jewel to prevent the latter from chipping during the
operation. The quality of the whole of the workmanship is very
superior, and the display is one of those the most admired of any
of the entries in the Exhibition.

CHINESE DIVISIONS OP TIME.

rpHE Chinese divide the day into twelve shih-chen, or periods of
two hours each, which are called by the characters of the Ti-chih,
or terrestrial branches, (these characters are often spoken of as the
horary characters). Thus 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. is tsze ; 1 a.m. to 3 a.m.
is chou, and so on. They further subdivide these two-hour periods
by means of the characters chiao, or choo, and cheng. Thus 11 p.m.
is called chiao tsze or tsze choo, (opening tsze), and midnight is
tsze cheng. The time from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. is divided into five
watches (keng, in some parts called ching) of two hours each, and
if a Chinaman is talking of anything that has happened between
these hours, he almost invariably speaks of it as having happened
in such and such a watch. These watches are announced by the
beating of a gong or drum, but very commonly only a hollow
bamboo and stick are used. The last-named is an instrument by
which in every Chinese town the night is rendered hideous, and
sleep next to impossible, on account of the din made by the nume-
rous perambulating watchmen in order to show thieves that they
are on the alert. The Chinese have no " weeks," but they divide
their moon into three decades (hsun), which are distinguished
into shang, shung, hsia (?'. e., upper, middle, and lower) ; they also
prefix the character choo (i. e., opening) to each of the first ten days
of the moon. The characters representing the twenty-eight con-
stellations are given as names to each day of the year in regular
order, but they are not in common use in the same way as our
names for the days of the week. The Chinese appreciate foreign
watches very much, and are especially fond of looking at their
works ; but, though they are in some parts very skilful in imitating
many European appliances, we do not think that they have yet
succeeded in manufacturing watches for themselves — at any rate,
not to any extent. The native methods of telling the time are the
clepsydra, incense-stick, and sun-dial.

SILVERING METAL GOODS.

DR. KAYSER, of Nuremberg, describes a process for giving a
durable silver-like lustre to all descriptions of metal goods. Five
parts pure tin, Australian by preference, as being almost absolutely
pure, are melted with one part copper, and the molten mass granu-
lated in the usual way. The granulation should be rather coarse
than fine. The granulated metal is prepared with water and cream
of tartar, as free as possible from lime. To 100 grammes of
metal about 0-5 gramme of ignited nickel oxide is added, and the
object to be treated is laid in the bath. After boiling for a short
time the object is covered with a film having the exact appearance
of silver, with the advantage of possessing a greater resistance
to wear than tin or silver itself. The nickel oxide must of course
be renewed from time to time. Copper or brass goods can be
silvered without preparation; iron goods need coppering. If to
the above bath carbonate of nickel be added, a film is obtained
which is richer in nickel and darker in colour. The colour can be
deepened from the hue of platinum to a blue-black, according to
the amount of the nickel salt.

82

THE WATCHMAKEB, JEWELLEK, AND

[Sept. 5, 1876.

FINGER RINGS

(Continued from page 55).

IN the Duke of Newcastle's comedy, " The Country Captain," 1649,
a lady of title is told that when she resides in the country a
great show of finger rings will not be necessary. " Show your
white hand but with one diamond when you carve, and be not
ashamed to wear your own wedding ring with the old poesy."

That many rings were worn by persons of both sexes is clear
from another passage in the same play, where a fop is described,
M Who makes his fingers like jewellers' cards to set rings upon."

The stock of rings described in the same author's play, " The
Varietie," as the treasure of an old country lady, is amusingly indi-
cative of past legacies or memorials, as well as of the tastes of the
yeomanry : "A toadstone, two turkies (turquoise), six thumb rings,
three alderman's seals, five gemels, and foure death's head." The
enumeration concludes with the uncomplimentary observation,
" These are ale-house ornaments."

These death's-head rings were very commonly worn by the
middle- classes in the latter part of the sixteenth and the early part
of the seventeenth centuries, particularly by such as affected a
respectable gravity.

Luther used to wear a gold ring with a small death's head, in
enamel, and these words— MORI S^PE COGJTA, "Think oft
on death ; " round the setting was engraved, — 0 MORS, ERO
MORS TUA, " Death, I will be thy death." This ring is pre-
served at Dresden. Shakspere, in his "Love's Labour Lost," Act V.,
Scene 2, makes his jesting courtier, Biron, compare the counte-
nance of Holophernes to "a death's face in a ring." We have
already adverted to a similar ring worafby one of Shakspere's fellow
townsmen.

In the " Recueil des Ouvrages a Orfeverk,'" by Gilles l'Egare,
published in the early part of the reign of Louis XIV., is an

Fig. 104.

Figs. 105 and 106.

unusually good design for one of these rings, which we copy, Fig.
104. It is entirely composed of mortuary emblems, on a ground of
black enamel. Fig. 105 is an English memorial ring set with
stones ; on the circlet is engraved an elongated skeleton, with cross-
bones above the skull and a spade and pick-axe at the feet ; the
ground is black enamel. It has been converted into a memorial by
its original purchaser, who caused to be engraved withinside the
hoop, C. R., Jan. 30, 1649, MARTYR. It is now in the Londes-
borough collection, from whence we obtain Fig. 106, a very good
specimen of a mourning ring of the early part of the last century,
with which we take leave of this branch of the subject.

The jewellers of the last century do not seem to have bestowed
the same attention on design as their predecessors did. Rings
appear to have reached their highest excellence in design and
execution in the ateliers of Venice. We meet with little originality
of conception, and certainly great inferiority of execution, in the
works then issued. In Southern Europe, where jewellery is deemed
almost a necessary of life, and the poorest will wear it in profusion,
though only made of copper, greater scope was given to invention
Fig. 107 is a Spanish silver ring of the early part of the century*

Fig. 107.

Fig. 108.

In its centre it has a heart, winged and crowned ; the heart is
transfixed by an arrow, but surrounded by flowers. It is possibly a
religious emblem. Fig. 108, another Spanish ring of more
modern manufacture, but of very light and elegant design. The
flowers are formed of rubies and diamonds, and the effect is

extremely pleasing. Such works may have originated the "giar-
dinetti " rings, of which a good collection of specimens may be seen
in the South Kensington Museum, two being here copied in Figs.
109 and 110. They are there described as English works of the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and appear to have been used
as guards, or keepers, to the wedding ring. They are of pleasing

Fig. 109.

Fig. 110.

floriated design, and of very delicate execution. Much taste may
be exhibited in the selection of coloured stones for the flowers of
such rings, which are certainly a great ornament to the hand.

Recurring to the Eastern nations, in whose eyes jewellery has
always found great favour, we find that the Indians prefer rings
with large floriated faces spreading over three fingers, like a
shield. When made for the wealthy in massive gold, the flowers'
leaves are of cut jewels, but the humbler classes, who equally
love display, are content with them in cast silver. Such a ring is
engraved (Fig. Ill) from an original in the British Museum, from
whence we obtain the two specimens of rings beside it, being such
as worn by the humblest classes. Fig. 112 is of brass, Fig. 113 of

fig. ill.

Figs. 112 and 113.

silver, the latter boasting a sort of apology for a jewelled centre. A
triplicate of Moorish rings will enable us to understand their pecu-
liarities. Fig. 114 has a large circular face composed of a cluster of
small bosses, set with five circular turquoise and four rubies, the
centre being a turquoise, with a ruby and turquoise alternating round
it. The ring is of silver. It is in the Londesborough collection, as
also is Fig. 115, another silver ring set with an octangular blood-
stone, with a circular turquoise on each side. Fig. 116 is a signet

Fig. 114.

Figs. 115 and 116.

ring, bearing the name of the original owner engraved on a carne-
lian. This also is of silver. The modern Egyptians indulge greatly
in finger rings. The wife of the poorest peasant will cover her hands
with them, though they only be cast in pewter, decorated with gems
of coloured glass, and not worth a penny each. For ladies of the
higher class very pretty rings are designed. One of them is here
engraved (Fig. 117) from an original, purchased by the author in

Fig. 117.

Fig. 118.

Fig. 119.

Cairo. It is a simple hoop of twisted gold, consisting of small beads
of coral and thin plates of gold cutts represent the leaves of a plant _

Sept. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

83

As the hand moves these ornaments play about the finger, and a
very brilliant effect might be produced if diamonds were used in the
pendants. Fig. 118 is the ring commonly worn by the middle-class
Egyptian men. They are usually of silver set with mineral stones,
and are valued as the manufacture of the silversmiths of Mecca, that
sacred city being supposed to exert a holy influence on all the works
it originates. There is also a curious ring with a double " keeper "
worn by Egyptian men, as shown in Fig. 119. It is composed
entirely of common cast silver set with mineral stone. The lower-
most keeper of twisted wire is put on the finger, then follows the
ring, the second keeper is then brought down upon it, the two being
held by a brace, which passes at the back of the ring and gives
security to the whole.

At the commencement of the present century " harlequin rings "
were fashionable in England. They were so called because set
round with variously coloured stones, in some way resembling the
motley costume of Harlequin. To these succeeded " regard rings,"
the stones selected so that the initial of the name of each spelt,
altogether, the word regard, thus : —

E— Euby
E— Emerald.
Gr — Garnet.
A — Amethyst.
E— Euby.
D — Diamond.

These pleasing and agreeable gages d' amide originated with the
French jewellers, and were soon made to spell proper names.

When precious stones could not be obtained with the necessary
initial, mineral stones, such as lapis lazuli and verde antique, were
pressed into the service. These rings are now occasionally made.
Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales is said to possess one
having the familiar name of the Prince, "BERTIE," spelt thus
upon it.

With two specimens of modern French work we close our selec-
tion of designs. Fig. 120 is a signet ring, the face engraved with a

Fig. 120.

Fig. 121.

coat-of-arms. At the sides two cupidons repose amid scrollwork,
partaking of the taste of the Renaissance. The same peculiarity
influences the designs of Fig. 121. Here a central arch of five
stones in separate settings is held by the heads and outstretched
wings of Chimeras, whose breasts are also jewelled. Both are excel-
ent designs. The last ring we shall bring before the reader's notice
(Fig. 122) is the famous " fisherman's ring " of the Pope. It is a
signet ring of steel, used for the briefs issued from the Romish
Court. When a brief is written to any distinguished personage or
has relation to religious or general important matter, the impression
from the fisherman's ring is said to be made upon a gold surface

Fig. 122.

in some cases it appears upon lead, and these seals are generally
attached by strings of silk. Impressions of this seal are also made
in ink direct upon the substance on which the brief is written. Mr.
Edwards calls attention to the classic form of the boat and oar,
showing direct derivation from an antique original. The seal is also
made in the fashion of a Roman signet. A new one is made for
every 'pope, and Mr. Edwards thus narrates the ceremonies con-
nected therewith : — When a pope dies the Cardinal Chamberlain
or chancellor, accompanied by a large number of the high dignitaries
of the papal court, comes into the room where the body lies, and the
principal or great notary makes an attestation of the circumstances

Then the Cardinal Chamberlain calls out the name of the deceased
pope three times, striking the body each time with a gold hammer,
and, as no response comes, the chief notary makes another attesta-
tion. After this the Cardinal Chancellor demands the fisherman's
ring, and certain ceremonies are performed over it ; and then he
strikes the ring with a golden hammer, and an officer destroys the
figure of Peter by the use of a file. From this moment all the
authority and acts of the late pope pass to the college or conclave of
cardinals. When a new pope is consecrated, it is always the Cardinal
Chancellor, or chamberlain, who presents the renewed fisherman's
ring, and this presentation is accompanied by imposing ceremonies.
(To be continued.)

Ok Watch-Cleaning. — The greatest care is necessary in taking
the watch down and separating its parts. First, remove the hands
carefully, so as not to bend the slight pivots on which they work ;
next, remove the movement from the case, and take off the dial
and dial-wheels ; next, let down the mainspring, by placing your
bench key upon the arbor, or winding post, and turning as though
you were going to wind the watch, until the click rests lightly upon
the ratchet, then, with your screw-driver, press the point of the
click away from the teeth, and ease down the springs ; next, draw
the screws or pins, and remove the bridges of the train on the upper
plate, as the case may be ; next, remove the balance with the
greatest care to avoid injuring the hair-spring. The stud, or small
post into which the hair-spring is fastened, may be removed from
the bridge or plate of most modern watches without unkeying the
spring by slipping a thin instrument, like the edge of a blade knife,
under the corner of it and prizing upward : this will save much
trouble, as you will not have the hair-spring to adjust when you
reset the balance. If the watch upon which you propose to work
has an upper plate, as an American or an English lever, for instance,
loosen the lever before you have entirely separated the plates,
otherwise it will hang, and probably be broken. The watch being
now taken apart, brush the dust away from its different parts and
subject them to a careful examination with your eye-glass ; assure
yourself that the teeth of the wheels and leaves of the pinions are
all perfect and smooth ; that the pivots are all straight, round, and
highly polished ; that the holes through which they are to work are
not too large and have not become oval in shape, and every jewel is
smooth and perfectly sound, and that none of them are loose in
their settings ; see also that the escapement is not too deep or too
shallow ; that the lever or cylinder is perfect ; that all the wheels
have sufficient play to avoid friction, but not enough to derange
their coming together properly, and none of them work against the
pillar plate, and the balance turns horizontally and does not rub ;
that the hair-spring is not bent or wrongly set, so that the coils rub
on each other, on the plate, or on the balance, — in short, that every-
thing about the whole movement is just as reason would teach you
it should be. If you fiud it otherwise, proceed to repair in ac-
cordance with a carefully-weighed judgment and the process given
in this chapter, after which clean ; if not, the watch only needs to
be cleaned, and therefore you may go on with your work at once.
To Clean. — The best process is to simply blow your breath upon
the plate or bridge to be cleaned, and then use your brush with a
little prepared chalk. The wheels and bridges should be held
between the thumb and finger in a piece of soft paper while under-
going the process, otherwise the oil from the skin will prevent their
becoming clean. The pinions may be cleaned by sinking them
several times into a piece of pith, and the holes by turning a nicely-
shaped piece of pivot wood into them, first dry, and afterwards oiled
a very little with watch oil. When the holes pass through jewels,
you must work gently to avoid breaking them.

British Horological Institute. — The usual monthly meeting of
Council, was held 1st August, Mr. Glasgow, V.P., in the chair. It
was resolved that an application be made to the Turners' Company
to devote their prizes in 1877 for specimens of turning connected,
with horology ; and that in the event of the Turners' Company
adopting the suggestion, the Council offer their assistance in making
the necessary arrangements. The Vice-Presidents of the Institute
were requested to wait upon the agent of the Marquis of Northamp-
ton with a view to fixing the site for the new building. It was
resolved that, at the conclusion of the next session of the drawing
class an examination of the students be held, and that the silver
medal of the Institute and other prizes be awarded. Mr. Bickley,
Mr. Willis, and Mr. Isaac expressed their willingness to assist in a
c ourse of practical lectures to apprentices on the different branches
of the watch trade during the winter.— Horological Journal.

84

THE WATCHMAKEK, JEWELLEE, AND

[Sept. 5, 187 6.

THE

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
London, E.C.

BIRMINGHAM AGENCIES.

Mr. A. F. Warrilloyp, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.
Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

SEPTEMBER,

THIS month is so named from having been formerly the seventh
month of the year, when, according to the ancient calendar,
March was the first or beginning of the year. It derives its name
from the Latin word, septem, seven. On the same principle were
named, October, from octo, eight ; November, from novem, nine ;
and December, from decern, ten. In our calendar, it is the ninth
month.

The Saxons called September, Gerst-Monat, because in this
month they generally gathered in gerst or barley.

The drink which they made from gerst was called beere, and on
this account they often termed gerst beer-legh. It was soon corrupted
into ber-legh, and subsequently to barky, which is now the only
English name used for gerst.

In the same manner, the effervescence, or froth, of beer was
first called beer-heym, then corrupted into berham, and lastly, into
barm.

A NEW ENGRAVING MACHINE.

rpHE New York Jewellers' Circular says : — " A Mr. Atchison, of
Boston, Mass., has patented a new machine for engraved or
chased groundwork on gold or plated jewellery, silver plate, or
washed ware. The inventor claims that it can be applied as well to
the lightest-plated surface as to solid metal, and will produce a
beautiful matting on gold rolled to a thickness of note paper. The
working of the machine is also said to be very simple, the engraving
tools being easily removed and fitted, so that they may be changed
in accordance with the kind of work to be executed. The ground-
work is produced on the metal with great rapidity, the tools
delivering 5335 cuts per minute, and the instrument can be worked
by a child. As the sale of jewellery and silverware depends almost
entirely upon the ornamentation, it need hardly be added that a
machine of this description, making a very excellent imitation of
hand-work, is one of considerable economical value to manufacturing
jewellers. We are informed that the machine will produce fourteen
styles of groundwork, claimed to be superior to satin, pearl, or sand-
blast finish in depth, durability and beauty. It is also adapted to
certain kinds of wood- carving, especially for panel work and for the
routing of engraver's blocks.

Prices Current for Gold and Silver.— Value Given for Old
Gold and Silver by Assay.— Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. 7d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver. — Fine Gold, 85s. 3d.
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. per oz. Standard Silver, 4s. 6|d. to
4s. 8d. (variable.)

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES,

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch. Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Beresford Charles, trading as Charles Sheppard, Grove Street, Leeds,

clock case manufacturer. August 5.
Brook Henry, George Street, Tamworth, jeweller. August 10.
Crockford George Lepard, 59, Mansfield Eoad, Nottingham, jeweller.

August 2.
Cutts Solomon Charles, 44, Lower Eosoman Street, Clerkenwell, gold and

silver refiner. July 25.

Carey William, 257, Bute Street, Cardiff, and Station Street, Maesteg,

watchmaker and jeweller. Aug. 22. At Barnard, Thomas, Tribe

& Co.'s, accountants, Bristol, Sept. 32 at 2. T. H. Stephens, solicitor,

Bute Crescent, Cardiff.

Davis Frank Isaac, 42, Warstone Lane, Birmingham, jewellers' factor.

Aug. 16.
Dorer Maria and Adelbert Dorer, trading as Dorer & Son, King's Lynn,

watchmakers. Aug. 17.
Green Ei chard A., 82, Strand, jeweller. Aug. 12. At W. Eoberts.'

solicitor, 15, Coleman Street. Sept. 5 at 10$.
Hickman Samuel, Leeds, watchmaker. August 3.

Hall George, 68, Great Hampton Street, Birmingham, jewellers' factor.
Aug. 18. At A. B. Bast's, solicitor, Eldon Chambers, Birmingham,
Sept. 9 at 12.
Holt Eobert Burbank, Crystal Palace, Sydenham, jeweller. Aug. 19.
At Queen's Hotel, Stephenson Place, Birmingham, Sept. 11 at 3.
Eeece & Harris, solicitors, 47, New Street, Birmingham.
Keller Phillip and Emil Hahn, 46, Hatton Garden, Middlesex, and 4,

Warstone Lane, Birmingham, dealers in precious stones. August 9.
Krzeczkowski Stansislaus, Campbell Buildings, Eye Lane, Peckham,

watch and clock maker. August 1.
Leapman Moss, 9, Buckingham Palace Eoad, Pimlico, watchmaker and

fancy goods dealer. August 1.
Marks Jacob, 2, Cardigan Street, Stockton, jeweller. August 2.
Midwinter Charles, trading as Midwinter & Stewart, 105a, Golbourne
Eoad, WestbournePark,late5, York Place, Shepherd's Bush, watchmaker *
Aug. 4.
Page Newton Thomas, 20, King Street, Clerkenwell, manufacturing

jeweller. July 29.
Battery Thomas, 305, Old Kent Eoad, watchmaker and jeweller. July 31,
Whittaker John, Featherstall Eoad, and Victoria Market, both Oldham.

jeweller and toy dealer. August 10.
Walker George, Laurel Cottage, Highgate Lane, King's Norton, Worcester-
shire, late Sparbrook, Aston, Warwickshire, brewer and jeweller.
Aug. 21. At E. Jacques', solicitor, 40, Cherry Street, Birmingham,
Sept. 9 at 10J.
Yates George Alfred, Adderley Street, late Hall Street, both Birmingham,
beerhouse-keeper and jeweller. Aug. 24. At A. B. East's, solicitor,
Elden Chambers, Birmingham, Sept. 11 at 12.

Trustees Appointed.
Barfoot Cornelius H. (Liq.), Huntingdon, watchmaker. Trustee,

Benjamin Taylor, Peterborough, high bailiff.
Bennard William (Bkt.), Hastings, electro plater. Trustee, Frederick

S. de B. Cooper, Wallands, Silverhill, St. Leonard's.

Adjudication of Bankruptcy.

Chinn Edward William, Huddersfield, jeweller. August 3.

Discharge Granted and Bankruptcy Closed.

Foxall George (Liq.), Beckenham, Kent, late Thavies Inn, London
jewellery factor. Discharge July 15.

Notices of Second Meeting:.
Crockford George Lepaud, 59, Mansfield Eoad, Nottingham, jeweller.
Silk Henry and Thomas S. May, 16, Temple Street, Bristol, watch and
clock manufacturers.

Dissolutions of Partnership.
Dickeson Bros., Turl Street, Oxford, watchmakers and jewellers. June2 1.

Debts by Frederick Dickeson.
Green Henry C. & Co., 94, Hatton Garden, Holborn, goldsmiths. June

30.
Schuler & Wolff, 34, Hatton Garden, jewellers. June 24.

Meeting- of Creditors under Sequestration.
Scotland.
Keir James, Dundee, watchmaker. W. D. Quick's, 75," Bank Street,
Glasgow, Sept. 11 at 12. Consider TruBtee's diech.

Sept. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

85

PATENTS.

Application for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

3113. Henry Pearce, of Huddersfield, in the county of York, Jeweller,
and William Henry Douglas, of Stourbridge, in the county of
Worcester, Jeweller, for an invention of "Improvements in studs and
solitaires." — Dated 4th August, 1876.

3244. Peter George Wilson, of the town and co'inty of Inverness,
North Britain, for an invention of " Improvements in brooches,
whereby they are rendered convertible into pendants." — Datsd 18th
August, 1876.

3285. Charles August Herzog, of 25, Bouverie Street, in the city of
London, for an invention of " Improvements in watches." — A com-
munication to him from abroad by Charles Morlet, of Geneva, Switzer-
land.— (Complete Specification.) — Dated 22nd August, 1876.

3309. Charles Harrold, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Eefiner and Metal Boiler, for an invention of "Improvements in the
manufacture of watch pendants, and in tools or machinery employed
in the said manufacture." — Dated 23rd August, 1876.

3356. Frank Moore, of Knowle, in the county of Warwick, Toolmaker, for
an invention of " Improvements in solitairies, sleeve links, and other
similar dress fastenings." — Dated 26th August, 1856.

3366. Charles Jackson, of Burton-on-Trent, in the county of Stafford,
Jeweller and Silversmith, for an invention of " Certain improvements
in the manufacture of solitaires and studs, glove fasteners, and other
like purposes." — Dated 28th August, 1876.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

2892. To Thomas Morgan, Secretary of the Inventors' Patent-right
Association, Limited, 21, Coekspur Street, Charing Cross, in the county
of Middlesex, for the invention of "Improved watch keys." — A
communication to him from abroad by John S. Birch, of New York,
United States of America.

2912. To Harrison Mill Frodsham, of the Strand, in the county of
Middlesex, Chronometer Maker, for the invention of " Improvements
in independent equi-motive escapements for watches, clocks, and other
time-keepers."

2975. To Giuseppe Zaffira, of Pentonville Eoad, in the county of
Middlesex, Engineer, for the invention of " Improvements in the up-
and-down movement for watches, chronometers, and spring clocks."

2958. To John Alfred Langston, of Tavistock Street, Bedford Square, in
the county of Middlesex, Architect, for the invention of " Improve-
ments in illuminating clocks."

Notices to Proceed.

1519. John Compton Weeks Jepferys, of 14, Tottenham Court Eoad,
in the county of Middlesex, Manufacturing Jeweller, has given the
like notice in respect of the invention of " Improvements in scarf-
rings and other like dress-fasteners and ornaments."

1528. William Henry Alford, of Ventnor, Isle of Wight, in the county
of Hants, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improve-
ments applicable to finger rings, bracelets, and other similar articles."-

2008. Henry Yarndley, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Manufacturing Jeweller, has given notice in respect of the invention of
"An improved catch or clasp, applicable as a fastening for solitaires,
books, purses, and other articles of a lihe or similar nature."

3285. Charles August Herzog, of 25, Bouverie Street, in the city of
London, "Improvements in watches." — A communication to him
from abroad by Charles Morlet, of Geneva, Switzerland.

Patent Sealed.

760. William Eobert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention of
" An improved machine for cutting diamonds and other [precious
stones." — A communication to him from abroad by Henry Daws
Stover, of the city and state of New York, United States of America.
—Dated 23rd February, 1876.

2671

Patent which has become Void.

Thomas James Smith, of the firm of Eobertson, Broomahn, &
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the city of London, Patent Agents,
for an invention of " Improvements in compensator frames for uni-
metallic thermometers, clock pendulums, dead standards, and other
purposes." — A communication to him from abroad by the Societe
Tremeshini et Cie., of Paris, 23, Boulevard de Strasbourg. — Dated
11th August, 1873.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

United States.

175,905. C. H. E. Bechert, of Oroville, Cal., for " Euby-pin inserters
for watches." — Application filed 3rd January, 1876. "Tweezers,

with disc-shaped holding-ends to their jaws, are provided, one
with a central circular hole and a notch in a flattened edge, and a
holding-spring over it, and the other with a supporting notch."

176,043. M. H. Paddock, of East Clarkson, N.Y., for "Calendars for
clocks and watches." — Application filed 17th March, 1876. "A
calendar arranged under the dial of a watch or clock, and set in
the act of winding."

176,060. James N. Eice, of Pittston, Pa., assignor of one-half of his
right to E. J. Saylor, of the same place, for " Devices for winding
clocks." — Application filed 30th March, 1876. "A winding wheel
upon an independent pinion-shaft, between the plates and above
the main wheel-shaft, the winding power being transferred through, a
supplementary wheel to the main wheel."

France.
112,709. Bassmadjian, for "An apparatus for cutting and polishing

diamonds." — Dated 4th May, 1876.
112,726. Jehlin, for " Pendulums with rotary oscillations, and applying

them to clocks." — Dated 6th May, 1876.
112,903. Van Tenac, for " A mysterious clook."— Dated 13th May, 1876.

Belgium.

39,970. A. L. Junod-Pattus, for an imported invention of " A remontoir
watch repeating quarters, without wheels or hammers."— Dated 8th
July, 1876.— (French Patent, 6th July, 1876.)

40,050. E. Stockart, of Seraing, for "A compensator clock." — Dated
20th July, 1876.

Prussia.
13. H. Sciiroeder, of Warin, for " An alarum for watches." — 3 years.—
Dated 8th June, 1876.

Invention protected for Six Months on the deposit of
Complete Specification.

3285. Charles August Herzog, of 25, Bouverie Street, in the city of
London, praying for Letters Patent for the invention of " Improve-
ments in watches." — A communication to him from abroad by Charles
Morlet, of Geneva, Switzerland. — Was deposited and recorded in the
Office of the Commissioners on the 22nd day of August, 1876, and a
Complete Specification accompanying such petition was at the same
time filed in the said office.

USEFUL RECEIPTS FOR WATCHMAKERS AND
JEWELLERS.

Nickelisation. — In Plazanet's process a bath is used of 87-5
grammes of sulphate of nickel, 20 sulphate of ammonia, 17-5 citric
acid, and two litres of water. A bath much used in France is
formed of a solution of four parts of nitrate of nickel in four of
liquid ammonia, and 150 water in which 50 parts of sulphate of soda
have been dissolved. Using a moderately weak current the opera-
tion is at an end in a few minutes. There is no need to interrupt
it by taking the objects out and brushing them. "When the film of
nickel is of sufficient thickness the objects are withdrawn from the
bath and dried with sawdust. — American Art Journal.

German-Silver Soldering. — Pour out some spirits of salts in an
earthenware dish, and then add a piece of zinc to it ; next scrape
clean the edges to be soldered and paint them over with the spirit
of salt solution. After this is properly done apply a piece of pewter
solder, and melt with a blowpipe. — American Silversmith.)

Antique Bronzing. — The repeated applications, in copper or
brass, of alternate washes of dilute acetic acid and exposure to the
fumes of ammonia will give a very antique-looking green bronze ;
but a quick mode of producing a similar appearance is [often desir-
able. To this end the articles may be immersed in a solution of
one part of perchloride of iron in two parts of water. The tone
assumed darkens with the length of immersion. Or the articles
may be boiled in a strong solution of nitrate of copper. Or, lastly,
they may be immersed in a solution of two ounces nitrate of iron
and two ounces hyposulphite of soda in one pint of water. Wash-
ing, drying, and burnishing complete the process.

Cleaning Silver Filigree Work. — Silver filigree work is best
cleaned by the application of spirit of ammonia by means of a soft
brush, and afterwards thoroughly washing in soft soap and warm
water, and rinsing in clean warm water and quick drying by linen
rags, blotting-paper, or some similar clean absorbent. Should this
method, after several repetitions, cease to have the required effect,
the article will have to be heated and boiled in acid. The best
mode of preservation is to wrap the article in tissue-paper before
placing it in the case.

86

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND;

[Sept. 5, 1876.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-thh-d of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street, Fins-
burv. E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom tor
Bourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MUBRAT & CALLIEU, 22, St. John's Square, E.C.

NEGRETTI & ZAMBBA, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. : Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill, E.C. ; 122, Eegent
Street. W.

WEBSTEE, J., 8S, St, John Street Eoad, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEER1NG & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street, Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SISKER SAFE AND STEONG EOOM COM-
PANY, LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BKUGGEE & STEAUB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEEEB. KUSS, FBITSCHLEE, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO.. 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Eue Beran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory. White Horse
Eoad, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Eochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1844.1

GEEENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufae-]
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Eoad, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BEOTHEES, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C.

MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct, London, E.C.

EUTHEEFOED, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Eow, E.C, and
33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

WIEGEL, B., Jun., Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27,
Wellington Street, Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stones mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADK.INS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MOEDAN (SAMPSON) & CO., 41, City Eoad, and 72,

Cheapside, London, E.C.
TANN, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, E.C; Eeliance Works,

1, Hope Street, Hackney Eoad, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, 66, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

HUTTON & CO., 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.C.

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEOBGE) & SON, 89, High Holbom, Lon-
don, W.C.

SUNDELL (KEISCHEE) & CO, 4S, Brushfleld Street, E. j
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBEEG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C -
JONES, A". EDWARD, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C
LITTEN (T. R), 64. Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON. HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E C.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DREW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Room, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden. London, E.C.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-
ni£tt6<i frGG

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWARDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Eoad, London, E.C.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden, E.C

SAGE, FREDERICK. Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDAED (C GLLBEET), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.G.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Rue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FEEDEBIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Road, W.C.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENEY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, &c, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS

MANUFACTURERS.

LAWEENCE, N., 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C. ; Manu-
factory, Havelock Works, Walker Street. Shffleld.

LAZAEUS(S. J.)&CC, Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER.

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.O

WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell,
London, E.C

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 4S, Eahere Sireet, Goswell Eoad, Lon-
don, E.C.

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Eoad, London, E.C.

STEAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, EC.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Eydon Crescent, St John
Street Eoad, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HAEGEEAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAUEICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 2S & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFOED, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 2S, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEEEDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Eoad,
London, E.C.

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C.

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Eing Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stook
always on hand. 12 Eegent Place, Birmingham.

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANUFACTURING JKW&IalaEKS AND GOLDSMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. FINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC.
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 17.— Vol. II.]

OCTOBER 5, 1876.

t Subscription, 5s.\ Post
per Annum. J Free

PAGE

Horology 1)7

Precious Stones 99

The Celebrated Watchmakers, Graham and

TOMPION 99

Finger Rings 100

Passage of the Earth through the Tail of a

Comet 100

A Mayoral Chain 100

Aluminium, its future in the Arts, and its pro-

CONTENTS.

PAGE
BABLE INTRODUCTION IN THE MANUFACTURE OF

Jewellery, &e 101

History of Astronomy 102

Work, is Gold and Silver, of the Fourteenth
and Fifteenth Centuries 103

On the Eecovery of Silver from Cast Iron
Crucibles lot

Greenwich Observatory 105

page
The Seth Thomas Clock Company's large clock

at the Centennial Exposition 106

Useful Recipes for the Trade 107

Monthly Record of Bankruptcies 108

Anglo-Saxon Jewellery: 108

Patents 109

Trades Directory 110

Advertisements 110—120

HOROLOGY.

{Continued.)

XVII.— Declination.

IN the September number of this journal we concluded our
article by promising to say a few elementary words upon
the subject that gives its name to the present paper ; we now
proceed to do so, in as plain language as is admissable.

Declination in astral-horology has the same meaning as what it
bears in its astronomical sense ; in fact, without it there would be no
horology worth the name, either by sun-dial or clock. We have
spoken in a previous article of great circles and their arcs, and we
have now to state that declination is an arc of a great circle,
intercepted between a given point and the equator, and perpen-
dicular to the latter ; but the circle of declination is a great circle
of the sphere which passes through the poles of the earth, and it is
upon this that the declination of a star is measured. Then there is
the parallax of declination in the same circle, by which the parallax
of the altitude increases or diminishes the declination of a star; the
same effect is also produced by refraction, or the bending of the
rays of light from a direct line, this is known and can always be
corrected. The declination of a plane or wall in dialling we have
already given, as well as a description of the instrument called the
-declinator. When speaking upon this question we find ourselves

introduced to a very large field of information, indeed, information
of a purely and scientific nature, that has been often reduced to
mechanical demonstration. We have astral-horology, nautical
astronomy, and mathematical geography, all more or less connected
with astronomical .declination. The equator is the dividing line or
separating great circle, and when a star is either north or south of
this circular line it is "said to have north or south declination.
Modern nautical astronomers are preferring the term "polar
distance " to declination. Taking the spectator's eye as the resting
point, then the angle made by one line from it to the star, and that
of another line to the nearest pole (whether north or south) is called
that star's polar distance. Now take the angle subtended, whicn
will be the complement of the polar distance, and the nearest point
of the equator, we shall then have the declination of the star. This
again leads us on to " high ascension," which as a link in the chain
must be explained.

We are told to suppose a person at the equator, looking directly
eastward, and having his arms outstretched as evenly from his
shoulders as are the arms of a railway signal-post. The tips of his
fingers will then point to the north and south poles respectively ;
for at the equator those poles lie horizontally, and, consequently, a
line drawn through the spectator's arms will form a part of what is
termed the celestial axis, or that upon which the heavens appear to us
turn. At this place every star will appear to rise straight upwards
in a line with his body, whilst the great circle line, agreeing with
the raising of his head, is on an even curve, without turning aside

08

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Oct. 5, 1876.

in auy direction will be the equator ,\Jhd this same point of the
equator will rise every day -with the same star ! Let us suppose
that some important star rises on this point at the time when the
spectator chooses to commence his astronomical day, which day
always begins at the instant next past 12 at noon. It may as well
be mentioned that in such a day there is no midnight, and no two
sets of hours of 1 to 12 ; the astronomical day commences as just
stated at the instant after 12 at noon, and runs on to 24 o'clock at
the instant completing the next noon. There is this curious feature
about it, namely, that 11 o'clock in the forenoon of the 1st of
October, ordinary time, is 23 o'clock of the 30th September,
astronomical time. The spectator having selected his star on the
equator from which he chooses to begin his day, he will then be
able to find out the time of the rising of any star, as soon the
distance of the point of the equator which rises with it from his own
star. Let us give an example.

The equator is divided into 360 degrees, every one of which rises,
cidminates, and declines in the twenty-four hours. Supposing that
the spectator's star has reached a right ascension of 60 degrees, when
some other star makes its appearance before his eyes on the equator
where his own first appeared. Then by the same reasoning, as 60
degrees in the path of the equator are equivalent to four hours, or
one-sixth of the astronomical day, 6 times 60 degrees being 360, or
the whole of that day, then the second star, will always rise at four
o'clock of that same day, or the fourth hour from the astronomical
commencement.

Draw a straight line for the axis of the earth, making the extrem-
ities N and S for the north and south poles respectively. Then draw
a sweep round from pole to pole for the horizon. Draw a second
circle overhead as it were, or in an upright direction to the horizon,
and mark it the meridian. Next from the central part of the horizon
draw a circle at right angles up to the meridian, which circle will be
the equator. Now, supposing that the first star be at 60 of the 90
degrees of the right ascension of the equator, when star the second
made its appearance in the equatorial path at the horizon, it is quite
clear that it is four hours ; behind the first one according to the
homely arithmetic given above. To our readers at a distance we
may add that, by substituting the meridian for the horizon this mode
of timing the stars is applicable to any latitude, and may be so used,
keeping in mind that the last-named great circle always passes
through the poles. Notwithstanding that the same point of the
equator always comes upon every meridian with the same sta^
instead of astronomers using a star in this way as their starting
point, they prefer the vernal equinox, a term meaning' equal nights,
in the spring time of the year, which is always on the 21st of March,
the autumnal equinox being the 23rd of September. These equin-
oxes are the points where the sun in his path in the ecliptic crosses
the equator of the earth on his way from north to south, or from
south to north. In measuring the distance of stars for space we
measure their point upon the equator from the vernal equinox,
according to the astronomical signs in degrees, minutes, and seconds
which measurement is the right ascension for space only. This,
again, is turned into time, to indicate that description of space, which
latter operation is called the right ascension for time. When a star
is seen again on the equator, it is said to have completed a sidereal
day. As this, again involves an explanation of what is a day, we
cannot proceed any further with it at present ; but it will come in
due course. It determining the right ascension of the heavenly
bodies the astronomers have resource to the Transit Instrument,
which will require a description to itself by and by. It will thus
be seen that declination and right ascension are convertible terms,
and that they involve the use of the instrument that we have men-
tioned, combined with an acquaintance with sperical trigonometry.
As the Nautical Almanac has most of the computation s ready to
hand, its use involves that of the chronometer. However we have
not as yetjeached that instrument in these papers, so must for the
present defer any further observations upon it until the proper time
ai rives

With respect to the mechanical demonstration of astronomical
problems, a great deal has been done by the ingenious of mankind.
We have before us an old time-stained volume, published about
the year 1739, entitled "The Description of the Copernican,
or True System of the World," in the preface to which we
find the following quaint introduction to a then newly made
orrery : —

"In the machine, or orrery itself, we have been very full,
heating every particular- part thereof, showing how it solves
all the Phcenomena of the Heavens. The first, that bears the
name of Orrery, was made by Mr. John Rouley; but that wanted
not only the comets, but also the three superior planets,
Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. So by this we see what vast improve-
ments have been made in this machine in so short a time as 20
year?-. Indeed, the once famous Mr. Edward Wright, about the
year 1624, being chosen tutor in the Mathematics to Prince
Henry, he, by the help of some German workmen, caused to be
made for that hopeful prince, a large Sphere, with curious
movements, which, by the help of spring-work, not only represented
the motions of the whole celestial sphere, but shewed likewise
the particular systems of the Sun and the Moon, and their
circular motions, together with their places and eclipses of the
luminaries. There is in it a work, by wheel and pinion, for
a motion of 17,100 gears certainly effected, if the sphere should
be kept so long in motion. This sphere, though thus made at
a great expense and ingenious industry, was, iu the late times
of devastation, cast aside among other rubbidge, and had been
utterly loss and destroyed, had it not in the year 1646, been found
out by Sir Jonas Moore, Knight.

The Orrery, which is here the occasion of this discourse, far
exceeds any of its kind that has ever been made, not only
in beauty, stateliness, and neat contrivance of all its parts,
but also in the truth of its performance ; for all the motion s
herein are a true representation of the motions of the heavenly
bodies themselves. There is nothing that doth more show the
force and penetration of human understanding, than these great
and wonderful discoveries. There is no more certain way of
comprehending the prodigious bulk of the whole mundane fabric,
and the infinite wisdom of its divine contrivance, than by this
machine. From hence we learn to have a most noble and
magnificent motion of the whole system of nature. Now we are
assured this earth we inhabit is but a small and inconsider-
able part of a glorious fabric, since there are almost infinite
worlds created by a Supreme and Almighty Being, which are
prodigiously larger than ours."

Now, the question that seems to hold the most interest to the
practical horologist is, that, as far back as 250 years ago the
mechanical part of our art was sufficiently forward to construct
these " curious movements " and the "help of spring work," and
the " work by wheel and pinion for a motion of 17,100 years, cer-
tainly effected," &c. Of course, as will be readily understood,
everything was made by hand, the eye supplying the guage. What
an amount of filing the "work by wheel and pinion," must have
given.

The reader, we trust, will now have an intelligible idea of those
great circles, or " decimations," which are so indispensable in the
pursuit of low logical as well as astronomical science. The above
someAvhat curious notification of the Orrery shows by what pains-
taking and gradual advances horology became the practical hand-
maiden, or more courteously speaking, the practical sister of
astronomy. At the time that the above Orrery was constructed
the art of watchmaking in this country coidd hardly have been
more than a century in existence. When we speak of the watch-
maker's art, we may be sure that watchmaker's made this Orrerv
and by what we have quoted, must have made it well. But. upon
the subject of declination in its bearing on horology, we shall
have occasion to deal somewhat extensively with it in* the future.
What we have done now, has been merely to sketch what it is,
so that those readers who are making themselves acquainted with
the proporties of dialling may have a scintillation of the principles
by which solar declination, or right excension, marks the suu's
path and shows the hours by means of his shadow upon the dial.

Oct. 5, 1876.]

SILVEI1 SMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

99

PRECIOUS STONES.

[Continued from paye 76).

Historical Diamonds.

RUSSIA, of all states contaiDs perhaps the greatest number of
brilliants. The Imperial treasury has three crowns, all formed
of these gems. The first, that of Ivan, contains 881 ; the second, that
of Peter the Great, has 847. That of Catherine, which is the third, is
ornamented with 2536 stones. For size the first is that which bears
the name of Orloff : it weighs 193 carats, and is as large as half a
pigeon's egg ; it adorns a sceptre. This diamond formed one of the
eyes of the famous idol of Brama in the Temple of Scheringham.
In the first part of the eighteenth century a French soldier per-
ceived that the two eyes of the idol consisted of precious stones of
an extraordinary size, and he determined to take possession of them.
For this purpose he simulated an ardent zeal for the Brahminical
religion, and by that means succeeded in acquiring the complete
confidence of the chief priests. lie thus obtained permission to
guard the temple. During a very tempestuous night he began to
take the eyes of the idol out, but only half succeeded in his attempt,
as he could take but one of the two brilliants. With this he fled to
Madras, where he sold it for 50,000 francs to a captain of the
English navy ; and he, when arrived in England, sold it quickly to
a Hebrew for 300,000. From the hands of the Hebrew it passed
into those of a Greek merchant, who had the good fortune to yield
it to Catherine II. for 2,250,300 lire and an annuity of 100,000 lire.
One of the most singular diamonds of the Russian Court is that
known by the name of Schah. It has the form of an irregular
prism, is of a good colour, and weighs 95 carats. It belonged
anciently to the Sofi of Persia, and, lastly, to Nadir-Schah. Russia
had it from some of the rebel soldiers of that conqueror.

The superb diamond called the Moon of Mountains -was sold
by an Afghan chief to an Armenian named Schafrass, a merchant at
Bassora, for 50,000 piastres. He kept it for twelve years, and then
sent his brother to Europe to try and sell it, both at the English
and Russian courts. After long negotiations the latter court
bought it for 450,000 silver roubles. Finally, most beautiful
amongst the jewels of the Muscovite crown is the perfectly red
brilliant bought by Paul I. for 100,000 roubles. There is in
liussia, belonging to the princely House Youssoukoff, a diamond
known by the name of the Polar Star, which is cut and very bril-
liant. It weighs 40 carats.

The house of Austria boasts of the beautiful yellow diamond called
Grand Duke of Tuscany. It weighs 189J carats, is cut in nine
sides, and covered with facets, which form a star with nine rays.
It belonged, as others of which we have already spoken, to Charles
the Bold, who lost it at the battle of Morat, with another smaller
one, which now adorns the tiara of the Pope.

The Pacha of Egypt has a brilliant, which also is called Pacha.
It weighs 40 carats, and cost 700,000 lire. The Piggot, which in
1818 belonged to the goldsmiths Rundell & Bridges, of London,
and which weighs 82£ carats, is perhaps the same gem which was
put in a lottery in England in the year 1801 for 750,000 lire. It is
not very fine. During the wars of the eighteenth century in the
territory of the Mahratta the diamond called Nassak was taken by
the East Indian Company. It then weighed 89| carats. Cut by the
order of the Marquis of Westminster, it was reduced to 78f .

The treasury of Dresden contains an emerald green one very
highly valued. It weighs 31£ carats. The goldsmith Bapst, of
Paris, sold a black one to Louis XVIII. for 24,000 lire. It came
from the Dogni collection. The Prince of Riceia, a Neapolitan, had
one of a beautiful red, which weighed 15 carats. The merchant
Hope, of London, possessed one of a blue colour, weighing about 44
carats. On account of its rare perfection, it is thought to be the
superb blue brilliant, recut, which belonged to the French crown,
weighing 67 carats. It was stolen in 1792, and never again heard
of. The Prince of Piombino has the largest brilliants in Rome.
Amongst these, one weighs 25 carats, is of a beautiful form, of good
colour, and limpid. It was paid to Emmanuel Godoy, formerly
Prime Minister of a King of Spain, for upwards of 100,000 lire.
In 1853 a negress at Bogagem, in Brazil, found one, which, when
rough, weighed 254J carats. It was bought by the Halphens, gem
merchants in Paris, who named it The Star'of the Sotith. When cut
as a brilliant by them, it only weighed 124^ carats. It is of oval
form, 35 millimetres long, 29 wide, and only 19 deep.

These are the most celebrated and universally known diamonds ; and
we have rather enlarged on them, because amongst all other precious
stones the diamond shines out as queen.

THE CELEBRATED WATCHMAKERS, GRAHAM
AND TOMPION.

/~] RAHAM is sometimes called "an ingenious mechanic," of
\Jf whose real worth Fleet-street was hardly aware when the
Cumbrian Quaker died there in 1751. Farquhar has immortalized
Tompion, the watchmaker, in "The Inconstant," but Graham, who
was under Tompion, and was his successor, was superior to him in
scientific knowledge, though Tompion invented the cylinder escape-
ment. If Fleet-street has forgotten him, Greenwich has not ;
for there the spirit of the Cumbrian works beneficially through his
instruments. Graham's scientific merit, however, was soon recog-
nized by the Royal Society. George Graham was elected into the
Royal Society on March 9th, 1720, and admitted, March 26th, 1720.
His merit early attracted the attention of that learned body, and
he was elected to the council at every alternate anniversary from
the year 1722 to the year 1742. He proved himself worthy of the
honours conferred upon him by contributing twenty-one papers to
the " Philosophical Transactions." To open the doors of the
highest guild of science in Britain to a Fleet-street clockmaker may
at first sight appear no less strange than incongruous, yet further
consideration will show that the Royal Society acted in an appro-
priate and praiseworthy manner by admitting to their council a
raasterworkman to whom work was not simply a profession, but a
daily vocation. If the art practised by Graham was only in its
initiative stage, there were minds in the society fully alive to the
significance of every tentative effort that would facilitate the correct
measurement of time or aid in the solution of the deep problems
of astronomy. And whoever could fashion the most delicate
instruments by which satisfactorily to promote these great objects
affecting science, and not less the common interests of mankind,
justly claimed the recognition of a true artist on a par with the
astronomer himself. Scientific observations can only be made
through certain media, the arrangement of which rests with the
mechanician, so that art and science are mutually dependent on
each other. In offering the right hand of fellowship to Graham,
the society did not look upon him as a clockmaker simply, but as
a man Avhose skill and aptitude brought to light the best means of
rendering the measurement of time and the scrutiny of the heavens
worthy of confidence. The following anecdote is an illustration
of the reputation achieved by Graham, as well as of his honesty.

A gentleman who had ordered a watch told Graham, when the
watch was delivered to him, that he was going off to India for
about seven years, and that he wanted to know bow far he might
rely upon the regularity of the movement. " Sir," replied Graham,
"it is a watch which I have made and regulated myself : take it
with you wherever you please. If after seven years you come back
to see me, and can tell me there has been a difference of five
minutes, I will return your money." After a lapse of more than
seven years the gentleman returned, and with a serious countenance
said, to Graham, "Sir, I bring you back your watch." "I re-
member your conditions," said Graham; "let me see the watch.
Well, what do you complain of?" "Why, I have had it seven
years and there is a difference of more than five minutes ! "
"Indeed! In that case, sir, I return you your money." "What
do you mean ? " "I mean to fulfil my engagement ! " "I would not
part with my watch for ten times the sum I paid for it." " And,"
replied Graham, " I would not break my word for any consideration.
A promise is sacred : I promised, on certain conditions, to take back
the watch ; in consequence of that promise you have returned it
to me, and no power on earth shall force me to violate my
engagement." Graham was true to his word, and to his last day he
used the watch as his regulator. There was no sham and shoddy
work sent out of the shops of Tompion and Graham. Prior, in his
" Essay on Learning," says that so jealous was Tompion of his
reputation as a clockmaker, that he would not allow his name to
appear on any of his work which was not the best of its kind. It is
related that on the occasion of a person applying to him upon the
subject of a watch, upon which his name had fraudulently appeared,
he at once broke it with a hammer, and presented another to the
person, saying, "Sir, here is a watch of my making."— Jewellers'
Circular.

Jewellers' Allot. — The following alloy was recently patented in
France : — Copper, 720 parts ; nickel, 125 parts ; bismuth. 10 parts ;
zinc, 90 parts ; soft iron, 20 parts ; tin, 20 parts. This is said to
form a fusible, malleable metal, easily worked by a silversmith; it
resists the oxidizing action of the air, and is capable of being
soldered.

100

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLER, AND

[Oct. 5, 1876.

FINGER RINGS
{Concluded from page 83).

OUR subject concludes with the last stage of all, and comiects
itself with death. Mourning rings, as remembrances of those
loved ones who have preceded us to the land of spirits, have always
been cherished in Christian lands. Lord Eldon wore a mourning
ring in memory of his wife, and desired in his will that it might be
buried with him.

The practice of offering rings at funerals is introduced as an
incident in " Sir Amadace." Anne of Cleves, who survived Henry
VIII., left, by her will, several mourning rings of various values to
be distributed among her friends and dependents. Dr. Wolcot
wrote some elegant lines, very different in tone from the one usually
employed by him, on the Princess Amelia's mournful present to her
father, George III.—

" With all the virtues blest and every grace,
To charm the world and dignify her race,
Life's taper losing fast its feeble fire,
The fair Amelia thus bespoke her sire : —
' Faint on the bed of sickness lying,
My spirit from its mansion flying,
Not long the light these languid eyes will see,

My friend, my father, and my king,
Receive the token and remember me!'"

Memorial rings were sometimes made to exhibit a small portrait,
and, on some occasions, to conceal one beneath a stone. This is
the case with the seven rings given away at the burial of Charles
I. One of these is in the Londesborough collection, and is de-
scribed as follows : — " Gold, with square table-faced diamond on an
oval face, which opens and reveals beneath a portrait of Charles in
enamel. The face of the ring, its back, and side portions of the
shank, engraved with scroll-work, filled in with black enamel."

Another of these rings is still more interesting: — "It was of pure
gold, plain, and without jewellery or ornament of any kind ; on
the top of it was an oval of white enamel, not more than half an
inch in longitudinal diameter, and apparently about the eighth of
an inch in thickness ; the surface was slightly convexed, and
divided into four compartments ; in each of these was painted one
of the four cardinal virtues, which, although so minute as to be
scarcely perceptible to the clearest sight, by the application of a
glass appeared perfectly distinct; each figure was well-proportioned,
and had its appropriate attribute. By touching a secret spring,
the case opened and exposed to view a veiy beautifully painted
miniature of the unfortunate Charles, with the pointed beard,
mustachios, &c, as he is usually portrayed, and, from its resemblance
to the portraits generally seen of this monarch, wearing every appear-
ance of being a strong likeness."

The ring sold at Strawberry Hill sale had the king's head in
miniature behind a death's head, between the letters C. It. The
motto being " Prepared be to follow me." Charles II. 's mourning
ring was inscribed " Car. Itex Retneni — obiit — ber — 30 Jan., 1648."

Mr. Wright, in " Miscellanea Graphica" (1857), describes a gold
mourning ring "formed of two skeletons, who support a small
sarcophagus. The skeletons are covered with white enamel, and
the bid of the sarcophagus is also enamelled, and has a Maltese cross
in red on a black ground studded with gilt hearts, and when re-
moved displays another skeleton." The Earl of Crawford and
Balcarres tells a sad story of a ring in his memoir of Lady Anne
Mackenzie. Colin, Earl of Balcarres, when a youth at the court of
Charles II., was taken very ill of a fever. Messengers arrived
almost hourly to make inquiries after his health on behalf of a lady
who had seen him presented at court, viz., Mdlle. Mauritia de
Nassau, sister of Lady Arlington and Lady Ossory, and a kinswoman
of William of Orange. Lord Balcarres paid his respects to the
young lady on his recovery, and soon the day of their marriage was
fixed. The wedding party was assembled in the church, but no
bridegroom appeared. He had forgotten the day, and was found
in his dressing-gown and slippers quietly eating his breakfast. On
being reminded of his engagement he hurried to the church, but in
his haste he left the wedding ring in his escritoire. A friend, in the
company gave him a ring ; he put his hand behind his back to receive
it, and, without looking at it, he placed it on the finger of his bride.
It was a mourning ring with a death's head and crossed bones en-
graved upon it, and the bride, on perceiving it at the close of the
ceremony, fainted away. The ill omen made such an impression
upon her mind that, on recovering, she declared she should die
within a year. Her presentiment was but too truly fulfilled, for
she died in childbed in less than a twelvemonth after.

When Diana of Poitiers became mistress of Henry II. of France

she was a widow, and the complaisant court not only adopted her
mourning as the favourite colour, but wore rings engraved with
skulls and skeletons. Kings with these devices were not necessarily
mourning rings, but were worn by those persons who affected
gravity. Luther wore a gold ring with a small death's head in
enamel, which is now preserved at Dresden. Biron in " Love's
Labour Lost," refers to "a death's face in a ring," and in Beaumont
and Fletcher we find : —

" I'll keep it

As they keep death's head in rings,

To cry memento to me."

— " Chances," Act I., Scene 3.

We have now passed in review many varieties of rings, and we
cannot but notice the little value that is set upon them in the
present day, as compared with their importance in days gone by.
There are now no official rings, no rings to cure all diseases and
save us from all dangers ; but, instead of all this, they have sunk into
mere ornaments. There is still, however, one ring that is associated
with some of the dearest feelings of our nature, viz., the plain gold
ring, as it is called, though why it should be plain we do not know.
Why should it not be engraved with all the beauty that heart can
lavish upon it ? and why should not a beautiful poesy be written
within its hoop? But it is probably useless to suggest such a
change in universal fashion.

The facts we have gathered about finger-rings are scattered over
the history of many ages and nations ; and in the selection of
illustrations we have been guided by their historic value as well as
their artistic merits, so that they may be referred to as authorities
to test the age and country of other works of their class, if brought
to them for comparison.

PASSAGE OF THE EARTH THROUGH THE TAIL
OF A COMET.

IN June, 1861, M. Liais, the celebrated astronomer at Rio
Janeiro, from observations which he had made of the great
comet of that year, which had not as yet become visible in Europe,
became convinced there was a great likelihood that the earth would
come in contact with one of the tads of the comet. M. Liais
proved beyond question that on the 19th of June, 1861, the earth
really did pass through one of the comet's tails, the moment of
contact being 12 minutes past 6 a.m. ; and the earth must have
been wholly immersed in the tail for about Jour hours. Yet it had no
perceptible influence upon the weather — a very remarkable fact,
adding reason to suppose that cometary matter is some millions of
times rarer than our atmosphere. This phenomenon had never
before occurred, according to the dictum of Arago, the astronomer.
Lord Wrottesley, in i860, remarked that when the comet of Encke
returned, its motion was continually accelerated, and it was con-
sequently drawn nearer to the sun. " The final result," says Lord
Wrottesley, " will be that after the lapse of ages this comet will
fall into the sun." This body, a mere hazy cloud, continually flick-
ering, as it were, like a celestial moth, round the great luminary,
is at some distant period destined to be mercilessly consumed.
1'rofessor William Thomson suggests that the heat and light of the
sun may be from time to time replenished by the falling in and
absorption of countless meteors which circulate round him ; and
here we have a cause which may accelerate or produce such an
event.

A MAYORAL CHAIN".

MESSRS. T. & J. BRAGG, of Birmingham, have recently
manufactured a gold chain and badge of office of unusual
excellence and workmanship as a mayoral chain for the Corpora-
tion of Blackpool. The chain and badge were designed by Mr. J.
W. Fouks, and this fact, together with its manufacture by Messrs.
Bragg, who have attained such celebrity for the execution of hi»h
class work, is sufficient guarantee that the article is one which will
reflect credit not alone on the manufacturers and desiguer, but also
on the generous donor, Mr. W. H. Cocker, J.P.

The grand tenor bell in the new set of bells and chimes about to
be placed in the belfry of St. Paul's Cathedral is to be presented
by the Court of Common Council of London. All the other bells
have been presented by City companies.

Oct. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

101

ALUMINIUM, ITS FUTURE IN THE ARTS, AND
ITS PROBABLE INTRODUCTION IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF JEWELLERY, &c.

IT is now about twenty years since the celebrated French chemist,
Deville, succeeded in demonstrating the possibility of producing
the metal aluminium upon the large scale ; but, up to the present,
the extent to which this interesting and praiseworthy invention has
been utilized, has but to a slight degree realized the sanguine
expectations which intelligent minds of all professions have been
accustomed to associate with it. So important, indeed, were the
fruits of Deville's first investigations deemed to be, that they were
at once invested with the dignity of royal patronage, and the first
works for the manufacture of the new metal were shortly thereafter
erected at Javelle, near Paris, from the private purse of the late
Emperor of the French. It was expected that the new product
would at once find its way into the useful arts as an effective and
valuable substitute for many other metals. That these expectations
were well founded will be apparent from the characteristic and very
exceptional properties of the metal. A bright, pure surface of
aluminium possesses a greyish-white colour, something between that
of zinc and tin. Its extreme lightness is one of its very distinguish-
ing properties, and affords an immediate means of identifying it from
every other metal. Its specific gravity is but 2-5 (water=l), from
which it appears that it is about three times lighter than copper,
four times lighter than silver, and nearly eight times lighter than
gold. "When struck, it emits a loud, clear, musical tone, which has
been compared with that of crystal gla=s. The keen observing
powers of the French chemist did not permit this property to pass
unnoticed. He suggested the employment of aluminium for bell-
metal, and in the year 1868 presented to the Royal Institution of
Great Britain a bell H foot in diameter, which proved to possess a
most exquisite tone, and which, despite its not inconsiderable
dimensions, weighed no more than 44 pounds.

The metal may be hammered out into the thinnest leaves, rolled
into plates or sheets, and drawn into the finest wire. Its hardness
approaches that of fine silver, and its tensile strength equals that
of copper. Its melting point lies at 700 degrees C. (about 1300
Fahr.), or between that of zinc and silver ; and it is worthy of note
that it fuses with extreme slowness, and does not vaporize even in
the heat of the blast furnace. Generally speaking, the metal is
workable to an extraordinary degree, and it may be filed, turned,
pressed, engraved, and coiued quite readily. In compact masses
the metal is quite indifferent to atmospheric influences, and even
when being smelted it does not sensibly oxidize. It must be
remarked, however, that the properties above enumerated are
predicated upon the^ presumption that the metal is free from
impurities.

In the manufacture of" jewellery, and other articles of luxury, it
is probable that aluminium may in time play an important part,
though it is scarcely possible for it to ever rival the popularity of
silver in these uses. In Paris, which, by the way, has always
remained the head-quarters of the aluminium industry, it appears
to be employed to a considerable extent for elegant inlaid work
upon jewel and dressing cases, fans, &c, for lids and covers of
glasses, and for a variety of small articles of galanterie. From what
has been done in this direction we can estimate its fitness for a
thousand elegant articles of taste, fancy, and utility, when once its
popularity is established before the world at large, which is now
scarcely cognizant of the existence of such a metal as aluminium.
The makers of clocks and watches, of surgical and musical instru-
ments, and of artificial teeth, as well as the manufacturers of such
articles as seals, pen-holders, paper-weights, shirt and sleeve buttons,
smokers' and sportsmen's necessaries, canes, riding-whips, harness
decorations, statuettes, gas-fixtures and lamps, &c, would without
doubt derive much advantage and profit from the employment of
aluminium, and sooner or later its peculiar fitness for these uses will
be recognized. For the manufacture. of philosophical and engineer-
ing instruments, and especially the latter, the indifference of
aluminium to atmospheric iufluences, and its extreme lightness,
have of late met with general recognition, and the employment of
the metal for these uses is steadily growing in favour.

According [to M. Morin, the director of the manufactory of
Nanterre, very homogeneous alloys are obtained with copper and
■ 5, 7 1-2 and 10 per cent, of aluminium. The alloys with 5 and 10
per cent, of aluminium are both of a golden colour, whilst that with
7 1-2 per cent, has a greenish tint. Even so small an addition as
1 per cent, of aluminium to copper considerably increases its
ductility and fusibility, and imparts to it the property of completely
filling the mould, making a dense casting free from air-bubbles.

At the same time the copper becomes more resistant of chemical re-
agents, increases in hardness without losing in malleability, and
unites in itself the most valuable qualities of bronze and brass. A
copper alloy, with 2 per cent, of aluminium is said to be used in
the studio of Christofle, in Paris, for works of art. It works well
under the chisel and graver.

The true aluminium bronzes, according to Rudolph Wagner, were
first made by John Percy, in 1856. They are alloys containing 90
to 95 per cent, of copper, with 10 to 5 per cent, of aluminium. The
direct mixture, by first fusion, of "10 parts 'of aluminium and 90
of copper, gives a brittle alloy, which, however, increases in strength
and tenacity by several successive fusions. At each operation a
little aluminium is lost. After the compound has been melted three
or four times, however, the proportion of aluminium does not appear
to change, and the alloy may be again remelted several times with-
out alteration. These fusions are effected in crucibles. The
aluminium bronze is homogeneous, and possesses sufficient expansion
to fill the remotest parts of the mould. It affords sharp castings
that can be worked more readily than steel. Aluminium bronze
may be forged at a dull-red heat, and hammered until cooled off
without presenting any flaws or cracks. Like copper, it is rendered
milder and more ductile by being plunged into cold water when
hot. The bronze polishes beautifully, and possesses great strength
— according to Anderson's experiments, an average of 75,618 1-2 lbs.
per square inch. The resistance to compression is feeble. From
the experiments of Col. Strange on the relative rigidity of brass,
ordinary and aluminium bronze, it appears that the last-named is
forty times as rigid as brass, and three times as rigid as ordinary
bronze.

Aluminium is manufactured by decomposing the double chloride
of aluminium and sodium, with the aid of metallic sodium. The
sodium is obtained by heating to redness a mixture of 100 parts of
calcined soda, 15 parts of chalk, and 45 parts of coal. The chloride
of aluminium is prepared by passing chlorine gas over a moderately-
heated mixture of pure alumina (obtained either from alum or the
mineral bauxite), common salt, and coal-tar. This operation is
conducted in an iron gas-retort, and the result of the interaction of
the several substances present is the combination of the coal-tar
with the oxygen of the alumina, and the production of aluminium
chloride, which unites with the chloride of sodium (common salt),
forming a double salt, which volatizes and is passed off into a sepa-
rate chamber, where it condenses. From this method of obtaining
the chloride, it is impossible to keep it free from chloride of iron,
for which reason the Parisian aluminium is invariably impuriffed
therewith. From this double chloride of aluminium and sodium
the metallic aluminium is obtained, either by passing it in the form
of vapour over a heated surface of metallic sodium, in a simply-con-
structed and connected system of iron cylinders appropriately
heated, or the materials are at once mixed and heated.

Rose, of Berlin, instead of the artificially- prepared aluminium
chloride, employed the mineral kryolite (a natural compound
occurring in deposits of considerable magnitude in Greenland, and
consisting of fluoride of aluminium and sodium) quite successfully.
By heating this mineral with sodium, metallic aluminium and
fluoride of sodium are produced, and the latter compound is gotten
rid of by treating the resulting mass with caustic lime. Of late the
metal has also been manufactured from the mineral bauxite.

At present there are four aluminium works in existence, of which
three are in France and one in England. Their total production
amounts to about 3500^. yearly, of which 2000^. are produced in
France, and lbOOl. in England.

Theodore Rohrer, a watchmaker of Newcastle, has invented a
piece of mechanism which is thus described : — "It consists of a set
of gold studs, in one of which is a miniature watch, which keeps
excellent time. The combined weight of the two studs and watch,
which are all connected together, is 1^ oz. The face of the watcii
is about the size of a silver three-cent, piece, and with its surround-
ings of gold looks much like a small compass. "When the watch and
studs are on the shirt-front they are about 2 inches apart, and by
turning the upper one (in the same manner that a stem winding-
watch is wound) the time-piece is wound. In setting the hand the
lower stud is revolved. The most remarkable thing about the time-
piece is that it is not like ordinary watches, but has a dial resembling
that of a clock. The pendulum will move correctly in whatever
position the watch is placed, even when it is reversed and run at
the top instead of the bottom.

102

THE WATCHMAKEK, JEWELLEE, AND

[Oct. 5, 1876.

HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY.

(Continued from page 81.)

A FEW years after the destruction of the Alexandrian library, those
J\ very Arabs, whobad committed such devastation amongst those
valuable stores of learning, began to study such treatises on the
sciences as had escaped the sad catastrophe ; they paid particular
attention to those that treated on Astronomy, and even some of the
Caliphs* became not only patrons of, but proficients in, thisinterest-
ing study.

Harouu Al Raschid, who reigned in the latter end of the eighth,
and the beginning of the ninth century, and makes so conspicuous
a figure in many of the Eastern tales, was a munificent patron of
scientific men, and is said to have sent as a present to Charlemagne,
a clepsydra, or water-clock, which pointed out the hours, by curious
mechanical contrivances, which, were then considered as an astonish-
ing instance of ingenuity ; but were probably, in reality, inferior to
the common cuckoo-clock of the present day. Almansor, the son of
Haroun, trod in his father's steps, and even went beyond him in his
zeal for the promotion of useful knowledge. By his order the
obliquity of the ecliptic was ascertained, but authors differ as to the
result, and a degree of the meridian was measured on the plains of
Singia, near the Red Sea. Thus, the Arabs merit praise, not only
for having preserved the scattered relics of ancient learning, but
for attempting to add to the stores of science by observations and
discoveries of their own. Many of the works of the Arabian
astronomers have been translated into Latin, and are still extant.

The Persians, the Indians, and the Chinese, attended early to the
study of this science ; the first mentioned people fix the length of
the solar year at three hundred and sixty -five days six hours ; and
to render this computation convenient, they dropped the six hours,
and instead thereof, intercalated a month of thirty days once in one
hundred and twenty years, which answered the same purpose as the
extra day in our bissextile, or leap-year ; this being at length found
too much, Omar Cheyham an astronomer of that nation, improved
the calendar by adding a day every fourth year, for seven periods of
four years each, and then a day on the fifth year for the eighth
period, and so on continually, which comes near the truth.

Even the barbarous Tartar princes patronized Astronomy Houlagon
Khan, who conquered Persia, about 1264, built an observatory in
the city of Maragha, aad established a kind of college of astronomers,
over whom he placed Nassir Eddin, as president. To this man the
world is indebted for several astronomical works. Ulugh Beg,
grandson of Tamerlane, was a munificent patron of the science, and
established an astronomical academy, at Samarcand, of which he
himself became one of the members ; it is said, that in this academy
was a quadrant of one hundred and eighty feet radius, but so
unwieldy an instrument must have been rather for show than use.
Ulugh Beg published some works which are still extant, the chief
of which was, a catalogue of the stars, and some astronomical tables,
the most perfect then known in the East. Since this period As-
tronomy has declined in Persia, and given place to astrologicalfancies,
so that the modern Persians scarcely know how to make a rude
calculation of an eclipse.

It is usual to consider the Turks as exceedingly illiterate and
ignorant of the sciences ; almost as early as the foundation of their
empire, in the thirteenth century, colleges were instituted, and
Geometry and Astronomy taught, as they still are ; the latter princi-
pally for its indispensable use in the study of judicial astrologyf to
which they are much devoted. They are said to be in possession of
many books saved from the destruction of the Alexandrian library,
the contents of which have never been published ; but they have
never yet added one discovery to the sciences.

About the same time that the Turks began to promote the study
of astronomy, Oktay Khan, one of the Tartar princes on the throne
of China, exerted himself for the same purpose in that country ; he
sent for learned men from Arabia, Persia, &c. ; constructed colleges,
purchased books, and caused proper instruments to be fabricated for
the advancement of this science and geography. But the Chinese,
from the nature of their language, and other causes, labour under
disadvantages in the study of sciences which all their diligence will

* Caliph, the sovereign of the Saracens, in whom was vested absolute
authority in all matters relating both to religion and authority.

t Astrology is usually divided into two parts, natural and judicial.
Judicial Astrology is that which pretends to f'oretel moral events, that is,
such as have a dependence on the free will and agency of man as if they
were directed by the stars. This art which owed its origin to the practises
of knavery on credulity is now universally exploded by the intelligent part of
mankind. Natural Astrology is the predicting natural events from natural
causes ; as the changes of the weather, winds, storms, thunder, hurricanes,
floods, earthquakes, &c. &c.

not enable them to overcome ; although many of their princes, anp
especially Hupilay, the brother of Houlagon, already mentioned,
exerted themselves to the utmost, by assembling learned men, by
establishing important regulations by expending large sums in
forming Ubraries, and procuring instruments, Astronomy has made no
great progress in this vast empire, nor is it at present in a state tobe
compared with European acquirements.

The thirteenth century produced many celebrated astronomers in
Spain, at the head of whom is Alphonso X.,* King of Castile and
Leon, to whose care and munificent management of the science we
owe the Alphonsine Tables. Nor was astronomy neglected in Eng-
land ; so early as the eighth century, the venerable Beda, or Bede,
was a proficient in it, as far as the science was then known ; and
A.D. 1230, John de Sacro Bosco, another Englishman, wrote treatises
on the astrolabe, and the calendar ; and Roger Bacon, a Eranciscan
friar, astonished all Europe by his proficiency in natural philosophy
and astronomy. It would occupy much space unnecessarily to
enumerate all the axithors who have rendered themselves benefactors
of mankind by discoveries in the valuable science ; we must content
ourselves, therefore, with noticing those only who have enriched it
by their labours in an eminent degree.

In the fifteenth century an endeavour was made by Cardinal de
Cusa to introduce the true system of the universe, attempted in vain
by Pythagoras, two thousand years before, and by many subsequent
philosophers, but men's minds were not yet prepared for this truth,
and it was again rejected.

The next astronomers of note were Purbach and his pupil,
Regiomontanus,f the former of whom made a translation of the
'Almagest "of Ptolemy into Latin, more correct than former editions,
and made great improvements in astronomy, in the construction of
astronomical instruments and celestial globes, marking on the
latter the progress of the stars in longitude, from the time of
Ptolemy to the era in which he lived. Being cut off at an early age
by death, his friend and disciple, Regiomontanus, was invited by
the senate of Nuremburg to reside in that city, where he built an
observatory and made numerous observations on the stars, from
which he corrected, or enlarged, the ancient theories.

He had, likewise, an opportunity, in 1472, of observing a comet
and some of the phenomena attending its progress. In 1474 he was
invited to Rome by Pope Sextus IV. to assist in reforming the
calendar, but his premature death by the plague, or, as some think,
by poison, prevented the accomplishment of this project. He was
succeeded at Nuremburg by Waltherius, whose observations,
together with those of his predecessor, were after his death col-
lected and publihsed, in 1544, by order of the senate. The successor
of Waltherius was Werner, who observed the motion of the comet
of 1500, and showed that the motion of the fixed stars, usually
called the precession of the equinoxes, is 1° 10' in 100 years; he
found also, that the obliquity of the ecliptic is only 23° 28' ; he
likewise recommended that method now universally practised of
finding the longitude at sea by observing the moon's distance from
the fixed stars, and constructed planitarium according to the
Ptolemaic system. Werner died in 1528.

Dominic Maria Novera, of Bologna, claims our notice, not so much
for his superior knowledge, or the importance of his labours in the
cause of science, asfor his having instructed the celebrated Copernicus
in astronomy.

This great man, who was a native of Thorn, in Prussia,:): born
February 19, 1473, was dissatisfied with the popular theory, especi-
ally as he found that some of the phenomena by Venus could not be
solved by the Ptolemean hypothesis. He was led to the discovery
of the true system by the mention he found of the opinions of
Pythagoras, in the works of Cicero, Plutarch, and others. So power-
ful, however, was the influence of superstition on the minds of men
in general, and of the clergy of that day in particular, that he did
not venture to publish the book which he had written on the subject,
until a short period before death removed him from the fear of man.

Yet altogether his system accounted most satisfactorily, rationally,
and simply for the direct and retrograde motions, and occasional
stationary appearance of the planets, and many other phenomena
which could not be explained by the commonly-received doctrine.
The opposition^of the clergy, who represented it as heretical and
revolutionary to the Holy Scriptures, prevented for a long time its
receiving that attention and support Avhich it deserved, but magna
est Veritas et prxvalcbit, and the discovery of the telescope soon after
so powerfully seconded the dictates , of reason by the result of the
observations it enabled philosophers to make, that it forced its way
in spite of opposition and danger.

(To be continued.)

* Succeeded to the Crown in 1252. t His real name was John Mullar-
% Prussian, Poland,

Oct. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

103

WORK IN GOLD AND SILVER OP THE FOUR-
TEENTH AND FIFTEENTH CENTURIES.

A T a time when banking was unknown, property was converted
f\_ into plate, as a most convenient mode of retaining it.
Decorative plate increased the public state of its owner, was a
portable thing, and could be easily hidden in time of danger or
pledged in time of want. Hence the nobility and gentry of the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries gave abundant employment to
the goldsmith. Cellini, in his memoirs, has noted many fine pieces
of ornamental plate he was called upon to design and execute, and
one of the finest still exists in the Kunst-Kanirner, at Vienna — the
golden salt-cellar he made for Francis of France. The " salt " was
an important piece of plate on all tables at this period ; and to be
placed above or below it indicated rank or honour done to any
seated at the banquet. The accompanying engraving delineates a
very remarkable salt-cellar, being part of a collection of antique
plate formed by the late Lord Londesborough.

This curious example of the quaint designs of the old metal
workers is considered to have been the work of one of the famous
Augsburg goldsmiths at the latter part of the sixteenth century.
It is a combination of metals, jewels, and rare shells in a singularly
grotesque general design. The salt was placed in the large shell of
the rare pecten of the South Seas, which is edged with a silver-gilt
rim, chased in floriated ornament and further enriched by garnets ;
to it is affixed the half-length figure of a lady, whose bosom is formed
of the larger orange coloured pecten, upon which is fixed a garnet, to
represent a brooch ; a crystal forms the caul of the head-dress,
another is placed below the waist. The large shell is supported by
the tail of the whale on one side, and on the other by the serpent
which twists around it ; in this reptile's head a turquoise is set, the
eyes are formed of garnets and the tongue of red onyx. The whole
is of silver-gilt, and within the mouth is a small figure of Jonah,
whose adventure is thus strangely mixed with the general design.
The sea is quaintly indicated by the circular base chased with
figures of sea-monsters disporting in the waves. It would not be

easy to select a more characteristic specimen of antique table plate.
The inventories of similar articles once possessed by the French
King, Charles V., and his brother, the Duke of Anjou, King of
Naples and Provence (preserved in the royal library, Paris), give
descriptive details of similar quaint pieces of art manufacture, in
which the most grotesque and heterogeneous features are combined,
and the work enriched by precious stones and enamels. Jules
Labarte observes, " The artists of that period indulged in strange
flights of fancy in designing plate for the table, they especially
delighted in grotesque subjects, a ewer or a cup may often be seen
in the shape of a man, animal, or flower, while a monstrous
combination of several human figures serves to form the design of
a vase.' '

But quaint and fanciful as were the works of the Parisian gold-
smiths, they were out-done by the grotesque designs of the German
artificers. They invented drinking-cups of the strangest form : the
whole animal kingdom, fabulous and real birds and sea monsters,
were constructed to hold liquids. A table laid out with an abundance

of this strangely -designed plate must have had a ludicrous effect*
Many of their works, though costly in character, refined in execution,
and thoroughly artistic in detail, are absolute caricatures. There is
one in Lord Londesborough's collection, and another in that of
Baron Rothschild's, made in the form of a bagpipe, the bag holds
wine and is supported on human feet ; arms emerge from the side
and play on the chanter, which is elongated from the nose of a
grotesque face ; the hair is a mass of foliage. Dozens of similar
examples might be cited of the most extraordinary invention, which
the metal-workers of the seventeenth century particularly gave their
imaginations licence to construct. Indeed the German artists of
that period seem to have had a spice of lunacy in their compo-
sitions, and the works of Breughel were rivalled and outdone by
many others whose fancies were of the most unearthly type.
Salvator Rosa in Italy, and Callot in France, occasionally depicted
what their grotesque and mystic imaginings suggested, and Teniers
gave the world witch pictures, but for the weird and wondrous,
Germany has always carried the palm in art as in literature.

104

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[Oct. 5, 1867.

ON THE RECOVERY OF SILVER FROM CAST-IRON
CRUCIBLES.

IX a recent number of Dingler's Journal, two Vienna chemists,
named Tavorsky and Priwoznik, described the new methods
for obtaining the silver absorbed by cast-iron crucibles used in some
mints and other establishments for fusing silver and its alloys. A
cast-iron crucible can be used ten to fifteen times for fusing silver ;
then the cracks are so considerable that it must be thrown aside.
These crucibles were formerly broken up, and the bottoms and
other portions, which contain much silver, thrown into the very
impure mother liquor from the crystallization of sulphate of copper.
This liquor is not easily utilized in any other manner ; but on
putting in the iron the copper is precipitated, while the iron goes
into solution. The cement copper thus prepared, and containing all
the silver, along with the graphite, silica, and other insoluble
constituents of the cast-iron, is treated in the usual manner for the
separation of the silver. This process, however, is tedious, and the
amount of material to be worked is increased instead of being
diminished, for 100 lbs. of cast-iron yields about 113 lbs. of cement
copper.

The late director of the mint at Vienna, Von Schrotter, proposed
a method for overcoming this difficulty. The crucibles are first
broken up, and then dissolved in dilute sulphuric acid without heat.
To avoid the trouble of evaporating a large quantity of water, in
order to crystallize the green vitriol, in the first experiment the
sulphuric acid was only moderately diluted, and consequently large
quantities of anhydrous protosulphate of iron separated and
enveloped the undissolved pieces of iron, protecting them from the
action of the acid. As soon, however, as the acid was diluted to
20° B. the iron dissolved rapidly. Where chamber acid can be
easily obtained, it would doubtless be the cheapest. Even with acid
of 60° B. it is not expensive, and the latter offers the advantage that
the heat generated in diluting it helps the reaction and hastens the
solution. The iron is dissolved in wooden vessels lined with lead,
12 to 15 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 20 inches deep, with a grating
made of lathes, about 8 inches from the bottom, on which the pieces
of crucible are placed. As the solution becomes more concentrated
it sinks to the bottom, and the iron is continually brought in
contact with fresh acid. If the precaution be taken to cover the
vessel tightly, the extremely disagreeable gases evolved will not
prove a serious disturbance.

In from ten to fourteen days the acid becomes saturated, and the
solution settles and has a concentration of 20° B. By evaporation
to 66° B. the green vitriol crystallizes out. The insoluble residue
amounts to about 20 per cent. It contains all the silver, silica,
graphite, sesqui oxide of iron, copper, and small quantities of sulphur
and phosphorus. The larger pieces of silver are picked out, and the
smaller are obtained by sifting and amalgamating the residue. Only
the old slick and the amalgamation residue, which still contains 14
per cent, silver, are worked over in the silver works.

This process of recovering silver is much more rapid than the
method previously in use. It has the advantage that 80 per cent, of
iron is removed before proceeding to the recovery of the silver, so
that the argentiferous material is reduced to one-fifth its original
weight. The experience of those who have employed it in Vienna
show that it is thoroughly practicable, and that the green vitriol
produced pays for the labour.

In the lloyal Imperial Mint at Vienna 315 old cast-iron crucibles,
weighing 115,192 lbs., have been treated in this way, producing
405,574 lbs. of commercial sulphate of iron. The weight of the
residue was 23,038 lbs. The poorer portion, and the residue from
amalgamation, weighing 13,429 lbs., was smelted. Nearly 737 lbs. of
silver was obtained. The per-centage of silver in the cast-iron is
calculated at 064 per cent. The amount of silver in a cast-iron
crucible depends on the richness of the alloy melted in it ; those
used for rich alloys, of course, contain more silver than those in
which poor ones are melted. Most of the crucibles worked up so
far had been used for the alloy from which the Austrian small
change is made, and which contains only from 45 to 50 per cent, of
silver. The results obtained from those in which alloys containing
83.5 per cent, are fused will, no doubt, be more favourable. —
American, Art Journal.

GREENWICH OBSERVATORY.

The watch of Aldul Aziz is in Paris, being altered for the new
bultan. The initials and signature on the case are being changed
into those of Mourad V., and the name of the watch, formerly
•• Azzie," is now " Mouradie." Every time the case is opened the
watch winds itself, and the face marks both French and Turkish
time . — Je welle rs ' Cire ular.

ABOUT 200 years ago England began to take a lead in the
mercantile commerce of the world ; her ships were daily
passing across the Atlantic, and India also was beginning to attract
her attention. It was, therefore, of the utmost importance that
navigators should be enabled to find their longitude when at sea,
independently of watches or clocks ; and a reward was offered to
any one who should discover a method by which this result might be
obtained. The plan proposed was that the angular distance of the
moon from certain stars should be calculated beforehand, and
published, so that, for example, it might be stated that at 10' 5"
past 9 on such a day the moon should be distant from Mars 40°.
If, from a ship in the middLe of the Atlantic, Mars and the moon
were found to be 40° apart, then it would be known that the time
in England was 10' and 5" past 9. Here then was one item
ascertained, and the method was a good ^one ; but in consequence
of the want of accuracy as regards the moon's motions' the exact
positions of the stars, it could not be practically carried out.
Under these circumstances, Charles II. decided that a national
observatory should be built, and an astronomer appointed ; and a
site was at once selected for the building. Wren, the architect,
selected Greenwich Park as the most suitable locality, because
from thence vessels passing up and down the Thames might see the
time-signals, and also because there was a commanding view north
and south from the hills selected for the site. The observatory was
completed in 1676, and Flamsteed, the chief astronomer, immediately
commenced his observations, but with very imperfect instruments of
his own. During thirty years Flamsteed laboured indefatigably,
and formed a valuable catalogue of stars, and made a vast collection
of lunar observations. He was succeeded by Halley, who carried
on similar observations ; and from that time to the present Green-
wich Observatory has been our head-quarters for astronomical
observations.

The work carried on at Greenwich is entirely practical, and
consists in forming a catalogue of stars and planets, and so watch-
ing them that every change in their movements is at once discovered.
Now that this work has been performed for several years, the move-
ments of the principal celestial bodies have been so accurately
determined that the Nautical Almanac — the official guide on these
subjects — is published four years in advance, and thus we find that
on a particular night in 1868 the moon will be at a certain angular
distance from a star, and the second satellite of Jupiter will dis-
appear at a particular instant. On the exterior walls of the
observatory there is a large electric clock, which, being placed in
" contact " with the various other clocks in the observatory, in-
dicates exact Greenwich time. The face of this clock shows twenty-
four hours, so that it requires that a novice should look at it twice
before comparing his watch. On the left of this clock are metal
bars let into the wall, each of which represents the length of a
standard measure, such as a yard, foot, &c. And let us here say a
few words about these standards. To the uninitiated a yard is
simply three feet, and a foot is twelve inches — an inch being, we
are told in our "tables," the length of three barleycorns. Now,
as the length of a barleycorn varies considerably, it requires some-
thing more definite than this to determine our national measures.
Thus the question, what is a foot ? is more difficult to answer than
at first sight appears. Many years ago the French perceived the
difficulty appertaining to the national standard, and they, therefore,
decided that a metre should be the ten-millionth part of one-fourth
of the earth's circumference — that is, ten-millionth of the distance
from the equator to the Pole. But here another difficulty was
encountered, because different calculators found this arc of different
lengths. By lain, however, it was decided that one measurement
only was correct, and so the meter was fixed at 30,794 Paris feet ;
though since then more accurate observations and improved instru-
ments have shown these measured acres to have been very in-
correctly ascertained, and thus the French method failed when
practically tried.

The length of a seconds pendulum oscillating in a certain latitude
has been our method of obtaining a standard ; but this also has its
weak points, so that to obtain a constant standard it is necessary to
have some pattern which is unchangeable, and thus a inetal has
been chosen that expands or contracts but little either with heat
or cold ; and this, at a certain temperature, is the standard measure,
and such a standard may be seen on the exterior wall of Greenwich
Observatory.

On entering the doorway — which is guarded by a Greenwich
pensioner, who will possibly first peep at the visitor, in order to see
who the individual may be who is desirous to tread within the
sacred precincts — one finds a court-yard, on the left of which are the

Oct. 5 1876.]

SILVEESMTTH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

105

transit-room, the computing-room, and the chronometer-room.
The transit-room takes its name from the instrument therein, which
is a large "transit." This consists of a large telescope, the outside
of which is not unlike a heavy cannon, as it is of solid iron. The
instrument is supported by trunnions, which allow the telescope to
be elevated or depressed to point south or north, and, in fact, to
make a complete revolution, but never to diverge from the north or
south line. The magnifying power of this instrument is not very
great, so that it admits plenty of light, for it is intended, not as a
searcher for or for gazing at celestial objects, but for the purpose of
noting the exact time at which stars and planets pass south or north
of Greenwich. Upon looking through the telescope, the observer's
eye is first attracted by a vertical row of what seem to be iron bars,
placed at equal distances from each other. These, however, prove
to be only spiders' webs, and are used for the purpose of taking the
time of passage of a star over each wire, and thus to ascertain the
exact instant of its being in the centre of the telescope. During
even the finest and calmest nights there is occasionally found a
tremulousness in the instrument, which, as it is rigidly fixed to the
walls of the building, must be due to a slight vibration in the ground
itself. Thus, many a feeble earthquake unf elt by the outsider may be
perceived by the astronomer by the aid of his delicate instruments.

The various stars seem to be travelling at an immense rate when
seen in the field of the transit telescope, and it is really nervous
work noting the exact time when each wire is passed. The
experienced observer, however, not only will give the minute and
second, but also the decimal of a second when the star was on the
wire. The result is obtained by counting the beats of a clock, the
face of which is opposite the observer. Thus, if at three the star
seems as much short of the wire as at four it had passed it, then
3.5 might be the instant of " transit."

At noon each day the sun's passage is observed by nearly the
whole staff of observers. One individual looks through the tele-
scope and gives the time for each wire, while others examine a
variety of micrometers in order to ascertain the fractional parts of
seconds, &c, these micrometers being placed at the side of the
instrument.

In the morning, the principal work consists in making what are
termed the "reductions" to the observations of the previous night.
These reductions are the corrections requisite for the slight instru-
mental inaccuracy, for the refraction of the atmosphere, and for the
known constant error of the observer. "When, therefore, a bright
winter's night has occurred, the work on the following morning is
usually very heavy. At noon the sun's time of transit is taken, and
at one o'clock the "ball" is dropped, by means of which the
various vessels in the docks and in the Thames set their chrono-
meters, or ascertain their rate. In addition to this, the time is sent
by electricity to Deal, and one or two other seaports, in order that
every vessel may be able to know the accurate time, if within sight
of those places.

Not the least interesting portion of the observatory is the chrono-
meter-room. For a very small charge, manufacturers or owners
may have their chronometers rated at Greenwich, which is accom-
plished in the following manner : —

The chronometer is placed in the chronometer-room, and com-
pared with the large electric clock in the room, this clock being
kept in order by the stars. Each day the chronometer is examined,
and thus its rate is ascertained in its then temperature. It is after-
wards placed in a sort of closet warmed by gas, a condition sup-
posed to represent the tropics, and it is there kept for a certain
period, being tested each day as before. This change of temperature
is found to produce very little effect on the best instruments,
which, when they have passed the ordeal, are returned to the
owners with their character ticketed to them. Some hundred
chronometers are often placed in this room ; and to compare them
is a science, the "expert" by a glance discovering the difference
between the two instruments, whilst a novice would require to
mentally add or subtract, and thus slowly to arrive at the same
results.

As soon as it becomes dark enough to see stars by the aid of a
telescope, one of the staff commences his observations. These are
continued during the night; and a register is kept of each star,
planet, comet, or moon, which is " doctored " in the mornino- by the
computers.

As all mortals are fallible, it is desirable to bring machinery
into use where possible, and this has been managed in con-
nection with astronomical observations. Instead of the computer
registering by judgment the time of a star's transit over the
various wires, he strikes a small indicator, which, completing
the electric circuit, causes a pricker to fall and make a hole
in a piece of paper that is attached to a slowly revolving barrel.

Each time the star passes a wire the pricker descends and leaves
its mark ; and the interval between these marks being measured by
scale, the mean time of transit maybe obtained.

There is usually a feeling of the sublime that comes over us
when Ave reflect upon the vast unexplored regions of space, or con-
template the stellar world that shines upon us. The magnitude and
grandeur of some of the planets in the solar system strike us with a
feeling of awe and wonder, while we are puzzled at the mysteries
atteuding comets, double stars, nebulas, &c. No such feelings or
sentiments are allowed to enter into the constitution or mind of an
observer at Greenwich. Saturn, the glorious ringed planet, with
its galaxy of moons, is simply "Saturn, Right Ascension 10 hours
8 min. 12 sees., North Declination 1G° 12' 2"." Anything apper-
taining to the physical constitution, the probable cause of the ring,
or the object of so grand an orb, does not come within the range
of the observations at Greenwich, which are limited to bare matter-
of-fact business work.

The southern portion of the observatory ground is devoted to the
investigation of meteorological subjects, and is under the superin-
tendence of Mr. Glaisher, who is now well known as an aerial
voyager. It is here that an exact record is kept of the amount of
rain that daily falls, of the direction and force of the wind, of the
magnetic changes, of the temperature, amount of ozone, &c— all
matters which may, and probably will, lead us eventually to the
discovery of some laws connected with the states of weather, and
enable us to predict what may be expected from day to day.
Whilst we are now able to calculate to a few seconds, and for years
in advance, the instant when an eclipse may occur, and to explain
the causes of the various planetary movements, yet we are in a sad
state of ignorance as regards the cause of hurricanes, thunder-
storms, continued rains and droughts ; and thus we find that all the
would-be prophets who from time to time spring up and oracularly
announce a coming frost or fine weather, or the reverse, are per-
petually meeting with most signal failures, which, however, does
not defer future adventurers from attempting to gain a cheap
temporary renown by trying their luck at a prophecy.

The perpetual accumulation of facts at Greenwich, whether these
be ,of an astronomical nature or appertaining to the air we breathe
and its subtile changes, is a proceeding that must eventually lead us
on to a correct knowledge of the laws which govern these matters,
and also keep us acquainted with any variations that may be
occurring in the elements that surround us.

The order and quietness necessary in such calculations as those
carried on at Greenwich prevent it from being a " show " establish-
ment, and hence visitors are not admitted except on special business.
Then, however, every aid and assistance are offered to the student
and inquirer ; the use of books and instruments is freely given, and
such information supplied as the little spare time of those belonging
to the establishment enables them to afford. Thus a visit to or a
period of study at Greenwich Observatory will amply repay those
who wish to gain the latest and most accurate information on
astronomical subjects, or to practise themselves at the adjustments
and use of the instruments ; and to those who have not such
opportunity, we offer this slight sketch. — Chambers' Journal.

Prices Current for Gold and Silver. — Value Given for Old
Gold and Silver by Assay. — Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. 7d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver. — Fine Gold, 85s. 3d.
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. per oz. Standard Silver, 4s. 6^d. to
4s. 8d. (variable.)

The favourite ornament at the Russian Court is an enamelled
Marguerite. Several millions were ordered of the Paris jewellers
this spring by the nobility and court people. They have been worn
not only by ladies, but by gentlemen also, in honour of the Princess
Marguerite, of Savoy, during her visit to Russia. The story of this
Marguerite is thus told : — In one of the Roman excavations a little
gold antique was found and presented to the Princess Marguerite,
who instantly slipped it on a black velvet, and wore it round her
throat as a pendant. On this gold bell of the Scavi was a micro-
scopic inscription in Greek, which said, " Save thee, O lady, from
evil." Now it has become the latest novelty, and the little bell of
ancient Rome has been reproduced in gold by the Paris jewellers
for the court ladies of Russia.

A French patent has been obtained by Marlie for a metallic alloy
not liable to oxidize. The ingredients are 10 parts of iron, 35 of
nickel, 25 of brass, 20 of tin, and 10 of zinc. The resulting com-
pound is to be plunged white hot into a mixture of 30 parts of
sulphuric acid, 10 of nitric acid, 5 of muriatic acid, and 23 of water
—Gewerbehelel.

106

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLEE, AND

[Oct. 5, 1876.

THE SETH THOMAS CLOCK COMPANY'S LAEGE
. CLOCK AT THE CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION.

THE clock built by the Seth Thomas Clock Company, of Thomas-
ton, U.S., and forwarded by them to the Centennial Exposition
is calculated to run eight days with one winding, and to strike the
hours and quarter hours on a very heavy bell or cluster of bells.

It is similar to that made by them for Independence Hall, Phila-
delphia, both having the same strike and time train. They differ
in this, the Centennial Exposition clock has the necessary alterations
and attachments to constitute what is called a quarter- strike, while
the other for Independence Hall, strikes the hours only, on a 13,000
pound bell. The frame is of cast-iron, the two main strike wheels
are forty-one inches in diameter, made of bronze, and the main time
wheel is two feet in diameter. The movement is also fitted with a
patent arrangement for turning on and off the gas at the proper times.
The shafts are all of steel and run upon bell metal boxes.

The Dennison double three-legged gravity escapement is placed in
full view, on the front of the arched or upright frame, having
a one-foot escape wheel, with two feet pallets, made of bronze, as
are all the wheels of the strike and time train.

The two-second zinc and steel compensation pendulum rod carries
a cast-iron ball of 500 pounds, the rod and ball weighing nearly 700
pounds.

There are 1100 pieces.

This clock runs twenty-six dials ; two five feet, and twenty-four
three feet in diameter; the latter, having connection through an
electric wire, giving the time throughout the Machinery Hall.

Our correspondent, having recently visited the manufactory of
the Seth Thomas Clock Company, sends us the following interest-
ing particulars relative thereto.

During the fifty years| which the Seth Thomas Clock Company
has been estabhshed, the factories have grown to be of great size.
Newbuildings have been erected aswantedfordifferentbranchesof the
work, while additional wings were put on until we find three dis-
tinct groups of buildings, each about half a mile from the other, all
filled with workmen and machinery for the purpose of making clocks.
All the machines used in the factories are American inventions, and
have grown up with, and been improved upon, as the increasing
trade demanded. Many of the machines are very curious, interest-
ing, and unique, and must be seen in operation before they can be
understood. A vast amount of stock has accumulated during all
these long years, and the shops are filled with the various parts of
clocks waiting to be put together. In walking through the large
rooms, one is at a loss to comprehend the use of all the wheels,
springs, twisted and bent wires, bits of brass of all shapes and
highly polished, which he sees piled up in boxes, cases, drawers,
and hogsheads upon the floor and tables ; but when it is remembered
that a common eight-day spring movement clock contains about 234
different pieces, and that between seventy and eighty different clocks
are made here, he will not wonder at the endless mass of instruments
by which he is surrounded.

The first factory we enter is known as the movement shop, a build-
ing six stories high, eighty feet by forty, with a three-story wing
twenty-five by thirty feet, and several other wings, one of which is
sixty by forty feet. This factory is run by water power, drawing its
supplies from the Naugatuck river. The first room which we enter
in the process of manufacturing a clock is called the pressing room.
The brass which is to be cut up into wheels is brought in here in large
coils from the rolling mill. The room contains a large number of
pressing machines, which stamp out the wheels and frame-work
or front and back plates of the clock. A clock contains from
thirteen to twenty different wheels, and for each new form and size
there must be a different steel die with which to cut them out. For
the cutting out of the various parts of a clock we were shown a
collection of some 500 steel dies.

A clock wheel is first stamped out in a circular form ; then it is
"gutted," or the spaces are made between the spokes; it runs
through a machine which makes it perfectly flat and level ; its edge
is then polished upon an emery wheel, and it is sent to a machine
where the teeth are cut. Fifty or sixty of these wheels are placed
together upon a steel spindle and then run under a small steel
circular saw, which cuts the teeth. If there are to be twenty-four
or forty-eight teeth the saw cuts the same number of slits or
grooves upon the circumference of the brass wheels, and in two or
three minutes the teeth are made. These wheels are again run
under another machine, which rounds the edges of the teeth and
finishes them up. They arc then polished, dipped in acid to
brighten them, and then plunged in lacquer to keep them from
rusting. It is a popular delusion that the teeth of the wheels are

stamped out ; on the contrary, they are cut in precisely the same
manner as the teeth in an English clock.

In another room a large number of curious operations are
going on, one of the strangest of which is called pinion driving.
A pinion in a clock consists of a good-sized steel wire, upon which
two or three brass buttons have been placed ; between two of these
buttons a number of small steel wires are arranged, which form in
reality a small wheel with six or eight teeth. This method of
making pinions is found to be much cheaper than it would be if they
had to be cut from solid steel. The pinion -driving machine is fed
with steel wires of the desired length, and a large number of these
brass buttons, each one of which has a hole through the centre.
The machine puts the wire through three of these buttons, and
fastens them upon it at certain distances, the one from the other.
The operation is performed with rapidity, and the pinions drop into
a box below, when they are taken to another room to be finished.
To be able to see all the operations which are gone through
one should spend several days at the factory, as the machines are
seldom in operation all at the same time. The pinion-drill for
making the holes near the circumference of the brass buttons,
through which the small steel wires are to be dropped, is a vepy
delicate and mathematically exact instrument.

The manufacture of steel springs for the clocks is quite a branch
of the business and occupies a good-sized brick house of itself.
The spring room, as it is called, is sixty feet by twenty-five, and
the tempering room is the same length, but narrower. The steel
used is imported from England in coils about three inches wide,
and from thirty to sixty feet long, according to its thickness. A
strip of this steel is run through a slitting machine, which cuts it into
strips as narrow as is required for the springs of different clocks. For
a one-day clock the spring may be five-sixteenths of an inch wide,
and five feet long, or three-eighths of an inch wide, and four feet
long ; an alarm spring may be one-third of an inch wide, and
three feet long, while an eight-day clock has a spring ten feet long
and eleven-sixteenths or five-eighths of an inch wide.

The coils of wide steel having been cut into narrow strips, these
strips, which are from thirty to sixty feet long, are welded together
at the ends until they make a strip perhaps 2500 feet long, which
is wound upon a reel. The reels are sent to the tempering room,
where the steel is slowly unwound, passing in its course first
through a charcoal furnace between two bars of red-hot iron.
It comes out of one end of the furnace hke a narrow red ribbon,
and passes immediately through a vat of cold oil ; from this it
runs through a tank of molten lead, where it receives its temper.
The lead is kept all the time at a certain high temperatu, there one
which experience has shown to be the best for giving the steel a
good temper. It is a nice and delicate job to temper steel properly,
and requires a great deal of experience and care. Having been
tempered, the steel is run through a set of emery wheels, which
polishes the edges of the springs, while another machine polishes
the surfaces. It comes out of these polishing machines bright and
glistening as a Damascus sword, but is again run through the hot
lead to give it a blue tint; it is then oiled and cut up into the
proper lengths.

The springs having been tempered, are then sent to the coiling
and winding machine for testing. This is done by forcibly winding
them up very tight then letting them fly. If the temper is too high
the springs will break, if too low they will not fly back. In either
case they are sent back to be retempered ; but if they are satisfactory
they are clamped with an iron ring and sent to the finishing-room,
where they are put into the clocks. Such is the process of manu-
facturing steel clock springs.

The finishing rooms, which are eighty by forty feet, seem to be
vast workshops where no two men or women are doing the same
kind of work. Long benches run the whole length of the room,
at which the workmen sit, each operating some delicate and novel
machine. We find one man at work upon clock keys, another upon
the handles of the keys, each piece going through several operations,
and passing under as many different hands. A lady is at work
upon the ball screw regulators which are attached to the pendulum
bob for raising or lowering it. Men are seated before lathes, and
with delicate instruments are turning down the ratchet wheels, which
have to be cast instead of being cut out of a sheet of brass. Five
or six men are seen at work with lathes turning down pinions and
finishing them up after the driving machine has put them together ;
another man is drilling the pinion rods ; one is cleaning the castings
for the ratchets ; a lady is engaged upon the lock-work for the
striking apparatus ; a man is turning clock door knobs ; another is
cutting a thread inside of holes in the front and back plates for
screws ; eight men are engaged upon ratchets and pinions, each with
a buzzing lathe ; a woman is finishing up the hour hands of clocks,

Oct. 5, 1876.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TBADE JOUENAL.

107

of which she has about a bushel basket full by her side ; a machine
is making rivets with heads to them ; another one cutting steel pins,
and so on through room after room — an almost countless number of
operations.

As there are about 234 different pieces in each ordinary clock,
and as each piece goes through many hands, the number of opera-
tions must be immense, and to describe them all in anything like
accurate detail would far exceed our limits of space.

Each separate wheel, pinion, spring, bit of brass, pin, rivet and
screw having been finished, we go to the movement room, where
the machinery of the clock is put together. This room is also forty
by eighty feet, and in it we find men seated before tables covered
with wheels and portions of the clock-work in large heaps. The
frames for the machinery having been prepared, a man picks up
the wheels, pinions, &c, puts in the spring, attaches the fly, and,
buzz, the clock runs ! reminding one of a huge golden butterfly as
much as anything. One man can put from fifty to seventy-five
clocks together in one day. As fast as tlie movements are completed
they are put up in racks to run down — by this means the clock is
tested. If it stops before the force of the spring is spent the
trouble is ascertained and adjusted. All the clocks before they leave
the establishment are in this manner thoroughly tested. The
clatter, buzz, and motion of a field of clocks packed as thickly
together as they can stand produces a good deal of commotion,
and makes one almost imagine the little instruments are alive. The
prices of clocks made at this establishment range from two to forty
dollars, and 10,000 a month can be turned out if necessary.

USEFUL RECEIPTS FOR THE TRADE.

THE best means for producing a black surface on brass or silver
is said to be platinum chloride, which is allowed to liquefy by
exposure to the air. It is best rubbed in with the ball of the thumb.
After blacking, the object should be washed and polished with oil. —
Jetcellers1 Circular.

For preserving the lustre of silver or plated ware, when not needed
for actual use for a considerable time, a coating of collodion may be
employed to great advantage. The articles are to be heated and the
collodion then carefully applied by means of a brush, so as to cover
the surface thoroughly and uniformly. It is used conveniently when
diluted with alcohol as for photographic purposes. — Ibid.

Melting Point of Gold Alloys. — The least addition of copper
or silver lowers the temperature of the melting point considerably :
1 of copper to 23 of gold, or the so called 23 carat gold, melts at
2-012c! Fah. ; 22 carat 2-009° ; 20 carat 2-002° ; 18 carat 1-995° ; 15
carat 1-992°; 12 carat 1-987°; 10 carat 1-982° ; 8 carat 1-973° ; 7
carat at 1-960°, &c. This lowering of the melting point takes place
notwithstanding copper has a higher melting point than gold, namely
about 2-372°. If the alloy is made with silver, all these melting
points are considerably lower, while pure silver melts at 1-922°-. — Ibid.

The New York Druggist Circular recommends the following as a
liquid polish of silver plate — 3 to 4 drachms of cyanide of potassium, 8
tolO grains of nitrate of silver, and 4 ounces of water ; apply with a
soft brush, wash the object thoroughly with water, dry it with a soft
linen cloth, and polish with a chamois skin. Neither writing nor
powder of any kind should be used for cleaning an 1 polishing, they
only waste and scratch the silver. In the case of solid silver, some
English preparations are alterable in the solution.

Re-colouring Gold Chains. — Several methods are employed,
according to colour required and goodness of alloy. In all cases
preliminary cleaning with aquafortis and subsequent rinsing will be
necessary. For yellow gold take 6 parts saltpetre, 2 of copperas,
1 of white vitriol, and 1 of alum. Powder finely, mix, and add
water previous to application. For green gold, 11-2 part of salt-
petre, 11-2 sal-ammoniac, 11-4 Roman aloes, and 11-2 part of
verdigris, well mixed and moistened with water for use. Red gold,
sal-ammoniac, blue vitriol, alum, and borax, equal parts. Powder,
mix and moisten with water. For general work use common salt, 1
part, alum 1 part, saltpetre 2 parts, the whole well powdered and
mixed. To use these, place them in a plumbago crucible (not metal)
with a small quantity of water. Heat until the composition begins
to boil. Having suspended the work by a horsehair, place it in the
crucible, and allow it to remain there, moving it about for seven
minutes. Withdraw, and rinse well in a pipkin of boiling water.
The colour will now be dark, nearly black; again dip and rinse,
and repeat until the work acquires the desired rich tint. Finish
with scratch-brush or burnisher, and dry in boxwood dust.

Silvering of Iron Wire. — Dr. Heeren recommends the follow-
ing plan for giving to iron wire a silvery appearance. The wire is
prepared by immersion in sulphuric acid, in which a piece of zinc is
suspended. The wire is then placed in contact with a plate of zinc
in a solution of 2 parts tartaric acid in 100 of water, to which 3 parts
soda are added. The wire remains a couple of hours in the bath, and
is surfaced by polishing, or passing through a draw-plate. Spiral
or any fashioned iron can be surfaced according to this plan.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES-

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch. Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Greaves Thomas, Selly Oak, King's Norton, and 17, Caroline-street,
Birmingham, jeweller. August 31.

G-roos Carl, 45, Hatton Garden, jeweller. August 28 .

Mortimer William, Heekmondwike, watchmaker. August 28.

Winterbottom James, 30, Manchester Street, Oldham, jeweller and watch-
maker. August 28.

Diamond John, Colchester, watchmaker. September 9.

Garland James, Grey Street, Newcastle, jewellei-. September 7.

Armstrong William, 43, Lord Street, Liverpool, watchmaker. September
13.

Hadley William, 18, Lichfield Street, Birmingham, grocer and jeweller.
September 16.

Hutchinson John Joseph William, Camp-hill, Birmingham, clock manu-
facturer. September 15.

Morrell George, Park Eoad, Soho, Birmingham, baker and jeweller.
September 13.

Toplis John, trading as Toplis & Sons, 117, Saint John Street, Clerkenwell,
wholesale clock maker. September 11.

Briggs Edward Hugh John, Norwich, jeweller.

Frew Thomas & William Ellis, trading as T. Frew & Co., King Street,
Penrith, Cumberland, jewellers. September 20.

Scotch Sequestrations.

Scotland.

Hughes John, 26, Gt. Hamilton Street, Glasgow, watch and clock maker.
September 11, with protection. Tr., and Com., Faculty Hall, Glasgow,
September 21 at 12. Claims by January 11. Agent, James W. Knox,

Glasgow, writer.

Meeting: of Creditors under Sequestration.
Fraser William, High Street, Inverness, jeweller. Thompson, Johnston, &
Jackson's, 70, George-square, Glasgow, September 27 at 12. Consider
trustee's discharge.

Trustees Appointed.
Fullwood James (Liq.), Newport, Mons, watchmaker. Trustee, Richard B.

Evans, 30, High Street, Newport, accountant.
Angell-Green Richard, (Liq.), 82, Strand, jeweller. Trustee, Thomas

Brooks, 7, Saint Mark's Crescent, Camden Town accountant.

Dissolutions of Partnership.
PEAcnEY & Grimley, Newcastle-Place, Clerkenwell, jewellers. August 12.
Shrubsall & Jalfon, Sherness, pawnbrokers, jewellers, auctioneers and
valuers. July 14.

Discharges Granted and Bankruptcies Closed.

Griffiths Ebenezer, King Street, Oldham, watchmaker. (The whole of
the property has been realized.) Bankruptcy closed August 24.

Piiillipson William, Richmond Row, Liverpool, watchmaker. (Div.
amounting to 7/9 have been paid.) (Bankruptcy closed August 25.

The Astronomer Royal's Supplementary Compensation and
the Greenwich Trials. — In a letter to the Ilorological Journal the
Astronomer Royal requests that it should be made known to chrono-
meter makers as widely as possible, that in the annual trial of 1877
all chronometers must be fitted with the supplementary compen-
sation.

A very minute watch, specially manufactured for the purpose by
the Ecole de l'Horlogerie at Besancon, has been presented to
Madame MacMahon. It has a horizontal escapement, and a high
magnifying power is required in order to see the hour. During the
presentation the Due d'Aumale, who was present, informed the
Marshal that the Due de Penthievre used to wear watches in his
vest buttons. His Highness ordered a set of Liliputian chronometers (?)
for shirt and wrist studs, and it is anticipated that they will be ready
in time for the ensuing Exhibition at Paris.

108

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Oct. 5, 1876.

THE

wl;itdTm;iIuTt gefiulltf, mtir ^iltewitlr,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,
Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
London, V..V.

Birmingham Agencies.

Mr. A. F. Warrillov, 101, Great Hampton Street.

Mr. Thos. Leigh-ton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.

Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.

Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

ANGLO-SAXON JEWELLERY.

IN the present article we propose to consider the state of jewellery
during the time of the " Saxons."
(This is a collective name given by historians to the various
Teutonic or Germanic tribes, which invaded and settled in Britain
chiefly in the 5th century).

The first invasion is generally supposed to have been a.d. 449,
under the command of two brothers, Hengist and Horsa, who
landed in, and conquered Kent ; their countrymen on the shores of
the Baltic hearing of their success, followed their example ; one
part of Britain was seized after another, until they finally became
the dominant race, founding seven Saxon kingdoms called the
Heptarchy.

As these Saxons were a nation inured to piracy, it is not to be
imagined that at the time they first entered this island, they could
have had any arts amongst them ; we certainly find mention made
of a gold cup in which the beautiful Rowena drank to the health
of King Yortigern, but such a vessel might have accrued to her-
father Hengist by the fortune of war, and therefore does not imply
any skill his people had of making it themselves ; besides, it may be
doubted whether any author but Geoffrey of Monmouth (who is
not a reliable authority) ever mentions it at all.

However, whether afterwards they learned to work in gold by their
commerce with the Britons, or by any correspondence abroad, we
are informed in Thome's Chronicle that Ethelbert, the first Christian
King of Kent presented to the monastery of St. Augustine, near
Canterbury, amongst other articles a " Missuriam " or "Missorium,"
which it seems was a silver dish, apparently for the table (hence
probably the French " mes " and our own " mess ") also a
" seapton " of gold, supposed to be a cup of some kind, — a " Sella "
or saddle, adorned with gems, which necessarily would require a
" settiny,'" and a bridle, the bit of which was of gold, also a
"speculum Argantum " or "Mirror," probably of metal, but in a
silver frame.

It must be observed that Ethelbert, was fourth in direct descent
from Hengist, and was the most powerful King of the Heptarchy,
a.d., 570. He married a Prankish princess named Bertha, who
being a Christian, stipulated that she should be allowed after her
arrival in Kent, to practise her own religion ; Ethelbert assented to
this, and we find some years later (a.d. 596) that he was himself
converted by St. Augustine, and allowed Christianity to be formally
introduced among his hitherto Pagan subjects.

This intercourse with France and Rome, would naturally have a
great effect upon the arts and manufactures of the Saxons.

When Gregory the Great despatched Mellitus, Paulenus, and
others, to assist Augustine, they brought with them, amongst
many other things, several sacred vessels, which, though made
abroad, and probably at Rome, would serve as patterns for the

Saxon workmen ; Augustine and his associates no doubt imported
some on their first arrival, which were also useful for the same pur-
pose, and both the sets, designed for the service of the Church, and
consisting consequently of chalices, patens, basins, etc., were cer-
tainly of either gold or silver.

It appears from the venerable Bede, also from the historian Alcuin,
that Oswald, King of Northuinbria, a.d. 639, was served in silver
at his table, on high festivals ; and on one occasion, as the story tells
us, being informed by his Almoner, that a multitude of poor people
attended in the streets, for his alms, he ordered the food to be
carried out, and the dish to be broken in pieces, and distributed
amongst them

Alcuin also mentions a silver shrine at Bamborough as containing
the arms and relics of King Oswald.

Soon after this, we read that Wilfrid, Archbishop of York, was
master of a great quantity of plate and jewels. " Malmsbury " reports
that he was served in gold and silver, and also caused the Scriptures
to be richly bound with gold and precious stones — indeed books,
the sacred ones especially, had in these ages, their coverings often
ornamented with gold, silver and gems ; — the former were in plates,
but the jewels must of course have been " set."

This Wilfrid died in a.d. 677 and Eddius speaks of him as if
" inclusores gemmarum," or " enclosers of gems," (jewellers) were
at that time common and ordinary artificers. Wilfrid had been
often at Rome, and was otherwise a considerable traveller, so, that
had artists in this particular branch been then wanting in those
northern parts of Britain, he would have had various opportunities
of procuring them from a distance, and we find that it was no un-
usual thing in those early ages, for our itinerants to import artificers
from abroad. We have the case of the Abbot Benedict Biscop,
(under whom Bede was educated), he frequently traversed France,
and a.d. 676 brought over both masons and glass-makers to instruct
his fellow countrymen ; also many sacred vessels which it is pre-
sumed afterwards became models for his successor, Abbot Ceolfrid
to follow.

a.d. 634 Berinus, the apostle of Wessex, came from Rome, bring-
ing some sacred vessels with him.

ad. 668 Archbishop Theodore entered the island from Rome,
bringing, we may imagine, more holy ornaments and vessels.

a.d. 718 Wilfrid II, Archbishop of York, is spoken of by Alcuim
as possessing many sacred vessels adorned with gems.

The same writer Mentious Archbishops Egbert, A.D. 731, and
Albert, a.d. 767, as possessing many vessels of gold and silver, set
with precious stones.

When the body of St. John of Beverley, who died a.d. 721 was
translated into a new shrine, about the year 1037, among other
things, a ring was found in his coffin. This was a Bishop's ring, and
probably a rich one.

In Mr. Drake's Eboracum there is a noble gold ring, inscribed with
Runic characters, it is most likely a prelatic ornament of ancient
date, but the exact age cannot be accurately determined.

At Glastonbury, in Somersetshire, the Saxons had crosses plated
with gold and silver, and King Ina of Wessex, who died a.d. 727,
and had been at Rome more than once, erected a chapel there
called the "Silver Chapel," furnishing it most sumptuously with all
kinds of sacred utensils, and ornaments. There is little doubt but
that the workmanship of these vessels was equal to the materials,
and excellent in the several kinds, though, perhaps, it might be
exceeded by the performances of St. Dunstan afterwards, who
became Abbot of Glastonbury, and was particularly eminent in the
art of jewellery; iu his time the monasteries were universally
possessed of much treasure.

a.d. 732, Acca, Bishop of Hexham, in Northuinbria, replenished
his church with jewels in the most magnificent manner, the
vessels of gold and silver being garnished and set with gems. Acca
had been to Rome and resided there some time.

" Eddius " relates, that Offa, the great King of Mercia, who died
a.d. 796, was possessed of gems to a considerable value, and that his
workmen well knew how to set them to advantage. When the body of

Oct 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

109

St. Alban was discovered, he adorned the skull with a golden circlet or
diadem, on which were engraved the words in Latin " This is the head
of St. Alban, the first English martyr," and also caused the coffin
or shrine in which the body lay, to be plated with gold and silver,
and precious stones. It also appears, from the same author, that
this munificent Prince had bestowed many other valuables on his
newly founded church of St. Albans. Offa not only lived in close
intimacy with the Emperor Charlemagne, but had spent a whole
year in Rome, and a.d. 784 two Papal legates arrived and staid in
England some time.

In fact, there is sufficient evidence of the advanced state of the
mechanical arts in the Kingdom of Mercia at this time, in the
elegance of Offa's coins, for it may be assumed generally, that, as
these arts ai"e reciprocally connected, wherever there existed a
terseness and beauty in the mints, there necessarily was an equally
good taste and delicacy in jewellery, drawing, engraving, casting,
&c.

Wiglaf, another King of Mercia, a.d. 833 gave to the Abbey of
Croyland, a gold chalice and crucifix ; an alter plated with gold, and
a cup, silver gilt, partly engraved, and partly embossed ; also a
drinking horn, which was his own royal utensil, only to be used at
great festivals of the Abbey, and which was richly garnished with
jewels. Therefore we have good reason for supposing that the Saxon
artificers at this time, worked finely in gold and precious stones.

Egbert, A.D. 827, who put an end to the Heptarchy, [making him-
self King of all England, was greater and more powerful than his
predecessors, and to judge from the coinage was the first to wear a
radiated diadem, a regal ornament no doubt seen by him on the
Roman and Frankish coins. He is sometimes represented as wearing
a diadem raised on pearls. Egbert had spent twelve years at the
Court of Charlemagne, which proves that long and jfrequent inter-
course had existed between the Saxons and Franks. And supposing
him to have worn such an ensignia, it must have been made by gold-
smiths. A ring supposed to belong to Alhston, Bishop of Sherborne,
who lived in this reign, was found some years since by a labourer,
on a common, at a place called, "Lyn's Faen," in the north east
corner of Carnarvonshire ; it was of solid gold, beautifully enamelled,
and in excellent preservation. It weighed about an ounce, and was
invaluable on account of its Saxon inscription, since, except legends
on the coins, epigraphs in that language are rare. It was first
thought to have belonged to Athelstan, but on examination, the
inscription turned out to be " Alhstan," and is therefore attributed
to the warlike Bishop of that name, who accompanied Egbert in his
wars with Wales.

It is clear from this detail that in the middle of the 9th century,
long before Alfred was at leisure to instruct his goldsmiths, the
Saxons were well able to work in relief, or rather chase, and knew
how to cut crystal or gems, so as to inscribe names on them.

The inevitable melting pot has left us few specimens of Anglo-
Saxon art, but we feel there must have been many, for the business
of a Goldsmith was in high repute in those days— A remarkable
jewel was found in 1693 at Newton Park, a short distance north of
the site of Athelney Abbey, in Somersetshire. It is now preserved
in the Ashmolean museum, at Oxford ; and independent of its
bearing the name of " Alfred " is a most interesting specimen of
Saxon art ; from the circumstance of the jewel having inscribed on
it in Saxon characters, " Allfred me haet gewercan " {Alfred had me
wrought) we may reasonably conclude, that it was made under his own
superintendence, and, from the richness of workmanship and mate-
rial, that it was a personal ornament for the good King himself.
Asser, his friend and biographer, informs us that when he had
secured peace and protection to his subjects, he resolved to extend
among them a knowledge of the arts. For this purpose he collected
from many nations, an innumerable multitude of artificers, the most
expert in their respective trades. Among these were many workers
in gold and silver, who, acting under Alfred's immediate instructions,
executed, with incomparable skill, many articles of these metals.

We may therefore conclude that the Saxons, gradually acquired
the art of working in gold and precious stones from their intercourse
with France and Rome, but that they at last were themselves cap-
able of producing and finishing articles, with as much taste and
delicacy as other nations.

PATENTS.

Application for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

3436. Frederick Weintraud and Richard James Secundus Joyce, of
18, Aldernianbury, in the city of London , Manufacturers, for an in-
vention of "Improvements in solitaires or sleeve and collar studs." —
Dated 31st August, 1876.

3616. William Henry Douglas, of Stourbridge, in the county of
Worcester, Jeweller, for an invention of " Improvements in studs or
clasps." — Dated L5tli September, 1876.

3776. James Thornton, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Gold-
smith and Jeweller, for an invention of " Improvements in the manu-
facture of wedding and other rings, and in tools and apparatus to be
employed in "Hall " marking and otherwise marking the said rings." —
Dated 28th September, 1876.

3785. George Edward Prftciiett, of 39, Lombard Street, in the city of
London, Architect, for an invention of " New or improved means,
apparatus, or appliances for utilizing clocks, clock-work, or time-keep-
ing movements, so as to put the same in communication with distant
buildings, rooms, or places." — Dated 28th September, 1876.

Notices to Proceed.

3356. Frank Moore, of Knowle, in the county of Warwick, Tool
Maker, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improvements
in solitaires, sleeve links, and other similar dress fastenings."

2185. Lours Josepii Roucou, of Birmingham, in the county of War-
wick, has given notice in respect of the invention of " An improved
liquid compound or composition for bronzing copper, brass, zinc, and
other metals, and for preventing the discolouring of gold, silver, and
other metals."

3366. Charles Jackson, of Burton-on-Trent, in the county of Stafford,
Jeweller and Silversmith, has given notice in respect of the
invention of " Certain improvements in the manufacture of solitaires
and studs, glove fasteners, and other like purposes."

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

3278. To JonN Mills, of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, Com-
mission Agent, for the invention of " Improvements in arrangements
for illuminating clock dials and semi-opaque signs."

3356. To Frank Moore, of Knowle, in the county of Warwick, Tool
Maker, for the invention of " Improvements in solitaires, sleeve links,
and other similar dress fastenings."

3487. To Emma Elizabith Ashing, of Camden Town, in the county of
Middlesex, for the invention of " Improvements in solitaires, and studs
and other similar dress fastenings."

3366. To Charles Jackson, of Burton-on-Trent, in the county of
Stafford, Jeweller and Silversmith, for the invention of "Certain im-
provements in the manufacture of solitaires and studs, glove fasteners,
and other like purposes."

3597. To Richard Harrison, of 14, Dawson Place, Bayswater, in the
county of Middlesex, for the invention of " Improvements in fastenings
for ladies' cuffs, partly applicable to studs generally.

Patents Sealed.

956. Thomas William Greaves, Jeweller, of Birmingham, in the county
of Warwick, for an invention of " Improvements in ornamenting soli-
taires and other articles of jewellery with pressed glass, and which
said improvements are also applicable for other useful purposes." —
Dated 6th March, 1876.

1091. Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the
county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, for an
invention of " Improvements in pocket alarums or alarm watches." — A
communication to him from abroad by Charles Frederic-Dietz-Monnin,
of the firm of Tapy Brothers & Company, of Paris, in the Republic
of France, Manufacturers. — Dated 13th March, 1876.

1272. Henry Walker, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements in fastenings for
solitaires, sleeve links, collar and other studs, gloves, bags, and other
articles."— Dated 24th March, 1876.

2728. William Charles Smeaton Clark, of Action Street, Gray's Inn
Road, in the county of Middlesex, for an invention of " Improvements
in tell-tale clocks." — Dated 3rd July, 1876.

1529. John Compton Weeks Jefferys, of 14, Tottenham Court Road,
in the county of Middlesex, Manufacturing Jeweller, for an invention
of " Improvements in scarf -rings and other like dress fasteners and
ornaments." — Dated 11th April, 1§76,

110

THE WATCHMAKER,, JEWELLEE, AND;

[Oct. 5, 1876.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Tivo-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum ; four lines, £1 10s. per annum ; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDBY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street, Fins-
bury, E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourdeu's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MURRAY <fe CALLIEU, 22, St. John's Square, E.C.

NEGEETTI & ZAMBEA, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. : Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill, E.C. ; 122, Regent
Street. W.

WEBSTER, J., SS, St. John Street Road, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C., and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEEBING & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street, Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STRONG ROOM COM-
PANY. LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER & STBAUB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEBEE. BUSS, FEITSCHLER. & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Eue Be'ran-
ger. Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Rochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1844.1

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-]
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Road, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BROTHERS, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C.

MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct, London, E.C.

RUTHEBFORD, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Row, E.C, and
33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

WIEGEL, B., Jun., Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27,
Wellington Street, Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stones mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS 4: SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

FIRE-PROOF BOX MAKERS.

MOEDAN (SAMPSON) & CO., 41, City Road, and 72,

Cheapside, London, E.C.
TANN, JOHN, 11, Newgate Street, E.C; Reliance Works,

1, Hope Street, Hackney Road, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, 60, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

HUTTON & CO., 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court. Newgate Street, London, E.C

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEORGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C.

SUNDELL (KRISCHER) & CO, 48, Brushfield Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower MarBh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBERG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. EDWARD, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. E), 64, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON. HENEY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E O.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DEEW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-eases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Boom, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWAEDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Eoad, London, E.C.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden, E.C

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDAED (C GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 6, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C. ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Eue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FEEDEEIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Eoad, W.C.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENEY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, &c, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURERS.

LAWRENCE, N, 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C ; Manu-
factory, Havelock Works, Walker Street. Shffield.

LAZARUS (S. J.) & CO., Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER.

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C

WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKEE, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENEY, 48, Eahere Street, Goswell Road, Lon.
don, EC

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Eoad, London, E.C.

STEAM, ALFEED, 12, Ashby Street, London, EC.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Eydon Crescent, St. John
Street Eoad, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HABGEEAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAUEICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 2S & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFORD, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEEEDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 200, Goswell Eoad,
London, E.C.

SAGGEESON, EOBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, <fcc, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street. Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWABD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Eoad, London, E.C

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENEY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Eing Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Eegent Place, Birmingham.

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MAHUFACTUH1NG JEWHLXaEHS AND GQL DSM ITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. FINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 18.— Vol. II.]

NOVEMBEE 5, 1876.

("Subscription, 5s.) Post
|_ per Annum. J Free

HOROLOGY XVIIL— Dialling

Tbjb Greenwich Trials tor 1877

Sir John Bennetts New Clock and Chimes

Awards at the Centennial

Going Barrel Up and Down Work

The Iron Crown of Lombardy

The Board of Excise and Messrs Smith and
Bowley.— The Charge of Dealing in
Plate Without a License

British Horological Institute

page

121
122
123
123
123
124

124
124

CONTENTS.

Clock and Watchmaker's Asylum
Curiosities of Clocks and Watches

Gold

Shell Cameos

Discovery of Boman Coins .

The Hastings Diamond

Grotesque Designs in Silverwarb

A Valuable Boman Gem

Mirror of the Month

PAGB
124
125
126
128
128
129
129
129
130

PAGE

A Remarkable Meteor 130

Useful Recipes for the Trade 131

Book Notices 131

The Treasure of Golconda 132

Monthly Record of Bankruptcies 132

Patents 133

Chronological Utility of Eclipses 133

Trades Directory 134

Advertisements, 134—144

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

XVHT.— Dialling.

HOPING that our readers have by this time fully digested our
last article on declination, we will now follow it up by a kind
of universal application of the circle to another portion of our
subject. By referring to what has been already stated, it will be
seen that an equinoctial dial is itself a circle. What we are now
about to endeavour to explain is, an easy method to describe a dial
on any kind of plane by means of this circle. Perhaps it may help
the reader if we briefly repeat the leading points in the construction
of the equinoctial, so that he may have it before him for his pre-
sent purpose, in conjunction with what we are about to write,
instead of turning and searching through our back numbers for
several months.

First of all, then, bear in mind that an equinoctial dial is one
that has the same plane as the equinoxes ; and this brings us to a
word or so of explanation to make clear the meaning of the term,
which explanation also involves a second one, in order that
it may be properly understood. We must first of all treat of
equator and ecliptic in connexion with equinoctial.

Equator is from the Latin segno, to make equal, and, in astronomy
and geography is the great circle of the earth that divides into
northern and southern hemispheres, and is equally distant from both
poles ; we have here, however, to deal with the term astronomically,
and will at once proceed to ecliptic. The word is from the Greek
eikkiptkos—ekleioo — to fail— ek — out ; leipo — to leave ; to leave out,

to wane, or fall away. This great circle of the heavens — Unea
ecliptica — is the supposed path of the sun, and the line upon which
only, eclipses can take place. Instead, however, of its being the
supposed path of the sun, it is, in reality, the course among the fixed
stars which the earth describes, as seen from the sun in its orbital
motion from year to year. We have already mentioned the equator ;
the ecliptic is the corresponding circle of the heavens that is of
the most important value to us ; it is drawn through the zodiac, and
makes an angle with the equator of 23 degrees 27 minutes. This
angle involves an inclination of the plane of the ecliptic to the
plane of the equator, and is called the obliquity of the ecliptic ;
and it is the relative positions of the sun and moon upon the ecliptic
that settles the number and time of the eclipses of both luminaries ;
hence the name of the circle, ecliptic. It is within the limits of this
line that the moon gets between the sun and the earth, and eclipses
the sun, aud the earth gets between the sun and the moon, and
eclipses the moon. To prove by demonstration to the eye what this
obliquity of the ecliptic is like, let the reader try the following
plan : —

Take two hoops, and place one of them in such a position that it shall
represent the equator ; on the outside of that place the second one
in such a manner that its rim shall be elevated 23 degrees 27 minutes
above the rim of the first upon one side, and below it on the other ;
this second is the ecliptic. Now, the points where these hoops cross
each other are the equinoctial points — " D'ye see? " seguus, equal ;
nox, night — equal nights. That is, that when the sun is upon these
points the nights are equal — literally, equal nights and equal days.
Of these equinoxes there are two in the year, as we all know in
another way. The first is called the vernal equinox — belonging to
the spring — which occurs on the 21st of March ; and the second is
the autumnal equinox, belonging, as its name implies, to the autumn,

122

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1876.

and happens on the 21st of September. These must not be con-
founded with the solstices — sol, the sun, and sto, to stand — when
the sun stands still for a few days — or seems to do so — which makes
those days of an equal length, This happens on the 21st of June,
and the '2'2nd of December, which make our longest and shortest
day. Hence the term equinox, whilst equator is derived from the
fact of its being that circle of the sphere which the sun crosses in
his annual journey, making those divisions. We will now resume
the thread of our subject.

It has been stated — ante — that an equinoctial dial is the easiest
and most natural of all dials, but the necessity of drawing it double
prevented its being much used. We have no space at present to
go into full details, as we formerly did, but we will recapitulate the
leading points, and then the rest will be comparatively easy.

Take a pair of compasses, and on the proposed plane draw a circle,
after which cross this circle with two diameters at right angles to
each other, which will produce all the quadrants of the circle. Sub-
divide each quadrant into six equal parts, which will be hour-lines,
but you need not mind the upper parts of the upper quadrants, as
will presently be explained. What we will call the vertical diameter,
from top to bottom, as the plane lies before us, will serve for our
starting point. At the bottom point write the figure 12, and at each
point to the left hand go on with the other figures up to that of 8.
This being done proceed up the right hand side in diminishing
order, thus : — 12, 11,10, &c, up to the figure 4. This will be the
morning side, whilst the opposite one beyond 12, or noon, will be
the afternoon side. The reason why the hours are limited to 4 in
the morning, and 8 in the afternoon arises from the simple fact that
the sun, even on the longest day, does not shine on any hour earlier
than 4, nor on any later than 8. Finish the work by driving in a pin,
or " style," through the centre of the circle, to throw the shadow.
This dial is then to be fixed in the plane of the equator, having the
12 hour-line in the plane of the meridian, with the point of the style
looking towards the south. These are the leading outlines, and the
proofs having been given in a previous number, need not be again
repeated. Having now got our equinoctial dial, we will proceed to
apply it in the construction of a dial on any kind of plane which, in
dialling days, was known as the " universal mechanical dial."

Suppose that the plane is horizontal, like a flat slab on a garden
wall, or pillar, find, according to the compass bearings of the place,
a meridional line. There should be no difficulty in this, as every
longitude has its own noon, and a stick stuck straight up in the
ground would show the length of the different shadows of the sun
for several hours— say from 11 o'clock p.m., until 1 p.m. Mark the
longest of them, and between that mark and the stick draw a straight
line, which will be the meridional north and south. Upon the slab
draw an equilateral triangle, whose side shall be equal in obliquity to
the axis of the earth, which may be easily found. Next, upon these
lines make a triangle of wood, slate, or metal, and raise it so that its
base line shall rest on the base line of the drawn one. Having done
this, take your equinoctial dial, pull out the short pin from the centre
and insert a long, pointed rod in its centre, so long that one end
shall rest just inside the line of the slab, and the dial towards the
other end just over the point of the triangle— the " apex," as it is
technically called. This rod, or style, should project beyond the
dial about one-third its entire length, and be pointed. The hour of
12 should hang over and coincide with the opposite edge of the
raised triangle. What we have now to say— and this is worth noting
—that this second edge of the triangle is a prolongation of the hour-
line of the dial. Let us say that we have finished the job after tea,
in these short days, and we want, not only to satisfy our own
curiosity, but to impress the " Missus " with the power of intellect—
of our intellect in particular— and where there are little ones we
gather them all together in front of our work. We then light a
candle and turn out the gas, and, taking the candle in our hand, we
" focus" it in such a position that its light shall be a sun, and it
shall make the style show the different hours as we move it alono-,
all round the slab, thereby converting it into a supplemental dial'.
This universal mechanical dial is a very interesting instrument when
made. After the candle amusement is done with, it may be taken
out of doors and fixed in its place, according to the directions which
have been given for fixing a horizontal dial. When this has been done
note the points that the sun-shadow makes each hour upon the slab
and draw shadow lines, which lines will make the slab index perma-
nent. Should a dial be required on a vertical plane, as against a
wall, for instance, fix the equinoctial dial as already explained, push
forward the index until the pointed end of it touches the plane.
Again ; supposing the plane to be inclined to the horizon, find the
elevation of the pole, and make the angle of the triangle equal to it
These dials are said to be dials with centres, but there are dials
■without centres as well.

Dials that have no centres are those whose hour-lines converge in
fact, but they do that so slowly that the centre towards which they
do converge cannot be given upon the plane. For instance, there
are horizonal dials without centres ; they can only be made for
places the pole of which is either very small or very great. And
vertical dials without centres are for places where the elevation of
the pole is very great.

Then there are ring-dials, which travellers have as a kind of
curiosity. They are about the size of a watch, the rim of which
they very much resemble, having also a bow, to which a chain or
ribbon can be attached ; there is an inner circle, ring form, like the
outer, whilst a cross-bar joins the two. Upon the outer ring are
engraved such latitudes as may be desired, with double meridians
of longitude up to 90 degrees. One scale is on the quadrant of the
bow, whilst the other is on the opposite quadrant. The inner ring
is set into the outer one so as to be moved at right angles by two
pins, pinning the edge of one to the edge of the other. This inner
circle is the indicating dial, having double hours and hour-lines
marked upon it. The axial pins are passed through the two rings
uniting them, at the two 12 figures and the zeros of the quadrantal
degrees. Holding this dial as one would a watch, by the ribbon-
bow, and looking at it, we find the first set of hours upon the inner
dial running round from 12 consecutively, on the right-hand side to
12 at the bottom pin. The second set of figures commences here,
and continues up on the left-hand side to the first 12 that we started
from. The cross-bar alluded to just now is so constructed as to-
answer the purpose of a bridge, having the signs of the zodiac orna-
mentally engraved upon it. The method of using this dial is to
ascertain the longitude of the place where the traveller may happen
to be, from which a meridian may be deduced. Having obtained
that, the dial has only to be placed in accordance with that meridian.
The style is where the inner ring is pinned to the outtr at the upper
quadrant. Should any of our readers, who are watchmakers, wish
to try their skilful fingers at making a ring-dial, we have to tell
them that the rings are flat on the front sides, and that the outer
ring must have a straight line drawn from the centre of the pendant
to the opposite. These lines will represent the 45 degrees of longi-
tude of the upper and lower quadrants. On the upper one decrease
to zero on the left, and increase to 90 degrees on the right ; on the
lower one decrease to zero on the right, and increase to 90 degrees
on the left. The cross-bar passes through the inner ring, so that it
touches the ring over on the right-hand and under on the left. We
have no further directions to give.

THE GREENWICH TRIALS FOR 1877.

SIR G. B. AIRY (Astronomer Royal), referring to the above sub-
ject, sends the following letter to the British Horological
Journal : —

" Admiralty, October 18th, 1876.

"Referring to the decision of the Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty that chronometers intended for trial at the annual com-
petition of the year 1877 should be furnished with the Supple-
mentary Compensation suggested by the Astronomer Royal :

" Their Lordships are informed that, in respect of the shortness
of the time before the commencement of the trial, there will be
some difficulty in preparing and adjusting chronometers which were
not originally fitted with the Supplementary Compensation ; and
that, for those which are so fitted, a longer time for adjustment is
desired by the makers.

" Their Lordships are therefore pleased to approve of the with-
drawal of the prohibition of chronometers not furnished with the
Supplementary apparatus, for the year 1877 only.

"They approve also of deferring the trial in the year 1877 by
one month : the last day of receiving chronometers being Monday,
February 5th, 1877.

" It is their Lordships' intention to confine their purchases to
chronometers fitted with the Supplementary Compensation."

Mr. Frederick Bird, secretary of the General Cemetery, Bir-
mingham, died on Wednesday, September 27th, in his b'Oth year, at
his home at the Cemetery. He was a Fellow of the Royal Astrono-
mical Society, and gave special attention to the construction of mirrors
for telescopes, and in particular brought the art of polishing them
to a high degree of perfection, by a process of his own invention.

New Furnace for Jewellers Work has just been introduced
by Mr. Thomas Fletcher, F.C.S., of Warrington, specially designed
for the purposes of jewellers. It can be used either as a crucibleor
muffle furnace, is without any loose internal fittings, or parts, and
requires neither blast nor attention.

Nov. 5 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

123

SIR JOHN BENNETT'S NEW CLOCK AND CHIMES,
AND STRIKING FIGURES.

ALL things are ever changing" said the Latin poet, and those
who are continually passing Cheapside can verify the truth of
the saying. Gog and Magog have gone into country quarters,
having left the dense vapours of the "City Observatory" for the
balmy atmosphere of Devonshire, and new ones take their places.
"All things are ever changing, nothing comes to an end;" or, as
that erotic scribbler, Ovid, puts it, Omnia mutantur nihil interit.
Nothing comes to an end, and, by way of demonstrating that fact
in one of its senses, we accepted the invitation to look at the new
clock and chimes now being got ready to replace the old ones that
have taken their departure.

And first, of the clock : — This clock rests on a frame 12 feet by 2
feet, or from hammer-tail to hammer-tail 13 feet, and by taking in
the flys, 3 feet. A comparison may be arrived at when, we state
that the Westminster clock. "Big Ben," is 15| feet long, by 4 feet
7 inches wide in frame. In the latter the bell-rope levers work
inwards, the lines being attached between the lever-pivots and the
cam-wheel, whilst in the Cheapside clock, the pivots are in the
centre, and the hammer-tails overhang a few inches. The escape-
ment is a Graham dead-beat, which, as we have said elsewhere,
possesses a fascinating power over clockmakers, which no novelty
seems strong enough to either disturb or modify. Its beautiful ap-
pearance, and the quietude and ease with which the tooth of the
'scape wheel falls on the dead face, and thence silently glides upon
the impulse one of the pallet, endears it to the British clockmaker,
his love for it being deep and endurable, in siecula sxculorum. The
instrument under notice has a one and half-seconds' pendulum, with
a cylindrical cast-iron bob, weighing 2 cwt. The pendulum rod is
circular in section, of about 1\ inches in diameter, and is made of
fine white pine that has been baked in an oven and varnished. It
is suspended by a spring 4 inches long, If inches broad, and No. 12
guage in thickness. The regulating nut is a 36-thread Whitworth
screw, so fixed as to enable delicate adjustments to be easily made.
With respect to the suspending spring of pendulums, we cannot help
expressingourselves, as we have often done before, to the effect that all
our clockmakers err — if err it may be called — on the side of over-
strength. It has been ascertained by experiment that the tenacity
of flat springs is very great. Take our one- second English
astronomical clock, with a pendulum ranging from 15 lbs. to 20 lbs.
in weight. The spring of it is only 2 inches long, 0-45 broad by
•006 inch thick, yet its holding power, within the breaking strain,
has been estimated up to 1000 lbs. A 400 lb. pendulum can be
worked with a spring 1 inch broad, and -02 of an inch thick. The
Westminster pendulum spring is but 5 inches long, by 3 inches broad,
and l-60th of an inch thick, yet it carries a bob and pendulum that
weigh altogether nearly 7 cwt. ; the bob itself is 400 lbs. Taking
the 12 guage to be about a 90th of an inch in thickness, the spring
of the pendulum of the Cheapside clock, in comparison with the
Westminster one, is about three times as strong as there is any
occasion for ; in other words, Sir John Bennett might have had the
springs of three such clocks out of the material that he has put into
one. It has beat-screws for setting on beat. We dare say that he
knows, and so does every other clockmaker, all that, quite as well
as we do, and that in saying what we do we are only adding another
name to the list of those who are "teaching your grandam," &c.
Curiously enough, we saw, about this time last year, a chiming, long-
case house clock being "mounted" at a place in the country, and upon
glancing over it, we found that the pendulum spring was almost
strong enough for the clock of a parish church. Upon pointing this
out to the maker, he answered: — "Yes, we know it; we always
make things about three times stronger than necessary. We go in
for the solid, as if the clocks were to last for ever, and that no more
clockmakers were to follow us, or would be wanted. We can't help
it ; strong, solid work is the nature of a first-class Englishman, and
all the preaching in the world won't alter it. With regard to baked
and varnished pine pendulum rods, we are glad to see them "coming
in " again, and it is a great pity that they were ever departed from.
Although the revival is in circular section, they were formerly not so.
It is now nearly seventy years since the late Captain Kater published
a description of the form of, and experiments made with, this kind
of pendulum. He attached it to a sidereal clock " not of the best
construction," and he had every reason to be satisfied with its per-
formance. Of course the great object in such pendulums is to keep
out moisture, and in the baking and varnishing that can be effected.
The above-mentioned form took the name of the Kater pendulum.

There was one feature in the new clock under notice to which our
attention was requested ; this was a locking detent to prevent
weather disturbance of the hands. The plan here is stated to be
original, and the arbor upon which it works, is the " set " arbor. It
is so constructed that the leading-off rod being in connexion with

it — the latter having a universal joint — the whole of the hands of all
the dials may be either moved simultaneously or separately. This is
done by the simple lifting of a spring, which we may call the locking
spring and click. The stoppage of the hands by wind or snow,
whilst not affecting the work of the pendulum, can be put on by an
interior setting-wheel, that will re-set the hands as near as half a
minute. The two snails and star lifting-piece on the centre arbor
are arranged for dividing the quarters from1 the hour striking ; thua
a new rack-repeating principle holds the hours back until the
quarters have struck the last blow. We must not omit to state
that there is a maintaining power, and the usual inside " sets " for
time. The wheel-work is singly movable, and can be taken off
every arbor. The cam motion is said to be quite new in design ;
the improvement being that the chiming can be changed with in
certain limits at a moment's notice to any chimes that may be
desired, Cambridge or otherwise. The going- wheel is 18 inches in
diameter, and the main pinion, turned out of a solid bar of steel, is
5^ inches in diameter. The barrels are all of wrogght iron, upon
steel arbors, with a jack-wheel to give ease in winding. The
striking great wheel on the barrel is 2 ft. °: inches diameter, and the
two great wheels are 2 inches in thickness of metal. All the bushes
can be removed at pleasure.

The new striking arrangement will be as f ollows : — Gog, Magog,
Father Time, and Minerva — a new lady lately added to the strength
of the company — will strike the quarters and play the chimes whilst
the hours will be boomed forth by that well-known "star," Her-
cules. This gentleman is 8 feet high ; and as great ingenuity has
been applied in the construction of the striking arms, namely,
shoulder and elbow joints, they will all be able to lift their hammers
well, and take the full tones out of the bells. Not only will the
new jointing give better effect to the striking parts, but the saving
of power in raising the arms will be a little more than one half ;
the figures will be able to give a blow through a space of 18 inches,
a great increase in force.

There will be eight dials, all with hour and minute hands, and
having the following characteristics : — Two of them will be each
5 feet 6 inches in diameter, illuminated, and will represent the
times of New York and St. Petersburg ; two more will be each
3 feet 6 inches in diameter, will be of blue slate and will'give Berlin
and Constantinople ; a third pair will be 4 feet each in diameter,
and mark the hours for Dublin and Paris ; the remaining two
belonging to the present projection looking up and down Cheapside,
will show London time. The clock train will be driven by a
going weight of 35 lbs. ; the quarters by 4 cwt ; and the hour
striking by 3 cwt. Should the clock strike wrong, it will always
right itself on the following hour. It is intended, if it can possibly
be managed, to have the first chimes pealed forth upon Lord
Mayor's Lay.

AWARDS AT THE CENTENNIAL.

THE following names appear among the list of awards made at
the Philadelphia Exhibition to exhibitors from Great Britain
and Ireland : —

James Poole & Co., London — chronometers and watches.

M. F. Dent, London — chronometers and watches.

Nicole, Nielsen, & Co., London — watches.

Charles Frodsham & Co., London — watches and clocks.

V. Kullberg, London — watches.

J. Sewill, London — chronometers and watches.

Thomas Mercer, London— marine chronometers.

Jeremiah Goggin, Dublin — bog oak jewellery, &c.

James Atchison, Edinburgh — Scotch pebble jewellery.

William Gibson, Belfast — jewellery.

Two prizes and two diplomas of merit have also been awarded to
Mr. Charles Jeffreys, for special excellence in show cases, jewellery
cases, velvet stands, &c.

Going- Barrel Up and Down Work. — The barrel is supported
by its ratchet plate only ; the barrel arbor terminates in a pivot,
on which turns a toothed wheel, gearing with another fixed on the top
of the star wheel of an ordinary stop-work. A cock, screwed to the
barrel cover, carries, concentric with the barrel arbor, a small dial
with suitable divisions. The tube of the centre wheel passes
through the dial, and is fitted with an indicator. As the watch goes
the whole system turns, till at every full turn the star wheel is
moved, and being geared with the centre wheel, the hand of the
latter points to another division of the small dial. The space
travelled over by the hand depends on the number of teeth in one
wheel as against that in the other. The large dial of the watch must,
of course be perforated, to make the small one visible. The latter, by
sufficiently raising it, can be made to move in the plane of large one.

124

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[Nov. 5, 187G.

THE IRON CROWN" OP LOMBARDY.

THIS celebrated crown is composed of a broad circle of gold, set
with large rabies, emeralds, and sapphires, on a ground of blue
and gold enamel. The jewels and embossed gold exhibit a very-
close" resemblance to the workmanship of an enamelled gold orna-
ment inscribed with the name of King Alfred the Great, which was
found in the isle of Athelney, in Somersetshire, about the close of
the seventeenth century, and is now carefully preserved in the
Ashmoleau Museum at Oxford. But the most important point of
the iron crown, from which, indeed, it derives its name, is a narrow
band of iron about three-eighths of an inch broad, and one-tenth of
an inch in thickness, attached to the inner circumference of the
circlet. This inner band of sacred iron, perfectly visible in the

accompanying engraving, has a remarkable legend attache d to it
It is said to have been made out of one of the nails used at the
crucifixion, given by the Empress Helena, the alleged discoverer of
the true cross, to her son, Constantine the Great, as a miraculous
protection from the dangers of the battle-field.

The statement usually given is, that the Empress, full of zeal
and devotion, was bent on the discovery of the cross on which
Christ was crucified. For this purpose she went to Jerusalem, and
there compelled the Jews to produce and give up to her several
crosses ; the identity of the true one was established by a miracle,
the body of a dead man was placed on each of the crosses, and
when it touched the true one, it was immediately restored to life.
The cross was then entrusted to the charge of the Bishop of
Jerusalem, and soon became an object of pilgrimage, and a source
of profit, for small pieces were cut from it and given to the pilgrims,
who mad-i liberal offerings. In this way the whole cross would
naturally have been soon used up ; but such a result was
averted : it was found that the wood of the cross had the power of
reproducing itself, and that however much was cut off, the substance
was not diminished. On the capture of Jerusalem, in 614, it is said
to have been carried into Persia, where it remained a few years,
until it was recovered by the conquests of Heraclius, who carried
it into Jerusalem on Ms back, in solemn procession, an event which
is commemorated in the Roman Catholic Church by the festival of
the exaltation of the cross on the 14th of September, commonly
called Holyrood day.

When the Empress Helena discovered the cross, she also obtained
possession of the four nails with which Christ's body was attached
to it, the spear which pierced His side, and other articles. Of the
four nails, two were placed in the Imperial Crown, one was at a
later period brought by Charlemagne to France, and a fourth was
thrown into the Adriatic to calm its stormy waters.

The earliest historical notice of the iron crown is, that it was used
at the coronation of Agilulfus, King of Normandy, in the year 591.

On the 23rd of May, 1805, when the Emperor Napoleon I. was
crowned King of Italy at Milan, he with his own hands placed the
ancient iron crown of Lombardy on his head, saying, " God has
given it to me, let him beware who would touch it." Thus assuming,
as Sir Walter Scott observes, the haughty motto attached to the
antique diadem by its early possessors.

After his coronation at Milan, the emperor instituted a new
order of knighthood for Italy, entitled the "Iron Crown," on the
same principles as that of the Legion of Honour for France.

The Goldsmiths' Company have determined to give 1000Z. to the
fund which the Chemical Society is forming for the purpose of pro-
moting original research in chemistry.

THE BOARD OP EXCISE AND MESSRS. SMITH
AND BOWLEY.— THE CHARGE OP DEALING IN
PLATE WITHOUT A LICENSE.

IN our July number we gave particulars of charges preferred
against Stephen Smith, of Melton Mowbray, and William
Bowley, of same place, who were charged on the information of
Mr. Oates, Supervisor of Excise, with dealing in plate without a
proper license. It will be remembered that in both instances the
summonses were dismissed, and that Mr. Oates gave notice of appeal
to the Quarter Sessions. At the meeting of that court at Leicester,
on the 17th ult., the case of Mr. W. Bowley came on for hearing,
as an appeal from the decision of the Melton Bench, the appellants
being the Excise authorities at Melton Mowbray. Mr. Bennett
and Mr. Hall appeared for the appellants, and Mr. Merewether,
M.P., for the defendant. The circumstances were these:— The
appellant Bartlett, an officer of the Inland Revenue, visited the
defendant's shop and bought a gold Albert chain, which was 2oz.
16 dwts., for 15Z., whereas the defendant had only a 2 oz. license.
Bowley made out a receipt first of all in the name of Green & Co.,
London, but afterwards, at Bartlett' s request, he wrote out one on
his own bill head, pro Green & Co. Defendant said if he made out
a receipt in his own name the Excise would be down on him and
fine him 50Z. Bartlett had called previously and complained of the
chains shown to him being too light. In cross-examination Bartlett
denied that the defendant said he had got the chains on approval,
but admitted that the defendant said he had to return the others
he had got for the appellant to see. Mr. Bennett contended that
the chain was not sold by Green & Co., but by the defendant, whom,
he submitted, was liable to a penalty under the Act for defrauding
the Excise, through not having a sufficient license. Mr. Mere-
wether, on behalf of the defendant, said that there was everything to
show that the chains were sold by the defendant on behalf of Green &
Co. It had not been shown that the defendant had been trading on
his ownbehalf under an insufficient license. The appeal was dismissed.
Mr. Bennett applied for a case, which was refused. The case of Mr.
Stephen Smith being next heard, was somewhat similar to the pre-
ceding one, the counsel being the same. In this instance the chain
was purchased by Bartlett on the 18th February, from the defen-
dant, at his shop at Melton. The chain was 18 carat gold, and
weighed 2£ oz. Mr. Merewether said the defendant sold a chain of
metal, weighing 45 dwts., of which three-fourths was gold, and one-
fourth not. He read from the Statute, where the words used were,
" Any person shall sell any article composed wholly or partly of
gold, and the gold exceed 2 ozs.," &c. After deducting the amount
of alloy, there was only left 33 dwts. of pure gold, which was
considerably short of 2 ozs., and therefore there was no offence
on the part of the defendant. Appeal dismissed. Mr. Bennett
asked for a case as to the interpretation of the word "gold" in the
Act, which was also refused. — Leicester Post.

Synchronized Clocks. — The long-sought desideratum of simply
and yet efficiently controlling all the clocks on any large establish-
ments, such as railway termini, seems at last, after many attempts,
to have been obtained by a system just patented by Messrs.
Barraud & Lunds, of 61, Cornhill. WTe expect to be able to place
a full description, with drawings, in our next number.

British Horological Institute. — A meeting of the members to
discuss the various points advanced in Mr. Cole's Essay on Iso-
chronism, will be held at the Institute on Wednesday, the 8th inst.,
at 8 o'clock precisely. The first of a series of lectures to apprentices,
on the different branches of the trade, will be "Watch Finishing,"
by Mr. Bickley. The lecture will commence at H, on Wednesday,
the 15th inst.

Morrison's Gold and Silver Solutions. — The Judges of the
Centennial Exposition have awarded a ' ' Medal of Honour " and
Diploma of Merit to Mr. A. B. Morison, for the excellence of his
Gold and Silver Solutions, an award which we think well deserved,
as there can be no doubt of their efficiency and economy, a great
desideratum in their favour.

Clock and Watchmakers' Asylum. — A special meeting of the
members of the above institution was held on the 16th ult., for the
purpose of electing one male and one female inmate. Mr. Edward
East, aged 62, watch-case maker, and Mrs. Roberts, aged 61, were
the successful candidates. The chair was occupied by Mr. Thomas
Collier, and Messrs. Spring, Wright, Pass, and Hatchman, acted
as scrutineers.

A Winter Cane has been invented in Paris for gentlemen only.
It is a long, hollow tube, and, before the swell owner goes out on
his promenade, it is filled with a chemical preparation which
generates heat and keeps the hands warm for hours.

Nov. 5, 1576.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

125

CURIOSITIES OP CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

(Continued from page 53.)

THE " Annual Register " for 1764 tells us that his most Christian
majesty the King of France had then lately been presented
by M. Coupson, jun., a watchmaker, of Paris, with a new watch of
his invention, composed of five wheels, like a common watch, but
the maker substituted for the barrel, the grand spring, the chain,
and the fusee, a simple spring, which alone produced the effect as
did those different pieces, and without the inconvenience attending
them. It required no winding up, but might be set in motion for
twenty-four hours by a push, just as the striking springs of common
repeating watches were wound up.

Mrs. Abiagton, the celebrated actress in the time of Garrick,
although in receipt of a large salary, was frequently driven to the
necessity of pledging her watch, which was a valuable one. The
following note (the original of which is in the possession of Mr. John
Bullock, of Sevenoaks, to whose kindness the author is indebted
for this first public use of it) was written by her upon an occasion
when she required a loan of thirty guineas, at half-past eight o'clock
on the Dight of Saturday, November 16th, 1765: — "For Mr.
Gates, next the corner of Round Court, Chandois Street. — Sir, — I
beg the favour of you to send me thirty guineas by the bearer, and
let me know if the grate is bought. Put the money in the box that
the watch comes in, and seal it up in paper, so that the person may
not know what she is come for. I am, sir, etc., F. Abington,
Saturday night, half after eight."

The " Annual Register," for 1769, tells us of a curious almanac
watch that was presented to George IIT. It was a kind of mechanical
calendar, being designed merely to point out the months and days.
It had a hand that was a year in making its revolution, and pointed
to the month and the day of the month throughout the year. A
second hand acted in the same manner as a regulator, by means of a
pendulum, and was adapted to move or not at pleasure without pre-
venting the other works from going. The sun was represented by
means of a brilliant on a plate, and regularly performed its diurnal
revolution. On the plate was a movable horizon to show the varia-
tions of the day, according to the seasons of the year. This watch,
although of complicated mechanism, was not larger than watches
then in ordinary use.

On May 4th, 1860, the Rev. J. Beck exhibited at a meeting of
the Archaeological Institute, a French gold watch set with jargoons.
On the back is an enamelled portrait in an oval wreath of small
diamonds, surmounted by a royal crown. It was made by Lepine,
of Paris, and is traditionally said to have been given to Madame du
Barre by Louis XV. about 1770, and was latterly in the possession
of Sidney, Lady Morgan. Mr. H. Munster has another gold watch
by Lepine, it has a blue enamelled back, with male and
female figures, diamond borders, and the motto " Souvenir d'
Auntie." A white enamelled dial shows the hours, minutes,
seconds, and the days of the week, and month.

About the ye vr 1770 it became the fashion among the dandies of
that day to wear two watches, the chains and seals of which
dangled on each side beneath their embroidered waist-coats. The
supplement to the Universal Magazine for 1777, gives us the following
" Receipt to make a Modern Fop," in which two watches will be
found named as part of the ingredients : — ■

" Two tuns of pride and impudence,
One scruple nest of modesty and sense,
Two grains of truth ; — of falsehood, and deceit,
And insincerity, an hundredweight!
Infuse into the skull, of flashy wit
And empty nonsense, quantum sufHcit.
To make the composition quite complete,
Throw in the appearance of a grand estate, —
A lofty cane — a sword with silver hilt,
A ring — two watches, and a snuff-box gilt,
A gay effeminate embroidered vest.
With suitable attire — Probatum est."

An anecdote is told of an Earl of Bridgewater, that he being
near Windsor, was stopped by a footpad, who after robbing him of
one watch, demanded the other. " Why, do you suppose I have
another? " asked his lordship. To which the thief replied, "I
know it, for I observed you cross your hand to your left fob when
you gave me this."

The foppery of wearing two watches was soon approved and
adopted by the ladies ; but it was found to be too expensive a

fashion to wear two real watches, and accordingly a true watch was
worn on the left side, and a sham one on the right side of the
person. The latter was called a fausse montre, or a dummy watch.
The false watches were in some instances of gold and silver, and
sometimes enriched with jewels, and enamelled miniatures at the
back. Some had in front a dial plate, others a pin-cushion, and
the most expensive ones had stars and devices set with stones, which
were made to revolve by means of eternal wheelwork. Those
persons who did not go to the expense of such costly articles, con-
tented themselves with a dummy of gilt metal, or coloured foil.
At a meeting of the British Archaeological Association, held on
April 22nd, 1857, Mr. G. R. Corner, exhibited an example of a
fausse montre ; one side of which was of silver thread and silk, and
the other of golden coloured fabric, and as both sides were of the
same convex form, either might be worn outwards. It was 1| in
diameter, and 1| of an inch thick, and round the edge was sewn a
chain made of the same materials as the rest, which was elongated
into a loop at the top, and by which the ornament could be sus-
pended from the girdle. When resting on the person of a well-
dressed lady, this peseudo time-keeper could scarcely have been
distinguishable from a real watch. A fausse montre of rich cloth
decked the side of a belle at a Court festival of George III., about
the year 1770. It was made of a piece of the state costume of Lady
Chapman, the wife of Sir John Chapman, who filled the office of
Lord Mayor in the year 1689. The material was cloth of gold,
brocaded with rose-buds of green and crimson velvet, and surrounded
by a pendant from a chainwork of golden cord. At the present
day, a Chinese gentleman wears a pair of watches of European
manufacture, one on each side of his girdle, in an embroidered
pocket. If questioned as to the meaning of his seeming extrava-
gance, his answer may be to this effect, " Suppose one make stop, the
other icalkee,"

Very advantageous exchanges of watches are sometimes made
by Europeans with the Chinese, many of whom ignorantly suppose
that when a watch stops it is dead, and are glad to barter it away
for a living one. This notion of a dead watch appears to have
obtained currency in most barbarian countries. Baker, in his work
on the " Albert N'Yanza," (the great basin of the Nile), tells us
that during his travels (commenced in 1861), a native, named Rain-
rasi, produced a large silver chronometer that he had received from
Speke. " It was dead," he said, " and he wished me to repair it."
This I declared to be impossible. He then confessed to having
explained its construction, and the cause of the "ticking" to his
people, by the aid of a needle, and that it had never ticked since
that occasion.

The Sieur Ranzonet, a watchmaker of Nancy, made in the year
1770, a watch of the common pocket size, in which he fixed an
instrument of his own invention, that played an air en duo. All
the parts of this little musical mechanism were distributed with
such art as not in the least to effect the movement of the watch.
It was also so nicely constructed as not to be influenced by either
heat, cold, draught, or moisture.

During the reign of Catharine II. of Russia, an ingenious Russian
peasant named Kulubin constructed a musical repeating watch to
perform a single chant. The machine was about the size of an egg,
within which was a representation of the tomb of Christ, with the
Roman sentinels on watch. On pressing a spring, the stone would
be rolled from the tomb, the sentinels fall down, the angels
appear, the holy women enter the sepulchre, and the same chant
which is sung in the Greek Church on Easter-eve be accurately
performed.

The celebrated Dr. Hawkesworth, who died in 1775, was brought
up to the business of a watchmaker.

It is related that when Somerset House in the Strand was being
built in 1776, a workman fell from the scaffolding, but was checked
in his descent by his watch-chain catching to a projecting part of
the wall or scaffolding, and to commemorate his wonderful escape
he placed his watch in the face of the wall. A watch face is to be
seen on the south side of the quadrangle over the entrance to the
old stamps and sales office ; it was, however, fixed there during the
first quarter of the present century, as a meridian mark for a transit
instrument, in a window of the Royal Society's ante-room, in the
inner side of the north front of Somerset House.

About 1776 was found in Ketteringfield, Northamptonshire, a
curious watch, which, early in the present century, was in the
possession of Mr. W. Woolston, of Adderbury. It was oval in
shape ; the case, which was silver gilt, being formed in an undulating
manner, similar to the rose on the old nobles; on the face was a
small circular silver dial-plate, ornamented with a landscape ; and
on the inner plate was inscribed " Chris de Welke."
To be Continued.

126

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1876.

GOLD.

WE purpose giving a series of articles on the history and pro-
duction of gold and other metals, with their various uses
aud employments in the arts and manufactures.

Gold is the most precious and easily worked of metals, it is also
the most imperishable, and, with the exception of iron, is more
generally distributed over the earth's surface than any other ; but
in many instances it occurs in such small quantities as either to
escape notice or not to be worth the pains of extraction.

The search after gold has been, until recently, one of the most
precarious of human pursuits, its discovery often involving the ruin
of the individual, either through the large outlay necessary in the
commencement of mining operations, or in the careless and extrava-
gant habits formed by the prospect or acquisition of sudden wealth.

The fact of gold being found in its simple metallic state, combined
with its beautiful colour and many valuable properties, would cause
it very early to attract the attention of man, and accordingly, we
find it was used by the Hebrews, Egyptians, and other ancient
nations, for much the same purposes as at the present day.

The earliest mention made of its existence is in Genesis, chap, ii.,
in the description of Paradise — " And a river went out of Eden to
water the garden ; and from thence it was parted, and became into
four heads. The name of the first is Pison, that is it which com-
passeth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of
that land is good.1'

That it must have been worked at a very early date there is little
doubt, for in chapter xiii. we find Abraham is described, upon leaving
Egypt, " as being very rich in silver and in gold." Constant mention
is also made of money, which infers a coinage and working of the
precious metals. The ladies of that age seem also to have had much
the same taste for ornamentation and jewellery as at present, for we
find that when Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son
Isaac, the man is said "to have brought forth jewels of silver and
jewels of gold, which he gave to Eebekah ;" also "a golden earring of
half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels
weight of gold." Further on, we find, that upon the Israelites leav-
ing Egypt, "they borrowed of the Egyptians, jewels of silver and
jewels of gold " (concerning which, by the bye, we find no mention
of return.)

This metal must, therefore, have been plentiful at that time, and,
by the description given of the Tabernacle, the Hebrews must have
been very skilful artificers. The instructions received by Moses are
most interesting, and give us a good idea of the workmanship and
skill of those olden times. This early use of gold is confirmed by
Herodotus and many other historians, as also by the many specimens
of ancient workmanship handed down to us.

Massive ornaments of gold were probably in vogue, for the Israel-
ites must have possessed a large supply when they cast the golden
calf, and the gold overlaying the Ark has been computed at 156,118?.
probably obtained from no other source than the spoil of the
Egyptians. The drawings of Ramesis II., from Beitoually, in Nubia,
represent him wearing bracelets and armlets, formed of plates of
gold about three inches long, and one inch wide, strung on a blue
web. Homer refers the manufacture of a prize cup of incomparable
elegance to the Sidonians. The ladies of Athens wore golden grass-
hoppers in their hair, to denote their being, as those insects were
fabled to be, born from the ground. Going back to biblical times,
we find that " the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year
was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold, besides that
which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of
Arabia brought gold and silver to Solomon ; " the sum named being
equal to 3,646,3502. The Queen of Sheba, brought with her from
her own kingdom "one hundred and twenty talents of gold," equal
to 657,0002 '

When Haman, the favourite of the Persian king Ahasuerus, pro-
posed his plan for destroying the Jews, thinking it might be objected
to from the effects it was likely to have upon the national exchequer,
he proposed to pay into the king's treasuries, a sum equal to
8,000,0002. Gold was very abundant among the Persians at that
time. Herodotus relates that when Xerxes went into Greece
Pythius, the Lydian, had 4,000,000 of gold darics which is estimated
at 5,500,0002.

InKitto's Cyclopedia of "Biblical Literature," we find the follow-
ing, in reference to the temple of Belus, quoted from Herodotus :—
" And there belongs to the temple in Babylon, another shrine lower
down, where there stands a large golden image of the god, and near
it is placed a large golden table, and the pedestal and throne are
gold ; and as the Chaldeans say, these things were made for eight
hundred talents of gold, and out of the shrine is a "golden altar
And there is another great altar where sheep offerings are sacrificed

for it was not permitted to sacrifice upon the golden altar, except
sucklings only ; but upon the greater altar, the Chaldeans offer
every year a thousand talents worth of frankincense, at the time
when they celebrate the festival of the god. And there was at that
time a statue of twelve cubits of solid gold. Darius Hystaspes
wished to have this statue, but did not dare to take it ; but Xerxes,
his son took it, and slew the priest who forbade him to move the
statue. Thus is the sacred place adorned, and there are also in it
many private offerings, made by individuals, consisting of statues,
censers, cups, and sacred vessels of massy gold, constituting a
property of immense value. On the top, Semiramis placed three
golden statues of Jupiter, Juno and Rhea. The first was forty feet
high, and weighed one thousand talents. The statue of Rhea was
of the same weight ; the goddess was seated on a golden throne,
with lions at each knee, and a serpent of silver. The statue of
Juno, was erect, like that of Jupiter, weighing 800 talents ; she
grasped a serpent by the head with her right hand, and held in her
left a sceptre enriched with gems. A table of beaten gold was
common to these three divinities, weighing 500 talents. On the
table were two goblets of thirty talents, and two censers of 500
talents each, and three vases of prodigious magnitude. The total
value of the precious articles contained in this proud achievement of
idolatry, has been computed to exceed 120,000,000 sterling." The
amount of gold and silver taken by Cyrus when he conquered Asia,
according to Pliny's account, was 126,224,000Z. of our money.

Having thus given a brief outline of its antiquity, we will now
proceed to describe the metal itself, its uses, properties, and where
usually found.

Gold is distinguished by its splendid yellow colour and high
metallic lustre. It is nearly as soft as lead, and is the most malle-
able of all metals. It can be beaten into leaves of a thinness* not
exceeding one-two hundred thousandth part of an inch, one grain
may thus be distributed over 56 square inches of surface, and its
ductility is so great that the same quantity may be drawn out into
500 feet of wire. Gold fuses at about 2016°, becoming of a bluish
green colour. It is insoluble in any acid menstruum, except the
mixture of muriatic and nitric acids called aqua regia (which derives
its name from the ancient alchemists having considered gold as the
king of metals), or in solutions of chlorine. Gold has very little
affinity for oxygen, and, therefore, does not rust or undergo any
change on exposure to the atmosphere ; it is also one of the most
perfect conductors of heat and electricity. Its specific gravity is
less than that of platinum, ranging from 19-2 to 19 -4, according as
it is fused or hammered.

There are several "alloys " or combinations of gold, those with
copper and mercury being the most important. The colour of
gold is not materially affected by being combined with copper,
except that it is somewhat of a redder tinge. The density
of the compound is less than that of pure gold, but the
hardness is greater, and it is more fusible. The alloy em-
ployed in our gold coinage is composed of 11 parts of gold to
1 of copper, without which the coin would not be sufficiently
hard to stand the wear to which it is exposed. Hence British
standard gold contains 8-33 per cent, of copper — in France and
America standard gold contains 10 per cent, of the baser metal.

The uses to which gold is now put, even in every day transactions,
are more numerous probably than the majority of workmen who
are constantly manipulating in the art, and through whose hands it
regularly passes in the different stages of manufacture, contemplate.
Suffice it to say, that almost every article both in business enterprise
and domestic life, is beautified and enriched by studious and skilful
artisans with traces of gold. Even the paper upon our walls, our
china, our tea-trays, our book-edges and covers, our sign-boards, our
sewing machines, and wares of pottery, in fact, almost every article
and trinket of the household is decorated more or less with gold.
We have also printing in letters of gold, gold lace and by no means
least, our best pictures are all embellished with gold, and although
the metals thus described may appear to the uninitiated as very ex-
tensive and costly, it would not indeed, if recovered from a whole
host of such articles and trinkets, amount to more than two-penny
weights, if meted, of the value of 8s. 6d. We have deemed it desir-
able to supply this information, which may, perhaps, be considered
beside the chief part of our subject, the uses of gold and its connec-
tion with the jewellery trade, and the currency — money — to show
the wide spread usefulness of the precious metal, and the very
extreme of malleability to which it is reduced in order that it may
be applied to so vast a circle of uses for purposes of ornamentation,
and that at comparatively reasonable cost.

Pure gold is at the head of metals for ductility, it is supposed
that wire drawers have extended out of an ounce of gold, a thread
230,800 feet long. The inlaid vessels and work in gold filigree from

Nov. 5, 1876.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

127

India are examples of the greatest ductility and admirable mechani-
cal qualities of this noble metal. In India the greatest perfection
seems to have been obtained in the art of drawing gold wire, as
witness, the gold embroidered housings of the elephant and howdah,
as exhibited by Her Majesty in Hyde Park, 1851. But then it
must be understood that the majority of filigree wire is not all
similar to the real filigree of London and Birmingham ; the Indian
wire being thicker round wire, screwed, and then flattened, and
afterwards so placed upon the different designs for the filigree of the
edge to show itself, whilst the London and Birmingham filigree is
wire considerably thinner, doubled and twisted into a fine cord of
great delicacy. The extreme of ductility is never practised in
England, there being no advantage gained in the commercial world,
the finest wire required for manufacturing purposes being either
for the purpose of filigree or gold lace. The latter is drawn very
fine, and afterwards flattened between a pair of steel rollers any size
as desired, so as to suit the object in view. There is reason to
believe that the ancient Egyptians had some knowledge of the
ductility of this metal, and the art of making round wire was known
to them. Exodus xxxix. 3, "And they did beat the gold into thin
plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple,
and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen with cunning work."

Pure gold is used only for certain chemical processes and beaten
into leaf for gilding. The Staffordshire potteries consume for this
purpose alone 60,000?. worth annually ; all other gold, whether
used for jewellery, or for coinage, is always alloyed with copper
or silver to produce the requisite degree of hardness, for hammer-
ing, &c.

Jewellers alloy their gold with other metals, partly for economy,
and partly to evolve special tints. The usual combinations for this
purpose are as follows : — red gold contains 75 parts of fine gold,
with 25 of copper ; green gold combines 75 parts of fine gold with
25 of silver ; dead leaf gold consists of 70 parts of fine gold with 30
of silver ; water green gold contains 60 parts of fine gold with 40 of
silver ; and blue gold has 75 parts of fine gold to 25 of iron.

These alloys are generally considered as consisting of so many
carats to the unit, the pound or half-pound being divided into 24
carats, each of which contains 12 grains. What we call 18 carat
gold is a unit o/24 carats of alloy, containing 18 carats of fine gold,
and 6 of silver or copper.

The following table gives the relative values of the different
carats, and the proportion of alloy to be added, taking 24 as the
unit of fine gold : —

Qualities of Gold.

£

s.

d.

Alloys to be added

24 carats

. 1

5

0 .

none

23

ii

. 4

1

H '•

1 carat

22

i>

. 3

17

11

.. 2

ii

21

ii

. 3

14

u .

.. 3

i'

20

ii

. 3

10 10

4

ii

19

ii

. 3

7

H .

.. 5

ii

18

ii • •

. 3

3

9 .

.. 6

ii

17

ii

. 3

0

2* .

.. 7

ii

16

ii

. . 2 16

8 .

.. 8

ii

15

!>

.. 2

13

U ■

.. 9

ii

14

11

. 2

9

7 .

.. 10

ii

13

11 • •

.. 2

6

0£ .

.. 11

u

12

11

. 2

2

6 .

.. 12

ii

11

11

.. 1

18

14 •

.. 13

ii

10

11

. 1

15

5 .

.. 14

ii

9

11

.. 1

11

10i .

.. 15

n

8

11

. 1

8

4

.. 16

51

7

1)

. 1

4

.. 17

)1

6

!>

.. 1

1

3 .

.. 18

11

5

11

.. 0

17

8* .

.. 19

11

4

11

. 0

14

2 .

.. 20

11

3

11

. 0

10

n .

.. 21

11

2

11

. 0

7

i

.. 22

11

1

11 • •

. 0

3

6* .

.. 23

1)

In most countries there are certain legally fixed standards for
gold jewellery. In England 15, 18, and 22 carat gold is stamped,
or hall-marked ; in Prance 18, 20, and 22 ; in Germany 8, 14, and
18 carat, and also under the term of " Joujou " gold, a 6 carat
used for jewellery to be electro-gilt.

Twenty carat gold does not occupy a very prominent position in
the jeweller's workshop, the demand for it being so limited that it

is rarely ever asked for. In consequence, it is not largely manufac-
tured into articles of jewellery. Sometimes, however, this quality
of gold is used by coloured gold-workers, when different colours or
shades are required in decorative designs, and when these colours
cannot be produced in inferior gold. For this purpose it is very
tasty and showy. Thus brown gold may be made by taking 20 parts
of fine gold and 4 parts of copper ; pure gold may be made by
taking 20 parts of fine gold and 4 parts of silver ; these ingredients
must be well incorporated. In Ireland 20 carat gold is a legal stan-
dard, and has been so from the year 1784, reign of George III. ; this
standard was established, principally, to encourage the manufacture
of watch cases and jewellery, at that time it being illegal to manu-
facture wares of jewellery inferior to 22 carat gold.

Eighteen carat gold is the second English standard, and of this
quality all our best jewellery is made. It is largely manufactured
into all kinds of personal ornaments; being an alloy rich in quality,
the beauty of its colour is not much altered by wear. In England
this standard is used for the manufacture of watch cases, which, if
of proper fineness, bears the Government hall marks. There is now
no duty on the manufacture of watch cases of any quality. Mourn-
ing and wedding rings, if of 18 carat gold, or of the higher standard
which we have already referred to, must pay duty upon the manu-
facture of 17*. per ounce, one-sixth part, as usual, being remitted for
waste in finishing. It is compulsory that these articles be hall-
marked and bear the stamp of the properly authorized authorities
of the town in which they are made. In Birmingham the title of
the company is, "The Guardians of the Standard of Wrought
Plate," which has exclusive jurisdiction over all gold made into the
above articles in the town of Birmingham, or within thirtv miles
of it.

Fifteen carat gold is another alloy largely used in the manufacture of
coloured gold jewellery. This quality, to our mind, is second to
none regarding works of art in jewellery, both in taste, show, and
durability. It can be made to present an appearance quite equal
to the finest gold, and in addition is easy of manipulation ; almost
any article can be freely worked out of it, while the hardness which
9 parts of alloy imparts is such as not to prove a hindrance or a
difficulty in the manufacture, but unites with it that amount of
strength and durability so essential in costly articles of jewellery ;
these advantages make articles of this gold wear much better than
when made of softer material ; and they also keep their form and
shape a considerable time longer. According to the provisions of
the Act of 1854, 15 carat gold can be assay marked as a guarantee of
proper fineness, but it is not compulsory, unless requested by the
purchaser. There is no duty on its manufacture, neither is there
on the manufacture of 18 carat gold into chains, studds, lockets,
charms, fancy things, &c.

Thirteen carat gold is called common when speaking of coloured
golds, for the reason that it is about the lowest quality that can con-
veniently be coloured to look rich and beautiful. A slightly inferior
quality (12£ carats) can be coloured, but this is about the usual
thing employed in all respectable coloured gold houses. In Bir-
mingham a very large quantity of gold is weekly consumed in
manufactures of this quality. Some firms manufacture nothing
else. It is largely made into chains, lockets, pins, studs, sleeve-
links, solitaires, pendants, bracelets, brooches, rings, filigree orna-
mentation, and almost every article we can mention has it in some
part of its composition.

Twelve carat gold is the best of the bright golds, and so called to
distinguish it from coloured, although any of the qualities which
are described in speaking of coloured gold, may be made bright by
a little variation in the mixture of alloy.

Ten carat gold sustains all the characteristics of the former
quality, both as regards the freedom of manufacture and finish ;
there are no hall marks for this quality of gold, and it is very
seldom manufactured fully up to the quality unless especially asked
for.

Among the coined gold of European States the term " carat " ia
almost everywhere replaced by the the term "fine " per mille. The
Austrian ducats are of exceptionally fine gold — 23 carats 9 grains
of gold. The Dutch or Holland ducats are 23 carats 6 grains gold.
Neither of these coins are at present a legal tender in Austria or
Holland, but they are continually made at the Utrecht mint,
having been for many years the circulating medium in the North
Baltic and White Sea ports, as well as in the Black Sea and Levant.
Originally they were coins of the Holy Roman Empire.

The chief gold-yielding countries are Africa, Hungary, the Oural,
Australia, and America, especially Mexico, Peru, the Brazils,
California, Columbia, and Victoria.

(7b he continued.)

128

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1876.

•-*■ ■-•^_l!

SHELL CAMEOS.

From tlie Jeweller's Circular.

QIIF.LL is the protective covering of a class of animals widely
^ distributed throughout the earth, the fresh waters and the ocean.
This covering is in most cases exterior and large enough to enclose
the whole body ; but in some cases it is interior, and only of suffi-
cient sixe to cover the heart and lungs. Shell is a secretion from
the skin which covers the back of the animal, which is of a peculiar
thickness and fleshy consistence, and is called the mantle. Shells
are called univalve or bivalve, according as they consist of one part,
or of two parts joined together by a hinge. Bivalves are inferior
in the scale of existence to univalves, both as to power of motion
and organs of sense.

Most of the univalve shells are of the character called porcelanous,
from their brittleness, translucence, and the resemblance of their
fracture to that of porcelain. But this fracture, when examined by
a microscope, reveals a structure of thick parallel layers, usually of
a fine fibrous nature, at right angles to the external surface. The
soluble part of these shells is carbonate of lime, the particles of which
are cemented together with a very minute proportion of animal
mucus. The hard and compact nature of such shells, and their
generally smooth surface, prevent their being cut by the ordinary
tools, which are available for the less hard and frangible nacreous
shells ; it is therefore necessary to treat them with emery, rotten-
stone, and other substances harder than themselves.

Such shells generally require rather to be polished than cut, but
■where it is necessary to divide them in order to exhibit their sec-
tions, they are operated upon by means of the slicer with diamond
powder.

Certain descriptions of these shells are well adapted for cameo
cutting, on account of their substance being made up of differently
coloured layers, and also on account of a difference of hardness aad
texture in the various layers, some approaching more nearly to the
nature of nacreous than of porcelanous material.

Several varieties of the gems Strombus, or couch, supply suitable
shells for cameo cutting. The outer layer is nearly colourless, can
be operated upon with steel tools, and may be carved into smooth
and finished forms. Experience has taught the cameo cutter to
choose the kinds known as the Bull's Mouth, the Black Helmet,
the Hornet Helmet, and the Queen Couch, of which the first two
are the best. The art of cameo cutting was confined to Rome for
upwaids of forty years, and to Italy until the last twenty-six years,
at which time an Italian began cutting cameos in Paris, and now
over 300 persons are employed in the trade in that city.

About thirty years ago, the total annual number of shells used
in the trade was about 400 ; the whole of them were sent from
England, and they were worth 11. 10s. each in Rome. But so rapid
was the progress of the manufacture when it became more widely
diffused, that the following estimate was made a few years ago as
to the consumption of shells in France alone for that purpose, viz.,
100,500 shells, worth 8960/.

The average value of the large cameos made in Paris, as stated
by the authority of Gray, is 6 francs each, giving a sterling value of
32,000?., and the value of the small cameos is about 8,000/., while
at the same time in England, not more than a dozen were employed
at the trade. The Black Helmet, on account of the advantageous
contrast of colour in the layers, produces very effective cameos, the
carved figure of the white upper lnyer being strongly relieved by
the dark, almost black ground supplied by the second layer. The
shell is first cut into pieces the size of the required cameos, by
means of diamond dust and the slitting mill, or by a blade of steel
fed with emery and water.

It is then carefully shaped into a square, oval or other shape on
the grindstone, and the edges finished with oil stone. It is next
cemented to a block of wood, which serves as a handle to be
grasped by the artist while tracing out with a pencil the figure to be
cut on the shell.

The pencil mark is followed by a sharp point, which scratches the
desired outline, and this again by delicate tools of steel wire flattened
at the end and hardened, and by files and gravers, for the removal
of the superfluous jjortions of the white enamel. A common darn-
ing needle fixed in a wooden handle forms a useful tool in this very
minute and delicate species of carving. The careful manipulation
necessary in this work can only be acquired by experience ; the
general shape must first be wrought, care being taken to leave every
projection rather in excess to be gradually reduced as the details
and finish of the work are approached. To render the high parts
more distinct during the process of carving they are slightly marked
in black.

Throughout the cutting great caution must be observed, that in
removing the white thickness the dark ground is not damaged, as
the natural surface of the dark layer is far superior to any that can
be given artificially ; indeed, should the ground be broken up at
one part, it would be requisite to remove the entire scale or lamina
from the whole surface, a process that will be found very tedious,
and much more difficult than separating the white from the black.
In order that the finished cameo may possess a distinct outline at
all points of view, it is desirable to adopt the system followed in
antique cameos ; namely, to leave all the edges of the figure quite
square from the ground, and not gradually rounded down to the
dark surface ; should this latter method be followed, it will be
found that the outline is in many places undefined, owing to the
colour of the white raised figure of the cameo gradually emerging
into that of the dark ground ; this evil is entirely avoided by
leaving the edge of the figure quite square for the thickness of one-
fiftieth of an inch.

The surface of the cameo should be finished as nearly as possible
with the cutting tools, as all polishing with abrasive powders is
liable to remove the sharp edges of the figures, and deteriorate the
cameo by leaving the form undefined. When, however, the work
has been finished as smooth as possible with cutting tools, the final
polish may be given by a little putty-powder used dry, upon a
moderately stiff brush, applied with care, and rather to the dark
ground than to the carved surface ; this is the concluding process,
after which the cameo is ready for removing from the block prior to
mounting.

The various styles in which they are mounted depends a great
deal upon the country where they are to be worn. Here the public
taste seems to select either pearls or antique gold settings, while
now and then we meet some exquisite classical design surrounded
by precious stones.

DISCOVERY OP ROMAN COINS.

THE Times gives the following account of the recent finding of
of Roman coins on the estate of Mr. John Clayton, at Corra-
borough : — " Mr. Clayton has extensive properties upon and adjacent
to the Roman wall. He, as lord of the manor, has made many dis-
coveries of interest during the past quarter of a century. Mr.
Clayton has recently had workmen exploring land upon the farm at
Corraborough, i miles west of Chatterford, on the North Tyne.
They have come upon a treasure chamber containing many altars
and thousands of Roman coins. It appears to be the greatest find of
Roman treasure which has occurred in the north of England for some
time. A military chest seems to have been dropped into a bath as
soldiers had retreated from the Roman station of Procolitea before
the enemy, and there it has been marvellously preserved until dug
out the other day. Mr. Clayton will lay the particulars of his great
find before the Newcastle Antiquarian Society at its first winter's
meeting. The Derbyshire Times reports an interesting antiquarian
discovery just made on the eastern border of that county. For some
time back workmen have been employed by Messrs. W. and S. Bur-
kitt, the eminent maltsters of Chesterfield and King's Lynn, in
laying down water pipes from Scarcliffe to their large new malt-
houses at Langwith on the borders of Derbyshire and Notts. In
digging the necessary trench, one of the workmen laid bare a large
earthenware vase of Roman workmanship, buried about 2 feet below
the surface. Before he could be prevented, the man unfortunately
broke it open, and it was found to be nearly full of copper coins —
probably 200 or 300 in number. Many of them are in tolerably
good preservation, and the majority are coins of the reigns of
Tetricus, Victorinus, Claudius, Gallienus, judging by a sample of
about fifty submitted to the inspection of the editor of our Derby-
shire contemporary. The fragments of the vase have been preserved.

New Clock and Carrillons. — The well-known firm of Messrs.
Gillett & Bland, of the Steam Clock Factory, Croydon, have just
completed and fixed the new clock and carrillons in the tower of St.
Mark's Church, Glodwick, in a very satisfaetory manner. Messrs.
Gillett & Bland are also making the great clock to strike upon a bell
of seven tons, and a patent carillon machine to play thirty-one tunes
on twenty-one bells, for the Town Hall, Manchester, which we
believe will be the largest work of the kind in this country.

To Extract Silver from Waste Products. — Mix your refuse
with an equal quantity of wood charcoal, place in a crucible and
submit to a bright red heat, and in a short time a silver button will
be found at the bottom. Carbonate of soda is another good flux.

ov. 5, 1876.1

SILVEKSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

129

THE HASTINGS DIAMOND.

(From the "Book of Days.")

AT a levee held on the 14th of June, 1786, a very valuable
diamond, of unusual size and brilliancy, was presented to
George HI., ostensibly as a gift from tlie Nizam or native ruler of
the Deccan. At the period when this magnificent peace-offering
was given to the king the impeachment of Warren Hastings was
advancing in Parliament, and it was very generally said, even
publicly in the House of Commons, that this, with several other
diamonds, was the purchase-money of Hastings' acquittal.
Caricatures on the subject appeared in the windows of the print
shops. One represented Hastings wheeling the King to market in
a barrow, and saying, "What a man buys he may sell again." In
another, the king was exhibited in a kneeling posture, with his
mouth wide open, and Hastings throwing diamonds into it. An
Italian juggler, then in London, pretending to eat paving-stones,
had placarded the walls with bills, describing himself as "The Great
Stone-eater." The caricaturists, improving upon the hint, repre-
sented the king in the character of " The Greatest Stone-eater,"
and the following ballad was sung about the streets, to the infinite
amusement of the populace : —

A Full and True Account of the Wonderful Diamond presented to the
King's Majesty, by Warren Hastings, Esq., on Wednesday, the 14th
of June, 1786.

" I'll sing you a song of a diamond so fine,
That soon in the crown of our monarch will shine,
Of its size and its Talue the whole country rings,
By Hastings bestowed on the best of all kings.

Derry down, etc.

" From India this jewel was lately brought o'er,
Though sunk in the sea it was found on the shore,
And just in the nick to St. James's it got,
Carried in a bag by the great Major Scott.

Derry down, etc.

" Lord Sydney stepped forth when the tidings were known —
It's his office to carry such news to the throne —
Though quite out of breath, to the closet he ran,
And stammered with joy as his tale he began.

Derry down, etc.

" ' Here's a jewel, my liege, there's none such in the land,
Major Scott, with three bows, put it into my hand ;
And he swore, when he gave it, the wise ones were bit,
For it never was shown to Dundas, or to Pitt.'

Derry down, elc.

" ' For Dundas,' cried our sovereign, unpolished and rough,
' Give him a Scotch pebble, it's more than enough ;
And jewels to Pitt, Hastings justly refuses,
For he has already more gifts than he uses.'

Derry down, etc.

" ' But run, Jenkyn, run ! ' adds the king in delight,
' Bring the queen and the princesses here for a sight ;
They never would pardon the negligence shown,
If we kept from their knowledge so glorious a stone.'

Derry down, etc.

" ' But guard the door, Jenkyn, no credit we'll win
If the prince in a frolic should chance to step in ;
The boy to such secrets of State we'll not call,
Let him wait till he gets our crown, income, and all.' "

Derry down, etc.

" In the princesses run, and surprised, cry, ' O la !
'Tis as big as the egg of a pigeon, papa ! '
' And a pigeon of plumage worth plucking is he,'
Replies our good monarch, ' who sent it to me.'

Derry down, etc.

' Madam Schwellenbergh peeped through the door at a chink.
And tipped on the diamond a sly German wink ;
As much as to say, ' Can he ever be so cruel
To him who has sent us so glorious a jewel? '

Derry down, etc.

" Now God save the queen, while the people I teach

How the king may grow rich, while the Commons impeach ;
Let nabobs go plunder and rob as they will,
And throw in their diamonds as grist to his mill.

Derry down, etc."

GROTESQUE DESIGN IN SILVERWARE.

IN our last number we gave an example of the work of the six-
teenth century; and now produce a representation of what
appears to be the work of an Italian goldsmith at the early part of
the seventeenth century.

Fig. 1. being a vase handle. The bold freedom of its design is
utilized by the [up -heaved figure grasped by the monster, and which
gives hold and strength to the handle ; the flowing character
throughout the composition according well with the general curve
of the vase to which it is affixed.

H:!i li

FlQ. 1.

Fig. 2.

design

There is a prevailing elegance in the Italian grotesque
which is not found in that of other nations.

Fig. 2. represents a knife-handle by Francisco Salviati, and is
a favourable example of such feeling ; nothing can be more outre
than the figure of the monster which covers the design ; yet for the
purpose of utility, as a firm hold to the handle, it is unobjectionable,
while the graceful convulsions of the neck, and the flow of line in the
figure combinedwith this monster, give a certain quaint grace to the
design which is further relieved by enriched foliage.

A valuable Roman gem was some time ago shown in the Wrox-
eter Museum at Shrewsbury. This marvellous gem was a small red
carnelian, about three-fourths of an inch in length, and of an oval
form. The design which was deeply engraved on it, represented a
goblet, on each side of which stood a bird, while from each of their
bills a stream flowed into the cup. This gem was found amongst
the ruins of the ancient Uriconium. A singularly carved hollow
bone was found at the same time, which was supposed to be a
charm. — Chambers's Journal.

Gold-fields of Victoria. — The Mining Department of the
Colony of Victoria estimate that 249,822 oz. of gold were obtained
in the second quarter of the year, 1876, as much as 155,357 oz.
being quartz gold. The number of miners at work averaged 42,453,
of whom 11,138 were Chinamen. The returns continue to show
that mining is gradually being carried on at greater depths in all
parts of the colony. There were at the end of the June quarter
twelve shafts of mining companies sunk to depths of over 1000 feet,
seven of them being at Stawell, three at Sandhurst, and two at
Clunes. The deepest shafts in the colony were the Newington,
at Stawell, 1783 feet, and the Magdala, at Stawell, 1706 feet.

180

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1876.

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

NOVEMBER.

THIS month was styled by the ancient Saxons wind-monat or the
wind-month, from the gales which are so prevalent at this season,
compelling our Scandinavian ancestors to lay up their keels on
shore, and refrain from exposing themselves on the ocean till the
advent of more genial weather. It also bore the name of blot-monath,
or the bloody month, from the fact of the custom which then
existed to slaughter great numbers of cattle to be salted for winter
use. The epithet had possibly also reference to the sacrificial rites
practised at this time.

It is generally regarded as the most gloomy month of the year
and it is perhaps true that less enjoyment is obtainable in it from,
external objects than in any other of the twelve months of the year.
This, however, is mainly so in London, as in some parts of the
country it is one of the most enjoyable periods. In London, its
leaden skies, choking fogs, and torrents of rain, combined frequently
with heavy gusts of wind, which shake down the last remaining leaves
from the trees, do not by any means conduce to buoyancy and
and cheerfulness of spirits.

Thomas Hood, the great humorist, depicts in the following lines
the negative character of November, as exemplified on a foggy day
of that month : —

" No sun — no moon !

Wo morn — no noon —
No dawn — no dusk — no proper time of day —

No sky — no earthly view —

No distance looking blue —
No road — no street — no ' t'other side the way — '

No end to any row —

No indications where the crescents go —

No top to any steeple —
No recognitions of familiar people —

No courtesies for showing 'em —

No knowing 'em !
No travelling at all — no locomotion,
No inkling of the way — no notion —

' No go ' — by land or ocean —

No mail — no post —

No news from any foreign coast —
No park — no ring — no afternoon gentility —

No company — no nobility —
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful care —

No comfortable feel in any member —
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds, November ! "

During three successive years, from 1831 to 1833, the 13th of
this month was marked by a magnificent display of shooting or
falling stars, those mysterious visitants to our globe, respecting
whose real nature and origin science is still so perplexed. The
first of these brilliant exhibitions was witnessed off the coasts of
Spain, and in the country bordering on the Ohio. The second is
thus described by Captain Hammond, of H.M.S. Restitution, who
beheld it in the lied Sea, off Mocha. " From one o'clock a.m. till
after daylight there was a very unusual phenomenon in the heavens.
It appeared like meteors bursting in every direction. The sky
at the time was clear, the stars and moon bright with streaks of
light, and then white clouds interspersed in the sky. On landing
in the morning I inquired of the Arabs if they had noticed the
above. They said they had been observing it most of the night.
I asked them if ever the like had appeared before. The oldest of
thern replied that it had not." The area over which this phenomenon
was seen extended from the Red Sea westwards to the Atlantic, and
from Switzerland to the Mauritius.

But the most imposing display of shooting stars on record occurred
on the third of these occasions, — that is, on November 13th, 1833. It
extended chiefly over thelimits comprisedbetween longitude 61 degrees
in the Atlantic and 100 degrees in central Mexico, and from the
latitude of the great lakes of North America to the West Indies.
From the appearance presented, it might be regarded as a grand and
portentous display of nature's fireworks. Seldom has a scene of
greater or more awful sublimity been exhibited than at the Falls of
Niagara on this memorable occasion, the two leading powers in
nature water and fire, engaging, as it were, in an emulative display
of their grandeur. The awful roar of the cataract filled the mind
of the spectator with an infinitely heightened sense of sublimity,
when its waters were lightened up by the glare of the meteoric
torrent in the sky. In many parts of the country the people were
terror-struck, imagining that the end of the world was come, whilst

those whose education and vigour of mind prevented them from
yielding to such terrors, were nevertheless vividly reminded of the
grand description in the Apocalypse, " The stars of heaven fell unto
the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when she
is shaken of a mighty wind."

The most probable theory as to the nature of shooting stars is
that they form part of the solar system, revolving round the sun in
the same manner as the planetoids, but both infinitely smaller in
size, and subject to great and irregular perturbations. The latter
cause brings them not unfrequently within the limits of the earth's
atmosphere, on entering which they become luminous from the
great heat produced by the sudden and violent compression which
their transit occasions. Having thus approached the earth with
great velocity, they are as rapidly again withdrawn from it into the
realms of space. It is very possible, moreover, that the fiery
showers which we have just described may be the result of a
multitude of these meteors encountering each other, whilst the
aerolites, or actual meteoric substances, which occasionally fall to
the surface of the earth, may be such of those bodies as have been
brought so far within the influence of terrestial gravity as to be
rendered subject to its effects.

A REMARKABLE METEOR.

AT the last meeting of the Manchester Literary and Philoso-
phical Society, the President (Mr. E.W.Binney), said that on
Tuesday, the 15th of August last, whilst standing on the deck of
the packet in Douglas Bay, in the Isle of Man, he observed one of
the most brilliant meteors that he had ever seen. At about 35
minutes past 9 o'clock, p.m., Greenwich time, he was looking
towards the west, when he observed a body, apparently larger than
the planet Jupiter, in the S.S.E., at an elevation of about 30° with
the horizon, traversing the heavens at first in a nearly horizontal
direction, then gradually declining, and finally disappearing by a
steep curve to the N.N.W. When first observed it appeared to be
of a yellowish colour, but it changed to a greenish blue before it
sank out of sight. During its last stage it reminded him of a large
Roman candle, and from its great brilliancy appeared to be not very
far from the place where he stood, but he observed no signs of its
bursting, and it left little trace of a luminous track behind it. The
speed at which it travelled appeared to be less than that of most
meteors which he had observed.

This meteor appears to have been observed by several parties, for
Mr. J. P. Norris wrote to the Times from Abbey House, Bristol,
under date of August 15, "A brilliant meteor has this moment
fallen due west of this house. It first appeared in the neighbour-
hood of Arcturus, then seemed to burst and trail light of rainbow
colour, and was visible to near the horizon, slanting towards the
north. Its distance cannot have been great, for we saw it through-
out two-thirds of its course against a dark cloud. It may have fallen
therefore, in the neighbourhood of Clevedon." A correspondent,
writing from Further Barton, Cirencester, on Wednesday, says,
"At about 9.30 yesterday evening (15th), a magnificent meteor was
seen from this place, passing slowly across the north-western heavens
about midway between Arcturus and the horizon. The colour was
vivid pale green, it left a greenish wake behind it, and burst with bril-
liant scintillations of whiter light " — and another says, " At 9.30 last
night, Greenwich time, I saw the finest meteor, or fire bah, that it
has ever been my fortune to observe. It passed just below E.
Bootes and travelled northwards in a descending direction between
A. Canes Venatici and the large cluster in Coma, rather nearer the
latter. It exactly resembled the globe of fire projected by a Roman
candle ; the colour was of a brilliant yellow, and then, after chang-
ing to a vivid green the meteor disappeared. The ball was pure
and unattended by luminous track."

He gave the above particulars to show how observers were deceived
as to the distance of meteors. The party who observed the one on
the 15th August, near Bristol, thought that it fell near Clevedon,
while he (the president), seeing it at Douglas, 220 miles N.N.W. of
that city, imagined it at no very great distance from him. He
brought the matter before the society for the purpose of inquiring
whether the meteor had been observed by other parties, especially
residents in Belfast or Glasgow, in order to ascertain if it had been
seen westwards of those two places.

Copper Solder for Plating. — Silver 10 pennyweights ; copper
10 pennyweights. This is a useful solder for plating or soldering
silver work ; it never eats as does silver solder.

Silver Solder for Gold Plating. — Silver 1 ounce ; copper
5 pennyweights ; pin-brass 5 pennyweights.

Nov. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TBADE JOUENAL.

131

USEFUL RECEIPTS FOB THE TRADE.

Silver Dial Cleaning. — Take about a teaspoonful of saltpetre
and mix it with about two dessert-spoonfuls of finely-powdered
charcoal — willow coal is the best. Let these be ground together
with a little water on a piece of slate, with the blade of a knife,
then, by the aid of a camel's hair pencil, spread a portion of the
mixture evenly over the surface of the dial, which must then be laid
on a piece of charcoal, and with a blow-pipe and the clear flame of
lamp or gas jet, it must be made just red hot, and kept so till the
wet powder has ceased to fly about ; it must then be thrown from
the charcoal, hot as it is, into a mixture of sulphuric acid and water
(in the proportion of about one fluid ounce of acid to three half
pints of water) ; it will then have a snow-white appearance, and
must be washed with brush and soap in clean soft water and put
into fine sawdust till quite dry, or, what is better, rosewood
raspings.

To Recover the Gold Lost in Colouring. — Dissolve a handful
of sulphate of iron in boiling water, then add this to your " colour "
water, it precipitates the small particles of gold. Now draw off the
water, being very careful not to disturb the auriferous sediment at
ihe bottom. You will now proceed to wash the sediment from all
trace of acid with plenty of boiling water ; it will require three or
four separate washings, with sufficient time between each to allow
the water to cool and the sediment to settle, before pouring the
water off. Then dry in an iron vessel by the fire, and finally fuse
in a covered skittle pot with a flux as before directed.

Gilding on Steel. — Dissolve pure gold in aqua regia as usual ;
evaporate to dryness ; mix with strong sulphuric acid, which will
dissolve the gold and take its colour ; put the mixture in a funnel,
the ether will swim on the top of the acid, which should be let run
through the funnel, the ether only being used. The steel piece
should be highly polished — very well cleaned — then heated, and the
solution applied with a pencil : the ether will evaporate, leaving the
«old adhering to the steel ; the solution may be applied several
times.

Ornamental Designs on Silver. — Select a smooth part of the
silver, and sketch on it a monogram or any other design you choose,
with a sharp lead pencil, then place the article in a gold solution
with the battery in good working order, and in a short time all the
parts not sketched with the lead pencil will be covered with a coat
of gold. After cleansing the article, the blacklead is easily removed
by the fingers, and the silver ornament disclosed. A gold ornament
may be produced by reversing the process.

To Solder Tortoise Shell. — Bring the 'edges of the pieces of
shell to fit each other, observing to give the same inclination of grain
to each, then secure them in a piece of paper, and place them be-
tween hot irons or pincers ; apply pressure, and let them cool. The
heat must not be so great as to hum the shell, therefore try it first
on a white piece of paper.

Cement for Joining Amber.— A solution of hard copal in pure
ether of the consistency of castor oil, is sugested by Ph. Rust for
cementing amber. The carefully-cleaned surfaces of fracture coated
with the solution, should be pressed together, and retained in
contact by means of a string wound around the object, or in some
other suitable way. The operation should be performed as rapidly
as possible, since the evaporation of the ether impairs the adhesive-
ness of the cement; so that all arrangements for compressino- the
object should be made before laying on the cement. A few°days
are required for the complete hardening of it. In repairing tubes
as for pipes, any of the solution happening to pass into the interior

should be carefully removed at once with a slender feather.

Mechanic.

To Take Spots off Gilding. — Boil common alum in soft pure
water, and immerse the article in the solution, or rub the spot with
it and dry with sawdust.

Common Silver Solder.— Silver 20 ounces ; pin-brass 13 ounces •
spelter 1 ounce. '

Bismuth Solder — Bismuth 12 ounces; lead 15 ounces- tin
21 ounces.

Imitations.

Imitation Silver.— Silver 1 ounce ; nickel 1 ounce, 11 penny-
weights; copper 2 ounces, 9 pennyweights. No. 2. Silver 3 ounces •
nickel 1 ounce, 11 pennyweights ; copper 2 ounces, 9 pennyweights ;
spelter 10 pennyweights.

Imitation Gold.— Silver 2 ounces, 5 pennyweights; copper
1 ounce; composition (44 ounces copper to 8 ounces spelter)
1 ounce. ''

BOOK NOTICES.

British Manufacturing Industries. London : Edward Stanford
Charing Cross. 1876.

I^HIS series, which has been a long time in preparation, consists
in compact volumes dealing with information connected with
the origin and extent of the great manufacturing industries of the
country. Although the volumes may fairly be called pocket ones,
no person, not having seen them, can form any idea of the com-
pression that has been exercised to get the information within the
allotted space. Each volume is made up of several papers upon
their cognate subjects, which papers, by the way, have been digested
for easy comprehension from elaborate scientific reports and scat-
tered details of every kind, the name of the writer being prefixed to
his own particular paper, the whole being under the editorship of
Mr. Phillips Bevan, F.G.S. In the subjects with which our readers
are more immediately concerned we find " Jewellery," by Mr.
George Wallace, South Kensington Museum; "Gold Working,"
the Rev. Charles Boutell, M.A., and " Watches and Clocks," by
Mr. F. J. Britten, Secretary of the Horological Institute. There
are also "Musical Instruments" and "Cutlery" in the same
volume, but they are not to our present purpose. " Electroplate "
will be found in the volume devoted to the Birmingham trades.

The editor states his object to be to enable the general reader to
bring into one comprehensible focus the leading features and present
position of the great industries of the kingdom, and the enormous
development that has taken place in them. The spread of educa-
tion, and art and science schools, has had an awakening effect that
was little foreseen when the first Great Exhibition opened its doors
in 1851. The display of foreign manufacturing ingenuity at that
time roused us from owr believed self-sufficiency, whilst the year
1862 called forth the cry of " technical education" in earnest. Per-
sonal adornment is, perhaps, as old as any art, and many of us, looking
at the ancient Egyptian jewellery shown in the Exhibitions of
1862 and 1867, wondered at the thought that it was taken from
the coffin of Queen Aah Hoheb, near Thebes, and was thousands
of years old. We learn from history, both sacred and profane, that
the jeweller and worker in gold and silver have always occupied a
prominent position in every form of civilization that the world has
seen.

The paper on watches and clocks seems to have been somewhat
cramped for space, although the most has been made of it, whilst
illustrations show the different forms of escapements both in clocks
and watches. Looking at the beauty of it, and the smooth, silent
action of its motion, we have no*) as yet seen any escapement that
will wean the clockmaker's love from his darling Graham's Dead-
beat. Three and double-three legged may come and go, but with
respect to the Graham, we may parody the well-known fine of the
popular song about the "Scent of the Roses," and say of the
above that "the love of the watchmaker clings to it still." Mr.
Britten also gives us some account of the lever and chronometer,
and also of the generally hitherto unknown extent to which
machinery is applied in Lancashire by the now celebrated Wycherley,
of Prescot, in making watch movements. Each of these papers
contain a valuable amount of information, so much so that the man
who reads them will be surprisingly pleased, as we were.

Napier's Electro-Metallurgy. Charles Griffin & Co., Stationer's
Hall Court, London. 1876.

We do not deem it necessary to give the full title of this capital
little book, because, we presume, that during the last five-and-
twenty years it has been " looked up to" by every one connected
with that part of the silversmith's trade. We found ourselves very
glad of its assistance, to enable us to thoroughly reason out the
the practical work which we described when going over the first-
class work of Messrs. Hodd & Son, in September of last year. The
present is the fifth edition, "revised and enlarged, "in whichmuchnew
matter has been given. The author says in his new preface that he
has " added several things that came under my notice during the
active competition which took place between the philosophers and
manufacturers to gain a step in advance when the art was new.
These have not formed any part of the former editions of this work,
and, therefore, I call the reader's attention to this new matter,
because the general form of apparatus now used in the art is not
suitable for observing many of the phenomena which were of con-
stant occurrence and often of great annoyance when the art was
young." We also beg to call the reader's attention to the same facts,
and, furthermore, that this new edition is being fully appreciated
by those who are in the trade. We are glad to have to record this
as a proof that the successful practical application of scientific
principles are meeting their well-merited reward,

132

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Nov. 5, 1876.

THE

Satrimwlm; gefiwlkr, unit ^xibmmi%

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
London, E.C.

Birmingham Agencies.
Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.
Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 55. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

THE TREASURES OP GOLCONDA.

rpHE great temple, jewels, and treasures of Srirangam, chiefly con-
sists of ornaments for the adornment of the god, the Kristna
Avatar of Vishnu, on especial occasions. There are armlets and
necklaces, and breastplates and crowns, all set with gems — diamond,
and ruby, and emerald, and topaz, and opal, and sapphire, and pearl.
One necklace of emeralds, rubies, and diamonds, with pearl pendants,
is computed to be worth 6 lakhs of rupees (60,000^.) The god has
several umbrellas, with covers of pearl net work, and one of these
bears, according to estimation, 125,000 small, but extremely clear
coloured pearls. Amongst the treasures are huge vessels of purest
gold, under the weight of which the attendants who show them to
the few that are allowed to inspect the temple treasures, stagger as
they bring them into the show chamber. The mace of the god is a
mass of gold sheathed for the greater part by large flat diamonds.

It is impossible to estimate the intrinsic value of the Srirangam
gems. They are badly cut, and some of the largest emeralds, rubies,
and diamonds, are scarcely cut at all. Yet some, wretchedly cut as
they are, emit a surprising lustre. There are several hundreds of
huge pear-shaped pearls, but these again are bored through the
centre ; and this, although it may enhance the value of the gems in
the Hindoo's eye, naturally lessens their value in the estimation of
any European jeweller. This Srirangam pagoda received a valuation
gift of a portion of these jewels, a few years ago, from a peculiarly
holy ascetic. This man, a Brahmin, vowed that for ten years he
would not eat a morsel of food or drink a drop of water on any day
that he did not receive for the god a donation of 100 rupees. He
was, at first, frequently nearly starved to death, but such a devotee
was not to be lost to the faith. The pious rallied around him, and,
at the end of the stipulated term, he presented the temple with a
magnificent necklace of emeralds, and rubies, and other ornaments,
worth upwards of 25,000/. This story may be taken cum grano salts,
but, in the main, it is believed to be true. — Jeweller's Circular.

Prices Current for Gold and Silver.— Value Given for Old
Gold and Silver by Assay.— Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. 7d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver.— Fine Gold, 85s. 3d.
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. per oz. Standard Silver, 4s. 6£d. to
4s. 8d. (variable.)

Austria exhibits at the Centennial} the largest opal in the world
(602 carats), and is valued at $25,000. — Jeweller's Circular.

The Shah of Persia has in his palace a terrestrial globe said to be
solid gold. It is surrounded by circles of the same metal, and
adorned with all sorts of gems. All the countries are indicated by
incrustations of diamonds and precious stones of various colours. —
Ibid

Female travellers, styled in America trade " drummers," have
made their appearance in the Western States. They are piquant,
audacious, and fascinating, and hundreds of business men are not
returning to their families as early in the evening as usual.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES-

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch. Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.
Adie Thomas, Great George Street, Leeds, jeweller. September 25. At

Five Ways Tavern, 1, Lady Wood Boad, Birmingham, October 10

at 3. E. Lodge, solicitor, Leeds.
Barnes Henry George, 46, Brunswick Street, and 308, High Street, Poplar,

pawnbroker, clothier, and jeweller. October 17. At Chapman & Lees,

solicitors, Gresham Buildings, Basinghall Street, November 6 at 3.
Cartwrigiit George Frederic, Branston Street, Birmingham, jeweller.

September 28. At J. C. Fowke's, sol., Birmingham. October 16 at 12.
Comber Thomas James, 132, Fleet Street, and 52, King's Road, Peckham,

Jeweller. Oct. 28. At G. Fresswell's, solicitor, 8, Old Jewry, Nov.

15 at 12.
Deleenaer John, 38, Barnsbury Boad, late 15, Bartlett's Buildings,

Holborn, manufacturing jeweller. September 28. At F. E. Brown's,

solicitor, 157, Goswell Boad, October 25 at 3.
Feiirenback Engelbert, Fore Street, Ipswich, watchmaker. October 4.

At A. A. Watts', solicitor, Ipswich, October 25 at 11.
Frew Thomas and William Ellis, trading as T. Frew & Co., King Street,

Penrith, jewellers. At Hinde, Milne & Sudlow's, solicitors, 7, Mount

Street, Manchester, in lieu of the place originally named. Sept. 28.
Gruar Thomas Gardiner, Park Street, Newtown, Montgomery, clock and

watch maker. Oct 13. At Harrison & Bonnor Maurice, solicitors,

Welshpool, November 3 at 12.
Hazlewood Henry, Woodbridge, Suffolk, watchmaker. October 25. At

Nichols & Leatherdale's, 6, Old Jewry Chambers, London, November

14 at 12. C. C. Brooke, solicitor.
Kingston John Thomas, 13, High Street, Ramsgate, watchmaker and

jeweller. September 23. At H. Arnold's, solicitor, 27, Finsbury

Pavement, October 14 at 3.
Kingston John Thomas, High Street, Eamsgate, jeweller. October 13.

At Walter, Moojen, & Son's, solicitors, 8, Southampton Street,

Bloomsbury, October 28 at 2.
Moger James Anicete, Boyston, jeweller and silversmith; October 4. At

G. Reader's, solicitor, 11, Gray's Inn Square, October 27 at 1. H.

Barker, solicitor, Hitchin.
Pyke Alexander Samuel, 26, Ely Place, Holborn, and 75, Guildford Street,

Eussell Square, jeweller and wine importer. October 28. At Lewis

& Lewis', solicitors, 19, Ely Place, Holborn, November 27 at 3.
Richardson William, Market Place, Stretford, Lancashire, watch and

clock maker. October 27. At J. A. Horner's, solicitor, 3, Clarence

Street, Manchestr, November 22 at 3.
Selig Gabriel, 1, Princes Street, Finsbury, dealer in watches. October 18.

At Louis Barnett's, solicitor, 23, New Broad Street, November 2 at 3.
Skinner William, 102, Vyse Street, Birmingham, jeweller. September 27.

At Goldsmiths' & Jewellers' Arms, Upper Hockley Street, Birmingham,

October 12 at 12. A. Pointon, solicitor, 5, Temple Bow, West,

Birmingham.
Spong Ambrose Beilly, 16, Spencer Street, Birmingham, manufacturing

goldsmith and jeweller. October 16. At R. J. Parr's, solicitor, 27,

Colmore Boad, Birmingham, November 1 at 3.
Swinburn Thomas, 19, Elvet Bridge, Durham, watchmaker. October 21.

At G. Salkeld's solicitor, Durham, November 7 at 11.
Swingewood William Harrison, Windsor Place, Lodge Road, and Richard

Street, Vyse Street, both Birmingham, jewel case maker. October 18.

At J. Boraston's, sol., 55, Ann Street, Birmingham, November 2 at 3.
Vogt Alfred Fidlis, 8, Marefair, Northampton, jeweller. October 20.

At T. Ashdowne's, solicitor, Northampton, November 10 at 3.
Wade Benjamin, 2, Exeter Street, Lisson Grove, jeweller. September 27.

At C. W. L. Berkeley's, solicitor, 165, Marylebone Rd., October 24 at 4.
Woller Rosina, 63, Edgbaston Street, Birmingham, clock and watch

makers. October 5. At M. J. Blewett's .solicitor, 5, Waterloo Street,

Birmingham, October 24 at 11.

Dissolution of Partnership.
Hall John & Co., 56, King Street, Manchester, goldsmiths and jewellers.
Hidson & Mitchell, 15, Spencer Street, Birmingham, electro-gilders,
silverers, and oxidizers. September 28.

Scotch Sequestrations.
Hughes John, 26, Great Hamilton Street, Glasgow, watch and clock

maker. Brown, jun., Davies, & Tait's, 65, West Regent Street, Glasgow,

October 18 at 12.
Jacob Aaron, 63, Renfield Street, Glasgow, wholesale jeweller, &c. Reid

and Mair's, 40, Sfc Vincent Place, Glasgow, November 8 at 12. Decide

on offer of composition.

Adjudications of Bankruptcy.
Keller Philip and Emil Hahn, 46, Hatton Garden, London, and Warstone

Lane, Birmingham, dealers in precious stones. October 12.
Wattleworth Bobixson, Whitehaven, jeweller. O.tober 17.

Not. 5, 1876.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

133

PATENTS.

Application for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

3853. John Richards, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Jeweller, and James Tandy, of Birmingham aforesaid, Jeweller, for
an invention of " Improvements in solitaires, sleeve-links, collar and
other studs, fastenings for articles of dress and jewellery, bags, and
other articles." — Dated 5th October, 1876.

3924. John Alexander Lund, of the firm of Barraud & Lund, of 41,
Cornhill, in the city of London, Manufacturers, for an invention of
" Improved means or apparatus for synchronizing clocks or other
time keepers and for transmitting seconds or other time or inter-
mittent currents." — Dated 11th October, 1876.

3966. Emanuel Frederick Griffin, of Handsworth, in the county of
Stafford, Manufacturer, for an invention of "Improvements in soli-
taires, sleeve links, collar and other studs, buttons, and fastenings for
articles of dress and other articles." — Dated 13th October, 1876.

3973. Charles Payne and Peter Steel, both of the city of Manchester,
in the county of Lancaster, for an invention of " A new or improved
device or means for securing scarf pins, brooches, and other description
of jewellery." — Dated 14th October, 1876.

3978. Henry Julius Hallpike, of Shepherd's Bush, in the county of
Middlesex, for an invention of "Improvements in sleeve links, collar
studs, and other similar articles." — Dated 14th October, 1876.

4007. James G-rason, of 4, Fore Street, Tiverton, in the county of Devon,
Jeweller, for an invention of " An improved self -locking shirt stud,
applicable also for other fastening purposes." — Dated 17th October,
1876.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

3436. To Frederick Weintraud and Richard James Secundus Joyce,
of 18, Aldermanbury, in the city of London, Manufacturers, for the
invention of " Improvements in solitaires, or sleeve and collar studs."

3853. To John Richards, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick.
Jeweller, and James Tandy, of Birmingham aforesaid, Jeweller, for
the invention of " Improvements in solitaires, sleeve links, collar and
other studs, fastenings for articles of dress and jewellery, bags, and
other articles."

Notices to Proceed.

2564. Richard Mather Prior, of Vale Cottage, Highbury, in the county
of Middlesex, has given the like notice in respect of the invention of
" An improved process of electroplating metal surfaces with nickel."

2797. Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the county
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, has given notice in respect of the inven-
tion of " Improvements in keyless repeating watches." — A communi-
cation to him from abroad by Ami Louis Junod-Pattus, of Paris,
France.

3616. William Henry Douglas, of Stourbridge, in the county of
Worcester, Jeweller, has given the like notice in respect of the invention
of " Improvements in studs or clasps."

Patents Sealed.
3356. Frank Moore, of Knowle, in the county of Warwick, Tool Maker,
for an invention of "Improvements in solitaires, sleeve links, and
other similar dress fastenings."

Patents which have become Void.

2783. Arthur Charles Henderson, of the firm of A. C. Henderson &
Company, British and Foreign Patent Agents, of 6, Southampton
Buildings, Holborn, in the county of Middlesex, for an invention of
"Improvements in watches and clocks." — A communication to him
from abroad by Adrien Joseph Virlet Dubreiul, a person resident at
Ham, in the department of Somme, France. — Dated 22nd August, 1873.

2824. Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the county
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of "Improvements in
watch regulators." — A communication to him from abroad bv Charles
Teske, of Saratoga Springs, in the county of Saratoga, and" State of
New York, United States of America. — Dated 27th August, 1873.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

Austria.

23. B. Egger, of Vienna, and F. Osnaghi, of Heiligenstadt, for " Electro-
magnetic clocks with a peculiar contact apparatus and bobbins." — 1
year- (Public.)— Dated 14th April, 1876.

Belgium.
40,218. G-. Zaffira, for an imported invention of "Improvements in

watches, clocks, and chronometers." — Dated 10th August, 1876. —

(French Patent, 7th August, 1876. )
40,340. B. Haas & Co., for an imported invention of "A clock with a

night-light."— Dated 28th August, 1876.
40,450. J. R. Hopkins, for an imported invention of " Improvements

in watches." — Dated 16th September, 1876. — (French Patent, 12th

September, 1876.)
40,546. L. Bazin, of Fontaine l'Eveque for " A regulator for winding up

„i™v= "—Dated 30th September, 1876.

clocks.

Prussia.
16. R. Flugel, of Wachtersbach, for " Clock-work." — 3 years. — Dated

11th August, 1876.

France.
110,627. Buckelew, for "A spring watch-case." — Dated 11th December,

1875.
110,698. Demeure and Taquoy, for " Improvements in the manufacture

of going toy-watches." — Dated 15th December, 1875.
110,749. Merique, of Besancon, for " A. ratchet key for watches, clocks,

musical boxes, and lamps." — Dated 27th December, 1875.
110,811. Mogis, for "Applying Brianchon's ornamented stones to

jewellery in general." — Dated 23rd December, 1875.
113,226. Roger-Seilliere and Hardy, for "An electric regulator

for controlling and regulating clock-work or motors." — Dated 6th

June, 1876.
113,313. Mrs. Favelier, for "Applying elastic objects on jewellery in

general." — Dated 12th June, 1876.
113,333. Wehrlin, for "Studs for cuffs, collars, shirts, &c." — Dated 13th

June, 1876.
113,440, Fournier, for " An oriental chain for collars and bracelets." — •

Dated 23rd June, 1876.
113,648. Junod-Pattus, for " Wafche3 with pendant-remontoira and

quarter repetitions, without wheel work or hammers." — Dated 6th July,
1876. "

113.668. De Blondeau and De Coster, for "A speed-regulator applicable
to clocks, motors worked by weights, turnspits, and other instruments,''
—Dated 12th July, 1876.

113.669. Boillot, of Besanc^n, for " Alloy decorations of watch cises
and jewellery.— Dated 13th July, 1876."

113,747. Japy Brothers & Co., for " Clocks or watches with a calendar

plate."— Dated 13th July. 1876.
113,751. Meunier, of Marseilles, for " An improved watch." — Dated 17th

July, 1876.

Patents on which the Stamp Duty of 100Z. has been paid, and Bates of their
Production for Certificate, to 21st Ootober, 1876, inclusive.

3028. John Matthias Augustus Stroh, Mechanician, of 29, Tolmer's
Square, Hampstead Road, London, in the county of Middlesex, for an
invention of " Improvements on electro-magnetic clocks, parts of which
improvements are applicable to meohanical clocks."— Dated 18th
October, 1869.

CHRONOLOGICAL UTILITY OF ECLIPSES.

THE dates of historical events have been often rendered uncer-
tain, or have been actually displaced, by the errors of contem-
porary writers, by those of their transcribers, and by various other
accidents. If, however, the annals of nations had been constantly
associated with astronomical observations, or, above all, with celestial
phenomena, the recurrences of which have been calculated with
precision, we should have a certain number of fixed points to which
we could refer the principal historical events of past ages. Even if
uncertainty existed of the precise epoch at which important circum-
stances happened, such observations would serve to confine their
date between two eclipses, and thus bring them near to the true'time.

Towards the middle of the eighteenth century certain astronomers
calculated all the eclipses which had taken place since the commence-
ment of the Christian era ; and to render their labours still more
useful to future generations, they advanced their calculations so as
to include the year 2000. This was a suggestion to annalists to
confirm the chronological order of their narratives by the testimony
of contemporaneous celestial events. The Chinese always adopted
this precaution, hence their chronology is more authentic than
that of any other nation.

There are some circumstances, indeed, upon which eclipses exer-
cise a greater or less influence, and which it is possible to verify by
tracing the date and peculiarities of the heavenly phenomena.
Thus, for instance, before examining if it be true that the terrors
inspired by a total eclipse of the sun was the chief cause of Louis
I.'s death, it is necessary to seek for the date of the eclipse. This
we find to be May, 840, the exact month and year at which the
historians of the time fix the death of the French King. — Magasin
Pittoresque.

184

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND|

[Nov. 5, 1876.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum ; four lines, £1 10s. per annum ; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, Wilson Street, Fins-
bury, E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MTJBRAY & CALLIETJ, 22, St, John's Square, E.G.

NEGEETTI & ZAMBRA, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. : Char-
terhouse Street, E.C.; 45, Cornhill, EC; 122, Eegent
Street. W.

WEBSTER, J., 88, St. John Street Eoad, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEERING & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STEONG BOOM COM-
PANY, LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BEUGGEE & STBATJB, 79, High Holborn, W.C

CAMEEEE. KUSS, FEITSCHLEE, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C., and
Charterhouse Street, E.C., London ; and 10, Eue Beran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory. White Horse
Eoad, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Eochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, <fec. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1844.

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Eoad, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BEOTHERS, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C.

MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct, London, E.C.

EUTHEEFORD, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Eow, E.C, and
33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

WIEGEL, B., Jun., Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27,
Wellington Street, Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stones mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS & SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CAELOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, 66, Hatton Garden, London,
E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

GILT JEWELLERS.

HUTTON & CO., 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phcenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.O.

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEOEGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C

SUNDELL (KEISCHEE) & CO, 48, Brushfleld Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBEEG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C
JONES, A. EDWAED, 93, Hatton Garden, London, EC
LITTEN (T. E,), 64, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON. HENEY, 85, Old Street, St, Luke's,
London, E.C

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E C.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DEEW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Eoom, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWAEDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Eoad, London, E.C.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden. E.C

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronzo Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.G.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C. ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Eue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FEEDEEIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 to 84, Gray's-inn Eoad, W.C.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENEY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, &c, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURERS.

LAWEENCE, N, 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C ; Manu-
factory, Havelock Works, Walker Street. Shffield.

LAZARUS (S. J.) & CO., Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C.

TURRET AND RAILWAY CLOCK MAKERS.

MILLAE, H. & E., Castle Bank Works, Edinburgh. Turret,
Quarter, Chime, and Eailway Clocks, 20 per cent cheaper
than other makers. The only steam power factory in
Scotland. Photograghs. Established 1840.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKEE, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell
London, E.C

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENEY, 48, Rahere Sireet, Goswell Road, Lon ■
don, EC

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Road, London, E.C

STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Eydon Crescent, St John
Street Eoad, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HAEGEEAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAUEICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON &, HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.
WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFOED, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEEEDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Eoad,
London, E.C.

MYERS, N. A., 2, St. Patrick Square, Edinburgh, Importer
of French, American, and German Clocks, Watches,

SAGGEBSON, EOBEET, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWAED JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Eoad, London, E.C

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENEY M., the original Wedding and Keeper
Eing Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, Birmingham.

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANUFACTUHING JEWEIakEKS AND GOLDSMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. FINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Begistercd for Transmission Abroad,

No. 19.— Vol. II.]

DECEMBEE 5, 1876.

[Subscription, 5j.1 Post
per Annum. J Froa

CONTENTS.

PAGE

horology xix.— dulling 145

controlled poblic clocks 14g

Becovered Kings 147

Prince Ecpert's Jewels 147

.Royal Treasures 147

Notes op an ancient Gothic Crown 148

The Golden Tooth 148

Curiosities of Clocks and Watches 149

Gold 130

Page
Important and Valuable Discoveries of

Treasures 152

The Cesnola Discoveries 152

The Diamond Light 153

Watch and Clockmakers' asylum 153

Eoyal Astronomical Society ... , 153

Eoyal Microscopical Society 153

Monster Clock 153

Mirror oe the Month 154

PAGE

Book Notices 154

Useful Eeceipts for the Trade 133

Our Illustrated Supplement 155

Morrison's Gold and Silver Solutions ... 155

Monthly Eecord of Bankruptcies 158

Patents ise

The International Patent League 157

The Trades' Directory 153

Adnertisements 158, 1G8

HOROLOGY.

(Concluded.)

XIX.— Dialling.

TTTE have now arrived at the last of this very interesting subject,
YY and as befits the end, this article will treat of moon dials
and the night. These nocturnal dials are of two kinds ; lunar and
sidereal. As the sidereal one is too complicated for ordinary use, we
will pass it by, and confine ourselves to the lunar part.

A moon dial is, as its name implies, an instrument which shows
the hours of the night by means of the shadow of the moon pro-
jected on it from an index, much after the way that the sun
does the hours of the day; with some important difference in
matters of detail, which we will endeavour to explain as well as we
can without a diagram.

Suppose, for example, it was required to construct a horizontal
moon dial ; the first method of procedure would be on the basis of
the horizontal sun dial. "We may here remark, by the way, that
these moon dials are very interesting on bright moonlight nights,
as many a happy evening family party can testify. Let us try to
simplify the construction as much as possible.

Take the paper upon which the work has to be first draughted,
and make it as square as possible ; say, 12 inches each way. Next
down the centre of it, leaving a margin of a couple of inches each
top and bottom, draw a straight line ; this line will be the meridian
and, as may have before been explained, is that part of a great
circle of the globe that is supposed to pass directly over the head of
the observer, or the continuation of the highest point that the sun

reaches in the day. It is more commonly called the " 12 o'clock
line." Thus, every place has its own meridian ; London has one,
Liverpool another, &c. This will be readily understood by taking an
apple or an orange, driving a skewer through the centre, and turning
it slowly round under some small mark_above it, say the cross bar of
the gas burners. The skewer will represent the axis of the earth,
whilst the bar will be a portion of the meridian. As you turn your
little sphere you will see that as one part passes away on one side,
another comes under the bar, &c. In these islands, however, for
all the purposes of every day life, we take the meridian of Greenwich
everywhere.

Having fixed the meridian at about one-fourth the distance down
that line, draw another at right angles, and of the same length as
that distance ; then connect these two lines by another having an
angle equal to the elevation of the pole, and mark your three points
A, C, and D respectively. Now, from D, produce a further fine
that shall make a similar angle to that which has been already
described, marking it on its termination at the meridian as E.
From the point E with the distance C E, make a point lower down
still on the meridian, and let it be B. Here, again, draw straight
to the right, exactly as before, and mark it F. Then, from the
point B, with the pencil leg on F, describe a circular line terminat-
ing in E, which line will make the figure a small quadrant. This
quadrant will have to be divided into six equal parts, which having
been done, produce a horizontal line, G H. Next run the quad-
rautal lines from B through the several points of the arc until they
touch the horizontal line. Now, from A on the meridian, draw
other lines at such an inclination that each one shall touch the
extremities of the quadrantals on the horizontal, and make a coun-
terpart of these on the left-hand side of the meridian ; at the
bottom of all draw a second horizontal line, and mark, it as may be

140

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Dec.

1876.

thought most convenient. "We will here put at the upper and lower
points of the meridian the figures to indicate 12 o'clock. On the
space between the two horizontal lines draw a sufficient number of
lines so as to divide that space into twelve equal parts. Taking the
lower line as the first one, we appropriate it to the day of new
moon, and the second to the day when the moon comes an hour
later to the meridian than the sun. On each side of the square,
parallel to the meridian, draw a boundary line joining all the
horizontals ; these lines will afterwards become the places of hour-
lines. The intersections of the moon-lines with the hour-lines will
give points through which to draw curved lines from the lower
meridional 12 to the fourth space corner on the right hand, which
curve will be the meridian of the moon, and will also be marked 12.
The next curve starting from the bottom horizontal line, a space
towards the right will be 11, and the furthest on 10 o'clock. _ Pass-
ing the central meridional line to the left, with similar spacing we
mai-k the figures 1, 2, and 3, on the left hand corner. Following
upwards from that corner, on the same side, we mark 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, 10, 11, and 12 ; and again, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. We next begin
on the left hand hour-line, and, on the space above 12 we write 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 6. And here comes a strange phase in our
work. Having got our hour-lines up each side and along the
bottom, we blot out all the twelve space lines, quadrants, upper
horizontal and meridional lines ; in fact all the work within the
boundary lines of the paper. We only wanted it to determine the
hour-lines by, and now we will begin afresh -

Draw a new horizontal line at one third the distance from the upper
boundary line, and mark each extremity 6, 6. From the centre of
the last named line have a point marked for other lines, to be men-
tioned presently. Now divide the space between the new horizontal
line and the bottom one by parallel lines into fifteen equal parts,
answering to the fifteen days between new and full moon ; upon
these several lines write the day of the moon's age, proceeding
thus : Begin at the bottom line and write 1, then 2, 3, &c, up to 15
on the topmost space ; then parallel to this, come down with 29, 28,
27, &c, to the bottom where you will mark 16. Having got all your
figures, you next proceed as before directed to make your lunar
curves for the various meridians of the moon. Now, as the moon's
age can always be learnt from a good almanac, and having erected
the dial style according to previous instructions with respect to the
elevation of the pole, the intersection of the line of the moon's age
with the lunar hour-lines will give the hour of the night. Again,
from the centre of the new horizontal line construct a meridian to
the centre of the uppermost parallel ; then proceed for a series
of hour-lines upon that parallel exactly in the way that was indi-
cated upon the horizontal line previously blotted out. We have
already stated that the corners of the upper horizontal were to be
marked with the figure 6. That on the right-hand side would be
6 o'clock in the morning, whilst that on the left would be 6 in the
evening. Continuing from the 6 on the right towards the meridian
we should have hour-lines respectively of 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, a.m.
Running along to the left from 12, there would be 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
The hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., will all be on the horizontal, whilst
the others would be on the vertical boundary lines.

Another kind of moon-dial is the portable one. First of all we
have to consider the plane, upon which the draft is made to be equal
to the elevation of the equator, and we describe a circle of the size
of our proposed dial ; having done which we divide it into twenty-
nine equal parts. From the centre of that circle we describe a
smaller one, which we divide into twenty-four equal parts for the
hours ; this one is, afterwards, made moveable by being cut out and
attached. In the centre we raise an index as for an equinoctial dial.
To use this instrument, set it up after the manner of an equinoctial
dial, when the 12 o'clock being turned in line to the day of the
moon's age, will give by the shadow of the index, the hour of the
morning before sunrise, or after sunset.

There is, also, a method by which a solar dial may be made to
answer the purpose of a moon-dial. To do this you must observe
the hour which the index shadows by the moonlight, then find the
moon's age by the calender, and multiply the number of days by f ,
and the product will be the number of hours which will have to be
added to that shown by the shadow to give the time required.

In addition to dials as time-tellers, there are the dialling-globe,
the dialling sphere, and dialling-lines, or scales. The first-named
is a brass nstrument, or it may be wood, with a plane in accordance
with the horizon, and a suitable index. This globe and its fittings
is specially contrived to enable a student to draw all kinds of dials
by its aid, as well as giving a clear insight into the principles of the
art of dialling. Then there is the dialling-sphere, another brass
instrument, having semi-circles sliding over one another. These
are on amoving horizon for the purpose of demonstrating the nature

of the doctrine of spherical triangles ; it will, furthermore, impart a
scientific knowledge by demonstration of the true methods of con-
structing dials on every variety of plane. In addition to these,
there are the dialling-lines, or scales, that we see on some rules, the
edges of quadrants, and similar philosophic instruments, to simplify
the construction of dials. These lines consist of a scale of six hours,
or two lines of tangents of 45 degrees each, joined in the middle,
with the decimation set against the latitude of the place that it is
intended for. The next is a line of latitudes which is computed for
the hour scale on the principle that, as the radius is to the chord of
90 degrees, so are the tangents of each respective degree of the line
of latitudes to the tangents of other arcs. The line of hours and
latitudes are generally used for marking on all dials that have
centres.

In bringing the subject of dialling to a close we may be permitted
to say a few last words upon its antiquity. We mentioned something
about that at first, but merely as an introductory phrase or two.
Vitruvius speaks of the Chaldee historian Beeosus, whilst others
mention Milesius and Thales, as the inventors of dials. Berosus
made a plane reclining dial' almost parallel to the equinox, whilst
Aristrarchus, Samius invented the hemispherical dial, with a needle
of those days for a gnomon, or style. There was, also, what was
called the discus of Aristarchus, which was a horizontal dial. But
it was long after these dials that the Romans became acquainted
with them. We read that the first sun-dial set up at Rome was by
PapyriuS Cursor about the year 460 after the building of the city.
Before that time, says Pliny, the elder, there was no mention of any
account of time, except by the observation of the sun's rising,
motion, and setting. It is recorded of Valerius Messala that he
took to Rome a dial that he had brought out of Sicily ; but on
account of the difference of latitude between the two places, of
course it never showed proper time. However they were not long
in improving. As dialling is founded entirely on the motion of the
sun as we see it, or strictly, on the diurnal rotation of the earth,
where demonstrations of principles are not 'required, the construc-
tion seems to us to be easy enough. We have endeavoured to still
further simplify that construction, but whether we have succeeded or
not we must here take our leave of Dialling.

CONTROLLED PUBLIC CLOCKS.

THERE has long been a talk about setting up in the streets of
Paris a quantity of clocks, or rather dials, marking the time
with the absolute and unerring uniformity ensured by electricity.
According to a generally well-informed French paper, the plan is
now ripe for execution, and will be shortly carried out, the muni-
cipal street authorities being impelled to the step by the success of
the similar dials long since erected in the principal railway sta-
tions.

It will remain to be seen how in the construction of the new dials
utility will be combined with picturesqueness and effect. At pre-
sent the clocks which adorn some few of the kiosks on the principal
boulevards are not much more notable for accuracy than the erratic
timepieces doing duty in the shops hard by. Nor are they suffi-
ciently conspicuous to attract the eye of more than one out of every
three ordinary passengers. But he would be a rash man who sup-
posed that French ingenuity would not be equal to the task of
carrying out effectively the work now to be taken in hand. The
Parisian will delight in the new clocks, and consider them a fresh
proof of the superiority of his city over any other in the
world.

Besides the novelty of the clocks themselves, there will be the fun
of writing above or round or under them appropriate mottoes, a
work to which as much trouble will be devoted as would suffice in
most towns to organize a whole set of laws. A specimen of the sort
of motto that may be expected is already to be seen on the great
clock outside the Palais de Justice. It consists of a couple of
Latin hexameter lines, in which an austere moral lesson is drawn
from the " machine " inside, and a dry analogy made out between
the regularity of clocks and the rectitude which ought to distinguish
the mental system of man. There are, of course, examples of this
motto mania on many other belfries, and in the remote country
parishes of France the inventive genius of the clock moralist is often
far more lively and bold than in this country. A collection of these
would go a long way towards furnishing the materials for a moral
treatise on Time. Hitherto, however, the extreme irregularity of
the work has decidedly deteriorated from the force of the epigrams,
and has put them at a manifest disadvantage when compared with
the more ancient sermons engraved upon sun-dials. — The Globe.

Dec. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

147

RECOVERED RINGS.

IN the " Acta Sanctorum" a curious legend is related in connection
with the life of Kentigern, as to the finding of a lost ring. A
queen, having formed an improper attachment to a handsome soldier,
put upon his finger a precious ring which her own lord had conferred
upon her The king, made aware of the fact, but dissembling his
anger, took an opportunity, in hunting, while the soldier lay asleep
beside the Clyde, to snatch off the ring and throw it into the river.
Then returning home along with the soldier he demanded of the
queen the ring he had given her. She sent secretly to the soldier
for the ring, which could not be restored. In great terror she then
dispatched a messenger to ask the assistance of the holy Kentigern.
He, who knew of the affair before being informed of it, went to the
river Clyde, and having caught a salmon, took from its stomach the
missing ring, which he sent to the queen. She joyfully went with
it to the king, who, thinking he had wronged her, swore he would
be revenged upon her accusers ; but she, affecting a forgiving temper,
besought him to pardon them as she had done. At the same time
she confessed her error to Kentigern, and solemnly vowed to be more
careful of her conduct in future.*

In the armorial bearings of the see of Glasgow, and now of the city,
St. Kentigern's tree, with its bells, forms the principal object, while
its stem is crossed by the salmon of the legend, bearing in its mouth
the ring so miraculously recovered. Fabulous as this old church
legend may appear, it does not stand quite alone in the annals of the
past. In Brand's " History of Newcastle " we find the particulars
of a similar event, which occurred at that city in or about the year
1559. A gentleman named Anderson — called in one account Sir
Francis Anderson — fingering his ring as he was one day standing on
the bridge, dropped the bauble into the Tyne, and of course gave it
up as loot. After some time a servant of this gentleman bought a
fish in Newcastle market, in the stomach of which the identical lost
ring was found.f

An occurrence remarkably similar to the above, is related by
Herodotus as happening to Polycrates, after his great success in
possessing himself of the island of Samos. Amasis, king of Egypt,
sent Polycrates a friendly letter, expressing a fear for the continuance
of his singular prosperity, for he Lad never known such an instance
of felicity which did not come to calamity in the long run, therefore
advising Polycrates to throw away some favourite gem in such a
way that he might never see it again, as a kind of charm against
misfortune. Polycrates consequently took a valuable signet ring —
an emerald set in gold and sailing away from the shore in a boat —
threw this gem, in the sight of all on board, into the deep. This
done, he returned home and gave vent to his sorrow.

It happened, however, five or six days afterwards, that a fisher-
man caught a fish so large and beautiful that he thought it well de-
served to be made a present of to the king, so he took it with him to
the gate of the palace, and said that he wanted to see Polycrates.
Polycrates allowed him to come in, and the fisherman gave him the
fish with these words : — Sir king, when I took this prize I thought I
would not carry it to market, though I am a poor man and live by
my trade. I said to myself, it is worthy of Polycrates and his
greatness, and so I brought it here to give it you. ' '

This speech pleased the king, who thus spoke in reply—

" Thou didst well, friend, and I am doubly indebted, both for the
gift and for the speech. Come, now, and sup with me." So the
fisherman went home, esteeming it a high honour that he had been
asked to sup with the king. Meanwhile, the servants, on cutting
open the fish, found the signet of their master in its belly. No
sooner did they see it than they seized upon it, and hastening to
Polycrates with great joy, restored it to him, and told him in what
way it had been found. The king, who saw something providential
in the matter, forthwith wrote a letter to Amasis, telling him all that
had happened. Amasis perceived that it does not belong to man to
save his fellow man from the fate which is in store for him, and like-
wise felt certain that Polycrates would end ill, as he prospered in
everything, even finding what he had thrown away. So he sent a
herald to Samos, and dissolved the contract of friendship. This he
did, that when the great and heavy misfortune came he might escape
the grief which he would have felt if the sufferer had been his loved
friend.J

In Scottish family history there are at least two stories of
recovered rings, tending to support the possible verity of the Ken-
tigern legend. The widow of Viscount Dundee — the famous Claver-
house — was met and wooed at Colzium House, in Stirlingshire, by

* Acta Sanctorum, i. 820.

t Brand's "History of Newcastle."

X Rawlinson's " Translation of Herodotus."

the Hon. William Livingstone, who subsequently became Viscount
Kilsyth. The gentleman gave the lady a pledge of affection, in the
form of a ring, having for its posy, " Yours Only anal Ever,'''' She
unluckily lost it in the garden, and it could not again be found,
which was regarded as an unlucky prognostic for the marriage that
soon after took place. Nor was the prognostic falsified by the event,
for not long after her second nuptials, while living in exile in Hol-
land, she and her only child were killed by the fall of a horse. Just
a hundred years afterwards the lost ring was found in a clod in the
garden, and has since been preserved at Colzium House. The other
story is less romantic, yet curious, and of assured verity. A large
silver signet ring was lost by Mr. Murray, of Pennyland, in Caith-
ness, as he was walking one day on a shingly beach bounding his
estate. Fully a century afterwards it was found in the shingle, in
fair condition, and restored to Mr. Murray's remote heir, the present
Sir Peter Murray Threipland, of Fingask, baronet.

Professor De Morgan, in " Notes and Queries " for December 21,
1861, relates an anecdote of a recovered ring nearly as wonderful as
that connected with the life of Kentigern. He says he does not
vouch for it, but it was circulated and canvassed nearly fifty years
ago, in the country town, close to which the scene is placed, with all
degrees of belief and unbelief. A servant boy was sent into the town
with a valuable ring. He took it out of its box to admire it, and
on passing over a plank bridge he let it fall on a muddy bank. Not
being able to find it he ran away, took to the sea, finally settled in
a colony, where he made a large fortune, and returning after an ab-
sence of many years bought the estate on which he had been servant.
One day, while walking over his land with a friend, he came to the
plank bridge and there told his friend. " I could swear," said he,
pushing his stick into the mud, " to the very spot on which the ring
dropped." When the stick came back the ring was on the end
of it."

PRINCE RUPERT'S JEWELS.

IN 1683 Prince Rupert, dying rather poor, a plan was devised to
" raise the wind " by disposing of all his jewels, but as the
public were not satisfied with the mode of drawing the lotteries, on
account of the many cheats practised on them, they would not listen
to any proposals until the King himself guaranteed to see that all
was fair, and also that Mr. Francis Child, the goldsmith, at Temple
Bar, London, would be answerable for their several adventures, as
appears by the London Gazette, October 1, 1683 : " These are to
give notice, that the jewels of his late Royal Highness, Prince
Rupert, have been particularly valued and appraised by Mr. Isaac
Legouch. Mr. Christopher Rosse, and Mr. Richard Beauvoir,
jewellers, the whole amounting to 20,000/., and will be sold by way
of lottery, each lot to be 5/. The biggest prize will be a great pearl
necklace, valued at 8000/., and none less than 100?. As soon as the
whole sum is paid in, a short day will be appointed (which, it is
hoped, will be before Christmas) and notified in the Gazette, &c, for
the drawing thereof, which will be done in his majesty's presence,
who is pleased to declare that he himself will see all the prizes pit
in amongst the blanks, and [that the whole will be managed with
equity and fairness, nothing being intended but the sale of the said
jewels at a moderate value."

Further reference is made as to the responsibility of the said Mr.
Child to the several adventures.

Mr. Child was the first regular banker ; he began business soon
after the Restoration, and received the honour of knighthood. He
lived in Fleet Street, where the shop still continues, though pro-
bably, with its venerable and tottering neighbour, soon doomed to
removal or alteration.

A subsequent notice says, "that the king will probably, to-
morrow, at the Banquetting-house, see all the blanks told over, that
they may not exceed their number, and that the papers on which the
prizes are to be written shall be rolled up in his presence."

Fancy our Queen employed in sorting, folding, and counting
blanks and prizes in a lottery, even if such things were tolerated in
our days of progress !

ROYAL TREASURES.

THE Ex-empress Isabella of Spain is stated to have the most
valuable collection of laces in the world. According to the
Paris Figaro, she possesses, among other things, one dress which is
valued at 4000/. Indian shawls and sapphires are said to be the
speciality of Queen Victoria. The Empress of Russia is declared to
have an unsurpassed collection in turquoises and pearls ; the Em-
press of Austria is unrivalled for emeralds, while the most perfect
collection of rubies belong to the Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimer,

14S

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Dec. 5, 1876.

NOTES OP AN ANCIENT GOTHIC CROWN.

TOWARDS the close of 1858, or early in 1850, in the course of
excavations at La Tuente de Guarraz, near Toledo, on the
property of some private individual, a hoard of treasure of great
value and interest was brought to light. No particulars of the dis-
covery are recorded. It seems, however, that there were not found
any remains of a case or casket in which the relics had been
enclosed ; in several parts the ornamentations had been filled with
the soil in which they were found ; it has, therefore, been supposed
that these relics of royalty had been buried in some time of confusion ;
without any enclosure. The spot where the crowns were found
was uncultivated land, which the peasants were breaking up when
the discovery was made. The treasure consisted of eight crowns :
four are of gold richly jewelled ; from the front of the crowns
jewelled crosses are suspended by gold chains ; there are also
chains of the same metal for the purpose of hanging the crowns in
some convenient situation. These ancient and precious objects were
brought to Paris in the month of January, 1859, by the proprietor of
the land where they were found, and the crowns were immediately
purchasedby theMinister of Public Instruction, for thenational collec-
tion at the Hotel de Cluny, a museum which is already possessed of
many valuable examples of mediaeval art, besides specimens of more
ancient date. The largest of the crowns bears the following inscription

in letters jewelled and appended by little chains to its lower margin ■
%.Z€eE5$Ytt?W.'ES> K3SS © MfE&EVL ; the letters are about
two inches in length each ; they are separately hung, and to each
is attached a pendant of pearl and sapphire. The gold letters are
beautifully incrusted with precious stones, and engraved in the
same manner as some of the gold work of the Anglo-Saxon period.
By means of the inscription we are able to arrive at a knowledge of
the date of this crown, for King Reccesvinthus governed Spain from
653 to 675 ; the inscription also shows that it has been an offering
(probably to some religious shrine) by this ruler ; and the seven
other crowns, of smaller dimensions and value, may have been
those of the queen and the princes and princesses of the family ;
some of them, judging by their size, are intended for children of early
age— the whole being a solemn offering on some important occasion.

In ancient times it was customary to enrich the saintly shrines
with choice and valuable gifts ; amongst these, however, there were
often imitation crowns and other objects given as votive-offerings,
to be placed over the altars, or in some other conspicuous position.
There are, however, instances of the crowns which were actually
worn by kings and queens having been devoted to this purpose.
It is to be observed that the gold chains by which those relics were
suspended, have been added to the simple circlets, which were no
doubt actually worn by royal personages about twelve hundred years
ago, since they are formed with rings and fastenings to facilitate the
fastening of them to the heads of the wearers.

The crowns of the kings measure about 9 inches in diameter, and
27 in circumference ; it is a hoop about four inches in breadth, and
upwards of half au inch in thickness ; it is, however, not solid, but
formed of massive gold plates soldered together. The margins of
this hoop consist of two bands of cloisonne work, with incrustations
of carnelian ; and it is still further enriched with thirty oriental
sapphires of large size, set in colets, giving to the gems a very
prominent relief. Thirty very large pearls are arranged alternately
with the sapphires. The intervening spaces are pierced in open
work, and engraved so as to represent foliage and flowers, and to
the lower margin is appended the fringe of letters already mentioned.
The golden chains are united above with foliated ornaments, which
are enriched with numerous pendant pearls and sapphires, and
surmounted by a capital, in the form of a knot of crystal, elaborately
carved and polished, and terminating in a globe of the same
material. The Latin-shaped cross, suspended from the crown by a
slender chain, is set with six fine sapphires and eight pearls of
remarkable dimensions, mounted in very high relief ; jewelled
pendants are also attached to the limbs and foot of the cross. This
has been worn as a fibula or brooch, the acus by which it has been
fastened to the royal robes being still visible. The entire length
of this combination of ornament, from the gold hook to which it
is fastened to the lowest pendant sapphire attached to the cross,
is about 3 feet. The crown is composed of the purest gold, the
colour of which, with the violet sapphires, alternating with the
pearls, &c, presents a most gorgeous appearance. The crown,
of which we give an engraving, was probably worn by the queen
of Keccesvinthus. The broad circlet is set with fifty-four
rubies ; sapphires fringe its lower margin. Above and below, near
both edges of this circlet, there are little loops which seem to
have been used for fastening a lining or cap of some costly tissue
within the golden hoop, to protect the forehead of the wearer. The
pendant cross is not so much decorated as that above men.
tioned, being, however, richly set on both sides with sapphires.
The same jewels are also suspended from the cross. The
eight other crowns are of several fashions. Three are essentially
different from the others, for instead of a broad band the circlet
consists of an open framework of gold, formed of three horizontal
hoops andnumerous traverses, with gems set at the points of intersec-
tion ; all the crowns are enriched with no less than fifty-four precious
stones and pearls, and have also hanging fringes of sapphires.

On the pendant crosses of one of the crowns is engraved the
following dedication : — In Dei Nomine Offeret Sonnice Sanetae
Mariae In Sorbaces. After the word JSominc a leaf is introduced
as a stop. M. Du Someras considers that Sonnica is a male appel-
lation. The three smallest crowns had no pendant crosses. As an
example of ancient art workmanship, this may be regarded as one
of the most remarkable discoveries which have been made in recent
times. Our neighbours have reason to congratulate'themselves that
they have gained possession of such a prize.

THE GOLDEN TOOTH.

IN 1593 it was reported that a Silesian child, seven years old,
had lost all its teeth, and that a golden one had grown in the
place of a natural double one. In 1595 Horatius, professor of
medicine in the University of Helmstadt, wrote the history of the
" golden tooth." He said it was partly a natural event and partly
miraculous, and that^the Almighty had sent it to this child to console
the Christians for their persecution by the Turks.

In the same year Rutlandus drew up another account of the
golden tooth. Two years afterwards, Ingosieturus, another learned
man, wrote against the opinion which Rutlandus had given on this
tooth of gold. Rutlandus replied in a most elegant and erudite
dissertation. Libsavius, a very learned man, compiled all that had
been said relative to this tooth, and subjoined his remarks upon it.
Nothing was wanting to recommend these erudite writings to
posterity, save one only thing, that is, that the tooth was gold ;
but, alas, for all these speculations, a goldsmith examined it and
found it a natural tooth, artificially gilt.

Dec. 5, 1876.]

SILVEBSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

149

CURIOSITIES OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

(Continued from page 125.)

IN the same museum is a -watch in blue enamel, set -with paste
diamonds; the diameter being If inches. It is of French
manufacture, and the date is about 1780-90. It -was purchased for
'31. 3s. 2d.. Also a watch in a heart-shaped gold locket case, which
is enriched with arabesques in cMmp-leve enamels. The maker's
name is Constantin, of Geneva. This watch is of the eighteenth
century; its height is If inches, its width \\ inches; and it was
purchased at the Bernal sale for 51. 5s. Also a watch case of gold,
enamelled with classical figures in camailu on a brown ground. It
is of the eighteenth century ; its diameter is If inches ; and it was pur-
chased for il. 10s. Also a watch in a plain silver case, which was
presented by the Rev. R. Brooke, of Gateforth House, Selby.
The maker's name is Thomas Johnson, of Richmond ; the date is
the eighteenth century ; and the diameter of the outer case is 2
inches. Also a watch in a plain silver case, of the eighteenth
century, the maker's name being Robert Henderson, of Scarborough.
The diameter of the outer case is If inches. Also a watch in a
plain silver case of the same date, the maker's name being Henri
Hindley, of York. The diameter of the outer case 2 inches. The
maker was John Spence, of London. A round silver-gilt alarum
repeater-watch with gilt dial plate, showing the hour and the day
of the month, and a pierced floriated back. The maker was
Shelton. A round silver watch, engraved with a basket of fruit and
birds, and having a silver dial, showing the hour and the days of the
month. The maker was John Smeaton, of York. The following
watches of the eighteenth century are now in the possession of their
owners undermentioned. — Sir W. Lawson, Bart., has a silver watch
by Jackson, in an outer case of tortoise-shell, pique with silver,
the silver dial showing the hour and the days of the month. Mr. T.
Rainey has a melon-shaped watch made by Amalric Freres, orna-
mented with blue enamel, semee with gold stars, the stalk forming
the handle ; it is \\ inches in diameter : attached is a gold leaf-
shaped key. Also a small gold shield watch, by Singleton, of Paris,
set round with pearls, with two dials, one showing the hour, and
the other the balance-wheel. On the back is a painted enamel
bouquet of flowers. It is 1£ inches in diameter. Mr. H. Munstcr
has a French gold watch with a gold face, pearl borders, green
enamelled back, and a painting of a boy with a mousetrap and a
do°-. Also a gold watch enamelled in imitation of an apple with
green leaves, edged with pearls. Also a repeating-watch in pierced
gold, the case being of shagreen ornamented with pique dots. The
maker's name is James Charwell, of London ; the date is the
eighteenth century, and the diameter of the outer case is 2 inches.
These watches also were presented by the Rev. R. Brooke.

Lady Fellows has the following watches of the eighteenth cen-
tury. A round metal- gilt watch with chased back of Venus and
Cupid. The dial plate has the numerals inserted in white enamel.
The maker was Tosue Panier a Paris. A gilt plain watch with
silver engraved wreaths round the side. The maker was T. Bock.
A round" silver alarum repeater-watch, with open side and a silver
chain, three seals and two keys attached. The maker was Henry
Gelhart a Strasbourg. A round silver watch, with white and blue
enamelled dial. The maker was Pierre Duet. A round silver
repeater watch, with open gilt sides and a silver ring, with numerals
on the dial plate. The maker was Boekelts, Hagh. A round
silver watch, chased with flowers, having a silver dial-plate, and
two circular dials, showing the hour, the age of the moon, and the
days of the week and month. The maker was Louis Arthaud a Lyon.
A round silver watch with silver dial and gilt open work. The
maker was Heinrich Carstens, Lubeck. A round silver watch,
showing the hour and the day of the month.

Messrs. Hunt & Roskell have a gold watch, by Emery, of London,
with a painted enamel case of the Holy Family, and a landscape in-
side. Mr. T. G. Gardner has a gold watch by Richard French,
chased with flowers, and a painting on the back, in the Watteau
style, of children catching birds. The bezel is set round with
diamonds ; the bow and hands are also set with diamonds. It has
an outer case. Mr. H. W. Sass has an enamelled gold watch by
Fitter of London, with a painted female figure holding a caduceus ;
at her feet are a cornucopia and flags. Miss Bentinck has a small
enamelled gold watch, painted at the back with amorini playing with
a coat. The watch, teapot, and punch -bowl of Dr. Samuel Johnson,
who died in 1784, are still reverently preserved by their owners from
crack or flaw. His inkstand is in the possession of Dr. Robert
Rigsby, of Peckham. Lunardi, an attache to the Neapolitan em-
bassy, made the first serial ascent in England from the Artillery
Ground, Finsbury, in September, 1784. Upon which occasion the
Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV., presented him with a gold

watch, as a token of his admiration of what appeared at that time
to be a most wonderful experiment. In making another ascent from
Naples some time afterwards, about 1802, Lunardi fell into the sea,
and the watch was much injured. He then petitioned the prince to
order it to be repaired. The following is a copy of the petition, the
original of which is in the possession of Mr. John Bullock, of Seven-
oaks, by whose kindness the author is enabled now to publish a
transcript of it. The petition is entirely in the autograph of Lunardi,
and was endorsed by him as follows: "To His Royal Highness George
Prince of Wales. The most respectful Petition of Vincent Lunardy,
first serial Traveller in England." " To His Royal Highness George
Prince of Wales. The most Respectful Petition of Vincent Lunardy.
Humbly sheweth, That Your Royal Highness Petitioner soon after
his ascent from the Artillery Ground, and iErial Voyage, receiv'd a
valuable Stop-Watch describing seconds, as a token of Your Royal
Highness's approbation, with a command that it should be Your
Petitioner companion on every future serial excurtions, which has
ever been implicitly obeyed. And Your Highness's Petitioner begs
leave to represent, that after ascending with His Balloon from
Naples he was unfortunately obliged to descend in the Gulf and
being dragged, throgh the waves for three hours, he was landed at
the Island of Capri, where on recovering from the fatigue of his un-
pleasant aquatic jurney he found his valuable Watch so much in-
jured by the Salt Water, that the exertions of a very ingenious
artist were required to render it once more useful, but in Italy
neither Love or money could procure that assistance. Your Royal
Highness's Petitioner therefore humbly solicits that Your Highness
will be graciously pleased to direct Mr. Villiamy to renew the in-
ternal part of the Watch, so that he may enjoy its aid on his next
flight, which will shortely take place at Cornna while the British
fleet is off Ferrol, and Your Royal Highness's Petitioner will con-
tinue, as has been his uniform practice to offer up his prayers,
especially when he has ascended nearest Heaven, to Almighty God
for the Precious Health and Long Life of Your Royal Highness."
This petition was sent by Lunardi to Vulliamy, of Pall Mall, the
prince's watchmaker, in a letter, of which the following is a copy :
— " Mr. Vulliamy, His Royal Highness's Prince of AVales Watch-
maker, Pall Mall. Mr. Lunardi presents his respectful compliments
to Mr. Allliamy, he has been very ill with a colic and seemes it will
not be in his power not to walk out to Day, therefore as he under-
stand His Royal Highness is to leave Town this afternoon, Mr. L.
begs Mr. Vulliamy will wait on His Royal Highness with the en-
clos'd. Thursday morning 9 o'clock. No. 13, Oxendon Street,
Haymarket."

In 1785 died Peter Roy, who was watchmaker to the King of
France. He was the author of the Memoirs for the Clockmakers of
Paris, entitled " Elrenncs Chronometriques." Julien le Roy, a rela-
tion of this mechanician, was a famous French watchmaker, of whose
reputation his brother artists in Paris were jealous, and they did
what they could to imitate him. T. B. Baillon, the queen's horo-
loger, tried to outdo him, and he made all sorts of whimsical clocks
and watches, adding toys to them, as the fashions of the court re-
quired change. This man died young, and probably the richest
clock and watchmaker in Europe.

Sir Richard Phillips tells us in his " Chronology" that, in 1787, a
shark was taken in the Thames near Poplar, and in its belly was
found a watch, with the name of Watson engraved upon it. It be-
longed to a young gentleman who had been drowned near Falmouth.

In Colman's opera of " Inkle and Yarico," first played in 1787, Sir
Christopher Curry sings : —

" Complaisance is a gingerbread creature,

Us'd for shew, like a watch, by each spark ;
But truth is a golden repeater,

That sets a man right in the dark."
The "Annual Register" for 1777, the Gentleman's Magazine for
the same year, and Sir Richard Phillips, in his "Chronology,"
record that in December, 1777, was tried before Lord Mansfield in
the Court of King's Bench, a remarkable case, the first of its kind,
" Cabrier against Anderson," in which the defendant was sued for
putting the plaintiff's name to five watches made by the defendant,
and thereby hurting the reputation of the plaintiff. A verdict was
given for 100Z., being 20Z. for each watch, agreable to an Act of
Parliament by William III., inflicting a penalty on watchmakers
who put fictitious names on their watches.

Jean Jacques Rousseau, whodiedin 1778, in his "Emile" UvrellL,
thus moralises upon " la inontre du sage " — " Le temps perd pour nous
sa mesure, quand nos passions veulent regler son cougs a lew gre. La
montre du sage est I'egalite dliumeur, et la pail de Vame; il est toujours
a son peure, et il la connoit toujours." Rousseau's copper watch was
sold in Paris after his death for 500 francs.
To he continued.

150

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Dec. 5, 1876.

GOLD.

(Continued from page 127).

THOUGH gold was from time immemorial discovered in nearly all
lands, yet so comparatively small was the quantity found, that in
reckoning the aoerage produce of all parts of the New and Old World
previous to 1817 it did not amount to the annual value of 5,000,000Z.
sterling. In that year, however, the first of a series of discoveries
was made, which led to a vast increase in the supply of gold, and to
a complete reversal of old ideas respecting the prospects of the
gold seeker. We refer to its discovery in California, Australia, and
South Africa.

Twenty-two years later, in 1869, the total value produced was
computed at 60,000,000Z., one-fourth of this representing the value
of the production of California. The value of the joint production
of the Australian Colonies was a little above another one-fourth.
Gold is always found in the metallic state ; it is usually either dis-
seminated through the rocks, often in extreme minuteness, or spread
out in thin plates or grains on their surface, or implanted in their
cavities under the shape of filaments, or arborescent crystalization ;
some of it, however, is found in pieces of considerable size, called
in America "pepitas,"in Australia " nuggets." Humboldt states
that the largest " pepita " known in his time was one found in Peru,
weighing about 26^ pounds avoirdupois, but masses have been found
in the province of Quito weighing four times as much, and some of
the Australian " nuggets " have also greatly exceeded this.

Mr. J. Arthur Phillips, in his work on "The Mining and Metal-
lurgy of Gold and Silver," gives the following modes of occurrence
of gold : —

Native gold. — An alloy of gold and silver, associated with small
quantities of copper, iron, and other metals.
Palladium gold. — Gold, palladium, and porpezite.
Rhodium gold. — Gold and rhodium.
Gold amalgam. — A native amalgam of gold and mercury.
Sylvanite, or graphic tellurium. — An ore, being a telluride of gold
and silver.

Nagzagite. — An ore, telluride of lead, containing gold, silver,
and copper.

Gold is also found associated with copper and iron pyrites,
whether chemically or mechanically, does not appear certainly
known.

Native gold is almost always associated with silver.
The mineral formations in which this metal occurs, are the
crystaline primitive rocks, the compact transition rocks, the
trachytic and trap rocks, and alluvial grounds.

Wherever gold occurs its origin can generally be traced to quartz
veins in the primary or volcanic rocks, such as granite, gneiss,
porphyry, clayslate or greenstone. As these rocks become decom-
posed by the action of the weather, portions of the auriferous veins
are carried down by streams and floods, and so find their way into
the deposits of sand, clay, and shingle in river-beds, and in the
gullies and flats of hills. Many of these golden drifts are of great
thickness, formed by the long continued wasting of the neighbouring
rocks, and therefore require mining to a great depth.

The "Trachytic," which in some districts form the principal
portions of the rocks, including gold, are regarded as of igneous or
volcanic origin.

The late Sir Roderick Murchison says in a chapter on the original for-
mation of gold in his " Siluria" : — " We may first proceed to consider
the nature and limits of the rich gold-bearing rocks, and then offer
proofs that the chief auriferous wealth, as derived from them, occurs
in superficial detritus. Appealing to the structure of the different
mountains, which at former periods have afforded or still afford
any notable amount of gold, we find in all a general agreement.
Whether, referring to past history, we cast our eyes to the countries
watered by the sources of the golden Tagus, to the Phrygia and
Thrace of the Greeks and Romans, to the Bohemia of the middle
ages, to tracts in Britain, which were worked in old times and are
now either abandoned or very slightly productive, or to those chains
in America and Australia, which previously unsearched have in our
times proved so rich we invariably find the same constants in nature.
In all these lands gold has been imparted abundantly to the
ancient rocks only, whose order and succession we have traced, or
their associated eruptive rocks. Sometimes, however, it is also
shown to be diffused through the body of such rocks, whether of
igneous or aqueous origin. Thestratified rocksof thehighest antiquity,
such as the oldest gneiss and quartz rocks (like those, for example,
of Scandinavia and the Northern Highlands of Scotland), have very
seldom borne gold, but the sedimentary accumulations which followed,
or the Silurian, Devonian, and Carboniferous (particularly the first

of these three) have been the deposits, which, in the tracts where
they have undergone a metamorphosis, or change of structure by
the influence of igneous agency, or other causes, have been the chief
sources whence gold has been derived."

It appears that gold occurs only where the Silurian rocks have
been disturbed, or broken through by eruptive forces. In Russia,
for example, gold is not found in the level Silurian rocks, underlying
vast plains, but it is visible wherever those beds have been broken
through, as in the Ural Mountains. The granite, or quartz, is the
great matrix, and exists in veins or reefs, varying from a few inches
to 50 feet in thickness, and of great length and breadth. The gold is
generally distributed along the line of eruption, but is most plentiful
at the junction of the Silurian rock with the granite or quartz reef.
Besides gold, there are found many sulphurets, as copper pyrites,
iron pyrites, arsenical pyrites, and such as occur in other mining
districts situated in the same class of rocks.

From this it would seem that there is some connection between
the formation of gold and volcanic agency ; also, that it is in the
power of the geologist to predict, with a certain degree of accuracy,
the sources whence gold may be derived.

In corroboration of this, we may affirm that the merit of pointing
out that gold might probably be found in Australia (long before its
existence there was known in Europe) is due to Sir Roderick
Murchison. His words are as follows : —

" Having, in the year 1844, returned from the auriferous Ural
Mountains, I had the advantage of examining the numerous speci-
mens collected by my friend Count Strzelecki along the eastern
chain of Australia. Seeing the great similarity of the rocks of these
two distant countries, I could have little difficulty in drawing a
parallel between them, in doing which I was naturally struck by the
circumstance that no gold had yet been found in the Australian
range, which I termed in anticipation, the ' Cordillera,' impressed
with the conviction that gold would, sooner or later, be found in the
great British colony. I learnt in 1846, with great satisfaction, that
a specimen of the ore had been discovered, I thereupon encouraged
the unemployed miners of Cornwall to emigrate, and dig for gold,
as they dug for tin in the gravel of their own district. These
notices were, as far as I know, the first printed documents relating
to Australian gold."

Mr. J. Arthur Phillips gives the following interesting facts
relative to the discovery of gold in Australia : —

" The first official notification of the discovery of gold is contained
in a despatch from Governor Fitzroy to Earl Grey, and bears date
May 22nd, 1851. In this it is announced that a gold field had been
discovered westward from the town of Bathurst, and at a distance
of about 150 miles from Sydney; his excellency at the same time
states his suspicions that the specimens sent for inspection might be
the produce of California, and that both the nature and value of the
discovery had been much exaggerated. These accounts were
however deemed of sufficient importance to warrant the stationing
of a strong police force in the road leading from Bathurst to the
capital."

On the 19th of May, Mr. Stutchbury, the geological surveyor,
wrote from Summer Hill Creek, that gold had been obtained in
considerable quantities in that locality, and that with no better
apparatus than an ordinary tin basin, from one to two ounces per
day were readily obtained by each washer. He also adds that 400
persons were busily at work at the time of his visit, and that the
gold was not only found in the creek itself, but also at various
points, so as to leave no doubt as to its existence over a considerable
tract of country. This camp of the gold finders was called the city
of Ophir, and to it flocked vast numbers, eager to obtain their share
of its golden treasures. The existence of gold among the various
mountain chains of New South Wales had not only been predicted
by Sir Roderick Murchison, but had also been insisted on by Mr.
Clarke, a native geologist, who expressed his conviction that the
Blue mountains would at some time prove to be auriferous. These
views were to a certain extent confirmed by the circumstance of a
shepherd having long been in the habit of bringing into Sydney for
sale fragments of native gold, but refusing to state whence he had
obtained them.

About two years before the actual discovery of gold in the
colony, a Mr. Smith, who was engaged in some iron works in the
vicinity of Berrirna, produced to the Colonial Secretary a lump
of gold imbedded in quartz, which he said he had picked up in
a place which he offered to make known to the Government on
being previously rewarded for the intelligence by the payment of
a considerable sum. The reply to this offer was, that no blind
bargain upon such a subject could be entered into, but that if
Mr. Smith thought proper to trust to the liberality of the
Government, he might rely on being rewarded, in proportion to

Dec. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

151

the value of the alleged discovery, when that had been ascer-
tained.

To the conditions o£ this proposal Mr. Smith refused to accede,
and here, for a considerable time, the matter rested, as, apart
from the suspicion entertained by the governor, that the piece of
gold produced by Mr. Smith, might have come from California
or some other foreign locality, he was of opinion that any
investigation instituted by the Government, with a view of
ascertaining whether gold did in reality exist to any amount in
that part of the colony, which, from its geological formation,
might be supposed to afford it, would be liable to agitate the
public mind to such an extent, as to divert the attention of the
colonists from their proper and more certain avocations.

On the 3rd of April, 1851, Mr. Hargraves, who had recently
returned from California, addressed a letter to the Colonial
Secretary, to the effect that, having occupied hirnself for two
months in exploring a considerable extent of countiy, in which,
from his experience in California, he was led to believe gold was
to be found, he had prosecuted his speculation to a successful
issue, and offered to point out to the officers of Government the
localities in which he had discovered gold," on condition that he
should receive the sum of five hundred pounds as a compensation.
To this proposal, a reply was returned similar to that given on a
former occasion to Mr. Smith, and on the 30th of April Mr, Har-
graves addressed a second letter to the Colonial Secretary,
expressing his willingness to leave the remuneration of his
discovery to the liberal consideration of the Government, and
naming the localities from which hehad obtained specimens of gold.

On the 8th of May the discovery became generally known, as
some persons, who had been employed under the directions of
Mr. Hargraves at Summer Hill Creek, one of the localities
named by him as auriferous, had obtained several ounces of
gold ; and on May the 13th, very great excitement prevailed from
a report that a solid piece of gold, weighing 13 oz. had been
obtained. This on inquiry, proved to be correct, and hundreds
immediately started for the diggings.

The Government now issued a proclamation, declaring that all
persons digging for gold without a license would be proceeded
against ; and regulations were issued, authorizing the Crown
Commissioners to grant such licences for a fee of £1 10s. per
month. The Commissioners were also furnished with a force of
ten men for the purpose of collecting these fees, and with the
maintenance of order; strong detachments of police being at
the same time posted along the principal roads leading to the
gold fields. Mr. Hargraves, and the Government geological
Surveyor, Mr. Stutchbury, with whom Mr. Clark was afterwards
associated, were now ordered to make an immediate survey of
the various localities in which it was thought that gold would
be found.

As might be expected, the excitement spread rapidly, and large
numbers of persons left their employments, and nocked to the
spot. On the 19th of May, 400 persons were reported to be
occupied at the diggings at Summer Hill Creek. On the 29th,
1000, and on the 5th of June 1500 were stated to be thus em-
ployed. About the 14th of June a fresh enterprize was opened
on the Turon River, one of the localities first pointed out by Mr.
Hargraves, and afterwards more specifically indicated by Mr.
Stutchbury. This at once carried off a large number of those
previously employed at_ Summer Hill Creek, or Ophir, as that
locality is now called, since early in July it was stated as pro-
bable that at this place the number of diggers for the month
would not exceed 400, while at Turon it would be considerably
above 1000. In December the number of diggers on the Turon
amounted to 6000, the production of gold there being said to
have been " as regular as wheat in a sown field."

A short time after the announcement of the existence of gold
in the colony of New South Wales Proper, a still more amazing
discovery was made in Yictoria. In a despatch dated 25th of
August, 1851, Lieutenant-Governor Latrobe communicated to
Earl Grey that large auriferous deposits had been found in that
colony. The three localities first-named were Clune's Diggings,
about forty miles from Melbourne, where the gold was found in
an alluvial deposit, consisting of quartz gravel ; at Boninyong, or
Ballarat, situated on the river Leigh, about seventy-five miles
from Melbourne, and forty-five from Geelong, where the gold
was sometimes imbedded in compact quartz; and at Deep Creek,
only nineteen miles from the capital, where the precious metal
was found to exist in connection with slate rock. At Ballarat,
from whence the greatest quantity of gold was obtained, the
metal is found in lumps of various sizes— sometimes in the super-
ficial soil, but more generally scattered through three or four

successive strata, principally composed of clay and gravel, and
occupying from 10 to 30 feet in depth. The richest deposits are,
however, found in certain small beds of blue clay, 4 or 5 inches
in thickness, and lying almost immediately above a stratum of
pipeclay, in and below which no gold has been found. In addi-
tion to the above localities gold was also found near Geelong, at
Mount Disappointment, in the Pyrenees, and finally the people
of Melbourne began to break up the streets, which were mac-
adamized with quartz pebbles obtained from the gold districts.
By this time Melbourne and Geelong were almost emptied of their
male inhabitants. The shopmen and day-labourers were the first
to leave, and the superior class of farmers and tradesmen speedily
followed, partly from sharing the same mania, and partly because,
after losing their subordinates, they could do nothing else. In
some cases they placed themselves at the head of digging parties,
consisting of their dependents ; and in others worked singly and
with their own hands. At this time the public excitement
became so great that it was found impossible to retain the ser-
vices of the government employes without an addition to their
salaries of first 25, and subsequently 50 per cent. In about a
month after this a fresh gold field was discovered in the range of
Mount Alexander, on the east of the Lodden River, and about
seventy miles north-west of Melbourne, which shortly surpassed
in richness not only the Ballarat diggings, but all others which
had been previously discovered.

The whole structure of Australian society now become com-
pletely disorganized. The number of diggers at Ballarat, which
had previously risen to 6000, were quickly reduced to about 1600,
whilst the number at Mount Alexander soon amounted to 20,000,
From this time gold began to be collected from all the various
streams flowing from the Mount Alexander range on the Goul-
burn River, and the supply was so far increased that gold soon
arrived at the seaport at the rate of two tons per week. This was
in 1851, and since then many other localities have been dis-
covered. We thus find that the search for gold cannot be wholly
regarded as a species of lottery, in which there are more blanks
than prizes ; as much of its speculative character may be removed
by a knowledge of geology, and of the various processes of mining
and metallurgy,

The " general agreement" of the gold bearing rocks, referred
to by Sir Roderick Murchison, is further borne out by their
similarity, and apparent connection in America, Australia, and
Asia.

Glancing at a map of the world we find, that throughout the
greater part of America, from Behring's Strait in the north, to
Cape Horn in the south, there stretches a stupendous chain of
mountains, which at one part abuts against the waters of the Pacific,
at another is apparently buried beneath them (its general line being
marked out by a string of islands,) and at others, again, its culmin-
ating points are situated far inland. Now, along the eastern slopes
of this chain of mountains, gold mining has been carried on for
centuries ; in Chili, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, New Granada, and
Mexico, and, more recently, in California, Oregon, Washington, and
British Columbia. There is no reason to doubt the existence of
gold along the greater part of the western side of America, and it is
believed that the great mountainous ridge of America once had a
sea slope, everywhere as broad as that now existing between Van-
couver's Island and the Rocky Mountains ; granite forms the axis of
this elevation, and granite is the rock, of which the islands, from
Vancouver's Island and the Sea of Kamschatka are convposed, and
in all these gold has been found. Off California the sea constantly
washes up a bluish sand, like the pipeclay of Ballarat, and like it,
abounding in gold. On crossing the Pacific we can trace the line of
a similar granitic elevated axis, through Australia, into New Guinea,
and the direction of the range may be conjecturally sketched,
through the Caroline and other islands, to Japan, and from this
point by the Kurile Isles, to Kamschatka, and so to the great chain
of America. Along this line, too, gold is extensively worked. The
abundance of the metal along the Western shores of Australia is
well known. Recently the operations of the gold miner have ex-
tended to New Zealand. New Guinea is known to be auriferous, as
are also the Celebes, Siam, Cochin China, and Japan, while the
north-west and south-east provinces of China are possessed of
diggings on an extensive scale. This auriferous belt, surrounding
the basin of the Pacific, is also found to correspond in situation with
a belt of volcanoes. Humboldt found that 198, out of the 225
volcanoes known to him, were situated in this belt. This remark-
able coincidence seems also to confirm our theory that there is some
connection, between the formation of gold, and the action of
volcanoes.

To be Continued.

152

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AtfD

[Dec. 5, 1876

IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE DISCOVERIES OP
TREASURES.

The Schliemann Discoveries.

DR. SCHLIEMANN continues his labours under a lucky-
star, and the researches which he is so ardently making are
signally crowned with success. The discoveries at Mycenae are
truly great, and tend largely to further our knowledge of
the Ancients. The progress of his excavations led him up to the
ancient tombs on the Acropolis, and in the great circle of
parallel slabs beneath the Archaic sepulchral stones, considered
by Pausanias, following tradition, as the tombs of Atreus,
Agamemnon, Cassandra and Eurymedon an immense quantity
of j ewellery presented itself to the astonished eyes of Dr. Schlieman.
It is impossible at a first glance to describe the rich variety of
the treasure, and before we present to our readers the very
interesting account of the celebrated discoverer, we shall sum-up
as near as possible the details of the jewellery. In a portion of
a tomb, human bones, male and female were found, together with
plate, jewellery of pure Archaic gold, weighing 5 kilogrammes, two
sceptres with heads, crystal and chased objects in silver and
bronze. Immediately after commencing excavations at an
adjoining tomb a large head of a cow in silver with immense
horns of pure gold was found, and not far from it a large
girdle of gold, five gold vases, an immense number of golden
buttons, numerous swords of bronze, all marvellously worked,
but no trace of iron-work. In the last tomb there were also a
breast-plate, mask and baldric, all of gold. The masks seem to
be the portraits of the deceased. Further a helmet, two diadems,
a woman's large comb, six vases, two bracelets, two rings, three
brooches, leaves and other objects of similar nature. Neither
were axes, warriors knives and arrows wanting ; of the latter
twenty-five were found with flint-heads.

The following extracts from letters of Dr. Schliemann, dated
Mycenae, the 15th and 16th of November, are of interest : —

" I found below the three sculptured tombstones, of which I
sent you the drawings, a square tomb 26J feet long and llf feet
broad. The depth of it I cannot yet determine, as it has not been
entirely emptied. It certainly exceeds 14£ feet below the surface
of the rock and 53 feet below the surface of the Acropolis, as it
was when I began my excavations there. The tomb borders on
the wall which supports the double circular parallel rows of tomb-
stones ; nay, the wall goes through the N. W. angle of the tomb.
This fixes their relative age. When that wall was being bruit
the old tomb was evidently emptied, and I found in it only thirteen
gold buttons (one of them as large as a five franc piece), with
splendidly engraved spiral lines, and with the sign which some
archaeologists call the Svastika or Arani, from its similarity with
the Indian symbols of that name. There was a mass of gold
blades with impressed circles or spiral ornaments, but nothing in
situ, and scattered about at intervals of 3 feet and 6 feet.

" In the second row of sculptured tombstones I found beneath
two slabs a square ditch llf feet broad, 21 feet long, and cut
14£ feet deep into the rock. Its bottom reaches, therefore, to
30 feet below the siirface of the mount. Around the four sides
of the tomb is a Cyclopean wall 5 feet high and 2 feet thick. It
contained bodies reposing on the rock. They had evidently been
burnt, the bones were embedded in black ashes and covered with
a layer of large stones._ It is impossible as yet to determine the
number of bodies contained in this tomb. The bones of one person
dug up at the south corner were covered with five immense gold
leaves — the first leaf, 47 centimetres long and 10 broad; the
second, 47£ centimetres long and 6£ broad ; the third, 55 centi-
metres long and 6| broad j the fourth, 63 centimetres long and
6£ broad ; and the fifth, 63 centimetres long and 6£ broad. Upon
these gold leaves were found five crosses, each 18 centimetres long
and 4 centimetres broad, and formed each of four gold leaves.
There were, besides, four gold blades of circular form — one 8, the
other 5£, and the third 2 J centimetres in diameter — and numerous
ornaments which I cannot here describe.

" I have now begun to dig up the tomb beneath the stone with
the bas-relief of the two serpents, and another beneath two un-
sculptured stones in the second row. There are more such tombs
in the large circle of the double parallel row. I shall not leave
Mycenae till I have examined them all.

" As the wall with the circular rows of slabs passes through
part of the first tomb, and as the second tomb, which was un-
disturbed, contains only more ancient hand-made pottery, it
seems clear that these tombs are far more ancient than the
double parallel rows of slabs, which were probably erected in

honour of the heroes who, as tradition has it, lay buried in those
immense square tombs.

" The Treasmy has given me immense trouble, and though I
have been working at it for more than two months with a large
number of labourers and carts, it is still far from being entirely
cleared out. The centre of it is clear down to the virgin soil, and
likewise the threshold. Nothing of particular interest has as yet
been found there."

On the 17th of November Dr. Schliemann writes : —

" I hasten to inform you that in the same tomb were found the
calcined remains of two more bodies, each with precisely the
same number of gold leaves, round blades, and crosses. All
these objects have the same beautiful ornamentation of spiral
lines and circles. In a day or two I shall know how many more
tombs there are. I am now clearing the whole circle down to
the rock."

We shall continue to keep our readers an fait with all that
transpires relative to the discovery.

THE CESNOLA DISCOVERIES.

AN interesting and valuable trouvaille has recently been offered to
the trustees of the British Museum ; and, subject to the
report of Dr. Birch, keeper of the Department of Oriental Antiqui-
ties, and of Mr. Newton, of a section of the Antiquity and Ethno-
graphy Department, it is likely to become the property of the nation.
The intrinsic value of the gold alone, contained in this collection,
has been estimated at 12,000?. ; and when we state that the fortu-
nate discoverer of this treasure, General di Cesnola, is willing to
dispose of it for this truly inadequate amount, we cannot but
express the hope that no time will be lost in securing the possession
of this important collection.

The history of this discovery (to which we may hereafter advert)
is of the most interesting and romantic character ; displaying at
once the perceptive genius, and the resolute activity of the fortunate
explorer, who, while making researches for antiquities in a district
of the island of Cyprus, was led by certain inductions to make
excavations, and ultimately to penetrate into a succession of
chambers wherein, to his pleased astonishment, this mass of treasures
was revealed to his gladdened gaze.

When we state that this collection contains no fewer than 1505
articles, mostly in the precious metals or valuable gems, and chiefly
of elaborate and artistic design and workmanship, the advantage
that it offers to modern art cannot fail to be appreciated ; and when,
which we trust will speedily be the case, its possession is realized,
we shall not fail to refer to it in detail. For the present, we must
be content with noticing, as some indication of its immense worth,
that in the first discovered chamber were found 550 objects of gold
and gems, consisting of diadems, or portions of diadems, and perfect
rings, earrings, bracelets, necklets, large solid coiled armlets, some
being nearly as thick as one's little finger, and golden leaves ; also
a gold cup, 5| inches in diameter, and more than 2 inches deep,
solid, beautifully decorated with a pattern of Egyptian work in lines
of lotus in repoussee, finished on the inside with a tool. The rings
comprise signets of gems, engraved, in many cases, with art of the
highest order, and all being in perfect condition. A very consider-
able portion of the gems are scarabei of fine workmanship, and
easily recognizable origin ; some of them bear Greek letters, others
Egyptian or Assyrian characters. Some of the intagli are of the
loveliest style ; among these we may notice an archaic Greek one
representing Pluto and Proserpine. This, one authority has declared
to be the finest example of its order in existence. There are other
gems designed and sculptured with wonderful spirit. The materials
are agate, onyx, cainelian, jasper, sard. This large discovery of
engraved ancient gems is likely to throw an unexpected fight on
the history of the glyptic art.

Some of the gold ornaments are of hardly inferior value in history
and art to the gems. Among these, several are declared equal to
the best Etruscan examples in design and execution. This class of
relics includes objects, probably fibulae, which are enriched with
superbly wrought Chirnaerse, rosettes, and other decorations of
Greek fashion, but subject to a decided and obvious Assyrian
influence. Some are of solid gold, some of silver upon gold, some
of gold upon silver, some of gold on bronze ; a few are of hollow
gold. Some comprize enamels in the fittings in of the petals of
flowers, and the eyes of the Chimaerae ; this material is also found
similarly employed in certain articles of bronze, found iu one of the
other chambers. The only articles, not wholly of gold which
occurred iu this first chamber, were three beautiful rock crystal
amphorae, mounted in gold ; a very large signet ring or stamp, aud

Dec. 5, 1876.]

SILVEBSMITH'S TBADE JOUENAL.

153

three other rings of the same material ; a necklace of rock crystal
beads, alternating with golden ones, and having a pendant of rock
crystal, shaped like a bottle.

In the second room, the objects, 280 in number, were all of silver.
This large discovery of works in that metal is of the highest anti-
quarian importance, for, owing to the perishable nature of silver,
works formed of it are extremely rare. This find is also, as no
doubt some of our own artizans will confess, especially noteworthy
for the number of its examples, the beauty of the art employed on
many of them, the fine condition of some, and the peculiar circum-
stance of the case. The more important specimens consist of about
thirty vases, paterse, cups and vessels of other forras ; some of these
are so much oxydized that they crumble to the touch, others dis-
tinctly retain the brilliancy of the metal and its whiteness. Some of
the relics are enriched in repoussee, and other modes of decoration.
There are more than sixty bracelets ; most of these terminate in
heads of asps, as in Egyptian works of this order, which they closely
resemble. Some of these armlets are more than a pound in weight,
and the whole comprises every variety, whether for the use of men,
women, or children. There are also amulets, earrings, fibulse and
spoons; besidestwo beautiful belts enriched with gold, and orna-
mented in an Assyrian mode ; one of these seems to have been woven
in silver wire, and was probably flexible. There are in addition
many fragments massed by oxydation. Among the most important
specimens are two large paterse in a wonderful state of preservation ;
each having a central boss, which is enclosed by a flat ring, both
boss and ring being of gold incrusted on the silver body of the vessel,
the riug being decorated with lotus and palm leaves, and other
subjects frequent in Egyptian and Assyrian art, and in this case
showing a combination of the modes of design adopted by each nation.
In the third room were discovered terra-cottas, vases, alabastia,
&c. In the fourth room more than 500 bronze or copper vessels,
and numerous other articles of interest; but which, not being so
immediately important to our readers, we do not here detail, though
very suggestive in their varieties,

Suffice it to say, that this discovery may be considered as almost
marvellous in itself, that its treasures are all of undoubted antiquity,
combining, as we have stated, intrinsic value with extrinsic worth of
multiplied extent ; and we are sure that all our readers will re-echo
with ourselves, when we repeat the hope that no time will be lost
in at once securing to the nation so inestimable an acquisition.

Since compilimg the above, we learn that many of the articles
alluded to have been exhibited in cases at the Museum ; there is
consequently great hope that the collection either has been or will
be purchased by that Institution.

THE DIAMOND LIGHT.

AN important invention has recently been patented under the
name of the Diamond Light, and having had one of these
burning in our office for the past week or two, we are iu a position
to lay its merits before our readers, and may remark that the lamp
has just been awarded the first prize by a jury of scientific men,
after close competition with all other flat wick lamps of previous
and different construction. By the use of an automatic, simple, and
very effective mechanical contrivance, which forms a part of the
lamp, and is completely hidden from view, the most perfect com-
bustion is attained without the use of any glass chimney, and a
wick five-eighths of an inch broad gives a greater light than a wick
1 inch broad does in the lamps where chimneys are used. The
Diamond Light lamp burns as brightly and as freely as gas, afford-
ing a light of a more economical kind (the mere saving per hour
being about two-thirds for the same amount of light against the
equivalent in gas). The colour of the light is less trying to the
sight. The adaptability of such a lamp, especially in various work-
shops, and to the varied sections of the watchmaking and jewellery
trades, as well as to manufacturers in general, will be a great
boon, as it is applicable to every purpose of artificial illumination.
Messrs. Starr & Co., of 41, Moorgate Street, London, will afford any
further information that may be required, and one of the lamps
may be seen burning at their office.

"WATCH AND CLOCKMAKERS' ASYLUM.

THE annual festival of the subscribers and friends of this institu-
tion was held in the Forester's Hall, Wilderness Row, on
Saturday, October 18th, under the presidency of Mr. Thomas Collier,
chairman of the committee. In proposing the health of the chair-
man, the treasurer, Mr. C. Rowlands, stated that the Asylum had
been established 23 years, giving a comfortable home and a pension
0f 20Z. a year to indigent members of the trade unable to sustain
themselves by their own exertions.

ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

THE first meeting after the long vacation was held at the Society's
Rooms, Burlington House, on Friday, the 10th November ;
Wm. Huggins, Esq., President, in the chair.

George Speeding Almond, Esq., of Daisy-hill, Dewsbury ; Josiah
Owen Corrie, Esq., B.A., of Red Cot, Putney Park-lane ; Captain
Joseph Leeman, of Aberdeen; and Herbert Sadler, Esq., of Honiton
Rectory, Devonshire, were elected fellows of the society.

A hundred and thirty-three presents were annouuced as having
been received during the long vacation, amongst which Mr. Raynard
drew particular attention to a very valuable complete set of the
transactions and proceedings of the Finnish Academy, which had
been presented to the society by Prof. Krueger.

The Astronomer Royal said that he had usually, at the first meet-
ing after the long vacation, given some account of the proceedings
of the Royal Observatory during the recess. In the present instance
there was little that was new to report upon, but he wished to draw
attention to the surprising regularity with which the moon had been
observed, especially during that severe part of the lunation which
we know as the old moon or the morning moon. Physical observa-
tions had also been assiduously prosecuted under the special direc-
tion of his chief assistant, Mr. Christie. Solar photographs had
been regularly taken, and much attention had been bestowed upon
the important branch. of spectroscopy, in which Mr. Huggins had
first led the way. A careful series of measurements had been made
of the displacement of the fines in stellar spectra and in the spectra
of the planets, and he was happy to say that in most respects the
important cosmical deductions which had been arrived at by the
president had been confirmed. There was also another subject to
which he had personally given a great deal of attention. The
society would remember that he was engaged upon a novel form of
lunar theory ; he had, with the aid of assistants, brought a part of
the work to a state in which it could be printed. He showed some
of the sheets to the meeting, and explained the manner in which the
co-efficient had been obtained.

Mr. Dunkin read a paper by Professor Langley, of the Allegheny
Observatory, Pennsylvania, entitled " Measurements of the Direct
Effects of Sunspots on Terrestrial Climates."

Mr. Penrose read a paper entitled "An endeavour to simplify the
method of making the correction for the spheroidal figure of the
earth in lunar observations, and particularly with reference to
the effect upon the lunar disease."

Mr. Christie described some observations which he had made with
his polarising photometer upon the relative brightness of different
parts of the disc of Venus.

ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.

AT a meeting of the above society on October 4th, 1876, H. C-
Sorby, Esq., President, in the chair, a paper by Mr. Thomas
Palmer was read, " On a New Method of Measuring and Recording
Bands in Spectra. A paper " On the Microscopical Structure of
Amber," by Mr. II . C. Sorby and P. J. Butler, was read by the
president. A paper by Dr. Hinds, " On a Curious Effect in Con-
nection with the Cells in the Leaves of Hypericum Androccemum,"
was, owing to the lateness of the hour, taken as read. A prepared
section of " Brighton Pebble " was exhibited by Mr. Slack. Mr.
Frederick Kitton, of Norwich, was elected an honorary fellow of the
society.

MONSTER CLOCK.

ANOTHER wonder has been added to that wonder in itself the
Crystal Palace, in the shape of a monster clock. Six
months labour have brought about its erection in the south end
of the building. Nearly a fac-simile of the "Westminster Clock
with the exception of the striking and chiming apparatus, it
has the largest dial ever made, having a diameter of 40 feet, or
about 1300 square feet in area. The hands with their counter-
poises weigh a quarter of a ton; the minute hand measures
19 feet in length, moves half an inch at every pendulum-beat,
and its point travels four miles a week. The variation was only
eight seconds in seventeen days. The monster clock was manu-
factured and erected by Messrs. E. Dent & Co. of the Strand and
Royal Exchange.

154

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEK, AND

[Dec. 5, 1876.

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

DECEMBER.

DECEMBER derives its name from the Latin word decern, ten.
It was so called from the place it held in the Roman calendar,
it having been the tenth month of their year. The Romans began
their reckoning in March, and ended with February. Our Saxon
ancestors called it Winter Man at [Winter Month), until they em-
braced the Christ ain faith, when, in devotion to the birth-time of
otir Saviour, they reverently called December, Heligh Monat, or
Holy month. The name of this month was given by Julius Caesar,
hence it is sometimes called the tenth month of the Julian year.

On the 22nd of this month the sun enters the sign Capricornus ;
the day preceding is the shortest in the year. This month is, as
the immortal Shakspere calls it, " dark December,'" and the epithet
is fully justified by the drizzling rains, the cloudy days, the cold
the mists, and the storms of sleet and snow which now prevail. Winter
now takes dominion of all the northern hemisphere ; and in all the
more northern latitudes the weather is extremely cold, bleak, and
gloomy ; and, in general, presents no other variety than such as is
afforded by a succession of storms and tempests ; and, instead of
radiant skies, verdant groves, and variegated meadows, we have
only a frowning, inclement atmosphere, dreary wastes, and leafless
trees. The frost seldom becomes settled till the latter end of the
month. This is considered the most unpleasant month of the year.
It is sometimes called the Crumal season, from the circumstance
of the Crumalia, or feasts in honour of Bacchus, as tutelary deity of
the Ammonites, being held at this time, whose apotheosis was cele-
brated on account of his being the first cultivator of vines, and
inventor of making wine from the juice of the grape, hence some
think him to have been Noah.

The Saturnalia* of the ancients were held in this month. They
were instituted before the foundations of Rome, in commemoration
of the freedom and equality which prevailed on earth in the golden
reign of Saturn. Indeed, the festivals in honour of Saturn have been
held from time immemorial, and our customs of Christmas gambols,
feastings, and merriment, are relics of that heathen custom which,
among many others, remained to be observed among the people,
notwithstanding the ascendancy of Christianity in Europe. Saturn,
or Time, was the inventor of husbandry, or agriculture ; hence he
was said to be the son of Coelum and Terra ; which, as the latter
brings forth through the influence of the former, was an appropriate
title for Time, which brings everything to maturity, and also to
decay : for this reason it was that Saturn was accused of devouring
his own children.

Lucretius makes a jest of this idea, with respect to the Phrygians,
who first sowed corn, and probably among whom the feasts of the
Saturnalia were first celebrated. The reign of Saturn, by the
wisdom and mildness of his government, is said to have produced
the "golden age." Might not this designation have arisen from the
golden colour of the yellow ears of ripe corn ? Mr. Creech, in
his translation of Lucretius, describes the Saturnalia as a season of
outrageous mirths, bordering on madness :

" Here some in arms dance round among the crowd,
Look dreadful gay in their own sparkling blood ;
By dancing quick they make a greater sounl,
Aid beat their armour as they prance around,
Lest Saturn should observe and eat the boy,
And Ops,§ for ever mourn her prattling joy."

Our Saxon ancestors kept this season with greater hilarity, and
throughout many centuries, since the Christain era, it has been
constantly celebrated with much gaiety, some splendour, and full of
superstition, but now vanishing away before the light of Knowledge.

Among the heats of the Revolution, the French Convention in
October, 1793, adopted a set of names for the months somewhat
like that kept up in Holland, their name for December being
"Nivose," or snow-month, and lasting from December 21 to January
21. From November 21st to December 21st. the term, " Fri-
maire," or frosty-month, was general ; and well have these months
merited such appellations.

Interesting for us is that passage in which, after a variety of mis-
haps in the household on account of the great cold, we read "how
even in church, matters, did not mend, and that they|could not await
the end of the parson's sermon, which had to last still through three

itwnalia, festivals or feasts.
\ Op?, called also Rhea and Cybele, meaning the earth, and worshipped
by the ancient Romans as a goddess and wife of Saturn. Ops, or the
earth, requires her inhabitants to be active, and saving in her productions,
lest Saturn, or Time, should waste and destroy them.

parts of the hour-glass." For it was in this month towards the end
of the sixteenth century that pulpit hour-glasses were more gene-
rally used. However invaluable sundials might be as chronometers
they coidd only be of use in daylight and when the sun was actually
shining. Some mode had to be devised, therefore, for supplying
their place in cloudy weather, at night or within doors, and in our
case, for instance, in a dark church on a dark afternoon. One con-
trivance employed was the clepsydra or water-clock, which noted
the passing of time by the escape of water through a vessel, with a
hole at the bottom into a cistern beneath. Another method, de-
signed on a similar principle, was that of the hour-glass, by which
the lapse of time was ascertained through the passing of a small
quantity of sand from the upper to the lower part of the glass. The
mode above mentioned of employing hour-glasses seems to have
been chiefly introduced after the Reformation, when long sermons
came much into fashion. In some degree to regulate too enthusiastic
talkers, hour-glasses were placed upon the desks of their pulpits.
L'Estrange tells an amusing story of a parish clerk who had sat
patiently under a preacher "till he was three-quarters through his
second glass ' ' and the auditory had slowly withdrawn, tired out by his
prosing ; the clerk then arose at a convenient pause in the sermon,
and calmly requested " when he had done, if he would please close
the church door, and push the key under it, as he himself and the
few that remained were about to retire." In the sixteenth century
pulpits began to be regularly furnished with iron-work stands for
the reception of the hour-glass. Clockwork finds its way through
everything, and we find even for the ringing out of the old year —
a^period now' drawing to its close — a clockwork machinery furnished
for a church in Wilts, but the Annals of that county say, " it did
nought good and would not act." And to the community at large
the passing away of the Old Year and the arrival of his successor is
heralded by the peal of bells, which, after twelve o'clock has struck,
burst forth from every steeple, warning us that another year has
commenced. At such a moment painful reflections will often ob-
trude themselves, of time misspent and opportunities neglected, of
the fleeting nature of human existence and enjoyment, and that ere
many more years have elapsed, our joys and sorrows, our hopes and
forebodings will all along with ourselves have become things of the
past. Such is the dark side of the question, but it has also its
sunny side and its silver lining :

" For hope shall brighten days to come
And memory gild the past."

BOOK NOTICES.

Gold : or Legal Regulations for the Standard of Gold and Silver
Wares in Different Countries of the World.

THIS book is from the press of Messrs. Chatto and Windus
Piccadilly, and is an abridged translation from the original
German larger work of Arthur Von Studnitz. The translator is
Mr. Brewer ; and Mr. E. Streeter has supplied " Notes and Addi-
tions, one of the latter being the preface. We have seven parts,
comprising 139 pp. of solid paper and excellent printing. There is
an " Introduction " of several pages, followed by " The Laws of all
Countries of the World concerning the Standard of Gold and Silver
Wares. Besides dealing with the general question from an argu-
mentative point of view there are several tables showing at a view
the standards of the various countries, and the value in carats and
grains from 24dwt. down to lgrain. Therejis a great deal of informa-
tion compressed into a small space, and the book is one that will
be found both interesting and useful to all the three trades repre-
sented in this journal. We cannot do more than recommend
strongly, especially at the price is a mere trifle for such a collection
of facts.

A very useful Price List of watch-tools and_ materials com-
bining completeness and interesting matter has just been issued
by Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, Temple Street, Birmingham.

The Horological Journal states that it has been decided to
establish a Horological School at Glashutte, Saxony.

Prices Current for Gold and Silver.— Value Given for Old
Gold and Silver by Assay.— Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. 7d. to Is. 8d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver.— Fine Gold, 85s. 3d
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. per oz. Standard Silver, 4s. 9d.

Dec. 5, 1876.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

155

USEFUL RECEIPTS FOR THE TRADE.

Acid Colouring. — There are two processes for colouring, similar in
purpose and effect; the oldest is called dry colouring, because the
chemicals used are solids, namely, saltpetre, alum and salt, but acid
colouringhas comeinto more general use on account of its being easier to
manage and of the wider range of qualities of gold which can be
submitted to the process. The purpose is simply to remoTe from
the surface of the gold all alloy so as to leave a coating of pure gold
of rich yellow colour, which is very finely frosted, to obtain which,
with perfect equality, it is necessary to have the surface smooth,
then anneal and boil out in pickle made of nitric acid and water, —
lastly, annealing black before dipping in the color. A good formula
for colouring mixture, saltpetre 9oz. 12dwts. ; salt 4oz. 16dwts;
muriatic acid 6£oz. The effect on the article is necessarily to re-
duce the weight, therefore the quicker it is done the better, and if
the g»ld be properly alloyed 1 J minute is sufficient time to expose
them to the action of the mixture, which must boil up till it fills
a No. 10 black lead crucible. In all acid coloured work there is
between the body of gold and the outside colour a brown coat of
partially coloured material, and if the work is left too long in the
mixture the coat is much thickened, and the fine colour may be
easily peeled off, especially if the gold be too low in quality. The
finest colour and best surface may be obtained on about 15 carat
gold, but the range is from 12 to 20 carat, and to be successful the
operator needs considerable practice. Before using a crucible it is
necessary to have it well annealed, as accidents are thereby avoided.
To prevent change in the colour of goods, after colouring, it is well
to wash them in ammonia, which will neutralize any salts that re-
mains in the somewhat porous surface, and if the articles are scratch-
brushed, which slightly brightens them, they are less liable to soil.
It is best not to give the ammonia bath till after brushing, following
with a good wash in hot water and drying in hot saw-dust. — H. G. M.

Cleaning Silver Watch Dials. — Take about a tea-spoonful of
saltpetre, and mix with it about two dessert spoonfuls of finely-
powdered charcoal ; willow coal is the best. Let these be ground
together with a little water on a piece of slate with the blade of a
knife ; then, by the aid of a camel-hair pencil, spread a portion of
the mixture evenly over the surface of the dial, which must then be
laid on a piece of charcoal, and, with a blowpipe and the clear flame
of a lamp or gas jet, it must be made just red hot, and kept so till
the wet powder has ceased to fly about ; it must then be thrown
from the charcoal, hot as it is, into a mixture of sulphuric acid and
water (in the proportion of about one fluid ounce of acid to three
half-pints of water) ; it will then have a snow-white appearance,
and must be washed with brush and soap in clean soft water, and
put into fine sawdust, or, what is better, rosewood raspings, till
quite dry. — Scientific American.

Silver Alloys. — No. 1. Silver 11 ounces, 2 pennyweights ; copper
18 pennyweights. No. 2. Silver 1 ounce ; copper 1 pennyweight,
12 grains. No. 3. Silver 1 ounce ; copper 5 pennyweights.

Alloy for Plating. — Silver 1 ounce ; copper 5 pennyweights.

Gold Solder.— Proportion for 100 parts :—
Silver ...
Gold ...
Copper
Zinc ...

54-74

11-94

28-17

5-81

99-86

Melt the three first metals together in a covered crucible ; when the
cover is slightly cooled add the zinc a little in excess to the propor-
tion given, and stir up continually the alloy ; this solder runs very
easy and is much esteemed by manufacturers.

Silver Solder. — No. 1. Silver 1 ounce; pin-brass 10 penny-
weights. No. 2. Silver 1 ounce ; pin-brass 10 pennyweights ; pure
spelter 2 pennyweights. In fine silver filigree work, fine silver is
always used for the filigree. The framework is generally made of
sterling silver. The solder for such work is as follows: — Silver
4 pennyweights, 9 grains ; pin-brass 1 pennyweight.

Common Silver, for Chains. — Silver 6 ounces ; copper 4 ounces.

Solder for the Above. — Silver 16 pennyweights ; copper 12
grains ; pin-brass 3 pennyweights, 12 grains.

Silver Solder, for Enamelling. — Silver 14 pennyweights ;
copper 8 pennyweights.

Solder for Filling Seal Kings.— Silver 20 ounces; copper
3 ounces, 8 pennyweights ; pin -brass 13 ounces ; spelter 1 ounce.

Quicksilver Solder.— Silver 1 ounce; pin-brass 10 penny-
weights ; bar tin 2 pennyweights.

OUR ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT.

WITH this Number we have the pleasure to issue a very
elaborate facsimile of the exhibit of the American
Watch Company at the American Centennial. The exhibit of
this company consisted of 2200 cased movements of various
styles and grades, and this vast number is said to merely repre-
sent the work of one week at their factory. By way of contrast
to the finished masterpieces of horological art of the present day,
two old watches are shown in the exhibit. One of them belonged
to Colonel Ethan Allan, of Treconderoga fame, while the other
is of greater antiquity, being a Hollister Timepiece, dated 1658.
The former is a plain silver watch, somewhat discoloured by
age, while the latter is encased in brass, and a very rudimentary
example of a watchmaker's skill. It has no hair spring, and is
made on the Verge principle, with catgut instead of chain ; has
only one hanp, and cannot be set right, but must run down and
then be started again. These watches are of peculiar interest at
the Centennial Exhibition, and clearly show the progress which
had been made during the past 100 years. One great novelty in
the exhibit is the display of several cases, finished in silver, with
gold mountings. The entire exhibit is one of the most elaborate
to be met with in the Exhibition.

MORRISONS GOLD AND SILVER SOLUTIONS.

IN an article describing the Highest Medal Exhibits at the
Centennial, the Boston Journal of Commerce has the following,
referring to these solutions : —

" The art of gold and silver-plating by electro deposition has made
rapid strides withiu the past twenty-five years, and has finally
been improved upon so that the cumbrous battery, with its attendant
annoyances of corrosives and cleaning, is entirely superseded by the
invention of elegant solutions, cheap and clean, which will accom-
plish as much with far less trouble and expense. These have been
patented by Mr. A. B. Morrison of Portland, Me, who exhibits them
at the Exposition, where they, or rather their results, attract great
attention. He takes any article of cheap jewellery of " candlestick
gold," as a chain or a bracelet, or any part of a watch, a plate, a
bridge, a case, or other article ; applies the solution, and im-
mediately, or within a very short time, they become coated with a
uniform and substantial plating, equal in firmness, fineness, and in
tenacity to that deposited from the ordinary cyanide solution by a
battery, and obtained, of course, at the cost of much less elaborate
preparation and anxious care. These solutions are said to be made
from pure gold and silver, and promise to be invaluable to watch-
makers in re-plating injured parts of watch movements, cases, &c. ;
or jewellers for re-plating Etruscan, Roman gold, and other cheap
jewellery ; and no less to opticians and philosophical instrument
makers. Their use is so simple that they can be used by any
person of ordinary intelligence, even if a lad. Those in the trade
that have used the solutions recommend them to be all that is
claimed for them, that they are destined to become exceedingly
popular, and to finally entirely supplant the old process, with
its troublesome battery and slow process. The solutions are recom-
mended by many jewellers of great prominence ; among them
J. C. Whitehouse, superintendant of the watch department of
Tiffany and Co., of New York, and are sold all over the country.
Mr. Morrison also shows a jeweller's restorative for cleaning
jewellery, silver and plated ware. He tries its effects in the
presence of numerous admiring visitors on all kinds of tarnished
articles, including many that are handed to him by casual passers,
and invariably produces a beautiful mirror-hke surface upon articles
previously dark from the neglect of years. It seems to accomplish
the object more effectually than any other preparation which I have
ever seen, and containing as it does no injurious articles, can
scarcely fail to find great favour among all who handle much silver.
These articles are so strikingly novel and produce such wonderful
effects that they received most flattering notice from the judges,
and were deservedly complimented with the highest award."

Extensive Bobbery of Jewellery. — An extraordinary robbery
of jewellery, valued at 4000/. has been effected during the transit
of a lady's jewel case from London to Barton, Warwickshire. The
jewels were the property of Mss Dickens, the daughter of an officer
in the army, who is about to proceed to India. They had been
deposited with a London jeweller for safety, and were sent by him
in a box as an ordinary parcel. Upon arrival of the box at Barton,
it was discovered that all the jewellery had been extracted. The
affair is under investigation.

156

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Dec. 5, 1876.

THE

M'atcInuHhcr, Iclvellei; Mtft ^iltamiilj,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
London, E.G.

Birmingham Agencies.
Mr. A. F. Warrillov, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.
Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
"Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

T

NOTICE.

I future copies of the Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silver-
smith, will be supplied to the Retail Trade, Booksellers and
Newsagents, by Messrs. Catty and Dobson, Wholesale Booksellers,
1, Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row, London.

The Trade are informed that Mr. L. Schiff, heretofore travelling
for this Journal, has entirely ceased his connection therewith.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES-

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch. Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Yilliers Edmund, 59, Frith Street, Soho, jeweller and importer of fancy

goods. Nov. 1.
Wheway James, 2, Northampton Street, Birmingham, jeweller. Nov. 1.
Kent Christopher David, 46, Red Lion Street, Holborn, watchmaker.

Nov. 13.
Lewis William, 58, Albion Street, Birmingham, jeweller. Nov. 6.
Bothroyd James, Ferrvhill, Durham, grocer and general dealer, jeweller,

&c. Nov. 16.
Dyke James Henry, New John Street, West, Birmingham, jeweller. Nov.

11.
Miller James Robert, Earlsbrook Eoad, Earlswood, late Western Road,

Brighton, jeweller. Nov. 14.
Williamson Archibald, 27, Fold Street, and Princess Street, Bolton,

watchmaker and agent. Nov. 15.
Fali.er Benedict, Vicar Lane, Leeds, clock and watchmaker. Nov. 21. At

C. Granger's sol. Leeds, Dec. 7 at 3.
Pollitt Joseph Faulkner, 7, Albion Street, Gaythorn, late Oxford Street,

and Lowndes Street, Moss Side, all Manchester, watchmaker. Nov. 21.

At Needham, Parkinson & Slack's, sols. 10, York Street, Manchester,

Dec. 6 at 3.
Wigston William, 28, Cbcapside, Bolton, watchmaker and jeweller. Nov.

18. At W. Scowcroft's, sol. Bolton, Dec. 7 at 3.

Trustees Appointed.
Feew Thomas and William Ellis, trading as T. Frew & Co. (Liq).

Penrith, jewellers. Trustee, Edward T. Peirson, Coventry, accountant.
Keller Philip and Emil Hahn (Bkt.)4G, Hatton Garden, and Warston

Lane, Birmingham, dealers in precious stones. Trustee, John Sear,

105, Cheapside, accountant.
Mooer James A. (Liq). Royston, Cambridge, jeweller. Trustee, Frederick

B. Leeming, 10, Coleman Street, London, accountant.

Notice of Second Meeting's.
Richardson William, Stretford, Lancashire, watchmaker. At J. A. Horner's
sol. 3, Clarence Street, Manchester, Dec. 1 at 3.

Dissolution of Partnership.
Scotland.
Murray &. Tiiom, 73, Leith Walk, Leith, jewellers, &c.
by J. W. Murray.

Davis J. & Co., St. Pauls Square, Birmingham, jewellers. Sept. 21. .Debts

by Joseph J. Davis.
Mann & Hunt, The Cross, Gloucester, watchmakers and jewellers. Sept.

23. Debts by William 0. Mann.

Adjudications of Bankruptcy.

Hamburger S., trading as S. Hamburger & Co., 38, Frederick Street, Bir-
mingham, jewellers' factor. Nov. 7. At C.C., Birmingham, Nov. 20
at 3. Cole, Registrar.

Hutchinson John JosErn William, Stratford Street, Birmingham, clock
case manufacturer. Nov. 7.

Kingston John Thomas, High Street, Ramsgate, jeweller. Nov. 20. At
C. C. Canterbury, Dec. 13 at 2. Furley, Reg.

Scotch. Sequestrations.
Morrison Robert, Inverness, watchmaker and jeweller. Nov. 15 with

protection. Tr. and Com., Procurators' Chambers, Castle, Inverness,

Nov. 25 at 12. Claims by March 15. Agent, John Colvin, Inverness,

sol.
Yuill Thomas B., 13, Main Street, Gorbals, Glasgow, and Town Building?,

Pollokshaws, near Glasgow, watchmaker and jeweller. Nov. 17 with

protection. Tr. and Com., Faculty Hall, Glasgow, Nov. 30 at 12.

Claims by March 17. Agent, Angus Campbell, 109, West George

Street.

Distribution of Assets.

Roper Francis, Halifax, general ironmonger and silversmith, died June 4,
1862. Claims by Dec. 9 to W. H. Boocock, Halifax, sol.

PATENTS.

Application for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

4261. William Wiggins, of Stanmore Street, Caledonian Road, London,
Goldsmith, for an invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of
watches to prevent robbery by breaking the bows thereof." — Dated
4th November. 1876.

4297. David Cutler, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, for an invention of " Improvements in solitaires, sleeve links,
shirt, collar, and other studs, and other similar dress fastenings and
ornaments." — Dated 7th November, 1876.

4447. Alexander Leslie Fyfe, of Aldersgate Street, in the city of
London, for an invention of " Improvements in shirt studs and dress
fastenings." — Dated 17th November, 1876.

4570. Edith Annie Fox, of Birkenhead, in the county of Chester,
spinster, for an invention of "Improvements in and appertaining to
pockets for wearing apparel, parts of which improvements relate to a
safety attachment for securing watches, chains, and other like articles."
—Dated 25th November, 1876.

Oct. 31. Debts

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

3113. To Henry Pearce, of Huddersfleld, in the county of York,
jeweller, and William Henry Douglas, of Stourbridge, in the county
of Worcester, Jeweller, for the invention of " Improvements in studs
and solitaires."

3924. To John Alexander Lund, of the firm of Barraud and Lund, of
41, Cornhill, in the city of London, Manufacturers, for the invention
of " Improved means or apparatus for synchronizing clocks or other
time-keepers and for transmitting seconds or other time or inter-
mittent currents."

3966. To Emanuel Frederick Griffin, of Handsworfh, in the county of
Stafford, Manufacturer, for the invention of "Improvements in
solitaires, sleeve links, collar and other studs, buttons, and fastenings
for articles of dress and other articles."

4049. To Joseph Oppenheimer, of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster,
Merchant, for the invention of " Improvements in pendulums for
time-keeping apparatus."

3973. To Charles Payne and Peter Steel, both of the city of Manchester
in the countv of Lancaster, for the invention of " A new or improved
device or means for securing scarf pins, brooches, and other descriptions
of jewellery."

4007. To James Grason, of 4, Fore Street, Tiverton, in the county of
Devon, Jeweller, for the invention of " An improved self locking shirt
stud, applicable also for other fastening purposes."

4251. To George Walker, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Gilt Toy Manufacturer, for the invention of " Improvements in the
construction of solitaires, shirt studs, and other such like fastenings."

3978. To Henry Julius Hallpike, of Shepherd's Bush, in the county of
Middlesex, for the invention of " Improvements in sleeve links, collar
studs, and other similar articles."

Dec. 5, 1876.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

157

Notices to Proceed.

2926, Herbert John Haddan, of the firm of Herbert & Co., Patent
Agents, of 67, Strand, in the city of Westminster, Civil Engineer, has
given notice in respect of the invention of " Improvements in chrono-
meter escapements." — A communication to him from abroad by F.
Herman Voigt, of Buffalo, State of New York, United States of
America, Watchmaker.

3487. Emma Elizabeth Ashing, of Camden Town, in the county of
Middlesex, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improve-
ments in solitaires and studs, and other similar dress fastenings."

3810. Christopher Nugent Nixon, of 67, Chancery Lane, in the county
of Middlesex, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improve-
ments in the construction of pinions for actuating wheels and machinery,
and in the method of pawling pinions and wheels of every description."

3924. John Alexander Lund, of the firm of Barraud and Lund, of 41,
Cornhill, in the city of London, Manufacturers, has given notice in
respect of the invention of ''Improved means or apparatus for
synchronizing clocks or other time-keepers and for transmitting
seconds or other timo or intermittent currents."

3113. Henry Pearce, of Huddersfield, in the county of York, Jeweller,
and William Henry Douglas, of Stourbridge, in the county of
Worcester, Jeweller, have given the like notice in respect of the
invention of " Improvements in studs and solitaires."

2865. Albert William Jones, of Camden Town, in the county of
Middlesex, and Harvey Chamberlain, of Hamsell Street, in the city
of London, have given notice in respect of the invention of "An
improvement in solitaires and studs."

2892. Thomas Morgan, Secretary of the Inventors' Patent-right Asso-
ciation, Limited, 21, Cockspur Street, Charing Cross, in the county of
Middlesex, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improved
watch keys." — A communication to him from abroad by John S. Birch,
of New York, United States of America.

3973. Charles Payne and Peter Steel, both of the city of Manchester,
in the county of Lancaster, have given notice in respect of the invention
of " A new or improved device or means for securing scarf pins,
brooches, and other descriptions of jewellery."
2958. John Alfred Langston, of Tavistock Street, Bedford Square, in
the county of Middlesex, Architect, has given notice in respect of the
invention of " Improvements in illuminating clocks."

Patents on which the Stamp Duty of 1(XW. has been paid, and Bates of their
Production for Certificate.

3192. William Gardner, of the city of Manchester, in the county of
Lancaster, Watch Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements
in mechanism or tools for the manufacture of parts of watches or
time-keepers, and in the mode of securing the works of watches in
their cases." — Dated 3rd November, 1869.

Patents on which the Stamp Duty of J50 has been Paid, and Dates of their
Production for Certificate.

3730. William Edward Wiley, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
for an invention of "Improvements in fastenings for shirt studs,
sleeve links, solitaires, and other articles of jewellery and dress, which
improvements are also applicable to pencil cases and lead boxes." —
Dated 17th November, 1873.

Patents which have become Void.

3640. John Cheshire, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, for an invention of "Improvements in studs and clasps." —
Dated 8th November, 1873.

3646. Martha Jane Creese, wife of Joseph Creese, of Birmingham, in
the county of Warwick, Lithographer and Printer, for an invention of
"Improvements in brooches and other dress fastenings and dress orna-
ments."— Dated 8th November, 1873.

3685. Charles Edkins, Button Manufacturer, Thomas Greaves, Jeweller,
and James Newman, Jeweller, all of Birmingham , in the county of
Warwick, for an invention of " Certain improvements in the con-
struction of sleeve links, solitaires, and other looping or connecting
articles of jewellery." — Dated 12th November, 1873.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

Austria.
17. W. Hirsch, of Vienna, for " Fastenings of eardrops." — 2 years —
(Public.)— Dated 2nd June, 1876.

Belgiusi.
40,640. L. V. Hue, for an imported invention for " Manufacturing glass
and crvstal articles with diamond designs." — Dated 14th October,
1876.—' (French Patent, 13th October, 1876.)
40,796. D. Vandervennet, of St. Josse-ten-Noode, for "Anew mode of
applying gold on wood and on metals." — Dated 7th November, 1876.
France.
113,840. Maquaire, for "Advertising jewellery." — Dated 20th July,

1876.
113,883. Pochiet, for "Ornamenting small gold articles." — Dated 21st
July, 1876.

113,908. Manciie, of Paris, for "A winding-up alarm for clock-work." —

Dated 26th July, 1876.
113,930. De Ferriere and Cateau, for "Securing precious and other

stones and precious metals on all sorts of jewellery." — Dated 26th

July, 1876.
113,967- Dessouslavy and Landry, for "A lathe for fixing hands in

clocks."— Dated 29th July, 1876.
114,008. Melot, of Paris, for " Galvanoplastic dials of watches, clocks,

&c-" — Dated 2nd August, 1876.
114,032. Haas, jun., and Co., for " A clock with anight-light." — Dated

4th August, 1876-
114,087' Zaffira, for "Improvements in watches, clocks, and chronometers."

— Dated 7th August, 1876.
114,148. Eoyer-Amiot, of Chateauvillain, f or " A waker-watch." — Dated

19th August, 1876.

Italy.

36. L. Amis Junod-Pattus, of Sainte Croix, for " Remontoir or pendant
watches repeating the quarters, without wheelwork or hammers." — 6
years.— Dated 15th July, 1876.

Certificates of Addition.

109, 095. Pjiillipe and Dufour, for " A waker-watch acting by explosion.
—Dated 3rd August, 1876.

Applications for Patents for Inventions Granted in British
Colonies and Dependencies.

2270. Henry Posales, of Walhalla, Mining Engineer, for an invention of
"An improved process of extracting gold from pyrites." — Dated 13th
September, 1876.

Patents Sealed.

3597. Richard Harrison, of 14, Dawson Place, Bayswater, in the county
of Middlesex, for an invention of "Improvements in fastenings for
ladies' cuffs, partly applicable to studs generally." — Dated 14th
September, 1876.

2008. Henry Yarndley, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Manufacturing Jeweller, for an invention of " An improved catch
or clasp, applicable as a fastening for solitaires, books, purses, and
other articles of a like or similar nature." — Dated 13th May, 1876.

21 19. James Carpenter and George Martin, of St. John Street Eoad,
Clerkenwell, in the county of Middlesex, and of Tooting, in the county
of Surrey, Clock Manufacturers, for an invention of "Improvements
in clocks, or similar time-keepers." — Dated 19th May, 1876.

3244. Peter George Wilson, of the town and county of Inverness,
North Britain, for an invention of " Improvements in brooches,
whereby they are rendered convertible into pendants." — Dated 18th
August, 1876.

3616. William Henry Douglas, of Stourbridge, in the county of Worcester,
Jeweller, for an invention of " Improvements in studs or clasps." —
Dated 15th September, 1876.

Patent Cancelled.

1. H. Merlet, of Nancy, for "A suspension of pendulums for time-
pieces."— Dated 18th June 1875. — Cancelled 1st September, 1876.

THE INTERNATIONAL PATENT LEAGUE.

THE Mechanic says — " At the Bremen Conference on the Assimila-
tion of Patent Laws, held at the end of September, it was
resolved to re-appoint a committee, whose duties would beto assist in
bringing about an international understanding upon patent protection
as soon as possible. The London Committee, of which Dr. Siemens
is chairman, will no doubt be enrolled bodily in the new committee,
and the co-operation of manufacturers and others, who will join
them in going thoroughly into the question, is anxiously requested.
Sir Traver Twiss, who presided in the absence of Lord O'Hagan,
stated that the Vienna resolutions would be taken as a basis on which
to work ; but the committee would not be in any way bound to
support them. There is every reason to hope that the efforts now
making will result in an assimilation of the patent laws throughout
Europe, and that such countries as Germany will in future offer a
bona- fide protection to inventors instead of a sham, and that Holland
and Switzerland will join the International Patent League.

In reply to an esteemed correspondent from Ramsgate, we must
state that the subject matter of his enquiry, submitted some time
since will shortly be dealt with in one of our leading articles. It
is one which would involve too lengthy an explanation in a
simple reply, and we must ask forbearance with our delay till such
time as the subject can be treated of in the manner indicated.

153

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND;

[Dec. 5, 1876.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY (W. T.) & CO., 2 and 12, "Wilson Street, Fins-
bury. E.C. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourdon's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MURRAY & CALLIEU. 22, St. John's Square, E.C.

NEGRETTI <fc ZAMBB.A, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. : Char-
terhouse Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill, EC; 122, Regent
Street. W.

"WEBSTER, J., 88, St. John Street Road, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120. Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock "Works, Bolton.

GEERENG & TALBOT, Apollo Safe "Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherhorne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SISKER SAFE AND STRONG ROOM COM-
PANY, LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER & STRAUB, 79, High Holborn, W.C

CAMERER. KUSS, FRITSCHLER, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Rue Beran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory. White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's "Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Rochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments In Church and other Bell Music. Established 1844.

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Road, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BROTHERS. 34, Ely Place. Holborn, London, E.C.

MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct. London, E.C.

RUTHERFORD, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Row, E.C, and
33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C

WIEGEL. B., Jun., Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27,
Wellington Street, Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stones mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS <t SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CABLOSS (W. J.) & KING, 06, H Garden, London,

E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Orname nts. Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornament, Flower
Vases, Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal
Work.

GILT JEWELLERS.

HUTTON & CO., 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.C

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEORGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C

SUNDELL (KRISCHER) & CO, 48, Brushfleld Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBERG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C
JONES, A. EDWARD, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. R), 64, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON. HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E C

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DREW. JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Room, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's lcn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWARDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Road, London, E.C
JEFFREYS, CHARLES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden, E.C.
SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, Arnerican, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden. London, E.C

BASNETT, S.. 29, Augusta Street, Birmingham, Manu-
facturer of Coloured Gold, Jewellery, Sets, Brooches,
Earrings, Pendants, Bracelets, Pins, Crosses, Slides, &c.
OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Rue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FREDERIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 84, Gray's-inn Road, W.C
SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENRY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, &c, 24,
[ Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLAS
MANUFACTURERS.

LAWRENCE, N, 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C: Manu-
factory, Havelock Works, Walker Street. ShfHeld.

LAZARUS (S. J.) & CO., Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C.

TURRET AND RAILWAY CLOCK MAKERS.

MILLAR, H. & R., Castle Bank Works, Edinburgh. Turret,
Quarter, Chime, and Railway Clocks, 20 per cent cheaper
than other makers. The only steam power factory in
Scotland. Photograghs. Established 1840.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 48, Rahere Street, Goswell Road, Lon
don, E.C.

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Road, London, E.C.

STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS. THOMAS J., 10, Rydon Crescent, St. John
Street Road, London, E.C

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAURICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent. Liverpool.

SWINDEN <fe SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFORD, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Road,
London, E.C.

MYERS, N. A.. 2, St. Patrick Square, Edinburgh, Importer
of French, American, and German Clocks, Watches,
Materials, &c.

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, <fec, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C.

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Ring Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, Birmingham.

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANXJFACTUHING JEWELtlaKHS A3STD GOLDSMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse. 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. PINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC.
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

Q

9s!

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 20.— Vol. II.]

JANUARY 5, 1877.

|~ Subscription, 5j.1 Post
per Annum. J Free

Horology XX.— Longitude ..
Cingalese Jewellery
Inscriptions on Old Coins...
Mirror of the Month
eoval astronomical society
hoyal microscopical society

PAGE
169
170

no

171
171
171

CONTENTS.

The Bremerhaven Infernal Machine
Gold

Monthly Rhcord of Bankruptcies
Awards at the Centennial Exhirition

The Schltemann Discoveries

The Greenwich Trials for 1877

Page

172 i

174

175

17G

178

179

Patents

Improvement in Dressholders

A Series of Practical Letters on Existing

Ills in the Watch Trade

The Trades' Directory

PAGE
180
180

181
182

Advertisements

1S2, 192

HOROLOGY.

XX. — Longitude.

Tl^HE subject which we are now about to treat of is at one and
I the same time the .test and the grand arbiter of horological
excellence. All nations and all ages tbat rose with the dawn of
civilization in the world have deemed their longitude of the very
first importance ; and wide and numerous have been the experi-
ments to enable the anxious mariner to define his place of travel
over the pathless ocean. It was reserved for the chronometer to
unravel the story for all time to come, and for the benefit of all
mankind.

Longitude, as its name implies, signifies length, simply; but
tbe term is now exclusively applied to astronomy, and what we
will term astronomical geography ; that is, the length east or
west of a given position. We have had occasion during our
papers on dialling to touch upon some of the elementary points
of longitude to illustrate our meaning; in what we have now
entered upon, however, we intend to fully explain not only what
longitude is in its scientific aspect, but its close relationship to
practical horology. We, therefore, with some confidence, bespeak
the studious reader's attention, with the assm'ance that it will not
be idly bestowed.

We must premise that there are two kinds of longitude, namely,
the longitude of the heavenly bodies, not only in relation to each
other, but to us. That is called celestial longitude. The second
kind is terrestial longitude, which deals with the earth and
our motion to and fro upon it. In endeavouring to master
this subject we must be very careful to keep terrestrial longi-

tude quite distinct from celestial; the first is reckoned from
the equator, whilst the second is from the ecliptic. Let us
remind the reader that the equator is that great circle of the
earth which it divides into northern and southern hemispheres ;
on the other hand, the ecliptic is that other greater circle, known
to us as the sun's annual path among the stars. There is this,
however, in common between them — every terrestial longitude
has its meridian, or highest circular line, whilst every celestial
longitude has also a meridian corresponding to the one belonging
to the earth. We must, for horological purposes, deal as closely
with the terrestrial part of our subject as we can, or we shall
become too astronomical for the reader's thinking ; in a word,
there is but one equator, but the meridians are numerous.

Although longitude belongs so clearly to the chronometer
that no intelligent "timer" can afford to be ignorant of its
principles, we must also remember that latitude is its twin
" partner in the concern." And now is the place for the reader
to have a map of the world, or better still, a small globe before
him. We are not going to technically describe this globe, but
to direct attention to only as much as can be comprehended
in relation to what we are speaking about. The globe will be
found to turn upon an axis, representing the imaginary axis of
the earth, whilst at the north and south poles a brass hour
circle will be seen, showing every hour from I. to XII. inclusive.
There is, too, a flat wooden ring with the signs of the zodiac, and
other things painte ? ;pon it ; this is the horizon, but for our
present purpose we will discard it here, its use being to work
problems of daylight and darkness under varying circumstances.
What concerns the reader is a brass semicircle, extending from
the south up to the north pole, divided up to 180 degrees. There
are also on the surface of the globe the line of the equinoxes, the

170

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[Jan. 5, 1877.

ecliptic, already alluded to, the zodiac, the two tropical circles,
and the polar circles. A brass quadrant divided into 90 deg.
is fitted on the brazen meridian. Wc have now arrived at the
point in which latitude and longitude have to be worked together.
Every degree on the brass meridian represents a circle of latitude,
these circles commencing from the equator and being marked
north and sonth to each pole. The meridians again, passing
right round the globe through the the poles at right angles, or in
a contrary direction to the circles of latitude ; that is, they cross
each other. The meridians are divided into degrees that express
both time and space, whilst the circles of latitude express space
only. As we have before stated, these circles commence at the
equator, which is the greatest of them all, and is marked O ; they
are nearly all the same distance apart, ending at the poles, being
90 deg. each way. In contradistinction to this the meridians of
longitude decrease as they approach the poles, where they all
cross each other on an imaginary point, to pass down and spread
out on the opposite side of the globe, thereby completing their
circuit. It may be asked if the circles of latitude maintain
nearly eqnal spaces from the equator to the poles, how is it that
the meridians are not similar ? The question is easily answered,
and the answer as easily demonstrated. If the earth were a flat
surface of square dimensions, like a "four-cornered" field, nothing
wotdd be easier than to draw parallel lines at equal distances
crossing each other, as any one may learn with a rider, pencil,
and a sqnare piece of paper. But as the earth is a sphere, very
aptly likened to an orange, bulging out to the widest at its central
part, and slightly flattened at each end, any one, even without a
knowledge of trigonometry may soon satisfy himself that if he
will carry two lines at equal distances from the bulge up to the
top of the orange, those lines will approach each other until they
meet. In addition to the orange, let us familiarize the demonstra-
tion by another fruit. Our readers may have had in the season
a veiy round kind of apple, with natural lines or seams (as though
cut with a knife) all round it, in the direction of its top and bottom.
He has only to look at those lines to ascertain the diminution of
space between them as they near the top. The reason of this is
equally plain. In all spherical bodies there is an axis, or line,
that runs through their centre from whatever point on the sur-
face the observer may choose. In order to be quite practical, let
him take the orange and push a small wooden skewer through it
in the direction of its growth, which, will be from top to bottom. He
will then have an axis, a surface, a circumference, a diameter,
and two poles, without any further trouble. He can handle the
orange, and turn it whatever way he bikes without doing any
damage, whereas, not being used to it, he might injure the
globe on the table before him. He will see that, as the circles
of latitude on the globe rise towards the pole, the diameter
decreases ; hence the meridian lines being in a straight direc-
tion from pole to pole, as the space towards the pole becomes
smaller and smaller, the meridians must necessarily get closer and
closer, until, as we have before stated, they all pass over each other
as one point,_ and spread out again as they travel down the other
side. The diameter of the orange can be tested by sticking the
skewer through it at given distances, until the place or pole is
reached where there is nothing to stick through.

And here we may mention that a very ingenious question has
arisen out of the thousand and one discussions that have taken
place about the recent North Polar Expedition, and the very
pole itself ; that question is as follows: — Let it be granted that
all the meridional lines cross over each other so as to form only a
single point at the pole ; then, at that point there can be neither
east nor west, for, assuming that you stood there, if you moved
at all, you must move southwards, and in no other direction.
Well, reasonably enough, more than one "most intelligent man "
has cudgeled his brains about it. "We have examined this question
ourselves, applying to it rigid logical analysis, and have come to
a conclusion upon it ; but as it presents a nice little globe pro-
blem, we will leave it for a while to the ingeuuity of those of our
readers who may like to " give it a turn ; " all we can say is, that
it is stated in true logical form, according to the canons. We
will return to our meridional time and space.

"I can now understand," says the student, "why latitude
means only space ; but what I want to know is, how you bring
both time and space into longitude ; lines, or circles, that go in
the contrary direction ? ' '

Exactly. We will endeavour to explain it in a way, we hope,
that will " suit the meanest capacity."

In order to prevent any confusion with the many-circled globe,
let our friend take his orange, and run through the skewer two
small discs of white paper, about the breadth of a shilling — say,

an inch in diameter ; let these discs be marked at three equal dis-
tances upon their circumference. Adjust these discs so that the
marks shall, as it were, face each other, the orange being between,
next connect them by lines drawn over the surface of the orange,
and, having done that, draw another line round the widest part
of that surface ; having done so, cai'efully measure the space
between any two lines, and also the space between the two
mai'ks on the disc from which the lines were drawn. The discs
being each an inch in diameter, to get rid of that unconquerable
figure, a recurring decimal, we will call the circumference three
inches. To keep the reasoning close and homely, we will assume
the orange to be three inches in diameter, and, consequently, by
a similar rule to the last, nine inches in circumference. The
number 3 has been adopted in order to avoid the confusion of
different quantities in the mind whilst following out this demon-
stration. Now, take the orange, rest the lower point, or south
pole of the skewer on the table, and raise the higher or north
pole, to about the same obliquity as you see on the globe in its
frame before you. Having done this, turn the orange slowly
round, when you will see that the nine inches on its bulge lines
move exactly in the same time as the one inch space on the
discs. And this is precisely what the circles on a globe marked
to scale will show, and what has been proved by actual experi-
ment upon the earth itself. We have said that the earth was a
sphere, and that all the circles of latitude were "nearly" equi-
distant from each other. This is not all mathematically correct, the
exact shape, on account of the flattening at the poles, being what
is called an " oblate spheroid," from oblatus — carried out, or
widened at the sides, thereby making the ends a little flattened.
Practically, however, the difference can be disregarded, as the
equatorial diameter is only greater than the polar by about 29j
miles, which in an axis of close upon 8,000 miles does not matter
much. In another form take a globe of thirty-six inches in dia-
meter, the difference between the two axes would barely amount
to an eighth of an inch ! The reader, it is hoped, understands
by the original demonstrations which we have enabled him to
work for himself, why longitude, by moving meridians, takes in
both time and space. We shall advance the subject a stage
further in our next.

mi

CINGALESE JEWELLERY.

\HE Cingalese work in gold and silver with considerable dexterity,
ease, and taste, and with means, which appear very inadequate,
execute articles of jewellery, which are certainly admired in this
country, but which are not easily imitated. The best artist requires
only the following tools and apparatus : — A low earthen pot full of
chaff or sawdust, on which he makes a little charcoal fire, a small
bamboo blow-pipe, about 6 inches long, with which he excites the
fire, a short earthen tube, or nozzle, the extremity of which is placed
at the bottom of the fire, and through which the artist directs the
blast of the blow -pipe ; two or three small crucibles, made of the
fine clay of ant-hills, a pair of tongs, an anvil, two or three small
hammers, a file, and to conclude the list, a few small bars of iron
and brass, about 2 inches long, differently pointed, for different
kinds of work. It is astonishing what an intense little fire, more
than sufficiently strong to melt silver and gold, can be kindled in a
few minutes in the way just described. Such a simple, portable forge,
deserves to be better known. It is, perhaps, even deserving the
attention of the scientific experimenter, and may be useful to him,
when he wishes to excite a small fire, larger than can be produced
by a common blow-pipe, and where he has not a forge at command.
The success of this little forge, it may be necessary to state, depends
a good deal on the bed of the fire being composed of combustible
materials, and a very bad conductor of heat. The smiths at Ceylon
use a composition as a hone for sharpening knives and cutting in-
struments, that is worth noticing. It is made of the capitia resin
and of corundrum. The corundrum, in a state of impalpable powder,
is mixed with the resin, rendered liquid by heat and well incorpo-
rated. The mixture is poured into a wooden mould, and its surface
levelled and smoothed while it is hot, for when cold it is extremely
hard. It is much valued by the natives, and preferred by them to
the best of our hones.

INSCRIPTIONS ON OLD COINS.

TO read an inscription on an old coin, which, by much wear, is
become wholly obliterated, put the poker in the fire, and when
very hot, put the coin upon it, and the inscription will then appear
of a greenish hue, but will disappear as the coin cools. This method
is said to be practised in the Mint to discover genuine coins when
silver is called in.

Jan. 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

171

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

JANUARY.

JANUARY is the open gate of the year, shut until the shortest
day has passed, but then open to let in the lengthening day-
light, which will soon fall upon dim patches of pale green, showing
where Spring is still sleeping It is very appropriate that this
should be the first month of the year, as far as the northern hemi-
sphere is concerned ; since, its beginning being near the winter
solstice, the year is thus made to present a complete series of the
seasonal changes and operations, including equally the first move-
ments of Spring and the death of all annual vegetation in the
frozen arms of Winter. Yet the earliest calendars, as the Jewish,
Egyptian, and Greek, did not place the commencement of the year
at this point. It was not done till the formation of the Roman
Calendar, usually attributed to Numa Pompilius, whose reign is set
down as terminating 672 B.C. This king, who was the second, having
decreed that the year should commence now, added two new months
to the ten into which it had previously been divided, calling the first
Januarias, in honour of Janus, the deity supposed to preside over
doors (Latin, janua, a door) who might very naturally be pre-
sumed also to have something to do with the opening of the year.
Janus was represented by the Romans as a man with two faces, one
looking backwards and one forwards, implying that he stood between
the old and new year. The poet alludes to this in the following
lines : —

Old Janus doth appear
Peeping into the future year
With such a look as seems to say
The prospect is not good that way.
# # * *

His reversed face may show distaste
And frown upon the ills are past ;
But that which this way looks is clear,
And smiles upon the new-born year.

Our Saxon ancestors called the month Aeftcr Yule, that is, After
Christmas. It is rather odd that we should have abandoned the
Saxon names of the months, while retaining those of the days of the
week. Another representation of January is that which we find
on the illuminated missals of the Middle Ages. It is a man, clad in
white, as the type of snow, and blowing on one hand, as descriptive
of the cold, and with the other pointing to a large dial hanging over
his shoulders, showing that the hand of time is re-commencing its
course ; near him stands the figure of the sign Aquarius, into which
watery emblem in the zodiac the sun enters on the 10th of this
month. On the 15th the sun at London is only 8.h. 20.m., at Edin-
burgh 7.h. 34.m. above the horizon. There is a liability to severe
and lasting frosts and heavy falls of snow. For the uninstructed
mind the fall of snow is a very common place affair. To the thought-
less schoolboy, making up a handful of it into a missile, wherewith
to surprise his friend passing on the other side of the way, to the
labouring man plodding his way through it with pain and difficulty,
to the agriculturist, who hails it as a comfortable wrappage for the
ground during a portion of the dead season of the year, to all these
it is but a white, cold substance, and nothing more. But in the view
of modern science, under the favour of the microscope, snow is one
of the most beautiful things in the museum of nature, each particle
when duly magnified, showing a surprising regularity of figure, but
various, according to the degree of frost by which the snow has been
produced. In the Book of Job "the treaures of the snow" are
spoken of, and after one has seen'the particles in this way, he is fully
disposed to allow the justice of the expression. Many were the dis-
coveries and inventions, births and deaths of great men which took
place in this month. Of the former may be noted the discovery of
the Planetoids on the 1st January, 1801, by the Sicilian astronomer,
Piazzi. In honour of a goddess, formerly in much esteem in that
country, he gave the planet the name Ceres. It. was the first of a
number of such bodies of small size, which occupy the place due to
one such body of large size, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
In 1861 the number amounted to seventy. The diameter of
Ceres is, according to Sir William Herschel, 163 miles. Horology and
Astronomy lost in the month of January, 1848, one of their greatest
benefactors, Caroline Lucretia Herschel, sister of Sir William
Herschel, at the extraordinary age of ninety-seven. When, after
many privations and difficulties, the brother came to England from
Hanover, where ho was born, to seek his fortune, and had become
organist at Bath, the sister came over to live with him. In time,
turning his attention to telescopes and astronomy, and gaining the
favour of George 111., he became the greatest practical astronomer

of his age. For more than forty years did he pursue his investiga-
tions at Slough, near Windsor, Caroline assisting him. The support
of the pair was assured by a pension from the king who did himself
credit by conferring on William Herschel the honour of knighthood.
In 1798 Caroline published a " Catalogue of Stars," at the expense
of the Royal Society, which has ever since been valued by practical
astronomers. After a noble career, Sir William died in 1822, and
his sister then went to spend the rest of her days at Hanover. She
afterwards prepared a " Catalogue of Nebulse and Star clusters,"
observed by her brother. The gold medal was awarded to Caroline,
by Sir James South, who delivered a most brilliant discourse on the
occasion, enumerating her excellent and wonderful qualities. She
discovered seven comets by means of a telescope which her brother
made expressly for her use Her intellect was clear to the last, and
princes and philosophers alike strove to do her honour. January
mourns the death Galileo Galilei, which took place in 1642. To him
and his son do we owe the invention of the pendulum, he being the
first who applied its isochronous properties to clocks, and of him may
be said that his last words were the monument of his fame, for in
spite of the torments of mind and body to which he was subjected,
his belief was still e pur si muove.

ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

THE December meeting was held at the Society's Rooms,
Burlington House, on Friday, the 8th ult., William Huggins,
Esq., D.C.L., President, in the chair. Captain James Waterhouse,
Assistant Surveyor-General of India, was duly elected a fellow of
the society. Mr. Dunkin read a note by M. Otto Struve, relative to
a paper by Dr. Robinson, comparing the space-penetrating power
of reflectors and refractors. Father Perry read a paper " On Some
Diffraction Experiments which had been made by M. Andre." Mr.
Christie read a paper on " The Gradation of Light on the Disc of
Venus." Mr. Neison read a note on " The Illumination of the
Disc of Venus."

ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.

A MEETING of this society was held on December 6, Mr. H. C ]
Sorby, F.R.S., President, in the chair. A number of dona-
tions were announced and acknowledged, and Mr. W. G. Lettsom
was elected a fellow of the society. The president exhibited & fac-
simile of Janssen's microscope, made, by permission of the Dutch
Government, from the original, exhibited at the South Kensington
Loan Collection.

The New Route of the Midland Railway Company to
Edinburgh and Glasgow. — By this company's new route to
Edinburgh and Glasgow passengers are conveyed in the Pullman
cars, which are daily growing in favour, on account both of
comfort and safety. Drawing-rooms by day and sleeping-
chambers at night these cars are thoroughly warmed and
ventilated, fitted with lavatories and accompanied each by a
special attendant. In addition to the Pullman cars, these trains
are formed of carriages specially constructed for the long jour-
ney over two-thirds of the entire length of the island; and, to
increase the security of this important service, the carriages in
question, all built on an improved principle, are fitted with the
Westinghouse automatic brake.

Electric Clocks in Paris. — For making the four electric time-
keepers which the city of Paris intends to erect, fifteen names have
already been entered. The competition will close on September
30th, 1877, at four in the afternoon. The four clocks finally selected
will be bought by the city of Paris at 2001. each. Three prizes,
1201., 801., and AOL, will be allowed respectively in addition for the
three best clocks.

A warrant was recently applied for at the Court in Birmingham
for the apprehension of S. Hamburger, jeweller, of Frederick-
street, who, it appears, absconded, leaving little for his creditors,
excepting a large safe and a few other effects. At the instance of
Mr. C. B. Hodgson, Waterloo -street, the solicitor in the case, an
order was obtained from the Court to open this safe, as it
was thought there might be some valuables in its keeping, which
would help to mitigate the loss of the creditors. Accordingly the
safe, which was a powerful-looking structure, with double doors,
was forcibly opened by the Sicker Safe and Strong Room Company,
at Soho, under the supervision of Mr. J. F. Elwel, when it was
found that the contents did not add much to the assets of the
estate.

172

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan. 5, 1877.

THE BREMEEHAVEN INFERNAL MACHINE.— ITS
HISTORY, AND THE EXPLANATION OF ITS
CLOCKWORK.

OX the 11th of December, one year since, the following-
telegram auuonuced the perpetration of a diabolical, pre-
meditated scheme, hitherto unknown in the annals of crime : — " fire-
merhaven. llth December, 1875. A terrible explosion occurred here
this morning. Just after the North German Lloyd Steamship
Mozel had embarked passengers for New York from the steam tug
Simson, in the outer harbour, a case containing some inflammable
composition, lying on the wharf, exploded, killing and injuring
upwards of 100 persons."

Although the explosion was an accident as regards the time of its
occurrence, it is only too clear that what happened at Bremerhaven
was intended to happen some days later on the open sea, where the
consequences would have been more disastrous. The design of the
plot, thus terribly frustrated, was, that the cask of dynamite, which
revealed itself so unexpectedly and so prematurely, should have
been stowed safely on board the Mozel, a passenger ship, just as she
Avas starting on her voyage to New York, via Southampton, with her
freight of human beings. The originator of the scheme was to
have sailed with her himself as far as Southampton, where some
property of his own, insured very much beyond its value, was to
have been shipped. At Southampton, he was to have gone ashore,
leaving a machine so placed and arranged, that after having worked
silently for some days, it would have delivered a blow on the dyna-
mite with sufficient force to explode it. This, it was calculated,
would have secured the sinking of the vessel, and it is probable,
indeed, that the effect would have been immediate, and that there
would have been no survivor left to tell the terrible story of what
had happened. One more vessel would have been posted as missing,
and in due time it woidd have been concluded that she ■ had gone
down, with all hands, from some unknown peril at sea. Thomas'
object would thus have been gained, while all trace would have been
wiped away of the means by which it had been effected. Although
the circumstances connected with the frustration of the design are
well-known, and doubtless remembered by our readers, nevertheless,
as the infernal clock work machine (as we may be allowed to term
it) was specially manufactured for the purpose, and was somewhat
different in construction to the ordinary clock work, we believe that
a full and complete description thereof will not be uninteresting, and
have therefore prepared illustrations of the entire machinery, which,
together with a detailed description thereof, we now place before
our readers. As the description is curtailed and compiled from the
pen of the repairer of the instrument, it may be considered perfectly
accurate in every detail. The illustration of the clock work has
been faithfully executed by Mr. W- H. Dorrington, of Fleet Street,
who has done justice thereto from the drawings placed before him,

On the 25th of November, 1875, one Thomson, alias Thomassen,
entered the shop of the clockmaker, Friederich Bruns, in Bremer-
haven. The latter being absent, one of the clerks attended and
received from the hands of the customer, for repairs, a large, pecu-
liar-looking clock work, or more properly speaking, a running work,
because an escapement, or stop wheel, with regular stoppage, was
missing. The work had only a contrivance for catching the wind,
termed a windcatch, or regulator, because it is in communication
with the wheel work, and causes the regular revolution of the
wheel. But this regulation is in no way to be compared, with regard
to exact motion, to the stoppage by means of the stopping wheel,
although, when accurately made, the regulation by means of the
windcatch can be very exact, especially when it is improved by a
mechanism constructed on put pose for this object, such as Mr. J. J.
Fuchs, manufacturer of turret clocks, of Bernberg, has indicated
by his windcatch with regulating balls. In our case, however, the
regulation by a windcatch is to be preferred, because the machinery
works with less noise, when their is a correct proportion between
wheel and spring, and it is under the direction of a practised hand.
A perfectly noiseless motion is, however, utterly impossible, as the
quick grasping one into the other of the teeth and wheels produces
a continual friction, and consequently a slight noise, and at the same
time a never ceasing hum is caused by the windcatch dividing and
moving the air in its constant rotation. This noise can be detected
in any common clock with striking mechanism, as soon as the striking
commences ; it is very loud in an American house clock, and very
soft in a well-constructed pendulum clock. It is natural, that, for
reasons easily imagined, Thomas took very great care to have the
movement as noiseless as possible, in order to increase the difficulty
of detecting so heinous a crime. In case suspicion should have
arisen, it would have been an easy matter, by means of a judicious
experiment, to discover even however small a noise in such a runnin

work. If, for instance, the suspicious object is placed on something
hard, which is not sound-receiving, and the thin end of a tin tube,
in the form of a speaking trumpet, be applied to the questionable
object, then the weak hum of the running work will at once be heard,
issuing from the tube. The experiment is attended with more
success when the object is placed on sounding boards. Thomas
could have packed the work in separate parts, which would have
suppressed the noise, but also his intentions. On the 27th of
November, Thomas entered the shop of Bruns again, to fetch back
the clock work. The repairs, however, had not been commenced,
as the proprietor of the shop told the stranger (Thomas) who had
not yet mentioned his name, (his intention being to fetch the machine
himself) that it did not lie in his branch, as he repaired watches,
and this was more the work of a turret clock maker. Thomas, how-
ever, was satisfied to leave it in Mr. Bruns' hands till the 29th, by
which time it was finished. The construction of the clock was
peculiar, but the hammer being missing, it was impossible to guess
the object in view. On being questioned as to the use of the dial,
Thomas gave no answer to the point, but prevaricated. On the
29th of November, he returned, paid for the repairs (about six
shillings), but did not yet take the machine with him, saying that he
would return for it in a few days. On the 2nd of December he
came and fetched it, asking whether it was quite wound up, as the
spring might break, and nothing more was heard of him till the
news of the awful explosion filled the town with terror. Till the
following afternoon everybody was of opinion that it was a dreadful
accident. Then the suspicion was aroused that a crime had been
contemplated and committed. The daily papers gave some details
about the affair, and connected it with some clock work infernal
machine, and made some mention of a very stout man. This made
the watchmaker Bruns remember Thomas, and he hastened to the
police-station to tell all he knew. His account of the man Thomas
coincided with the description given, and a confrontation at Bre-
merhaven put all doubt out of the question. At the request of the
magistracy, Bruns made a drawing of the machine from memory,
and with the help of this, and one in an illustrated contemporary
of the time, Mr. Friedrich Bruns has made the annexed diagram,
and given the following explanation of the drawing. The two areas
marked a and aa, are the two plates of the work, a being the lower,
aa the top one ; they are 35 ctm. long, 23 ctm. broad, and 3 mm.
thick. The lower plate, a, was fastened on to an oak board, b, 3 ctm.
thick. On the sides of this were eight screw holes, to screw the
machine on to any object. C and cc are the two colossal spring-
boxes, both working on the first spring wheel, d, and moving it
thereby with more power. Each of these spring boxes, and the
first and second spring wheel, d and h, had 100 teeth, so that, accord-
ing to moderate calculation, when wound up the work would go
three or four weeks. If the springs made about eight revolu-
tions, which would have been the least, according to the proportions
or the free area within the spring box, and if we take into account
the three pegs, it would go three times eight or twenty-four days.

It may be mentioned that, if on the last wheel of the clockwork
there had been a proportionate escapement, instead of a windcatch,
the two collosal springs would have kept the work going for nearly
two years. Each springbox had a diameter of 12 ctm., and a depth
of 9 to 9£ ctm. The spring must therefore have been enormous.
On the springbox, c, there were three stout pegs, 1, 2, and 3, which,
when the springbox revolved by catching into the teeth, caused the
motion of the rundle, dd, which communicated directly with the
releasing peg, c, on the dial,,/! The action of the releasing peg was
therefore caused directly from the springs. The rundle had about
ten teeth, and on each movement of a tooth was regulated by the
spring g, and thereby the tooth next following- was brought in its
proper position towards the pegs on the springbox. The dial,./*, is
over the upper plate near the lever, the rundle being under the
upper plate, aa, only visible in the open wheelwork. The six
following wheels, h, i, k, I, m, », are only necessary for the manifold
translation by which the motion of the windcatch is prolonged.
The windcatch, o, is the translation of spring power with two sails,
which receive the resistance of the air, forcing then the mechanism
into a slow movement. Next to the windcatch, o, there is a long arm
or bar,^>. This is intended for the holding fast and letting go of the
windcatch, and of the whole running work, and working power.
This bar can be moved, according to pleasure, backwards and
forwards on the outside of the plate. The two plates are fastened
by four pillars, la, lh, lc, Id, about 14 ctm. distance from one
another, and between these run the two spring-boxes and the two
first driving wheels, d and /; : The following five wheels, with the
windcatch, work in a plate, a a a, constructed on purpose. The
pillars on it are marked 1, 2, 3, 4, and the distance of this little
plate from the upper one is 4i to 5 ctm. On the upper plate there
is the lever and pulley work.

Jan. 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S "TRADE JOURNAL.

173

174

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan. 3, 1877.

The two bridges, marked q, hold and guide the'strong hammer q q,
with the two spiral springs, .1, B. which, at this tension, give a blow
of at least 30 pounds. 7? is the spring lever, which keeps the
hammer, <; q, in tension, till the releasing lever, s, is lifted up by the
releasing peg. e, on the dial f which taking place direct from the
springbox, exercises such an immense force. Now, as soon as the
releasing peg, c , lifts up the lever s, the hook /, on the opposite side
of this lever, which holds the balance lever r, is pushed back and
lets it go. At this moment the blow falls, because the stretched
spiral springs pull down the liberated hanmmer, q q. The safety-
spring, F B, which always pushes back the releasing lever s into its
proper position, was not in the work, and that is probaby the
reason of the premature explosion. U and v are the stopping wheels,
with the bridges necessary for their safety. Z and z are the stop-
ping pins, with the stopping spriugs behind, the two large squares,
w and x are the winding pins for the springs.

Thomas was apparently struck with horror at the sight of the
mischief done, or he may have been simply driven to despair by the
failure of his carefully elaborated scheme for obtaining for his goods
a few more pounds than they were worth. All that is known is
that he went down at once into his cabin and shot himself in the
head with a pistol, from the effects of which he died after a few
days. It shows us that there are men in the world with whom the
least hope of contingent advantage to themselves is able to outweigh
the greatest and most certain injury to their fellows. To sacrifice
a fine vessel and imperil the life of every soul on board was what
Thomas had prepared to do, and what he had been contriving to do
for some months past, and there is scarcely a touch wanting to
complete the picture of a deed the most diabolical that human
wickedness could have devised.

GOLD.

(Continued from page 151).

AGAIN, the auriferous veins of South America bear a close resem-
blance to those of Hungary and Transylvania, being similar as
to their magnitude, their relative position, the nature of the ores
they include, and of the rocks they traverse. The gold mines of
Transylvania are described as being situated in the crater of an
extinct volcano ; the ore lying in masses or veins, in a rock of
trachyte, or in a decomposed felspar, evidently of igneous origin.

The Ancients are said to have worked gold mines at Ischia, which,
if true, is another remarkable example of the presence of gold in
trachyties of an origin undoubtedly volcanic.

We must here remark that there are two principal kinds of gold
mining. The one is known as alluvial, and the other as quartz mining.
The latter requires machinery, and does not afford scope for that
keen spirit of gambling, to which the fluctuating returns of alluvial
mining give rise, but approaches, in the constancy and steadiness of
its production, to the character of ordinary mines ; and it appears
quite possible tliat this form of industry may be as lasting as copper and
coal-mining. That quartz is the principal matrix of gold is well
known to all collectors of minerals ; there is scarcely a cabinet
without an example ; and nearly all the mines, properly so
called (not washings in alluvial drifts), have beeen in quartz lodes,
from the times of the Romans who worked it in Transylvania and
in Wales, to the present time. The quartz is itself found in the
form of veins, traversing various kinds of schistose, or slate rocks ;
the working of such veins, however, is seldom attended with such
satisfactory results as are obtained from alluvial washings ; not only
from the circumstance that the labour required is considerably
greater, but also from the fact that such sands are continually being
enriched by the action of the currents of water to which they are
exposed. In Brazil the mines of Congo Soco, and some others,
Lave been, however, extensively worked in veins, but from the
heavy expenses entailed by machinery and labour, and from the
fact that the mineral obtained is seldom much richer than the
alluvial sands, these undertakings have been but rarely conducted
on a very extensive scale ; otherwise, were it not for the amount of
capital, labour and machinery required, there is no doubt gold mining
would become as permanent and steady an industry as that of
copper or coal mining.

Alluvial gold is simply obtained by washing auriferous sands, and
is found in a much purer state than the quartz gold. From what-
ever rocks derived, it is common in the alluvial deposits near the
primitive or ancient rocks. It is found disseminated in the sands of
certain plains and rivers, especially at the season of lowest water,
and after storms and floods, and is supposed to be torn out by the
waters from the veins and rocks which they traverse, or rather, we

should say, that these sands are themselves produced by the de-
struction of auriferous rocks' that therefore, the gold which they
contain must be regarded as the debris resulting from the disintegra-
tion or grinding of the matrix of quartz in which it was originally
enclosed. Assuming that the auriferous deposits originated in the
quartz rocks, there is no difficulty in accounting for the presence of
gold in ruins, creeks, and gullies, as it is so often found. The
schistose, or slate rocks, so readily acted upon by the atmosphere,
constantly disintegrating and exposing the quartzose dikes, leaves
them unsupported and gravitating downwards, the largest blocks
are crushed and crumbled in their onward course, letting loose the
tenacious gold, in large or small portions, which, in obedience to
their gravity, and the force of impelling torrents, roll on till they
are arrested for a time in hollows, or the fissures of the slatey
rocks, or quietly deposited in the sand or mud, as the case may be,
by the cessation of the flood, until they are agaiD removed by the
repetition of similar causes ; or they may remain for ages, undisturbed
by the torrents taking another course. It therefore follows that
gold, even if it be of the earliest geological origin, may and will be
accumulating by alluvial deposits, in the lower valleys, as long as
mountains waste and valleys exist for its reception. The richness
of some of these deposits is very great. In Nevada as much as
30,000 dollars have been taken from a claim of fifteen feet square;
and there are many instances where ten and fifteen thousand dollars
have been taken from claims of the same size.

The greater part of the auriferous sands in Europe, as also in
Africa and America, are black or red, and consequently ferruginous,
which is supposed to be owing to the decomposition of auriferous
pyrites.

The epoch of the formation of the auriferous alluvia is uncertain,
but we may suppose it to be near that of the lignites. We are led
to this conclusion by the fact, that both in Europe and America, the
auriferous sands occur almost always in the neighbourhood of the beds
of lignite ; petrified wood, covered with gold grains, has also been found
buried at a depth of fifty-five yards, in clay, in the mine of Vorospatak,
in Transylvania ; the same association of fossil ore and wood occurs
in South America, at Moco, and near the village of Lloro, have been
discovered at a depth of twenty feet, large trunks of petrified trees,
surrounded with fragmentary trap rocks, interspersed with gold and
platinum.

When a country is suspected to contain gold the points to be most
carefully examined are the sands of the rivers and streams flowing
through it, as well as the particles of disintegrated rock which often
accumulate in the eddies of ravines, formed by the action of water
during great floods. The sections of rock thus laid bare should also
be examined with a view to the discovery of veins of auriferous
quartz, from which specimens must be broken, and afterwards care-
fully assayed. In examining the sands brought down by rivers,
such portions should be selected for experiment as have, from local
causes, been subjected to the action of rapid currents and eddies ; since
from the great density of the metal sought, it accumulates in those
situations. It is usually found that if a river or creek produces fine
scaly gold in those parts of its course which lie through a flat open
country, it will, if followed into the mountainous districts, in the
direction of its source, become more productive, and yield gold in
the form of " nuggets," and less finely-divided grains. When the
auriferous deposit is situated at a distance from any creek or pool,
its working constitutes a " dry " digging, and the earth and sand
removed have to be carried, for the purpose of washing, to the
nearest available water. Eiver diggings are, however, generally
speaking, the most productive ; and in these, the larger fragments,
or "nuggets," are usually found. In such localities, however, a
very careful examination is required, as the gold is seldom found at
the surface, but at a greater or less distance below the present bed of
the river, and the " nuggets " and larger grains are most frequently
obtained from holes and crevices existing in the rocks, on u-hich the
sand and gravel repose. When these situations prove productive, pits
are sometimes sunk to a considerable depth, and from such holes
hundreds of pounds worth of gold have sometimes been collected in
a single day by persons with only the most rudimentary knowledge
of mining, whilst otners, with a greater degree of intelligence,
have worked during the same time at a hole only a few yards dis-
tant, without obtaining a single particle of the metal sought.

We may mention that as a general rule, in looking for gold, the
rocks in the district to be examined should be either granitic,
porphyritic, or quartzose, although it is also found in other forma-
tions," and particularly in clay-slate. The quartz in auriferous
localities is frequently stained of a rusty brown colour, from the
presence of peroxide of iron, and in many instances presents a
cellular or honeycombed appearance. The tools employed by
persons looking for new gold-fields, or prospecting, consists of a

Jan. 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

175

crow-bar, pick-axe, shovel, aud a large round flat-bottomed tin
dish.

The examination of an auriferous rock for gold is an extremely
simple operation. It is first pounded very fine and sifted ; a certain
quantity of the sand thus obtained is washed in the tin pan, and as
the gold sinks the lighter portions of the substance are allowed to
float off into some other receptacle. The largest part of the gold is
thus left in the angles of the pan, and by a repetition of the process
a further portion is obtained. When the bulk of sand is thus re-
duced to a manageable quantity, the gold may be amalgamated with
clean mercury, and the amalgam obtained finally heated in an iron
retort, by which the mercury is expelled, whilst the gold remains in
the vessel. By successive trials in this way the proportion of gold
contained in a specimen of rock or alluvial gravel may be ascertained
with considerable exactness. This affinity of mercury for gold is
largely employed in the treatment of auriferous substances. When
gold is associated with other metals, such as copper or lead, the true
proportion in which it exists, can of course only be ascertained by
means of an assay.

From the great weight, and flexibility of gold, as well as from its
colour, it might be thought impossible for us to confound it with
any other substance ; yet experience teaches us, that various other
natural products, are sometimes mistaken for it. The substances
which most frequently lead to these mistakes, are, iron pyrites, copper
pyrites and yellow mica ; but in every case a most superficial exami-
nation only is required, in order to detect the true nature of the
mineral under consideration.

Iron pyrites, which is certainly more frequently than other sub-
stance mistaken for gold, occurs in small cubical crystals, in veins
disseminated in various slate rocks ; and in the coal fields, it is also
abundantly found in globular concretions, or kidney shaped masses,
imbedded in clay or chalk. It also accompanies the ores of all the
other metals, and extends from the oldest formations up to the
newest alluvial deposits. Iron pyrites, is, however, easily distin-
guished from gold, since, instead of flattening, like that metal, under
the hammer, it is extremely brittle, and therefore readily broken.
In the second place its weight, or rather, its specific gravity, is only
about one -fourth that of gold ; and lastly, when heated with nitric
acid it is dissolved, evolving copious red fumes, whilst gold, when
so treated is in no way affected. It is a remarkable fact, that this
mineral, which is so frequently mistaken for gold, often contains
minute traces of it, although it seldom occurs in sufficient amount
to render its extraction a remunerative operation.

Copper pyrites, the second mineral which is frequently mistaken
for gold, has a strong metallic lustre, and deep brass yellow colour.
It is formed in lodes or veins, which usually occur either in granite,
grauwacke, or clay-slate, although it is sometimes met with in ser-
pentine, gneiss, and some other rocks. It is most commonly asso-
ciated in these deposits with iron pyrites, blende, and galena,
together with the carbonates, phosphates, and other ores of copper.
When heated on a piece of charcoal before the blowpipe, this
mineral readily fuses into a dull black globule, which from the
presence of iron is magnetic. If mixed with carbonate of soda, and
a little borax, it yields, when similarly treated, a button of metallic
copper. In order to ensure success, however, this operation requires
a little skill on the part of the operator ; and consequently, the non-
production of a button of copper must not be regarded as a proof
of its absence in the mineral examined. An easier and more satis- j
factory experiment to determine its presence is the following : —
Pulverize the ore in an iron mortar, or with a heavy hammer. The
powder thus obtained is dissolved in nitric acid, and the solution '
evaporated nearly to dryness in a saucer or shallow vessel ; water ;
is added, and afterwards ammonia (spirits of hartshorn), in excess.
If the liquid now assumes a blue colour, it is a proof of the presence
of copper ; and if present in any appreciable quantity, a knife, or
any bright steel object, will immediately become coated with it if
immersed in the dilute nitric acid solution.

Mica is one of the constituents of gneiss granite and mica slate,
and gives to the former its lamellar structure. The specific gravity of
this substance never exceeds 3-00, and this circumstance, together
with its foliated structure, is quite sufficient to distinguish it from
gold, which in colour it to a certain extent resembles.

To be contained.

For many years an old chest, supposed to contain valueless
papers, has been standing in the Town Hall at Bantzen, in the
Tyrol. It was opened the other day, and several beautiful drinking
cups, Avith the dates of 1672, 1684, and 1732, some silver spoons,
and a gold ring were found.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES-

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Dumbell John, Wolverhampton, watchmaker.

Morton George, 11, Effingham Street, Eotherham, and 51, Carlton Street^
Castleford, Yorks, and jeweller. Nov. 29.

Radnor George, jun., 39, Thames Street, New Windsor, jeweller. Dec. 2.

Hare Henry, 389, Lodge Road, Birmingham, watchmaker Nov. 20;

Smith Walter, trading as W. Smith & Co., Derwent Street, Derby, watch
manufacturer. Dec. 9.

Walkland James, Hull, silver plater. Dec. 1.

Williams Alfred, trading as A. Williams"^ Co., Branston Street, Bir-
mingham, manufacturing jeweller. Dec, 7.

Davies William, Hay, Brecon, watchmaker. Dec. 15. At A. Cheese's,
sol., Hay, Jan. 5 at 12.

Handley Alfred, Stroud, Gloucestershire, jeweller. Dec. 9.

Prime William, Biddings, near Alfreton, Derbyshire, jeweller. Dec. 11.

Cooper William, 10S, New Bond Street, Jeweller and Dealer in Works of
Art. Dec. 18. At T. E. Apps', Solicitor, 7, South Square, Grays' Inn,
Jan. 6 at 2.

Tonks Thomas and Thomas Warminghaji, Heneage Street, Birming-
ham, Fender Manufacturers, the said T. Tonks, late Upper Hockley
Street, Birmingham, Jeweller. Dec. 18.

Trustees Appointed.

Trueman Alfred, trading as Truemax Bros., (Bkt), Berners Street, Bir*

mingham, jeweller. Trustee, Luke J. Sharp, Ann Street, Birmingham,

accountant.
Groos Carl (Liq), 45, Hatton Garden, Jeweller. Trustee, William H.

Eobinson, 72, Coleman Street, Accountant.
Kingston John T. (Bkt), Eamsgate, Jeweller. Trustee, Eobert W. Feast,

71, Coleman Street, London, Accountant.
Adam John & Son, and William Adam, both Lanark, Watchmakers.

Claims with Andrew Smith, Lanark.

Dissolution of Partnership.

Truman & Bird, 3, Great Marlborough Street, manufacturing jewellers
Sept, 30. Debts by William Truman.

Gatii & Son, Small Street, Bristol, Chronometer, Watch and Clock Manu-
facturers. Oct. 31.

McKensey & Co.. 69, Hatton Garden, Electro-platers. Oct. 14.

Oldham & Sewell, Arundel Street, Sheffield, Electro-plate Manufacturers.
Oct. 6. Debts by James Oldham.

Dividends,

Harness Cornelius B. (Liq), Lavender Hill, Battersea, and 33, Alders-
gate Street, importer, and 423, Strand, jeweller. 1st div. 2/6 ; F
Whinney, 8, Old Jewry.

Fee John (Bkt), Sheffield, Silver and Electro-plate Manufacturer. 1st and
final div. 2d. ; E. Needham, 121, Norfolk Street, Sheffield.

Discharges Granted and Bankruptcies Closed.

Bennard, William, Hastings, electro-plater and gilder. (There are no
assets outstanding belonging to the estate). Bankruptcy closed
November 27.

Lulman Alfred, Hanover Street, Islington, Watchmaker. (The bankrupt
has not filed any statement of affairs, and the bankrupt was not
possessed of any property that could be realised.) Bankruptcy closed
Dec. 8.

The Last Days for Lodging Claims.

Hasluck Paul N. and Chapman B. Bridge (Liq), 254, Tottenham Court
Eoad, Watchmakers. Claims by Jan. 10, to J.E. Hodges, 25, Abchurch
Lane.

Bankruptcies Annulled.

Wattlewortii Robinson (Oct. 17), Whitehaven, Jeweller.

Dec. 20.-

Prices Current for Gold and Silver. — Value Given for
Old Gold and Silver by Assay. — Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. lOd. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver. — Fine Gold, 80s. 3d,
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s, 3d. per oz, Standard Silver, 4s, lOd. to 5s»
(variable.)

17G

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan. 5, 1877.

AWARDS AT THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.

THE following list comprises the awards made by the Commis-
sioners at the Centennial Exhibition, in the various branches
of industry connected with those represented by this Journal.

We understand, however, from the American organ of the Trade,
that the Committee of appeals have a supplementary list under
consideration, and of which we shall give particulars as soon as the
information reaches us : —

BRONZES, &c.

Miller k Kripe, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Bronze Medallion in Relief).

Cornu Eugene & Company, Paris (Decorative and other Bronzes).

Kaffel Freres, Paris (Decorative Bronze Work).

Le Cointe Ainie Joachim Leon, Paris (Vase).

Lusse Brothers, Paris (Decorative).

Louis Marchand, Paris.

Loins Martin, Paris.

Mene Pierre Jules, Paris (Sculpture).

Perrot Henry, Paris.

Saurago &, Ruck, Paris.

Susse Brothers, Paris.

Sobsb Freres, Paris (Repousse).

Felsing Conrad, Berlin (Reproductions).

Boschetti B., Rome (Bronzes of Art).

Chopin Felix, St. Petersburg.

Stange Nicholas, St. Petersburg.

Chiokito Suzuki, Japan,

Chiuso Hiraoka, Japan.

Genroker Mizemo, Japan.

Koji Yamakarra, Japan.

Loyemon Momose, Japan.

Soschichi Kanainori, Japan,

Takusai Eouma, Japan.

Zenbeye Saito, Japau.

Ho-Kan-Chin, China.

Hu-Kwang-Yung, China.

CHRONOMETERS AND TRANSITS.

Bliss J. & Company, New York (Marine).

Gurley W. & L. E., Troy (Levels, Compasses, &c).

Rodavet A. H., Paris (Marine).

Dent M. F., London (and Clocks).

Frodsbain Charles and Company, London.

Kuhlberg V., London (and Watches).

Mercer Thomas, London (Marine).

Poole James & Company, London (and Watches).

Sewell J., Liverpool (and Watches).

Audemars Louis, Brassus, Switzerland (and Watches).

Breting Freres, Locle, Switzerland (Pocket).

Ekegren H. P., Geneva, Switzerland (and Watches).

Grandjean Henry, Locle, Switzerland (and Watches).

Jacot Freres, Locle, Switzerland (Pocket & Watches).

Matile H. L., Locle, Switzerland (Pocket and Watches).

Nardin James, Locle, Switzerland (Pocket and Watches).

A. de Casseres, Holland (Marine).

CLOCKS.

ASTRONOMICAL AND TOWEIi.

Fasoldt. Charles, Albany, New York.
Gropengiesser, John L., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Hahl, A. & Co., Baltimore, Maryland.
A. Howhu, Amsterdam.

CLOCKS.

Ansonia Brass and Copper Company, New York.

Ithaca Calendar Clock C'o7npany, Ithaca, New York (Calendar).

Paulus E., Pailadelphia, Pennsylvania (and Watches).

Spellier Louis H., Doyles Town, Pennsylvania.

Seth Thomas Clock Company, Thomaston, Connecticutt.

Beuget k Co., Paris (and Watches).

Bonteur3, Paris (with Singing birds).

Cravet, Bouche, Paris (Ornamental).

Farcot E., Paris.

Morel A., Paris (Decorative).

Rodanet H H., Paris (Decorative).

Roseet E., Paris (Mysterious).

Tissot, Mayet, Muroz de Jura (Regulator and Calendar).

Df-ni M. P., London (Chronometers).

Hipp, Noucliatel, Switzerland (Electric, &c.)

Becker (}., Freiburg, Silesia.

Hadauk &. Son, Kayerswerda (Turret).

Kollektiv Austellung, Schwarzwalder, Uhrmacher.

Lintelo Auguste, Brussels (Black Marble;.

ENAMELLED WORK AND ENAMELS.

Dotin Mansuy, France (Artistic).

Maussion Miss Elise, Paris.

Nozan Lami de, Paris.

Potlier A., Baris.

Soyer Paul, Paris.

Elkington & Co., Birmingham.

Zasche Joseph, Vienna.

FRAMES FOR EYE GLASSES, &c.

Alexander Isaac.

American Optical Company, South Bridge, Massachusetts.

Black L. & Company, Philadelphia.

Diamond Jacob, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

GOLD AND SILVER SOLUTION.
Morrison A. B., Portland, Maine.

GOLD PENS, CASES, &c.

Aikin, Lambert & Co., New York.

L. W. Fairchild & Co., New York.

Foley John, New York.

Hawkes G. F., New York.

Holland John, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Mabie Todd & Co., New York. (Two Medals.)

GOLD PLATED GOODS.

Barrows H. F. & Co., New York City.

JEWELLERY, &c.

Adams J. S. & Co., Rhode Island, U. S. A. (Tortoiseshell.)

Bedicheimer Isaac, Philadelphia.

Hildreth Milo, Northboro', Massachusetts. (Tortoiseshell.)

Jackson S. G, New York.

Meyer John C., New Orleans, Louisana.

Neher Charles, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Hair.)

Potter W. K., Providence Rhode Island. (Tortoiseshell.)

Simons, Opdyke & Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Tiffany & Co., New York.

Audy Mine. Vves, Paris. (Jewellery and Pearls.)

Boucheron, Palais Royale, Paris.

Cleray E., Paris.

Fornet, Bourg. (Aiu.)

Fouchard Ernest, Paris.

Guvot & Migneaux, Paris.

Murat, Paris.

Phillipe Eruile, Paris.

Aitchison James, Edinburgh. (Scotch Pebble.)

Coggin J., Dublin. (Bog Oak.)

Gibson William, Belfast.

Gay J., Geneva, Switzerland.

Jean J.

Petit Pierre & Bryson, Geneva, Switzerland.

Bissinger C. Sonne, Hanau.

Backes G. F., Hanau.

Becker Fritz, Pfortzheim.

Bier A. Voltz, Hanau.

Bizer Gebruder, Pfortzheim.

Dingeldein Gebruder, Hanau.

Geisel & Hartung, Hanau.

Gerwig August, Pfortzheim.

Hanter Gustav, Gmiind.

Heidegger Wilhelm & Company, Pfortzheim.

Hertel C. & Son, Hanau.

Keller IL, Pfortzheim.

King John Martin, Hanau.

Lay Edward, Pfortzheim (Lockets, &c.)

Plener & Co., Stuttgart.

Schehl C. W., Hanau (Etruscan).

Schonfeld Ernest, jun., Hanau.

Schwindt G. & Company, Pfortzheim.

Steinhener & Company, Hanau.

Weishaupt C. M., Solme, Hanau.

Wild & Company, Pfortzheim (Mourning).

Witzemann, Pfortzheim (Chains).

Lenner Hugo, Hanau and Berlin.

Zieher Ottmar, Gmiind.

Aseione Giovanne a Figlio, Torre del Greco (Coral).

Bellezzo Nicolo A., Rome.

Boucinnelli Giovanni & Son (and Mosaics).

Castellani Alessandro, Naples (Reproduction Antique).

Gallandt L. A., Rome.

Labriola Mariano, Naples (Tortoiseshell).

Mclillo Jacinto, Naples (Etruscan and Coral).

Adlcr V. A., Moscow, Russia.

■

Jan. 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

177

Krurnbugel Otto, Moscow.

Tchitchelef John, Moscow.

Balzani & Teifel, Vienna.

Goldsehmidt Michael & Son, Bohemia (Garnet).

Kersch M., Prague (Garnet).

Markowitsch & Scheid, Prague.

Neushadtl M. H., Prague.

Lee Ohing, Canton (Gold Filigree) i

Eolaksi Nicola, Trebizund (Gold Work).

JEWELLEES' CASES, &c.
Dennison & Company, New York.

JEWEL CASKETS.
Erhard & Sohne, Gmiind.

JEWELLEES' FINDINGS.
Kerr N. M. & Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

LAPIDAEY WOEK.
Bonet Louis, New York.
Cottier C. & Sons, New York.

Kraul & Bier, Hanau and Oberstein (Stones and Cameos.)
Capannini Guiseppe, Eome (Cameos).
Geraldini Ettore, Eome (Mosaic and Cameos).
Gioziozza Gilbertini & Company, Naples (Corals).
Bergman Franz, Goblonz (Imitation Gems).
Goldsehmidt Louis A., Dubnik (Opals).

METAL WOEK (AETISTIC.)

Elkington & Company, Birmingham (and Inlaid Metal Work).
Zuloaga Placido, Madrid.

MUSICAL BOXES.
Bremond B. A., Genera.

Jacques Adank & Company, St. Croix, Switzerland.
Karrer & Company, Teufenthal, Switzerland.
Karrer S., Teufenthal, Switzerland.
Paillard C. & Company, St. Croix, Switzerland.

OPTICAL GOODS.

OPERA GLASSES &c.

Bardon Fils & Company, Paris.

Darlot, Paris.

Lacombe, Paris.

Lemaire, Paris.

Voightlander & Son, Brunswick.

Waldstein S., Vienna.

OPTICAL GLASS.

Feil Charles, Paris.

Chance Brothers & Company, Birmingham.

OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Plossl S. Vienna.

SPECTACLES AND EYE-GLASSES.

Spencer Optical Manufacturing Company, New York.
Willson T. A. Eeading, Pennsylvania.
Derogy, Paris (Achromatic.)
Hoel J., Paris.
Lunetiers Societe des, Paris.

TELESCOPES.

Secretan, Paria.

SAFES.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF.

Chatwood's Safe and Lock Company, Limited, Bolton, Lancashire.

SILVEE PLATE AND SILVEE WARE.
Adams, Shaw & Co., Providence Ehode Island, U.S.A.
Derby Silver Company, Derby, Connecticutt, U.S.A.
Gorham Manufacturing Company, Providence Ehode Island, U.S.A. (and

Century Vase, Eepousse Work, and Plated Ware).
Holmes, Booth & Hayden, Waterbury, Connecticutt, U.S.A.
Krider P. L., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Manning, Bowman & Company, West Meriden, Connecticutt.
Meriden Britannia Company, West Meriden, Connecticutt.
Mix George I. & Company, Yalesville, Connecticutt.
Eeed & Barton, Taunton, Massachusetts.
Tiffany & Company, New York (and Silver Eepousse work).
Christofle & Company, Paris (Statuettes).
Teill M., Paris (Exhibition).
Heller Florent Antoine, Paris.
Meurice Froment, Paris (Statuettes).

Elkington & Company, Birmingham (and Eepousse' work).
Binder Wilhelm, Gniund.
Gabler Gebriider, Schomday (Thimbles).
Humbert & Heylandt, Berlin.
Koch & Beryfeld, Bremen.
Kitter A. & Company, Esslington.
Soergel & Stallmeyer, Schu Gmiind (Thimbles).
Forti Emilio, Genoa.
Salvo C. & Sons, Genoa,

Chopin Felix, St. Petersburg.

Ivanhof N., St. Petersburg.

Khlebnikof. Moscow.

Owtcbinnikof P., Moscow.

Poshiikof Audreu, Moscow.

Semenof A., Moscow.

Sazikof Valentine, St. Petersburg.

Sazsskof, Moscow and St. Petersburg (Eepoussi')-

Ho A. Ching, China.

Aurificia Lompaulna, Oporto, Portugal.

Cerquinho Francisco, Aug vas, Oporto, Portugal (Silver and Gold Filigree).

Lobao & Ferreira, Oporto, Portugal (Silver and Gold Filigree).

Mortmho Luiz Pinto, Lisbon. Portugal (Candelabra, Inkstands, &c).

Forstrup J., Christiania.

Lie P. A., Christiania.

Olsen Theodore, Bergen (Ornaments).

Watson & Company, Bombay (Silver and Gold).

Steiner Henry, South Australia.

Wendt J. M., South Australia.

Christen N., Copenhagen.

Christesen V., Copenhagen (Eepousse).

His Highness the Bey of Tunis, Tunis (Ornaments).

National Museum, Cairo (Gold and Silver).

SILVEE BEONZE.
Frattelli de Poli, Vitorio Treviso (Bell in Silver Bronze.)

TOOLS.
Stark John, Waltham, Massachusetts.
Borel & Courvoisier, Switzerland.
Vautier SI. & Fils, Carouge, Switzerland.
Mark Servet J. Geneva, Switzerland.

VEST CHAINS, (POLLED PLATE.)
Hamilton & Hunt, Providence, Ehode Island, U.S.A.

WATCHES.
American Watch Company, Waltham, Massachusetts.
Fortenbach Carlstadt, New Jersey (Cases).
Hietel, Brothers and Geister, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Pequignot C. & A., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, (Cases).
Bobbins & Appleton, New York. (Cases).
Goudy J. B. & Company, Pontailier Doubs.
Haas B. Jun. & Company, Paris.
Haugard, Paris. (Springs).
Moat Eugene, Eevig (Springs)
Frodsham, Charles & Company, London.
Nicole Neilsen, London.

Aubert Freres, Savagnier, Switzerland, (Main Springs).
Bachni Freres, Bienne, Switzerland (Balance Wheels).
Badollet John Moses & Company, Geneva, Switzerland,
Balhni Freres, Bienne, Switzerland (Main S2orings).
Berlie Edward, Geneva, Switzerland (Springs).

Borel & Courvoisier, Neuchatel, Switzerland (and Pocket Chronometers).
Corcelle J. & Company, Geneva, Switzerland (Dials).
Frankfeld Louis, Geneva, Switzerland.
Francillon Ernest & Company, Longines, Switzerland.
Huguenin, A. & Sons, Locle, Switzerland (Escapements).
Humbert E. Locle, Switzerland (Decorations).
Jeanjaguet Charles, Neuchatel, Switzerland (Main Springs).
Klein E., Geneva, Switzerland (Main Springs).
Martin Charles & Company, Geneva, Switzerland.

Meylan CharlesH.au Sauliat, Switzerland (Improvement in Chronograph)
Moutandon, Gentil, Lutz E., Geneva, Switzerland (Balance Springs).
Pateck Phillippe & Company, Geneva, Switzerland (and Parts).
Petitpierrie Louis Bozet, Couret, Neuchatel, Switzerland (Tools and Instru-
ments for Making).
Perret David Fils, Neuchatel, Switzerland.
Portales Ernest, Humbert (Cases).
Eauss Ami, Geneva, Switzerland (Dials).
Eigtrup E. S., Locle, Switzerland (Improvements).
Schmidt T. B., Bitterlin, Locle, Switzerland (Jewels).
Tagleib Carl, Zurich.
Lange A. & Sons, Glashutte.
Unge V. T., Stockholm (Distance Watch for Military Use).

WATCH CASES (ENGEAVED).
Du Bois Edward Favre, Locle, Switzerland.

WATCHMAKING MACHINEEY.
American Watch Company, Waltham, Massachusetts.

WATCH JEWELS.
Besancet Blanc, Eug., Travers, Switzerland.

WATCH WHEEL CUTTEES.
Ingold, P. F. Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

WATCH OILS.
Amblet &■ Poncet, Geneva.
V-cnchor L. Peseux, Switzerland,

178

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan. 5, 1877.

THE SCHLIEMANN DISCOVERIES.

' : STEM DESCRIPTION OF THE IMMENSELY
\ VLUABLE TREASURES.

tiued from page 152.)

T Leipzig correspondent of the Daily News writes under the
9th December : —

" You will have a full account of the treasures found in the tombs
at Mycenae, as soon as Dr. Schliemann can leave the mouth of the
rich mine which lie has opened and change the pickaxe for the pen.
The excitement at Mycenae is great. Hundreds of people were
present when the rock-cut tombs were opened and the treasures
brought to light, one after the other. The Greek Government has
thought it necessary to order the Governor of the Province to be
present, and the Governor has required the presence of two more
officials from Athens. All this causes trouble and delay, and Dr.
Schhemann has no easy task with his navvies, and photographers,
and officials, and governors — all buzzing about his trenches. No
do'ubt he may be considered at the present moment the luckiest
man in Europe ; but it should not be forgotten how much in this
glorious discovery is due to his tact, amounting almost to divination,
to his perseverance, and to his generosity."

He also gives the following extracts of letters from Dr. Schliemann
to him, dated Mycenae, November 27th : —

" You will soon receive a more complete report ; but, in the
meantime, a foretaste of what is to come may be agreeable. In the
same tomb of which I wrote to you in my last letter, I have just
discovered what I take to be the skeleton of a woman, judging from
the small teeth and the female ornaments with which the bones
were covered. The two earrings are treasures in themselves. There
were besides pendants of precious stones (red), hundreds of large
and small leaves of gold, every one entirely covered with spiral
ornaments and circles. "When, after having dug out mountains of
earth, I began to remove the stones and rubbish of the lower layer,
I struck on the large gilded silver cow head (sic) with two golden
horns, one large dtnas afMptKvweWov of gold with a pigeon on each
handle (who does not think of Nestor's cup?), three 54-rraes with
only one handle, and an enormous vase of pure gold, richly
ornamented. I found about 200 gold buttons, very large, and
splendidly engraved, an immense golden Te\a/x^v, richly ornamented,
which I first mistook for a belt, nine silver vases, one or more of
them gilded, ten very large vessels of bronze. All this was found
before hardly one third of the tomb had been emptied. The bones
which I found are like the bones of giants, of extraordinary size,
and the teeth very large. There were close to them two large heaps
of lances and swords of bronze. Many swords showed the remains
of wooden handles, ornamented with innumerable gold pins
{xpw6r)\ov). The handle of one sword was entirely of gold. There
is no end of smaller objects, all of gold, which had been
scattered over the richly- embroidered clothes of the Royal
deceased. _ For instance, a man with a pigeon on his head, a sea-
horse, a lion, a man whose physiognomy resembles the Medusa
which Perseus kills on one of the bas-reliefs at Selinuat, two
warriors fighting, &c. Here is an epoch of art fully recovered
which was hitherto hardly known except by the three friezes in the
British Museum. The tomb is the tomb which the tradition of the
ancients assigned to the £ca| avSpuv, the evpuKpeioiv 'Aya^fivwv, to
Cassandra, to Eurymedon, and their companions. I say no more
at present, "Henry Schliemann."

The fifth and sixth instalments of his report on the previous
excavations at Mycenae, are : —

" My last letter was of the 7th inst., and I have continued the
excavations ever since with the utmost vigour, employing constantly
125 labourers and five horse-carts. In the Treasury the difficulties
were far greater than I anticipated, particularly as the delegate of
the Greek Government opposed the removal of the foundations of
a Hellenic house just above the lower part of the ' dromos.' Thus
I have been unable to clear the latter of the rubbish, 9 feet deep,
which still covers its pavement, and have only succeeded in clearing
out the 13 feet long 8 feet broad passage of the entrance, and the
central part of the Treasury, comprising a space of 3G0 square feet
around which 1 leave a 9 feet high and 10 feet thick border of
huge stones and rubbish. As soon as the Greek Government con-
sents to the removal of the aforesaid ruin, which have not the
slightest value to science, I shall at once do the remainder of the
work, but certainly not sooner. The two columns, to the right and
left of the entrance, were not quadrangular as I supposed, but
fluted half-columns, one of which— 1 feet 3 inches high, and 1 foot
4 inches broad — was found in the passage near the door. At
9| feet before the latter the 'dromos ' is shut up by a 5 feet high

wall of square calcareous stones. The door of the Treasury has the
enormous height of 18 feet 5 inches, and is 8 feet i inches broad.
On the threshold, which consists of a very fine calcareous stone, and is
2 feet 5 inches broad, I found a very thin round leaf of gold. The floor
of the Treasury was covered with a coating of sand and chalk,
traces of which are visible in many places; it slopes towards the
centre, which is 1 foot below the threshold. There was found in the
Treasury a large fragment of a frieze of blue marble, with an
ornamentation representing a circle and a row of fishspines; further,
five blades of bronze, 5£ to 6$ inches long, and a Juno idol, of the
usual form, with two horns. Treasure may be hidden in the large
border of stones and rubbish which I have been forced to leave
behind, but I hardly believe it. Considering that very ancient frag-
ments of pottery were found exclusively in the ' dromos,' and on
the other hand a variety of potsherds of different ages in the
Treasury itself, I feel convinced that only the ' dromos ' and the
entrance were covered up in high antiquity, that the Treasury
remained empty, and that the fragments of vases now found in it
were contained in the thick layer of rubbish which covered the
upper vault when, fifty-six years ago, Yeli Pasha, the son of Ali
Pasha, tried to force an entrance by this way.

" In the Acropolis I have entirely cleared out the passage south
of the Lions' Gate and brought to light the enormous threshold of
the latter, which consists of a 15 feet long, 8 feet broad, very hard
calcareous block. The ruts caused by chariot wheels, of which all
guide-books speak, exist in the imagination of enthusiastic travellers
only, but not in reality. The different monuments which I have
brought to light in close proximity to the Lions' Gate, such as the
immense double parallel row of closely- joined slabs, the gigantic
sepulchres, &c, have, since a very remote antiquity, barred the access
of chariots to the Acropolis. No doubt the fifteen small, straight,
parallel furrows, which are cut all along the threshold, have been
mistaken for ruts of chariots. The opening of the gateway widens
from the top downwards, it is lOf feet, high, and the width of the
door is 9^ feet at the top and 10^ feet below. In the 15 feet long and
8 feet broad lintel are the 6 inches deep holes for the hinges, and in the
two uprights, which it covers, are four quadrangular holes for the bolts
or bars. There is a 1 foot 3 inches long and 1 foot broad quadrangular
hole in the midst of the threshold, where the two wings of the gate
joined. The threshold further shows on its east side a lfoot broad,
artificially cut, straight furrow, and on its west side another which
forms a curve ; both seem to have served as channels for the rain-
water, the rush of which must have baen great, the threshold being
lower than the rock of the passage, which gradually rises. In the
side of the threshold which faces the north is a long artificial hole
of a peculiar form, which in some way or other must have been
connected with the gate, for a cutting of perfectly the same form
exists in the large flat stone in the midst of the Scaean Gate at
Troy. On the suffix of the gate stands a triangular slab of gray
calcareous stone, 10 feet high, 12 feet long, and 2 feet thick, upon the
face of which are represented in high relief two animals, hitherto
thought to be lions, standing on their long stretched hind legs, and
resting with their fore paws on either side of an altar, in the midst
of which is a column, which becomes broader towards the top, and
has a capital ornamented with four circles, enclosed between
two horizontal fillets. This ornamentation is peculiar to Mycenae.
The general belief that the heads of the two animals are broken off
is wrong, for on close examination I find that they were not cut
out of the same stone together with the animals, but that they
were made separately aud fastened on them with bolts ; most
probably they were of bronze and gilded. The straight cuts and the
borings in the necks of the animals can leave no doubt that they
were put in separately. Owing to the narrowness of the space the
heads must have been exceedingly small, and must have been facing
the spectator. As stated in my first letter from Mycenae, the great
resemblance of the horned animal in one of the bas-reliefs in the
Acropolis to the animals on the gate makes me believe that the
latter were also fantastical animals with horns. At a distance of
ll£ feet from the threshold is on either side of the passage, as in
Troy, a quadrangular cyclopean masonry, 2 feet broad and high and
3 feet long, which marks the site of a second gate of wood.
" Mycenae. Henry Schliemann."

Dr. Schliemann, under date Mycenae, November 28, continues the
account of his great discoveries with the following interesting
details : —

"I continue the description of the jewels, &c, found with the
five bodies in the fourth tomb. Among the most interesting
objects of this sepulchre, I reckon the magnificently ornamented
golden buttons. Twelve are in form of a cross, and one of them
is 2 1-5 inches large and 3 inches long; three are somewhat
smaller, and the remaining eight are of a still less size. Of

Jan. 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

179

splendidly ornamented round gold buttons were found in all 216,
two of which are 2 inches in diameter, seven are of the size of a
five franc piece, and 207 are still smaller. All these buttons, the
lower part of which consists of a bone-button in form of our
shirt-buttons, must have served on the clothes of the deceased,
whereas all which show below only a flat jnece of bone or wood
have evidently served to decorate the sheaths of swords, lances,
&c, to which they had been soldered with tin or otherwise
fastened. There were in all found in this tomb 25 two-edged
bronze swords, 16 of which are in a pei'fect state of conservation ;
four of them had handles plated with gold and ricbly ornamented.
There were also found with the swords five large handle-buttons,
four of which are of alabaster and one of wood ; all of them are
ornamented with golden nails. Further, two golden shoulder-
belts, which were worn on the shoulder across the breast ; both
are 4 feet long and 1 3-5 inches broad. There were further
found two large golden girdle-belts, ornamented with circles and
flowers ; one of them is composed of two pieces. There was also
found part of a similar belt and a child's golden girdle-belt, only
1 foot 4 inches long, and 2 1-5 inches broad. Further, a splendidly
ornamented large golden handle, probably of a sceptre. It
terminates in a dragon's head, whose scales seem to have been
imitated by square pieces of rock crystal, which are inlaid like
mosaic. There were also seven large and one small golden
diadems — one of the former is ornamented with golden leaves.
All of them show splendid ornaments of circles and spiral lines."
Further, four golden ornaments of the hiemides (greaves) almost
in form of a bracelet ; one comb of bone in a large handle, or
casing of gold, of the usual form, as ladies wear it ; one enormous,
most magnificently-ornamented, massive golden bracelet, weigh-
ing 360 grammes. In the centre of the ornamentation of this
bracelet is soldered a separate piece of gold, representing the sun
with his rays. The size of this bracelet is so enormous that the
person who has worn it must have had gigantic arms. It may
have been worn on the legs. Quite in opposition to the size of
the bracelet are two massive golden seal rings, the opening of
which is so small that they would only fit a child of ten years. I
therefore suppose that they may have been used as seals only.
One of the seals represents two warriors on a two-wheeled chariot
with two horses which seem to run at full gallop ; one of the
warriors is holding a bow in his hand and has just shot an arrow
at a stag. The stag is wounded, and in anguish turns his head.
The other seal ring represents a warrior who has just vanquished
his three enemies, and is in the act of giving with his uplifted
sword a last blow to one of them wounded and kneeling before
him on one knee; the latter tries to parry the blow with his up-
lifted hands and with a lance, which he holds in his right, and
seems to throw at his opponent. Another seems to be mortally
wounded, for he lies on the ground leaning on both his hands.
The third, who alone of all the four warriors, has a helmet with a
crest on his head, is flying under the cover of an enormous shield
which reaches from his neck to his heels ; but still he turns his
head towards his victorious enemy, and is in the act of throwing
a lance at him. The anatomy of all the men is so well observed,
their posture is so faithful to nature, and everything is executed
with so much art, that, when I brought to light these rings, I in-
voluntarily exclaimed, ' The author of the Iliad and the
Odyssey can only have been born and educated in a civiliza-
tion which could produce such wonders. Only a poet who had
masterpieces of art like these continually before his eyes could
compose those divine poems.'

" At the head of one of the bodies was found a large and
heavy golden helmet, but it had been much crushed, and
had become nearly flat under the ponderous weight which
pressed upon it. In its present state it is difficult to de-
scribe it. On its forepart the openings for the eyes and
mouth, as also a protuberance, ornamented with small stars,
are distinctly visible, as also, on the top of the helmet,
the tube for the crest. The back part is beautifully ornamented
with an imitation of the hair. The face of the same body was
covered with one of the golden masks mentioned in my last
letter, and its breast and sides by a lfoot 8 inches long and
1 foot broad, thick plate of gold, which was no doubt intended to
represent the coat of mail. There were further found one hun-
dred leaves of gold, either of circular or of crosslike form, with
impressed ornamentation, consisting either of spiral lines or of
circles. Further three very heavy golden breastpins, of which
the one is 5|, the other 5, and the third 4£ inches long. The
last is crowned with a ram, the two others with an ornament in
shape of a helmet, and the heads of all the three breastpins
are perforated, probably to put in a flower. There were

further found two masterly ornamented objects of massive
gold in the form of crosses ; also a large golden vase weigh-
ing 1} kilogrammes; it has two handles, a large foot, and
ornamented with three upper and two lower parallel lines,
between which is a row of fourteen stars ; further a large golden
vase with one handle and an ornamentation representing
seven beautiful flowers ; another golden vase with two handles ;
further a splendid little golden cenochoe, or wine can, with an
ornamentation of spiral lines. Further, six golden drinking
cups, one of which is a depas amphikypellon with two handles,
on each of which is a pigeon, each of the two handles
being joined to the foot by two separate golden blades. This
goblet reminds us of Nestor's goblet, which was also ornamented
with pigeons (see Iliad XI. 632 t'35.). One of the other
goblets is ornamented with parallel flirtings. There were further
found two small golden vessels ; also eight silver vases, three of
which are admirably conserved ; one of the other five has the
bottom and the mouth of bronze ; below its bottom were found
100 of the aforesaid golden buttons. I further found in this
tomb thirteen large bronze vessels. This kind of vessel was in
high esteem in the heroic age, and we see them continually men-
tioned by Homer as prizes in the games. I suppose that to
each hero were given iti the grave the goblets and other
objects which were dear to him in his lifetime, having been won by
him in the games, or having been given to him by his host as a
pledge of hospitality and friendship. There was also found a large
quantity of small perforated amber balls of necklaces and a bronze
or copper fork with three teeth, which had probably served on the
funeral pyres. There were further found thirty-five arow heads of
obsidian. Nothing could give a better idea of the great antiquity of
these tombs than these stone arrow heads, for the Uaid seems
to know only arrow heads of bronze (e.g, Iliad XIII. , 650 and 662).
Probably there had also been deposited bows and quivers in the
tomb, but they would have been of wood, and would have rotted
away. To my greatest regret, among the thousands of gold
ornaments there is not even a single sign resembling writing, and
it therefore appears certainth at the sepulchres belongs to an epoch
which preceded the introduction of the Phoenician alphabet. Had
the latter been known, the Mycenann goldsmiths, whose continual
efforts appear to have been directed to the invention of a new orna-
mentation, would have been very ambitious to show the novelty
of the alphabet. A second proof of the immense antiquity of these
tombs is the entire absence of any vestige of either iron or glass, or
of any pottery made on the potter's wheel. But the hand-made
pottery had reached a high degree of perfection, such as has never
been attained here in later times by the pottery made on the
wheel."

Dr. Schlieniann has addressed the following letter to the King of
Greece : —

" With unbounded joy I announce to your Majesty that I
have discovered the monuments which tradition, as related by
Pausanias, points out as the tombs of Agamemnon, Cassandra
Eurymedon, and their companions, who were all killed whilst
feasting at a banquet, by Clytemnestra and her lover, iEgisthus.
These tombs are surrounded by a double parallel circle of tablets,
which were undoubtedly erected in honour of these great personages.
In these tombs I have found an immense archaeological treasure of
various articles of pure gold. This treasure is alone sufficient to fill
a large museum, which will be the most splendid in the world, and
which in all succeeding ages will attract to Greece thousands of
strangers from every land. As I am labouring from a pure and
simple love for science, I waive all claim to this treasure, which I
offer with intense enthusiasm in its entirety to Greece. Sire ! may
these treasures, with God's blessing, become the corner-stone of
immense national wealth. — Mycenpe, Nov. 2S, 1876."

THE GREENWICH TRIALS FOR 1877.

rpHE Astronomer Royal announces that the last day for the
deposit of chronometers at the Royal Observatory for the
forthcoming annual trial will be Monday, February 5. Chronometers
for trial will also be received on any day of the preceding week.
Application for permission to send chronometers for trial must be
made to the Hydrographer, Admiralty, London, S.W., by Jan, 15th

The trustees of the British Museum have purchased for the sum
of 2,000/. an antique bronze statutte, rather more than half the size
of life, representing a bearded Bacchante dancing.

ISO

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEK, AND

[Jan. 5, 1877.

THE

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
London, K.C.

Birmingham Agencies.
Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.
Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Kemittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

SPECIAL NOTICE.

The Announcement in the last number of this Journal that
Mr. L. Schiff had Discontinued his connection therewith is
hereby Rescinded, and the said gentleman continues to re-
present our Office as heretofore.

IN future copies of the Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silver-
smith, will be supplied to the Retail Trade, Booksellers and
Newsagents, by Messrs. Catty and Dobson, Wholesale Booksellers,
1, Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row, London.

PATENTS.

Application for Letters Patent.

4811. John Compton Weeks Jefferys, of Tottenham Court Eoad, in the
county of Middlesex, Manufacturing Jeweller, for an invention of
" Improvements in studs, solitaires, purses, clasps, gloves, bags,
harness, and other fastenings or ornaments for dress." — Dated 13th
December, 1876.

5002 William Eobeet Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co,,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention of
"An improved machine for engraving and chasing jewellers' and
silversmiths' work, and for other like purposes." — A communication
to him from abroad by Albert H., Watkins.

4949. Ezra Hatton, of Alexandra Street, in the city of Manchester,
Ornamental Metal Worker, for an invention of " A new optical
instrument for producing designs and for other purposes, the hinge-
forming part of which may be used in other appliances."— Dated 19th
December, 1876.

4906. William Eobeet Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention of
" An improved telescope." — A communication to him from abroad by
Carl Fritscb and Joseph Forster, both of Vienna, Austria, Dated 22nd
December, 1870.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

3785. To Geoege Edward Peitciiett, of 39, Lombard Street, in the city
of London, Architect, for the invention of " New or improved means,
apparatus, or appliances for utilising clocks, clock-work, or time-
keeping movements, so as to put the same in communication with
distant buildings, rooms, ships, mines, or places."

4811. To John Compton Weeks Jeffeeys, of Tottenham Court Eoad, in
the county of Middlesex, Manufacturing Jeweller, for the invention of
"Improvements in studs, solitaries, purses, clasps, gloves, "
harness, and other fastenings or ornaments for dress,"

Notices to Proceed.

2975. Giuseppe Zaffiea, of Pentonville Eoad, in the county of Middlesex,
Engineer, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improve-
ments m the up-and-down movement for watches, chronometers, and
(spring clocks."— As set forth in his petition, recorded in the said office
on the 22nd day of July, 1876.

3264, Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the county
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, has given notice in respect of the inven-
tion of " Improvements in dynamo-electric and magneto-electric
machines." — A communication to him from abroad by Diewdonne
Francois Joseph Lontin, of Paris, France.

3309. Charles Harrold, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Eefiner and Metal Boiler, has given notice in respect of the invention
of " Improvements in the manufacture of watch pendants and in tools
or machinery employed in the said manufacture."

Patents Sealed.

2458. Wilfred Cammack and Eobeet Cammack, both of Ormskirk, in the
county of Lancaster, Watch Makers and Jewellers, for an invention of
" Improvements in dress fastenings." — Dated 14th June, 1876.

2865. Albert William Jones, of Camden Town, in the county of Middle-
sex, and Harvey Chamberlain, of Hamsel Street, in the City of
London, for an invention of " An improvement in solitaries and studs."
—Dated 13th July, 1876.

2797. Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the county
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of " Improvements in
watches." — A communication to him from abroad by Vve. de J.
Soldano, fils, of Geneva, Switzerland. — Dated 22nd June, 1876.

2797. Alexander Melville Clark, of Chancery Lane, in the county
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of " Improvements in
keyless repeating watches." — A communication to him from abroad by
Ami Louis Junod-Pattus, of Paris, France. — Dated 8th July, 1876.

Patents which, have become Void.

3945. Benjamin Haas, junior, of 104, Boulevart Sebastopol, Paris, France
Watch and Clock Manufacturer, for an invention of "Improvements
in watches." — Dated 2nd December, 1873.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

PRUSSIA.

22. F. Bachschmid, of Kempten, Bavaria, for "A pendant remontoir
and regulator for watches." — 3 years. — Dated 20th October, 1876.

Belgium.

40,819. WolF'Hiescii, for " A clasp for earrings. " — Dated 10th November
1876.

40,900. J. A. Lund, for an imported invention of "Means of and
apparatus for timing different clocks." — Dated 21st November, 1876.
—(French Patent, 17th November, 1876.)

40,912. J. Caepentee & G. Maetin, for an imported invention of "Im-
provements in clocks and other time-keepers." — Dated 22nd November
1876.— (French Patent, 18th November, 1876.)

Feance.
Certificate of Addition.

107,021. Beaulavon, for " An isochronous compensating pendulum for

clock-work." — Dated 16th August, 1876.
114,199. Fyfe, for " Improvements in ladies' dress suspenders." — Dated

18th August, 1876.— (English Patent, 23rd June, 1876.)
114,252. Tiiouvenin, of Nancy, for "A lathe for cutting the rims of

watch-glasses." — Dated 26th August, 1876.
114,277. Moelet, for "A calibre for watches." — Dated 27th August,

1876.
114,298. Devienne, of Lille, for " An electric contact apparatus with an

adjustable prolonged rest and its receiver dial applicable to all

clocks."— Dated 30th August, 1876.
114,326. Foulboeuf, for " Manufacturing false brilliants."— Dated 28th

August, 1876.
114,341. Peoz, for "Imitation of lapis lazuli for jewellery, trinkets, sta-
tionery, &c." — Dated 26th August, 1876.

United States.

176,231. Henry A. Lugrin, of New York, N.Y., for "Stop-watches." —
Application filed 25th March, 1876.

176,309. JohnW. Hile, of Waterville, Kans., for " Clocks."— Appli-
cation filed 29th March, 1876.

7057. W.B.Tucker, of Hillsborough, Ohio, for " Watch-regulators." —
Patent No. 68,324, dated 27th August, 1876,— Application filed 25th
April, 1872. (Ee-issue.)

IMPROVEMENT IN DRESSHOLDERS.

MESSRS. L. JACOBS & SONS, of Caroline Street, Birmingham,
have recently patented an improved dressholder having many
advantages over all others hitherto introduced. Besides the various
improvements, the newly patented holders are manufactured in
various styles and in handsome designs, and will doubtless super-
sede many others now in use.

Jan.

1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

181

A SERIES OP PRACTICAL LETTERS ON EXISTING
ILLS IN THE WATCH TRADE.

(Translated J rom the German of Seb. Gcist.)

PRACTICAL business among Watchmakers is carried on in so
many different ways, that it is worth while to give it some
little consideration. If we look back to years past, we shall find,
here and there, signs of the good old times, when watchmakers
manufactured for themselves all they wanted, and naturally then,
as now, some excelled, many did not even come up to the mark in
common workmanship. If we find among the earlier watches more
good ones than among the modern, it is only a proof that the bad
ones have disappeared long ago. One advantage of the earlier
period was, perhaps, that then the hammer, file, and lathe were
more used, whereas now watches are "looked into, half-repah-ed,
and brushed up." In the same manner as business spreads itself
out in manifold and totally different branches, both by wholesale
manufacture and division of labour, and increase of capital, so
matters lie now in the present state of watchmaking, that working
in the former style is not to be thought of any more. Nevertheless,
it daily happens that some part of the watch gets out of order,
which only an experienced and clever workman can repair or re-
place by an entirely new piece, and it is not to be denied that it is
often more difficult to repair a piece of the merchandize than to
manufacture it anew. It would not be of so much consequence, if
the number of repairs were limited, so that many would be in con-
stant repetition ; but every expert knows from experience, that
similar repairs very seldom repeat themselves. If practice makes
perfect, where is it to come from in this case ? Besides, watch
parts are now made by specialists, with special appliances, so that
the most experienced workman has but a poor chance of doing
justice to his work. If it is difficult to do the several works really
well, it remains much more difficult for many even to get work ; for
the limitless competition which is caused by overproduction, throws
things, wrongly termed watches, by the bushel into the market.

These so-called watches wander out of the hands of their makers
into the workshop of the watchmaker, where they take up their
abode for a long, long time, awaiting chance to get them another
atmosphere. It is natural, of course, that on setting such a watch
in motion, an earnest examination of • its construction, or of the
regular quality of its parts, according to the proportion of its size
and hardness, is never thought of. They are glad if all "looks
well," i.e., as long as the cylinder is not too large, or the nailing
(for soldering would be too much) has not made an injury on the
lower end, so that a catch be impossible, and a position being arrived
at, they are perfectly satisfied, as long as the dial does not look
worse than that of a common clock of the Black Forest.

The spring must, of course, be repaired at once, the spi-ing box
with holes, which are too broad, runs about as round as a three-
cornered hat, and touches the sides of the plate. Then comes the
minute wheel, which besides the injuries mentioned, is upon a spring
which is either much too large or too small. Even if this be reme-
died, then come the remaining wheels and motors, which have similar
defects, in short, the art of the watchmaker is, as with Odyssens of
old, to get cleverly through between •' Scylla and Charybdis." Let
us be quiet on the subject of the movement, and say a silent prayer
for that unhappy one who has the misfortune to have to repair such
a watch, and especially when he requires the help of others. How
much to be preferred is the lot of the cobbler ! the worse the leather
out of which he creates his wonders, the easier does he pierce the
noble stuff with his awl, and when the hole is closed, he smears a
certain black substance over it, and his misfortune is at an end
where the watchmaker's commences. For, when the watch is ready,
it comes into a thin, but tight fitting case, which, as soon as the
thumb nail is able to open it without splitting all the way up, springs
open by itself, never to close again. When this creation is
" finished," it carries, in truth, the marks of its martyrdom on the
forehead, looking with a pale, moonshine face, forward to its pains
and travels in this world, which mostly fall upon the unlucky
watchmaker.

Opposition and competition, and the principle of selling, "any-
thing to anybody at any price," force the sellers of these watches
to put a price on their articles, which is dear enough for such a pro-
digy of badness, but always assures them of a customer. The
societies of watchmakers which have been formed are the first step
towards finding a remedy for this morbid symptom in the trade,
and what has been done, must be further done, namely, the atten-
tion of the unwary must be called to the trap they are falling into.
Keally good watches must only be sold, and the bad ones must
remain in the hands of the pedlars. By these means the situation
is ameliorated, and the honour of the " Guild" kept unsullied. It
is a bitter deception of many to think that they raise the business

situation by selling cheap wares. The greatest consideration and
advantageous institution is that of a society of just and upright
watchmakers.

All, or most productions of modern industry, are manufactured
wholesale, and by division of labour. Any single workman need
know only one branch, or have, at least, considerable less knowledge
and experience than the watch repairers, and the intelligent among
the former command much higher wages, and proportionately less
knowledge than the workmen who are repairers, and naturally so,
because the proprietor earns less. The saying, "the more delicate
the work, the worse the pay," is certainly true. Considering only
the expense of the tools, what other costs are incurred ? When
we consider again how subtle these things are, and how difficult it
is to handle them, we see at once what a number of acquirements
are necessary, which other trades do not want. If a commencement
were made of work being paid according to the real trouble incurred,
it would be the first link of a chain which would lead to what we
want. But such is not yet the case. The same young man, who,
for instance, lines holes, makes catches, or arranges stones and
movements, is expected to clean the most miserable Black Forest
apologies for clocks. This he is required to do as his daily occupa-
tion, and it is only on holidays that, as a special treat, his intelli-
gence is put to the test on a good watch, so that he is like a
musician who can play the majority of instruments and at the same
time — tread the bellows at the organ. In this light the public look
at the watchmaker. They think it is easy enough to repair a watch
however bad the defects may be, because, they say, the new pieces'
come from the factory, and only have to be put together ; they
give a watch, and receive one back, but must not be able to detect
that any repair has taken place. This shows us that watch-
makers are in no enviable position, and that they are justified in say-
ing that they have a difficult business, and little pecuniary profit.
But no help appears by the mere enumeration of these morbid
symptoms, although it may perhaps excite and encourage us to
mutual trials and exchanges of opiniou, in order to find out those
remedies which at the end must be discovered.

The list of these remedies is headed by the societies which have
already been formed on the continent, and which count among their
members influential and conscientious men of the trade. Then
comes the faithful keeping of the laws and regulations of the
watchmaking world, and the general abiding by the tariff once set
up for all work and repairs, and lastly and specially, a more intimate
relation between the several manufacturers, repairers, traders, and
workmen throughout the world. It is an honour to belong to a
respectable society, and those who exclude themselves show blind
egotism, or are wanting in prudence. Earnest members of
the world at large will readily have a better opinion of our branch,
as we strive not only to insure our existence in an honest and
honourable manner, but also to further the interests of the public,
so that " Cheap and bad " can have no reference to us. Wherever
we look, we see great results from combined action, but a single
man, if he be the best, will evince but little success. It is true the
" Guilds " in the latter periods have not been what they ought to
have been, but then they were only the distorted copies of the
original, which was and is a society of honest, earnest, and honour-
able men of the branch, who strive in just manner for equality of
interests, in order to work in a closed phalanx, and with a formidable
front, against such pitiable creations and creators of the present
day. We have already roused many societies to action, and various
important subjects have been discussed by and laid before the con-
ferences now taking place in nearly all parts of the world. We
strive to bring about amelioration of the state of apprentices, better
instruction, voluntary examinations, and legally made out certifi-
cates, in which not only technical knowledge, but also the general
character, receives due attention. In this way the steady and
earnest meaning workman only can get into suitable places, and in
this way we assure ourselves of honourable successors. A visiting
inspector, of really conscientious character, a good and solid work-
man, of experience and sound knowledge, might on his tours work
wonders among the trade. As it is in the interest of every watch-
maker to find well-educated apprentices and workmen, it would be
well to salary such visiting inspectors. The profit by having and
knowing how to use well the necessary instruments, by being able
to compare the different ways of repairing, used in the different
countries, is not to be overlooked. Proprietors have seldom time
to attend to each workman, so that these often bungle about a
repair for hours, not knowing how or where to commence. As
things are now, a system of reform is very necessary. When we
consider the number of men in the trade who are well-known
celebrities, able and willing to lend a helping hand in all good, we
mayhope that proper reforms will be instituted at no distant date.
To he Continued.

182

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jan. 5, 1877.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

Tbe important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before tbe constant notice of tbe Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; site lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

HENDRY (W. T.) <fc CO., 2 and 12. Wilson Street, Fins-
bury. E.G. Sole Agents for the United Kingdom for
Bourden's Metallic Barometers and Thermometers,
Manufacturers of Aneroid Barometers, and Marine Sali-
nometers and Hydrometers, in Metal and Glass.

MUBBAY & CALLIEU. 22. St. John's Square. E.C.

NEGRETTI & ZAMBBA. Holborn Viaduct, E.C. ; Char-
terhouse Street, E.C; 45, Cornhill, E.C; 122. Begent
Street. W.

WEBSTEB, J., 88, St. John Street Boad, Clerkenwell, E.C

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEEEING & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STRONG BOOM COM-
PANY, LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Polt and other Safes. Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER .fc STEAUB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEEEE. KUSS, FRITSCHLER, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C. and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C., and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and in, Eue Beran-
ger. Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1S73. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Eochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1S44.

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers or Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Road, near Clerkenwell
Green. London, E.C

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BEOTHERS. 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C.

MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct. London, E.C.

RUTHEBFOED, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Row, E.C, and
33. Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C

WIEGEL, B., Jun., Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27,
Wellington Street, Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stones mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to.

ELECTRO-PLATE MANUFACTURERS.

ADKINS <fe SON, 4, Thavies' Inn, London, E.C.
GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, 66, H Garden, London

E.C Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets.
and Comb3,Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower Vases
Ink8tandB,Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal Work.

HUTTON & CO., 5 and G, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phcenix Court. Newgate Street, London, E.C

GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEORGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C

SUNDELL (KRISCHEE) & CO, 48, Brushfleld Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBEEG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C
JONES, A. EDWAED, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. E.), 64. Hatton Garden, London, E.C
WILLIAMSON. HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials,
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square. Clerkenwell, E C.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

DREW, JOHN. Every Variety of Air-tight Show-cases ;
Shop Fronts and Fittings of the newest design and on
the most improved principles ; large stocks always on
view. Office and Show Room, 1, Christopher Street,
Hatton Garden, London, E.C

JEFFREYS. CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road* W.C Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWAEDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Road, London E.C
JEFFREYS, CHAELES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden. E.C
SAGE, FEEDERICK. Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, SO to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden. London, E.C.

BASNETT, S., 29, Augusta Street, Birmingham, Manu-
facturer of Coloured Gold, Jewellery, Sets, Brooches,
Earrings, Pendants, Bracelets, Pins, Crosses, Slides, &c.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Eue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SHOP FRONT BUILDER.

SAGE, FEEDEEIC, Steam Works, Commercial Buildings,
80 84, Gray's-inn Eoad, W.C

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS BENEY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, Sua., 24, 1
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS. THOMAS J., 10, Eydon Crescent, St. John!
Street Eoad, London, E.C.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLAS
MANUFACTURERS.

LAWEENCE, N., 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C. ; Manu-
factory, Havelock Works, Walker Street, Shffield.

LAZAEUS(S. J.J&CG, Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C

TURRET AND RAILWAY CLOCK MAKERS.

MILLAE, H. & E,, Castle Bank Works, Edinburgh. Turret,
Quarter, Chime, and Eailway Clocks, 20 per cent cheaper
than other makers. The only steam-power factory in
Scotland. Photograghs. Established 1840.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKEE, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street. Clerkenwell
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENEY, 48, Eahere Street, Goswell Eoad, Lon
don, E.G

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Road, London, E.C.

STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAURICE. Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export Norfolk Street. Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 2S <fc 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFORD, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Road,
London, E.C.

MYERS, N. A.. 2, St. Patrick Square, Edinburgh, Importer
of French, American, and German Clocks, Watches,
Materials, &c.

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, <fec, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C.

AMERICAN (WALTHAM) WATCHES.

FATTORINS & SONS (Wholesale Factors) Wateh and
Chronometer Manufacturers, Bradford, Yorkshire.

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Ring Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, Birmingham.

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANUFACTUHING JKWELtlaEKS AND GOLDSMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. FINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

"f//TILBp>^

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 21.— Vol. II.]

FEBL_

1877.

L per Annum. J Free

Horology XXI.— The Ancient World on the

Diurnal Motion 193

American Gold and Silver Mines 194

New Clock and Chimes at High Wycombe ... 194
Important Improvement in Timing Clocks by

Electricity 195

Gold 198

Mirror of the Month 199

CONTENTS.

Practical Information for the Trade ...

Book Notice

Watchmaking in the United States
Philadelphia Awards for English Safes
Curiosities of Clocks and Watches

History of Astronomy

British Horological Institute

The Goldsmiths' Company's Prizes

page

199
199
200
201
202
203
203
203

American Trade Items

A Uuiless Jeweller .,

Greenwich Time

Monthly Becord of Bankruptcies

Patents

The Trades' Directory

Advertisements

PAGE

... 204

... 204

... 205

... 205

.. 206

.. 208
207 -21G

HOROLOGY.

XXI. — The Ancient Would on the Diurnal Motion.

THE people of the ancient world -who lived before the Christian
era, may be said to have had their own peculiar notions about the
globe that they dwelt on. They, some of them, believed that the
earth was a flat surface, resting upon supports, that they comforted
themselves extended to infinity. These people were known as the
Epicureans, but in their scheme it never occurred to them how the
sun, the moon, and the stars were always in their places every
morning and every night to continue their regular operations. It
never seemed to have appeared to them that if the earth was a solid
immovable body, resting upon unfathomable supports, how did the
luminaries just mentioned manage to resume their places again?
How could they have passed under this solid body and its unmea-
surable propwork ? The generations named saw the sun rise in the
east and set in the west every clear day, just as we do ; they saw the
moon rise and disappear, and the stars do the same ; yet, with their
solid flat surface and supports theory, how did sun, moon and stars
contrive to get back to the starting point ? The good Epicureans
never troubled their heads about that ; but somebody else, much to
their annoyance, did for them. They did not escape the penalties
of the obstinately crochety, any more than we do now. The stars
have to be extinguished when done with, carried back and made re-
turnable for work each night. In the time of Augustus, one
Cleomedes, a philospoher, could hold himself no longer, so he
opened fire upon the Epicureans, and here is a specimen of his
style.

" These immense absurdities have for their foundation the tale of

an old woman, according to which the Iberians heard every evening
the hissing noise made by the incandescent sun as it was extinguished
like a red-hot iron in the waters of the ocean."

From this, one thing appears clear, namely, that there were both
old women, and old women's tales in the world some 2500 years
ago, as well as there are now. The ancient observers could not
persuade themselves that a body like a star could remain suspended
in space without falling ; and that idea is said to have given rise to
what were called the "solid spheres." And that belief of solid
spheres continued through many ages of the ancient world, defying
all the attacks of opposition, as many equally foolish beliefs do at
the present day. A philosopher named Anaximenes, who lived about
543 years before Christ, gave it out that the heavens were com-
posed of sohd crystal, into which the stars were driven like so many
nails. Anaximander and Pythagoras looked upon the firmament as
a solid vault in which the stars were set. They must have borrowed
the idea from the Persians, for the Zend-Avesta states that the
most ancient astronomers of the then known world firmly held by
the doctrine of an embossed solid heavens. Aristotle has been
credited with this highly poetical fancy of solidity in the sky, but it
was believed in centuries before his time ; he only concurred in it,
his high character being considered of paramount importance. He
improved upon the theory. The sphere of the stars was, according
to him, the eighth heaven ; the solid spheres were less elevated, and
they served to explain, according to the astronomy of the time, the
proper motions of the sun, moon, and the planetary system.^ The
eighth solid sphere was uniform in its composition, and no disturb-
ance ever affected it.

" In the interior of the universe there is a stable and immovable
centre which Fate has given to the earth. . . _ Beyond the
universe, there is a surface which terminate on all its sides, and

104

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb.

1877.

in all directions. The most elevated region of the universe is called
the heavens. . . It is filled with divine bodies, which men call
by the name of stars ; and it revolves with an eternal movement,
bearing along with it those immortal bodies, which always pursue
harmoniously the same course, without interruption and without
cud.-'

Even Euclid, our own grand Euclid, with all his incomparable
knowledge of angles, curves, and circles, believed that the stars
were cased in a solid sphere, having the eye of the observer for
the centre ; and this was his reasoning, exact if the premises had
but been true : — " The revolution is performed as if the stars all
formed one entire piece ; it does not alter at any epoch of the
day, either the form or the dimensions of the constellations."

Such were the opinions that were held about 300 years before
the Christian era.

After Euclid came Cicero, the celebrated orator, who lived in
the century before Christ. He declared himself of the opinion
that the heavens were solid. He could not otherwise determine
how motion could be given to the stars. During the time of
Seneca, that philosopher threw doubts upon the solid theory, by
asking : — " Are the heavens solid, and composed of a firm and
compact substance ? " After that came the idea of the stars
describing circles in virtue of the diurnal position, and Geminus,
a contemporary of Cicero, mentions an instrument called- a
Dioptra, turning about an axis parrallel to the celestial sphere,
that gave some assistance towards proving tbe position put
forward. This dioptra must have been connected in some way
with the refraction of light, for its name comes from the Greek
of dia, through, and optoniai, I see. Old writers classed dioptrics
as the third branch of optics, and belonging to telescopes and
microscopes, all beside our present subject.

Modern astronomers, however, have followed this dioptra of
Geminus up with some considerable success. Arago says that
the means employed were excellent, and that the dioptra of the
ancients is the splendid instrument of the present day, known
so widely as the equatorial.

In due time the ancient astronomers had an axis of the celes-
tial sphere ; but their idea of it was very different from ours.
They held that the revolution of the universe was, in reality, a
grand, omnipotent, mechanical operation ; that is, that there was
a solid axis, wonderfully pivoted and working in fixed sockets !
The learned Frenchman adds, that no person can entertain the
slightest doubt on this subject after having read the words of
Yitruvius. Well, he may be taken to be a good authority on his
subjects ; and this is what Virtruvius says : — ■

" The heaven is that which turns about the earth and the sea
in an axletree, the extremities of which support it like two pivots ;
for in both these parts the power which governs nature has
fabricated these pivots, and made them like two centres, one of
whicb ascends beyond the earth and seas to the region of the
northern stars ; the other extends in the opposite direction under
the earth towards the south; and about these pivots, as about
two centres, small naves are placed, similar to those of a wheel,
upon whicb the heavens turn continually."

Such was the belief of the greatest architect that the pre-
Christian era produced. When we consider that Vitruvius wrote
a most able treatise on bis own profession, which he dedicated
to the Emperor Augustus, and that it is tbe only architectural
book extant of that period, we may form some opinion of tbe
:- bate of astronomy in the century preceding the Christian era.
But with respect to their belief of the stars being set in a solid
sphere there is this much to be said, the ancients bad no
observing instruments of any real scientific value. It was then
quite natural for them to speak of the " solid heavens ;" and for
these reasons : — Asfaras the naked eye can determine, tbe stars do
seem to move in tbe celestial sphere as though they were fixed in
something solid. They rise in the east, and set in the west, as
we notice them every evening when the sky is clear. We see
them in the same places night after night, and hour after hour ;
their altitude varying continually with the hour of observation.

Nov/ this general movement of the stars from east to west
forms one of the fundamental bases of the higher horology — it is
ia fact tit.? diurnal motion.

Ceylon Peabl Fishery. — There will be a great pearl-fishery
in Ceylon, on account of the local government, on the 5th of
March. The Colonial Secretary advertises for divers and boat
owners and promises employment to fifteen boats for fifteen days,
at one of the places where the oysters are to be fished tip, and
occupation to the same number of boats for one day in the other.

AMERICAN GOLD AND SILVER MINES.

EEFERllING to the gold and silver mines of America, the Daily
Chronicle says that the gold yield of California this year will pro-
bably be about 20,000,000 dollars, or as much as it was in 1875. Of this
two-thirdsmay come from placer claims, and the remainder from quartz.
The greater part of the placer gold is obtained by hydraulic means
in the channels of dead rivers, with deposits of auriferous gravel
several hundred feet deep and. a quarter or half a mile wide.
Although many acres of deep gravel beds have been washed away
to the bed-rock, large areas remain, and promise to yield a good
profit for many years to come, though the product will doubtless
decrease gradually. The placer mining camps which have no hy-
draulic washings are steadily declining. The gold quartz mining
industry of California is stationary in its general character. A
large number of auriferous lodes, and even of mines partly opened,
are neglected because the gross average yield per ton will not
exceed 10 dollars, and that figure does not, in most cases, leave any
profit ; though in Australia, where labour costs half as much, and sup-
plies are cheaper, many quartz mines are kept going for a gross yield of
5 dollars per ton. The yield of the gold mines generally, unlike that
of the silver mines, is not published regularly. Many gold mines
are worked on a small scale, sometimes by two or three men. Few
of them are incorporated in San Francisco ; the stockholders are
usually few, and live at the mine ; they can get information by
letter or orally ; and, as the treasure is much more attractive to
robbers than silver, the managers try to keep the amount of pro-
duction and the times of shipment secret. In reference to a
number of the most productive quartz mines of California it is im-
possible to get information for publication. The silver yield of
Nevada has been larger this year than ever before. The Con-
solidated Virginia has continued to pay its monthly dividend of
1,080,000 dollars, commenced in February, 1875, and in May, 187(5,
its companion mine, the California, began to reward its stock-
holders at the same liberal rate ; the two now yield 25,000,000
dollars net, and 37,000,000 dollars gross a year, and most of the
former sums goes directly into the pockets of the San Francisco
stockholders. It is asserted by persons supposed to have good
sources of information, that a large body of very rich ore has of late
been found in the lower levels of the Consolidated Virginia, and
that it extends into the adjacent Best and Belcher mine. If this be
true, this bonanza will, at no distant time, pay dividends to three
companies at least, possibly to more . The opening of a large body
of ore in the Justice indicates the situation of the lode south of the
Overman, a point about which there was previously much doubt ;
and other discoveries, whispered about in confidence, if correct,
will show that the rich portion of the lode extends considerably
beyond the Ophir on the north and the Belcher on the south, and raise
the hopes that other bonanzas will come into competition with the
ore now worked in the limits of Virginia City. The mining districts
of Nevada generally, with the exception of the Comstock Lode, are
under a cloud. Eureka has probably not produced one third so
much bullion in the first ten months of 187G as in the corresponding
period of 1875. The decline in the price of silver, a strike among
the miners, the exhaustion of the rich ore bodies in some of the
mines, and the increasing cost of charcoal on account of the scarcity
of wood, contributed to the stoppage of work.

NEW CLOCK AND CHIMES AT HIGH WYCOMBE.

ANEW clock and chimes have just been completed and fixed in
the tower of the parish church, High Wycombe, by Messrs.
Gillett & Bland, of West Croydon. The clock has four dials, each
6 feet 6 inches in diameter, and chimes the quarters, halves, and
hours ; the tenor bell on which the hours are struck, weighing
23^ cwt. The frame is made of solid cast iron on the horizontal
plan, and is so constructed that any separate wheel can be taken out
without disturbing the other parts. The pendulum is a self-acting
compensating one, made of zinc and iron tubes, so that under
variations of .temperature, they may act against each other, and
keep the rod the same length. The four pairs of hands are driven
by level wheels above the clock, connected to the separate systems
of motion wheels behind each dial. The weights to drive it weigh
nearly one ton, and are suspended from the three iron barrels by
steel wire lines. There is also a very ingenious piece of mechanism
fitted to the clock, called a self-acting gas apparatus, for turning
the "as on and down automatically, so as to suit all seasons of the
yeai* which will effect a very«considerable saving in gas. The clock
is one of the largest in the county, and contains all the recent
improvements and inventions. Tbe Wycombe Telegraph, of the 19th
ult., devotes an entire leading article to the praise of the clock,
giving a detailed description thereof. N.

Feb. 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

195

IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT IN TIMING- CLOCKS
BY ELECTRICITY.

IF " time is money," London must have made a great mis-
take about its riches, for with a few notable exceptions its
public clocks vary so as scarcely to show like time on any two of
them, in fact the wonder is that with the well-known facts before
practical men of the inherent defects which the effects of heat and
cold produce upon the length of pendulum, elasticity of pendulum
spring, and condition of oil, uniformity could be expected by them
amongst a number of timekeepers when no effort at compensatory
adjuncts is made, adjuncts which have taxed the best powers of
horologists to perfect, in order that the ordinary clock with its
inevitable defects might be corrected and adjusted to become the
perfect astronomical instrument; facts, self-evident, well-known,
stubborn fact3, ought to have taught us long ago, that for the
exigencies of such demands as are now made upon the accuracy of our
clocks, some kind of instrument needed to be devised to keep them set
to true time. At Paris, Edinburgh, Dublin, and elsewhere, efforts,
with some measure of success, have been made to secure uniformity of
time in some of the clocks, but though last in the field, London will,
probably owing to the exertions of a private firm, assisted by the
General Post Office, at last relief itself of its culpable neglect in
this direction ; but before entering upon the detailed explanation of
this particular system, it may be as well to set forth something of
the different modes by which various inventors have sought to
secure the desired end. For the purpose of a general explanation
we may divide "electric clocks " into six kinds — •

1. Those whose motive power is the electric current, acting upon
what is usually the escapement, and impelling the hands. It has no
pendulum. Shepherd's patent is a good example; one of them is
the well known dial fixed on the right hand side of the gates of the
Royal Observatory, on Greenwich Hill, and where as there, the circuit
is very short, and a close personal attention is given, it is a very
efficient electric clock.

2. Those -whose motive is also the electric current, but in which
it acts through a pendulum upon the escapement (exactly the re-
verse of an ordinary clock), and thence drives the hands. Mr.
Piichies, of Edinburgh, is the best specimen of this mode : several
have been erected in the thoroughfares of that city, worked from
the Observatory, and have acted well.

3. Those with an ordinary train, with a weight or mainspring as
the source of power, but with the vibrations of the pendulum con-
trolled by the current. This is the plan most generally adopted,
and is the subject of several ingenious patents.

4. Those also with the ordinary motive power and train work,
but regulated to a small gaining rate, the clock being automatically
stopped at its own hour, minute, and second, but instantly liberated
by the current at the corresponding true time. A clock of this kind
forms the standard of time at Lombard Street Post Office, the clock
being controlled from Greenwich, and reporting itself to the obser-
vatory after every "set" to enable its being checked there. A
record of these " reports " are kept, and show some excellent
results.

5. Clocks with the ordinary train aud motive power, but in which
the motion work (the wheels carrying and regulating the motions
of the hands) is acted upon by an electro magnet, acting by driving
a V piece into a notch on the periphery of a wheel. It is not by
any means a satisfactory method and has never been largely adopted.

G. Clocks of the ordinary construction, in which the hands are set
to Greenwich time by the direct action of the current acting upon
them. Bain, whose decease has lately happened, first attempted
this plan, in fact, he claimed (we think justly) to have been the
originator of electric clocks ; his method was, however, exceedingly
crude, and was never adopted in practice.

The above may be roughly divided again thus — clocks driven by the
electric current, clocks controlled by the electric current, and clocks set
to time by it.

It seems to have been totally lost sight of that clocks have two
distinct offices, what we may term an astronomical and a commercial
one, and that the delicate and the absolute accuracy of the fraction
of a second in the one, is in the other, valueless ; no man in watching
the rapidly passing minutes to catch a post, a railway train, or "pay
in " at his bankers, questions how many seconds he has to spare,
nor as he hurries along the street does he want the public clocks to
show him seconds, but he does want (though longing generally in
vain) that they shall not deceive him to any extent which can be
appreciated by the minute hand, and any system which would secure
such a result to our public or office clocks should be hailed with
approbation. Such a system has just been patented by Messrs.
Barraud and Lunds, of 41, Cornhill, and which has already received ,

] wherever shown, the unqualified approbation of electricians,
horologists, bankers, and commercial men.

It is the invention of Mr. John Alexander Lund of that firm,
whose ionization of electricity for horological purposes has been
already noticed by us. He tells us that the " happy thought" was
the conviction that success could only be reached in a direction
totally differing from that where it had hitherto generally been
sought, and he therefore asked himself the very simple question,
what does any one do if their clock is wrong ? why, the finger or
thumb, or both, are simply applied to the clock hand itself, and it is
" set to time ; " why cannot I put a mechanical finger and thumb
into the clock, close them electrically at the right moment, and
so set the hand (whether fast or slow) to correct time ? The
application of the "happy thought" was merely a matter of
mechanical arrangement, and in the hands of a practical mechanic
as Mr. Lund is, the idea was soon developed into the fact ; two
levers carrying pins, and representing the human finger and thumb,
project through a slot in the dial, and either close upon the end of
the minute hand itself, or upon a small block fastened to it under-
neath; the two levers have at their other end slots in which two pins
work, projecting from the keeper of an electro-magnet, which when
magnetized at the given moment, by the closing of the contact
springs on the standard clock, di'aws the pins together, and sets the
hand to time. A reference to our plates will at once make the
modus operandi clear, e is an ordinary electro-magnet, g the
keeper, carrying a bar h, and two projecting pins k k ; these act in
slots 1 1 in the levers m m, from the ends of which project the pins
o o (representing the human finger and thum>) the passage of the
current draws down the keeper and bar, acts upon the levers m m,
closing them upon the minute hand of the clock and setting it,
whether fast or slow, to time.

This is the simplest form of the invention as adapted to ordinary
clocks and office dials up to 2| or 3 feet, for larger or turret works
suitable modifications are made. The first experiment (if experi-
ment it could be called where so plain a result was expected) was
made by coupling up the standard clock at Cornhill with a clock at
the Shipmasters Association's new rooms in Jeffery's-square, the
Post Office authorities very kindly and promptly erecting the wiie
at a day's notice, this clock has continued to show mean time ever since,
and has been presented by Messrs. Barraud & Lunds to the Association .
Another much larger one is being fixed in the principal room, in the
window facing the square, which is now connected with the wire. It
has been put up and will be maintained by Messrs. Barraudand Lunds,
free of charge, for the benefit of the neighbourhood, who will thus
possess the inestimable boon of certified correct time.

We may be sure that public institutions and important offices
will not be slow to avail themselves of it ; the Bankers Clearing-
house was the first to do so, whilst the electric current will en voyage
make a passing call at the principal banks, and secure their
clocks being not only " right " with Greenwich, but with the Clear-
ing-house. The Eastern Extension Telegraph Company to India
have very liberally ordered a large dial to be erected over the door-
way of their new offices, at No. 11, Broad-street, to be syn-
chronized by the patent, so as to give this important locality a reliable
standard of time ; the Bank of England has ordered it to be con-
nected with one of their clocks to form a standard for the rest.
Other important institutions are in treaty, and we shall no doubt at
last see the City of London kept in order as to true time.

The following are some of the special advantages claimed for this
patent : —

1. That any number of clocks, few or many, of any varying sizes,
can be synchronized to any agreed standard time-keeper.

2. That the mechanism is, when not in its momentary use, entirely
detached from the works of the clock.

3. That it can be applied to existing clocks by simply being-
screwed in its place, and a narrow slit cut in the dial.

4. That any failure in the transmission of the time-current leaves
the clock going in the ordinary way, to be " set to time " by the next
completed current.

5. That the clocks are kept to time, whether having otherwise
either a gaining or losing rate, even if such rate amounts to
many minutes a day.

We have no space to do more than point out the peculiar utility
of the patent in securing uniformity of time at railway stations and
junctions, where by this simple process all the clocks say at Mugby
junction, can be placed under the control of the chief signal box,
and any accident from the present want of uniformity in time com-
pletely avoided.

Messrs. Lunds have wisely thrown the use of the patent open
(under certain needful conditions), and watchmakers and others in
our important provincial towns will do well to obtain an early
concession so as to initiate its application to the local clocks.

190

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1877.

Fig I.

" Illustration of recent Improved Method of Timing Clocks." Patented by Messrs. Babkaud & Lund. For description

see page 195.

Feb. 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

197

Fig 2.

Fig 6.

i

o -

m

-0

rn

Or-

0

Fig4.

Illustration of recent Improved Method of Timing Clock." Patented bv Messrs. Barraud & Lund. For description

see page 195.

19S

THE WATCHMAKEB, JEWELLEB, AND

[Feb. 5, 1877.

GOLD.

(Continued from page 175).

IN the history of modern gold discoveries we find one remarkable
fact, that the existence of this metal, in certain localities, has
generally been long and well-known by private individuals, before
the community at large could be prevailed upon to give it any
recognition. Thus, the imputed date of a discovery is usually much
later than the true date. We find this particularly with reference
to Kussia, Australia, and California. The rich gold workings in
the Ural are commonly set down as of recent date, and yet Humboldt
has pretty well proved that they were well-known to the ancients,
and we find them evidently referred to by Herodotus ; they are also
mentioned in our own mining history, in a book published by
Thomas Bushell, a great mining speculator in the reign of James I.,
and private secretary to Lord Chancellor Bacon. In this volume
is an affidavit of Walter Busbee, assayer in the Mint, who, among
other matter, incidentally states that he had been sent to Russia to
give advice as to the gold mines beyond the Ural, and that being
taken prisoner by the Tartars, he was kept in Siberia many years,
but was eventually released and exchanged by the Grand Duke of
Russia. These Ural workings have since proved very productive.
The Australian gold fieldwas (as shown in a previous number), pointed
out by the late Sir Roderick Murchison, and well-known to many
other scientific men and private individuals long before the public
or the government would recognize its existence. As regards
California, we find that as early as the reign of Queen Anne, a
Captain Shelvocke, who had commanded a privateering expedition,
published an account of his voyage, stating that the whole of the
country abounded in gold, and that the black ferruginous sands of
the rivers yielded it largely. Also, in 1815, an " Outline of
Mineralogy and Geology," was published by William Phillips, in
which we find the following passage— " On the coast of California
there is a plain of 14 leagues in extent, about 14 inches beneath the
surface of which large lumps of gold are irregularly interspersed."
This fact was evidently the result of local observation, but yet the
existence of gold was not publicly or generally acknowledged until
the end of 1847, when the great Californian gold mania arose.

It would, therefore, at first sight, almost seem as if the public
were prejudiced, or had a tendency to disbelieve in discoveries of
this metal, but we find that this state of affairs is not peculiar to
gold working as it extends to most social transactions, in fact, to
everything that is new, or contrary to preconceived ideas. Most of
us, both learned and unlearned, possess ourselves of certain opinions
and notions, utterly refusing to believe in, or to heed, any truth
unless it chances to coincide with those prepossessions, we are thus
apt to form most unjust and incorrect judgments, at one time
readily acquiescing in and accepting anything that conforms to our
own preconceived views ; at another, condemning and rejecting the
most self-evident facts, simply because they fail to harmonize with
our own prejudiced opinions. There is, indeed, no limit to either
human credulity or unbelief. No two minds are exactly alike
neither from any given fact do they form the same deductions!
We are all, more or less of us, mad, on some one point, which only
remains accidentally undeveloped or discovered, and our opinions
and minds are formed, not only by our different individual training
education, and general surroundings, but also by our constitutional
tendencies— mind and matter invariably influencing each other
One scientific man, sane on all other points, but with metaphysical
and imaginative tendencies, pins his faith on spiritualism psychic
force, and table-rapping ; another, less romantic, more practical
and somewhat self-sufficient, perceiving a general similarity in the
different developments of animal life and organization, immediately
doubts the existence of a Creator, and promulgates his belief that
the human race has originated in frogs or monkeys. A third on
an examination of the same facts, is overwhelmed with a sense of
the "eternal fitness of things," and of the [Divine Wisdom, each
beautiful gradation of animal life, being viewed as a fresh proof of
the Divine purpose, and harmony reigning throughout. Science
has, therefore, in all ages, from Galilee downwards, met with both
adherents and opponents, and not unnaturally ; but as we each
hold and cherish our own opinions, so ought we to respect and
tolerate those of others. The most that we can individually know
or acquire is as a mere nothing compared with what there is yet to
learn. We are but as children gathering pebbles on the vast sea-
shore of infinity, an eternity of wisdom remains beyond, of which
we can but catch a transitory glimpse in the far distant horizon but
to grasp it is impossible. We, who with our small minds and petty
views are yet unable to see or acknowledge our own duties or posi
tfons in life, are scarcely fitted to "grasp" the great plan of the
L mverse, which remains for a future age to accomplish. As volcanic I

agency has been the divine means employed for displaying and
giving to our use the treasures of the earth, which otherwise would
have remained hidden for ever ; so may we consider the present
thirst for knowledge among the uneducated classes as but a vast
upheaval of society, tending to one great end, the establishment and
recognition of a perfect order and harmony throughout the whole.
We may look forward to some future period, when mankind
recognizing their perfect equality, and mutual obligations one to
another will be united in one vast brotherhood, having one grand
universal government and one code of laws, and in those days
capital and labour will work hand in hand, poverty, with its
accompaniments of vice and misery, will be unknown, wealth,
will be more evenly distributed, knowledge will flourish, wars will
cease, and an eternal harmony and peace will prevail.

As a science, geology is only the creation of the last half
century, but its history is full of successive and important dis-
coveries. The blackband ironstone, the anthracite coal field of
South Wales, the coal of Cannock Chase, the iron districts of
Northamptonshire and Cleveland, &c, are all of comparatively
recent discovery, and already minister usefully to the public
service. So too in other manufactures dependent on minerals,
there is much that is new. The soda manufacture has superseded
that of kelp. The production of sulphur from pyrites has been
effected on a large scale ; in the iron manuuf acture new material,
new fuel, new applications of blast, and new modes of making
steel, have given it a vast extension, and so it is throughout.
Geology has done much, but is at present only in its infancy.
The study of it however, fully bears out Sir Roderick Murchison's
statement that " there are the same constants in nature," and that
" there is a general agreement in all the gold bearing rocks" enabling
us, with a tolerable degree of cei'tainty, to predict in what
localities gold is likely to be found.

In our last number we expressed an opinion (based on these
facts) that quartz mining might become as permanent and steady
an industry as that of copper or coal mining, if it could be under-
taken profitably. Few people have any idea of the large outlay of
capital required in all mining transactions, or of the amount of
patience that is necessary before any return can be expected ;
"pits " or " inclines "have to be driven, often to considerable depths
(sometimes with no result), the roofs and sides being well " tim-
bered" to prevent their giving way, and falling in; " shafts," or
" air-ways," for ventilation must also be constructed ; and in
order to keep the "underground" safe, and free from water,
expensive pumping engines must be erected ; — to say nothing of
other heavy expenses for the necessary plant, machinery, and
working gear, the making of roads, railways, &c. All this
involves much labour, and consequently a considerable expendi-
ture in wages. Not only miners, but blacksmiths, bricklayers,
masons, carpenters, engineers, and surveyors are required; and
above all, there must be thoroughly practical, experienced, and
trustworthy managers, (men beyond the reach of temptation,)
whose character, knowledge, and responsibilities deserve and
ought to command high salaries. The development of mineral
wealth is therefore better undertaken by a well-constituted
company than by a private capitalist, since (however good the
undertaking might be) he would, unless possessed of very large
resources, run the risk of ultimate ruin and failure, from the
want of further capital to fall back upon in case of need, or his
inability to wait until such time as the undertaking proved
profitable. As an unsuccessful speculator, he would then meet
with no pity or sympathy from his fellow men, but be at once
condemned as an " adventurer," whereas he might be simply the
victim of circumstances, deserving the greatest commiseration,
and infinitely more worthy of respect than those who had been
more fortunate. The good done by some speculators, such as
Dr. Strousberg, in promoting and developing the trade and
resources of a country, infinitely outweighs the evil, or losses
caused by their failure. Who can do otherwise than pity the
ruin of a man endowed with such an intellect, so much foresight,
and with such extraordinary powers of organization? but " success
is necessary to success ; " the world is more or less addicted to
the worship of the golden calf, and holds no crime so great as
that of being unfortunate.

To be Continued.

Prices Current for Gold and Silver. — Value Given for
Old Gold and Silver by Assay. — Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. lOd. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver. — Fine Gold, 85s. 3d.
per oz. Fine Silver, 5g. 3d. per oz, Standard Silver, 4s. lOd. to 5s.
(variable.)

iBA.

Feb. 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

199

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

FEBRUARY.

FEBRUARY -was one of the two months (January being the
other) introduced into the Roman Calendar by Numa Pom-
pilius, when he extended the year to twelve of these periods. Its
name arose from the practice of religious expiation and purification,
which took place among the Romans at the beginning of this month
(Februare, to expiate, to purify) . It has been on the whole rather
an ill-used month, perhaps in consequence of its noted want (in
the northern hemisphere) of what is pleasant and agreeable to the
human senses. The name of Sol-monatt was afterwards conferred
upon it, in consequence of the return of the luminary of day from
the low course in the heavens which for some time he had been
running. The common emblematical representation of February is
a man in a sky-coloured dress, bearing in his hand the astronomical
sign of Pisces. Gloomy, chilly, and rainy days are a prominent
feature of the month, tending (as this year has unfortunately but
too well shown) to a flooding of the country.

"February fill-dyke" was the name given by our forefathers, for
when the snow melted, the rivers overflowed, the dykes brimmed
over, and long leagues of land were under water. The average
temperature of January, which is the lowest of the year is but
slightly advanced in February ; say from forty degrees to forty-one
degrees Fahrenheit. Nevertheless, while frosts often take place
during the month, February is certainly more characterized by rain
than by snow, and our unpleasant sensations during its progress do
not so much arise from a strictly low temperature, as from the harsh
damp feeling which its airs impart. The tendency of the month to
wet, and its uncertain temperature, as hovering between winter and
spring, have been often expressed proverbially. In Scotch recollec-
tions we find

" A' the months o' the year
Curse a fair Februeer."

According to Asserius, the great historian, the early dawn of
Horology appeared in the "Fill-dyke" or February month of the
first year of Alfred the Great's reign ; for Alfred caused six tapers
to be made for his daily use, each taper containing twelve penny-
weights of wax, was twelve inches long, and of proportionate
breadth. The whole length was divided into twelve parts, or inches,
of which three would burn for one hour, so that each taper would
be consumed in four hours ; and the six tapers being lighted one
after the other, lasted for twenty-four hours. But the wind blow-
ing through the windows and doors, and chinks of the walls of the
chapel, or through the cloth of his tent, in which they were burn-
ing, wasted these tapers, and, consequently, they burnt with no
regularity ; he therefore designed a lantern made of ox or cow horn,
cut into thin plates, iu which he enclosed the tapers ; and thus pro-
tecting them from the wind, the period of their burning became a
matter of certainty. Although this is an amusing and oft quoted
story, and like many others, lacks authenticity, still there is nothing
very questionable in such mode of measuring time.

Jewellery also has an interest in February, for Asser, the friend
and biographer of Alfred, tells us that it was in this month that the
" Alfred jewel " was finished. With regard to that subject, we learn
that among the innumerable artificers collected together from all
parts by this king, there were not a few workers in gold and silver,
who, acting under his immediate instructions, executed, with incom-
parable skill, many articles of these metals. From the circumstance
of the jewel having inscribed on it in Saxon characters Aelfred me
haetgewercan (Alfred had me wrought), we may reasonably conclude
that it was made under his own superintendence, and further, from
its richness of workmanship and material, that it was a personal
ornament worn by the good king himself. The lower end of the
jewel is formed into the head of a griffin, a national emblem of the
Saxons. From the head of this figure issues a small tube,
crossed in the interior by a minute pin of gold. The latter is
evidently intended to connect the ornament with the collar or band
by which it was suspended round the neck ; the general flatness of
form indicating that it was worn in that manner. Antiquaries have
not agreed as to the person represented on one side of the jewel.
Some have supposed it to be the Saviour, others St. Cuthbert, or
Pope Martin. But the opinion that it represented Alfred himself,
symbolizing his kingly office, is as general and tenable as any yet
advanced upon the subject.

Astronomy also claims a place in the month, for on the 18th of
February, 1564, Galileo was born. He discovered the isochronism
of the vibrations of the pendulum, invented the thermometer,
constructed the first telescope, and discovered the satelites of
Jupiter, and the spots on the sun.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR THE TRADE.

Geneva Cylinders : — The length of a cylinder, can be obtained by
the following method : — Take off jewel covers, screw on the cock,
and take the distance outside the jewel holes with a pair of pinion
gauges — this is the length, pivots and all. The diameter is obtained
from the scape-wheel thus : — If the foot of the cylinder is held be-
tween two teeth and against the point of one, the heel of the next
must be quite free of the cylinder. With a depthing tool, the
watchmaker can put the scape-wheeL and cylinder into it, and see if
the cylinder has the same freedom inside and outside, that is,
the tooth should have equal "drop" into the inside, and to the
outside of the cylinder ; but the point of the tooth should not drop
too far into the cylinder, just enough to be safe is all that is re-
quired. There are three dots, one on the plate close to the edge of
the balance, and another on the rim of the balance, to mark
the place for the hair-spring stud, and when the balance is at
rest the dot on it is close to the middle one on the plate. In
new watches these dots mark the extent of the balance of
impulse, that is, a tooth escapes when the dot on the balance
reaches the outside dots on the plate. Before the balance is riveted
too tight, the cylinder should be put in and tried ; and the balance
turned round on the cylinder until the teeth escape at the dots ;
you will thus get the banking, and also the escapement right at
once.

To Brighten Iron. — The following method of brightening
iron, which appears suitable for some of the less important parts
of large clocks, is recommended by Boden. The articles to be
brightened are, when taken from the forge or the rolls, in the
case of such articles as plate, wire, &c., placed in dilute sulphuric
acid (1 to 20), where they remain for about an hour. This has
the effect of cleansing them, and they are washed clean with
water and dried with sawdust. They are then dipped for about
a second in commercial nitrous acid, washed carefully, dried in
sawdust, and rubbed clean. It is said that iron goods thus
treated acquire, without undergoing any of the usual polishing
operation, a bright surface having a white glance. Care should
be taken by any one using the nitrous acid not to inhale its
fumes.

Aniline Bronzing Fluid. — Take 10 parts of aniline red (f uchsine)
and 5 of aniline purple, and dissolve in 100 parts of alcohol of 95°,
taking care to help the solution by placing the vessel in a sand or
water bath. As soon as the solution is effected, 5 parts of benzoic
acid are added, and the whole is boiled from five to ten minutes,
until the greenish colour of the mixture is transformed into a fine
light-coloured bronze. This bronze is stated to be very brilliant,
and to be applicable to all metals, as well as to other substances. It
is easily laid on with a brush and dries quickly.

Jewellers' Alloy. — The following alloy was, not long since,
patented in France : — Copper, 720 parts ; nickel, 125 parts ; bis-
muth, 10 parts ; zinc, 90 parts : soft iron, 20 parts ; tin, 20 parts.
This is said, to form a fusible, malleable metal, easily worked by a
silversmith ; it resists the oxidizing action of the air, and is capable
of being soldered.

BOOK NOTICE.

" The Practical Gold-worker, or the Goldsmiths' and Jewellers' In-
structor." By George E Geed. London: Crosby, Lockwood
& Co., 7, Stationers' Hall Court, Ludgate Hill, 1877.

THE trade will find this work a thoroughly practical treatise on
the different uses and applications of gold, &c. As a guide to
workmen and apprentices it must prove of great value. The author
states in his preface, that "the main object of the volume is to
benefit that class of practical goldworkers who take an interest in
the daily business of their life, to which, perhaps chance or choice
has called,them, but who may unfortunalely be unable to improve
their position, from the want of a higher, and more comprehensive
knowledge of their calling. He has, therefore, tried to make the
matter plain and intelligible to all who may give it their attention"
We find instructions in the art of alloying, melting, reducing,
colouring, refining, manufacturing, &c. Also a variety of useful
rules and recipes which will be found of much service. In fact,
there is such a valuable amount of information contained in so very
small a compass, that we have no doubt this work will meet with
the general appreciation it unquestionably so well deserves.

A new Pocket Photometer has lately been described to the
French Society of Photography by M. Schutte. The instrument
has exteriorly the form of a small telescope.

200

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1877.

WATCHMAKING IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE quote the following address delivered in the Amphi-
theatre of the Primary College of La Chaux-de-Fonds
on Tuesday, the 14th of November, by M. Edouard Favre-
Perret, Member of the International Jury on Watches of
the Exhibition at Philadelphia, and one of the Swiss
Commissioners to the United States.

On opening the meeting, Mr. Arnold Grosjean, President of the
Board of Commerce, announced that M. Edouard Favre-Perret,
member of the International Jury on "Watches at the Exhibition
at Philadelphia, had kindly consented to repeat at La Chaux-de-
Fonds, the speech already delivered by him at Locle and Neuchatel,
on the situation of the industry of watchmaking in the United
States.

The Board of Commerce would have liked to be able to present
the public some specimens of American watchmaking, but this was
not possible. In a few days from now a selection of twelve
American watches will be placed in the Horological School, where
everybody may examine them.

Mr. Grosjean then added, that after the lecture the orator would
kindly answer any question that might be put to him.

THE ADDRESS.

" Gentlemen, — I must, to start with, announce to you that you
have not an orator before you, but a manufacturer, and as such, I
ask your indulgence. I shall give you information, which unluckily
is not cheerful, on the condition of Swiss watchmaking compared
with the American competition. I shall tell you of facts simply,
such as I have seen them, such as I have understood them. Frank-
ness is here more necessary than anything else, for it is not by
palliating the bad sides of a difficult situation that we can succeed
in improving it.

" It is evident, gentlemen, that I do not present you with an
entire report of my observations at the Exhibition at Philadelphia.
These will find space in my Report which I shall address to the
Federal Council. I shall confine myself to speaking about
American watchmaking, and in comparing it with our own and
that of our neighbours. I shall speak to you more about figures
than about anything else. Figures, you know, have their own
eloquence. For a long time we have heard here of an American
competition, without believing it. The sceptics — and there were
many of them — denied the possibility of a competition at once so
rapid and so important. To-day we are forced to believe the
proofs of it, and to acknowledge the existence of a formidable
manufacture. We have had the proofs of it under our own eyes ;
we have seen the American factories, and we have been able to
satisfy ourselves exactly as to their power.

" We have treated the American manufacture as we have treated
the neighbouring manufactures, in the future of which we did not
wish to believe at first, and which form to-day a most serious com-
petition. I refer to Besancon, Bienne, St. Imier, Morat, Schaffhausen.
We must take these examples into consideration, and spare no efforts
to keep and maintain ourselves on the level of our competitors, and
we must not allow ourselves to be overtaken by them, as has been
the case in past years. Before passing to the watchmaking of the
United States, let us examine some of the figures of the manufac-
ture of Besancon, which everybody knows dates back to the end of
the last century. It was founded by a colony of Neuchateloists.

" In 1845 Besancon turned out
"In 1855 „ „

"In 1865 „ „

"In 1875 „ ,,

54,000 watches.
192,000 „
296,000 „
420,000

" To-day Besancon supplies the great market of France, and she
prepares to contest with us the other European markets.

" Well, gentlemen, we are on the same road as regards the United
States. For a long time America has been the principal market
for our watches — our milch cow, so to speak. To-day we must earnestly
prepare to struggle with the Americans on the fields where hitherto
we have been the masters. Some of you have known Mr. Dennison,
who was, we may say, the father of American watchmaking. Mr.
Dennison travelled through the canton of Neuchatel, studying our
mode of manufacturing, seeking to inform himself of everything,
and carefully noting the weak parts in our industry. After his
return to the United States he founded a factory at Boston, ' The
Boston Watch Company.' This was in 1854. The capital —
scarcely 100,000 dollars — was subscribed by capitalists more than
by practical business men. In the beginning, the company turned

out only the rough skeleton movement and attended to the finishing ;
all other parts, such as trains, balances, jewels, &c, were imported
from Switzerland. Little by little, however, the factory extended
its operations and produced other parts. Notwithstanding all this
progress, this mode of doing things not suiting the American char-
acter, so little inclined to let capital remain almost unproductive,
the capitalists abandoned the factory, and it failed in 1856.

" Another American, Mr. Bobbins, whom you have also known,
gentlemen, when he had business relations with us, scented a good
speculation, and bought in the entire factory, tools included, for
75,000 dollars. Then a year after he incorporated it at 145,000
dollars in a new company, ' The American Watch Company,' with
a capital of 200,000 dollars. Soon this capital became insufficient,
and it was increased to 300,000 dollars before the War of Secession
This war, which seemed calculated to destroy such an enterprise,
was, on the contrary, the cause of its prosperity. America put on
foot a million of soldiers, and as every one wanted his watch, there
was great animation in the watch business. At this juncture, which
might have been a lucky one for our industry, we failed to compre-
hend our real interests. Instead of sending good watches to the
Americans, the worst trash was sent. Had mere skeleton move-
ments been sent in cases, they would have been thought good enough.
The Americans, however, went to work on an entirely different plan.
The company increased their plant, and turned out a better ordi-
nary watch than the Swiss watch. At the end of several years, and
with the aid of patriotism, the American watch enjoyed a good
reputation while our own was discredited everywhere

" The capital was increased to 750,000 dollars, and the operations
of the new company grew to immense proportions. During the
following years business went on so well that everywhere new
watch factories sprung up. Every one wanted to make watches.

To-day you can count about eleven factories The

Waltham Company give employment to 900 workmen, and make
about 425 movements per day. The company again increased their
capital in 1872 ; it amounts to-day to 1,500,000 dollars, besides
300,000 dollars as reserve fund, or a capital of 9,000,000 francs.
This watch factory is a real power ; there is none like it in Europe.
We have seen it in all its details, and we have admired its splendid

organization Their tools work so regularly that all

parts of the watch may be interchanged by a simple order on a
postal card, without necessitating the forwarding of the adjoining
piece. The question has often been asked whether the Americans
can sufficiently supply the demands of their markets. Yes, they
can ; we are driven out of the American market, I herein exclude,
however, elaborate watches, in which we are now, and I hope we
shall always remain masters.

" In 1860 the American companies produced only 15,000 watches ;
in 1863, 100,000. To-day they produce 250,000, and this figure
can be easily doubled in case the crisis, which so severely prevails
there as well as here, should come to an end. For we must not
forget that, if several factories have been closed during the crisis,
the tools, as well as the workmen, are still there, all ready to resume
work again. Nor must we leave out of sight the exorbitant customs
duties and freight, which amount to about 25 or 30 per cent., which
take away from us every possibility of being able to stand the fight.
And now that we know the figures of production in the United
States, we can easily, with the aid of official reports, give an account
of what is that country's consumption of watches. We have sent
to the United States : —

"In 1864 ..

" In 1865 . .

"In 1866 ..

"In 1867 ..

"In 1868 ..

" In 1869 . .

" In 1870 . .

" In 1871 . .

" In 1872 . .

" In 1873 . .

" In 1874 . .

"In 1875 ..

"In 1876, we shall barely send there 75,000 watches, or, since
1872, a deficit of 300,000 watches. What a loss for Switzerland,
and particularly for Neuchatel ! For this deficit concerns princi-
pally our Canton, and it is very easy to convince oneself of the fact.
In 1875, Chaux-de-Fonds turned out 106,000 watches or move-
ments. In preceding years she turned out double that amount.
The deficit, therefore, amounts, for la Chaux-de-Fonds alone, to
4,000,000 francs, for Locle, Neuchatel, &c, it reaches the same
figure in proportion.

169,000 watches
226,000 „
262,000 „
207,000

209,000
206,000
330,000

51
>»

342,000
366,000
204,000

))

187,000
134,000

>>

Fee. 5, 1877]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

201

"We have stated that the shipment of our goods has largely de-
creased. Shall we attribute its cause to the crisis ? Certainly in
many respects we may do so, it cannot be denied. But the American
competition contributes still more largely to it.

" The Americans have already commenced to send their manu-
facture to Europe. In England they sell annually from 20,000 to
30,000 watches. The American watch commences to drive from
the English market the Swiss, and even the English watch. The
Americans commenced by creating a demand for their goods in the
Indies, and in Australia ; and then, thanks to some powerful ex-
porting houses, they invaded England. At Moscow and St. Petersburg
they have already established important branch offices. They do
not keep it secret, but loudly advertise it ; their aim is to drive
us first out of their own country, and then to compete with us on
our own soil, if our sluggishness and our blind confidence leave the
field free to them. 1 sincerely confess that I personally have
doubted that competition. But now I have seen — I have felt it —
and am terrified by the danger to which our industry is exposed.
Besides, I am not the only one to think so ; the ' Societe Intercan-
tonale ' have sent a delegate to make inquiries, and his report
perfectly agrees with mine. Up to this very day we have believed
America to be dependent upon Europe. We have been mistaken.
The Americans will send us their products since we cannot send
them our own. Their importation is not confined to watches alone.
Other European trades are threatened like ours. Already America
has commenced to send cotton goods to England, which hitherto
monopolised that article in all the markets of the world.

"La 1840 the American Government compiled the statistics of the
products of their manufactures. They amounted to 198,000,000
dollars ; in 1850 to one milliard ; in 1860 to 1,885,000,000 dollars ;
and in 1870 to 4,200,000,000 dollars. Not all of these products are
being sold in the interior of the United States ; a good share of
them are exported. Nevertheless, from June 30, 1874, to June 30,
1875, the imports were larger than the exports. We ask ourselves
whether the Americans can maintain their prices? I answer, yes,
they can, for if they obtain a good profit on their superior quality
goods, they can afford to be satisfied with a smaller profit on the
lower grades of watches. In America everything is made by
machinery ; here we make everything by hand. We count in
Switzerland about 40,000 workmen making on an average each per
annum forty watches. In the United States the average is 150
watches. Therefore the machine produces three and a half to four
times more than the workman . It remains for us to solve the situa-
tion. But how can we get out of the corner into which we have
been driven ? To-day, even without machines, we cannot dispose of
the 1,600,000 watches which our people can manufacture. How
will it be if we establish machines which will thrice increase our
production ? We must either diminish the number of our hands and
make machines, or else cling to our system and be resigned to see
our industry decline.

" Gentlemen, I do not pretend to point out the remedy. I simply
call your attention to the evil — that is all. It remains for you to
find the cure. However, I believe that it will be good to do for our
mechanicians what we have done for our watchmakers, that is, to
create schools. You must not despair ; you must not desert the field ;
you must, on the contrary, organize for resistance, and to reconquer
the lost ground. If America closes her gates to us by customs
duties, and exorbitant expenses, we are at least left the resource of
energetically fighting against her in European markets."

[Here the orator gave an extract from the report of M. Hirsch
(Director of the Observatory), to the Council of State, after the
Exhibition of 1867. This report already signalised the danger
confronting our industry. Resuming, he said] :

" Had the Philadelphia Exhibition taken place five years later, we
should have been totally annihilated without knowing whence or
how we received the terrible blow. We have believed ourselves
masters of the situation, when we really have been on a volcano.
And to-day we must actually struggle if we do not want to encounter
in all the markets that rival manufacture. Did we not sneer at
Besancon at the outset ? And now Besancon suffices for France,
and besides, she exports her surplus of manufacture. We ask our-
selves if, in reducing the prices of watches, we can increase their
sale in the same proportion ? And if the sales do not increase,
what will become of us ? We shall have an enormous stock of
goods and a permanent stagnation. The customs duties, you know,
amount to about 25 per cent. For a long time hopes have been
entertained that they might be reduced. We cannot count on it.
America needs all her resources, especially in her present situation ;
and whether Democrats or Republicans be in power, we cannot
hope for a reduction in import duties. We must therefore make up
our minds to lose the American market!

#" It has been said, and it has been complacently repeated, that the
Americans do not make the entire watch, and that they are depen-
dent upon Switzerland for several parts of the watch. This is a
mistake. The Waltham Company make the entire watch — from the
first screw to the case and dial. It would even be difficult for them
to use our productions so great is the regularity, so minute the pre-
cision with which their machines work. They arrive at the regula-
tion of the watch — so to say — without having seen it. When the
watch is given to the adjuster, the foreman delivers to him the
corresponding hair-spring, and the watch is regulated. (Sensation
among the audience.) Here is what I have seen, gentlemen. I
asked from the director of the Waltham Company a watch of the
fifth grade. A large safe was opened before me ; at random, I took
a watch out of it and fastened it to my chain. The director having
asked me to let him have the watch for two or three days, so as to
observe its motion, I answered, ' On the contrary, I persist in wearing-
it just as it is, to obtain an exact idea of your manufacture.'

" At Paris I set my watch by a regulator on the Boulevard, and
on the sixth day I observed that it varied 32 seconds. And this
watch is of the fifth American grade ; it cost 75 francs (movement
without case). At my arrival at Locle I showed the watch to one
of our first adjusters, who asked permission to ' take it down ' — in
other words, to take it to pieces. I, however, wished first to observe
it ; and here is the result which I noted : — Hanging, daily variation
1£ seconds ; variation in different positions, from 4 to 8 seconds ; in
the ' heated room ' the variation was but slight. Having thus
observed it, I handed the watch to the adjuster, who took it down.
After the lapse of a few days he came to me and said, word for
word, I,' I am completely overwhelmed ; the result is incredible ;
one would not find one such a watch among 50,000 of our manu-
factures.'

" This watch, gentlemen, I repeat to you, I took at hazard — out
of a heap as we say. You understand from this example that the
American watch may be preferred to the Swiss. I have finished,
gentlemen, and I have told you of things such as I have seen them.
It remains for us to profit from this sad experience and to improve
our manufacture. Competent men are not wanting among us ; they
must go to work at once."

A round of applause followed the speaker as he descended the
tribune.

PHILADELPHIA AWARD FOR ENGLISH SAFES.

THE highest award for fire and burglar proof safes at the
Centennial was granted to Samuel Chatwood. Among the display
of safes at that Exhibition was a large assortment of Chatwood's
general safes, and one specially manufactured for bankers, as well
as another for diamond merchants. The former containing two
smaller safes for bills, notes, or valuable documents, and the latter
being two inches thick on all sides, fitted with his patent tee frame,
solid flange lock, curvilinear edge door, " dovetail claw bolts," and
" multiple combination lock," these being the only safes in the world
sold subject to a trial of thirty-six hours with any kind of burglar
appliances, before delivery. In addition to the above, the identical
challenge safe, which, at the Paris Exhibition was pitted against the
world, there alluded to by a leading Scientific Journal as the " fore-
most safe of theday,"was also sent byMr. Chatwood to the Centennial.
Mr. Chatwood has just designed and constructed for a Provincial
Bank the largest steel safe yet made, it being 24 feet long, 12 feet wide,
and 11 feet high, fitted with two of his patent " intersected steel "
doors, each two inches thick. In the middle of the safe, which stands
beneath the centre of the banking-room, is an elevator, about 8 feet
wide, 7 feet high, and 2 feet from front to back, with compartments
in front for tellers, and at back for the clerks. The elevator, which
in the day-time stands in the banking-room as an ordinary fixture,
is placed on a hydraulic ram ; the cover of the elevator is of the
same quality as the doors of the safe itself, i.e., two inches thick, its
curvilinear edge forming a cornice, with the lock case for its plinth,
and large round bolts of phosphar bronze with their ornamental ends
for the ornaments on the plinth, to correspond with the ornaments
on the furniture of the banking-room. After the business of the
day is over, the elevator descends into the safe below, its top forming
a horizontal door of the same strength as the vertical doors below
by which the safe is entered. This safe contains all Chatwood's
inventions for protecting valuable property from the depredations
of scientific burglars, some of which for obvious reasons cannot
prudently be described in a public print, but which may, we have
no doubt, be inspected by bankers or others on Mr. Chatwood's in-
troduction. Large as this safe is, it will nevertheless be outstripped by
one recently designed by Mr. Chatwood, and which is now in course of
construction, for the head office of one of the oldest and largest
banks in the United Kingdom.

2t>2

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1877.

CURIOSITIES OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES.
(Continued from page 125.)

ACCORDING to "Kent's Directory" there were in London, in
1781, sixty-seven watch and clock makers, who were as
)ws : —

Addis, William, 8, Birchin Lane.

Atkins Francis, 35, Clements Lane.

Atkins. Robert, 20, Salisbury Street, Strand.

Baird, John, 190, Strand.

Barton, John, 64, Red Lion Street, Clerkenwell.

Berridge, William, Clock & Watchmaker, 69, Oxford Road.

Bidlake, James, Clock & Watchmaker, 81, Minories.

Bingham, Thomas, Watch Chainmaker, 3, Middle Row, Holborn.

Blundy, Joseph, Clock & Watchmaker, 21, St. John Street,
Clerkenwell.

Brockbank, John, Clock & Watchmaker, 6, Cowper's Court,
Cornhill.

Byrant & Son, Clock & Watchmakers, 47, Threadneedle Street.

Cabrier & Leekey, 15, Basinghall Street.

Carrington, Richard, 22, Old Bethlem.

Charlier, Isac, 1, Angel Court, Throgmorton Street.

Chater, Eliezer, 10, Exchange Alley, Cornhill,

Chater, James, 3, Cherry Tree Court, Aldersgate Street, and 14,
Cornhill.

Conden, Robert, 51, Clerkenwell Close.

De St. Leu, Daniel, Watchmaker to Her Majesty, 17, Cloak
Lane, College Hill.

Devis, John, 76, Lamb Conduit Street.

Ellicot, John & Son, 17, Sweeting's Alley, Cornhill.

Evans, James, 7, Sweeting's Alley.

Farran, Robert, Watch Chainmaker, 9, Middle Moorfields.
Fitter, Thomason, 37, St. John' Square, Clerkenwell.

Fladgall, John, Conduit Street, Hanover Square.
Fleetwood, Robert, 33, Abchurch Lane.
Fox, Isaac, 39, Minories.

Gout, Ralph, 6, Norman Street, Old Street.

Gray, Adam, 5, Berkeley Street, Clerkenwell.

Green, James, 5, Fenchurch Street.

Hardy, John, 8, Bridgewater Square, Barbican.

Hitehin, Joseph, 4, Brown's Buildings," St. Mary Axe.

Holmes, John, near Somerset House, Strand.

Howard, Edward, 6, Great Kirby Street, Hatton Garden.

Hunter, Thomas, junr., 156, Fenchurch Street.

Jackson, John & Co., 2, Bridgewater Square, Barbican.

Jessop, Josias, 38, Southampton Street, Covent Garden.

Lamb & Webb, 21, St. John's Square, Clerkenwell.

M'Cabe, James, 11, Bell's Building, Fleet Street.

Maclennan, Kenneth, May's Buildings, St. Martin's Lane.

Martin Thomas, 27, Cornhill.

Martineau, Joseph, St. Martin's Court, Leicester Square.

Mason, William, Dockhead, Southwark.

Mitchelson, Walter, 3 Helmet Row, St. Luke's.

Norton, Eardley, 49, St. John Street, Clerkenwell.

Peacock, George, 4, Sweeting's Alley, Cornhill.

Philp, Musical Clockmaker, 6, New Court, St. John's Street,

Clerkenwell.
Prigg & Ansell, Clock and Watch Spring Makers, and Steel

Manufacturers, Middle Moorfields.
Prior, George, 3, Prescot Street, Goodman's Fields.
Rigby, Joshua, 5, Berkeley Street, Clerkenwell.
Rimbault, Paul, Clockmaker, 9, Denmark Street, St. Giles.
Rogers, Isaac, 44, White Hart Court, Gracechurch Street.
Rose, Joseph & Son, 17, Foster Lane.
Sanderson, Henry, 301, Strand.
Scott, John, 40, Gloucester Street, Red Lion Square.
Sidey, Benjamin, 5, Moorfields.
Spencer & Perkins, 44, Snow Hill.
Stuck, William, Cockspur Street.

Strigel, George Philip, Stafford Row, near Buckingham Gate
Thompson, John, 10, Red Lion Street, Clerkenwell.
Tulet, Edward, 10, Fenchurch Street.
Twyford, Robert, 40, Strand.

Underwood, P,obert, 3, Falcon Street, Aldersgate Street.
Upjohn, James & Co., 12, Red Lion Street, Clerkenwell.
Vale, William, 12, Bunhill Row.
Webster & Son, 11, Change Alley.
Wicksteed, 114, Bunhill Row.
Willshire, James, 19, High Holborn.

One of them, Ralph Gout, was the patentee of 'a watch in which
time and measure were united.

In the South Kensington Museum are a gold watch and pedometer
combined, in an enamelled and chased case, the diameter of the
watch is 2\ inches, and the length of the case is 8£. This instru-
ment is by Ralph Gout, and it was purchased for 201. 10s.

In 1788 was published an etching in folio, by T. Nixon, of James
Davis, a lunatic at Margate, who died in 1790. He is represented
whole length, with a leek in his hat. He was brought up as a
watchmaker, and afterwards became sexton of St. Bride's, London.
In March 1788, a gold watch was found upon an open common in
the neighbourhood of Leeds. It had been lost by a gentleman
when fox-hunting about sixteen years before.

During the war of 1796, a sailor went to a Mr. MacLaren, a
watchmaker, and presenting a small French watch to him, demanded
to know how much the repair of it would come to. Mr. MacLaren,
after examining it, said, " It will be more expense repairing than its
original cost." " I don't mind that," said the sailor ; " I will even
give you double the original cost, for I have a veneration for the
watch." " What might you have given for it ? " said the watchmaker,
"I gave a fellow a blow on the head for it, and if you repair it I will
give you two."

Early in the present century was to be seen in 'the stables of the
Elector of Saxony a watch fitted in the pommel of his saddle.

At the commencement of the same century a watch was cleaned
on the summit of Salisbury spire. From time to time, some daring
person has climbed this spire to oil the weather- cock, a most
dangerous feat, as the top of the spire is 404 feet from the ground.
It is ascended by ladders for about three-fourths of its height, which
are fixed inside the spire. A small door then opens, and the
adventurer has to climb the rest of the way by a series of irons,
something like the handles of flat irons, which are fixed in the
stonework, and by which he is able to make his way to the top to
complete his dizzy work. On one occasion some persons were
assembled at the "Pheasant," in Salisbury, and were talking about
this feat, when a watchmaker, named Arnold, who was present,
offered for a small wager to ascend the spire ; to take with him his
tools and a watch ; to take the watch to pieces on the very top of
the spire; to clean it properly ; and to bring it down in less than
an hour. He accordingly climbed the spire, fixed his back against
the stem of the weather-cock, completed his task, and descended
within the given time.

In the season of 1806-7 the admirers of the performance of Joe
Grimaldi, the clown, at Sadler's Wells Theatre, presented him with
a handsome watch, the face of which was so contrived as to repre-
sent a portrait of himself in the act of singing his romantic ditty of
"Me and my Neddy." In 1809 two highwaymen who knew
Grimaldi robbed him of his watch and other articles on Highgate
Hill. One of the thieves, however, induced his companion to
restore the watch, which they valued at only two pounds, to its
owner on the spot.

The gold watch of Patrick Cotter, alias O'Brien, the Irish giant,
who was born in 1761, and died about 1808, is still in use, and keeps
time as well as ever. It is of unusual size, its works are of extra-
ordinary strength, and it weighs a pound with the chain and
seals. It is a chronometer and repeater, and was made large and
suitable for its huge owner. It has his name engraved on the cap
— " Patrick Cotter, Kinsale, Ireland." It was purchased by the
father of the present possessor at a sale after the giant's death.

In the Gentleman's Alagazine for 1809 are the following lines : ' ' On
seeing a French watch round the neck of a beautiful young wo-
man : " —

" Mark what we gain from foreign lands,
Time cannot now be said to linger,
Allowed to lay his two rude hands,
Where others dare not lay a finger ! "

These identical lines also appear in the same Magazine for 1811,
probably being reproduced by mistake. In neither instance does the
author's name appear, but in Arlis's Pocket Magazine for 1818 we
find them figuring under the initials of "A. R." as an epigram on
seeing a French watch suspended upon the breast of a young lady.
A. R. does not, however, acknowledge his indebtedness to the
Gentleman's Magazine.

A writer in 1809 tells us that shortly after Easter in every year
the baptism of St. Vincent Terrier was portrayed in the church of
St. Stephen at Valencia, by twenty statues or puppets as large as
life, representing the priests, clerk, godmother, midwife, servants,
and others. An amusing anachronism was displayed in this religious
exhibition, for the woman figures were fully dressed in the ten
French styles, with watch chains among other personal decorations.
St. Vincent was born in 1357, and died in 1419, dates long ante-
cedent to the time of the invention of watches.
To be continued.

Feb. 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITHS' TRADE JOURNAL,

203

HISTORY OP ASTRONOMY.

(Continued from page 102).

MANY distinguished astronomers flourished at the time with
Copernicus, or soon after. Of these*Schoner, Nonius, Appian,
Friscus, Rothman, Byrgius, and William IV., Landgrave of Hesse
Cassel, Rhetius, &c, enriched the science with many valuable
improvements, the result of diligent study and observation.

One eminent personage, who considered the opinions of Coper-
nicus as at variance with the doctrines of the Bible, and yet was
aware that .Ptolemaic system would not satisfactorily account for
many of the motions and appearances of the heavenly bodies, endea-
voured to invent a system which should harmonize with the Scrip-
tures and at the same time remove the difficulties.

This was Tycho Brahe, a Danish nobleman, who resided at
Uraniburg, in the Isle of Huen, near Zealand. He accordingly
asserted that the earth was fixed in the centre, and that the moon
and sun revolved round her ; that the planets Mercury, Venus, liars,
Jupiter, and Saturn, moved round the sun, "and together with him
were carried round the earth. This system was too absurd to gain
much footing with the learned ; but, though he was unsuccessful in
planning a new system, he rendered great services to the science in
general by forming a catalogue of the stars with greater exactness
than his predecessors, and determining the effect of refractions,
whereby we see the sun or a star above the horizon when it is not
so in reality. He discovered two of the principal irregularities in the
moon's motion, the variation, not the annual equation ; and demon-
strated that comets and meteors are but solid bodies, like the planets,
and, like them, revolve about the sun. In such estimation was this
eminent astronomer, held that learned men repaired to him for
advice, and even monarchs condescended to visit him in his retire-
ment. After the death of the King of Denmark he, at the invitation
of the Emperor Rodolphus, went to reside in a castle near Prague,
which that monarch gave him, but he lived not long to enjoy his new
situation. He died October 14, 1601.

Cotemporary, and a coadjutor with Tycho during his residence in
Bohemia, was John Kepler, whose name is celebrated as the dis-
coverer of certain laws that regulated the planetary motions, though
he did not demonstrate those laws, yet he gave such information as
laid the foundation for the immortal Sir Isaac Newton to demon-
strate an absolute necessity of those laws ; and that without a total
subversion of the "laws of nature" the heavenly bodies cannot be
otherwise regulated. Hence the first founder of modern astronomy
was Kepler ; and if it be the privilege of genius to change received
ideas, and to announce truths which had never before been dis-
covered, he may justly be considered as one of the greatest men
that had yet appeared in the world.

Hipparchus, Ptolemy, Tycho Brahe, and even Copernicus himself,
were indebted for a great part of their knowledge to the Egyptians,
Chaldeans, and Indians, who were their, masters in the science ; but
Kepler, by his own talents and industry, has made discoveries of
which no traces are to be found in all the annals of antiquity. This
great philosopher'was born at Wiel, in the province of Wurteniburg,
in Germany, in 1571, and was one of the most zealous partisans for
the Copernican system that had hitherto appeared.

Baron Napier, the celebrated inventor of the Logarithms, was no
mean proficient in astronomy.

But it was now destined to receive a powerful assistance, by
means of which wonders have been discovered, that, without it,
would have been for ever hidden from mortal eye. The telescope
had been invented and used for terrestrial purposes for some time,
when Galileo, having constructed one on an improved principle,
merely from description, as he had never seen one, applied it to the
observance of the celestial bodies ; it opened a world of wonders to
his view of which he had previously no conception. The discoveries
he made fully convinced him of the correctness of the Copernican
theory, and this he had the courage to avow in the most public
manner. But bigotry, that foe to truth, laid its iron hand upon him,
and he was thrown into the prison of the Inquisition, where he was
detained several months, and compelled to promise that he would
renounce his terrestrial opinions, and not teach or defend them,
either by word or writing. A promise extorted by fear of death he
did not consider binding, he therefore ventured, about seventeen
years after, in 1632, to publish at Florence the dialogues of the two
great systems of the world, the Ptolemaic and the Copernican.

The vigilance of persecutors seldom relaxes. He was again
brought before the terrible tribunal and committed to their loath-
some dungeons, where he was confined two years ; his books were
burnt at Borne, he was compelled to recant his sentiments, and
enjoined a ridiculous penance as the condition of his release. This
great man made many interesting observations on the moon, dis-
covered Jupiter's satellites, Saturn's ring, the spots on the sun's

disc, by which he ascertained that that luminary turns on his axis,
and that the nebulae and milky way consist of stars at such an im-
mense* distance that they cannot be distinctly seen with the un-
assisted eye. He died in 1642.

The following interesting article on his trial appears in the Revue
des Deux Mondes, and an Italian, M. Berti, has lately brought to
light from :the archives of the Vatican, some important docu-
ments relating to the subject. It has been disputed whether
Galileo was actually tortured. Being interrogated a second time
on the 21st of June if he maintained or had ever maintained
the opinion that the sun is the centre of the world and the earth
moves, he replied humbly that since his arrest by the Congregation
of the Index in 1616 he had always held, and still held, for "very
true and indubitable," the opinion of Ptolemy. This reply not
appearing satisfactory, the Father Commissioner insisted on knowing
the truth, and declared that, il it was not told fully, torture would
be applied. "I am here to obey," replied Galileo, in a kind of
terror. The text then indicates that there was still more rigorous
treatment of him. " As it appears that you have not spoken the
whole truth on the subject of your intention, we have judged it
necessary to come to the rigorous examination." Now, the rigorous
examination was purely and simply torture. Still, it seems improbable
that this was actually carried out, otherwise a full account of it, as
usual with rigorous examinations, would have appeared in the
reports of the trial. All that the victim underwent and said was
usually recorded with great precision by a clerk. It is unlikely that
the rigorous examination would have been carried out in Galileo's
case, without a clerk being present, or that the clerk being present
would have made no mention of it ; or again, that the account of
torture would have been suppressed by the Holy Office. Galileo was
probably spared on account of his age and infirmities. M. Berti
attributes this wholly to the humanity of the Commissioner. M.
Mezieres (the writer of the article) considers this would be to unduly
calumniate the Pope, Urban VHI. It appears clearly from the
whole that the menace of torture was a reality, and not merely a
means of striking the imagination of the public.
To be Continued.

BRITISH HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE.

THE Half-yearly General Meeting of the members of this
Institute was held on the 16th ult. Mi\ J. Jones, F.R.G.S.,
V. P., presiding.

The motion for the adoption of the report and balance-sheet
having been carried, the chairman put to the meeting the pro-
position that Mr. Thomas Hewitt, of 4, Spencer Street, and Mr.
Thomas Nelson, of 31, Halton Road, be elected to fill vacancies
in the Council, and declared it carried.

Mr. R. Bridgman and H. D. Corker were re-elected auditors,
with thanks for past services.

A vote of thanks was passed to Professor Tennant for
his address on the occasion of the visit of the members to the
"Wakefield Tower, and acknowledged by Professor Tennant.

Votes of thanks were also accorded to the secretary and to the
chairman for presiding.

At the usual Monthly Meeting of the Council of the same
Institute, held on the 9th [ult., it was announced that the
Clockmakers' Company had resolved to contribute Ten Guineas a
year to the funds of the Institute. That Baroness Burdett
Coutts had signified her willingness to contribute £300, towards
the Building Fund ; and that in accordance with the request of
the Council, the Turners' Company would this year offer their
prizes for turning in gold, steel, and brass, connected with
horological instruments. With a view of assisting the Turners'
Company, it was resolved that the Institute be placed at ther
disposal for the reception of articles sent in for competition.

THE GOLDSMITHS' COMPANY'S PRIZES.

THE designs and models sent last year in competition for the
Goldsmiths' Company's prizes are now displayed at the
Architectural Museum, Tuf ton Street,_ Westminster.

Mr. J. Watkins, of Chelsea, receives a prize of 501. for an
excellent and harmonious design for a shield. Another 501.
prize is awarded to Mr. W. Marshall, for a model_ of a casket for
gems. A design for a loving cup, to be executed in silver, partial
gilt, by Mr. J. Eyre, secures a prize of 25?. Mr. A. M. Mowbray
received an award of 101. for the design of a pastoral staff. For
executed, silver work, two 251. prizes were received by Mr.
L. Angel; and an extra prize of 251. by Mr. Alexander
Crichton. Designs for clock cases were also sent by Mr. Walter
Langley, of Birmingham, and Mr. G. Daniels, of Pitfield Street,
Hoxton.

204

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1877.

THE

^Wcjttmto, Icdrelkr, mtir %i]bmm%

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at 34, Hatton Garden,
Loxdon, E.C.

Birmingham Agencies.
Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.
Messrs. Lazarus Bros., 52, Frederic Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Holborn Viaduct Post Office, W.

A GUILELESS JEWELLER.

PHILLIPS & SOILT,

MANUFACTURERS OF FIREPROOF AND THIHF-RESISTINQ

IRON SAFES, DEED BOXES, &.C

Speedwell Works, Sherborne St., Birmingham.

BACK1]S & STRAUSS,

Manufacturing Jewellers & Gold Chain Makers,

HAVE REMOVED TO

64, HOLBOP/iT YIADTJOT,

(Opposite the London, Chatham and Dover Railway Station),

LONDON, E.C.

SPECIAL NOTICE.

IN future, copies of the Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silver-
smith, will be supplied to the Retail Trade, Booksellers and
x\ ewsagents, by Messrs. Catty and Dobson, Wholesale Booksellers,
1, Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row, London.

AMERICAN TRADE ITEMS.

The New York Jeweller's Circular says : —

" Conch-shell jewellery is in great demand.

" Gold scarf pins are fashionable for ladies.

"Since the Centennial, mosaic jewellery has risen in favour.

" Turquoise jewellery set in gold or silver is quite fashionable.

"The favourite gold thimbles have tops made of some precious
stone, with initials set in the edge.

" A new jewel case is made to represent a table ; the legs and
sides of silver, the cover of glass, and the box fined with tufted
satin.

" Silver watches seem to be unpopular in Philadelphia. Only
493 are assessed in the whole city, while the number of gold watches
is 14,446."

A New British School ok Jewellery has been established at
Rome, for the perfect imitation of ancient and mediaeval works of
art in gold and silver and precious stones. Each object is so
executed as to show by its style to what epoch and nation it belongs.
To effect the aim in view by this school, much, however, has to be
discovered, as ancient jewellers used chemical and mechanical agents
unknown to us. Amongst other arts connected with the craft, the
old processes of melting, soldering, and wire-drawing, remain a
problem, as also how to join and separate hardly perceptible
X^ieces of gold.

A PERFECT novelty^in the art of swindling has recently been
brought out in a t'own in Italy, and, as a similar ruse might
be played upon the very sharpest tradesman in London, an account
of the mode of proceeding may be of interest to the residents of
Bond-street and other parts. Some time since a very gentlemanly-
looking man, accompanied by his daughter, a good-looking young
lady, of about 18 summers, alighted at the chief hotel of the town.
They gave themselves out to be English, and had, among other
luggage, four large boxes, containing two complete sets of drawers,
like those used by officers in camp. They chose a salon and two
bedrooms, one of which opened into the salon. As soon as they
were settled these drawers were unpacked, and one set was placed
against the door in the salon, the other on the other side of the
door in the gentleman's bed chamber, the door in question being
(like most of those in continental hotels) very thin. For some time
all went on very satisfactorily. The gentleman was not extravagant,
but liberal, and was most particular in calling for his bill every week
and paying it to the moment. Before he had been many days in the
town he paid a visit to the principal jeweller, and made some small
purchases — in each case paying cash and showing that he was well
provided with bank-notes. The jeweller was most anxious to press
his new customer, and brought out all kinds of beautiful articles to
tempt him, but at first his purchases were moderate, though liberally
paid for. At the end of a month the gentleman paid a visit alone,
and, after making another purchase, observed that his daughter was
about to be married and that he thought of sending to Paris for a
set of diamonds. The jeweller could not allow such a chance to
slip through his fingers. He had the most beautiful set in Europe,
the property of a Princess ; he was sure that only a Milord Inglese
could buy them, and begged his customer just to inspect them.
The price was only 400,000fr. The inspection was made, but no
decision was come to that day. The next day another inspection
was made and Milord agreed to take them, The jeweller was de-
lighted. He thought it would be best to ask if he should send them
round that evening, but he received a perfectly straightforward
answer. "I do not keep so much money about me. I must draw
upon my bankers in London. I will give you 500f . to close the
business, and the jewels you can deliver against cash in the course
of next week." The deposit was paid, and the jeweller satisfied
beyond a doubt that he was dealing with a most perfect gentleman.
Eight days after, he was requested to call the same morning at 11
and bring the diamonds, for which he would be paid. He arrived at
the moment and found his customer in his dressing-gown, sitting
alone at the set of drawers referred to, a front flap of which turned
down so as to form a writing table. The jeweller advanced respect-
fully, and laid the casket open on the flap in question. " Milord"
just examined the jewels, remarked that of course he did not wish
his daughter to know anything of the transaction at present, and
then proceeded to take out a large handful of beautiful crisp notes.
At that moment the door opened, and in bounded the young lady in
question, as the jeweller aftewards said, "just like a golden fawn."
Nothing was more natural than that "Milord ' should close up the
flap, and ask the young lady to go away, as he wished to be alone.
But she was a spoilt child and would have her own way. She had
come to tell " papa " that the tailor was waiting for him in the next
room and he must go, and that she was quite sure the jeweller would
like her company better than his ; besides, she had a locket she
could not open, and the jeweller must help her. The jeweller was
not proof against the playful charms of the young lady ; he saw his
goods safe, not exactly under his eye, but next door to it. So he
begged her father to go, and he would wait. " Milord " left the
room and the poor dupe enjoyed half an hour of delightful flirtation
with the young lady. There was something very winning in her
ways, and then she was a young bride. The time passed like a
dream and at last the young lady passed off to go and hurry her
father. The jeweller sat in meditation ; his thoughts were at first
all engrossed with the sweet girl who had just left. Then he began
to wonder how long his customer would be. Then he went and
tried the flap of the drawer. It was "all right; " it was locked.
So he sat down and mused again. After some three hours he began
to think that he must be forgotten. So he rang the bell and re-
quested the waiter to just remind " Milord " that he was waiting, but
to do it very politely. The waiter replied that " Milord " and the
Signorina had gone out an hour ago. There was nothing to do but
to wait, and wait he did. Neither returned. Table d'hote passed,
and although the poor man began to have a presentiment that some-
thing was wrong, the landlord was consulted, but was sure that his
guest was a real gentleman, whose only fault was forgetfuluess. So
again he waited until past the small hours ofthe night. At early morn-

Feb. 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

205

ing the landlord again returned and be also began to think the case
suspicious. The jeweller was furious. He made a dash at the
drawers, and, with the aid of the poker, broke open the flap. His
next move was to take the casket. He thrust his head into the
compartment, and sank back into the arm-chair. He saw before
him nothing but a square open void, leading into the set of drawers
in the next room. The landlord did likewise, and so did the waiters.
Then they sat and looked at each other, and at last ordered restora-
tives for the jeweller, who had fainted.

GREENWICH TIME.

WE are glad to find animated discussions being held in refer-
ence to the best and most effectual means of controlling
public clocks, since such must tend to stimulate a fair and honest
competition which will result in the public having advantage of the
best method. "We do not necessarily identify ourselves with any
particular system, but will be glad to find that which proves itself
the best, universally adopted, and therefore in justice to all
methods we extract the following correspondence which has
recently appeared on the subject] in the Times. Mr. Piazzi Smith,
Astronomer-Boyal for Scotland, writing to that journal from the
Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, with regard to an account
published in its columns that hitherto all attempts to regulate
clocks by electricity have failed to yield practical results, says : —
" Many public clocks in Edinburgh have been for sixteen years
past, and are still, most successfully controlled, synchronized,
and made to show true time, not only every hour, but every
second, by electricity. One of these clocks, too, performs the
exceedingly practical work of pulling the- trigger of the time-gun
in the Castle of Edinburgh every day, proving thereby to the
whole community, by reference to the other electric and inde-
pendent signal, the time-ball on the Calton Hill, whether the
Castle clock is, or is not, most truly and efficiently regulated by
its current of electricity ; while so far as the cheaper, but rougher,
method of correction by the minute hand] of an ordinary clock
not necessarily showing seconds being placed true by electricity
once an hour is concerned. Edinburgh may refer with melan-
choly pride to her late citizen and most inventive genius,
Alexander Bain, whose claim to the invention of precisely that
apparatus was maintained in print no less than thirty -four years
ago by Mr. John Finlaison, Government aotuary and calculator.
I would, moreover, beg to inform anyone who desires to employ
that method of electric clock regulation, that he has only to
apply to the clockmakers long employed in this Royal Observa-
tory, viz., Messrs. J. Ritchie & Sons, 25 Leith Street, Edinburgh,
and they can fit him up at once any number of such clocks,
according to a very'moderate[scale of prices long since arranged."'

Extract from the Times, Wednesday, January 24th, 1877.

"Messrs. Barraud & Lunds write from 41, Cornhill, E.C: —
Please allow us a small space to assert the perfect correctness
of your statements under the head of ' Greenwich Time ' on the
15th inst. Your notice in no way ignored the existence of
electric clocks, but it stated an undeniable fact, that no system
which had been yet tried had satisfied the requirements of
commercial and daily demands, or come into general and practical
use. The clocks now going in Edinburgh have the one defect
which will exclude all on the same principle from receiving
itniversal support — any injury to the line wire stops every clock
in connection with it. As regards Mr. Bain's invention it is quite
true that he very wisely went at once to the setting of the hands,
but he attempted it so clumsily that it was a total failure. Any-
one who wishes to do so may willingly examine our system and
compare it with the drawings in the pamphlet mentioned by
Mr. Piazzi Smith. The result, will soon give the matter the best
possible test, as the whole city will soon be traversed with our
system'which has received the unqualified and unexcepted approval
of every telegraph and railway engineer who has seen it."

Exhibitions op Fans. — An Exhibition of Fans is to open at
Munich, on November 1, 1877. It will last three months, and
will comprise contributions from all countries. Some remark-
able specimens are promised from different towns in Europe ;
that of Gratz, in Styria, among others, will lend the fine collection
of the Johanneum. Next to China (a Paris paper says) France
is the country that produces the most fans. Before the Revolu-
tion there was a corporation comprising one hundred and thirty
makers. The seat of the manufacture is in the Department of
the Oise between Metu and Beauvais, where more than 3,000
workers gain a livelihood by mounting Paris fans. The frames
of plain or carved wood are made in the same villages.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES-

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch. Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.
Bankrupts.
Shirtcliffe, John, Jun., Sheffield, Yorkshire, Electro Plate Manufacturer,

Liquidations toy Arrangement or Composition.
Jacobs, Simon, Middlesborough, jeweller. December 16. J. W. Teale,

Solicitor, Middlesborough.
Smith, William, Borthwick, Coventry, watch manufacturer. December 28.

O. Minster, solicitor, Coventry.
Grange, John William, 3 Cbapel Walks, Preston, jeweller and general

dealer. January 2. J. Forshaw, solicitor, Preston.
Hayhurst, George, Stretford New Eoad, Manchester, watchmaker and

jeweller. January 3. J. L. Hodgson, solicitor, J 6 Tib Lane, Manchester
Niihols, Alfred Latimer, 4 St. Leonards Terrace, Streatham, watch-
maker. January 1. L. A. Wenn, solicitor, 14 Bell Yard, Temple Bar.
Senecal, Louis, 261 Brompton Eoad, watchmaker and jeweller. January

6. T. Guscotte & Co., solicitors, 121 Bishopsgate Street Within.
Young, James, Eharesborough, watchmaker. January 1. Simpson and

Burrell, solicitors, Leeds.
Eoland, William, 1 Caroline Street, 'Birmingham, late 368 City Eoad,

London, gilt jeweller. January 10. Southall, Thomas, & Southall,

solicitors, Birmingham.
Sparks, Eichard, 37 Wilmington Square, enameller. January 8.

L. Barnett, solicitor, 23 New Broad Street.
Wilkinson Henry, Blackburn Eoad, and Wellington Terrace, Accrington,

jeweller. January 11. J. H. Tattersall, solicitor, Blackburn.
Britton, Samuel Abraham, 40 Beaumont Square, Mile End, late 10 Tenter

Street North, Goodman's Fields, jeweller. January 15. J. M. Green,

solicitor, 82 Queen Street.
Herbstreet, Joseph, Cranford Street, Smethwick, clock and watch-maker,

&c. Burton, solicitor, Union Passage, Birmingham.
Blanchard Alfred, 3 Arabella Eow, Pimlico, jeweller. January 22. At

Guildball Tavern, Gresham Street, February 6 at 3. E. Froggatt,

solicitor, 6 Argyll Street, Eegent Street.

Trustees Appointed.
Bell, Adam (Liq.) Union Eoad, Oswaldtwistle, cotton manufacturer and

watchmaker (separate estate). Trustees, John White, Manchester,

accountant, and Edward Bushton, Blackburn, auctioneer.
Smith, Walter, trading as Y/. Smith & Co. (Liq.), Derby, watchmaker.

Trustee, Thomas H. Harrison, Derby, accountant.
Walkland, James (Liq.), Hull, silver plater. Trustee, Elias Needham,

Norfolk Street, Sheffield, accountant.
Williams, Alfred, trading as Alfred Williams & Co. (Bkt.), Harting-

ton Buildings, Birmingham, jeweller. Trustee, Spencer Dominey,

Waterloo Street, Birmingham, accountant.
Pee, John (Bkt.), Sheffield, silver plate manufacturer. Claims by January

31 to E. Needham, Sheffield, accountant.
Siieppard, Charles (Liq.), High Street, Lewes, jeweller. Claims by

January 29, to W. N. Fisher, 4 Waterloo Street, Birmingham.
Dissolutions of Partnership.
Bradley, Samuel, and Mott, Thomas London, Vyse Street, Birmingham,

jewellery factors.
Bedford, William and Cartwright, Joshua Edward, Harford Street,

Birmingham, jewellers.
White, James, Glasgow, opticians, &c. December 30. Debts by James

White, who continues the business.
Brull & Eossmainth, 32 Ely Place, Holbom Circus, diamond merchants

and jewellers. November 30.
Davis A. J. & Bros., 139 Deangate, and 1a Mulberry Street, Manchester,

jewellers. November 29.
Mendoza & Cohen, 4 Paradise Street, Liverpool, jewellers. December 1.

Debts by Henri Mendoza.
Owen, Eobert, & Co., Victoria Mills, Corporation Street, Sheffield, manu-
facturers of silver plated and Brittania metal goods. November 25.
Adjudications of Bankruptcies.
Williams, Alfred, trading as Alfred Williams & Co., Hartington

Buildings, Branston Street, Birmingham, manufacturing-jeweller.

December 30.

Dividends.

Whittaker, John (Liq.), Oldham, jeweller. 1st and final div. 2s. 6d. :

W. Newton, Peter Street, Oldham.
Foxall, George (Liq.), Beckenham, late Thavies Inn, jewellery-factor. Div.

Is. 6d. ; F. Page, at — Letts, 8 Bartlett's Buildings, Holborn Circus, sol.
Fairley, John (Liq.), Coventry, watch manufacturer. 1st and final div.

6d. H. Merrick, High Street, Coventry.
Walkland, James (Liq.), Hull, silver plater. Div. 2s. ; E. Needham, 121*

Norfolk Street, Sheffield.
Stephen, Charles (Seq.), Glasgow jeweller, equalizing. W. D. Quick,

75 Bath Street, on and after, January 25th.
Crichton, Archibald (Bkt.), Capel Street, Dublin, jeweller. A div. 4|d. on

£466. O.A., C. H. James. Solicitors, Fay, McGough & Co.
Muiriiead, Lewis P. & Co., (Seq.), Glasgow, goldsmiths. 1st, Miller and

Ferguson, 71 Queen Street, Glasgow, February 19.

200

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[Feb. 6, 1877.

PAT_ENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

29. William Gillett and Chakles Bland, both of Croydon, in the
county of Surrey, Clock Manufacturers, for an invention of *' Improve-
ments in clocks and other time-keepers." — Dated 2nd January, 1877.

74. William Edward Gedge, of 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the
county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of " Certain
improvements in watch-case springs." — A communication to him from
abroad by Joseph Britton, of San Francisco, California, in the United
States of America, Gentleman. — (Complete Specification.) — Dated 8th
January, 1S77.

140. John' Matthew May, of Hatton Garden, in the county of Middle-
sex, Merchant, for an invention of " Improvements connected with
the manufacture of clock-eases, barometer-cases, thermometer-cases,
and other like cases." — Dated 11th January, 1877.

157- Derwas Owex Jones, of Pontisford, in the county of Salop, for an
invention of "Improvements in the construction of safes, chiefly for
securing the property of jewellers and diamond merchants, and other
valuables. — Dated 12th January, 1877.

186. Joseph Hill, Manufacturer, of Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, for an invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of
solitaires." — Dated loth January, 1877.

191. Harrison Mill Frodsiiam, of the Strand, in the county of Middle-
sex, Chronometer Maker, for an invention of " Improvements in
equi-motive escapements for watches, clocks, and other timekeepers."
—Dated loth January, 1877.

296. John Thomas Nicholls, of Southampton Buildings, Holborn, for an
invention of " Improvements in watch-guards or protectors." — Dated
24th January, 1877.

313. Samuel Viceery and James Thomas White, both of Clerkenwell, in
the county of Middlesex, Watchmakers, for an invention of " Im-
provements in the construction and adjustment of chronometers,
watches, clocks, and other timekeepers." — Dated 25th January, 1877.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

4900. To James Joseph Hicks, of Hatton Garden, in the county of
Middlesex for the invention of " Improvements in thermometers."

5002. To William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the invention of
" An improved machine for engraving and chasing jewellers' and
silversmiths' work, and for other like purposes." — A communication
to him from abroad by Albert H. Watkms and Frederick A. Brown,
both of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.

To Derwas Owen Jones, of Pontisford, in the county of Salop, for
the invention of " Improvements in the construction of safes, chiefly
for securing the property of jewellers and diamond merchants, and
other valuables."

To Harrison Mill Frodsiiam, of the Strand, in the county of
Middlesex, Chronometer Maker, for the invention of " Improvements
in equi-motive escapements for watches, clocks, and other timekeepers."

157.

191.

Inventions protected for Six Irlonths on the Deposit of Com-
plete Specifications.

74. William Edward Gedge, of 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the
county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, praying for Letters Patent for the
invention of " Certain improvements in watch-case springs," — a
communication to him from abroad by Joseph Britton, of San Fran-
cisco, California, in the "United States of America, Gentleman, — was
deposited and recorded in the Office of the Commissioners on the 8th
day of January, 1877, and a Complete Specification accompanying
such petition was at the same time filed in the said office.

Notices to Proceed.

3436. Frederick Weintraud and Richard James Secundus Joyce, of 18,
Aldermanbury, in the city of London, Manufacturers, have given notice
in respect of the invention of " Improvements in solitaires or sleeve and
collar studs."

3785. George Edward Peitchett, of 39, Lombard Street, in the city of
London, Architect, has given notice in respect of the invention of " New
or improved means, apparatus, or appliances for utilising clocks, clock-
work, or time-keeping movements, so as to put the same in communica-
tion with distant buildings, rooms, ships, mines, or places."

4811. John Compton Weeks Jefferys, of Tottenham Court Road, in
the county of Middlesex, Manufacturing JeweUer, has given notice in
respect of the invention of " Improvements in studs, solitaires, purses,
clasps, gloves, bags, harness, and other fastenings or ornaments for
dress.

74. William Edward Gedge, of 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the
county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, has given notice in respect of the
invention of " Certain improvements in watch-case springs." — A
communication to him from abroad by Joseph Britton, of San
Francisco, California, in the United States of America, Gentleman.

S3

Patents on which Stamp Dnty of £100 has been paid.

Charles Louis Thiery, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America, for an invention of " Certain new and useful improvements
in the manufacture of watch cases, and in machinery for producing
the same." — Dated 4th January, 1870.

Patents on which the Stamp Duty of £50 has been paid,
and Dates of their Production for Certificate.

359. William West, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
JeweUer, and William Frederick Spittle, of Birmingham aforesaid,
Manager of Works, for an invention of " Improvements in solitaires,
sleeve-links, and other like dress fastenings." — Dated 28th January, 1874.

378. George Henry Wilson, Watchmaker, in the employ of the firm of
H. W. and L. Dee, of Sherwood Street, Golden Square, in the county
of Middlesex, for an invention of " Improvements in keyless watches
and in appliances for winding the main-springs, also for setting the
hands thereof." — Dated 29th Januarv 1874,

123,

Patents which have become Void.

Alfred Courvoisier Jonais, Watch and Clock Manufacturer, of
Chaux-de-Fonds, in the republic of Switzerland, for an invention of
" Improvements in double-faced watches." — Dated 15th January, 1 870

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

France.

114,418. Zuloga, for "Improvements in damascening iron, steel, and
other metals with gold and silver." — Dated 2nd September, 1876.

114,537. Hopkins, for " Improvements in watches." — Dated 12th Septem-
ber, 1876.

114,641. Morlot, for " Manufacturing jewellery articles." — Dated 19th
September, 1876.

114,662. Dumyrat, of Lyons, for "A clock-bell." — Dated 23rd Septem-
ber, 1876.

114,682. Walker, for " Improvements in fastenings for solitaires, sleeve
links, collar and other studs, gloves, bags, and other articles." — Dated
20th September, 1876.- (English Patent, 24th March, 1876.)

114,703. Nayener, of Pierrefontaine, for "A tool for holding clock-
springs." — Dated 30th September, 1876.

114,729. Guilmet, for " A clock with conical oscillation and a balanced
reaction-pendulum." — Dated 26th September, 1876.

114,811. Rolet, of Besan^on, for " Compass-watches." — Dated 6th
October, 1876.

41,147. Miss Domon, for
1876.

Belgium.
' A remontoir watch. "-

-Dated 26th December,

United States.

6270. Milan C. Bullock, of Chicago, Illinois, United States, for "Swivel
head for diamond drills." (Griffe de foret a diamant.) — 5 years —
Dated 10th July, 1876.

Patents Sealed.

2926. Herbert John Haddan, of the firm of Herbert and Company,
Patent Agents, of 67, Strand, in the city of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, for an invention of " Improvements in chronometer
escapements." — A communication to him from abroad by F. Herman
Voigt, of Buffalo, state of New York, United States of America,
Watchmaker.— Dated 18th July, 1876.

2892. Thomas Morgan, Secretary of the Inventors' Patentright Associa-
tion, Limited, 21, Cockspur Street, Charing Cross, in the county of
Middlesex, for an invention of " Improved watch keys." — A communica-
tion to him from abroad by John S. Birch, of New York, United States
of America.— Dated 14th July, 1876.

2913. Henry Matthew Robottom, of Liverpool, in the county of
Lancaster, for an invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of
keyless watches." — Dated 17th July, 1876.

3973. Charles Payne, and Peter Steel, both of the city of Manchester,
in the county of Lancaster, for an invention of " A new or improved
device or means for securing scarf pins, brooches, and other descrip-
tions of jewellery." — Dated 14th October, 1876.

2958. John Alfred Langston, of Tavistock Street, Bedford Square, in the
county of Middlesex, Architect, for an invention of " Improvements
in illuminating clocks." — Dated 20th July, 1876.

3113. Henry Peaece, of Huddersfield, in the county of York, Jeweller,
and William Henry Douglas, of Stourbridge, in the county of
Worcester, Jeweller, for an invention of " Improvements in stnds and
solitaires." — Dated 4th August, 1876.

Designs Patented in the United States.

9243. James D. Lyon, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, for a "Watch-chain
charm." — Application filed 16th March, 1876. — Term of patent 34 years.

9244. Phillip C. Masi, of Washington, D. C, for a " Jewellery-pendant."
— Application filed 8th April, 1876. — Term of patent 3} years.

9247- William W. Scott, of Pittsburgh, Pa., for a " Watch-chain
charm." — Application filed 1st March, 1876. — Term of patent oi years.

9256. George M. Savage, of Detroit, Michigan, for a "Watch-chain
charm." — Application filed 5th April, 1876. — Term of patent 7 years.

Feb. 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

207

" By hand-labour it is impossible for this country to compete with Switzerland in the
Watch Trade ; and, if we would hold our own in Europe in this branch of industry, we must
follow the example of the Americans, who have successfully used machinery in the manu-

acture Of Watches."— Extract from the " Times" of December 18, 1868.

"The section which conspicuously brings* out the enormous strength
of America as a producing power is that of tools ; and still more
especially the vast array of machine tools for metal, which are the
parents of all other machines — more than lOO exhibitors have each a
group that commands the admiration of all who take the trouble to
examine them in detail. These tools are for all purposes : small arms,
sewing machines, clocks, watches, and all branches of machine making
and engineering, and almost all are finished in a style superior to that
of any former exhibition. Probably the most exquisite set of machine
tools ever made is that exhibited by the American Watch Company, of
Massachusetts. No mere words can convey an idea of their high
standard of excellence ; they must be felt and handled. What the
Whitworth gauges are to true circles, these lathes and tools are to all
forms required in the manufacture of watches. Add to this, great
convenience in arrangements and fixtures to produce the parts of a
watch so exact as to be almost interchangeable,"— The Times, October 28th, 1876.

FOR PARTICULARS APPLY TO

OBB11S & fPPLlTON,

GENEBAL AGENTS,

WALTHAM BUILDINGS, H0LB0KN CIRCUS, LONDON, E.C.

208

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLER, AND

[Feb. 5, 1877.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to' be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four tines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

AMERICAN (WALTHAM) WATCHES.

FATTORINI & SONS ("Wholesale Factors) "Watch and
Chronometer Manufacturers, Bradford, Yorkshire.

BAROMETER AND THERM OMET ER
MAKERS.

MURRAY & CALLIEU, 22, St. John's Square, E.C.
NEGRETTI & ZAMBRA, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. ; Charter-
house Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill. E.C. ; 122, Regent St., W.
"WEBSTEB, J., 88, St. John Street Road, Clerkenwell, E.C

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock "Works, Bolton.

GEERING & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STRONG EOOM COM-
PANY. LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes, Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER <fc STRAITB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEEEE, KUSS, FEITSCHLEE, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Eue Beran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Eoad, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Eochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, <fec. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1S44.

GEEENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Eoad, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C.

SWLNDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BEOTHERS, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C

MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct, London, E.C.

EUTHEEFOED, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Eow, E.C, and
33. Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

WIEGEL, B., Jun., Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27.
"Wilmington Square, Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stones mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CABLOSS (W- J-) & KTNG, 66, Hatton Garden, London,

E.C Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets

and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower Vases

Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal Work.

HUTTON & CO., 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phcenix Court. Newgate Street, London, E.C.
GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEOEGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don. W.C.

SUXDELL (KEISCHEE) <fc CO, 48, Brushfield Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBEEG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. EDWAED, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C
LITTEN (T. E.), 64, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON. HENEY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

CLEMENTS, HANDLEY <Ss Co., Deslers in all kinds of
Tools and Materials, Stones, Pastes, Cases, &c, 19, St,
John's Square, Clerkenwell, E.C. (See advertisement).

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E C

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWAEDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Road, London, E.C

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden, E.C.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

JOSEPH, B. H. & Co., 20, Frederick Street, Birmingham,
Manufacturers of the Eegistered " Standard " Sizes for
j ewellers.

HDMPHEEYS (JOHN A.), 23, Wilderness Eow, Clerken-
well, E.C, Jewellery, Chains, Wedding Rings and
Keepers, &c.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C. GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden, London, E.C.

BASNETT, S., 29, Augusta Street, Birmingham, Manu-
facturer of Coloured Gold, Jewellery, Sets, Brooches,
Earrings, Pendants, Bracelets, Pins, Crosses, Slides, &c.
lyUJ^TCAT SOXES

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Road, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C.

ADANK, J. JAQUES & Co., Manufacturers of Musical
Boxes. Prize medal at Philadelphia. St. Croix, Switzer-
land.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Rue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENEY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, &c, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Eydon Crescent, St. John
Street Eoad, London, E.C

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLAS
MANUFACTURERS.

A WRENCE, N., 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C. ; Manu-
factory, Havelock Works, Walker Street, Shffield.
LAZARUS (S. J.) & CO., Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C.

TURRET AND RAILWAY CLOCK MAKERS.

MILLAR, H. & R, Castle Bank Works, Edinburgh. Turret,
Quarter, Chime, and Railway Clocks, 20 per cent cheaper
than other makers. The only steam-power factory in
Scotland. Photograghs. Established 1840.

WATCH BALANCE MAKER

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 48, Rahere Street, Goswell Road, Lon
don, E.C.

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
ivell Road, London, E.C.

STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAURICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON <fc HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFOED, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 2S, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEEEDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Eoad,
London, E.C.

MYEES, N. A., 2, St. Patrick Square, Edinburgh, Importer
of French, American, and German Clocks, Watches,
Materials, &c.

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 2S & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C.

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Ring Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, Birmingham.
WORKING JEWELLERS.

CLEMENTS, HANDLEY & Co., 19, St. John's Square,
Clerkenwell, E.C, all kiqds of jewellery repaired on the
shortest notice. Gilding, Plating, and Mounting for the
Trade. (See advertisement).

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MAHUFACTUKING JEWEkLxEKS AND GO la 30 SMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. PINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC.
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Eec/istered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 22.— Vol. II.

MAECH 5, 1877.

t Subscription, 5s. 1 Post
per Annum. J Fre e

PAGE

Horology XXII.— A Chapter on Time 217

Royal Astronomical Society 218

State of Commerce in the Watch Trade in

France and Switzerland 219

American Fashions 219

royal microscopical society 21!)

Machine Watchmaking in Birmingham 21!)

Gold 220

Inland Revenue Prosecutions 222

CONTENTS.

The Bryant Testimonial (Illustrated)

A Series of Practical Letters on Existing

Ills in the Watch Trade

Queries and Replies

Mirror of the Month

Chronometers

Practical Information for the Trade

Correspondence

The Seth Thomas Clock Company

PAGE

PAGE

222

The Fac-Simile Printing Process.

— Byford's

Patent

... 227

224

Curiosities of Clocks and Watches

227

22--.

Special Notices

... 228

22G

Monthly Record of Bankruptcies

... 228

22G

Patents

... 229

220

The Trades' Directory

232

227
227

Advertisements

231-240

HOROLOGY.

XXII. — A Chapter on Time.

WE are this month like some of those planetary bodies whose
motions we occasionally allude to, forced somewhat out of
our orbit by a disturbing cause. "We regret this, for the only dis-
turbance we care about is when we disturb ourselves, and that, even,
is as seldom as we can possibly help. AVe think that it is "Sir
Hudibras " who speaks of "the perils that environ the man who
meddles with cold iron." His was the cold iron of the sword,
whilst ours is slightly different. Scientific journalists are at. certain
periods very much in such a man's shoes, and have, now and then,
to stepstone their way with unusual care, the subsequent statements
amply showing what it is to meddle with the "cold iron" of
horology. We are at times asked some very curious questions,
questions, indeed, that would require treatises to answer. We
should not be surprised if thirsters after particular kinds of
knowledge expressed an earnest wish to learn what the other side of
the moon was like ; and whether any but the loveliest of the angelic
sex could possibly exist on the planet Venus. Furthermore, whether
the rising generations of Venus and Mars do not inter-marry, come
to the Earth for their honeymoon, and ultimately settle here ; how
they manage to pass from one planet to the other, &c, &c. When
we consider that the velocity of Venus is nearly G4,000 miles an
hour through space, Mars 53,000 miles, and the Earth 65,500 " and
odd,'' we had better leave the last-named question to subtler minds
than ours. We are already burthened with about as much as we
can comfortably stagger along under, as our readers shall judge.
It has been said that a child may ask a question in one minute that

will take a philosopher months to answer properly. AVe very much
fear that we are in the position of the philosopher at the present mo-
ment, for the questions that we are about to deal with cannot, certainly,
be answered in either one month or two. These questions have been
lying before us for a long time, and being pressed to clear them off
the following is their purport :

" In what part of the globe does the date begin ? "

" Supposing that we telegraph to the most distant points eastward
and westward simultaneously, would the two messages arrive on
the same date ; or would the two opposite and distant places have
the same date ? If so, would such date be an earlier or later one
than in England ? If not, which of the two is earlier, and which
forms the boundary? "

What do our readers think of those questions ?

With respect to the first query as to " what part of the globe
the date begins," we suppose that day must be meant. AVe thought
that from what we have already written, the answer to such a
question must have been given long ago ; however, we will try what we
can do again. We are of opinion that dates, very much like feminine
fashions, are continually beginning at different places and different
times. The fact is, that the beginning of the date is merely a
question of meridian and anti-meridian, which we have touched
upon several times before, and that there is no single place upon
this earth where the date begins for all the other places ; further-
more, that it is impossible it could be so.

We have said that the beginning of date, or day, was entirely a
question of meridian and anti-meridian, and we will proceed to
establish that truth.

For the purpose of this subject the Earth is a globe revolving on
its axis once in every twenty-four hours, consequently every part
of it must be respectively the highest and the lowest during that

218

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Mar.

1877.

time. The highest part is called the meridian of the place, and the
lowest part we will call the anti-meridian. This revolution turns
from west to east, and that makes the sun and stars appear to turn
from east to west. We have, too, a horizon, which is the circle
that divides the upper half of the sky, which we see, from the
lower half which we do not see ; the highest point is called the
ztnith, and the lowest the nadir. To exemplify this a little more
clearly, suppose that we stood upon the very pole itself, then that
would be our zenith, whilst the opposite point would be our nadir.
These two last-named terms come to us from the Arabic, whilst
pole (of the earth) is from the Greek poleo, to turn. Now. the
globe is divided into certain spaces called degrees, 3G0 of which
constitute the circumference ; half of this division is 180 degrees,
and a quarter is 90 degrees. Each degree is subdivided into GO
minutes — not of time, but of space, — a minute being again
broken up into GO seconds. A minute is a nautical or geographical
mile, being 2,053£ yaids ; and for ordinary purposes the degree is
set down at 70 English miles, although not quite so much. A line
drawn over the globe from north to south is called a meridian —
from medius, middle, and dies, day — mid-day, because that highest
point of the earth is nearest the sun at noon. We, however, are
apt in our occasional thinking about these things more commonly
to speak of the sun's rising and setting, and to that form we will
keep for a short time.

In our meridian we see the sun at his highest point, which is
noon to us, he then passes on to the west., and sinks below our
horizon. On the following morning, he rises in the east — sooner or
later, according to the season of the year — and proceeds as before.
When he arrives at our meridian again, he has made what is called
a solar day. But in connexion with the solar, there is another, and
that is, the sidereal day. The sidereal day is composed of the period
during which any selected fixed star crosses the line of our meridian
twice. These fixed stars are so called, although nothing in the
universe is absolutely fixed, because their distance from the earth is
so immense that they have never been known to move since astro-
nomy became a practical science. We stated in an elaborate paper
called "Horological Telegraphy," which was published in this Jour-
nal, some interesting particulars that will serve anew to illustrate
this part of our article. It must be borne in mind that every star
rises and sets — that is, comes over our meridian from and to the
same points of the horizon throughout the whole year. In contra-
distinction to this, the rising and setting of the sun are continually
varying, as we all knowr. Each day a star reaches the same altitude
at the instant of its passage across the meridian ; but that of the sun
is very changeable, and this ever-recurring change brings sidereal
time and solar time into as constant difference. The astronomers,
therefore, generally use the sidereal day, on account of its fixity, as
a standard of measurement. The astronomer, in ascertaining his
star-day, uses an instrument called the " Transit," or, the
"Transit telescope," the latter being so carefully adjusted to the
longitude of the place of observation, that it is exactly under the
meridian of that place. In the focus of the telescope there is what
is called a " diaphragm" — these Greek names do require so much
spelling — meaning a fence across, composed generally of one hori-
zontal and five vertical wires ; the number may be either three, five,
or seven, in order to give a central one. The observer, having
adjusted his instrument for meridian and altitude, commences his
observations. An astronomical clock is beside him, beating true
seconds, and connected with his touch by electricity. He watches,
and watches keenly, as the star nears the first vertical wire, mark-
ing the time on the clock recorder ; and so for the next and next
until the end. The middle wire indicates the supreme moment, but
a mean of the passage of the star across all of them is mostly taken
as the accurate time. That "mean" constitutes the astronomical
noon, or O, or twenty-four o'clock; and it is, also, our noon, but
twelve o'clock. The instant after the transit, commences a new
sidereal day. We thus see that this sidereal day is, practically, one
revolution of the earth to a fraction of a second ; the difference
between the fraction and the absolute second being due to the eye
and hand of the observer, but certainly not to the earth. And the
dating, too, is different. Thus, our 9 o'clock in the morning on
New Year's day, 1877, would be 24 o'clock, December 31, 187G, to
the astronomer.

We have here two different parallel periods, namely, the solar day,
and the sidereal day. Let us see how it is that the sun is not so
correct a time-keeper as a star.

The sun does not describe his own motion with exactitude, the
velocity being greater when it is at that point of its orbit called
■perigee, or nearest to the earth, than when it is at apogee, or farthest
away. And it is this difference of velocity that makes the in-
equality of the solar day; in fact what we call the " proper " motion

of the sun — being unequal throughout the year — makes its days
unequal also. There is, furthermore, another cause arising from the
solstices and the equinoxes, which produces the same effect ; that
cause, it can be understood without a diagram, arises from the
obliquity of the sun's motion ; whilst a third one is to be found in
the declination between zero and the solstitial points, or between
0° and 23 J, the angle within which the sun's motion is effected bear-
ing from the ecliptic. These three causes are, summed up in
astronomical language, as follows : — " The inequality of the diurnal
motion of the sun, the difference in the direction of that motion,
and the greater or lesser angular distance at which that motion is
effected." They are, however, practically reducible to two causes;
these are, the irregular motion of the sun in its orbit, and the
obliquity of the ecliptic.

We have now, as has been shown, two separate astronomical
days ; namely, the solar, and the sidereal. The conflict between
the different lengths of these days brings us to another important
subject known to chronometer raters, and that is the Equation of
Time. To the two days already explained we have to add a' third,
and that is the civil day, or the day of every day life. As we have
gone far enough in the present paper, we will resume the subject in
our next.

To be Continued.

ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

THE Annual General Meeting of this Society was held at
Burlington House, on Friday the 9th ult. ; W. Huggins, Esq.
D.C.L., President, in the chair.

John Sydney White, Esq., 13 Bolton Gardens, South Kensington,
S.W. ; A. Mason Worthington, Esq., Saudi way House, Altrincham ;
and George Francis Hardy, Esq., Rothbury House, Stroud Green,
Finsbury Park, N., were duly elected fellows of the society. The
annual report of the society showed that the number of fellows had
increased during the last year, and that the society was generally in
a prosperous condition. Amongst the obituary notices was one of
Miss Ann Sheepshanks, a sister of the Rev. R. Sheepshanks, who
was for many years devoted to the society. During her lifetime
Miss Sheepshanks founded, in memory of her brother, the well-
known Astronomical Scholarship which bears his name, in connec-
tion with Trinity College, Cambridge. She also handsomely en-
dowed the Cambridge Observatory, and at her death bequeathed to
the Astronomical Society many valuable books from her brothers
library.

After the reading of the Report the President said: It is pro-
bably known to all the fellows of the society that as none of the
nominees for the medal have received the necessary majority of the
votes of the council this year, no medal will be awarded. Without
making any reference to the claims of the gentlemen whose names
have been in nomination, I would suggest that it would be well
that the award of the medal should not necessarily be regarded as
an annual occurrence ; but that, on the contrary, the medal should
only be awarded from time to time when nominees come before the
council who have special claims, and I think that in this way the
prestige of the medal will be more certainly obtained. (Applause).

The Society then proceeded to the election of officers by ballot,
and the following gentlemen were declared to be elected : — As
President: William Huggins, Esq., D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S. As
Vice-Presidents: J. C. Adams, Esq., M.A., LL.D. F.R.S.,
Lowndean Professor of Astronomy, Cambridge ; Sir G. B. Airy,
K.C.B., M.A., LL.D., D.C.L.,F.R.S., Astronomer-Royal; Arthur
Cayley, Esq., M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., Sadlerian Professor of Geo-
metry, Cambridge ; Edwin Dunkin, Esq., F.R.S. As Treasurer :
Samuel Charles Whitbread, Esq., F.R.S. As Secretaries : A. Cowper
Ranyard, Esq., M.A. ; J. W. Lee Glaisher, M.A. F.R.S. As
Foreign Secretary : Lord Lindsay, M.P. As Council : John Brett,
Esq. ; W. H. M. Christie, Esq., M.A. ; Warren De La Rue, Esq,
M.A., D.C.L., F.R.S.; J. 11. Hind, Esq., F.R.S., Superintendent
of the Nautical Almanac; E. B. Knobel, Esq. ; George Knott, Esq. ;
William Lassell, Esq., LL.D., F.R.S. ; E. Neison, Esq. ; Captain
William Noble; Rev. S.J. Perry, F.R.S.; Earl of Rosse, B.A.,
D.C.L., F.R.S. ; Captain G. L. Tupman, R.M.A.

A recent contrivance for the protection of jewellery safes, is a net
of telegraph wire spread all over them in electric communication
with a powerful alarm bell. Any attempt to force the safe open, to
drill its sides, to cut or remove the network, or to tamper in any
way with the apparatus, sounds the alarm.

Mak. 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

221

round temple where Apollo was worshipped, his mother Latona
having been born in the island. Ieme signifies the end, the
west, beyond, the extremity, as being the extreme limit of the
then known world ; it also means Sacred, which is supposed to
be derived from the Persian, the word being the same in that
language. In many of the old authors Ireland is called the
"Sacred Isle," and the original inhabitants are generally con-
sidered to have been of Persian or Eastern origin ; then- round
towers, and known worship of the heavenly bodies, seem to
illustrate this theory.

Thomas Moore in his " History of Ireland," follows the legends
of the early writers, he says : " During the reign of Tighernmas,
gold is said to have been worked for the first time in Ireland ;
a mine of that metal having been discovered in the woods, to the
east of the River Liffey." And in the oldest British records we
possess, which are those of the " Four Masters of Ulster," under
the date a.m. 3656, is the following: "In this year gold was
first wrought by Tighernmas, King of Ireland, in the woods
eastward of the Liffey ; Uchadan, of the men of Cualan, was the
artificer who first worked it, and by him were ornaments of gold
and silver first made." (Cualan was the name of a district,
on the eastern bank of the river.) We find from Strabo and
Tacitus, that the invasion of Britain by the Bomans was un-
dertaken with the hope of obtaining the precious metals, the
existence of which they had heard from the Gauls, and it seems
apparent that at first they were disappointed, owing, no doubt,
to the Britons withholding all information. Cicero, writing news
of the expedition to Atticus, informs him of how much their
expectations were disappointed, and that there was no hope of
Quintus Tullius, a chief officer in the expedition, getting anything
by it. He writes — " Etiam illud jam cognitum, neque argenti spicu-
lum esse ullum in ilia insula, neque ullum span prxdx nisi ex manci/ms."
" This," says Cicero, '• is already found out, that there is not a
fragment of silver in that island, nor any hope of prize money, except
from slaves." Again, " A Quinto fratre et a Ciesare accepi ad 9
Kalend. Nooemb. literars confeclas Britannia; obsidibus acceptis, nulla
prxda, imperata tamen pecunia, datas a littvribus Britannia;." "I have
had letters from Britain, both from my brother Quintus and from
Caesar, and hostages have been taken, and requisition made for
money, but there will be no prize money." — Ep. Ad. Att. iv. 17,

It appears, however, that eventually the Romans certainly dis-
covered it, both in England and Wales. Tacitus, in his "Vita
Agricola," says " that in Britain are gold and silver, the booty of
war!" Strabo also makes mention of it; but, independently
of these, we have sufficient evidence of it in the Boman
mines, which were worked for gold in several parts of the country,
the most remarkable being that of " Ogcfau," or " Gogofau,"
near Pumpsant, in Caermarthenshire. Here, situated on the
left bank of the river Cothy, and forming part of the grounds of
Dolau-Cothy, are the curious remains of mining supposed to have
been undertaken during the occupation of Britain by the Roman
Emperor Trajan. Here a quartz lode had been " worked open to
the day," and "levels" driven 170 feet through the slate. The
officers of the Geological Society also discovered the remains of a
metallurgical workshop, and among other things, a beautiful gold
necklace was found, which is now (or was) in the possession of Mrs.
Johnnes, the wife of the owner of the property. One of the Welsh
" Tryads," celebrates the heroic acts of three chieftains, Caswallan,
Manawdan, and Llew Llawgyfies. who were distinguished by their
golden cars, from which it seems natural to infer, that the mines of
North Wales were worked by the Cymri at a very early period.
It also seems certain that the Britons not only worked gold before
the invasion of the Bomans, but even coined it into money.
Cymboline, Prince of the Trinobantes, is known to have coined
money of gold, and the probability is, this was obtained in these
islands. We have no fewer than forty of his coins, all of different
dies, proving that he had at least forty different coinages, and must
therefore have produced an immense amount of money ; to say
nothing of what was done by other kings. Sir John Pettus, in his
" Fodin as Begales," says, that Cymboline (or Cunobeline) obtained
the gold from a mine in Essex, and minted it at Camelodunum.
Many of these coins are preserved at the British Museum in Lon-
don, and at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, and are all of pure
gold, without alloy, and in a good state of preservation. Boadicea,
Queen of the Iceni, is also said to have "extracted much gold out
of minerals and earths," and to have worked the Essex mines ; a
coinage is also attributed to her, but on this antiquarians have dis-
agreed. It is however certain, that her husband Prosutagas, was
posst- ssed of enormous wealth.

Money was certainly in use among theBritons upon the Roman
nvasion, because we find Ceesar forbidding all further coinage

of it, and establishing an imperial mint. And he himself records
that before leaving Britain, " Obsides imperat et quid in annos
singulos vectigalis populo Romano Britannia penderet, constituit.1'
(De Bell. Gall. v. 22). Dion Cassius, (lib. xl. sec. iii.) speaks
of this yearly tribute; and Eutropius, (brev. vi. 17) records,
that "Julius Britannos, stipendarios fecit.'" Suetonius, (Vit. Jul.
C<es. xxv.) also distinctly affirms " pecunias et obsides imperaviV
Now, apart from this distinct mention of money, we can hardly
imagine Caesar imposing a yearly tax or tribute upon a people
who were unacquainted with the precious metals, or the use of
money; and, though some antiquarians believe the Britons first
coined it for the purpose of paying this tax, they assign no
reasons why they should have incurred the expense and trouble
of this, instead of sending it in the form of bullion ; also the coins
of Cymboline (or Cunobeline) were struck previous to the Roman
invasion, — that the tribute was for some time actually paid is
stated by Diodorus, and from Strabo we learn that in the reign
of Augustus, it was commuted for light export and import duties,
on articles of commerce with Gaul.

It may interest our readers to know that not only was Britain
famous at this time for her metallic wealth, but also for her pearls
and precious stones. Julius Caesar is said by Pliny and Suetonius
to have set a high value on British pearls, and to have caused a
shield to be made of them, which, being of rare beauty, he dedi-
cated to Venus. Amethysts, diamonds, rubies, &c, seem also to
have been found. Jet was also well-known under the name of
Gagates. Solerius says, " Besides, to say nothing in this place of the
many large and rich veins of metals of various kinds with which the
soil of Britain abounds, the gagates is found there in great quanti-
ties and of the most excellent quality ; if you inquire about its
appearance, it is black and gem-like ; if of its quality, it is exceeding
light ; of its nature, it flames with water and is quenched with oil ;
of its virtue, it has as great power of attraction when it is rubbed,
as amber." The exports of this period seem to have been tin, lead,
copper, silver, gold, furs, slaves, wicker-baskets, pearls, and dogs.
Indeed, in this last article a large trade was carried on. The British
beagle was highly prized on account of its excellent training for
hunting purposes, and one Latin poet immortalized it in a somewhat
pathetic manner, lamenting the ugliness and meanness of its appear-
ance, and that the soul of such a dog had not a worthier or more
handsome habitation !

The Bomans are supposed to have worked gold in four localities :
at the Ogofau mines, in Caermarthenshire ; the Poltemore mines, in
Devonshire ; the Gold Scorp mine, at Newlands, in Cumberland ;
and the Lanarkshire Lead Hills, in Scotland. All are ancient
workings of an apparently civilized people, but the Lanarkshire gold
field is encircled by strong Boman camps, and is passed by a road
as if it were under military protection ; therefore, as we know that
the Romans held possession of, and invaded this part of the country,
under Agricola, it seems only natural to attribute the works to them.
In the reign of Henry III., a copper mine, which was worked at
Newlands, in Cumberland, is said to have contained veins of gold, as
well as of silver. The Patent Rolls in the Tower record several grants
made by the sovereign to individuals for the privilege of seeking for
gold and silver. In 1390, Richard II. granted to John Young, a
refiner, all the gold and silver found in any mine in England, pay-
ing to the Crown a ninth part, to the Church a tenth, and to the
lord of the soil, a thirteenth. Pennant says, " that in the reigns of
James IV. and V. of Scotland, vast wealth was procured in the
lead hills from the gold washed from the mountains." In the reign
of the latter king it is said to have been not less than 300,000Z.
sterling. In 1526 James granted to certain Germans the right of
working, under conditions favourable to the Crown Boyalties, the
gold and silver mines of Scotland for forty-three years. Elizabeth
had previously made similar grants to Houghsetter, Thurland, and
Schutz. In neither case, however, do we hear of gold having
been discovered. Small quantities of the deep yellow variety have
occasionally been picked up in Cornwall from the earliest times ;
and in the reigns of Edward I. and III., there were very consider-
able works at Combmartin, in Devonshire. Between 300 and 400
miners sent for out of Derbyshire were employed in them, and the
produce was so considerable as to assist the Black Prince in his
wars against France. In one part of Devonshire these miners gave
the name of "Gold Street," and "Gold Field," to spots where
lead and silver, but no gold, are still found, and it is probable that
they worked over the valleys near North Molton, in which the
Britannia and Poltemore mines are situated. A few years since,
these mines gave rise to poetical prospectuses, speaking, almost
singing, of " Pactolean streams, flowing through the lovely valleys
of Devonshire, and holding out a realization of the fable of Colchis
and the Golden Fleece."— To be Continued.

222

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEB, AND

[Mae. 5, 1877.

INLAND REVENUE PROSECUTIONS.

CHARLES KEMP. a jeweller, of Mare Street, Hackney, ap-
peared in answer to a summons taken out by order of the
Commissioners of Inland Revenue, charging him with dealing in
plate without being licensed. — Mr. Martin appeared to support the
summons ou behalf of the Inland Revenue. The defendant was not
represented. — The summons, it was stated, was taken out under the
;'>i >th and 31st Vict. , commonly known as the Plate Act, and by this,
dealers in gold and silver articles are required to take out a licence.
The licence to sell articles of plate weighing under 2 ounces is 21.
6s. per annum ; over 2 ounces the licence is 5/. 15s. A breach of
the Act renders the offender liable to a fine of 50/. The defendant
held a licence to sell under 2 ounces, but had sold above. — Mr.
Martin said that the case was now on the question as to whether
only gold should be estimated, or whether the gross weight, gold
and its alloy, should be taken. On behalf of the Inland Revenue,
he had to contend that the gross weight had to be taken — that was
to say, an article, as a watch-chain, manufactured of gold and
silver, would, for the purposes of this Act, be considered all gold. —
Mr. Bushby asked if a watch which was called a gold watch, though
its works were known to be of steel, was to be taken at its gross
weight. — Mr. Martin replied in the negative — the cases only would
come under the Act. The same might be said of a chain made one
link of iron and one link of gold. For the purposes of the Act only
the gold would be weighed. — Hartley, an Officer of Excise, then
deposed that, on Nov. 24, last, he went to the defendant's shop
and asked to be shown a watch-chain value 12/. or 15/. He examined
several, but decided that none suited, and the shopman offered to
get by the following day two or three for his approval. He (the
officer) went on the following day, and was shown a chain for which
he subsequently paid 14/. 10.s\ He received a receipt (produced),
and that certified the weight of the chain to be 2 ounces 17 penny-
weights.— Mr. Martin said that was the case, with the exception of
a witness to corroborate— the defendant had sold 17 pennyweights
above what his licence allowed. — The defendant cross-examined the
officer to show that he had refused to purchase on the first day
because the chains shown, though of full value, did not weigh over
2 ounces, and that he had given his order for the chain to be got
for his approval on purpose to trap him (defendant) into a breach of
the law. — Ihe witness said that it was a voluntary offer of the
defendant's assistant. — The defendant, in answer to the charge,
denied having sold above 2 ounces, and said he was prepared °to
prove that the gold in the chain did not amount to 2 ounces. He
contended that the alloy did not count, and therefore he had not
broken the law. — Mr. Bushby said that if the argument used by Mr.
Martin was all he had to urge, he (Mr. Bushby) should rule in the
defendant's favour. It seemed to him that to hold that alloy was to
be counted as gold would be to let in a very curious state of things ;
for, on the grounds urged by the prosecution, a man who sold a p°air
of candlesticks made of bronze, but gold plated, might be held to
deal in gold, because there was a coating of that metal. If there was
any decision of a Superior Court on the point, he (Mr. Bushby) would
be glad to hear of it.— Mr. Martin replied that there was no decision
on the point.— The defendant produced a trade newspaper containing
the report of a case at the Louth Petty Sessions, in which the same
question was raised. Mr. Bushby, having looked at the case
remarked that he saw it was dismissed, the decision bein°- against
the Inland Revenue.— The defendant stated that in that°case the
Inland Revenue had expressed an intention of appealing, but never
did so.— Mr. Bushby said the present summons would be dismissed
on the ground stated.— Mr. Martin replied that, with all respect for
the judgment of the Court, he felt bound to apply for a Case for the
Superior Court.— Mr. Bushby said he would grant a case, and notice
of appeal was then given.

Thomas Cook, jeweller, Commercial Road East, was summoned
at the instance of the Inland Revenue for selling to James Young
an Officer of Excise, a gold chain, the same being over 2 ounces, the
defendant having a licence only to sell such an article under 2
ounces in weight.— Mr. Powell, barrister, appeared on behalf of the
Excise ; and Mr. Leyton, solicitor, for the defendant.— The case was
remanded by Mr. De Rutzen from the previous week, when it was
given in evidence that the chain was over 2 ounces in weight, but it
was argued on the other hand that deducting the alloy the gold was
under that weight.— In answer to a question by the magistrate it
was admitted that the gold in the chain in question when severed
from the alloy, would contain less than 2 ounces of pure gold.— Mr
Leyton said there was a precisely similar case heard at Worship
btreet in the previous week, and dismissed.— Mr. De Rutzen read

the Act of Parliament bearing on the matter, and said it appeared
to him to be perfectly plain that the Act meant the gold, and not
the weight of the article. — He dismissed the summons.

THE BRYANT TESTIMONIAL.

THE accompanying illustration represents the testimonial vase
presented to the American poet, William Cullen Bryant, Esq.,
on the eightieth anniversary of his birthday. The vase was pre-
sented to him on that occasion, but after his death to be placed in
the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York. We are indebted
to the courtesy of Messrs. Tiffany & Co., for the illustration and
description of this magnificent work of art.

In reference to the recipient of the testimonial, Mr. Bryant was
accepted as the greatest American poet. He was also a journalist
of great repute and influence, and a noted orator. He was one of
the leading philanthropists, and was identified with the literature
and history of his country. He was at once the interpreter of
Nature and the ministrant of Art. Classic in the simplicity of his
thought and diction, he was thoroughly a modern in his apprecia-
tions and sympathies ; his translations of Homer, the finest the
world has produced, linked the early age to our latter days. What
richness of possibility thus opened to the designer in the choice of
thought and the design of emblems ! His life and his poems were
so full of opportunities that the main difficulty was an embarras de
richesse.

Five designs were submitted to the gentlemen having the control
in the matter.

The accepted vase after the Tiffany design, is of Greek form,
with open top, the body being the shape of an egg, and is thirty
inches in height. It is to be executed in oxydized silver. The
chief feature of this vase is the simplicity of its general design.
Most of the decoration is in sufficiently low relief to preserve
unity of outline, and this effect is perhaps the best point in the success-
ful design. The patterns designed, entirely cover the surface of the
vase, and, setting aside the question of artist inspiration, are the
work of a thoroughly skilled designer.

The zone of the vase is occupied by a belt of six medallions,
the front one being an admirable portrait of Mr. Bryant's noble
head, crowned by the classic wreath. Above this medallion is the
lyre of the poet, below the primitive printing press, recalling his
journalistic career. The other medallions follow the story of his
life, with scenes wrought in low relief. An oval medallion on the
neck of the vase shows " The Fringed Gentian : " — and the band
running around from this bears as legend the most famous and
most inspiring lines Mr. Bryant has written :

" Truth crushed to earth shall rise again ;
The eternal years of God are hers,"

The handles display a happy adaptation, in full open work, of the
Indian corn plant, and are ornamented on the outside with the
bursting bolls of cotton.

This use of plants is a salient feature of the design. On the base
of the neck is a formalized pattern of the primrose and the ivy leaf,
cymbolizing youth and old age, — the poet's eternal youth amid
snow-crowned years — which admirably replaces the Greek egg-and-
dart design. The body of the vase is co vered.by a formal fret-work,
among which the apple-blooms, typical of fruitfulness, peep out, the
eglantine and the amaranth, signifying poetry and immortality,
being interwoven with them. The maize and cotton plants are again
used on the lower part of the body, these being peculiarly American
products ; and at the foot of the vase is the leaf of the water-lily,
which is symbolical of eloquence.

As originally designed this vase stood upon feet, which made it
appear of the common-place presentation sort, and were quite
incongruous with its general purpose. It seems to have occasioned
some dissatisfaction among the other competitors that this design
was permitted to be modified and improved from suggestions found
in the competing vases. It has now, in place of the feet, a monu-
mental pedestal, which admirably supports the design of the vase,
and is simply adorned with a device of the lyre, cross pens, and
broken shackles, the last of course suggesting Mr. Bryant's part in
the anti-slavery reform.

The vase was manufactured by Messrs. Tiffany & Co., which fact
alone speaks as a guarantee of its high excellence andartistic qualities.
It was, we believe, exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition, and will
for ever remain as a tribute of gratitude froni the citizens of New
York, in their Metropolitan Museum.

Mae. 5, 1877.J

SILVERSMITHS TRADE JOURNAL,

223

THE BRYANT TESTIMONIAL VASE.

221

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Mar. 5, 1877.

A SERIES OP PRACTICAL LETTERS ON EXISTING
ILLS IN THE WATCH TRADE.

(Continued from p. 181.)

No. 2.— On Competition.
(Chiefly extracted from the German of Seb. Geist.)

COMPETITION, as it exists at present amongst us, is well worthy
of consideration. Every one takes a different view of the
subject, and many who appear to laugh at it are inwardly weighed
down by the continual thought of the ever-increasing Hydra. In
the moral and better sense of the word competition is a strong in-
centive to activity and superior workmanship. We often hear the
proverb, "Among the blind the one-eyed is king,"' and where
there is no competition the most worthless piece of workmanship
must suffice. Very different, however, is the result of real competi-
tion. In this case the balance is turned either by the better work
or cheaper price. The greater the competition, the better is likely
to be the workmanship. This is the general interpretation of the
word competition. But in practice something very different is
understood ; wherever the quantity of stock in the window is
largest there people go to purchase, imagining they there have the
greatest choice, and thinking (though erroneously) that the larger
the stock the cheaper the goods. But in very few instances are
purchasers able to find out whether the goods there are really better
or cheaper, and this is always the turning point of the question.
Besides this, the whole custom of having special workmen and shops
for certain articles is being discontinued, and persons like to " try "
at different places. Publicity, and the immense business carried on
at certain houses, tend very much to induce buyers to make their
purchases at the newest establishments, and thus that modern idol,
termed by the French " Reclame," opens his jaws so wide to false-
hood and to the distortion of truth, that the wild clamour which we
find so often in the papers, and from the pen of those who otherwise
are known to be sensible and rational, is sometimes even odious.
We read, for instance, in glaring letters, " Selling off under cost

PRICE ON ACCOUNT OF EXPIRATION OF LEASE," "On account of

removal," or, "Having bought a bankrupt's stock," and so on,
with many variations. It is as clear as day that any one wanting to
sell good articles under cost price, need not have recourse to
such means, but may find more legitimate ways. Some shop-
keepers are not ashamed, to have permanently placarded " Last Day
of Sale," and the bait is swallowed by thousands. We see, then,
how many things there are which dissolve the real basis and the
true principles of competition.

When we look with admiration at the elegant shop windows,
brilliantly illuminated, filled with quantities of articles, and
decorated in so fascinating a manner for the wives, but so danger-
ous for the pockets of the husbands, and when we consider the
hundreds of things intended to attract purchasers, but having
nothing in common with that which coincides with the true basis of
competition, we do not understand how one is connected with the
other, for certainly by these means the goods do not become cheaper
or better. It therefore is not to be wondered at when a simple, honest
man with little money, but more brains and assiduity, shudders
involuntarily at the thought of the word competition. The wild chase
after business in any form is that disasterous competition which
shuns no means, no ways, so long as the object is attained, and iu
such instances there is no room for doubt as to how the victory is
gained. Get business honestly if you can, but get it is the cry,
the instruction to the traveller and to the salesman, and when
viewed from such aspect, what very unsatisfactory results competi-
tion will necessarily produce. Business may often be dull, never-
theless thiDgs are seldom so bad but that the honest man can
get along in the world, in spite of reckless competition, if he but
use the necessary amount of patience, perseverance, business tact,
and industry. The wise proverb tells us that " An indolent man says
there is a lion in the street ; " in other language, he lacks the energy
which should call him to his duty, and seeks to excuse himself from
activity. In like manner, industry is one of the most necessary
means of competition. Let business men remember that they must
seek business or business will seldom seek them. That once sought
after, all the energy, perseverance, and industry which they can
command must be brought to bear to accomplish the desired object.
The most successful men in life have been those who having marked
for themselves a certain career, or aimed at the accomplishment of
Borne particular object, have steadily and determinedly persevered
therein in spite of all difficulties and obstacles, till light has shone
forth from beneath all passing cloud s, and a brilliant success has
eclipsed all competition. It is particularly in our branches of trade

that such a competitor for merit may find success. Many a golden
harvest may be reaped by the honest man, solely because he can be
trusted. Confidence and trust are the first things to be earned, and
form important principles in the watchmakers business. Instead
of taking up the fight with still greater vehemence, and over-
burdening himself with a stock which prevents the steady working
business so necessary above all things to the watchmaker, let him
pay no heed to those who, in order to obtain low-priced goods, say
they can get the same article so much cheaper elsewhere. Much
envy arises amongst rival shop-keepers from the deceptive way
in which such customers speak. Of course no little firm-
ness is necessary to remain resolute in the whirlwind which
peculiar circumstances often raise around. There comes, for in-
stance, a traveller with watches, who tells us fabulous accounts of
purchases which our neighbour has made ; thinking us credulous
and wanting courage, he even exhibits his note-book, but only too
often are these memoranda simple tuning forks to induce shopkeepers
to purchase. Sometimes we let a customer escape because we can-
not come to terms about a trifle, and a few minutes later we see him
parading himself with a new chain. This annoys us, and we decide
not to let a customer slip through our fingers again without closing
a bargain. Later, however, we learn that our envy was groundless,
and our loss a gain, for the chain was bought on credit, and never
paid for. Were competition followed by the expected results, the
public, instead of being imposed upon by bad watches, which are a
sham and a delusion, would be benefited by a true, reliable, time-
keeper. The hunt for business in any form often brings bad results
in its train. That which helps the watchmaker most of all, namely,
quiet, regular work, is too often neglected. The large sale of
watches, does, it is true, throw off large stocks, nevertheless, profit
is often reduced by the high rent, the interest of capital, and the
gradually decreasing value of the stock during its display in the
shop windows, and lastly, by the guarantee which the watchmaker,
more than any one else, has to give.

Competition with upright men, therefore, does not mean worse
and cheaper watches, but better workmanship. The true dignity of
labour should be recognized now as of old. What in former days
was looked upon as honourable is not less honourable in our time.
In earlier days work itself was considered honourable, whereas now
only riches are the test of respectability, and work is smilingly
looked down upon. It is a pity that there are now many watch-
makers who are ashamed of the word " work," and call themselves
traders in watches. The watchmaking business now-a-days is like
many others, neither a manufacturing nor trading business, but a
mixture of both. In some houses it is difficult to say whether they
manufacture the articles, or merely effect the sale of them, or both,
and upon this depends the position of all the watchmakers. The
manufacturer who, by means of capital, business capabilities,
industry, and organization of labour, furthers his productions,
must leave the sale of them to the trader. But should he not
also be able to sell his productions retail himself ? The trader
who undertakes the sale has to employ a large capital, and
to bear a heavy risk and heavy costs. Who shall blame him for
selling bad articles so long as they are saleable ? He sells what is
to be sold. The evil consequences are borne by the purchaser who
buys the bad article. H the manufacturer, incited by competition,
makes cheap, that is, bad watches, he injures his reputation without
profiting in the least. Whose fault is it that he produces bad
articles, when it is in his power to make better ? In the first place
he is culpable who hopes to draw more profit out of cheap articles,
and the trader, because he buys the goods in order, as he says, to be
able to compete with others. This is a case where nobody reaps
any profit, and least of all the public competition, as it now exists,
is nothing else than a whip which ignoble hands hold over those
who are weaker in mind and means. But a consolidation of interests
of all upright and honest men must be upheld, whether recognized
or not. The honest mode of doing business, which has a solid
foundation, honours the man and the trade. This may be considered,
in the first place, the basis of action of all educated societies, and
generally of every justly thinking man. It is well worthy of con-
sideration how the number of wrong conceptions as to the meaning
of the word " Competition " maybe lessened, so that it be generally
understood only in the true sense of the word, for otherwise he is
right who compares competition to the well-known tight of the two
Kilkenny cats who are said to have eaten each other as far as their
tails.

To be continued.

A magnificent vase, 4 feet high, cut from a single piece of agate,
has been sent to the Mikado, by the Emperor of Russia.

Mae. 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

225

QUERIES AND REPLIES.

Spring Of Clock. — L. 0. R. A. asked, through a contemporary,
" What is tbe reason that the spring of a clock seems to exercise the same
power whether it is fully wound or nearly down ? Also, is it possible to
make the tick of an American clock quieter, as it is now very loud ? "
The Replies received 'were as follows : —

From Sirac, D. J. — When the clockmaker puts the string on the clock,
he winds it on the barrel first ; then he draws the mainspring up a few
notches of the ratchet wheel, so that when the clock is run down the spring
in the barrel is partly wound up ; but the spring has more power when fully
wound up than when run down, but not very much, on account of the
spring being wound up in the barrel. This is in reference to the English
clock, and in the American the spring is not fully run down when it stops.
The loud sound cannot be cured on account of the light pendulum.

From John, Glasgow. — The varying power of the spring of a clock is
equalized by a very ingenious and beautiful contrivance called a fusee. The
fusee consists of a spiral cone, and acts the part of a variable lever. When
the spring is fully wound up it has, of course, the greatest power ; but the
chain, which connects the barrel and the fusee, is then round the smallest
part of the cone, and the lever power is consequently at the least. In pro-
portion as the power of the spring decreases, the lever power of the fusee
increases, and thus the gradual loss of power in the one is counter-
balanced by the gradual increase of power in the other. The fusee acts
the same part to the clock or watch as governors do to the steam-engine.

From T. Ingham. — In an English clock the power of the spring is
equalized by the fusee and gut arrangement. The fusee is a brass cone,
around which the gut lies when the clock is wound up. The spring is then
acting in the barrel with greater force, which, being transmitted to the fusee
by the gut, is pulling at its least diameter. When the clock is nearly down,
the spring at its least force is carried to the fusee's greatest diameter, and
has most leverage. Hence, you will see the spring's force on the wheel is
equal, or nearly so, throughout. American clocks in general have no fusee ;
the spring is simply fastened to the wheel arbour, and, of course, does not
act equally, which causes the clock to vary. The only way, I believe, to
deaden the tick is by setting the pallets as close to the wheel as possible. I
have heard of bits of fine gut being stretched across the pallets for wheel
teeth to drop on, but have never tried it, though, no doubt, it will soften
down the tick.

From Piithynx. — A clock spring does exercise more power when wound
up fully than down. " L. O. E. A." is mistaken if he expects to see that
power shown in an increased rate of going. If " L. 0. B. A." will con-
sider that the spring and wheels of a clock are not in themselves time-
keepers, but only subsidiary in maintaining the pendulum, and if he
understands the principle of the pendulum, he will see that the only effect
an increase of power in the spring can have, is to increase the amplitude,
and not the rate of the vibration of the pendulum.

Hair Springs. — Hob asks, through the same journal: — "Will any
reader inform me of any plan of selecting a new hair spring for a Geneva
watch, to replace a broken one ? Also the mode of getting them through
the small hole in the brass collet, by which they are pinned to the balance ?
They have a small portion bent like a hook at the inner end, and I cannot
see how this is got through. I have bought a quantity of spring, and want
to do my own watch."

The Replies received were as follows :—

By Sirac, D. J. — First get a piece of cork, and put a piece of small wire
through, hooked at the end , then take your old hair spring, and lift it by
the outer end with a pair of tweezers, hook the centre to the hook in the
wire, and lift the cork up, and see how far it draws the spring down ; then
get a new spring, and do exactly the same with it, and see that it draws
down the same distance as the old one. If it should be a very weak one,
get the weakest you have, and dip it in a watch-glass full of aquafortis, then
quickly draw it out, and immerse it in ether, to prevent rusting. You will
also see a round brass collet, with a hole through the side, and a pin
through. Push this pin out, put the hooked end in tbe centre, and the
hair spring in this hole. Then put in the pin ; but while you are doing
this keep the collet on a piece of pegwood, sharpened to a point. Then put
the collet on the cylinder again, in exactly the same place as you took it
off. You will notice a pin in the balance wheel. When the hair spring is
on, this pin must be exactly in a line with the regulator. When it is in
the centre you must fasten the other end of the hair spring to the stud the
same way as you fastened it to the collet.

By T. Ingham. — The manner of selecting a new hair spring is by laying
hold of outer coil with fine tweezers, and hooking inner end to cylinder,
lift it up. If it makes long spiral it is too weak — if a very short one it is
too strong, and it must also be of suitable size, as, when pinned in, to be
just free of cock stud. When a suitable one has been selected it is pinned
on the collet, and tried in the watch. But, I can assure you, you will find
it no easy matter to put a new hair spring on properly. It requires a lot
of experience and judgment. Even in the trade it is considered a delicate
job, and at many shops workmen are kept at this alone — called springers
and timers — therefore I would dissuade you from attempting to spring your
watch, as you are sure to fail, and most likely your watch cylinder come to
grief.

A Chronometer Watch. — Kelby asks : — " Three years ago I pur-
chased anew pocket chronometer from a very respectable watchmaker, in whom

I have every confidence as to integrity, &c, and for which I paid him 301.
It has no maker's name on the face, but simply the words ' Chronometer,
2730.' Sometimes it will go for months together, and keep remarkably
exact time ; and then all at once, without any known cause, will begin to
gain or to lose. I am greatly puzzled why this is so. It cannot be that it
wants cleaning, for it has been cleaned within twelve months, and after
keeping good time for awhile has gained four minutes in about two months,
and is gaining now. It cannot arise from a change of temperature, for, in
the first place, we have had very little really cold weather this winter, and in
the second place I take the greatest care of it, keeping it in my breast watch-
pocket all day, and at night, after winding it up, placing it under my
pillow. Whatever can be the cause of this variableness of conduct ? To
me it is quite inexplicable and miraculous. The gentleman from whom I
bought it seems also unable to account for it. I see many of your corres-
pondents are well up in this matter — will some one give me a little
information or advice ? "

The Replies received were as follows :—

By C. Stuart Murray. — First of all let ' ' Kelby,'' ascertain whether or not
his "chrono" is ever brought within magnetic influence. Should that not
be so he may then see whether the person from whom he bought it is a
maker or merely a shopkeeper selling watches, for there is a great differ-
ence between the two parties. Should the latter suggestion be true, then
the best way will be to go to a practical horologist at once — the only
real doctor in such a case. Try change of position at night for awhile by
laying it quite flat on a piece of felt or thick cloth upon the dressing-table,
so that the friction shall come on the ends of the pivots instead of the
cylindric surfaces as when in the pocket. Under the pillow is an uneasy
place in general for a watch, as it requires rest from the labours of the day,
much like human mechanism. Some friends of mine have adopted my
suggestions in this way with much advantage.

By Sirac, D. J. — If " Kelby "keeps his watch lying in one position he
will find that it will go exactly right, but if he carries it about it will not,
because chronometers are made to go in one position. I think it would be
better if he got it exchanged for a lever watch, as they are much better for
carrying about. I may also refer to a duplex watch which has the same
fault. What causes it to stop is the sudden jerk when moving about, and
it will then go again. I think the only way to do will be to get it
exchanged.

By T. Ingham. — Perhaps the cause of gaining is imperfect compensation,
or balance slightly out of poise, or from thickening of the oil . I also advise
that watches be kept in one position as much as possible. Hang it up at
nights. Even ship chronometers, which are made as perfect as possible, are
hung on pivots in the chronometer box, so that whatever motion the ship
makes, the chronometer remains in exactly one position. Try your watch,
for a week, hanging it up, then try laying it down. If it varies in the two
positions the fault is in the poising of the balance. If it keeps the same time
in both positions, try it in a much warmer place ; if it still keeps the same
time, then the compensation is perfect — if not, it is imperfect, and requires
adjusting. Certainly we have not had much cold weather, yet it has been
sufficient to cause the error complained of, unless the compensation was
very accurate. I knew a gentleman who had a chronometer which cost fifty
guineas, and gained fourteen seconds a week, and he was perfectly satisfied
with it. I don't believe watches can ever be made to keep accurate time.
There are several causes which cannot be got over, such as thickening of
oil, agitation during wear, density of air, &c.

By N. N. — " The oil, sir ! the oil, sir ! you know after a time gets a little
stiff, and affects the motion." This is the reply which I mostly get from
my watchmaker when I complain of any little irregularity in my watch that
cannot be otherwise easily accounted for. This said oil has much to answer
for, as it would seem to be the scapegoat for many of the ills that watches
are heir to. Can it be this naughty oil that is affecting " Kelby's " watch ?
I happen to have a brother of his watch in my pocket at this moment, and,
I suspect made by the same makers, and if not a twin, very near the same
age, as the numbers on the faces vary only three, cost same price, same in-
scription on face, compensating balance, which I suppose his has also, I
treat it just the same — breast pocket by day, and under my pillow at night,
bought also of a very respectable watch dealer, not maker, but I happen to
know who are the makers, and I have a notion " Kelby " has a shrewd guess
also, as the signature he adopts is "very hot" on the name of one of the
firm, and would be still hotter had he substituted another letter for the
" b," in it. I have not much to complain of in my said watch as to its
keeping good time when once I get it properly regulated ; but that is my
difficulty, and it is on that point I wish to say a few words. I find it so
sensitive that if it be gaining or losing a minute or so a week, if I move the
regulator the least possible to be perceptible, and that with the aid of a
powerful glass, it is too much, and I have often been surprised that no more
certain and scientific mode of moving the regulator has been invented than
the clumsy uncertain way of pushing it along with a point of some kind.
Are there none of our watchmaking correspondents that can invent some
appliance for this purpose, and that could also be adapted to watches
already made ? Could not some screw arrangement be fixed in the making
at all events — say a couple of small screws fixed with their points facing
each other, between which the end of the regulator lever should be grasped
and held tight, so that by giving one screw, a half turn, or less backward,
and the other the same forward, you might adjust it with certainty to the
greatest nicety, and know that it has moved, though you could not see it ?
The lever working in a worm would be simpler, but there is the curve
against that, besides some unavoidable " play." How are ship's chrono
meters regulated to such niceties ?

220

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AKD

[Mar. 5, 1877.

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

MARCH.

MARCH is the first month of spring. Nature is awakening again
from its slumbers, and tries to escape from the cold arms of
winter. But it is often a severe struggle, and our forefathers very
properly called this month " March, many weathers," and said that,
"it came in like a lion, and went out like a lamb," for it is maue
up of sunshine and cloud, shower and storm. We derive the pre-
sent name of this month from the Romans, among whom it was at
au early period the first month of the year, as it continued to be in
several countries to a comparatively late period, the legal year
beginning even in England on the 25th of March, till the change of
the style in 1752. For commencing the year with this month there
seems a sufficient reason in the fact of its being the first season,
after " the dead" of the year, in which decided symptoms of a
renewal of growth take place. And for the Romans to dedicate
their first month to Mars, and call it "Martius" seems equally
natural, considering the importance they attached to war, and the
use they made of it. Among our Saxon forefathers, the month
took the name of " Lenet-monat " — that is length month — in
reference to the lengthening of the days at this season — the origin
also of the term Lent.

March is represented as a man of a tawny colour, and fierce
aspect, with a helmet on his head — so far typical of Mars— while,
appropriate to the season, he is represented leaning on a spade,
holding almond blossoms and scions in his left hand, with a basket
of seeds on his arm, and in his right hand the sign Aries, or the
Ram, which the sun enters on the 20th of this month, thereby
denoting the augmented power of the sun's rays, which in ancient
hieroglyphics were expressed by the horns of animals.

March is noted as a dry month. Its dust is looked for, and
becomes a subject of congratulation, on account of the importance
of dry weather at this time, for sowing and planting. The idea
has been embodied in proverb, as "A peck of March dust is worth
a king's ransom." Blustering winds generally prevail during the
first part of the month.

It was in this month (1781) that Herschel discovered the new
planet called Uranus, and that astronomy lost one of its most able
and devoted labourers (1859) in the person of Manuel Johnson, of
Oxford, better known under the name ofj" the Radcliffe Observer."

CHRONOMETERS.

PRIZES have at various times been off eredby different countries for
the best mode of ascertaining the position of a ship at sea. A
treatise is about to appear in Paris which claims to have solved the
problem. The authors are M. Yvon Villarcean and Lieutenant
de Magnac, and their system of navigation is based on the employ-
ment of chronometers. It results from the application of the
method of equations of condition, which implies the theory of
errors of observation derived from the theory of probabilities
Its advantages are that it utilizes the estimated latitude and
longitude furnished by the log and compass, and, what is far more
important, that the theory of errors of observation allows the
ascertaining within a few miles, of the position of ships, by ni°ht
observations with a bad horizon ; in other words, under circum-
stances in which the old methods were useless. M. de Magnac has
succeeded after 100 days' voyage, in sighting land within two miles
of the desired point, whereas the old methods, it is asserted, left
errors amounting to 15 miles. While a pupil at the Naval School,
he was struck by the insufficiency of astronomical navigation as
then and still taught, and, on becoming a Naval officer, experience
confirmed him m his opinion. He first devoted himself to perfecting
the employment of chronometers, and found that the mathematical
instruction he had received did not enable him to approach such
complex and delicate problems and formulate mathematically the
appreciable variations due to the action of physical causes on
chronometers. He accordingly addressed himself to M. Villarcean
Chief Astronomer at the Paris Observatory, who had previously
published a treatise on the mechanical means of neutralizing the
action of temperature on these instruments, but who, foreseeing
the difficulty of these theories being applied by imperfectly-
instructed makers, had offered seamen a formula for representing
the influences of temperature and weather on chronometers. M de
Magnac tested this formula of directions for six years on seventeen
chronometers, half that time on a sea-going training-ship, and
iound it most satisfactory. In the forthcoming work, to be pub-
lished by M. Villars, M. Villarcean deals with the theoretical, and
M. de Magnac deals with the practical department.— The Times.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR THE TRADE.

To Destroy the Effects of Acid on Clothes. — Dampen as
soon as possible after exposure to the acid, with spirits ammonia.
It will destroy the effect immediately.

A Bright Gold Tinge may be given to silver, by steeping, for a
suitable length of time, in a weak solution of sulphuric acid and
water strongly impregnated with iron rust.

To Part Lead from Gold. — As lead melts at 617 degrees Fahr.,
and gold at 2000 degrees Fahr., melting the lead and removing the
gold would be the simplest method for you to adopt in separating

the two metals.

Polishing Tortoiseshell and Ivory.— Putty powder (oxide of
tin) will put a beautiful polish on ivory, and would possibly do for
tortoiseshell. Apply the putty powder on a piece of flannel with
water or methylated spirits and elbow grease, and finish off with
. dry powder.

How to dry a Spiral. — Crush a piece of very hard bread to a fine
powder, gather it in a box and put the spiral into it immediately
after taking it from the water or alcohol. Shake the box so as to
cover the spiral well with the powder, and in a minute or two it can
be taken out perfectly clean. By this method the spiral is not liable
to injury, as it is by drying between linen or with a brush. — (Revue
Chronometrique )

To Make a Clock Strike Correctly.— Tf not very cautious in
pulling up your clock you will get some of the striking train wheels
in wrong, and thus produce a derangement in the striking side ; slip
the pivots of the upper wheels out, and having disconnected them
from the train turn the parts around and put them back. If still not
right repeat the experiment. A few efforts at most will get them
to working properly. The sound in cuckoo clocks is caused by a
wire acting on a small bellows, which is connected with two small
pipes like organ pipes.

As NiCKELiziNGis replacing silvering in certain cases, so there are
cases where nickelizing may be itself replaced for many articles of
small value. The manipulation is very simple. Coarse, rasped, or
granulated zinc, is boiled for some time in a mixture of three parts,
by weight, of sal ammoniac and ten of water. The object immersed
and stirred up with a zinc rod. The deposit is silvery bright, and
resists mechanical action as well as a coating of nickel. This pro-
cess can be recommended for goods that are meant for a second
coating of some other metal, since any other is easily deposited upon
zinc.

The Mercurial Pendulum. — In a work on watchmaking, says
the Revue Chronometrique, we find the following words on the above
subject. "Take note if the compensation is too weak or too
strong ; in the former it would be requisite to pour a little mercury
in the vase, and in the latter case to diminish the quantity." This
is perfectly correct, but in doing so without reflecting, the operator
is liable to fall into an error. Supposing a timepiece is well-
regulated in a moderate temperature, and that it loses in the cold, a
young workman might think that the compensation was too strong,
and that it was necessary to reduce the quantity of mercury. If,
on the other hand it gained, he would conclude that the compen-
sation was too weak, and add some. In both instances he should
act quite the reverse. If the column of mercury is too short, its
centre gravity, already too low, will descend still more through the
cold, and the movement be still further retarded. If there is too much
mercury its centre of gravity will not descend low enough, and the
timepiece will continue to gain. It is obvious from the same argu-
ment, that in heat too much mercury will cause the timepiece to
gain, while if the quantity is insufficient, it will lose. Therefore in
the heat and the cold an excess causes it to gain, and an insufficiency
to lose.

We understand that the following firms and institutions have sent
in requisitions to be placed on the wires of Messrs. Barraud and
Lunds new system of synchronizing clocks. The Bank of England ;
most of the Lombard Street Bankers and Clearing Houses ; Lloyds ;
Stock Exchange ; The Mansion House, (Justice Room) ; The
Eastern Extension Telegraph Company; The Shipmasters' Associa-
tion ; Messrs. Dalgety & Ducroz ; Messrs. Morton & Company,
and many other private firms. Applications for it has been received
from many others, and they will be attended to as rapidly as possible,
the continued prevalence of high winds and bad weather greatly
retarding the operations of the General Post Office in erecting their
wires for the use of Messrs Barraud & Lunds' system.

Mae. 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

227

CORRESPONDENCE.

GREENWICH TIME.
To the Editor of the Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith.

Sir, — On p. 205 of your issue of February 5, you repeat from
the Times of the 24th ult., a statement that with regard to the
electric controlled clocks now going in Edinburgh, they have the
defect, that " any injury to the line wire stops every clock in con-
nection with it."

I beg to say that this is a serious mistake ; for the clocks are
mainly on the principle of Mr. R. L. Jones, late of Chester, com-
plete going clocks in themselves ; and even if the line wire should be
entirely removed the clocks are not stopped thereby ; they continue
going, but simply as ordinary clocks without electric control.

I beg to call your attention also to my name being twice mis-spelt
in the course of your article,

I remain, your obedient servant,

Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer Royal for Scotland.

Royal Observatory, Edinburgh,
February 7th, 1877.

Notice. — " Ramsgate." — Our esteemed correspondent will find his
subject dwelt upon in our leading article.

THE SETH THOMAS CLOCK COMPANY.

THE above Company recently manufactured for Mr. Henry
Seybert, of Philadelphia, a very large clock which he presented to
the city for the steeple of Independence Hall. It strikes the hour upon
a bell weighing 13,000 lbs. They also made a clock which was dupli-
cate of this, except it was arranged to strike the quarters as well as
the hours. This clock was placed over the main entrance to
Machinery Hall at the late Exhibition. The Independence Hall
clock is running very accurately, and Mr. Seybert and his friends
are much pleased with it. Its fellow, above-named, is for sale. It
is the product of the thought, time, and skill of some of the very
best workmen. For this clock and others the Company received
from the International Exhibition at Philadelphia the following
award :

" For a large tower clock with Denison's double three-legged
gravity escapement. The pendulum has a zinc and steel compensa-
tion. The weight of the pendulum ball is 500 lbs., of the rod 200
lbs. There is provision against accident from the breaking of the
pendulum springs. The driving weight of this clock is 200 lbs.
The whole construction of the train is good, and the action of the
escapement is all that can be desired, since an increase in the power
applied to the train does not appear to disturb sensibly the arc of
vibration of the pendulum.

"Also, for the manufacture of brass clocks in great variety for
general use, and of good quality in relation to their prices, and
for ornamental clocks."

This Company manufactures clocks of various prices for house-
hold and office use, which are well made and of good materials.
Every clock is tested before it leaves the factory. They run well,
* wear well, and are good time-keepers.

In their advertisement the Company says " If you keep them wound
up, we are willing our rivals should run them down."

USEFUL INFORMATION FOR THE TRADE.

The Fac Simile Printing Process. Byford's Patent.

BY this ingenious invention a number oifac simile copies of a new
design, sketch, or calculation, &c, may be easily printed in an
ordinary copying press, the original drawing or tracing remaining
intact. It appears calculated to supply a want long felt in the trade
we represent, of a rapid, economical, and we may add confidential
method of producing copies of new designs, &c, without the inter-
vention of the printer. We have tried the process, and consider it
simple, practical, useful, and reliable, and will have much pleasure
in affording any information in reference thereto.

Paris Chronometer Competition, 1876.— The first prize, 1,200
francs has been awarded to M. T. Leroy. This is the sixth time
that he has carried off the first award of that amount, and since 1862
he has furnished the government with no less than sixteen Prize
Chronometers.

CURIOSITIES OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

(Continued from page 202.)

IN the burlesque opera of " Bombastes Furioso," by Rhodes, first
performed in 1810, the great general Bombastes tells the king —

" Thrashed are your foes — this watch and silken string,
Worn by their chief, I as a trophy bring.
I knock'd him down, then snatch'd it from his fob !
' Watch ! watch ! ' he crie 1, when I had done the job ;
' My watch is gone .' ' says he ; says I, ' Just so ;
' Stop where you are— watches were made to go.' "

The Norwegian peasants are remarkable for ingenuity, industry,
and mechanical genius. T. B. Depping, writing in 1817, says, "A
lady of the Danish court one day showed me in a company where we
met, a beautiful repeater which she wore. Everybody admired the
workmanship, though it was observed not to be so highly finished
as the best performances of the watchmakers of London and Paris ;
but we were not a little surprisedwhenshe informed us that this watch
was made by a young Norwegian who had never learned the trade,
or been from home : that before he could set about this arduous
task he had been obliged to make with his rude implements such
fine tools as he wanted ; and that in three years he had at length
completed this beautiful piece of work, which for solidity and
regularity was not surpassed by any other of the kind."

According to the Gentleman's Magazine for 1820, an artist at
Cemberg, in Prussia, about that year constructed a talking watch,
which imitated the human voice, and answered questions in German
and Polish, besides executing musical airs.

The " Annual Register" for 1821 tells us that M. Kuhaiewsky, of
Warsaw, had then lately produced as his invention an astronomical
watch, which indicated the difference of time in the principal places
in various parts of the globe. It had been accepted as a present
by the Emperor Alexander, who had sent M. Kuhaiewsky in return
a magnificent snuff-box, and assigned him a sum to enable him to
continue his important scientific labours.

About the middle of Denzil Street, on the south side, lived in
1829, Theophilus Holdred, a jobbing watchmaker, whose name will
always hold a place in one department of, mathematical history.
He discovered a method of approximating to the roots of numerical
equations of considerable ingenuity. Further particulars of him
will be found in " Notes and Queries " for 1850.

Brequet was a celebrated French watchmaker, who flourished at
the end of the last and the commencement of the present century. He
was greatly encouraged by the Allies in 1815. The Emperor
Alexander purchased several of his unequalled watches, and the
Duke of Wellington had one of them, which, on touching a spring
at any time struck the hour and minute. It cost him 300 guineas ; he
carried it for many years, and it proved of great service to him on many
occasions. The Duke and Duchess of Berri, the Marquis of London-
derry, Lords Beauchamps, Chesterfield, Bruce, and many others,
were also customers of Brequet, who was without doubt the best
and most scientific watchmaker of his age. He was not an advocate
for flat watches, as he said they impeded the proper action of the
wheels, and could not be depended upon as time keepers. The
prices that he paid to his best workmenwere enormous, there being few
to whom he could entrust his watches, as so many were drunkards,
and could work only a day or two in the week. Captain Gronow, in his
" Recollections," says that Brequet told him that he paid some of
his artificers thirty francs a day, and none less than a napoleon, and
that through Paris there were only fifteen or twenty able to execute
the delicate work necessary for such watches as he made. He was
a great encourager of merit, and used to say to his young workmen,
"bo not be discouraged, or allow a failure to dishearten you."
Brequet, besides his scientific knowledge and mechanical skill,
possessed much general information. Napoleon himself, knowing
his abilities, frequently went incognito to his workshop, and conversed
upon the improvements he was anxious to effect in cannons and

■ft ypn T*YTft ^

Napoleon I. had a watch which wound itself up by means of a
weighted lever, which at every step that he made rose and fell ; and
having a gathering click to it, wound up a racket attached to the
barrel if it were then fully wound up. The instrument called the
pedometer, which is not larger than a common watch, is one of the
same principle ; its use being to register the number of steps taken
by the wearer while the instrument is in his pocket. It is capable
of adjustment according to the number of steps the wearer usually
takes in a mile, which he must first count, and set the instrument-
accordingly. Without such adjustment it does not form any mea-
sure of distance.

(To le continued.)

2-28

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Mab. 5, 1877.

the

wlHtr|rnmI\crf gcfoclfcr, mii £ilftersmiij,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at Milnees' Buildings,
Moorgate Street (Opposite Moorgate Street Station), London,
E.C. Booksellers and Newsagents supplied by Messrs. Catty and
Dobson, 1, Ivy Lane, Paternoster Kow. E.C.

Birmingham Agencies.
Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Lombard Street Post Office.

SPECIAL NOTICES.

IN order to meet the requirements of the steadily
increasing business of this Journal, the offices thereof,
will, on and after the 10th inst., be removed to more eligible
premises in Milkers' Buildings, Moorgate Street (opposite
Moorgate Street Station.)

We must thank our patrons and the trade in general for the
encouraging patronage hitherto received, and which has neces-
sitated this removal, and hope to be favoured with a continuation
of support in our new offices, where every exertion will be made
by us to merit the confidence and promote the interests of the
various trades represented by our paper.

BACK1]S & STRAUSS,

Manufacturing Jewellers & Gold Chain Makers,

HAVE REMOVED TO

6 4, HOLBOBiT VIADUCT,

(Opposite the London, Chatham and Dover Raihcay Station),

LONDON, E.C.

CLOCKS, WATCHES, AND BELLS.

Just Published.
A RUDIMENTARY TREATISE on CLOCKS, WATCHES, and

BELLS. By Sir Edmuhd Beckett, Bart, (late E. B. Denison), LL.D.,

Q.C., F.R.A.S. Sixth edition, revised and enlarged, with numerous

Illustrations. 12mo, cloth boards, 5s.6d. Postage 4d.

"As a popular, and, at the same time, practical treatise on clocks and bells, it is
unapproachei" — English Mechanic.

" The best work on the subject probably extant. . . ; . So far as we know it has
no competitor worthy of the name." — Engineering.

"The only modern treatise on clock-making." — Horological Journal.

"There is probably no book in the English language on a technical subject so easy to
read, and to read through, as the treatise on clocks, watches, and bells, written by toe
eminent Parliamentary Counsel, Mr. E. B. Denison— now Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart."—
Architect.

"A mass of reliable information which cannot be obtained elsewhere." — The
Jeweller and Metalworker.
CROSBY LOCKWOOD & Co., 7, Stationers' Hall-Court, London, E.C,

MESSRS. EDWIN FOX AND BOUSFIELD

ABE INSTEUCTED TO SELL AN

OLD ESTABLISHED MANUFACTURING BUSINESS

IN LONDON,

With a first-class connection in town and country, worked at a small ex-
pense, and realizing lucrative profits. i.'5000 cash required. For further
particulars apply to Messrs. Fox and Bousfield, 24, Gresbam Street,
Bank, London, E.C.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES.

Liquidations t>y Arrangement or Composition.
Maxwell, Albert, Salisbury, watchmaker, &c, Feb. 2. G. Nodder, sol.

Salisbury.
Morrell, George, Park Boad, Solio, near Birmingham, jeweller. Jan. 20.

C. Da-vies, sol., 25, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham.
Susman, Jacob, Fish Street, Hull, ti-avelling jeweller and draper. Jan. 5.

F. Summers, sol., Hull.

Yeomans & Co., jewellers. Feb. 5. Saunders & Bradbury, sols., Temple

Bow, Birmingham.
Carpenter, Joseph Lant, 43, Temple Street, Birmingham, web and brace

manufacturer and jeweller. Feb. 5. Saunders and Bradbury, sols.,

Birmingham.
Diaper, Oliver Cromwell, & Pickford, Francis Palmer, dealers in

jewellery. Feb. 6. J. P. Moss, sol., 38, Gracecburch Street, London.
Diaper, Oliver Cromwell, Tunbridge Wells, dealer in jewellery (sep. crdrs.)

Feb. 6. J. T. Moss, sol. 38, Gracechurch Street,' London.
Goode, John Samuel, Hartington Buildings, Birmingham, Jeweller. Feb.

8. R. J. Parr, sol. 27, Colmore Bow, Birmingham.
Pickford.Francis Palmer, Tunbridge Wells, dealer in Jewellery, &c. Feb.

6. J. T. Moss, sol. 38, Gracechurch Street, London.
Yeomans, Henry, 43, Temple Street, Birmingham, jeweller. Feb. 5.

Saunders & Bradbury, sols., Birmingham.
Ball, George James, trading as Brugger & Straub, 79, High Holborn, and

200, Brixton Boad, late Rosemary Road, Peckham, jeweller. Feb. 7.

G. H. Fincb, sol., Bridge Chambers, Borough.

Clark, Joseph, 70, Hatton Garden and 7, Cross Street, Hatton Garden, late

65, Canonbury Road, Islington, dealer in precious stones. Feb. 15.

Browne Kidder and Son, sols., 19, John Street, Bedford Row.
Isaacs, Colman, C, Pontmorlais, Merthyr Tydvil, jeweller. Feb. 12.

Simons & Plews, sols., Merthyr Tydvil.
Brown, William, Kirkgate, Bradford, jeweller. Feb. 21. Atkinson, sol.

Bradford. March, 12 at 4.
Chipping, Edward Frederick, 1, Edmond's Place, City Road, London, late

King Street, Brighton, watchmaker. Feb. 20. T. Sampson, sol.,

252, Marylebone Road. March 12 at 10.
Levin, Lewis, 2, Ordnance Row, Portsea, jeweller and watch manufacturer.

Feb. 22. G. H. King's, sol., Portsea. March 9 at 4.

Dissolutions of Partnership.
Bradley & Mott, 36, Vyse Street, Birmingham, jewellery factors. Jan. 24-

Debts by Samuel Bradley.
Cartwright & Co., 32, Harford Street, Birmingham, jewellers. Jan. 26.
Keyzor & Bendon, 50, High Holboro, opticians. Dec. 24. Debts by

George Bendon.
Marx, W. & A., East Street, Brighton, jewellers. Dec. 28. Debts by Wolf

Marx.
Millar & Collins, 3, Tarlton Street, Liverpool, working jewellers. Dec. 2.

Debts by R. Collins.
Perry & Curry, 1, Upper Gloucester Street, Clerkenwell, silversmiths.

Sept. 30, 1875.
Morton, Burkinsiiaw, & Green, Bridge Street, Sheffield, silver and electro-
plate manufacturers. Jan 12.
Crouch, W. & Sons, 32, North Bridge, Edinburgh, jewellers, &c. Feb. 1.

Debts by David H. Crouch.

Adjudication of Bankruptcy.

Frazee, John, 73, Donegal Street, Belfast, jeweller.

Dividends.

KellePv, Philip, and Emil Hahn (Bkts.), Hatton Garden, London, and Bir-
mingham, dealers in precious stones. 1st div. 2s ; J. Seear, 105,
Cheapside.

Dovey, Henry (Liq.), Brighton, jeweller. Div. Is 8id ; R. S. Henry, 11,
Hatton Garden, London.

Barnard, Asher, (Bkt.) Exeter, dealer in jewellery. 2nd div. Is. 6d. E.
Fewings, Queen Street, Exeter.

Discharges G-ranted and Bankruptcies closed.
Hodkinson, Henry, Laster, George H., & Poynton, Henry (Bkts.),

Coventry, metal workers. Discharge granted —
Kohler, William, (Bkt.), 63, Southwark BridgeTtoad, watch manufacturer.

Discharge granted Dec. 8.
Maunder, Aaron, Launceston, Cornwall, watchmaker. (From insufficiency

of assets no dividend has been declared). Bankruptcy closed Dec. 30.
Petit, Edouard, 220, Fulham Road, jeweller. (A dividend of 2s. 6d. has

been paid). Bankruptcy closed Jan. 30.

Distribution of Assets.
Wharton, Edward, Coventry Road and Charles Street, Birmingham,

silver plater, died Sept. 21. Claims to W. S. Allen, 35, Waterloo

Street, Birmingham, sol.
Lees, Thomas, Fleet Street, Bury, jeweller, died Oct. 28, 1853. Claims by

Feb. 28, to H. S. Cooper, 94a, King Street, Manchester, sol.

Meeting's.
Shirtcliffe, John. jun. (Bkt.) Sheffield, electro plate manufacturer. At
County Court, Sheffield, March 8 at 12, exam.

Mar. 5, 1877]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

229

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

348. William Thomas Kerry, of 10, Sotheron Eoad, King's Road,
Fulharn, in the county of Middlesex, for an invention of " A new
or improved polish for cleaning, reviving, and renovating jewellery,
plated ware, furniture, and other such like articles." — Dated 2Gth
January, 1877.

369. William Harvey, Ernest William Harvey, and Alfred Harvey,
of Azoff Villa, North. Woolwich, in the county of Essex, Steel Manu-
facturers, for an invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of
soft steel or ingot iron, and in the application of the same to various
useful purposes." — Dated 29th January, 1877.

419. Alfred Vincent Newton , of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the county of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, for an
invention of " An improvement in watch movements." — A communi-
cation to him from abroad by the Elgin National Watch Company
(Incorporated), of the city and state of New York, United States of
America. — Dated 31st January, 1877.

442. Charles Moreau, Optician, of the city of Paris, in the republic of
France, for an invention of " Improvements in opera, field, and marine
glasses." — Dated 2nd February, 1877.

443. Aciiille Fontaine, of Paris, (France), Manufacturer, for an invention
of "An improvement in fastenings for gloves." — Dated 2nd February,
1877.

456. Max Strauss, of Holborn Viaduct, in the city of London, and John
Frederick Bennet, of South Hackney, in the county of Middlesex, for
an invention of "An improved shirt stud or button applicable for
other fastening purposes." — Dated 2nd February, 1877.

496. Francis Herbert Weniiam, of 8, Oxford Eoad, Ealing, in the county
of Middlesex, Engineer, for an invention of " An improved object-stage
for microscopes."— Dated 6th February, 1877.

521. James Leftwich Warner, of 40, Tulse Hill, in the county of Surrey,
Gentleman, for an invention of "An improved apparatus, attachment,
or fastening for protecting watches, purses, and other similar articles
from being stolen from the person." — Dated 7th February, 1877.

530. William Kobert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention of
" Improvements relating to the working, regulating, and winding-up of
clocks, chiefly designed for controlling a series of clocks by pneumatic
power." — A communication to him from abroad by Victor Popp,
Ernest Eesch, and Charles Albert Mayrhofer, as representatives of
the " Gesellschaft zum Betriebe pneumatischer Uhren," of Vienna,
Austria.- Dated 7th February, 1877.

557. Thomas Baker, of New Street, Sudbury, in the county of Suffolk,
Spring Maker, for an invention of " A new and improved apparatus
for punching, pressing, or cutting holes or slots in iron, steel, and
other metals." — Dated 9th February, 1877.

590. William Eobert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention of " An
improved machine for making wire springs."

608. Henry Schooling, of Southampton Buildings, London, for an
invention of " Improvements in apparatus for locking or fastening the
doors of safes, strong rooms, and other similar depositories." — Dated
14th February, 1877.

610. Thomas Tonks, the younger, of Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, Button Manufacturer, for an invention of " An improved
link for cuffs, gloves, or other articles of dress." — Dated 14th February,
1877.

617. Thomas Gray, of Eokesley House, St. Michael's Eoad, Stockwell,
in the county of Surrey, and John McFarlane Gray, of 127, Queen's
Eoad, Peckham, in the same county, for an invention of °" Improve-
ments in optical instruments for viewing coloured signal lights." —
Dated 14th February. 1877.

646. Charles Haseler, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, Watch Maker, for an invention of "An improvement or
improvements in watches and other time-keepers." — Dated 16th
February, 1877.

661. John Chisholm, of Edinburgh, in the county of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, for an invention of " An improved combined brooch and
chatelaine or device for carrying materials used in knitting and other
similar work."— -Dated 17th February, 1877-

718. Henry Angelo Ludovico Negretti, and Joseph Warren Zambra,
both of Holborn Viaduct, in the city of London, Meteorological
Instrument Makers, for an invention of " Improvements in ther-
mometers and hygrometers." — Dated 21st February, 1877.

753. Isaac Grindrod, Watch Maker and Jeweller, 33, Toad Lane, Eoch-
dale, in the county of Lancaster, for an invention of " An improved
solitaire or sleeve stud or fastening for wearing apparel." — Dated 23rd
February, 1877.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

88. To Eobert Mann Lowne, of East End, Finchley, in the county of
Middlesex, for the invention of " Improvements in barometers."

140. To John Matthew May, of Hatton Garden, in the county of
Middlesex, Merchant, for the indention of "Improvements connected
■with the manufacture of clock cases, barometer cases, thermometer
cases, and other like cases."

To John Holloway, of the firm of Holloway Brothers, of 7, Jeffrey's
Square, in the city of London, for the invention of " Certain improve-
ments in the production of metals or metallic alloys, and in the process
employed therefor."

To Joseph Hill, Manufacturer, of Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, for the invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of
solitaires."

313. To Samuel Vickery and James Thomas White, both of Clerkenwell,
in the county of Middlesex, Watchmakers, for the invention of
" Improvements in the construction and adjustment of chronometers,
watches, clocks, and other time-keepers."

To Frederick Cadby, of King's Heath, King's Norton, in the county
of Worcester, Manager of Glass Works, for the invention of "Im-
provements in cruet frames, liquor frames, sugar and cream frames,
pickle frames, and breakfast frames."

To Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the county of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, for the
invention of " An improvement in watch movements." — A communi-
cation to him from abroad by the Elgin National Watch Company
(Incorporated), of the city and state of New York, United States of
America.

443. To Aciiille Fontaine, of Paris, France, Manufacturer, for the
invention of " An improvement in fastenings for gloves."

348. To William Thomas Kerry, of 10, Sotheron Eoad, King's Eoad,
Fulham, in the county of Middlesex, for the invention of "A new or
improved polish for cleaning, reviving, and renovating jewellery,
plated ware, furniture, and other such like articles."

442. To Charles Moreau, Optician, of the city of Paris, in the republic
of France, lor the invention of " Improvements in opera, field, and
marine glasses."

456. To Max Strauss, of Holborn Viaduct, in the citj of London, and
John Frederick Bennet, of South Hackney, in the county of
Middlesex, for the invention of "An iu. proved shirt stud or button,
applicable for other fastening purposes."

265.

186.

359.

419.

Notices to Proceed.

3780. Frank McClean, of Ferncliffe, Tunbridge Wells, Civil Engineer)
has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improvements in
spectroscopes, chiefly for use with astronomical telescopes."

88. Eobert Mann Lowne, of East End, Finchley, in the county of
Middlesex, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improve-
ments in barometers."

3853. John Richards, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Jeweller,
and James Tandy, of Birmingham aforesaid, Jeweller, has given notice
in respect of the invention of "Improvements in solitaires, sleeve-links,
collar and other studs, fastenings for articles of dress and jewellery,
bags, and other articles."

3978. Henky Julius Hallpike, of Shepherd's Bush, in the county of
Middlesex, has given notice in respect, of the invention of " Improve-
ments in sleeve links, collar studs, and other similar articles."

4007. James Grason, of 4, Fore Street, Tiverton, in the county of Devon,
Jeweller, has given notice in respect of the invention of " An im-
proved self-locking shirt stud, applicable also for other fastening
purposes."

4037. George Green, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, and
Jaime Mallol, of the same place, have given notice in respect of the
invention of " Improvements in mounting electro-plate wares, such as
waiters, side-dishes, ' butters,' cake baskets, and other articles of a
similar kind."

4251. George Walker, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Gilt
Toy Manufacturer, has given notice in respect of the invention of
" Improvements in the construction of solitaires, shirt studs, and other
such like fastenings."

4297. David Cutler, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improvements
in solitaires, sleeve links, shirt, collar, and other studs, and other
similar dress fastenings and ornaments."

Patents Sealed.

Error. — In the January number of this Journal, under the heading of

Patents Sealed, 2797, the name of Ami Louis Junod-Pattus, should read

of St. Croix, Switzerland, instead of Paris, France.

3309. Charles Harrold, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Eefiner and Metal Boiler, for an invention of " Improvements in the
manufacture of watch pendants, and in tools or machinery employed
in the said manufacture." — Dated 23rd August, 1876.

3366. Charles Jackson, of Burton-on-Trent, in the county of Stafford,
Jeweller and Silversmith, for an invention of " Certain improvements
in the manufacture of solitaires and studs, glove fasteners, and other
like purposes." — Dated 28th August, 1876.

3785. George Edward Pritchett, of 39, Lombard Street, in the city of
London, Architect, for an invention of "New or improved means,

280

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Mae. 5, 1877.

apparatus, or appliances for utilising clocks, clockwork, or time-keeping
movements, so as to put the same in communication with distant
buildings, rooms, ships, mines, or places." — Dated 28th September,
1870.

3285. Charles August Herzog, of 25, Bouverie Street, in the city of
London, for an invention of " Improvements in watches." — A com-
munication to him from abroad by Charles Morlet, of Geneva,
Switzerland." — Dated 22nd August, 1876.

343(3. Frederick Weintraud and Eiciiard James Secundus Joyce, of 18,
Aldermnnbury, in the city of London, Manufacturers, for an invention
of "Improvements in solitaires, or sleeve and collar studs." — Dated
31st August, 1876.

Emma Elizabeth Ashing, of Camden Town, in the county of,
Middlesex, for an invention of " Improvements in solitaires aDd studs
aud other similar dress fastenings." — Dated 5th September, 1876.

4:

Patents on which the Stamp Duty of £100 has been paid.

3(3. Isaac Adams, jun. of Boston, in the state of Massachusetts, in the

United States of America, but now of 62, Chancery Lane, in the

county of Middlesex, for an invention of " Improvements in effecting

the electro deposition of nickel." — Dated 2nd February, 1870.

Patent on which the Stamp Duty of £50 has been paid.

563. Charles Andrew Terrey, of St. George's Road, Southwark, in the
county of Surrey, Engineer, for an invention of " An improved method
of setting diamonds in drills and other boring and cutting tools." —
Dated 14th February, 1874.

Patents which have become Void.

183.

333

Frederic Rotig, of Havre, in the empire of France, Watch and
Chronometer Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements in the
construction of watches." — Dated 21st January, 1870.

John Stowell Adams, of the city of Boston, in the state of Massa-
chusetts, in the United States of America, for an invention of " Im-
provements in kaleidoscopes." — A communication to him from John
Collicatt, a person resident at the said Boston. — Dated 26th January,
1874.

1. Hirscii and Walter, of Berlin, for " A so-called ' Niroid-barometer,' "
— Dated 22nd September, 1875. — Cancelled 2nd December, 1876.

370. Levi Parsons Merriam, of Leadenhall Street, in the city of London,
for an invention of "Improvements in machinery or apparatus for
soldering metals." — Dated 29th January, 1874.

419. Frederick Arthur Walton, of Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, Manufacturing Jeweller, for an invention of " Improve-
ments in fastenings for wearing apparel." — Dated 2nd February,
1874.

550. Thomas Perks the younger, of the firm of Thomas Perks and Sons
of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Jewellers, for an
invention of "Improvements in brooches, shawl pins, nursery pins,
and other like fastenings.'' — Dated 13th February, 1874.

552. John Goater, of Clarence Cottage, South Street, Ponder's End, in
the county of Middlesex, Mechanic, for an invention of " Improve-
ments in arranging and combining the materials used in the manufac-
ture and construction of fire and burglar proof safes, strong boxes, and
other receptacles, and the parts connected therewith." — Dated 13th
February, 1874.

476. William Robert Lake, of the " International Patent Office," South-
ampton Buddings, London, Consulting Engineer, for an invention of
"An improved instrument for determining the altitude and zenith
distance of celestial bodies." — A communication to him from abroad
by Hall Colby, of the city and state of New York, United States
of America. — Dated 17th February, 1870.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

Prussia.

8. B. Schuster, of Polsnitz, Silesia, for "A regulator-clockwork." — 3
years. — Dated 7th December, 1876.

32. J. Kuntz, of Leipsig, for " An instrument for measuring the expan-
sion of gaseous bodies." — 3 years. — Dated 24th December, 1876.

Grand Duchy, op Baden.

13. R. E. G. Neumann, of Konigsberg, for " A contrivance for fire and

burglar-proof safes." — 3 years. — Dated 14th January, 1876.
58. E. Weger, of Lichtenau, for " Watches with anchor escapements." —

S years.— Dated 31st March, 1876.
81. A. Bernstein, of Berlin, for " An apparatus for sorting gold coins by

weight." — 3 years. — Dated 7th July, 1876.
91. A. R. Gcilmet and E. Japy, of Paris, for " Oscillating pendulum

clocks with equipoised balances and reaction escapements." — 3 years. —

Dated 9th August, 1876.
103. L. Jkhlin, of Sackingen, for " A regulator model clock."— \3 years, —

Dated 19th August, 1876.

162. K. Hacker, of Pforzheim, a Patent of Prolongation for " A process
for the manufacture of flexible gold bands." — 3 years. — Dated 28th
November, 1876. — (Original Patent, 3rd January, 1874.)
Austria.

69. A. L. Junod-Pattus, of St. Croix, Switzerland, for "A remontoir.
watch with a quarter repeating motion without wheels and hammers." —
1 year.— (Secret.)— Dated 14th September, 1876.

70. M. Kandel, of Bottuschan, Roumania, for "A watch with a peculiar
handle." — 1 year. — (Secret.) — Dated —

France.
114,820. Ciiataigneau, for " Catches for studs of cuffs, clasps of cravats,

and other similar articles." — Dated 2nd October, 1876.
114,828. Garand, Brothers, of Paris, for "A brooch for head-dresses." —

Dated 4th October, 1876.
114,837. PETiT-PiERRE and Bruson, for "A ring-stud for collars and

ties."— Dated 3rd October, 1876.
107,021. Beaulavon, for "An isochronous compensation pendulum for

clock-work."— Dated 7th October, 1876.
112,761. Michaux, for " A clasp for cravats." — Dated 16th October, 1876.
102,779. Thomas, for " Improvements in clock-work." — Dated 4th

October, 1876.

Belgium.
41,201. A. Hecq, of Fontaine-l'Eveque, for "An escapement with ruby

pins applicable to clocks and watches in general." — Dated 2nd January,

1877.
41,284. J. Britton, for " Improvements in the springs of watch-cases." —

Dated 15th January, 1877.
41,297. J. C. W. Jefferys, for " Improvements in button-clasps for

jewellery, &c." — Dated 16th January, 1877.
41,358. - T. Allen and T. Dawson, for " Improvements in clasps for ladies'

dresses." — Dated 27th January, 1877.
41,418. F. Timmermans, of Couillett, a Patent of Improvement for "Modi-
fications in his barometer apparatus for regulating ventilators." — Dated

2nd February, 1877.— (Original Patent, 31st March, 1876.)
41,434. F. Dessert, for an imported invention of "An alarum for

watches." — Dated 5th February, 1877. — (French Patent, 11th April,

1873.)

United States.
6275. Adam Chambers, of Pueblo Col., U.S., for "Improvements on

odometers." (Perfectionnements aux odometres.) — 5 years. — Dated

10th July, 1876.

Canada,
6429. William Eisele, of Indianapolis, Ind., U.S., for " Improvements in

finger rings," (Perfectionnements des anneaux de doigts.) — 10 years,

—Dated 12th August, 1876.
6432. Frederick H. Voight, of Buffalo, N.Y., U.S., "Improvements on

chronometer escapements." (Perfectionnements aux echappements

d'horlogerie.) — 5 years. — Dated 12th August, 1876.
6435. John P. Kislingbury, of Rochester, N.Y., U.S., for Door bolt and

burglar alarm." (Verrou de porte alarmo-voleur.) — 5 years. — Dated

12th August, 1876.

Bavaria.

91. T. Comte and E. de Bary, of Munich, for " An alloy for the manu-
facture of gold and silver wire, and also of gold and silver thread." —
5 years. — Dated 8th June, 1876.

114. C. Hermann, of Nuremberg, for "Improvements in the construction
of fire and burglar-proof safes." — 3 years. — Dated 17th July, 1876.

143. C. Weger, of Lichtenau, Baden, for "A construction of watches." —
3 years. — Dated 7th September, 1876.

Designs Patented in the United States.
9342. JosErn I. Knight, of Philadelphia, Pa., for an "Ear-ring." —
Application filed 22nd May, 1876. — Term of patent 3£ years.

Prizes for Designs for a Dessert Service of Plate. — Four prizes
of 100/., 50Z., 30L, and 20/. respectively, are offered through the
Science and Art Department, by Messrs. Watherston and son, for
the four best designs for a dessert service of plate, comprising a
central plateau, four candelabra, four fruit dishes, four flower stands,
and lour salt cellars. The service, when manufactured, is to be of
a total weight of 2,000 ounces of silver. The competition is limited
to candidates — British born — who are, or have been, bond fide
students of Schools of Art recognised by the Science and Art De-
partment, and who have since 1867 taken a third grand prize, or a
higher prize in the National Competition of that Department. The
drawings and models of all competitors must be forwarded to the
Department through the Secretaries of the Schools of Art in which
they are or have been students. The designs must bear a distin-
guishing motto, which with the competitor's name and address must
be sent to the Department in a sealed envelope with the designs, on
or before the 15th of March, 1877. The awards will be made by
the Director for Art, E. J. Poynter, R,A. — Journal Society of Arts.

Mar. 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

231

" By hand-labour it is impossible for this country to compete with Switzerland in the
Watch Trade ; and, if we would hold our own in Europe in this branch of industry, we must
follow the example of the Americans, who have successfully used machinery in the manu-
facture Of Watches." — Extract from the " Times" of December 18, 1868.

"The section which conspicuously brings out the enormous strength
of America as a producing power is that of tools ; and still more
especially the vast array of machine tools for metal, which are the
parents of all other machines — more than 100 exhibitors have each a
group that commands the admiration of all who take the trouble to
examine them in detail. These tools are for all purposes : small arms,
sewing machines, clocks, watches, and all branches of machine making
and engineering, and almost all are finished in a style superior to that
of any former exhibition. Probably the most exquisite set of machine
tools ever made is that exhibited by the American Watch Company, of
Massachusetts. No mere words can convey an idea of their high
standard of excellence ; they must be felt and handled What the
Whitworth gauges are to true circles, these lathes and tools are to all
forms required in the manufacture of watches. Add to this, great
convenience in arrangements and fixtures to produce the parts of a
'watch so exact as to be almost interchangeable." — The Times, October 28th, 1876.

FOR PARTICULARS APPLY TO

QBBINS & HP PL ETON,

GENEBAL AGENTS,

WALTHAM BUILDINGS, HOLBORN CIRCUS, LONDON, E.C.

232

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Mar. 5, 1877.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual metbod of keeping tbe Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before tbe constant notice of tbe Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a <paqe, appear for twelve consecutive montlis. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
tchich any entry appears.

AMERICAN (WALTHAM) WATCHES.

FATTOMNI & SONS ("Wholesale Factors) Watch and
Chronometer Manufacturers, Bradford, Yorkshire.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

MURRAY & CALLIETJ, 22, St, John's Square, E.O.
NEGRET TI & ZAMBBA, Holborn Viaduct, E.O. : Chartpr-
house Street. E.C. : 45. Cornhill. EC. ; 122. Regent St. W.
WEBSTER. J., 88, St John Street Boad, Clerkenwell. E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S. 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEEBING & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SIGKER SAFE AND STRONG ROOM COM-
PANY. LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes, Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER <fc STRATJB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMERER. KUSS, FRITSCHLER, & CO., 522. Oxford
Street W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C

COBEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Rue Beran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Rochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, <fec. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1844.

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Road, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BROTHERS. 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C

MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct London, E.C.

RUTHERFORD, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Row, E.C, and
33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C

WIEGEL. B., Jun., Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27.
Wilmington Square,Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stones mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, 6G. Hatton Garden, London,
E.C. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs. Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower Vases
Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal Work.

HTJTTON & CO.. 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court. Newgate Street. London, E.C.
GLASS SHADE MAKERS.

HOUGHTON (GEORGE) & SON, 89, High Holborn, Lon-
don, W.C.

SUNDELL (KRISCHER) & CO, 48, Erushfleld Street, E. ;
and 51, Lambeth Lower Marsh, London, S.E.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBERG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. EDWARD, 93, Hatton Garden, London, EC
LITTEN (T. R.), 64, Hatton Garden, London, E.C
WILLIAMSON. HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

CLEMENTS, HANDLEY & Co., Dealers in all kinds of
Tools and Materials, Stones. Pastes. Cases, &c, 19, St,
John's Square, Clerkenwell, E.C (See advertisement).

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E C

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-
m&tss frss

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, SO to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWARDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Road, London, E.C
JEFFREYS, CHARLES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden. E.C
SAGE, FREDERICK. Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

JOSEPH, B. H. & Co., 20. Frederick Street, Birmingham,
Manufacturers of the Registered " Standard " Sizes for
j ewellers.

HDMPHREYS (JOHN A.). 23, Wilderness Row, Clerken-
well, E.C, Jewellery, Chains, Wedding Rings and
Keepers, &c.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden. London, E.C.

BASNETT, S., 29, Augusta Street, Birmingham, Manu-
facturer of Coloured Gold, Jewellery, Sets, Brooches,
Earrings, Pendants, Bracelets, Pins. Crosses, Slides, &c.

MYERS, N. A., 2, St. Patrick Square, Edinburgh, Importer
of French, American, and German Clocks, Watches,
Materials, &c.

MUSICAL BOXES.

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Road, near Clerkenwell
Green, London. EC. ]

ADANK, J. JAQTJES & Co., Manufacturers of Musica
Boxes. Prize medal at Philadelphia. St. Croix, Switzer-
land.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C. ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Rue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENRY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, <fcc, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURERS.

LAWRENCE, N., 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C. ; Manu
factory, Havelock Works, Walker Street. Shffleld.

LAZARUS (S. J.) & CO., Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C

TURRET AND RAILWAY CLOCK MAKERS.

MILLAR, H. & R., Castle Bank Works, Edinburgh. Turret,
Quarter, Chime, and Railway Clocks, 20 per cent cheaper
than other makers. The only steam power factory in
Scotland. Photograghs. Established 1840.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Rydon Crescent, St. John
Street Road, London, E.C

WATCH BALANCE MAKER

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street. Clerkenwell
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 4S, Rahere Street, Goswell Road, Lon-
don, EC

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Road, London, E.C.

STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, EC

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAURICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON <fc HDTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFORD, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Road,
London, E.C

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C.

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Ring Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, Birmingham.
WORKING JEWELLERS.

CLEMENTS, HANDLEY & Co., 19, St. John's Square,
Clerkenwell, EC, all kinds of jewellery repaired on the
shortest notice. Gilding, Plating, and Mounting for the
Trade. (.See advertisement).

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANUFACTURING JEWEIalaEKS AND GOLDSMITH S,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. FINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC.
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades*

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Begistered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 23.— Vol. II.]

APEIL 5, 1877.

[Subscription, 5s. 1 Post
per Annum. J Free

Present State of the Jewellery Trade

Mirror of the Month

Destruction of the New York Offices of the

Waltham watch Company

Correspondence

Practical Information for the Trade

Bights of Inventors at the Paris Exhibition

OF 1878

PAGE
241
242

242
243
243

243

CONTENTS.

jewellers' and Goldsmiths' Meeting a* Na-
tional Chamber of Trade

An American Astronomical Achievement ...

Gold

Book Notices

Diamond Cut Diamond i..

A Series of Practical Letters on Existing
Ills in the Watch Trade i

PAGE

244
247
248
249
249

250

PAGE

Queries and Replies i .<. ... 251

New Patent watch AnD Chain Hook ... ... 251

Special Notices 252

Patents ;. ... 252

Monthly Record of Bankruptcies 253

The Trades' Directory 254

Advertisements .;; 255-64

PRESENT STATE OF THE JEWELLERY TRADE.

THE Jewellery Trade in its numerous branches, like many other
trades has had its ups and downs ; and is not now as it once
was. It has passed through and indeed is still undergoing a remark-
able change, one which has, and is affecting the manufacturer and
factor alike. Men of the old school are beginning to wake up to a
painful sense of the altered condition of things, and to realize the
stubborn fact, that fortunes are not easily obtained now-a-days
in the jewellery business ; and the oft-repeated cry is, what will be-
come of the jewellers?

At the present time the aspects of the jewellery trade generally
considered seem dismal and gloomy, and although it is not wise to
raise a dismal cry about it, nevertheless it would be unwise and im-
politic to say of it that it was other than decidedly bad. It might
be said truly of the jewellery trade, that it has gone from bad to
worse, and there seem no immediate prospects of any great im-
provement. Trade and commerce in all its ramifications is clearly
bad both home and foreign, and trade universally throughout the
world is unsatisfactory if not alarming, the markets all being over
stocked Things in their nature will change and alter, and most
if not all will vary from time to time. "Whenever however, a revival
in trade generally takes place, it is open to grave doubt whether
the jewellery business -will ever be as good again as in days gone by,
unless some great changes take place unlooked for now.

The present age is one of change, all things appear subject to that
law, and the jewellery trade certainly has changed vastly of late
from that of the so called good old times, when manufacturers were
comparatively few, factors few in number, and shippers an incon-
siderable part of the jewellery community ; at the same time the
demand kfor articles, common, medium, and best, was large, whilst

the credit was short, the profits good ; rents were low, and taxes
moderate. Besides these advantages, there were many others;
designing was not then as it is ndw a fine art, workmanship was not
altogether first-rate, and quantities of goods of the same pattern
were manufactured and sold, which of course tended considerably td
make the trade lucrative.

Now-a-days things are otherwise, and circumstances very different ;
wages have risen considerably, working hours (happily) are much
shorter, prices of all varieties of goods are considerably lower, -while
the working expenses have augmented in every department, and the'
profits all round have been gradually reduced to a disproportionate
extent ; and in addition to these unwelcome changes, credit has
lengthened to an unreasonable and commercially unsound time*
competition has increased, while the demand for jewellery has of
late years declined in every branch, and appears to be in a very
unsatisfactory state. Assuredly therefore the signs of the times so
far as concerns the jewellery trade both home and abroad, do not
present a bright aspect. Masters and men alike are feeling the de-
pressed state of trade, and it is painful as well as serious to hear the
cry outs against it, all sorts of questions are being put, and vaguely
answered, manyspeculationsareindulgedin idly,and many minds give
opinions as to what the probable end will be. One thing is clear, many
men are going to the wall, and very few indeed coming to the front.
Bad debts have lately been in the ascendant, and good balances con-
spicuous by their absence ; failures have been plentiful^ black lists
numerous, and private meetings the expected thing ; whilst compo-
sitions, arrangements, liquidations, and bankruptcies are common
enough. Losses, anxieties, fears, and a looking forward to new break
ups and tumble downs, are matters which for some time passed have
engaged the thoughts of business men, till business has become a
bugbear.

242

THE WATCHMAIiEE, JEWELLER, AND

[April 5, 187?.

Bad limes of trade, engender bad traders, and there are a number
of mushroom sort of traders which in such periods spring up, with.
no money, and (if possible) less principle, and these mountebank
traders or more correctly speaking speculative rogues, prowl about
from place to place, and carry on a system of wholesale slaughter.
Goods get into the hands of bad traders, and as a rule the money is
not forthcoming. Of course such a state of things produces disas-
trous results to the honest trader in every conceivable way ; for it
sends into the market quantities of articles which have found their
way there by being sacrificed to an awful extent ; the market be-
comes flooded, and the producers are too frequently ruined.

Again, the jewellery trade has developed enormously, and ex-
panded to a fashion almost beyond reckoning ; it has grown quite
out of itself, and the results are, that there is a falling off of orders;
no one seems to want anything, and instead of orders (properly so
called) coming in as a rule, jobs and single articles form the princi-
pal trade, and orders become the exception. While questionable
traders at home, and black sheep abroad, make things, to use an
Americanism, rather shakey.

Unfortunately the jewellery business has of late years become
extraordinarily speculative, and consequently notably risky, and
this state of things has been fatal to developing the beauty and
true art which should characterize the trade. It is patent that an
important branch like that of jewellery, and which may fairly be
ranked as one of the fine arts, is really gaining no solid and perma-
nent ground, so far as the generality of makers are concerned, for
there is scarcely any direct encouragement given to makers to pro-
duce first-class articles chaste in design, admirable in execution,
and beautiful in finish — buyers ask for goods " at a price'1'' — there
seems an universal lack of spirit in the trade, and somehow dealers
are only too anxious to send into the market goods seemingly right,
but really bad, so far as substance and worth are concerned.
Thomas Carlyle said, some time ago, " the characteristic of our day
is cheap and nasty," and he follows up by asking where he could
buy a good brick? His words apply with singular force to the
jewellery business, for heaps of stuff, called common jewellery, go
into endless shops and warehouses and there hang fire, to the detri-
ment of all good trading. Common wares would be more applicable
to barrow loads of the so-called jewellery, and such, for the most
part, is little less than so much useless lumber, badly designed,
Badly made and finished, and sold at a price that only naked savages
would think of purchasing it. "Light weights" is peculiar to
endless quantities of mock jewellery, mere imitation rubbish, the
very shadow of the substance of sound goods. An over-production
of cheap and common jewellery, which literally over-stock ware-
houses and shops, flood the markets, and ultimately disgusts all
concerned, makers, buyers, and sellers alike, does infinite harm
to all legitimate trading in the better class of jewellery. There is
now a run on silver goods, and makers are up and doing, and
already, go where you will, silver articles are exhibited ; but silver
will soon have had its day, and the market will be deluged there-
with, and gold will hold its own against all else.

What the issue of the present unsound condition of things will be
seems obvious enough, a still further change must take place, and
the jewellery trade will be more or less revolutionized, and then
a more healthy aspect will set in, and probably continue.

The introduction of more stringent laws to protect the trade
against men of straw, the common agreement on the part of the
manufacturers themselves as to something like a sound and sensible
limitation of credit, and a wholesome understanding with each other
that unsound, untrustworthy, and characterless persons should not,
in any instance, be supplied with their goods, would do more to
weed out a number of dangerous speculators and improve the trade
than aught else. First-class articles and good value for money,
should be the principle adhered to.

The old-established factors, who are a credit to themselves and
the trade at large, can do a great deal towards altering the present
abnormal condition of the trade. If they would support first-class
makers more than they have done of late, it would answer their
purpose in the long run, for then manufacturers would meet their
wants and requirements.

That the jewellery trade needs reforming is self-evident, and the
most sensible way of dealing with the question, is for those persons
who best understand it in all its varied bearings, to set about some
plan which will commend itself to the commercial world, and then
there will be found both men and capital to carry out such changes
as will make the trade worth being connected with.

Pakis has a public barometer with a dial nearly five feet in
diameter

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

APRIL.

IT would take more space than we can afford, to set down the
worth of this month, which makes nature into one emerald.
It is Heaven's blessing and earth's comfort. It is the messenger of
many pleasures, the farmer's profit, the labourer's harvest, and the
beggar's pilgrimage. In short, it is the jewel of time and the joy
of nature. In the ancient Alban calendar, in which the year was
represented as consisting of ten months of irregular length, April
stood first, with thirty-six days to its credit. In the calendar of
Romulus, it had the second place, and was composed of thirty-six
days. Numa's twelve months' calendar assigned it the fourth
place, with twenty -nine days ; and so it remained till the reforma-
tion of the year by Julius Caesar, when it recovered its former
thirty days, which it has since retained. It is commonly supposed
that the name was derived from the Latin aperio (I open) as marking
the time when the buds of the trees and flowers open. If this were
the case it would make April singular amongst the months, for
none of the other names, as designated in Latin, have any refer-
ence to natural conditions or circumstances. There is not the
least probability in the idea. April was considered amongst the
Romans as Venus month, obviously because of the reproductive
power of nature now set agoing in several of her departments. The
first day was especially set aside as Festum Veneris et Fortunx
Virilis. The probability, therefore is, that Aprilis was
Aphrilis founded on the Greek name of Venus (Aphrodite).
Our Anglo-Saxon forefathers called the month Aster- Monatli
(as it is still called by the Germans), and for this appellation the
most plausible origin assigned is — that it was the month during
which the east winds prevailed. The term Easter may have come
from the same origin. It is eminently a spring month, and in
England some of the finest weather of the year occasionally pre-
vails in April. Generally, however, it is composed of shower and
sunshine rapidly chasing each other, and often a chill is communi-
cated by the east winds. The sun enters Taurus on the 20th of
the month, and thus commences the second month past the equinox.
At the beginning of April, in London, the sun rises at 5.33 a.m.
and sets at 6.27 p.m. ; at the end, the times of rising and setting are
4.38 and 7.22.

DESTRUCTION OP THE NEW YORK OFFIGES OP
THE WALTHAM WATCH COMPANY.

mi

^HE New York papers announce that on the evening of the 7th
ult., a fire occurred in the well-known " Waltham Building,"
situated at Nos. 1, 3, and 5, Bond-street, New York, and which
was recognized as the "Uptown" head-quarters of the watch and
jewellery trade. Erected in 1871, by Messrs. Bobbins and Apple-
ton, this building was occupied by some of the leading firms of the
United States, and in the short period of six'Jyears became one of
the best known buildings in the city, but is to-day, together with
several of its adjacent handsome edifices, reduced to a heap of
ruins.

The offices of Messrs. Robbins and Appleton, Agents for the
American Watch Company, were situated on the second floors of
Nos. 3 and 5, and the entire top floor of the building was occupied
by them as a gold case factory. Their estimated loss on watches,
movements, cases, &c, is 250,000 dols., and on the building, 215,000
dols. The latter is insured for 180,000 dols., and the stock fully
covered. They are determined not to offer for sale any movements
or materials which have passed through the fire ; and have already
taken active steps to establish another gold case factory, which will
doubtless soon be in working order. At the time of the fire,
that department was pushed to its utmost in order to meet the
demand. The factory at Waltham is running under full force,
endeavouring to fill orders and meet the extra demand which loss
of stock has occasioned. The other occupants of the building were :
The Gorham Manufacturing Company, Messrs. Hale & Mumford,
Taylor and Brother, Carter, Howkins & Sloan, The Adams & Shaw
Company, Baldwin, Sexton & Peterson, J. Eugene Robert, T. G.
Brown, Jessey S. Cheyney, Domini ck & Haff. The Jewellers'
Association, Pearce, Kursh & Co., Jacot Gerard & Co., whose losses
(exclusive of those of the last-named firm, not yet ascertained)
amount in the aggregate to 635,000 dols., which together with the
total losses of Messrs. Robbins and Appleton will figure up to a
destruction of property of the value of over a million of dollars.

We understand that the London branch of the Waltham Watch
Company fortunately had a large stock here, and that conse-
quently the trade here will not be affected.

Apeil 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

243

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of The Watchmaker and Jeweller.
Permit us to say that "Kent's Directory," as quoted in your
February number, is incorrect, at least as regards ourselves, as we
hold at the present moment a small pan case watch, made in 175G,
by the original "Barraud," of Wine Office Court, Fleet Street,
which, by the way, is still in going order. Would you allow us to
add that as we have good reason for believing that we existed
some years previously, we shall be glad to purchase or obtain sight
of a watch of an older date ?

Yours obediently,

Bareaud & Lunds.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR THE TRADE.

Cobalt Plating. — The most beautiful cobalt plating may be
obtained upon brass and copper, by employing in the battery — with
two Bunsen cells — a moderately concentrated solution of the
double chloride of ammonium and cobalt. This solution is pre-
pared by dissolving 40 grammes of crystalized chloride of cobalt,
and 20 grammes of chloride of ammonium, in 100 cubic centimetres
of water, with the addition of 20 cubic centimetres of ammonia. —
Mechanic.

Artificial Diamonds. — Many pastes have been devised for the
preparation of these beautiful stones. None have been able in
their products to equal the natural diamond in hardness and
brilliancy ; but nevertheless to an unpracticed eye the imitation
is so perfect that the difference cannot be distinguished. The
following formula for making a diamond paste is said to be one
that gives the most satisfactory result. It is called " Loysel's "
paste :

Take pure silica ... ... ... ... ... 100 parts.

lied oxide of lead ... ... ... ... 150 „

Potash, calcined 30 ,,

Borax, calcined ... ... ... 10 ,,

Arsenious acid ... ... ... 1 „

This produces a paste which has great brilliancy and refractive and
dispersive powers, and also a specific gravity similar to that of the
oriental diamond. It fuses at a moderate heat, and acquires the
greatest brilliancy when re-melted and kept for two or three days
in a fused state, in order to expel the superabundant alkali, and
perfect the refining. This paste is used not only to produce
factitious diamonds, but, besides, other factitious gems, of which
it forms the basis. — American Journal of Industry.

Artificial Ivory. — Our French contemporary, La Revue Chrono-
metrique, gives the following two new processes for the manufacture
of this material : — 1. Dissolve two parts of pure india-rubber in
thirty-six parts of chloroform, and saturate the solution with pure
amoniacal gas. The chloroform is then distilled at a temperature
of 165 degrees Fahrenheit ; and the residue, mixed with phosphate
of lime, is firmly pressed into moulds and dried. This composition
imitates to a remarkable degree the natural ivory. 2. Is a simple
combination of papier-mache and gelatin. Billiard balls are made
of this substance, and are said4to be quite as hard and elastic as
genuine ones, and can be sold at one third the price of the latter.
They can be thrown from high elevations upon pavements without
injury, and will withstand heavy blows with the hammer. This com-
position is called " Paris marble " and has been successfully used for
raised ornamentations of ceilings, and all shades of most precious
marbles have been imitated with it.

How to Clean Watches.— A correspondent of La Revue Chronome-
trique recommends the following method : — Dissolve in about a quart
of rain water a piece of Marseilles soap, about 1 J inch square, pare it
finely and add a small piece of black soap. Then boil and strain,
and bottle the liquid. When about to be used, pour a little into a
capsule, immerse the parts in it, excepting those fixed with gum lac,
and boil it slightly. Rince them afterwards in rain water, gently
boiling, and then plunge them into alcohol. When taking them out,
dry them with a linen rag. This process will clean the pieces
much better than benzine. "Should the polished wheels turn a little
brown, the stains can easily be removed by lightly passing a pencil
brush, dipped in water mixed with oxalic acid, over the stained
parts and then dipping them in water and alcohol ; but care must
be taken not to touch the steel. If required, it may be touched up
with a chamois leather.

RIGHTS OF INVENTORS AT THE PARIS
EXHIBITION OF 1878.

THE exclusive right which a patent confers on an inventor, ceases
at the frontier of the country where the patent was granted.
H patented in France only, the inventor has no protection against
imitations in foreign countries, and if he has a foreign patent only,
he cannot be protected against imitators in France. As the Exhibi-
tion will be Universal, no doubt imitations of 'patented articles will
be exhibited there. But these will be looked upon as if they had
never left the country in which they were manufactured. The
enclosure of the Exhibition will be neutral ground, where every one
shall be thought at home. The enclosed space will be transformed
into a general custom-house. The goods will travel in transit, and
be considered as if they had never left their country. If inventors
wish to monopolize the manufacture of their articles, they must
therefore procure patents in other countries as well as in their own.
'■ — Revue Chronometrique.

Chinese Silversmiths. — The men of the Shan tribes, in the
kingdom of Pong, China, are expert silversmiths. Their enamels
are very brilliant, and employed with beautiful effect in the floral
patterns which form the principal stock of designs. The only other
forms of ornamentation, the rope-shaped fillets and rounded studs
or bosses, singularly resemble those found on the diadems or armlets
of the early historical periods of Scandinavian art. The plain
torques or neck rings in use, especially among the Hotha Shans,
only differ from the ancient Irish type by their more rounded form,
and by their pointed ends being bent outwards in lieu of being
expanded into cymbal-shaped faces. Another kind of torque is of
the same shape, but covered with leaf ornaments and cones in
filigree and enamel, alternating with red or blue stones or pieces of
glass. Torque-like, hollow rings, covered with floral enrichments,
are worn as bracelets ; sometimes they are gilt with very red gold,
and enamelled, a jewel being usually set in the centre. Another
form is a silver hoop, nearly two inches in breadth, with rounded
edges and filigree borders, most elaborately set with floral rosettes
of three circles, rows of leaves, brown, green, and dark purple,
centred by a large silver stud. — Journal of Applied Science.

A very interesting and instructive Lecture on the Watch,
what to make, and how to make it, was delivered by Sir John
Bennett, on the 20th ult., at the Congregational Chapel, lluol
Road, Bermondsey. Want of space precludes our giving detailed
quotations of the excellent lecture in the present number, but
hope to be able to do so in our next. The lecture was to have
been repeated at Ealing, on the 27th ult., but through some mis-
understanding on the part of those who had previously promised
the room for another purpose, it has been postponed.

An expedition has sailed from Naples for the purpose of securing
and working the coral reef discovered by the commander of the
United States steamer Gettysburg.

Earrings are either quite small and short as solitaire diamonds
and jet and shell balls, or else they are long and elaborate with
pendants for full dress parures. A ball surrounded by a wheel
is a favourite design for both silver and gold earrings.

A novelty in jewellery is the Cloisonne enamel applied to gold.
The grounds are lapis lazuli blue, dark yellow, or olive, almost
covered with floral decorations done in Russian style, or for
lighter surfaces blue and white enamel are employed on gold,
and classic subjects are chosen. For very rich jewellery the
Limoges enamel is used in mythological devices, and set with
precious stones.

Tane;ee girls are now cutting and polishing diamonds. The
art has been monopolized by Amsterdam experts, who have
uniformly refused to teach any apprentices excex^t Dutch boys
of their own selection. Henry D. Morse, after employing Dutch
diamond cutters in Boston for many years, learned the secrets o£
the trade. He opened a shop in Roxburg, and privately taught
six or eight young women this mysterious occupation. He
finally apprised, his Dutch workmen that American boys must be
taught by them. They peremptorily refused to instruct the
apprentices. He then discharged them, and brought the young-
women from Roxburg to fill their places. Twenty-three of them
are now at work.

244

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[April 5, 1877.

JEWELLERS AND GOLDSMITHS MEETING AT
NATIONAL CHAMBER OF TRADE.

ON Friday evening the 16th ult., a special meeting of repre-
sentatives of the Jewellers and Goldsmiths, wholesale and
retail, was beld at the Offices of the National Chamber of Trade,
446, Strand, to discuss certain resolutions propounded by Mr. E. J.
Watherston, of Pall Mall.

The chair was occupied by Mr. D. Gass, who was supported by
Mr. Connell, Mr. George Lambert, Mr. Neal, Mr. W. Barnard,
Mr. Atkins, Mr. Smiley, Mr. Adams, Mr. Stephen Smith, Mr.
Pickford, Mr. Fred. Morrison, Secretary of the Chamber, and many
others.

The Chairman briefly opened the proceedings and said they had
been called there to discuss certain things which might be a very
great benefit to all branches of the trade. He would at once call upon
Mr. Watherston to move his resolutions.

Mr. Watherston said as he was responsible for calling the
meeting, he wished to inform them that it was a preliminary
meeting. In the first place no one in that room would deny
the advantages which had accrued to this country from free
trade during the last forty years. Granting, as they all must,
that the material wealth of the country had been increased to a
very large extent by the large findings of gold, they must
still thoroughly understand that the great distributor of that
wealth over the surface of society in England, had been free trade.
Let them see what free trade had done since the passing of the
Corn Laws. Beginning in 1831— during the years 1842, 1845,
1853, and 1862, no less than 1,200 taxes had been taken off. Up to
1876 from 1861, he found, from statistics, that the taxes were
reduced in that time 30,837,6892., and at the same time the
national prosperity had so increased that, whereas in 1859 the
Budget only amounted to 65^ millions, in 1876 it was nearly 78
millions. During that period the National Debt had decreased
by 75 millions. To show the increased prosperity of the country
under free trade, he might mention that whereas in 1863, 9d. in the
pound Income tax produced 10£ millions, in 1874, 3d. produced five
millions ; and whereas a penny income tax brought in some
800,O00Z. some few years ago, it now brought in nearly 1,700,000?.,
showing a material increase in the national prosperity. In 1859,
the Post Office produced 3,162,000Z., in 1874, 5,792,0002. Then the
Excise in 1859 produced 17,902,0002., and in 1874, 27,172,0002.
That had been the result of taking off the taxes from 1,200 different
articles. Taxes had been taken off every trade, with the excep-
tion of the silver and gold trades. He of course purposely ex-
cepted the trades in malt liquors, spirits, &c, but of trades of
much the same character, such as furniture dealers, carriage
builders, &c, all other trades had been relieved from taxation,
while their trade had not been relieved at all. The result of that
was, that while other trades had become increased, and their
representatives had become rich, and the world's treasures had been
scattered amongst them, their trade had made no progress at all.
On the contrary, instead of the trade having increased, it had
positively decreased. Let them take the Statistics which had been
prepared by the Select Committee on the depreciation of silver.
In 1855 the amount marked was 994,360 ounces, while in 1875
it had positively decreased to 886,493. He was told that in 1876 it
was lower still, and he believed that in 1877 it would be lower
again ; all going down, down, down ! Of course the duty went
exactly with the number of ounces, so that whereas in 1855 the
duty produced 74,577/., it now only produced 66,4872. Regarding
all these things as facts, it seemed to him monstrous for them to allow
their trade to be further decreased a single year, if they could help
it. The time had come for them to go to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer and say " Here is a trade groaning under this unjust
tax and it is your duty to take that tax away." The tax upon
spoons and forks was 20 per cent. ; the,tax upon silver plate such
as tea sets, &c, was 12 J per cent. It was said that the trade was a
luxury. He did not deny that his trade was a luxury, but he con-
tended that it was not such a luxury as several other trades. It was
an extraordinary fact that the greater the luxury the less the tax.
If he had an order for a service of plate of a very elaborate
character, if he were charged 30.s. per ounce for it, the duty was
5 per cent., therefore increase the art or the luxury and down went
the tax. A spoon or a fork was not so much a luxury, as was a
diamond ring or a carriage, and so the argument might be carried
on. Other trades had no sort of tax upon them. Look at
carriage builders, they had no tax upon them. The argument
had been used with the silver trade, that they were peculiar,
as their goods did not wear out. Well St. Paul's Cathedral

did not wear out. Builders put up large houses and they did
not wear out, at least in our time. Picture dealers paid no
duty, and surely a picture was a greater luxury than a spoon or a
fork. He was at Jackson and Graham's the other day, and they
showed him a cabinet to cost 5,0002., and therefore the question of
luxury fell to the ground. The tax had not always been Is. 6^7.,
there was a time when it was only 6(2., but when George III. of
blessed memory wanted to go to war he sent it up to Is. 6r2., and
there it had been ever since. Therefore they were in reality paying
a war tax. He supposed no other trade would follow their example
and pay a war tax in 1877. He apprehended that no man in any
other trade would allow such injustice to go on for another day.
Why was the trade so small as it was ? He would remind them that
last; year there were only 886,000 ounces marked, if they took that at
10s. an ounce, which was a very fair average, it followed that the
whole trade of the United Kingdom did not amount to more than
445,0002. a year, and although the wealth of the country was so
immense as to be almost incalculable, they had a paltry trade of
445,0002. a year. Why ? Simply because there was a 20 per cent.
ad valorem duty on some articles and 12£ per cent, on others. Why
was then trade small ? Some people said it was because of the
electro-platers. That was a good argument for taking off the tax
at once, because their friends the electro-platers were not taxed at
all. But the most extraordinary thing was, that the letters he had
received in favour of the movement came from first-rate people in
the plating trade, and they, like all sensible people who lived at
Sheffield and Birmingham (Voice : Query?) said off with the tax at
once. But while it was a fact that the electro-platers had robbed
them of a good deal kof business, an enormous amount he had no
doubt, that did not seem to him to upset the argument that if the
duty of 20 per cent, was taken off, they would sell more silver.
Another argument was, that people would not buy goods because
they would get robbed of them — servants sold and pawned them.
What was more absurd or ridiculous, that they should allow 20 per
cent, to remain on their goods because the public would get robbed
of them. The whole question was one of fairness to the entire
trade. Is their trade to be taxed, and another not ? Is one trade
to be crippled and another encouraged ? Another reason why the
duty should be taken off, was the great depreciation that had taken
place in the price of silver. The first argument he had given him
against the tax being removed, was that they would all be ruined.
In 1831 they heard the same argument from those who were alive
at the time. Farmers said if the tax was taken off the corn they
would all be ruined. Well, farmers were not ruined yet, and he saw
they brought in fifty-three millions of foreign corn last year. During
that time, and since, 1,200 taxes had been taken off, and yet John
Bull was getting on very well and people were prospering. He
believed that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would have a small
surplus, not a very large one, but still a surplus, even though trade
had been bad. Then another argument was, that the public required
protection in buying spoons and forks, silver teapots, &c. But they
did not want protection in buying electro-plate nor in buying watches,
nor anything of that kind, and if they wanted protection in one
thing, they wanted it in another. That was what he called "monthly
nurse" legislation. The public required no more protection than was
necessary for a man to use his common sense when he was buying
anything. Then another argument used was, that if the tax was
taken off the trade would notiincrease. But it was not evident to
his mind as anything could possibly be, that if the tax was removed
the trade must increase, it was unreasonable to suppose otherwise.
This argument was a flat contradiction to the whole history of the
country during the last forty years. Then another thing that was
said was that foreign plate would come in. There was the
foreigner, the "poor foreigner," argument. They had had that
over and over again, "the foreigner who was to come and take
away their trade." That was absurd. He could not see that the
foreigner would be in any different position to what he was now.
He could bring in his plate and pay the duty, and so be in the
same position as the rest of them. They had heard the same
argument about French jewellery ; the French jeweller was to
come in and ruin them all. Well, that had not come to pass yet.
And the same argument was thrown ont directly a reform was
wanted. There was another argument used, that taxes must come
from somewhere. They knew that the Excise brought in some
27,000,000Z., which was a great increase on former years, but no one
would say that because the Excise had so increased everybody was
getting drunk. It was traceable to the greater material prosperity of
the country. In proportion as they got on, people took a little more
wine for their stomachs' sake, or a little more beer, and so on.
Then with tobacco, the people who were getting on bought more
cigars. Then there was another argument, viz., that "the public

April 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

24;

would not be benefited," and that was an argument he liked best
of all. He desired that his trade should be benefited by a reduction
of taxation. At the present time they were selling spoons and forks
at about 7s. 6d. the ounce, and getting nothing or very little out of
them. It seemed to him that perhaps if they got the duty off they
might make 6c/. an ounce out of them. He had not come down
there to argue the case in the interests of the British public, but to
argue it in the interests of their trade. He cared nothing for the
interests of the British public ; he had to look after himself. Then
he got another argument, that silver plate tea sets, &c, were not
selling at the present time. He denied that, and thought they
were selling very fairly ; and then, if they were not selling, it was
desirable to take the tax off and make them sell. With regard to the
licences, the whole thing was in a nutshell. Why should his trade
pay for a licence, and his neighbours, with few exceptions, nothing
whatever? Why should not a picture dealer and everybody else
pay licences if he had to pay for one ? He had suggested to a
member of the Government that one general sum should be imposed
for all trades and then none could complain ; and he thought that
would be a very good weapon in the hands of the Government to
put a stop to the proceedings of a fraudulent or unprincipled trades-
man, and adulteration.

A voice : They do not exercise it with the publicans.

Mr. Watherston continued that he should like to see the Gov-
ernment with the proposed power and believed it would work very
well. He thought it would suit all for each to pay a guinea for
his right to trade, and only hold the right from year to year.
But that was only a very small part of the question. What he
wanted them to arrive at was that the licensing question required
revision. Passing to the subject of the third part of the
motion, he apprehended they were all of opinion that they ought
to retain hall-marking (hear, hear.) He made no proposal what-
ever to abolish hall-mai'king, but what he wanted them to agree
to was, that 9, 12, and 15 carat gold should no longer be hall-
marked. It was an anomaly altogether that Goldsmiths' Hall
should allow the marking of stuff as gold which ought to be called
brass. He then called attention to a piece of plate, the hall-
mark of which was in the centre, and said it was absolutely bar-
barous to allow hall-marking like that to go on.

A voice : Where would you have it put ?

Mr. Watherston said he would have it put somewhere where
it did not interfere with the artistic design or beauty of the article
in question. He then read a number of letters he had received
from various gentlemen, for and against the movement, and said
that no great reform had ever yet emanated from the heads in
any trade. On the contrary, they had generally been carried in
the teeth of their most strenuous opposition, and therefore he was
perfectly satisfied when he received the letters, and he earnestly
hoped that the same thing would occur again. He had called the
meeting and came there to hear what other people had to say on
the subject. In conclusion he moved the resolutions as follows : —

1. "That the duties now levied upon gold and silver plate are
unjustly oppressive, and that with the view to the development,
especially of the silver trade, an effort should be made for their
immediate abolition."

2. "That the imposition of licences on the gold and silver
trade, is exceptional and unjust, seeing that other trades are
entirely exempt."

3. " That hall-marking, as at present practised is impolitic,
and that theActs of Parliament affecting it require revision."

It was decided to discuss the motions seriatim.

Mr. Connell said he would second the first resolution but had
very little to say upon it. He had long been engaged in the
silver trade, and as a question of free trade thought that all
trades should be free, and that it would be a great benefit to the
silver trade if it was entirely free, and therefore he seconded the
resolution.

Mr. George Lambert said he came before them as a dissentient
to the resolution in the double capacity of a shopkeeper and a
manufacturer. He entirely dissented from all that had been said.
The most ridiculous arguments had been used to show the necessity
of abolishing the tax. The public needed protection, that was to
say, that where they bought a standard article they should have a
guarantee of it in the shape of a mark. And with regard to them-
selves, they saw how fraudulent the trade was by the prosecutions
which were going on even at the present time. Therefore the
public did require protection, because silver and gold were not like
other things which could be pronounced good or bad by looking at
them, at least by the general public.

Mr. Connell said the first motion related only to the subject of
duty. Mr. Lambert was speaking to the third proposition.

Mr. Lambert thought the tax was a very just one. Silver was a
luxury, and persons who could afford to buy silver could afford to
have it taxed. In America he believed it was not taxed, and the
consequence was that people made up what they liked. He quite
agreed with the Is. 6d. the ounce, and had not heard one single argu-
ment why it should not be taxed. He was old enough to recollect
when spoons and forks were sold at 9s. the ounce, and it was
Thomas Cox Savory who got them down, and he had just refused a
Government order because he would not take an order at 8d.
profit. Mr. Watherston had been complaining, but did it pinch
him ? Did he suffer from the tax ? Had he done what he had at
the request of the trade, or had he done it on his own account ?
Did he want to raise himself in public opinion and bring himself
before the world ? Then he understood his argument. But he
apprehended the trade had not been pinched by it. But it seemed
to him that Mr. Watherston's remarks were deeper than the duty
or the hall-marking. He read it as an attack on Goldsmiths' Hall.

Mr. Neal asked where the duty went to.

Mr. Lambert said to the Government. It appeared to him that
the present movement was a slight upon the Company, and he did
not think Mr. Watherston should have brought it forward. He did
not think they, in the trade, should stir dirty water.

Mr. Walter Barnard said he was most anxious that they should
come to the very root of the matter. He was not an " orator as
Brutus was, but as they knew him, a plain, blunt man, that loved
his trade." To his mind Mr. Watherston's arguments were mere
assertions, and not arguments at all. He could not lay hold of one
single direct argument. There was a great deal of assertion which
was worth nothing more than the value which was attached to
it on account of the person who said it. Now they did not want
assertions, but to look at the matter and see how it would
be likely to benefit the trade if the duty were taken off. He
would say first of all that it was a question which most intimately
affected the manufacturer, the silver plate manufacturer, and did.
not affect so vitally the shopkeeper. Whatever might be the results
of abolishing the duty on silver, he conceived the shopkeeper
would feel its effect, but the manufacturer had the right, and he
would ask them as manufacturers to look into the matter, because
if their rights were not upheld, they might be very certain that the
shopkeepers would not especially look to the interest of the manu-
facturer. He thought their interests would be very seriously and
vitally affected. He would say that the idea that a great develop-
ment of the trade would ensue from the abolition of the duty was
a fallacious idea altogether. Mr. Watherston had been thinking
over the matter, and had brought forward a whole regiment of
statistics, and no end of figures, and had only given three or four
days, and very few of them had been able to give any serious or
deep thought, such as he had, to the matter. Of course the increase
in the material prosperity of the country was a fact that none could
deny, and side by side with that was another fact, that the manufac-
ture of silver plate had decreased a little. There was the question,
Why? Mr. Watherston said it was because of the Is. 6d. duty.
He did not think so. He thought one of the reasons why the manu-
facture of silver plate had not increased with the increase of the
prosperity of the country, was because of the large manufacture of
electro-plate. They must remember there was deposited upon
electro-plate per annum about one million ounces of silver, or in
rough figures, about 15 millions of pounds sterling of manufactured
plate. Then Mr. Watherston had not taken into consideration in
his arguments, one important point, viz., that silver plate was not
perishable, and did not wear out, for good silver plate would wear
for generations, and the public would buy it up when it got
to be 50, 60, or 100 years old. There was an objection on
the part of the public to put their wealth into silver plate to
any large extent. Twenty or twenty-five years ago, people were
not so rich as they were now, by an enormous amount, and
yet they bought considerably more silver plate than they did
now. Were they in a better position to pay the duty ? How
was it that people who had now4000Z. a year, when they had only
3000Z. then objected to put their money into silver plate ? Must
it not be that there was an objection to do so ? He could see a
good reason why. Their friends bought better pictures and
richer furniture, and as a man increased in riches he did not put
his money into silver plate, but into those things indicated, and
he would ask those gentlemen who were present, whether they
did not do the same. In his opinion there was not the possibility
of that elasticity in the trade which should make people, when
the duty was taken off, immediately rush to buy silver plate.
Twenty per cent, or 12£ per cent, was not sufficient to make people
put their money into silver plate. They knew there was an
enormous lot of silver plate in bankers' cellars ; and occasionally

246

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[April 5, 1877.

they got communications " please let us have something out of
the way, something quite novel for a gentleman who has got
everything." They might look at it in the broadest way they
liked, but they could not see how it would increase the trade ;
they would be glad if they could. Then as to second-hand plate,
if they could get that melted down it would improve the trade.
Then the abolition of the duty would place the manufacturer in
an unfair position with regard to the foreigner. They were bound
to have a little patriotism, and he thought the shopkeeper ought
to support the manufacturer just to to the extent to help him to
manufacture for his own country, and not put him into an unfair
position of competition with the foreigner. They ought not to en-
deavour to legislate so that the manufacturer should be ruined or
destroyed. After the abolition of the tax, as certain as that the night
followed the day, so certain woitld the abolition of the marking fol-
low. They might say they did not want it as much as they liked,
but it was quite certain that when the duty was taken off, the hall-
marking would follow.

Mr. John Neal wished to speak as a shopkeeper. He was
entirely opposed to Mr. "Watherston's first proposition, because
he considered silver was a luxury, that the Is. 6d. duty was not
felt, and he did not think it would increase the trade in silver,
but would lead to the disuse of hall-marking, which would be a
very great disadvantage and would lead to the introduction of
silver from other countries by people who would declare that the
silver was of a certain value, when it could not be tried, and so
what would be sold as sterling silver might not be worth 3s. 6d.
an ounce. He wished to move the following as an amendment,
" That seeing the large stock of manufactured silver held by the
trade generally upon which duty has been paid, and seeing also
the severe loss it would entail and the serious disturbance it would
occasion to the manufacturers, this meeting is of opinion that it
would be impolitic to ask for the abolition of the duty levied on
its manufacture, at present." He should say if there had been no
duty on in the past there would be none now, and perhaps in the
course of time they might reduce it, when the shoopkeepers and
manufacturers had got rid of their stock. There were a large
number of shopkeepers to whom the taking off of that duty of
Is. 6c7. would be a most serious loss. He dad not think that the
abolition of the duty on silver and gold would lead to any increase
in the trade. They knew that people now kept their plate
stored away at their bankers, and only got it out on special occa-
sions such as "weddings," "coming of age," &c, using electro-
plate for ordinary use.

Mr. Atkins seconded the amendment. He said a great
deal had been said about the value of plate. Mr. "Watherston
had talked about 30s. an ounce.

Mr. "Watherston : Tou might say 21.

Mr. Atkins held that that amount of value could not be put in
the silver, but was on account of the brain work that was m the
article. There were only two classes of people who bought these
goods — the rich people who could afford to do so, and the fools
who could not afford to do so, but bought them for ostentation.
As to foreign competition, that was absurd. He had been in
Germany and France recently, and never saw anything there
worth copying. He was in the case of Brian in the Criminal
Court, and it was there laid down that if one part of gold were
mixed up with 23 parts of alloy and melted up, it might be
called gold, but if ten times the amount was laid on outside, it
was only plated. They could not say the public did not require
protection ; he thought they did. "When he went into a shop and
bought a chain he wanted to know what it was.

Mr. "Watherston said there was no duty on gold except on
plate, snuff boxes, &c., gold mourning and wedding rings.

Mr. Atkins : The Queen uses a gold service.

Mr. Watherston said the Queen's service was silver gilt, with
the exception of one article, which was made out of the snuff-
boxes of George IV.

Here some desultory conversation ensued among the members
present.

Mr. Watherston said if silver plate was a luxury, and people
could afford to pay for the tax upon it, he wanted to know why
pictures, which were a greater luxury should be let off free.

Mr. Atkins : Why should you have a great flow of eloquence
and me none at all ? (Laughter.)

Mr. Smiley said it did not seem to him that it was a question of
luxury, but the question was whether it was fair that an article
which came into competition at a cheaper rate, should be left per-
fectly free, while silver articles were taxed heavily. The different
profits which manufacturers and shopkeepers were obliged to put
on the silver, brought it to such a price that it was no wonder the

public, wlio wanted to use articles as much like silver as possible,
bought electro-plate instead of silver. With regard to people not
investing their money in silver, he thought it was only a question of
cost. At the present time, although the country had increased in
wealth, the luxurious mode of living had also increased. Where
people used to give quiet dinner-parties, they now gave fashionable
ones, where a Targe number of knives and forks were used, and
therefore they had to buy them at the cheapest rate. He did not
think he should vote on such a question at the present time, still he
could not help continuing in the opinion that the abolition of the
duty would be an inducement to the public to buy silver instead of
electro-plate. But on the question of free trade, the argument
about foreigners he thought was about the weakest argument that
could possibly be used, because there was really nothing in it. If
the foreigner could sell silver goods cheaper than they could, what
was to prevent him paying the duty and selling them now ? He did
not think it was a question of foreign competition, unless, with the
abolition of duty, they were to allow any quality of silver to be
made up. As to the question of fairness he thought it an unjust
thing to the manufacturer that he should be weighted with the
Is. 6d. tax

Mr. Adams said he agreed entirely with Mr. W. Barnard' s arguments,
and really did not see what good either manufacturer or shopkeeper
was about to gain if the duty was removed. The gentleman who
had ruined the trade was Mr. Savory, and he had had the pleasure
of telling him so to his face. He first started co-operation and
wanted to do away with the middle man altogether. And if they
took off the Is. 6c/. an ounce, Mr. Savory would do the same to-
morrow ; he wanted to know what good they were going to do.

Mr. Watherston: You are going to get an enormous increase of
business.

Mr. Adams complained that they had had such short notice of
the meeting, while Mr. Watherston had crammed himself full of
statistics, figures, and arguments.

Mr. Watherston suggested that the meeting should be adjourned
for a month.

Mr. Adams said he believed the abolition of the duty would be
of no advantage either to the manufacturer or the shopkeeper.

Mr. Stephen Smith said Mr. Watherston's argument was that
a great increase of trade would follow the abolition. He thought
it did not matter to the general public who lost the profit as long
as they got the article cheaper, whether it was the manufacturer,
the shopkeeper, or the Government. In a very large branch of
their trade, viz, in spoons and forks, there had been a great diminution
of profit within the last fifteen or twenty years, and he thought
he was right in saying that the result had not been an increase in
trade but rather the reverse. The only other thing he would say
was, that he thought it was very unwise at the present time to stir
up the public mind on any such matters.

Mr. Watherston suggested that the matter should stand over for
a time.
Mr. Atkins suggested twelve months.

Mr. Watherston said he just wished to warn those present that
he meant to continue to agitate, agitate, agitate. He was going to
make all the noise he could, and he was ready to subscribe 500Z.
towards the object he had in view. He should do all he could in all
the large towns, Birmingham, Glasgow, Sheffield, Edinburgh, &c,
to get the duty taken off.

Mr. Pickford hoped there would be a meeting very shortly on the
question of licensing, as there was a very important question coming
on which would greatly affect the trade.

Mr. Watherston said he fully meant to worry, worry, worry,
until he got his own way.

Some further desultory discussion ensued, and the resolutions
were put to the meeting, when Mr. Watherston's motion was
rejected by 12 to 6.

Mr. Atkins proposed that the two last resolutions be adjourned
sine die.

This was agreed to, and after some further conversation this
motion was adopted.

A special vote of thanks was accorded to the National Chamber
of Trade for lendining the use of its rooms on the occasion.
The meeting then separated.

MR. John Jeffreys, of 14, Tottenham Court Road, has lately
patented "Climax Solitaire, and General Dress Fastener,'1'
which has many improvements, it being without springs or
movable pieces, and easily attached or detached. It will doubtless
be in general favour and great use.

Apeil 5, 1877.J

SILVEBSMITHS TBADE JOUBNAL.

247

AN AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL ACHIEVEMENT.
By Eichard A. Proctor.

AN American astronomer, Professor Young, of Dartmouth
College, Hanover, N.H., has recently achieved a victory-
over a problem which has for many years foiled the skill of the
best European observers : and, in so doing, he may be said to have
added the keystone to an arch of no small importance in the
edifice of modern astronomical science. It will be in the knowledge
of most of my readers that astronomers have succeeded, during the
last eight years, in measuring the rate at which some of the stars
travel from or towards us, employing for the purpose what is
called the spectroscopic method. I do not mean here spectro-
scopic analysis simply, but a special application of this now familiar
analysis to measure the rate at which luminous bodies are
approaching us or receding from us. The principle of the method
is very readily explained. Light comes to us from the heavenly
bodies as from other luminous bodies, in waves, which sweep
through the a?ther of space at the rate of about 185,000 miles per
second. The whole of that region over which astronomers have
extended their survey, and doubtless a region many millions of
millions of times more extended, may be compared to a wave-tost
sea, only that instead of a wave-tost surface [there is wave-tost
space. At every point, through every point, along every line,
athwart every line, myriads of light-waves are at all times rushing
with the inconceivable velocity just mentioned. It is from such
waves that we have learned all we know about the universe outside
our own earth. They bring to our shores news from other worlds,
though the news is not always easy to decipher.

All the celestial bodies are in motion amid the multitudinous
waves of space. Something can be learned respecting their motions
by studying the waves. If a strong swimmer were stemming a
series of long rolling waves, their crests would pass him in more
rapid succession than if he were at rest ; if, on the other hand, he
reversed his course, so that waves overtook instead of meeting him,
their crests would pass in slower succcession. One can easily
conceive how, if he knew the exact rate at which the crests would
pass him — so many, exactly, per minute — were he at rest, their
slower or more rapid succession might indicate how fast he himself
was moving, either from or towards them. If he were quite
unconscious of his own motion, the effect would be simply that the
distance from crest to crest would seem to be diminished in one
case, lengthened in the other — that is, the waves narrowed or
widened. Similarly with the atrial waves which produce sound.
They are seemingly shortened when the source of sound is
approaching, whether by its own motion or the hearer's, and
lengthened when the source of sound is receding. In the
former case the tone of the sound is made more acute, in
the latter graver than it really is. This is strikingly illustrated
when a swift train rushes past a station, the whistle sounding all
the time, for there is a perceptible lowering of the whistle's note as
the engine passes a hearer on the platform. While the train is
approaching him, he hears a note somewhat sharper than the true
note of the whistle ; after it has passed he hears a note somewhat
flatter than the true note. Still more obvious even to non-musical
ears, is the corresponding change when two trains pass each other.
In America, where a hideously clanging engine-bell is used, the
change is very remarkable, insomuch that a person unfamiliar with
the arrangement actually adopted, would suppose a different bell
was rung the moment the engine passed the hearer.

Light travelling also in waves, it is obvious that a similar effect
must be produced by approach or recession, if only the rate of
motion is sufficiently rapid. The swimmer of my first illustration
must have a velocity comparable with that of the water-waves, or
no change will be observed. The trains of the second illustration
must have a velocity comparable with that of the aerial waves
producing sound, or no change of tone will be produced. And in
like manner, a star or other celestial body must be approaching us,
or receding from us, with a velocity comparable with that of the
sethereal waves producing light, or no change of colour will be
produced, the colour of light corresponding with the tone of sound.
Unfortunately for this purpose, though most fortunately in other
respects, light travels at so enormous a rate that even the swiftest
motions of the heavenly bodies seem rest by comparison. What,
for instance, is the rush of even Newton's comet past its point of
nearest approach to the sun, though at the rate of more than 300 miles
per second, to the flight of light over nearly 200,000 miles in the same
time ? Very much as the movement of a person taking only six
steps a minute, each less than half a yard long, to the rush of the

viftest express train. Yet astronomers have undertaken to mea-
sure the approach and recession of stars, moving — in some cases —

with lsss than a tenth part of that comet's motion, and whose
velocity, therefore, sinks into still more utter insignificance by
comparison with that of light.

Secchi claims (but not justly) to have first invented and applied the
method used for this purpose, which consists in noting whether
some known line of the spectrum of a heavenly body changes in
position — either by moving towards the violet end of the spectrum,
which wovdd imply approach, or by moving towards the red end,
which would imply recession. Of course the method is exceedingly
delicate and difficult, involving a number of details which would be
quite unsuited to these pages ; but that, in principle, is its nature.
Secchi tried the method, and failed to get any results from it,
announcing his unsuccessful attempt in March, 1868. " Then," he
says, "Mr. Huggins retried (reprit) the method, announcing in
April, 1868, the discovery that Sirius is receding at the rate of 20
miles per second." Seechi should know well, however, that our
great spectroscopist did not achieve this success in the few weeks
between Secchi' s announcement of failure/and Huggins's announce-
ment of success. Months had elapsed, during which Huggins had
been struggling with this difficult problem. If the enunciation of
the method gave claim to the credit of its successful application, I
myself could advance a stronger claim than Secchi's, for in an essay
in Fraser's Magazine for January, 1868, I definitely indicated the
nature and value of the method. But I would rather refer to the
circumstance as enabling me to support Huggins's assertion that he
was observing by this method for months before Secchi announced
his own failure, for immediately on the appearance of my essay I
received a letter from Dr. Huggins, mentioning (in confidence
until his paper should be published) that he had been for some
time striving for success by the method I had described. This was
nearly three months before Secchi's paper appeared. Subsequently
Huggins observed by this method a number of stars, some of
which he found to be receding from us, others approaching us.

Recently, however, the method itself has been called in question
— first, by Van der Willigen, for reasons professedly mathematical,
but unsound; secondly, by Secchi, because of his failure to see
what Huggins has observed. Secchi had once based his attack on
his failure to detect by this method the effects of the sun's rotation.
As the sun's equator is spinning swiftly round, it is necessarily
approaching on one side and receding on the other. By some
amazing miscalculation, never yet explained, Secchi made the
rate of this motion many times larger than it really is— so lar^e in
fact, that the method we have described should have exhibited the
sun's whirling motion. Small as the effect really is — amounting in
fact, only to a relative motion of about two and a half miles per
second, Huggins did not despair of recognizing it ; but he failed
though he used a double and twice-acting battery of prisms (the
invention of the present writer — so far, at least, as its duplex
character was concerned) made by Mr. Browning. Mr. Christie,
of Greenwich, after resolutely grappling with the work of
determining star-motions by this method, and in the main con-
firming Huggins's results, succeeded in recognizing by its means the
known motions of Venus towards or from the earth, in various
parts of their respective orbits. This was a great triumph, and
more than met Secchi's objections. But Professor Young has
gone, for the present, ahead of all other observers by this method.
Availing himself of a beautiful extension of spectroscopic powers,
due to Dr. Rutherfurd, of New York, he has succeeded in un-
mistakably recognizing the effects of the sun's motion of rotation
by the spectroscopic method. Young has made the observations
so satisfactorily that he relies even upon the difference between his
results and the measured rate of the sun's rotation. He finds the
sun's atmosphere (whence, of course, the spectral lines come) to be
travelling faster than the sun's visible surface. To use his own
words, "The solar atmosphere really sweeps forward over the
underlying surface, in the same way that the equatorial regions
outstrip the other parts of the sun's surface." The difference of
rate is about ten miles per minute. For my own part, I doubt
very much whether so small a difference can be indicated by this
method. But even if we regard this part of Young's work as not
yet proven — nay, even if we go further, and accept nothing more
than the bare recognition of the sun's rotation by the new method
— he must be congratulated on having effected the most delicate
piece of spectroscopic observation yet achieved by man. He has
placed beyond doubt or cavil a method of motion-measuring the
most remarkable yet invented, and likely, as instrumental means
improve, to be most fruitful in results of astronomical interest and
importance.

The diamonds of the French crown, which belong to the nation,
will be among the objects exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of 1878.

248

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AKD

[April 5, 1877.

GOLD.

{Continued from page 221).

WE have no evidence whatever as to the working of gold mines
during the time of the Anglo-Saxons, though it seems
apparent that this metal was certainly then most plentiful, as is
proved by the advanced state of the jewellery and coinage of this
period, many specimens of which are still in existence, also by the
amount of ' ' Dane-geld ' ' paid to keep off the incursions of the
Danes. Indeed the early English kings laid no claim to royalties,
or to gold and silver, therefore we have no public records as to
mining, until the introduction of the feudal system by the Normans,
when the Crown at once claiming as its prerogative the right to
everything not specifically granted by itself, and not only to all
gold and silver, but to baser metals as well ; these pretensions were,
however, subsequently abandoned, the Crown being divested of all
rights in minerals, except in gold and silver, which were retained
"for the purposes of coinage, and to support the dignity of the
Crown." Copper was generally claimed as a Mine Royal, on account
of its containing gold and silver, as were also tin and lead. This
claim to the precious metals naturally to some extent checked open
gold working. TV e get abundance of evidence, however, that the
existence of gold and silver, both pure and in connection with other
metals, was well known.

These are only a few instances of royal grants. Many more
might be given, but will be reserved until we treat of the different
gold producing counties separately. From the time of Edward I.
to Richard II., there was quite a mania fcr gold and silver mining,
the result of which was the determination of a number of gold
bearing localities. Holinshed records that Edward III. paid great
attention to his goldmines; as did also Henry VI., and Edward
IV. The reign of Elizabeth was prolific in schemes and specula-
tions of all kinds. We find that in the seventh year of her reign,
she granted the patents to Humphreys, Christopher Schutz,
Cornelius de Vos (or Devoz), Houghsetter, and Thurland, to seek
for gold, silver, quicksilver, or ores containing them, in eight picked
counties of England, namely, York, Lancaster, Cumberland, West-
moreland, Cornwall, Devon, Gloucester, and Worcester, in the
principality of Wales, and in the pale of Ireland ; with monopolies
for alum, copperas, sheet copper, &c. These grants became the
foundation of two Corporations, the Mines Royal, and the Mineral
and Battery Works, afterwards united, and now known and subsist-
ing as the "Mines Royal Company." Elizabeth seems to have
looked pretty sharply after her own interests, for in the tenth year
of her reign, we find her claiming the mines of Keswick, which
belonged to the Earl of Northumberland. This celebrated case is
fully set forth in " Plowden's Reports," and being considered an
important trial, is usually called "The Great Case of Mines."
Plowden says, " She took from the Earl of Northumberland his
rich copper mine of Keswick, because of its holding so much silver
and gold in the copper." The case was decided in favour of the
Queen, the Justices and Barons unanimously agreeing " that by the
law, all mines of gold and silver within the realm, whether in the
lands of the Queen or her subjects, belong to the Queen by prero-
gative, with liberty to dig, and carry it away." And so firmly was
the prerogative of the Crown thus established, that it was agreed a
Royal Mine could not be severed from the Crown, but the judges
eventually overruled this. The only doubt apparently existing in
Elizabeth's time was whether, if gold and silver were intermixed
with baser metal, the whole became a Royal Mine ; the judges at
last decided that even where the gold and silver in a mine of base
metals (in the land of a subject) was of less value than the base
metal, the mere fact of its existence made it a Royal Mine. Sir
Edward Coke has since laid down the law, " That veyns of gold and
silver in the grounds of subjects, belong to the King by his pre-
rogative, for they are Royall Mines.'''

Another unprincipled scheme of Elizabeth's was for working
surreptitiously the Scotch mines during the minority of James VI.,
under grants obtained from him while yet an infant. These mines,
as previously stated, had been most productive ; we find a very
interesting account of the Scotch gold working at this time, in a
manuscript preserved at the British Museum, written by one Stephen
Atkinson, who lived in this reign, and was originally a refiner iu the
Mint of the Tower of London, but afterwards became mixed up
with the great speculators of the day. After giving a list of the
chief places in Southern Scotland where gold was known to exist,
he makes the following remarks as to the manner in which it was
found : —

"The vulgar sort of Scotchmen usually sought for it upon those
moors after a great rain, and after the splits of rains had run his

course ; and this rain, or force of water, brought down no other
gold than gold which before had been removed by the force of
waves flood, and that gold was, and is, called superficial gold to this
day. At the flood, natural gold and silver (which now are found in
combes and valleys), were forced and torn from his bed or vein : and
thither even our Scotch gold, which is now found in sterns, or in
grains and pieces, did descend, or was washed down ; on which
valleys, combes, skirts of hills, or cloughs, even until this present
day, it, hath lain still, and not removed, except after a great split of
rain, the force whereof doth break and wear the superficies of the
earth, but not the solid earth ; after which the Scotch men, and
women, and children, run to seek for it, and do find it still, even
unto this day ; and thereby they find with it also the laxer stones in
great abundance, and also much of the calamineer stones ; but in
the salineer stones it is as small as mustard seed, and some like
meal ; and in the sappar, in lumps, and like unto the fowls or birds'
eggs And the strangest of all is this ; there is found natural gold
linked fast unto the sappar stone, even as veins of lead ore and
white spar do grew together, &c. But their usual manner is, when
they seek for gold in combes and valleys, to frame or make a long
sough or scouring place, into which they bring the stream water to
scour away the light earth from the heavy sandy earth, and to cull
away the first stones from the heavy sand, which heavy sand,
or heavy earth, they scrape into their troughs or trays, and by
stirring it and by washing the same often, there is found both rain
gold, flat gold, pale gold, and black gold, yet all these be natural
gold."

He continues : —

"I happened on a book of records at Crawford John, wherein
were registered the labours of many employed by Mr. Cornelius {Cor-
nelius de Voz), a lapidary in London, sent thither to discover the gold
vein or bed, at the charge of merchants of London, who procured
Queen Elizabeth's signet to the Scotch King, on account of which
he was admitted, and got some gold on the mountains of Clydesdale
and Nithsdale, some of it like birds' eyes and eggs, whereby he
persuaded friends at Edinburgh to adventure with him, and pro-
cured a new grant to him and his co-partners in Edinburgh and
London, of all the gold and silver mines in Scotland ; each accord-
ing to his disbursement, was to have his part. Some bought corn,
meal, malt, and victuals ; besides 5000?. Scotch money. Cornelius
was chosen to govern and direct both artists and workmen, but
they never sought gold in solid places, but in combes or valleys,
where it had been washed down since the general deluge.

" Cornelius was called the Superior of His Majesty's Mines, and
had authority to punish offenders, and to take workmen from
England. He was obliged to bring all the gold and silver they got
into the King's Mint-house at Edinburgh, to be coined, whereinto
in thirty days' time they conveyed half a stone weight of natural
gold, worth 450Z. sterling. The workmen sometimes got gold at
their own charges, by toleration of the Superior, which they sold at
a mark sterling per ounce, HI. Scotch. At the highest rate they had
but twenty shillings sterling per ounce.

" Cornelius had six score men at work in valleys and dales. He
employed both men and women, lads and lasses, who before begged.
He profited by their work, and they lived contented and well. He
bought their gold, which they washed for a mark sterling, which
was worth five marks sterling per ounce.

"The Earl of Murray, deceased, and Cornelius, had a new grant
from the Earl of Morton, next Regent, who also obliged him to
bring all the gold into the Mint-house, which he got, and where it
was coined into 31. pieces, each an ounce in weight. Much gold
was there bought of the workmen at twenty shillings per ounce."

The same book mentions one Abraham Gray, a Dutchman
from London, who brought artists from England, and others of his
own country, into Scotland, on the good report of the gold found
there. He sold much of his effects, and procured his countrymen
to adventure with him. He went with authority. He hired many
inhabitants at Ad. per day, which contented them as well as 1*. did
the English at that time. He had plenty of victuals in his store-
house at Wanlockhead, now in decay, and was supplied with all
necessary tools. His workmen washed in the valley. He never
sought on high hills or solid places for a bed or vein of gold. In
valleys at Wanlockhead he got a good quantity of solid gold. He
paid his workmen weekly, and lent money to divers before hand.
With this natural gold, got in Graybeard's time, for so he was
called because of his great long beard, was made a basin by a
Scotchman in Edinburgh, which contained an English gallon, and
was filled with coined pieces called unicorns, and presented to the
French King by the Earl of Morton, saying, "Behold! all that ia
therein is natural gold of this kingdom, got by Abraham Gray, a
Dutchman ! Which Abraham Gray, standing by, affirmed upon oath,

Apkil 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

249

and said he thought it did engender more ore within the earth, and
that he observed it to be so, by the influence of the heavens, that
it grew not by the power of the sun, moon, or stars, but by the
omnipotent power of God. The Earl of Morton said, 'I also
believe it engendereth in the earth, of water, and of earth, and that
it was made perfect and malleable gold, from the beginning, by
God the Creator.' "
Referring apparently to Elizabeth's agent, Atkinson says : —
" Mr. George Bones, an English gentleman, procured a commis-
sion into Scotland unto the gold mines, and 1 happened also on a
book of his making in England. I carried it with me in Scotland,
and compared the same, with the report of the country, and the
countrymen at Wanlockhead said, ' it is so, and most true, that Mr.
Bones discerned a small vein of gold, which had much small gold in
it upon Wanlockhead.' "

Atkinson continues — "Mr. Bones swore all his workmen to keep it
secret, and never discover it to the Scotch King, nor his Council, for so he
had promised to do to the Queen of England, on whose letter he had a
warrant from the Scotch lords to dig and delve where he would, so
that it was after another fashion than Mr. Bulmer did.

" Mr. Bones digged several shafts in solid places, on the moun-
tains in Robertsmoor, in Wanlockhead, and often found large
pieces and much small gold. Pie gave 10 or 12 ounces thereof to
make the owners of the ground his friends, and gave the merchants
in England as much more.

" He did keep many workmen, and "paid them with the same
gold. He built houses to himself and people, but none for his
Scotsmen, who sought their victuals and lodgings far from the
works, which was a great hindrance. When they had filled their
purses, Mr. Bones caused the said shafts to be filled up, and swore
his agents and workmen not to discover the same, which was con-
fessed by some of his chief servants since he died. He returned and
told the Queen of England that he had performed and concealed his trust,
that he had found a small vein of gold and showed a long purse full
of it, which was admired and valued at seven score pounds sterling,
without melting, but he had given much thereof away privily, and
this had much of the salmoneer stones in it. He said, ' I have
hidden it till my going thither,' for which she thanked him, and
promised to reward this gift trebly, and that he should go again
next spring at her charges to seek for a greater vein. He was killed
by the breaking of a ladder in a copper work, at Keswick, in
Cumberland."

Of another speculator, Mr. (afterwards Sir Bevis) Bulmer with
whom Atkinson was for some time in partnership, he says : —

"Mr. Bulmer had a patent from the Queen of England, and King
of Scotland, to seek for the gold and silver mines in any places of
that kingdom, especially within these five moors or forests. On a
Moor, in Nithsdale, his workmen got some natural gold, but built
no houses there, which was a hindrance. On AVanlock Water, in
Robert's Moor, he caused search diligently for natural gold, of
which he got a pretty good quantity, and made watercourses to
wash it ; neither builded he houses there, but went to Thomas
Flood's house in Lead-hills, and repaired not Mr. Bones's house at
Wanlockhead, which might have sufficed him. Some say he found
out the vein of gold Mr. Bones had discovered. In Frier Moor, in
Glengonnar AYater, in Clydesdale, Mr. Bulmer got store of gold,
and there he built a very fair country-house where he kept great
hospitality. He purchased grounds about it for cattle. By help of
a watercourse he got much straggling gold on the skirts of the hills
and in the valleys, but none in solid places, which kept him in great
pomp, keeping open house for all comers, as is reported.

" On Short Cleuch Water, in Crawford Moor, he brought
another goodly watercourse, and intended to make several dams
there to contain water for the buddies, and scourers, and for washing
gold, of which he found store, and purposed to have built there
another dwelling-house, and cut his purse bottom by the extra-
vagant entertainment with which he used strangers. Thus he
wasted what he got in gold, which was very much. He got as
much gold at Long Cleuch as would have maintained three times
as many men as he kept, royally. From Short Cleuch he removed
up the great hill to Long Cleuch Head, to seek gold in solid places ;
whereof he discovered a small spring, but there he wanted a water-
course to help him. This vein had the sappar stone plentifully in
it, which sometimes held natural gold, but tbe salmoneer stones in
that vein at Long Cleuch Head held much silver, and may prove a
rich mine, if followed by such as know the nature of minerals. It
is said that vein was powdered with gold, called small powdered
gold. It was a vein and not a bed. They removed from Short
Cleuch Trial to Long Cleuch Head, because the workmen found two
pieces of gold there within 2 feet of the moss. The one piece was
reported to weigh 6 ounces, and the other better than five, which

was thought to descend from the gold bed. None ever saw natural
gold more perfect of God's own handiwork. It never was made by
the art of man, but by the Great Philosopher of Heaven, who makes
the true philosopher's stone of nothing, to be discovered in the
bowels of the earth, called God's Treasure House. At Long Cleuch
Head, as I heard it reported, and saw a piece of the same, was
found a piece of brown spar, somewhat like sugar-candy, which,
after it was broken, had in it an ounce of pure gold, which spar, as
I suppose, is called the sappar stone in foreign nations. This
brown spar stone weighed 2 lbs. troy.

" At Long Cleuch Head, Mr. Bulmer made a stamping mill,
called abroad ' anacanago.'' Such are used in the West Indies,
and in Cornwall, where it is sometimes called a ' plash ' mill, to
draw tin out of stones, in which the eye can discern little or
nothing. By the same means Mr. Bulmer used to get much small
meally gold at Long Cleuch.

"On Glengaber Water, in Inderland, in the Forest of Ettrick,
he got the greatest gold in Scotland, like Indian wheat, or pearls,
and black-eyed, like beans. He did not mind to settle there till a
fitter time, being driven away by force of weather, and Mr. Bulmer
presented Queen Elizabeth with as much gold as made a porringer.

"After Mr. Bulmer had lost his former living (fortune), he
recalled himself, and wrote a book of all his works and devices,
which he named ' Bulmer's skill.' It was not printed. Among his
many memorable deeds, a great part of his book was how the silver
mines and mineral stones might be effected, and how his tin and
coal mines, and salt works in Wales were followed, and how his
lead mines in Mendip, were most profitable, of all others, to him.

(To be continued.)

BOOK NOTICES.

May's British and Irish Press Guide, 1S77. F. Mat & Co., 190.

Piccadilly.
This useful little volume conveys considerable information
respecting the various newspapers and periodicals of the United
Kingdom. Great care seems to have been taken to ensure
correctness, and among other features, will be found a list of all
continental journals, and a directory of telegraphic news and
reporting agencies. Altogether the work is one of many merits,
and will be found most useful by all having any occasion for
information on the subject of periodicals or newspapers, or those
interested in press statistics.

Traite d' Horologerie Moderne Theorctiqne et Pratique, par

Claudius Saunieks.
This valuable work has been received and will be duly reviewed,
in a future number.

DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.

SOME years ago a celebrated pawnbroker, who shall be nameless,
was induced to advance a large sum of money on the security
of a valuable collection, but which, by an ingenious, if not very
honourable trick, called "ringing the changes," was subsequently
found to be transmogrified into a worthless amount of glass
and pebbles. All endeavours to discover the perpetrator of the
cheat being useless, the lender was, nolens volens, obliged to be con-
tent with his loss, and the borrower seemed likely to escape with
impunity, till the following clever ruse was adopted. Although a
considerable amount had been advanced, it was only about one-
third of their estimated value. One morning early his shop and the
neighbourhood were found placarded with bills, announcing a rob-
bery said to have been committed the night previous on the pawn-
broker's premises, a large reward being offered, and specially for a
collection of valuable jewels, naming their real estimated value, and
describing them as they were represented to have been. This
called forth the original borrower, who now came from his obscurity,
and stating that he had come to redeem his property, being prepared
to pay the cost of their redemption. Upon being referred to the
bill notifying their robbery, he very naturally claimed their full
value. Pending this conversation, however, a blue- coated official
arrived, and the transmuter of precious stones found himself in the
arms of justice. He was subsequently transported, and was so far
punished, but whether the jewels were ever discovered " deponent
knoweth not."

250

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[April 5, 1877.

A SERIES OF PRACTICAL LETTERS ON EXISTING
ILLS IN THE WATCH TRADE.

(Continued from p. 224.)

No. 3.— On Repairing.
(Chiefly extracted from the German ofSeb. Geist.)

THEORY is no doubt of great value, but still the best books on
horology -would not suffice to make a good watchmaker. The
mere teaching of the first principles of mechanics, physics, and
mathematics, ' would never produce a practical workman. The
apprentice must first use his hand and eye under direction and
supervision of a practical master, and then his own endeavours, till
his work meets with success. In workshops where repairing is the
principal business, and only such new parts are manufactured as
may be needed, the first lessons should be in the use of the lathe
and drill. If a beginner is required to make some part of a watch,
a large sized model of that part should be put before him, as well as
a drawing, even if only in chalk on the work-bench. These illus-
trations often give the pupil a better conception of what is to be
done than mere explanations, and it is essential for him to clearly
understand his work before he executes it. He should also be
encouraged to ask for advice where his own understanding fails,
and if he is sensible enough to do that he may become a thorough
workman, even in a "repairing" shop. The watchmaker's business
is a difficult one to learn and to follow ; very few trades require
more perseverance, skill, and knowledge. Most watches serve the
same purpose, viz., to show hours, minutes, and seconds, but they
vary -\ery considerably in size, shape, construction, and material.

The parts of a watch are numerous, and each of them consists of
many minor ones. Look at a wheel, for instance, with its many
teeth, and then consider that a flaw in any of these minute parts
can prevent the proper working of the watch. Nor does all the
difficulty lie here. These parts are small, and arranged in such a
manner that even if the watch is taken to pieces the eye cannot
discern them at once, and the examination of each article separately
will not help much, because it is only the proper relations of the
parts to each other that secure the desired result.

It frequently happens that watches are taken to be repaired, with
all parts in regular order, nothing worn out, and not even in want
of " cleaning," perhaps a glass splinter scarcely observable, even
with lenses, interfered with its correct movement. The watch is
put in "going" order, and the owner calls for it. On finding no
visible alteration in its appearance, he thinks that the watchmaker
has three parts of his money for nothing. Did not this watch give
all the more trouble because the defect was hardly visible ? It was
not written on its dial that a small foreign body had lodged in one
of its wheels ; the workman had to find that out by patient and
tiresome observation. Besides, do not doctors get their fee, even if
the patient dies, and lawyers, if the suit is lost. But in practice,
cases like the one mentioned, are rather the exception than the rule,
and to one watch, without any essential faults, the workman receives
ten spoilt ones, so that if he wanted to repair only good watches he
might soon have to close his business. This is a stumbling block
on which many come to grief, but the adoption of the following
maxims will avert it.

1. Take only such watches in as are worth repairing. Some
people, to economise, as they fancy, try to play the "watch-
maker" themselves, or let some other "pretender" to the art
practice with their watches, till they are past repairing. Then
they go to the maker and expect their " botched " timepiece set in
proper order at little cost. It is always difficult to say beforehand
what amount of work repairing a watch may entail, but as a general
rule no mutual satisfaction can be gained by repairing a bad one.

2. II new parts have to be made, they should answer the original
construction of the watch. The proper performance of its service
should be considered first, and appearance after, but all unnecessary
work should be avoided.

3. When the watch is taken out of its case, or even before, a
close examination should be made previous to taking it to pieces,
and many of the defects will thereby be discovered.

4. If the watch should be so much out of order that its repairing
would entail heavy cost, the owner should be made aware of the
fact before the repairs are commenced, and this would save frequent
dissatisfaction on both sides.

5. Unnecessary alterations should not be made, nor improvements
attempted where not required.

Doubtless all my fellow-tradesmen knew already what I suggest
to them now, but that alone will not remedy the evil. We must

all strictly act upon those principles, and none think that if " I refuse
this repair my neighbour will do it," and it is by unity of action
only, that the obstacles, so injurious to the interests of the trade can
be overcome.

In order to learn how to repair any watch that may come to hand,
years of industry, practice and patience, combined with a sound
understanding, good vision, and good tools, are needed. Manu-
facturers of specialties, or city gentlemen who make the watch
manufacture their business, know little or nothing about the
difficulties to be contended with in small places, where competition
among masters is generally strong and the choice of workmen
limited. The principal must not only attend to the proper execution
of the work, but also to the commercial part of his business. It is
not enough to be a thorough workman, he must also be a business
man. If his trade has taken larger proportions it is not advisable
for him to sit down to serious work. He lacks the quiet attentiou
so essential for his task, and things are liable to go astray. Besides,
it is not always profitable for the master to work. But as the
diversity of work is great, and the assistants at command have not
sufficient experience to meet all requirements, the position becomes
critical. It is just on account of this vast variety of work, that it
takes even the most gifted youth a long time before he knows the
routine of a workshop. In fact he often becomes old and starts a
business on his own account, before he is really competent. All
chances of further improvement would iu such instance be lost, were
it not for that great boon, our Trade Journals. We cannot attach
too much importance to them, nor be too grateful to those of our
colleagues whose disinterestedness causes them to share their
superior knowledge and mature experience with others less favourably
situated. While sitting comfortably at home we can now learn,
what in former years necessitated years of practice and toil.

In times past when men of the same trade looked upon each
Other as enemies, where could you expect help or advice ? We
may congratulate ourselves that these selfish and uncharitable
feelings are gradually passing away and nobler sentiments taking
their places. Mutual exchange of ideas and experience will advance
our art and further our interests, because the better our work, the
more will it be sought after, since everyone likes to possess a
reliable timepiece and is soon disgusted with a bad one. As already
pointedoutin oneof myprevous letters, " goodwork benefits and bad
work injures all parties concerned." But itis rather difficult to deter-
mine the limits between good and bad articles, and many are at fault
on this point. They sell a poor article, but they sell it cheap. It is
true that even the worst cylinder, if only half regulated, will go a
long time and well enough for ordinary purposes, so that the man
has not actually deceived his customer. Nobody has a right to
expect more of such low-priced watches. On this plea the sale of
the worst watches might therefore be justified, and more so under
particular circumstances. The watchmaker with small means has
his wants like his richer brother, so he must sell too, and as
he cannot afford to keep expensive watches, he gets cheap ones,
regulates, and then sells them to earn a living. Should he go
hungry, only to enable his better situated opponents to keep only fine
watches, and give up the competition with cheaper ones ? It would
be uncharitable to reproach those stragglers for existence. Never-
theless, the sale of bad watches is imprudent, unfair, and injurious
to all. Imprudent, because the product looses in the estimation of
the public, and renders the sale of good ones more difficult. It is
unfair, because faslehoods have to be resorted to to effect the sale,
as no one would buy a doubtful article. And it is injurious to all,
because not only the two parties concerned in the bargain, but the
trade at large, suffer by the transaction. The same thing is also
applicable to good and bad work in repairs. The question is how
to remedy these evil influences ? This is a task to be accomplished
by proper trades' societies. These unions should train up good
workmen, and apprentices would have better instruction. In larger
towns a division might be organized, and able men with slender
means might cultivate some special branch of the business, where
assistants and apprentices could learn the different branches in turn.
All these are questions which should be well ventilated in our
Trade Journals, and more good may be expected from those discus-
sions, than from numerous scientific dissertations.

Prices Current for Gold and Silver — Value Given for
Old Gold and Silver by Assay. Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. 8d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver.— Fine Gold, 85s. 3d.
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. per oz. Standard Silver, 4s. 8d. to
4s. 10d. (variable.)

Apeil 5, 1877]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

251

QUERIES AND REPLIES.

22-CARAT GOLD.—" H. H. P." asks through a contemporary,
" I have about 2dwts. that I want to make into wire, but after melting it I
find it is so molten that I can't draw it, neither will it stand hammering.
Will some reader kindly help me out of the difficulty ? "

" Dens " replies : — " If ' H. H. P.' cannot use the blowpipe and charcoal
sufficiently well, he should melt in a fin. crucible, because unless fine gold is
thoroughly melted, it will not work free from cracks."

JEWELLERS' SOLDER.— "Embryo" asks through the same
journal. — " Will some reader inform me what the solder is composed of
such as is used in the manufacture of lockets, &c. ? Also 'panel' solder,
and how is the solution of borax made and used ? Particulars how to make
a pumice stone devil, for soldering small articles, and the difference between
hard and soft soldering, will be very acceptable to one not learned in these
matters. I have an ordinary blowpipe and spirit lamp. Perhaps ' Isle-
worth 'will be kind enough to look at this."

" Islewortii " replies: — "I would not advise 'Embryo ' to meddle with
making his solder unless he intends going in for it as a regular thing. Scarcely
two solders are made alike, as every working jeweller has his own particular
receipt, which although not differing in the main, has still either a little
difference in the proportions of the metals, or, now and then, something
added by the workman to suit his own particular fancy. 'Embryo' can
buy all the sol lers he warts to use at any of the tool-shops (jewellers'), if
in London, in Wilderness Kow, Clerkenwell. Charcoal is the best thing for
soldering on. To hard solder : Get a piece of common slate, 3 or 4 in.
square, and a glass bottle to hold water in, fitted with a cork, with a notch cut
in the side to allow a drop of water to come out. Get a small camel's-hair
brush and some boras. Wet your slate by dropping some water from your
bottle on it, and rub your borax on it until you have got a mixture the con-
sistency of cream, or a little thicker, then cut your hard silver solder into
strips, very fine, and then again into pieces to suit your convenience. Hav-
ing thoroughly cleaned away all dirt or grease from the parts you wish
to solder, put some of the borax to the parts, and some solder with it, keep
your hand steady and blow until you get a bright red heat, when you will
observe the solder run wherever you have put the borax, and having a sort
of glaze over it. You must bear in mind not to put your borax except where
you wish your solder to run, as it may run in the wrong place. Hard
soldering always requires the article to be gilt or polished, &c, afterwards,
as the action of the fire turns the colour and softens the article also. To
soft solder : You can buy your soldering fluid at the tool-shops, but it is
easily made. Three-pennyworth of spirits of salts (from the chemists), cut
up some zinc and put it in the bottle until the strength of the spirit has
evaporated. It will then he the colour of the zinc. In soldering, use a
piece of iron wire to apply the fluid, and cut some small pieces of solder
(which you can buy) and place wherever wanted. Then apply blowpipe
very gently, taking care not to blow your solder about — until it runs as you
want. You must be very particular in applying your fluid, as the solder, if
at all ' quick running,' will run all over the place, and it is very difficult to
remove, and also very unsightly. You can get your charcoal at the tool-
shop, and you will want some binding wire, which you can obtain at the
same place. This is useful in tying your articles in the position you wish
to solder them."

WATCH QUERY.— " Magnetism " asks:— "Being a good deal in
the way of permanent magnets, and sometimes forgetting to take my watch
off, it gets magnetised, which makes it gain or lose. If I had a gold hair-
spring fitted instead of the steel one, would it prevent its being affected by
magnetism ? If so, could I have it done ; or could any reader suggest a
remedy ? "

The Replies received were as follows :—
By "Stuart Murray:" — "The only permanent remedy that I can
suggest for the prevention of the magnetisation of this watch is the follow-
ing : — ' Take a balance and balance-spring made of aluminium bronze, and
if the instrument is a lever, let the lever be made of silver, nickel, or other
non-attractable metal. First of all, I should be inclined to try the effect
in the change of the balance and spring, for that is where the principal
mischief works, before going any further. To be sure the watch can be
demagnetised, but, under the circumstances, that would have to be too
often repeated to be pleasant, and you cannot be always ' dosing ' your
timekeeper. The cases, too, ought to have the spring catches removed from
them, and be made to snap on themselves in the way that some best work
does. The fact is, the remedy here proposed — and it is about the only one
of any lasting value — is akin to that of the Yankee's new blade to the old
handle, and afterwards a new handle to the old blade, so as to retain ' the
same knife, you see, sirree, from year to year, as blades and handles wear
out. I am strongly of opinion that the cheapest way, after all, would be
to have a new watch made for the special purpose required, about which
there is no difficulty whatever."

By " F. C. Putley." — " ' Magnetism ' should have a gold hair-spring put
to his watch, and if the balance is of steel let that be replaced by one of
gold, if the watch is considered worth it ; if not, a brass balance would be
cheaper."

ANEROID BAROMETER.— " F. C. Putley "asks :— "I have an
aneroid which behaves very strangely. It rises and falls in a very wild and

uncertain manner, while a Fitzroy remains stationary or nearly so. For
instance, one morning I found it had fallen nearly lin., and in the course of
the day it rose two-tenths, the Fitzroy by which I set it remaining un-
altered. The barometer is a common one, and there is no visible means of
getting at its internals. There are three screws in the back besides the ad-
justing screw. I thought these held the glass, but if I remove them I
cannot get it apart anywhere ; and, moreover, if I move either of them, it
alters the position of the hand as much as if I turned the adjusting screw.
Will some one tell me how to make it right ? I understand the principle,
but have had no opportunity of examining the construction."
The Replies received were as follows :—

By "M. E." — "The screws on the back of the aneroid barometer, besides
the adjusting screw, are probably for holding the vacuum pan, and supports
to the motion. Unscrewing them, of course, permits the hand to move, bi t
is also likely to let the working parts come apart inside the instrument.
They are generally put together with a spring ring slipped over the front
glass on to the body of the instrument, and a good strong pull will remove
it. The hand is generally also tightly pushed on, and can be drawn off
with care, the dial being then lifted up, all the working parts are exposed,
and readily accessible."

By " W. J. Lancaster" — "No doubt the defect in your barometer is
due to the back of case pressing upon the adjusting screw. If you will lot k
at the back of barometer you will see a small hole, and immediately un-
derneath an adjusting screw. Note first whether this screw is loose, ai d
second, whether it presses against the back of case ; it evidently does so, on
account of alteration when the other screws are moved. The three screws
ought not to affect the barometer in any other way. You can easily take
the barometer to pieces ; by removing the glass and bezel, the whole slides
off the body part of case. Then gently remove finger, and afterwards dial.
You will be able to alter any portion inside case with ease ; or by taking a
screw out of the back you may remove the whole of the internal fittings."

By "Moravia:" — "May not the Fitzroy barometer be in error? My
impression is that, if Mr. Putley examines it, he will find the screw at tie
bottom screwed up instead of being as low down as it will go. Thus tie
cistern is filled, and no room is allowed for the mercury in the tube to
enter when the barometer falls. By this means the aneroid will doits duty,
but the Fitzroy stand still. If Mr. Putley will send you the date when the
aneroid fell nearly an inch and rose two-tenths, I will tell him which was
correct ; or to make assurance doubly sure, let him send half a dozen com-
parative readings with dates and time of observation. I should advise him
not to interfere with the mechanism of the aneroid."

LONG SIGHT AND TELESCOPES.— " Nolla " asks :—« It
is well known that inhabitants of large open plains, as well as sailors and
professional hunters, have, as a general thing, long eight ; while, on the
other hand, students, engravers, watchmakers, and those who follow similar
callings, are often short-sighted — thus showing that the powers of the eye,
as well as of other parts of the body, may be modified by use when long
continued. Now I should like to know from those who have had ex-
perience, whether the use of the astronomical telescope would be likely to
render one far or near-sighted. The objects looked at are distant enough
truly, but what about the effect of the eyepiece on the vision ? Are not
microscopists apt to be near-sighted ? Is it known precisely what blinded
Galileo ? "

" W. J. Lancaster " replies : — " The habitual use of the telescope tends
to lengthen the focus of the eye employed. This I know to be a fact in
many instances, but at the same time I cannot give a reason why it should
be the case, although I have endeavoured to work it out, but have failed.
My right eye is not only of a longer focus than the left, but it is also par-
tially colour blind, when compared with my left eye. Eegarding micrc-
scopists I cannot be so certain. I know many who are long-sighted, ard
but few short-sighted, but I can more easily understand that. The
searching for minute animalcula, &c, apart, from the use of the instrument,
would have a tendency to produce myopism.

NEW PATENT WATCH AND CHAIN HOOK.

MR. W. POTTER, of 136, Aldersgate Street, has recently
patented a suspending and suspender hook for show cards
and tickets, and which seems to supersede all others hitherto used.
The hook is shown in accompanying diagram. The suspending and

suspender hooks and the card or ticket are made to move together
to the required position, so that the card or ticket does not pro-
ject above or below, nor exceed the length of the holder, therefore
it does not require more room than is actually necessary for display
of the ticket, whilst its form and shape is concealed from view
behind the ticket. The invention is perfect in operation, and will
be found of considerable value to shopkeepers and others wishing
for best display of show-cases or tickets.

P.KQ

THE WATOHMAKEB, JEWELLEB, AND

[April 5, 1877.

THE

^airlmraltcr, geltxelkr, mxb Sbilbmmify,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades; published at Milners' Buildings,
Moorgate Street (Opposite Moorgate Street Station), London,
E.C. Booksellers and Newsagents supplied by Messrs. Catty and
Dobson, 1, Ivy Laue, Paternoster Row. E.C.

Birmingham Agencies.
Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Lombard Street Post Office.

SPECIAL NOTICES.

IN order to meet the requirements of the steadily
increasing business of this Journal, the offices thereof
have been removed to more eligible premises in Milners'
Safe Buildings, Moorgate Street (opposite Moorgate Street
Station.)

We must thank our patrons and the trade in general for the
encouraging patronage hitherto received, and which has neces-
sitated this removal, and hope to be favoured with a continuation
of support in our new offices, where every exertion will be made
by us to merit the confidence and promote the interests of the
various trades represented by our paper.

BACK1]S & STRAUSS,

Manufacturing Jewellers & Gold Chain Makers,

HAVE REMOVED TO

6 4,

HOLBORiT VIADTJOT,

(Opposite the London, Chatham and Dover Railway Station),

LONDON, E.C.

AND BELLS.

PATENTS.

CLOCKS, WATCHES,

Just Published.

A RUDIMENTARY TREATISE on CLOCKS, WATCHES, and
BELLS. By Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart, (late E. B. Denison), LL.D.,
Q.C., F.R.A.S. Sixth edition, revised and enlarged, with numerous
Illustrations. 12mo, cloth boards, 5s. 6d. Postage 4d.
"As a popular. and, at the same time, practical treatise on clocks and bells it is

unapproached."— English Mechanic.

" The best work on the subject probably extant So far as we know it has

no competitor worthy of the name." — Ekginkebing.
"The only modem treatise on clock-making." — Hoeological Journal.
"There is probably no book in the English language on a technical subject so easy to

read, and to read through, as the treatise on clocks, watches, and bells, written by toe

eminent Parliamentary Counsel, Mr. E. B. Denison— now Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart "

AECHITECT.

" A mass of reliable information which cannot be obtained elsewhere." The

JEWELLSII AND JLETALWOKKEK.

CROSBY LOCKWOOD & Co., 7, Stationers' Hall-Court, London, E.C

Now Eeady, crown 8vo, cloth 7s. Gd. (postage 5d.)

THE PRACTICAL GOLD-WORKER; OR THE GOLD-

*■ SMITHS' AND JEWELLEES' INSTEUCTOE. The Art of Alloy
ing Gold, Melting, Reducing, Colouring, Mixing and Eefining ; Th
Processes of Manipulation, Becovery of Waste, Chemical and Physical Pro-
perties of Gold : with a new system of Mixing its Alloys, Solders, Enamels
and other Useful Eeceipts, Sec. By George E. Gee, Jewellers' Manager.
CROSBY LOCKWOOD & Co., 7, Stationer*' Hall Court, E.C.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

848. Frank Morris, of Swansea, in the county of Glamorgan, for an in-
vention of "An improved ' sidereal ' time piece." — Dated 2nd March,
1877.

883. George Betjemann, George Wtlt.tam PetjemAn*, and John Betje-
mann, all of 36 and 38, PenUnville Road, in thee aunty of Middlesex,
Desk and Dressing Case Manufacturers, for an invention of " Improve-
ments in the construction of dressing cases, jewel cases, game boxes, and
spirit and other cases." — Dated 5th. March, 1877.

1023. Edward Thomas Hughes, of the firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for an invention of " Improve-
ments in apparatus for electro-plating wire." — A communication to
him from abroad by William Wallace, of Ansonia, in the county of
Hew Haven and state of Connecticut, United States of America,
Manufacturer. — Dated 14th March, 1877.

1027- Amedee Combault, of 24, Broad Street, Golden Square, in the
county of Middlesex, Jeweller, for an invention of " A new method of
fixing buttons." — Dated 15th March, 1877.

1094. Arthur Charles Henderson, of 6, Southampton Buildings,
Holborn, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of
" Improvements in the application of alarms to watches." — A com-
munication to him from abroad by Frederick Dessert, Watchmaker, a
person resident at Besancon, in the department of Doubs, in the re-
public of France.— Dated 19th March, 1877.

1122. George Blunt, of 24, Augusta Street, Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, Jeweller, for an invention of " An improvement in fastenings
for solitaire sleeve studs, and other articles of a similar kind." — Dated
31st March, 1877.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

530. To William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the invention of
" Improvements relating to the working, regulating, and winding-up
of clocks, chiefly designed for controlling a series of clocks by pneu-
matic power." — A communication to him from abroad by Victor Popp,
Ernest Resch, and Charles Albert Mayrhofer, as representatives of the
" Gesellschaft zum Betriebe pneumatischer Uhren," of Vienna, Austria.

610. To Thomas Tonks, the younger, of Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, Button Manufacturer, for the invention of " An improved
link for cuffs, gloves, or other articles of dress."

661. To James Chisholm, of Edinburgh, in the county of Midlothian,
North Britain, for the invention of "An improved combined brooch
and chatelaine."

4906. To Ezra Hatton, of Alexandra Street, in the city of Manchester,
Ornamental Metal Worker, for the invention of "Anew optical in-
strument for producing designs and for other purposes."

296. To John Thomas Nicholls, of Southampton Buildings, Holborn,
for the invention of " Improvements in watch-guards or protectors."

646. To Charles Haseler, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, Watch Maker, for the invention of " An improvement or
improvements in watches and other time-keepers."

718. To Henry Angelo Ludovico Negretti and Joseph Warren Zambra,
both of Holborn Viaduct, in the city of London, Meteorological In-
strument Makers, for the invention of " Improvements in Thermo-
meters and hygrometers."

753. To Isaac Grindrod, Watch Maker and Jeweller, 33, Toad Lane,
Rochdale, in the county of Lancaster, for the invention of " An im-
proved solitaire or sleeve stud or fastening for wearing apparel."

Notices to Proceed.

4261. William Wiggins, of Stanmore Street, Caledonian Road, London,
Goldsmith, has given notice in respect of the invention of "Improve-
ments in the manufacture of watches to prevent robbery by breaking
the bows thereof."

296. John Thomas Nicholls, of Southampton Buildings, Holborn, has
given notice in respect of the invention of " Improvements in watch-
guards or protectors."

348. William Thomas Kerry, of 10, Sotheron Road, King's Road.Fulham,
in the county of Middlesex, has given notice in respect of the invention
of " A new or improved polish for cleaning, reviving, and renovating
jewellery, plated ware, furniture, and other such like articles."

4447. Alexander Leslie Fyfe, of Aldersgate Street, in the city of
London, has given notice in respect of the invention of " Improve-
ments in shirt studs and dress fastenings."

419. Alfred Vincent Newton, of the office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the county of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, has given
notice in respect of the invention of " An improvement in watch move-
ments."— A communication to him from abroad by the Elgin National
Watch Company (Incorporated), of the city and state of New York.

April 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUKNAL.

253

Patents which, have become Void.

746. Thomas Eekdrick, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, for
an invention of " Improvements in fastenings for shirt studs, sleeve
Jinks, solitaires, and other articles of jewellery and dress." — Dated
28th February, 1874.

784. Joseph G-eoege Rollason and John Wood, both of Birmingham, in
the county of Warwick, Manufacturers, for an invention of " Certain
improvements in the manufacture of ornamental metallic chains for
fancy wear." — Dated 4th March, 1874.

842. John Collis Browne, of 15, Nelson Crescent, Bamsgate, in the
county of Kent, Physician, for an invention of " Improved means of
and appliances for moving or setting and regulating one or more
clocks, dials, or other indicators, by a standard time-keeper. " — Partly
a communication to him from abroad by Robert Herbert, of Dresden,
in the kingdom of Saxony, and partly invented by himself." — Dated
7th March, 1874.

727. Jesse Siddons, of West Bromwich, in the county of Stafford, Iron
Founder, and David Bowen Meese, of Sedgley, in the county of
Stafford, Agent, for an invention of ''Improvements in clocks." — Dated
11th March, 1870.

Patents Sealed.

4539. Edward Archer Wilde, of 15, Ladbroke Gardens, Notting Hill, in
the county of Middlesex, for an invention of " Improvements in ob-
taining alluminium and aluminium alloys.'' — Dated 22nd November,
1876.

3777. Thomas Hare, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Mer-
chant's Clerk, for an invention of " New or improved apparatus for
holding or suspending ladies' dresses." — Dated 28th September, 1876.

74. William Edward Gedge, of 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the
county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of " Certain im-
provements in watch case springs." — A communication to him from
abroad by Joseph Britton, of San Francisco, California, in the United
States of America, Gentleman. — Dated 8th January, 1877.

88. Robert Mann Lowne, of East Ead, Finchley, in the county of Middle-
sex, for an invention of " Improvements in barometers." — Dated 9th
January, 1877.

Patents Granted in British Colonies and Dependencies.

New South Wales.

23. Alexander Heatherington, for an invention of " An improved appa-
ratus for separating metals, ores, or precious stones from earth or
other impurities." — Dated 17th July, 1876.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

France.

115,054. Chauvin, for " Rings for jewelry." — Dated 16th October, 1876.
115,086. Deshates, of Paris, for " Manufacturing musical toy-watches."

—Dated 19th October, 1876.
115,113. De Arce y Nunez, for "A geographical, astronomical, and cos-

mographical apparatus." — Dated 20th October, 1876.

115.128. Grason, for "An improved self-locking shirt stud, applicable
also for other fastening purposes." — Dated 20th October, 1876. — (Eng-
lish Patent, 17th October, 1876.)

115.129. Hirsch, for " A clasp for ear-rings." — Dated 20th October, 1876.
115,154. Mrs. Domon, for " A Swiss watch." — Dated 23rd October, 1876.
115,168. Lippmann, of Besanijon, for "A spring and ring for superseding

stops in watch-springs and spring-boxes." — Dated 28th October, 1876.

115,243. Veissiere, for " Improvements in opera-glasses with interior
adjustment." — Dated 27th October, 1876.

115,252. Carpano and Benoit, of Cluses, for " An indicator of the tension
of springs in watches and clocks." — Dated 4th October, 1876.

115,323. Durier, of Lillebonne, for " Watch-buttons." — Dated 4th No-
vember, 1876.

115,358. Endres, of Paris, for " Applying electricity to jewellery." — Dated
7th November, 1876.

115.377. Suisse, of Nancy, for " A watch-remontoir and barrel, with a
ratch on the lid." — Dated 13th November, 1876.

115.378. Van Blotaque, for "Sheaths with velveted glass rods for show-
cases of jewellers." — Dated 7th November, 1876.

115,415. Bonnot and Portet, of Dijon, for "A silver powder for silver-
ing or re-silvering Ruolz and plated articles, &c." — Dated 15th No-
vember, 1876.

115,451. De Combettes, of Paris, for "A clock-bell." — Dated 11th No-
vember, 1876.

115,465. Lacoste, for "A toy-watch applicable as a time-indicator." —
Dated 11th November, 1876.

Austria.
53. A. Jager, of Gablonz, for " Improvements in the manufacture of

studs."— 1 year. — (Secret.) — Dated 7th October, 1876.
J 31. M. Wertiiei.mer, of Vienna, for " Manufacturing metal frames with

fine and durable gold lustre." — 1 year. — (Secret.)— Dated 6th October,

1876.

Belgium.
41,495. Guye and Barbezat, for an imported invention of " A calendar-
watch."— Dated 12th February, 1877.— (French Patent, 7th December,

1876).
41,497. The Pneumatic Clock Company, for an imported invention of

" Pneumatic clocks." — Dated 13th February, 1877. — (French Patent,
• 10th February, 1876.)
41.516. D. J. Geyer, for " Improvements in studs of wristbands." — Dated

14th February, 1877.
41,518. C. Flugel, for " Improvements in clocks of turrets and railway

stations. "—Dated 14th February, 1877.
41,536. H. Rosiers, of Schaerbeek, for " An alarm-indicator." — Dated

17th February, 1877-

Designs Patented in the United States.
9362. Lucius L. Culver, William W. Culver, and Henry H. Culver, ef
St. Louis, Mo., for " Clock cases." — Application filed 24th June, 1876.
— Term of patent 3§ years.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES.

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

Distribution of Assets.
Stacey, Edward H., Sheffield, Yorkshire, silver plater, died December, 20.
Claims by April 26, to A. Taylor, Sheffield, Sol.

Applications for Cessio-Bonorum in Scotland.

M'Lay, Jamfs, 272, Buchanan Street, previous 58, College Street and 18i
North Albion Street, all Glasgow, presently in Glasgow prison.
Dissolutions of Partnerships.

Barnett, Bros. Vittoria Street, Birmingham. Debts by Samuel Barnett.

Chaplin & Sons, 25, Aldersgate Street, jewellers, manufacturers, and im-
porters. January 31. As regards James H. Chaplin.

Dresciier & Son, Clarence Street, Kingston, clock and watchmakers.
January 1. As regards Kaspar Drescher.

Smith and Grant, Lower Bridge Street, Dublin. Debts by Edward Smith.

Corbett & Co., Glasgow, watchmakers, &c. Debts by A. B. Anderson.

Bowen, T. & G., 29. Summer-row Birmingham, Platers & Manufacturers
of Silver & Plated Goods. March 21. Debts by Jonas Bowen.
Scotch Sequestrations.

Sutherland, Bros., 253, Argyle Street, Glasgow, wholesale jewellers and
dealers in electro plate, as a company, and William Russell Sutherland,
Milton of Campsie, and James Linton Pairman, Eirk road, Wishaw,
the sole partners thereof, as such and as individuals. February 28,
with protection. Tr. and Com., Faculty Hall, Glasgow. Claims by
June 28. Agents, Wright and Johnston, Edinburgh, sols.
Dividends.

Dovey, John (Liq), Salford, Lancashire, and Altrincham, Cheshire, art
metal worker. 1st and final div. 3/4 ; W. P. Kershaw, at J. E. and R.
Whitworth's, solicitors, St. James' square, Manchester.

HuGnES, John, 26, Great Hamilton Street, Glasgow, watchmaker, &c. 1st.
Brown, jun., Davies & Tait's, 65, West Regent Street, Glasgow.

Jacob, Aaron, 63, Renfield road, Glasgow, jeweller, &c. 1st and final, Reid
& Mair's, 40, St. Vincent place, Glasgow.

Barfoot, Cornelius Henry, ; (liq.) Huntingdon,' watch and clock maker.
Div. 4/0 Benjamin Taylor, Souvenir House, Peterborough.
Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Edwards, William H, Market Street, Birkenhead, watchmaker, February,
28. T. M. Downham, solicitor, Birkenhead.

Lomas, Joel, New Mills, Derbyshire, jeweller. February 27. J. Best,
solicitor, 64, Lower King street, Manchester.

Pumfrey, John Hillman, Northampton Street, Birmingham, jeweller.
February 28. Tyndall & Tyndall, sols., 34, Waterloo street, Bir-
mingham.

Stanley, Thomas, 2, Court, Bayley-Lane, Coventry, watch manufacturer.
February 22. Hughes & Master, solicitors, Coventry.

Grime, James, Fishergate, Preston, jeweller. March 15. J. C. Ambler,
sol., Preston.

Meeting's.

Radclyffe, Alfred Henry & William, of No 188, High Strest, Camden
Town, jewellers. At Guildhall Tavern Gresham Street, April 10th,
at 2 p.m.

Cunningham, Robert William, ' of No 74, Cross Street, Mi n 'hester,
Watchmaker and Jeweller. At Messrs. Horner & Son, Sol. 3, Clarence
Street, Manchester, April 17th at 3 p.m.

254

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[April 5, 1877.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns -will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
tchich any entry appears.

AMERICAN (WALTHAM) WATCHES.

FATTOBINI & SONS (Wholesale Factors) Watch and
Chronometer Manufacturers, Bradford, Yorkshire,

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

MUBBAY <t CALLIEU, 22, St. John's Square, E.O.
NEGEETTI 4 ZAMBBA, Holborn Viaduct. E.G. ; Charter-
house Street, E.C. : 45. Cornhill. E.G. ; 122, Regent St., W.
WEBSTEE, J., SS, St. John Street Boad, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIBE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHAT WOOD'S, 120, CaDnon Street, E.G., and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, BoltoD.

GEEBING & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherhorne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SIGKEB SAFE AND STBONG BOOM COM-
PANY. LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes, Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK IMPORTERS.

MAYER A. & SON, 122a, Aldersgate Street, London, E.C.
Importers of American, French, German, and Cuckoo
Clocks, Materials, &c.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BRUGGER & STRAUB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEHER, K.USS, FBITSCHLEB. & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C. and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Rue Be'ran-
ger, Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory. White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Rochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1844.

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Boad, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BROTHERS, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C.

MARCUS (MAURICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct, London, EC.

RUTHESFORD, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Row, E.C, and
S3, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

WIEGEL, B., Jun., Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27.
Wilmington Square,Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stones mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CABLOSS (W. L) & KTNG, 68. Hatton Garden, London,
E.C Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs, Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower Vases
Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal Work.

HUTTON & CO.. 5 and 8, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phoenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.O.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBERG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. EDWAED, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. R.), 64. Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
WILLIAMSON. HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

CLEMENTS, HANDLEY <fe Co., Dealers in all kinds of
Tools and Materials, Stones. Pastes. Cases, &c, 19, St,
John's Square, Clerkenwell, E.C. (See advertisement).

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E 0.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Boad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWARDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Road, London, E.C
JEFFREYS, CHARLES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden. E.C
SAGE, FREDERICK. Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, SO to 84, Gray's Inn Boad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

JOSEPH, B. H. & Co., 20. Frederick Street, Birmingham,
Manufacturers of the Registered " Standard " Sizes for
jewellers.

HDMPHREYS (JOHN A.), 23, Wilderness Eow, Clerken-
well, E.C, Jewellery, Chains, Wedding Rings and
Keepers, &c.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (O. GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronzs Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden. London, E.C.

BASNETT, S., 29, Augusta Street, Birmingham, Manu-
facturer of Coloured Gold, Jewellery, Sets, Brooches,
Earrings, Pendants, Bracelets, Pins, Crosses, Slides, &c.

MYERS, N. A., 2, St. Patrick Square, Edinburgh, Importer
of French, American, and German Clocks, Watches,
Materials, &c.

MUSICAL BOXES.

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Road, near Clerkenwell
Green, London. E 0.

ADANK, J. JAQUES & Co., Manufacturers of Musical
Boxes. Prize medal at Philadelphia. St. Croix, Switzer-
land.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C ; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London; and 10, Rue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENRY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, &c, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURERS.

L AWBENCE, N., 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C. ; Manu
factory. Havelock Works, Walker Street. Shffield.

LAZARUS (S. J.) & CO., Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eve Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C

TURRET AND RAILWAY CLOCK MAKERS.

MILLAR, H. & R., Castle Bank Works, Edinburgh. Turret,
Quarter, Chime, and Railway Clocks, 20 per cent cheaper
than other makers. The only steam power factory in
Scotland. Photograghs. Established 1840.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Rydon Crescent, St. John
Street Road, London, E.O

WATCH BALANCE MAKER

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKEB, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street. Clerkenwell
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 48, Rahere Street, Goswell Road, Lon
don, E.C.

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Road, London, E.C

STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry .
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAURICE. Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool .

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFORD, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Road,
London, E.C.

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, <fcc., Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Ring Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, Birmingham.
WORKING JEWELLERS.

CLEMENTS, HANDLEY & Co., 19, St. John's Square,
Clerkenwell, E.C., all kinds of jewellery repaired on the
shortest notice. Gilding, Plating, and Mounting for the
Trade. (See advertisement).

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANUFACTUHING JEWEklaEKS AND GOLDSMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. FINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC.
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

"pfnapk

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades.

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad.

No. 24.— Vol. II.]

MAY 5, 1877.

t Subscription, Ss.\
per Annum. J

Post
Free

Horology h. „, .,. », ,i. ... >,.

Curious Clock

On a New Method of Mounting Microscopical
Objects

Gigantic Silver Fountain

Observatories

Competition for Prizes Offered by Messrs.
watherston & son for designs for a
Dessert Service of Plate

PAGE
260

286

267
267
268

268

CONTENTS.

Curiosities of Clocks and Watches

Mirror of the Month ...

QUERIES and Replies ..I

Farthings and Silver Pennies

Gold in Persia

London Legend of the Clock which Struck

Thirteen, and Saved a Man's Life

Wonders of Horology

Gold

PAGE
269
270
270
270
271

271
271
272

PAGE

A Family Relic 274

Correspondence 274

Frauds on Chatwood's Patent Safe an» Look

Company 275

Monthly Record of Bankruptcies 27d

Patents ... 277

The Trades' Directory i 278

Advertisements ...279-88

HOROLOGY.

{Continued.)

XXIII.— A Chapter on Time.

TTTE concluded our last paper upon having shown what is the
Y V solar and what is the sidereal day, alluding, also, to the
" Equation of Time," and the civil, or day of every day life. Before
we deal with the more complicated equation, perhaps, it will he as
well to dispose of the third kind of day, so that the reader may have
them all before him without a break.

The last-named day is again divided into the artificial and the
natural ; the former we look upon as consisting of the duration of
actual daylight, such as long days, short days, &c, -whilst the
natural belongs to one of the solar definitions mentioned before.
Furthermore, an explanation of days will necessarily involve one of
chronology, which is neither more nor less than The Story of Time,
and will have to be dealt with in its turn.

We can readily believe that the early division of the day was of
the most primitive and roughly defined character. We have shown
in our articles on dialling that, until mechanism came into operation,
morning, noon, and night were the measuring points from which all
sub-divisions started. How many ages must have passed into the
ever-receiving gulf of Nothingness, before the advent of even the
marking of the shadow ; and, again, we all know, now, the long
centuries that intervened from that period to the discovery of the
pendulum ! And yet, when we think for a moment about it, how
simple it all seems, and how strange that it was not all discovered
ages and ages ago ! Yet, notwithstanding the discovery and appli-
cation of the water-clock, the hours were not of equal length ; this

error arose partly from the defect inherent in the instrument, and
partly from the imperfect method of working it. It appears from
what we can learn, that the day, whether long or short, was divided
into twelve parts. This arrangement, in the long days of summer,
made each hour consist of more than 70 minutes, whilst in winter a
compensation was made in hours of only 50 minutes. Again, the
latitudes of various places would somewhat modify this method
which would be still further interfered with by whether the day
began at the visible sunrise, or with the first appearance of the
dawning light in the east of the place.

Ancient history tells us that different nations began their day in
different ways. Thus, the Babylonians, Persians, Syrians, and
other Eastern nations began their day with the rising of the sun ; but
the Athenians, the Jews, and several others began it with the sun's
setting, whilst the Umbri and Arabians fixed upon noon, as the
modern astronomers have done, and the Egyptians fixed upon mid-
night.

The civil day of the Romans was from midnight to midnight, the
natural day being from the rising to the setting of the sun ; follow-
ing the natural day there came the natural night, both of which
were amply sub-divided. The civil day was broken up into sixteen
portions, all having appropriate names. These were midnight, past
midnight, cock-crow, cock-crow over, the dawn, the morning, the
forenoon, mid-day, afternoon, sunset, evening, twilight, bed-time,
silent night, and inclining to midnight. The divisions of the natural
day were arranged according to the season of the year, whilst the
night had another division of watches. Until sun-dials came into
use at Rome there were no such periods as " hours" known ; after-
wards, the day had twelve, and the night had twelve. A meridian
was fixed on the rostrum of the Senate-house from which an
officer called out mid-day when the sun arrived there. The night

266

THE WATOHMAKEK, JEWELLEK, AND

[MAy 6, 1877.

watohes were composed of three hours each ; there were four such
watches, each being announced by the sound of a trumpet, the
private watchman calling out the hours. We find the same practice
much earlier than the days of Rome ; thus in Isaiah : — "My lord, I
stand continually upon the watch-tower in the daytime, and I am
set in my ward whole nights." Again — " He called to me out of
Seir, ' Watchman, what of the night'? ' "

The watchman said, " The morning cometh and also the night,
if ye will enquire, enquire ye : return, come."

The beginning of our day at midnight dates from a remote period ;
when, is not exactly known. As it agrees with the ancient Eoman
method, the balance of probabilities are, that the Eomans brought
it and established it in Britain. Another account, however, puts it
down as an ecclesiastical invention resting upon the following
ground : Many of the Church festivals — when the Church was all-
powerful in temporal affairs — were protracted far into the night,
whilst others began very early ; it seemed consequently to the
"authorities" that the midnight hour was the best and most
convenient time to separate one day from another. That influence
being therefore paramount throughout the land, the other public
institutions would be obliged to fall into the same way. Although
this division prevailed over nearly the whole Christian world, it
seems somewhat curious that Italy, the very seat of ecclesiastical
power, did not fix its legal time at midnight.

The mode by which the Italians compute the day is considerably
different from ourselves, as well as from several other countries.
We have been told that, officially, it has become assimilated to that
of the rest of Europe, but, among the great mass of people the
old plan still prevails. There are public time-keepers in Rome,
Florence, Milan, and all the large towns, which are set to go the
same way as in both France and England, but the hours of the
country people are very different to clock hours. Instead of being
based upon the mean time meridian, the Italians go by sun-set,
which is never the same through all parts of the country, the
latitudes, of course, changing it. But wherever an Italian may
happen to be at the time, he considers his day ended half-an-hour
after sunset. He does not divide his day into two portions of
twelve hours as we do, but runs on to twenty-four o'clock. To put
it in this way, one o'clock is an hour and a half after sunset, two
o'clock two hours and a half after sunset, three o'clock three hours
and a half after sunset, and so on until sunset comes round again.
And yet for daily use they say that their mode is better than ours ;
because, as the end always points towards sunset, it enables them,
being used to it, to know how much daylight is left on their hands. No
doubt this counting has its conveniences in a country where moving
about at night is both difficult and dangerous ; otherwise, it is as
nearly useless as possible. In order, therefore, to ascertain when
this Italian day commences, add half-an-hour to the time of sunset
whatever period of the year it may be, and the product will be what
is required. We cannot say that we are at all enamoured of the
Italian time-keeping ; it changes as the [traveller changes, and as
the seasons change. Therefore the only safe guide to all this
puzzling is to procure as you move along tables of sunset for the
principal cities and months of the year, and consult them when you
desire to know what (Italian) o'clock it is.

The next system to which we have to allude is the Mahometan.
The division of the day among them is governed by the times of
performing their devotions. Like some of the nations already
mentioned they commence with sunset, and go on until sunrise
without any reference to the fact whether the day be long or short.
They have also twelve hours from sunrise to sunset, from which
arises the curiosity of very long night hours in winter and very short
ones in summer. It will be readily understood from this, that such
hours can only approach equality at the equinoctial points of the
year • at which time, too, they agree with us and several other
states of Europe. Like the Italians, as well, a table is wanted by
the stranger to obtain mean time. Thus the difference will run to
as much as six hours, making their six o'clock our twelve, and vice
versa ; what has to be ascertained in computation are the periods of
sunrise and sunset, and divided by twelve, the number of Mahometan
hours, and then compare with the time belonging to the meridian of
the place. Let it be supposed that the sun rises at seven o'clock
and sets at five o'clock, as he does in the latter part of February,
then rejecting odd minutes at both ends, there will be a mean-time
day of ten hours of sixty minutes to the hour ; the Mahometan day
will still be twelve hours, but having only fifty minutes to the hour.
Again, one o'clock of that reckoning will be at fifty minutes passed
seven of ours ; two o'clock forty minutes passed eight ; three
o'clock will be half-past nine, and so on until the whole twelve
hours have been exhausted. Take the sun to rise at five o'clock,
which occurs about the middle of April, and we run on with the

Mahometan time for about three hours. Then we shall have of that
time, ten minutes past six for our six, twenty minutes past seven for
our seven, and half -past eight for our eight. The Mahometan time,
however, is so contrived that when worked through, six o'clock
always agrees with our noon, which confirms what has previously
been stated about a difference of six hours in the day occuring
between the Mahometans and ourselves. As many of the time-
keepers are made in this country for the Mahometan populations,
those engaged in such manufacture, especially the dial-writers, will
now be able to form some satisfactory notion of the meaning of the
hieroglyphics which they are called upon to produce.

Looking at this subject as far as we have gone, what seems to us
as the oddity of it is the peculiar division of one day from another.
Whether our present method was the result of ecclesiastical con-
venience, or otherwise, there can be little doubt but that it is the
most natural one for the civil day. Nothing would be more
strained and difficult for us here in England than, when sitting down
to tea, as it were, on Sunday afternoon, and watching the sun
sinking below our horizon, to believe that Monday morning had
begun ! On the other hand, what can be more natural than for our
day's work to be completed, and we retired to rest, to have the day
complete itself, also, in that interval that occurs between our
sleeping and waking. To our minds the great wonder is that all
the nations of the earth have not, ages ago, hit upon so simple and
natural a plan. The derivation of the word Hour, itself, has been
subject to some etymological research. Of course, we are most of
us aware by this time that the term came to us through the Latin,
and to the Latin from the Greek ; but we have not asked whether
it was coined by the Greeks, or adopted by them from some other
language. Some ancient philologists have affirmed that it was
derived from a sirname of the sun, the father of hours, whom the
Egyptians called Horus. Well, horns and hora are very like one
another, and the derivation seems probable enough. But there are
writers who derive the word from the Greek horisein, to terminate,
to distinguish — much the same meaning as the ordinary word
horizon, only applied to time instead of to the boundary of land-
scape view. It was hardly to be expected that in a matter of this
kind the mythologists would consent to be shut out ; accordingly,
we find them stoutly maintaining that it was the natural peculiarities
of an animal consecrated to the Egyptian deity Serapis, as exhibited
twelve times in the day, and twelve times in the night, that first
fixed the division of diurnal time into hours. Be this as it may,
such division is, no doubt, very ancient, and the most ancient form
is that of twelve hours for the day, and twelve for the night. We
have it on the authority of Herodotus, that the Greeks learnt the
method of such arrangement from the Egyptians.

The twenty-four hour system was not known to the Eomans
before that era of theirs called ;the First Punic war, or about two
hundred and sixty-five years before the commencement of the
Christian era. Previous to that time their days were regulated by
the rising and setting of the sun. We have already alluded to their
night-watches. Midnight with them was called the sixth hour]of the
night. One o'clock in the morning, the seventh hour, two o'clock,
the eighth hour, &c.

The information collected here belongs to the history of time-
keeping among the nations. It is collected from a variety of sources,
such as we presume the ordinary readers of this journal not to have
at their command. To the true horological student it must prove of
the utmost interest, as it enables Mm to learn how the world
marked the minutes before modern invention dawned upon mankind
— and how some people mark them still.

CURIOUS CLOCK.

EVELYN, in his " Memoirs," mentions his having seen a curious
mechanical contrivance. "I was showed a table clock, whose
balance was only a crystal ball, sliding on parallel irons, without
being at all fixed, but rolling from stage to stage, till-it was thrown
up to the utmost declivity; in the constant vicissitudes of motion,
prettily entertaining the eye every half minute ; and the next half
minute guiding progressively the hand that showed the hour, and
giving notice by a small bell, so as in 120 half minutes or periods of
the bullets falling on the ejaculatory spring, the clock part struck.
This very extraordinary piece (richly adorned) had been presented
by some German prince to our late King (Charles I.), and was now in
the possession of the Usurper (Oliver Cromwell) ; it was valued
at 2001."

May 5, 1877.]

SILVEBSMITH'S TEADE JOUKNAL.

267

ON A NEW METHOD OP MOUNTING MICRO-
SCOPICAL OBJECTS.*

By Prof. H. L. Smith, Hobart College, N.Y.

I HAVE noticed so many inquiries lately as to the best mode of
mounting objects requiring a cell of moderate depth, and often
the use of a fluid, that I am induced to give a short description of
my own method, both for Diatomacese and for Foraminifera. For
the latter I punch, out of a sheet of wax (dark green or black), a
disc a trifle larger than the brass curtain-ring which is to constitute
the wall of the cell. This disc is pressed by one edge to the centre
of a glass slide, and slowly warmed till it melts — if well done no
bubble of air is inclosed under it, and the whole cools with a smooth,
somewhat dead surface. The ring is then pressed into this, and
centred by the turn-table, and then again pressed fully home, show-
ing the brass, when looked at from the other side ; and the whole
finished with the usual "Brunswick black" outside, and also the
ring inside. To attach the Foraminifera, or other objects, a minute
drop of turpentine is applied to the wax, and in a minute or so,
before it is quite dry (and we may proceed leisurely), the object is
placed on the softened wax ; when thoroughly dry, it will be found
so strongly attached that a violent blow or a fall will not dislodge
it. Of course, if the object is very large, the turpentine may have
a little of the Brunswick black, or some size dissolved in it. The
improvement over the glistening gum attachment for minute objects
is very manifest — indeed no signs of the cementing material show if
the turpentine is judiciously used. While all this is being done, the
Brunswick black on the brass ring will have set sufficiently to fasten
the cover, which should be of such a size as to rest, not on the top
of the ring, but to slip just within, so that its surface will be flush
with the top of the ring. When the cover is pressed home, the
whole may at once, without any danger of its "running in," be
finished with the black varnish. Nothing can exceed the soft and
delicate appearance of these wax backgrounds, nor can a cell be
built up in any manner more readily. I use the sheets prepared for
wax flowers, and of course colours may be selected to suit the
object. The discs are punched by a solid plunger, which must
frequently be cleaned by punching discs from a thick card either
oiled or prepared with a little turpentine. Care will enable one to
prepare these rapidly. The thin cells for large Diatoms, &c, to be
mounted dry, I make as follows : — The wax disc — in this case say
bright red — is put under another press, and the centre punched out,
leaving a ring of wax. With my own press I do this readily, and I
will try to describe, as well as I can without a figure, the operation.
Concentric with the hole that receives the plunger to force out the
centre of the wax disc is a larger hole (the same size as the wax
disc) in a brass plate, the plate being a trifle thicker than the wax
disc ; this plate is, say, two inches long, and can be turned aside
from over the hole in the bed plate of the press, on a screw, or pin,
inserted near one end. Above this brass plate is another turning
on the same pin, but having a hole only just the size of the solid
plunger. The operation is as follows ; — The lower brass plate is
brought into place, its hole concentric with the hole in the bed plate
(this is determined by a limiting pin inserted in the bed plate) ; the
wax disc, wetted in the mouth, is now dropped in, and the upper
plate swung round over it, the hole in the latter of course coming
into place against the limiting pin so as to receive the plunger.
When the plunger is forced down, a ring of wax is left on the bed
plate, and on swinging round the lower brass plate this ring drops
out free. The only precaution is to keep the wax from sticking to
the edges of the plunger and of the die (simple wetting will answer
probably, and will enable one to make these rings very nicely) ; if
they are used, the steel plunger must afterwards be dried and oiled.
And then the rings are made. We place one on the centre of a slide,
putting upon it a piece of oiled paper (so dry as not to leave marks
on the slide) ; press the wax forcibly on to the glass, and burnish it
with the nail, or an ivory handle, not so hard, however, as to press
it out of shape. The object is now put in the cell (or, if Diatoms,
mounted on the cover), and the cover applitd — it should be the same
size as the ring, and may be held in place by one of the ordinary
spring clips ; next, by means of a pin's head (the pin mounted in a
handle), or by a wire used as a soldering tool, by heating in the
flame of a lamp, and which is applied on the top of the cover at the
margin ; the wax is melted (only under the margin of the cover,
however), thus fastening the cover securely — the different colour
of the melted and attached wax shows when this is completely done.
The whole may now receive immediately a finish of any of the
ordinary varnishes, and with no fears of running in. If the wax
ring is neatly made, and soldered to the cover (if I may be allowed

* From the Journal of the Quekett Miercscopical Club.

the expression), a minute ring of it — red, or blue, or white — may
remain as a finish, or the whole may be covered with the black
varnish. I find the coloured wax works somewhat better in punch-
ing than the bleached or white. For mounting Foraminifera the
wax bottom cell cannot be surpassed ; indeed, no one who has used
it will return to paper or any other substitute.

GIGANTIC SILVER FOUNTAIN.

THE manufacture of large works in silver is not confined to
countries in which that metal is most abundantly found. True
that we read of a kitchen in South America being furnished with
all sorts of kitchen utensils made of silver, and even a drinking
trough for horses at an inn being entirely of that metal ; but these
works exhibit no specimens of taste in form, and possess all the
clumsiness of rude art. In England we have produced a work alike
remarkable for its stupendous size and ornamental design, which is
believed to be the largest " piece of plate " ever executed in this
country. It originated as follows. The Court of Directors of the
East India Company, being anxious to acknowledge the friendly de-
portment of the Pacha of Egypt towards our country, " in a manner
worthy of the greatest political and military power in the East,"
had constructed a silver fountain, of extraordinary magnitude and
exquisite workmanship, as a present to Mohammed Ali, from the
Company.

This truly magnificent fountain is upwards of 10 feet high, and
contains 10,000 ounces (about 7| cwt.) of silver. The base is of a
quadrangular form, resting on a slab of black marble. It is 4 feet
in diameter, and terminates in fluted claws, presenting altogether
the appearance of a massive and enriched pedestal. In the centre
rises a sort of altar, or column, also quadrangular, whence rises a
shaft, containing the first and largest of the basins ; within and
around the edges undulates a wreath of oak leaves and acorns,
twined and banded together with excellent effect, the overhanging
portions being characteristically festal. The design of the two
upper basins is of corresponding character, as is also the ornamental
shaft. At each of the four corners of the basement is placed a vase
of elegant design, containing a bouquet of flowers in frosted silver ;
and faUing from the scrolls of the upper table, or altar, towards
these vases, are cornucopia?, filled with fruit and flowers. Their
execution is very beautiful, and artistically accurate.

The interior works are as follows : — From the top, water is thrown
by a jet worked by machinery, consisting of a force pump, and a
weighted plunger, working in an air-tight vessel ; and the water,
being thus thrown up, falls into the three successive basins in the
form of the pyramid, and returns through the centre of the lower-
most basin into the reservoir, whence it is again taken up and used,
on the pump being set in motion.

It will play for nearly two hours, after being pumped for six or
seven minutes, by means of a handle inserted in one corner of the
base.

The style of the ornament throughout the exterior of the fountain
is that of Louis Quatorze. On the sides of the base is a convex
shield, bearing the following inscription, in four languages,

TO HIS HIGHNESS

MOHAMMED ALL

Pacha of Egypt ;
PRESENTED BY

THE EAST INDIA COMPANY.

London, a.d. 1845.

The other languages are Turkish, Alric, and Latin. The cost of
this magnificent fountain was 7000/. It occupied more than seven
months in the actual manufacture, and is in every respect a superb
piece of art.

Don J. Mozart, the unfortunate watch inventor, died at the
county poor house, in Ann Arbor, Mich., U.S.A., on the 15th ult.
He was once a well-to-do jeweller in that city, and a few years ago
succeeded in inventing a watch which had such superior qualities
that a stock company with a large capital was formed for its manu-
facture. Everything was in readiness for work, when, taking his
model apart for some slight improvement, he seems to have been so
overcome with his success, that his mind was weakened and he found
himself unable to complete his invention. Soon after he became
hopelessly crazy. His small fortune was lost, and his family left
with nothing but a home. He was placed under the care of physi-
cians at the Kalamazoo Insane Asylum, but could not be cured.
The masonic fraternity have since provided for him in connection
with the county. — Jewellers' Circular.

268

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[May 5, 1877.

OBSERVATORIES.

From the " Orbs of Heaven."

AS our readers well know, an observatory is a structure fitted up
expressly for astronomical observations, and furnished with
suitable instruments for that purpose.

The two most celebrated observatories hitherto built are those of
Tycho Brahe, and of Greenwich. The observatory of Tycho Brahe
was constructed at the expense of the King of Denmark, in a style
of royal magnificence, and cost no less than 200,000 crowns.
It was situated on the island of Huenna at the entrance of- the
Baltic, and was called Uraniburg, or the palace of the skies.

Before giving an account of Tycho's observatory, it will be
useful to relate a few particulars respecting this great astronomer
himself.

Tycho Brahe was of Swedish descent and of noble family, but
having received his education at the University of Copenhagen, and
spent a large part of his life at Denmark, he is usually considered
a Dane and quoted as a Danish astronomer. He was born in the
year 1546. When he was about fourteen years old, there happened
a great eclipse of the sun, which awakened in him a high interest,
especially when he saw how accurately all the circumstances of it
answered to the prediction with which he had before been made
acquainted. He was immediately seized with an irresistible passion
to acquire knowledge of the science which could so successfully lift
the veil of futurity. His friends had destined him for the profession
of law, and, from the superior talents of which he gave early
promise, added to the advantage of powerful family connections,
they had marked out for him a distinguished career in public life.
They therefore endeavoured to discourage him from pursuing a path
which they deemed so much less glorious, and vainly sought, by
various means, to extinguish the zeal for astronomy which was
kindled in his youthful bosom. Despising all the attractions of a
Court, he contracted an alliance with a peasant girl, and in the
peaceful retirement of domestic life desired no happier lot than to
peruse the grand volume which the nocturnal heavens displayed to
his enthusiastic imagination.

He soon established his fame as one of the greatest astronomers
of the age, and monarchs did homage to his genius. The King of
Denmark became his munificent patron, and James I., King of
England, when he went to Denmark to complete his marriage with
a Danish princess, passed eight days with Tycho in his observatory,
and, at his departure, addressed to the astronomer a Latin ode,
accompanied with a magnificent present. He gave him also his
royal licence to print his works in England, and added to it the
following complimentary letter: — "Nor am I acquainted with
these things on the relation of others, or from a mere persual of
your works, but I have seen them with my own eyes, and heard
them with my own ears, in your own residence at Uraniburg, during
the various learned and agreeable conversations which I there held
with you, which even now effect my mind to such a degree that it
is difficult to decide whether I recollect them with greater pleasure
Or admiration." Admiring disciples also crowded to this sanctuary
of the sciences to acquire a knowledge of the heavens.

The observatory consisted of a main building, which was square,
each side being sixty-feet, and of large wings in the form of round
towers. The whole was executed in a style of great magnificence ;
and Tycho, who was a nobleman by descent, gratified his taste for
splendour and ornament by giving to every part of the structure an
air of the most finished elegance. Nor were the instruments with
which it was furnished less magnificent than the buildings. They
were vastly larger than had before been employed in the survey of
the heavens, and many of them were adorned with costly ornaments.
One of Tycho's large and splendid instruments was his astronomical
quadrant, on one side of which was figured a representation of the
astronomer and his assistants in the midst of their instruments, and
intently engaged in making and recording observations. The des-
cription of this instrument, furnished by his contemporaries, conveys
to us a striking idea of the magnificence of his arrangements, and
of the extent of his operations. Here Tycho sat in state, clad in
the robes of nobility, and supported throughout his establishment
the etiquette due to his rank. His observations were more numerous
than all that had ever been made before, and they were carried to a
degree of accuracy that is astonishing, when we consider that they
were made without the use of the telescope, which was not yet
invented. Tycho carried on his observations at Uraniburg for
about twenty years, during which time he accumulated an immense
store of accurate and valuable facts, which afforded the ground-
work of the discovery of the great laws of the solar system estab-
lished by Kepler.

But the high marks of distinction which Tycho enjoyed, not only
from Lis own sovereign, but also from foreign potentates, provoked

the envy of the courtiers of his royal patron. They did not, indeed,
venture to make their attacks upon him while his generous patron
was living ; but the king was no sooner dead, and succeeded by a
young monarch, who did not feel the same interest in protecting
and encouraging this great ornament of the kingdom, than his
envious foes carried into execution their long meditated plot for his
ruin. They represented to the young king that the treasury was
exhausted, and that it was necessary to retrench a number of
pensions which had been granted for useless purposes, and in
particular that of Tycho, which, they maintained, ought to be con-
ferred upon some person capable of rendering greater services to
the State. By these means they succeeded in depriving him of his
support, and he was compelled to withdraw to the hospitable mansion
of a friend in Germany. Here he became^ known to the emperor,
who invited him to Prague, where, with an ample stipend, he re-
sumed his labours. But, though surrounded with affectionate
friends and admiring disciples, he was still an exile in a foreign
land. Although his country had been base in its ingratitude, it
was yet the land which he loved, the scene of his earliest affection,
the theatre of his scientific glory. These feelings continually
preyed upon his mind, and his unsettled spirit was ever hovering
among his native mountains. In this condition he was attacked by
a disease of the most painful kind, and though its agonizing
paroxysms had lengthened intermissions, yet he saw that death was
approaching. He implored his pupils to persevere in their scientific
labours; he conversed with Kepler on some of the profoundest
points of astronomy ; and with these secular occupations he mingled
frequent acts of piety and devotion. In this happy condition he
expired, without pain, at the age of fifty-five.

COMPETITION FOR PRIZES OFFERED BY MESSRS
WATHERSTON & SON, FOR DESIGNS FOR A
DESSERT SERVICE OF PLATE.

SOMETIME since Messrs. Watherston & Son, of Pall Mall East,
with a view to the advancement of British art in its application
to Silversmith's Work, to be exhibited at the Paris International
Exhibition of 1878, offered prizes, which were to be awarded by the
Science and Art Department of the Council on Education of the
South Kensington Museum.

The prizes of £100, £50, £30, and £20 respectively, were offered
for the four best designs for a Dessert Service of Plate, comprising
a Central Plateau, four Candelabra, four Fruit Dishes, four flower
Stands, and four Salt Cellars. The Service, when manufactured, to
be of a total weight of 2000 ounces of silver. The conditions of
competition being as follows : — 1. The competition was limited to
candidates — British born — who are, or have been, bona fide Students
of Schools of Art recognized by the Science and Art Department,
and who have since 1867 taken a Third Grade Prize, or a higher
prize in the National Competition of that Department. 2. The
drawings and models of all competitors to be forwarded to the Depart-
ment through the Secretaries of the Schools of Art in which they are
or have been students. The design or designs of each competitor
to bear a distinguishing motto, which motto, together with the com-
petitor's name and address, had to be sent to the Department in a
sealed envelope at the same time with the designs. 3. The com-
peting designs to be delivered to the Science and Art Department
on or before the 15th March, 1877. 4. The awards to be made by
the Director for Art, E. J. Poynter, Esq., R.A., whose decision will
be final. 5. The prize designs to become the property of Messrs.
Watherstoa & Son.

The successful competitors for the prizes are as follows :
1st Prize £100 Owen Gibbons (Messrs. Maw & Co., Benthall
Works, Broseley, formerly of National Art Train-
ing School).
2nd „ £50 W. H. Singer, from School of Art.
3rd „ £30 Eobert Elson, Lambeth School of Art.
4th ,, £20 John Marsh Benson, Sheffield School of Art.
The designs will be on view at the South Kensington Museum
during month of May.

A Monster Steel Bank Room Safe. — A Monster Bank
Room Safe is at present in course of construction by Mr. Samuel
Cbatwood, at Chatwood Safe Works, Bolton, and which when
completed will be the largest of the kind ever made. It is intended
for the Union Bank of Scotland and is 48 feet in length and 10 feet
wide. The Monster safe is divided into three different sections
connecting with each other, and each section having its own separate
connection with the banker's room. Each part is fitted with Chat-
wood's patent lamp, which lights and also effectually ventilates the
section at the same time.

May 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUKNAL.

269

CURIOSITIES OP CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

(Continued from page 227.)

I'

TN Madame Tussaud and Sons' Exhibition, London, is a gold
repeating watch of considerable value, which was presented by-
Napoleon Bonaparte to Mr. Mate, his valet, who accompanied him
in his Russian campaign. The valet declared it to have been pre-
sented to him oq his leaving the Emperor's service after the battle
of Leipzig. He sold it to William Bullock, of the Egyptian Hall,
Piccadilly, who afterwards sold it for the same price as that which
he had given for it to M. Tussaud. The same exhibition contains
a Eingular secret clock, containing a small figure of Napoleon, which
was formerly the property of his brother Lucien.

In an engraving published in 1830 Death enters a watchmaker's
shop, and shows his hour-glass to the master, saying, " Nais-je
bien?" to which the latter answered, "Vous avancez horrible-
ment."

Babbage in his "Economy of Manufactures," 1835, says: — "An
apparatus has recently been applied to watches, by which the band
which indicates seconds leaves a small dot of ink on the dial-plate
whenever a certain stop or indent is pushed in. Thus, whilst the
eye is attentively fixed on the phenomenon to be observed, the
finger registers on the face of the watch-dial the commencement
and the end of its appearance."

In the Mirror for 1837 appear certain flimsy rhymes, entitled
"Elegy and Eulogy on two Rival Watches," which commence
thus : —

" Here lieth one whose chief besetting sin

Was lying, tho' he'd neither tongue nor chin ;

Consummate falsehood bubbl'd without rest,

From springs all lying 'neath his brassy breast.

That one who had no tongue from truth should swerve,

Sounds somewhat strange — but who has fail'd t'obserye

That words, tho' true, may be in fact a lie,

As falsehood may be uttered guiltlessly ;

Whate'er is said, whate'er one may believe,

Lying is but the intention to deceive."

In the year 1839 a transparent watch of small size, constructed
principally of rock crystal, was presented to the Academy of Science
at Paris. It was made by M. Rebellier. The works were all
visible ; the two-teethed wheels which carried the hands were of
rock crystal, and the other wheels were of metal. All the screws
were fixed in crystal, and each axis turned on rubies. The escape-
ment was of sapphire, the balance-wheel of rock crystal, and the
springs of gold. This watch was found to keep excellent time,
which circumstances was attributed by the maker to the feeble
expansion of the crystal in the balance wheel.

A traveller, writing in 1844, says, "I saw to-day in Munich,
above the door of a watchmaker's shop, the words Uhr Maker, a
Maker of Hours."

. In 1844, Messrs. Hart & Son, of Cornhill made for the Sultan Abdul
Medschid, a watch, which as a whole was perhaps the most costly and
elaborate piece of horological mechanism ever produced by English
workmen up to that time. It was exhibited to the Queen and
to Prince Albert as a triumph of British skill and taste. The watch
was five inches in diameter ; it was in a double case of twenty -two
carat gold ; the back external case was beautifully enamelled with
flowers, within a border of arabesque scroll-work. This part of the
workmanship was truly exquisite, the brilliancy of the colours and
the delicacy of the pencilling surpassing anything of the kind of
foreign manufacture. The dial was white opaque, enamelled on
copper, similar to English watches in general, but the figures were
Turkish characters. The hands were of blue steel, set with
diamonds, one hand represented a dart, and the other a shorter
dart, or arrow, with the crescent at one end. The movement was
duplex with a chronometer balance, and jewelled in ten ruby holes.
The watch struck the hours and quarters by itself, as the time
represented ; which striking was repeated together with the
minutes, by pushing upwards a small gold slide. The inner bottom
was of crystal, so as to show the repeating mechanism ; and through
the crystal were two holes to wind up the striking part and the
movement. Wires, instead of the old method, by a bell, were used ;
and the sound resembled that of a powerful and harmonious
cathedral clock. The pendant, or handle, was formed of five scrolls,
shaped pyramidically, and beautifully engraved. The cost of this
watch and a companion one, which were both ordered in 1843
through the Turkish embassy, was 1,200 guineas.

In 1845, the operatives of Birmingham, with a view to stimulate
the manufacture of British jewellery, presented to Prince Albert,
with other articles for the Queen, a watch-chain, seal, and key.
The design of the seal was the Warwick Vase, standing on a

pedestal, supported by Mercury and Ceres ; grapes sprung from the
top of the seal, the tendrils of the vine gracefully forming the loop.
The key was in tasteful keeping with the seal; the vine and the
oak were represented as springing from the same soil, the foliage of
each being perfectly developed. A pendant acorn chastely formed
the termination of the hanging foliage in the centre of the key.

In 1847, the Polish emigrants in Great Britain and Ireland
presented to Lord Dudley Stuart a gold watch, as a token of
gratitude on the part of the whole Polish emigration in all countries
of the world, for the services rendered by him to the cause of their
natioD. This watch, which was made by Messrs. Patek, & Co.,
Poles, established at Geneva, had a chronometer escapement, with
compensation balance and isochronal spiral springs, its principal
parts being garnished with rubies. It was wound up^nd the
hands could be set without any key, according to a very simple and
ingenious contrivance invented by the manufacturers. It was a
repeater ; it marked the seconds, and on its pendant was constructed
a small mariner's compass. The dial represented in basso-relievo
the last seal of independent Poland, exquisitely engraved. In the
centre was the white eagle, of which the red escutcheon was sup-
ported by two upright figures, the emblems of justice and peace.
Around, instead of ciphers indicating the hours, were the arms of
the eleven principal provinces of ancient Poland on palm branches ;
twelve o'clock being marked by the cross which surmounted the
royal crown. All this allegory was well adapted to the occasion.
At each hour one separate and distinct province, surrounded with a
martyr's palm, recalled itself to the remembrance of the defender of
the Polish cause. Justice and peace appeared as if pleading in its
behalf, and the cross which crowned the whole seemed to remind
sovereigns and nations of their relative duties. The compass was
intended to direct attention constantly to the north, and the striking
of each hour was an imitation of the alarm bell of Poland. On the
back of the watch was carved in alto-relievo the coat-of-arms of the
Stuart family projecting from a rich damask ground, which covered
the whole watch. In the middle of the inside case was this
inscription: " Nobili Domino Dudley Voutts Stuart, UK Assiduo
Libertatis Polonise Defensori, Ejusque Filiorum Patria Orborum
Adpitori, Die 3 Maii, 1847.

The Illustrated London News of August 23rd, 1851, tells us that
there was then living at Holbeach, Lincolnshire, a watch-maker
named Rippin, who was completely blind. He was a first rate
hand at his business, and it was truly surprising to observe with
what ease he could take to pieces and place together again watches
of the most delicate mechanism. Some years previously Rippin was
robbed, and the property taken from him consisted of watch wheels,
hair springs, and other tiny things belonging to the trade. The
thief was traced, and convicted at Spalding Sessions, the blind man
having sworn to his property by feeling.

Early in the present century at Barnstaple, was a sign over a door,
denoting that clocks and watches were repaired by William Hunter a
blind man. He was born blind, and was brought up by his father, who
was a clock and watchmaker, to that business, which he afterwards
followed. He had plenty of employment, being considered
by the inhabitants to be very efficient in his profession. He
repaired musical clocks and watches, and seldom met with any
difficulty in repairing the most complicated. It often occurred that
in cases where others had failed in completely restoring the defective
work of a clock or watch, this man discovered and set right the
defect.

The Great Exhibition of 1851 contained numerous curious
watches. Messrs. Rotherham & Sons, of Coventry, whose estab-
lishment was the only one of the kind in England in which machinery
impelled by steam power was employed for performing many of the
processes in the completion of a watch, exhibited the various parts
of a lever watch in the progressive stages of manufacture ; for
instance, the top plates, the pillar plate and cap, cap-spring cock,
namebar, potence, wheelbar, regulator, pendulum, stud, detent,
detent-spring, stop, stop- spring, index, bolt, bolt-spring, dial-wheel,
click and ratchet chain, barrel-cover, barrel-arbor, fusee, collet,
main or great wheel, maintaining-power spring, maintaining-
power wheel, fusee, roller, lever pallett, escape wheel and pinion,
compensation-balance, pendulum-springs, ruby stones, jewel holes,
cases, and rings for glasses. All the above were shown as roughly
cast, then as formed into proper shapes, and lastly, as finished.
Several movements were also shown, and a beautiful display of
137 watches of all kinds, from the plainest silver watch, to the most
elaborately finished and ornamental gold watch.

Mr. Thompson exhibited his antochronograph for the instan-
taneous stamping or printing of time.

Mr. Dent, in addition to the large turret-clock in the nave, had a
good display of chronometers and watches of various designs and

270

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[May 5, 1877.

for various purposes. And in his collection was a watch with a
contrivance for winding up and setting the hands without a key, by
turning a knob in the ring or pendant by which it was attached to
the chain or guard. The merit of this invention is said to be due to
Mr. Viner, whose first construction was a jointed lever passing
through the pendant, and acting directly upon the main spring, and
furnished with a rachet to prevent the recoil of the spring. More
recently the spring has been wound up by means of a revolving
cylinder; and this method has the advantage of giving power to set
the hands also when required without a key. There are watches
which wind themselves up, that is, are provided with a mechanism
in which the bodily exercise of the wearer sets in motion a shifting
weight, which, as the train runs down, again restores the force of
the spring.

M. liicusec, a watchmaker of Paris, obtained a prize medal for
his astronomical marking watches, which had a second hand, that,
on a pin being touched at the time of observation, made a black
spot on the dial ; and this process could be repeated at very close
intervals, so as to record the exact moments of a number of observed
phenomena following each other very rapidly, without the necessity
of taking the eye off the object watched for, in order to look at the
dial.

A silver watch which performed, while suspended in a glass globe
filled with water containing gold fish, was exhibited by Messrs.
Pettit. The object of this invention being to secure the protection
of time-keeping and other instruments from water and sea damp.

In the Swiss collections from Geneva was a miniature watch,
three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, inserted in the top of a
pencil case, and indicating on its tiny dial not only the hours,
minutes, and seconds, but also the days of the mouth.

Mr. Timmel of Brighton, exhibited a small lever watch, the
diameter of which was that of a threepenny piece.

The rose watch was the name under which Mr. Jones, of the
Strand exhioited a beautifully mounted watch, the decoration of
which was suggestive throughout. On one half of the margin
around the back was engraved on blue enamel, "Man cometh forth
as a flower and is cut down." On the surface of the richly engraved
gold back was a Maltese cross in white enamel, and on its four
limbs were represented the four seasons of human life, in the bud,
blossom, decay, and death of a rose. On the other half of the
margin round the back of the watch was inscribed the corresponding
text to that above quoted, " It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in
glory."

In the centre of the cross was a celestial crown of diamonds on a
blue enamel surface, surrounded by an Olympic wreath of pearls, with
glory rays in enamel radiating between the limbs of the cross. The
dial represented in coloured enamele the beautiful i ose-window of
Westminster Abbey. On the twelve compartments indicating the
hours were the names or the twelve apostles. On the bevel edge of
the glass was inscribed in blue enamel, " He that taketh not his cross
daily is not worthy of me."

FARTHINGS AND SILVER PENNIES.

THE Anglo-Saxon penny is known to have been as early as
and was perhaps earlier ; it was of silver. The croi

688,
ross is
said to have been deeply impressed on it, that it might be divided
into the half ling or half-penny, and the fourth ling or fourth of a
penny, now called farthing.

In 1444, 23 Henry VI., a petition was presented to the House of
Commons, stating, that for default of farthings and half-pennies,
" men were travailling our Countree, for part of the expense of
necessitee must depar our Soveraigne Lordes coigne, that is to wete,
a Peny in two peces, or also must forgo all the same Peny, for the
paicment of a Half- Peny.'' Henry I. first ordered half -pennies and
farthings to be made round, before that time they had been made
square.

James I. granted by patent to Frances, Duchess of Richmond, the
monopoly of coining farthings for seventeen years. A vulgar error
prevails, that a " Queen Anne's Farthing " is of immense value.
Her farthing is scarce, but not valuable, unless in fine preservation.
The only coin of this denomination issued in her reign, bears her
head, inscribed, ANNA DEI GLORIA; and en the reverse
BRITANNIA, 1714. In the finest condition it is not worth more
than 20s., or with the broad rim, 30s. There were patterns for
farthings of her reign which were not issued, one with Britannia
under a portal ; and another with Peace in a car, which are rare and
may fetch 10'. or 50*.

The rarest j attera is inscribed on the reverse BELLO EST PACE,
1713. The field in the centre is sunk, the rims indented, to prevent
counterfeit,^; being cast in sand.

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

MAY.

MAY was the second month in the old Alban calendar, the third
in that of Romulus, and the fifth in the one instituted by
IMuma Pompilius, which position it has held from that distant date1
to the present period. It consisted of 22 days iu the Alban, and of
31 in Romulus's calendar ; Numa deprived it of the odd day, which
Julius Caesar restored, since which it has remained undisturbed.;
The most reliable account of the origin of the name of the month isi
that which represents it as being assigned in honour of thel
" Majores," or "Maiores," the Senate in the original constitution]
of Rome, June being in like manner a compliment to the " Juniores," '
or inferior branch of the Roman Legislature. The notion that it|
was in honour of Maia, the mother by Jupiter of the god Hermes, I
or Mercury, seems entirely gratuitous, and merely surmised in con- 1
sequence of the resemblance of the word. Amongst our Saxon
forefathers the month was called " Tri-Milchi," with an understood
reference to the improved condition of the cattle under benefit of
the spring herbage, the cow being now able to give milk thrice a
day. It is an idea as ancient as early Roman times, stated by Ovid
in his " Fasti," and still prevalent in Europe, that May is an
unlucky month in which to be married.

While there is a natural eagerness to hail May as a summer
month, and from its position in the year it ought to be one, it is,
however, one of the months of spring.

In Scotland, in parts peculiarly exposed, the east wind of May is
generally felt as a very severe affliction. On this subject, however,
a gentleman was once rebuked in somewhat striking terms by one
" Abnormis Sapiens." It was the late accomplished Lord Ruther-
ford, of the Edinburgh Bench, who, rambling one day on the
Pentland Hills with his friend Lord Cockburn, encountered a
shepherd who was remarkable in his district for a habit of senten-
tious talking, in which he put everything in a triple form. Lord
Rutherford, conversing with the man, expressed himself in strong
terms regarding the east wind, which was then blowing very keenly.
" And what ails ye at the east wind? " said the shepherd. " It is
so bitterly disagreeable," replied the judge. "I wonder at you
finding so much fault with it." " And, pray, did you ever find any
good in it? " " Oh, yes." "And what can you say good of it? "
inquired Lord Rutherford. " Weel," replied the triadist, " it dries
the yird (soil), it slockens (refreshes) the ewes, and it's God's
wull." The learned judges were silent.

QUERIES AND REPLIES.

Magnetism in Watch Tools.— A. B. 0. asks, through a con-
temporary, " Will ' Seconds Pivot ' or any reader say how magnetism is
got out of watch tools, how to test them, and how to test balance spring ? "

C. Detaille replies : — " If you wish to demagnetize any piece of iron or
steel which is magnetic, one way is to heat the said iron or steel to redness,
and then let it cool slowly. The following method does not require any
heat, and is better suited for tools. Let us say you mean to demagnetize a
file. First of all be sure that the file is magnetic, which you can ascertain
by dipping it in iron filings. Nest you must determine which way the poles
of the file are placed. This you do by bringing it near a compass needle.
If you find that the point of the file attracts the south end of the compass
needle and repels its north end, then the north pole of the file is situated at
its point. Now to demagnetise it, get a magnet of any kind, and with the
north pole of the magnet rub the file from the south pole to the north,
testing it by the above tests after each stroke, until it is demagnetised."

French. Clock. — Beak asks : — During my business as clock-winder I
came across a clock whose mainspring slips at the hook in the barrel. The
clock continues to go the week. Would the slipping of the mainspring have
any effect as to the clock keeping time? "

Bung answers : — ■" I do not see how a mainspring sbpping at the hook in
the barrel could affect the time the clock would keep while going, and if I
found such a clock going irregularly I should at once examine the escape-
ment, as it is just possible (though not within my own experience) that, if
the clock had a very heavy pendulum, and the escape-wheel teeth were
exceedingly fine, the shock to the movement at the time of slipping may
cause some of these to bend, and should the clock continue to go after this
injury, it certainly then would go indifferently as to time."

Whitening Silver. — Cornelius Dabbek asks, " Can any one give
me a method for giving silver ornaments (brooches, earrings, &c.) a dead
white lustre ? I have tried cyanide of potassium, which does very well for
plated articles, but spoils real silver. I believe the process is called
' whitening,' and is produced by boiling the articles in a solution of some
kind of salt. Can any one inform me on this subject ? "

Dens replies : — " ' Cornelius Dabber ' will obtain the dead white lustre by
boiling the articles in a solution of alum, in a pipkin or a copper pan. Boil
till the desired tint is obtained, then wash well in very hot water, using a
stiff brush with soap and carbonate of soda."

Mai 5, 1877.J

I SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

271

GOLD IN PERSIA.

SOME little time ago one of the Shah's pish khedmet's (personal
attendants), riding in the neighbourhood of Zenjan, about 180
miles from Teheran on the Tabriz road, found a piece of gold ore
'On inquiries he heard that one of the inhabitants of the village close
Tby had occasionally been seen returning from the mountains in a
mysterious manner. The villager was found and his house searched,
and the pishkhedmet discovered a small crucible, a forge, and appli-
ances for melting ; and nearly 80/. worth of pure gold. The man, nearly
seventy years of age, said that he had found this gold at different
times, and by stealth, during the last seven years ; but he affirmed
that there existed a very rich mine of gold whence he had obtained
it. As the mountains were covered with snow, no further investiga-
tion could be made at the time. The man was taken to Teheran,
and has been interrogated by the Shah himself. He of course is
perfectly willing to show the spot where he found the gold, the
more so as the Shah has given him the village in which he lived,
close to the mine, as a free gift. The pish khedmet, who was the
cause of discovering the mine, will receive the long-promised 3,000
tomans (1,2001.) for the first person who discovered a gold mine.
After a few days a high functionary, the Amini Sultan, accompanied
by the old villager, is going to Zenjan with some assistants who
Iknow a little of mining, and work is to be commenced at once. The
Shah has already made a promise to the effect that he will present
Iris people with one year's revenue, a sum of four million tomans
(1,600,000/). His Majesty will probably himself go to the mine in
the the spring to see the treasure. Nobody has the least doubt of
this gold mine, which is to regenerate Persia with its millions and
millions ; it is, however, not at all certain whether a rich mine or
even a poor one exists. — British Mail.

A Clock Collector. — One of those odd geniuses, who spend
their lives and means in collecting curious and rare articles, lately
died. His name was Sylo Bonaffin, a retired merchant of Philadel-
phia. His elaborate collections were sold at auction, and their
oddity has attracted general attention. His chief mania was for
clocks, which literally covered every portion of available space in
Jus apartments, whether they were placed on chairs, tables, shelves,
or hung against the wall. Some of these time-pieces were of
unique construction. One clock was made to run for 400 days
after one winding, another was set in the dash-board of his carriage,
and he used to regulate his drives to an exact period by it. In fact,
he seems to have utilised his clocks to maintain his reputation for
minute punctuality. — Scientific American.

" Ee-tocching " Choice Stones. — There is a factory in Idar,
Germany, where the colouring of stones for art purposes is said to
be carried on to a greater extent, and more perfectly, than in any
other part of the world, the process pursued in thus converting
chalcedonies and red and yellow cornelians into onyxes resulting in
the production of admirable specimens, which are known and prized
in all the markets of Europe and America. The peculiarity of this
process consists in the fact that the ribbons or zones in the different
varieties of chalcedony — which, in the kidney-formed masses of that
substance, lie superimposed — differ in their texture and compact-
ness ; but owing to their similarity of colour in the natural state,
they can only be distinguished from each other with difficulty.
The stone is, however, capable of absorbing fluid in the direction
of the strata ; and as the strata possess this property in different
degrees, it necessarily follows that if a coloured fluid be absorbed,
and the quantity taken up by the pores of the stone is different from
every stratum or zone, a number of tints will be produced corre-
sponding to the number of zones, each being distinct, and coloured
in proportion to the quantity of the fluid absorbed. In this way a
specimen of stone naturally but slightly coloured may be rendered
equal to fine stratified chalcedony or onyx, and may be employed
equally well in the engraving of cameos.

On the 25th ult., at the British Horological Institute, a lecture
was delivered by Mr. J. Tripplin, Besancon, watch manufacturer,
on " A comprehensive and easy method of examining Geneva
watches with cylinder escapement." The lecturer explained that
most of his principles were drawn from Mr. C. Sa- nier's works, and
illustrated several of his arguments with diagrams on the black
board. The lecture was divided into three parts, viz.: — (1.) Pre-
liminary examination, motion work, barrel. (2.) The train.
(3.) The escapement. And included in the brief space of one hour

a remarkable and interesting summary of principles and practical
methods cleverly combined. Altogether the seance to which, by a

appy innovation, ladies had been admitted, was a decided success,
the rooms being crowded with an attentive and interested audience.

LONDON LEGEND OP THE CLOCK WHICH STRUCK
THIRTEEN, AND SAVED A MAN'S LIPE.

THERE is a traditionary story, very widely diffused over the Coun*
try, to the effect that St. Paul's clock on one occasion struck
thirteen at midnight, with the extraordinary result of saving the life of
a sent;nel, accused of sleeping at his post. It is not less than half a cen-
tury since the writer heard the tale related in a remote part of Scotland-
In later times the question has been put, Is there any historic basis for
this tradition ? followed by another still more pertinent, Is the alleged
fact mechanically possible ? and to both an affirmative answer has
been given. An obituary notice of John Hatfield, who died at his
house in Glasshouse Yard, Aldersgate, on the 18th of June, 1770,
attheageof 102, states, that when a soldierinthetimeof William and
Mary he was tried by a court martial, on a charge of having fallen
asleep when on duty upon the Terrace at Windsor. It goes on to state
— "He absolutely denied the charge against him, and solemnly de-
clared, as a proof of his having been awake at the time, that he heard
St. Paul's clock strike thirteen, the truth of which was much doubted
by the Cqurt, because of the great distance. But while he was under
sentence of death, an affidavit was made by several persons that the
clock actually did strike thirteen instead of twelve ; whereupon he
received His Majesty's pardon." It is added that a recital of these
circumstances was engraved on the coffin plate of the old soldier,
" to satisfy the world of the truth of a story which has been much
doubted, though he had often confirmed it to many gentlemen, and
a few days before his death told it to several of his acquaintances."
An allusion to the story occurs in a poem styled " A Trip to
Windsor," one of a volume published in 1774, under the title of
Weeds of Parnessus, by Timothy Scribble :

" The Terrace walk we with surprise behold,
Of which the guides have oft the story told ;
Hatfield, accused of sleeping on his post,
Heard Paul's bell sounding, or his life had lost."
A correction, however, must here be applied — namely, that the
clock which struck on this important occasion, was Tom of West-
minster, which was afterwards removed to St. Paul's. It seems a
long way for sound to travel, and when we think of the noises
which fill this bustling city, even at midnight, the possibility of its
being heard even in the suburbs seems faint. Yet we must recollect
that London was a much quieter place 150 years ago than now, and
the fact that the tolling of St Paul's has often been heard at Windsor
is undoubted. As to the query, Is the staking of thirteen mechani-
cally possible ? a correspondent of the Notes and Queries has given it
a satisfactory answer. Second series vii. 14. All striking clocks
have two spindles for winding, one of these is for the going part,
which turns the hands, and is connected with and regulated by the
balance spring. Every time that the minute hand comes to twelve,
it raises a catch connected with the striking part, which has been
standing still for the previous sixty minutes, and the striking work
then makes as many strokes on the bell or spring gong as the space
between the notch which the catch has left, and the next notch
allows. When the catch falls into the next notch, it again stops the
striking work till the minute hand reaches twelve again an hour
afterwards. Now, if a catch be stiff, so as not to fall into the notch,
or the notch be worn so as not to hold it, the clock will strike on
till the catch does hold. If a clock strike midnight and the succeed-
ing hour together, there is thirteen at once, and very simply. If the
story of St. Paul's clock be true, and it only happened once, it must
have been from stiffness, or some mechanical obstacles.

WONDERS OF HOROLOGY.

Magnetic Clock and Watch.

WHEN the Grand Duke of Tuscany, in 1669, visited the Royal
Society, at Arundel House, he was shown " a clock, the
movements of which are derived from the vicinity of a loadstone ;
and it is so adjusted as to discover the distance of countries at sea
by the longitude." The analogy between this clock and the elec-
trical clock of the present day is not a little remarkable. The
Journal Book of the Society for the above year, contains many allu-
sions to " Hooke's magnetic watch going slower or faster, accord-
ing to the greater or less distance of the loadstone, moving regularly
in every posture."

The Pyramids of Egypt as Sun-dials.
Sir Gardner Wilkinson conjectures that these stupendous monu-
ments were built for astronomical purposes. " The form of the
exterior might lead to many useful calculations. They stand
directly due north and south, and while the direction of the faces to
the east and west might serve to fix the return of a certain period
of the year, the shadow cast by the sun, or the time of its co-
inciding with their slope, might be observed for a similar purpose."

272

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[May 5, 1877.

GOLD.

(Continued from page 249).

"T [HAD his speech to the King (James I. and VI.), concerning his gold
\ mines in Scotland, whereupon the King resolved to set them
on anew. The King proposed to erect a Company of twenty-four
gentlemen of sufficient estates, and each was to lay out 300Z.
sterling on these gold mines, for which each was to have the honour
of knighthood, and to be called the Knights of the Golden Mines,
or the Golden Knights. The money or victuals so collected, to be
committed to an English or Scotch treasury, or a storehouse. That
Mr. Bulmer be Chief Governor during his life. That the workmen
be weekly paid. That mills, dams, sluices, watercourses, &c, be
made by Mr. Buhner and his agents. Lastly, to erect a chapel,
where the workmen may make their prayers to God for their souls'
health, and then their work would be blessed, and come to a good
end, as in other nations.

" The next time Mr. Bulmer came from Court he grew sick, and
confessed that the Earl of Salisbury had crossed all his expected
fortune, then he called himself and his family to remembrance, and
said, ' Well, God giveth, and God taketh away ! ' and ' Blessed be
the name of the Lord for ever ! ' More he said, ' Methinks it is
strange that the King should make a grant, and a nobleman should
cut it off ! '

"Mr. Bulmer in his book, mentions how the rich silver mines of
Hilderstone, in Scotland, were found and lost; how Sandy Maund
found a heavy piece of red metal, descended from a vein, when it
engendered with spar called cacilla. He found this under the silver
Burnat Kingapple Hill. It proved wonderful rich when tried in the
assay furnace by Mr. Bulmer, and that the great quantity of silver

fot in the pit called God's Blessing, was fined out of the red metal,
'he purest contained twenty-four ounces of fine silver, in each one
hundred weight, valued at 1201. sterling per ton. It remains good
till twelve fathoms deep, and from that till thirty, it proved nought.
Its ore grew like hair or grass. The pit called God's Blessing was so
called by Mr. Bulmer because of the wonderful works of God he
had seen there, the like never known before in these kingdoms ! "

Mr. Bulmer remarks, "how long it will continue, is known unto
God, for mines are as uncertain as the life is to man, which is like a
bubble on the waters to-day, to-morrow none." Again, "a mineral
man should be a hazard adventurer, not much esteeming whether
he hit or miss. If he happen to win, he must esteem as nothing.
If he lose all, yet he must think he has got something. If he find
a rich vein, let him not esteem it, for it is like a man stung with a
nettle. If he seek in hopes to find out proof of it, yet he must believe
that he hath, or shall have what he really hath not."

Akinson continues: "Mr. Bulmer writeth of the variety of
stones and metals found by him in Scotland ; (1 ) Natural gold, great
and small. (2) Natural silver, the like he never saw. (3) Copper
stones, of the richest sort. (4) Lead ore, great store, at Leadhills.
(5) Iron stones in abundance. (6) Beds of Alabaster. (7) Marble
stones. (8) Amethyst stones, very amiable, for he had a man that
wrought them, one of which the King wore. (9) Natural pearl in
the sea sand in Galloway. (10) Infinite other riches are there also.
The author saith of Mr. Bulmer that he gave gold several times to
unthankful persons, and sold much of it for half price, and such as
he was most liberal to, were readiest to cut his throat. He con-
tinued still liberal in hospitality. None like him in that time, as is
reported through all Crawford Moor. That he had many irons in
the fire, and often intricate matters to decide, and too many waiters
prodigal hanging on each shoulder. He wasted much himself, and
gave liberally to many to be honoured, or else he might have been
rich. By such means he was impoverished, and followed other
venial vices, not allowable, so, once down, aye down, and at last he
died 340L sterling in my debt, and left me in Ireland in much debt
for him, and God forgive us all our sins, but if he had lived till
now, he might have paid all men."

We must here remark that Sir Bevis Bulmer was one of the
greatest speculators of the day, and appears to have possessed not
only remarkable energy, and extraordinary talents, but also many
good qualities. His first venture seems to have been at
Leadhills, in Lanarkshire, which proved very successful.
He then engaged in working the silver-lead mines at Chenton
Minery, in the Mendips, which was, perhaps, his most profit-
able investment. He also engaged in the re-working of the
Combe Martin silver-lead mines, in Devonshire. From an old
author we read, that, " A new Silver mine was discovered at Combe
Martin, by Adrian Gilbert, and John Poppler, a lapidary, with
whom Mr. Buhner bargained for one half of the whole, he bearing
charges for two years. This mine yielded to each of the partners
10,000/. sterling. It continued four years reasonably good. The

last cake of silver Mr. Bulmer gave to the City of London, -which
Mr. Middley made into a cup and cover, with Mr. Buhner's picture,
and these verses thereon :

" When waterworks at Broken Wharf,

At first erected were,

And Bevis Bulman by his art,

The waters' 'gan to rear,

Dispersed, I in the earth did he,

Prom all beginning old,

In place called Comb, where Martin long

Had hid me in his mould,

I did no service on the earth,

Nor no man set me free,

Till Bulmer by his art and skill

Did frame me thus to be."
On a gold porringer presented by him to Qaeea Elizabeth, the
following lines were engraved : —

" I dare not give, nor yet present,

But render part of that's thy own ;

My mind and heart shall still invent

To seek out treasures yet unknown."
and the following inscription was formerly over the door of his
house at Glengonnar.

" In Wanlock, Elwand, and Glengonnar
I wan my riches, and my honor."
But poor Sir Bevis Bulmer's good fortune did not last. la
1595, he erected water works at Broken Wharf, for the purpose
of forcing and conveying water to the central and western parts
of London ; an immense capital was invested, for which, however,
he never had any adequate return. He also engaged in many
other speculations, and at last, having too many irons in the
fire, became greatly embarrassed. About 1605, James I. took
him under his patronage, and made him " Chief Governor of the
King's Mines, which post he held until his death, which took
place in 1613.

Atkinson gives a curious account of the improvements in gold
refining during Elizabeth's reign, and of their introduction by
foreigners which we quote as likely to interest our readers,
Eeferring to the fleets of the King of Spain, (Phillip II.) he
says : —

" Sometimes the English pirates meet there withal, knowing-
the time when they are to be laden, and strip them quite of all
such gold and silver. I have sometimes seen of the same brought
into Devon and Cornwall, so as Londoners have ridden thither,
and purchased much thereof. For about the year 1585, there
came a fleet from the West Indies to Seville, with eleven millions
of pieces of eight. Much of the same silver was conveyed into
London before it came to Seville, for good fellows met with them
and forced them to share, for which they gave the Spaniards
store of victuals, and therewith must of force be content. I was
then an apprentice at the Appletree, in Red Cross Street
Without, Cripplegate, and was admitted to be refiner, or finer, at
the Tower of London, instead of my master, Francis Tiver, -a gold
refiner, where I refined three days in the week round Indian,
cakes of silver, (platapina?) for Sir Richard Martyn, Knight and
Master of the Mint and one William Clarke was a chief agent
therein, and saw it all done. Besides this many times there
came of such like cakes to be done in Red Cross Street, and
Anthony Martyn was agent for Sir Richard Martyn, and I did refine
thereof some days 1000 pounds weight, and on some days
500 pounds weight or 600 pounds weight. Aud sometimes I have
had round cakes of silver brought to be refined in great batches,
which we before sent out for plumbers sweepers, by cart loads,
because the common people should not perceive it from tin to
lead. And it was commonly refined by night, and afterwards melted
and cast into ingots of fine silver of 40 pounds weight each ingot,
and so returned by night always to Sir Richard Martyn's house
in Cheapside, by labourers and porters, which blew the bellows
for me : and so thence to be conveyed into the Tower of London,
to be coined by his own servants ; and thus it was weekly turned
into money. , , ,

" I have seen lead before the silver was extracted, make good
tavern pots, bowl pots, member pots, and saucers, much like unto
pewter, but was none. Now, again, some men demand how I first
knew these things, and of whom, saying, ' I knew his master, with
whom he was an apprentice, and his master never knew any such
art.' I answer, ' Neither knew you the names of those who first
discovered the art of extraction in England, nor who taught the
same, to whom, nor why. To discover the art thereof cost my
master Tiver 50Z. sterling, besides other charges, meat and drink.'
They also taught the art of the true searing furnaces, and for drying

May 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

273

furnaces, and semeteering furnaces, and. sundry other furnaces, to melt
by flame, &c. And lastly, how gold and silver might by the easiest
means be drawn out of dry minerals, and mineral stones, and how
verditer might be made without the use of strong water, which
painters do use to paint with.

" About this time Sir Francis Drake brought into England great
store of gold and silver and copper in abundance, especially of the
copper mines from St. Domingo. A great quantity thereof he
brought into London, and much thereof was sold for red copper in
price, whereof was made both kettles and pans, and great caldrons
to boil in, ordnance and other cast pieces, before the worth thereof
was known. At last these foreign travellers, who had taught the
art of extraction out of dry minerals and mineral stones, having
travelled throughout far countries, and behaving themselves like
artists and workmen, were much accounted of in London, for their
experience. First showing how the silver may be extracted out of
the copper mines, and most of the copper sand, for which they were
well paid by Mr. Tiver. And at that time, they taught him to make
aqua regis, to eat up gold into it, and leave the silver, as aquafortis
did silver, and leave the gold like sand. And lastly, how to make
blue verditer, and green verditer, without the help of strong waters,
or green waters ; and Mr. Tiver paid them well for it. The name
of one, and the principal, was : —

" Jacob Yaughall, a Jew,
"Henrique Guarro, a Portingal.
" Don Francisco, and Don Fernado, two travellers came
from the West Indies."
Now, concerning their acts, and what they have seen in foreign
provinces. Jacob Yaughall saith he saw natural gold and silver
extracted out of dry minerals, or mineral stones, and they were
called as followeth : the sappar, the callamineer, the saxer, and the
salaneer stones, the cacella, the ticano, the ceuteno, and the menduta
stones. Besides he hath seen both copper, tin, lead, and iron, to
contain in each of it, silver ; and several other minerals and mineral
stones to hold both gold and silver. And he hath seen quicksilver
issue out of the rock, or crag, and out of a flint stone, which if any
wise man can believe it, then will I believe it also, but I am like
Didymus, before I see it, I cannot believe it. And they also said
that they had seen copper hold perfect gold, and tin perfect gold,
and lead to hold perfect silver, in foreign countries, and iron to hold
both gold and silver, and many of these to hold neither gold nor
silver, but to be perfect of themselves.

" Now to return to the four travellers : namely, Jacob Yaughall
the Jew, Henrique, Francisco, and Ferdinando, how they tried
themselves severally, to be expert artists, and to have travelled
over the greatest part of the West Indies. They came to London
in a.d. 1572, where they taught the art of extraction at Mr. Tiver's
house unto him in the year of our Lord God, 1585, and were paid
therefore : for at that time few men understood the art thereof,
and the profit that ensued thereby. First, what a charge of fire,
in wood and coals, is to be saved in trying of dry minerals and
stones. Secondly, they showed the proof thereof by some
minerals and dry stones wherein nothing could be discerned ;
which they brought with them from Potosi mines, in the West
Indies : and they said they were there when one bed or vein of
silver was newly discovered, which was "very small, and therefore
small accounted of, and that it was a long time in discovering.
And third, that the superiors and governors thereof had been
twelve years and upwards before they found the depth thereof,
not countervailing the tenth of the charge which thereuuto
belonged. And this was in a.d. 1545, for in that year they washed
and scoured much earth, which before had been turned, digged, and
gathered together near unto the river sides, within valleys and
combes, where oftentimes they found out perfect hops of gold, and
pieces of silver, black-eyed, like unto Indian peas, which they call
straggling gold and silver, and some like unto pompion seeds, or to
pippin seeds.

" And there was a book written of their travels, called the
'Jews' Travels.'"

Atkinson makes some very pertinent remarks as to mining
transactions, he says, " When mines hit, it is the best got gear
in the world, it is so profitable to all, and hurts none, and
when they hit not, though it be lost for a time, God is thereby
honoured in searching his hidden treasures out of the depths of the
earth. I read of a godly man's opinion on the first digging the
earth for gold and silver : —

" Woe to the man that first did dig the ground,
To find the mines of silver and of gold,
For when it lay hid, and unto us unknown,
Of strife and debate the seed was unsown,
Then liv'd men well, and held themselves content,
With food and cloth, and payed then no rent."

He also "prays that God may be his guide in his business of
mining, for religion was a special cause in this enterprise to discover
the secret works of God. Art, skill, fame, and hopes of everLsting
life led him to these worthy attempts to discovery of minerals
within the earth, if it hit, it must be a renown to all Christendom,
and registrate the names of the undertakers in the Kalendar of
never dying memory."

Atkinson also says, "There is power given unto minerals to en-
gender in the earth, or to couple with other stones, which are their
feeders." This seems to have been the prevalent opinion at this
period. Moses Stringer, who lived near this lime, and was Governor
of the Mines Royal Company, remarks : " The products of all
natural bodies may be reduced to two classes, namely, animal, and
vegetable,, of which the latter comprehends not only plants, &c, but
metals, minerals, &c. ; for the philosophers of this and the last age,
tell us (and that, too, with good reason), that 'tis highly probable
they have a vegetable power, and that as the beds are emptied by
the miners, so after some time, they recruit. Mr. Boyle has already
been large on that subject, &c." Boyle and Bacon were certainly
of this opinion.

James I.'s reign is remarkable for the interest which Lord Chan-
cellor Bacon took in the affairs of the Mines Royal Company, which
received further grants from the King. Mr. Bushell, his private
secretary, gives a good account of the mining transactions at this
period. He states that he was trained by Bacon to what he calls
the Baconian system of mining, which consisted in running long
adits, and in ventilating them by bellows or shafts. Bushell
worked the silver-lead mines in Merionethshire, on the recommen-
dation of Bacon, and they yielded enormous profits. It is said that
being a staunch royalist, he supplied Charles I. with lead for shot,
and with silver, having it minted in Wales ; clothed a large body of
troops, and defended Lundy Island, of which he was governor.
Also that he raised a regiment of horse for the King's service, all
of which eventually got him into difficulties, as the government
never re-imbursed him except by a mining grant, which was of
little use without the necessary capital for working it.

The reign of Charles II. was distinguished by its fashion for
chemistry and philosophy. " King Charles," says Moses Stringer,
" nursed the corporations of the Mines Royal and united them, set
up a laboratory in Whitehall, and worked in mineral affairs with
his own hands ; and many peers and gentlemen imitated his
example, erected laboratories in their own houses, and laid their
hands to the crucibles and melting pots ; namely, the Duke of
Buckingham, Lord Chesterfield, Lord Dorset, Lord Capel, Lord
Byron, Lord Ashley Cooper (Earl of Shaftesbury). Sir Thomas
Williams was the King's laboratory keeper ; the Honourable Robert
Boyle, Sir Clement Clarke, Sir Talbot Clarke (his cousin), and
Colonel Ashburnham, assisted in the work ; when the King, to
strengthen these Corporations for mines and mineral works, erected
two Royal Societies or Companies, one called the Royal Society,
whose office was to encourage arts and inventions, and to entertain
such foreign artists as should come over, and to that end there is, or
ought to be, a ball or entertainment for three days, while such an
artist can shew a specimen of his performances, and this is at
Gresham College, in Bishopsgate Street."
To be continued.

A FAMILY EELIC.

THE Civil Tribunal of the Seine has just heard a suit brought by
the widow of General Anderson, of the United States army, to
recover the value of a ring lost whik in the hands of M. Leclerc, a
jeweller, for repair. The defendant did not contest his liability,
but the parties could not agree as to the sum to be paid as compen-
sation. In addition to the value the plaintiff attached to it as a
family relic, it having been given to her as a betrothal present by
her now deceased husband thirty years ago, she maintained that it
was of great intrinsic worth by the size, number, and quality of the
six stones contained in it, two sapphires, a ruby, a topaz, a jasper,
and a bloodstone, and in consequence claimed 3000fr. The jeweller
on his side offered 164fr. at which he estimated the cost. As neither
of the parties could prove their own estimate of the value, or dis-
prove that of the other, and the appointment of an expert would
have been useless, no elements existing on which he could make an
appraisement, the court took the circumstance into consideration
and awarded 1500fr. and the costs.

Erratum.— In describing the Bryant Testimonial Vase, manufac-
tured by Messrs. Tiff nay & Co., of New York, in the March number
of this Journal, the words " This to be executed in oxydized silver,"
should have been " It was executed in oxydized silver."

274

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[May 5, 1877.

CORRESPONDENCE.

It must be distinctly understood that we do not necessarily identify our-
selves with the opinions or views of any of our Correspondents. Our pages
arc alike opeih to all for free discussion of questions connected with the various
trades which we represent, and all Correspondents will find every opportunity
afforded them for expressing their opinions.

To the Editor of The Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith.

Sir, — As a manufacturing Silversmith of 35 years' experience, I
should like to place a few ideas before you respecting the agitation
raised by Mr. Watherston to take off the duties on silver goods. I
contend : —

(1.) That taxes are necessary.

(2.) That the tax on silver goods being upon articles of luxury,
and not of necessity, is a just and proper tax.

(3.) That it is easily collected and carries with it the further
advantage, that of a guarantee of quality and without which the
silver trade would become a swindle.

(4.) That a considerable part, probably two-thirds of the silver
manufactured, is for presentation, from a fruit knife to an epergne,
and that the reduction or abolition of the duty would not increase
the trade.

(5.) That practically silver (spoons and forks especially) was
reduced Is. 6d. per oz. some years ago by the action of a city
retailer, without increasing the consumption.

(6.) That in spite of the increase of prosperity of the country,
the trade in silver goods has decreased, thus showing, conclusively,
I think, that the public prefers some other class of goods.

(7.) I also contend, in spite of all the bold assertions to the
contrary, that the silver trade is perfectly free. There is no duty
on exported silver goods at all, that is — the duty paid, is returned
to the exporter in full. So the foreigner or colonist gets English
made silver goods with the English Hall mark without paying duty
to the English Government. Foreign nations can compete with us on
exactly the same terms, so there is no protection, and where there
is no protection, the trade must be free. Perhaps there is another
kind of free trade that I do not know.

I am, Sir, yours respectfully,

April 28th, 1877. Manufacturer.

To the Editor of The Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith.

Sir, — I have read with considerable interest the article in your
last issue upon the present state of the jewellery trade. There can
be no doubt of many of the truths therein contained, but jewellers
must not lose sight of the fact that while we in England have been
passing through the worst two years known since 1843, the
Americans have been suffering even worse than ourselves. Several
of the men who left Birmingham when trade was very good have
returned, and state that the trade in America is in a worse condition
than in England. Another cause that makes the jewellers very
short of trade is owing to the fact that fashion has very much
altered during the last two years and a half. Up till that time, fringe
brooches and earrings were all the rage, while at present, not one
earring in twenty has more than two- thirds the work or value,
through the chain fringe work going out of date.

Any jeweller that can keep on thirty workmen at the present
time would have to take on eight or ten more if the fringe work was
in general wear ; besides this, bracelets have not been worn near so
much during the last two seasons, which alone in many of our work-
shops would made a great difference among the better class of
workers ; the consequence would be that the bracelet maker would
have to be put on to brooches and earrings or locket, which to some
extent would cause a greater quantity of usual stock to be made up,
and this at a time when general depression was being felt in most
blanches of trade ; it would make the jewellers' stocks increase to a
larger extent than usual. Another cause of the bad trade is, no
doubt, owing to the number of failures, and a very great quantity
of all kinds of gold goods being forced upon the open markets,
through the different sales that are every week taking place in our
large towns ; within the last month there has been three or four
public sales in Birmingham, most of the stock being coloured gold,
and this is sold at any price the public think right to give. Until
these sales come to be fewer in number the manufacturers, factors,
and shopkeepers no doubt, will have to put up with short work.

Yours obediently,

A Manufacturer.
April 16th, 1877.

THE SILVERSMITHS* FREE TRADE ASSOCIATION.

To the Editor of The Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith.

Sir, — It will interest your readers to be informed that, as a result
of the meeting of the Trad»reported in your last issue, an Association
is being formed with the following objects, viz. : —

(1.) To obtain the abolition of the duties now levied upon gold
and silver plate.

(2.) The abolition of licences (£2 6s. and £5 15s. respectively) or
the extension of the licensing system upon a reduced scale to all
trades and professions alike.

(3.) To obtain a revision of the laws relating to Hall-marking
with special reference to gold wares of a lower standard than 18 carats
fineness.

It is proposed, at an early date, to call a meeting of the entire
trade with a view to approaching the Government upon the subject
of the scheme. The time would appear to have arrived when
members of the Gold and Silver Trades should decline to be taxed
to the relief of professional men and other traders. If gold and
silver plate be taxed, why not electro plate, pianofortes, carriages,
furniture, pictures ? If one trade require to be licensed, why not all
trades ? If trades, why not professions ?

These are propositions which apparently are unanswerable, but
with reference to the tax upon silver plate it is not remarkable that
manufacturers should oppose the abolition of the duty.

Probably it is but little known by retailers that manufacturers get
about 2d. per ounce profit out of the duty. The duty paid to
Government upon unfinished plate is Is. 3d. Goods are sent to the
Hall as nearly finished as possible ; hence the advantage to the
manufacturer. It remains to be seen whether the Chancellor of
the Exchequer will permit the sum of £7383 per annum to be
distributed among a few manufacturers, manifestly to the dis-
advantage of thousands of retailers, and resulting in the crippling of
a trade which, but for the tax, might become a large and important
branch of industry.

No one grudges the manufacturer a fair profit, and if the tax be
taken off, as doubtless it will be ere long, he must adjust
his prices for fashions accordingly ; this is a matter with which
retailers have no concern ; they will, as ever, buy in the cheapest
market and sell in the dearest ; competition regulates prices ; but
that manufacturers should get a profit out of the duty is one of the
best arguments against its continuance.

At least such is the opinion of

Sir, yours obediently,

Edward J. Watherston.

Pall Mall East, April 24th, 1877.

To the Editor of The Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith.

Sir, — Can you oblige me.with the addresses of firms manufacturing
gold and silver medals suitable for presentation, and if they will
supply pattern sheets to a Secretary of a Club.

Yours respectfully,

Brass.

To the Editor of The Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith.

Sir, — Seeing questions put and answered touching different
branches of the trade, I would ask do any of your readers know of
any liquid composition whereby steel, which is exposed to a damp
atmosphere, can be coated to prevent rusting.

Yours obediently,

S. F. W.

Prices Current for Gold and Silver— Value Given for
Old Gold and Silver by Assay. Fiue Gold, 84s. per oz. Fine
Silver, 4s. 8d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver.— Fine Gold, 85s. 3d.
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. per oz. Standard Sivler, 4s. 8d. to
4s. lOd. (variable.)

May 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

275

FRAUDS ON CHATWOOD'S PATENT SAFE AND
LOCK COMPANY.

AT the Greenwich Police Court, on March 29th, Henry James
Scott, of 2, West Avenue, Walthamstow ; Gustav Wagner, and
William Steele surrendered in discharge of their recognisances to
answer a charge of conspiring together and defrauding Mr. Richard
Carpenter, a pawnbroker, at Deptford, of £75, in the sale of a safe
falsely represented to be one of Chatwood's patents.

The hearing of the case had been before the Court on four
previous days, and the evidence taken was of great length. From
this it appeared that the three defendants had been in the service
of " Chatwood's Patent Safe and Lock Company (Limited) ; " Scott
as manager at the office of the Company, in Cannon Street, City ;
Wagner as a safe finisher at the company's works at Bolton, and
Steele as traveller and collector in the London districts. In 1875
the prosecutor purchased a safe at the firm for £55, Scott at that
time being the manager, the safe being required at business premises
at Dockhead, Bermondsey. In April last, wanting a large safe for
his Deptford premises, he again called at the City office, and again
saw Scott, who was asked if the firm had a second-hand safe of the
dimensions mentioned, of the same quality as that he had previously
purchased, burglar-proof and fire-proof. Scott stated that they
had not then such a safe, but that the firm had supplied a safe to
the Peruvian Government for an office in Paris, which was about
being broke up, and that the safe was to be resold, advising him to
wait a short time for the purchase to be made, the price named
being £75. After waiting two or three weeks the prosecutor
received a letter from Scott notifying that the safe had arrived from
Paris, and would be delivered at his Deptford premises on the
following day, which was done, a van arriving with it, and seven or
eight men, Wagner superintending the moving, and placing the
safe in its proper position, which occupied about three hours. After
the delivery Steele called upon the prosecutor with an invoice for
the amount due (£76 10s.) 30s. having been charged for the carriage
of the safe from the Bricklayers' Arms Station, but as there was no
statement in the invoice that the safe was of Chatwood's make, the
money was not paid, Steele taking away the invoice and returning
next day with an invoice that was satisfactory, and the money was
then paid. Eecently it had come to the prosecutor's knowledge
that the safe was not the make of the firm, and that the safe was
neither burglar-proof nor fire-proof, and as such was worthless.
Evidence in support of this was given by Mr. Webster, foreman of
the company's works at Bolton. Mr. S. Chatwood, the managing-
director of the company, gave evidence at some length, showing
that Scott was engaged as manager at the City office in 1876. His
duty was to make daily entries of the business done, and to pay
over money to witness by order, and there had been no entry of the
sale of the safe to the prosecutor, nor receipt of the money, and the
safe so sold was not of the company's manufacture, and was neither
burglar-proof nor fire-proof, and its worth was nothing more than
that of the metal it was made of. The engagement with Scott was
that he was to devote his whole time to the business of the company,
to sell no other firm's or company's safes, and he had no authority
to sell any second-hand safes, which, if bought and allowed for in
exchange for the company's safes, were sent at once to auction and
sold.

Mr. Besley elicited from Mr. Chatwood, in cross-examination,
that having charged Scott at the Mansion House, last August, with
the embezzlement of £17, for a second-hand safe taken from
a customer, he withdrew from the prosecution before laying any
evidence on that charge before the court, at the urgent entreaty of
Scott's solicitor and friends, on their assuring him that prisoner was
sorry for what he had done, but that they alleged he had acted
under a mistaken view of his true position, not only in the case of
that one safe but of a lot of others, and if he (Mr. Chatwood) would
take a merciful view of the buying and selling second-hand safes on
his own account, and give him the benefit of the doubt, then, that
on his release he would render a true statement of all such dealings,
a faithful account for the moneys, and would be able to explain
everything else to the entire satisfaction of Mr. Chatwood, who
however, feeling the responsibility of having put Scott in a position
of trust, which he had abused to the great injury of the public,
insisted that before releasing him they must promise that he should
for ten years earn his living at his own or some other trade, outside
the safe trade in England and Scotland, where he could not defraud
the public by the use of Chatwood's name. On receiving this pro-
tection for the public, Mr. Chatwood had consented to give him the
benefit of the doubt in respect of the charge before the court, but
reserving his entire liberty of action in all other matters if Scott

should be unable to give satisfactory explanations. That he (Mr.
Chatwood) had refused to sign a paper brought to Mm, as he
declined to be a party to what, in the event of Scott's inability to
give satisfactory explanations, might be construed into compounding
a felony ; but that if Scott was able, as his friends alleged, to prove
that he had committed no frauds, then the matter would, of course,
drop, not otherwise; and that, as a matter of fact, on Scott's
release he did not, and had not since, offered a word of explanation
or rendered any account.

The prisoners were then committed for trial at the Old Bailey
Sessions, Scott in one surety of £100 and himself in a like sum, and
Wagner and Steele in a surety of £50 and themselves in £100.

At the April Sessions of the Central Criminal Court, they were
charged with conspiring to defraud, and a second indictment charged
Scott alone with obtaining money by false pretences.

Mr. Chatwood, Mr. Carpenter, and other witnesses were called
in corroboration of the opening statement of Sir Henry James, the
first-named gentleman proving that Scott, as the London manager,
was bound by agreement to devote the whole of his time to the
service of the firm, and was neither entitled to deal in second-hand
safes or to employ workmen other than those of the firm, and that
the safe supplied to Carpenter was not of the company's manu-
facture, that it was not a second-hand safe at all, but a worthless
new one made to imitate a Chatwood safe. No trace of this trans-
action appeared in the books of the firm kept by Scott, nor of the
money received from Carpenter for it.

The Recorder having summed up, the jury convicted Scott and
Wagner and acquitted Steele.

The Recorder said no doubt Scott had been a respectable man or
he would not have occupied the position he had in the prosecutor's
firm. Unlimited confidence appeared to have been reposed in him,
but this he had betrayed, and not only had done all he could to
injure the prosecutor, but had defrauded a customer by falsely
representing the safe to be his employer's manufacture. The
evidence had been the clearest ever brought before him in any case
The offence was a serious one, and he would be sentenced to
eighteen months' hard labour. Wagner, although convicted with
Scott, was not at the time in the prosecutor's employment, and must
go to gaol for six months with hard labour.

The Druggists' Circular gives the following formula for artificial
diamonds : Take pure silica, 100 parts ; red oxide of lead, 150 parts ;
potash, calcined, 30 parts ; borax, calcined, 10 parts ; arsenious acid
1 part. This, says the Druggists' Circular, produces a paste which
has great brilliancy and refractive and dispersive powers, also a
specific gravity similar to that of the oriental diamond. It fuses at
a moderate heat, and acquires the greatest brilliancy when re-melted
and kept for two or three days in a fused state, in order to expel
the superabundant alkali and perfect the refining. This paste is
used not only to produce fictitious diamonds, but besides other
fictitious gems, of which it forms the basis. .

Important Sale of Watches, Clocks, Jewellery, &c. — Messrs;
Edwin Fox & Bousfield announced that they will sell on the premises
No. 9, Royal Exchange, on Thursday, May 10th, and following day,
the valuable and costly stock of the iate Mr French. Catalogues
may be had on the premises, or of the auctioneers, 24, Gresham
Street, E.C.

A Remarkable Piece of Coral, taken off the sub-marine cable
near Port Darwen, is spoken of in a Melbourne paper. It is of the
ordinary species about five inches in height, six inches in diameter
at the top, and about two inches at the base. It is perfectly formed,
and the base bears the distinct impression of the cable and a few
fibres of the coil rope used as a shtath for the telegraphic wire still
adhering to it. As the cable has been laid only four years it is
evident that this specimen must have grown to its present height in
that time, which seems to prove that the growth of coral is much
more rapid than has been supposed. — Jewellers' Circular.

Plated Candlesticks. — Candlesticks plated with silver were first
made about a century back. Horace Walpole, in a letter to Mr.
Montagu, writes, Sept. 1, 17G0 : — "As I went to Lord Strafford's
I passed through Sheffield, which is one of the foulest towns in
England, in the most charming situation ; there are 22,000 inhabi-
tants making knives and scissors; they remit £11,000 a week to
London. One man there has discovered ' the art of plating copper
with silver ; ' I bought a pair of candlesticks for two guineas that
are quite pretty."

276

;the watchmaker, jeweller, and

[Ma* 5, 1877.

THE

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades ; published at Milners' Buildings,
Moorgate Street (Opposite Moorgate Street Station), London,
E.G. Booksellers and Newsagents supplied by Messrs. Catty &
Co., 12, Ave Maria Lane, Paternoster Kow. E.G.

Birmingham Agencies.
Mr. A. F. WaRrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.
Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22, Snow Hill.
Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 28, & 29, Temple Street.

Subscription, 5s. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to be made payable to A. Victor,
at Lombard Street Post Office.

SPECIAL NOTICES.

IN order to meet the requirements of the steadily
increasing business of this Journal, the offices thereof
have been removed to more eligible premises in Milners'
Safe Buildings, Moorgate Street (opposite Moorgate Street
Station.)

We must thank our patrons and the trade in general for the
encouraging patronage hitherto received, and which has neces-
sitated this removal, and hope to be favoured with a continuation
of support in our new offices, where every exertion will be made
by us to merit the confidence and promote the interests of the
various trades represented by our paper.

The extensive and valuable Stock-in-Trade of the date Mr
eminent watch-maker, of Royal Exchange.

French, the

MESSES. EDWIN FOX and BOUSPLELD will SELL by AUCTION,
■without reserye, on the premises, No. 9, Royal Exchange, on
Thursday, May 10th, and following day, at 1 precisely each day, the whole
of the valuable and costly STOCK-IN-TRADE of the late Mr. French, the
well-known watch and chronometer maker, including 170 clocks and chro-
nometers, suitable for all reception rooms, halls, shops, &c, in ormoulu,
bronze, fancy wood, and brass cases, about 400 gold and silver watches, of
the best manufacture, in repeaters, keyless, and others, stands of musical
birds, valuable selection of diamond rings, an assortment of gold chains,
charms, trinkets, &c. ; two oil paintings (the King and Queen of Spain)
office fittings, and effects. May be viewed two days prior to sale, and
catalogues had on the premises, and of Messrs. Edwin Fox and Bousfield,
No. 24, Gresham Street, Bank, E.C.

CLOCKS, WATCHES, AND BELLS.

Just Published.

A RUDIMENTARY TREATISE on CLOCKS, WATCHES, and
BELLS. By Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart, (late E. B. Denison), LL.D.,
Q.C., F.R.A.S. Sixth edition, revised and enlarged, with numerous
Illustrations. 12mo, cloth boards, 5s. 6d. Postage 4d.

"As a popular, and, at the same time, practical treatise on clocks and belle, it is
unapproached." — English Mechanic

•' The best work on the subject probably extant. . . ; . So far as we know it has
no competitor worthy of the name." — Engineering.

"The only modern treatise on clock-making." — HOROLOGICAL JOURNAL

"There is probably no book in the English language on a technical subject so easy to
read, and to read through, as the treatise on clocks, watches, and bells, written by the
eminent Parliamentary Counsel, Mr. E. B. Denison — now Sir Edmund Beckett, Bart." —
Architect.

"A mass of reliable information which cannot be obtained elsewhere." — Thk

jEWELLiK ANO HETALWOIiKEB.

CROSBY LOCKWOOD & Co., 7, Stationers' Hall-Coubt, Lokpok, E.C.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES.

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch. Sequestrations, &c, &c., relating to the various-
Trades represented in this Journal.

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.
Bushnell Charles James Henry, trading as C. Bushnell & Co., 5?

Caroline Street, Birmingham, jeweller. April 24.
Cain, Henry Charles, Princess Street, Halifax, watch-maker and

jeweller. April 20.
Cragg, Samuel, 57, Trafalgar Street, Leeds, jeweller. April 16.
Jacob, Alfred, 53, Vyse Street, Birmingham, manufacturing jeweller.

April 16.
Ray, Eliza Sarah and Edwin Stewart Harrison, 35, Great Castle Street,

Regent Street, jewellers, April 19.
Redgate, Edwin, Church Street, Sheffield, and Nottingham, sewing machine

dealer and jeweller. April 16.
Taylor, William, trading as John Lee, 17, Upper Well Street, Coventry,

watch manufacturer. April 11.
Bolzani, John, 84, High Street, Winchester jeweller. March 27.
Colman, Solomon, 346, Rochdale Road, Manchester, jeweller. March 29.
Silvester, Arthur Lucas and William Henry Hiron, 51, St. Paul's

Square, Birmingham, jewellers. March 31.
Walker, Edgar, 174a, Oxford-street, watchmaker. April 4.
Davies, Ephraim, Doncaster Road, Mexborough, Yorks, jeweller. April

10.
Manson, John, 69, Queen Street, Cheapside, and 63, Moray Street,

Holloway, jewellers (sep. creditors). April 9.
Field Henry, Northwood. Street, Birmingham, spoon and fork manufac-
turer. April 24.
Pare Charles Henry, trading as Charles Pare & Co., Lozells Road,

Aston, jeweller and factor. April 26.
Welsby Samuel, 28, Horsemarket Street, Warrington, and Chester, and

Stockton Heath, watchmaker and Shopkeeper. April 24.

Adjudications of Bankruptcy.
Brook, Henry John, Upper Hanover Street, Sheffield, electro bronzer.

April 13.
Marks, Henry, Wharncliffe Street, Newcastle, jeweller. April 18.

Trust Deeds Granted in Scotland.

Gordon, Edwin, Newton-Stewart watchmaker and jeweller. Claims witli
John Miller & James H. Ferguson, 71, Queen Street, Glasgow.

Rutland, Robert William, 152-J, Castle Street, Glasgow, watchmaker and
jeweller. Claims with George Gray & Threshie, 72, Hutcheson Street,
Glasgow.

Dissolutions of Partnerships.

Hutchence & Cooper, Liverpool, watch manufacturers. Jan. 22.
Schoerle & Cockram, Spencer Street, Clerkenwell, goldsmiths and jewellers.

Jan. 31. Debts by Gottlieb Schoerle.
Bowen, J. & G. Summer Row, Birmingham, plated goods manufacturers,

March 3. Debts by Jonas Bowen.
Baker & Allan, 15, George Street, Birmingham, electro-platers.
Whitelaw, James, West Register Street, Edinburgh, watch and clock

maker. The business continued by Charles Jardine.
Naylor & Clark, Vittoria Street, Birmingham, electroplate manufacturers.
Roskell, William & Co., 21, Church Street, Liverpool, chronometer and

watch manufacturers. Jan. 29. Debts by Richard Roskell.

Distribution of Assets.
Horton, Frederick, 80, High Street, Whitechapel, and 572, Mile End

Road, jeweller, died Jan. 12. Claims by June 1 to C. Gatliff, 8,

Finsbury Circus, sol.
Webber, John, Powis Street, Woolwich, silversmith, died Feb. 6. Claims

by May 22 to Farnfield & Sampson, 21, Queen Victoria Street and

Woolwich, sols.

Last Days for Lodging Claims.
Reynolds, Ellis, (Liq.), 202, Bishopsgate Street, Without, silversmith.

Claims by May 15th to Henry Holland, 16 Crescent, Jewm Street.

Meetings-
McKensey, Roland and William Tytherleigh, trading as McKensey and
Co., (Bkt), 59, Hatton Garden, electroplate manufacturers. At
Bankruptcy Court, Lincoln's Inn-Fields, May 8 at 11, exam.
Ritchie, William, (Liq.), Coxhoe, Durham, watchmaker. At J. S. Smirks
accountant, Collingwood Street, Newcastle, May 7, at 3. For appoint-
ing a trustee in place of T. Pyle, deceased.

Applications for Discharge.
Watt Robert D., Elgin, watchmaker, April 25.

Trustees Deeds Granted.
Mitchell William, Catrine, watch and clock maker. Claims with Brown,
jun., Davies and Tait, 65, Regent Street, Glasgow, accountants, by
May 7.

May 5, 1877.]

SILVEESMITH'S TEADE JOUENAL.

277

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
"Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

1451. Joseph George Rollason, of the firm of Rollason, Wood & Co.,
Stampers, Piercers, and Fancy Chain Manufacturers, of Birmingham,
in the county of Warwick, for an invention of " Certain improvements
in solitaires an 1 other like fastenings." — Dated 13th April, 1877.

1511. Albert Barker, of New Bond Street, in the county of Middlesex,
Dressing Case Maker and Silversmith, for an invention of "Improve-
ments in keys for locks, latches, watches, clocks, and other like articles,
applicable also to cocks or taps." — Dated 18th April, 1877.

1522. Henry Stuart, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Watch
Manufacturer, and George Daniels, of the same place, Watchmaker,
for an invention of " Improvements in mechanism for winding and for
setting the hands of keyless time-keepers." — Dated 19th April, 1877.

1579. Johann Anton Benedict von Castelberg, of 58, Holborn Viaduct,
in the city of London, for an invention of " Improvements in calendar
watches." — A communication to him from abroad, by Fritz Petitpierre,
of Chaux de fonds, Switzerland. — Dated 23rd April, 1877.

1624. Joseph George Rollason, of the firm of Rollason, Wood & Co.,
Stampers, Piercers, and Fancy Chain Manufacturers, of Birmingham,
in the county of Warwick, for an invention of " Improvements in
sleeve-links and other dress -fasteners, which improvements are also
applicable to other purposes." — Dated 26th April, 1877.

1639. Henri Adrien Bonneville, of the British and Foreign Patent
Offices, 18, Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin, Paris, France, and 6, Picca-
dilly, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of
" Certain improvements in self-recording thermometers, hygrometers,
and other instruments of a similar nature." — A communication from
Robert Kirk Boyle, a person resident in the citv, county, and state of
New York, United States of America.— Dated 26th April, 1877.

Notices to Proceed.

455. Henry Percy Holt, of Royal Insurance Buildings, Leeds, in the
county of York, Civil Engineer, and William Denison, of West Street,
Leeds, in the county of York, Engineer, have given notice in respect of
the invention of " Improvements in fire and burglar proof safes, more
particularly in connection with shop windows, and in the apparatus
connected therewith."

5002. William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, has given notice in
respect of the invention of ," An improved machine for engraving and
chasing jewellers' and silversmiths' work, and for other like purposes."
— A communication to him from abroad by Albert H. Watkins and
Frederick A. Brown, both of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

1329. To Henry Charles Taylor, of the firm of Robert Walter Winfield
& Company, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Merchants
and Manufacturers, for the invention of "Improvements in orna-
menting metals and in tools to be used for that purpose."

1122. To George Blunt, of 24, Augusta Street, Birmingham, in the
county of Warwick, Jeweller, for the invention of "Improvements in
fastenings for solitaire sleeve studs, and other articles of a similar kind."
On his petition, recorded in the Office of the Commissioners on the
21st day of March, 1877.

1403. To Samuel Hughes McClellan, of Deptford, in the county of
Kent, Watch Maker, for the invention of " An improved escapement
for clocks and other time-pieces."

Patents Sealed.

4297. David Cutler, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements in solitaires, sleeve
links, shirt, collar, and other studs, and other similar dress fastenings
and ornaments." — Dated 7th November, 1876.

4037. George Green, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, and
Jaime Mallol, of the same place, for an invention of "Improvements
in mounting electro-plate wares, such as waiters, side dishes, ' butters,'
cake baskets, and other articles of a similar kind." — Dated 19th
October, 1876.

883. George Betjemann, George William Betjemann, and John
Betjemann, all of 36 and 38, Pentonville Road, in the county of
Middlesex, Desk and Dressing Case Manufacturers, for an invention
of " Improvements in the construction of dressing cases, jewel cases,
game boxes, and spirit and other cases." — Dated 5th March, 1877.

4351. George Walker, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Gilt
Toy Manufacturer, for an invention of " Improvements in the con-
struction of solitaires, shirt studs, and other such like fastenings." —
Dated 3rd November, 1876.

4261. William Wiggins, of Stanmore Street, Caledonian Road, London,
Goldsmith, for an invention of " Improvements in the manufacture of
watches, to prevent robbery by breaking the bows thereof." — Dated 4th
November, 1876.

Patents on which the Stamp "Duty of £50 has been Paid.

1662. Gustave Luce, of the firm of Imce, Son, & Rozari, of Marseille
(France), Manufacturers, for an invention of "An improvement in
process of and apparatus for desuverhig and refining lead." — Dated

11th May, 1874.

Patents which have become Void.

955. Harry Barrett, of 2, Brecknock Road, Camden Road, in tine oounfcy"
of Middlesex, for an, invention of "A new or improved detachable
spring brooch back." — Dated 18th March, 1874.

994. John Reading, of Harborne, in the county of Stafford, Gentleman,
for an invention of "Improvements in attaching or connecting
ornaments to collar and other studs, solitaires, and other dress fastenings
and articles of jewellery." — Dated 21st March, 1874.

914. John Alexander Lund, of the firm of Barraud and Lund, of Cornhill,
in the city of London, Manufacturers, for an invention of " Improve-
ments in keys for watches, and other pocket time-keepers, and in the
time-keepers to which they are applied." — Dated 29th March, 1870.

Patents Granted in British Colonies and Dependencies.

Canada.
6816. Robert Barclay, of Paris, Ont., for " Improvements on escape-
ments. (Perfectionnements aux 6chappements.) — 5 years. — Dated
24th November, 1876.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

France.

115,512. Bailly, of Morez, for " Improvements in the manufacture of
weldless mountings of temple spectacles and folders of iron, steel,
copper, and German silver." — Dated 19th November, 1876.

115,568. Lund, for " A chronofer or telegraphic clock-regulator." — Dated
17th November, 1876.

115,584. Carpenter & Martin, for "Improvements in clocks and other
time-pieces." — Dated 18th November, 1876.

115,601. Maunier & Verniers, of Paris, for "A jointed bracelet with
facets."— Dated 20th November, 1876.

115,607. Schwob Jeune, of Paris, for " A regulator balance for watches."
—Dated 20th November, 1876.

115,630. Gip & Sons, for "A safety-staple for watches." — Dated 21st
November, 1876.

115,663. Lion, for " Bracelets." — Dated 22nd November, 1876.

115,695. Logette, of Ay, for "Transparent enamel for protecting leaves
of tin, silver, gold, paper, capsules, &c." — Dated 30fch November, 1876.

115,697. Michaux, for " A clasp for cravats, as patented 18th May, 1876."
—Dated 2nd December, 1876.

115,711. Bourguet, for " Clock-work."— Dated 27th November, 1876.

115,725. Hessel, of Paris, for "Metallurgic treatment of oxydated nickel-
ore by the dry way." — Dated 25th November, 1876.

115,733. Mallet, for " Jointed fastenings for collars, cravats, shirt-
fronts, &c." — Dated 27th November, 1876.

115.737. Plioion and Thuau, for "A portable and oscillating filter-
crucible with a heat-generator, back-fire and parachute twyer for
smelting metals in general." — Dated 27th November, 1876.

115.738. Prevost & Dupriez, of Paris, for " A machine for edging
plate-metal." — Dated 27th November, 1876.

115.746. Chipier, of Paris, for "Fastenings for bracelets, belts, clasps of
cloaks, &c."— Dated 30th November, 1876.

115.747. Clement, Sons, of Paris, for "Studs for cuffs."— Dated 29th
November, 1876.

Austria.
112. E. Reihl, of Linz, for " Manufacturing jewellery of coloured plated
gold. — 1 year.— (Secret.)— Dated 7th December, 1876.

Designs Patented in the United States.

9416. Oscar M. Draper, of North Attleborough, Mass., for " Ornamental
chain-links." — Application filed 24th April, 1876. — Term of patent 14
years.

9483. Virgil Draper, of North Attleborough, Mass., assignor to Oscar
M. Draper, of the same place, for " A watch and other chain swivels."
—Application filed 13th June, 1876.— Term of patent 14 years.

182,305. E. O. Covell and M. M. Robinson, of Laconia, N.H., for
" Lock-work attachments for clocks." — Application filed 4th March
1876.

182,358. A. F. Curpen, of Plymouth, Ohio, for " Watch-balances."—
Application filed 20th June, 1876.

182,360. Numa J. Felix, of New York, N.Y., for " Watch-case springs."
— Application filed 28th August, 1876. Claim. — " The combination
with a sliding and adjustable watch-case spring, of a bearing or bridge
piece, that is secured to the case and fitted by downward-extending
perforated end posts or lugs to the seat of the case, substantially in
the manner and for the purpose specified."

182,392. Alrert Troller, of San Francisco, California, for "Stem-
winding devices for watches." — Application filed 13th July, 1876.

278

THE WATCHMAKEE, JEWELLEE, AND

[May 5, 1877.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

The important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Two -line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
is £1 Is. per annum ; four lines, £1 10s. per annum ; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

AMERICAN (WALTHAM) WATCHES.

FATTOB1NI & SONS (Wholesale Factors) Watch and
Chronometer Manufacturers, Bradford, Yorkshire.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

MEEEAY & CALLIEU, 22, St. John's Square, E.G.
NEGEETTI & ZAMBBA, Holhorn Viaduct, E.C. : Charter-
house Street, E.C. ; 45, Cornhill. E.C. ; 122, Eegent St., W.
"WEBSTEE, J., 88, St. John Street Eoad, Clerkenwell, E.C.

BURGLAR AND FIRE PROOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S, 120, Cannon Street, E.C, and Lancashir9
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEEEING & TALBOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. Birmingham.

PHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherborne Street,
Birmingham.

THE SICKEK SAFE AND STEONG EOOM COM-
PANY, LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD (F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Bolt and other Safes, Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

CLOCK IMPORTERS.

MAYEE A. & SON, 122a,. Aid ersgate Street, London, E.C-
Importers of American, French, German, and Cuckoo
Clocks, Materials, &c.

CLOCK MAKERS.

BEUGGEE & STEATJB, 79, High Holborn, W.C.

CAMEEEE, KTJSS, FEITSCHLEE, & CO., 522, Oxford
Street, W.C, and 2, Broad Street, Bloomsbury, W.C.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C, and
Charterhouse Street, E.C., London ; and 10, Eue Beran-
ger. Paris.

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory, White Horse
Eoad, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty'B Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Eochdale Town Halls, Boston, St.
Stephen's Church, Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description ; also patent Carillon Machines. Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141, for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1844.

GEEENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Eoad, near Clerkenwell
Green, London, E.C.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.

JONAS BEOTHEES, 34, Ely Place, Holborn, London, E.C.

MAECUS (MAUEICE) & CO., Waterloo House, Holborn
Viaduct. London, EC.

EUTHEEFOED, JAMES, 2, Wilderness Eow, E.C, and
33, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.

WIEGEL, B., Jun., Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27.
Wilmington Square,Clerkenwell. Diamonds and precious
stones mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country
Orders punctually attended to.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CABLOSS (W. J.) & KTNG, 66, Hatton Garden, London,
EC. Manufacturers of Gilt Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs.J ewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower Vases
Inkstands, Prize Cups, and Ornamental Metal Work.

HTJTTOM & CO.. 5 and 6, Newgate Street, E.C, and
Phcenix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.C.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLUMBEEG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. EDWAED, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. E.), 64, Hatton Garden, London, E.C
WILLIAMSON. HENEY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's.
London, E.C

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

CLEMENTS, HANDLEY & Co., Dealers in all kinds of
Tools and Materials, Stones. Pastes, Cases, &c, 19, St,
John's Square, Clerkenwell, E.C (See advertisement).

KING, J. W., Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E C

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWAEDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Eoad, London, E.C

JEFFEEYS, CHAELES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden. E.C.

SAGE, FEEDEEICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Eoad, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

JOSEPH, B. H. & Co., 20. Frederick Street, Birmingham,
Manufacturers of the Begistered " Standard " Sizes for
jewellers.

HOMPHEEYS (JOHN A.), 23, Wilderness Eow, Clerken-
well, E.C, Jewellery, Chains, Wedding Eings and
Keepers, &c.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDAED (C GILBEET), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths, Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden. London, E.C

BASNETT, S., 29, Augusta Street, Birmingham, Manu-
facturer of Coloured Gold, Jewellery, Sets, Brooches,
Earrings, Pendants, Bracelets, Pins, Crosses, Slides, &c.

MYEES, N. A., 2, St. Patrick Square, Edinburgh, Importer
of French, American, and German Clocks, Watches,
Materials, <tc.

MUSICAL BOXES.

GEEENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Eoad, near Clerkenwell
Green, London. EC.

ADANK, J. JAQUES & Co., Manufacturers of Musical
Boxes. Prize medal atPhiladelphia. St. Croix, Switzer-
land.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Eue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS HENEY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, &c, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURERS.

AWEENCE, N., 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C ; Mann

L factory, Havelock Works, Walker Street, Shffield.
AZAETJS(S. J.)&CC, Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C.

TURRET AND RAILWAY CLOCK MAKERS.

MILLAE, H. & E., Castle Bank Works, Edinburgh. Turret,
Quarter, Chime, and Eailway Clocks, 20 per cent cheaper
than other makers. The only steam power factory in
Scotland. Photograghs. Established 1840.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS, THOMAS J., 10, Eydon Crescent, St. John
Street Eoad, London, E.C

WATCH BALANCE MAKER

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKEE, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENEY, 48, Eahere Street, Goswell Eoad, Lon ■
don, EC

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Eoad, London, E.C

STEAM, ALFEED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C.

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HAEGEEAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MADEICE, Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfolk Street, Coventry.

NEWSOME & YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers, 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.
WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFOED, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEEEDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Eoad,
London, E.C.

SAGGEESON, EOBEET, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWAED JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Eoad, London, E.C

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENEY M, the original Wedding and Keeper
King Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Eegent Place, Birmingham.
WORKING JEWELLERS.

CLEMENTS, HANDLEY & Co., 19, St. John's Square,
Clerkenwell, EC, all kinds of jewellery repaired on the
shortest notice. Gilding, Plating, and Mounting for the
Trade. (See advertisement).

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANUFACTURING IE WEI* LEES AND GOLD SMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. FINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC.
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,

Devoted to the Interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths, Opticians, and kindred Trades,

Entered at Stationers' Hall. — Registered for Transmission Abroad,

No. 25.— Vol. II.]

JUNE 5, 1877.

L per Annum. J Free

horology

Trade Items

Curiosities of Clocks and Watches

Mirror of the Month

Gold

Practical Information for the Trade

Lecture on a Comprehensive and easy Method
of examinisg oeneva watches with the
Cylinder Escapement

PAGE
289
290
291
291
292
293

293

CONTENTS.

PAGE

A Time Ball in New York City 298

Correspondence 299

Patent Hand-vice 299

Prize Offered for best Blowpipe Apparatus 299

Book Notice 300

Public Clocks in Vienna 300

The Duty on Plate 300

On the Study of Barometers

An Interesting "Finb"

Patents

Monthly Becord of Bankruptcies

Artificial Pearls

Plate Tax

Advertisements

PAGE

. 300

,. 300

. 301

. 30j

. 302

. 302
. 303-12

HOROLOGY.

(Continued.)

XXIV.— On the Measurement of Time.

THE time allotted to man is short, and lie has every interest in
keeping a good account of it ! But we need not look so high
in order to discover the vast importance of measuring time. The
study of the earth and the heavens, many of the researches in the
laws of the universe depend upon it, and in civilized life a multitude
of usages and habits are attached thereto. No wonder, therefore,
that man should have set himself the task of attaining the utmost
regularity and precision in its measurement.

To measure a quantity is to divide it in equal parts ; therefore,
to measure time is to divide its duration into equal intervals. Men
in the most ancient times felt the want of such a division, and, as
was natural, looked for the means in the periodical phenomena of
nature, particularly in that striking succession of day and night.
But the variation of these periods according to season could not
fail to be perceived, and it was soon recognized, that to have any-
thing like a reliable basis the interval between noon and noon must
be taken.

So the " astronomical day " became the standard by which to
form the longer periods of months and years, and the day was
subjected to a further division of twenty-four shorter intervals
called hours. The Egyptians are credited with this division as well
as with the method of determining precisely the instant of noon.
Yet this subdivision of the astronomical day into twenty-four
hours did not penetrate into civil life ; and we find the Greeks
and Romans limit themselves to a division of the " natural day " —

interval between the rising and setting of the sun — in twelve hours
of uniform duration for the same day, but necessarily varying from
day to day. This subdivision of the day was effected simply by
observing the movements of the sun, " Sun dials and gnomons,"
which in Greece date back to great antiquity, did not find their
way to Rome till towards the end of the fifth century,
after the foundation of that city. Ingenious as this invention was,
it only partly answered its object, because it offered no means of
measuring the time whenever the sun was not on the horizon or
hidden by clouds. It was evident that natural phenomena alone
could not be depended upon to obtain the desired division at any
time, and that artificial agents must be resorted to.

The first instruments invented for this purpose were based on the
principle — that a certain quantity of water or sand always requires
the same time to run from a vessel containing it into another one
beneath, and connected with the first by a narrow orifice. The
invention of these mechanical timekeepers, which went under the
name of " Clepsydra," is perhaps older than the sun-dials, and it
was made use of long after the construction of proper clocks. In
this primitive form, the clepsydra was far from offering the required
exactitude, and inconvenient besides, as it had to be turned over
after the lapse of each interval it indicated. To evade this incon-
venience and to improve the system generally, larger quantities of
water were employed, and a kind of "floater" was put in the
surface of the liquid in the lower vessel. This floater was again in
communication with a wheelwork, and the gradual rising of the
water level, caused the movement of the mechanism, which was at
first believed to be regular ; but the running off of the liquid was
soon found to be anything but uniform.

On this principle, all the water-clocks were probably constructed,
the oldest of which, described by "Vitruvius," are ascribed to

290

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 5, 1877.

two geometricians of the " Alexandrine school " — " Ctesileius " and
his pupil " lleronius." (We gave a minute description of
•• Ctesileius' Clepsydra" in Vol. I., No. 5, of this Journal.) They
both lived towards the end of the second century B.C. Their
construction presupposes an acquaintance with " teethed wheels,"
in fact, the latter invention is attributed to the celebrated
" Archimedes," who lived about a century before the last-mentioned
philosophers, and by some, to Aristote who again precedes Archi-
medes' period. During the first ten centuries, water clocks were
the only time-keepers known, and we have a very imperfect idea of
their construction. What we know is, that they were very
complicated, and that besides the indication of hours, they executed
many curious movements. They were works of very great rarity,
and the names of their makers were handed down to posterity.
History has transmitted to us, among others, those of "Boetius"
and " Cassidorius," two men who were the warmest supporters of
progress, at a time when literature, arts, and sciences were on the
decline.

Towards the eighth century, the Pope, Paul I., sent one of these
clocks to " Pepin le Bref ;" and at the commencement of the ninth
the celebrated caliph, " Aroun-al-Raschid " made a similar present
to " Charlemagne."

From the remotest antiquity to the tenth century of our era, the
measurement of time was, therefore, founded on the march of the
solar shadows and the imperfect uniformity of the running off of
liquids or sand.

A new career was opened to the art, by the introduction of
another motive power. This new motor was a weight, moving the
wheelwork of the clock by its own downward motion. It is difficult
to state the exact time when the weight was first applied for this
purpose. Some historians give the honour, of constructing a clock
on this principle to Gerbert, who in 999 mounted the pontifical
throne, under the name of Sylvester II., but this is denied him by
others, and the construction of several clocks with weights in
different countries, descriptions of which have come down to -us,
dates only back to the fourteenth century.

Yet this new motor would not have offered any more regularity
than the running off of liquids if it had not been assisted by another
contrivance. A weight attached to the end of a cord, which has
been wound on a cylinder forming part of the wheelwork of the
clock, will no doubt descend, if not held up, winding off the cord,
and so impart a rotatory movement to the cylinder and wheelwork.
But this movement is subject to the laws of gravitation, and accord-
ing to them it would accelerate in descending. We trace, therefore,
to the introduction of weights, also the first use of the pendulum,
regulating the descent by alternative oscillations, and connected
with the wheelwork by that admirable mechanism, called the crown
escapement.

Let us pause here a moment and consider the immense progress
which horology has made in four centuries (from the 10th to
the 14th). The skilled mechanic of our day can hardly abstain
from smiling, when he glances at one of the imperfect works of our
first inventors. When he looks upon the rude wheelwork of this
movement, which he executes now with such fineness and the com-
plicated and insufficient means to surmount some obstacle, which
he evades by a simple and easy process, a feeling of superiority will
involuntarily manifest itself. But a little more reflection will
render him more just to these first labours, and if he can carry back
bis thoughts to the period when they were performed, he will as
much admire as he despised them before. We cannot refuse this
tribute of admiration to those who first abandoned the clepsydras,
and constructed clocks moved by weights and regulated by escape-
ment and pendulum.

The rudeness of construction and the insufficiency of a pendulum
without a spiral certainly strike us, but it must not be forgotten
that they were the foundations of modern horology and that
mechanical genius based its labours on those first principles.
Unfortunately, we know not on whom to bestow our gratitude, as
the darkness of the middle ages hides the names of those ingenious
men who opened such a brilliant career to their successors.

The fourteenth century, as already stated, offers us several clocks
constructed on the same principle, works of mechanicians of
different countries, as Wallingford in England, Dendis in Italy,
De Vik in Germany, etc. Nine of these clocks indicated the hours
only, several of them showed the days, months, phases of the moon,
feasts of the year, etc. De Vik's clock seems to be the first with
bells. It is worthy of remark, that the various researches and
discoveries which characterize this epoch, were not, as in our days,
encouraged by the increasing demands of science. It was not the
astronomer and geographer that longed for more precision and
additional convenience, and spurred on the clockmaker in his
endeavours to perfect his machine. The exigencies of monastic life

appear to have given the impulse to the principal discoveries. The
wish to know the hours of religious offices during night, independent
of the stars, and to be summoned at those hours if asleep, was the
incentive to the invention of the clock, the bell-clock, and later the
alarum. Several of the mechanicians we have mentioned were
monks.

This new career to horology had hardly begun when the want to
possess portable clocks made itself felt. But while weights were used
as a motor, any change in the position of the clock was impracticable ;
besides it would always require considerable space. This difficulty
was, however, overcome, when some genius hit upon replacing
weights by a force of spring. An elastic steel blade rolled firmly
together answered this purpose by its tendency to unroll itself.
With this new principle of imparting movement, the watch was in-
vented. The mechanism could be reduced to a small compass and
acted nearly alike in all positions. The mechanicians who first
applied these important modifications to clocks, are no better known
to us than the inventors of the escapement and pendulum.
Even the time of the discovery remains uncertain, it is supposed to
be about a century and a half after the invention of the large-weight
clocks. We find the first models of the latter in the fourteenth and
of the first watches or portable clocks in the sixteenth century. But
we know for certain that watches were worn at the court of France
under Charles IX. and Henry III. Several of them have been
preserved, and are of different forms, curious workmanship, and
run for several days. England seems to have been in advance of
the Continent, as Derham states he saw a watch of this description
belonging to Henry VIII. — Journal Suisse a" Ilorlogerie.
{To be continued.)

TRADE ITEMS.

In Glashutte, Saxony, a manufacturer employs an aluminium in
the production of watch springs. The new springs have the advan-
tage over the old in not being subject to rust, in not being magnetic,
and in possessing greater hardness and elasticity.

A magnificent vase, four feet high, has been sent to the Mikado
by the Emperor of Bussia.

The treasures of Mycenae discovered by Dr. Schliemann are soon
to be placed in the Polytechnicon at Athens, under the auspices of
the Archaeological Society of that city, where they will be easily
accessible.

Dr. Benjamin Franklin invented and constructed three clocks,
and one of them is owned in the Old King's Arms Inn in Lancaster.
It has only three wheels and strikes the hour. It is to be sold at
auction with other curious historical objects.

There is in Paris a vast establishment, the most extensive of its
kind in the world, where the imitation of pearls, diamonds, and
precious stones generally, is carried on with all the skill which
modern ingenuity renders possible. The sand upon which the whole
art depends, is found in the forests of Fontainbleau. False pearls
are lined with wax and scales of the roach and dace, which have to
be stripped from the fish while living, in order to retain the peculiar
glistening hue. The setting is always of real gold and the fashion
of the newest kind.

A Paris journal announces the arrival of the Director of the New
York Observatory to exhibit a new telescope, three times as
powerful as any hitherto employed. Commenting on this, it says : —
" Encore un peu on comptera les trous faits a la lune " — In a little
while we shall count the holes in the moon.

The pigeon fan is the latest French novelty in this class of goods.
The head and breast of the bird is stuffed and dressed, and the
spread wings form the " fan." These are mounted on ivory handles.
All the natural colours of the pigeon are preserved, and those in
shaded browns or black and white are exceedingly effective. They
are decidedly the prettiest fans of the season.

Prizes for Enamel, Alloys, &c— Among the prizes offered by
the German "Society for the Promotion of Industry," are the
following :— (1) A silver medal, or its value, and £45 for an
opaque red enamel for gold, silver, copper, and bronze. (2) A gold
medal, or its value, and £150 for a substitute for caoutchouc, the
same for a suitable substitute for gutta-percha. (3) A prize of £50
for a concise, critical and practical treatise on cements ; also £J5 for
the best investigation of the cause of a change in the zero point of
thermometers, with a method of preventing or remedying it. (4) A
prize of £100 for the best series of iron and manganese alloys, at
least twenty samples to be prepared, containing from 0-5 to 5 per
cent, of manganese.

Juke 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

291

CURIOSITIES OP CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

(Continued from page 270.)

THE International Exhibition of 1862 contained, among other
articles of horology, a reversible chronometer, a chronometer
showing the day of the month, a reversible, and a self-winding
watch. John Bailey, or Jack Bailey, as he was commonly called,
was the chief promoter of the once fashionable acquirement of
driving four-in-hand. He bequeathed to Sir Henry Peyton, the
second baronet, who died in 1854, his silver watch, the regulator in
all his journeys between the " George and Blue Boar," in Holborn,
and the " Angel " inn, at Oxford.

Sir William Lockyer Freestun, of Belvidere, Weymouth, Dorset-
shire, who died on April 16th, 1862, aged 57, bequeathed to Lord
Palmerston a watch and appendages worn by the testator, and
which he requested that his lordship would do him the honour to
accept. An enamelled gold snuff-box, with a watch movement and
diamond hands, was sold by auction, by Messrs. Debenham and
Stoir, on October 18th, 1865, for twenty-four guineas.

Mr. J. T. Pickburn, a gentleman who is well known among, and
respected by, the people of Clerkenwell, the great watchmaking
centre, drew the following simile in a speech made by him at a
public dinner in 1865, at which many horologists were present : —
" That the excellent contrivance called the British Constitution, is
like a watch that goes upon a diamond, John Bull's pocket being
the mine from whence the metallic substance is derived that forms
the mainspring. The House of Commons is the regulator ; the
House of Lords the balance wheel ; the Ministers the wheels within
wheels ; and that other estate of the realm, the Press, does duty as
the dial, by which we learn how the time goes. But the jewel upon
which the whole fabric turns is the Sovereign."

Mr. Benson, the eminent clock and watch maker of London, has
within the last few years, invented an instrument called a chronograph,
which is chiefly used for timing the duration of horse-races. It
consists of an ordinary quick-train lever movement, on a scale
sufficiently large to carry the hands for an eight-inch dial, and with
the addition of a long seconds-hand, which traverses the dial,
instead of being, as usual, just above the figure VI. The peculiarity
of the chronograph consists in this seconds-hand and the mechanism
connected with it. The hand itself is double, or formed of two
distinct hands, one lying over the other. The lower one, at its
extreme end, is furnished with a small cup or reservoir, with a
minute orifice at the bottom. The corresponding extremity of the
upper hand is bent over so as to rest exactly over this puncture, and
the reservoir having been filled with ink of a thickness between
ordinary writing fluid and printers' ink, the chronograph is ready for
action. The operator, who holds tightly grasped in his hand a stout
string connected with the mechanism peculiar to this instrument, keeps
a steady look out for the fall of the starter's flag. Simultaneously,
therefore, with the start of the race, the string he holds is pulled
by him, and at the same moment the upper hand dips down through
the reservoir in the lower, and leaves a little dot or speck of ink
upon the dial. This is repeated as the horses pass the winning post,
so that a lasting and indisputable record is afforded by the dots in
the dial of the time exact to the tenth of a second, which is
occupied in running the race. As an example of the results of this
instrument's operations, we may add that it timed the start and
arrival of the Derby race in 1866 as follows :— start 3 hours,
34 min. ; arrival, 3 hours, 36 min., 49 sees.; duration of race,
2 min. 49 sees.

Charlotte Florentia, Duchess Dowager of Northumberland, by
her will, proved on September 28th, 1866, bequeathed to Lady
Williams her diamond watch, the chain of diamonds and pearls
belonging to it, and the seals.

We now propose to give a short account of some of the curiosities
of the mechanical details of watches. A good three-quarter-plate
watch as usually made requires no fewer than one hundred and
thirty-eight distinct pieces in its frame, train, escapement, potence,
fusees, arbors, clicks, ratchets, and other nicely contrived and
adjusted constituents. To these appliances must be added the chain,
which contains sixty-three links and forty-two rivets to every
inch, and being generally six inches in length comprises six hundred
and thirty pieces ; thus swelling the contents of a common detached
lever watch to seven hundred and sixty-eight separate pieces,
to construct which give occupation to no less than thirty-eight or
forty different kinds of artificers. Babbage, in his " Economy of
Manufactures," tells us that the division of labour cannot be success-
fully practised unless there exist a great demand for its produce ;
and it requires a large capital to be employed in those arts in which
it is used. In watchmaking it has been carried, perhaps, to the

greatest extent. It was stated in evidence before a Committee of
the House of Commons, that there are a hundred and two distinct
branches of this art, to each of which a boy may be put apprentice ;
and that he learns only his master's department, and is unable after
his apprenticeship has expired, without subsequent introduction to
work at any other branch. The watch-finisher, whose business
is to put together the scattered parts, is the only one out of the
hundred and two persons who can work in any other department
than his own.

(To be continued.)

MIRROR OF THE MONTH.

JUNE,

OVID, in his " Fasti,'' makes Juno claim the honour of giving a
name to this month ; but there had been ample time before
his day for an obscurity to surround the origin of the term, and he
lived before it was the custom to critically investigate such matters.
Standing as the fourth month in the Roman calendar, it was in
reality dedicated a Junioribus — that is, to the junior or inferior
branch of the original Legislature of Rome, as May was a Majoribics,
or to the superior branch. Romulus assigned to this month a
complement of thirty days, though in the old Latin or Alban
calendar it consisted of twenty-six only. Numa deprived it of one
day, which was restored by Julius Caesar, since which time it has
remained undisturbed.

Though the summer solstice takes place on the twenty-first day,
June is only the third month of the year in respect to temperature,
being preceded in this respect by July and August. The mornings,
in the early part of the month especially, are even liable to be
frosty, to the extensive damage of the buds of the fruit trees.
Nevertheless, June is the month of greatest summer beauty, the
trees are in their best and freshest garniture. " The leafy month
of June," Coleridge well calls it, the month when the flowers are
richest in hue and profusion. In English landscape, the conical
clusters of the chesnut buds, and the tassels of the laburnum and
lilac, vie above with the variegated show of wild flowers below.
Dr. Aikeu says justly that June is in reality, in this climate, what
the poets only dream May to be. The mean temperature of the air
was given by an observer in Scotland as 59° F., against 60° for
August, and 61° for July.

The sun, formally speaking, reaches the most northerly point in
the zodiac, and enters the constellation of cancer, on the 21st of
June ; but for several days about that time there is no observable
difference in his position or his hours of rising and setting. At
Greenwich he is above the horizon from 3.43 morning to 8.17
evening, thus making a day of 16k. 26m. At Edinburgh the longest
day is about 17^ hours, and there is a glow equal to dawn in the
north through the whole of the brief night. In Shetland, the light
at midnight is like a good twilight, and the text of any ordinary
book may then be easily read.

June was the month which the Romans considered the most
propitious season of the year for contracting matrimonial engage-
ments, especially if the day chosen were that of the full moon or
the conjunction of the sun and moon. Wedding rings in those
days did not occupy the present prominent position ; but a con-
siderable sum of money was anciently put into a purse or plate,
and presented by the bridegroom to the bride on the wedding
night, as a sort of purchase of her person. This custom was
common to the Greeks as well as Romans, and seems to have
prevailed among the Jews and many Eastern nations. It was
changed in the Middle Ages, and in the north of Europe, for the
"morning present;" the bride having the privilege, the morning
after the wedding day, of asking for any sum of money or any
estate that she pleased, and which could not in honour be refused
by her husband. The demand at times became really serious if
the wife were of an avaricious temper. Something similar pre-
vailed in England under the name of the " Dow Purse." A trace
of this is still kept up in Cumberland, where the bridegroom
provides himself with gold and crown pieces, and, when the service
reaches the point, " With all my worldly goods I thee endow," he
takes up the money, hands the clergyman his fee, and pours the
rest into a handkerchief which is held by the bridesmaid for the
bride. When Clovis was married to the Princess Clotilde, he
offered, by his proxy, a sou and a denier, which became the marriage
offering by law in France ; and to this day pieces of money are
given to the bride, varying only in value according to the rank of
the parties.

292

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLEB, AND

[June 5, 1877.

GOLD.

(Continued from page 273.)

MOSES STRINGER also says, " Gold, silver, and quicksilver,
have been largely produced in Great Britian and Ireland.
Gold hath been, and. may now be found in the hills of Mendip,
in Somersetshire, called the Golden Rake. In certain rivers in
Scotland, and in Ireland, good gold, in perfect form, like to the
Arabian gold, and collected the same way — after heavy rains."
But Sir John Pettus, in his "Fodinae Regales," states that all the
gold and silver obtained in England was procured by extraction
from other metals, and not from mines of perfect gold and silver,
and this seems to have been the case. The metals, or ores of metals
from which gold is obtained in Britian, are copper, lead, silver,
iron, and zinc ; and this fact no doubt led to the Crown originally
laying claim to all mines and minerals.

With regard to Moses Stringer, he lived in the reigns of
William III. and Mary, and of Queen Anne. He seems to have been
an extraordinary man in his time, and one to whom no speculation
came amiss. In 1703, we find him " Mineral Master General and
Chancellor of the Mines Royal Company ; " Deputy governor in
1705 ; treasurer in 1709, and subsequently governor. His son,
Hermes Hippocrates Stringer, filling the post of "Principal
Registrar," and secretary to the aforesaid chancellor. An amusing
account of some of his speculations and theories will be found in
his " Opera Mineralia Explicata," also in his " English and Welsh
Mines and Minerals," which will amply repay perusal, as giving an
idea of the time in which he lived. We have before mentioned
that "The Mines Royal Company" claimed not only the right to
gold and silver, but also to the baser metals. Moses Stringer had
therefore a fine field for speculation, and we find various proposals
to the Government for co-operation in all sorts of schemes. One
was for raising the price of tin, (1) "Because the publick use of silver
plate is so much abated in the nation." (2) " Because tin, improved
by art, is next in nature to pure gold and silver, and it is to the
interest and honour of the nation to refine tin, it being our own
commodity, rather than to use allayed and coarse silver for common
plate." (3) "The higher the price and quality of tin shall be, the
more it will be in fashion ; the more it is in fashion ; the more it
will be refined, the more it is refined, the more fitter it will be for
plate ; the more tin there is in plate, the more silver we shall have
in money ; the more silver there is in money, the more money we
shall have to lay out on the most refined and fashionable pewter ;
the greater the consumption is, the better it will be for rich and poor.
The poor will get more wages, and the rich more wealth ! For all
marlcets are governed by the first market price. And as the quantity,
quality, and price of tin shall rise, the more it will be for the
honour and interest of the nation in general, and the counties of
Cornwall and Devon, in particular, will be the better enabled
thereby to serve their king and country, in mind, body, and estate."

He continues, " And, farther to show the nature of our tin (and I
could give many such instances), I shall inform my reader that
about 20 years ago, some engineers, or rather, men of cunning art,
came down into Cornwall ; and often visiting the blowing or melt-
ing houses of the tin, and as often making the blowers drink ; whilst
the blowers were busy drinking, those cunning men were as busy
dipping their rods in the flote, or mould, where the tin was melting
hot; and by that means, using both ends of their rods, they
extracted a great deal of gold and silver, and, if they had not been
mistrusted and forced to fly the country, upon the discovered want of
hat virtue, which by that means was taken out of the tin, they would
have gotten many thousand pounds, in a little time, and spoiled all
the tin which they should so touch. The pewterers and merchants
upon the discovery, complaining to the tinners, the tinners brought
their action against the blowers ; and (after a stannary law suit
as long as from hence to the Land's End) they had more satisfaction
than (I think) should have been given them. And sometime since,
one of those cunning men confessed the matter of fact to me, and
how they were forced to fly the country for committing it."

Stringer adds, " The improvement of this rich talent will much
increase our coin, which is so much wanting to carry on a vigorous
war against our greatest adversary. And as all kingdoms and
commonwealths have risen by trade and justice, so may we now
begin to aggrandise this great land and nation by one of the capital
commodities thereof. And when the great wisdom and policy of
the king and parliament shall think fit to sit upon so great and
advantageous a work, even an English kitching, hung (as it were)
with refined pewter plate, will be one of the finest and noblest
sights in the world." He remarks, " A well managed trade is the
creator and preserver of money, and money and trade are the sinews
of war."

Another "Proposal to the Honourable House of Commons" is
" For employing the Poor to Gain the Hidden Treasures of this King-
dom," so as to increase the royal revenue a million a year, the weatlh
of the nation many millions, and give opportunity to establish as
strong forces at land, without charge, as the nation may require ;
strengthen the fleet, and occasionally suppress vice " ! ! Stringer
remarks, " But I expect these will meet with opposition from four
sorts of men (but I doubt not but the wisdom of this Honourable
House will protect it), viz. {Imprimis'), Those that are biassed against
the present Government, because it will be of such great benefit to
the Crown. (2) The Dog in the Manger, or those that had rather
the riches underground should lie obscure to eternity, becaus e their
sense and purse cannot gain them, rather than any other should
gain something, so well as they, by raising them. (3) The envious,
that are always angry that anything should go on but what they are
the proposers of, or at least have a great hand in. (4) Of as ill
consequence are those who are ignorant of the subterraneous pro-
ductions and their managements, but if any of these raise any
objections worth debate, I doubt not but to answer them fully, if
permitted thereto." He then enumerates the known gold and
silver mines, and continues, " I am sure your Honours know that if
sheeps' blood, with a few skins and hides, can make such profitable
manufacturers, these many rich subterraneous productions, with due
management, will scarcely fail to make London so plentiful as Jeru-
salem was in King Solomon's time."

His project was that all mines, minerals, and waste lands should
be worked by those poor who were dependent on their parishes for
relief, and that the poor rates, which then annually amounted to
£1,500,000 sterling, should be paid into the treasury of the
"Mines Royal Company" for the management of the mines —
rather an ingenious idea for his own benefit. He says, "200,000
strong men will be fully employed in this affair, besides women and
children ; and those that wamt a leg or an arm, or some eyesight,
may be useful in picking, sorting, knocking, dressing and washing
ores, and what part of these 200,000 men the House of Commons
may approve of may be added under the same Lieutenancy as the
Militia is, and exercised on those days that miners keep as holidays.
200,000 horse will be employed in carrying ores to the mills, water
to the mines, the metals and minerals to the store-houses and
markets, &c. ; and these, some regard being had to their sizes, may
be exercised as dragoons, and civilized with the other by regular
martial laws. These will be a trusty, valiant and hardy army of
Englishmen if an invasion happen, and their arms and accoutrements
reserved in the secure custody of the respective Lieutenants."

All criminals were also to be sent to work in the mines, thus
doing away with the expense of gaols, &c. "None of the poor,"
he says, "need be compelled to the working against their wills
in the mines, because the work is not very hard, and lOd. a day for
a man, 6d. for his wife, and 4d. for his children, from 8 to 14 years
old, makes it, if he have but two children, 14s. per week ; out of
which he may well live in those countries, and save money to buy
cattle. And for this they may work industriously there six or eight
hours, which is usually a miner's day's work. Men and women
that want a leg or an arm can serve to tell noses, and see that
others appear at and follow their work," &c.

Though amused at his eccentricities, we cannot help acknowledg-
ing that Stringer possessed considerable talent, and a wonderfully
far-seeing and comprehensive brain. In fact, he seems to have
been a born speculator ; at one time originating schemes of the
greatest magnitude, at another entering into the pettiest details.
In one of his prospectuses we read, " The said Mineral Master
General will furnish the said industrious workmen, &c, with
raiment and necessaries for household goods, at prime cost, and
much cheaper than they can buy for ready money. For example,
a good fashionable hat, 2s. 6d. ; his wife, a fashionable gown and
petticoat for 13s. or 14s. N.B. — Likewise for such as want health
are the following provisions made, viz., advice in any distemper,
gratis. Choice medicines very cheap. Elixir renovans, elixir
febrifugum martis, 2s. 6d. per bottle. With several other sovereign
medicines extremely cheap, which may be had of Moses Stringer,
chymist and Mineral Master General, at his laboratory in Black
Fryers." (To be continued.)

The Court of the Goldsmiths' Company have voted a special
grant of £500 towards the effort now being made to increase the
Endowment Fund of the Clock and Watchmakers' Asylum, New
Southgate.

The Australasian reports that a diamond has been found at
Echunga diggings valued at £10.

Victoria exported during 1876 506,221 oz. of gold, representing
a value of £2,025,957.

June 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

293

PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR THE
TRADE.

To Oxydize Gold, Silver, or Brass. — Paint over the parts
to be oxydized with a solution of chloride of platinum, then let it
dry. To make the chloride of platinum in solution dissolve one
drachm in two ounces of hot water.

An alloy of 100 parts of alluminium and 5 of silver can be worked
like pure alluminium, but is harder and susceptible of a beautiful
polish. An alloy of 100 parts of silver and 5 of alluminium is nearly
as hard as ordinary silver, but has the advantage over it of contain-
ing no metal of a poisonous nature or which can effect a discoloura-
tion of the silver.

How to Extract Broken Screws. — Place the watch-plate in a
strong solution of common alum, which will in a very short time
dissolve the broken screws and leave the plate uninjured.

Soldering Silver. — The best solder for general purposes, to be
employed in soldering silver, consists of 19 parts (by weight) of
silver, 10 parts of brass, and 1 of copper, carefully melted together
and well incorporated. To use this for fine work it should be
reduced to powder by filing ; the borax should be rubbed up on a
slate, with water, to the consistency of a cream. This cream
should then be applied with a fine brush to the surfaces intended
to be joined, between which the powdered solder, or wire, is placed,
and the whole supported on a block of charcoal to concentrate the
heat. In the hands of a skilful workman the work can be done
with such accuracy as to require no scraping or filing, it being only
necessary to remove the borax when the soldering is complete by
immersion in jewellers' pickle.

LECTURE ON A COMPREHENSIVE AND EASY
METHOD OP EXAMINING GENEVA WATCHES
WITH THE CYLINDER ESCAPEMENT. Delivered
at the Horological Institute, on Wednesday, April
25th, by Mr. J. TRIPPLIN, Besangon watch manu-
facturer, P.S.E.D. ; Mr. Jackson, V.P., in the chair.

TWO motives prompt me in giving this modest lecture ; the first,
that of serving a friend — a watchmaker with a sound practical
knowledge and extensive scientific attainments — by putting in
evidence some slight extracts of his masterly writings on watch-
making, which, on account of my being a manufacturer of watches
with cylinder escapements, came more directly tinder my compre-
hension ; and the second, that of giving, as far as my limited but
practical efforts will allow, a little more knowledge of the horizontal
escapement than is generally possessed by English watchmakers.

Of this deficiency I speak knowingly, having had, up to the
present time, to knock at many doors before finding a man really
understanding properly its principles.

True, I found many who professed the most intimate knowledge
with it, as we Geneva people assert that we know the lever
escapement perfectly well ; that, indeed, the complications of its
angles, pallets, banking-pins, &c, are no mystery to us at all.

Well, perhaps in our schools we learn easily enough to make, on
a large sheet of paper or on the blackboard, a correct drawing of
it ; but when the time comes to produce it on a much smaller scale,
we somehow or other fail to do it properly, and hence the general
belief in this country that the Swiss do not understand the lever
escapement. 1 confess the general justice of the charge, although,
of course, I claim exemption for some of us, the fact being that the
cylinder escapement, although a plant of English growth, has now
become more or less extinct in England, while its culture has been
taken up by the French horological artists.

Now that, owing to the great competition in watch manufacturing
and the extensive use of machinery, the price of foreign watches
has been so reduced, their examination and repairing must be
reduced in like proportions, and it is absolutely necessiry that the
workman who undertakes to examine or repair them should know
exactly where to direct his attention, and how much of that attention
the price which he receives will allow him to give to it ; and it is
therefore only by having a true and correct notion of the principles
on which the accurate performance of that watch depends constantly
before him, he can do it satisfactorily and to the best advantage.

I shall simply indicate to you the way to follow, and recollect
that if the explanations I give you are too long, some of the
operations I describe take actually less time to execute ; but bear
in mind that promptitude and surety in watchwork depends in a
great measure on the method adopted — firstly, in the preliminary
examination of the work ; and secondly, in the details of its
execution.

I shall speak more of those parts which are essential constituents
of the cylinder watch, leaving out those which are identical in
English and Geneva work.

1 may state that my knowledge is drawn mostly from M. Saunier's
works, entitled " Grand Traitc d' Horlogerie Moderne," " Guide
Manuel," and " Kecueil de Proccdes Pratiques."

I have in my watches used the processes described, and can,
therefore, confidently speak as to their merits.

Please to recollect that although I am addressing the apprentices
only, I shall, of course, be extremely grateful to those senior
members present for any suggestions they may like to offer me.

I shall divide what I have to say in three parts : —

1. Preliminary Examination, including Motion Work and Exami-
nation of Barrel.

2. The Train.

3. The Escapement.

Part First.

Suppose we have to examine a gentleman's watch, 18 crystal
glass, and a gold lady's, 15 or 16, both with bar movements, these
two specimens fairly representing those most sold in England.

By a general look over it all, see that the case joins well — that it
does not 'show either blows received or too strong pressures — in a
word, does not let in that element of destruction, slow but sure —
dust. — See that the fly-spring acts nicely ; ascertain, in the crystal-
glass watch, that the head of minute-hand does not touch the glass,
by trying the hand- shake of centre-wheel. Move the hands with
the winder, see that they turn in a plane parallel with the dial. If
the minute-hand inclines more on one side than on the other, it
shows either that the wheel is out of upright or the centre-square
bent. We shall have to remedy this by-and-bye when coming to
the train.

The same remark applies to the fourth wheel and the second-
hand it carries— do not forget the holes in dial. Open the glass ;
see that the hour-hand has sufficient play, does not touch either on
dial, second, or minute hand ; its shaking would denote a hole too
large, or centre-square bent, or wings of canon-pinion of unequal
height. Take the hands off : may I suggest this way, which, among
others, I have always found most prompt and effectual? Cover the
minute-hand with a piece of tissue paper, and pinch with the
nippers, or introduce a bit of cardboard, slit in the centre, under
both hands, stopped one over the other, and pinch as before said.
Open your case, see that set- square does not pass the dome, so that
a pressure exercised on the bottom of the case has no effect on it.
The set-square should be a little smaller than the barrel- arbor.

Open the dome — make it open easily if necessary by cutting some
of the undercut, round it, and waxing it afterwards. Ascertain that
in the lady's it does not press on the index steel cover, this happen-
ing sometimes. With metal dome watches you mark the spot with
a little rouge or oil, and turn a suitable hollow in the mandrel. See
at the same time to stud-col!et, it should be turned down and regilt.
In case of a gold dome, send it to a case-maker to have it raised, or
do it yourself. Another stoppage is occasioned, although rarely, by
the metal dome resting on the screws which hold the centre-cup.
The screws must be lowered or a hollow turned, or the cup itself
may stick in the hole of the dome ; if so it must be freed.

Observe that the band or middle does not touch on the barrel, if
it does the band must, in a silver watch be cut under if possible ; in
a gold one this has to be remedied differently — viz., by lowering the
barrel. See that the head of fly-spring does not touch on the
banking pin on rim of balance, especially in lady's watch. Correct
this by filing it, if you can do it safely, or by filing the spring or
lowering the balance by bending its arms.

Take dial off : in an enamel one with two screws, see first that they
act, feel the dial and ascertain that it rests properly flat all round ;
ifnob, then it touches either on the barrel-arbor, stopwork, minute
motion-wheel stud, end stones, or some end screws too long. If the
barrel-arbor and the pin maintaining the stop-finger allows it, it
must be lowered and repolished. If it is the stop-finger, and it is
hi»her than the star-wheel, than the dial must be reduced in thick-
ness by turning off some of the enamel by means of the emery-wheel
or emery file. If the end stone, if possible it must be stoned down ;
if not, use the emery-wheel. Use your discretion about the minute

SUM

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Jwn» 5, 1877.

motion-wheel stud, and if screw ends too long- reduce their length.
All these faults happening in a lady's watch with silver-gilt or gold
dial can easily be remedied by. raising gently the dial. This being
seen to we pass on.

See that the depth of motion work is correct, that they play
freely, if hour-wheel has too much shake on cannon pinion than it
must be changed.

See that it is not foul of barrel or star-wheel. This fault shows
a want of proportion in the respective sizes of hour and star-wheel —
correct it this way : if star-wheel is too thick, by reducing its thick-
ness until it can be safely passed over, or bevelling star-wheel or
raising the barrel where possible. Sometimes you have to bevel
hour-wheel, but the proper way would be to replant the motion-
work in a smaller centre. You may now ascertain that the barrel
has sufficient space to turn freely in the plate, if not, having secured
the proper depth with centre wheel, turn it in the mandrel, centring
from barrel-arbor hole. Take movement out, see that barrel has
proper play between centre-wheel, plate, click-spring and barrel-
bar, and having noticed this and also its depth with centre-wheel,
and that there is no burr under it, take it off and take it to
pieces, leaving' onlv the bar with the click, barrel-arbor, and barrel-
ir-boi cover. See that barrel-arbor tarns properly, neither too stiff
nor too looso. It ii shakes von "'ill have to cut on an arbor part of
lif barrel-arbor cover on the edge, or better still do ii with the
mandrel leaving' onlv the centre part to press on the arbor. It too
i;t. and here us one »i' those faults by which you can correci seyeral
others, :/-.. stopwork touching on dial, star- wheel rubbing against

_ Li-vrheei, barrel not having sufficient play between centre-wheel, or
oeing too near cue piate or band. According therefore to circum-
cumstances- you either lower or raise your barrel by turning out in
the mandrel some portion of the bar, or turning a similar space on
the inside of the barrel-arbor cover or axis,

Now, I suppose the barrel-arbor turning properly, ascertain that
the click acts well, that it goes to the bottom of the rachet tooth,
see that all of them are clear from that thick oily stuff remaining some-
times between from the rough factory work. It is very important
that this should be seen to properly. You correct it partly by filing
off the side of the bar until the head of the click is low enough, then
you try to bring it back by bending the steady pin a little, but this
seldom succeeds. If you wish a correct job you had better replace
the side spring, but this fault is never found in a good watch. You
reduce, if necessary, the strength of the click-spring by diminish-
ing its thickness. You should ascertain that it is properly hardened
and tempered by just touching it with the file, if not it should be
made so. If it cannot be hardened, then it must be replaced, as
the click, no more than the barrel-arbor, or, indeed, any other part
of the watch which should be of hardened steel instead of soft iron,
can last without this latter condition being observed.

ifou have noticed previously to this what play there is between
the barrel, bar, and side-spring. Any want of play is easily
remedied with the mandrel or the file, but recollect that whatever
tool you use you must use cleanly, and take off all coarse traces of
your work either in filings or burrs.

I need not make any allusions to screws which over-turn, they
must be replaced whenever found. Now put the barrel on its
arbor, see that the hole is not too large, you correct this error by
stopping them, or using the closing tool. Screw on centre-piece,
the size of which should not exceed a third of the diameter of
inside of barrel, and see that barrel turns free. If too much
shake, then chamfer the hole in the centre-piece, if not enough
turn a small hollow on barrel or diminish the shoulder inside.

Now place cover on, and see that barrel turns freely and flat ;
if out of flat, try first the putting the cover in different places, and
make new marks. If that does not succeed, file a little off the side of
cover on that side of the barrel which is the uppermost, holding the
barrel-arbor square with thesliding-tongs. Should youmakethe cover
too free, then you have to hammer it slightly on the opposite or the
lowest side. Do this with care and attention, as nothing — in the
estimation of a conscientious watchmaker — is more sad than the
sight of burrs, filing, hammering, and other negligences, which are
revealed on examination of parts, the outside appearance of which
led you to expect something better. It should be done thus : place
a piece of tissue paper on the anvil, then, resting the side of your
cover very flat on it, you hammer gently on the edge, you will, by
these means, obtain the desired result, showing scarcely any traces.
_ Now we come to the stopwork. The combined diameter of star-
piece, plus stopwork, and finger, ought not to exceed half that of
the cover, leaving free on each side a half of the diameter of the
star-wheel. The star-wheel and stop-finger should be of equal
size. The soundness of this principle having been demonstrated,
place star-wheel so that it turns freely on its shoulder, observing

that the head of the screw fits the hollow, and comes on a level
with it. See that its teeth are cleanly and frankly cut. Put finger
on and see to depth ; the finger should almost reach the bottom of
the slot, and the crescent of the star-wheel ought to coincide with
the circumference of the finger. When the stop takes place, the
finger ought to rest securely on the shoulder in the line of centre,
as seen in fig 1 A.

Make it turn one way, and then the other. "With a piece of
peg-wood, incline the star-wheel at the moment of its being passed
by the finger in the direction contrary to that it ought to take, and,
consequently, to the most unfavourable to its safe functions. (See
fig. 1 b.) If this takes place in a satisfactory manner you may let
it pass ; but if there is too much play, change at once the defec-
tive piece. Attention ought to be paid to their running smoothly
together, the slightest inequality or roughness being sufficient to
occasion a stoppage ; you should, therefore, take them away, and
turn an emery buff over the edge.

Fig. 1.

Now take them off, as well as cover, and put main-spring in,
turn with winder, and see that it does not rub either against bat re I
or cover owing to hooks not properly placed or want of room ; if
this last fault occitr, see spring is not too high — i.e., does not exceed
the height of the groove, then the cover must be turned thinner in
the mandrel, which may conveniently be done by reversing it on
barrel. The spring should take at least four and a half to five
turns, and occupy a third of the inside of barrel.

I think I have now summarized the examination of the barrel,
and you have only to put it cleanly together. A fault which is
frequently committed — viz. that of scratching the gilding off the
barrel, may be easily avoided by using a small piece of papier
between barrel and bar, and tearing it away when the spring- is
put in.

The Train.

Now we come to the train.

Take off cock and balance, after having previously observed its
position with regard to centre-wheel, fourth-wheel, pinion, scape*
wheel, bar, turn button, collet stud, banking pin, &c.

With a little oscillatory motion given to centre-wheel, you can
ascertain at once any of the following faults : —

1. Too much play in holes, or not enough.

2. Not sufficient play between centre-wheel, its bar, and bar of
third-wheel. Centre-wheel should come on a level with third-wheel
pinion.

3. Wheels out of flat.

4. Wheels out of truth.

5. Pivots too long or too short. They should come on a level with
bottom of oil sinks.

6. Wheels not having sufficient play in their sink, touching
either side or bottom.

7. Escape-wheel teeth, touching in passage. Ascertain this fault
by turning the movement over. The best way is to try the escape-
wheel by itself.

June 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

295

8. The state of set square, cannon-pinion and second pivot.

9. Insufficient end shake.

10. Lastly, and most important, the depths, and the state of
shape of teeth and leaves of pinion.

Let lis dispose at once of fault No. 1.

If too much shake in centre -holes, they must either be stopped or
made smaller. Third and fourth wheel holes ditto, if in brass.
( 'are must be taken that they aTe perfectly upright. Do not forget
oil-sinks, including centre-wheel holes. If jewels they must be
replaced, supposing before the size of the pivots to be good.

Faults Nos. 2, 3, 5, G, and 7 are easily remedied by mandrel, file,
and turn. In enlarging fourth wheel sink you must take care not
to break third bottom hole.

4. Supposing wheels of the right size and proportions, you
recut them after having seen that the shoulders turn true. This is
important, because recutting the wheel in that state is simply per-
petuating the fault, nay, making it worse.

8. Set square ; should run smooth, and still hold rather firmly
If too free it must be replaced. Pivots of centre-wheel should
project a little above bar and below plate. Cannon-pinion ought to
be nicely polished, &c. See that second pivot is not bent.

9. There are several ways of making end shake. The proper one.
supposing tlip bars to rest squarely <>n the plat?, is, especially in
jewelled pieces, to turn back the pivot-shoulder. But if you rinJ
fi urth-wheel bai «itli nose beni i" rl^ centre. >n<l ;.ll your othej
bars iu a plan perfectly parallel with the plate, von may, in order
tore-establish the perpendicular of your IkA?. redress it this tray.
Put ii piece of paper on anvil, place on il the side of pour bar, then

hainniei gentlj on ides The result will scarcely be seen Ji

too much shake, you reduce it by filing uniformly under the bars,
so lowering them.

10. Now we come to depths.

We shall at once resolve all difficulties on this subject by seeing
the conditions in which good depths are made.

Let me remind you of a principle, If you make a circle supposed
to be provided on a point of its circumference with a pencil, travel
alon^ the circumference of another circle, the curve described is
called an epicycloi'de.

In ordinary depths of watch-work the curve of the tooth of the
wheels must be made in an epicycloi'de, traced by a circle, half the
diameter of the pinion running on the primitive diameter of the
wheel.

The curve of the pinion leaves should be made also according to
an epicyclo'ide described by a circle half that of the wheel ; but in
practice it has been found easier to make it in half a circle, and the
sides of the leaves must be in a plane going straight to the centre.
So much for the shape of teeth of wheel and leaves of pinion. Now
as we have not to alter the positions occupied by our wheels and
rnnions, we shall not follow M. Saunier into his exposition of the
theory of the respective sizes of either of them — especially as this
would take too much time — but shall simply consider them as far
as their relative proportions are concerned.

Pinion six leaves should have one-third leaf and two-thirds space.
The teeth should have as much of leaf as of space.

The contact should commence at not more than half the thickness
of a leaf before the line of centres, when the contact of tooth and
pinion leaf passed the line of centres, should be about ceasing, or
almost at an end.

With pinion of seven leaves, the contact begins when two-thirds
of leaf has passed the line of centres.

With pinion of eight, when about three-fourths has passed.

With pinion of ten, on the line of centres, teeth still being pro-
portioned.

But practically, under all conditions, a little shake is always to be
found.

It being proved that there is a necessity for driving the pinion as
near as possible the line of centres, you will know on what you are
to base your examination of depths ; and should you find a pinion a
little smaller than it ought to be, it should rather be preferred to
one a little too large, as it allows of contact nearer the line of
centres, whereas a larger one causes contact too soon, thereby intro-
ducing errors.

The most correct way to try the size of a pinion relative to the size
of its wheel is the sector, as every degree is divided, and you may
see yourself how far the pinion is faulty.

But a shorter and easier way is done with the pinion gauge or
compass.

I give it ; but whenever you have the least doubt, the depth
should be tried on the depthing tool, and you should never hesitate
about changing a pinion whenever found defective, as it is an endless
source of stoppages.

The opening of the pinion gauge must, in order to give approxi-
mately the size of pinion, measure on the outside — say,

A pinion of ten, four full teeth.

A pinion of eight, four teeth on the point, less one quarter.

A pinion of seven, a little less than three full teeth.

A pinion of six, three teeth on the points.

In finishing this very short description of a subject on which
hours of explanation might be devoted, let me impress upon you the
care which you ought to bestow on the fourth wheel depth. Let
fourth wheel and escape-wheel be placed together, after having
ascertained carefully their separate freedom, state of pivots, jewel-
holes, &c. ; put a piece of peg-wood on pivot of escape-wheel, so as
to restrain its liberty ; then drive fourth wheel with another piece
and feel carefully. If they do not turn smoothly together, in spite
of a proper shake, you maybe certain that there is something wrong
in the size of escape-pinion.

A frequent cause of stoppage is found in the absence of bottom
shoulder in the escape-wheel; it causes the oil to spread over the
pinion, where its presence accelerates the destruction of the parts
in contact, and renders the friction of the depth unequal and
variable ; and so it is seen often marked or cut in comparatively new
watches.

The size oi fonrtb wheel determines that of escape-wheel, which

should have sufficient freed between fourth wheel pinion and

third wheel teeth. I'liis f u u 1 1 happening sometimes, I must indicate
some of the ways to obviate it. See first thai your wheels stand
are upright, riipu lool to your fourth pinion. Mere you will gene-
rally find the Fault, il being often too high ; it must be lowered.
and the face re-polished, it third wheel wants lowering in conse-
quence, then do it by bending the arms, and see that there is
sufficient play between it and plate. Do not forget that it is always
desirable to operate on the part that shows less traces of your work.

If escape-wheel touch on third wheel the third wheel must be
moved either by topping it when the depth will allow, or re-planted ;
this is easily done in a watch with brass holes. If jewelled, the
bottom hole must be stopped and re-jewelled. You centre top hole
by moving the bar by means of steady pins.

It is needless to tell you that, in case of any deformity either in
wheel, teeth, or pinions, the only and prompt remedy is to change
the defective piece, unless the deformity should not be such as to
exceed the correcting power of the " Ingold cutter," which we use
extensively in our factories in order to obtain — firstly, the proper
epicycloi'dal shape of the curve of the teeth and an equalization of
their thickness. We generally succeed by its use to make our
depths run pretty smoothly.

No. 2.— The Escapement.

Having the train and escapement in their places, see that balance
is free, that its pivots, coming sufficiently through their holes, rest
securely on end stones.

You notice on the plate near the edge of balance three small
marks or dots ; they show the lifting of the escapement and are the
third of the diameter of the balance, which is, or should be, about
the size of barrel less teeth, or twice the diameter of escape-wheel.
See that point on rim of balance is opposite the central dot on the
plate. The escapement then ought to be at rest. Make that sure
this way : Press on centre wheel with left index finger, and with a
piece of peg-wood controlling the movements of the balance ; see
that the lift takes place with point on balance at equal distance
from central dot on the plate ; when that is not so, it must be
corrected, and a new mark made on balance or by moving the hair-
spring collet, it being important that you should know how to fix it
so as to obtain the right beat.

Now look carefully to the position of escape-wheel in the
cylinder. The larger opening ought to admit the total height or
thickness of escape-wheel, plus one-half allowed as surety top and
bottom.

The small slot should be on an average three times the height of
bottom of escape-wheel, and should cut the cylinder so as to leave
only a quarter of its whole circumference. The maximum of the
thickness of its shell ought never to be more than one-eighth of the
total height of curve of escape-wheel ; in fact, the thinner the
better, and it must turn perfectly true.

See that escape-wheel and cylinder stand quite upright, and
should you find the escape-wheel too high, a position which would
occasion a slight recoil, raise the balance by bringing end stone
nearer the jewel by stoning it, or by turning off on the mandril any
excess of material which may be between it and the surface of end
stone — but recollect a little space should be left as a reservoir for
oil— or by turning bottom bar sinks in mandril, or, lastly, by filing

29G

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[Junb 5, 1877.

bottom bar when little is required. Then see to end shake by bendin<*
balance bar slightly upwards, if necessary.

To lower the balance is more difficult, and I sugjest at once to
have recourse to the escape-wheel by raising or lowering its arms on
a small brass or lead plot and striking on its arms near the centre
with a brass punch.

Having now seen that their relative position is safe, we proceed to
ascertain lifting or impulse an<jle.

Mr. Henry Robert, once talking to me in my days of apprentice-
ship in trying to make me understand the working of the cylinder
escapement, compared the action of the escape -wheel tooth to that
of a wedge used by a wood cleaver.

may be readily set out with a protractor. Divide the first space
into degrees, or (as we shall only require those divisions showing
the points of contact of the cylinder with teeth of wheel) mark off
carefully the degrees from 10 to 15 from the radius a is. Take
between the points of compasses three and a half of these five
degrees, and mark that distance inside the circle b ; from this mark
taking a as centre, draw the circle d. Take distance from b to the
junction of the circle d with radius 11 b^ ; this distance is correct
for the length of escape-wheel tooth. From the point b mark off a
line (b f), making an angle of from 13 to 15 degrees with the
radius b\ This forms the heel of the tooth.
Take as distance three-fourths of radius A b, and, with B and B* as

Fig. 2.

The block of wood is the cylinder, whose arc is to be displaced,
and the wedge represents singularly well the escape-wheel tooth.

But in order that my explanations respecting it might be better
understood, let us draw an escape-wheel.

To Draw the Cylinder Escape- Wheel.

On thick drawing paper, properly fixed, take as centre A, fig. 2.
From this point describe a circle, or part of one, the size of which is
quite immaterial.

Now draw a b, a perpendicular line, from a, the centre of circle,
to a point of its circumference. The line a b is called the radius of
the circle. From the point b divide the circle into 15 spaces. The
circle being 300 degrees, each space will occupy 2i degrees. These

centres, draw curves, the junction of which (as seen in H for second
tooth) will give the point from which to draw the impulse curve of
the tooth.

Now describe within the circle d, at a distance of one-half from
it, one of the degrees already marked off as a supplementary circle
to form the inside of tooth. Round off the point, of the tooth as
shown, in order to diminish friction, and reduce it to a minimum.

These directions having been followed, the result will be a tooth
shaped correctly according to all recognized principles.

Next draw the semi-circles, showing the spaces between the teeth,
the depth of which should not be less than one and a half the
diameter of cylinder. You have now only to repeat these given
dimensions to other radiuses, and then to draw the inside rim of
your wheel to complete it.

June 5, 1877.

SILVERSMITH'S TRADE JOURNAL.

297

The Cylinder.

From B* to C draw a line, the middle of 'which, as seen in e, should
be the position of the circle representing the line of centres, and
shows the proper depth of cylinder and escape-wheel.

Taking e as centre, then draw a circumference touching b* and c,
and an inner one touching radius 12, that will form the thickness of
cylinder.

Fig. 3.

1. The shell or circumference of a cylinder.

2. Entering lip '

3. Exit lip

4. Small opening or slot.

Great opening.

If your divisions from 10 to 15 have been correctly made at first
you will find that your escape-wheel tooth will go in without play,
as seen in i, thus showing "inside drop " and the cylinder between
two teeth, as seen in l, showing " outside drop " ; inn the cylinder
is at rest.

A good cylinder should have, when finished, a little less than
seven-twelfths or three-fifths of its full diameter. The entering lip
being rounded, as see in N, and the exit one, as in o, and both should
be carefully polished.

To test easily and rapidly the correctness of this opening — which
you recollect is very important — we use what is called the Jacot

Fig. 4. — Jacot Gauge for Cylinders.

fauge. I* >s formed of three steel bands, bound at their extremities,
and having between them two longitudinal slits A and B (see fig. 3).
The proportion of the width is the same along the whole length ;
namely, the width of the great slit a representing the full diameter
of a cylinder (see c), and the corresponding number of the small slit
will show its opening.

For example, look at c, where in the slit A the cylinder is stopped ;
it should stop at the same spot in slit c, were the opening to c
correct. But, besides this way, M. Saunier gives several others.

You might, when having once made your drawing, cut off the
outside shape of escape-wheel and apply it against a black board or
surface, and allow it to move on its axis.

Do the same with cylinder, or the circular piece of paper repre-
senting it, blacking the parts which do not represent its outer shell,
then fixing it by a pin on the line of centres, you may observe your-
self its working in different positions, after having secured a little
play by cutting off extremity of escape-wheel.

Now let us see to the lifting of escape-wheel. When it takes

place the dot on balance should come just opposite to left and right
caliber dots on plate ; if too deep or too shallow it must be corrected.
See that sink of bottom bar, hole in the plate, and screw sink are
not likely to impede its being moved ; then with an elongated
chamfer enlarge steady pin-holes and bend these. Do this until the
dot on the balance corresponds with caliber dots, the correctness of
which you had better ascertain if in doubt.

This done, put barrel on and wind a turn or so. Control move-
ments of balance with left index finger : turn it to the left until a
tooth falls to rest, then take it a little to the right, so that the
cylinder is quite between two teeth, then by means of a little oscil-
latory motion given to escape-wheel, feel the play — there ought
to be scarcely any ; then turn balance to the right, back a little
when tooth has dropped, and feel again. The play shoidd be equal
inside or out.

But if insufficient inside and outside it shows the cylinder is too
thick, or the teeth are too long: If too much inside and not enough
outside, the diameter of cylinder is too large.

If too much outside and not enough inside, cases the cylinder is
too small.

In the two latter cases the cylinder ought to be replaced.

If there was too much of inside drop and showing thus none
outside, with a cylinder a little thick, teeth too short and cylinder too
big — two faults at the same time ; the whole of the escapement
would have to be re-made.

When the diameter of cylinder is a little too large, but thin, or
when it is simply too thick, if outside drop is good, although inside is
too great, good timing results may be expected.

When their is but little outside drop, although with a little too
much inside, the c ylinder opening well proportioned, a good incline
plane to the teeth, good vibrations are obtained, and the watch
times well.

You will by this see what you will have to replace, and what you
may have to correct.

Ascertain all this carefully by trying the lifting of the fifteen
teeth one after another, and marking with a little rouge those that
will want shortening. File the extremity lightly on a receding
angle, so as to keep the point of friction as small as possible, al-
though not sharp, and polish carefully afterwards. See at the same
time that incline plain is perfect. The sharp angle of the heel
should be just a little rounded, but ought never to be filed, except
in the very rare case of its being too square, and touching by its
inner angle to cylinder. I may mention here that the stoned
surfaces of teeth are preferred to the polished ones on account of
their keeping the oil better.

If you are in the necessity of making use of a wheel with some
teeth irregularly too long, it would be better to give the necessary
play to the longest only, rather than make them all too short.

The consequences of too much drop are a great loss of power, a
more quick wearing out of cylinder (especially when soft), of a
greater difficulty to time, &c.

When the cylinder is not open enough, the rests, being greater,
have, by the thickening of the oil, greater influence also ; besides,
it requires an escape-wheel tooth more inclined and a greater motive
power, two destructive agents. When too open, the watch does not
time well, as no good vibrations can be obtained.

Sometimes the slot is open in an eagle-tail shape behind ; this
occasioning recoil in some positions, it should be altered with ruby
file.

Escapement. — Banking.

To ascertain the banking, engage a tooth in cylinder ; then turn
balance to the left until it banks or where it should bank, and feel
escape-wheel; it ought to have a little shake. Reverse the movement,
then again feel ; the same shake should exist. If not, then the banking
pins are not exactly opposite each other when escapement is at rest.
Rectify this by changing balance-pin. This you will find generally
sufficient ; but if the effect is not obtained, then reduce the thick-
ness of banking pins. Then, if in spite of all this you were not to
feel this shake, it would show a cylinder not cut to a quarter of its
thickness, or an eseape-wheel with arms too large. Sometimes the
banking is due to too great vibrations of the balance, owing to too
great motive power. Mainspring must be changed, and, if neces-
sary, the lifting a little reduced ; but this fault shows a balance too
light.

Escapement. — Timing

We have seen that our balance was perfectly free. Just looking
over the state of jewel holes, I ought here to remind you that they
should be made of ruby or sapphire, and of nothing inferior, thaj

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 5, 1877.

the holes are well polished, quite perpendicular, of a length of
about 1 A times the diameter of pivot, ami well sunk.

The pivots of balance in 18, \(>, and 15, measure generally from
1 0 to 10 at the gauge, and proportionately long. Their shake should
be about live degrees ; pivots of escape-wheel not quite so much,
but balance should be kept a little freer, because if a little too tight
at first, it will keep free well enough while the oil is fresh ; but as
soon as it gets thick the vibrations will diminish, the watch rate
will vary, and finally it will stop.

A light balance does not time well ; it is too much influenced by
motive power, resistance of the air, thickness of the oil, &c. Too
heavy a one neither, it increases the frictions, ana the chances of
lireaking of pivots through a fall, wants stronger motive power and
hair spring, and iu some cases renders the timiug more difficult,
especially from horizontal to vertical position.

However, let us try to time one in this position, supposing this
difficulty to exist.

Timing in Position-.

Discrepancies between horizontal and vertical positions proceed
from the difference of frictions in the two positions caused generally,
-upposing the balance perfectly poised, &c, by the inequality in the
■>ize of pivots, in their length, the size of holes, their thickness, the
thickness of their sinks, &c. In most cases it is sufficient to give to
the holes a thickness equal to diameter of pivot, and see that its
extremity is perfectly rounded ; some say flat. If this has not the
desired effect, do this : The watch being timed flat, hang it up ; if
it gains take off a little matter at the bottom of balance. The top
of balance being thus made a little heavier than the bottom, the
arcs of vibration will then be made a little larger and slower in the
vertical position, without having varied sensibly iu the horizontal.
It. on the contrary, it loses, then lighten the top of the balance.
Then the bottom being a little heavier/the arcs of vibration will be
-mailer, and will correct the gain in the vertical position. These
means are used but in ordinary watches, and more for jobbing
purposes, as they offer very little certainty about the natch
occupying constantly the same position.

Hair-spring.

Although there is much to be said about the hair-spring, I shall
simply mention it more as a reminder than with the intention to
tell you anything new. It ought to have, say, from eight to twelve
turns. It must be perfectly flat, parallel with the arms of balance
and cog, with which it must have sufficient safety. Its first turn
must not strike against stud centre-wheel or waste end of spiral.
It must be shaped according- to the "curve described by the turn-
button, otherwise this one would lose the effect for which it is
intended. The first turn must play freely between pin and turn-
buiton without, however, allowing the second turn to touch it. All
the turns should open and shut together at the same time, because
the regular working of a hair-spring is the best indication of its
timing faculties. In modern watches the rule is that the hair-spring
should have a diameter equal to the radius of the balance. Ac-
cordingly wre take with the compass the half of that radius, and
centering from balance-hole, mark the place of stud and of pin.

Now that our watch has been examined, we have only to put it
together as rapidly and as cleanly as possible. Beginning with
centre-wheel and its set-square, then fourth and escapement wheel,
do not forget oil to every hole and every tooth of escape wheel, put
a little, but not too much ; then balance, and finish with barrel.

A word about our gilding. . Although reproaches are constantly
addressed to it on account of its lightness, I have never known it
to fail when used with a perfectly clean brush, however hard it may
have been. When obliged to immerse pieces either in essence
Lemoine or spirits of wine, we dry them up with a piece of clean
.cloth, and find it quite effectual in keeping its brightness.

After such cleaning, always pass a piece of peg-wood through
the holes.

Xow I bring my lecture to a close, and in doing so I must acain
appeal to your indulgence for its numerous shortcomings. But hours
might easily be devoted to some of the subjects I have scarcely been
able to touch upon. My object has been to put before you the
experience which I have acquired as a watch manufacturer and
examiner of watches with cylinder escapement, and in order to
enable you to do so with certainty and rapidity, I have reminded
you of some of the principles which direct us at Besancon and
Switzerland. I have made purposely allusions to a great many faults
which are scarcely to be met with in a single watch ; but if watches
were made perfect they would not want examining, and there should
be of course no necessity for examiners or for this lecture. But I

may safely assert that out of about 2,000,000 watches annually pro-;
duced by France, Switzerland, England, and America, there are not
20,000, or 1 in a 100, that do not require examining before being
put in the hands of the wearer.

At the conclusion of the lecture, Mr. Beake adverted to the im-
portance of avoiding excessive height in the opening of the cylinder
of horizontal escapements, so that the teeth of escape-wheel should,
be kept in contact with the oil, and said that he had found that the
troublesome fault of the pin striking the bankings was not always
effectually remedied by changing the main-spring.

Mr. Tripplin said that in such cases a heavier balance must be
applied.

Mr. STOCKALL, speaking from a large experience as an examiner
of horizontal watches, said Mr. Trippfin's admirable and thoroughly
practical remarks wrould be of great assistance to, and be gladly
welcomed by, thousands of country watchmakers.

On the motion of the Chairman a vote of thanks was enthusi-
astically accorded to Mr. Tripplin. — Horological Journal.

A Time Ball in New York City".— An arrangement has been
concluded between the Superintendent of the United States .Naval
Observatory at Washington and the Western Union Telegraph
Company, for the purpose of transmitting the standard tune, as
determined daily by the Naval Observatory, to shipowners ani
masters, business men in general, railways, chronometer makers,
and others, and to the public generally. In pursuance of this agree-
ment, a time ball of large size is to be dropped daily from the tower
of the AVestern Union Telegraph Company's main building at New
York city, and arrangements will be made for controlling public
clocks in' New York and other places, and ako for transmitting the
noon signal of the United States Naval Observatory to various
cities in the United States having more than 20,000 inhabitants.
In New York, at 11.55m., a time ball will be hoisted half-way up
the iron flagstaff on the tower of the Western Union building, at
the corner of Broadway and Dey Street. This ball is 3 feet 6 inches
in diameter, and can be seen by all the shipping lying at the New
York and Brooklyn docks, and on the New Jersey shore, as well as
by all vessels lying in the bay, even beyond quarantine. For long
distances an ordinary ship's glass will be needed. It can also be
seen in Broadway from Tenth Street nearly to the Battery, and
from many positions it can be seen by a large majority of the citizens
of New York, Brooklyn, Hoboken, Jersey City, &c. The ball will
remain at half-mast from llh. 55m. to llh. 58m. At llh. 58m. it
will be hoisted to its highest point, about half-way up the mam-
staff— that is, over 250 feet above the street. It wall be dropped by
an electric signal at exactly noon by New York time. The longitude
of New York being assumed to be that determined by the United
States Coast Survey for the City Hall. 12h. 0m. 0-00s. New York
time = llh. 47m. 49 -53s. Washington time ; 12h. 0m. 0-00s. .New
York time = 4h. 56m. l-05s. Greenwich time. If, on account of
high winds, &c, the ball fails to fall at 12h. 0m. 0s., it will be kept
at"the mast-head till 12h. 5m. and then dropped at 12h. 5m. 0s In
such cases, a small red flag will be hoisted at 12h. lm. and kept
flying till 12h. 10m. The time of falling of the ball will record
itself automatically, by electricity, near the standard clock of the
Western Union Company (which is regulated by signals from the
Washington Observatory), and if by any cause it does not fall pre-
cisely at noon, its error will be known. In the evening papers pi
the day, and in those papers of the following morning, a notice will
be inserted, stating whether the ball fell at the correct time, and it
not, its error fast or slow. In this way, even signals which high
winds or other causes have prevented from being given precisely
will still be available for the regulation of clocks and chronometers.
This ball will therefore serve to regulate the clocks of New 1 ork
City to standard New York time, and will also serve to _ correct
chronometers of ships lying in the harbour. — Sckntijic American.

Prices Current pop. Gold and Silver— Value Givex fob
Old Gold and Silvek by Assay. Fine Gold, 84s. per oz. line
Silver, 4s. 8d. per oz.

Prices Charged for Gold and Silver.— Fine Gold, S5s; 3 d.
per oz. Fine Silver, 5s. 3d. per oz. Standard Silver, 4s. 8d. to
4i, lOd. (variable.)

Jonk 5, 1877.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TEADE JO U EN AD.

299

CORRESPONDENCE.

It must be. distinctly understood that we do not necessarily identify our-
selves with the opinions or views of any of oar Correspondents. Our pages
ere alike open to all for free discussion of questions connected with the various
trades which we represent, and all Correspondents will find every opportunity
afforded them for expressing their opinions.

SILVER DUTIES,
To the Editor of The Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith.

Sir, — May I be permitted to make a few remarks in reply to "A
manufacturer of 33 years' experience," whose letter appears in your
last issue.

Jn the first place, he " contends that taxes are necessary."' This
is a simple statement of fact, admitting of very little contention ;
so far the Court is quite with "A Manufacturer." The proposition is
about as self-evident as that, in order to live, it is necessary to
breathe.

But (2) he contends " that the tax on silver goods, being upon
articles of luxury, and not of necessity, is a just and proper tax."

I would venture to remind "A Manufacturer" that the question of
taxation of articles of luxury has been well debated in the House
of Commons, with this happy result — that all taxation upon
industry, of course including many departments of trades in articles
of luxury, has been swept for ever away, with the one. aud the
only one exception, viz., the tax upon silver plate.

Of course, it is quite competent to " A Manufacturer " to enter-
tain an honest opinion that articles of luxury should be taxed.
There are, doubtless, some Members to be found in the House of
Commons to agree with him ; but it is nevertheless a fact that
when the Chancellor of the Exchequer makes his annual statement,
no one is found to advance arguments in favour of a tax upon
articles of luxury.

One thing is absolutely certain, viz. that the House of Commons
would not listen, for one moment, to such a proposal.

1 am afraid that the financial policy of the country during the
lust 35 yeais is a complete blank to " A Manufacturer." He,
unhappily, is unaware that, during that period, the whole principle
of taxation has been altered. The tendency of modern legislation is
towards concentration of duties upon the great articles of every-day
consumption — viz., tobacco, spirits, wine, beer, tea, coffej and
chicory : no other ; the tax upon silver plate remains as a i r ictical
argument for its own abolition ; it is an article of luxury ; ]t is not
an article of consumption !

How far this has been a successful policy is now an ascertained
fact, admitting of no contradiction whatever. It is no longer a
theory. The Excise and Customs duties prove most conclusively
that the policy of free trade, almost universal as it has now become,
in this country, is the secret of the nation's prosperity. As trades
have been relieved from taxation, so the members of those trades have
prospered : as they prosper, so they contribute more and more
largely to the duties upon articles of every day consumption, and
to the Income Tax, which, as we all know, now produces
£1,700,000 to the penny as against £800,000 of a few years ago.

But, to return to the arguments contained in your correspondent's
letter : —

(3.)- " That the duty is a guarantee of quality, without which the
silver trade would become a swindle." This is a preposition almost
too absurd ! The duty a guarantee V How? " A Manufacturer " of
35 years' experience not even able to distinguish between a duty
and a hall mark ! A hall mark may or may not be a guarantee, but
most assuredly the duty is no sort of guarantee. But, I must not
trespass any further upon your valuable space. The remaining argu-
ments of "A Manufacturer" are arguments positively in my favour.
I accept them with gladness, as distinctly predicting the success of
my so-called "agitation." Your correspondent finishes his letter
with the following sentence — "Perhaps there is another kind of
free trade that I do not know." I am afraid that there are several
things which your correspondent does not know,

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Yours faithfully,
i Pall Mall East, May, 1877. Edward J. "Watiierston.

Dear Sir,—

"QUEEN ANNE'S FARTHINGS."
I have in my possession a Queen Anne's Farthing, the property of
Colonel North, M.P., which bears the inscription "Anna Dei
Gratia." I think that "Anna Dei Gloria" will be found to be
incorrect.

Faithfully yours,
Pall Mall East. Edward J, Watiierston.

PATENT HAND-VICE.

THE accompanying illustra-
tion represents a hand-vice
invented in America, and manu-
factured on a large scale by
T. G. "Weisser & Sons, tool
manufacturers, St. Georgen
(Baden.) The great utility of
this tool to watchmakers and
jewellers will be perceived at
a glance. The jaws a a, which
are made qi hardened cast-steel,
are let into slots in the oval
piece d, and fastened by pins
c c. The part c ends with a
screw on which the handle e e
can be wound and uuwound.
The upper part of the handle
being of a conical shape, the
jaws a a are closed by turning
the handle to the right and part
by turning it to the left. Two
small spiral springs, fixed on each
jaw in the part d force the
latter open as the handle recede.- .
No vorkshop should be without
till i valuable assistant.

The Worshipful Goldsmiths'
Company have awarded to Mr.
Herman Bush, of Hull, the sum
of £30 towards defraying the
expenses of publishing his cata-
logue of English and foreign
practical and scientific works
relating to the precious metal
trades.

PRIZE OFFERED FOR BEST BLOWPIPE
APPARATUS.

A PRIZE of £10, which has been placed at the disposition of the
council by Col. A. A. Croll, is offered by the Society of Arts,
with the Society's Silver Medal, for the best set of blowpipe
apparatus which shall be sold retail for one guinea. The apparatus
must, at least, contain blowpipe, blowpipe lamp or candle, spirit
lamp, charcoal or charcoal pastilles and holder, platinum wire, glass
tubes closed at one end (matrasses), open glass tubes, platinum-
tipped forceps, magnet, hammer and anvil, and four re-agents, viz.,
borax, microcosmic salt, carbonate of soda, and nitrate of cobalt.
These instruments and re-agents, together with any others which
may be thought desirable, must be packed in a box. It must be
understood that the above list of apparatus, &c, is only intended to
include such as are absolutely indispensable, and it is expected that
the set will contain additional instruments and re-agents, the selec-
tion of which is left to the competitors.

Special attention should be paid to the following points :—
I. Solidity of construction. 2. Compactness and portability.
3. Facilities for packing and unpacking. 4. Number of useful
instruments and re-agents in addition to those mentioned.

The society does not engage to give the prize unless some appa-
ratus appears to show sufficient merit, and some advance on what is
now obtainable for a guinea. All apparatus for competition must
be sent to Society's House on or before 1st August, 1877. The
successful competitor must guarantee that a proper supply of the
apparatuses shall always be kept on hand for sale in England.

800

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 5, 1877.

THE

Matrjnmikr, §ctoller, pi $ilteiwilj,

A MONTHLY TRADE JOURNAL,
Devoted to the interests of Watchmakers, Jewellers, Silversmiths,
Opticians, and kindred Trades; published at Milners1 BuiLDlNGSj
Moorgate Street (Opposite Moorgate Street Station), London,
V.X\ Booksellers and Newsagents supplied by Messrs. Catty &
Co., 12, Ave Maria Lane, Paternoster Row. E.C.
Birmingham Agencies.

Mr. A. F. Warrillow, 101, Great Hampton Street.

Mr. Thos. Leighton, 21 & 22,tSnow Hill.

Messrs. Swinden & Sons, 27, 23, & 29, Temple Street.

Subscription, bs. per Year, payable in advance ; commencing
from any date.

Advertisements, Remittances, Subscriptions, Orders for Copies,
and all Communications to be addressed to the Publisher of the
"Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, as above.

Cheques and Post-office Orders to.be made payable to A.Victor,
at Lombard Street Post Office.

SPECIAL NOTICE.

— -*

CLOSE OF THE SECOND vZOLUME.

THE SECOND VOLUME OF THIS JOURNAL ends" with
the present number. We have comprised thirteen instead
of twelve numbers therein, in order that the ensuing Volumes
shall commence every July with the even half_^§aj'-g Sbanjring
our patrons and the Trade go^ei-aWy for ffr^ ^|p3v«> w Tusve.
received, and the favourable attention the Jonftgi ^igi^ae^^b
in all quarters, we can but hope that the S'fvfjj-'fejv*5 ''••.' @jf5?to
bestowed will be continued. In return, ■ nx very best efforts will
be exerted to render our pages valuable and interesting.

Those of our readers whose term of aubsv;jpipfcion has expired.
and who have been, or -will be, notified: by cirijnlitr, will confer a
favour by responding as early as possible, in order that their
copies of the journal may reach them' in dne cot *

BOOK NOTICE.

Eleelro Metallurgy Practically Treated. (We&ie's ■ Rudimentary
Series.) Sixth Edition. By Alexander W*tt, F.R.S.S.A.
London : Crosby, Lockwood, & Cor
The matter contained in this excellent little volume is both valuable
in a practical point of view, and likewise interesting, as it records
the many recent improvements which have been made since the first
appearance of the work. To those engaged in the arts of electro-
gilding, platin-?, &c, the book will be found of great service, since
the author (who has for nearly twenty years been engaged in such
branches) has given the results of his own practical experience,
which must prove useful to others. The meaning of all technical
terms are fully and clearly explained, and a careful perusal of the
many processes described will doubtless obviate much trouble and
annoyance often experienced. The work commends itself to all
requiring information on the subject of electro metallurgy or its
kindred arts.

Public Clocks in Vienna are at present driven by a pneumatic
system, actuated at the Imperial Observatory by an automatic
arrangement connected with an astronomical timepiece. The idea
originated with an Austrian engineer named A. Mayrhofer, who had
long experimented with the transmission of time by means of elec-
tricity, and at last gave it up in favour of pneumatic transmission,
which is free from the drawbacks and uncertainties connected with
the use of electric batteries, insulated wires for transmission, delicate
contact breakers, and other complicated arrangements. The
method of Mr. Mayrhofer consists in originating a wave of com-
pressed air, which is sent through air-tight tubes laid along the
.street gas mains to all the public clocks. This wave is transmitted
once every minute, when the minute hands of all the clocks move
forward the required distance, it is intended to extend this system
until it includes the clocks in all the schools, public institutions,
hotels, railroad depots, and the houses of such persons as may
desire it.

THE DUTY ON PLATE.

T

HE Times of the 29th ulto. says— Mr. Edward J. Watherston
writes from 12, Pall Mall East : — " In a recent article upon
' Free Trade,' there occurs the following sentence.- — ' We have now
no duties whatever except upon articles destined for direct con-
sumption— wine, spirits, tobacco, tea, coffee.' True, with one,
and I believe only one, further exception, viz., the tax upon ^old
and silver plate, of 17s. and Is. 6d. per ounce respectively. If
any proof of the beneficial effects of the principles of free trade
wore required in support of the arguments contained in your
;,paiticle, the present condition of the silver trade would afford
,,ample proof of the evil effect of ad valorem duties. That the trade
is becoming ' smaller by degrees and beautifully less ' may be
. -een by the fact that whereas in 1855 duty was paid upon 994,360
ounces, in 1875 the number of ounces had fallen to 886,493. In
1376 there was a further fall. This is not remarkable when it is
considered that the duty upon silver spoons and forks is 20 per
cent., and upon tea sets, waiters, and other useful plate, 12]- per
cent., the tax becoming smaller in proportion as the workmans
ship becomes more elaborated — in other words, the greater the
luxury, the smaller the tax. It may be said, ' If this be true,
why has the tax not been abolished ; Mr. Gladstone abolished
dozens of duties ; taxes have been abolished during the last 40
years in the case of no less than 1200 different articles ; why has
this tax been retained ? ' Simply because (1) the cost of collection
is nil, the Goldsmiths' Company collect the greater part of the
tax ; and (2) the manufacturer's, with the usual want of foresight
of their class, hug the tax for a reason which might, as it should,
influence the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to its
abolition. A drawback is allowed upon unfinished plate of 3d.
an ounce. By sending plate to the Hall as nearly finished as
possible, a profit is secured to the manufacturers of about 2d. an
ounce. A manufacturer, therefore, who works up 120,000 ounces,
secures a profit of £1000 a year upon duty alone. This fact speaks
for itself. But the duty, as paid by the public, is more than
Is. 6d. an ounce — it is nearly 2s., or two-fifths of the value of
the material itself. A manufacturer, with a stock of 50,000
ounces, has a capital embarked in his trade of £3750 for duty
alone. He must take this capital into consideration when making
his profit. The retailer puts his profit upon the gross. No wonder
that the silver trade is kept within the narrowest possible limits.
But, Sir, in the interest of art, it is most desirable that the tax
should be abolished. In no trade has there been so little progress
in art as in the silver trade.' Buyers of Goodwood cups would
testify to this fact. By reason of the tax but little capital is
embarked in the silver trade. Artists turn their attention to
furniture, cai'pets, oilcloths, curtains, papers, decoration, and
other trades. I have trespassed already too much upon your
space, but I would merely mention that in no other country is
there such a prohibition duty upon silver plate. In America
there is no tax for home use, and in that country one manufac-
turer works up more silver than is worked up in the whole of the
United Kingdom."

On the Study of Barometers. — M. Wickenbreimer believes he
has established the following propositions : — The mean of baro-
metrical observations, made at a certain hour, for all the days of
a month, gives an uniform figure whatever hour it may be. The
barometrical height reaches twice daily its maximum and its
minimum. The yearly barometrical mean remains the same for
all the hours of the day.

An Interesting " Find " has been made at St. Triphon
a Swiss market town in the Canton de Vaud, built in the
neighbourhood of the alluvial plain which the Rhone has de-
posited at its entrance into the lake of Geneva. At a few paces
from a hut called Lignal, in a field, have been discovered five
hatchets of bronze of the best model, with length varying between
17 and 18 centimetres. One of them is broken in the middle. A
few pieces of unworked bronze accompanied these precious relics of
early industry. The whole weighed about 8 kilogrammes. In the
same field have been brought to light the debris of a forge, the
hearth of which, still surrounded with carbon, was formed of a piece
of sand-stone bearing marks of fire. The nature of the objects thus
discovered leaves no doubt of the existence at St. Triphon of a
foundry of the age of bronze, similar to the numerous prehistoric
establishments of this kind which have already been explored in
France, in the Rhone Valley, and in Savoy. — English Mechanic.

June 5, 1877.]

SILVERSMITH'S TEADE JOURNAL.

301

PATENTS.

Applications for Letters Patent relating to Jewellery,
"Watches, Clocks, Optical Goods, or kindred articles.

1705. Charles Henard, manufacturer, and Etienne Lasnier, both of
1, Rue Lafitte, Paris, France, for an invention of " A new cosmographic
clock."— Dated 2nd May, 1877.

1853. Louis Beaver, of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, goldsmith,
for an invention of " Improvements in scarf-rings." — Dated 12th May,
1877. . ,

1880. Johann Anton Benedict von Castelberg, of 58, Holborn Viaduct,
in the city of London, for an invention of " Improvements in watches."
— A communication to him from abroad by C. Domon, of Bienne,
Switzerland.— Dated 14th May, 1877.

2026. Louis Platnauer, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, for
an invention of "Improvements in fastenings for buttons, shirt studs,
solitaires, and other articles of jewellery and dress." — Dated 24th May,
1877.

Notices to Proceed.

29. William Gillett & Charles Bland, both of Croydon, in the county
of Surrey, clock manufacturers, have given notice in respect of the
invention of " Improvements in ciocks and other time keepers."

191. Harrison Mill Frodsiiam, of the Strand, in the county of Middlesex,
Chronometer Maker, has given notice at the Office of the Commis-
sioners of his intention to proceed with his Application for Letters
Patent for the invention of "Improvements in equi-motive escape-
ments for watches, clocks, and other time-keepers."

265. John Hollway, of the firm of Hollway Brothers, of 7, Jeffrey's
Square, in the city of London, has given notice in respect of the
invention of " Certain improvements in the production of metals or
metallic alloys, and in the process employed therefore."

Inventions protected for Six Months on the deposit of
Complete Specifications.

1932. Arthur Charles Henderson, of 6, Southampton Buildings,
Holborn, in the coun'y of Middlesex, Patent Agent, praying for
Letters Patent for the invention of "Improvements in watches," —
a communication to him from abroad by Julien J. B. Joseph Lebas,
watchmaker, of Willerval, in the department of Pas de-Calais, in tbe
republic of France, — was deposited and recorded in the Oifice of the
Commissioners.

1492. Henry John Brook, Edward Goodrich: Draper, & John Unwin, all
of Sheffield, in the county of York, electro-platers, for an invention of
" Improvements in the preparation of articles to be electro-plated or
coated with nickel and other metals by electricity."— Dated 29th April,
1874.

1697. Friedrich Foltermann, of Hamburg, in the empire of Germany,
Manufacturer of Jewellery Cases, for an invention of " Improvements
in cases for jewellery, watches, and other articles." — Dated 13th Mav,
1874.

Grants of Provisional Protection for Six Months.

29. To William Gillett & Charles Bland, both of Croydon, in the
county of Surrey, clock manufacturers, for the invention of " Improve-
ments in clocks and other time -keepers."

1451. To Joseph George Rollason, of the firm of Rollason, Wood & Co.,
stampers, piercers, and fancy chain manufacturers, of Birmingham, in
the county of Warwick, for the invention of " Certain improvements
in solitaires and other like fastenings."

1579. To Joiiann Anton Benedict vox Castelberg, of 58, Holborn
Viaduct, in the city of London, for the invention of " Improvements
in calendar watches." — A communication to him from abroad by Fritz
Petitpierre, of Chaux de fonds, Switzerland.

1522. To Henry Stuart, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, watch
manufacturer, and George Daniels, of the same place, watchmaker,
for the invention of "Improvements in mechanism for winding and
for setting the hands of keyless time-keepers."

Patents Sealed.

4811. John Compton Weeks Jefferys, of Tottenham-court-road, in the
county of Middlesex, manufacturing jeweller, for an invention of
" Improvements in studs, solitaires, purses, clasps, gloves, bags, harness,
and other fastenings or ornaments for dress." — Dated 13th December,
1876.

4447. Alexander Leslie Fyfe, of Aldersgate-street, in the city of London,
for an invention of " Improvements in shirt studs and dress fastenings."
—Dated 17th November, 1876.

419. Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the county of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, for an
invention of "An improvement in watch movements." — A communi-
cation to him from abroad by the Elgin National Watch Company
(Incorporated) of the city and state of New York, United States of
America. — Dated 31st January, 1877.

Patents which have become Void.

1442. John William Wignall, of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster,
for an invention of "Improved self-winding apparatus for clocks,
musical boxes, and other similar purposes." — Dated 25th April, 1874.

Certificates of Addition.

98,748. Besanqon & Batjmann, for " Safety studs for cuffs." — Dated

7th December, 187').
115,867. Richard, for " An aneroid barometer." — Dated 9th December,

1876.

Patents Granted in British Colonies and Dependencies.

Canada.
7106. John Holloway, of London, Eng., for "A process for
producing metals or metallic alloys." (Precede pour produire des
metaux ou alliages metalliques.) — 5 years. — Dated 21st, February,
1877.

Patents Granted in Foreign States.

France.

115,784. Breguet, for "A system of multiple contact, applicable to

electric clocks, second counters, and other apparatus." — Dated 18th

Novembrr, 1876.
115,867. Richard, of Paris, for "Improvements in the construction of

aneroid barometers." — Dated 5th December, 1 87(5.
115,880. Conod, for "Electric clockwork." — Dated 7th December, 1876.
115,890. Guye & Barbezat, for "A calendar-watch." — Dated 7th

December, 1876.
115,907- Thiodon, for " Improvements in chirps or fasteners for dresses."

— Dated 7th December, 1876.
115,925. Japy & Millot, for "A repeating clockwork applicable to all

clocks, alarms, &c." — Dated 9ih December, 187(5.
115,935. Reclus, for "Improvements in aneroid barometers." — Dated

8th December, 1876.
115,972. Sieger, for "Artificial ivory, called 'ivorife.'" — Dated 11th

December, 1876.
115,976. Bazin, of Paris, for "An electric motor."— Dated 14th

December, 1876.

115.984. Delcambre, of Maisons-Alfort, for "An electric bath for
Applying metals in several layers." Dated 13th December, 1876.

115.985. Delcamhke, of Mais<.ns-Alfort, for 'A battery for obtaining
metallic deposits and for other purposes." — Dated 13th December,
1876.

United States of America.

183,802. A. C. Greene, of Providence, R.I., for "Jewelry-settings." —
Application filed 11th October, 1875. Claim. — "A holder for receiving
a stone or other ornamental jewelry-setting, which consists of a single
piece of sheet metal, formed into a border, a backing which affords a
foundation for the rear of the stone, and a suitable number of setting-
points projecting from tbe inner line of the border for engaging viitu.
the stone, substantially as described. '

183,867. Henry A. Rosenthal, of Brooklyn, N.Y., for "Watch-
protectors." — Application filed 16th September, 1876.

183,966. Zephaxiah Phillips, of Bridgeport, Ohio, for " Time-locks."
— Application filed 23id September, 1876. Lrief.— "A series of b^lts
are thrown outward by means of one set of springs, and are retracted
by another or stronger set of springs. The reti-acting-springs are pre-
vented from acting upon the bolts until released by means of a time
mechanism."

Belgium.

41,982. G. E. PniTCiiETT, for an imported invention of "Synchronous
clocks, &c."— Dated 16th April, 1877.— (English Patent, 28th Sep-
tember, 1876.)

Saxony.

4790. V. Popp, E. Rescii, & C. A. Mayrhofer, of Vienna, for " Pneumatic
clocks." — 5 years. — Dated 20th February, 1877.

Sweden.
112. S. J. Johnson, for "A mechanism for winding up clocks." — 4 years.
—Dated 4th July, 1876.

183. A. G. Bjorkman, for " A safe for gold and silver coin." — 3 years. —
Dated 30th September, 1870.

184. A. G-. Bjorkman, for "Improvements in studs." — 3 years. — Dated
30th September, 1876.

9609
9610.

Designs Patented in the United States.
. James Wilkinson, of Mount Vernon, N.Y., for " A breastpin.
Application filed 4th October, 1876. — Term of patent 3^ years.
t. James Wilkinson, of Mount Vernon, N.Y., for " An ear-ring.
Application filed 4th October, 1876. — Term of patent 3| years.

802

THE WATCHMAKEn, JEWELLER; AND

[June 0, 1877.

MONTHLY RECORD OF BANKRUPTCIES.

Declarations of Dividends, Dissolutions of Partnerships,
Scotch. Sequestrations, &c, &c, relating to the various
Trades represented in this Journal.

May

M>n

1 1.

J. B

Liquidations by Arrangement or Composition.

Swikbcrk, Thomas, Market-place, Whitehaven, and Wilson-street, Work-
ington, clock and watchmaker. May 3. J. MeKelvie, sol., 'White-
haven.
Winspear, John Emanuel, Hull, optician and beerhousokeeper. April 30.

Roberts & Leak, sols., Hull.
Asher, Asher, 20, Park-road, Newcastle, jeweller and general hawker.

May 7. J. 0. & 3. E. Joel, sols., Newcastle.
Atkins. William Henrt, 10, Key-hill-drive, Birmingham, jeweller.

May 12. E. Jaques, sol., 40, Cherry-street, Birmingham.
Cocsess, Richard William, trading as Cousens & Sons, Wind-street and

liorse-lane, .Swansea, optician and jeweller. if. Tyrrell, sol., 14,

< : ray's inn-square.
Hf.ndf.rson, Hodgson, 5, Dobing-street, Stockton, jeweller. May 11.

J. Trotter, sol., Stockton.
dorr., Joseph Henry, trading as Joseph H. Horr. & Co., Hylton-street,

Birmingham, watch manufacturer and jewellers' factor. May 8.

E. Jaques sol., 40 Cherry-street, Birmingham.
Isaacs, Isaac, 54. Gower-street, Bedford-square, dealer in silver plate and

diamonds. Apr. 24. C. V. Lewis, sol., 19, Moorgate-street.
Joel, Harrt, 0. JJall's-street, Birmingham, jewellers' factor. May 10.

E. Jaques. sol., 40, Cherry-street, Birmingham.
Mannheim, Marx, 41, Stafford-street, Liverpool, jeweller.

Sordon & Mason, sols., 7, Victoria-street, Liverpool.
Marks. Simon. .11, Westmoreland-terrace, Newcasfe, jeweller.

.1. <■. & .1 . V. Joel, sols., .Newcastle.
Thomas, John. Market -square, Llandovery; watchmaker'. M.iy

Clarke, sol., Waterloo-street, Birmingham.
Ccrrt, Roberv, Spennymoor, Durham, watchmaker ;uid retailer of beer,

May 17- J. Patrick, jun., sol., Bishop Auckland.
Deacon, Joshua Phillips, 1, Cambray, Cheltenham and Woodinancole,

silversmith, &c. May 18. J. M. Clark, sol., Cheltenham.
Rogers, William Gifford, trading as William Frederick Rogers, Rv-

land-road, Edghaston, Birmingham, jeweller, &c. May 7. G. Joyn't,

sol., 00, New-street, Birmingham.
Sxalkt, John R., Frizington, Cumberland, jeweller. May 14. E. Attcr

sol., Whitehaven.
Carr. Frederick Dalzell, Rolberham, late Sheffield, metal broker, May

25. At R. Marsh's 8, Westgate, Rotherham, June 11 at 12. W.

Pollard, sol.
Foster, John, jun., Highfield, Sheffield, jeweller. May 25. At J. & G.

E. Websters, sol. Sheffield, June 11 at 3.
Nicholl Thomas, Camborne, Cornwall, watchmaker, &r. May 24. At

Puller's Anns Hotel, Redruth, June 11 at 11. R. H. Holloway, sol.

Redruth.
Szalet, John Robinson, Chapel-road, Frizington, jeweller. May 22. At
A. H. Foster, 13, Bennett's-hill, Birmingham, in lieu of the place

original named.
Siwell, John William, Westgate, Grantham, watchmaker, May 22. At

D. Whittingham's, sol. Nottingham, June 23 at 12.

Trustees Appointed.

Pants, Ebenezer and John Manso.v, trading as E. Banes &. Co. (Liq.),

Queen-street, Cheapside, jewellers. Tr., W. C. Harvey, 1, Gresham-
buildings, London, and W. 11. Brown, 17, Ann-street, Birmingham.

Ravenscroit, Georoe H. O. (Liq.), Dover, jeweller. Tr., E. Davis, Bir-
mingham, jeweller, and W. C. Harvey, Gresham-buildings, Basing-
hall street, accountant.

Pat, Ei.iza 8. and Edwin S. Harrison (Liq.), Great Castle-street, Regent-
street, jewellers. Tr., R. Webb, 80, New man-street, Oxford-street,
and J. A. Norman, 5, Margaret-street, Cavendish-square.

Trustees and Commissioners Appointed in Scotland-

Likz, Rudolph, Greenock, watchmaker. Tr., J. H. Ferguson, Glasgow,
acct. Com., J. Rodger, Greenock, agent for Clydesdale Ranking Co.,
and J. Scouler, 04, Buchanan-street, and J. Gardiner, jeweller, both
Glasgow.

Scotch Sequestrations.

Linz, Rudolph, Greenock, watchmaker. May 11. Claims by Sept. 3.
Agent G. Williamson, 2 Bank-street, Greenock.

Dividends under Sequestrations.

Berth e, John, Newton-Stewart, Wigton, watchmaker, &c, equalizing.
W. D. Quick's, 75, Bath-street, Glasgow, on and after May 20,

BARNETT, John, Argyle-arcadc, Glasgow, jeweller.

Barii, Matthew J., Glasgow, Jeweller. 1st and final, W. D. Quick's,
75, Bath-street, Glasgow.

Adjudications of Bankruptcy.

.Marks, Simon, 31, Westmoreland-terrace, Newcastle, jeweller. May 20.
At CO., Newcastle, June 12 at 11. Mortimer, Reg.

Dissolutions of Partnerships

Cornfortii & Kelsey, trading as Henry Cornfokth, Newhall-street, Bir-
mingham, electro platers. Mar. 31.

Hennf.le, Robert & Sons, 80, Charlotte-street, Fitzroy-square, silver-
smiths. Mar. 31.

Glasgow Jewellery Compant, 4.1, Oswald-street, Glasgow. May 3.

Espie & Arthur, 4a, Eglington-street, Glasgow, watchmakers, &c. May 15.
Debts by Andrew T. Espie, who continues the business.

Bagley &, Hipwood, Regent-parade, Birmingham, silversmiths and manu-
facturers of electro plated wares. April 21.

Barnard & Crabtree, Arlington-street, Clerkenwell, watch and chrono-
meter manufacturers. April 18. -Debts by James T. Barnard.

Dilger & Kaiser, 30, Park-terrace, Regent's-park, watch and clock makers.
March 25.

Slack & Latham, Snape-street, Birmingham, jewellers. April 17. Debts
by John Latham.

Distribution of Assets.

Futter, Charles A., Johnson's-court, Fleet-street, jeweller, died April 23.

Claims by June 20 to Thomas it Edwards, 57, Moorgate-street, sols.
Golding, William G., Commercial-street, Pontypool, watchmaker, died

March 22. Claims by July 0 to Greenway & By thevra-y, 'Pontypool-,

sols.

Meeting's

FIpnKiNsoN, Henry, Geor'ge H. Lester, and IIpnri Poyntos (Bkt.),
Coventry, metal workers. At Castle Hotel, Coventry. June 12 at 12.
To consider an application to be made by the trustee, for his release.

Marks, Henry (Bkt.), Newcastle, jeweller. At J. G. & J. E. Joel's, sols..

Newcastle, June 9 at 2. Consider composition :

)/„

Artificial Pearls. — Some curious specimens or artificial pearls,
the joint work of the Chinaman and the oyster, have just arrived
at Paris. These pearls are well known at Ning-po, but their
entirely artificial character has only recently been discovered. The
mode of manufacture does credit to the intelligence and ingenuity
of the "heathen Chinee." He introduces into the shell of the
oyster little pieces of wood or earth, which keep the unhappy
mollusc in a constant state of irritation, and cause a pearly section,
which ultimately covers the fragments. Often a piece of metal
shaped to resemble the figure of Buddha is introduced into the shell,
and this, by a similar process, is converted into a pearl, possessing
all the conditions of a presentable relic that finds a ready sale, and
for which there is, it seems, a large and growing demand.

Plate Tax. — An order was made in the House of Lords in May,
1770, "That the Commissioners of His Majesty's Excise do write
circular "letters to all such persons whom they have reason to suspect
to have ' plate,' as also to those who have not paid regularly the
duty on the same." In consequence of this order the Accountant -
General for household plate sent to the celebrated John Wesley
a copy of the order. John's answer was laconic: — ''Sir, I have
two silver teaspoons in London and tu-o at Bristol. This is all the
plate which 1 have at present ; and I shall not buy any more while
so many round me want bread, I am, sir, your most humble servant,
John Weslet."

The Third Volume of this Journal will commence with the en-
suing (July) number. Subscribers should be careful to renew in
time in order that they may receive the complete Volume. All
Orders should be made payable at the Lombard Street Post Office.
Stamps sent for renewal of subscriptions must be considered at the
risk of the sender. Post Office Orders are in all cases preferred.

•June Z, 1877.]

SILVEKSMITH'S TBADE JOUBNAL,

803

" By hand-labour it is impossible for this country to compete with Switzerland in the
Watch Trade ; and, if we would hold our own in Europe in this branch of industry, we must
follow the example of the Americans, who have successfully used machinery in the manu-
facture Of Watches."— Extract from the " Times" of December iS, 1868.

•'The section which conspicuously brings out the enormous strength
of America as a producing power is that of tools ; and still more
especially the vast array of machine tools for metal, which are. the
parents of all other machines— more than 100 exhibitors have each a
group that commands the admiration of all who take the trouble to
examine them in detail. These tools are for all purposes : small arms,
sewing machines, clocks, watches, and all branches of machine making
and engineering, and almost all are finished in a style superior to that
of any former exhibition. Probably the most exquisite set of machine
tools ever made is that exhibited by the American Watch Company, of
Massachusetts. No mere words can convey an idea of their high
standard of excellence ; they must be felt and handled. What the
Whitworth gauges are to true circles, these lathes and tools are to all
forms required in the manufacture of watches. Add to this, great
convenience in arrangements and fixtures to produce the parts of a
watch so exact as to be almost interchangeable."— The Times, October 28th, 1876.

FOR PARTICULARS APPLY TO

0BB1NS & IPPLITON,

GENERAL AGENTS,

WALTHAM BUILDINGS, HOLBOKN CIRCUS, LONDON, KG,

SO 1

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND

[June 5, 1877.

THE WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, SILVERSMITH, AND KINDRED

TRADES' DIRECTORY.

Tlie important feature of our Directory Columns will be found to be a most effectual method of keeping the Names of Firms
and Manufacturers before the constant notice of the Trade.

No Charge is made for Insertion of a Tioo-line Entry of Name and Address of Firms whose advertisements, occupying not less than
one-third of a page, appear for twelve consecutive months. In other instances, the Charge for the Two-line Entry of Name and Address
?'.-• ti Is. per annum ; four lines, £1 10s. per annum; six lines, £2 2s. per annum. No Charge is made for the heading or title under
which any entry appears.

AMERICAN (WALTHAM) WATCHES.

FATIORINI * SONS' (Wholesale Factors) Watch and
Chronometer Manufacturers, Bradford, Yorkshire.

BAROMETER AND THERMOMETER
MAKERS.

MIRRAY & CAIXJEU, 82. St John's Square, E.O.
KEGBETT1 A KAMI BA, Bolhorti Viaduct. E.C. : Charter-
house Arret, EC. : 4.".. C< rnhill. F..C. : 122. Regent St. W.
WEBSTER J.. 88, St. .John Street Road. Clerkenwell, E.C

BCRGLAR AND FIFE FRCOF SAFE
MAKERS.

CHATWOOD'S. l?n. Cannon Street, E.C., and Lancashire
Safe and Lock Works, Bolton.

GEEBIN« & TALEOT, Apollo Safe Works, Moseley
Street. BirniingVism.

FHILLIPS & SON, Speedwell Works, Sherix Tie Street,
Tirminghnm.

THE SICKER SAFE AND STRONG ROOM COM-
PANY. LIMITED, Soho, near Birmingham.

WHITFIELD <F.) & CO. Whitfield's Patent Screw
Polt and other Safes, Viaduct Works, Oxford Street,
Birmingham.

. CLOCK IMPORTERS.

MAYER A. & SON. 122a, Aldersgate Street, London. E.C
Importers of American, French, German, and Cuckoo
Clocks, St»teriuls, Arc.

CLOCK MAKERS.

COHEN fJACOB) & CO.. 3G and 37, Ely Place, E.C.. and
CharterhouBe Street, E.C., London ; and 10, Rue Beran-
ger. Paris. v

GILLET & BLAND, Steam Clock Factory. White Horse
Road, Croydon. Exhibition Medal, 1873. Makers (to her
Majesty's Government) of Worcester Cathedral Chimes
at Bradford and Rochdale Town Halls, Boston. St.
Stephen's Church,. Hampstead, &c. ; and of Clocks of
every description : also patent Carillon Machines Sole
Proprietors and Makers of Patent No. 4141. for improve-
ments in Church and other Bell Music. Established 1S44.

GREENWOOD (JOHN) & SONS. Importersand Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Road, near Clerkenwell
fireen, London. E.C.

GROOM, ft., Windmill Road, Croydon, every description
of Church, Turret, Railway, Chime, and House Clocks
to the Trade.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 <fc 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

DIAMOND MERCHANTS.
JONAS BROTHERS. 34. Elv Place, Holborn, London. E.C.
1IABCTJS (MATJBIOE) <k CO., Waterloo House, Holborn

Viaduct. London. E C.
ECTHEEFORD. JAMES, 2. Wilderness Row, E.C, and

'-■.:;. Kirov Street, Hatton Garden. London. E.C.
WTEGEL, P.., Jun.. Diamond Merchant and Jeweller, 27.

Wilmirgton Square.CIeikenwell. Diamonds and precious
■ •• mounted or reset to the best advantage. Country

Orders punctually attended to.

GILT JEWELLERS.

CARLOSS (W. J.) & KIND. M. Hatton Garden, London,
EC. Manufacturers of Git Head Ornaments, Coronets
and Combs. Jewelled Gilt Table Ornaments, Flower Vases
Iriki-tands. Prize Cups, and Ornamenial Metal Work.

HCTTOH it CO.. 5 and fi. Newgate Street, E.G., and
1 l.o.-nix Court, Newgate Street, London, E.C.

JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS.

BLTJMBERG & CO., 2, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
JONES, A. EDWARD, 93, Hatton Garden, London, E.C.
LITTEN (T. R.), (14. Hatton Garden, London, E C.
WILLIAMSON. HENRY, 85, Old Street, St. Luke's,
London, E.C.

JEWELLER'S MATERIALS.

CLEMENTS, HANDLEY * Co., Dealers in all kinds of
Tools and Materials, Stones. Pastes. Cases, &c, 19, St,
John's Square, Clerkenwell, E.C. (See advertisement).

KING, J. W„ Dealer in all kinds of Jeweller's Materials
Stones, Pastes, Locket Glasses, &c, 15, St. John's
Square, Clerkenwell, E C.

JEWELLER'S SHOP FITTERS AND
SHOW CASE MAKERS.

JEFFREYS, CHARLES, 103, Hatton Garden, E.C. Esti-
mates free.

SAGE, FREDERICK, Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

JEWELLERY CASE MAKERS.

EDWARDS, JOHN, 26, St. John Street Road, London, E.C
JEFFREYS, CHARLES, Jewellery Case, and Velvet
Stand Manufacturer. The largest stock in England. 103,
Hatton Garden. E.C.
SAGE, FREDERICK. Steam Works, Commercial Build-
ings, 80 to 84, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. Large stock on
view.

MANUFACTURING WHOLESALE
JEWELLERS.

JOSEPH, B. H. & Co., 20. Frederick Street, Birmingham,
Manufacturers of the Registered " Standard " Sizes for
jewellers.

HUMPHREYS (JOHN A.). 23, Wilderness Row, Clerken-
well, E.C, Jewellery, Chains, Wedding Rings and
Keepers, &c.

LAWSON (P.) & GODDARD (C. GILBERT), Manufac-
turing Goldsmiths. Wholesale Jewellers, Clock and
Bronze Importers, Dealers in Precious Stones, and also
English, American, and Geneva Watches, 5, Hatton
Garden. London, E.C.

BASNETT, S.. 29, Augusta Street, Birmingham, Manu-
facturer of Coloured Gold, Jewellery, Sets. Brooches,
Earrings, Pendants, Bracelets, Pins. Crosses. Slides, &c.

MYERS, N. A., 2, St. Patrick Square. Edinburgh, Importer
of French, American, and German Clocks, Watches,
Materials, ifcc.

MUSICAL BOXES.

GREENWOOD (JOHN) k SONS, Importers and Manufac-
turers of Clocks and Watches. Wholesale and for
Exportation. Farringdon Road, near Clerkenwell
Green, London. E C.

ADANK, J. JAQLES & Co., Manufacturers of Musical
Boxes. Prize medal at Philadelphia. St. Croix, Switzer-
land.

OPTICIANS.

COHEN (JACOB) & CO., 36 and 37, Ely Place, E.C; and
Charterhouse Street, E.C, London ; and 10, Rue Biran-
ger, Paris.

SILVER CHAIN MANUFACTURER.

PHILLIPS UENRY, Manufacturer of Silver Guard and
Albert Chains, Seal Keys, Bracelets, Necklets, <fec, 24,
Great Hampton Street, Birmingham.

SPECTACLE AND EYEGLASS
MANUFACTURERS.

AWRENGE, N., 17, Holborn Hill, London, E.C. ; Manu
factory, Havelock Works, Walker Street. Shffield.

LAZARUS (S. J.) & CO., Manufacturers of Spectacles and
Eye Glasses, and every description of Optical Goods,
129, London Wall, E.C.

TURRET AND RAILWAY CLOCK MAKERS.

MILLAR, H. & R., Castle Bank Works, Edinburgh. Turret,
Quarter, Chime, and Railway Clocks, 20 per cent cheaper
than other makers. The only steam power factory in
Scotland. Photograghs. Established 1810.

WATCH DIAL PLATE MAKER.

WILLIS. THOMAS J., 10, Rydon Crescent, St. John
Street Road, London, E.C

WATCH BALANCE MAKER

COLLIS S. HASTINGS, 37, Whiskin Street, London, E.C
WATCH CAP MAKER.

BAKER, WILLIAM, 10, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell
London, E.C.

WATCH CASE MAKERS.

DUNN, HENRY, 48, Rahere Street, Goswell Road, Lon
don, E.C

NEWMAN, JAMES THOMAS, 42, Spencer Street, Gos-
well Road, London, E.C

STRAM, ALFRED, 12, Ashby Street, London, E.C

WATCH MANUFACTURERS.

HARGREAVES (I.) & CO., Wholesale Watch Manufac-
turers, 11, Slater Street, Liverpool.

HILL (THOMAS) & CO., 1, Hearsall Terrace, Coventry.
Watches for Home and Export Trade.

MICHAEL, MAURICE. Full Plate, Three-quarter Plates,
Centre Seconds, and Keyless Watches. For Home and
Export. Norfolk Street. Coventry.

NEWSOME A YEOMANS, Wholesale Watch Manu-
facturers, Spon Street, Coventry. The performance of
all our watches guaranteed for a number of years.

PENLINGTON & HUTTON, Chronometer and Watch
Manufacturers. 2 and 3, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 2S & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.
WATCH AND CLOCK MATERIAL
DEALERS.

BEDFORD, H. E., 12, Crown Street, Halifax.

COWEN, DAVID, 28, Withy Grove, Manchester.

MEREDITH (WILLIAM) & SON, 260, Goswell Road,
London, E.C.

SAGGERSON, ROBERT, Wheel Cutter and Dealer in
Watch Materials, Files, Tools, &c, Prescot, Lancashire.

SWINDEN & SONS, 27, 28 & 29, Temple Street, Bir-
mingham.

THOMAS, WILLIAM, 7, Great Sutton Street, Clerken-
well, London, E.C.

THOMPSON (EDWARD JOHN) & VINE, 146, Goswell
Road, London, E.C.

WEDDING RING MAKER.

ASTON, HENRY M , the original Wedding and Keeper
Ring Manufacturer. An Extensive and varied stock
always on hand. 12 Regent Place, Birmingham.
WORKING JEWELLERS.

CLEMENTS, HANDLEY & Co., 19, St. John's Square,
Clerkenwell, E.C. all kinds of jewellery repaired on the
shortest notice. Gilding, Plating, and Mounting for the
Trade. (See advertisement).

"■I

JOHN ROBERT WILLIAMS & SON,

MANUFACTURING JKWEIalaEHS AND GOLD SMITHS,

DEALERS IN DIAMONDS AND COLOURED STONES.

Warehouse: 108, Hatton Garden, E.C.

CHOICE BRILLIANT AND GEM RINGS. FINE SILVER-SET DIAMOND WORK.

IN GOLD AND ENAMEL, ETC., ETC.
A Large and Choice Stock always on hand for selection.

DIAMOND SUITES

I