water-glass, manufactured with so large a quantity of alkali (one of the ingredients of all glass) as to be soluble in hot water, but subject to slow decomposition on exposure to the air, and after such exposure becoming a hard white solid. This idea was very good, and deserved more success than it met with. It was, however, a failure; and the damper the climate in which the water-glass was used, the more rapid and complete the failure seems to be. The film that was formed, though extremely hard and apparently like flint, remained in fact to a certain extent soluble. The change the fluid underwent also was very slow, and, until complete, was no defence. In a room or laboratory, the experiment, like many others, seemed successful; but in the open air, on a large scale, it failed.

Still the germ of success was there. One step more in the same direction would have made the method theoretically perfect. This step was not made at the time; indeed the method was not altogether recognized as a failure, since, where the air was dry and the decay of the stone slow, it seemed partially successful. Tried in Paris, it answered well for a time, but brought to London, and tested on a part of the river front of the Houses of Parliament, exposed to the rude blasts, damp air, and sulphurous vapours of our metropolis, a single winter was sufficient to show its weakness.

During the last twenty years, while this method was hovering between success and failure in France, there were not wanting a host of inventors patenting processes in England, all of which were to preserve stone for ever without defacing it; scarce any of which, in fact, were other than modifications of paint, with all the certainty of ultimate decay involved in the use of animal and vegetable oils. There were, however, exceptions, and one of these involved a modification of M. Kuhlmann's suggestion, which promises ultimate success.

There have been, however, two persons engaged in a somewhat similar course of inquiry, and the work of each of these deserves careful attention. One was a Hungarian emigrant, a M. Szerelmey, whose attention seems to have been very early drawn to the importance of mineral bitumen, and who had invented a preparation, chiefly bituminous, for preserving iron from rust, which has been much used, and, we believe, with success. Engaged in remedying the mischief arising from rust to the metal plates on the roof of the Houses of Parliament, M. Szerelmey obtained the confidence of the late Sir Charles Barry, and was encouraged by him to carry his experiments farther. Under a patent taken out some years ago, he had applied a bituminous wash to the underside of damp railway arches with success, and he now proposed to coat the walls of the Houses of Parliament with a preparation, the nature of which was not communicated.

It is no breach of confidence to state that this consisted of the soluble flint of M. Kuhlmann, succeeded by a solution containing bitumen. M. Szerelmey probably thought that if the bitumen were not itself permanent, it might, at any rate, last long enough to allow the first preparation time to deposit a film of durable flint, while until the outer coat were decayed

there would be a more permanent and complete shield for the stone below than in any other way. It will be evident that the real test of this method does not commence till the bitumen has decayed, and if the outer preparation last only as long as common paint, there will be a decent state of the surface of the stone for two or three winters, even in a London atmosphere, before this happens. It is important that this be kept in view in estimating the practical value of the process.

While M. Szerelmey was experimenting on bituminous preparations, Mr. Frederick Ransome, of Ipswich, was largely engaged in manufacturing a peculiar kind of artificial stone, with the aid of the dissolved flints or water-glass already spoken of. While thus occupied, it occurred to him. to try the effect of the fluid on stone, and thus, without knowing it, he reinvented M. Kuhlmann's method. His experiments being conducted in a damp air, he soon found out the weak point of this invention, and set himself to work to remedy it. Mr. Ransome was chemist enough to know that by inducing a process of double decomposition he might succeed in producing a mineral deposit, not only on the surface but within the actual substance of an absorbent stone. If, then, the deposit thus formed held firmly, and was itself able to resist exposure, it was clear that his object was obtained. The more rapidly and completely the stone then absorbed, the more completely would it be penetrated by the preserving deposit, and thus, as all stones are irregular in their texture, the protection would not be wasted, only so much being taken as was strictly required. He found that by following his first wash of soluble flint by another wash of a common enough mineral (muriate of lime), obtained from chemical works at a very cheap rate, he could cause double decomposition to take place; the result being the deposit of a mineral believed to be identical with that which, in the course of years, binds together the particles of sand in mortar or the pebbles in concrete, and a mere solution of common salt, which would be washed away by the first shower, or could be removed by a brush with fresh water.

Mr. Ransome's invention, then, consists in the discovery of a method by which the outer and exposed parts of soft stones are turned into a kind of concrete, exceedingly hard and well adapted to resist damp, change of temperature, and acid vapours. If it also coats the surface, this mineral forms a kind of white enamel glazing, not altogether sightly when on a warm-tinted stone, such as that used in the Houses of Parliament; but by management this is prevented, and the particles of the interior of the stone, as far as the washes have penetrated, become firmly cemented without the surface being discoloured. Limestones and sandstones are equally indurated by this treatment; the only condition of success being that the stone should be moderately dry and moderately absorbent.*

We have purposely avoided in the text any allusion to chemical technicalities. It may, however, be well to state in a note, that, according to analyses recently made by Dr. Frankland, M. Szerelmey has used several preparations in various parts of the Houses of Parliament, all of which contain the common ingredients of paint, and

If we could feel quite satisfied that the solution of water-glass used by M. Szerelmey would, after being preserved for a time by its coat of paint, become not only adherent but permanently hard and indestructible in the pores of the stone, we might, no doubt, respect that gentleman's secret, so far as it is one, and adopt his plan, allowing him all the benefit of his invention. It is true that he claims to have been in possession of this secret some quarter of a century, while we find that the preparations used are not only various but have changed marvellously within even a few months. Unfortunately, also, there is a very marked difference of opinion as to the amount of success that has attended his later and larger experiments, while the earlier ones have not been submitted to public investigation.

The method adopted by Mr. Ransome being patented, and practised openly, admits of free discussion. There remains, however, with regard to it one important matter, which time only can decide; namely, how far the precipitate thrown down is of the same nature, and is as strongly adherent, as the cementing material of old mortar and concrete. The film of mineral in the two cases is too thin, and in too small quantity, to admit of direct chemical comparison; and the mode in which the deposit of silicate of lime from the mixture of the two washes attaches itself to the atoms of the stone, though believed to be the same as a concrete, has not been proved to be so

There seems no doubt whatever that M. Szerelmey's process does for a time succeed in rendering the stone treated by it non-absorbent, and, therefore, capable of resisting weather. As all the evidence tends to show that the cause of this is the temporary coat of paint, or similar material, laid on, and we know that this soon decays, the trial by experience will commence, as we have already said, when this decay is complete, and is thus postponed for at least two pears. A period of five or six years beyond this would probably suffice to decide the question at issue; but at present we have nothing to refer to of older date than the competing bays in the Houses of Parliament, completed in 1848.

The weathering of Mr. Ransome's specimens commences the instant the operation of preserving is completed; and, if the same period of five or six many of which undergo rapid decomposition. A powder, taken from the east side of the Speaker's Court on the 25th October, 1860, a part recently re-coated, "when heated, emitted dense vapours smelling strongly of burning paint. It contained 22:28 per cent. of organic matter, which was partly of an oleaginous, partly of a bituminous character. The remaining inorganic matter consisted chiefly of silica and oxide of zinc, with traces only of lime."

By Mr. Ransome's process, the stone is first washed with a solution of the waterglass (tetra-silicate of soda), which, as prepared, is readily soluble, and is used of approved strength. When this has been well soaked in, it is followed by a wash of solution of muriate of lime. Decomposition of the two salts immediately takes place, the silicic acid parting with the soda to take up the lime, and becoming silicate of lime, while the muriatic acid set free combines with the soda also set free, and forms muriate of soda, or common salt. The particles of silicate of lime are precipitated in a finely crystallized state in the pores of the stone.

years be sufficient to justify an opinion, we shall soon be in a condition to decide on its success or failure, as a trial was made of its merits in the month of October, 1856. This trial, like the last in 1858, was made on a selected bay on the river front of the Houses of Parliament. Up to the present time, there has been no serious decay in the stones then coated; though adjacent stones not acted on are greatly disfigured by the action of the weather. The later and more carefully prepared specimen, completed in the autumn of 1858, and competing with M. Szerelmey's work of the same date, is manifestly too recent to justify an opinion.

To sum up this inquiry into the state of our defences against insidious and ever-present enemies, we may remark that, although beyond a doubt a really careful and intelligent selection of material would enable the architect to dispense with such contrivances as we have been considering, there must always remain in use a sufficient quantity of inferior quality of stone to give great value to a successful invention for preserving it from decay.

But in proportion as such an invention is valuable, if real, ought we to be cautious in admitting its reality until amply proved.

Before spending millions in constructing forts and strengthening our line of coast defence, it has been thought necessary to appoint a commission of inquiry, and obtain a report from those considered to be best qualified to form an opinion. It is true that in any particular case of stonework the cost of preserving may be thousands only instead of millions; but even thousands are worth considering, and the determination of the question is of the more vital importance, inasmuch as if a successful method of treating stone be discovered, not only will our Houses of Parliament be protected, but half the old and most of the new buildings in the country will require to be similarly treated.

It is no unimportant matter to be able to introduce into general use for the mere decorative purposes of architecture a class of stones admirably adapted for ornamental work, extremely cheap, extremely abundant, of great beauty, and obtainable in very large blocks. Such stones are at present either excluded altogether from usc, or only taken for inferior purposes; therefore in this respect, if in no other, a decision is most desirable. Whether such a decision could be arrived at without the test of time is doubtful; but the day is approaching when this test may be fairly applied, and it is essential that till then no public countenance should be given to one process rather than another. It has been suggested that a mixed commission of architects and chemists should be appointed to consider the whole question, and advise the government in reference to the Houses of Parliament. Considering the national importance of the subject and the anxiety there is on the part of the Board of Works to do something, without precisely knowing what, it is probable that such a commission would have a useful result.

A Human Skull.

A HUMAN skull! I bought it passing cheap-
Of course 'twas dearer to its first employer;
I thought mortality did well to keep

Some mute memento of the Old Destroyer.
It is a ghostly monitor, and most

Experienced our wasting sand in summing; It is a grave domestic finger-post

Of Life,—an emblem of the shadows coming.

Time was some may have prized its blooming skin:
Here lips were woo'd perhaps in transport tender:
Some may have chucked what was a dimpled chin,
And never had my doubt about its gender!

Did she live yesterday, or ages back?

What colour were the eyes when bright and waking. And were your ringlets fair, or brown, or black,

Poor little head! that long has done with aching?

It may have held (to shoot some random shots)
Thy brains, Eliza Fry, or Baron Byron's,
The wits of Nelly Gwynn, or Doctor Watts,
Two quoted bards! two philanthropic syrens!

But this I surely knew before I closed

The bargain on the morning that I bought itIt was not half so bad as some supposed,

Nor quite as good as many may have thought it.
Who love, can need no special type of Death:

He bares his awful face too soon, too often ;—
"Immortelles" bloom in Beauty's bridal wreath ;
And does not yon green elm contain a coffin?
Oh! cara mine, what lines of care are these?
The heart still lingers with the golden hours,
An autumn tint is on the chesnut-trees,

And where is all that boasted wealth of flowers?

If Life no more can yield us what it gave,

It still is linked with much that calls for praises,

A very worthless rogue may dig the grave,

But hands unseen will dress the turf with daisies.

F. L.