,transcriber's ,note3 ,minor            
typographical errors have been corrected
  without note4 ,irregularities and     
inconsistencies in the text have  been  
retained as printed4 ,words printed in  
italics are noted with  underscores3    
italics4          ,,reminiscences ,,of  
,,glass-,,making4      ,,by    ,,deming 
,,jarves4      ,,second ,,edition1      
,,enlarged4      ,,new ,,york3          
,,published ,,by ,,hurd ,,and           
,,houghton1  #dja ,,broadway1 ,,cor4    
,,walker ,,street4  #ahfe4      ,entered
 according to ,act of ,congress1 in the 
year #ahfe1 by  ,,deming ,,jarves1  in  
the ,clerk's ,office of the ,district   
,court of the ,district of              
,massachusetts4    ,,riverside1         
,,cambridge3  ,,printed ,,by ,h4 ,o4    
,,houghton ,,and ,,company4             
,,preface4      ,the articles upon the  
history and progress of ,glass          
,manufacture herein  presented to the   
public were originally published in the 
columns of a  village newspaper4        

,they are the result of investigation   
upon these topics made in the few       
leisure moments gained from the         
engrossing cares of business1 and       
consequently make no pretension to      
anything of literary character or       
execution4    ,the object of the writer 
has been to gather1 in a condensed form1
  whatever of interesting information   
could be gained from authentic  sources1
 in regard to a branch of manufacture   
which has attained a  position among the
 useful and elegant arts scarcely       
rivalled by any  other of those which   
mark and distinguish the progressive    
character of  our country4    ,it is    
believed that they present1 in a        
condensed and convenient form1  much    
valuable information1 useful alike for  
reference and instruction4  ,aside from 
historical or mechanical facts1 there is
 much of romantic  interest attaching to
 the progress of this department of art4
 ,the  partiality of friends interested 
in the topics herein presented1 rather  

than his own opinion of their value1 has
 induced the writer to present  the     
articles in a more permanent form4      
,,boston1 ,march #ag1 #ahed4            
99      99      99      99      99      
,the above was the ,preface to a small  
pamphlet in #hvo4 of the  ,reminiscences
 of ,glass-making1 printed for private  
circulation in  #ahed1 and now enlarged 
into a more permanent form1 and brought 
down to  the present year1 in order to  
meet the demand for information which   
has  unexpectedly sprung up from those  
interested in the manufacture of  ,glass
 in ,america4    ,,boston1 ,january1    
#ahfe4          ,,reminiscences ,,of    
,,glass-,,making4      ,it may be safely
 asserted that no department of art has1
 from its  earliest period1 attracted so
 much attention and investigation1 none 
involved so extensive a range of        
inquiry1 or been productive of more     
ingenious1 interesting1 and beautiful   
results1 than the manufacture of  glass4
    ,the question of the origin of glass

 goes back to the remotest  antiquity1  
and is involved in almost entire        
obscurity4 ,all that modern  writers on 
the subject are enabled to do1 is to    
glean hints and  indistinct statements  
in reference to the subject1 from the   
very brief  and unsatisfactory accounts 
of the ancients4 ,these1 however1 throw 
but  a feeble light upon the precise    
point of the origin of the manufacture2 
and little is proved beyond the fact of 
its great antiquity4    ,that the       
subject held a very prominent place in  
the technological  literature of the    
ancients is clearly proved2 ,pliny1     
,theophrastus1  ,strabo1 ,petronius     
,arbiter1 ,berzelias1 ,neri1 ,merrit1   
,runket1 and others1  referring         
constantly to it4 ,the writings of all  
these demonstrate the  deep interest    
existing upon the subject at their      
various times1 but  still fail to       
present us with any connected or        
detailed account of the  rise and       
progress of the art4    ,when it is     

considered that the elements involved in
 the manufacture of  glass are derived  
from the earth1--not one of its         
components being in  itself transparent1
 but earthy1 opaque1 and apparently     
incapable of  being transmuted into a   
transparent and brilliant               
substance1--when it  is considered that 
from these a material is produced almost
 rivalling  the diamond in lustre and   
refractive power1 and sometimes so      
closely  resembling the richest gems as 
to detract from the value of the        
costliest2 can it be wonderful that in  
the earliest ages the art was  invested 
with a mysterious interest attaching to 
no other mechanical  department8        
,from the earliest periods1 up to the   
eighteenth century1 the art1 from  the  
peculiar knowledge and skill involved1  
could only minister to the  wants or    
pleasures of the luxurious rich4 ,the   
rarity of the material  rendered the    
articles greatly valuable1 as tasteful  
ornaments of dress  or furniture2       

indeed1 it is well known that the glass 
of ,venice1 at one  period1 was as      
highly valued as is the plate of the    
present day2 and  the passion for       
possessing specimens1 promised in       
,england1 at least1 to  excite a spirit 
of speculation fully rivalling that     
exhibited in the  tulip mania1 so       
ridiculous1 as well as ruinous1 in      
,holland4    ,it has been reserved for  
the present age1 however1 to render the 
art of  glass-making tributary to the   
comfort of man1--to the improvement of  
science1--and by its moderate cost to   
enable the poorest and humblest  to     
introduce the light and warmth of the   
sun within1 while excluding  the storms 
and chilly blasts2 to decorate his table
 with the useful1  and minister to his  
taste1 at a cost barely more than that  
of one of  his ordinary days' labor4    
,that which once was prized and         
displayed as  the treasure and          
inheritance of the wealthy1 and which1  
with sacred  carefulness1 was handed    

down as of precious value1 may now be   
found in  the humblest dwellings1 and is
 procured at a charge which makes the   
account of the former costliness of     
glass to partake almost of the          
character of the fabulous and visionary4
    ,that the art of glass manufacture  
is destined to greater progress and     
higher triumphs cannot for a moment be  
doubted2 and the time will  arrive when1
 from increased purity of materials and 
progressive  chemical development1 the  
present position of the art will fall   
comparatively into the shade4 ,it is no 
undue stretch of the imagination  to    
conceive that lenses shall be perfected 
whose purity will enable the  astronomer
 to penetrate the remotest region of    
space2 new worlds may  perhaps be       
revealed1 realizing all that the moon   
hoax promised--        ,the spacious    
firmament on high1      ,with all the   
blue ethereal sky      ,and spangled    
heavens----    be read as a book1 and   
man perhaps recognize man in other      

worlds than  his own4 ,it may be that in
 its triumphs it is destined to         
concentrate  the rays of the sunlight1  
and make the eye to pierce into the     
secrets  and deep places of the sea1    
,full many a fathom deep4    ,man may be
 enabled to read the wonders and the    
hidden works of the  ,almighty2 it may  
be1 that the power of the traditional   
lens of  ,archimedes upon the fleet of  
,marcellus shall be realized1 in the    
absorbing and igniting1 and perhaps     
useful power of some feature of its     
progress2 and in its sphere1 the art    
become fruitful in practical  results1  
rivalling the highest attainments in the
 department of  scientific progress4 ,it
 is no visionary speculation to believe1
 that1  by the aid of machinery1 it may 
be readily rolled into sheets1 as is    
iron or lead now in use4 ,it will       
minister more and more to the           
necessities and comfort of mankind1 and 
contribute largely to the many  and     
various manufacturing purposes of the   

age4 ,that its practical  adaptations   
are not already known or exhausted1     
cannot be doubted2 and  its             
applicability1 in some cheaper form1 for
 vessels of large size and  certain     
shape1 and 7strange as it may seem7 for 
tessellated and ordinary  flooring and  
pavements1 are among the results which  
we think yet to be  demonstrated in its 
progress4    ,an elegant writer1 in a   
late number of ,harper's ,magazine1     
says3--    ,the importance of glass1 and
 the infinite variety of objects to     
which  it is applicable1 cannot be      
exaggerated2 indeed1 it would be        
extremely  difficult to enumerate its   
properties1 or estimate adequately its  
value4 ,this1 then1 transparent         
substance1 so light and fragile1 is one 
of the most essential ministers of      
science and philosophy1 and enters  so  
minutely into the concerns of life that 
it has become indispensable  to the     
daily routine of our business1 our      
wants1 and our pleasures4 ,it  admits   

the sun and excludes the wind1 answering
 the double purpose of  transmitting    
light and preserving warmth2 it carries 
the eye of the  astronomer to the       
remotest regions of space2 through the  
lenses of the  microscope it develops   
new worlds of vitality1 which1 without  
its  help1 must have been but           
imperfectly known2 it renews the sight  
of the  old1 and assists the curiosity  
of the young2 it empowers the mariner to
  descry distant ships1 and trace far   
off shores2 the watchman on the  cliff  
to detect the operations of hostile     
fleets and midnight  contrabandists1 and
 the lounger in the opera to make the   
tour of the  circles from his stall2 it 
preserves the light of the beacon from  
the  rush of the tempest1 and softens   
the flame of the lamp upon our tables2  
it supplies the revel with those        
charming vessels in whose bright  depths
 we enjoy the color as well as the      
flavor of our wine2 it  protects the    
dial whose movements it reveals2 it     

enables the student to  penetrate the   
wonders of nature1 and the beauty to    
survey the marvels  of her person2 it   
reflects1 magnifies1 and diminishes2 as 
a medium of  light and observation its  
uses are without limit1 and as an       
article of  mere embellishment1 there is
 no form into which it may not be       
moulded1  or no object of luxury to     
which it may not be adapted4    ,in     
contrast with the foregoing1 we will    
make one more extract1 from an  ,english
 writer of ancient date4 ,holinshed1 in 
his ,chronicles1  published during the  
reign of ,elizabeth1 says3--    ,it is a
 world to see in these our days1 wherein
 gold and silver  aboundeth1 that our   
gentility1 as loathing these metals1    
7because of  the plenty17 do now        
generally choose rather the ,venice     
,glasses1 both  for our wine and beer1  
than any of these metals1 or stone1     
wherein  before time we have been       
accustomed to drink2 but such is the    
nature of  man generally1 that it most  

coveteth things difficult to be         
attained2  and such is the estimation of
 this stuff1 that many become rich only 
with their new trade into ,murana1 7a   
town near to ,venice17 from whence  the 
very best are daily to be had1 and such 
as for beauty do well near  match the   
,crystal or the ancient ,murrhina ,vase1
 whereof now no man has  knowledge4 ,and
 as this is seen in the gentility1 so in
 the wealthy  commonality the like      
desire of glasses is not neglected1     
whereby the  gain gotten by their       
purchase is much more increased1 to the 
benefit of  the merchant4 ,the poorest  
endeavor to have glasses also if they   
may2  but as the ,venetian is somewhat  
too dear for them1 they content         
themselves with such as are made at home
 of fern and burnt stone2 but  in fine1 
all go one way1 that is to the shades1  
at last4      ,,properties ,,of ,,glass4
    ,glass has properties peculiarly its
 own2 one of which is that it is of  no 
greater bulk when hot1 or in the melted 

state1 than when cold4 ,some  writers   
state that it is 7contrary to the       
analogy of all other metals7  of greater
 bulk when cold than when hot4    ,it is
 transparent in itself2 but the         
materials of which it is composed  are  
opaque4 ,it is not malleable1 but in    
ductility ranks next to gold4  ,its     
flexibility1 also1 is so great that when
 hot it can be drawn out1  like elastic 
thread1 miles in length1 in a moment1   
and to a minuteness  equal to that of   
the silk-worm4 ,brittle1 also1 to a     
proverb1 it is so  elastic that it can  
be blown to a gauze-like thinness1 so as
 easily to  float upon the air4 ,its    
elasticity is also shown by the fact    
that a  globe1 hermetically sealed1 if  
dropped upon a polished anvil1 will     
recoil two thirds the distance of its   
fall1 and remain entire until the       
second or third rebound4 7,the force    
with which solid balls strike each      
other may be estimated at ten1 and the  
reaction1 by reason of the  elastic     

property1 at nine47 ,vessels1 called    
bursting-glasses1 are made  of          
sufficient strength to be drawn about a 
floor2 a bullet may be  dropped into one
 without fracture of the glass2 even the
 stroke of a  mallet sufficiently heavy 
to drive a nail has failed to break such
  glasses4 ,in a word1 ordinary blows   
fail to produce an impression upon      
articles of this kind4 ,if1 however1 a  
piece of flint1 cornelian1  diamond1 or 
other hard stone1 fall into one of these
 glasses1 or be  shaken therein a few   
moments1 the vessel will fly into a     
myriad of  pieces4    ,glass of the     
class called ,prince ,rupert ,drops     
exhibits another striking  property4    
,let the small point be broken1 and the 
whole flies with a  shock into powder4  
,writers have endeavored to solve the   
philosophy of  this phenomenon2 some by 
attributing it to percussion putting in 
motion  some subtle fluid with which the
 essential substance of glass is        
permeated1 and thus the attraction of   

cohesion being overcome4 ,some          
denominate the fluid electricity1 and   
assert that it exists in glass in  great
 quantities1 and is capable of breaking 
glass when well annealed4  ,these       
writers do not appear to have formed any
 conclusion satisfactory  to themselves1
 and fail to afford any well-defined    
solution to the  mystery4    ,another   
phenomenon in connection with glass     
tubes is recorded in the  ,philosophical
 ,transactions1 ,no4 #dgf3--    ,place a
 tube1 say two feet long1 before a fire1
 in a horizontal  position1 having the  
position properly supported1 say by     
putting in a  cork at each end supported
 by pins for an axis2 the rod will      
acquire a  rotary motion round the axis1
 and also a progressive motion towards  
the  fire1 even if the supporters are   
declined from the fire4 ,when the       
progressive motion of the tube towards  
the fire is stopped by any  obstacle1   
the rotation is still continued4 ,when  
the tubes are placed in  nearly an      

upright position1 leaning to the right  
hand1 the motion will  be from east to  
west2 but if they lean to the left hand1
 their motion  will be from west to     
east2 and the nearer they are placed to 
an upright  position the less will be   
their motion either way4 ,if the tubes  
be  placed on a sheet of glass1 instead 
of moving towards the fire they  will   
move from it1 and about the axis in a   
contrary direction from what  they did  
before2 nay1 they will recede from the  
fire1 and move a little  upwards when   
the plane inclines towards the fire4    
,glass is used for pendulums1 as not    
being subject to affections from  heat  
or cold4 ,it is1 as is well known1 a    
non-conductor4 ,no metallic  condenser  
possesses an equal power with one of    
glass4 ,in summer1 when  moisture fails 
to collect on a metallic surface1 open  
glass will gather  it on the exterior2  
the slightest breath of air evidently   
affecting the  glass with moisture4 ,dew
 will affect the surface of glass while 

apparently uninfluential upon other     
surfaces4    ,the properties of         
so-called musical glasses are strikingly
 singular4  ,glass bowls1 partly filled 
with water1 in various quantity1 will1  
as is  well known1 emit musical sounds1 
varying with the thickness of their     
edges or lips4 ,when rubbed1 too1 with a
 wet finger1 gently1 the water  in the  
glass is plainly seen to tremble and    
vibrate4    ,bells manufactured of glass
 have been found the clearest and most  
sonorous2 the vibration of sound        
extending to a greater degree than in   
metallic bells4    ,glass resists the   
action of all acids except the fluoric4 
,it loses  nothing in weight by use or  
age4 ,it is more capable than all other 
substances of receiving the highest     
degree of polish4 ,if melted seven      
times over and properly cooled in the   
furnace1 it will receive a polish       
rivalling almost the diamond in         
brilliancy4 ,it is capable of receiving 
the richest colors procured from gold or

 other metallic coloring1 and  will     
retain its original brilliancy of hue   
for ages4 ,medals1 too1  embedded in    
glass1 can be made to retain forever    
their original purity  and appearance4  
,another singular property of glass is  
shown in the fact1 that when the        
furnace1 as the workmen term it1 is     
settled1 the metal is perfectly  plain  
and clear2 but if by accident the metal 
becomes too cool to work1  and the      
furnace heat required to be raised1 the 
glass1 which had before  remained in the
 open pots perfectly calm and plain1    
immediately becomes  agitated or        
boiling4 ,the glass rises in a mass of  
spongy matter and  bubbles1 and is      
rendered worthless4 ,a change is however
 immediately  effected by throwing a    
tumbler of water upon the metal1 when   
the  agitation immediately ceases1 and  
the glass assumes its original quiet    
and clearness4    ,all writers upon the 
subject of glass manufacture fail to    
show anything  decisive upon the precise

 period of its invention4 ,some suppose 
it to  have been invented before the    
flood4 ,nervi traces its antiquity to   
the  yet problematical time of ,job4    
,it seems clear1 however1 that the art  
was known to the ,egyptians  thirty-five
 hundred years since2 for records handed
 down to us in the  form of paintings1  
hieroglyphics1 c41 demonstrate its      
existence in the  reign of the first    
,osirtasen1 and existing relics in      
glass1 taken from  the ruins of ,thebes1
 with hieroglyphical data1 clearly place
 its  antiquity at a point fifteen      
centuries prior to the time of ,christ4 
,mr4 ,kennett ,loftus1 the first        
,european who has visited the ancient   
ruins of ,warka1 in ,mesopotamia1 writes
 thus3 ,warka is no doubt the  ,erech of
 ,scripture1 the second city of ,nimrod1
 and it is the ,orchoe of  the          
,chaldees4 ,the mounds within the walls 
afford subjects of high  interest to the
 historian2 they are filled1 or ,i may  
say composed1 of  coffins piled upon    

each other to the height of forty-five  
feet4    ,the coffins are of baked clay1
 covered with green glaze1 and embossed 
with the figures of warriors1 c41 and   
within are ornaments of gold1  silver1  
iron1 copper1 and glass4    ,layard1 in 
his discoveries among the ruins of      
,nineveh and ,babylon1 in  chapter #hth1
 says3 ,in this chamber were found two  
entire glass bowls1  with fragments of  
others4 ,the glass1 like all others that
 come from the  ruins1 is covered with  
pearly scales1 which1 on being removed1 
leave  prismatic1 opal-like colors of   
the greatest brilliancy1 showing1 under 
different lights1 the most varied tints4
 ,this is a well-known effect of  age   
arising from the decomposition of       
certain component parts of the  glass4  
,these bowls are probably of the same   
period as the small bottle  found in the
 ruins of the northwest palace during   
the previous  excavations1 and now in   
the ,british ,museum4 ,on this highly   
interesting  relic is the name of       

,sargon1 with his title of ,king of     
,assyria1 in  cuneiform characters1 and 
the figure of a lion4 ,we are therefore 
able  to fix its date to the latter part
 of the seventh century ,b4,c4 ,it is   
consequently the most ancient known     
specimen of transparent glass4    ,in   
chapters #bb;d and #beth1 he gives us   
the form of many glass vessels  from the
 mound of ,babel1 similar in form to the
 modern fish-globes1  flower-vases and  
table water-bottles of the present      
day--the latter  being reeded must have 
been formed in metallic moulds--and     
pieces of  glass tubes1 the exterior    
impression exactly like our modern patch
  diamond figure4    ,of the several    
specimens of glass brought to ,england  
by ,mr4 ,layard1  one1 the fragment of a
 vase1 when examined1 was of a dull     
green color1  as though incrusted with  
carbonate of copper4 ,this color was    
quite  superficial1 and the glass itself
 was opaque and of a vermilion tint1    
attributed to suboxide of copper4 ,the  

outer green covering was due to  the    
action of the atmosphere on the surface 
of the glass1 and the  consequent change
 of the suboxide into green carbonate of
 copper4 ,this  specimen is interesting1
 as showing the early use and knowledge 
of  suboxide of copper as a stain or    
coloring agent for glass4 ,the ancients 
employed several substances in their    
glass1 and colored glazes for  bricks   
and pottery1 but of which there remains 
no published record4 ,but  these glasses
 and other ancient works of art prove   
that they were  familiar with the use of
 oxide of lead as a flux in their       
vitreous  glasses1 and with stannic acid
 and ,naples yellow as stains or        
pigments4    ,other writers believe that
 glass was in more general use in the   
ancient  than in comparatively modern   
times1 and affirm that among the        
,egyptians  it was used even as material
 for coffins4 ,it is certainly true that
 so  well did the ,egyptians understand 
the art1 that they excelled in the      

imitation of precious stones1 and were  
well acquainted with the  metallic      
oxides used in coloring glass2 and the  
specimens of their  skill1 still        
preserved in the ,british ,museum and in
 private  collections1 prove the great  
skill and ingenuity of their workmen in 
mosaic similar in appearance to the     
modern paper-weights4 ,among the        
specimens of ,egyptian glass still      
existing is a fragment representing a   
lion in bas-relief1 well executed and   
anatomically correct4 ,other  specimens 
are found inscribed with ,arabic        
characters4    ,all writers agree that  
the glass-houses in ,alexandria1 in     
,egypt1 were  highly celebrated for the 
ingenuity and skill of their workmen1   
and the  extent of their manufactures4  
,strabo relates that the ,emperor       
,hadrian received from an ,egyptian     
priest a number of glass cups in mosaic1
 sparkling with every color1  and deemed
 of such rare value that they were used 
only on great  festivals4    ,the tombs 

at ,thebes1 the ruins of ,pompeii and   
,herculaneum1 and the  remains of the   
villa of the ,emperor ,tiberius1 go not 
only incidentally  to establish the     
antiquity of the art1 but also prove the
 exquisite  taste and skill of the      
artists of their various periods4       
,the first glass-houses1 well           
authenticated1 were erected in the city 
of  ,tyre4 ,modern writers upon the     
subject generally refer to ,pliny in    
establishing the fact that the          
,phoenicians were the inventors of the  
art of glass-making4 ,the tradition is  
that the art was originally  brought to 
light under the following circumstances4
 ,a vessel being  driven by a storm to  
take shelter at the mouth of the river  
,belus1 the  crew were obliged to remain
 there some length of time4 ,in the     
process  of cooking1 a fire was made    
upon the ground1 whereon was abundance  
of  the herb kale4 ,that plant burning  
to ashes1 the saline properties  became 
incorporated with the sand4 ,this       

causing vitrification1 the  compound now
 called glass was the result4 ,the fact 
becoming known1 the  inhabitants of     
,tyre and ,sidon essayed the work1 and  
brought the new  invention into         
practical use4 ,this is the tradition3  
but modern science  demonstrates the    
false philosophy1 if not the            
incorrectness1 of ,pliny's  account2 and
 modern manufacturers will readily      
detect the error1 from  the             
impossibility of melting silex and soda 
by the heat necessary for  the ordinary 
boiling purposes4    ,it is a           
well-authenticated fact1 however1 that  
there were whole streets  in ,tyre      
entirely occupied by glass-works2 and   
history makes no mention  of any works  
of this character at an earlier period  
than the time  mentioned by ,pliny4     
,that ,tyre possessed peculiar          
advantages for the manufacture1 is very 
clear from geographical and geological  
data1 the sand upon the shore at  the   
mouth of the river ,belus being pure    

silica1 and well adapted to the         
manufacture4 ,the extensive range of    
,tyrian commerce1 too1 gave ample       
facilities for the exportation and sale 
of the staple2 and for some  ages it    
must have constituted almost the only   
article1 or at least the  prominent     
article1 of trade4 ,doubtless the rich  
freights of the ships  of ,tyre1        
mentioned in ,scripture1 may in part    
have been composed of a  material now as
 common as any of its original elements4
    ,from ,tyre and ,sidon the art was  
transferred to ,rome4 ,pliny states it  
flourished most extensively during the  
reign of ,tiberius1 entire  streets of  
the city being then occupied by the     
glass manufactories4  ,from the period  
of ,tiberius the progress of the art    
seems more definite  and marked1 both as
 relates to the quantity and mode of    
manufacture4    ,it was during the reign
 of ,nero1 so far as we can discover1   
that the  first perfectly clear glass1  
resembling crystal1 was manufactured4   

,pliny states that ,nero1 for two cups  
of ordinary size1 with handles1  gave   
six thousand sestertia1 equal in our    
currency to about two hundred  and fifty
 thousand dollars2 and that rich        
articles of glass were in  such general 
use among the wealthy ,romans as almost 
to supersede  articles of gold and      
silver4 ,the art1 however1 at that      
period1 seems to  have been entirely    
devoted to articles of luxury1 and from 
the great  price paid1 supported many   
establishments1--all however evidently  
upon  a comparatively small scale1 and  
confined1 as it would appear1 to        
families4    ,up to this period1 no     
evidence appears to prove that any other
 than  colored articles in glass-ware   
were made4 ,it is clear1 too1 that the  
furnaces and melting-pots then in use   
were of very limited capacity1  the     
latter being of crucible shape2 and it  
was not until the time of  ,nero that   
the discovery was made that muffled     
crucibles or pots1 as at  the present   

day1 were required in order to make     
crystal glass4 7,without  them1 it is   
well known1 crystal glass cannot be     
perfected47 ,it appears1  further1 that 
a definite street in the city of ,rome  
was assigned to the  manufacturers of   
this article2 and that in the reign of  
,severus they  had attained such a      
position1 and accumulated wealth to such
 a degree1  that a formal tax was levied
 upon them4 ,some writers take the      
ground  that this assessment was the    
primary cause of the transfer of the    
manufacture to other places4    ,that   
the peculiar property of the manufacture
 at this period was its  clear and      
crystal appearance is abundantly        
evident2 and this1 and the  great degree
 of perfection to which the manufacture 
of white or  crystal-like glass was     
carried1 are by many writers thought to 
have  been proved from classical        
sources1--,horace and ,virgil both      
referring  to it1 the one speaking of   
its beautiful lustre and brilliancy1 the

  other comparing it to the clearness of
 the waters of the ,fucine ,lake4       
,the decline of this art in ,rome is    
clearly defined by various writers2  and
 its gradual introduction into ,bohemia 
and ,venice is plainly marked  out4 ,at 
this latter place the art flourished to 
a remarkable degree1  and being marked  
by constant progress and improvement1   
enabled ,venice  to supply the world    
without a rival1 and with the beautiful 
manufacture  called ,venice             
drinking-cups4 ,the beauty and value of 
these are  abundantly testified to by   
many authors1 among whom is ,holinshed1 
referred to previously4 ,the manufacture
 of these and similar articles  were    
located1 as stated in the ,chronicles1  
at ,murano1 a place about  one mile from
 the city1 where the business was       
carried on1 and assumed  a high position
 in the order of the arts4 ,and from    
thence we are  enabled to date its      
future progress and gradual introduction
 into  ,europe1 ,germany1 ,england1 and 

the ,western ,world4    ,it is not      
strange that the strict secrecy with    
which the business was  conducted in    
these times1 should have invested the   
art with an air of  romance2 and        
legends1 probably invented for the      
purpose1 created a  maximum of wonder   
among the uninitiated4 ,the government  
of ,venice also  added1 by its course1  
to the popular notions regarding the    
high mystery  of the art1 conferring1 as
 it did1 the title of ,gentleman 7no    
idle  title in those days7 on all who   
became accomplished in the manufacture4 
,howell1 in his ,familiar ,letters1     
dated from ,venice in #afba1 says3  ,not
 without reason1 it being a rare kind of
 knowledge and chemistry1  to transmute 
the dull bodies of dust and sand1 for   
they are the only  ingredients1 to such 
pellucid1 dainty body1 as we see crystal
 glass  is4    ,that the art had greatly
 improved in the hands of the ,venetian 
artisans  cannot be doubted4 ,the       
manufacture was carried to a degree far 

beyond  any previous period2 and the    
more so1 because sustained by the       
governmental protection and patronage4  
,venice being then in the height  of her
 commercial glory1 she herself being    
,queen of the ,sea1 ample  facilities   
existed for the exportation of her      
manufactures to every  part of the known
 world2 and for a long period she held  
the monopoly of  supplying the cities of
 ,europe with crystal glass in its      
various  departments of ornament and    
utility4    ,a ,french writer1 who      
published an elaborate work in twelve   
books upon  the subject of glass        
manufacture1 after it had been          
introduced into  ,france1 gives an      
interesting account of the rise and     
progress of the  art in that country1   
the encouragement it received1 and the  
high  estimation in which it was held4  
,after stating that it was introduced   
into ,france from ,venice1 he says3--   
,the workmen who are employed in this   
noble art are all gentlemen1 for  they  

admit none but such4 ,they have obtained
 many large privileges1 the  principal  
whereof is to work themselves1 without  
derogating from their  nobility4 ,those 
who obtained these privileges first were
 gentlemen by  birth2 and their         
privilege running1 that they may        
exercise this art  without derogating   
from their nobility1 as a sufficient    
proof of it1  which has been confirmed  
by all our kings2 and in all inquiries  
that  have been made into counterfeit   
nobilities1 never was any one attainted 
who enjoyed these privileges1 having    
always maintained their honor down  to  
their posterity4    ,baron ,von ,lowhen 
states1 in his ,analysis of ,nobility in
 its ,origin1  that1 ,so useful were the
 glass-makers at one period in ,venice1 
and so  considerable the revenue        
accruing to the republic from their     
manufacture1 that1 to encourage the men 
engaged in it to remain in  ,murano1 the
 ,senate made them all ,burgesses of    
,venice1 and allowed  nobles to marry   

their daughters2 whereas1 if a nobleman 
marries the  daughter of any other      
tradesman1 the issue is not reputed     
noble4    ,from this statement a        
valuable lesson can be drawn1 viz41 that
 a strict  parallel is constantly       
observable between the progress of this 
art and  the intellectual and social    
elevation of its possessors4    ,those  
engaged in it now do not indeed occupy  
the same social position2  still it is  
probable that in foreign lands the blood
 of noble ancestors  still runs in their
 veins2 and even in our own democratical
 land1 with  all the tendencies of its  
institutions1 workers in glass claim a  
distinctive rank and character among the
 trades2 and in the prices of  labor1   
and the estimate of the comparative     
skill involved1 are not  controlled by  
those laws of labor and compensation    
which govern most  other mechanical     
professions2 and similarity of taste and
 habit is in a  degree characteristic of
 the modern artisan in this department1 

as in  the case of those who1 for their 
accomplishment in the art1 were         
ennobled in the more remote period of   
its progress4 ,the same writer  says3-- 
,it must be owned those great and       
continual heats1 which those  gentlemen 
are exposed to from their furnaces1 are 
prejudicial to their  health2 for1      
coming in at their mouths1 it attacks   
their lungs and  dries them up1 whence  
most part are pale and short-lived1 by  
reason of  the diseases of the heart and
 breast1 which the fire causes2 which   
makes ,libarius say1 'they were of weak 
and infirm bodies1 thirsty1 and  easily 
made drunk1'--this writer says1 this is 
their true character3  but ,i will say  
this in their favor1 that this character
 is not general1  having known several  
without this fault4    ,such was the    
character and habits of noble           
glass-makers four hundred  years since2 
and whether their descendants still     
retain their blood or  not1 the habit of
 drinking1 believed at that time        

necessary as  consequent upon the nature
 of the employment1 is1 at the present  
day1  confined to the ignorant1         
dissolute1 and unambitious workmen4 ,the
 habit  will1 doubtless1 ere long be    
done away4 ,still1 so long as the       
workmen  of the present day cling to    
their conventional rules1--act as one   
body1  the lazy controlling the efforts 
of the more intelligent and             
industrious1--so long will the conduct  
of the dissolute few affect the  moral  
reputation of the entire body4 ,they    
must not forget the old  adage1 that    
,one bad sheep taints the whole flock4  
,the spirit of the  age in no degree    
tends to sustain the old saying1 that   
,live horses  must draw the dead ones4  
,the writer already referred to1        
dwelling with great interest upon the   
social position of those then engaged in
 the art1 goes on to say3--    ,anthony 
de ,brossard1 ,lord of ,st4 ,martin and 
,st4 ,brice1 gentleman to  ,charles     
d',artois1 ,count of ,eu1 a prince of   

noble blood royal1 finding  this art so 
considerable1 that understanding it did 
not derogate from  their nobility1      
obtained a grant in the year #adec to   
establish a  glass-house in his country1
 with prohibition of any other1 and     
several  other privileges he had annexed
 to it4 ,the family and extraction of   
this ,sieur de ,brossard was            
considerable enough to bring him here as
 an  example4 ,the right of making glass
 being so honorable1 since the elder    
sons of the family of ,brossard left it 
off1 the younger have taken it  up1 and 
continue it to this day4 ,messieurs de  
,caqueray1 also gentlemen  of ancient   
extraction1 obtained a right of         
glass-making1 which one of  their       
ancestors contracted by marriage in the 
year #adfh with a daughter  of ,anthony 
de ,brossard1 ,lord of ,st4 ,martin1    
that gentleman giving half  of his right
 for part of her fortune1 which was     
afterwards confirmed in  the ,chamber of
 ,accounts4 ,messieurs ,valliant1 an    

ancient family of  gentlemen1 also      
obtained a grant of a glass-house for   
recompense of  their services1 and for  
arms a ,poignard d',or on azure1 which  
agrees  with their name and tried valor4
 ,besides these families1 who still     
continue to exercise this art1 there are
 the ,messieurs de ,virgille1 who  have 
a grant for a little glass-house4       
,messieurs de la ,mairie1 de  ,suqrie1  
de ,bougard1 and several others1 have   
been confirmed in their  nobility during
 the late search in the year #affg4     
,we have1 moreover1 in ,france1 several 
great families1 sprung from  gentlemen  
glass-makers who have left the trade1   
among whom some have  been honored with 
the purple and the highest dignities and
 offices4    ,enough is recorded to show
 in what estimation the art was held in 
,france by the government and people of 
that period2 and it is in nowise        
wonderful that an art invested with so  
much distinction1 conducted with  so    
much secrecy1 and characterized with so 

great a degree of romantic  interest1   
should have given rise to strange       
reports and legends1  hereafter to be   
referred to4    ,the writer referred to 
above states that there were two modes  
of  manufacturing glass4 ,one he        
denominates that of the ,great          
,glass-,houses1 the other the ,small    
,glass-,houses4 ,in the large houses    
the manufacture of window-glass1 and    
bottles for wine or other liquors1  was 
carried on4 ,he states3--    ,the       
gentlemen of the ,great ,glass-,houses  
work only twelve hours1 but  that       
without resting1 as in the little ones1 
and always standing and  naked4 ,the    
work passes through three hands4 ,first1
 the gentlemen  apprentices gather the  
glass and prepare the same4 ,it is then 
handed to  the second gentlemen1 who are
 more advanced in the art4 ,then the    
master  gentleman takes it1 and makes it
 perfect by blowing it4 ,in the little  
glass-houses1 where they make           
coach-glasses1 drinking-glasses1        

crystals1 dishes1 cups1 bottles1 and    
such like sort of vessels1 the          
gentlemen labor but six hours together1 
and then more come and take  their      
places1 and after they have labored the 
same time they give  places to the      
first2 and thus they work night and day1
 the same workmen  successively1 as long
 as the furnace is in a good condition4 
,every glass-maker will perceive1 from  
the foregoing description1 that  the    
same system prevails at the present     
time1 as to the division of  labor and  
period of labor1 so far at least as     
blown articles are  concerned4 ,the     
names1 too1 then given to glass-makers' 
tools are  retained to the present day1 
and1 with slight difference1 the shapes 
of  the various tools are the same4     
,at the best1 the manufacturers of glass
 in ,france were for a long  period much
 inferior to the ,venetians and         
,bohemians2 but after the  introduction 
of window-glass1 from ,venice1 the      
making of crystal glass  greatly        

extended and correspondingly improved4  
,in the year #affe the government of    
,france1 desirous of introducing the    
manufacture of window-glass1 offered    
sufficient inducement in money and      
privileges to a number of ,french       
artists 7who had acquired the process   
at ,murano1 at ,venice7 to establish    
works at ,tourtanville4 ,at these  works
 the same system of blowing was followed
 as that used in the  ,venetian         
glass-works4 ,a workman1 under this     
system1 named ,thevart1  discovered the 
art of casting plate-glass1 and obtained
 from the  government a patent for the  
term of thirty years4 ,he erected       
extensive  works in ,paris1 and         
succeeded in what was then deemed an    
extraordinary  feat1 casting plates     
eighty-four inches by fifty inches1     
thereby  exciting unbounded admiration4 
,the credit of the invention of casting 
plates of glass belongs to  ,france1 and
 the mode then adopted exists at the    
present day1 with but  slight variation4

 ,france monopolized the manufacture    
over one hundred  years before it was   
introduced into any other country4      
,writers generally agree that the       
manufacture of glass was introduced     
into ,england in the year #aeeg4        
,friars' ,hall1 as stated by one writer1
  was converted into a manufactory of   
window-glass1--other writers say1  for  
crystal glass1 7called by the ,english  
flint1 from the fact of the  use of     
flint-stones1 which1 by great labor1    
they burnt and ground47 ,in  #aege      
,friars' ,hall ,glass-,works1 with forty
 thousand billets of wood1  were        
destroyed by fire4    ,in #afce1        
seventy-eight years after the art was   
introduced into ,england1  ,sir ,robert 
,mansell introduced the use of coal fuel
 instead of wood1 and  obtained from the
 ,english government the monopoly of    
importing the fine  ,venetian           
drinking-glasses1 an evidence that the  
art in ,england was  confined as yet to 
the coarser articles4 ,indeed1 it was   

not until the  reign of ,william ,,iii4 
that the art of making ,venetian        
drinking-vessels  was brought into      
perfection1--quite a century after the  
art was  introduced into ,england2 an   
evidence of the slow progress made by   
the  art in that country4    ,as ,france
 was indebted to ,venice for her        
workmen1 so also was ,england  indebted 
to the same source4 ,howell1 in one of  
his ,familiar ,letters1  directed to    
,sir ,robert ,mansell1 ,vice-,admiral of
 ,england1 says3 ,soon as  ,i came to   
,venice1 ,i applied myself to dispatch  
your business according  to instruction1
 and ,mr4 ,seymour was ready to         
contribute his best  furtherance4 ,these
 two ,italians are the best gentlemen   
workmen that  ever blew crystal4 ,one is
 allied to ,antonio ,miotte1 the other  
is cousin  to ,maralao4    ,although    
,sir ,robert procured workmen from      
,venice1 they were probably of  an      
inferior character1 and a space of fifty
 years elapsed before the  ,english     

manufactories equalled the ,venetian and
 ,french in the quality  of their       
articles4    ,evelyn1 in his ,diary1    
states3 ,on the proclamation of ,james  
,,ii41 in  the market-place of ,bromley1
 by the sheriff of ,kent1 the commander 
of  the ,kentish troops1 two of the     
,king's trumpeters1 and other officers1 
drank the ,king's health in a flint     
wine-glass three feet tall4    ,in the  
year #afgj1 the ,duke of ,buckingham    
became the patron of the art  in        
,england1 and greatly improved the      
quality and style of the  flint-glass1  
by procuring1 at great personal expense1
 a number of  ,venetian artists1 whom he
 persuaded to settle in ,london4 ,from  
this  period1 i4e41 about the           
commencement of the eighteenth century1 
the ,english glass manufactories1 aided 
by the liberal bounties granted  them in
 cash upon all glass exported by them or
 sold for export1 became  powerful and  
successful rivals of the ,venetian and  
the ,french  manufactories in foreign   

markets4 ,the clear bounty granted on   
each  pound of glass exported from      
,england1 which the government paid to  
the  manufacturer1 was not derived from 
any tax by impost or excise  previously 
laid1 for all such were returned to the 
manufacturer1  together with the bounty 
referred to2 thereby lessening the      
actual cost  of the manufacture from    
twenty-five to fifty per cent41 and     
enabling  the ,english exporters to     
drive off all competition in foreign    
markets4  ,this bounty provision was    
annulled during the ,premiership of ,sir
 ,robert  ,peel1 together with all the  
excise duty on the home consumption4    
,in #afgc the first plate-glass was     
manufactured at ,lambeth1 under a  royal
 charter2 but no great progress was made
 at that time1 and the  works for the   
purpose were doubtless very limited4    
,one hundred years  later1 i4e4 #aggc1 a
 ,company was formed1 under a royal     
charter1  called the ,governor and      
,company of the ,british ,cast          

,plate-,glass  ,manufactory1 with a     
capital of eighty shares of five hundred
 pounds  each1 their works being at     
,ravenshead1 in ,lancashire4 ,these     
works have  been very successfully      
conducted1 and1 according to a late     
writer1 are  rivalled by none1 excepting
 those at ,st4 ,gobain1 in ,france4     
,since the  excise duty on plate-glass  
has been repealed1 its manufacture has  
increased to a wonderful extent2 the    
quantity used in the construction  of   
the ,crystal ,palace1 for the ,world's  
,fair1 being probably many times  larger
 than that manufactured twenty years    
since in the kingdom of  ,great ,britain
 in any one year4    ,an ,english paper 
states that ,roger ,bacon1 at sixty-four
 years of age1  was imprisoned ten years
 for making concave and convex glasses1 
and  camera-obscura and burning-glasses4
    ,it is to many persons matter of    
great surprise that the manufacture of  
plate-glass has never been introduced   
into this country4 ,the whole  process  

is a simple one4 ,the materials are as  
cheap here as in ,england  or in        
,france4 ,machinery for the polishing of
 the surface is as easily  procured1 and
 water-power quite as abundant1 as in   
either country4 ,the  manufacture1 with 
the materials so ready to the hand1 and 
these  together with the skill1 labor1  
and demand1 increasing every year1 is   
most certain to realize a fair          
remunerating profit and steady sale4    
,besseman has lately introduced a new   
method of casting plate-glass1  which1  
should it equal the inventor's          
expectation1 will reduce the  cost1     
supersede the old plan1 and eventually1 
of course1 increase the  consumption4   
,,curiosities ,,of ,,glass-,,making4    
,we gather from the ancient writers on  
glass-making1 that the workers in  the  
article had1 at a very early period1    
arrived at so great a degree  of        
proficiency and skill as to more than   
rival1 even before the period  of the   
,christian era1 anything within the     

range of more modern art4 ,the  numerous
 specimens of their workmanship1 still  
preserved in the public  institutions of
 ,europe1 and in the cabinets of the    
curious1 prove that  the art of         
combining1 coloring1 gilding1 and       
engraving glass was  perfected by the   
ancients4 ,indeed1 in fancy coloring1   
mosaic1 and mock  gems or precious      
stones1 the art of the ancients has     
never been  excelled4 ,among the        
numerous specimens it is remarkable that
 all  vessels are round2 none of ancient
 date are yet found of any other  form4 
,and no specimen of crystal glass of    
ancient date has yet been  found4       
,among the numerous antiques yet        
preserved1 the ,portland ,vase must     
hold the first place4 ,pellat1 in his   
work on the incrustation of glass1      
states3 ,the most celebrated antique    
glass vase is that which was  during    
more than two centuries the principal   
ornament of the ,barberini  ,palace1 and
 which is now known as the ',portland   

,vase4' ,it was found  about the middle 
of the sixteenth century1 enclosed in a 
marble  sarcophagus within a sepulchral 
chamber1 under the ,monte del ,garno1   
two  and a half miles from ,rome1 in the
 road to ,frascati4 ,it is ornamented   
with white opaque figures in bas-relief 
upon a dark blue transparent  ground4   
,the subject has not heretofore received
 a satisfactory  elucidation1 but the   
design and more especially the execution
 are  admirable4 ,the whole of the blue 
ground1 or at least the part below the  
handles1 must have originally been      
covered with white enamel1 out of  which
 the figures have been sculptured in the
 style of a cameo1 with  most           
astonishing skill and labor4 ,the       
estimation in which the ancient         
specimens of glass were held1 is        
demonstrated by the fact that the       
,duchess of ,portland became the        
purchaser of the celebrated vase which  
bears her name1 at a price exceeding    
nine thousand dollars1 and bore  away   

the prize from numerous competitors4    
,the late ,mr4 ,wedgwood was  permitted 
to take a mould from the vase1 at a cost
 of twenty-five  hundred dollars1 and he
 disposed of many copies1 in his rich   
china1 at  a price of two hundred and   
fifty dollars each4    ,the next        
specimen of importance is the vase      
exhumed at ,pompeii in #ahci1  which is 
now at the ,museum at ,naples4 ,it is   
about twelve inches high1  eight inches 
in width1 and of the same style of      
manufacture with the  ,portland ,vase4  
,it is covered with figures in          
bas-relief raised out of  a delicate    
white opaque glass1 overlaying a        
transparent dark blue  ground1 the      
figures being executed in the style of  
cameo engraving4 ,to  effect this1 the  
manufacturer must have possessed the art
 of coating a  body of transparent blue 
glass with an equal thickness of enamel 
or  opal-colored glass4 ,the difficulty 
of tempering the two bodies of glass    
with different specific gravities1 in   

order that they may stand the  work of  
the sculptor1 is well known by modern   
glass-makers4 ,this  specimen is        
considered by some to be the work of    
,roman artists2 by  others it is thought
 to be of the ,grecian school4 ,as a    
work of art it  ranks next to the       
,portland ,vase1 and the figures and    
foliage1 all  elegant and expressive1   
and representative of the season of     
harvest1  demonstrate most fully the    
great artistic merit of the designer4   
,,the ,,royal ,,clarence ,,vase4        
,william ,hone1 in his ,day-,book for   
#ahca1 says1 ,this superb glass  vase1  
designed by ,john ,gunby1 and exhibited 
at the ,queen's ,bazaar1  ,oxford       
,street1 ,london1 is an immense basin of
 copper1 and its iron  shaft or foot    
clothed with two thousand four hundred  
pieces of glass1  construct a vase      
fourteen feet high and twelve feet wide 
across the  brim1 weighing upwards of   
eight tons1 and capable of holding eight
  pipes of wine4 ,each piece of glass is

 richly cut with mathematical  precision
 and beautifully colored2 the colors are
 gold1 ruby1 emerald1  c42 the colored  
pieces being cemented upon the metal    
body and rendered  air-tight4 ,the      
exterior is a gem-like surface of       
inconceivable  splendor2 on a summer    
afternoon it forms a mass of brilliancy4
 ,the  vase1 by illumination of gas     
alone1 glittered like diamonds upon     
melted  gold4 ,mr4 ,reingale says the   
human mind1 in all of its extensive     
range  of thought1 is not able to       
conceive a splendid glass vase cut in a 
more  elaborate and novel way4 ,at the  
first sight one is confounded with      
astonishment1 and knows not whether what
 we see is real1 or whether on  a sudden
 we have not been transported to another
 globe4 ,to ,england is  due the honor  
of its production1 and it comes from the
 hands of one of  its numerous          
celebrated artists1 ,mr4 ,gunby4 ,the   
precious metal1 gold1  glitters in all  
its glory1 intermixed1 or rather united 

with  extraordinary beauty of cutting   
and rich and splendid enamelled         
painting4 ,one is at a loss whether most
 to admire the shape1 the  gorgeous     
brilliancy1 the sparkle of the gems1 the
 beauty of the  cutting1 the enamelling1
 the general conception1 or the immense 
bulk of  this magnificent and astounding
 work of art4    ,the ,scientific       
,american states1 ,the troupe of        
glass-blowers at ,hope  ,chapel furnish 
a very interesting evening's            
entertainment for those who  are fond of
 practical things4 ,a steam-engine1 most
 beautifully  constructed of different  
colored glass1 is worked by steam all   
the  time4 ,the nature of the material  
affords an opportunity to see all the   
several parts moving at once1 and it is 
really a very curious sight1  even to an
 engineer1 and one that will well repay 
a visit4    ,among the numerous         
specimens of ancient glass now in the   
,british  ,museum1 there are enough of  
the ,egyptian and ,roman manufacture to 

impress us with profound respect for the
 art as pursued by the earlier  workers 
in glass4 ,among them is a fragment     
considered as the ne plus  ultra of the 
chemical and manipulatory skill of the  
ancient workers4  ,it is described as   
consisting of no less than five layers  
or strata of  glass1 the interior layer 
being of the usual blue color1 with     
green and  red coatings1 and each strata
 separated from and contrasted with the 
others by layers of white enamel1       
skilfully arranged by some eminent      
artist of the ,grecian school4 ,the     
subject is a female reposing upon a     
couch1 executed in the highest style of 
art4 ,it presents a fine  specimen of   
gem engraving4 ,among the articles made 
of common material  are a few green     
vases about fifteen inches high1 in an  
excellent state  of preservation1 and   
beautiful specimens of workmanship4 ,in 
the  formation of the double handles and
 curves1 these vases evince a degree  of
 skill unattained by the glass-blowers  

of the present period4    ,the cases in 
the ,egyptian room at the ,museum       
contain several necklaces1  small       
figures1 scarabi1 and other objects1    
which would appear to an  ordinary      
observer to be composed of precious     
stones4 ,they are1 in fact1  at least   
most of them1 formed either of glass    
throughout the whole  substance1 or of  
materials covered with a glass coating4 
,the  manufacture of articles of this   
description presupposes a market for    
them2 and the desire upon the part of   
the less affluent members of  society to
 possess1 at a cheap rate1 ornaments in 
imitation of their  superiors1          
necessarily leads to the conclusion     
that1 even at the most  ancient of the  
periods ,i have mentioned1 the          
,egyptians had made a  remarkable       
advance in the customs of civilized     
life4 ,the ,museum cases  also exhibit  
networks of glass bugles1 with which the
 wrappers of  mummies were often        
decorated2 and there is abundance of    

evidence to  show that wine was         
frequently served at table in glass     
bottles and  cups4 ,alexander the ,great
 is said to have been buried at         
,alexandria in  a coffin composed wholly
 of glass4    ,the specimens taken from 
the tombs at ,thebes are also numerous4 
,their  rich and varied colors are      
proofs of the chemical and inventive    
skill  of the ancients4 ,these specimens
 embrace not only rich gems and mosaic  
work1 but also fine examples of the     
lachrymatory vase4 ,some of the  vases  
are made from common materials1 with    
very great skill and taste4  ,the       
specimen of glass coin1 with            
hieroglyphical characters1 must not be  
omitted2 as also a miniature effigy of  
the ,egyptian idol ,isis2 a  specimen of
 which proves that the ,egyptians must  
have been acquainted  with the art of   
pressing hot glass into metallic moulds1
 an art  which has been considered of   
modern invention4 ,english glass-makers 
considered the patent pillar glass a    

modern invention until a ,roman  vase   
was found 7it is now to be seen in the  
,polytechnic ,institution in  ,london71 
being a complete specimen of pillar     
moulding4 ,pillat states in  his work   
that he had seen an ancient drinking    
vessel of a ,medrecan  form1 on a foot  
of considerable substance1 nearly       
entire1 and procured  from ,rome1 which 
had the appearance of having been blown 
in an  open-and-shut mould1 the rim     
being afterwards cut off and polished4  
,this is high authority1 and1 with other
 evidences that might be cited1  goes   
far to prove that the ancients used     
moulds for pressing1 and also  for      
blowing moulded articles1 similar to    
those now in use4    ,pompeian          
window-glass1 of which panes have been  
discovered as large as  twenty by       
twenty-eight inches1 has proved1 on     
examination1 to have been  cast in a    
manner similar to that now followed in  
making plate-glass1  except that it was 
not rolled flat1 as now1 by metal       

cylinders1 but  pressed out with a      
wooden mallet1 so that its thickness is 
not uniform4    ,a glass has been       
discovered at ,pompeii1 about the size  
of a crown  piece1 with a convexity1    
which leads one to suppose it to be a   
magnifying lens4 ,now1 it has been said 
that the ancients were not aware  of    
this power1 and the invention is given  
to ,galileo by some1 to a  ,dutchman1 in
 #afba1 by others1 while a compound     
microscope is attributed  to one        
,fontana1 in the seventeenth century4   
,but without a magnifying  glass1 how   
did the ,greeks and ,romans work those  
fine gems which the  human eye is unable
 to read without the assistance of a    
glass8 ,there is  one in the ,naples    
,royal ,collection1 for example1 the    
legend of which it  is impossible to    
make out1 unless by applying a          
magnifying power4 ,the  glass in        
question1 with a stone ready cut and    
polished for engraving1  are now to be  
seen in the ,museum of ,naples4         

,specimens of colored glass1 pressed in 
beautiful forms for brooches1  rings1   
beads1 and similar ornaments1 are       
numerous4 ,of those of ,roman           
production many specimens have been     
found in ,england4 ,some of these  were 
taken from the ,roman barrows4 ,in      
,wales glass rings have been  found2    
they were vulgarly called snake stones1 
from the popular  notion that they were 
produced by snakes1 but were in fact    
rings used  by the ,druids as a charm   
with which to impose upon the           
superstitious4  ,we find1 too1 that the 
specific gravity of the specimens       
referred to  ranges from #bjcd to #cdjj1
 proving oxide of lead to have been used
 in  their manufacture2 the mean gravity
 of modern flint-glass being #cbjj4     
,from what we gather from the foregoing 
facts1 we are inclined to the  belief   
that1 in fine fancy work1 in colors1 and
 in the imitation of  gems1 the ancient 
glass-makers excelled the modern ones4  
,they were also  acquainted with the art

 of making and using moulds for blown   
and  pressed glass1 and forming what in 
,england is now called patent pillar    
glass4 ,all these operations1 however1  
were evidently on a very limited  scale1
 their views being mainly directed to   
the production of small but  costly     
articles4 ,although in the time of the  
,roman manufacturers vases  of extra    
size were made1 requiring larger        
crucibles and furnaces than  those used 
by the glass-makers of ,tyre1 yet it is 
evident that they  produced few articles
 except such as were held sacred for    
sepulchral  purposes1 or designed for   
luxury4 ,and while they possessed the   
knowledge of the use of moulds to press 
and blow glass by expansion1 it  does   
not appear that they produced any       
articles for domestic use4 ,if it  were 
not thus1 some evidences would be found 
among the various  specimens which have 
been preserved4      ,,legends ,,of     
,,the ,,glass-,,house1 ,,etc4    ,enough
 has been adduced to show the peculiar  

estimation in which the  art of         
glass-making was formerly held1 and the 
privileges conferred on  it by the      
various governments of ,europe4    ,the 
art was thus almost invested with an air
 of romance2 and a  manufacture         
commanding so much attention on the part
 of the governments  was regarded with a
 great share of awe and wonder4    ,it  
is not strange that1 in this state of   
things1 various legends should  have    
been identified with the manufacture and
 its localities4 ,among  these legends  
was that which ascribed to the          
furnace-fire the property  of creating  
the monster called the ,salamander4 ,it 
was believed1 too1  that at certain     
times this wonderful being issued from  
his abode1 and1  as opportunity offered1
 carried back some victim to his fiery  
bed4 ,the  absence of workmen1 who      
sometimes departed secretly for foreign 
lands1  was always accounted for by the 
hypothesis that in some unguarded       
moment they had fallen a prey to the    

,salamander4 ,visitors1 too1 whose      
courage could sustain them1 were        
directed to look through the bye-hole   
to the interior of the furnace1 and no  
one failed to discover the  monster     
coiled in his glowing bed1 and glaring  
with fiery eyes upon the  intruder1 much
 to his discomfiture1 and effectually as
 to his retreat4  ,some gallant knights1
 armed cap-a-pie1 it is said1 dared a   
combat  with the fiery dragon1 but      
always returned defeated2 the important 
fact  being doubtless then unknown or   
overlooked1 that steel armor1 being a   
rapid conductor of heat1 would be likely
 to tempt a more ready approach  of the 
fabled monster4    ,there was another   
current notion1 that glass was as easily
 rendered  malleable as brittle1 but    
that the workmen concealed the art1 and 
the  life of any one attempting the     
discovery was surely forfeited4 ,an     
ancient writer on glass1 ,isidorus1     
states that1 in the reign of  ,tiberius1
 an artist1 banished from ,rome on      

political considerations1 in  his       
retirement discovered the art of        
rendering glass malleable2 he  ventured 
to return to ,rome1 in hopes of         
procuring a remission of his  sentence1 
and a reward for his invention2 the     
glass-makers1 supposing  their interest 
to be at stake1 employed so powerful an 
influence with  the ,emperor 7who was   
made to believe that the value of gold  
might be  diminished by the discovery71 
that he caused the artist to be         
beheaded1  and his secret died with him4
 ,blancourt relates that1 as late as the
  time of ,louis ,,xiii41 an inventor   
having presented to ,cardinal ,richelieu
  a specimen of malleable glass of his  
own manufacture1 he was rewarded  by a  
sentence of perpetual imprisonment1 lest
 the vested interest of  ,french glass  
manufacturers might be injured by the   
discovery4 ,even at  the present day the
 error is a popular one1 that if the art
 of making  glass malleable were made   
known1 it would have the effect of      

closing  nearly all the existing        
glass-works2 while the truth is1 that   
quite the  reverse would be the result4 
,whenever the art of making glass       
malleable  is made known1 it will       
assuredly multiply the manufacture to a 
tenfold  degree4    ,it was formerly the
 custom for the workmen1 in setting pots
 in the  glass-furnace1 to protect      
themselves from the heat by dressing in 
the  skins of wild animals from head to 
foot2 to this outre garb were  added    
glass goggle-eyes1 and thus the most    
hideous-looking monsters  were readily  
presented to the eye4 ,show was then    
made of themselves in  the neighborhood1
 to the infinite alarm of children1 old 
women1 and  others4 ,this always        
occurred1 with other mysterious doings1 
on the  occasion of setting the pot1 or 
any other important movement attendant  
on the business4 ,the ground was thus   
furnished for very much of the  horrible
 diablerie connected with the whole     
history of the manufacture4    ,a belief

 was long prevalent that glass drinking 
vessels1 made under  certain            
astronomical influences1 would certainly
 fly to pieces if any  poisonous liquid 
was placed in them2 and sales of vessels
 of this kind  were made at enormous    
prices4 ,another idea pervaded the      
community1 that  vessels of a certain   
form1 made in a peculiar state of the   
atmosphere1  and after midnight1 would  
allow a pure diamond to pass directly   
through  the bottom of the vessel4      
,various articles1 such as colored      
goblets1  were thought to add to the    
flavor of wine1 and to detract          
materially  from its intoxicating       
quality4    ,all these1 and many other  
popular notions1 added greatly to the   
mystery  and renown of glass            
manufacturers4 ,we close this number    
with an extract  from ,howell's         
,familiar ,letters4 ,murano1 says he1 a 
little island  about one mile from      
,venice1 is the place where crystal     
glass is made1  and it is a rare sight  

to see whole streets where on one side  
there are  twenty furnaces at work4     
,they say here1 that although one should
  transfer a furnace from ,murano to    
,venice1 or to any of the little        
assembled islands about here1 or to any 
other part of the earth beside1  to use 
the same materials1 the same workmen1   
the same fuel1 and the  selfsame        
ingredients every way1 yet they cannot  
make crystal glass in  that perfection  
for beauty and lustre as at ,murano4    
,some impute it to  the circumambient   
air1 which is purified and attenuated by
 the  concurrence of so many fires1 that
 are in these furnaces night and day    
perpetually1 for they are like the      
vestal fires1 never going out4    ,there
 is no manufacturing business carried on
 by man combining so many  inherent     
contingencies1 as that of the working of
 flint glass4 ,there is  none demanding 
more untiring vigilance on the part of  
the daily  superintendent1 or requiring 
so much ability and interest in the     

work4  ,unlike all other branches of    
labor1 it is carried on by night and    
day1  is governed by no motive power    
connected with steam or water1 and has  
no analogy to the production of labor by
 looms or machinery4    ,the crude      
material of earth being used1 each      
portion requires careful  refining from 
natural impurities1 and when compounded1
 being dependent  upon combustion in the
 furnace for its completion1 7which     
combustion is  effected by change of the
 atmosphere beyond the power of man to  
direct1  but exercises a power to affect
 the heat of the furnace acting for good
  or for evil17 much responsibility     
rests upon the furnace-tenders2         
constant care on their part is required4
 ,a slight neglect affects the  quality 
of the glass4 ,a check upon the furnace 
in founding-time will  spoil every pot  
of metal for the best work4 ,overheat1  
too1 will destroy  the pots1 and the    
entire weekly melt will be launched into
 the cave1 at  a loss of several        

thousand dollars4 ,even with the utmost 
care1 a rush  of air will not uncommonly
 pass through the furnace and destroy   
one or  more pots in a minute's space4  
,and when the furnace has yielded a full
  melt1 and is ready for work1 many     
evils are at hand1 and among the        
ever-jarring materials of a glass-house1
 some one becomes adverse to a  full    
week's work2 vigilance is not always the
 price of success4    ,again3 no branch 
of mechanical labor possesses more of   
attraction for  the eye of the stranger 
or the curious1 than is to be witnessed 
in a  glass-house in full play4 ,the    
crowded and bee-like movements of the   
workmen1 with irons and hot metal1 yet  
each1 like the spheres of his  own      
orbit1 presents a scene apparently of   
inextricable confusion4    ,it is a     
difficult task to describe the curious  
and interesting  operations of the      
glass-blowers2 for the present we may   
say1 that there  is no other employment 
so largely dependent upon steadiness of 

nerve  and calm self-possession4 ,the   
power of manipulation is the result of  
long experience4 ,the business of the   
glass-blower is literally at his        
fingers' ends4 ,it is most interesting  
to witness the progress of his  labor1  
from the first gathering of the liquid  
metal from the pot1 and  the passing it 
from hand to hand1 until the shapeless  
and apparently  uncontrollable mass is  
converted into some elegant article4    
,equally  interesting is it to witness  
with what dexterity he commands1 and    
with  what entire ease he controls the  
melted mass2 the care1 also1 with  which
 he swings it with force just enough to 
give it the desired  length1 joins it to
 other pieces1 or with shears cuts it   
with the same  ease as paper4 ,the whole
 process1 indeed1 is one filled with the
 most  fascinating interest and power4  
,of all the articles of glass           
manufacture1 none command a greater     
degree  of attention than the article   
called the salver1 and no other develops

  so pleasing and surprising effects in 
its processes4 ,when seen for the  first
 time1 the change from a shapeless mass1
 the force with which it  flies open at 
the end of the process1 changing in an  
instant into a  perfect article1 all    
combine to astonish and delight the     
beholder4    ,mystery is as much a      
characteristic of the art now as at any 
former  period2 but it is a mystery     
unallied to superstition1--a mystery    
whose  interpreter is science1--a       
mystery which1 instead of repelling the 
curious and frightening the ignorant1   
now invites the inquiring and  delights 
the unlearned4    ,by the following1 we 
find that the romance of glass-making   
has not yet  died out4 ,we copy from the
 ,paris ,annual of ,scientific          
,discovery1 for  #ahfc1 the following3--
    ,it would appear there is yet some  
secret in glass-making unknown to  the  
world at large1 as the manufactory of   
,mr4 ,daguet1 of ,soletere1  ,france1 is
 known to be in possession of an        

undivulged method1 which  enables them  
to make glass of a purity which all     
other manufacturers  are not able to    
rival4 ,a railway1 recently constructed 
and running past  ,mr4 ,daguet's works1 
has so affected the glass-pots1 by the  
tremor  occasioned by the locomotives   
and trains1 that work has had to be     
suspended4 ,for this ,mr4 ,daguet       
brought an action1 during the past year1
  against the railway company for       
damages2 but when the case came on for  
trial1 the court held that it would be  
impossible to assess damages  unless it 
were made cognizant of the secret1 and  
its pecuniary  advantage to ,mr4        
,daguet4 ,the latter declined imparting 
this1 and the  court refused to proceed 
further4    ,we have shown that glass1  
while it has contributed so largely to  
the  material well-being of man1 has    
also administered profusely to the      
pleasure of woman4 ,the belle enjoys the
 reflection of her beauty in its        
silvered face1--a pleasure peculiarly   

her own1 as we all know1--and if  we may
 believe poesy1 the mermaid1 her rival  
of the coral groves in the  fathomless  
ocean1 looks with equal satisfaction    
upon her dubious form1  as seen in her  
hand-mirror4 ,and what would ,cinderella
 be to the nursery  without her glass   
slipper6    ,but leaving poetry to its  
own prolific devices1 where would       
science  find itself without the aid of 
glass8 ,the astronomer's and chemist's  
vocation would be gone4 ,suns1 planets1 
and stars would have no exact  existence
 to us1 and their laws be unknown4 ,the 
seaman would blunder  his way on the    
ocean1 lucky if he guessed aright his   
course1 and  cursing his stars1 when he 
did not4 ,in short1 glass is the        
indispensable servant of science in     
almost all its forms1 and where it  does
 not discover it protects4 ,its loss    
would throw back the world into         
antediluvian ignorance1 not to mention  
the countless eyes it would  deprive of 
sight1 of their intellectual food1 and  

freedom of way4      ,,manufacture ,,of 
,,glass ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states1   
,,etc4    ,the last number of our series
 of articles upon this highly           
interesting  subject--interesting both  
as concerns the various features of the 
manufacture1 and as indicative of the   
progress of the art in the  successive  
ages of the world's history--closed the 
sketch of the rise  and progress of the 
manufacture of flint glass4 ,our sketch 
has covered  the ground so far as time  
would allow1 from the introduction of   
the art  into ,egypt1 through its       
transfer to ,tyre and ,sidon1 and from  
thence1 in  its order1 to ,rome1        
,venice1 ,france1 and finally into      
,england4    ,the reader will notice    
that this progress1 like that of many   
others1 is  almost identical1 for a time
 at least1 with the gradual extension of
  conquest1 and especially with this1 as
 connected with the extension of  the   
,roman sway4    ,we now reach the period
 of its introduction into the ,western  

continent1  and propose giving an       
outline of its gradual extension and    
characteristics in our own land4    ,our
 opportunity of research as to the      
period of the introduction of  glass    
manufacture into this country1 induce   
the belief that the first  effort was   
made some years before the ,american    
,revolution4    ,this attempt was by a  
company of ,germans1 who selected the   
town of  ,quincy1 in this ,state1 as the
 place in which to establish the        
manufacture4    ,we are acquainted with 
little beyond the fact1 that such an    
attempt was  made2 their success1 or the
 length of time during which they       
carried on  the work1 are matters       
equally beyond our knowledge4 ,some     
specimens of  their articles still      
exist1 showing mainly that they engaged 
in the  manufacture of what is called   
black metal only2 these also are of the 
rudest style of the art4    ,the place  
in ,quincy in which their manufactory   
was established acquired  the name from 

them of ,germantown1 which name it      
retains to the  present time4 ,the site 
of their manufactory is now occupied1 we
  believe1 by the institution called    
,the ,sailors' ,snug ,harbor4    ,a     
,connecticut paper states a patent was  
granted by that ,state1 in #agdg1  for  
twenty years1 to ,thomas ,darling1 for  
the exclusive privilege of  making      
glass4 ,this ,act appears to have become
 void1 because of the  patentee not     
fulfilling its conditions1 and at       
various times after this  special grants
 were made to others to introduce the   
manufacture of  glass4    ,the          
,historical ,society of ,brooklyn1      
,n4,y41 has in their cabinet a  glass   
bottle1 the first one manufactured at a 
glass-works started1 in  #aged1 near the
 site of the present glass-works in     
,state ,street4 ,this  enterprise1 we   
are informed1 was brought to an untimely
 end for want of  sand1--that is1 the   
right kind of sand4 ,from this we infer1
 it must be  a flint-glass bottle1 as   

the sand suitable for green or black    
glass  abounds on their shore4          
,shortly after the close of the         
,revolutionary struggle1 we think about 
the year #aghe1 the late ,robert ,hewes1
 a well-known citizen of ,boston1  made1
 probably1 the first attempt to         
establish a window-glass  manufactory on
 this continent4 ,this manufactory was  
modelled upon the  ,german system4 ,mr4 
,hewes carried his works to the fuel1   
and erected his  factory in the then    
forest of ,new ,hampshire4 ,the writer  
well remembers1  when a boy1 hearing    
,mr4 ,hewes relate1 that when building  
his  glass-works the tracks of bears    
were frequently seen in the morning in  
and around his works4    ,from the best 
information in our possession1 we think 
that to ,mr4  ,robert ,hewes must be    
conceded the first attempt to establish 
window-glass making in the ,united      
,states1 or in the western world4 ,the  
aim of ,mr4 ,hewes was doubtless to     
supply the most important and  necessary

 article made of glass1 and called for  
by the immediate wants  of the people1  
viz41 window-glass4 ,it ended1 however1 
in disappointment  to the projector1    
probably from the frequent error of     
carrying such  works into the interior1 
to the vicinity of fuel1 or from lack of
 skill  on the part of the workmen4     
,this attempt was followed1 about the   
year #aghg1 by ,messrs4 ,whalley1       
,hunnewell1 and their associates1 and by
 the workmen ,plumback and  ,cooper1 who
 erected a large factory in ,essex      
,street1 ,boston 7where  ,edinboro'     
,street now is71 for the purpose of     
making the ,crown ,window  ,glass4 ,this
 was without success1 until a ,german1  
of the name of ,lint1  arrived in the   
year #ahjc1 and from this period there  
was great success  in the manufacture1  
for the ,state of ,massachusetts1 to    
encourage the  manufacture of           
window-glass1 paid the proprietors a    
bounty on every  table of glass made by 
them4 ,this was done to counteract the  

effect of  the bounty paid by ,england  
on the exportation of glass from that   
kingdom4 ,the ,state bounty had the     
effect to encourage the proprietors  and
 sustain their efforts1 so that by      
perseverance many difficulties  were    
overcome1 and a well-earned reputation  
supported for the strength  and         
clearness of their glass2 a glass       
superior to the imported1 and  well     
known throughout the ,united ,states as 
,boston ,window-,glass4 ,this           
reputation they steadily sustained1     
until they made glass in their new      
works at ,south ,boston1 in the year    
#ahbb4 ,their charter from the ,state   
was highly favorable to the             
stockholders2 among the privileges it   
granted an exclusive right to           
manufacture for fifteen years1 and to   
manufacture glass without their consent 
subjected the offender to a  fine of    
five hundred dollars for each offence4  
,their capital was exempt  from taxation
 for five years1 and the workmen        

exempted from military  duty4    ,from  
the founding of this establishment may  
be dated the founding of  all the ,crown
 and ,cylinder1 ,window and ,flint      
,glass-,works in the  ,atlantic ,states4
 ,indeed1 this may be considered the    
fruitful parent  tree of the many       
branches now so widely spread abroad4   
,the wonderful mystery attached to the  
art of glass-making seems to have       
followed its introduction into this     
country4 ,the glass-blower was          
considered a magician1 and myriads      
visited the newly-erected works1 and    
coming away with a somewhat improved    
idea of an unmentionable place and  its 
occupants2 and the man who could        
compound the materials to make  glass   
was looked upon as an alchemist who     
could transmute base metal  into pure   
gold4    ,the fame of the works spread  
into a neighboring ,state1 and in #ahaj 
or  #ahaa a company was formed in       
,utica1 to establish glass-works in that
  place1 and quite a number of workmen  

in the ,essex ,street ,works were       
induced to leave their employ and break 
their indentures from the offer  of     
increased wages2 while1 however1 on     
their way1 and just before they  reached
 the ,state line1 they1 with the agent1 
were arrested1 brought  back1 and       
expensive lawsuits incurred4 ,the ,utica
 ,works were abandoned1  and1 we        
believe1 never revived4    ,subsequently
 another company was formed in ,new     
,york1 being influenced  by a fallacious
 view of the silicious sand4 ,this      
company erected their  works at ,sandy  
,lake1 a locality abounding both in     
silex and fuel4 ,a few  years' trial    
convinced the proprietors the place was 
ill chosen1 and1  after the experience  
of heavy losses1 it was abandoned4    ,a
 ,doctor ,adams1 of ,richmond1          
,virginia1 made large offers of         
increased  wages to the workmen of the  
,essex ,street ,works1 who were then    
induced  to abandon their place of work 
and violate their indentures4 ,they     

succeeded in reaching ,richmond to try  
their fortune under the auspices  of the
 ,doctor4 ,a few years' experience      
convinced them of the fallacy of        
increased pay2 for1 after very heavy    
losses1 the works were abandoned  and   
the workmen thrown out of employ4 ,the  
proprietors of the ,essex  ,street      
,works had engaged workmen in the mean  
time1 at a very heavy  expense1 from    
,england--a most difficult task1 for the
 ,english  government made it a penal   
offence to entice workmen to leave the  
kingdom at that period4    ,in #ahaa the
 proprietors of the ,essex ,street      
,works erected large and  improved works
 on the shore at ,south ,boston4 ,to    
supply the workmen  enticed away1 and   
also to meet the wants of their factory1
 an agent was  sent to ,england to      
procure a set of glass-workers4 ,by the 
time they  reached this country the war 
with ,england broke out1 and the        
enterprise  was thus defeated2 for it   
became difficult to procure fuel and the

  various means for carrying on the     
,essex ,street ,works4    ,the making of
 window-glass in ,boston led to the     
introduction of the  manufacture of     
flint-glass1 arising from the excess of 
window-glass  blowers1 brought into the 
country by the enterprise of the ,boston
  ,window-,glass ,company2 many among   
the number from ,europe had worked more 
or less in flint-glass works 7no unusual
 thing in ,england71 for a good         
flint-glass blower1 with manual         
strength1 can fill the part of a        
window-glass blower1 and exceedingly    
well4    ,among the number was a ,mr4   
,thomas ,caines1 now living at ,south   
,boston1  having retired from the       
business with an independent property1  
the  honest fruit of his skill and      
industry2 he may be truly considered as 
the father of the flint-glass business  
in the ,atlantic ,states4    ,mr4       
,caines proved competent to the task1   
not only as a first-rate  workman1 but  
possessed the art of mixing the         

materials and being able  to sustain all
 the other departments appertaining to  
the business4 ,he  prevailed upon the   
proprietors to erect a small six-pot    
flint furnace  in part of their large   
unoccupied manufactory in ,south        
,boston4    ,at that time the articles  
of flint-glass imported by the          
earthenware  trade were confined to a   
very few articles1 such as ,german straw
  tumblers1 cruets1 salts1 and plain    
decanters of cheap fabric2 of the  finer
 articles1 to cut finger tumblers1 sham 
diamond cut dishes1 and  ,rodney        
decanters2 a quality of glass and       
cutting that would not at the  present  
day command one-fifth of their then     
cost4    ,war having interrupted the    
importation of glass1 the manufactory   
supplied the then limited demand1 and   
gave full employ for their  factory4    
,contemporaneous with the ,south ,boston
 enterprise1 a company was formed  and  
incorporated under the title of the     
,porcelain and ,glass  ,manufacturing   

,company4 ,their factory was located at 
,east ,cambridge1  then called          
,craigie's ,point4 ,their china         
department was directed by a  ,mr4      
,bruitan1 but for want of proper        
materials it proved an entire  failure4 
,their glass-works were under the       
direction of a ,mr4 ,thompson1  who     
built a small six-pot furnace1 similar  
in size to the one at ,south  ,boston4  
,thompson brought out a set of hands1 at
 a heavy expense1 to  work the furnace1 
but the result proved he was in no way  
qualified for  the task1 nor possessed  
of the least practical skill or         
knowledge of  the business1 and of      
course proving an entire failure4 ,the  
attempt to  make porcelain and glass was
 abandoned by the company4    ,in #ahae1
 some of the workmen left the ,south    
,boston ,factory and hired of  the      
,porcelain ,company their six-pot       
furnace1 and commenced the making  of   
flint-glass under the firm of ,emmet1   
,fisher  ,flowers4 ,they  succeeded for 

a time very well1 and turned out glass  
suitable for the  trade2 but want of    
concert of action prevented a successful
 result1 and  they dissolved without    
loss4 ,the ,porcelain ,company1         
discouraged by so  many failures1 agreed
 to wind up their concern1 and in       
,november1 #ahag1  they disposed of     
their entire property at public auction4
    ,as one manufactory dies out only to
 give place to another1 so the  present 
,new ,england ,glass ,company was       
formed1 and became the purchasers  of   
the ,porcelain ,works4 ,that company1   
from #ahag1 to the present time1  have  
pursued the business with signal        
success2 beginning with the small       
capital of forty thousand dollars1 they 
have from time to time  increased it1   
until it amounts at the present time to 
half a million of  dollars4 ,they       
commenced business with a small six-pot 
furnace1 holding  seven hundred pounds  
to each pot2 employed1 all told1 about  
forty  hands1 and the yearly product did

 not exceed forty thousand dollars4     
,they now run five furnaces1 averaging  
ten pots to each1 capacity of two       
thousand pounds to each pot4 ,they      
employ over five hundred men and  boys1 
and the yearly product is not less than 
five hundred thousand  dollars4    ,in  
#ahbj some of their workmen left them1  
built a factory in ,new ,york  ,city1   
and conducted their business under the  
firm of ,fisher   ,gillerland4 ,in #ahbc
 ,gillerland dissolved the connection   
and built1 on  his own account1 a       
manufactory in ,brooklyn1 ,n4,y41 which 
he conducts at  this period with great  
skill and success1 and is considered the
 best  metal mixer in the ,united       
,states4    ,in #ahbe a ,flint-,glass   
,manufactory was established by         
individual  enterprise in ,sandwich1    
,mass4 ,ground was broke in ,april1     
dwellings for  the workmen built1 and   
manufactory completed2 and on the #dth  
day of  ,july1 #ahbe1 they commenced    
blowing glass--three months from first  

breaking ground4 ,in the following year 
it was purchased of the  proprietor1 a  
company formed1 and incorporated under  
the title of  ,boston and ,sandwich     
,glass ,company4 ,like their            
predecessors1 they  commenced in a small
 way2 beginning with an eight-pot       
furnace1 each  holding eight hundred    
pounds4 ,the weekly melts at that period
 did not  exceed seven thousand pounds1 
and yearly product seventy-five thousand
  dollars2 giving employment to from    
sixty to seventy hands4 ,from time to   
time1 as their business warranted1 they 
increased their capital until  it       
reached the present sum of four hundred 
thousand dollars4 ,their  weekly melts  
have increased from seven thousand      
pounds to much over one  hundred        
thousand pounds2 their hands employed   
from seventy to over five  hundred2     
their one furnace of eight pots to four 
furnaces of ten pots2  and yearly       
product from seventy-five thousand      
dollars to six hundred  thousand        

dollars4    ,in #ahbj another secession 
of workmen from the ,new ,england ,glass
 ,company  took place1 to embark on     
their own account their savings of many 
years  in the doubtful enterprise of    
establishing flint-glass works in       
,kensington1 ,philadelphia1 under the   
title of the ,union ,flint-,glass       
,company4 ,the proprietors1 being all   
workmen1 were enthusiastic in the       
project1 happy in the belief that they  
could carry it on successfully1  work   
when convenient1 and enjoy much leisure4
 ,all was then to them  sunshine4 ,ere  
long they realized the many inherent    
evils attendant on  flint-glass works2  
the demon of discord appeared among     
them1 and they  discovered1 when too    
late1 that they had left a place of     
comfort and  ease for a doubtful        
enterprise4 ,death thinned their ranks1 
and the  works1 after passing into other
 hands for a short trial1 have years    
since ceased to exist4    ,from #ahbj to
 #ahdj very many attempts were made1 by 

corporations and  firms1 to establish   
the manufacture of flint-glass in the   
,atlantic  ,states1 but almost with     
entire failure4 ,the parent tree1 the   
old ,south  ,boston concern1 failed2 the
 works were revived from time to time by
 at  least five different concerns1 and 
all ended in failure2 and for years  the
 works remained closed1 till the present
 occupant1 ,mr4 ,patrick  ,slane1 hired 
the premises1 and by his enterprise and 
great industry has  greatly enlarged the
 works1 and is now carrying on a large  
and active  business4 ,in his factory we
 learn the old system among the         
operatives  he does not allow to have a 
foothold1 and the individual industry of
  his hands is not cramped or limited by
 the oppressive system of the old       
school operative4    ,as a record of the
 past and a reference for the future1 we
 find1 in  reviewing the various        
attempts to establish flint-glass works 
in the  ,atlantic ,states1 that it would
 not be just to place the names of those

  identified with them before the       
reader2 for many were deluded by the    
projectors with promises of the most    
flattering success1 but realized  only  
disappointment and loss4    ,in         
enumerating all the concerns1 companies1
 and corporations that have  been       
engaged in the manufacture of           
flint-glass in the ,atlantic ,states1   
we find the number to be forty-two2 of  
which number two concerns have  retired1
 and ten are now in operation1 viz41 two
 at ,east ,cambridge1  three at ,south  
,boston1 one at ,sandwich1 three near   
,new ,york ,city1 and  one at           
,philadelphia2 leaving two concerns who 
retired with property1  and twenty-eight
 out of the forty-two concerns entire   
failures1  involving the parties        
interested in heavy loss1 the fate of   
the  existing ten to be determined by   
future events4    ,before closing1 we   
may allude to the repeated failure of   
permanently  establishing window- and   
bottle-glass works in this vicinity4    

,the  primary cause has been in the     
construction of the furnaces1 no        
improvement for centuries having taken  
place1 but the old defective  plan being
 adhered to by workmen from ,europe4 ,a 
casual observer must  see they are      
defective1 and consume double the       
quantity of fuel really  required for   
the weekly melts4 ,the rate of wages for
 experienced  workmen1 about threefold  
over the ,german rates1 has heretofore  
checked  success1 but at the present    
time is more than compensated by        
machinery  and materials4    ,the       
manufacture of plate-glass offers a     
profitable and inviting field  that     
should be improved4 ,the consumption in 
this country is large and  increasing   
yearly4 ,materials are cheaper than in  
,europe1 and as the  most essential part
 is performed by machinery and motive   
power1 this  will more than equalize the
 extra rate of wages that may be taxed  
upon  a new undertaking4    ,we have    
recorded the rise and progress of the   

,glass ,manufacture in the  ,atlantic   
,states1 showing its course from its    
introduction in #ahab to  the present   
period1 i4e4 #aheb1 covering a space of 
time of just forty  years4    ,we now   
turn to the introduction of the         
manufacture in the ,western  ,states1   
for the account of which we are indebted
 to ,mr4 ,thomas  ,bakewell1 of         
,pittsburg1 ,penn4 ,mr4 ,bakewell       
advises us1 that1 prior to  the year    
#ahjh1 glass-works were established by a
 company of ,germans1  near             
,fredericktown1 ,maryland1 under the    
direct control of a ,mr4  ,amelong1 for 
the purpose of manufacturing glass in   
all its branches4 ,we  have not         
ascertained the precise year in which   
,mr4 ,amelong commenced  the            
manufacture2 but previous to the year   
#ahjh the establishment was  broken up1 
and the workmen dispersed4 ,most of them
 reached ,pittsburg1  ,penn41 and a part
 of them were engaged by ,col4 ,james   
,o',hara1 in the  establishment of the  

first window-glass factory in the       
,western ,states4  ,the same factory is 
in operation to the present day1 and    
others of the  ,fredericktown company   
were instrumental in introducing the    
same branch  of the glass business into 
,pennsylvania1 at ,new ,geneva1 upon the
  property of the late ,albert          
,gallatin4 ,others of the number1       
previously  mentioned1 established      
themselves in ,baltimore1 and in all of 
the  places noticed4 ,some of their     
descendants still continue the business4
    ,there are at this time ten         
window-glass factories in the vicinity  
of  ,pittsburg1 and fifteen in the river
 towns1--in all twenty-five             
works1--manufacturing over #bbj1jjj     
boxes of window-glass of #ajj feet  each
 annually4    ,we now proceed to examine
 a more interesting topic1 viz41 the    
rise and  progress of the flint-glass   
business in the ,west4 ,we have shown   
that  most of the workmen1 on the       
breaking up of the glass-works in       

,fredericktown1 migrated to ,pittsburg1 
attracted there1 doubtless1 by  the coal
 mines4 ,some of these persons were     
successful in establishing  the         
manufacture of window-glass1 while a    
portion of the workmen1 in the  spring  
of the year #ahjh1 attempted to         
establish a flint-glass  manufactory    
upon part of the premises now occupied  
by ,bakewell  ,pears1  extensive        
flint-glass manufacturers4 ,the persons 
engaged in the  enterprise1 however1    
were deficient1 both in the requisite   
knowledge  and capital2 the effort      
proved abortive1 the parties quarrelled1
 and  the establishment1 in an          
incomplete condition1 was offered for   
sale4    ,in the ,august following1 a   
,mr4 ,bakewell and his friend1 ,mr4     
,page1 being  on a visit to ,pittsburg1 
were induced to purchase the concern1   
under  the representation of one of the 
owners that he possessed the            
information and skill requisite for the 
proper pursuit of the business1  having 

been engaged 7as he stated7 in the      
business before he left  ,england4 ,mr4 
,bakewell had scarcely entered upon his 
new pursuit before  he discovered that  
the qualification of the person alluded 
to had been  entirely misrepresented1   
and that to succeed he must rely upon   
his own  experience and diligence in the
 attainment of the peculiar knowledge   
indispensable to the success of his     
undertaking4 ,in this the fortune of    
his family and friend were1 of course1  
deeply involved1 and he  therefore set  
himself to the accomplishment of his    
task most manfully4  ,those only who    
have practical experience of the        
character of the  undertaking can fully 
appreciate the various and almost       
insurmountable  difficulties to be      
encountered and overcome before success 
could be  attained4    ,his first       
difficulty arose from want of skill in  
the workmen1 and the  inferiority of the
 materials employed in the manufacture  
of  flint-glass4 ,so little were the    

resources of the ,west developed at that
  day1 that ,mr4 ,bakewell had to       
procure his pearlash and red lead from  
,philadelphia1 the pot clay from        
,burlington1 ,n4,j41--the whole being   
transported over the mountains in wagons
 to ,pittsburg4 ,the only sand  then    
known was the yellow kind1 obtained in  
the vicinity1 and used at  this time    
only for window-glass4 ,for many years  
,mr4 ,bakewell obtained  the saltpetre  
needed from the caves of ,kentucky1 in a
 crude state1  which article he was     
obliged to purify1 until the period of  
#ahae1 when  the required supply was    
obtained from ,calcutta4    ,the few    
workmen then in the country were not    
well instructed in the  making of glass 
articles1 after the glass was prepared1 
to which was  added the great evil      
7which has too usually prevailed among  
the  imported workmen7 of a             
determination to prevent the instruction
 of  apprentices by the most arbitrary  
and unjust means1 and1 so far as it  was

 in their power1 endeavoring to prevent 
competition1 by not only  controlling   
the hours of work1 but the quantity of  
manufacture2 in  fact1 doing the least  
amount of work possible for the largest 
amount of  pay that could be coerced    
from the proprietors4 ,experience1      
however1  showed ,mr4 ,bakewell how to  
construct his furnaces1 or1 at least1 to
  improve on the old2 and he discovered 
better materials in his immediate       
vicinity1 and succeeded in making purer 
glass than he had before made4  ,the    
oppressive acts of the workmen1 in the  
mean time1 compelled ,mr4  ,bakewell to 
resort to ,england for new workmen1 at a
 time when the  prohibitory laws there  
in regard to mechanics leaving ,england 
were in  full force1--an undertaking    
requiring great secrecy1 and at the risk
 of  long imprisonment if detected4     
,such were some of the embarrassing     
circumstances with which ,mr4  ,bakewell
 had to contend4 ,of the full force and 
extent of these1 those  only can        

conceive who have been under like       
necessities and  circumstances4 ,but a  
brighter day was dawning upon his       
exertions1 and  at length his arduous   
and untiring labor was crowned with the 
desired  success4 ,good clay was        
procured from ,holland1 and purer       
materials  discovered2 competent workmen
 were either imported or instructed1 and
  the flint-glass manufacture was firmly
 established at ,pittsburg4 ,from  this 
first establishment there originated1 in
 a few years1 many other  glass-works1  
erected chiefly by persons who had      
acquired the art with  ,mr4 ,bakewell1  
or had obtained the requisite means     
while in his employ4  ,we may well      
consider ,mr4 ,bakewell as the father of
 the flint-glass  business in this      
country2 for he commenced the work in   
#ahjh1 and by  untiring efforts and     
industry brought it to a successful     
issue4    ,for the skill1 judgment1     
labor1 and perseverance devoted by him  
to the  progress of the art1 he truly   

merits the ,artium ,magister so often   
bestowed on those least worthy of its   
dignity and honor4 ,theory in  ,science 
too often receives the meed which       
practical progress in its  walks so     
richly deserves4 ,mr4 ,bakewell lived to
 realize an ample  fortune as the fruit 
of his industry1 and his sons still     
carry on a  profitable business on the  
premises originally occupied by their   
father4 ,by father and sons this has    
covered a space of forty-four  years1 a 
length of time rarely finding a business
 in the same family in  ,america4 ,may  
the factory be always occupied and      
conducted by a  ,bakewell4    ,the      
furnace built by ,mr4 ,bakewell in #ahjh
 contained only six pots1  twenty inches
 in diameter1 which were replaced in    
#ahaj by a ten-pot  furnace of a larger 
capacity1 and in #ahad another furnace  
was added to  the works1 of like        
capacity4    ,in #ahji another concern  
sprung up1 and carried on the business  
on a  limited scale2 in #ahab another   

succeeded1 making three concerns        
carrying on the business2 and in #ahaj  
another company was formed1 but  failed 
in a few years4    ,there are now in    
,pittsburg nine concerns manufacturing  
flint-glass1  running thirteen furnaces 
and one hundred and five pots4 ,there   
are also  three concerns at ,wheeling1  
running five furnaces and forty-five    
pots4  ,there are also at ,wellsville1  
,steubenville1 and ,cincinnati one or   
two  factories each1 besides several    
manufactories for green glass jars1 and 
one for the making of porter bottles2   
one also for mineral-water  bottles4    
,the first glass-cutting works were     
opened in #ahji by a ,german of the     
name of ,echbaum1 who had settled in    
,pittsburg some years previously4  ,mr4 
,bakewell also carried on glass-cutting1
 and among his workmen was  an          
,englishman who had served as a soldier 
in ,canada1 being taken as a  prisoner  
in one of the battles on the ,lakes in  
#ahac4 ,he proved not only  a good      

glass-cutter1 but an excellent mechanic1
 in various branches2  but still a      
dissipated and idle man1 and of course  
of but little  service in the           
manufactory4    ,one of the amusing     
incidents connected with the manufacture
 occurred  when ,general ,clark 7then   
,governor of ,missouri7 took a party of 
,osage  ,chiefs to ,washington4 ,on     
their way they visited ,bakewell's      
,glass-,works1  and their attention was 
greatly excited2 they watched with great
  curiosity the process of making       
various articles1 and the mode of       
affixing the handle to a glass pitcher  
quite disturbed the equanimity  of the  
head chief1 who1 after shaking hands    
with the workmen1 said1  through the    
interpreter1 ,that man must have had    
some intercourse with  the ,great       
,spirit4    ,the following1 from        
,sigma's pen1 shows a decanter-stopper  
can be made  to point a moral or        
illustrate a satire3--,mr4 ,flint1 in   
his ',ten ,years  in the ,valley of the 

,mississippi1' tells a pleasant story of
 an ,indian  who told him he had big    
diamond1 for which he had given trader  
much  beaver4 ,a time was appointed1 and
 ,mr4 ,flint visited the wigwam to      
examine the diamond1 which1 after       
considerable mystery1 was brought  forth
 from its place of concealment1 and     
proved to be a broken glass             
decanter-stopper4 ,when an individual1  
eminent for his talents and  learning1  
has been justly decorated with the      
degree of ,,ll4,d41 and finds  the same 
mark of distinction bestowed upon others
 who are remarkable  for neither1 he    
cannot fail to perceive an amusing      
resemblance between  his diploma and    
,kunkerpot's diamond4      ,,imitation  
,,of ,,muslin-,,glass4    ,here is a    
simple and ingenious means of giving to 
glass the appearance  of delicately     
wrought muslin3--    ,the process1 which
 comes to us from ,germany1 consists in 
spreading very  smoothly a piece of lace
 or tulle1 and covering it with some    

fatty  substance by means of a printer's
 roller4 ,the glass being carefully     
cleaned1 the cloth is laid upon it so as
 to leave in fat a print on the  surface
 of all the threads of the fabric4      
,the glass is then exposed about five   
minutes to the vapors of  hydrofluoric  
acid1 which roughens the spaces between 
the lines1 and  leaves the polish on the
 surface under the fat4    ,a glass thus
 prepared becomes like a veil1          
protecting from exterior  indiscretion  
persons who1 from their apartment1      
desire to look  commodiously outside4   
,we recall here that the manipulation of
 hydrofluoric acid requires  great      
prudence4 ,this acid is so corrosive    
that a drop of its vapor  condensed     
produces upon the hand a lively         
inflammation1 and may even  lead to     
graver accidents4 ,breathing the        
emanations should therefore be  avoided 
with the greatest care4      ,no art has
 been characterized1 in the course of   
its progress1 by so  much of wonder and 

undefined belief in the supernatural1 as
 that of the  manufacture of glass in   
its various modes and articles4    ,the 
old glass-works in ,wellsburg1 ,va41    
were pulled down a few years  since with
 a tremendous crash4 ,they were erected 
in #ahaf1 and1 with the  exception of   
the establishments at ,pittsburg1 were  
the oldest west of  the mountains4 ,the 
beginning of their career was           
prosperous1 but the  last owners have   
invariably sunk money in carrying on the
 works1 and to  prevent further losses  
they have now been finally destroyed1   
and the  ground turned into a           
potato-patch4      ,from the ,scientific
 ,american4    ,,etching ,,and          
,,ornamenting ,,glass4    ,the hardest  
glass may be etched and frosted with a  
peculiar liquid  acid1 and also with    
this acid in the condition of vapor4    
,when powdered  fluor spar is heated    
with concentrated sulphuric acid in a   
platinum or  a lead retort1 and         
connected with a refrigerator by a tube 

of lead1 a  very volatile1 colorless    
liquid is obtained1 which emits copious 
white  and suffocating fumes4 ,this is  
hydrofluoric acid1 a dilute solution of 
which attacks glass with avidity1 while 
neither sulphuric1 nitric1 nor  muriatic
 acid has the least effect upon it4 ,in 
a diluted state it is  employed for     
glass etching1 for which purpose it is  
kept in a lead  vessel1 because it has  
very little affinity for this metal4    
,the vapor  of this acid is also used   
for the same purpose4 ,the glass to be  
operated upon is first coated with a    
ground of wax1 and the design to  be    
etched is then traced through the wax   
with a sharp instrument4 ,in a  shallow 
lead basin some powdered fluor spar is  
then placed1 and a  sufficient quantity 
of sulphuric acid poured upon it to     
convert it into  a thin paste4 ,the     
glass to be etched is now placed in the 
basin1 to  which a gentle heat is       
applied1 when the vapor of the acid is  
disengaged and attacks the traced lines 

from which the wax has been  removed4   
,the operation is completed in a few    
minutes1 the glass is  removed1 and the 
wax cleaned off with warm oil of        
turpentine4 ,all those  parts which have
 remained covered with the wax are now  
clear as before1  while the other parts 
drawn by lines to represent figures have
 a  frosted appearance4 ,any person can 
produce figures on glass with this      
acid1 but1 for reasons before stated1 it
 is dangerous to use4    ,in ,october1  
#ahei1 a patent was granted to ,james   
,napier1 of ,glasgow1  ,scotland1 for a 
very simple method of ornamenting glass 
with fluoric  acid4 ,instead of drawing 
patterns and figures on the glass with  
the use  of varnish and a graver to     
prepare the glass for etching1 the glass
 is  prepared by simply transferring    
pictures from prints1 which can be      
performed by almost any person4 ,the    
method is1 to take a print1  lithograph1
 or picture made with printer's ink1 and
 fix the printed  surface to the glass  

by any ordinary paste made from starch4 
,all the  air must be carefully excluded
 from between the print and glass4 ,when
  perfectly dry1 liquid hydrofluoric    
acid about the specific gravity of      
#a4ad is applied for about three        
minutes1 when it is washed in water to  
remove the paper and the acid1 and the  
figure of the print is then  found upon 
the glass4 ,the printed portion of the  
paper may also be cut  in outline and   
pasted on the glass1 then transferred4  
,glass that is  flashed on the surface  
with another color may be treated in    
this  manner1 when a portion of the     
flashing or surface will be removed1 and
  the picture will remain in color4     
,,colored ,,glass4    ,the distinguished
 ,french chemist1 ,m4 ,chevreul1 who has
 devoted so much  attention to the      
subject of color1 has lately published a
 memoir on  painted windows1 in which   
there are many points which deserve the 
attention of artists and others who are 
interested in the manufacture  of       

colored glass4 ,it has often been much  
noticed that old stained glass  windows 
have a much richer effect than modern   
ones1 and ,m4 ,chevreul1  speaking of   
this superiority1 attributes it to what 
moderns regard as  defects4 ,in the     
first place1 much of the ancient glass  
is of unequal  thickness1 and so        
presents convex and concave parts1 which
 refract the  light differently and     
produce an agreeable effect4 ,in the    
next place  the old colored glass is not
 a colorless glass1 to which has been   
added  the particular coloring material1
 such as protoxide of cobalt1 c4 ,old   
glass contains a good deal of oxide of  
iron1 which colors it green1 and  to    
this must be attributed the peculiar    
effects of antique glass1  colored by   
cobalt and manganese4 ,m4 ,chevreul     
appears to think that  modern stained   
glass is too transparent to produce the 
best effects4 ,m4  ,regnault1 the       
chemist1 has recommended that all this  
kind of stained  glass should be cast1  

to avoid the monotonous effect of plain 
surfaces  on the light2 and also that   
foreign substances should be mixed with 
the  glass to diminish its transparency4
    ,many attempts have been made to    
color with ruby or other colors gas     
shades1 so as to throw on surrounding   
objects the color of the glass2  but in 
no case has the ray of light passing    
through colored glass1 to  refract the  
shade1 been successful4    ,but when a  
ray of solar light is passed through a  
colorless prism1 it  is refracted1 and  
forms1 when thrown on a wall or screen1 
a broad band  of colored light1--red1   
orange1 yellow1 green1 blue1 indigo1 and
  violet1--which is known as the        
prismatic or solar spectrum4            
,,artificial ,,diamonds4    ,we find a  
report in ,french journals that ,m4     
,gannal has succeeded in  obtaining     
crystals1 having all the property of the
 diamond1 through  the mutual reaction  
of phosphorus water and bisulphide of   
carbon upon  each other for the space of

 fifteen weeks4    ,the crystals were   
found to be so hard that no file would  
act upon them4  ,they cut glass like    
ordinary diamonds1 and scratched the    
hardest steel4  ,in brilliancy and      
transparency they were in no way        
inferior to the best  jewels1 and some  
possessed a lustre surpassing that of   
most real  stones4      ,for reference  
we record the cost of materials for     
flint-glass1 say in  #ahdj to #ahde1 as 
follows3--        ,litherage1 or red    
lead1 cost    #f-a_/b cts4 per lb4      
,pearlash1                       #f     
,nitre1                          #f     
,silex1                          #j-a_/b
            ,present price1 #ahfd3--    
,red lead1         #ba    cts4 per lb4  
,pearlash1         #ag                  
,nitre1             #f                  
,silex1             #j-c_/d             
,we now refer to the early introduction 
of the manufacture of glass into        
,england4 ,the ,english manufacturers1  
like ourselves1 had to struggle  with   

the various evils incident to the       
introduction of a new art4  ,france and 
,germany1 from their long experience in 
the making of glass1  were enabled for a
 long time to undersell the ,english    
manufacturer in  his own market4    ,to 
foster and protect this branch of       
national industry1 the ,english         
government imposed a heavy tax on all   
foreign glass imported into their       
dominions4 ,this measure secured to the 
,english manufacturer the entire  trade1
 both with their colonies and with the  
home market1 thus giving  such          
substantial encouragement to the        
enterprise1 that1 in a few years1  the  
manufacture was so much increased as to 
admit of exportation4    ,to stimulate  
the exportation of various articles of  
,english production1  the government1 in
 the latter part of the eighteenth      
century1 granted  bounties1 from time to
 time1 on linens1 printed cottons1      
glass1 c1 c4  ,until the bounty on glass
 was allowed1 the exportation of glass  

from  ,england to foreign countries was 
very limited2 for the ,french and       
,germans1 as has before been stated1 for
 various reasons could undersell  the   
,english2 but the government bounty     
changed the aspect of affairs1  and     
shortly the ,english manufacturers not  
only competed with the  ,germans and    
,french for the foreign market1 but     
actually excluded them  from any        
participation1--the government bounty   
being equal to one half  the actual cost
 of the glass exported4    ,an ,act of  
,parliament levied on flint-glass an    
excise duty of  ninety-eight shillings  
sterling on all glass made in ,england1 
which  excise was paid by the           
manufacturer1 being about twenty-five   
cents per  pound weight1 without regard 
to quality2 but if such glass was       
exported1 the excise officer repaid the 
tax which it was presumed the           
manufacturers had paid1 and a clear     
bounty of twenty-one shillings  sterling
 was paid by the government to the      

exporter on each hundred  weight of     
flint-glass shipped from ,england1 being
 equal to five cents  per pound4 ,under 
such encouragement the export increased 
from year to  year to a very great      
extent1 so that the excise duty of      
ninety-eight  shillings sterling on the 
amount consumed at home did not equal   
the  amount paid out in bounty4 ,in the 
year #ahab1 fifty-second ,george ,,iii41
  an ,act was passed reducing the excise
 duty to forty-nine shillings1 and  the 
export bounty to ten shillings sixpence4
 ,in #ahae the ,act was  renewed1 and   
again in #ahaf4 ,in #ahbe1 sixth ,george
 ,,iv4 chap4 #aag1 an ,act  was passed  
revising the former as to the mode of   
levying the excise  duty and bounty1 so 
as to prevent frauds on the revenue1    
which had  hitherto been practised to a 
very great extent4 ,this act remained in
  force until the ,premiership of ,sir  
,robert ,peel1 when both excise and     
bounty were abrogated1 and the ,english 
manufacture stands on the same  footing 

in foreign countries as those of other  
nations4 ,by the  protecting hand of the
 ,english government the flint-glass    
manufactories  multiplied with very     
great rapidity1 underselling all other  
nations1  and not only rivalling1 but   
far excelling them in the beauty1       
brilliancy1 and density of the articles 
manufactured4    ,the greatest stimulus 
ever given to the glass manufacture of  
,england  was the abolition of the duty 
on it in #ahde4 ,that abolition has     
produced a somewhat paradoxical result4 
,while the quantity of glass  made has  
increased in the proportion of three to 
one1 the number of  manufacturing firms 
has diminished in the proportion of one 
to two4 ,in  #ahdd there were fourteen  
companies engaged in the manufacture4   
,in #ahdf  and #ahdg1 following the     
repeal of the duty1 the number had      
increased to  twenty-four4 ,the glass   
trade1 after the removal of the heavy   
burden  imposed upon it1 seemed to offer
 a fair opening for money seeking       

investment4 ,the demand for glass was so
 great that the manufacturers  were in  
despair4 ,glass-houses sprang up like   
mushrooms4 ,joint-stock  companies were 
established to satisfy the universal    
craving for  window-panes4 ,and what was
 the result8 ,of the four-and-twenty    
companies  existing in the year #ahdg1  
there were left1 in #ahed1 but ten4 ,at 
this  time there are but seven in the   
whole ,united ,kingdom4 ,two established
  in ,ireland have ceased to exist4 ,in 
,scotland1 the ,dumbarton ,works1 once  
famous1 were closed in #ahca1 by the    
death of one of the partners1           
afterwards reopened1 and again closed4  
,the seven now existing are all         
,english4    ,the manufacture of the    
finer kinds of glass was introduced into
 ,england  not many years ago from      
,germany1 and ,german operatives were   
employed at  very high wages4 ,we       
understand that the ,english glass is   
now superior  to the ,german4    ,there 
is only one plate-glass factory in the  

,united ,states4 ,it was  commenced only
 two years ago near ,new ,york1 and we  
understand that it  has met with        
encouraging success4    ,soon after the 
introduction of the business into this  
country1 a very  great improvement in   
the mode of manufacture was introduced4 
,pallat1 in  his admirable work on      
glass1 alludes to the ,american         
invention in only  a few words1 and     
passes it by as of but slight           
importance2 but it has  brought about a 
very great change1 and is destined to   
exert a still  greater2 in fact1 it has 
revolutionized the whole system of the  
flint-glass manufacture1 simply by mould
 machines for the purpose of  pressing  
glass into any form4 ,it is well known  
that glass in its melted  state is not  
in the least degree malleable1 but its  
ductility is next  to that of gold1 and 
by steady pressure it can be forced into
 any  shape4 ,the writer has in his     
possession the first tumbler made by    
machinery in this or any other country4 

,great improvement has of course  taken 
place in the machinery1 insomuch that   
articles now turned out by  this process
 so closely resemble cut-glass that the 
practised eye only  can detect the      
difference4 ,still1 the entire field of 
improvement is  not occupied1 and       
greater advances will yet be made4 ,the 
tendency1 in  this particular1 has been 
so to reduce the cost of glass that it  
has  multiplied the consumption at least
 tenfold2 and there can be no           
reasonable doubt but that1 at this      
period1 a much larger quantity of       
flint-glass is made in this country than
 in ,england4 ,the materials  composing 
glass are all of native production1 and 
may be considered as  from the earth4   
,the pig lead used is all obtained from 
the mines in the  ,western ,states2     
ashes from various sources in other     
,states2 and silex  is also indigenous4 
,the materials consumed yearly1 in the  
manufacture1  are something near the    
following estimate3--        ,coal1 for 

fuel1  #dh1jjj tons2      ,silex1       
#f1ejj         ,ash1 ,nitre1 c4   #b1ejj
         ,lead1             #c1hjj      
for the flint manufacture4 ,how much    
more is consumed by the  window-glass   
manufacturers1 the writer is without    
data to determine4    ,we have recorded 
the progress of improvement in the      
manufacture of  glass1 and now1 relevant
 to the subject1 we propose to examine  
the  various improvements in working    
furnaces and glass-houses4 ,to this end 
we present to our readers the drawing of
 a furnace for flint-glass1#a  with the 
interior of a glass-house as used by the
 ,venetians1 at the  highest point of   
the art1 in the sixteenth century4      
#a ,see drawing ,no4 #a1 at end of book4
    ,the workmen in glass will see1     
that1 as compared with the factories of 
the present day1 the ,venetians in their
 instrumentalities were  subjected to   
many difficulties1--they were oppressed 
by the furnace  smoke1 and in no way    
protected from the heat of the furnace1 

or enabled  to breathe fresh atmospheric
 air2 in fact1 the impression prevailed 
in  those days that the external air1   
drawn into the glass-house1 was         
detrimental to the business1 and        
therefore it was most cautiously        
guarded against4    ,the drawing is     
taken from an ancient work on glass1 and
 although  limited in the view1 shows   
the general plan4 ,the factory wall was 
conical1 and rose like a large chimney1 
with a few windows for the  admission of
 light4 ,exposed to the heat of the     
summer sun of ,venice1  and of the      
furnace within1 neither the comfort nor 
health of the  workman was secured4 ,the
 construction of the annealing          
department shows  two tiers of pans1 the
 use of which must have been attended   
with great  loss of materials4 ,yet1    
with all the perceptible inconvenience1 
no  material change in construction was 
made for centuries4 ,the same plan  was 
adopted in ,france and ,england1 and it 
is only within the present  century that

 any change has taken place in the      
latter country4 ,in fact1  in the year  
#ahbg an ,englishman erected a glass    
factory on the same plan  in the        
vicinity of ,new ,york1 which1 from its 
defective construction for  this        
climate1 soon passed out of use4    ,the
 ,germans1 however1 departed from the   
,venetian plan so far as to  place the  
furnace in a large and well-ventilated  
building1 but without  a furnace-cone to
 carry off the heat and smoke2 still a  
decided  improvement was thus effected  
over the system in use in ,france and   
,england4    ,the plan referred to shows
 to the practical workmen of the present
 day  the excessive waste of fuel       
arising from the construction of the    
furnace2 for the same expenditure of    
fuel in the ,american furnace would     
melt ten times the material produced    
from the ,venetian4    ,it is admitted  
that the ,american glass-house is far in
 advance of the  ,european ones at the  
present day1 in the particulars of      

capacity1  ventilation1 comfort of the  
workmen1 and economy in fuel4 ,an       
impression  is very prevalent that      
glass-making is an unhealthy occupation4
 ,it may  have been thus in former      
times2 but1 as a matter of fact1 no     
mechanical  employment is more healthy4 
,dissipated as glass-makers have been in
  former days1 and careless of their    
health as they are at present1 no       
better evidence can be adduced to prove 
the generally healthy  character of the 
employment than the fact that the ,glass
 ,manufacturing  ,company in ,sandwich1 
averaging in their employment three     
hundred hands1  had not a man sick      
through the influence of the employment1
 or one die  in their connection1 for   
the space of twenty years4    ,drawing  
,no4 #bb represents the plan adopted in 
the ,french flint-glass  furnaces4      
,these at one period were worked by     
noblemen only1--the labor  of the       
furnace-tender and taker-in being       
performed by servants1 as  before       

stated4 ,the apparel and general style  
of dress1 as indicated by  the drawing1 
shows that more attention was paid to   
the fashion of the  day than to comfort4
 ,the form of the furnace being similar 
to the  ,venetian shows it to have been 
subject to the same unnecessary waste of
  fuel2 but it would appear that the    
,french manufacturers had taken one     
step towards improvement1 in using the  
waste fuel of the furnace to  anneal    
their glass4 ,the ,venetians had a      
separate furnace to anneal  their glass1
 supported by independent fires1 as used
 at the present  day4              #b   
,see drawing ,no4 #b1 at end of book4   
,the place marked ,d1 over the crown of 
the furnace1 is the door of the         
annealing oven2 but the drawing is so   
imperfect that the artist does  not show
 by what flues the smoke escapes1 or in 
what way the glass was  drawn from the  
annealing oven2 for only the external   
view of the  furnace is given4 ,but it  
is fair to presume that the plan was the

 same  as still exists in ,france1 and  
as adopted by a ,french company now     
working a flint-glass factory in        
,williamsburg1 near ,new ,york2         
viz41--the taker-in1 so called1 mounts  
by steps to door ,d and places  the     
articles in iron pans1 which are slowly 
drawn over the furnace and  through     
another door on the opposite side1 to   
allow the glass vessels  to cool        
gradually4 ,the use of this plan is     
sustained by writers who  describe the  
tools used to carry the glass articles  
into the upper oven  to cool4 ,in       
connection with the drawings of the     
ancient glass-furnaces1  we deem it     
proper to give a drawing of             
glass-makers' tools#c in use at  that   
period1 so that the glass-makers of the 
present day may observe  with what      
instruments their noble predecessors in 
the art performed  their labor4         
#c ,see drawing ,no4 #c1 at end of book4
    ,in many of these tools we perceive 
the same general characters as mark     

those in use now4 ,in some1 improvements
 have been effected2 while  others are  
quite obsolete4 ,it is quite curious to 
observe the etymology  of many of the   
technical terms of the art in use at the
 present day4  ,the name of the present 
polished iron table1 i4e4 the ,,marver1 
is  derived from the practice of the    
,italians and ,french in using slabs of 
polished marble4 ,the iron now called   
the punty1 from the ,italian  ponteglo4 
,the tool now called percellas1 from the
 word porcello4  ,in fact1 nearly all   
the technical terms in the glass        
manufacture1  appertaining to the tool  
or furnace1 are derived from the        
,italian4 ,by  referring to the drawing1
 we see that the tool marked ,a is the  
blow-iron1 that marked ,b the           
punty-iron4 ,their character plainly    
indicates that the work made on them    
must have been confined to small  or    
light articles4 ,c1 the scissors1 ,d1   
the shears1 correspond to those  used at
 the present day4 ,the tool marked ,e   

was used to finish part of  their work4 
,f and ,g were their large and small    
ladles1--the small used  to take off the
 then called alkalic salt1 showing that 
they were  troubled with an excess of   
this in their time4 ,the shovel1 then   
called  stockle1 marked ,h1 was used to 
carry glass articles to the annealing   
oven1 forks not being then in use4 ,the 
crooked iron ,i was used to stir  up the
 metal in the pots4 ,the tool ,l was    
used to form or hold large  articles1   
their punty-iron not having sufficient  
strength4 ,the tool ,m  was used to     
carry flat articles to the annealing    
ovens4 ,the tool ,n was  used in        
refining their alkalic salts1 and served
 to take off the salt  as crystallized  
in course of its manufacture4    ,the   
workmen of the present day will see     
that1 as before remarked1 many  tools   
are not altered in form1 while in others
 there is a decided  improvement1--in   
none more than in the tool ,e4 ,tool ,d 
is exactly like  those now in use2 but  

many new tools have been introduced     
since that  period1 rendering most of   
the old tools useless4 ,improvements in 
the  form of glass-furnaces1            
construction of the glass-house1 tools1 
c41  have been very gradual1--more so1  
in fact1 than in almost any other  art1 
when we consider that a period of about 
four hundred years has  elapsed since   
the furnaces1 tools1 c41 herein referred
 to1 were in  use1 and that they        
remained very much the same until the   
present  century4 ,it is indeed no undue
 arrogance of claim to say that the very
  many improvements in furnaces1 working
 machinery1 tools1 c4 7such as  enable  
the manufacturer here to melt with the  
same fuel double the  quantity of glass 
that can at present be done in the      
,european  furnaces17 are entirely owing
 to the progress of the art in this     
country4 ,by the perfection of our      
machines double the product can be      
obtained2 and although the glass maker  
is paid at least three times the  wages 

usually paid in ,germany or ,france1 we 
can1 in all the articles  where the     
value of the materials predominates1    
compete successfully  with importers of 
foreign glass2 but when the labor on    
glass  constitutes its chief value1 then
 glass can be imported cheaper than it  
can be manufactured in this country4    
,essentially1 however1 we may say1  in  
the realm of art as in that of          
civilization and progress1--            
,westward the star of empire takes its  
way4      ,,pressed ,,glass4    ,this   
important branch of glass-making demands
 more than a passing  notice4 ,although 
it is commonly believed here that the   
invention  originated in this country1  
the claim cannot be fully sustained4    
,fifty  years back the writer imported  
from ,holland salts made by being       
pressed  in metallic moulds1 and from   
,england glass candlesticks and table   
centre-bowls1 plain1 with pressed square
 feet1 rudely made1 somewhat  after the 
present mode of moulding glass4 ,from   

#ahad to #ahch1 no  improvement was made
 in ,europe in this process1 which was  
confined to  common salts and square    
feet4    ,america can claim the credit  
of great improvements in the needful    
machinery which has advanced the art to 
its present perfection4 ,more  than     
three quarters of the weekly melt is now
 worked up into pressed  glass1 and it  
is estimated that upwards of two million
 dollars has been  expended in the      
moulds and machines now used in this    
particular branch  of glass-making4     
,this leaves ,europe far behind us in   
this respect4 ,with  us there is active 
competition for excellence4 ,it is1     
however1 conceded  that ,james ,b4 ,lyon
  ,co41 of ,pittsburg1 stand first4 ,to 
such a degree  of delicacy and fineness 
have they carried their manufacture1    
that only  experts in the trade can     
distinguish between their straw stem    
wines1  and other light and beautiful   
articles made in moulds1 and those blown
  by the most skilled workmen4 ,when we 

consider the difference in the  cost    
between pressed and blown ware1 this    
rivalry in beauty of the  former with   
the latter becomes all the more         
important to the public1 as  it cheapens
 one of the staple necessaries of       
civilized life4    ,great credit        
therefore is due this firm for their    
success in overcoming  difficulties well
 understood by glass-makers1 and doing  
away with the  prejudice of the skilled 
blowers1 who naturally were not inclined
 to  put the new and more mechanical    
process of manufacturing glass on a par 
with the handicraft of the old4 ,lyon   
,co4 also excel all other  ,american    
firms in large ware for table services1 
as well as in the more  delicate objects
 of use4    ,in speaking of the         
improvements in glass-making in         
,america1 we must not  overlook what has
 been done by the ,new ,england ,glass  
,company4    ,convinced of the          
importance of scientific skill in their 
business1 they  secured some years ago  

the services of ,mr4 ,leighton and his  
three sons1  at a liberal compensation4 
,besides possessing the best practical  
knowledge1 they had also artistic taste1
 which enabled them to give  elegant    
finish to their workmanship1 and to     
introduce new and more  beautiful       
patterns into it4    ,they did not      
neglect1 however1 the more homely but   
useful articles2 but  executed orders   
for large and heavy objects for         
druggists' and chemical  wares and      
philosophical apparatus1 so             
satisfactorily as to secure a  monopoly 
in them4 ,their richly cut1 gilded1     
colored1 and ornamental  glass is       
considered equal to ,european work4     
,john ,l4 ,gillerland1 late of the      
,brooklyn ,glass-,works1 is remarkably  
skilful in mixing metal4 ,he has        
succeeded in producing the most         
brilliant glass of refractory power1    
which is so difficult to obtain4 ,a     
gold medal was awarded his glass1 in    
face of ,european competition1 at  the  

,great ,international ,exhibition in    
,london1 #aheb4 ,in making rich  glass1 
the gaffer or foreman must understand   
the science of chemistry  sufficiently  
well to mix and purify his materials in 
the best possible  manner1 removing all 
crude or foreign matter1 and combining  
the proper  substances into a           
homogeneous mass4 ,without this         
practical experience  and knowledge1 his
 glass1 instead of being clear and      
brilliant1 and of  uniform color1 will  
be dull1 and of many hues or shades4 ,it
 is  important also that his personal   
character be such as to command the     
respect of the workmen4      ,,lenses4  
,optical glasses have engaged the       
attention and investigation of          
scientific men for centuries4 ,we read  
of the wonderful exploits of the        
burning lens of ,archimedes1 and find   
the remains of lenses thousands of      
years old in the ruins of ,nineveh1     
,babylon1 and ,pompeii4 ,they are of    
the utmost importance in the science of 

astronomy4 ,the slow progress  made in  
perfecting them shows the inherent      
difficulties that exist in  obtaining   
glass of the required purity4 ,one of   
these is the different  specific        
gravities of the material used4 ,hence  
the lower part of a pot  of melted glass
 is of greater specific gravity than the
 top1 causing a  tendency to cords or   
threads1 an evil which science has yet  
to learn to  overcome4 ,not even the    
large bounty offered by the ,english    
,government  and the ,board of          
,longitude has been successful in       
effecting any  important improvement in 
this branch of manufacture4 ,munich     
enjoys the  reputation of producing the 
best lenses1 and consequently the finest
  telescopes4 ,sir ,isaac ,newton1      
,gregory1 ,dolland1 ,keir1 and others   
adopted lenses made from flint- and from
 crown-glass1 it being  necessary to use
 both in the construction of achromatic 
telescopes1 one  possessing as small and
 the other as great dispersive powers   

relative  to the mean refractive powers 
as can be procured4 ,but the inherent   
defect of the lenses still remained4 ,m4
 ,macquer remarks1 ,the  correction of  
this fault appears therefore to be very 
difficult4 ,he  had tried in vain to    
remove it by very long fusion and fierce
 fire4  ,others have found this by      
experience not to correct1 but to       
augment the  evil4 ,mr4 ,keir is of     
opinion that some new composition must  
be  discovered1 which1 along with a     
sufficient refractive power1 shall      
possess a greater uniformity of texture4
    ,since then1 it is certain some     
improvement has been made in the        
composition for lenses4 ,in an ,english 
paper we find the  following3--,one of  
the most remarkable optical lenses of   
modern  manufacture is that produced by 
,messrs4 ,chance1 ,english              
manufacturers1  being an attempt by them
 to improve the manufacture of glass for
  optical purposes4 ,the diameter is    
twenty-nine inches1 and it is two       

inches and a quarter thick4 ,it is      
really not a lens1 but a plain disk     
intended for a lens1 should its quality 
be sufficiently fine4 ,the  weight is   
about two hundred pounds4 ,this piece of
 glass was inspected1  on its first     
public exhibition1 by eminent scientific
 judges4 ,it was  by them examined      
edgewise1 transversely1 and obliquely2  
it was viewed  by daylight and by       
candle-light2 it was tested by the      
polariscope and  by other means2 and    
after having been thus subjected to a   
severe  ordeal1 it was pronounced to be 
the largest and finest known specimen   
of the kind4    ,the promise held out by
 the foregoing we fear has failed1 as in
 very  many previous cases1 or the world
 ere this time would have heard of its  
success4 ,an achromatic object-glass for
 telescopes consists of at least  two   
lenses1 the one made of flint-glass1 and
 the other of crown-glass4  ,the former1
 possessing least power of dispersing   
the colored rays  relative to its mean  

refractive power1 must be of greater    
value than  the latter4 ,it is upon this
 principle that the achromatism of the  
image is produced1 the different colored
 rays being united into one  focus4     
,flint-glass1 to be fit for this        
delicate purpose1 must be  perfectly    
homogeneous1 of uniform density         
throughout its substance1 and  free from
 wavy veins or cords4    ,from the      
foregoing1 the reader will see that1 as 
has been said1 the  chief difficulty    
which exists in making telescopic lenses
 arises from  want of pure glass4 ,every
 attempt to correct this evil has       
failed2 it  is well known our best      
telescopes and like optical instruments 
have  always achromatic lenses1 and for 
photographic purposes achromatic  lenses
 are indispensable4 ,if philosophers and
 astronomers have with so  imperfect    
lenses attained so much1 what may not   
the astronomer look for  when science   
gives him lenses made from pure glass8  
,if the heavens1 by  imperfect          

instruments1 have so far been unveiled1 
to what extent may he  not then be able 
to penetrate the pure ether1 and reveal 
planets and  heavenly bodies as yet     
unknown8    ,we close our reminiscences 
of ,glass and its manufacture1 by       
presenting  to our readers a view of an 
,american model glass factory of the    
present  day4#d ,by comparing this view 
with the sketches heretofore given of   
the early ,venetian and ,french         
factories1 they will perceive the very  
great improvement which is apparent over
 the ancient plans1 an  improvement     
conducing alike to the health and       
comfort of the workmen4  ,thirty years  
have passed in its development1 during  
which many  difficulties arose from the 
conflicting opinions of the ,english and
  ,german glass-makers2 and1 in fact1 it
 was not until the proprietors  boldly  
separated themselves from the current   
and influence of old1 and  almost fixed 
opinions1 that any decided progress was 
shown in the  development of            

manufacturing efficiency1 or any plan   
contributing to  the health and comfort 
of the workmen employed4              #d
 ,see drawing ,no4 #d1 at end of book4  
,it is to be borne in mind that the     
first glass works in this country  were 
established by the ,germans1 who used no
 other fuel than wood1 the  furnaces for
 window-glass constructed under their   
directions being for  that fuel only2 on
 the other hand1 the ,english workmen   
who introduced  the making of           
flint-glass had made use of no other    
fuel than coal1 and  the ,english were  
therefore obliged to adopt 7for the want
 of coal7 the  ,german plan for         
furnaces1 and adapt the same to the     
making of  flint-glass4 ,the house was  
like the furnace1 half ,english and half
  ,german1 and from the year #ahab1 for 
thirty years1 little or no  improvement 
was made in this particular4 ,year after
 year the old plan  was followed1 until 
necessity paved the way for new plans in
 the effort  to secure a less expensive 

mode of melting glass4    ,the result   
has been highly favorable4 ,more than   
one half has been saved  in the melt1   
annealing leers1 and working places1    
yielding the workmen  greater space and 
facilities in performing their work1 and
 no longer  exposing them to the        
discomfort of extra heat1 smoke1 and    
unhealthy  gases4 ,these improvements   
have enabled the ,american manufacturer 
to  sustain his business in the severe  
and trying competition with foreign     
manufacturers1 who forced their glass   
into this country through their  agents 
a few years since1 in such quantities1  
and at such reduced  prices1 as         
seriously to affect the prosperity of   
our artisans2 yet1  aided as they have  
been by a tariff directly promoting     
foreign  interest1 and by the very low  
rates of wages paid on the ,continent1  
they have been successfully contended   
with1 and now a home competition  has   
sprung up1 reducing prices below a fair 
standard1--a competition1  the result of

 enterprise1 which will1 erelong1       
regulate itself1 for we  fully hold to  
the maxim1 that competition1 honest and 
well sustained1  is the soul and life of
 business3--        ,no horse so swift  
that he needs not another      ,to keep 
up his speed4    ,there is no mechanical
 employment in this country yielding so 
good  returns to the industrious as a   
good worker in glass1 of the present    
day1 can secure in the exercise of his  
skill4 ,and we may still further  say   
that there is no mechanical branch of   
industry offering such  advantages for  
the full manifestation of a workman's   
real skill and  industry1 if the        
conventional usages which restrict the  
work could but  be abrogated1--usages   
tending to a limited amount of work1 and
  consequently making the workman to    
realize but a limited amount per  week4 
,such workmen1 of all others1 should be 
allowed the inherent and  inalienable   
right to work as long1 and at such      
times1 as the individual  may deem for  

his comfort and interest4    ,we have   
expressed the opinion that the          
manufacture of glass is as yet  but in  
its infancy4 ,the experience of every   
day confirms the assertion1  and        
illustrates the maxim that life is      
short1 art is long4    ,the time is not 
far distant when this country will      
become1 we think1  the largest exporter 
of glass1 and the manufacture compose a 
most  important item in every assorted  
export cargo4 ,in this connection a     
hint to ship-owners may not be amiss4   
,it is well known that in ,england1     
when a ship is put up for a foreign     
port1 it is the custom to rate the      
freight according to the value of the   
merchandise1--dry goods paying  the     
highest freight1 hardware the next      
highest1 earthen and glass ware  the    
lowest4 ,if our merchants would adopt   
this plan1 very many of our  bulky      
manufactures would find a market abroad2
 when1 however1 the same  rate is       
required for a cask of glass ware as for

 a case of silks or  prints1 it taxes   
the latter a small percentage1 but      
practically vetoes  the export of the   
glass4    ,our task is now ended2 our   
object has been to give a simple and    
succinct outline of the characteristics 
and progress of the ,glass              
,manufacture1 to suggest such hints as  
might bear upon the further  advance of 
the art1 and the preservation of those  
practically  identified with the        
manufacture1 and1 if possible1 to       
attract the  attention of those hitherto
 unacquainted with its nature and       
history4  ,if we have neglected the     
maxim that those who live in glass      
houses1  c41 it has not been from the   
want of honest endeavors to remember it2
  and if we have contributed either to  
the instruction or the pleasure of  any 
reader1 7and this is our hope17 we shall
 not regret the hours spent  in the     
preparation of this little work4        
,,appendix4      ,,receipts1 ,,etc4     
,there are plenty of receipts for the   

composition of flint or crystal  glass1 
but no mixture that we know can secure a
 uniform shade in each  pot4 ,the       
component parts of glass are well known1
 and the mixer's sure  guide is to watch
 the effect of heat on each pot1 for he 
soon finds the  mixture that gives good 
color in one pot will in another in the 
same  furnace prove bad4 ,if he         
possesses sufficient knowledge of the   
chemical  causes1 he can correct the    
evil4    ,among the valuable receipts   
for rich colors is the following1 for   
,,ruby ,,glass1 which takes lead both in
 cost and richness3--    ,take one ounce
 of pure gold2 dissolve in a glass      
vessel two ounces pure  sal ammoniac    
acid1 and five ounces of pure nitric    
acid1 which will take  six to seven     
days2 drop in at a time say one         
twentieth part of the  gold4 ,when the  
first piece is dissolved1 drop in       
another twentieth  portion of the gold1 
and so on until the ounce of gold is all
  dissolved4 ,this will require         

twenty-four hours4 ,evaporate the       
solution  to dryness4 ,then prepare in a
 glass vessel six ounces pure nitric    
acid1  two ounces muriatic acid1 and one
 ounce of highest proof alcohol2 mix    
them well together1 and drop in pure    
grained tin a bit at a time1  but beware
 of the fumes4 ,stir it well with a     
glass rod2 dilute  the solution with    
eighty times its bulk of distilled      
water2 then take  the prepared gold1    
dissolved in a quart of distilled water1
 and pour it  steadily into the solution
 of tin as above prepared1 stirring all 
the  while4 ,let it settle twenty-four  
to thirty hours2 pour off the water1    
leave the settlings1 pour in two thirds 
of a quart of water4 ,stir it           
thoroughly2 let it settle thirty hours2 
pour off as before1 and filter  the     
precipitate through filtering paper4    
,the result is the purple of  ,crassus4 
,the ounce of gold thus prepared must be
 well incorporated with  the following  
batch3 say thirty-two pounds fine silex1

 thirty-six  pounds oxide of lead1      
sixteen pounds refined nitre2 melt the  
same in a  clean pot1 one little used1  
and smooth inside2 when filled in1 put  
the  stopper to the pot loose1 leaving  
it slightly open2 leave it five or  six 
hours1 or time to settle1 then a back   
stopper can be put up4 ,in the  usual   
time it will be ready to be worked out  
in solid1 egg-shaped  balls1 and exposed
 to the air to be partially cooled2 they
 are then to  be placed in the leer     
under a strong fire1 which will in two  
or three  hours turn them to a red      
color2 then the pans may be drawn slowly
 to  anneal the balls4    ,it is well   
known to mixers that colored glass is   
derived from metallic  oxides4 ,to      
obtain the proper color depends on the  
purity and strength  of the metallic    
oxides4 ,the following receipts have    
with success been  used3--              
,,alabaster4        ,to  #ejj lbs4 of   
batch add           #cj     phosphate of
 soda1           #aj     allumine1--i4e4

 calcined alum1            #c           
calcined magnesia4    ,,black4          
,to #adjj lbs4 of batch add             
#ahj     manganese1          #ajj       
calcined iron scales1 made fine1        
#bj     powdered charcoal1           #aj
     arsenic4    ,,canary4        ,to   
#ajj lbs4 of batch add           #h     
ounces best oxide of uranium1           
#a dr4 oxide of copper4    ,the common  
colors of purple1 blue1 emerald1 or     
green1 are too well  known to require to
 be repeated here4    ,the following    
receipt for crystal glass is on the     
,european standard1  viz43--            
#abjj lbs4 silex1       #hjj     red    
lead1       #ddj     pearlash1          
#ej     nitre1        #aj     phosphate 
of lime1        #aj oz4  white oxide of 
antimony1        #bd     manganese1     
#cb     arsenic1        #bj     borax4  
,,german ,,sheet ,,glass4        #djj   
lbs4 silex1      #acj     soda1         
#abf     hydrate of lime1        #d     
charcoal1        #g     nitrate of soda1

        #d     arsenic1        #a       
manganese4    ,gold-colored spangles may
 be diffused through the glass by mixing
  gold-colored talcs in the batch4      
,,agate4        ,to #aej lbs4 flint     
batch add          #aj     phosphate of 
lime1           #f     arsenic4         
,,black4        #fjj lbs4 flint batch1  
#dj     manganese1       #df     oxide  
of iron4    ,,light ,,emerald ,,green4  
#bjj     lbs4 flint batch1              
#b-a_/b    iron filings1 calcined1      
#a_/b    antimony4    ,,oriental        
,,green4        #aaj lbs4 flint batch1  
#a     oxide of uranium1        #b oz4  
carbonate of copper4    ,,opal4         
#ejj lbs4 batch1       #fj     phosphate
 of lime1        #d     arsenic1        
#bj     nitrate of soda4    ,said to    
turn without cooling4    ,william       
,gillender1 of ,england1 gives the      
following receipt for ,bohemian  ,red1  
or ,ruby3--        ,sand1     #fb lbs4  
,lead1     #gf        ,nitre1    #bb    
,antimony1  #h oz4      ,manganese1 #c  

,add one ounce of purple of ,crassus to 
every eighty pounds of the above  batch4
    ,,wax ,,red4        ,to #ae   lbs4  
flint batch add          #a       raw   
brass1           #c_/d    crocus martus4
    ,this he says is very good4         
,,turquoise4        ,to #aajj lbs4 flint
 batch add           #ij     phosphate  
of lime1           #ae     arsenic1     
#ae     calcined brass dust4            
,,violet4        ,to  #ajj    lbs4 flint
 batch add            #a        calcined
 brass1            #a-a_/b    zaffre4   
,receipts for window-glass are as       
numerous as for flint4 ,the following   
are in general use in ,england1 so says 
,gillender3--    ,,crown ,,glass4       
,sand1            #adjj lbs4      ,quick
 lime1       #dhj        ,sulphate of   
soda1 #efj        ,charcoal1            
#be      ,,plate ,,glass4        ,sand1 
#cjj lbs4      ,sulphate of soda1 #dej  
,quick lime1       #ajj        ,nitre1  
#be        ,charcoal1           #e      
,,diamond ,,glass4    ,four pounds of   

borax1 one pound of fine sand2 reduce   
both to a subtile  powder1 and melt them
 together in a closed crucible set in an
 air  furnace1 under a strong fire1 till
 fusion is perfect4 ,let it cool in  the
 crucible1 and a pure1 hard glass1      
capable of cutting common glass  like a 
diamond1 which it rivals in brilliancy1 
is produced4      ,,lead4    ,lead is an
 important and costly ingredient of     
flint-glass1 used as a  protoxide1      
either as litharge or red lead1 and     
should be perfectly  pure1 for the      
presence of any other substance or metal
 will be shown in  the color of the     
glass4 ,consequently1 the purity of the 
glass depends  mainly on the quality of 
the metallic lead and its being well    
manufactured4    ,the writer believes he
 was the first person in the ,united    
,states1 aided  by a director of the    
,new ,england ,glass ,company1 to build 
a lead  furnace4 ,this was in #ahah4    
,his only guide was a volume of         
,cooper's  ,emporium of ,arts and       

,sciences1 which furnished a plan on a  
very  limited scale4    ,the furnace    
proved successful1 and enabled the      
,company to continue  their manufacture 
of glass at a period when no foreign red
 lead was to  be procured4 ,they        
enlarged their works1 until they have   
become the most  important in the       
country2 while for over thirty years    
they monopolized  the business in all   
its branches1 from the highest qualities
 of pure  ,galena and painter's red lead
 to common pig lead4 ,in manufacturing  
metallic lead1 its weight is materially 
increased by the absorption of  oxygen  
gas4 ,in #ahdg the writer made many test
 experiments1 one as  follows3 #ffj pigs
 of blue lead1 weighing #de1edj pounds1 
turned out from  the ovens #dh1gej      
pounds of litharge1--an increase in     
weight of #cbaj  pounds4    ,the cost of
 labor was #fe4ej2 fuel1 #hf4ej2 engine 
power1 #ag4ej2  total1 #afi4ej2 and the 
market value of the excess in weight of 
the  lead was #bej1 showing a           

satisfactory profit to the company for  
their  outlay in this branch of their   
business4 ,chemistry gives the increase 
in course of manufacture3 ,in protoxide 
state1 #g per cent42 in deutoxide       
state1 #aa per cent42 in tritoxide1 #ae 
per cent4    ,muriatic acid will detect 
iron in lead1 on dissolving a small     
piece of  lead in the acid4 ,if         
colorless1 it is good4    ,nitric acid  
will detect if there is cobalt in the   
lead1 by adding to  the acid half the   
quantity of high-proof alcohol4 ,if     
present1 the  evidence is soon seen4    
,some use the following as more         
direct3--,in a small evaporating glass  
dish place say one ounce of lead2 cover 
it with muriatic acid2 dissolve  the    
lead over a spirit lamp1 add a little   
water1 and let it settle2  draw it off  
into another glass vessel1 and add five 
or six drops of the  solution of potash4
 ,if the lead is suitable for           
glass-makers1 the  solution will be of a
 light1 clear1 greenish color2 if of a  

blue or  purple shade1 it is not        
suitable for flint-glass4      ,,sand1  
,,or ,,silex4    ,in the manufacture of 
glass it is essential that the silex    
should be  perfectly pure1 as the       
slightest mineral taint affects the     
color4    ,at first the ,new ,england   
factories got their sand from ,demerara1
  brought as ballast1 and the quality   
was good4 ,during the ,war of #ahab     
this source of supply was cut off1 but  
,plymouth beach provided for the  wants 
of the manufacturers1 until a better    
sand was discovered at  ,morris ,river1 
,n4,j41 though not up to the full       
requirement of the art4  ,for ten years 
past1 ,berkshire ,county4 ,mass41 has   
furnished sand2 the  best quality is    
owned by ,g4 ,w4 ,gordon1 ,esq4 ,by     
thorough washing1 and  passing it       
through fine sieves1 and proper packing1
 he now commands the  market1 and       
delivers it ready for use4 ,the purity  
has been tested1 as  shown by the       
following extract from a report by      

,professor ,a4 ,a4 ,hayes1  ,m4,d41 of  
,boston1 ,massachusetts ,state ,assayer1
 of the result of analyses  of three    
samples of ,berkshire sand1 taken from  
three different  locations owned by ,mr4
 ,gordon1 viz43--    ,for the           
manufacture of glass1 the slight amount 
of earth1 in mica and  tourmaline1      
contained in these samples1 is of no    
account1 the impurity  being such oxides
 as color glass4 ,the analyses therefore
 give only the  proportion of coloring  
oxides2 and1 for simplicity of          
statement1 the  total weight of coloring
 oxide in each sample is determined in  
one part  or pound4        ,sample ,b   
analyses3 #djjj parts of this sample    
contain one part                        
of oxide of iron4         ,sample ,c    
analyses3 #cccc parts of this sample    
contain one part                        
of oxide of iron4         ,sample ,p    
analyses3 #cdfj parts of this sample    
contain one part                        
of oxide of iron4    ,sample ,b is equal

 in purity to the best sand known as a  
material for  glass1 in this or any     
other country4      ,,furnaces4    ,next
 to pots1 furnaces are most important   
for the success of a glass  manufactory4
 ,long ago it was seen that the old     
,english plan was  defective4 ,they     
consumed coal at an extravagant rate1   
though this was  not a serious drawback 
in ,england1 because the furnaces were  
located  near coal-mines1 and run with a
 quality called slack1 not otherwise    
merchantable4 ,english furnaces were    
constructed with reference to           
durability1 usually eight feet in       
diameter at the interior base1 and  six 
feet clear at the crown4 ,this rule was 
followed in this country  until #ahdj4  
,the writer1 having occasion to build an
 extra furnace1  adopted the novel plan 
of one fourteen feet diameter at the    
base in the  clear and only five feet at
 the crown1 braced by binders1 with     
cross-ties to prevent lateral expansion1
 which was a success4    ,a furnace on  

the old plan consumed #bege bushels of  
coal weekly1 and  refined only #ch1jjj  
pounds of raw material4 ,the new refined
 #ce1jjj  pounds1 with a consumption of 
only #bjjj bushels of coal4 ,since then 
a  further decrease in consumption of   
coal has been produced by the use of    
the ,delano patent1 which feeds the     
furnace by forcing up the coal at  the  
bottom of the burning mass1 thus        
consuming the entire smoke1 and         
obviating the necessity of wheeling coal
 on the glass-house floor and  impeding 
the workmen4 ,it also does away with all
 danger to the pots in  feeding the     
fires4 ,besides these great advantages1 
it distributes a  regular and uniform   
heat to each pot1 causing the pots to   
last much  longer1 and fusing the metal 
better1--important items to mixers4     
,from three to five tons of fuel is the 
weekly saving in a first-class  furnace4
    ,it is of vital importance to obtain
 pots that will last a reasonable  time4
 ,clays of the finest quality are       

essential4 ,each piece must be  freed   
from any foreign matter1 particularly   
sulphate of iron1 which  often occurs4  
,the burnt and raw clay should be well  
mixed1 wet1 and  frequently kneaded1 or 
trod over by the naked feet4 ,tenacity  
must be  secured1 sufficient that a roll
 twelve to eighteen inches long can be  
suspended1 and hold firmly together by  
its own adhesiveness4 ,the next  point  
is to make the pots free from air       
blisters1 all portions being  compact2  
then to dry them thoroughly1 which      
requires great care on  account of the  
inequality of the different parts4      
,pot-makers are not  agreed as to the   
value of different clays1 and the use   
and proportion  of raw to burnt shells4 
,some use sixteen parts raw to eleven   
burnt1  some fifty-five raw to          
forty-five burnt1 some equal proportions
 of  each4    ,manufacturers have mainly
 depended upon imported clays1 but the  
,western  glass-makers have used        
,missouri clay with success4 ,in the    

east it has  not yet come into general  
use4 ,of the imported1 that from        
,stowbridge is  considered best4        
,garnkerk is a strong clay1 and1 if well
 selected1 will  rival any other4 ,the  
analyses are for    ,,stowbridge1       
,silica1  #fd parts1      ,alumina1 #bj 
,lime1     #a         ,iron1     #c     
,,german1        ,silica1  #df parts1   
,alumina1 #cd         ,iron1     #c     
,,garnkerk1        ,silica1  #ec parts1 
,alumina1 #dc         ,lime1     #a     
,iron1     #a       ,,french1           
,silica1  #dj parts1      ,alumina1 #ca 
,iron1     #c       ,,western1          
,silica1  #di to #eb parts1             
,alumina1 #ca to #cb         ,iron1     
#b to  #d         ,,fuel4    ,this      
subject deserves special notice4 ,we    
have said that the ,new ,england        
manufacturers at first used wood only1  
which was prepared by being  split into 
equal lengths1 with an average diameter 
of two inches1 and  then kiln-dried to  
dispel the sap and moisture4 ,this fuel 

was supplied  to the furnace at opposite
 fire-holes1 a stick at a time1 which   
was a  laborious and heating process4   
,subsequently1 a furnace was built at   
,south ,boston1 over a cave1 and        
unkilned wood was used in clefts4 ,this 
saved one quarter in fuel1 but  it used 
up the pots so rapidly as to prove to be
 no economy in the end4  ,after the     
development of the ,virginia coal mines1
 our furnaces were  altered to use coal1
 which proved to be more convenient and 
less costly  than wood4 ,the ,pictou and
 ,cumberland mines also increased the   
supply2  and at present all the furnaces
 in ,new ,england1 with one exception1  
are  run with this last-named fuel4     
,the various experiments made to        
economize fuel for the glory-holes1  as 
the workmen call the working places     
above the furnace1 are well  known4 ,for
 many years the prepared wood we have   
spoken of was used4  ,then resin in a   
powdered state was added1 which was both
 inconvenient  and dangerous1--it having

 caused the destruction by burning of   
two  glass-houses4 ,this risk was       
finally overcome by the introduction of 
an  invention which used it in a liquid 
state4 ,but the demand for resin  became
 so great as soon to more than double   
its price4 ,this led to the             
substitution of coal tar1 which was in  
use until science discovered its  latent
 virtues for other purposes1 and largely
 increased the original  cost of the    
material4 ,indeed1 at first the gas     
companies had considered  it of no      
value1 and had thrown it away by        
thousands of barrels4  ,combined with   
dead oil it is still used by            
glass-makers1 but at greatly  enhanced  
prices4    ,the ,cape ,cod ,glass       
,company have had in use for several    
years a ,delano  patent furnace-feeder1 
which enables them to use both hard and 
soft  coal1 as either is cheapest1 and  
consumes the smoke and gas of either    
fuel1 thus doing away all annoyance to  
the neighborhood4 ,theretofore  every   

attempt to run working places with hard 
or soft coal had failed  on account of  
the noxious gases set free1 which injure
 the color of the  glass4 ,but owing to 
the intense heat created by the ,delano 
patent1 the  furnace consumes these     
gases1 and gives a quick fire polish to 
the  various articles finished therein4 
,as our native supplies of hard and soft
 coal are inexhaustible1 there  is no   
likelihood of an increase in the price  
of the present fuel so as  to           
necessitate1 as heretofore1 a           
substitution of some cheaper article1   
especially as the discovery of petroleum
 tends to cheapen coal by a  diversion  
of a portion of its consumption to that 
useful mineral oil4      ,,useful       
,,items4    ,a bushel of ,english coal  
weighs #hj pounds3 of ,virginia coal1   
#ic pounds2  of ,pictou1 #gf pounds2 of 
,cumberland1 #hd pounds2 of red ash1    
hard1 #hd  pounds4    ,crude saltpetre1 
refined1 loses nine per cent4           
,chemists estimate that one hundred     

pounds of pearlash contain thirty  per  
cent4 carbonic acid4 ,in refining1 it   
loses on the average fifteen  per cent4 
in weight4    ,phosphate of soda        
brightens glass4    ,borax brightens1   
but hardens glass4    ,twenty-five      
silver dollars refined will give        
thirty-seven ounces of  nitrate of      
silver4    ,a square foot of furnace    
clay weighs one hundred and twenty      
pounds4    ,alum1 calcined1 loses in    
weight sixty per cent4    ,crude flint  
batch1 melted and ladled out1 loses in  
the average fifteen  per cent4 in       
weight4    ,hard coal will measure forty
 cubic feet to a gross ton4    ,glass in
 water4 ,there are some peculiar        
phenomena connected with hot  glass and 
water4 ,if a ball of red-hot iron is    
placed in a vessel  containing cold     
water1 the latter is quickly agitated4  
,but a ball of  melted glass of equal   
weight dropped in cold water will       
produce no  immediate agitation4 ,the   
water will remain for some time         

quiescent2 but  when the glass is cooled
 to about half its highest temperature1 
it  agitates the cold water violently4  
,technical terms1 descriptive of glass1 
such as crystal1 flint1 tale1  may be   
derived from these facts3 the ,french   
used for their base crystal  stones1    
burnt and ground fine2 in ,england they 
had recourse only to  flint stone1      
treated the same as the ,french used    
their blocks of  crystal2 tale was      
derived from the mode of selling1 the   
best glass  being sold only by weight1  
while light articles were sold tale4    
,illustration