The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-25 00:00:00

IMPROVEMEN'

rENTAL „GLASS,.

_ .
Among the many striking novelties in decorative art
i which were displayed at the Crystal Palace in Hyde-park,
' there were few more appropriate to the character of that
marvellous structure, or more brilliant and effective in
themselves, than the specimens of silvered glass in vases,
itael lets, epergnes, candelabra, wine-coolers, salts, tazzas,
ink nds, &c., Which were exhibited by Messrs. Hale
Thomson and Co., and to which we on more than one
occasion called the attention of our readers. The gorgeous-
' ness and novelty of this beautiful art manufacture, far
surpassing anything of the kind in richness of tints,
purity and delicacy of material, and elegant appropriate-
ness of form, rendered it in a short time one of the most
favourite ornaments of the drawing-room and dining-
room, the purposes of luxury and utility .to which it could
be converted embracing every article of table or toilette
service to which glass is applicable. It is now pretty
generally known that the extraordinary effects of the
silvered glass are produced by the application of coating
of pure silver to transparent or coloured glass, the
result of the silvering being to heighten and de-
velope the colour so as to produce the effect of
the most brilliant gems ; rubies, sapphires, eme •
ralds, pearls, and topazes, and every chromatic
hue, from the brightest steel to the deepest bronze
or gold, being thrown up by this new argentine re-
flector. The difficulties that presented themselves in
in the early stages of this unique manufacture were
such that the price was proportionately high, and
objects of silvered glass could only be procured
by those to whom cost was of little importance. Re-
cently, however, these difficulties have been to a
great degree overcome, and we understand that the
price of these articles is now so considerably 're-
duced that they may be said to be accessible to all
lovers
,of the beautiful in art. In proportion as the
cost of manufacture has been reduced the objects to
which the new patent process is applicable 'have
extended themselves, and for interior decorations,
mouldings, pannellings, and moresque , ornamenta-
tion they form an entirely new element in the
hands of the architect, their brilliancy, and the impos-
sibility of their becoming tarnished by any length of
use, pointing out their felicitious adaptation for such pur-
poses. But the value of the discovery will not,
we find, be bounded by useful elegancies alone, since it
is equally applicable to objects of more practical uti-
lity.. It has long been admitted that for surgeon's spe-
culm, for railway reflectors,' for carriages, ships, light-
houses, and reading lamps, the silvered mirrors
far exceed in brilliancy and permanency any others yet
invented, and now that the price has been reduced, in
some instances, we understand, as much as 200 per cent.,
so as to make them generally available for such purposes,
the use of silvered reflectors is become almost univer-
sal. The patentees have already received extensive
orders for the United States, 40 of the largest size being
destined for the illumination of Fremont Hall, a public
building erected on a grander scale than any this
country can boast of. The fitness of these reflectors for
marine purposes is being fully recognised by the Admi-
ralty, whose example is followed by the Ordnance
and other governmental boards, with results which'
the fogs prevailing at this season have helped
to rendr remarkably conspicuous. Not only is the
light much more powerful, thereby securing great
economy, but rust or tarnishing is impossible, and
consequently no dampness or thickness, of the at-
mosphere impairs their lustre. This is a consideration
of great importance in the use of signal lights on ship-
board, for harbours, or railways, where the invention is
now very generally adopted. It would be impossible, in
a brief notice like this, to point out the many purposes to
which the glass-silvering process may be applied, but we
have said enough to indicate both its value and its beauty,
and we recommend all who desire to witness the pro-
gress that has been made in the manufacture of British
flint glass—the material for these articles being now ma-
nufactured by the patentees themselves—and who are as
yet unacquainted with one of the most recent and sin-
gular results of the application of the resources of mo-
dern chemistry to this branch of our manufactures, to
visit the factory of Messrs. Thomson and Co., in Ber-
ners-street, Oxford-street.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.

LIVERPOOL—MAncs 24.

STOOK EXCHANGE.—The share market has been a little
better to-day, but still marked by an almost entire absence
of buying orders. There was, however, less stock offering
than of late. The following were the current quotations :
Chester and Holyhead, 211 , Eastern Counties, 12 15-16 ;
Lancashire and Yorkshire, 76 c. ; ditto Fifth shares, 411
dis. ; London and North Western, 1184 c. ; Manchester,
Sheffield and Lincoln, 30i ; Midland, 74i ; South Eastern
and Dover, 234.