The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-14 00:00:00

IWOTOGRAPHY ON PORCELAIN OR
GLASS.

The following curious method of transporting
photographs on ceramic surfaces has just been
patented by M. Grune. The first operation con-
sists in obtaining by the usual methods a negative
on glass of the subjects to be reproduced. This
done, the negative is coated with a fusible glass by
the heat of a common cupelling furnace, and the
image is thus rendered unassailable by any sub-
stance which glass can resist. The second ope-
ration consists in getting positives from the
negative thus prepared. This is done by collo-
dionising the image side in a dark room with
iodised collodion, sensitising it in a nitrate of
silver bath, then putting it into a printing-
frame with the uncoated side exposed to the
light, while the coated side is protected from the
action of light by a black surface not in contact
with it. In this state the printing-frame is ex-
posed to light for two or three minutes ; then taken
again into the dark room, where the collodionised
plate is immersed in a revealing bath of sulphate of
iron and sulphuric acid, then well washed and fixed
in hyposulphite of soda. The image now appears iu
reducei silver ; before the collodionised surface is
quite dry, a sharp point of a needle is run all along
the borders, the plate is then immersed in water
containing five per cent. of glycerine, and the film
of collodion will soon be seen floating on the
liquid. The negative is then washed, wiped,
and dried, and put by until again required. The
film, which may be kept indefinitely in the
glycerinised water without spoiling, is taken out
when wanted, and its silver surface changed to gold
by chloride of gold, or to the appearance of steel by
chloride of platinum, &c., after which it is dipped
into a solution of metallic salts, which, by the action
of fire, will yield certain colours according to the
operator's wish. The film is now carefully laid on
the porcelain or glass to be adorned ; it will stick by
means of diluted glycerine and a soft brush. It is
then coated with a vitreous flux, and becomes per-
manently fixed in the furnace.

111ATcllEs.—We glean the following curious par-
ticulars concerning matches from a paper lately read
to the Societe des Ingenieurs-Civils, by M. Pcligot.
It has been calculated that the number of matches
consumed in France is about six per head per
day ; it is eight in England, and nine in Belgium.
Taking the French average as a basis, the num-
ber of matches consumed all over Europe in a day
is about 2,000 millions, representing upwards of
6001bs. of wood. The kinds of wood chiefly em-
ployed in manufacturing them, viz., aspen and
poplar, are sold by the cubic metre (35 cubic Let) ;
allowing for vt aste, this quantity does not weigh
more than 5001 b., so that in Europe alone the num-
ber of cubic metres of wood thus burnt amounts to
400,000, being equivalent to 14 millions of cubic
feet English measure. To this quantity should be
added that of the stearine matches, commonly called
Vestas, the consumption of which has of late in-
creased very considerably. The weight varies be-
tween 3,200 and 4,000 per lb. in France. The
quantity of phosphorus used in the manufac-
ture of matches is about 420,0001 b., exclusive
of chlorate of potash, sulphur, minium, sulphu-
ret of antimony, gum, and glue. There are in
Austria manufactories employing 5,000 hands,
and the aggregate value of matches produced is 250
millions of francs. The invention of friction
matches only dates from 1832. In 1835 chlorate of
potash was partially replaced by minium and per-
oxide of manganese, and phosphorus by sulphuret of
antimony. In 1837 chlorate of potash was com-
pletely abandoned for bi-oxide of lead, and then for
the nitrate of that metal, and also by nitrate of
potash. In France chlorate of potash continued to
be in use till 1847 ; at present it is only used for
Vestas. It is a very dangerous substance, since it
will explode by mere friction in the mortar.

M. Schneider, President of the Legislative Body,
gave his first grand dinner of the session last even-
ing to L number of Deputies.