Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-07-14

Of minute division, have lately been the subject OF
much investigation What processes may be go
ing on in natures vast labratory TO repair this loss
we IRE ignorant, but the known sources Of supply
are by no means sufficient for the increasing de-
mnnd, which of course is attended with increas-
ing wasage and consumption. Considerable guam
tiles OF gold, silver and platinum are consumed
in various chemical operations, and large quanti-
lles oil the two former metals are irrecovernbly
lost in gliding aud silvering But the principal
source of loss is from abrasion. Every one must
have observed that old coin are lighter than new,
and that by long circulation the impression be-
comes first worn, aud finally oblilerated. The
loss upon gold coin is much less than that upon
silver, aud the difference, which is in the ratio of
one to four, is chiefly owing to the greater care
taken OF the former, and the more rapid crcull-
non OF the latter, especially in small coin, which
wear much faster than larger ones. Jacobs esti-
mates the annual average loss of gold and silver
coin by abrasion at the rate of one pare in four
hundred and twenty, and the total amount of loss
between 1900 and 1922 Mt about ninety millions
OF dollars. Gold and silver ARE very largely used
also lor watch cases, personal ornaments and va
riOns small articles of convenience aud the use
of silver for spoons, forks aud other table furni-
ture has been lately much augmented The same
author supposes that gold aud silver were with
drawn from circulation, aud converted into uten.
sis aud ornaments, to the amount of about twen-
ty-egh millions OF dollars during the Same peri
cd. All these articles, and especially those of sill
yer, are exposed to Il greater degree Of wear .han
even coin, and OF course The loss by abrasion 10
greater in proportions.
shall next direct your attention to the various
arts OF which WOOD orms the raw ma erial BY
ranking the artiticers in wood after those in clay
sloue aud metal do not mean 10 insist thai the
two latter substances were employed by man. be-
fore ;he former more abundant and practical ma.
teral, but think that the potter the slone cutter,
aud the smith, considered Us regular artisans, must
have preceded the builders of houses aud boats.
Wood in its natural condition is scarcely availa-
ble tor any purpose TO uncivilized man, and it can
he fashioned into the shapes which his uses may
require, only by such sharp implements as first
the stone cutter, and afterwards the smith supply
TO him. The pershabe nature of wood has rem
dered the preservation OF any very ancient works
in This material impossible, and our speculations
on the original modes of its employment must he
in some measure conectural, though the knowl-
edge we possess of the arts and customs OF exis-
ting rude tribes furnishes data from which we
may reason with confidence. Among mans first
wants are food and shelter. The latter is most
conveniently furnished 10y structures OF wood,
and food can be obtained SO abundantly and easily
by other means us by fishing, for the successful
prosecution of which boats are Indispensable
The lightness OF wood renders it the fttest mute
rial for this purpose, and il no doubt used for
could he made 10 float considerable burthen. In
all probability the boat builder preceded the house.
wright, for b0as would he needed before station
AIRY Limitations would be required. We find there
fore that the rudest nations, whose huts are des-
ttute of almost every comfort of civilized life
frequently display great ingenuity in the construc-
ton of their canoes, and the best European boat
builders may still lake lessons Of some of the
savage Islanders of the Pacific, and the Indian
Oceans. The earliest profane writer's in oil Ian
guages speak of their vessels the highest achieve
mens OF their artisans, and the long voyages per-
formed ;y the ha dy Norihnen in small undeck
ell ships, or rather boats, before the invention of
The compass, Prove HE skill of The sInpwrights of
that rude and warke people no less than the dex.
terity Of their navigators. The ship is iavorite
object IN all primitive poetry. Homer ascrbes in
telligence 10 The ships OF the PhHnecans, and the
expectations OF dragon, serpent, sea horse, ancient
ly applied 10 them, shew that they were looked
upon as quasi.anlmated and possessing qualities
beyond those belonging to mere dead natter
The first vessels were probably mere RATS, aud
from these the transition 10 followed log or ca =
noe is easy. The construction OF boat with frame
work implies some advancement in art, and it is
nrobabe that frames covered with skin were long
used, before the art Of working timber to such a
degree of thnness as to he capable OF being fitted
to the curved sides Of The frame, aud with Joints
so tight as TO exclude water was discovered. The
Improvements III nave NY lO UlednS
kept pace with those in many other arts. The
true confguraiion Of the hull, that form, which
shall unite in the highest degree strength, capacity
aud speed, depends upon the resolution of very
ahstruse problems, and We may reasonably hope
that the necessity of adapting the mould of The
vessel 10 the greater velocity now given by steam
to sea-going vessels will lead to further advance
ment IN this difficult art, which however has al
ready received important Improvements from the
genius OF Stevens and other American ship
wrghts.
Although the Greeks and Romans did not make
much use OF wood, us an architectural material, in
public buildings, or the better class OF private
houses, yet Il considerable knowledge of cerpel.
try must have been required for the construction
OF the necessary scaffodng, centerings aud other
convenIences Indispensable TO the architectural
mason.
In the middle ages great skill was often dis
played in frame work. and many roofs of that pc
Rod yet eXant are admired very perfect speci-
mems OF carpentry. The ingenuity OF modern car
pGners has been perhaps more adyanlageousy
displayed in The construction OF archtd bridges,
and wooden roofs, than IN any other way, aud our
own country has contributed many valuable con.
trvances 10 this ART. The principal improvements
IN wooden arches are ,h0se which diminish re-
move the lateral hurst and those which substitute
lighter tmbers Tor the heavy beams formerly EN-
plOyed--- Jhe most celebrated wooden bridge in
Europe was that over the Rhine AT Schufihusen
This was 3G1 feet in length, having pier near The
GENRE, but SO constructed as to leave II doubtful
whether 1t rested ON the pier or not. wooden
bridge over the SchuylkilI al PhaieIphia in 1913
was of single arch $40 leei in span, and an arch
OF $50 feet was thrown over The Piscataqua al
Portsmouth in l794. OF remarkable arched roof,
in wood may mention that OF Westminster Hal
built about the year 1870 of Chestnut, aud sill
perfect, which is 272 feet long aud "a wide, III,
wooden dome of the Halle du Bic, at Paris, and
the much more extraordinary roof OF the Riding
House at Moscow, which covers an extent ofmor,
than ten English acres. This roof is unsupported
by cross walls or pillars, aud is about 2OUO lee
in length ana 235 in width.
Few wooden structures have excited more at
tenlion than the slide at AIpnach. This was
trough six feet wide, and three or four deep, unt
extending eight and half miles in II straight lin,
from the summit OF n mountain ridge TO The Lak,
OF Lncerne. 1t was composed OF trunks of pint
trees, and was used TO convey timber from lh'