New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-01-07
AMERICAN SLATE THE ART OF ENAN
ELING 1T.

Some fifteen years ago, Mr.. G. T. Msgnus, Upper
Belgrave Place, London, established mandatory
for covering the slabs of Welsh slate with an enamel
in imitation Of the varagated marbles which had been
80 highly priced throughout Europe, large quantities
Of which have also been imported into this country.
AT the great Worlds Fair held in London in 1851, Mr.
Magnus exhibited large collection of his work, which
attracted universal admiration, and called forth the
following report from the juries appointed pronounce
on the merit of that class of artistic specimens:
Msspu' by nssus Of new very simple .na insnpsn
Importance calculated the Introduction of
slate for household purposes very eIien.ve scale 10 pI
Of execution both and artistic the greatest posoe
cree due to hi. exhibitor He has produced vast yaIey
Of articles many Of winch are now IN ,n tsd md
even o other III tstou that az al compete with H. 81 10
no.f sIs ob eEi BY MI I'm Mnu BAH
of large Dimensions good design and great beauty wholly
featured by this exhibitor the billiard table Perh,p. the
most oIs baS Of tsSc. Ss been
enIloytd time but its weight caused the mahosany
redreed by the exhibitor which, being together the
use Of svoc,d IL, tables steady and durable
pIr in Of his admirable and useful
ooutgiyalces sLd applications
We now have before us single sheet containing
,wentyour different slate mantels manufactured by
Mr. Magrus Of many Of which he produces four diff.
lrent sizes Beside this sheet, he has published 30
borders, arches and wasl stands; two volumes Of
Etiuscan design Of designs for lamps candelabras,
&C.; fourteen working and detail drawings for bath
rooms twenty drawings of tombs and mural tablets,
with numerous other designs for other objects. The
extent t. which this collection OF designs has been car
RED shows very Clearly the wonderful expansion of
the business in the hands of Mr.. Magngs, and how
largely this beautiful art has been patronized in En-
gland. 1t is there rapidly supersedng all kinds of
foreign marble, and has given prodieious value to
slate quarries in Wales, though, previous to the dis
coveIy Of the ait Of ensmeng il, such property wss
more valuable than the largest coal mine. II now hg'
ures extensively in the mansions Of the nobility and
gentry and manufactured cheapy that the houses
even Cf TIE humble tradesman ore enabelishsd with
displays Of lis artistic elegance.
Tie Welsh slate susITies are o! enormous extent.
Some Of them give constant employment TO az many
as 30C0 in each They pros nee immense quantities
Of slate for schools tcf roofing, for ,on bstones and
other purposes Many Of the hesdssopes in ancient
American grsvcya:ds were brought from Eng land in
the early settlement OF this country and now stand as
free from deterioration under atmospheric influence Is
when they were first set NJ. TIE roofing slate is
exported 10 ell foreign countries IL great quantities
II is largely consumed in al Southern etiss from
Baltimore 10 New Orleans, as most Of those cities pro-
hbi; by lsw the Of wooden roofs. II invarisbly
comes out ballast, ard the charge for freight is con-
sequen,y small that duty of twenty-five per cent
is Insufficient, 10 make way for the American article.
The Departments at Washington consume large guam
titles Of Welsh states annually. Many OF our Custom
Houses, Naval AsylUus and other National buildings,
are covered with them Though slate from American
qusrres Of equal quality and 8. as low e price Be
offered, We, unaccourtabe preference is given to
the imported article Welsh school states are still im-
ported but in quantities gradually diminishing snnu'
ally. The marked superiority OF the Pennsylv anis
school states has very nearly superseded them in the
market, and will eventually drive them entirely out.
When MI Guthrie was Secretary Of the Treasury, lie
proposed 10 abolish the duty of twenty-five per cent
Had he succeeded in doing so i. woali have oloeed
every quarry on the Continent.
Tie slabs of sste intended for enaneing, after bang
taken from the quarry are sawed II the proper sSspe