New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-05


to DO sitting In HIS aforementioned skin on the
willow stump that inv riabIy grows the water
where he was wont to go In swmmn',' and sticking
| his big toe into the river and drawing from It's
ciayey bottom sample OF the soil lie docs not
do this for tho purposes of scientific investigation
but rather as means of warfare upon the boy who
sits the other stump or better still. upon the
one who, all unconscious, is swimming lazily along
Just out from the shore. To the end OF time In the
average mans mind clay is a black. emsoft
muchy stuff used chiefly in small boys aquatic wars
1t Is rather disturbing 10 ones idea OF the correctness
Of his early education generally 10 have one of its
most firmly implanted facts thus uprooted and cast
| away.
1t IS said that In China when the clay has reached
this stage Of preparation 1t is put away for years and
permitted TO season. that one generation OF
pottcrs works with clay prepared by the previous gen
Grafton. This may do nicely In China. whcrr they
don't live rapidly the people whose homes sur
round Wast., but about three days Of seasoning Is
considered enough in Trenton, and then II is handed
over 10 class OF workmen elegantly described "a
puggers- 1t Is the function OF the puggcr to pug
with HIS hands Just exactly the cook hneads her
bread. and FIR the same object. 10 work out those
particles OF air which make the dough heavy, and
which, In the Of the clay, would make It blister
In firing In the hands Of the clay worker. the putty
like substance takes on form and shape and becomes
as ho incncs IT, any one OF the many articles which
VIC see before us three times a day, which adorn
shelf bracelet and table in the parlor Those utensils
commonly styled "crochcry usually made upon
form shaped like the Inside Of the thing to be made
The form rests perpendicular shaft that rises con
venently just In front Of the workman. The shaft
rcvoves rapidly Upon the form the clay IS placed
and pressed down carefully H. thus receiving its
permanent and essential impression. The outside Of
the clay is worked upon It revolves with other IN
trucnts that raise and depress, cut out and fashion
Just as they arc used.
But the finer goods the choice porcelains, are all
made IN plaster mouds into which the clay is pressed
by dexterous manual movements The moulds are
divided usually in halves. and raised and brought
down by several heavy STROKES TO receive the OK
act shape intended for II. Each vase, dish, plate or
other article of the sort requires Its own mould
Having received its intended shape. II Is called clay
ware and Is subjected 10 such temperature as Will
dry It thoroughly and prepare 1t for the kiln. The
firing operation Is performed in enormous circular
kilns, something sixteen feet in circumference
and Of about equal height Large rcceptacles
Themselves made CT common clays, suitable for no
other purpose called scggars.' arc especially con-
! trivcd TO hold the ware and into
these It is carefully placed. packed in
| pure white sand to prevent its cracking or
bending in the fine adheiing each article TO the
other. Above the crown top Of the kiln circular
and tspcrfng chlmneys from thirty TO forty feet
into the aIy. The kilns arc kept ut tremendous
temperature foi about four days. and when the ware
is taken out of them after having been permitted to
cool down, il Is called biscuit ware careful
examination Is given 10 each article, the imperfect
pieces are taken out and the rest sandpapered and
clcanscd. Thus rendered perfect 1t IS dipped In the
| glaze, material composed OF hntspar clay, bora
/ cic acid, white lead zinc and Paris white. which Is
held in solution with water The ware IL porous and
absorbs the leaving the coating Of glaze, which
( by another process of firing Is rendered permanent
In the gostk Il burns for from fifty 10 sixty hours
more the being placed in seggars' as before
/ but each piece held nxedy and entirely separated
from the others. The glost fire is not so hot as the
original baking fire. It being desired merely TO fuse
or melt the glaze and bake thoroughly into the ware
When tho ware is taken from the glost kilns, IL Is
dressed" by means of sharp steel instruments which
remove the marks Of the spsrponts upon which each
article las been resting during the gosthre. Then
these goods thai have issued from all these various
oreals perfect in shape and appearance. arc ready
for the market. They have gone through the hands
OF than thirty operatives, and such Of them as
arc intended be decorated ready for the artists
brush. The difference between earthcnware. or
crockcry as Is commonly called, and porcelain, or
china It Is termed does not lie in the materials
used These substantially the same, but the firing
process differs. The porcelain is finer in It's make
thinner and delicate than the crockery, and is
/ subjected to a much higher degree Of temperature
1t is necessary TO bring the porcelain up to the point
/ Ct vrifaction so that those exquisite translucent
effects which highly distinguish It can be produced
/ This Is attempted in earthenware In all kinds
Of pottery manufacture the loss from casualties Of one
kind another is great, but in the case OF porcelain
because Of It's shape It's thnness and the intense heat
which it is subjected. the loss is times greater
than in the production Of caIthcnware
The process OF decorating china Is industry Of
. ~ "a led by
/ taking print paper from copper plate whereon
the intended design has been engraved. The paper
Is then laid the article 10 lie decorated and, OF
course, the impression off tho paper On TO the
ware. sponge dipped In acid is rubbed On the
paper, eating II, 10 speak, from the plate, and
/ leaving the color without the slightest blur For
third time then tie be baked. which Is done
/ In an oven where no flame smoke can penetrate.
The more elaborate decorations done by hand. and
are the work Of educated artists As TO these there
is no limit in quality style beyond the limit OF
Zach artists individual skill.
This is the modern process Of pottery manufacture
ana as at present carried In Trenton It IS pro-
ducng the finest kind OF Nowhere in England
Germany or France is cholcer dalntcr work done
and yet seriously proposed by American statesmen
/ presume they call themselves statesmcn-men VINO
are in public position, at all events and who arc
American born and ought TO be proud OF what thcir
own country is accomplishing 1t Is seriously pro
posed, say, to blot this great Industry out OF exist
ence In this country, to compel greatly to reduce
the wages its workmen now receiving. When "a
per cent-for 1 will be very lberal-of the total cost
of an article labor, and when the labor here costs
from 1l3 10 100 per cent than II costs abroad
the completed thing must Of logical necessity! cost at
least twice as much to its maker here As IL costs TO
It's English maker That is clear isn't it If, them
the American maker can hope 10 earn his salt, The
importation of the foreigners goods must
be discouraged, else the American
must reduce his wages by just so much As
his foreign competitor has the advantage OF him.
That is clear isn't I'll 1t is at present the case thai
the average wages paid in the staorishire pottercs
is IS 60 per week This result IS announced by Edwin
Powell the chairman of the English Manufacturers
Association who secured the rates that were Dcs pao
nv fifteen factories at Staorshre In thirteen branches