The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-09-17
of Making Fragile Vas
eS 1t is Turning Out Ma
terials for Warriors.

PARIS, Sept. 16.-The world-fameG
national porcelain factory at Seyres
has suddenly been transformed into
part OF the huge war machine. In
stead OF making those dainty and
fragile statuettes and vases which are
the wonder OF art collectors. 1t is turn
ing out poteries de guerre," or
earthenware retors and cauldrons for
manufacturing asphyxiating gas and
for all the various chemical processes
OF producing high explosives. Even
the famous artists whose names are
associated with the delicate coloring
of Sevres porcelain, are now exercis-
ing their art IN enameling these huge
retorts so as TO make them more re-
sistant TO the acids and chemicals
used in the war processes.
Early in the war. NJ Bourgeois, ad-
ministrator Of Seyres, learned that the
production of high explosives for ar
lack Of earthen receptacles capable
Of treating the acids. He therefore
proposed to the minister of fine arts,
NJ. Dalimer, that the art work OF Sew
res be suspended and all its energies
given to producing the receptacles
needed for powder making. This was
approved and soon the transformation
was begun. There were many diff
culties TO overcome. Half OF the force
had gone of to the war. Those who
remained were artists trained in the
most delicate class OF work. The fur
naces. too, were designed for small
art objects, and there was only one
furnace big enough to make powder
cauldrons.
But the obstacles we're overcome
the whole establishment being inspir.
ed with the idea that II was contrib.
uting to the national defense. The
sculptor Of bisque figures did not hes.
itate to make the plaster moulds for
the big Tetorts The chemists studied
art methods of adapting the various
hard clays to the new kind Of war
work. The artists did their part In
enameling. The working force soon
had four furnaces, usually employed
on vases and bisQues, enlarged so as
to bake the big powder cauldrons
Soon the work was going at such
rate that branch railway was rur
into the factory, connecting it With
the great powder factories at Angou.
enc. st. Chamand, ST Fons, Toulouse
Bordeaux, Dion and Brest.
Thus Sevres has gone through
complete transformation, and is today
furnishing thousands of receptacles OF
all sorts in which powder, explosives
and gases of all sorts are manufac-
tured and stored. With a staff less
than half its usual strength, the pro-
duction OF Sevres is five times as great
today as 1t was before the war. And
besides the great quantity of its war
output, the quality of its work is max
ing a sort, of expert school for the
engineers Of the various powder fac
tories. The chief workers of these
factories now come to Sevres TO study
the chemical methods employed in
hardening clays and making them
more resistant to high temperature. A
huge new furnace, three times the
size of any heretofore used, is now
being built for the manufacture OF
retorts Of specially large Dimensions.
And the change from an art basis
to an industrial basis has also neces-
SLtdtSu tllc Dullilub Vi VAST new dlel-
iers, or workrooms, with drying-rooms
etc.
I'VE hope 10 see art resume its
place before long at Sevres." said NJ.
Bourgeois, the director. land when
it does it will find industry has given
new resources TO art. And II will
be a lasting souvenir that a national
institution founded for the develop
ment of ceramique art was able to
join with French inductry when the
war called for united efforts of ma.
tional defense"