50%
MUSEUM,
6
INDUSTRIAL London, have again been donors of objects in flint-glass, and SCOTLAND. Messrs. Ford, of Edinburgh, have added illustrations of the stages in the production of blown-glass vessels. Three characteristic specimens of so-called Roman glass, from the ancient sepulchres of Sardinia, have been acquired by purchase. A small vase of old Roman glass, and a large assortment of vessels of modern pressed glass, have been presented by the Department of Science and Art; and specimens of devitrified glass by the Royal Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851.
In the department of chemical reagents the additions have been wholly by donations. Besides minor objects they include a large and fine group of copperas crystals from J. Wilson, Esq., of the Hurlet Alum Works; a consecutive series of illustrations of the manufacture of Epsom salts from the Jarrow Chemical Works, presented by Mr. J. C. Stevenson; a series of artificial phosphatic fertilizers, from Professor A. Volcker, of the Agricultural College, Cirencester; Egyptian natron, from Dr. J. I. Murray; from the Royal Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851, specimens illustrating the purification of rock salt by W. and J. Noak, Droitwich; specimens illustrating the number of substances derivable from sea-water by the process of Batard; boracic acid in its different stages of purity, and various other chemicals, by Howard and Kent, Essex; salts of mercury, by Davy, Macmurdo, and Co.; preparations of arsenic by Thos. Garland, Redruth, Cornwall; and samples of cream of tartar from Portugal.
In vegetable products a considerable instalment of the series of woods used economically in Great Britain has been supplied by Messrs. Lawson and Son, Edinburgh; a small collection of the woods of Madeira has been purchased; Mr. Logan, of Edinburgh, has made a gift of several of the more beautiful of the Canadian furniture woods; Mr. Smith of some of those of Australia; Mr. E. Gibsone, in name of the Duke of Buccleuch, of those used underground in the coalpits at Canonbie; Mr. Dudgeon, of Cargen, of Norwegian wood-carvings; Dr. J. Ivor Murray, of similar carvings from different oriental countries.
In gutta percha a large series of examples has been furnished by the Gutta Percha Company; a similar series of prepared India rubber has been purchased from Mr. Goodyear, the patentee. A pretty full series of starches, sugars, gums, and gum resins has been obtained, partly by gift, from the Messrs. Lawson, Edinburgh, partly by purchase from different parties; and Messrs. Cowan and Sons, Valleyfield, have sent illustrations of the different stages in the manufacture of brown paper from straw.
In textiles, through the liberality of various manufacturers, the Museum has received, through the Leeds Chamber of Commerce, an interesting suite of illustrations of the manufacture of broadcloth. Mr. Pender, of Manchester, has sent ten admirably arranged books containing about a thousand specimens of the different styles of calico printing executed in Great Britain. Mr. Walter Crum, of Glasgow, has made a gift of samples illustrating the different steps in the same printing process. Mr. Gray, the manager of the Dalmonach Print Works, has made a similar donation.
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MUSEUM,
SCOTLAND.
small donation. The Royal Commissioners have sent several INDUSTRIAL examples of calicoes and cotton velvets from Manchester. Mr. Dudgeon, of Cargen, has contributed a rare series of illustrations of the cotton manufacture of China. From Messrs. Millar, Oliver, and Black, specimens of African and Australian textiles have been received. From Mr. Girdwood a very carefully arranged set of Scotch fleeces. Mr. James Neish, of Dundee, has supplied a graduated series of Shetland wools. From Mr. Mackenzie, carpets and floorcloths from jute, coir, and Manilla hemp; and examples of the different stages in the treatment of jute. From the Messrs. Baxter, through the good offices of Mr. Sturrock, of the Dundee Chamber of Commerce, specimens of flax of different countries and its conversion into yarns.
In the department of animal products, purchases have been made of East Indian skins, illustrations of leather dressing and dyeing, catgut, fishing-gut and prepared intestines, manufactures from horn, tortoiseshell, shells, and fishscales; and gifts have been received from the Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851 of lac; from Professor Volcker of guanos and animal manures; from Messrs. Haldane and Mackenzie, of Shetland and Esquimaux dressed skin shoes.
Whilst desirous to avoid implying that one class of industrial objects is more important than another, or to give greater prominence to the names of some donors than of others, the Director feels at liberty to refer specially to Mr. Dudgeon of Cargen, and to Dr. J. Ivor Murray, on account of the diversity and interest of their liberal donations. The first of these gentlemen commissioned from China, for the Museum, as full a series as could be procured in illustration of the cotton manufacture of that country and of others of its industrial arts. The latter made a similar gift of all the examples of economic art which he had collected during a long residence in China, and whilst travelling or sojourning in different Eastern countries. Both gentlemen, moreover, have announced their purpose of continuing from time to time to contribute to the Museum.
The large additions made to the collections by the different departments of Government referred to in the preceding statement, were secured free from injury through the care of Mr. Galletly, the Museum assistant, who went to London for the purpose, and took much pains in arranging for their safe transit.
II. The laboratory of the Museum has continued in active operation since last report; Mr. Bloxam, the official chemical assistant, and Mr. Irvine, the private assistant, along with a senior pupil and two apprentices, having engaged in its duties under the Director.
In the course of the year Mr. Bloxam has completed the careful examination and analysis of six of the most important varieties of building sandstones employed in Scotland.
The results of this inquiry, undertaken at the cost of the Museum and Laboratory for the benefit of the general public, have in the meanwhile been communicated to the Royal Society of Edinburgh and published in their proceedings, as well as in the