Excellent grey quality. It can be worked to any moderate dimensions, but is not a good material for slabs landings of any size.
I should recommend that architectural mouldings, or ornamentations of any kind, at all of intricate nature, should be of Terra cotta, and sent out from England. The floors and staircases throughout should be of fireproof construction; if not, they should be so constructed as to prevent the washing of the upper floors from soaking through to those below, for in this country it is the prevailing custom, when washing floors, to pour a bucket of water on them, and then to rub them with a mop or to shuffle about a cloth over them with the feet. All buildings should, if possible, be constructed with a parapet to the outside of, and a flat roof over verandah, the use of the parapet being to prevent the wind in severe typhoons from getting under the eaves, thus stripping off the tiles of the building. All roofs are here covered with country-made tiles, laid in double courses, with ridges of mortar covering the joints of the tiles, and running from ridge to eaves; and weighing about 2 tons per square.
The tiles are laid on hardwood battens 2½ x 1½" and there directly upon the purlins.
Capacious flat iron tanks should be placed in the lofts over the water closets and baths. Verandahs are usually floored with country-made flat tiles 14 inches square and 1¼ inches thick, pointed in cement, five courses in thickness, but asphalte would be decidedly preferable. All ironmongery should be of the best quality, and the hinges for doors and windows should be of brass, and of large dimensions, as the wood used in the colony is almost as heavy as oak.
The materials which should be sent from England are:
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