Origin of the Watch Trade in
Switzerland.

In the year 1679, a youth, of La Sagne, near Locle, named Daniel John Richard Bressel, who was then about fifteen years of age, endeavoured to repair a watch, entrusted to him by a horse-dealer, as the only person in the whole valley who had any knowledge of mechanics. On perceiving the mechanism of the watch, which he had taken to pieces, he suddenly became enamoured of the art, and, abandoning himself to the inspirations of genius, invented by the end of a year, so large a number of tools, that he was himself able to make a watch, which he actually accomplished in the

ft., GH 35 ft., ca 54 ft., F K 50 ft., c E 47 ft., space of six months. The seed thus sown in DL 24 ft, and F м 41 ft.?

44

35

79

42

158

316

2) 3318

the mind of the youth was not destined to prove barren, for becoming acquainted with James Brandt of La Chaux-de-Fond, they both entered into partnership, Richard establishing himself in Locle, where he resided until his decease, in 1741.

For several years after this event, Richard's five sons at Locle, and Brandt at La Chaux-deFond, were the only persons carrying on the trade of watch-makers in these valleys. As early as 1780, however, the manufacture of watches was in a most flourishing condition, the population of Locle was estimated at 7,000 1659 area of trapezium A B C G. Souls, while that of La Chaux-de-Fond amoun

24

41

65

47

455

260

2) 3055

ted to nearly that number. All the other! valleys of Neuchâtel, and St. Imier, in the ancient bishopric of Basle, together with a great many villages of Franche-Comté, in France, to a distance of thirty miles from La Chaux-de-Fond, had also arrived at a truly surprising prosperity.

This little community of artists, composed of natives, Frenchmen, Genevese, and Germans, has ever since distinguished itself by a variety of valuable discoveries and inventions. In

15274 area of trapezium C D E F. struments of the most delicate description,

54

50

2) 2700

1350 area of triangle & c r.

1659

1527
1350

4536 sq. ft., area required.
(To be continued.)

CUNNINGHAM AND CARTER'S ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY.-Messrs. Cunningham and Carter have constructed a working model of a railway, on their system of atmospheric propulsion, at Peak Hill, near Sydenham.

RAILWAYS IN IRELAND. The earthworks of railways in Ireland are calculated to present a source of employment for the next four or five years, at least, to the labouring population.

employed by the watchmakers of Paris and London, are manufactured in these valleys. All the inhabitants, men, women, and children employ themselves in some one of the branches of art. The number of workmen, of every description, in gold and other metals, in wood, ivory, tortoiseshell, and glass, and that of painters, engravers, and of those who prepare the tools used by watchmakers, is very considerable.

The most celebrated artists of these valleys are the two Droz's, father and son, who are particularly renowned for their automata. Among their masterpieces was a clock, with the figures of a negro, a dog, and a shepherd, When this clock struck, the shepherd perwhich Droz, the older, exhibited in Madrid. formed six airs on his flute, and his dog came fawning towards him. The king of Spain was charmed at the sight. "The pretty tricks of my dog," said M. Droz, "are his least merits. If your majesty do but touch one of the apples in the basket near the shepherd, the little animal will also give proof of his fidelity." The king took an apple, and the dog flew at

his hand, barking so violently, that his majesty's own dog also began barking. This Applegath's New Printing Machine. curious piece of workmanship is still to be seen in the palace of the kings of Spain.-Translated from the French of Ebel.

NEW METHOD OF PROPELLING BOATS, RAIL

THIS new machine which is in course of erection at the Times office, Printing-house-square, is of the most ingenious and simple constructed his industry and perseverance. Its construcand reflects great credit on Mr. Applegath, for tion may be best explained as follows:

ROAD CARS, &c.-A patent has been recently taken out, in America, by a Mr. Josephus Echols, for a method of economising the power required for propelling boats, or other vessels, five or six feet diameter, revolving upon its Imagine a large upright cylinder, of some by making use of the resistance which the water presents to the bows of the boat in its own axle. On this the type is firmly fixed in iron frames. Each frame holds a page, or six passage, and causing it when being deflected, to turn a wheel which is in connection with the columns of the Times, and the bed of this paddle-wheel shaft, and thus assist the driving circumference of the large cylinder, is planed frame, which is an arc corresponding to the power, such as a steam-engine in propelling flat, or rather the parts on which the columns the boat. With the view to attain this end, extra water-wheels have been placed at the are placed, are planed flat, so that the arc desIcribed by the frame or chase," is scarcely sides of the vessels, and connected with the paddle-wheels, so that the current of water set perceptible, or if perceptible, it offers no impediment to the perfect impression of the whole in motion by the paddle-wheels should communicate motion to the extra-wheels, which, newspaper. This large cylinder may be said by the connection, transfer the power to the to perform a double duty. A portion of it has paddle-wheels; but it must be obvious that a vibratory motion, which serves to insure an this arrangement occasions an actual loss of equal distribution of the ink; without such a power, for the motion communicated to the contrivance, the type would soon become clogextra-wheels at the sides, retards the boat by be anything but satisfactory. Around this ged, and the appearance of the printing would a force equal to that communicated to them, huge cylinder there are eight others which minus the friction; but by placing the com-revolve on their own axes at stated distancespensating-wheel at the bows, where the water attendant satellites, as it were, on the great must be displaced by the bows of the boat, the cylinder which is revolving within; and as the deflection of the water communicates available form in its revolution passes each of these impower to the wheel, which may be advantageously employed to aid in the propulsion of pression cylinders (as they may be termed), a sheet of printed paper is produced. Then the boat, or applied to any other purpose. there are minor satellites which revolve close METHOD OF BLUEING AND GILDING STEEL. to the impression cylinders, and apply the ink The mode employed in blueing steel is merely to the type after it has been taken from the to subject it to heat. The dark blue is pro- duct, and distributed. It must be understood duced at a temperature of 600; the full blue that the cylinders and rollers are all upright. at 500°; and the blue at 550°. Steel may be It is calculated that the large cylinder will gilded by the following process:-To a solu- make thirty revolutions in a minute; and as tion of the muriate of gold, add nearly as much each revolution will produce eight papers, the sulphuric æther; the æther reduces the gold to machine in one hour will throw off not less a metallic state and keeps it in solution, while than fourteen thousand four hundred sheets! the muriatic acid separates, deprived of its But supposing that at the rate of thirty revolugold, and forming a distinct fluid. Put the tions a minute, the centrifugal force should steel to be gilded into the æther, which speedily have a tendency to throw off the "forms" of evaporates, depositing a coat of gold on the types, a thing by no means unlikely, the rate metal by dint of the attraction between them. of speed can be easily reduced so as to produce After the steel has been immersed, it should only ten or eight thousand sheets an hour. be dipped into cold water, and the burnisher Even at these diminished rates of production should be applied, which strengthens its the advantage gained will be immense; for adhesion. Figures, flowers, and all descrip- the present rapid machines will not print more tions of ornaments and devices, may be drawn than five thousand sheets an hour, and some on the steel, by using the æther with a fine not more than four thousand. The manner of camel-hair pencil or writing pen. feeding the machine is remarkable. To each PUBLIC WORKS IN IRELAND.-The assess-impression cylinder there is an extensive tape ments for the making and repairing of roads, webbing. A lad draws, by means of a "key," bridges, gullets, &c., as also for similar works and public buildings in Ireland, made and repaired by the Board of Works in 1844, amounted to little short of £450,000 sterling. The amount for 1846 and 1847, in consequence of the failure of the potato crop, will, it is feared, entail on the counties, a charge of, at least, £3,000,000, sterling, in addition to the ordinary expenditure for roads, &c., besides the portion chargeable to the consolidated fund-Thomas Bermingham, Esq.

the sheet to a certain spot, indicated by a mark; at this moment it is lying horizontally, but by means of friction rollers it is drawn into the webbing and conveyed to such a distance that the sheets stands confined by the tapes in a perfectly upright position: now it comes to a dead stand, and when in the position stated, it is gripped, and then received by other tapes, which convey it round the roller, where, after the operation of printing is performed, it is received by a boy.

2. The New House of Commons, 1847. comprehensive statistical chart of England and Wales.

London: Edwin Dipple, 42, Holywell-street, Strand.

NOTICE TO OUR READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS.-The article on "Varnishes," now publishing in the DECOBATOR'S ASSISTANT, being intended to be rendered as complete as possible, such of our Readers as may be in possession of information or receipts, will confer a favour on us by forwarding them, and at the same time assist in disseminating useful knowledge, for which, at present, no other channel exists.

QUERIES.

[In order to collect as much useful information as possible, we have determined on devoting a portion of our space to the insertion of Queries which may be interesting to many of our Readers; at the same time we must intimate that the replies should be as brief as possible, without incroaching on their completeness.-EDITOR DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT.]

SIR,-I have received No. 18 of your journal, with an answer to my query (writing and gilding on glass) and I wish to thank Mercator," but I think he has misunderstood the query, the description I wish to know being used for names, &c., on fanlights and show-glasses for windows, the whole of which is done on the back of the glass, giving the gold a solid and burnished appearance, the face of which cannot be touched after it is once laid on.Yours, W. M.

ANSWERS TO QUERIES.

more than fill one of your numbers. I should recommend him to purchase No. 1 of "Willat's Scientific Manuals," published at 98, Cheapside, which contains every information he would require.-Yours, W. M.

MOULDS FOR MEDALS, &c.-Sir,-In reply to "L. G. L.'s" first query, I beg to inform him that nothing can be better than plaster of Paris.-Yours truly, TOBIAS.

A good, sound, and compact History of England has long been a desideratum, unsupplied by the many who have taken up pen for SIR,-The answer to "Le Pense Plus," on calotype, would the purpose of noting down the changes in the men and the changes in the nation.-Some have been too prolix, while others have merely presented a dry chronology, but nearly all have been imperfect. Mr. Bayne has in the work now before us, taken a middle course between the two, and just such a course as is most likely to engage the mind of youth to the study of history. In the novel arrangement of his book, the author has been most successful, first giving brief, yet complete memoirs of royal personages, and following them up with, in his own words" Sketches and Interesting Anecdotes of the most Eminent Men of Every Reign." The typography aud getting up of the work are very creditable; and the medallion portraits of "the Pride of the Nation" forming the frontispiece, are excellently executed.

The second of the above-named works is also a novelty, and such an one as is certain to prove acceptable to the public, being very nicely got up on a broadsheet or rollers to hang up in the counting-house, &c., and a book for the pocket.

Notices to Correspondents.

Part IV. of the DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT, in an embellished Wrapper, is now ready, price Sevenpence. Parts I. and II. still continue on sale. In consequence of the great and increasing demand for the Back Numbers of the DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT, Subscribers are respectfully requested to complete their Sets without delay.

*** We beg to thank those Correspondents who have pointed out omissions in the "Illustrated Glossary of Technical Terms used in Architectural and Interior Decoration," now publishing in this Work, and also to inform them that such will be inserted in an Appendix, which we intend to give at the end. We shall, also, feel obliged by Correspondents favouring us with any corrections, additions, &c.

W.

M.-You should apply to the Post-office authorities in such a case as yours, if you have any reasonable grounds of suspicion. The course which you recommend regarding the "Glossary" would not do at all, as the majority of our subscribers would not coincide in your opinion.

A PAINTER (Islington).-You are but one of the many who
wish a periodical to be an exclusive vehicle of information
to themselves alone; but our object is more general, and
therefore we include among our readers members of very
many other professions which have each to be looked to in
turn, and which we endeavour to do to the best of our
ability; to act otherwise, and to devote our space to one
subject, would soon thin our subscribers, and entail a loss
upon us which we are not inclined to meet.
JONATHAN.-If you send us the manuscript we shall be
better able to judge of its adaptability for insertion.
A. Z.-We hardly know which to admire most, your impu-
dence or your ignorance, for both are in perfect unison
with each other. It is only the narrow mind and the
brutal intellect that vent their puny contemptible spleen
upon those who are of necessity precluded from discovering

its author.

PENCILENSIS (Newcastle-on-Tyne).-We are extremely
obliged for your favour, and shall carry your suggestion
into effect. We shall always be glad to hear from you.
JUSTICA. The advantages of papier-mache are too well
known and appreciated to allow of our coinciding in your
remarks. Perhaps you are not acquainted with them, and
if so we would advise you to pay a visit to Mr. Bielefeld,
ERRATUM.-In "Glossary," page 145, for "Chaudry” read
when we think your opinion would be altered.
"Chandry."

NOTICE TO THE TRADE.-Ornamental Designs made, and,
if necessary, engraved, on the most reasonable terms,
with punctuality and despatch. For particulars, &c.,
address (if by letter, post paid) to Mr. Wm. Gibbs,
Ornamental Draughtsman and Engraver, at the DEco-
RATOR'S ASSISTANT Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand,
London.

LIFE, 17, Holywell-street, Strand (where all commuLondon: Published at the Office of the SPORTING nications to the Editor are to be addressed); and to be had of all Booksellers.-Saturday, October 2, 1847.

Printed by W. COOLE, Lumley Court, Strand.