GILDING.
Some workmen denominate dry gilding “ The lightmethod.'’ It is presumed to be an invention for which weare indebted to Germany. In the Philosophical Transac-tions for 1698, Robert Southwell , who made the commu-nication, declares that its process was known to very fewgoldsmiths in Germany .
It is performed by steeping linen rags in a solution ofgold ; then burning them; and with a piece of cloth sa-turated in salt-water, rubbing the ashes of those rags overthe silver intended to be gilt. This process does not requiremuch labour or much gold; and it may be advantageouslyemployed for all ornamental and carved work. But itunfortunately is not durable.
GUNS, GUN LOCKS , BARRELS, &c.
That these destructive instruments were not knownuntil since the introduction of gunpowder into Europe ,may be inferred, since consistent with our former principles,and those which direct the species, their necessity or utilitycould not require a posterior existence, may, we think, besafely concluded.
At first, the construction of this machine was charac-terized by that awkward, rude, and cumbersome appear-ance which generally distinguished all inventions in theirinfancy; reminding us of those very rude implementsbrought from the Sandwich islands, and deposited in ourMuseum.
The first portable fire-arms were discharged by a match ;in course of time, this was fastened to a cock forthe greater security of the hand whilst discharging thepiece. Afterwards a fire-stone was added, screwed into acock, with a steel-plate before it, and fixed in a smallwheel, which could be wound up by a particular key aflixedto the barrel. This fire-stone was not at first of a vitreousnature, like that now in use for striking fire, but a com-pact pyrites, or mareasite, long known as such, and calleda fire-stone. As aq instrument so furnished was oftenliable to miss fire, till a late period a match was stillcontinued with the w'heel; and it was not until a considerablelime after that instead of a friable pyrites, so much exposed to