The relative prices given above may be taken as thefair average selling prices, depending on the cost of fuel,labour in preparing the clay, &c.; and the result of in-quiries of parties who have made these bricks in Hunting-donshire, Wiltshire, and Lancashire fully confirms thestatement that 30$. per 1000 may he considered as a fairaverage selling price. Owing to their larger dimensions,this corresponds to IGs. 10 \d. for the common sort, or ifsold at 32.s\ this is equivalent to common bricks at 18s.The extra cost for glaze is not stated.
In concluding this notice of the contrivance here re-ferred to. the Jury are desirous to place it distinctly onrecord, that the Council Medal is awarded to the Societyfor their exhibition generally, as exemplifying their effortsin various ways to improve the dwellings of the labouringclasses, and not for any particular part of it.
A very ingenious machine exhibited by Messrs. BorikBrothers (France , 417, p. 1198) is well adapted for themanufacture of tubular bricks of the best quality, withconsiderable rapidity, and of perfectly uniform dimensions.In this machine the clay is greatly compressed, and whenburnt the bricks are extremely hard and strong. It issaid to be capable of making 4000 of ordinary size perday; but the size exhibited is very large, and there are asmany as nine small tubes running longitudinally througheach". The bricks can thus be made extremely light, thesaving in weight being estimated at 50 per cent., butcapable of reaching 70, while the saving in expense isstated at from 10 to 30 per cent. A Prize Medal is awardedto the exhibitor.
Other hollow bricks, manufactured in the ordinary way,and without statement of price, are exhibited by theNorth Devon Pottery Company (Class I., 127, p. 133), hutthese do not offer any marked peculiarity.
Bricks of rhomboidal form are exhibited by Mr. J. C.IIaddan* (Class XXVII., 114, p. 773), and have beenconsidered by the Jury as worthy of Honourable Mention.They are considered to offer a means of producing ahotter bond than can be obtained with the ordinary shape,hut it will doubtless be very long before the form andproportions which have so long been used in the manu-facture of bricks will be changed, or in any way modifiedfor ordinary purposes. It may, however, happen that forspecial purposes a change will become advisable, and anyingenious attempt which possesses the great qualificationsof cheapness and comparative simplicity is worthy ofnotice.
Other bricks of new form are shown by Mr. A. Mit.ch(Prussia, 9, p. 104S), who is considered worthy of Ho-nourable Mention, and by Mr. K. Beswick (Class XXVII.,10G, p. 772).
Moulded bricks are exhibited by Mr. L. Thompson (100,p. 772), and Mr. E. S. Key (12G, p. 77G). The latter areadapted for window frames of cottages, school-rooms, &e.,not being liable to decay, and being perfectly fire-proof.They are also cheap, the cost per foot super, being stated
at Is. for red, and Is. 4^/. for white brick, including whole! panes of sheet glass, but exclusive of carriage.
A number of specimens of ornamental bricks are exhi-bited from England, some of them worthy of specialnotice. Among these Lord Lovelace is HonourablyMentioned for a stack of three chimneys, constructed forand exhibited by him (87, p. 770). The form and styleof these chimneys are better than the execution.
Mr. J. Luff (111, p. 772) has received HonourableMention for moulded bricks, both plain and ornamental,besides red and white paving tiles, aud kiln tiles for malt-ing. The ornamental bricks are described as very eco-nomical, the number required for a chimney 10 feet highfrom the base costing not more than 30s., made to anypattern. The plain tiles and pantiles are capable ofresisting the weather, and form a cheap and durablecovering for cottages. The collection exhibited is small,but very creditable.
Mr. If. Ambrose (12S, p. 77G), is the exhibitor of awhite ornamental chimney, also adjudged worthy ofHonourable Mention. The form and construction of thebricks employed are very creditable to the exhibitor.
We come now to the consideration of good commonbricks, and the Jury have to mention, as occupying thefirst place amongst these, the series exhibited by Mr.Miesbacii (Austria, G10, p. 1038), of Vienna , the founderand proprietor of one of the largest and most remarkableestablishments for brick-making that exists in the wholeworld. A Brize Medal is awarded to this exhibitor.
As some illustration of the magnitude of this esta-blishment and the good quality of the bricks, we maystate that it formed a part of the contract for the greattunnel through the Scunnering, on the Austrian railway,that 20,000,000 of bricks required this year (1851) shouldhe supplied from Mr. Miesbaeh’s works, and that anothercontract for 40,000,000 for public works at Vienna is alsosupplied from the same works during the same year.These are all additions to the ordinary make, and thefact is certified by a member of the Jury, an architect ofVienna . The subjoined statement of the nature of theirestablishment lias been forwarded by the exhibitors tothe Jury, and is given here as interesting and instructive.
The privileged brick and tile factory on the Wiener-Berg stands on a space of ground of 2G4J English acres,while an area of GSO English acres afford a supply ofexcellent material for brick-making, sufficient for severalcenturies to come, and consist of four sections, which areseparated into ten sulHlivisions. There are 24,930 feetin length of drying sheds for the manufacture of ordinarybricks, and 8,304 feet of moulding sheds for the manufac-ture of tiles, and facing and ornamental bricks, besides43 kilns calculated to burn 45,000 to 110,000 bricks perkiln, or to burn at one time 3,500,000. There are furtherin this establishment, infant schools for 120 children, ahospital with 52 beds, besides a tool workshop, a wheel-wright’s and carpenter’s shop, and the great watering
Annual
Persons employed.
Total
NAME OF THE WORKS.
of
Moulding
Benches.
Productionof Bricks amiTiles.
Officials.
Overseersand Super-intendents.
Workmen
and
Carmen.
Number
of
Persons.
In the Province of Austria below the Enns.
1. Inzersdorf on the Wiener-Berg (the largest brick 1
446
65,500,000
8,500,000
13
19
2,620
2,890
manufactory in the world) ----- j2. Obcr Laa on the Laacr-Berg - — — — —
61
2
3
310
495
1 36
4,000,000
150
ISO
5,000,000
2
2
180
220
i 60
8,000,000
3
270
3 In
6. Zillingdorf near 'Wiener-Ncustadt - -
6
900,000
1
1
30
40
Total - - —
G49
91,900,000
22
30
3,560
4,140
115
15,250,000
5
6
600
740
Together - -
: 7G4
107,150,000
27
3G
4,160
4,880