CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING.

77

the operation of riveting was gone through. A row of temporary forges was By riveting n P .constructed by the side of the platforms, and the red-hot rivets taken from themwere passed through the holes, and hammered by the workmen into theirrequisite forms.

Figs. 31 and 32.

While these active preparations for the construction of the roofing were in pro- The rate of dcii-gress, the daily supplies of castings of every description were of the most abundant &c. y ° c ° um " s ’nature; no less than 316 girdershaving been cast and supplied in one week. Aslast as the columns came upon the ground, they were taken to their places andimmediately fixed. Up to the 20tli of September 77 columns had been supplied.

By the week ending the 25tli of October, the average number fixed per weekamounted to nearly 200, and that rate of supply was continued for several subse-quent weeks.

The attention of the contractors was next directed to the formation of thetiansept ribs.. The choicest timber was selected for that purpose, and under thecare u superintendence of Mr. Fowler, their form was set out upon a platformeiecte foi the purpose, and the timbers for the first rib laid down. When theri t ius commenced was completed, it was made to serve as a template for theconstruction of a second ; and thus one was fitted upon the others, until the pilela accumu ated to four. Three of these having been then laid down in otherplaces, t le remainder were constructed upon them in a similar manner.

As the preparations for putting together the main structure advanced, it wasicquisite to foim the necessary wooden columns, sashes, matched and beaded