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i that the greater breadth of a step requires less height thanone of less breadth : thus, a step of 12 inches in breadth will| require a rise of 5J inches, which may be taken as a standard| by which to regulate those of other dimensions; so that mul-I tiplying 12 inches by 5^, we shall have 66; then supposinga step to be 10 inches in breadth, the height should be =6$inches, which is nearly, if not exactly, what common prac-tice would allow. The proportions of steps being thusregulated, the next consideration is, the number requisitebetween two floors or stories, which will be ascertained bysupposing the breadth of the steps given, say 10 inches each,as depending on the space allowed for the staircase, and this,

[ according to the rule laid down, will require a rise of 7 inchesnearly ; suppose, then, the distance from floor to floor to be13 feet 4 inches, or 160 inches : ‘f = 22~, which would bethe number required ; but as all the steps must be of equalheights, we should rather take 23 rises, provided the staircase-room would allow it, and so make the height of each some-what less than 7 inches.

! The most certain method of erecting a staircase is, to pro-I vide a rod of sufficient length to reach from one floor to thej other, divided into as many equal parts as the intended num-I her of rises ; and try every step as it is set, to its exact| height. The breadth of the staircase may be from 6 to 20I feet, according to the use or application of thfe building, or the| form and proportions of the plan. If the steps be less than; three feet in length, the staircase becomes inconvenient forj the passing of furniture, as is frequently the case in smallj houses. ,

: Though it is desirable to have such rules as are here laid

I down for regulating the proportions of the heights, breadths,and lengths of steps, architects and workmen cannot be sostrictly tied to them, but that they may vary them as circum-stances may demand.

Stairs , Straight, such as ascend in a straight line, andconsist only of plane surfaces.

Stairs , Winding, those which turn round a solid newel,or circular well-hole; the latter either enclosed in a completecylindric case, or semi-cylinder, at one end, adjoined to twoparallel walls, which terminate upon an opposite wall.

In winding stairs the steps are formed narrower next tothe well-hole than at the other ends, where they adjoin thewall; these are termed winders.

Those steps which continue of the same breadth are termedflyers, in contradistinction to the winders.

A series, or number of flyers, connected together, is termeda flight of steps.

STALK , an ornament in the Corinthian capital, similarto the stalk of a plant, from which spring the volutes and■ helices ; it is sometimes plain, and at others fluted.

; STALL, (from the Saxon, steal, ashed,) a place, or divi-| sion of a stable, for a single horse to stand and feed in.

| According to the number of these divisions, a stable is deno-: minuted a one-stall, two-stall, &c. stable.

Stall, a fixed seat, enclosed entirely or partially at backand sides, and frequently in an elevated position ; to be seenat the sides of the choir, or chancel of parish and cathedralchurches, in the latter of which, they are frequently coveredwith a lofty and rich canopy, with tabernacle-work, and' richly carved on the sides and back, as also on the desk in! front. They are appropriated to the officials and dignitaries\ of the church.

j STANCHION, a term applied to any perpendicular sup-port, such as the mullions of windows, &c. ; also to theupright iron bar between the mullions, which is frequentlyterminated by a finial, or other ornamental top.

! Stanchions, or Puncheons. See Studs.

tJj6

STANDARDS, (from the Saxon, standan, to be onfeet,) the upright poles used by bricklayers in scaflbl 11Standards, in joinery, the upright pieces of a pl®j® ofcommonly placed above a dresser. When the e o 0( j (standards are cut into mouldings across the fibres of th ethey are called cut standards. nr ; f rlit

Standards : the term is applied generally to U ” ot |lersupports, or upright pieces which are used to k e ®P ], e s,pieces together; thus the upright ends of stalls or tlSi e&into which the back and seat are fixed, arestandards. 1 nt ettfk

STAPLE, (Dutch, ) a small bar of iron, pointed ^ eilt |iend, and bent so that the two ends may be parallel j Ut oother, and of equal lengths ; to be driven into wood,a wall, so as to form a loop for fastening a hasp, or r0 .

STARLINGS , in bridges and similar works are 0 ffjections in front of the piers, usually pointed or roU ” ul . r en I >at the ends, and employed to break the force of theand protect the piers from injury. . . rV tb e

STAVES, (from the Saxon, stcef a staff) in J 01 '^ aboards that are joined together laterally, in or de L frustu" 1hollow cylinder, cylindroid, cone, or conoid, or any fj-e'of these bodies. The shafts of columns, in joineiy> ‘quently glued up in staves. , T oV) l ^ s ’

Staves are also small cylinders, sometimes cal e ^ ^jcl*for forming a rack to contain the hay in stables, outthe horses eat. 9 win'

STAY BAR, the horizontal iron bar placed adows, to strengthen the mullions. . pur est

STEEL, (from the Saxon, stal,) is made of 1 , v |iicl>malleable iron by an operation called cementation,^ a |j 0 utit acquires a small addition to its weight, amountm 0 ^ thi 3the hundred and fiftieth, or two hundredth P al t ‘ jt miffstate it is much more brittle and fusible than bej, 01 ®j or o?® rbe welded like bar-iron, if it has not been us ro perty l3 jcemented : but its most useful and advantageous p ^ pi u ng e .^that of becoming extremely hard when heated a ac g U jres 1into cold water; the hardness which it thus ^ 'fn egreater, as the steel is hotter and the water c er j n g 0sign that should direct the mechanic in the ® guff®®®'steel, is the variation of colour which appears o ,j 5 h ffb'j ’If the steel be slowly heated, it exhibits a y^j^. It ^yellow, or gold colour, purple, violet, or deep j n tend e<a -jjsteel be too hard, it will not be proper for too gC jge w

have a fine edge, as it will be so brittle that g(j0 n ta^

soon become notched : and if too soft, the edg t the‘ r t0 ,. iiC6aside, even by very slight use. Some artists t | j6 s urplunge them into cold water, and then bug 1 up° n , 0 rof the steel upon a stone ; the steel being * r 0 n a b* 1charcoal, or upon the surface of melted lea ’j eg j re d c ° ° r jpiece of hot iron, it gradually acquires the ^ jy a ^and must at that instant be plunged into w®_ fl ppea rs >temper be required, as soon as the yellow ’ ° c0 u w® 4 ®j‘ p,cpiece is dipped again, and stirred about in eta j j( it ■

In tempering tools for working upon

the

dipP*^

ting®'cat'

proper to bring them to a purple tinge be ^ a blue ^Springs are tempered by bringing the sur , aC en ,ploy e ^. Jl ! im 1This temperature is also desirable for tools ^ ^ jjkej ^ting soft substances, such as cork, leather, a guff ®®f t im

if the steel be plunged into water whe” eS c ® 0 u®acquired a deep blue, its hardness ■will, S< 1 ate J to ® 1 ' nottemperature of iron. When soft steel is jt do

of these colours, and then plunged into * eV jous / 3 te«Jacquire so great a degree of hardness as t£) Im 1 | 0 ,v r ,quite hard. The degree of heat require on jya j fl mvaries in the different kinds. The best reC l aI1 d S rheat; the harder the steel, the more coa