PACTITIOUS rUZZOLANA. 333 



the Italian puzzolana, In prefence of the Commiffaries of the and tried cam- 

 Province of Languedoc, and of the Directors of the canal Sec'ommiffariw 

 which joins the two leas. Great blocks of Beton compofi- of Languedoc. 

 tion made with both cements, were thrown into the refervoirs l ^ t c h ^J! £ 

 adjacent to the lock of Saint Roch, at Caftelmandery, being St. Roch. 

 firft plaiftered over with the respective compofitions 



Six months after, the water was drawn off from the bodies Its fuperiority 

 of mafonry, and it was then feen that the fa&itious puzza- £ r ^ e Itahaft 

 lona had acquired a folidity at leaft eqaal to that of Italy. 

 The plaifter made with the Italian, puzzalona was cracked 

 and chapped, but that formed from the factitious kind had 

 entirely preferved the unity of its furface. 



The fiates of Elats of Languedoc altogether convinced of Teftlmony In its 

 the authenticity of this difcovery, by the refults of the com- ftases of Ian' * 

 parative trials of both kinds of cement which they had feen, gueioc, 

 and by the certificates of their commiffaries, and perfuaded 

 of the great advantage it would be to France,, decreed in 

 1789, in their laft meeting, that the factitious puzzolana 

 fhould not only be ufed inftead of the Italian in the works 

 under their direction ; but moreover, that it fhould be 

 demanded in favour of the author of it, as a teftimony of 

 public gratitude, that government fhould authorize the free 

 circulation of it every where. 



The great confumption of this factitious puzzolana obliged E * J*jfi*» worhe 

 me to extend its manufacture, I formed a partnership with 

 the proprietor of the ground. The foundation of an eftablifh- 

 ment on a great fcale was laid at the mountain itfelf. where 

 the materials were found. The works carried on". in its 

 vicinity were likely to farther reduce the coft of the article, 

 .which was already one half lefs than that of Italy, and 

 the public were about to enjoy the advantages of this manu- 

 facture, when the revolution paralyfed every thing. • Stopped by the 



In J 791 I informed the constituent affembly of this dif- ™ ol *? n - 



J . The difcovery 



covery; the certificates which proved it, and the refults of declared to the 



the experiments were dtpefited at the office; the matter was constituent af- 



femb/y* 

 ordered to be examined by M. M. Pelletier aud Berthollet, 



and the affembly considering, that this factitious puzzolana 



might be of the greateft ufe to France, decreed that 2000 A PF°ved of 

 r ,, , , , , , . - . -i and rewarded, 



.irancs mould be granted to its author, wmch was paid ac- 

 cording! y. 



