376 ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF 



Copy of a letter from William Jones of Philadelphia, to William Jones 

 Esquire, Civil Engineer, of Calcutta. 



Calcutta, December 26th, 1807. 



My dear sir, 



Your obliging assent to my solicitation for a memorandum 

 of the manner of constructing a terrace roof in this country, and 

 a desire to avail myself of such information relative to the arts 

 of other countries, as may be useful in my own, prompts me 

 to ask of you a brief communication of the principles and prac- 

 tice of building in India, with such observations as your expe- 

 rience may suggest. 



I look for indulgence, in the liberality of sentiment and love 

 of science and the arts, which general suffrage has attached to 

 your character. A desire of individual information alone, could 

 not have induced me to trespass on time and attention so assi- 

 duously and usefully employed, but my intention is, to present 

 your communication to the American Philosophical Society at 

 Philadelphia, which will unite with its associate in a just sense 

 of the obligation. 



A knowledge of the composition of cements, and of the qua- 

 lity and combination of materials employed in architecture in 

 India, the excellence of which has been consummated by the 

 lapse of ages, is an object of great interest in America. The 

 structure of public roads is no less so : I am told there are some 

 very excellent in India; any information on that subject, with 

 a view to economy, durability, and a solidity impervious to 

 intense frost, will be highly acceptable. 



I beg leave to present a few queries connected with the ob- 

 ject in contemplation. — They are suggested by the local cir- 

 cumstance of climate and architecture in America. 



1st. What are the materials, and what is the quality of the 

 cement, used in constructing the walls of buildings in India? 



2d. Are the walls below the surface, of the same materials? 



3d. What is the thickness of the exterior, as well as of the 

 interior walls, in proportion to the elevation? 



4th. What are the component parts of the plaister of the ex- 

 terior and interior walls? 



