37S ON THE CONSTRUCTION QF 



17th. Is the quantity of manual labour necessarily implied 

 in any of the foregoing queries, such as to t'orbid the adoption 

 of the practice in America, (where the command of that force 

 is extremely limited and expensive) or can the difficulty be 

 obviated, in any degree, by the employment of other agents ? • 

 1 will not reiterate my apologies, but assure you of the sin- 

 cere pleasure I shall derive from any occasion you may find 

 to command my services. 



I am very respectfully 



and sincerely yours, 



WILLIAM JONES. 

 To WILLIAM JONES Esq. 

 Seibpore, near Calcutta. 



Answers to 17 Queries propounded by William Jones of Philadelphia, 

 to William Jones Esq. Civil Engineer, of Calcutta. 



1st. Buildings in Bengal are generally constructed of bricks, 

 formerly nine inches, but now eleven inches in length ; — the 

 additional size saves the cement, which is dearer than bricks. 



The cement is made of two parts brick dust, one part sand, 

 and one part stone lime — brick dust, alone, would be preferred, 

 but sand being cheaper is used. The mortar is mixed in the com- 

 mon way, but the bricks are laid like what the masons call 

 grouted work, which is done by laying the outward courses first, 

 and then tilling up the middle space with bricks, small and large, 

 swimming in water and cement, so that no crevice remains 

 open. 



Arches, columns, &c. are made with cement, two parts brick 

 dust and one part lime, ail sifted fine. The bricks are dipped in 

 water separately as they are laid, for which purpose a vessel of 

 water is placed between every two workmen. 



2d. The walls below the surface are of the same materials as 

 those above, but some people, regardless of the expense, lay one 

 course, just above the floor, in lime and oil, the whole thickness 

 of the wall, and afterwards continue the building in the com- 

 mon way — this forever prevents damp from rising. 



