378 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



moisture In the bricks, and that hard pressed brick, from dry clay, were 

 apt to be disintegrated and peel the paint off of course. 



Mr. Seeley thought that the lime contained in them had the power to 

 produce the stated effects — and that (as is usual,) the brick has moisture 

 in it — oil paint cannot penetrate it. 



Mr. Cohen. — It is due to the moisture absorbed by the brick. 



Mr. Leonard. — It is most observed on Avails relative to their exposure, 

 north^ souths east or west 1 It is produced by the moisture absorbed by 

 the bricks. 



Mr. Meigs. — Are the bricks in our buildings ever dry, even those hard 

 burned. Do they not all, readily imbibe moisture and retain it long ? 



Mr. Leonard. — Brick-makers use small coal dust to mix with their brick 

 clay. This when burned leaves the brick quite porous. 



The Chairman. — I have the mastic which had been painted on brick wall 

 exfoliate in large sheets. 



M. Disturnell introduced Mr. Upfield, of Lancaster, Ohio, who exhibited 

 and explained his new system of measurement for shoes and boots — saving 

 some 20 per cent in leather. His drawings, lithographed, are on a large 

 scale. His work costs six dollars. He can be found at 34 Spruce street, 

 New York. He states that his rules are infallible in all cases where the 

 foot and leg are in common natural condition. He thinks his plan is a sure 

 one in place of the uncertain fancy measure and cut of the makers. 



Mr. Meigs adverted to recent successful measures used by our best tailors 



The Chairman called up the regular question : " Warming and ventilation 

 of buildings. 



Mr. Johnson illustrated by drawings on the black board Faraday's mode 

 of conduction of heat, for the double purpose of ventilating and lighting, 

 as it has been tried in the New Parliament House — House of Lords, Lon- 

 don — where Mr. Johnson examined it in 1851. The difficulty in the gas 

 flames was that by sudden breezes, it often cracked the glass tubes contain- 

 ing it. There is nothing new in it however. 



Mr. Godwin examined the Parliament House, with an engineer, in 1852. 

 Did not notice the arrangement spoken of by Mr. Johnson. The ventila- 

 tion was by Keid. Mr. Godwin illustrated on black board, his own system 

 of warming and ventilating buildings, in this city, many years ago. 



Mr. Meigs asked the chairman if he had examined the warming and 

 ventilation of the Capitol at Albany, he, Mr. Backus, having recently been 

 a member of the House of Representatives there. 



Mr. Chairman. — Had not, but had discovered that the Capitol was badly 

 off in the ventilation and warming. 



Mr. Meigs said that he was a member in 1818, and then a body of pure 

 air was admitted to the heater from the outside of the building, and when 

 warvncd it came into the hall of representatives through large iron tubes, 

 causing a slight pressure of the air of the hall outward, the doors opening 

 inward with difficulty as the air endeavored to escape. That is the true 

 principle ; not to heat the same air^ but to have the external air icarmed 



