978 TERRA COTTA 



wet -weather, it was often past bearing. The men became faint from heat and close- 

 ness.' ' 



The problem then -was to let in fresh air, and produce a draft without incon- 

 veniencing the soldiers as they slept 



The question attracted Mr. Doyle's notice during the period of the camp at Chobham, 

 and it appearing to him to be one of very great importance, Ije undertook, with the 

 sanction of Lord Kaglan, then Master-General of the Ordnance, to try the following 

 experiment : 



He caused two openings to be made in the wall of a tent, 

 about 4 feet from the ground, and introduced the air between 

 the wall and a piece, of lining somewhat resembling a carriage- 

 pocket, thus: a a, the wall of the tent; b, the opening to admit 

 air ; c, the lining. 



It will be seen that air so introduced would naturally take 

 an upward direction, and thaf this communicating with the 

 openings at the top of the te,nt, would probably produce the 

 desired effect. . 



The following extract from the report on this experiment 

 will show the actual result : 



' The ventilators (Mr. Itoyle's) were found of great use in 

 clearing the tent of the fetid atmosphere consequent upon a 

 number of men sleeping in so confined a space. The men state that the heavy smell 

 experienced before the tent was altered is almost banished.' 



In subsequent experiments the number of the new openings was increased from two 

 to three, and a greater amount of ventilation thus obtained. The result according to 

 an official letter of thanks received on the subject, was ' quite successful.' The im- 

 provement has been since adopted into the service, and by these very simple means 

 one of the most fruitful causes of sickness among our soldiers in camp finally removed. 



TENT, a wine, so called from the Spanish tinto, ' deep-coloured,' it being of a 

 deep red colour. It comes chiefly from Galicia, or Malaga. See WINE. 



TERMlNAXiXA CHEBUI.A. The name of a tree common in India, which 

 produces Myrobalans. See Crookes's ' Handbook of Dyeing.' 



TERWE-PLATE. Iron-plate coated with a mixture of tin and lead, instead of 

 pure tin. 



TERRA COTTA. This term means literally ba7ced earth. It is known in the 

 arts as the material of the ancient vases, amphorae, paterae, lamps, statues, and bas- 

 rilievi. Monumental vases of terra cotta have been found in the tombs, after the 

 lapse of 2,000 years, in a fine state of preservation. The ancient terra-cotta vases are 

 generally painted black, on a red or buff ground ; but on some there are blue, yellow, 

 and other colours. The style of ornamentation is much alike in all: a few narrow 

 lines, or fillets, with dots, meander fretwork, laurel, ivy-leaf, and honeysuckle 

 borders, adorning the rim, neck, and stand of the vases, the centre or body being 

 covered with allegorical representations of gods, men, and animals. Terra cottas of the 

 type of the early Greek, commonly called Etruscan vases, are found throughout the 

 ancient Egyptian cities. The art of making the Greek terra cotta seems to have be- 

 come extinct, about 150 years before Christ. The modes in which the Greek works 

 were made have been subjects of much controversy among the learned in art. The 

 body, or substance, appears to a potter, in a commercial point of view, of the lowest 

 grade, as it is common clay, very porous, and coarse-grained. By some authors it is 

 said they were made of clay, mixed with sand only, and by others, with clay mixed 

 with cement. The most probable conclusion is, that some were made of clay only, 

 some of clay and sand, and others (such as those of ground and monumental 

 character, where it was important that the parts should be kept very true in firing), 

 of clay mixed with potsherds and puzzolano or other detritus of lava. The works are 

 less baked than modern pottery, and it is doubtful if it would stand exposure to the 

 variations of such a climate as England. Among the remains of Greek pottery are 

 gigantic amphorae of very coarse grain, measuring as much as 8 feet in length by 

 3 feet in diameter, and of corresponding thickness. It is said that one of these 

 great vessels was the tub of Diogenes. Vauquelin gives the following analysis of 

 the Greek terra-cotta vases: silica, 53 ; alumina, 15; lime 8 ; oxide of iron, &c., 24. 



The Roman terra cottas are of an entirely different character from those just de- 

 scribed, and consist chiefly of cinerary urns, lamps, and paterae ; and these appear 

 to have been moulded ; the ornament is either incised or embossed, and odd fantastic 

 shapes prevail. 



Terra-cotta works of an architectural character are constantly met with in the 



1 Evidence of Sergeant Dawson, Grenadier Guards. 



