135 



FOUNDING; FOUNDRY. 



FOUNTAIN. 



186 



mentioned layer being left within it ; and into the open space in 

 the centre a composition (usually of plaster of Paris with other sub- 

 stances mixed with it) is introduced, and made to adhere to, or rather 

 is filled up to the clay or was. This is the core, and it is often made 

 to occupy the whole interior of the mould. When this is set, or dry, 

 the mould is taken to pieces and the material which has been made to 

 represent the metal removed. The mould is then again put carefully 

 together round its core or nucleus, the two portions being secured 

 from contact by stops and keys properly arranged for that purpose. It 

 is now obvious that when the mould is placed, with its channels and 

 ducts, to receive the metal, this latter can only enter the interstice or 

 space between the outer mould and the inner core ; and thus, by an 

 ingenious and simple contrivance, the cast is insured of sufficient sub- 

 stance to answer every object required, with, at the same time, a great 

 saving of metal and reduction of weight. 



In all these operations it is essential that the mould and the cores 

 be perfectly free from moisture ; seeing that the sudden and violent 

 expansion of air that is at all damp, upon the heated metal flowing 

 into the mould, would cause it to burst, to the destruction of the work 

 and the great danger of the workmen. In order to guard against this, 

 the moulds and core are usually placed in an iron closet or drying- 

 stove, in which large fires are constantly kept up, and from whence 

 they are not removed till it is ascertained that they are perfectly dry, 

 and just before'they are required for the casting. The moulds and cores 

 of works of large dimensions are usually strengthened with bars and 

 hoops of iron, to prevent them from springing or changing their form 

 during the drying, and during the necessary moving and shifting about 

 in the foundry. All that is now necessary before casting is to cut the 

 channels or ducts for the metal to penetrate easily and quickly into 

 the mould ; and to place the mould conveniently with respect to dis- 

 tance and inclination from the furnace. The first operation is easily 

 performed ; the founder takes care to distribute the channels, both in 

 number and in their size (or width), according to the parts of his work 

 into which he requires a greater or less volume of metal to flow, and 

 also, if the object be of great extent or complicated form, that the 

 different parts of the mould may as nearly as possible be filled simul- 

 taneously ; it being most desirable that the whole getto, or cast, should 

 be made before the metal in any of the parts has time to settle or lose 

 iU fluidity. Other channels are also made for allowing the air to 

 escape as the melted metal enters the mould ; these are called vents, 

 and are very necessary where the works are on a considerable scale. 

 With respect to placing the mould, it is only important to secure a 

 sufficient inclination of plane from the mouth of the furnace to the 

 mould that the metal may run easily and uninterruptedly, and not 

 have time to grow cool and therefore sluggish. The usual method in 

 great bronze works is to bury the mould in a pit a little below the 

 level of the furnace, and by ramming sand firmly round it to insure 

 its not being affected by any sudden or violent shock, or by the weight 

 of metal running into it. When everything is ready, and the metal 

 found to be in a state fit for running, the orifice or mouth of the 

 furnace (which is usually plugged with clay and sand) is opened, when 

 the metal descends, and in a few minutes the mould is filled. The 

 metal is allowed to run till it overflows the mouths of the channels 

 into the mould. The work is then left to cool, after which the mould 

 is scraped or knocked off and the cast undergoes the necessary pro- 

 cesses (such as cleaning, chasing, &c.) to render it fit for the purpose 

 designed. The variations which the processes undergo, in treating 

 different metals and manufacturing different articles, will be found 

 noticed under BELL, BRASS, BRONZE, CANNON, IRON MANUFACTURE, &c. 



Among the most remarkable modern specimens of founding, for their 

 vantness of size and weight, are the cylinders and cranks of the Great 

 Enitf.rn ship ; the iron tables for some of the plate-glass manufactories ; 

 the bed-plates for the larger kinds of machinery ; some of the mortars 

 on which auch large sums of money have lately been unprofitably 

 expended ; and the two unfortunate bells for the Westminster palace. 

 As was said under BRONZE, the largest castings for fine arts purposes 

 are frequently not made in a single piece ; thus, the largest bronze 

 statue of modern times, the colossal figure of 'Bavaria,' 61 J feet in 

 height, placed in front of the Riihmeshalle, near Munich (modelled by 

 Hchwanthaler and cast by Fras. Miller at the royal foundry), was made 

 in many pieces ; and the largest of those did not nearly equal in weight 

 the masses of iron above adverted to. 



We may briefly notice here a method introduced in 1859 by Mr. 

 Jobson, for casting shells and other articles. The pattern is made 

 with arms carrying pins or projections, entering sockets in the plate on 

 which the casting-box is placed. When the pattern has been correctly 

 adjusted upon the plate, the pins and the ends of the sockets are filed, 

 so as to make the ends of the pins and those of the sockets coincide ; 

 this affords a test for the workman to judge of the accurate adjustment 

 for each casting. To facilitate the introduction and removal of the 

 moulding sand, apparatus is arranged whereby the sand is shovelled 

 upon sieves, which are worked mechanically ; the sand is damped and 

 sifted, and is carried by a sort of Archimedean screw to the mixer, 

 where fresh sand and other matters ure added, and whence the sand is 

 conveyed through another trough by a screw into a position to be 

 used by the moulder. In instances where heavy casting-boxes are 

 employed, a peculiar form of crane is used ; it consists of a quadrant, 

 a chain or band passing over the quadrant, and a train of rack-and- 



pinion work ; by this agency the box is raised, lowered, and moved 

 laterally, with much facility. 



For the various processes to which metal is subjected after founding, 

 see CHASING ; EMBOSSING ; LACQUERING ; SOLDERING, &c. 



FOUNDLING HOSPITALS are charitable institutions, which exist 

 in most large towns of Europe, for taking care of infanta forsaken by 

 their parents, such being generally the offspring of illegitimate con- 

 nections. These institutions date from the Middle Ages, and were 

 established for the purpose of preventing the destruction of children 

 either by actual violence or by being exposed in the streets or high- 

 ways. Among the Romans and other nations of antiquity, the ex- 

 posure of children by poor or unf eeling parents was a frequent practice, 

 and was not punished by the laws. After Christianity became the 

 religion of the empire, it was forbidden by the Emperors Valentiuian 

 and Gratian. At the same time, the greater strictness of the laws con- 

 cerning marriage and against concubinage, the religious and moral 

 denunciations against unwedded intercourse, and afterwards the obli- 

 gatory celibacy introduced among the clergy, and the severe penalties 

 attending its infraction, all tended to increase the danger to which 

 illegitimate infants were exposed from the sentiments of fear and 

 shame in their parents. Child-murder and the exposure of children 

 became nearly as frequent in Christian countries as they had been in 

 Heathen times, only the parents took greater care to conceal them- 

 selves ; and humane individuals in various countries began to devise 

 means to collect and provide for the forsaken infants found in the 

 streets. In this, as in other acts of charity, ecclesiastics stood fore- 

 most. At Rome, Innocent III., in 1198, when rebuilding and en- 

 larging the great hospital of S. Spirito, allotted a part of it to the 

 reception of foundlings, several infants having been found drowned in 

 the Tiber about that time. This asylum for the "esposti," or found- 

 lings, was afterwards enlarged and endowed by subsequent popes, and 

 the institution was adopted by degrees in other cities. It was thought 

 that by providing a place where mothers might deposit their illegiti- 

 mate children in safety without being subject to any inquiry or 

 exposure, the frequent recurrence of the crime of child-murder would 

 be prevented. For this purpose a turning box was fixed in an opening 

 of the wall in a retired part of the building, in which the child being 

 deposited by the mother in the night and a bell being rung at the same 

 time, the watch inside turned the box and took the infant, which 

 from that moment was placed under the protection of the institution, 

 was nursed and educated, and afterwards apprenticed to some trade or 

 profession. Those parents who were in hopes of being able to acknow- 

 ledge then- child at some future time, placed a mark or note with it, 

 by which it was afterwards known when they came to claim it, and 

 it was then restored to them on then- defraying the expense incurred 

 for its maintenance. 



In France, the philanthropist Vincent de Paul, the founder of the 

 Society of the Missions in the first half of the 17th century, exerted 

 himself to found an asylum for infants, which were at that time 

 frequently left to perish in the streets of Paris. It was at first 

 supported by private subscriptions, but afterwards was made a national 

 establishment " Hopital des Enfans trouvds." Similar institutions 

 were founded in other great French cities. Mortality appears to be 

 very great in most foundling hospitals of the continent, owing to care 

 lessness, mismanagement, or want of sufficient funds for the adminis 

 tration of those institutions. The infants are given out to cheap 

 nurses in the country where a great number of them die. At the 

 same time, it is remarkable that the number of illegitimate births has 

 greatly increased over all Europe. 



The principal objection that has been raised against foundling 

 hospitals is, that they tend to increase the number of illegitimate 

 offspring. In London, the institution of the Foundling Hospital, 

 though it seemed to have prevented the exposure or murder of 

 infants for a time, was found to produce such ill effects, that the 

 object of the foundation was materially changed, and it is now a 

 receptacle for illegitimate children on the application of the mother, 

 who must prove the abandonment of it by the father, and whose 

 character otherwise must be a good one. One distinction ought to be 

 made, namely, that in countries where there is no legal provision for 

 the poor, foundling hospitals appear to be more necessary, or at least 

 less objectionable than in those where the mothers of illegitimate 

 children, if unable to support them, have, like other destitute persons, 

 the resource of the parish poor-house. It must also be observed that 

 mothers of illegitimate children often neglect their unfortunate 

 offspring, and are ill calculated by their habits to rear them up so as 

 to make of them useful and honest members of society. 



FOUNTAIN, a jet or jets of water, flowing either naturally out of 

 the earth, or from structures formed by art. Artificial fountains con- 

 sist of water flowing from vases, statues, sculptured ornaments, or 

 architectural buildings combined with sculptured figures and other 

 ornamental decorations. 



Many ancient Greek cities were decorated with fountains. Pausanias 

 informs us that Corinth was adorned with several fountains ; and he 

 mentions one in particular which stood near the statue of Diana, repre- 

 senting Pegasus, with the water flowing through his feet (ii. 3, 5). 

 He describes another as consisting of a bronze Neptune seated on a 

 dolphin, from the mouth of which the water issued (ii. 2, 8). Fron- 

 tinus, who lived in the reigns of Nerva and Trajan, was superintendent 



