LACE LACEPEDE. 



341 



for a very small piece of lace. Thus, taking the 

 threads at 50 per inch, if the lace be one inch wide, 

 it will have 25 meshes in its breadth, or 625 meshes 

 in each square inch of length, or 22,000 meshes in a 

 yard ; anil yet the price given for a yard of lace of 

 this description is seldom more than one shilling and 

 sixpence. 



The point net frame was invented by Mr J. Morris 

 of Nottingham in 1764, and forms lace out of one 

 continued thread, which is laid across a row of 

 needles, and by the actions of jacks and sinkers, as 

 in a stocking frame, is formed into loops ; but before 

 finishing the operation of the chain work, the row of 

 points is plied between the needles of the frames 

 and the points being only half the number of the 

 needles, they take up every other loop, and by a 

 particular motion cast them over the neighbouring- 

 needles, so as to gather the two loops together into 

 pairs, and leave intervals between each pair, conse- 

 quently when the usual operations of the stocking 

 frame are resumed, the stitches will be found to be 

 worked two into one. 



The objection to this imitation is that it becomes 

 loose and irregular after being worked, and if the 

 thread breaks, the work will unravel like a stocking. 

 Lace, made by another machine called a warp frame, 

 is more durable, and is capable of being made of 

 several different patterns. 



The Nottingham lace, has been superseded by 

 that made on a machine invented by Mr John 

 Heathcoat in 1809, which can make lace of any 

 required breadth. In this, the warp threads are 

 wound upon a roller, at the bottom of the machine, 

 and carried up to a work beam, or roller, situated at 

 the top of the machine. There are also diagonal 

 threads, wound upon small detached bobbins, and 

 regularly interspersed between the warp threads. 

 The bobbins are small flat wheels, about the size and 

 thickness of a shilling, with a deep groove upon their 

 edges, upon which the thread is wound. These 

 being fitted into a small carriage or frame, which 

 will turn round freely when the thread is drawn off, 

 but guarded by a slight spring, so as to give some 

 resistance and draw the thread tight. The bobbins 

 and their carriages are so thin, that when placed side 

 by side in rows, they merely occupy the same breadth 

 as the lace. The longitudinal threads are stretched 

 in a perpendicular direction, from the thread to the 

 lace-roller, form ing a row of parallel threads, arranged 

 equally distant from each other ; and to guide them, 

 each thread is conducted through a small eye, in a 

 wire resembling a needle. Two rows of such guides 

 are fixed on two bars, placed horizontally, each cap- 

 able of a small side movement, so as to carry these 

 threads along with them. On each side of these, is 

 a horizontal or comb bar, having its upper surface cut 

 into grooves, to receive the bobbin carriages. 1'hese 

 run along the upper side, and across the length of 

 the bar. Behind the row of threads is another comb- 

 bar, precisely similar to that in front. The bobbin 

 carriages can pass freely to and fro between these 

 two comb-bars, but there is only such space between 

 them, as to allow them to enter the grooves of one 

 while still playing in those of the other. By means 

 of two thin bars or rollers, the bobbin carriages are 

 repeatedly moved backwards and forwards, and trans- 

 ferred alternately from the front to the back comb- 

 bar, and in so doing, pass between the perpendicular 

 threads at each transfer, the bar sustaining the 

 guides is moved sideways through a distance equal 

 to the interval between the grooves of the combs, by 

 which movement the perpendicular threads, come to 

 be placed alternately on each side of the moving 

 bobbin carriages, so that a twist is made every time, 

 and the sides of the meshes are thus formed. 



The operations of drawing the twist close, and 

 giving the necessary form to the meshes, is done by 

 means of a row of sharp pin points, which are sus- 

 pended in a frame, so as to be brought down, and 

 introduced between the threads beneath the cross- 

 ings, and being moved upwards, the points carry the 

 twists and crossings before them, draw them close, 

 and give the requisite form. There are two rows of 

 points, one used as above, and the other to relieve 

 them, and hold fast the newly formed meshes, whilst, 

 the other respects the action. 



This machine is most ingenious, and works with 

 great rapidity. The operator is seated in its front, 

 and employs both hands and feet in imparting the 

 required motions. The machines are of various 

 widths, from one to two and a-half yards, and the 

 bobbins are from ten to twelve per inch in each row, 

 or (being double), twenty to twenty-four per inch, so 

 that if the machine be two yards wide, their number 

 will be from 1440 to 1728, but all these are passed 

 between the perpendicular threads in an instant, and 

 it is rarely that any confusion takes place. 



Most of the Nottingham machines at present, are 

 upon the principle of Mr Heathcoat's, and work by 

 license under his patent. His invention has been 

 lately carried over to France, and manufactories are 

 established both at Calais and Douay. 



Lace made by Caterpillars ; a most extraordinary 

 and ingenious species of manufacture, which has been 

 contrived by an officer of engineers residing in the 

 city of Munich. It consists of lace and veils, with open 

 patterns in them, made entirely by caterpillars. The 

 following is the mode of proceeding adopted : Hav- 

 ing made a paste of the leaves of the plant, on which 

 the species of caterpillar he employs feeds, he spreads 

 it thinly over a stone, or rather flat substance, of the 

 required size. He then, with a camel-hair pencil, 

 dipped in olive-oil, draws the pattern he wishes the 

 insects to leave open. This stone is then placed in an 

 inclined position ; and a considerable number of the 

 caterpillars are placed at the bottom. A peculiar 

 species is chosen, which spins a strong web ; and the 

 animals commence at the bottom, eating and'spinning 

 their way up to the top, carefully avoiding every 

 part touched by the oil, but devouring every other 

 part of the paste, The extreme lightness of these 

 veils, combined with some strength, is truly surpris- 

 ing. One of them measuring- twenty-six and a-half 

 inches by seventeen inches, weighed only 1.51 

 grains a degree of lightness which will appear more 

 strongly by contrast with other fabrics. One square 

 yard of the substance of which these veils are made, 

 weighs four grains and one third ; whilst one square 

 yard of silk gauze weighs one hundred and thirty- 

 seven grains, and one square yard of the finest patent 

 net weighs two hundred and sixty-two grains and a 

 half. 



LACED^MON. See Sparta. 



LACEPEDE, BERNARD GERMAIN ETIENNE, count 

 Delaville sur Illon de, naturalist, peer of France, 

 born at Agen, 1756, was from his youth, passionately 

 attached to natural history and music: he conse- 

 quently abandoned the military profession, for which 

 he was destined, and devoted himself to the study of 

 natural history. His teachers and friends, Buffon and 

 Daubenton, procured him the important situation of 

 keeper of the collections belonging to the department 

 of natural history in the jardin des plantes, At the 

 breaking out of the revolution, he was elected mem- 

 ber of the legislative assembly, and belonged to the 

 moderate party. To withdraw from the storms of 

 the period of terrorism, he resigned his situation, and 

 retired to his country seat, Lieuville. He again made 

 his appearance under the directory, and was appointed 

 one ot the first members of the institution. Napoleon 



