536 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



j'loxing' the tank under the floor of the carriage seemed to him to be best, 

 ; fc by that means, the water as it gave off' its heat could be made by its 

 .'Avn gravity, to return to the tank and be used over again. 



Musical Instruments. 



The subject selected for discussion was taken up. Mr. Albert Weber, 

 manufacturer of pianos, took the floor, and occupied an hour in describing 

 the successive steps of improvement which had resulted in the production 

 of the piano forte in its present form and arrangement. The following ia 

 a condensed report of his remarks: 



The first string instrument, made on the principle of the piano, was con- 

 structed in the year 1001. It was about four feet square, and was made 

 with three strings. This was improved upon in Germany until there were 

 twenty strings used. About the year 1600 keys were applied to these 

 instruments, such as those in use now, but of course very imperfectly 

 made. We contend that the Germans are the original inventors of the 

 piano, and that the first real piano was made by a German named Silber- 

 man. This was about 1725, Afterwards a Mr. Rutherman, in England, 

 made one with outside keys. They were painted and inlaid with wood, 

 and the whole was as handsome as any piano that could be made, and it is 

 now regarded as a great curiosity. The first seven instruments made 

 were bought by Frederick the Great, in 1147. The strings of these instru- 

 ments gave a continual sound when struck, and was a source of much 

 trouble until an Italian, named Crystophy, invented a method to stop these 

 vibiations. Various improvements were afterwards made, but it is only 

 •within the last twenty years that the pianoforte has been brought to its 

 present perfection. The firm of John Broadwood & Co. has been in the 

 business since 1780, in London, and have made 132,000 pianos. They now 

 make about fifty a week. In New York we have about seventy manufac- 

 turers, and they make from two hundred and fifty to three hundred a week. 

 The largest part of the pianos on the continent are made in England. We 

 are now making more pianofortes in this country than any other. Eng- 

 land comes next. France follows, and Germany the fourth. It is a debata- 

 ble matter as to which manufacturer makes the most in this city, 



Mr. Weber here drew diagrams on the blackboard showing the inside ' 

 construction of the various styles of pianos. An impression prevailed, he 

 said, that pianos were made of rosewood, but the thickness of that wood 

 is not greater than an ordinary card. The sounding board is made of 

 spruce wood, because it is the best conductor of sound. This board is 

 made to taper, in thickness, from an eighth to one-quarter of an inch, 

 which is strengtMfened by ribs. Some are made from an eighth to a six- 

 teenth in thickness. The ribs are an inch thick. In his estimation all the 

 excellence of the piano depended on the sounding board. The iron frame 

 to which the strings are attached was introduced about thirty years ago. 

 Some manufacturers still use the wooden frame. The strings are turned at 

 an angle to stop all vibration, and the whole sound of the instrument is 

 thrown into the sounding board. If a piano is not in proper tune through- 

 out, it is because the wood is of a different character in some places. The 



