fro Prof. Royle’s Lecture on the Great Exhibition of 1851. 
pottery of Amroha, have also been admired. The handles and 
the various ornaments of the Ahmedabad pottery are no doubt 
attached, as in Europe, by means of slip. From the specimens 
of basket-work pottery sent, there is no doubt that, with better 
materials and a little instruction, the natives could excel in this 
as in the forms of their pottery. 
If we had no other information, we might yet infer from the 
crucibles employed by the goldsmith, by the workers in brass, 
and by the makers of cast steel, that some very infusible clays 
are to be found in India; but recent investigations have proved 
that crucibles and fire-bricks, superior in infusibility to those 
made of Stourbridge clay, have been made in India; and from 
the white goblets of Arcot, and the light-colored pottery of Ma- 
dras, as well as from the white bricks sent from the Ceded Dis- 
tricts, we see that there are many useful clays without the usual 
admixture of iron. 
As connected with pottery might be mentioned the variously 
colored Encaustic tiles, which have been used for the domes 0 
some of the tombs near Delhi and Agra, as well as in Southern 
India; but I cannot learn that the art is at present practised. It 
was probably introduced by the Mahomedans from Persia. Speci- 
mens from some of these tombs were shown by Mr. Boileau. 
I might have proceeded to notice their knowledge of Cements, 
but I may in preference notice a kindred art, which seems 
capable of adoption elsewhere when suitable; that is, the skill 
with which they give a facing of marble to a wall of brick. 
This they usually do by employing mortar made of shell-lime; 
but I found some made from pure limestone equally good. 
thin layer of this fine white cement being spread, is brought to 
the lustre of marble by a process similar to burnishing. 
Bleaching.—Bleaching is practised in all parts of India, and 
some places, which are also seats of the cotton manufacture, are 
famous for bleaching, such as Dacca and Baroche. This has 
been ascribed to the excellency of the water in the neighborhood 
of these places. A very good account has. been given by Mr. 
Taylor,* late of Dacca, of the process of bleaching at that piace. 
This is particularly interesting, as including what are called m 
ern discoveries. 
ine muslins are merely steeped in water; other cloths are first 
washed: but all, of whatever texture they may be, are next 
immersed for some hours in an alkaline ley composed of soap and 
of sajie muttee, that is, impure carbonate of soda, They are 
then spread over the grass, and occasionally sprinkled with water, 
and when half dried are removed to the boiling-house in order 
to be steamed. This is effected by twisting the cloths into the 
—R EE 
* “An Account of the Cotton Manufacture in Dacea,” &c. Published by Mortimer 
