188 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 





the Gletiageary Railway Station, to build the Townhall, Kingstown. 

 It is a handsome streaked stone, which works easily and well. The 

 quarry was closed after the work was completed. 



A good class of granite has also been lately quarried near 

 Dundrum, and used largely in Dublin. 



" In the bridges, and harbour, and quay works, Dublin, we 

 have used Killiney and Bullock granite most extensively ; also 

 Penrhyn, Dalbeattie, and Newry granites — all good stones, when 

 properly selected. The Dublin mountain granite is generally 

 coarse-grained, full of mica, and decays rapidly in comparison with 

 the Killiney stone." [B. B. Stoney.) 



Wilkinson states : — " The granite at Kingstown is much more 

 durable than the Blessington (Co. Wicklow) stone ; but the latter 

 is of a more pleasing and lighter colour, is easily converted, and is, 

 besides, generally prepared on the spot by local workmen, at a 

 cheaper rate than it could be wrought in Dublin. 5 ' 



[The latter portion of Wilkinson's statement •would seem to suggest the advisability, 

 as a general rule, of having the stone wrought at the quarries, and not at the building 

 which is being erected. This is controverted by an eminent architect of the present 

 day, who has publicly stated that the stone should be brought to the building, and 

 manipulated under the eye of the architect. 



The disadvantage and loss due to stone being wrought at the works, and not in the 

 quarries, may be seen at the present moment in the works now being carried on during 

 the erection of the buildings for the Science and Art Museum, Kildare-street, 

 Dublin. 



The stone being used for the finer work is sandstone, from Mountcharles, Co. 

 Donegal, it being brought from the quarry in squared blocks. As little waste as pos- 

 sible is allowed; yet in cutting out a column or pillar at the works there is a loss 

 of one-fifth of the block; and if it is a capital or other such feature that has to be 

 executed, there is a much greater loss. There is also the primary cost of squaring the 

 blocks in the quarry ; so that if a bad stone is sent up, it has become too costly to 

 be thrown away, and must be used, although faulty, as is ocularly demonstrated in 

 the south-west corner column of the new building. 



If the stones were wrought at the quarry there would be the following savings : — 

 The cost of the squaring of the blocks, the cost of the carriage of the waste, and the 

 increase in the rate of wages necessarily paid in Dublin. The ancient Egyptian, 

 Eoman, and other builders, and even the early English and Irish ones, were more 

 sensible than those of the present day ; l as they not only wrought the stones at the 

 quarries, but even cut columns and such like out of the rocks in situ, as is now done 

 in places in the United States. 



There is the expense of supervision , on which great stress has been laid ; but 

 whether the work is done in the quarry or at the building, superior operatives have to 



1 Ballyknockan granite quarry, Co. Wicldow 3 and places in Carlow, "Wexford, &C.,. 

 are exceptions to this rule, as presently mentioned. 



