236 Architecture in the United States. 



From this it appears that Welsh slate, even when imported, is in 

 the end, exactly as cheap as pine shingles, while the expense of tiling 

 is only about half as great. Slate has been found in our own country, 

 and extensively wrought, but its quality I believe is not equal to our 

 severe winters, and the Welsh slate is still preferred. But we know 

 not yet half the resources of our country, and if encouragement 

 were given, slate of as good a quality as any from abroad, would prob- 

 ably be found. A correspondent in Baltimore informs me that a 

 company has been formed in that city, which has undertaken to sup- 

 ply the inhabitants with slate, at as cheap a price as that of shingles. 

 Doubtless the price of slate may be greatly reduced, should its use 

 be encouraged, and the subject is one, worthy of immediate attention 

 among our civil authorities. In Boston, I understand a law exists, 

 that no house above a certain height shall be covered with shingles : 

 there may be such laws in other of our cities, but I have not heard 

 of them. There is none in Baltimore, nor any ordinance encour- 

 aging the use of slate. In that city about 30 per cent, of the houses 

 are covered with slate or tiles, and about a dozen with copper or tin. 

 In New York the number of slate roofs is about one half of the whole. 

 Tiles were much used in the latter city, about forty or fifty years since, 

 but are now seldom employed, chiefly on account of their weight 

 and clumsy appearance. They might be made a very cheap article. 

 In the south of Europe, and in Turkey, they are universally employed, 

 and in one of these cities where I gave the subject some attention, a 

 sufficient number may be procured to cover one hundred square feet, 

 for one dollar and thirteen cents. Their appearance will probably 

 prevent their use to any great extent in our cities : any thing however 

 is better than pine shingles. The destruction of property which they 

 cause among us is immense. It is impossible to estimate the whole 

 amount, but some idea may perhaps be formed of it, from the fact, 

 that the aggregate amount of loss paid by the Insurance companies 

 of New York for the last four years, as reported to the legislature in 

 February, was 2,085,000 dollars. 



We must now dismiss this interesting subject. The situation of 

 our country, our resources, the prospect of largely diffused knowl- 

 edge and taste, the character of our government and of our popula- 

 tion, our institutions liberal but not profuse, the influence of external 

 and familiar objects on mind, and morals and happiness — all these 

 shew it to be an important subject, and invite us to give it attention. 

 The object of these articles has been, (o make this importance fell, 



