136 History of Pottery and of Vitrification. 



*Combustibles used, indicating them in the clearest manner pos- 

 sible. 



IV. Information peculiar to the country. 



1. To designate the principal manufactures of pottery, glass and 

 porcelain in your vicinity. 



2. Whether there is in North America, ancient pottery ; that is to 

 say, pottery fabricated in remote ages, and which has not been made 

 for a long time. This pottery is found in general in alluvial soil, in 

 the ruins of towns, and perhaps, as in some parts of Italy, and of 

 South America, and of the oriental countries of the ancient world, 

 in the graves or tumuli. In Europe, these things have often been 

 admitted into museums as monuments of antiquity, but almost never 

 as in relation to the art of pottery and its history. It is in this latter 

 point of view that I regard them, and that I have collected a great 

 number of the ancient pieces of pottery in the museum at Sevres. 



To endeavor to collect some pieces of this antique pottery, and to 

 indicate exactly the place and the circumstances in which they have 

 been found, and to endeavor to decide whether it had anciently any 

 celebrity, always however mistrusting the deception of the sellers. 



3. Whether there is knowledge from traditions, inscriptions, Sec, 

 that the natives (aborigines) of North America have ever fabricated 

 or known glass. 



General instructions in relation to the purchase, pacTcing and for- 

 warding of the objects collected. 



The expenses which may be incurred in procuring the specimens 

 and the information, will be reimbursed by the administration of the 

 Royal Manufactory of Porcelain, upon the statement sent to the 

 person who shall be designated to receive the amount. 



It is expected that these expenses will not rise to a great amount : 

 it is requested, in any event, that they may not exceed, in any one 

 year, the sum granted, i. e. 200 francs for 1836, (#40); 200 for 

 1837; at least without a previous understanding with the adminis- 

 trator of the Royal Manufactory at Sevres. 



It will be necessary to pack the pieces with great care, and to 

 consign them to a merchant in one of the ports of France, to be for- 

 warded by way of slow transportation to the administrator of the 

 Royal Manufacture of Porcelain ; forwarding also the expenses of 

 transportation. 



* The requests for information and for specimens, apply equally to glass manu- 

 facture and their productions. 



