14 



Building Materials. 



it there seems tfo have been some doubt as to its beauty or 

 durability, for the Bank of Victoria is erected with the freestone 

 from the quarry of Mr. Pitfield, at Kangaroo Point, Tasmania. 

 The Barrabool Hills stone has been subjected to experiments, 

 with the following results : — 



Under the action of sulphate of soda, a test which, assimilates to that 

 of freezing, the stone has become partially disintegrated. 



An inch cube was crushed by a weight of 2150 lbs. 



A scantling, 4 in. by 4 in., placed in the position of a beam or 

 lintel, with a span of four feet between its supports, broke with 

 4 cwt. 2 qrs 20 lb. suspended from its centre. 



Its specific gravity is 2.207. 



Until a recent period the principal buildings of Melbourne 

 have been erected with a sandstone procured from the neigh- 

 boring colony of Tasmania, but in consequence of a strong 

 feeling having been manifest against the importation of 

 material of this description, the Government of Victoria was 

 induced to offer a reward of 6P1000 for the discovery of a 

 good building stone within the precincts of the colony. A 

 large number of stones were developed in consequence of this 

 inducement, but none were considered fully equal to the con- 

 ditions appertaining to the reward. The most important 

 stones brought to light by the above agency are from the 

 neighborhood of Bacchus Marsh, about 40 miles from Mel- 

 bourne. The stone is brought to town by drays returning 

 from the gold-field, at the cost of about £2 per ton. There are 

 no properly formed roads to the quarries, and it is somewhat 

 astonishing how the carriers contrive to cart it at any price. 



The Bacchus Marsh stone is being used in the erection of 

 the new Treasury and Custom House ; both are very large 

 and costly buildings. The stone belongs to the coal formation, 

 and is rather soft when first quarried. It does not resist the 

 freezing test of sulphate of soda. Its power to stand against 

 crushing is equal to 1949 lbs. to the cubic inch. A 4 in. 

 scantling, with a clear space of 4 feet, broke with 2 cwt. 3 qrs. 

 24 lbs. Its specific gravity is 2.213, and analysis shows its 

 component parts to be — 



Silica ... ... ... ... ... 92.7 



Carbonate of lime 

 Carbonate of magnesia 

 Oxide of iron 

 Alumina 



2.2 

 0.8 

 1.42 

 2.88 



100 



Beautiful fossil vegetable impressions abound in the above 

 quarries. The color of the stone is usually a very light brown 



