Building Materials. 15 



The Darley stone is quarried at about six miles distance 

 from the last named material, and is of the same geological 

 formation, though nearly destitute of fossil remains. Its color, 

 a light buff, is not unlike the Anston lime stone, of which 

 the Houses of Parliament in London are built. The Darley 

 stone has been selected for the erection of the outer facades 

 of the Victorian Houses of Parliament, the internal, or court 

 yard portion of which are of blue basalt. The general charac- 

 teristics of the Darley stone differ but little from that of 

 Bacchus Marsh. A cube of] inch crushed with 2118 lbs.; a 

 4 inch scautliDg, with a bearing of 4 feet, carried 3 cwt. Oqr. 2 lb. 

 Its component parts are — 



Silica ... ; ... ... ... ... 93.05 



Carbonate of lime ... ... .., .55 



Magnesia ... ... ... ... 2.40 



Iron oxide ... ... ... ... 2 



Alumina ... ... ... ... 2 



100 

 There are other sandstones more or less used, but prin- 

 cipally employed for local purposes, among which may be 

 mentioned the stone from Mount Sturgeon, in the Western Dis- 

 trict, about 60 miles north of Belfast ; this is a highly 

 indurated material in color, and hardness not unlike the 

 Craigleith stone of Scotland. A cube of 1 inch sustained a 

 pressure of 3 tons without being affected. Its specific gravity 

 is 2.386. A 3 inch cube absorbed only 15 dwts. of water 

 after 6 hours' immersion. The principal objection to the use 

 of this material is on account of its hardness and the cost of 

 bringing it to Melbourne, which would not be less than 8s. 

 per cubic foot. 



The stone from Kyneton, about 60 miles from Melbourne, 

 on the Oastlemaine Road, is nearly white in color, very fine in 

 texture, and easily worked, but is found to be not sufficiently 

 hard or cemented together to resist the action of the weather. 

 It is well fitted for inside work, and can be as readily carved 

 as Caen stone. Analysis shows it to consist almost entirely of — 



Silica ... ... ... ... ... 99.3 



Carbonate of lime ... ... . .3 



Alumina ... ... ... ... .4 



100 



A sandstone, generally smaller, but somewhat harder than 

 the last, is obtained at Ballan, about 55 miles from Melbourne, 

 on the road to Ballaarat. 



b2 



