A VISIT TO THE GREAT EXHIBITION. 107 



preparation of granite. About six miles distant from the town of 

 Liskeard, in East Cornwall, in a north-easterly direction, the interesting 

 quarries are situated, and named after a curious pile of granite-stones, 

 crudely representing an ancient instrument for wringing or squeezing 

 cheeses. The stones or blocks of granite are eight in number, and about 

 this strange heap there has been much controversy, some contending for 

 a natural origin, and others willing to regard it as a Druidical monument. 

 A large amount of the granite is prepared upon the spot, and then 

 transported by means of a railway to Port Looe, passing en route the steam 

 works which have recently been erected at Moorswater for sawing the 

 granite into «labs, and polishing, and also for the preparation of works 

 of art in this excellent material. Granite offers such great resistance to 

 the saw, that to cut through half an inch in depth in a day is fair work, 

 and this is accomplished with smooth, fiat pieces of iron set in a frame, 

 with water constantly dripping into the cutting ; and as the frame holds 

 four of the saws or knives, and is propelled by steam power, three slabs 

 can be cut at the same moment. Sand or emery flour are likewise used 

 to facilitate this difficult operation. After the slabs are cut they are 

 transferred to another machine, where the polishing process is carried 

 on ; but the entire operation is so tedious that slabs of granite of any 

 size are necessarily expensive ; three very fine slabs, 7 feet X 3 feet, are 

 to be seen amongst the articles exhibited by the Cheesewring Granite Co. 

 in the south court of the eastern annexe, and as they are only about two 

 inches thick, I should imagine some considerable demand is likely to 

 spring up for such slabs, for table and cheffonier tops, &c. 



In ancient times, granite was very commonly employed in the con- 

 struction of large buildings and monuments, but then labour was so low 

 in value, and so much at the command of the rulers, that any work, 

 however stupendous, was accomplished by a simple multiplication of 

 human power to the requisite amount. Modern nations, on the contrary, 

 can neither quarry nor transport such immense blocks as the ancients 

 employed, not because they possess less skill or determination, but 

 simply on account of the greatly enhanced value of an individual's 

 labour. Machinery will, to a certain extent, however, enable us to do 

 more than the ancients could accomplish ; and, at a considerable outlay, 

 the Cheesewring Granite Company, under the able superintendence of 

 Mr. James Trathan, are prepared to gratify the public admiration for 

 both picked and polished granite to any extent. Although a seeming 

 paradox, leaden saws will cut through granite with much greater 

 rapidity than iron, but cannot be employed, because this soft and yielding 

 metal will not bear the tension necessary in tightening the saws. It is 

 almost invidious to draw attention to the beautiful obelisk in Cheese- 

 wring granite, which occupies so prominent a position in the British 

 nave. 

 In a case exhibited by Messrs. Johnston and Matthey, of Hatton- 



