THE BOOK OF THE ROYAL 



Birmingliam. " He found," to quote the words of Mr. Ward, in 

 a paper in Mr. Blashfield's work on mosaic floors, " that if the 

 material of porcelain (a mixture of flint and fine clay) be 

 reduced to a dry powder, and in that state subjected to strong 

 pressure between steel dies, the powder is compressed into about 

 a fourth of its bulk, and is converted into a compact substance 

 of extraordinary hardness and density, much loss porous and 

 much harder than the common porcelain uncompressed and baked 

 in the furnace." Messrs. Minton & Co. apply hydrauhc pressure 

 to this part of the manufacture, under wluch, at every stroke of 

 the press, the powdered clay is converted into a solid tile. 



The design of the pavement in the Conservatory is the work 

 of Mr. Harry Green, formerly a student in the Department of 

 Science and Art, and now attached as artist to Messrs. Mmton & 

 Co.'s establishment. It is not of any particular school or period, 

 but is derived from the Pompeian, Early Italian, and Eenaissance 

 art. The white, green, and red tesselation has considerable 

 resemblance to an elaborate slab now placed in front of the 

 high altar in the church of Santa Maria in Transtevere at 

 Kome, and the same colouring and general effect may be met 

 with ia most of the churches in Italy which contain any 

 pavement of this character. 



This class of manufacture has now reached such perfection, 

 and has so much character of its own, that it can scarcely 

 perhaps be treated as an imitation, at least to the extent 

 of estimating its worth by the nearness of its approach to 

 the material imitated. The materials used by the Eomans to 

 produce the difierent colours were these : — a slightly clouded 

 yellow Sienna marble gave the light buff ground ; morsels of 



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