great ingenuity, and the arrangements, as regards form, &c., in many cases, are exceedingly elegant.

Ice-Safes; Refrigerators. (Exhibitors 600, 601.)-The Wenham Lake Ice Company have exhibited their arrangements for preserving ice. The circumstance of the trade in ice is not a little remarkable from its novelty and the extent to which it is now carried on; this natural product being sent to almost every part of the world.

There are some facts connected with the physical conditions of frozen water which are most remarkable. When perfectly still water freezes, the ice is always full of airbubbles: this arises from the circumstance that water in freezing rejects everything which it may hold in solution, --air-colouring-matter-saline substances- -or acids; and being at rest these matters become involved with the frozen particles. But if the water while freezing is slightly agitated, all these matters accumulate either in the centre of the mass, or, as in the case of air, escape, leaving the ice perfectly pure. The ice of the Wenham Lake is in this condition-the water produced by thawing it, not even containing air. It might be incidentally mentioned here, that the water thus obtained free from air does not obey the same law as ordinary water in relation to heat. Ordinary water, at the mean temperature and pressure of the atmosphere, boils at 212° Fahr. But that which is deprived of air may be heated considerably above that point, without indicating the least sign of ebullition; and when it eventually commences, it is rather with the violence of an explosion than as ordinary boiling.

In constructing ice-safes, the points to be attended to are the formation of an envelope, or series of envelopes, which are very imperfect conductors of heat, so that the interior ice may not be affected by the temperature of the external air. Ice wrapped in flannel, for example, continues for a long time, even in a warm room, without thawing the heat passes so slowly through that material;

on which account it forms the warmest kinds of clothing, not allowing of the escape of that animal heat which results from vital action. Ice-safes are so formed that cases of air surround the frozen material, air conducting heat but very slowly.

In refrigerators the artificial cold is produced by the liquefaction of certain chemical compounds. The heat required to produce liquefaction is taken from the body, which is submitted to the cooling process; and hence by this means we are enabled to produce almost any degree of cold. Certain salts-these may be largely varied-are put together in the refrigerator: by their action on each other liquefaction ensues, and the water or cream placed in it parts with that caloric which kept it fluid, to produce fluidity in the freezing mixture, and it becomes solid.

The ordinary salts of soda, potash, and lime, with diluted acids, are usually employed; but where it is desired to produce a very intense cold, Thilorier's bath of solid carbonic acid and ether is generally employed; with this many of the gases have been condensed into solids and fluids.

Fire-proof Safes. (Exhibitors 280, 356, 506, 507, 509, 678, 646, 642.)—In all cases fire-proof safes consist of two cases, one between the other, the opening between the two being filled in with some non-conducting material, so that the inner lining of the case may never become incandescent. This is in some instances effected by the interposition of clays, in others of chemical compounds, and in some a stream of water is made to flow through the chambers of the case whenever it is exposed to the action of fire.

Anhydrohepseterion. (500.)-This may be classed among the little ingenuities of which there are many examples in the class. It is an arrangement by which the water contained in the potato is made to cook that vegetable. The potatoes being placed upon a false bottom, heat is applied, steam is generated, and this being confined by a secure cover, the whole is readily and perfectly dressed.

The same exhibitor has several other very ingenious contrivances for various purposes; amongst others we may name the Pedestal Wash-stand, the object of which is to produce an ornamental exterior, by which a useful article may be fitted for any apartment.

Miscellaneous.-In this extensive class will be found a number of articles which cannot be grouped under any general head, amongst these may be named stable stalls, and enamelled mangers (1); numerous specimens of ornamental iron castings, in the shape of carriage gates and ornamental iron chairs; horse-shoes, constructed of various shapes, for the purpose of insuring greater freedom and ease to the foot of the horse; letter-copying machines (18, 19, 20, 397); perforated brasses and woven wire blinds, much of the perforated brass displaying extraordinary fineness of work-one specimen (29) showing fourteen thousand four hundred square holes to the square inch; forges; bellows; chimney-pots; bell-pulls; door-handles; and all the numerous utensils employed for culinary purposes.

Gas-meters, of the dry and wet kinds, will be found in this class, and a large dry gas-meter, fixed for convenience in Class I., by which all the gas supplied to the building is measured, should be inspected by those who desire to make themselves acquainted with the peculiarities of these arrangements.

Washing, Wringing, and Mangling Machines (Exhibitors 538, 643, 546, 548, 535), present many ingenious peculiarities. They are variously constructed. The use of them may be understood from the following description, which accompanies one of the models, which, with some slight variations, applies equally to all :

The washing machine is used as follows: the clothes are to be steeped the night before, with as much hot water (having a little soap and soda dissolved in it) as will cover them. Before commencing the washing, as many of the clothes are to be taken out as will allow the ranger to operate freely, and boiling water put in. It will be seen,

the

on inspection, that the clothes, on being struck by the ranger against the side of the tub, take a triangular form, having the acute point next the bottom, so that, after being pressed against the side, they turn in falling, and a continual revolving motion of the clothes is kept up while the operation is going on. When thoroughly cleansed, ranger and the clothes are taken out of the tub, and the wringer put in use to press out the water. The clothes being put in at the slit of the wringing-bag, and equally distributed through it, the crank is to be turned until the water is pressed out, which is so efficiently done. that a very short time's exposure in a dry atmosphere fits them for the mangle.

The mangling is accomplished by unrolling the mangling cloth to the length of the articles to be mangled, then, the clothes being laid on and the handle reversed, they are taken in between the centre roller and the mangling cloth; after a few turns, reverse the movement of the handle, when the clothes will appear on the feeding-bench ready for folding.

Pigeon-traps, rat-traps, fumigating apparatus, gaufferingmachines, house alarums, meat-preservers, &c., sufficiently show, with the articles already named under this miscellaneous head, the great variety of ingenious articles to be discovered under the general classification of Hardware.

Urns, Vases, &c. (401.) These specimens of hammered copper are very remarkable, as proving, under proper management, the ductile character of this metal. The progress of raising these vessels with the hammer is shown. The metal has to be several times annealed during the operation.

Within the Class will be found many examples of electroplating; but as this process belongs more particularly to Class XXIII., our notice of the peculiarities of the process is reserved for that section.

THE MEDIEVAL COURT

(Exhibitors 529, 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536) is directly in front of the Sculpture Room, and may be entered either from the Main Avenue or the Corridor.

In the Catalogue it has been placed at the end of Class XXVI., to which class the numbers have reference; but its position in the Building, and its metal and mineral manufacture, appear to associate it with the Classes I. and XXII.

Its peculiarities consist in the revival of the ancient and middle age style of sacred and domestic furniture and decoration. The visiter will find how much the ancient workers in metal, stone, and timber, could effect, by referring to what is here shown, and which, in the majority of cases, are careful reproductions from celebrated models which now exist, and which have been copied and the wanting details supplied through the instrumentality of A. W. Pugin, Esq. The metal-work by Messrs. Hardman, consisting of altar fittings, chandeliers, corunnas, brackets, &c. in brass, the railings for a stove, and a light to be used out of doors, formed of iron, and peculiar from the complicated and elaborate character of its ornament, is worthy of attention by those who are interested in "Curiosities of Manufacture," and exhibiting the capabilities of modern workers to accomplish, when there is the will, those marvels, which those wedded to hoar antiquity deemed them incapable of. One feature will be observed worthy of attention, the reintroduction of beaten work, viz., raising thin plates of metal by means of the hammer; a mode which admits of the production of the greatest versatility of form, but which had been exchanged for the stamp and die, with the necessarily conventional forms dependent upon the necessity of attending to the "lift" or removal of the "force." The lamps attached to the hanging-beam, suspended in front of the altar, the salvers, flagons, and plate, in front of the oak "buffet,” are all raised by the process described. It is satisfactory to remark the successful revival of the