290
EXPOSITION AT VIENNA.
The manufacture of encaustic tiling was commenced in 1840 by Mr. Herbert Minton, and is now carried on by Mr. Hollins in a new establishment, built upon the old site at Stoke-upon- Trent. The business has increased enormously. Aside from the ordinary demand for paving tiles, there is a constantly increasing consumption of plain white tiles for stables, sculleries, closets, Avails, etc. The plain Avliite, glazed tiles are sold at the Avorks as Ioav as 2^cZ., equal to about live cents each; and, considering Iioav superior they are to any other material, perhaps not even excepting marble, for facing Avails, Avliich it is important to cleanse often, the large consumption is not surprising. But the demand has also increased enormously for the encaustic and ornamental tiles, oAving not only to the greater number exported to the United States, Australia and other countries, but to the more general appreciation and increased use of them in England.
The great expansion of the industry required increased facilities for the manufacture, and led Mr. Hollins, iioav the chief OAA r ner and the manager, to erect new buildings specially arranged for the rapid and economical manipulation of the large quantities of material. By the courtesy of Mr. Hollins, I AA r as allowed to inspect the whole establishment, and to see every detail of the manufacture. It may be considered a model. The clays are landed at a commodious wharf on one side, and the finished goods are delivered on the other side. The movement of the materials is in one direction fonvard from the clay heaps through the mixing and moulding rooms, to the furnaces, and from the furnaces to the packing rooms, without carrying back and forth. The materials are selected and combined Avith great care, so as to insure the greatest possible strength and perfection in the product. For the reef tiles and the buff* tiles, clays are obtained in the vicinity, and are remarkably Avell adapted to the purpose. The Avhite body is formed of a mixture of the Cornish clays and calcined flint. As much care is taken in the preparation as is bestoAved upon the manufacture of the body for stone-china. The basis of the colored enamelled tiles is equally Avhite and strong. Skilled artists of reputation are constantly engaged in the decoration of slabs and large tiles for special purposes. The risk of breakage or distortion of the large slabs in the succes-