d large cylindrical vessel, a (Fig. 3), covered at the top, and open at bottom, like a turned upside down: it is placed in a tank, or pit, b, filled with water, just large enough to allow it to slide up and down, where it is suspended by a chain which runs over two pulleys, d, d, and a weight, e. These chains and

weights are dispensed with in very large gasometers; for the weight of a hollow cylinder, whose sides are of a certain thickness, does not increase in the same proportion as its capacity increases: when it reaches a certain size, it will therefore remain suspended of itself, and above that size it will require to be kept down by a weight placed upon it. Two pipes, c, c, enter the gasometer through the bottom of the tank, passing through the water, above which their orifices rise. One of these pipes serves to convey the gas from the works to the gasometer, and the other to carry it off when it is to be used. These pipes are usually placed side by side, but are separated in the figure for the sake of distinctness. In the figure, the gasometer is full; if, now, the pipe which has brought in the gas be stopped, the gasometer, which has risen slowly from the bottom of the tank while the gas was entering, will rise no further, but will remain in its present position until the gas is wanted. When it is wished to send the gas into the pipes destined to convey it to the places where it is to be consumed, the other pipe is opened, and the gasometer immediately begins to sink, pressing the gas in its descent through an immense range of pipes, often reaching many miles; and it is a curious fact that any increase or diminution of pressure is instantly felt at the most distant point connected with the gasometer, the light increasing or diminishing at the same moment. The enormous size of these machines, some of them capable of containing 60,000 cubic feet of gas, and measuring sixty feet in diameter, together with the expense and difficulty of digging tanks to contain them, has led to the invention of other gasometers; one of the most ingenious of which, called the "Collapsing Gasometer," was planned by Mr. Clegg, in 1817. This machine was, in principle, similar to a portfolio, with the ends closed. It was placed in a shallow tank,

At some establishments no meter is used, and the quantity manufactured is estimated by the size and fulness of the gasometer. In this case the gasometer is a gas-measurer, though an imperfect

one.

with its edges only a few inches below the surface of the water, and when half-full was in the position of which Fig. 4 is a section. As the gas flowed out, the sides collapsed, and the bars, or plates, d, d, prevented the edges, b, c, Fig. 4. from sinking lower as the gasometer closed. In this contrivance the expense of digging a tank was spared; but the great, and as it appears insuperable difficulty, of making the joints airperfectly tight, as well as some minor inconveniences, prevented its introduction. Another invention, called the "Revolving Gasometer," seems also to have fallen into oblivion; and, as far as we know, there are no gasometers now in use but those on the old cylindrical principle. This part of the apparatus is the most unwieldy of the whole, and there appear to be no means of compressing it into a smaller compass. Where many gasometers are in use, ( and there are in some establishments nearly twenty), they form the most conspicuous and disagreeable objects in the building.

[To be continued.]

C

An

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.-No. II. TAPESTRY OF THE I ATE HOUSE OF LORDS. In our last Number we alluded generally to the tapestry with which the walls of the House of Lords were hung, and which perished in the recent conflagration. It may be proper to state that, although etymologically the word" tapestry" may be applied to any lining for the walls of apartments, its use is more usually restricted to a sort of woven hangings of wool and silk, frequently raised and enriched with gold and silver, representing figures, landscapes, &c. Such hangings were in former times the usual linings to the walls of the principal apartments in the mansions of great people. Eastern origin is commonly assigned to the manufacture and its application; and it is said to have been brought from the Levant by the Crusaders. This seems to be confirmed by the fact, that the early manufacturers were called Sarazins or Sarazinais by the French. Guicciardini, however, claims it as an European invention; and if the Bayeux tapestry was really the work of the Conqueror's consort and her ladies, a kindred art must indeed have acquired much perfection in Europe before the time of the Crusades. The fact seems to be that hangings of needlework were in use long before the loom was applied to furnish the same article with less labour and expense. Before that time, and to a smaller extent to a much later period, the working of figures with the needle formed a principal occupation among ladies of quality.

The first manufactures of tapestry that acquired reputation were those of Flanders; and they appear to have been long established in that country before they were introduced into England and France. This introduction took place in the seventeenth century-in England in the reign of Henry VIII., and in France in that of Henry IV. In both countries the art soon de. clined until it was revived, in France, in the reign of Louis XIV., when the French tapestry began to rival the best of the Flemish tapestries. In England the art was revived at the instance of King James I., who gave 2000l. to assist Sir Francis Crane in the establishment

Duke of Parma. In endeavouring to accomplish this intention, the Armada sustained much loss from the desultory and harassing attacks of the English ships which hung close upon its rear, ready to seize any advantage which accident or the inadvertence of the enemy might offer. When the Spaniards at last arrived off Calais, their admiral ordered them to cast anchor; but was soon induced, by information received from the Duke of Parma, to direct them to proceed on their course. They had already arrived in sight of Dunkirk, when a sudden calm put a stop to the motions of the different fleets for an entire day. In the middle of the following night a breeze arose, of which the English admiral availed himself by sending before it, against the different divisions of the Spanish fleet, eight vessels filled with combustible materials, which were set on fire. This threw the Spanish fleet into the greatest disorder, and Lord Howard hastened to improve this advantage by ordering a general attack the next morning. The battle which ensued lasted from four in the morning until six at night; and although the Spaniards fought with great bravery, they were able to do but very little execution against the English, while many of their own ships were greatly damaged and several of them lost. The Duke de Medina was led, by such untoward circumstances, not only to despair of success, but began to be apprehensive for the safety of his fleet. The bulk of his vessels rendered them unfit, not only for fighting, but for navigation in the narrow seas. He therefore resolved to abandon the enterprise; and feeling the difficulty of getting back to Spain by the way he came, he determined to sail northward, and return by making the circuit of the British isles.

After the fleet had rounded the Orkneys, a dreadful storm arose, in which many of the ships were wrecked on the rocks, or driven on shore, or foundered at sea; and subsequently almost equal damage was occasioned by another storm, which overtook the fleet from the west, The Duke de Medina himself having kept out in the open sea, escaped shipwreck, and arrived at Santander, in the Bay of Biscay, about the end of September, with no more than sixty sail out of his whole fleet, and those very much shattered. An account published at the time, apparently upon authority, thus estimates the loss of the Spaniards upon the coasts of England and Ireland :-" In July and August, ships 15, men 4,791; sunk, &c. upon the coast of Ireland, 17 ships, 5,394 men:" making a total of 32 ships and 10,185 men.

The interest which the Netherlands felt in these events is indicated not only by the tapestry which has given occasion to this account, but by the curious fact that the medals and jettons which were struck on the occasion were entirely Dutch; none were struck in England.

The following is the title of Pine's book :-" The Tapestry Hangings of the House of Lords, representing the several Engagements between the English and Spanish Fleets, in the ever-memorable year 1588, with the portraits of the Lord High Admiral, and other Noble Commanders, taken from the life. To which are added, from a book entitled Expeditionis Hispanorum in Angliani vera Descriptio, A. D. 1588,' done, as is supposed, for the said tapestry to be worked after, ten charts of the sea coasts of England, and a general one of England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Holland, &c., showing the places of action between the two fleets, ornamented with medals struck upon the occasion, and other suitable devices." These charts, medals, and devices, form very curious and interesting additions to Pine's work, in which he seems to intimate that the tapestries were executed on commission from this country; for he says," Our ancestors that were personally in it (the defeat of the Spanish Armada)

were so careful that it should not pass into oblivion, that they procured the engagements between the two fleets to be represented in ten pieces of tapestry, with the portraits of the several English captains, taken. from the life, worked in the borders, which are now: placed some in the royal wardrobe and some in the House of Lords. * * But because time, or accidents, or moths may deface these valuable shadows, we have endeavoured to preserve their likeness in the preceding prints, which, by being multiplied and dispersed in various hands, may meet with that security from the closets of the curious which the originals may hardly hope for, even from the sanctity of the place they are kept in.' In another place Mr. Pine quotes Joachim de Sandrart as stating that the designs for the tapestry were executed by Henry Cornelius Vroom, a famous painter of Haarlem, eminent for his great skill in drawing all sorts of shipping;" and that it was woven by Francis Spiring.

The following account of the subjects of the several pieces of the tapestry in the House of Lords, exclusive of the border decorations, is drawn from Pine's volume. No. 1. Represented the Spanish fleet coming up the Channel, opposite to the Lizard, as it was first discovered. No. 2. The Spanish fleet against Fowey, drawn up in the form of a half-moon, and pursued by the English. No. 3. Represented, in the left-hand corner, the first engagements between the hostile fleets; after which the English, as represented in the other part, gave chase to the Spaniards, "who drew themselves up in the form of a roundel." No. 4. The galleon of De Valdez springs her foremast, and is taken by Sir Francis Drake, while the Lord High Admiral, with the "Bear" and "Mary Rose," pursue the enemy, who are in the form of a half-moon. No. 5. The admiral of the Guypuscoan squadron being set on fire is taken by the English, while the Armada continues its course until opposite the Isle of Portland, where another engagement takes place. No. 6. Some English ships are attacking some Spanish ones to the westward, while the main body of the Armada, in the form of a roundel, continues its course pursued by the English. No. 7. Represented a severe engagement that took place between the two fleets on the 25th of July, opposite the Isle of Wight. No. 8. The Armada, pursued close by the English, is seen sailing up the Channel, intending to stop at Dunkirk or Calais, where it was to be joined by the Duke of Parma. No. 9. The Spaniards come to an anchor before Calais, from whence they are dislodged by the fire-ships sent among them in the night. The English appear preparing to pursue them. No. 10. The Spaniards are represented making the best of their way for the Northern Seas, and are in the mean time very much battered by the English, who closely pursue them. The chief galeass is represented as stranded near Calais.

The views of the coast were, in some of the pieces, curious, interesting, and generally natural; and more attention than is usually found in the productions of the time was given to convey an idea of the different distances of the fleets from the shore in the several pieces, except when the French and English coasts were exhibited opposite to each other in the same piece, when they are always much too near. In No. 8, part of a town on the French coast was brought into view, with people hastening to the shore to witness the passing of the fleets. The two last pieces represented part of Calais in the fore-ground, with soldiers and citizens upon the walls, and various other persons outside the walls, mostly engaged in animated conversation, with the exception of one man, who, in both the pieces, was represented as occupied in angling underneath the walls. The sea was tolerably well supplied with dolphins, and other strange fish, which, in most instances, seemed to

oppose themselves, with fierce and grim looks, to the progress of the Spanish fleet.

Several of the pieces are very similar to one another, representing the Armada as proceeding in the form of a crescent, pursued by the English; and only diver

[NOVEMBER 22, 1834.

sified by the appearance of the coast, or by the capture give an idea of the style of these compositions, is taken or burning of single vessels. Our wood-cut, which will from No. 2 in the series of pieces, each of which has just been specified.