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Reminiscences 88 of 123
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that the English glass is now superior to the German.
There is only one plate-glass factory in the
United States. It was commenced only two years ago near New York,
and we understand that it has met with encouraging success.
Soon after the introduction of the business
into this country, a very great improvement in the mode of manufacture
as introduced. Pallat, in his admirable work on Glass, alludes to the
American invention in only a few words, and passes it by as of but
slight importance; but it has brought about a very great change, and is
destined to exert a still greater; in fact, it has revolutionized the
whole system of the flint-glass manufacture, simply by mould machines
for the purpose of pressing glass into any form. It is well known that
glass in its melted state is not in the least degree malleable, but its
ductility is next to that of gold, and by steady pressure it can be
forced into any shape. The writer has in his possession the first
tumbler made by machinery in this or any other country. Great improvement
has of course taken place in the machinery, insomuch that articles now
turned out by this process so closely resemble cut-glass that the
practised eye only can detect the difference.
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