PISE DE TERRE IN BRUSSELS.
[To THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR."' SIR, —I read with much interest your very kind remarks about our efforts on this side of the Channel, and beg to state that the result of our experiments and experience is at the disposal of those who will apply to the address below. It will be remem- bered that Messrs. Cubitt's Belgian branch made the first experiment at Ypres in the very centre of the ruined city. The houses have been inhabited since the end of last July, and in both heat and cold in that detestable climate have given the greatest satisfaction as dwellings. As regards solidity, if not forcibly removed they have every chance of outlasting even the memory of that famous bastion. Messrs. Cubitt having shown the way and proved their case, have stepped aside to allow local talent to carry on the good work, holding simply a watch- ing brief, and the Terradamente Company is now the directing force to whom communications should be addressed. Terra- damente, of which Pied de Terre is merely the base, differs con- siderably in many fundamental particulars. The chemical laboratory has treated tons of earth to attain the desired result, and the finished wall is now immune from the internal ravages of vegetable and animal organizations. The exterior surfaces are artificially hardened and waterproofed. No renderings are necessary either inside or out, which, with economy as an essential factor, is another plank in its platform. Bricklayers and plasterers are eliminated. Would that plumbers could be added to the list!
The Brussels workmen's dwellings built on the Avenue Paul Deschanei are finished outside with bond marks grouted out of the surface with a tool, the wall afterwards being painted with a specially prepared and inexpensive solution the colour of French stone. In appearance and texture the effect is agreeable as well as durable. In order to pander to the somewhat insane prejudices of certain unbelievers and the vagaries of local by- laws, a marriage of convenience was arranged between Pied and concrete. The extra cost of the concrete was afterwards found to be compensated for by ease of manipulation. As the concrete pillars serve as guides for the shuttering and render the plumb- ing-of it unnecessary, the most unskilled of labour cannot go wrong. The interest taken in the Brussels samples was colossal. Pilgrimages, almost, came from France, the Congo Society de- manded three conferences and appointed committees, as also did the Belgian Government, the Turkish Ambassador visited the site twice, and in all during the two and a-half months the job lasted some hundreds of visitors were averaged a day, so many, in fact, as to constitute a positive nuisance. The imme- diate result is that work on this principle is now starting in the Belgian Congo, Morocco, Turkey, France, even to the West Coast and Algeria. It should be noted that Terradamente is not a constructing company, beyond samples; and its raison d'être is to encourage contractors to employ the system and to direct their efforts. The new president is General Vermeulen, R.E., who succeeded, yours faithfully, J. DOUGLAS ESHELBY, Hon. Technical Director.
65 Rue du Canal, Bruxelles, Belgium.
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