Foundry, Forge, and Factory. By W. J. Gordon. (Mackie and
Son.)—Mr. Gordon begins his volume with an account of " Arm- strong's," the great gun-factory at Newcastle-on-Tyne, a large establishment which gives employment to ten thousand men, and covers a mile of ground between the railway and the river, Next comes "The Forth Bridge," a work begun in 1882, and ended about a year ago. Chapter iii. is entitled "Among the Shipwrights," and gives an account of Elder and Co. "The Foundry Boys" is a pleasant paper, in which we are told of an admirable educational and social movement having for its object the class after whom it is named. In "Hternatite," we have the curious story of the invention of steel. A hundred and fifty years ago, steel used to cost £10.000 a ton, and had to be brought from Hindostan. In 1740, a Dutch clock-maker, of the name of Huntsman (his descen- dants are still well-known people in the North), sot to work to make it for himself. For many years the secret was kept, but was discovered by a spy, in the shape of a beggar who was allowed into the works one bitter winter's night. Glass-working, building of railway carriages, cotton-printing, have chapters allotted to them. Finally we have "The Centenary of the Rotary Press," an event which occurs this year. A most interesting book this.
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