An example of glass, mounted in silver, in thepeculiar °windmill" fashion of this period, is also mentioned. This same verre au ioulin example had an engraved pattern upon it. En graving upon glass became a well-practised art later in the century, and continued to be a feature of Belgian ?lass. Silver mounted glass has been such an important factor in the in dustry during the last 200 years that an early example is worth mention.
In 1825 an organization calling itself the Societe des Manufactures de Glices, with offices in Brussels — laid the foundation of a glass making establishment froth the operations of which the industry has since gained material benefit in many ways. The manufactories were located in the neighborhood of Liege — Val Saint Lambert and Jemeppe — now the princi pal seat of Belgian glass-making, but later were supplemented by establishments near Namur Jambes and at Charleroi. Though most of the departments of the glass industry of a century i ago were operated in connection with the orig inal foundation, window glass was one of the earliest to be advanced to large proportions there, and claims were established to associa tion with the great expansion which took place in the production of this commodity— and its accessories — in its many varieties. Among the early products were glass tiles, prism lights, vault lights, glass door signs and the many uses of plate glass. The different classes of glass production are now distributed over dif ferent centres and every demand is provided for; table glass, in crystal and colors; ornaments of many kinds ; candle, oil, gas and electric light ing requisites; bottles and jars for the press ervation of fruits and meats; coal-mine lamp chimneys; toughened glass, in vessel and slab form— and the blanks used in the manu facture of rich cut glass.
British Isles.—The period when glass making was first introduced into Britain has been assigned to all the Christian centuries up to the seventh, each probability being supported by some historic note or tradition. Furnace remains and fragments suggestive of actual glass-making practices in the 4th century have been unearthed, and there are traditions of window glass-making in very early periods History tells us that in the 10th century °colored windows in churches were the work of high ecclesiastics.' There is no positive evidence however, in way of record, till mid-15th cen times, when °glass windows were added to the homes." Thomas Charnock tells us that
glass-makers were °scant in the land' at that time. In the early days of the reign of Queen Elizabeth —1558-1603 — an Italian was °making Venice glasses at ye Crotchet Friars in Lon don," and this may be taken as the starting point of British glass-making— other than 'window glass, which was in general use at that time an established industry. It may be presumed also that Venetian methods of pro duction were employed, followers of those methods craving permission "to come to Eng land, make glass and teach the art." By 1589 there were 15 glass-making establishments in England. Progress in the industry was so rapid that in 1615 a law was passed prohibiting the importation of foreign glass; but five years later this law was made easier by an order to admit "rare and curious glasses," probably for the sake of instruction in the art.
About 1620 glass-making was introduced into Scotland — again under Venetian supervision — and 12 years later into Ireland.
Mirror and spectacle plate glass was being made in England in 1634. Flint glass was intro duced in England in the early part of the 17th century, and by 1673 was in general use; a London manufactory pcoduang_ it as clear, ponderous and thick as crystal. The use of plate glass for many purposes, and flint glass for table wares and ornaments, became general about this time, and manufactories were estab lished throughout England, Ireland and Scot land. Window glass, in its various forms of crown, sheet and plate filled demands not only of the building trades, but of the interior decorator, the cabinet-maker, the mirror-maker, the coach-builder and the ship-builder; and was linked up with the optical branches of glass manufacture, and in accessories for some sec tions of the flint glass industry. The advent of flint glass had a revolutionizing influence upon the whole trade and opened out•many roads for its development and expansion. Table wares be came its staple and °cutting° the most exten sive form of decoration. The ancient arts of enameling, gilding and engraving upon glass were practised by themselves and in conjunc tion with "cut" designs; some of the pattern ings of that time requiring a second process when the limitations of the cutter's wheel had been reached.