Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/650

 526 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [Feb., The precious qualities, and varied uses, of AVhite Pine, have been fully appreciated in foreign countries ; hence, much of it is exported to Europe and the West Indies, where the consumption is very large. (From the London Builder, for July, 18G8.) In pointing out some of the practical purposes to which cedar is applicable, we must, of course, give the first place to Carpentry. Such uses, in ancient times, were confined to the Oriental na- tions : and, in our own times, with the exception of Japan and some of the islands of the Indian Archipelago, to the Continent of America. The boundless forests of the Amazon and the Missis- sippi supply, as we have seen, much larger scantlings of the timber, than could ever have been obtained from Leb- anon. Nevertheless, it is to Lebanon we must go back for the highest illustra- tions of its original, and most magnifi- cent applications to the purposes of building. Sir Christopher Wren had a curious hypothesis, with regard to the construc- tion of the temple of Dagon by the Phil- istines. Thisjvas probably a quadran- gular pile of buildings, having a court in their centre ; but he conceived, to himself, a vast roof of cedar beams, rest- ing at one end upon the walls, and cen- tring at the other upon one short archi- trave, that united two cedar pillars in the middle. Such a method of construc- tion would, doubtless, render the cele- brated feat and dying effort of Samson intelligible ; but this view, as we have said, was entirely an hypothesis. It is to the minute and graphic narration, which is furnished by the sacred histo- rian respecting the building of Solomon's temple, that we must look for the earliest authentic account Of the carpentry of this valuable timber. [1 Kings v., vi. ; and compare 2 Chron. x.] We need not recapitulate the details of that ancient and honorable contract, which Solomon made with the King of Tyre. Let us call attention to one or two of its features, which are still worth the attention of our modern po- litical economists. In the first place, the wise monarch makes no attempt to conceal the want of " technical educa- tion," on the part of his own subjects. " For thou knowest there is not among us any that, have skill to hew timber, like unto the Sidonians." At the same time, although the pastoral tribes of Israel could not hew timber, they had plenty of corn and oil, which they were willing to exchange for this architectural skill. In order to see, that this ex- change was equitable, agreeable, and profitable to both parties, let us simply note the result. " And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon ; and they two made a league together." Is there any thing, we should like to ask the ques- tion, so antiquated in this simple but sacred principle of those ancient Syrian monarchies, that the governments of modern Europe and America could not find it their interest to act upon it ? In the second place, although Solomon did not set his subjects up as skilled artisans, equal to those of Tyre and Sidon, he made no difficulty about supplying a host of inferior laborers, " three score and ten thousand that bare burdens, and four score thousand hewers in the mountains." This is a lesson in the division and subordination of labor, that might be usefully taken to heart. * * Hiram delivered the timber and stone- work in a finished state ; " so that there was neither hammer nor axe, nor tool of iron heard in the house, while it was building." The circumstances, in fact, were these : The river Adonis was in the vicinity of the forest of Lebanon ; and discharged itself into the Mediterranean Sea, near Biblos. Accordingly, Hiram could transport the timber, all squared ; and, not only cut to scantling, but cut so as to fit the place each timber was to occupy in the building. From Biblos, those rafts might easily be sent down
 * * * Once more, we are told, that