Up to 1798, white, cream-coloured, and blue printed wares only were made at these works. In that year, semi-transparent porcelain was made, and continued until 1811, when it was abandoned, and earthenware only again produced. In 1821 it was again produced, and soon afterwards china was commenced and has been a staple branch to the present day. In 1825 some of the more skilled workmen from the Derby works found employment with Mr. Minton, and brought their skill to bear on his productions. “Among these were Steele, Bancroft, and Hancock, as painters in fruit and flowers.” In 1836 Mr. Herbert Minton, as will be shown, first conceived the idea of making encaustic paving tiles. Mr. John Simpson held the position of principal enamel painter of figures and the highest class decorations, from about 1837 to 1847, when he removed to London to take charge of the porcelain painting at Marlborough House. Mr. Samuel Bourne, of Norton-in-the-Moors, Staffordshire, who had been apprenticed to Messrs. Wood and Caldwell, to learn the art of enamel-painting, and who had attained by his industry and talents a high reputation, entered the service of Mr. Minton, in 1828, as chief designer and artist, and continued to render the firm occasional services until 1860, when the infirmities of increasing years necessitated his retirement. [Illustration: Fig. 216.] In 1849 M. Arnoux, son of a celebrated manufacturer of hard porcelain at Toulouse, visited Stoke, bringing with him an introduction from Mr. Evans, of Birmingham; when it was arranged that M. Arnoux should superintend and carry out the patent which, in 1839, Mr. Minton, in conjunction with Dr. Wilton George Turner, had taken out. This was for “an improved porcelain,” “made from Kaolin or Cornish clay, made into cream and passed through sieves; Dorsetshire or similar clay treated in like manner; and pure feldspar, all in certain proportions and mixed with great care.” In this, the bisque was produced by submitting it to a less heat than usual before glazing, and then, when dipped, subjecting it “to a greater degree of heat than is usual for the mere purpose of glazing, and effecting the glazing at the same time.” The glazes were also of peculiar composition. Beyond various experiments, this was not carried out until 1849, when this hard paste porcelain for chemical purposes was brought to such perfection, that it was pronounced to be better than that of Meissen or Berlin. There was, however, so much risk in firing this ware, in consequence of the difficulty of procuring a sagger capable of withstanding the necessary heat, that the manufacture was abandoned, and M. Arnoux turned his attention to the artistic decoration of the ordinary manufacture, and to his continual zeal and ability, combined with the enterprise which has always distinguished the firm, England is indebted for the highest honours in this branch of their national industries.