“When the glass is thoroughly refined, the cuvette--which must be perfectly clean, and, as already mentioned, of a temperature equal with that of the glass--is filled in the following manner:--A copper ladle, ten to twelve inches in diameter, fixed to an iron handle seven feet long, is plunged into the glass pot, and brought up filled with melted glass, which is transferred to the cuvette; the ladle during this transference is supported upon a strong iron rest, placed under its bottom, and held by two other workmen. This precaution is necessary to prevent the bending and giving way of the red-hot copper under the weight of fluid glass which it contains. When by successive ladlings the cuvette is filled, it is suffered to remain during some hours in the furnace, that the air bubbles formed by this disturbance may have time to rise and disperse; an effect which is ascertained to have ensued by the inspection of samples withdrawn from time to time for the purpose. “Another essential part of the apparatus consists in flat tables whereon the plates of glass are cast. These tables have perfectly smooth and level metallic surfaces, of suitable dimensions and solidity, supported by masonry. At St. Gobain, and formerly also at Ravenhead, these tables were made of copper; the reason assigned for preferring this metal being, that it does not discolour the hot melted glass, while the use of iron was thought to be accompanied by this disadvantage. These copper tables were very costly, both from the nature of their material, and the labour bestowed in grinding and polishing their surfaces; and as the sudden access of heat that accompanied the pouring over them of such a torrent of melted glass occasioned the metal frequently to crack, the tables were by such an accident rendered useless. The British Plate Glass Company having experienced several disasters of this nature, its directors determined upon making trial of iron; and they accordingly procured a plate to be cast, fifteen feet long, nine feet wide, and six inches thick, which has fully answered the intended purpose--having, during several years of constant use, stood uninjured through all the sudden, and violent alternations of temperature to which it has been exposed. This table is so massive, weighing nearly fourteen tons, that it became necessary to construct a carriage purposely for its conveyance from the iron foundry to the glasshouse. It is supported on castors, for the convenience of readily removing it towards the mouths of the different annealing ovens.