in New York, which turned upon the
quantity of silver deposited upon sundry gross of forks and spoons. The
plater agreed to put upon them twelve ounces of silver to the gross,
which is about as much as is ever deposited upon spoons or forks. If he
had performed his contract, he would have spread over each table-spoon
about as much silver as there is in a ten-cent piece; and such is the
nature of silver that these spoons would have worn well for five or six
years. In fact, there are no better plated spoons yet in use than these
were designed to be. The plater meant to comply with the usages of the
trade. He meant to put upon those spoons the quantity of silver which,
in the trade, _stands_ for twelve ounces to the gross, which is about
ten ounces to the gross. Such, was probably his virtuous intention, and
he supposed he had carried out that intention. But when the spoons were
put to the test, it was discovered that upon one hundred and forty-four
table-spoons there were but three ounces and a half of silver. It came
out on the trial that the plater never weighed his work, and trusted
wholly to the length of time he left it in the solution. He appeared to
be honestly indignant at the testimony showing that his spoons, which
had been left four hours subject to the action of the battery, had
acquired only a film of silver. To the eye of the purchaser, these
spoons would have presented precisely the same appearance as the best
plated ware in existence. For two or three months, or even for six
months, they would have retained their brilliancy. What their appearance
would have been at the end of a year or two we need not say, for most
readers have encountered the spectacle in their pilgrimage through a
world which is said to resemble plated articles of this quality in being
"all a fleeting show."

Every one is familiar with the gold lining that is now so generally seen
in silver vessels. This is laid on by the same process as that which
covers the outside with silver. The vessel is filled with a solution of
gold, and in this solution a thin plate of gold is suspended. The
electric current being made to pass through the interior thus prepared,
the liquid bubbles up like soda-water, and in three or four minutes
enough gold is deposited upon the inside surface for the purpose
designed. When this is accomplished, nothing remains but to polish the
vessel, within and without, and we have a piece of ware which is silver
when we loo