Bronze Work In Solomon's Temple.

were latops compassing it , ten in a cubit , compassing the sea round about ; the knops were cast in two rows , when it was cast . " Mr . Napier suggests as a better rendering of the original : "Under it was the multitude of oxen , which did compass it round about , ton in a cubit , compassing the sea round about ; two rows of oxen were cast when it was cast , " his view being that oxen were carved or . cut on the outside all round to the number of 300 . The pedestal

upon which the sea was placed consisted of twelve oxen . The size of these oxen , or bulls , remarks Mr . Napier , is not given , but they must have been of considerable size in order that their corresponding legs would give thickness and strength to support so great a weight , for when the vessel was filled with water the wdiole weight would be upwards of one hundred tons . As to the "bases" described inverses 27—37 he remarks" These basesfitted upon

, , , wheels , constituted carriages for supporting and moving about the ten layers , or large bronze vessels for washing , " etc . The wdiole workmanship of these bases , as described , is indicative of great skill . " These havers are thus described : " Then made he ten la vers of brass ; one laver contained fort y baths , and every laver was four cubits , and upon every one of the ten bases was one laver . " Commenting upon this , Mr . Napier observes , " When it is considered

that each of these vessels was capable of holding three hundred gallons of water , upwards of a ton weight of water each , we obtain a better idea of their size . Each vessel upon its carriage and full of water would weigh no less than two tons . " The " two pillars , " according to the dimensions , given in I . Kings vii ., 15 , 16 , were , without the capitals , about 37 k ft . in height , and about 8 ft . in diameter . If hollow , it would be necessary that the metal should be not less than three and a half inches thick , which would give a wei ght of from 20 to

25 tons for one casting oi each pillar , and of about 10 tons for each capital The pillars when set up would measure about 47 ft . in hei ght . In the construction of the bronze altar , supposing the thickness of the metal to have been three inches , no less than 250 tons of bronze must have been employed . The place where such enormous castings—which evidence great skill in metallurgy and . the possession of vast mechanical resources—were produced is indicated in I . Kings vii . 46 " in the plain of Jordan in the clay-ground

, , between Succoth and Zartham , " or "in the depth of the clay-ground , " according to the marginal reading , which would indicate that they were moulded in clay ; that material , mixed with sand , is still employed for bronze castings . Mr . Napier says , " So large a quantity of metal as some of these castings required would not , in all probability , be fused in one furnace . For all the large castingsespecially for such a massive casting as the ' sea of brass' it is

, , highly probable that a wdiole series of furnaces were put in operation at the same time , and all tapped together , and the molten metal run into one mould . Such series of furnaces are generally set in a sort of circle , or square , under a large dome , or roof , from which rises a large chimney , or tower . " This , it is suggested , serves to explain the reference of Neheiniah : "Malehijah , the son of Harim , and Hashub the son of Pahath-moab , repaired the other piece and

the tower of the furnaces . " The structure erected by Solomon probably continued a national foundry up to the time of the captivity ; during the rebuilding and refurnishing of the Temple , the repair of these furnaces was therefore a matter of great importance to those engaged in the work . The " bright brass" which is spoken of as the material of which " the pots and the shovels and the basins" were composed , was , in Mr . Napier ' s view , bronze containin ° ' a large proportion of tin— " an alloy of the character of speculum metal , which , wnen polished , would present an imposing appearance . "