approximate weights of wind for the various parts of an ordinary instrument are, roughly speaking, as follow :

FIG. 12. THE WIND-CHEST (FRONT-BOARD REMOVED).

A solo manual is always heavily winded, rising sometimes in the case of large reeds to 10in.

M

FIG. 13. WIND-CHEST (SIDE SECTION).

We now come to the windtrunk mentioned in the last chapter as having taken origin in the band of the middle-board, from which it proceeds by the most direct route attainable to the wind-chest of whatever organ it

may be destined to supply, it being understood that in modern building the great swell, choir, &c., each have a separate wind-trunk to their several wind-chests. The wind-trunk enters the wind-chest either at the bottom (a a a, Fig. 13), or at the end (11, Fig. 12). They are usually made oblong in shape, and are sized in proportion to the number and calibre of the stops they are destined to supply. Naturally, in proportion to the number of stops fed, that of the pedal organ would exceed any other in magnitude. Wind-trunks should be as short as possible, though occasion sometimes necessitates their being lengthy. In any case of an angle that may occur throughout their length, for instance, at their exit from the flange or collar, great care should be exercised with regard to the joint, and the interior should be covered by leather firmly glued over it. Many builders "red size" the wind-trunk all over. The wind is conveyed by the wind-trunk into the wind-chest, a section of which is given in Fig. 13 and a front view in Fig. 12.* This wind-chest is a permanent reservoir for the accumulation of wind until it is dispersed into various channels to fulfil its mission. It is placed immediately under the sound board (s s s, Figs. 12 and 13), and extends the whole length of it. As regards depth, it is usually made slightly deeper than the sound-board. All the portions of the wind-chest should be made most accurately, and glued together. Any false joint in this part of the organ may necessitate immense labour in its rectification, which is sure to become necessary, sooner or later, the error often escaping detection until the instrument has been in use some little time. The wind-chest must also be firmly attached to the sound-board, which forms its upper boundary or ceiling. The back (B, Fig. 13) also must be especially strong, inasmuch as it forms a support to the pipe work above. The front board (F F, Fig. 13) is made movable by means of hooks, or better, by being firmly screwed on. This is done in order that the sound-board pallets (P P P, Figs. 12 and 13), may be easily accessible should they from any cause become deranged, which is sometimes the case. The pallets are ranged along what with them forms the wind-chest, and each pallet has a pull down wire (w w, Figs. 12 and 13) attached to its under surface, which passes through a hole in the bottom of the wind-chest, and communicates with the key action. This hole is made very free as far as the woodwork is concerned, in order that the swelling occasioned by damp may not cause the pallets to remain open, i.e., stick; but, to obviate an escape of wind through these apertures, a thin strip of brass is fastened on the bottom side, and holes made in it to accurately fit

* In Fig. 12 the front board is removed.

†The windchest is, strictly speaking, a part of the sound-board, and in the technical language of the workshop, the term sound-board is used for these together. The windchest forms what is called the "well" of the sound-board.

the pull-down wires, and the exterior is usually guarded by two wooden beads (м M, Fig. 13).

The air being stored in the wind-chest is now awaiting its further distribution to the separate pipes, as occasion may require, and this is accomplished by its being passed into a series of channels called grooves, which are in the sound-board, and it thus appears that there should be a groove corresponding to each separate key on the clavier, which is sometimes the case, but there are exceptions; thus, when a swell only reaches tenor c, it is obvious that it would not require grooves for notes not existing in the swell, and in such a case when these notes do sound at all it is arranged that they shall repeat the octave above, or otherwise act on the lowest octave of some other clavier, in which case an arrangement known as "borrowing" is resorted to, by which, on opening a given groove for which there are no pipes, the wind is conducted to whatever pipes or grooves it is arranged shall be substituted for the wanting octave. Again, these grooves which convey the wind for each note, would require to be larger in the bass than in the treble

portions of the organ, inasmuch as the bass pipes require so much more wind; nevertheless, when the groove would be required very large, it has been found better, for reasons connected with the mechanism in relation to "" touch," to substitute two small or ordinary sized ones, thus avoiding the use of a large unwieldy pallet, instead of which two of the usual dimensions are used, one opening slightly after the other, and thus lightening the touch. Under these circumstances there would be more grooves than there are keys to the clavier.

These grooves, with their divisions, together with necessary framework, form what is most inappropriately termed the sound-board. Inappropriately, inasmuch as there is no sort of connection between it and the sound produced by the pipes. The sound-board is constructed thus: First a number of pieces of wood, called bars, are planed to the thicknesses required, and then they are firmly glued to what forms eventually the top of the sound-board, technically called the table. This top table (TTT, Fig. 14) being of the right size, and of sufficient strength, is

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turned so that its under surface is uppermost, and then the soundboard bars are glued in place, to either end of which are also glued small bits of wood, the width the individual groove is to be, of which each bar forms one side--and So on, a bar and these 'fittings," as the pieces between are termed, alternately, until thə requisite number of grooves or channels has been formed. This done, a narrow piece of wood is glued a little way into each groove, on which is eventually fastened the pallet tail piece. The appearance of the soundboard in this state of advancement would be as seen in Fig. 14 (it being placed in its right position in the cut) where the bars are marked B, and the grooves are left white. The rough edges of the bars being planed, a thick piece of pine or mahogany is glued firmly on the front and back— these are named the sound-board cheeks. The only closing of the bottom of the grooves is a sheet of leather, which is curtailed in breadth, so as not to cover that portion of the grooves which, when in position, is in the wind-chest, and is, consequently, commanded by the pallets. The bars are made of the same length, and are seen to be parallel, but they are thicker in the bass portion than in the treble, that they may the better sustain the pipes above them. When they become thin towards the treble portion, an occasional thick one is interspersed (s, Fig. 14) to add strength as screw bars." Their thickness varies from in. to 2in., their length from 2ft. to 5ft., and their depth from 2in. to 6in.

The end or outside bars are made extra stout to enhance the general stability of the sound-board. The grooves, as has been shown, are required larger in the bass than in the treble portion, thus they also gradually increase in width from left to right. If it should be arranged that there are more stops in the treble of the clavier than the bass, or vice versa, then the grooves must be made large enough to supply the extra pipes, or else two grooves may be used for each note, as mentioned above. Grooves vary from in. to 2in. in breadth, from 2ft. to 5ft. in length, and from 2in. to 6in. depth. If these grooves are not made large enough to supply the pipes they are meant to feed, the pipes not speaking their proper tone are said to rob each other.

If the reeds are to be on a heavier weight of wind than the flue work, each groove is divided across by a piece of wood, as also is the well of the sound-board. A separate pallet for these divisions being added to every note. If it is desired to have the treble on a heavier wind than the bass, it is necessary to divide the sound-board transversely.

The

The sound-board being placed in position, part of the grooves (the open portions) lie over the wind-chest, or well of the sound-board.. wind is commanded in its entrance to these by means of triangular strips of wood, termed pallets, made about in. larger than the hole, and

hinged at the back with leather, over which hinge, to prevent its giving, is placed a piece of wood termed the "pallet tail piece '' (T, Fig. 13) mentioned above. These pallets are commanded by the wire w (Figs. 12 and 13), and, after being pulled down by the key action and released, are replaced over the holes by the action of the spring, R (Fig. 13), slightly assisted perhaps by the force of the compressed wind in the well of the sound-board.

To prevent the pallets slipping on either side, they are guarded by little wires (gg gg, Fig. 12), which allow them only room to move freely down and up. The pallets are bedded with leather to make them airtight, and also to prevent noise in action. They are "lightened off" to a triangular form calculated to offer little resistance to the compressed wind when they are pulled by the key action, which is joined to the wires w (Fig. 12), immediately on their exit from the wind-chest,