Among the various architectural supeiiorities in which the cities of Russia rejoice, may be enumerated the manner in which their roots bid defiance to Jupiter Pluvius. Till very lately Russia, like Germany, was sheltered under thatch, tiles, and slates, but since whole mountains of iron have been discovered on the estates of the Demidoffs, and the Jakovleffs, this metal is used more and more as a shield against the attacks of rain and hail. The manner of construction is this. Large plates of iron are laid Upon the rafters, lapping over each other, and soldered together at the edges. On the sides of the rafters they are made fust, but nowhere else : in other respects, the whole roof rests loosely iqion the house. Holes pierced for nails are found to diminish the durabllitv. These roofs are commonly painted green. As a frequent renewal of this paint is necessary to the preservation of tho roof, they have usually a bright and new appearance. These iron roofs last more than twice as long as tiles, and do not cost twice as mucli (the dui^ation of one is reckoned at 20, the other at
50 years). The iron-roofs, moreover, are lighter than any other. In case of tire, however, they are more dangerous, as they heat sooner, and are more difficult to remove. All the Russian iron roofs are inclined at a very slight angle, and indeed look almost flat like the Italian roofs. In summer, moreover, they are as hot as the piombi of Venice, and in winter as cold as an ice cave among the glaciers ; yet in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Odessa, and all the chief cities of European Russia, except the Polish and German cities, and even in the new towns of Siberia, the greater part of the better houses (those belonging to the government always) are provided with these convenient, elegant, flat, green roofs.
THE FATHER OF THE RUSSIAN FLEET.
The little boat which Peter the Great assisted to build with his own hands for the purpose of navigating the Neva during the building of St. Petersburg and of his larger vessels ; that little reed first cast by him upon the waters of the Baltic, which has since made so usurious a return, this Father of the Russian Fleet, as it is called in St. Petersburg, lies in the fortress under a small hut. It is well done of the Russians to honour and preserve it ; well done, that when it is brought from its abiding-place, it should be saluted by the thunder of the whole fleet, as when a prince shows himself to his people ; but it is very ill done to paint, renew, and furbish up this relic as they do. They have planed and whitened away the old soil left by Peter's hands, they have removed the old copper that Peter himself nailed on, and put some that is bright and clean in its place ; there is nothing dusty or old-looking about it.
If it were impossible to leave it as we do an old flag, quite untouched, because it was desirable to keep it water-tight, the sails, flags, and tackle, that Peter had himself so often worked, might have been patched, but all this has been put aside, and every thing made spick and span new. Why do they not also give orders to scrape, turn, and polish the bones of the martyrs in the churches. In matters of faith or superstition, the Russians adhere to what is old, but not so by an historical idea.
The vessel is thirty feet long, eight feet broad, and can spread three sails. In the stem of the vessel is an image carved in wood, representing a long-bearded Russian pope stretching out his hand over the sea, blessing and consecrating it, that it may bear the Russian fleet, typified in some rude carvings of ships leaving the harbour.
Close to the " Father of the Fleet" stands the Grandmother of the houses of St. Petersburg, the small wooden cottage which Peter built for himself by the Neva, till a more splendid dwelling could be erected. It is twenty feet high, forty long, the inner walls covered with canvass, and stands opposite the summer and winter palaces.