METHOD Or BLEACHING P-APER. 119 



jrags which can be ufed to manufacture fine white paper. All 

 the reiidue is condemned to the fabrication of papers of infe- 

 rior quality. 



The procefs of bleaching the pafte of the paper maker, even 

 when produced from the moil common rags, will communi- 

 cate to it the quality of the beil fort. By thefe means our 

 paper manufactories may fupply our wants in fine white paper, 

 and even obtain the preference in foreign markets. The refult 

 of this operation would be, that a greater number of workmen , 

 would find employment, and the advantages of this increafe 

 of induftry would be of ftill greater national value, than even 

 the foreign export which might be expected. 



The fuccefs of bleaching the pafte of paper by the method Aftual trial an* 

 of Citizen Berthollet is no longer problematical. The appli- P raftjc * 4 

 cation which has been made to the paper ufed in making 

 afTignats, has placed this queflion beyond all doubt as to its 

 folution. 



It was at the commencement of the year 2, that the com-i nma kin£pa- 

 mittee of affignats and monies of the National Convention, ofP er for aifignau, 

 which I was a member, refolved to employ this method, to- 

 gether with that of ftereotypage which had been adopted, to 

 oppofe new obftaeles to the practice of forgery, 



We particularly confulted Citizens Berthollet, Fourcroy, 

 and Guyton on this enterprize. Their approbation of the 

 project, and the information they afforded us, loon gave us 

 the power of realifing it. We were alfo afhfted with the 

 knowledge of Citizens Welter, Athenas, Alban, Carny, 

 Marchais and Ribaucour, who with great zeal communicated 

 their procelles, and permitted us to infped their feveral ma- 

 nufactories, 



I mail not here relate all the previous experiments we made Order of narra- 

 before we eftablifhed our works on a large fcale, but mall tion. 

 content myfelf to point out concifely the manner of our com- 

 mencement, the agents we employed, and the means which 

 to us appeared the mod fimple to obtain our defired purpofe. 

 I mall afterwards add a few observations refpecting the means 

 of ftill greater perfection, which the advancement of the fci- 

 ence fince that time has rendered the fame operations capa- 

 ble of. 



Our nrft proceffes were executed precifely according to the _, 

 method of Citizen Berthollet. The rag was fubjecled in bleached at tht 

 | fucceffioii firfttrial * 



