$i6 An Ejfay on Bleaching. 



an excellent method, as it completely renews the furfaces, 

 and calls forth the whitcnefs in a more uniform manner. 

 When it is requifite to render the cloth tit for certain mar- 

 kets, it is neceifary to give it a blueim tint, which is done by 

 diluting a little indigo" in water till the wifiied-for {bade U 

 obtained. 



CONCLUSION. 



A plain comparifon of the procefs of bleaching by fleam 

 with the others above defcribed will prove its great fuperiority 

 in regard to faving of time, materials, fuel, and manipula* 

 jtions, independently of the advantage of not injuring the 

 fluffs : but there is (till an application of this principle highly 

 important, which concerns all claffes of fociety — I mean the 

 bleaching of linen. Here no other ageqt is required than 

 the mere action of (team ; an agent much more powerful and 

 more efficacious than the leys and foapy water employed by 

 washerwomen. This procefs prefents alfo the invaluable ad- 

 vantage of preferring the linen longer, as it is not neceffary 

 to rub it with violence, which is done in the ufual manipu- 

 lations merely to fave foap and aflies. An apparatus iimilar 

 to that at Troyes, on the frames of which the linen might 

 be placed, and then expofed to the fleam of ley of a fourth of 

 a degree only, would be fuffieient to diffolve completely the 

 impurities with which it is charged; and by then rinfing it 

 in running water, or in water (lightly faponaceous, all thq* 

 (dirt would be removed, and complete whitenefs obtained. 



It belongs to public functionaries to adopt this procefs, 

 and to apply it in hofpitals and other eftablifhments, where 

 it would be attended with a considerable faving. 



I (hall obferve before I conclude, that experience mud de- 

 cide whether the apparatus I propofe for bleaching woollen 

 cloth and ftuffs by the vapour of ammonia, might not be 

 employed as well as the other kinds of apparatus for bleaching 

 linen cloth. The condenied fleam, by again returning into 

 the boiler, affords the means of totally exhaufting the ley, 

 and of uiing the very laft portion of the alkaline fubftances, 



Further Explanation of the Apparatus. 



The apparatus employed in Ireland for preparing the oxy- 

 genated muriatic acid, and the oxygenated muriate of lime, 

 (lee 1-iate IV. loweit figure) is as follows: 



a the aih-hole; b, place for the tire; c } the door for the 

 fuel; d, entrance of aih-hole, where a regitier is pofited to 

 regulate the draught of air; e, a caft iron boiler, in which is 

 placed a leaden alembic, gg } on an iron trivet f\ b, a glafs 



