the late Samuel Parkes, Esq. • 5^ 



tion of which had been attended with the most successful and 

 beneficial results. 



Besides these standard works, he was a frequent contributor 

 of papers to the different j)eriodical scientific publications, 

 and to the numerous societies of which he was a member. 

 The readers of this Journal must be familiar with his articles, 

 as it is a work for which he always professed the highest 

 regard ; and perhaps the Royal Institution possessed no mem- 

 ber more warmly attached to its interests, or a more zealous 

 supporter of the objects for which it was established. 



The Highland Society of Scotland presented him with a 

 silver inkstand for his essay " On the comparative value of 

 Kelp and Barilla, describing the component parts of each, and 

 the various uses to which they may be advantageously applied." 

 The Caledonian Horticultural Society also awarded him a 

 silver cup, in token of their approbation of his '* Essay on the 

 use of Salt in Horticulture." 



In June, 1808, he was examined before the West Indian 

 Committee of the House of Commons, relative to the uses of 

 sugar in fattening cattle ; but more particularly on the preven- 

 tion of frauds upon the revenue, by the mixture of different 

 substances with it, to hinder it from being used for domestic 

 purposes, or for distillation, but at the same time without 

 injuring its nutritive qualities. His evidence, detailing at 

 length his experiments and opinions on this subject, was after- 

 wards published in the Philosophical Magazine : the paper 

 contained much very interesting and novel matter, and gained 

 him great credit with the public. 



The investigation of the various uses of salt, and his anxious 

 wish for the abolition of the salt duties, were objects of his 

 most persevering and unremitting attention for a long series of 

 years. In 1817, he first turned the notice of the public 

 seriously to the subject, by the publication of his " Thoughts 

 on the Laws relating to Salt." In this work he describes the 

 numerous and important uses of salt in agriculture, in feeding 

 cattle, and in the manufactures of muriatic acid, oxymuriatic 

 acid, soap, and soda, with the great advantages which would 

 be derived if it were lawful to fabricate barilla and alkali by 

 the decomposition of sea-salt, without payment of duty : he 



