1879. J on a Nciv Chemical Industry. 58 



To these bodies the uames of methylamine, di-methylamine, and 

 tri-iuethylamiue were given. They resemble ammonia in bein^j 

 volatile alkaline liquids or gases, which combine with acids to form 

 crystalline ami well-defined salts. 



Hitherto these compound ammonias have been chemical curiosities ; 

 they have, however, recently become, as has so often been the case in 

 other instances, of great commercial importance, and are now manu- 

 factured on a large scale. 



We are all well aware that the French beet-root sugar industry is 

 one of great magnitude, and that it has been largely extended in late 

 years. In this industry, as in the manufacture of cane sugar, large 

 quantities of molasses or treacle remain behind after the whole of the 

 crystallizable sugar has been withdrawn. These molasses are in- 

 variably employed to yield alcohol by fermentation. The juice of 

 the beet, as well as that of cane sugar, contains, in addition to the 

 sugar, a large quantity of extractive and nitrogenous matters, together 

 with considerable quantities of alkaline salts. In some sugar-pro- 

 ducing districts the waste-liquors or sjjent-wash from the stills — 

 called vinasses in French — are wastefully and ignorantly thrown away, 

 instead of being returned to the land as a fertilizer, and thus the soil 

 becomes impoverished. In France it has long been the custom of the 

 distiller to evaporate these liquors (vinasses) to dryness, and to calcine 

 the mass in a reverberatory furnace, thus destroying the whole of the 

 organic matter, but recovering the alkaline salts of the beet-root. In 

 this way 2000 tons of carbonate of potash are annually produced in 

 the French distilleries. For more than thirty years the idea has 

 been entertained of collecting the ammonia-water, tar, and oils which 

 are given off when this organic matter is calcined, but the practical 

 realization of the project has only quite recently been accomplished, 

 and a most unexpected new field of chemical industry thus opened 

 out, through the persevering and sagacious labours of M. Camille 

 Vincent, of Paris. 



The following is an outline of the process as carried out at the 

 large distillery of Messrs. Tilloy, Delaune, and Co., at Courrieres. 

 The spent-wash having been evaporated until it has attained a specific 

 gravity of 1*31, is allowed to run into cast-iron retorts, in which it is 

 submitted to dry distillation. This process lasts four hours ; the 

 volatile products pass over, whilst a residue of porous charcoal and 

 alkaline salts remains behind in the retort. The gaseous products 

 given off during the distillation are passed through coolers, in order 

 to condense all the portions which are liquid or solid at the ordinary 

 temperature, and the combustible gases pass on uncondensed and 

 serve as fuel for heating the retorts. 



The liquid portion of the distillate is a very complex mixture of 

 chemical compounds, resembling in this respect the corresponding 

 product in the manufacture of coal gas. Like this latter, the liquid 

 distillate from the spent-wash may be divided into 



1. The ammonia-water. 



2. The tar. 



