28 On the Process of making Spirits in 



the same time, flowing continuously into a proper receiver. 

 M. Baglioni's first efforts were not quite successful; his 

 machine did not effectually exhaust the wine, and a portion 

 of alcohol was, consequently, lost, by those who adopted 

 his apparatus. 



The idea, however, was followed up by M. Cellier Blu- 

 menthal, who contrived a more perfect machine, and finally, 

 an apparatus was constructed by Dr. Charles Derosne, which 

 completely solved the problem, and which has, perhaps, 

 carried the distilling apparatus to the ne plus ultra of per- 

 fection, so far as relates to the distillation of clear transpa- 

 rent liquors, such as wines usually are.* 



It would take up too much space to give any detailed 

 description of these inventions here, and would, besides, 

 be foreign to the intention of this paper, which is to describe 

 the practice of Great Britain and Ireland. But the reader 

 who feels curiosity on the subject will be amply gratified by 

 consulting Le Normand's Treatise on Distillation, published 

 at Paris in 1824: That of Fried. Hermbstaedt, at Berlin, 

 in 1823: Dubrunfaut's work, published at Paris, 1824; 

 and Peclet's Treatise on Heat, Paris, 1828.f 



Several causes prevented the introduction of these im- 

 provements into the distilleries of Great Britain and 

 Ireland. 



1. The Excise regulations chalked out a particular course 

 in which the distiller should carry on his processes, to which 

 the new machines could not be adapted ; and the heads of 

 the department felt a natural dislike to innovations. 



2. The spirits being made from corn, large quantities of 

 hot water were required for mashing this corn, and the 

 vapours from the common still, during their condensation, 

 heated water for that purpose ; the heat, therefore, was not 

 lost, as in the French wine distilleries, where all the hot 

 water runs to waste, there being no use for it. The saving 

 of fuel, therefore, arising from the use of the improved ap- 



• The fact is disputed as to the original proposer of continuous distillation. 

 Some assert it was M. Blumenthal, not Baglioni : others trace the suggestion 

 farther back than the apparatus' of either ; but it is an undoubted fact that Dr. 

 Derosne was the first that brought the idea into complete practical effect. 



t We are not aware of any work, in English, on this subject, to which our 

 readers could be profitably referred. We believe a part of Dubrunfaut's treatise 

 has been translated by a Mr. Sheridan, but we have not seen the publication. 



