Pet 
the oxygenated muriatic Acid. 2014 
tion. This was the want of a proper apparatus, not 
for making the acid and combining it with water, 
for this had been supplied in a very ingenious 
manner by Mr. Watt and M. Berthollet ;* but for 
the purpose of immersing and bleaching goods in 
the liquor. The volatility of this acid and its suf- . 
focating vapours prevented its application in the 
way commonly used in dye-houses. Large cisterns 
were therefore constructed, in which pieces of stuff 
* M, Berthollet’s apparatus, however, is too complex 
for the use of a manufactory; Mr, Watt’s is better; but 
a range of four, five, or six hogsheads, or rum-puncheons, 
connected with one another, in the manner of Woulfe’s 
distilling apparatus, is preferable to either of them, Agi- 
tators, on M. Berthollet’s principle, may be applied. The 
retort or matrass should be of lead, standing in a water- 
bath ; its neck should be of sufficient length to condense 
the common muriatic acid, which always comes over, and 
it should form an inclination towards the body of the re- 
tort, so that the condensed acid may return into it. Ibeg 
leave to observe here, that I always found the liquor to 
be strongest when the distillation was carried on very slow- 
ly, I have also found, that the strength of the liquor is 
much increased by diluting the vitriolic acid more than 
is usually done. The following proportions afforded the 
strongest liquor. 
Three parts manganese. 
Eight parts common salt, | 
Six parts oil of vitriol. 
Twelve parts water. 
The proportion of manganese is subject to variation ace 
cording to its quality. , 
