172 On the Alkalies of Cnvimerce. 



U'hich have' convinced me of the benefits that might be 

 obtained, particularly during a naval war^ which sometimes 

 doubles the price of the American potash. 



Advantages resulting from the Suhsfitution of Salt of Soda 

 in Place of native Soda, 



Among the best processes known for obtaining the salt or 

 carbonate of s-oda, some of them arc susceptible of improve- 

 ments, which have not yet been published. A cbemist, who 

 is unaccustomed to operations on a large scale, will be able 

 to judge which of these processes deserves the preference in 

 point of facility or qeconomy. 



M. Pelletan jun. has presented to the academy of Rouca 

 some salt of soda of his own manufacture. The experi- 

 ments of the committee of which I was a member, and 

 those of some dyers of sca/lct cotton, prove that this salt 

 of soda of M. Pelletan has given results which, in point of 

 beauty, may be compared with those of the best Spanish 

 soda, and that the employment of this salt was much more 

 QEConomical. 



As to its (Economy, we find that this last point depends 

 upon the relative prices of soda and of salt of soda. In all 

 cases, it will depend upon the manufacturers of this salt to 

 preserve to it the particular advantage of a constant degree of 

 alkalinity, while the sodas of commerce often vary among 

 themselves as 1 to 2 : the employj7icnt of salt of soda, there- 

 fore, requires much less workmanship and time. 



Prospect f a speedy Mamfactiite of this Salt of Soda in 

 France upon a very large Scale. 



Several other manufacturing cliemists have proposed the 

 manufacture of salt of soda, the demand for which, if it 

 could supply the place of the soda of Spain in all its appli- 

 cations, might become so extensive, that foreign sodas 

 would fall into disrepute. 



I advised M. Arnaud to send into France the salt of the 

 Spanish sodas deprived of water by desiccation, which 

 would in some measure diminish ihe expense of carriage 



and 



