Linen and Cotton Cloth, 1 95 



conjecture anv other than this untenable speculation, which, 

 can be brought forv\aid to prop up this favourite proposal, 

 of such '• national consequence to Ireland." 



But will a set uf changes lunsr upon lechuical terms con- 

 vince (he practical bleacher, thai he ought to discard a sub- 

 stance which he has used for vears in whitening the most 

 delicate fabrics, with perfect and proved safety, and to sub- 

 stitute another compound, one of the in£rredients of which 

 he has no known means of procuring at less than one hun- 

 dred times tlie expense of the other? The best magnesia 

 in Ireland cannut be purchased Uix less than 2s. 2rf. per 

 lb.; the worst, \s. bd. Linie is not one farthing per 

 pound. 



It is not possible that Sir Humphry can be ignorant 

 that it is a primary object with the bleaclier, not only to 

 send his goods to market perfectly sound, but to use such 

 an oecoiiomical process as shall enable him to meet his 

 competitors in the market upon equal terms, and adjust his 

 prices to the demand. 



No matter then how apparently eligible any new in- 

 gredient proposed may be, or how applicable to his art ; he 

 is necessitated to decline its use if very expensive, unless 

 he finds it indispensable to his process. 



In treating of the oxymvriate of fotash, an article which 

 is yet ustd in bleaching, and to some extent in this coun- 

 try, the only objection vshich Sir Humphry stated (ioroxy- 

 muriate cf potash has no action on the vegetable fibre) 

 against its use in the general business of bleaching, was its 

 greater expense than oxymvriate >>/' lime. This objection 

 applies with tour-told lorce a; anst the use of oxvmuriate 

 of maoncsia, which would cost four times the price of 

 oxymuriate uf potash, and at least six timeb the expense of 

 oxymuriate of lime! A manutacturer of bleaching salts 

 in this city assures me that the salt of magnesia could not 

 be supplitd to the bleacher for less than 4s. per lb. The 

 salt of lime is only 8d.] And it is a tact worth mentioning, 

 tor the information of Sir llr.mrb'^V, 'hat many bleacliers 

 in Ireland aie resliained tiom even the use of the oxymU" 

 riate of lime, tor no other reason than its hi^'h pi ice ; .so 

 that, when the wtaiher is favourable for whitening, they 

 dej)ei)d entirely upon the oUi process. 



It is not were processes (tor we abound with 'hem), that 

 we waul, to accomplish almost evv-ry tiesideraiiim in the 

 arts, but it is actnimniinl pioctsses. which shall be cun- 

 sisttnt with and apjiiicablc to nractice. If Sir Humphry, 

 or any one else, will furnish the Irish bleachers with. 

 X<j 2 magnesia 



