oJFhfiOll. 261 



Cess h6 had abandoned, and returned to the old practice. He 

 had no process hke that now under consideration in operation at 

 present. At one time he had three pans, in which the sugar was 

 boiled by heated oil, but he gave the system up. 



Re-examined. — He abandoned that principle because the smell 

 of the oil was unpleasant. That defect was now, however, com- 

 pletely cured ; and he had no doubt but that he should abandon 

 the old plan, and adopt the improved new one. 



Robinson stated, that he had been a sugar-refiner for 



25 years, and was well acquainted with the old mode of refining 

 sugar, which was attended with considerable danger. It required 

 infinite vigilance to prevent the recurrence of danger. The danger 

 was likelv to arise from the boiling over of the sugar. If it boiled 

 over, and came in contact with the fire, or if the sugar fell into 

 the ashej, which were exceedingly hot, the danger was most im- 

 minent. He conceived that there was nmch leas risk with Mr. 

 Wilson's method. While the vessel which contained the oil re- 

 mained entire, there could be no danger. The present plan re- 

 quired much less vigilance and attention to prevent accident than 

 the old one. Witness did not boil his sugar according to Mr. 

 Howard's plan, but according to the ancient method. He knew 

 of sugar-houses having been burned down, but had never once 

 ascertained the exact cause. The floors cf sugar-liouses were sa- 

 turated with sugar, and the timber was necessarily extremely dry, 

 in consequence of the intense heat tliat was obliged to be used. 



William Domford was present, after the fire, when the ruins 

 were examined. The vessel in wliich the oil had been contained 

 appeared to be scarcely injured. Witness was acquainted with 

 the business of sugar-refining ; and, on looking to the model ex- 

 hibited in court, had no hesitation in stating it as his opiiiion 

 that the new plan for refining sugar was n)uch safer than the 

 old; first, because much less fire was used; and, next, because 

 the flame was not suffered to come in contact with the vessel. 

 Another reason was, because, when mischief was apprehendeil, 

 the suppiv of heated oil ruight be immediately stopped. In the 

 old course there were no such advantages. One of the great dan- 

 gers of the old plan was, that an inflammable vapour was pro- 

 duced, which was liable to take fire. Sugar boiled at about 344 de- 

 grees of heat would, he !)clievcd, produce a permanent inflammable 

 gas. He did not know what heat would produce a permanent 

 inflammal)le gas from oil. Ft would, however, require a mueh 

 greaterdegree of heat to produce vapour, or inflammable gas, from 

 oil than from sugar. In his opinion it would certainly require 

 582 degrees of heat to form gas from oil. Witness did not know 

 whether the nature of oU was renderetl more inflammaljle by bo- 



■ ing 



