1818.] Mr. H. Tritton's Patent Distilling Apparatus. 445 



to believe that one or more meteoric stones fell during the 

 thunder storm ; for one of the late Marquis of Abercorn's gar- 

 deners told me, he had observed " a large stone about the size 

 of his fist descend in nearly a perpendicular direction, after a 

 very dazzling flash of lightning not followed by thunder." At 

 my request he readily showed the spot on where it apparently 

 fell ; but the place being full of holes, the search was unsuccess- 

 ful ; or it might have fallen into a pond situated close to the 

 place. I, as well as others, after one flash of lightning, heard 

 a noise similar to the firing of a large rocket, or resembling a 

 number of hard substances shot out of a cart. Should the 

 rarity of such violent commotions of the elements in this country 

 render this communication worthy of insertion in your journal, f 

 shall esteem myself happy in having been enabled to witness its 

 effects from nearly the commencement. 



Article XII. 



Mr. Henry Tritton's Patent for an improved Apparatus for 



Distilling. 



The following paper has been put into our hands by the 

 patentee ; and as it relates to a very important branch of manu- 

 facture, we do not hesitate to present it to the attention of our 

 readers. — Ed. 



Those who are acquainted with the ordinary procedure in the 

 operation of distilling, are doubtless aware of the unpleasant 

 flavour more or less belonging to all distilled products. In the 

 best distillation in the common mode, there is in a very percepti- 

 ble degree a fetid smell and flavour ; and it is this which entirely 

 prevents, so long as the common operation is continued, the 

 successful rivalry of our British spirits with those of foreign 

 manufacture. The apparatus for which Mr. Tritton has taken 

 his patent, provides effectually for obtaining a produce divested 

 of any empyreuma, by rendering it impossible for the matter in 

 the still to be burned to the bottom, or overheated. This is 

 accomplished by the transmission of the heat to the still through 

 the medium of a surrounding liquid, as will be seen by reference 

 to PI. LXXX. Where A is the still, LL, IX, outer cases attached 

 to the still by which it is surrounded with water ; now if the 

 outer case in which the still is fixed be placed on the Are, as the 

 still itself is in the usual mode of distilling, it is evident that the 

 matter in the still can never be heated to a higher degree than 

 212°, the greatest heat of the surrounding water. But in the 

 improved apparatus, a much less heat than 212° in the surround- 

 ing water suffices to effect distillation. Generally the necessary 



