KIMMERIOGE SHALE. 177 



commencing with a capital of £25,000, and liaving obtained a lease 

 of the cliffs, the}^ erected at Weymouth retorts and other appliances 

 for the manufactory of varnish, paint, lubricating grease, pitch, 

 naphtha, and paraffin. The shale was subjected to destructive 

 distillation, and after the volatile products had been driven off, 

 an average of about 10 per cent, was left as residuum. The retorts 

 were then emptied and the coke thrown into ovens to prevent 

 volatilization of the ammonia. The ammoniacal liquor and the tar 

 were then mixed with the coke, and a manure was produced equal, 

 it was said, to Ichabod Guano. 



It was not long before an action was commenced against the 

 company for an infringement on Young's Patent. On the 

 hearing of the case Vice-Chancellor Stuart ruled that the manu- 

 facture of offensively smelling and unmarketable oils could not 

 be held to be an anticipation of Young's process. During the 

 trial there was an attempt to identify Kimmeridge Shale with 

 coal, but as it was not an element in the trial the question was not 

 argued. 



The company carried on the works with every appearance of 

 success, but, owing to the capital of the money being locked up, 

 and an indictment for a nuisance being preferred against it at 

 this crisis, added probably to defects in the process adopted, the 

 affairs were wound up on the 7th March, 1854. 



The property then passed into the hands of Messrs. Ferguson and 

 j\Iuschamp, and the works were removed from Weymouth to 

 Wareham with the object of develoj^ing the manurial value of the 

 shale. To attain this Icwt. of sulphuric acid and 3cwt. of water 

 were added to a ton of residuum taken from the retorts, instead of 

 the tar and ammoniacal liquor, and the distillation was effected at 

 a low temperature, by which the destruction of the organic matter 

 which impregnated the shale was avoided. A quantity of manure 

 produced under this treatment was sold at the rate of £i a ton. 

 Testimonials came in on all sides speaking favourably of the 

 superior quality of the manure, especially in its prevention of the 

 wire-worm, grub, and larva\ 



