WILLIAM GOSSAGE 7 



its absorption, and as the fluid descended 

 through the tower, it met with more gas, and 

 gradually became charged to saturation ; whilst 

 in the upper portion of the tower, any gas 

 which might otherwise escape was exposed to 

 the absorbing power of unacidulated water. 

 But for this invention, the blasting vapours 

 of muriatic acid which were turned out from 

 every alkali works, would have made the soda 

 maker such an intolerable nuisance that he 

 would have been suppressed as a public 

 enemy no locality would have tolerated his 

 existence. To William Gossage, then, is 

 due the honour of having invented one of 

 those simple contrivances which saved from 

 extinction a trade, the growth of which has 

 contributed largely to the nation's prosperity. 

 The invention of 1836 paved the way for 

 the passing of the great "Alkali Act" of 1863, 

 and its successors ; so that now a chemical 

 works may be planted almost in the heart of 

 an agricultural district, the condensation of 

 its most destructive gases being absolutely 

 perfect. But it was not only the prevention 

 of the destruction of vegetation, and of injury 

 to health and comfort which this invention 

 achieved, it economised what had before been 

 a waste-product, and contributed in a very 



