48 JOSIAS CHRISTOPHER GAMBLE 



soda for the alkali manufacture by this 

 process. We believe they found it necessary 

 to suspend the process during the summer, as 

 the conversion of sulphate of manganese into 

 sulphate of soda did not take place except at 

 a winter temperature. When Mr. Gamble 

 was manufacturing chemicals in Ireland, both 

 his raw products of what is now called the 

 soda manufacture, viz : brimstone, and 

 common salt, were subject to heavy duties. 

 A drawback on the brimstone consumed, was 

 refunded upon the affidavit of the manufac- 

 turer, but the excisemen attended the chlorine 

 stills as carefully as they did the stills for 

 making spirits, and saw the salt weighed in 

 and gave a certificate for a return of the 

 duty. It would thus seem that the chemical 

 manufacturer was not subject to the duty on 

 salt, but there were other inconveniences, 

 for it was found the duty-paid salt lost far 

 more by so-called drainage on its voyage 

 from Northwich to Dublin, than it did after- 

 wards when no duty had been paid upon it. 

 In the former case it was worth stealing, and 

 in the latter the temptation was not so great. 

 At the age of forty-four, during the time 

 that he was in business in Dublin, Gamble 

 married Hannah Gower, the daughter of a 



