80 JAMES MUSPRATT 



prize, for a special commission appointed to 

 examine the various processes, considered 

 those of Malherbe and Athenas the most 

 likely to prove successful, but judged none of 

 the competitors worthy of the reward. 



On the death of his patron and the stop- 

 page of his works Leblanc was thrown into 

 most distressing poverty. For several years 

 he struggled on, and in the year 1806, the 

 works that had been confiscated were returned 

 to him by the Emperor Napoleon ; but the 

 property was useless to him as he had no 

 capital, and with the burden of years and 

 sorrows pressing upon him, he had to seek 

 refuge in the workhouse, where he died by 

 his own hand. 



This is the sad story of the life of the 

 great inventor, whose discoveries have so 

 largely contributed to the wealth and develop- 

 ment of this country. 



The year Leblanc died, works were estab- 

 lished by Payen at Dieuze, to carry out his 

 process, and twelve months afterwards, plate- 

 glass made with soda instead of potash was 

 exhibited by the S. Gobain Plate Glass Co. 



As we have before stated, Losh had 

 started a small work on the Tyne, and 

 Tennant had made a beginning, but only a 



