88 JAMES MUSPRATT 



heavy weather the gases condensed and fell, 

 doing great mischief over a large area. 



In 1836 Gossage brought out his coke 

 tower condenser, and Muspratt was one of 

 those to whom he specially commended it as 

 the apparatus which was absolutely indis- 

 pensable to him. Muspratt, however, was 

 incredulous ; he did not quite believe in the 

 power of large moistened surfaces to con- 

 dense the acids, he thought large quantities 

 of water were necessary, and Gossage used 

 to enjoy relating how he said : " Sure, all the 

 waters of Ballyshannon itself, would not 

 suffice to condense the acid I make." 



Whilst his sons were in London, Hemming 

 and Dyer were working at their ammonia 

 process which was brought under the notice 

 of James Muspratt, who requested Professor 

 Graham to investigate it for him. Graham's 

 report was favourable, but the following 

 letter from James Muspratt to his son, shows 

 how truly he estimated the mechanical 

 difficulties, which neither James Young, nor 

 William Gossage, nor Henry Deacon were 

 able to surmount. There was no date to the 

 letter, but it was probably written in 1837, 

 the year before Hemming and Dyer took out 

 their patents ; he writes: "I have received 



