JAMES MUSPRATT 89 



Mr. Graham's and your letter containing a 

 description of Messrs. Hemming's patent. 

 The only doubt I have of its success, is the 

 difficulty of making apparatus on a large 

 scale where there will not be much greater 

 loss of ammonia than either Jive or ten per 

 cent., but I have no doubt that this may be 

 ultimately obviated, but until I am acquainted 

 with the apparatus, I cannot enter into it. 

 You are aware that Mr. Gossage stated to 

 me that ^500 worth of apparatus would 

 recover the sulphur from our waste, and about 

 ,5,000 now has been expended, and the 

 tenth part of the sulphur is not yet recovered, 

 though we are now nearly at full work; 

 therefore until I have a plan of the intended 

 apparatus, I cannot give an opinion of its 

 feasibility." Further investigations must 

 have been made, for Muspratt decided to 

 erect the necessary plant, to give the process 

 a fair trial; and that it should not fail for 

 lack of ability in the superintendence of it, 

 James Young, Professor Graham's talented 

 assistant, was appointed to take charge of it. 

 Two or three years were devoted to it, but it 

 had to be abandoned, as the Leblanc process 

 turned out its products in much larger 

 quantities, at much less cost. 



