144 ANDREAS KURTZ 



chamber they were removed to the raised 

 part, where the heat was greater than at the 

 other end, and there dried or roasted. 

 Gamble stated " that instead of the brick 

 furnaces hitherto employed for the decomposi- 

 tion of common salt, and for its conversion 

 into sulphate of soda, he had found that iron 

 retorts, constantly employed at an elevated 

 temperature, may be advantageously sub- 

 stituted for that purpose, the muriatic acid 

 disengaged effectually, and condensed by the 

 receiver hereafter described." He then 

 describes his apparatus as "consisting of two 

 iron retorts, each having a separate furnace 

 (grate), one for decomposing the salt, the 

 other for finishing and roasting the sulphate 

 of soda. The materials when decomposed 

 were to be pushed from one retort into the 

 other along an inclined plane." Gamble 

 proceeded, " I do not claim the exclusive use 

 of iron retorts, but I do claim as my invention 

 iron retorts worked in connection with each 

 other as described." 



Now Kurtz had used for making sulphate 

 of soda, two chambers, one of iron and one 

 of brick, both connected by an opening, 

 through which the materials when decom- 

 posed in one could be pushed into the other 



