M7 



CANni.K MANUFACTURE. 



l.LA ALBA. 



Tb it'iistiuction <>f caudles requiring no muffing is, however, now 

 muag many novelties successfully practised. Theae novelties are, 

 indeed, singularly numerous. I'aU-nU bare Iwvn obtained for c.-m.llc.- 

 raade uf palm oil, which u lolid in our climate though liquid '" 

 Africa. Stearine and margarine are also employed for this purpose. 

 Palmer $ candle* are distinguished chiefly by the IIM of a wick u l.i. h . 

 bending out to the hotted part of the flame as it bunu, consumes 

 without the necessity of suuffiug. Hut the chief feature in Palmer's 

 |*tnfai w the use of a candlestick which maintains the candle always 

 at the saute height; there is a spring Iteneath the candle, which 

 pram it upwards with such force, thnt the top of the candle is 

 always maintained on a level with the top of the candlestick, the wick 

 alone protruding. A kind of candle lamp was introduced a few years 

 ago, in which solid tallow is placed within a lamp, and melted as it is 

 required for burning. One of the patent* obtained by Mr. Palmer 

 relates to several improvement! in the manufacture of wicks for 

 candlm The first is the formation of helical or spiral wicks, consisting 

 of a number of strands bound together by cross gymp; with one 

 strand stifler than the rest, to retain the wick in its proper position. 

 The second form consist* of cotton cord, twisted hard and firm. The 

 thin! is the formation of wicks plaited on a wire, which wire is ;it't, r- 

 wards withdrawn to leave a space for capillary action of the melted 

 tallow. The fourth is for coating one of the strands of a wick in a 

 metallic envelop. by dipping it in melted bismuth. Another of 

 I'.diucr's |ntcut relates to the use of a paste of borax, bismuth, flour, 

 .uid charcoal ; when applied to the tiila of wicks, in a stripe or line, 

 it in said to facilitate combustion, and to cause the wick to burn out of 

 the name. 



Mr. Maudslay lion jiateuted a remarkable machine for making candles 

 by a sort ..I till* drawing pn>cess, something akin to the Italian mode 

 of making maccaroni. The tallow or com|>osition is brought to a soft 

 warm paste-like state. and in that state is forced through a tube kept 

 cold by immersion in water; it gradually solidifies during it* passage 

 through the tills- (which is of considerable length, and is coiled round 

 .1 circular vessel), and is discharged into water, where it at once 

 aunics a ~.|j,l form. At one particular point before the tallow has 

 solidified, on end of cotton wick is intiixluced into the tube, and is 

 drawn in and enveloped by the tallow as it passes. The theory of the 

 machine is such that it could produce an end/at candle, which may )* 

 cut by simple machinery to any given length. The machine is remark- 

 ably novel and ingenious in its arrangements. 



The Patent Candle Company's works at Vauxhall and Battersetare 

 interesting, a* showing the application of chemistry and of mechanism 

 on a large scale to this manufacture. The cocoa-nut oil is chiefly pro- 

 cured from Ceylon, but the palm-oil (which is the chief tngraduiri 

 in the patent candle*) from Africa. The palm-oil reaches this country 

 iu a semi-solid state. It is first liquified by pawing a steam- pipe 

 through it; then converted by chemical processes into a colourless 

 concrete mass ; and then cut by a rotatory machine into slices, which 

 are placed one upon another, with cocoa-fibre mats between them, and 

 iioii plates Iwtween the mat*. These bundles are taken to a room 

 where are powerful hydraulic presses, worked by steam power; and 

 this immense pressure U applied, lirnt cold anil then hot, U. force 

 out the oleic acid from the palm-oil, le;mng the solid stearine behind. 

 This stearine, after being again liquified, is in a fit state for use in 

 nuking candles, which is effect'*! by the patent moulding machine. 

 The company -pin their own wicks (29 miles of which form the pre- 

 liminary "cottoning" of one machine), and conduct several other 

 Milridiary arrangements on a large acale. One of the many patented 

 ii..\clti.~ whieh have been brought forward at the Vauxhall works, is 

 a curious method (introduced in 1850), of casing night-lights with a 

 hard material. Stearic acid and white wax are dissolved in spirits of 

 wine; and the night-light*, or any other kinds of candle, arc dipped in 

 the melt.-l e.,m|*isition. They come out with a haul film, which 

 dries at once. Or the solution may be poured into the metal moulds 

 for mould candles, ami then quickly emptied out; it leave < a film 

 lining the inner surface of the mould. The different kind" of candles 

 manufactured at the Vauxhall works, chiefly owing t.. a skilful 

 ihemie.d analysis of various sorts of tallow, fat, and oil, by Mr. (i. F. 

 Wil-on, are singularly numerous. Thcso celebrated caudle -works arc 

 ly the most extensive in the world. Besides large establishment* 

 h.ill ami Rittersva. the Company are owners of another near 

 I" -d. Mr. II. K. Wilson, manager of the company's works, gave 

 the foil, .wing account of the working arrangements iu (8M. " In the 



IMo. from which time I can speak from (terminal 

 S, we employed 71 men and 1" Isiys.and manufactured about 

 Jo ton. of cocoa-nnt candle;, value l.'.!'ii/., and alxmt 12 tons of 



ite candle*, value 1227'.. |-r month. In th- e..n.-s|~.nding 

 maotboi Is.',:,. w. -cmplo.Md lo:.s ,,,,,, .I,,,] ni'l boys and girls; and 

 manufactured < -! ,1 m.- .m.l composite , au.ll. . and oifhl light 



"'., IKT month." They \, .,:,-. ,., have hod, also 

 eetaMiahiiKnU in Ani<a lor procuring and preparing the palm oil. 



I Aiidlcx are occasionally i n as to aid the 



Dealing art. Th< ..... Cheated candles," employed i,,,. r e fie.p.ently on 



nt t l,.ui in Knglaud, arc so prepared as to diffuse the 

 |>M of certain volatile substance* through the air of a loo,,, ; or 

 toactasafuiiiigaUrt-. Mercurial" caudles are made l.y ., combination 

 i'l mlphmct of mercury with wax; they are burned under glass 



funnel, which has an orifice at the top, so shaped as to bring the fumi- 

 gation to bear on a diseased part 



Without deeming it neaessary to describe any of the innumerable 

 forms of candlestick, either as articles of manufacture or as artistic 

 productions, we may say a word concerning the numerous curious little 

 pieces of mechanism patented within the last few years, having for their 

 principal object the mode of adjusting candles in candlesticks. One 

 consist* of a candle shade constructed in a circular ring, which ring is 

 suspended from a conical cap resting on the top of the candle ; as the 

 candle burns this cap sinks with it, and by that means, the shade 

 maintains a constant level relatively to the flame of the candle. 

 Another little piece of apparatus consist* of a wire-frame for support- 

 ing a shade, and which is itself supported by having a sort of circular 

 spring hoop, which clasps the candle. Many varieties of wedges and 

 springs have been devised for fixing candles into the candlesticks. An 

 ingenious self-acting extinguisher for candles was invented a few yean 

 ago, but we believe not patented. A steel spring clasps the candle 

 firmly within its jaws : and the extinguisher is hinged to the handle 

 of this spring by a bent arm. A wire projects from the arm of the 

 extinguisher, and thrust* into the solid jrt of the tallow of the 

 candle. When the candle 1ms burned down so as to soften the tallow 

 around the wire, the latter slips aside by being no longer able to 

 maintain it* position ; and the extinguisher falls over the Maine of the 

 candle. By adjusting the wire to an}' |rticulor distance below the wick, 

 the candle con be extinguished after any pre-arranged lapse of t 



The extent of the candle manufacture in this country is not known. 

 since the removal of the excise duty in 1882 ; in that year the quantity 

 taxed was about 120 millions of pounds. So for as regards export 

 (chiefly stearine, or hard candles, common candles being ill-lit- 

 exportation, except to very cold countries), the following figures have 

 l>eeu exhibited : 



185*5 6,038,881 Ibs. 



1857 .5,fi05,335 



1858 3,061,761 



The years 1866-7 were, from exceptional circumstances, above the 

 ava _'-. 



CANDLEMAS, the popular name for the Feast of the Purification 

 of the Virgin Mary, February 2nd, derived from the lights which were 

 then distributed and carried about in procession. These lights, it 

 should seem, were carried more immediately in allusion to the pro- 

 phetic words of Simeon, who, speaking of the Infant Saviour, pre- 

 sented in the temple at the same time, said he was " a light to lighten 

 the gentiles." Alcuin, ' De Divinis Officiis,' p. 231, says, the candles at 

 the purification were an exchange for the lustration of the pag"", 

 From this ceremony of purification the present religious ceremony of 

 the churching of women after child-birth arose. 



' The Doctrine of the Masse Booke,' Ac., from Wytteuburge, by 

 Nicholas Dorcaster, 8vo, 1554, preserves the prayer for " the hallowing 

 of candles upon Candlemas Day." The candles, having been sprinkled 

 with holy water, were lighted and distributed. They were considered 

 to possess a virt u- suflicicntly powerful to frighten away devils, and to be 

 a charm against thunder and lightning. Stow, in his ' Annuls,' fol., 

 1031 , p. 595, says, " * >n the 2nd of February, 1547-8, being the Keost of 

 the Purification of our Lady, commonly called CUM ,. the 



bearing of candles was left off throughout the whole city of London." 



" There is a general tradition," says Sir Thomas Browne ( Vulgar 

 Errors,' book vi. c. 4), " in most parts of Europe, that inferrctli the 

 coldness of succeeding winter from the shining of the gun on Candlemas 

 Day." A similar notion still prevails in some parts of this country, 

 though it is rather that the succeeding spring will be a cold one. 



Candlemas Day was also called Christ's Presentation, the Holiday of 

 St. Simeon, and,"in the North of England, the Wives' Feast Day. 



It is stated by the author of the ' Knglii-h I-'estyvall,' that the prac- 

 tice was borrowed fn m a pagan custom at Home, of bearing light* in 

 honour of the god Mars, and that i>i>e Sergius commanded that, 

 of the heathen deity, the same ceremonies and the same day 

 should lw consecrated to the Virgin Mary. (Brand's ' Popular Anti- 

 quities.' i-ditcd by Sir Henry Kllis, 1841 ; Brady's ' Clavis C 



i A N I iV. A candy is generally a moss of sugar, to which a peculiar 



quality has been given l.y Imiling with it certain other substances. 



These Hiibst.1' t their taste, their aroma, or their 



medicinal properties, and ma\ be u-ed in anyone of the forms of 



infusion, decoction, tincture, juice, or powder. In such case, the sweet- 



Mowed t" BOM into Hat cakes, or is cast into 



moulds. Another form of candy is that in which the \egetabl. 



stance, whether a fruit, a peel, or any oil i cated as to retain 



its sha|K>. but .it fli> sains tune to assume a eim-traiis|iareiit appear 



licing thoroughly saturated with sugar. In 



one ... other of these forms we find candied almond, angelica, apricot, 

 caraway, citron, lig-. ginger, lion-hound, lemon-peel, orange-peel, 

 orange-flowers, &c. : < , or sugar-candy, is simply sugar 



rendered very pme l>y .n. It is brown, white, or red in 



colour, accoiding a< it H piepared from raw sugar, loaf sugar,or from a 

 syrup coloured by c. -hineal. lio-idcs lieilig used as a sweetmeat, sugar- 

 candy is useful to keep the tin. ..it moist during coughs, and i.s blown 

 into the eyes as a -ent in certain coses. 



i \NKLLA ALBA, a tree growing on the coast of many of the We.- 1 



