342 Of the Use of Steam 



duced, but by supposing them to have been owing to 

 the high temperature of the steam which rose from this 

 strong lixivium ; and as steam, at a high temperature, 

 might easily be procured and applied to the linen with- 

 out the use of the alkali, I thought it would be worth 

 while to try the experiment with hot steam produced 

 from pure water. I mentioned this idea to Mr. Duffin, 

 Secretary of the Linen Board in Ireland, who is himself 

 concerned, in an extensive way, in the bleaching business, 

 who has promised to make some experiments on this 

 subject, which I took the liberty to point out and to 

 recommend to him as being likely to lead to interesting 

 results. 



Meditating on the various uses to which hot or 

 (which is the same thing) strong steam might be applied, 

 it occurred to me that it would probably be found to be 

 extremely useful in alum works, for concentrating the 

 liquor from which alum is crystallized. There are, as 

 is well known, many difficulties attending the evapora- 

 tion and concentration of that liquid ; and it is never 

 done without occasioning a very considerable expense, 

 as well for fuel, of which large quantities are consumed, 

 as also on account of the frequent repairs of the pans, 

 which are found to be necessary. 



Most, if not all these difficulties might, I think, be 

 avoided by introducing strong steam into this liquor, 

 instead of concentrating it over a fire. This concen- 

 tration might certainly be effected as well, and probably 

 better and more expeditiously, by using hot steam, than 

 by the immediate use of the heat of a fire, and the 

 expense occasioned by the wear and tear of the apparatus 

 would, no doubt, be much less in the former case than 

 in the latter ; and if it should be found (which is not 



