SUGAR REFINING 81 



But still it is very well done, as also in Paris and other 

 continental countries, especially Holland. 



In this country, on the other hand, the refiner dealt 

 at one time with very low, brown sugars, from Brazil, 

 Manilla, India, even China occasionally, and also with 

 the excellent medium class of muscovado sugar from 

 our West Indian colonies. To refine these sugars large 

 quantities of charcoal were used, a certain proportion 

 of pure white sugar was turned out, and the rest was 

 yellow sugar, greatly in demand as a cheaper form for 

 consumption among the larger class of the population. 

 This was as it should be, and the yellow sugar produced 

 was a very superior article of its kind, and quite unique 

 in the sugar refining industries of Europe. It was, 

 and still is, a speciality of the British market. The 

 American refiners have learned their lesson from us, 

 and make all kinds for all classes of consumers. 



This clearly shows that in studying the art of sugar 

 refining we have to examine two separate industries. 

 Our refiners, working the lower class of sugar, and turn- 

 ing out a considerable percentage of yellow sugar, 

 were content, in the first place, to dissolve the sugar 

 in " melting pans " armed with stirrers, and to run 

 the solution through bags to catch some of the impurities. 

 The clear liquor then went on to the charcoal filters: 

 large, vertical, cylindrical vessels packed with animal 

 charcoal. The liquor, entering brown, came out white 

 at first, then pale yellow, then darker yellow. Numbers 

 of these vessels, containing tons of charcoal, had to be 

 used for the purpose. As soon as the colour of the 

 liquor from the charcoal had deteriorated to a certain 

 point the charcoal cistern was washed out, and the 

 charcoal went to the kilns to be reburned in order to 

 restore to it the power of absorbing colouring matters 

 and other impurities. The liquor was ready for the 



