TEREDO. 165 



considerable decay from being exposed to the corrosive 

 action of the London atmosphere, as well as from an 

 inherent defect in the material; and time will show 

 which of these preparations is the best preventive. I 

 recommended Ransomed process in the discussion of the 

 Teredo question at the Oxford Meeting of the British 

 Association in 1860. Messrs. Peacock and Buchan 

 about the same time invented and patented a composi- 

 tion for protecting wood-bottomed vessels from injury 

 by marine animals. This is said to form by a chemical 

 combination with sea- water an unctuous or slimy pellicle, 

 and to succeed admirably in preventing the growth of bar- 

 nacles and similar incrustations by which ships become 

 fouled ; but I am not aware of its utility with regard to 

 the present question. The popular notion is that the 

 barnacle and shipworm are the same animal, the one 

 being the part outside, and the other that which is in- 

 side the wood. Another remedy which has been pro- 

 posed, is to infiltrate the wood with silicate of lime ; but 

 I fear this would be too expensive for harbour piles. 

 Mr. William Hutton, of Hartlepool, has taken out a 

 patent of this nature. Although it was principally in- 

 tended to prevent the ravages of Limnoria lignorum (a 

 small crustacean belonging to the class Isopoda, which 

 I have before mentioned) , it would also serve as a safe- 

 guard against the Teredo. Mr. Button's plan is to 

 harden the wood by forcing it into a solution of silex 

 with muriate of lime. Perhaps the cost of his process, 

 but not its efficacy, might be lessened by applying the 

 solution in the form of a wash with a brush, instead of 

 infiltrating the wood by means of mechanical power. 

 The pores of the outer layer would probably be thus 

 penetrated to a sufficient depth, and the remedy be 

 equally complete. 



