FLUCTUATIONS IN BEET SUGAR. 27 



which had the same fate as the first. In Arehard's 

 report he considered that there could be no donbt that it 

 was possible to extract the sugar from the beet at f. 0.65 

 ($0.13) per kilog. (2.2 lbs.), and if the existing methods 

 were improved upon that this cost would be greatly 

 reduced. A committee was appointed, consisting of 

 Chaptal, Parmentier, and others, to ascertain the truth 

 of this assertion; and unfortunately it was found to 

 be erroneous, as but little over 1 per cent, in sugar had 

 been extracted. Under these conditions, it would have 

 been practically impossible either to sell or manufac- 

 ture. Soon after this J^Tapoleon endeavored to destroy 

 the prosperity of Great Britain by excluding English 

 sugars from the French market. Evidently under these 

 circumstances the possibility of home manufacture be- 

 came more favorable, and a second committee of chem- 

 ists was formed, composed of Chaptal, Crespel, Delesse, 

 Barruel, and Isnard. These gentlemen's ideas com- 

 bined led to many improvements on the processes that 

 had heretofore existed. During this period the Eng- 

 lish made a third attempt to destroy this future in- 

 dustry. Sir Humphry Davy published his work on beet 

 sugar, in which he made most positive assertions that 

 this sugar was far too sour for consumption. Not- 

 withstanding this fact, every power in Europe com- 

 menced taking a most active interest in a scheme, by the 

 application of which in the future, it would be possible 

 to produce at home an article of daily need that formed 

 one of the greatest yearly imports. 



