TENNANT. 123 



for which he took out a patent, consisted in the substitution of lime 

 for potash. His patent right was, however, resisted by certain of 

 the bleachers of Lancashire, and was set aside by the verdict of a 

 jury, on the grounds that the patent included a mode of ' bucking' 

 with quicklime and water, which was not a new invention ; and 

 because one part of the patent was not new, the whole of the claim 

 must be set aside. By this decision the use of liquid chloride of 

 lime in bleaching was thrown open to all ; and through an unfortu- 

 nate error of expression in describing his process, Mr. Tennant was 

 deprived of the fruits of a laborious investigation extending over a 

 period of several years. This subsequently caused a strong feeling 

 of sympathy to be manifested for him by many of the bleachers of 

 Lancashire, who, as an expression of their grateful acknowledgment, 

 presented him with a service of plate, which he accepted. Mr. 

 Tennant, however, in accordance with the character of his original 

 design, determined to press onward with his discoveries, and to 

 bring, if possible, his first invention to a still more practical issue. 

 He therefore adopted a new method, and at length completed and 

 secured by patent a process for impregnating quicklime in a dry- 

 state with chlorine, which proved perfectly successful ; this, his 

 second patent, remained uncontested, and he lived to secure a large 

 pecuniary reward. 



Mr. Tennant's discoveries, together with the introduction of soda- 

 ash or ' British soda,' in place of potash, greatly facilitated and 

 cheapened the process of bleaching, while the introduction of me- 

 chanical appliances and the power of the steam-engine superseded 

 the previous laborious operations by hand. The result has been 

 that the same amount of bleaching is now performed in as many 

 days as was formerly performed in weeks, while the price has been 

 reduced from 7s. 6d. (1803) to 6d. (1861) for a piece of cloth of 

 28 yards. 



In the year 1800 Mr. Tennant removed from Darnly to St. Eollox, 

 Glasgow, where he commenced business as a large manufacturing 

 chemist, taking into partnership Mr. Charles Mackintosh, Mr. Wil- 

 liam Cowper, and Mr. James Knox. During the remainder of his 

 life Mr. Tennant devoted himself with energy to the forwarding of 

 his business, and ultimately caused his manufactory to become the 

 largest and most extensive of its kind in Europe. He also took 

 considerable interest in the politics of the day. His principles were 

 those of an intelligent and liberal-minded reformer, and he was long 

 looked up to as one of the leading men of his party, although the 

 least tainted by mere party spirit or selfishness. Mr. Tennant was 

 likewise conspicuous in his promotion of many public undertakings. 

 He took a deep interest in the furtherance of the railway system ; 

 the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway may be said to owe its origin 

 and completion almost entirely to him, while his invincible industry 

 and perseverance contributed greatly towards the establishment of 



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