VOL. XLV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. flip 



of 6 copper-plates, exhibiting different views of salt-houses, instruments, &c, 

 necessary to the preparation of salt. It is also enriched with notes of great im- 

 portance to the work, not only of the author's, but also from the Phil. Trans. 

 Medical Essays, Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, Pliny, 

 Agricola, Alonso Barba, Ramusio, Boyle, Hoffman, Lister, Herrera, Dampier, 

 Baccius, Pomet, Marsilli, Plot, Scheuchzer, Hales, Rastel, Leigh, Boerhaave, 

 Shaw, and others. 



That this art was capable of great improvements, especially as practised in 

 Great Britain, was the sentiment of this Society soon after its institution; at 

 which time its members were very intent on bringing it to a greater perfection; 

 as may be gathered from the inquiries and suggestions of Dr. Beal, and the his- 

 tories of several methods of making salt, which then were published by the So- 

 ciety. And though the English have, since that time, considerably improved 

 their method of boiling salt; yet this art is still practised with greater skill and 

 success by the Dutch, as the superior goodness of the fish, cured with their salt, 

 sufficiently proves. 



The commons of Great Britain, having taken into consideration the great 

 importance of this art, judged some proposed improvements worthy their regard 

 andencouragment; well knowing, that could this be brought to the same per- 

 fection in Britain as in some neighbouring countries, large sums of money might 

 be saved in the nation, which are now paid to the French and others; its fisheries 

 improved, and its navies and commerce, and many of its richest colonies, would 

 no longer depend on its enemies for one of those necessaries, without which they 

 cannot be supported. 



These considerations have induced our author to give a brief account of the 

 various methods of making salt, which are now used in Great Britain, and in 

 other countries, where this art is practised with more success; and also to attempt 

 several further improvements for the use of the British Dominions. The prin- 

 cipal conclusions, deduced from a variety of observations and experiments, by 

 our author, are as follows: 1 . That, by the methods here proposed, an excellent 

 bay-salt may be made in Britain in very large quantities, so as to be afforded 

 cheaper than at the prices paid for foreign salt; and that the British colonies in 

 America may very commodiously be supplied with bay-salt of their own manu- 

 facture, without having recourse for it to the French, Spanish, and Portuguese. 

 2. That, by the methods here proposed, an excellent kind of refined white salt 

 may be made in Britain, as well from sea-water and rock-salt, as from natural 

 brine, in any quantity wanted, so as to be afforded cheaper than foreign bay-salt; 

 and which will also be better for curing fish, flesh, and other provisions. 



Our author, treating of salt in general, takes notice of its excellence and use- 

 fulness; and that it has pleased the Author of nature to provide mankind with 



