1867.] Engineering— Civil and Mechanical. 401 



course, the proportion of sugar greatly increases. His inference is 

 that the acid is not converted into sugar ; although it may assist 

 in the production. 



The next paper, " On the effects produced by the addition of 

 Plaster of Paris to Must," was also read by Dr. Dupre. Wher- 

 ever wine is made, the makers have the habit of adding plaster of 

 Paris to the grape-juice either before or during the progress of 

 fermentation. The author showed that the effect of this was to 

 remove some of the tartaric, leaving the malic acid, and to introduce 

 into the wine sulphates of potash and lime. He believes wine to be 

 greatly deteriorated by the addition. 



A description of " An Adapter to be used in connection with a 

 Sulphuretted Hydrogen Apparatus," contrived by the Kev. B. W. 

 Gibsone, was then given by the secretary. For this we must 

 refer our readers to the Chemical Journals. 



A valuable paper, "On the Practical Loss of Soda in the 

 Alkali Manufacture," by Mr. C. K. Wright, was then read. The 

 total loss in the process of converting common salt into relined ash 

 is estimated by the author at 24 per cent. Mr. Wright has 

 determined the amount of loss at different stages of the process, and 

 his communication, when published at length, will afford valuable 

 information to all manufacturers of soda. 



6. ENGINEEBING— CIYIL AND MECHANICAL. 



The recent depression in engineering enterprise, consequent on the 

 financial crisis of last year, has not yet recovered so far as to give 

 any impetus to the prosecution of new undertakings. It is true 

 that most descriptions of security have experienced a considerable 

 rise in marketable value, but the public mind has evidently not yet 

 sufficiently recovered from the shock it had received to enable it to 

 look favourably on fresh enterprises as a means for investment, and 

 consequently but few new works of any magnitude have at present 

 any chance of finding supporters in the public money-market. At 

 the same time, the cheapness of money and the abundance of floating 

 capital seeking investment have been sufficient to provide for the 

 completion of many works previously in course of construction. But 

 this has not invariably been the case. The works of the Waterloo 

 and Whitehall, and of the Metropolitan District Kailways, are at 

 present at a standstill, and doubtless many other promising under- 

 takings are similarly languishing for want of funds. 



Amongst the lines of railway recently completed may be men- 

 tioned the Chemin de Fer du Ceinture at Paris, which was opened 

 for passenger traffic throughout on Monday, the 25th February 



