ON THE PAPER MANUFACTURE. 391 



The hali-stuff destined for fine papers, after being discharged from the 

 breaking engine, and having parted by drainage with the bulk of its 

 water, is either filled into what is termed a poaching-engine, or is put into 

 the bleaching cisterns direct. In the former case the chemical is tho- 

 roughly mixed with the stuff before it reaches the cistern, whilst in the 

 latter the chemical is left to reach the underlying stuff by percolation. 

 It is obviously important that the half-stuff should be brought into 

 regular contact with the chemicals ; and as chlorine is a heavy gas, slow 

 of voluntary evolution, a great deal of difficulty is experienced in getting 

 an average colour in cases where the poaching-engine has been dispensed 

 with. In our opinion, the most scientific method of bleaching is the 

 injection of carbonic acid gas into a circular vessel containing the half- 

 stuff floating in a dilute solution of chloride of lime. By this means the 

 elimination of the gas is regularly effected ; and the stuff being kept in 

 constant motion by means of an agitator, secures the fair distribution of 

 the bleaehing agent. The best way to use bleaching powder is in clear 

 solution, the strength of which should be known in order to regulate 

 the quantity applied ; but not less important is its eradication from the 

 stuff when the bleaching process has sufficiently far advanced. Many 

 persons still use sulphuric acid for this purpose, regardless of the danger 

 of its subsequent liability to concentrate, should the smallest quantity 

 remain in the stuff, a solution of Sulphite of soda is the best and 

 most scientific. Gas bleaching is still extensively used, but we are of 

 opinion that the damage done to the fibre more than counterbalances 

 any advantage which may be gained by a saving of time. 



In paper mills it is customary to run the machinery night and day 5 

 and the amount of continuous labour the work-people undergo is 

 startling. For example, we have seen men refuse to work during 12 

 hours and rest the remaining 12, insisting on the privilege of working 

 24 hours on and 24 hours off. At the rag-engines the men work even 

 longer than this at times, without any visible effect on health. Large 

 quantities of paper are made by some of the large makers — as much as 

 300 tons per month by one firm alone. An idea would seem to have 

 gained some currency that the process of conversion of rags into paper 

 occupies only a very few minutes of time. Nothing can possibly be 

 more erroneous, as it takes 24 hours, more or less, from the time of 

 unpacking the rags to the appearance of finished paper in the salle. 

 Comparing papers of English manufacture with foreign makes, we are 

 unable to discover any good ground of alarm from excess of importation. 

 Our papers are, somehow, characteristic. Neither the Belgian nor 

 French makers can approach us in quality and price in our market, if 

 we only choose to keep the pas. Hitherto the fear of foreign invasion 

 has certainly acted as an incentive to improvement in almost every 

 branch of the manufacture. Tinting printing sorts is becoming rather 

 general, and we are glad to see anything like an exhibition of taste 

 coming from within. In coloured sorts the foreign makers are rather 



