WOOL. 
Berthollet in his beautiful researches on 
animal matter; and the great solvent 
power of the caustic fixed alkalies, has 
been happily applied to some use by M. 
Chaptal as a saponaceous compound. 
Wool in the state in which it is taken 
from the sheep is always mixed with a great 
deal of dirt and foulness of different kinds, 
and in particular is strongly imbued with a 
natural strong smelling grease. These im- 
purities are got rid of by washing, fulling, 
and con)bing, by which the wool is render- 
ed remarkably white, soft, clean, light, and 
springy under the hand. Wlien boiled in 
water for several hours in a common ves- 
sel, wool is not in any way altered in 
weight or texture, nor does the water ac- 
quire any sensible impregnation. 
The action of the nitric acid on wool is 
very curious. When cold, this acid only 
disengages a large quantity of azotic gas, 
but when warmed, much nitrous gas is 
given out, and at least two new acids are 
formed, viz. the malic and the oxalic, the 
latter is in greater abundance than even 
from sugar and nitrdus acid, or any other 
hydro-carhonous basis. A small scum of a 
peculiar oil always arises during the ac- 
tion of nitrous acid on thesp animal sub- 
stances. 
The carbonated alkalies have little ac- 
tion on wool, but the caustic fixed alkalies 
when digested with it speedily weaken its 
fibre, reduce it to a soft gelatinous pulp, 
and finally make a perfect solution. The 
alkali at the same time loses its alkaline pro- 
perties as it does in common soap. This 
saponaceous solution of wool is made for 
experiment in a few minutes by boiling bits 
of wool or flannel in a caustic alkaline so- 
lution, and it has been recommended by 
Chaptal to be employed instead of common 
soap in cleansing cotton and other goods in 
manufactures, as by this means a number of 
refuse bits and clippings of wool and wool- 
len cloth which are now thrown away n»ay 
be put to^some use. This soapy solution 
does not lather well when agitated with wa- 
ter, nevertheless it acts very powerfully in 
cleaning cloth. It has a strong and some- 
what ofiensive smell, which is left at first 
in the cloth, but goes off by short exposure 
to the air. 
Wool, either in a raw or manufactured 
state, has always been the principal of the 
staple articles of this country. The price 
of wool was, in very early times, much 
higher, in proportion to the wages of labour, 
the rent of land, and the price of butchers’ 
meat, than at present. It was, before the 
time of Edward III., always exported raw, 
the art of working it into cloth and dying 
being so imperfectly known, that no per- 
sons above the degree of working people 
could go dressed in cloth of English manu- 
facture. I 
The first steps taken to encourage the 
manufacture of woollen cloths was by Ed- 
ward III., who procured some good work- 
men from the Netherlands, by means of 
protection and encouragement. The value 
of wool was considered as so essentially so- 
lid, that taxes were vested in that commo- 
dity, reckoning by the number of sacks ; 
and in proportion to the price of the neces- 
saries of life, and value of silver, wool was 
at least three times dearer then, than it is 
now. The manufacturing of cloth being 
once introduced into the country, the po- 
licy of preventing the exportation of the 
raw material was soon evident ; and the 
first act was that of Henry IV. c. 2, by 
which the exportation of sheep. Iambs, or 
rams is forbidden, under very heavy penal- 
ties. 
By statute 28 George III. all former sta- 
tutes respecting the exportation of wool 
and sheep are repealed, and numerous re- 
strictions are consolidated in that statute. 
By this act, if any person shall send or re- 
ceive any sheep on board any vessel, to be 
carried out of the kingdom, such vessel 
shall be forfeited, and the person so of- 
fending shall forfeit Si. for every sheep, 
and suffer solitary imprisonment for three 
months. But wether sheep, by a licence 
from the collector of the customs, may be 
taken on board, for the use of the ship’s 
company ; and every person who shall ex- 
port any wool, or woollen articles .slightly 
made up, so as easily to be reduced again 
to wool, or any fuller’s earth, or tobacco- 
pipe clay ; and every carrier, ship own6'‘> 
commander, mariner, or other person, who 
' shall knowingly assist in ervporting, or at- 
tempting to export, these articles, shall 
forfeit 3s. for every pound weight, or the 
sum of 501. in the whole, at the election of 
the prosecutor, and shall also suffer soli- 
tary imprisonment for three months. But 
w ool may be carried coastwise, upon being 
duly entered, and security being given, ac- 
cording to the. directions of the statute, to 
the officer of the port from whence the 
same shall be conveyed ; and the owners of 
sheep, within five miles of the.sea, and ten 
miles in Kent and Sussex, cannot remove 
the wool, without giving notice to the of- 
