98 
LIVERPOOL CHEMISTS’ EXCURSION. 
large extent of a professional character, and intended to afford an opportunity of ac¬ 
quiring information in regard to the application of chemistry to purposes of manufac¬ 
ture. Certainly the town of St.Helen’s and its neighbourhood, which was the object of the 
Association’s visit, under other circumstances would have possessed no special attractions. 
To go where smoke abounds and pure air may he esteemed a luxury, is scarcely conso¬ 
nant with rusticity ; hut as scientific inquiry was on this occasion paramount, the district 
presented an extensive field. The party, numbering about forty, left the Lime Street 
Station at twelve o’clock, and were conveyed by rail to St. Helen’s. Immediately on 
their arrival, they proceeded upon a tour of inspection of several of the large establish¬ 
ments. The first establishment visited was the well-known chemical works of Mr. A. 
G. Kurtz, where they were received by the manager, Mr. Duffey, who courteously con¬ 
ducted them through the whole of the manufactory under his charge. The works, 
which are amongst the largest in the neighbourhood, cover an area of no fewer than 
eight acres, and are fitted up with all the appliances that improved skill could suggest 
for the speedy and successful conduct of the chemical business. At present there are 
about 450 men employed, and the premises generally present a scene of great activity. 
In the building known as the burning hall, where soda ash is produced from barytes,, 
about 50 furnaces are in constant operation. The process of producing sulphuric acid, 
in which extensive leaden cisterns are employed, is extremely interesting, as also the 
formation of the soda crystals exposed in numerous iron pans. The manufacture of 
muriatic acid forms, of course, an important feature in the business at these works. 
Once a source of invariable annoyance to the surrounding district, it has, within the last 
few years, been so simplified as to remove a great deal of the effluvia previously emitted.. 
By a late Act of Parliament the gas has to be condensed, and for this purpose two con¬ 
densing towers are erected, and are found to be highly successful. Upon leaving Mr. 
Kurtz’s establishment, the party had a somewhat different treat afforded them by an 
inspection of Mr. G. H. Daglish’s extensive iron foundry. The visit was an opportune 
one, inasmuch as preparations were completed for the largest casting made in the works 
—that of a block anvil, weighing upwards of 20 tons, for the new ironworks at Garston. 
The operation of running the metal was successfully performed, and was attended with 
no little interest to the spectators. A visit to the crown and sheet glassworks of Messrs. 
W. and B. Pilkington formed the last item in the afternoon’s programme. Here the 
party were shown the several processes employed in the manufacture of glass, which, 
although familiar in principle to the visitors, were especially attractive on account of the 
extensive scale whereon they are conducted. The mode of staining and enamelling the 
glass, involving a vast deal of skilful manipulation, and displaying much artistic taste, was 
especially interesting, and occasioned many an interesting inquiry r . Messrs. Pilkington’s 
works are three in number, and employ r an immense number of hands, no fewer than 
2000. When the time allotted for the visit had expired, the party proceeded to Thatto 
Heath, where dinner was provided at six o’clock at the Victoria Gardens. The chair was 
occupied by the President of the Association, Mr. Shaw, and the vice-chair by Mr. Red- 
ford, the Vice-President. A substantial dinner was provided by Mr. Whittle, the host. 
The chairman gave the customary loyal and patriotic toasts, which were warmly received ; 
that of “ The Army, Navy, and Volunteers” being acknowledged by Mr. Stewart. Mr. 
Barley then proposed “Prosperity to the Chemists’ Association,” which, after being 
drunk amidst loud applause, was responded to by the Vice-President, who said he must 
congratulate them upon the fact that so many had been that day enabled to leave their 
counters, for in this age of keen competition it required no small amount of moral 
courage to leave the shop for a few hours. For himself, he might say that he should 
take home a store of information which he hoped would be of some practical use to him. 
After expressing the gratification they must feel in regard to the conduct of the pro¬ 
prietors of the several works for their kindness in throwing their establishments open, 
remarking upon the intelligent industry collected within those manufactories, the 
speaker said he thought the members might look with much pleasure upon the position 
of their association. He considered that they held a very respectable place amongst 
the learned societies of Liverpool. They had afforded a great deal of instruction to the 
public in the past, and they had done much for the chemists of the town by advancing 
them in knowledge and respectability. Though he could not say the numbers of the- 
association were few, he should like to see them augmented; for he felt sure there were 
many who ought to join, and who would find it to their advantage were they to do so.. 
