ig6 TlMEHRI. 
other labour connected with the drying of megass, is greater than the 
increased expenditure on fuel, boilers and stokers, then it may be 
looked upon as a success ; otherwise, we are afraid that most people 
will be inclined to look upon it as a failure. In making the above 
statement I am not forgetful of the fact that in certain circumstances 
it may be advisable to spend more in saving labour than the mere 
money value of that labour, but these circumstances must be looked 
upon as accidental, and should not be taken into account in estimating 
the success or failure of the operation of burning megass direct from 
the mill. 
Discussion. — Mr. Russell said he was exceedingly sorry Mr. Shields was 
not in the colony to take part in any discussion that might arise upon 
this paper ; but every engineer in the colony would be pleased to learn 
that Mr. Shields did not hold that mere increase in the size of the 
cylinder was itself sufficient to give better results. With regard to 
what Mr. Shields said about single and double crushing, he (Mr. 
Russell) admitted that at Diamond they were doing better with single 
crushing than at La Bonne Intention with double crushing; but at 
Providence double crushing, with maceration, was a perfect success. 
He did not believe in single crushing, nor in crushing the dry megass a 
second time ; with second crushing either boiling the megass or satura- 
ting it with steam was necessary. With regard to burning green megass 
he joined issue with Mr. Shields. He held that green megass could be 
burnt profitably if a certain amount of moisture was first taken out. He 
was not the man to continue burning green megass in Coster's furnace 
at La Bonne Intention if he was not satisfied with the results. They 
did better with green megass crushed to 72 or 73 per cent, than with 
dry megass from the logie. He preferred Coster's furnace to Marie's ; 
feeding against the flame was one of its chief advantages, and it burnt 
the fuel thoroughly without having recourse to the opening of the 
furnace doors to stir up the fire. Furnaces for the burning of megass 
were as old as sugar-making; Pere le Batte, the old Jesuit priest, 
who invented the copper-wall, constructed one. 
The President said that, with regard to the discussion which had 
just closed, he believed that the Society had arrived at the conclusion 
that the patentees of the furnaces for the burning of green megass did 
not claim any great saving of fuel from the use of their inventions. 
Another point they had arrived at was that unless certain percentage 
of crushing — placed by Mr. Russell at 70 per cent.— was attained in the 
