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MANUFACTURE  OF  WAX  CANDLES. 
In  most  countries  wax  intended  to  be  made  into  candles  is 
previously  bleached  by  a  process  presently  to  be  described.  That 
this,  however,  is  not  always  the  case,  we  find  by  specimens  ex- 
hibited in  the  Egyptian  and  Tunisian  Courts.  The  candles  in 
the  latter,  which  we  may  infer  resemble  those  of  the  classical 
ancients,  are  true  yellow  wax  «  dips,"  and  have  a  very  ungainly 
appearance.  The  bees'-wax  from  which  they  are  made  is  princi- 
pally produced  in  the  province  of  Kirwan  ;  and  the  primitive 
method  usually  adopted  for  their  manufacture  consists  in  merely 
melting  the  wax  in  a  proper  vessel,  and  then  dipping  the  wick 
repeatedly  into  it.  Although  such  is  the  usual  mode,  the  wax 
is  sometimes  bleached,  and,  of  course,  finer  candles  produced : 
but  none  such  were  exhibited.  No  animal  fat  is  employed  in 
Tunis  for  the  manufacture  of  candles,  although  stearic  candles 
of  European  manufacture  are  imported,  and  are  in  general  use. 
Wax  is  more  valuable  when  bleached,  not  only  on  account  of 
its  greater  beauty,  but  also  from  the  removal  by  this  operation 
of  impurities  which  would  clog  the  wick  during  combustion.  It 
may  be  bleached  by  chlorine  ;  but  the  process  is  of  no  value,  be- 
cause its  constituents  retain  a  portion  in  combustion,  and  hence 
hydrochloric  acid  is  given  off  in  burning. 
The  method  of  bleaching  employed  is  very  simple,  although 
tedious.  The  following,  with  some  trifling  variation,  is  the  plan 
adopted  in  most  countries  : 
Wax  Meacliing. — The  wax  is  cut  up  into  small  pieces  and 
placed  in  a  vat,  into  which  steam  is  made  to  pass  through  a  per- 
forated coil  of  pipes;  a  small  quantity  of  very  dilute  sulphuric 
acid  being  added,  in  the  proportion  of  one  pint  measure  of  strong 
sulphuric  acid  (oil  of  vitriol)  to  one  ton  of  wax,  and  the  whole 
well  agitated  for  some  time.  This  addition  of  sulphuric  acid 
facilitates  the  separation  of  impurities  which  subside  into  the 
acidulated  water. 
As  soon  as,  by  subsidence,  the  wax  has  become  bright,  it  is 
removed  into  a  trough,  with  holes  in  the  bottom  about  the  size 
of  an  ordinary  quill.  The  melted  wax  runs  through  these  holes 
in  small  streams  on  to  a  wooden  cylinder,  which  is  made  to  re- 
volve, and  the  lower  half  of  which  is  immersed  in  a  cistern  of 
cold  water.  The  motion  of  the  cylinder  carries  a  layer  of  water, 
on  which  the  streams  of  wax  fall  and  form  exceedingly  thin 
ribbons,  varying  from  half  an  inch  in  breadth.    These  ribbons, 
