No. 184.

Contents.

Percentage of Cellulose in Wood Permanent Chemical Exhibition 335 The Electrolytic Determination of Nitric Acid

The Determination of Ferrocyanide in Spent Oxide

The Liverpool Colour Market..

340

334

Tar and Ammonia Products

335

Miscellaneous Chemical Market

The Metal Markets

West of Scotland Chemicals.

34T 341 340 341

336

Portland Cement for Anchoring Bolts 336 Liquid Kino

The Tyne Chemical Report

341

335

The Liverpool Mineral Market.. Report on Manure Material

342

342

Artificial Indigo

336

342

MacIvor's Patents, Limited

Colourless Tannins

337

New Companies

342

Official Memoranda

338

Prices Current...

347

Gazette Notices

Patent List

Imports

In the first week of the approaching New Year, we shall issue a Special Number of the Journal. It will be an enlarged Special Number of very general interest, and we shall issue with it a neat and useful office almanac, suitable for our subscribers

Including our regular subscribers, the New Year's Number will be issued to not less than 10,000 firms and individuals, so that intending advertisers will see at once that this is worthy of their special attention. We may explain that in our publishing department we possess very carefully compiled listsin most cases the results of special attention and information, at our command-of every firm of repute, both at home, and in the main trading centres abroad, connected with the various industries whose interest it is our province to serve. We utilize these lists week by week, by selecting a number of them and sending out free copies of the Journal to those firms who have not yet become annual subscribers. The result is that every day brings us new subscribers. We have arranged to continue this process week by week, until we arrive at what we consider our normal circulation, which we have fixed at a tolerably high figure.

On the occasion of the New Year's Special Number, we shall make use of the whole of the lists we have referred to, numbering altogether, as we have stated not less than 10,000 names.

Of course, for this special issue. there will be special prices for advertisements, but those who order a series, either commencing with that number or previously, will have the advantage of our regular tariff rates, of bringing their specialities under the notice of a very large circle of buyers.

As only a limited number of pages will be added for advertisements, early application for space is necessary. We shall be pleased to send tariff of charges to all those who may desire to advertise in this Special Number.

TRADE SECRETS.

Vol. VII.

IN our daily experience we meet by no means infrequently with the man who says "there are no such things as trade secrets," that the advance of technical education (!) and the cupidity of the workman have proved too much for the successful preservation of them from poachers. We are inclined to think differently. And in this matter we must not leave out of our consideration the English Patent Laws. For, let us consider a moment, the man who, to use a familiar expression, has got a good thing. He must either go to the Patent Office, or he must not. If he does not go to the Patent Office, he can only work it as what is known as a trade secret. If he goes to the Patent Office, his invention by the very name and operation of his act is not a secret, and is embarked upon a sea full of squalls, of storms, and shoals, and hidden rocks. His invention may be argued out by lawyers, practically paid by the hour; he has to face the fact that the old law of the strongest of barbaric times finds its equivalent in the law of the longest purse today, all the acumen of the lawyer, aided by all the ingenuity of the scientific expert, may be arrayed against him, until, wearied in the contest, he fails to effect further security for his patent, which falls in as public property in a year or two from its inception, and is eagerly adopted even by people who have been loud in their assertion that it was of no use, was not new, would not pay, and many other objections too numerous to mention. It may be noted in passing that all this is perfectly legal and legitimate. If those who have courted the protection of the Patent Office were counted and compared with those who had been defeated in the manner we have indicated, the percentage would be found to be by no means contemptible. Patent an invention, and tell everybody how you work it. This is the sum and substance of patenting.

What about the alternative? The trade secret, which does not exist, forsooth! Strange to say, experience in working patented inventions, proves that it can exist, for has it not often happened, especially in chemical patents that the invention has been worked by other firms "on the quiet" without paying to the inventor that which was his due? Was this not secret? and was it not kept by the methods usually adopted by those who keep secrets, by dint of strict precautions and making it worth the while of those who are necessarily in the secret, to keep it to themselves? What about compressed steel? Are the details of its production patented? If not they are a trade secret ?

We remember a few years since, we were shown through the works producing this material, but were carefully nursed past the closed doors of the place where it was produced, and in other departments of steel production, the same may be said. In the production of high-class steel wire of great tenacity for wire ropes, in the production of the beautiful lustrous blue on steel goods, in razors, in certain brands of steel for ordnance, armour, and propeller shafts, in the browning of gun barrels, the trade secret has proved more lasting and more profitable than the patent. Go to the glass trade, and it is the same, the manufacturers of certain varieties

of glass in the country have not shown any intention of going to the Patent Office with their processes. No, they relied on lock and key and secrecy. And now, turning to what are called chemical works, we could point to a goodly number who are, to our certain knowledge, steering in a course directly opposite to that of bankruptcy, who are working processes not generally known, not patented, and therefore Trade Secrets. The working of a trade secret is profitable for both master and man. The master is freer from competition and gets better prices; the man is more relied upon and gets better wages, and stands head and shoulders above his fellows.

THE

DYE-WOOD EXTRACTS.

'HE manufacture of dye-wood extracts consists essentially (says Soxhlet in the Chem. Zeitung) of three operations: first, the chipping or rasping of the raw material; second, the extraction of the colouring matter; and third, the evaporation of the decoction obtained in the second operation.

Chipping or rasping is essentially a mechanical process, and it is not necessary to pursue it further.

In most manufactories a so-called ageing process is carried out before extraction, especially with logwood, and the most unimaginable chemicals are used for this purpose-carbonate and chloride of ammonia, stale urine, chalk, soda, saltpetre, glue, etc., being the chief. The chipped wood is placed in heaps and wetted with solutions of these bodies, and these heaps are kept and turned over from time to time. This process is based entirely on imaginary suppositions and not on absolute facts.

The industry of extract making sprang up at the beginning of the present century, and was introduced by a ship captain named Meissonier, who conceived the idea of making both a liquid and a solid extract of the colouring matter of his cargo of dye-wood. He used porcelain vessels in his operations. He was not a professional chemist, nor were his successors, and no improvement in a chemical sense was made. The improvements in the machinery which took place merely followed those made in the manufacture of sugar, and diffusion batteries and vacuum apparatus are in use to-day.

Extract factories were first established in France, and later in England and America, but only within the last few years in Germany. In all places the relation of extract making to chemistry has remained the same. The managers of the large works are at the best technical engineers who attribute little or no value to the chemical part of the process and have little or no knowledge of chemistry. A chemist may be employed, not to supervise the process, but as a tester to compare the relative value of the firm's own extract with that of their competitors. In some works the managers are men who have inostly a knowledge of the working of the extraction apparatus and the machinery

The extraction of the dye-woods may be carried out by two different methods; (1) by maceration in open extractors-diffusion processes. This is also known as the French method, from having been first employed in France. (2) Extraction with the help of steam pressure and high temperature in closed vessels; first applied by Sanford in America, and known generally as the American method. Each of these processes has its advantages and disadvantages. For special purposes, in printing, etc., an extract obtained by the French method is decidedly to be preferred. It is higher in price, but this is counterbalanced by its superiority. The case is different in logwood extracts to be used in dyeing cotton, etc., where the purity of the tone is not so much an object as the intensity of the colour and the cheapness of the product. When logwood is extracted in open vessels about 16% per cent. of solid extract is obtained, while the American method yields 20-21 per cent.; on this difference the existence of the works often depends, and those works which use the open extractors cannot compete with those which use closed extractors, and therefore they are induced to adulterate their products with molasses, glucose, dextrin, tannin, etc. In the cheaper French extract these adulterations often exceed 50 per cent.

The manufacturer of American-process extracts generally sends out his products in the pure state. In the United States, admixtures were never made which could be called adulterants. Extracts, of logwood were mixed with those of quercitron and hemlock, but these mixed extracts were sold as "black extracts," "logwood substitute," and so

DRIED POTATOES AS A NEW ARTICLE OF SALE.

THE drying of the potato begins to get very important. Through this process they are brought into a state, in which they cannot spoil easily; when dried their sale is not restricted, because they lose considerably in weight and the expenses for transport are diminished. It is the same with the keeping of them; they may be kept in any place whatever, as long as it is dry and they take little room. At the sale they are easily handled, and one can carry, without effort, a couple of hectolitres of potatoes after their being dried. For drying purposes potatoes of inferior quality may be taken. During those years, when potatoes are exposed to rotting, they can be saved from it by their being dried; furthermore, they are guarded against getting stale, shrinking and sprouting, all phases during which potatoes lose a good deal of their value, because their constituent parts are decomposed. On account of their taking little room, they can be easily shipped to places, where they do not grow. Therefore they are also important as provisions for ships and armies. For the drying of potatoes common kinds may be made use of, as even these furnish a good article of food. This drying is also important, inasmuch as it can be done in connection with that of fruit. When the fruit season is passed, the drying of potatoes can begin. The arrangements for this purpose are kept up a little longer and the capital fetches all the more.

Those kinds (says Kuhlow) which have smooth skins and deep lying eyes, are suited best for drying, because there are less parings, and the peeling can be done more quickly If the affair is managed on a large scale, the peeling is done with machines. This process finished, they are washed in clean water, cut into slices and thrown into a concentrated solution of kitchen-salt, in which they remain from 15-20 minutes. Some water is extracted from them by this salt-water bath, and their time of keeping, after they are dried, lengthened. The bath also prevents the discolouring of the cut potatoes, against which is used-with respect to fruit which is going to be dried-the sulphurating process. The salt water has no bad effect on the potatoes, because during the act of lixiviation no sugar or other substances are extracted. It is particularly important that no starch should be lost.-After the potatoes are taken out of the salt-water they are allowed to drain, and then they are taken into the drying-room.

They are placed, like fruit, on hurdles, and dried in a temperature of 80-90° C. They are left longer in this room than fruit, and dried harder, because potatoes contain much starch, which is exposed-more than sugar -to decomposition. To preserve or send them away, they are packed into boxes or barrels. These dried potatoes may be used like new ones, after they have been soaked in water from 12-15 hours.

THE DETERMINATION OF FERROCYANIDE IN SPENT OXIDE.

THE

By R. ZALOZIECKI.

HE author employs (Zeit. f. Angw. Chem.) the method previously proposed by him for the determination of ferrocyanide salts and in examining spent oxides, in the following manner: Twenty grms. of the finely divided substance are warmed to a moderate temperature, on the water-bath, for a quarter of an hour, with 20 cc. of 10% caustic potash solution and a little water in a 100 cc. flask, and, after cooling, diluted to 100 cc. with water. Fifty cc. of the clear solution (or, more accurately, 45 cc. measured by a burette, because 20 grms. of substance occupy a volume of 10 cc.) corresponding to 10 grms. of the sample, are boiled over the flame in a 100 cc. flask until all ammonia has been completely driven off, and the solution thent exactly neutralised with dilute acid. In order to hit the neutral point exactly, it is convenient to add a few drops of phenol phthalein solution and run in the acid from a burette until the red colouration disappears. The solution becomes clear more rapidly when the ammonia is expelled by milk of lime and the lime precipitated by potassium carbonate. Twenty cc. of normal sodium carbonate solution are then added to the liquid, to prevent the disturbing influence of potassium. chloride or sulphate, and the decomposition is then carried out; 5 grms. of moist zinc carbonate being added, a current of carbon dioxide passed through the liquid, and the mixture heated for half an hour. The liquid is allowed to cool after the reaction is over, and is then made up to 100 cc. Fifty cc. of this, corresponding to 5 grms. of the, original sample, are titrated with deci-normal acid and methyl orange, the acid corresponding to the 10 cc. of normal carbonate solution previously added, being substracted from the acid required. If the acid is arranged so that I cc. 001 grm. K, CO3, the number of ccs. required in the final titration multiplied by 23 and doubled gives the percentage of crystallised ferrocyanide of potassium in the spent oxide.

THE

MACIYOR'S PATENTS, LIMITED.

He

HE first ordinary general meeting of the shareholders in MacIvor's Patents (Limited) was held yesterday at the City Terminus Hotel, under the presidency of Mr. J. Jepson Atkinson. The chairman stated that the present was the statutory meeting, at which no business could be done, and there was no resolution to submit. might, however, state that the working capital, £50,000. had been amply subscribed for and allotted, and every penny of it was intact. Shortly after they went to allotment an action was commenced against them for the infringement of a patent. Immediately on their receiving notice of this all their capital was invested at interest with a leading financial body in the City upon ampie Government security, and a considerable part of it was so invested at the present time. They then took the opinion of the most eminent counsel obtainable and of experts, and upon their expressed opinion they had proceeded with the purposes for which the company was formed. They had settled with the vendors. No time had been wasted. In the last few months they had so perfected their process that the ores mentioned in the prospectus as being about to be worked by them were not now necessary, and what they required was procurable in unlimited quantities, not only in foreign countries but also in England. The directors were now so confident of their position that they were prepared to go on at once with their work, and though they had not put up the building at the place which was originally intended, they proposed taking a place which they very much preferred, where the materials could be delivered at a lower price. Since going to allotment all the reports they had received from experts and from the trade confirmed all the statements made in the prospectus. In answer to questions, Mr. Hays (the solicitor) stated that the vendors had been paid £25,000. in cash, instead of £83.000., and they had received £33,000. in shares. This left a balance of £58,000. due to the vendors, which the company had two years to pay in, and which they then had the option of paying in cash or fully paid up shares. The whole of the capital had been allotted excepting the £58,000. in shares, which the company retained in view of settling with the vendors. The negotiations for the works were not actually completed, but they believed the contract would be signed in almost a few hours. The place was near London, close to the Thames, and to an abundance of chalk. The most eminent counsel of the day stated that theirs was a perfectly valid patent, and that it was the property of the company. As to the action referred to, the matter was still sub judice. An injunction was applied for, but it was not granted. The chairman, in further reply, stated that the plant had been ordered, and their engineer was of opinion that it would be in full operation within three months. An application to the Stock Exchange for a quotation would be made in due course, a settlement having only just been arrived at with the vendors.

M. his

COLOURLESS TANNINS.

A. VILLON describes in the Bulletin de la Societe Chimique such as chestnut, wood, quebracho, sumac, valonia, divi-divi, oak wood, etc.

It comprises three principal operations: Ist, lixiviation, of the raw tannin materials; 2nd, precipitation of the tannin as an insoluble tannate; 3rd, separation of the tannin.

For the lixiviation of the tannin matters, six becks are used, in which the materials, along with water are placed, and heated to from 80° to 90° C., a current of carbonic acid gas being passed through. By this means liquors of a gravity of from 5 to 11° Tw. according to the nature of materials used are obtained. The liquor passes into a settling and cooling tank; when cold it is then passed into a refrigerating apparatus, where it is cooled to 2° C., and is kept at this temperature for about half an hour. The tannin and extractive matters are precipitated out, and are separated by filtering through a filter press; addition of 0'5 per cent. of ztnc sulphate renders the clarification more complete. The amount of tannin in the liquid is then determined, and the total weight in the mass to be treated is calculated.

For every kilo, of tannn thus found, M. Villon adds to the liquor 21⁄2 kilos. of pure crystallized sulphate of zinc, which has been previously dissolved in five times its weight of hot water.

The mixed liquids are transferred to a closed vat fitted with an agitator. Into this is passed a current of gaseous ammonia, obtained by decomposing 21⁄2 kilos. of ammonium sulphate for each kilo. of tannin in the liquid. Any excess of ammoniacal gas is passed into another vat of liquid.

The ammonia displaces the oxide of zinc in the sulphate, which then combines with the tannin to form a zinc tannate, which is insoluble in a neutral or ammoniacal solution. The liquid in the vat is heated to boiling by means of a steam coil during the time the current of the

water.

ammonia gas is passing. Zinc tannate is precipitated and separated from the liquor by means of a filter press; it is washed first with hot ammonia liquor, then with cold ammonia liquor. and, finally, with cold The liquor is passed in cast-iron pans, where it is treated with lime to recover the ammonia, which is used over again in a subsequent operation. The zinc tannate is stirred up in five times its value of water and decomposed with dilute sulphuric acid, when zinc sulphate is formed and tannin is set free. Then to separate out the zinc sulphate from the liquid, a solution of Barium sulphide is gradually added, until no further precipitation occurs. There is formed zinc sulphide and barium sulphate, and both being insoluable are precipitated; they are then filtered off and the tannin solution is obtained in a condition ready for use.

In this manner, extracts of tannin can be obtained of from 14°—to 22° Tw. in gravity and containing from 20 to 30 per cent. of tannin free from extractive matter and almost oolourless. These will be found useful in dyeing light tints.

Monsieur August Foelsing proposes to utilise electricity for decolourising tannin extracts. These are made as usual of a specific gravity of 40 B, from the various kinds of tannin matters-myrabolams, quebracho, mimosa, divi-divi, chestnut, etc. To every 1,000 litres of such extract 500 grams of oxalic acid are added and 2 kilograms of salt, each previously dissolved in water; the mass is heated to 60° C. and a current of electricity is is passed through; this decomposes the salt and oxalic acid, which (although it is not so stated) will have a decolourising effect, and at the same time it causes the precipitation of resinous, albuminous and any colouring matter in the extract in the form of a flocculent precipitate. When the separation is complete the liquid is filtered to separate out the precipitate leaving the liquid, which contains the tannin perfectly clear and ready for immediate use.

THE SEPARATION OF BARIUM FROM STRONTIUM.

BY R. FRESENIUS.

THE examination of the chromic acid method led to the confirmation of many of Schwietzer's statements. (From the Catalogue of the University of the State of Missouri, Contributions from the Laboratory of the State University, 1876, Part I., Determination of Barium.) Barium chromate does not dissolve in water containing acetic acid when so much ammonium chromate is present that only dichromate and acetate of the alkali are present. Dried at 110°, this substance retains 0.5% of water, it does not decompose when gently ignited, and barium chromate adhering to a filter paper can be weighed without loss after burning the paper and gently igniting the ash. The determination of barium by precipitation with ammonium chromate gives perfectly satisfactory results. This metal cannot, however, be completely separated from strontium by a single precipitation as barium chromate under any circumstances whatever. Such a separation may, nevertheless, be effected by the following new method:-76085 grms. of barium chloride solution, corresponding to o'2774 grms. baryta, and 13:4479 grms. strontium chloride solution, corresponding to 04864 grms. strontia, were diluted to 300 cbc., 6 drops of acetic acid added, and the heated liquid then mixed with 10 cbc. of a solution of I grm neutral ammonium chromate (the solution of acid ammonium chromate being only so far neutralized with ammonia, that it had an acid rather than an alkaline reaction), and allowed to cool and stand for an hour. The precipitate was then washed (mainly by decantation) with water containing ammonium chromate until the filtrate gave no further precipitate with ammonia and ammonium carbonate (100 cbc. were required), and the washing was then continued with hot distilled water (110 cbc.) until the washings only produced a very faint reddish brown colouration, with silver nitrate. The precipitate was then carefully washed back from the filter paper into the basin and the paper then treated with a little hot dilute nitric acid, which was added to the bulk of the barium chromate, and the whole of the precipitate then dissolved in a small additional quantity of hot nitric acid (in all 2 cbc. of acid were used). To the hot solution, diluted to 200 cbc., 5 cbc. of a solution of 155 grm, ammonium acetate were very gradually added, and then ammonium chromate added (10 cbc.) until the smell of acetic acid had disappeared.

After standing for an hour the supernatant liquid was filtered, the precipitate digested with hot water, the latter allowed to cool and then poured off, and the precipitate finally washed on the filter paper with cold water until neutral silver solution scarcely gave a reaction. In this way o'4585 grm. ignited barium chromate was obtained, corresponding to o 2768 grm. (0'0006 too little) = 99 78% baryta, and proved to be free from strontium. The latter was first precipitated as strontium carbonate and purified by a second precipitation in the form of sulphate; o 8648 grm. strontium sulphate was obtained, corresponding to 0'4876 grm. (instead of 0.4864 grm.), = 100 25% strontia.

Official Memoranda.

(From the Board of Trade Journal.)

Concluded from Page 322.

THE UNITED STATES TARIFF.

FRANCE.

THE PRODUCTION OF PLATINUM.

It is announced from Mexico, that M. Flavio Lobato, mining and chemical engineer, has discovered platinum in certain ores extracted from the mines of Las Yedras, in the State of Sinaloa. it is confirmed, will be of enormous importance to industry, more This news, if particularly as platinum is becoming scarcer, and realises an abnormal price.

The platinum mines, situated in the Oural mountains, contain, says the Journal de la Chambre de Commerce de Constantinople, important auriferous deposits; until recently gold in large quantities constituted the chief mineral working, and platinum was obtained at the same time without large supplementary expenditure. The richness in gold of the chief mines, Nisknée-Taglisk, and Gord-Blagodat has much diminished, and the preparation of platinum has become more difficult; such seems to be the explanation of the high price of platinum. A large number of miners have abandoned the mines, and have established themselves on the works of the Trans-Siberian railway.

GOLD PRODUCTION IN QUEENSLAND.

In a review of the annual report upon Queensland mining for 1889, the Adelaide Observer makes the following remarks:

:

The annual report upon Queensland mining for 1889 is one of the most interesting official documents that have come before us for a long time past. It is a satisfactory record of progress, detailing a history of successful efforts and of growing prosperity and revealing facts gratifying alike to the people of Queensland and of Australia generally. Speaking only of gold mining, the first thing that engages attention is the fact that Queensland has advanced to the first place among the colonies in the production of this precious metal. twelve months has been no less than 739, 103 oz., being a net increase The yield for the over the amount produced in 1888 of 257,460 oz. belongs the credit of the greater part of this abnormally high increase. To Mount Morgan That fabulously rich mine yielded during the year 323,542 oz. of gold, being an advance of more than 200,000 oz. over the total for 1888. Charters Towers follows with a yield of 165,552 oz., being an increase of 28,030 oz.; Gympie comes next with 115,590 oz., and then there is a tremendous drop, for the Croydon fields only produced 52,541 oz., and Ravenswood, the next in order, 15,719 oz. aggregate production was 739, 103 oz., that of Victoria, which occupies While Queensland's the second position on the list, was no more than 614,839 oz. This, if we mistake not, is the first time for many years that Victoria has had to relinquish the pride of place to any of her Australian sisters, and even as it is she far outstrips all other competitors in this part of the

Nov. 29, 1890.

world, for the aggregate return for New Zealand is set down at 203,211 oz.; for New South Wales at 112,948 oz.; for Tasmania, 33,050 oz.; while South Australia, with 20,000 oz, only heads Western Australia by about 4,500 oz. they give a fair idea of the relative positions in which the colonies stand These figures are only approximate, but as contributors in 1889 to the gold supply of the world.

Of the gold produced by Queensland during the year, 10,827 oz. was taken from alluvial fields and 728,816 oz. from quartz, showing as compared with the yields for 1888, a decrease in alluvial of 1,812 oz. and an increase of 257,460 oz. from quartz. The quantity of quartz crushed was 385,180 tons, so that the average was not less than 1 oz. 17 dwt. 20 gr. per ton, the average yield for 1888 having been 1 oz. 14dwt. 11gr. To obtain the 739,103 oz. the services of 8,955 miners were required. Of these, 8,350 were Europeans and 605 Chinese, the decrease as compared with 1888 being 396 in the one case, and 140 in the other. Setting down the price of the gold at the moderate figure of £3. 10s. per oz., the gross yield represents a value of £2,550,848., or an average for each miner of a sum of £284.

THE TRADE IN SULPHURIC ACID IN TURKEY.

According to the Belgian Bulletin du Musee Commercial, for October 4th, there is at present but a relatively unimportant import of sulphuric acid into Constantinople. trade in this article is in direct proportion to the development of the In Turkey, as elsewhere, the industries which make use of it. The manufacture of mineral waters, the dyeworks, the cloth factories belonging to the State, the electrical offices, such as telegraphs, fortifications, marine, and the jewellers' workshops are the principal clients. The annual consumption amounts to about 40,000 kilos. net, the value being about £2,000.

The Custom house administration makes no distinction between nitric acid and sulphuric acid, and returns general figures which make it impossible to give more than a roughly approximate division. The following table gives the amounts of sulphuric and nitric acid imported into Constantinople and into the other parts of the Ottoman Empire in the course of the year 1888-89:

From.

:

England Austro-Hungary

2,186 13,832

210

2,116

Italy

58

21

Bulgaria

80

37

Tunis

510

59

Servia

64

14

42,751

4,299

France Greece

92,222

at

About four-fifths of the total importation concern sulphuric acid, of which 10,000 kilogrammes are used in the Imperial factories Stamboul, Makrikeni, and Ismidt. Most of the sulphuric acid brought into Turkey comes from Marseilles, notably from the Rio Tinto Company and from the Saint Gobain factory. A certain important proportion of the consumption is indirectly supplied by England and Germany, through agents in London and Hamburg. For some little time past a house at Antwerp has been sending small quantities of sulphuric acid to Constantinople. The importation by way of Trieste and Galatz, from the Black sea, is much less than it was.

Steamers are apt to refuse to take large cargoes of this article, as being dangerous. There is therefore serious difficulty in importing it from London and Hamburg, as most of the steam navigation companies now decline to carry inflammable articles. consent to take sulphuric acid on board, it ought to be highly insured, If, however, they do as such articles are thrown overboard at the least threat of danger. The Austro-Hungarian Lloyd has a limit of 15 cases, beyond which it will accept no consignment of this acid. Sailing vessels are much more accommodating, and their freight is lower.

THE BREWING INDUSTRY IN BELGIUM.

The United States Consul at Brussels, in his last report, has the following information respecting the brewing industry in Belgium :— The brewery industry in Belgium does not enjoy full liberty, owing to a severe fiscal regulation. The excise tax annually amounts to 14,000,000 francs. The last official census shows the existence of 2,635 breweries; accordingly, each brewery paid an average of 5,314 francs. Although the number of breweries has not increased during the past 30 years, the output has considerably increased. 1850 there were 2,894 breweries, with a taxable area of 3,168,073 Thus, in hectolitres producing 5,544,128 hectolitres of beer. In 1889 the breweries numbered only 2,635, having however, a taxable area of