DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0212
OF THE WORLD'S INDUSTRY. 1/9
perty possessed by a soapjr compound ready formed in the animal organism—bile is essen-
tially a combination of an alkali with fatty acids (glycocholic and taurocholic), and it
dissolves with great facility the neutral body, cholesterin, which, like fats, is soluble in
water. In addition to these two modes of operation, soap doubtless also produces a
mechanical effect. The property which it has of increasing the cohesion of water,
so as to enable it to form a lather or froth, is most valuable in the removal of solid
insoluble particles of dirt, which are carried away by the frictional action of the snds
when forced into and out of the minute interstices of the substances subjected to the
operation of washing, and are kept suspended by the froth, and thus prevented from again
soiling them.
There were in the great Exhibition sixty-two exhibitors of soap. Many of these
received prize medals, and not a few obtained honourable mention. In no country in the
world is the manufacture of soap carried on to so large an extent as in the United King-
dom, in which there are 329 makers. Ireland not being subject to a duty on soap, there
are no ready means of ascertaining the quantity which is there manufactured; but in Great
Britain alone the production amounted, in the year 1850, to 204,410,826 lbs., and
yielded an excise duty of £1,299,232 105. 2d. Of this quantity 12,555,493 lbs. were
exported to foreign parts, the drawback on it being £82,308 18s. 9c?. The total quantity
consumed in Great Britain, therefore, amounted to 191,855,333 lbs. Of this quantity
22,858,382 lbs. were used by manufacturers, on which the duty, amounting to £97,342
Qs. lid. was remitted. This leaves the net revenue derived from the soap-duty at
£1,119,581 10s. 6d., after deducting the drawback and the remission to manufacturers.
Deducting the quantity exported, and that used by manufacturers, it appears that
168,996,951 lbs., or, in round numbers, 75,445 tons, were consumed in 1850 for domestic
use in Great Britain (making 8 lbs. 1 oz. each person); besides that manufactured in
Ireland, of which there are no returns. Of the different varieties of toilet and scented
soaps, and of their general claims to prize medals and honourable mention, we have
already spoken in a former chapter, when treating on the subject of "perfumery."
CHAPTER XXV.
WORKING MEN.
JAMES WATT—UTS EARLY LIFE—TARI0US CLAIMS TO TIIE DISCOVERY OE THE TOWER OF STEAM
----FIEST HEAL STEAM-ENGINE INVENTED BY WATT—ITS GREAT SUPERIORITY. OVER FORMER
INVENTIONS— VERSATILITY OE HIS GENIUS—HIS NUMEROUS IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES—STATUE
IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY—JACOB PERKINS—HIS WONDERFUL INGENUITY—STEREOTYPE CHECK-
PLATE—THE PERPETUAL MOTION—BATHOMETER— STEAM-GUN—JOSLAH WEDGWOOD—ELEGANT
POTTERY----BAEBERINI VA3E, ETC, ETC.
As our object in describing the contents of the vast Emporium of Industry and Art,
which forms the subject of our lucubrations, has, from the outset, been to give our
readers as much variety as possible, we will now pause awhile in our dissertation on
things produced, and indulge in a brief consideration of the original producers—those
master minds which from time to time have appeared among us, and have diffused far
and wide their light and their intelligence to the improvement of science and the benefit
of mankind. "We shall, therefore, in our present chapter, give a few brief sketches of the
perty possessed by a soapjr compound ready formed in the animal organism—bile is essen-
tially a combination of an alkali with fatty acids (glycocholic and taurocholic), and it
dissolves with great facility the neutral body, cholesterin, which, like fats, is soluble in
water. In addition to these two modes of operation, soap doubtless also produces a
mechanical effect. The property which it has of increasing the cohesion of water,
so as to enable it to form a lather or froth, is most valuable in the removal of solid
insoluble particles of dirt, which are carried away by the frictional action of the snds
when forced into and out of the minute interstices of the substances subjected to the
operation of washing, and are kept suspended by the froth, and thus prevented from again
soiling them.
There were in the great Exhibition sixty-two exhibitors of soap. Many of these
received prize medals, and not a few obtained honourable mention. In no country in the
world is the manufacture of soap carried on to so large an extent as in the United King-
dom, in which there are 329 makers. Ireland not being subject to a duty on soap, there
are no ready means of ascertaining the quantity which is there manufactured; but in Great
Britain alone the production amounted, in the year 1850, to 204,410,826 lbs., and
yielded an excise duty of £1,299,232 105. 2d. Of this quantity 12,555,493 lbs. were
exported to foreign parts, the drawback on it being £82,308 18s. 9c?. The total quantity
consumed in Great Britain, therefore, amounted to 191,855,333 lbs. Of this quantity
22,858,382 lbs. were used by manufacturers, on which the duty, amounting to £97,342
Qs. lid. was remitted. This leaves the net revenue derived from the soap-duty at
£1,119,581 10s. 6d., after deducting the drawback and the remission to manufacturers.
Deducting the quantity exported, and that used by manufacturers, it appears that
168,996,951 lbs., or, in round numbers, 75,445 tons, were consumed in 1850 for domestic
use in Great Britain (making 8 lbs. 1 oz. each person); besides that manufactured in
Ireland, of which there are no returns. Of the different varieties of toilet and scented
soaps, and of their general claims to prize medals and honourable mention, we have
already spoken in a former chapter, when treating on the subject of "perfumery."
CHAPTER XXV.
WORKING MEN.
JAMES WATT—UTS EARLY LIFE—TARI0US CLAIMS TO TIIE DISCOVERY OE THE TOWER OF STEAM
----FIEST HEAL STEAM-ENGINE INVENTED BY WATT—ITS GREAT SUPERIORITY. OVER FORMER
INVENTIONS— VERSATILITY OE HIS GENIUS—HIS NUMEROUS IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES—STATUE
IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY—JACOB PERKINS—HIS WONDERFUL INGENUITY—STEREOTYPE CHECK-
PLATE—THE PERPETUAL MOTION—BATHOMETER— STEAM-GUN—JOSLAH WEDGWOOD—ELEGANT
POTTERY----BAEBERINI VA3E, ETC, ETC.
As our object in describing the contents of the vast Emporium of Industry and Art,
which forms the subject of our lucubrations, has, from the outset, been to give our
readers as much variety as possible, we will now pause awhile in our dissertation on
things produced, and indulge in a brief consideration of the original producers—those
master minds which from time to time have appeared among us, and have diffused far
and wide their light and their intelligence to the improvement of science and the benefit
of mankind. "We shall, therefore, in our present chapter, give a few brief sketches of the