The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-07 00:00:00

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

THE MANUFACTURE OF FLAX.
At the weekly meeting of this body held las;
metes, Mr. R. disrastrsux, M.P., in the chair, an in-
timating paper "on recent improvements in the manufac-
ture of fax" was road by Profuse'. Wilson, F.R.S.L.,
late Principal of the Agricultural College at Cirencester.
After describing the eppearanes of the growing plant, its
time of flowering, and the geode of reaping, the professor
stated the object of dressing the straw, which was to sepa-
rate the inner fibre from the two outer ones. Two methods
of droning bad been hitherto resorted to, the mechanical
sad the chemical; in the former the flax was dealt with In
a dry, in the latter in • wet state. For a poor quality of
the mechanical process was preferable, on account of
the expense of steeping As this process did not touch the 1
asotised substance found in flax, it left it with the liability
to fermentation, and consequent deterioration of the fabric,
under certain conditions. Patents for improvements had been
taken out in 1812 and 1819 ; but none of the methods removed
the liability to fermentation. This could only be done br
the chemical processes. In one the fermentation was if
• excited ; in another, the axotised substances waved
steeped out. Two principles bad been recently brought
into operation which were likely to effect a complete revo-
lution in the manufacture of flax. Having described the
method of steeping as hitherto practised in Ireland and on
the Continent, by immersing in water, still or running, or
by " dew-rotting," the object of which was to excite and
exhaust the fermentative action—the profcesor observed
that the use of hot water materially accelerated the process.
This was known to and practised by the Malays and the
Bongalcse. It was not however until 1846 that a patent
had been taken out, by a German named Schenk, for the
scalding or hot water process. It was introduced into Ire-
land in 1819, and now upwards of 40,000 tons of flax were
prepared in this way every year in Ireland. That
useful body, the Flax Improvement Society, bad
instituted a series of experiments, the result of
which was, that Schenk's process gave an advantage
0(20 per cent. in the yield, and a arid greater advantage;
in the spinning quality of the flax. The result of a lorge
rettery near Belfast was that 67 tons of straw yielded 391
tons after steeping, which when scutched were reduced to
5.9 tons, and about li tons of tow or plucking, a much
larger result than was obtainable by other means. Another
chemical process, instead of exhausting the fermentative
qualities of the flax, made use of alkalies to dissolve out the
"alibied substances. This had been first suggested so long
ago as 1747, had been carried to a great extent in Prumis,
and was well known to the French chemists Remounts.,
Gay-Lussac, and others. While the cold water process occu-
pied from seven to fourteen days, Schenk's process reduced
the time to from 72 to 96 hours. Recently, however, Mr.
Watts, of Glasgow, had patented a method of applying
steam to the same purpoee ; and this was done with so
much effect that the process might be expected soon to be
come general. [Here the professor exhibited and explained
drawings of the machinery employed.] The ad-
vantages of this process were—a great saving of
time, from eight to twelve hours being rufficieut to bring
the fist into a condition fit for seutching ; the operation of
scotching was facilitated; the fibre was improved; there
was extremely little waste ; and the production of noxious
gases was avoided. Messrs. Leadbitter, of Belfast, bad
adopted this process, and had invited the attention of the
council of the Flax Improvement Society, who, in Novem-
ber last, reported that 101 cwt. of flax, after being steamed
11 hours, was reduced to 7 cwt. 11 lbs. ; after scotching it
yielded 187 lbs. of fine flex, 12 lbs. 61 ox. of fine scutcbtug
tow, and 35 Ins. 3 oz. of coarse tow—beiag about 18 lbs. of
fine flax for every cwt. of tow. Only 36 hours were re-
quired for the whole process of converting the straw into
fine flax tit for the spinner ; and the cost was not more tnan
101. per ton. Samples were sent into the market, and
fetched from 561. to 701. per ton. [Specimens were exhibited
of the flax thus prepared, the quality of which appeared to
be extremely tine, and also of the linen woven from it.] No
sooner had the committees pronounced in favour of this
process, than another was patented by another ingenious
Seotchman, Mr. Buchanan, who, ins:ead of employing
steam, as in Mr. Watts's process, at once applied to the
straw het water raised to a high temperature by means of
condensed steam. The principle was to keep up a series of
immersions in hot water, whereby a much greater effect
was produced than by allowing the flax to remain in the
same hat water. [Diagrams of the machinery were exhi-
bited] Ten such immersions were sufficient to produce all
the effect of Watts's or Clansman's process, occupying not
more than a few minutes each. By this process the steep-
hig water, instead of becoming the receptselo of noxious
products, was nothing more than flax tea, and its feeding
properties were quite equal to what was known as distillers'
wash. In Ireland it was used for feeding pigs and cattle.
[A sample was produced in a glees. The liquor is of a
darkish brown colour, not much unlike that of bad
port. The professor asked the chairman to test it
by tasting. The hon. gentleman did so, at first
sipping cautiously, and then, apparently approving
the flavour, taking a hearty draught, amidst the ap-
planee of the audience. Mr. Davey, of Creditor, a flax-
grower. said he should be content with a smell of the liquid,
hut was told that it was perfectly inodorous.] The pro.
fessor said he had seem many experiments on the
processes of Mr. Buchanan's patent, and he believed it
would be highly successful, the quality of the flax being
equal to that produced by any of the other processes, and a
great saving of manual labour being effected. The process
of scotching was thin described, and the superiority of
mill-smacking ever the hand process pointed out. In Eng-
land there were 250,000 to 300,000 spindles at work; in
Scotland, upwards of 300,000; in Ireland about 600,000;'
being a total of upwards of a million. The fixed capital in-
vested in the spinning and weaving process in Englaad was
estimated at five millions. On the continent the greater
portion of the manufacture was still performed by band
labour. The requirements of this country consiaerably
moseeded the production. About 70,000 tons of flax fibre
were imported every year, besides 65,000 tons of linseed,
mid 70,000 tons of °duke, for the feeding of cattle ; making
a total of between 4,000,8001. and 6,000,0001. paid to other
ormatries for an article which this country was well calcu-
lated to produce.
The CH•ISIMAX in proposing • vote of thanks to the pro-
fluor, observed on the highly interesting character of the
totem, and expressed a hope that the cultivation of flax
would be more than ever attended to in this country, and
particularly In Ireland.
Mr. Drover, the gentleman referred to above, said he
bad patented some machinery for preparing flax by the dry
process, but had not yet brought it publicly forward ; the
reason was, he did not wish to appear u a rival of Che-
valier Claussen. His plan was to get rid of the ligneous portion
of the plant, which constituted three-fourths of its bulk,
before proceeding to treat it chemically ; for he had never
proposed to confine himself entirely to mechanical processes.
He had seen some works at Belfast on Schenk's principle,
but did not approve the flax flies produced. So lately as
last evening, he had learnt from Mr. Cobden, M.P., In the
lobby of the House of Commons, that a relative of his, who
who had commenced the manufacture on Schenk's process,
had abandoned it, and gone somewhere on the continent.
Mr. Davey proceeded to point out some objections to the
steam and hot water procures.
After • few remarks from Mr. VNILLET,
The Sienna': anneoneed that, in consequence of the
interest suited by the late photographic exhibition, the
council had formed a small collection of photographic appe-
rates, cameras, and otereoreopas, in the model room,

PARISH OF ST. FAITH,

The following notice bee been stuck all over the
Winchester. St. Faith is the parish is which the
=lof St. Cross is sittrated, and the incumbency of
s connected with the latter charitable institution.
Ti.. Berl of Guildford claims to be the roaster of St. Cross,
and his right is that once has been for mote time past the
subject of legal irrestigation :

OP er. PAITH.
" We, the undereagned, having been elected the church-
wardens of the above pariah qualifying um to act in our
°Moe, hereby give notice that, in consequence of the incum-
bency of the said parish being void from want of canonical
institution and induction ea the part of the Rev. Francis
Earl of Ouildford, we caution all persons liable to pay tithes
for the said parish to refrain from doing so to the said Rev.
Francis Earl of Guildford, or his agents, or to any other
person, wakes he is authorised by the Lord Bishop of the
diocese to melee the same ; and we farther caution all
parties from paying any fees, oblations, or Esater offerings
to any one unless authorised by m ro receive the same, until
a parish clerk and vaton sae legally appointed to resolve
them. HINZ! HOLLOWAY ) Churchwardens.
Hamar Warrsow
" St. Faith, April 2,1857."