The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-21 00:00:00

11-1 AKIN'S ROYAL PATENT COFFEE.
:i...., Oa introducing this extraordinary and highly important in-
vention, it will be necessary, in the first instance, to point out the
evils and imperfections arising from all other principles of roasting
and preparing Coffee at present in use.
Coffee is almost universally roasted in an iron cylinder, which is
turned by hand or steam power over a coke fire. The Coffee is let
in and out of the cylinder by means of a slide, which is the whole
length of the cylinder, and which it is next to impossible to render
perfectly air-tight ; the consequence of this defect is, that the sul-
phurous and noxious fumes of the coke penetrate into the cylinder
and mingle with the Coffee. We will suepose, however, the cylinder
containing the Coffee to be placed over the fire, which is then co-
vered in, cylinder and all, and the process of roasting to be commenc-
ing. The first evidence of this fact is the vegetable vapour which is
given off by the Coffee, and which vapour is more or less impregnated
with gallic and mallic acids, which acids, acting upon the iron, form
imitates and malates with that metal. The heat continues, the va-
pour is condensed, and forms a most noxious fluid, which is mingling
with the Coffee, and by the Increasing heat is again vap..rised, and
is assisted in its destroying work by one of the most powerful acids
known, namely, by the pyroligneous acid, which is now beginning to
be given off by the Coffee moat freely. This vicious acid continues
forming with the iron the acetate thereof, and imparting the same to
the Coffee, which receives, in addition, a sulphurous flavour from the
coke. It should be observed, that so astonishingly great is the quan-
tity of pyro'igneous acid formed, that many ounces may Ise collected
from the roasting a single hundred weight of the berry. The a.lion
of the pyroligneous acid upon either iron or coprer cylinders is well
known; with the former a compound is formed which, if not de-
cidedly injurious to health, gives to the berry a most acrid and dis-
agreeable flavour; whilst, with the latter, the result is verdigris.
Again, by the usual roasting process, which is nothing more nor
less than a species of destructive distillation, what possible chance
has the aroma of this valuable berry of being properly developed?
Supposing for one moment that it were properly developed, it is we:l
known to be exceedingly volatile, and would quickly escape through
the crevices in the slide of the:cylinder ; whilst the vegetable vapour,
being exceedingly sluggish, and containing the vicious and noxious
acids, would remain behind, giving to the Coffee that cankerous,
acrid, and metallic taste, that renders the infusions of this otherwise
most valuable and wholesome berry a beverage avoided by the deli-
cate, and highly injurious to the health of many who consume it.
For guarding against all these evils, and for doing away with all
those long-complaUled-of imperfections, her Most Gracious Majesty
has been pleased to grant to Dakin and Company her Royal Letters
Patent.
The plan en which "Dakin's Royal Patent Coffee" is roasted and
prepared is as follows :—The iron cylinder is altogether done away
with, and the Coffee is never, under any circumstance, allowed to
come in contact with iron. A SILVER cylinder is substituted, and
the heat is obtained by means of the atmospheric air passed over hot
plates, by which plan, as neither the tire, nor the fumes thereof, are
in any way allowed to be in contact with the cylinder, the evils
arising from the sulphurous vapours of the coke mixing wills the
COffee are entirely avoided The eILYER cylinder is so constructed
that, through apertures made for the purpose, the vegetable vapour
which contains the. vicious acids from the Coffee, is allowed to es-
cape, whilst the apertures, being closeable at pleasure, are hnme-
diately closed as soon as this, the first part of the process of roasting,
is accomplished. The SILVER cylinder then becomes air tight, and
the aroma, which otherwise would escape, is condensed on the berry,
which thereby contains all its valued and inherent excellence. The
Coffee, after being sufficiently routed in a SILVER cylinder, and
after being cooled down in a SILVER cooler, is ready for purchasers
who buy their Coffee whole ; whilst the Coffee that is supplied
ground, is pulverised between powerful stones, and for better
preservation from the atmosphere, is recommended to purchasers
packed in glass bottles, containing two pounds each, which are
corked down air-tight, and sealed with the Royal Arms.
DAKIN and CO. will have great pleasure in showing many testi-
monials which they have received from the most eminent physicians,
surgeons, and gentlemen of the faculty, as to the beneficial effects
and advantages of " Dakin's Royal Patent Coffee." The following
certificate of Mr. Alfred S. Taylor and Mr. Arthur Aikin, the great
authorities on chemistry, medical jurisprudence, :and the sanitary
question, will, however, no doubt be deemed conclusive :
" We hereby certify that we have chemically examined four
" varieties of coffee—namely, best Mocha, Jamaica, Very Fine and
" Good Plantation (Ceylon) Coffee, both in the raw state and as
" prepared and roasted by the patent process of Messrs. Dakin. We
" have likewise chemically examined samples of the same varieties
" of Coffee roasted at the same time 'in the usual way, and the result
" of this examination is that in delicady of flavour, odour, and as an
" article of diet, the Coffee prepared by Messrs. Dakin's process is, in
" our judgment, superior to that prepared in the ordinary way.
"We have also examined the apparatus used by Messrs. Dakin
" for roasting Coffee, and we find that all the surfaces with which
" the coffee comes in contact during this process are of silver. We
" find also that great care is taken so to regulate the degree of heat
" and the mode of its application as to render necessary a longer
" time and lower temperature to effect the roasting, whereby all
" risk of charring the berry or of producing empyreumatic oil is
" prevented, the separation of acid vapour is more gradual and corn-
" plete, and a larger portion of aroma is retained than occurs in the
" usual methods of coffee roasting.
" The process of Messrs. Dakin 'appears to us, therefore, in a
" chemical view, better adapted than any yet suggested for procuring
" roasted Coffee in a pure and wholesome form.
" ARTHUR AIKIN,
" ALFRED S. TAYLOR, F.R.S.
" Lecturers on Chemistry in Guy's Hospital.
• " Chemin" Laboratory, Guy's Hospital, August 9, 1848.
PRICE CURRENT OF "DARIN'S ROYAL PATENT COFFEE.'
In addition to the following, Dakin and Co. have the best Coffees
' procurable from Demerara, Dominica, Malabar, Sumatra, Java,
Paden, St. Domingo, Batavia, Havannah, Brazil, Bahia,•Cuba,
La Guayra, Porto Rico, &c.
Common Coffee per lb. Os. Sd. to Os. I Id.
Ceylon ....Good quality ...... „ 1 0 to 1 2
Fine plantation .. •• • „ I 4 to 1 6
Berbice ....Fine to finest ,, 0 10 to 1 4
Jamaica ....Good to fine •.• • • •
Very fine to finest .. •
Costa Rica .. A strong and good Coffee „ 1 2 to 1 6
Mocha.... • •Choice old to finest aged „ 1 5 to 1 10
SELECTED SORTS.—WhoIe or G. ound.
Common Coffee .... •. • • ......... .......... ..... per lb. Os. led.
Very good and strong.... •• • • ...... •. • •
Very strong and full flavoured.• . ...... ... • . •..... „ 1 4
Rich and' fine flavoured CulToe•• ••
Particularly choice Coffee• ... • ... ..... .......... „ 1 8
The above are also supplied in 21b. bottles, which bottles are
charged 3d. each, and the same is allowed for when returned.
The following sorts are supplied in sealed bottles containing two
pounds each, and no charge is made for the bottles :
Two pentads of good gonad Coffee, in a sealed bottle 2s. ed.
Two pounds of strong and fine flavoured Coffee, in 4
sealed bottle ••••.• • • • .......... ..... :......... 3s. NI
Two pounds of very deice and excellent Coffee, in
a sealed bottle . ..... . ...... ........... . .... 35, 6d.
TWO moulds of the finest old temaiVain Coffee, mellow
in ripeness and richness of flavour, in a sealed bottle 4s. Od.
DAKIN and COMPANY, Patentees, NUMBER ONE, St.

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PAUL'S CHURCHYARD.
Gentlemen of science and the Public generally are respectfully in-
vited to inspect the machinery and apparatus employed is the
roasting, &c., of Dakia's Royal Patent Coffee, and to ♦lew the
whole in action, any Coffee constantly roasting, &c., at the waie-
liou.es of Dakin and Co., In Shoemaker-row, within a stone's throw
of" Number One," where an assistant Is waiting to accompany
visitors to the warehouses, and to explain the whole of this ROYAL
PATENT PROCESS for roasting aid preparing Coffee.