The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-15 00:00:00

The New Pickling Process.

A new and important improvement in the preparation of
pickles has been adopted by the celebrated firm of John
Burgess and Son, of 107, Strand, which will be certain to
secure for the piquant productions of this eminent firm a
preference over every article of the same description now
before the public. The novelty consists in the erec-
tion of machinery for the working of Manfield's patent
process, which effects in a few hours, by means of atm is-
pheric exhaustion and condensation, that which has hitherto
taken months to accomplish, and which insures a perfectly
successful result without the use of that deleterious acid
which has been so Universally condemned. The new
machinery has been very compactly arranged in the
lower part of the Messrs. Burgess's establishment in
the Strand, and such is the facility in its working that
the raw vegetable is perfectly pickled and rendered ready
for the table in less than a couple of hours, whilst under
the old process the same end could only be attained, and
then in a very objectionable manner, in less than twice as
many months. The intent machinery consists of a large
air-tight receiver for the reception of vegetables, to which
is attached a set of air pumps for exhausting and con-
densing, and a spherical air-tight tank containing the
vinegar. The vegetables, after being thoroughly washed,
are placed in the receiver, the superfluous moisture
is drawn from them, and then the vacuum engines
are brought into action. The natural fluid is withdrawn
by the action of the pumps, when the delicately spiced
vinegar is forced into the vegetable at a pressure of 451 b.
to the square inch, immediately after which operation the
pickles are ready for the table, thoroughly imbued with
the flavour of the vinegar, neither acid nor artificial colour-
ing being used or required in their preparation. Tho
method of pickling hitherto employed has been to cut up
the materials, and then simply cover them with hot or
cold spiced vinegar, trusting to time for it to soak in,
which process takes some months before the vegetables
lose their natural rawness and acquire the desired flavour.
This process is adopted in home manufacture, but where
the demand is enormous other means must bo taken to
meet it, and until the present time a system has been in
use which either compelled the manufacturer to send his
articles out in a semi-raw state or else to wait the time
necessary for the perfect saturation of the vegetable, the
latter entailing great loss of capital. By Maufield's patent
machinery both these objectionable causes are removed, as
by it a thousand gallons of pure pickled vegetables could
bo produced iu a single day, of a quality and purity hitherto
unknown. The machinery by which such a satisfactory
result is achieved is ingeniously simple, but in its erection
the greatest care and attention has been exorcised. All the
taps, pipes, and other parts coming in contact with tho vine-
gar are made of platinurn—a fact that at once shows that to
arrive at a satisfactory result expense has not boon allowed
to stand in the way ; thus the patent pickles are to a cer-
tainty entirely free from the presence of copper. The
erection of the new machinery has occasioned the Messrs.
Burgess a great outlay of capital, but the result of that ex-
pendituro will certainly be to give their production a priority
over all articles of the same kind, because three things
may be implicitly relied on—high quality, the utmost
cleanliness, and perfect purity.

THE NEW LAW COURTS.—The exhibition of the
plans for the New Law Courts will be opened on the 15th
of January. The erection now being made in New-square,
Lincoln's-inn, is to be completed by the 3d proximo, and
the plans deposited within a, week of that time.

A Parliamentary paper just published contains
extracts of correspondence ,between the Board of
Admiralty with Admiral Hope and others relative
to this subject. With regard to the case of General
Lamothe, the Haytian, who complained of gross
maltreatment, Mr. Romaine, writing on behalf of
the Admiralty, says :—" Making every allowance
for the peculiar circumstances of the case, my
lords
consider it was the duty of those officers to have
ascertained what was due to the position of the Pri"
soners committed to their charge, and to have taken
special care that their property was not lost or made
away with." The paper contains a memorandun2
of revised instructions, by which, as far as loo'
circumstances admit, Admiral Hope is to be guided
in the event of it at any future time being necessari•
to land parties for the suppression of disturbances'
or otherwise, in any British colony or settlement
within the limits of his command. In a despatch t
the Admiralty, dated July 6, the conduct of Car"
de Horsey, Lieuts. Brand and Oxley, Lieut. O'C°ll-
- and others, in carrying out the military plea-
sures is highly praised; " but their lordships, in Orli;
ing to the proceedings in which naval officers toe--
part in punishing the disturbers of the public peace'
regret that they were unable to view those prooee':
ings with the same satisfaction. Lieut. Brand, in
the discharge of his duty as president of the courts'
martial at Morant Bay, appears to have beeil,
actuated by an earnest desire to satisfy himself of
the truth or falsehood of the charges brought again_isci
the prisoners ; but my lords regret that he shot%
have been satisfied with evidence that, in sell',
cases, would not have been admitted before 0•13.70
ordinary tribunal, and in others would have bCe
thought insufficient. The responsibility of carrYn3go
into execution the sentences recommended by i,
courts does not rest with him, since it appears tne,
the whole proceedings were in every case submitted
for the consideration of the superior militaryauthe
rity, by whom the orders for carrying the sentences
into effect were given. With regard to the PriJe
ceedings of Lieutenant Oxley, you have alrest`
acquainted that officer with your opinion upon the
and have pointed out the mistakes he committed'
and my lords have only to express their entire Cella
currence in the views you have expressed." !lit
despatch to the Colonial-office on the same sublel;
Mr. Romaine, on the part of the Admiralty, °
serves, " These officers were necessarily young ano
inexperienced in the conduct of such operations ;
definite and detailed instructions were given tbii,
for their guidance, and their minds were necessar.zu
i
acted upon by the alarm and excitement Will
• rti
everywhere prevailed around them. In the male na
of cases in which punishments were awarded' ttfi,
sentence carried out under the orders of navole,
cers during the prevalence of martial law, the Prero.
ceedings of the court-martial over which they 2„,4
sided, or of which they were members, were subna
.07ry
for confirmation and approval to superior mil!, of
authority. This was notably the case in the tri'
George Wm. Gordon, which was presided over byte
naval officer ; the proceedings, and sentence, naval
execution received the confirmation and aPP,r°OO
of the Major-General and the Governor ci by
island. With regard to other acts committed
naval officers, under the authority of militarY la a
when left as they were to the exercise of their their
judgment, my lords will not fail to exPress diesS
reprehension of any acts of cruelty or Ue.e iu
severity. Looking to the very difficult posit° ru
frO
which these young officers were placed, "'al nica
the superior officers to whom they were accust° it,
to look for instruction, my lords do net deelno
necessary to order any further steps to be taken'

DEATH OF JOSEPH ROBERTSON, LLD' —::1:4,1111e
Edinburgh Evening Courant announces the death of
Robertson, LL.D., which took place at his residence, ° ull-,
cleuch-place ,on Thursday. Dr. Robertson bad for a
c
siderable time been ailing, but his illness did not t3l‘°th
decided form till about two months ago, when the (1(33,1
owing to a railway accident, of his eldest survivia
e
gave a shock to his system which he did not reOltto
Suffering under a painful internal complaint, lie
dte is °t
t
advice of the best physicians, but medical skill Ovr
avail to contend with the severe malady, which I'.Sc'
cut him off in the 56th year of hie nge.