, 1875-04-28

Out Wnlcn the pOlaflSc0pe shows contain 99
per cent. of Cane Sugar are common enough.
Why, then, cannot the manufacturers produce
the dazzling Wilderness to which We are accas-
toned in the finest produce of the nome Rim
erS2 The reply of course is, that charcoal is
only used to a tri1Ing extent in The colonies,
and that the Refners make use Of very large
quantities in order to bleach their Crystals.
Indeed, for fine Pieces they use, it is said, on
the average, no less than three tons of char
coal to four tons Of Sugar-that is, they reburn
a ton of charcoal for every ten and a quarter
of Sugar that passes through it. When re-
burnt in this way, the 6ltering power of char.
coal can be restored almost indefinitely, and
to enable the Central Factories to place them
selves on an equal footing with The reiuers,
they would not only require the charcoal itself,
but the retorts for returning il after each FL
tration. We are not aware Of any adequate
reason which should prevent this Slightly further
step in colonial manufacture being made. The
freight on the quantity of charcoal required
once for all would be a trifiug consideration
even from England, while apart from the sup
ply Of cattle in some Of the West Indian colo
MES themselves, Texas, with its vast herds, is
in close proximity, and the great grazing
districts of South America are within easy
reach. There should, therefore, be 30
difficulty about the supply Of The bones, and
the meat preserying Establishments both in
Texas and on the River Plate would pro-
badly undertake the preparation Of charcoal,
as its manufacture would add q new and highly
profitable indus ry to their main process. I'm
less the planters can make snow-white Sugar,
they cannot attack the Re6ners in their strong
hold, and as prices fall the public uses q con-
stantly increasing proportion of white Pieces
and Crystals.
Another point for the consideration Of Cen
trail Factories, suppoSing them to have a
sufficient supply Of charcoal, is, whether it
would not pay them to refine Sugar out Of
the crop season, and to turn the inferiay
produce OF those Of their neighbours who con
sinue to manufacture Sugar under the oij
process, into white Crystals. and the refuse
into treacle ard rum. The great difficult
u OF the Central Factory is The fact Of the
crop season being 80 short, so that an expen-
sive machinery and staff are idle dug ing-a great
part of the year. If they could find employ.
ment out of he crop season by refining. they
would, so far as the machinery and mechanical
and chemical staff were coucernpd-more than
double their productive power without adding
TO their outlay. In considering the relative
cost of refining at home and abroad, it will DO
found that land and labour where it is to he
bad) are far cheaper in the tropics than in Eng
land, but that coal is materially cheaper nrr.
We believe that in CryStal-making a ton Of
GOAL is used in the production of a ton If Sugar.
Taking the cost Of a ton of GOALS here at 2SS.,
and in the West Indies at double, or SOS, the
difference 0 f28s. would add Is. AID. per cwt to
the cost If refining abroad as compared with
here, from which would have to he deducted
the lower cost Of manual labour and of rent.
In addition, the 2mmun Sugar made by old.
fashioned machinery loses from 10 10 IS per
cent in drainage on the voyage. L the maker
of it receive say 16s nett forhis producei in Eng
land, it would pay him in his own country to
accept a price equivalent to a reduction OF Is.
Sd. per cTt., or 10 per cent under what he
would get in England, for he would be paid on
the gross West Indian weight instead of on
the nett weight realised in England after the
loss by drainage. This reduction of Is. Cd. per
cwt. 10 the cost price of the Raw material
would be g benefit to that extent to the Cen
trail Factory over the home Refner, for the
separation Of the Raw material into dry Crys.
tals and into refuse would stop the loss by
drainage, as it is to be presumed that the Cen
trial Factory, with lis superior appliances,
would put the treacle into tight casks. If these
calculations are approximately correct, it would
appear to be as cheap FIR a Central Factory to
refine Sugar as for it to be done here, consider.
ing that the former already has the mechanical
and scientific appliances lying idle. In this
way some of the difficulties of planters-who
prefer to continue to manufacture Sugar in
stead of selling their Canes, or who are too far
e.