, 1876-06-17

AAN -SASA AAOAA hAS 0AA &ISSuIOnl A0Ou
described to the vertical wooden-roller mill
now in use at Chica Ballapura, and in other
parts OF India, was but natural. We find in
this mill the same idea of a lever pressing upon
the top OF the pestle applied to another purpose
IN the beam which is fixed to the top of the
longer OF the two rollers which projects above
the framework in which they are placed.
The other roller, which is only the height
OF the frame, is turned by the four spiral
grooves and ridges at the upper end being
damned against corresponding grooves and
ridges on the long roller. The transmission
of motion by means of the cog-wheels Of
modern times is thus seen to have had its
origin, probably many centuries before the
Christian era, among the ancient inhabitants
of India. T3I
10 place two such cylinders Of hardwood in a
frame, horizontally instead of vertically. SO that
they could be turned by two men, one at each end,
and could be easily moved from place to place,
was the simplest way of meeting the require
ments Of those who had but little cane to
squeeze. It's cheapBess, however, (t can be
made for two rupees) was probably the great
est lnducement to It's adoption. Such mills are
in common use near Calcutta. They are al
most universally employed By the Chinese,
amongst whom they are conveyed from place
to place, along the rivers and canals in the su-
gar districts, By migratory sugar, boilers. Be-
Ing temporarily erected in some central spot
where the produce Of several farms can be con.
venientIy brought, the workmeu are kept in
constant employment until the canes near at
hand are all cut aud another move becomes
necessary [4.I
We thus find, in the records Of the ancient
arts OF HlndoStan, roller mills for crushing cane,
both vertical and horizontal, which are barely
improved amongst the same people at the pre-
sent day, and are exact prototypes of the ma
ohinery now in use.
The first mills used in moro modern times
were known as edge-miIls, which are now chief
y used for crushing ~oiI.seeds, apples lin cyder
%dlstrletSJ and in t%anneries. A large heavy
wheel, generally of stone, was made to revoIve
vertically upon its edge in 4 small circular
area some s or 10 feet in diameter, by cattle
or wind power. The pieces Of cane were
strewed in the oonoave path Of the wheel and
the juice flowed away by a channel formed for
the purpose. P6re Laftau relates the donation
TO the Convent Of st. BenOit by William H.,
King of Sicily, of such a mill for crushing
sugar canes, along with its privileges, WOrkmen
and dependencies, which remarkable gift bears
the date 1166. T5l,
In the next century we find mention Of
The use Of vertical wooden rollers 10 Europe,
the introduction Of which is generally attri-
Oubeu 10 gonzales DC VGl0Sa. In the fifteenth
century their use crept to Madeira and the
Brazile. Early in the century following,
roller mills were established in Hayti and
In other places oontemporaneously with the
spread of cane cultivation. The old vertical
wooden mill is still to be found in many
places In the West Indies and elsewhere
and more than one may now be seen at no
great distance from P0rt-au. Spain.
From wooden rollers to ones of stone and
then of iron the progression was unavoidable.
Many examples of stone-roller vertical mills
are still in existence, while vertical mills
with iron rollers are, even now, comparative.
iy common. Lyon states that when he visit
ed Barbados In l647, the planters were ignO.
rant of many things, and amongst others be
mentions 1.-THE true way Of covering their
rollers with plates or bars Of IRON T6l. This
Information, it appears, they obtained from
Fernambuck (Pernambuoo) In the Brazil,
whence they had gotten plants"
Cattle gave place, subsequently, TO wind
and water power, both of which are still
largely used in remote districts. As recently
as 1848 a mechanical engineer found it ne
oessary to call the attention Of the planters
of Trinidad to the superior advantages Of
[3.l See Reports from the officers Of the East In
da Company, on the publication Of the sugar cane IN
HindOstan. Dr.. Roxburgh, Mr.. Touchet, Mr.