The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-01-19
Enormous MIL.

There are various towns in the kingdom, such
as Nottingham, Derby, London, Manchester, Liv-
erpool, &c, in which the production OF sugar
making machinery has attained n considerable de-
gree of importance, but It may confidently be
affirmed that. in respect of its connection with
such machinery, Glasgow stands far ahead OF any
other seat Of the engineering industries, either
at home or abroad. So far ms this city Is con-
ce.ncd, the manufacture Of such machinery dates
very far back, certainly to the time when there
was a large and intimate connection between the
Glasgow merchants and the sugar planters in the
West Indies, and more particularly those Of the
Island Of Jamaica. IL Is during the last thirty
years OF 30 more especially that the manufacture In
question has reached The Importance which we now
claim for it. From being almost exclusively In
the West Indian connection. which IL doubtless
was in the FIRST instance, the production of sugar
making machinery in Glasgow Is now carried on
in almost every sugar rowing country In the
world. A number OF Glasgow engineering firms
have made a specially OF the manufacture, and two
or three have devoted themselves almost exclu-
sively to it during the greater part Of the above
mentioned period; and it is worthy Of very special
remark that the district embracing Scotland Street
and its immediate vicinity has in the lapse Of years
gained a worldwide fame for its pre- eminence In
this branch Of manufacture.
Messrs. Mirrlecs. TAFT. a. Watson, Scotland Street
Ironworks undoubtedly occupy the very front
rank in the production Of sugar machinery for
plantations abroad and reGnerics at home, both as
TO the extent of the work which they have turned
ont, and as regards the gigantic proportions OF
many OF lue stlS OF plant winch tney nave made.
They have lately executed two very large contracts.
connected with which there are certain features OF
interest sufficient TO justify us In making some
reference TO them.
On paying a visit TO the works Of that firm a few
weeks ago We had an opportunity of seeing in
progress a set Of no fewer than Eve sugar-mills,
each having rollers Of 80 inches in diameter and
GO inches in length. and which have since been
shipped from the Clyde 10 the Danish Island Of
Santa Cruz in the West Indies. They are TO DO
placed in various parts OF that island, and the Juice
compressed by them from the sugar-cane is 10 DO
conveyed in ~cast-irOn pipes from the several mills
10 Il large central factory in which the sugar IL to
be treated in an ordinary refinery. There are 10
be erected in that central factory "A very large
vacuum pan aud twelve Of Wesion's patent, iDgen-
ions, sel[balanced. suspending centrifugal ma
chimes, the use OF which in this country has been
most successful. by eneciing u great Improvement
in the production Of marketable sugar. On the
occasion of our visit we saw the vacuum pan
erected in Messrs. MirTlees, TAFT, & Walson's spa
cious fitting shop, and its capacity may best be un-
derstoOd when We say that one filling will dis
charge as much green sugar ~ will, when dried In
the centrifugals, give 20 tons of finished sugar
ready for market This is, we believe, the largest
plant OF the kind ever sent TO any single factory
abroad.
Though, in the aggregate, these mills, &c, COM
pose the most extensive sugar-making plant ever
exported from the Clyde, there is now being ship
ped from the same works what may really be call
ed a monster sugar-mill for Mr.. Quintin Hogg,
Demerar. As this mill is believed 10 be far the
most powerful and ponderous machine for crushing
sugar-cane yet made anywhere, a few particulars
regarding IL may be OF interest TO our renders.
The rollers are AZ inches in diameter and 81 inches
in length, and each roller, with its ~gudgeon and
pinions, weighs about rs tons. Many sugar-plan-
tiers have Of late been in the habit Of passing the
sugar-cane through two mills. or twice through the
same mill. thereby gaining n considerable increase
on the percentage Of juice, and The enormous mill
now in course Of shipment has been constructed In
the expectation that IL will extract as much juice
at one operation as may be deemed desirable.
The stcam-engine for working this ponderous mass
OF machinery is a beam-engine Of the ordinary six
column type, and Is designed TO work at "A speed OF
70 revolutions per minute, 10 give 200 indicated
horse power; and the intermediate gearing by
means Of which this power Is 10 be transmitted 10
the sugar-mill is one OF the finest specimens OF
beavy-toothed wbecl-wOrk ever madP-all the
wheels being in segments on the new system which
attracted SO much attention and admiration at
Philadelphia. where Messrs. MirrlePs, TAFT, a. Wat
son exhibited "A large AuGarmill last year, aud
which gained for the firm the highest awards there.
The total weight Of the engine, mill. and gearing
is about $50 tons. For some time prior 10 being
shipped this gigantic sugar-mill plant was erected
in the fitting shop OF the firm just named, and was
inspected by n number Of professional engineers
and other persons. by whom il was very greatly
admired-EngLSh Erchaags.