EXTRACTING STARCH FROM THE HORSE CHESNUT, BY A NEW AND SIMPLE METHOD, AT PRESENT UNKNOWN TO ANY ONE BUT MYSELF;
Year: 1796

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:
WHEREAS by His Majesty's Royal Letters Patent, bearing date at West-
minster, the Eighth day of March, in the thirty-sixth year of the reign of King
George the Third, granted to me, WILLIAM MURRAY, Esq (commonly called
Lord William Murray), my executors, administrators, and assigns, for the sole
use, benefit, and advantage of my Invention and Discovery of "EXTRACTING
STARCH FROM THE HORSE CHESNUT, BY A NEW AND SIMPLE METHOD, AT PRESENT
UNKNOWN TO ANY ONE BUT MYSELF;" to have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the said
Letters Patent and license thereby granted, for and during the full end and
term of fourteen years, within that part of Great Britain called England,
our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed; in which said
recited Letters Patent is contained a provisoe, that if I should not particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in the High Court of Chancery,
within one calendar month next and immediately after the date of the said
recited Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties
and advantages thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become
void, anything therein contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwith-
standing.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said provisoe, now I, the
said William Murray, Esquire (commonly called Lord William Murray),
do hereby particularly describe the nature of my said Invention, and how
it is to be performed, which is in manner following, that is to say :-

page_text: I first take the horse chesnuts out of the outward green prickly husks, and
then, either by hand with a knife or other tool, or else with a mill adapted for
that purpose, I very carefully pare off the brown rhind, being particular not to
leave the smallest speck, and to entirely eradicate the sprout or growth.
I next take the nuts, and rasp, grate, or grind them fino into water, cither by
hand, or by a mill adapted for that purpose. The pulp which is thereby formed
in this water I wash as clean as possible thro' a coarso horse-hair scive; this I
again wash thro' a fine seive, and then again thro' a still finer, constantly
adding clean water to prevent any starch adhering to the pulp. The last
process is, to put it with a largo quantity of water, (about four gallons to a
pound of starch, through a fine gauze muslin or lawn; so as entirely to clear it
of all bran or other impurities. As soon as it settles pour off the water,
then mix it up with clean water, repeating this operation till it no longer
imparts any green, yellow, or other colour to the water; then drain it off till
nearly dry, and set it to bake, either in the usual mode of baking starch, or
else spread out before a brisk fire, being very attentive to stir it frequently to
prevent its horning (that is to say), turning to a paste or jelly, which on being
dried turns hard like horn). The whole process should be conducted as quickly
as possible.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and scal, this Fifth
day of April, in the thirty-sixth year of the reign of our Sovereign
Lord George the Third, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France,
and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, and in the
thousand coven hundred and ninety-six