AN IMPROVED AND PRE- PARED RICE. RENDERED APPLICABLE FOR USE IN ALL CASES IN WHICH STARCH IS APPLIED
Year: 1823

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1. THOMAS
WICKHAM, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Lace
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did by petition humbly represent to His most Excellent
Majesty King George the Fourth, that I had invented "AN IMPROVED AND PRE-
PARED RICE. RENDERED APPLICABLE FOR USE IN ALL CASES IN WHICH STARCH IS
APPLIED," and therefore His Majesty was pleased to issue His Letters Patent
under the Great Seal of Great Britain. bearing date at Westminster. the
Eleventh day of September, in the fourth year of His reign. which Letters
Patent did give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Wickham. my exors.
admors, and assigns. His Majesty's special licence that I. the said Thomas
Wickham, my exors. admors. and assigns. and every of them, by myself and
themselves, and by my and their deputy and deputies. servants or agents, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Wickham, my exors, admors, and assigns,
shall at any time agree with, and no others, shall and lawfully may make, use,
exercise, and vend my said Invention within England, Wales, and Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, and to have and enjoy the whole profit and advantage
arising by reason of the said Invention during the term of fourteen years from
the date of the said Letters Patent, by which His Majesty also requires and
strictly commands all His subjects whatsoever, within England, Wales. and
Berwick-upon-Tweed, that neither they nor any of them, during the con-
tinuance of the said term of fourteen years. either directly or indirectly, do
1

page_text: make, use, or put in practice the said Invention, or any part of the same, nor
in anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same; and the said Letters
Patent also contain a proviso. obliging me, the said Thomas Wickham, to
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 His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that in fulfilment of the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Wickham, have executed this instrument, by which I do declare that
the nature and method of making my said Invention. and the manner in which
the same is to be made, are particularly described and ascertained in the
following description hereof (that is to say):
.
The substance of my Invention is an improvement or preparation of rice,
which make in the following manner:-I take three ounces of subcarbonate
of potash, called pearl ashes. and one ounce of unslacked lime, mix them
together in two gallons of boiling water, and let the whole continue about ten
minutes, until the sediment has fallen to the bottom of the vessel; I then pour
off so much of the liquor as is clear upon eight pounds of rice in the grain
placed in another vessel, and keep it in a state of agitation for an hour;
I then strain off the liquid from the rice, and wash the rice in either warm or
cold water, continuing to apply clear water until it comes away without any
turbid appearance; then mix four ounces of sulphuric acid with a gallon of
cold water, immerse the rice in it, let it remain one hour, pour off the liquid,
and then wash the rice in either warm or cold water until the acid is removed.
I next dry the rice upon a stove, or kiln, or in the open air, and then grind
it into flour, when it is fit for use. I have named sulphuric acid because I have
found it the most economical, but I claim the nse of any other acid (of which
there are several) capable of whitening rice after it has been operated upon by
the alkaline ley, but I do not claim the exclusive use of the alkaline ley or the
acids except for the purpose herein stated.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth
day of March, in the fifth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord
George the Fourth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and twenty-four.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Sixth day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1824, the aforesaid Thomas Wickham came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt according to the tenor of the
Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Tanth day of Mal
Inrolled the Tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand