is easily effected; as the latter is lighter than
the former, and cakes, and separates itself
from it, and swims upon its surface. With
the water the naphtha is also drawn away.
The water likewise contains the acetate and
carbonate of ammonia, dissolved. One
hundred tons of peat furnish from ten thousand
to twelve thousand gallons of water, according
to the dryness of the material. In ten
thousand gallons of this water there is a quantity
of ammonia sufficient for the manufacture of
one ton of sulphate of ammonia and of acetic
acid equal to fourteen hundred weight of grey
acetate of lime; there is also contained naphtha
to the amount of fifty-two gallons. This floating capital
— as we may term it — is thus realised:-

To the condensed liquor which has been
separated from the tar is added lime, in the
proportion of six hundred weight to ten
thousand gallons. The whole is stirred
thoroughly for some time; and is then
distilled. The vapours driven off by distillation
consist of naphtha, and ammonia, or spirit of
hartshorn, as it is commonly called. The
naphtha is made to fly off simply by the heat.
The ammonia is expelled by the agency of the
lime on the acetate of ammonia. The lime
unites chemically with the carbon, oxygen,
and part of the hydrogen of the acetate of
ammonia. That is to say, it unites with the
acetic acid, in consequence of  containing which
the substance in question is called an acetate;
and which consists of those three elements.
The remaining hydrogen with all the nitrogen
of the acetate of ammonia, constitute the
ammonia itself; which is left free by the lime,
and by the additional power of the heat is
raised in vapour together with the naphtha.
The mixture of the two vapours is conducted
into dilute sulphuric acid, contained in a close
vessel, to which a naphtha-rectifier is attached.
The naphtha passes into the rectifier to be
purified by distillation. The ammonia is
detained by the sulphuric acid, with which it
combines, and forms the salt called sulphate of
ammonia, which has only to be crystallised to
be reduced to an available form. And so Mr.
Reece gets his sulphate of ammonia and naphtha;
but he has also to get acetate of lime.

Lime, it will be recollected, was added to
the liquor whence the naphtha and ammonia
were distilled: and we left it there in
combination with acetic acid. In fact, it took the
place of the ammonia; and the liquor left in
the still is a solution of just that very
substance which the question now is how to obtain.
This question might be readily solved by
evaporating and crystallising the liquid merely:
but acetate of lime obtained by this summary
process would be in a very impure state. To
refine it, therefore, is necessary. Accordingly,
the liquor is concentrated by being boiled
down till in every one hundred parts of it are
contained ten parts of acetic acid combined
with lime. Then sulphuric acid is added to
it in sufficient quantity to unite with the lime
and disengage the acetic acid. The liquor is
now distilled again; and the produce of the
distillation is acetic acid. This is again
saturated with lime, and thus returns to the state
of acetate, the resulting acetate of lime being
now sufficiently pure for commercial purposes,
and needing nothing further than being boiled
down and dried to be ready for the market.

In the processes above described, lime has
been represented as dissolving the connexion
between ammonia and acetic acid; sulphuric
acid as disengaging acetic acid from lime, and
as arresting the volatile ammonia and causing
it and naphtha to part company. To be understood
by all to whom these presents may come,
it must be stated that these changes are the
result of the play of chemical affinities,
different substances having different degrees of
attractiveness one for the other, breaking
their mutual engagements, and cutting each
other out, thus exhibiting behaviour analogous
to phenomena occasionally met with in
another sphere than that of chemistry. Acetic
acid deserts ammonia for lime. Lime again
jilts acetic for the more powerful charms of
sulphuric acid. These, too, are of a nature so
irresistible as to resist and enchain fickle
ammonia. But from these interesting analogies
we must return to our peat. It has been
seen how sulphate of ammonia, acetate of
lime, and naphtha are obtained from its watery
product; it has now to be shown how the
paraffine and the oils are extracted from
its tar.

The tar derived from one hundred tons of
peat consists of from three hundred to three
hundred and fifty pounds of paraffine, and
three hundred gallons of oils, with a
substance called capnomor (a Greek compound
word, merely signifying "part of smoke") and
waste.

This paraffine which holds so important a
place among the products of peat, was first
discovered in tar by Reichenbach. It is a white,
fusible, solid substance, and it has the capability
of being distilled without material change. It
melts at one hundred and ten degrees
(Fahrenheit) into an oily liquid. Like wax, it
burns with a beautifully clear white flame.
Its combustion is unattended with the slightest
smell. Such a substance, obtained cheaply
and plentifully, would clearly be a great addition
to the common stock of human property.
Unfortunately, however, in the preparation
of paraffine, the use of ether was necessary.
Valuable as was the paraffine, it was not
worth the exchange; to consume ether in
procuring, it was like throwing sovereigns
after crowns. It might have still continued
to be a mere chemical curiosity. The
practical difficulty, however, of obtaining this
commodity, has also been overcome by Mr.
Reece.

The tar is melted and carefully freed
from water. Whilst it is of a temperature not
exceeding one hundred degrees Fahrenheit,
twenty gallons of sulphuric acid are added to it.
The acid and tar are well stirred together