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TllEATISE 
 
 ON 
 
 CONTAINING, 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF THE ALKALINE MATERL\L5 5 
 
 TEST FOP. DISCOVERING THE PRESENCE 
 OF AN ALKALI, &cc. 
 
 WITH 
 
 Ful/ Directions for Manufacturing 
 YELLOW, PURE, WHITE, AND PERFUMED 
 HAPvD SOAP: 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 Complete Instructions for 
 THE MAKING OF GREEN OR SOFT SOAP: 
 
 With Other Requisites necesscirij to fnish th^ 
 SOAP-BOILER. 
 
 Tq which is added, 
 ABSTRACTS OF THE EXCISE LAWS RELATIVE 
 to HARD AND SOFT SOAP-MAKERS. 
 
 BT A MANUFACTURER. 
 
 Permit not Poverty thy abodes t' invade : 
 Be gold expedient— 3tudy well thy trade. 
 Trust not yourself, but your defects to know : 
 Make use of ev'ry friend— —and ev'ry foe. 
 Be niggards of advice on no pretence ; 
 JHH^ ^^For the worst avarice is that of sense. POPE. 
 
 EDINBURGH : 
 
 PRINTED BY OLIVER & CO. METiIERBOW. 
 
 1S07. 
 
TO THE READER. 
 
 THE author of the following Treatise would 
 request the favour^ that his intentions in 
 producing this small^ but, he trusts, useful 
 
 piece, mat) be candidly imputed to his own 
 real motives, viz. an endeavour of being use-' 
 fid to a large proportion of his Brethren in 
 Trade, and not to an ostentatious show of 
 exhibiting either his own abilities or educa- 
 tion. Sensible of his defciency in both, he 
 humbly solicits, that the indulgent reader ivill 
 have the goodness to take an opportunity of 
 annoying any inaccuracies or mistakes 
 a 2 
 
iv 
 
 herein apparent to his conception, xvhich shall 
 in due time be taken into consideration^ rec-- 
 tijied^ and the favour gratejully acknow- 
 ltdged. Had this been the production of 
 what is denominafcd a scholar, or man of 
 education, much room might have been 
 found for exhibit ing flowers of rhetoric and 
 (f learned philosophical explanations. So 
 muchy indeed^ a display of these talents 
 might have been exercised, as to render the 
 book of more extensive magnitude^ buf^ at 
 the same time^ obscure and unintelligible to 
 the very class for whose instruction and in- 
 formation it is principally intended, JVrote 
 by a tradesman^ for the particular behoof of 
 tradesmen:, all tecliuical terms are therefore 
 carefully avoided; or^ where such do ne-- 
 cessarily occur ^ an illustration generally sue-- 
 ceeds. That this book may prove ^eful^, 
 
Y 
 
 will much depend upon the serious attention 
 and strict observance of the matter therein 
 laid dorm. The importance of its contents 
 will iuore readily be discovered by those who 
 have travelled a little in the path already^ 
 and have espied the darkness and dangers of 
 fhe road. That great light may be thrown 
 upon the subject^ is the earnest wish and 
 sincere desire of 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 a5 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 IT may appear something strange, that 
 notwithstanding the numerous volumes 
 hitherto pubUshed upon the different 
 Arts, Sciences, and Manufactures, no 
 practical account of Soap-makiintg have 
 as yet reached the eye of the Public. 
 What this niav be owing to, seem ra- 
 ther difficult to account for : it may be, 
 that those few^ possessed of tlie secret^ 
 from a parsimonious, contracted, or 
 selfish disposition, consider themselves 
 
Ylll 
 
 justly entitled to preserve, exclusively, 
 that which have cost them, perhaps, 
 much time, expeiice, and trouble, to 
 acquire. Anothei', and more favour- 
 able reason, however, may be alleged ; 
 that amongst these few, none have been 
 urged by that degree of confidence in 
 their own abilities, svifficient to induce 
 them to set about a work in itself so 
 mysterious and uncorrimon. Be that as 
 it may, the author of the following pages 
 could seriously have wished that this 
 task had fortunately fallen to the lot of 
 some other person much better quali- 
 fied than himself. Tiie idea, however, 
 of retaining from our fellow-creatures 
 that knov/ledge which the Great Dis- 
 poser of all good have been pleased to 
 lend us, on!y, is a notion so contrary 
 
ix 
 
 to the benevolent rules of Christianity, 
 which is, To do good and to communicate^ 
 that the author feels himself peculiarly 
 happy in having it in his power to obey 
 so far the sacred injunctions, as with 
 pleasure to comniunicate to others what 
 they may stand in need of, or to the 
 extent of his abilities bestow. 
 
 To obtain the knowledge necessary 
 to complete a Soap-maker^ must at all 
 times be attended with a very consider- 
 able expence, besides the consumption 
 of a large portion of time. No expe- 
 rienced Soap-boiler would consider it at 
 all worth his attention, to undertake the 
 instructing, in the fundamental principles 
 of the art, any person under a premium 
 of One Hundred Guineas, besides the 
 benefit of the person's labour spent in 
 
X 
 
 t 
 
 the acquirement. Common appren- 
 tices to soap-makersj acquire their 
 knowledge from ocular demonstration 
 only : they see how to prepare the ma- 
 terials, mix them together, set a cave, 
 draw off and collect the leys therefrom, 
 boil the same with tallow in the soap- 
 pan : — the event ultimately is the pro- 
 duction of soap. 
 
 Tliey may aiso be instructed, under 
 tlie eye of their master, or the boiler, 
 occasionally, to finish a soap-pan. This 
 last indulgence naturally creates in the 
 apprentice, perhaps nearly out of his 
 time, an impressive idea of his own 
 finishing, or completion in the art of 
 his trade. How wonderfully mistaken, 
 however, many such have found them- 
 selves, when afterwards entrusted with 
 
the sole charge and management of a 
 soap-work, I shall leave to their own 
 ingenuous bosoms to declare. I well 
 know from experience what I have just 
 advanced to be a positive fact. 
 
 The following Treatise, therefore, I 
 consider as a handsome and valuable 
 
 present to Soap-makers in general 
 
 Any person possessing the means, and 
 having an inclination to become Soap- 
 maker, may, with this book before 
 him, proceed immediately to work, 
 without danger of going wrong, provid- 
 ed always the rules and directions there- 
 in inculcated be most scrupulously at- 
 tended to. 
 
 I have commenced, in order, at the 
 very first principles of the profession, 
 as supposing the reader totally ignorant 
 
xii 
 
 of soap and its combiirations, by giv- 
 ing a short account of the principal aU 
 haUne materials niost universally made 
 use of in the manufacturing of soap, 
 and how they are to be treated, in or- 
 der to extract therefrom the lej^s, or 
 alkaline salts. 
 
 Secondlyy I have pointed out how the 
 hard materials may be analysed, oi- ex- 
 amined, in order to detect sand in their 
 composition. 
 
 I next proceed to consider the leys, 
 and to shew how they are to be weigh- 
 ed, and proved v/ith regard to their 
 strength, mildness, and causticity ; con- 
 sequently, to determine whether tliey 
 are, or are not, fit for making soap. 
 
 After which I come, in course, to 
 charge the pan, preparatory to a niak- 
 
Xlll 
 
 ing of Yellow Hard Soap, the opera- 
 tion of which is gone through in the 
 most minute manner, explaining, as I 
 proceed, every thing that may appear 
 any ways dark to the understanding of 
 a young beginner. 
 
 An operation of White Hard Soap, 
 with the same peculiar minuteness, is 
 also proceeded in, and described, with 
 the grand secret of finishing for Pure 
 White Soap, and how to scent or per- 
 fume the same. 
 
 It is also shovni, how the perfume 
 may be at an easy rate procured ; with 
 the method of preparing the Test for 
 discovering the existence of an alkali 
 in any liquid body. 
 
 After the conclusion of the observa-- 
 tions on hard Soap, is inserted Two 
 b 
 
xiv 
 
 Experiments accurately made on White 
 Soap, upon a small scale, with a Cal- 
 culation of the Expence, Profit, &c, at- 
 tending the same ; and a Table, shew- 
 ing at one view the neat Amount of 
 Duties to be paid to the Excise on any 
 number of inches in the frame, from 
 one to one hundred, and by which any 
 other quantity, or number of inches, 
 may be discovered. 
 
 For the benefit of those who may not 
 be acquainted with casting up the same, 
 a specimen of the work is also sub- 
 joined. 
 
 I then enter upon the operation of 
 Soft Soapy exhibiting and explaining se- 
 veral makings as they actually took 
 place, with descriptions of leys, &c. 
 
XV 
 
 By way of xVppendix, and what is 
 most essentially necessary for every 
 Soapmaker to be intimately acquainted 
 with, I have selected Abstracts of the 
 principal Laws of Excise, peculiar to 
 Hard and Soft Soap-makers : — The 
 whole comprising a complete System 
 of Soap-making, comprehending every 
 thing needful in the trade for the Soap- 
 boiler to be informed of. 
 
 The Author has only further to ob- 
 serve, that in prosecuting his business 
 as a Soap-maker, he was uniformly in 
 the practice, from an early period, of 
 taking down notes in writing of every 
 particular, or uncommon circumstance, 
 that appeared to him material, in the 
 course of his operations. 
 
xvi 
 
 These remarks, for his further satis- 
 faction, he from time to time submit- 
 ted to trial, by various experiments upon 
 a small scale : And by thus persevering, 
 he flatters himself to have acquired a 
 tolerable knowledge of the different phe- 
 nomena so universally attendant on, and 
 inseparably connected with, the process - 
 of Soap-niaking ; thereby rendering the 
 whole at once clear, plain, and compre- 
 hensive. 
 
 In reviewing of late his jottings, he 
 was forcibly impressed with this idea, 
 viz. that these remarks and observa- 
 tions, being the result of above five- 
 and-twenty years practical experience^ 
 might be of advantage, if made public, 
 to the generality of his Brethren in 
 Trade, especially those who have not 
 
xvii 
 
 had an opportunity of being properly 
 instructed in the fundamental principles 
 of Soap-making. 
 
 These principles the Author considers 
 to be a thorough knowledge of the na-^ 
 ture and quaUties of the original mate- 
 rials, leys, 8zc. used in the manufactory. 
 It may in general be observed, that all 
 bodies possessing a fixed alkalme salt, 
 may be rendered useful in the making of 
 Soap ; but the chief, and what is com- 
 monly resorted to, are the following, 
 viz* Kelp, Barilla, American and St 
 Peterburg, Pot and Pearl Ashes, 
 Dantzic, English, &c. ; with a short 
 Account of which, from the best au- 
 thorities, we shall commence this Trea- 
 tise, and conclude the whole with a brief 
 Dissertation on Spoiled Hard Soap, &c. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 Adbress to the Reader.,.,,.., «• .....viii 
 
 Preface ••• ••• vii 
 
 Treatise on hard and soft soap-making,. 13 
 
 Different kinds of alkalis... .,.16 
 
 The two great divisions of salts 20 
 
 Method of depriving them of their fixed air 21 
 
 Alkaline salts for the use of the soap-boiler, 
 
 how obtained. , ibid. 
 
 Kelp, how made, and what esteemed best ibid. 
 
 Ditto, used as a manure, and for feeding cat- 
 tle, hogs, &c • «... 22 
 
 Ditto, the ashes of, used as salt for new cheese 23 
 
 Barilla, where and how made.,.. 24 
 
 Gazul, soza, and salicor, ditto ••,.,<,••,«,, 2 (3 
 
XX 
 
 Page 
 
 Pot-ash, how prepared • 29 
 
 Process for detecting sand in alkaline materials 31 
 
 Blue and white pearl ashes 33 
 
 Russia and Muscovy ashes, Cashub ditto ..•34 
 
 Marcoft ashes.... « 35 
 
 Preparation for setting a cave, or vat 37 
 
 Setting ditto , 39 
 
 Test for discovering the presence of an alkali 
 
 in any liquid substance. 42 
 
 Examination of leys, to discover their quality 
 
 with regard to mildness or causticity ..44 
 
 Comparative strength betwixt one ley and 
 
 another discovered • •••..47 
 
 Weight of spring water and strong soap-ley 
 
 contrasted*. • 49 
 
 Concise and accurate method to ascertain the 
 
 strength of soap-leys .......ibid. 
 
 Only one alkaline principle in nature 51 
 
 Excisemen become soap-boilers.... 52 
 
 A charge for yellow soap.......... 53 
 
 Boiling and finishing ditto 55 
 
 Palm oil used therein., •»•.••..•••••••....... 37 
 
xxi 
 
 Page 
 
 Charge for pure white soap, and process 58 
 
 Finishing ditto • 59 
 
 To prepare the scent for perfumed or Windsor 
 
 soap • • ••••• 63 
 
 The weights and measures to be understood 
 
 throughout the work » m,.6§ 
 
 Table for casting up the dip of a soap frame, 
 
 from one inch to one hundred, &c 71 
 
 Examples of working the same by hot and 
 
 cold area .••.•...72 
 
 Glass hydrometer to ascertain the weight of 
 
 leys • • • ..74 
 
 A charge for 1st crown soft soap .••••••••••76 
 
 Proportions, and operation of making ditto..,. ibid. 
 
 A charge for 2d crown, and operation. • 80 
 
 A charge for common soft soap, with old soap 
 
 returned • • • .•• 81 
 
 General observations necessary to be attended 
 
 to by the operator • • . 8 3 
 
 Experiment to ascertain the expence of white 
 
 soap-making •••••• ..••••• 87 
 
 Calculation thereof.f,,,* .•t».»«it.,.»,«tt,,t.9l 
 
 c 
 
xxii 
 
 page 
 
 Appendix ,...99 
 
 Short dissertation on spoiled hard soap, cause 
 
 and remedy , ..ibid. 
 
 Dr Black's method of preparing a soap-ley ..••107 
 
 Abridoment of Excise Laws * lis 
 
 Allowance for spoiled soap, cuttings, &c. ••••..113 
 
 Ditto for hard soap (only) repealed..... ....115 
 
 Legal frames for hard soap , 116 
 
 Legal casks for soft soap... ••..•••.117 
 
 Act to prevent making soap in secret places.... 118 
 . Who are not qualified to make soap, though 
 
 making entry • •••••.. ••119 
 
 Act Geo. III., being the last general statute 
 relating to hard soap, and comprehending 
 most of the former laws applicable to that 
 article «cf e tf*«fiti* #••••##•» «ttf«ft»ttif««f Iff 121 
 
A 
 
 TREATISE 
 
 ON 
 
 HARD 8{ SOFT SOAP- MAKING. 
 
 ALTHOUGH it is not absolutely needful 
 that soap-makers should know where^ and 
 huw^ their materials are originally produced ; 
 yet it is essentially so, that he be acquaint- 
 ed with what is more intimately connected 
 with his own real interest ; that is, how to 
 detect frauds therein when made, and be 
 
 enabled to judge of the strength, quahty, 
 B 
 
14 
 
 and fitness of such materials for his purpose, 
 when prepared and brought to market. 
 
 These necessary precautions known, will 
 guard the manufacturer at all times against 
 every imposition, whether attempted in qua- 
 lity or price. 
 
 To obtain a perfect knowledge, or as 
 much information with regard to alkaline 
 salts as possible, ought to be the principal 
 study of the soap-boiler. The whole art of 
 the trade, the sole prospect of aggrandise- 
 ment, depends upon, and must accrue from 
 such knowledge well digested. 
 
 As the making of soap is the avowed 
 purpose of this Treatise to explain, the do- 
 ing so, by barely exhibiting the method of 
 treating the materials in a soap-work, pre- 
 paratory for using ; of charging, boiling, and 
 finishing a pan of soap, only, would be do- 
 ing nothing ; would be communicating no 
 more information than any laboring man, 
 
15 
 
 with a small degree of attention, in one of 
 those works, may soon be master of. To 
 complete the soap-maker, a far different^ 
 and more extensive degree of knowledge is 
 necessary. An intimate acquaintance with 
 the alkaline materials, and their consequents, 
 tlie leys, ought to be attentively cultivated, 
 so ats to be rendered perfectly familiar ; the 
 nature, strength, quality, and fitness of such 
 reduced to a demonstration, clear and simple. 
 After these necessary acquirements are sub- 
 -stantiated, soap-making, with the various 
 j>henomena incident thereto, will become 
 exceedingly plain, easy, and comprehensive. 
 We shall therefore commence this treatise, 
 by giving a short explanation, by way of 
 introduction, of the different alkalis, with 
 their source of production ; avoiding all ex- 
 trafr^ous or useless matter, that could only 
 serve to swell the book, without communi- 
 
eating any thing of importance to the soap- 
 i boiler- 
 
 ^ Alkalis are of two kinds, fixed and vola" 
 " hile. The Jixed kind are subdivided into 
 two^ thfe vegetable^ and mineral or fossile 
 alkali. The vegetable is so called, because 
 it is procured from the ashes of burnt vege- 
 tables ; the fossile, because it is found na- 
 tive in some places of the earth, and is the 
 basis of sea-salt, and, in other parts, is dug 
 out of mines in vast quantities. 
 
 They are called Jixed, because they en- 
 dure a very intense degree of heat without 
 being dissipated in vapour, so as even to 
 form a part of the composition of glass. 
 
 The volatile alkali is generally obtained 
 by distillation from animal substances. In 
 its pure state, this alkali is perfectly invi- 
 sible, but aflfects the sense of smelling to 
 such a degree as not to be approached with 
 safety. 
 
If 
 
 The acids and alkalis ate generally thought 
 to be entirely opposite in their nature to one 
 another. 
 
 Some, however, imagine them to be ex- 
 tremely similar, and to be as it were parts 
 of one substance violently taken from each 
 other. Certain it is, that, when separated, 
 they appear as opposite to one another as 
 heat from cold. 
 
 Their opposite action, indeed, very much 
 resembles that of heat and cold, even when 
 applied to the tongue ; for the alkali has a hot, 
 bitter, burning taste, while the acid, if not 
 considerably concentrated, always gives a 
 sensation of coldness. In their action, too, 
 upon animal substances, the alkali dissolves, 
 arid reduces the part to a mucilage (or 
 clammy, glutinous, ropy substance) ; while 
 the acid, if not very much concentrated, 
 tends to preserve it uncorrupted- If an al- 
 kaline salt, and moderately strong acid, in 
 
 3 
 
18 
 
 a liquid state, be mixed together, they will 
 immediately unite ; and, provided the al- 
 kali has not been deprived of its fixed air, 
 their union will be attended with a very 
 considerable effervescence, or seeming fer- 
 mentation. 
 
 If. the alkali has been deprived of air, 
 no effervescence will ensue, but they will 
 quietly mix together ; but, if a due propor- 
 tion of each has been added, the liquor will 
 neither have the properties of an acid nor 
 an alkali, but will be what is called neuti 
 The bringing the liquor into this state is 
 called satarating the acld^ or alkali^ or, com- 
 bining them to the point of saturation. 
 
 If the liquor,, after such a saturation, be 
 gently evaporated, a saline mass will be left, 
 which is neither an acid nor an alkali, but 
 a new compoiuid, formed by the union of 
 the two, and which is called a perfect neu-- 
 V tral salt. The epithet perfect is given it. 
 
19 
 
 to make a distinction between the salts 
 formed by the union of an acid and an al- 
 kali, and those formed by the union of acids 
 with earthy or metallic substances ; for 
 these will likewise unite with acids : and 
 some of the compounds will likewise crys- 
 tallise into regular figures ; but because of 
 their weaker union with these substances, 
 the salts resulting from combinations of this 
 kind are called unperject. 
 
 All acids, the volatile sulphurous one ex- 
 cepted, change the blue infusions of vege- 
 tables, such as violets, to a red ; and alkalis, 
 as well as some of the imperfect neutrals, 
 change them to a green. 
 
 This is the nicest test of an acid or alkali 
 abounding in any substance, and seems the 
 most proper method of determining whe. 
 ther a solution, intended to be neutral, re« 
 ally is so or not^ 
 
20 
 
 The two great divisions of salts are, into 
 acids and alkalis. The Jirst of these arb 
 known by their peculiar taste, which are 
 called acid or sour. They are not found in 
 a solid form ; neither are any of them, ex- 
 cept the acids of vitriol, of tartar, of phos- 
 phorus, and of borax, capable of being re- 
 duced to solidity. 
 
 The others, when highly concentrated, 
 that is, brought to the utmost degree of 
 strength of which they are capable, always 
 become an invisible vapour, permanently 
 elastic, until it comes in contact with wa- 
 ter, or some other substance with which 
 they are capable of uniting. 
 
 For such acids the name of salts seem 
 less proper^ as we can scarcely say that a 
 l^apour which is already much more fluid 
 that! water can be dissolved in that element. 
 
 Both vegetable and mineral alkali appear 
 to be composed of an exceedingly caustic 
 
21 
 
 salt, united with a certain quantity of fixed 
 air. This may be increased so far as to 
 make the vegetable alkali assume a crystal- 
 line form, and lose great part of its alkaline 
 properties. But, as the adhesion of great 
 part of this air is very slight, it easily sepa- 
 rates with a gentle heat. 
 
 The only method of depriving it of its 
 fixed air entirely, is by mixing an alkaline 
 solution with quicklime. 
 
 The alkaline salts for the use of the soap- 
 boiler, are produced from the following ma- 
 terials : The first of which to be noticed is 
 that well-known article, the produce of our 
 own sea-shores, &c. called kelp. 
 
 From the large quantity of alkali therein 
 contained,*it is very justly esteemed an excel- 
 lent and useful material in hard soap-making. 
 The best of this article is made from sea- 
 ware, or weed, cut from the rocks of the 
 shores at low water-mark, not under four 
 
22 
 
 or five years old, and distant from a com- 
 munication with fresh-water rivers. All 
 the sand ought carefully to be washed from 
 the ware when cutting, and the remainder, 
 if any, shaken off while drying. 
 
 Particular attention should be had that 
 no sand be mixed in the kiln when burning. 
 The pernicious effects of sand are twofold ; 
 Jirsfj robbing the purchaser, making him 
 pay for sand instead of kelp ; and, 2d(^j 
 what is still worse, kelp burnt with sand is 
 converted into a kind of vitrified substance, 
 ^nd from which it is next to impossible fot 
 the soap> maker to extract the alkali. 
 
 Kelp is always esteemed the best which 
 is hardest, finest grained, and free from sand 
 or earth. Sea-ware is a most useful article 
 otherwise, besides the making of soap : it is 
 an excellent manure for land, for which pur- 
 pose it is often applied in the maritime parts 
 of Scotland and other countries. 
 
23 
 
 In the island of Jura and Skye, it fre- 
 quently serves as a winter food for cattle, 
 which regularly come down to the shores at 
 the recess of the tides to seek for it. In 
 Gothland and Sweden also, the inhabitants 
 boil it in water, and mixing therewith a 
 little coarse meal, feed their hogs with it. 
 And we are informed, that in Jura, and 
 some other of the Hebrides, the inhabitants 
 dry their cheeses without salt, by covering 
 them with the ashes of this plant. These 
 ashes abound with such quantity of salts, 
 that from five ounces of them, may be pro- 
 cured two ounces and a half of fixed al- 
 kaline salt, that is, half of their whole 
 weight. 
 
 But the most beneficial use which such 
 sea-weed can be put to, in the way of oeco- 
 nomy, is in making kelp ; a work much 
 practised in the Western Isles, Orkney, Shet- 
 land, Norway, &c. 
 
24 
 
 I shall next take notice of an article pe- 
 culiarly adapted to white soap-makings al- 
 though equally good for yellow. It is the 
 produce of the kingdom of Spain, at least 
 the best is from that country, and called 
 
 EARILLA. 
 
 The description we meet with of this 
 plant is as follows, viz. 
 
 Barilla^ or bariiha^ the name of a plant 
 cultivated in Spain for its ashes, from which 
 the purest kinds of alkali are obtained. 
 
 There are four plants which, in the early 
 part of their growth, bear so strong a re- 
 semblance of each other, as would deceive 
 any but the farmers and nice observers. 
 These four are, bai iila^ gazul (or, as some 
 call it, algazul^y soza^ and saUcornia^ or sa^ 
 Hear. They are all burnt to ashes, but ap- 
 plied to different uses, as being possessed of 
 
25 
 
 different qualities. Some of the roguish 
 farmers mix more or less of the three last 
 sort with the first ; and it requires a com- 
 plete knowledge of the colour, taste, and 
 smell of the ashes, to be able to detect their 
 knavery. 
 
 Barilla is so'Wn fresh every year ; its 
 greatest height above ground is four inches ; 
 each root pushes out a vast number of lit- 
 tle stalks, which again are subdivided into 
 smaller sprigs, resembling samphire ^ ; and 
 altogether form a large, spreading, tufted 
 bush. The colour is bright green. As the 
 plant advances to maturity, this colour va-* 
 nishes away, till it comes at last to be a 
 dull green, tinged with brown. 
 
 * Samphire^ or St Peter* s Herby a plant which ge- 
 nerally grows upon rocky cliiFs in the sea. It is usually 
 pickled, and eaten for a dainty dish, 
 
 c 
 
26 
 
 Gazul bears the greatest affinity to ba- 
 rilla, both in quality and appearance. The 
 principal difference consists in its growing 
 on a still dryer, Salter earth, consequently 
 it is impregnated with a stronger salt. It 
 does not rise above two inches out of the 
 ground, spreading out into little tufts. Its 
 sprigs are much flatter and more pulpy than 
 those of barilla, and are still more like sam- 
 phire. It is sown but once in three, four, or 
 five years, according to the nature of the soil. 
 
 Soza^ when of the same size, has the same 
 appearance as gazul, but in time grows 
 much larger, as its natural soil is a strong 
 salt marsh, where it is to be found in large 
 tufts of sprigs, treble the size of barilla, 
 and of a bright green colour, which it re- 
 tains to the last. 
 
 Salicor has a stalk of a deep green co- 
 lour, inclining to red, which last becomes 
 by degrees the colour of the whole plant. 
 
27 
 
 From the beginning it grows upright, and 
 much resembling a bush of rosemary. 
 
 Its natural soil is on the declivity of hills, 
 near the salt marshes, or on the edge of the 
 small drains or channels made by the hus- 
 bandmen for the purpose of watering the 
 fields. Before it has acquired its full growth, 
 it is very like the barilla of those in which 
 the ground has been dunged before sowing. 
 In these years of manuring, barilla, contrary 
 to its usual nature, comes up with a tinge 
 of red ; and v/hen burnt, falls far short of 
 its wonted goodness, being bitter, more im- 
 pregnated with salts than it should be, and 
 raising a blister, if applied a few minutes to 
 the tongue. 
 
 Barilla contains less salt than the others. 
 When burnt, it runs into a mass resembling 
 a spungy stone, with a faint cast of blue. 
 
 Gazul, after burning, comes as near ba- 
 rilla in its outward appearance, as it does 
 
 2 
 
28 
 
 when growing in its vegetable form ; but, 
 if broken, the inside is of a deeper and more 
 glossy blue. Soza and Salicor are darker, 
 and almost black within, of a heavier con- 
 sistence, 'and very little or no sign of spun- 
 giness. 
 
 All these ashes contain a strong alkali, 
 but barilla the best and purest, though not 
 in the greatest quantity. Upon this prin- 
 ciple, it is fittest for making glass, and 
 bleaching linen. The others are used in 
 making soap. Each of them would whiten 
 linen, but all, except barilla, would burn 
 it. 
 
 The method used in making barilla is the 
 same as that followed in Britain in burning 
 kelp. 
 
 The plant, as soon as ripe, is plucked up, 
 and laid in heaps, then set on fire ; the salt 
 juices run out below into a hole made in the 
 ground, wli^ere they collect into a vitrified 
 
29 
 
 lump, which is left about a fortnight to cooL 
 An acre may give about a ton. 
 
 AMERICAN POT-ASH 
 
 Is a fixed vegetable alkali, another va- 
 luable material in hard soap-making, pre- 
 pared from the ashes of burnt wood in Ame- 
 rica, Russia, &c. The process of prepara- 
 tion is nearly as follows. 
 
 A quantity of wood being burnt to ashes, 
 these, while hot, are raked together into a 
 heap, in which state they remain for ten or 
 twelve hours. The purpose of this is, to 
 give the embers, or black bits of the wood, 
 sufficient time to dissolve, and be thorough- 
 ly converted into a white ash. These white 
 ashes are boiled with water, for the purpose 
 of extracting the salt. This water being 
 drawn off, is again boiled, and evaporated 
 in a broad pan, over a strong fire, until the 
 whole is reduced to a perfect dry salt. 
 
 3 
 
30 
 
 In this state, the salt is thrown into a 
 proper fluxing furnace, where they are con- 
 verted by a strong heat into a red hot mass. 
 This is drawn off by means of a hole in the 
 side of the furnace, and received into iron, 
 or other moulds, and left to cool. When 
 cold, the lumps are broke up, and packed 
 in close casks for exportation, being then 
 completely ready for use. Most other ashes 
 of the pot kind are prepared after a similar 
 process ; it is therefore unnecessary here to 
 say more respecting them. 
 
 There is also a second and third sort made ; 
 but these are in general so full of refuse, 
 especially the last, as to render them of lit- 
 tle or no consequence to soap-makers. 
 
 Having mentioned a few of the principal, 
 and certainly the best ashes used in the ma- 
 nufacturing of hard soap, we shall turn for 
 a little our attention to the mode used for 
 detecting sand therein. 
 
31 
 
 This low, dirty, and abominable fraud, is 
 but too frequently practised, not only by 
 kelp-burners, but barilla-makers also ; that 
 is, mixing sand with their commodity while 
 manufacturing, and in a liquid state* 
 
 The process I have used for detecting sand 
 is simple, and not tedious, viz. take two 
 ounces of a fair sample from any parcel 
 meant to be purchased ; beat it down in a 
 mortar very small, pour some boiling water 
 upon it, and rub it well in the mortar; 
 pour off this, and add more, and so conti- 
 nue until all the black light substance is 
 gone off with the water. The sand will 
 then be found in the bottom of the mortar, 
 and, if surveyed with a magnifier, will re- 
 semble in appearance small pebble stones, 
 or channel, of various colours. Dry and 
 weigh the sand ; and from the quantity con- 
 tained in the two ounces^ a calculation may 
 be made for the hundred weight or ton. 
 
32 
 
 A certain given quantity of water ought 
 always to be allotted for trying this experi- 
 riment ; say, one or two pints ; and by 
 weighing one pint thereof afterwards, when 
 the experiment is finished, the quantity of 
 alkaline salt may also be discovered which 
 one pint of said ley contains ; thus, an Eng. 
 lish pint of spring water weighs 1 5 oz. 3 drs. 
 12 gr., 5o that all above that weight in the 
 rubbing water, or ley, must be supposed al- 
 kaline salt. The price of the article ought 
 to be regulated according as the experiment 
 turns out. 
 
 From these ashes already mentioned, the 
 strongest and purest vegetable alkali is ob- 
 tained. From other vegetables, as fern, 
 broom, bean-stalks, &c. an alkaline salt is 
 produced, but so impure, and in such small 
 quantities, that no soap-manufacturer in this 
 country can use them, with any reasonable 
 expectation of profit. 
 
The other ashes (although sometimes used 
 in hard soap-making, are more proper for 
 bleaching linen, being preferred for their 
 whitening quality, and mildness of the al- 
 kali)^ are the following : 
 
 BLUE PEARL ASHES- 
 
 These appear to be a pure alkaline salt, 
 mixed with a small quantity of vitriolated 
 tartar and earth. Half a pound of these 
 will give about si ounces of pure salt. 
 
 WHITE PEARL ASHES- 
 
 Are nearly of the same quality with the 
 former, half a pound of them giving five 
 ounces and seven drams of pure salt, with 
 some vitriolated tartar and earth. 
 
34 
 
 RUSSIA, OR MUSCOVY ASHES, 
 
 Have very much the appearance of slaked 
 lime, and are, like it, friable, or may be 
 powdered or crumbled betwixt the fingers. 
 Half a pound of them will only give about 
 ten drams and fifteen grains of a very caus- 
 tic salt. These consist, therefore, of a small 
 quantity of alkaline salt, united with a large 
 quantity of lime. 
 
 CASHUL ASHES 
 
 Are of the colom' of iron-stone, and ex- 
 tremely hard, with many shining particles 
 of charcoal in them. They have a saline 
 taste, with a considerable degree of pun- 
 gency or prickling heat. Half a pound of 
 these ashes being boiled in a quantity of 
 
35 
 
 water for twenty-four hours, and evaporated, 
 produced only ten drams of a brown salt, 
 having a strong caustic alkaline taste. Upon 
 examination, they appear to contain an earth 
 half vitrified, some lime, alkaline salt, and 
 a quantity of sulphur, 
 
 MARCOPT ASHES 
 
 Are of a paler colour than the former, 
 with some small pieces of charcoal in their 
 composition. Half a pound of them dis- 
 solved in water, filtrated and evaporated, 
 yielded only, eleven drams one scruple and 
 two grains of alkaline residuum. 
 
 The blue and white pearl ashes, discover- 
 ed by experiment to be pure alkaline salts, 
 without any considerable mixture of hetero- 
 geneous bodies, may be used in hard soap- 
 making, mixed with kelp or barilla, with 
 certain success. When used alone, a large 
 
36 
 
 quantity of common s^^lt is necessary ; nor 
 is the soap ever so firm and hard as when 
 they ai'e combined with kelp, fe-c. ; and 
 soap made with these ashes alone, is always ^ 
 apt to get softer by age. Upon this ac- ^ 
 count, pearl ashes seem much better calcu- 
 lated for soft, or green soap, than hard. A 
 boil, however, with these pearl ashes, after 
 the rosin have been melted, is peculiarly 
 serviceable for killing the tallow^ (according 
 to the common phrase) ; it converts the 
 whole mass in the pan to a consistence, or, 
 thin weak soap. But this will be better 
 understood when we come to the operation 
 of boiling or making the soap; a process 
 which we shall immediately set about. 
 
 Let us now suppose that every thing is 
 ready for commencing the operation upon a 
 moderate scale, viz. that there is a small 
 soap-pan, capable of casting from 20 to 24 
 cwt. of soap, six or eight iron vats, or caves, 
 
37 
 
 with receivers that will contain 12 or 14 cwt, 
 of kelp or ashes, each ; that there is also 
 kelp, ashes, tallow, lime-shells, and palm oil 
 at hand. These are all the materials ne- 
 cessary for performing the operation, and 
 finishing a pan, or making of hard soap. 
 
 The first thing to be done is, to prepare 
 for setting a cave, viz. Break down very 
 small about 1 2 c wt. of kelp, and, to make 
 a good ley, § or 3 cwt. of American pot- 
 ash may also be broke and mixed therewith. 
 Barilla ash is generally set by itself alone. 
 The breaking, however, of the American 
 pot-ash, from the danger of sparks (if great 
 care is not taken) of flying into the eyes^ or 
 lodging about the feet, &c, w^ould be as well 
 altered to melting down, or dissolving in 
 boiling water, and then poured upon the 
 other materials (just now to be mentioned), 
 after they are put into the cave. 
 
 D 
 
38 
 
 - The kelp now broke, spread about one- 
 sixth part of it upon the floor, or slake-pit, 
 if there is one, upon which lay about half a 
 bushel lime-shells, and water them. When 
 the shells begin to burst and crack, put on 
 another layer of kelp, then more shells, and 
 water them ; and so on, stratum super stra- 
 tum, or one above the other^ until there is 
 about the quantity of 2t or 3 American ash 
 barrels of shells mixed with the IScwt. of 
 kelp. Let this stand for the space of two 
 hours. The cave in the interim may be got 
 ready for receiving them, thus : Lay two 
 rows of bricks upon the bottom, from the 
 hole or pipe quite across to the opposite 
 side, forming therewith a small channel, of 
 three or four inches breadth. Cover this 
 over with any convenient thing, such as 
 slate, tyle, a piece of dale, &c. And to 
 crown the whole, lay on some straw, or an 
 
 i 
 
39 
 
 old bass mat, &c. This is to prevent the 
 grosser parts of the materials from getting 
 in and stopping up the channel, intended 
 only for the leys to run in. Stop up the 
 pipe, or hole in the cave, with a pin, about 
 which ought to be lapt a piece of paper to 
 keep all close. 
 
 These preparations now accomplished, w^e 
 proceed to what is generally termed, 
 
 SETTING A CAVE. 
 
 The principal object here to be observed, 
 is to mix the compound well together, pre- 
 vious to putting into the cave. The first 
 backet or two should be very gently laid 
 upon the covered drain, or bottom of the 
 cave. This will secure the straw, or mat, 
 from being disturbed afterwards, by throw- 
 ing in the rest of the materials. 
 
 2 
 
40 
 
 Throw on two or three pales of water, at 
 different periods, during the setting, which 
 will have the effect to dissolve any small 
 particles of the shells that may formerly 
 have escaped the water. Observe always 
 to leave a vacancy at the top of the cave, 
 of about eight or ten inches at least, in or- 
 der to give room for swelling of the lime, 
 and filling up with water. 
 
 Supposing now the kelp and lime all put 
 into the cave, and no American ash there- 
 with, but that these ashes have been melt- 
 ed down, or dissolved in boiling water, and 
 are converted into a ley ; pour that upon 
 the top of the other materials just put into 
 the cave, and fill up with water until the 
 whole is completely saturated therewith ; 
 the completion of which will be evident, 
 when the bubbling in the cave ceases to 
 arise. Let the whole now stand for 12 or 
 
41 
 
 li hours, adding, however, a little more 
 water as the stuff appears to dry up, or ab- 
 sorb that already put on. When the cave 
 has stood the above time, loose the pin, and 
 let the ley run briskly off. When all is 
 off, stop up again, and fill with water, which 
 may stand the half of the former time ; the 
 pin may again be loosed, and the leys al- 
 lowed to run gently off, keeping the cave 
 always filled up or supplied with water. It 
 may be unnecessary here to remark, that 
 we must hitherto be supposed as laying 
 down directions to a person just going to 
 commence soap-making, but perfectly ig- 
 norant of the operation, and that he is pre- 
 paring every necessary agreeable thereto. 
 In that case, descending to particulars will, 
 I hope, be excused by the knowing, or more 
 experienced reader. 
 
 We shall now go on by informing, that 
 before beginning to boil, more leys must be 
 
 3 
 
42 
 
 got ready ; consequently, another cave may 
 be prepared in the same manner as the for- 
 mer one ; with this exception only, that, 
 instead of filling up, or supplying the se- 
 cond cave with pure water, let it be run 
 through the former cave first, and then put 
 upon the second. The intention of this is 
 obvious; that, while the last is supplied 
 with water, the remaining strength of the 
 first is extracted, and collected into the se- 
 cond ; and this must be the uniform prac- 
 tice at all times, that none of the alkali be 
 lost; never turning out a cave, as spent, 
 until you discover by the test the alkali is 
 vanished. 
 
 Having just mentioned the test^ I shall 
 take this opportunity of explaining what it 
 is. 
 
 The test is a thing so necessary for a soap- 
 boiler, that it is impossible for him to con- 
 duct his operations with propriety without 
 
43 
 
 it ; yet, I believe, there arc hundreds in the 
 trade that know nothing at all about it : be 
 that as it will, I say, they ought to know 
 it ; nor can any man discover when a soap- 
 ley is totally deprived of its alkali, without 
 its assistance. 
 
 It is prepared in the following manner : 
 Take a parcel of the blue flowers of any ve- 
 getable, violets, for instance, or the blossom 
 of the mallow ; beat them with the edge of 
 a knife, and squeeze the juice of it into a 
 tea-cup ; with a small brush, or hair pencil, 
 lay over a sheet of white paper with this 
 juice, and when dry it is fit for use. All 
 alkalis will turn it green, and all acids will 
 turn it of a red colour. A combination of 
 them both to the point of saturation, will 
 not in the smallest degree alter the colour 
 of the test, because they are then said to be 
 neutral, having neither the properties of an a- 
 
44 
 
 cid, or an alkali ; but add a few drops more, 
 of either the one or the other, the eifecl will 
 be evident. If alkali is added, the test will 
 be green ; if acid, it will be red. 
 
 An intimate acquaintance with every par- 
 ticular relative to the leys, is the one thing 
 needful for a soap-boiler, being as it were the 
 ground-work of the w^hole operation, and 
 materially essential to be well understood, 
 before any attempt ought to be made at 
 soap-making. 
 
 We come now, of course, to examine the 
 leys already prepared, and to determine by 
 experiment whether they are, or are not, fit 
 for soap-making ; that is, whether they are 
 caustic and fit, or in a mild state, conse- 
 quently unfit for the purpose. 
 
 Unless a soap-ley be rendered caustic, or 
 deprived of its fixed air, it can have no na- 
 tural attraction for vegetable or animal sub- 
 
 M 
 
45 
 
 stances, such as oil, tallow, or grease of any 
 kind, so as to convert them into a soap. 
 For the sole purpose, therefore, of extract- 
 ing the fixed air from the leys, do soap- 
 makers use quicklime. Depriving the mild 
 alkali of its fixed air, renders it caustic, or 
 of a burning, corroding quality, and of that 
 peculiar nature that instantly attach them- 
 selves to all greasy substances, and converts 
 them into soap. 
 
 The common vulgar notion, of using 
 quicklime for its heat, is a mistaken idea, 
 although I know it to be entertained by 
 many soap-makers. Our most celebrated 
 professors of chemistry ^, v/hen preparmg 
 a soap4ey, generally slake and ^ift their 
 lime ; consequently, banish entirely all re- 
 gard for heat in the lime ; using warm v/a- 
 ter rather. 
 
 * See Di:>sertation on Spoiled Hard Soap, Appendix. 
 
46 
 
 A mild ley, or that possessing fixed air, 
 can have no effect upon vegetable or ani- 
 mal substances, so as to convert them into a 
 soap. 
 
 Hence we may perceive the pernicious 
 practices of some soap-boilers, (or pretend- 
 ers to be so), namely, melting down, or 
 dissolving American ash in boiling water, 
 and, in that mild and improper state, adding 
 those leys to the boiler. 
 
 Such consummate ignorance persevered 
 in, must, and always have proved ultimate 
 ruin to the person himself, or his unfortu- 
 nate employer. 
 
 To determine, therefore, the proper state 
 of the ley, take a quantity in a glass, or tea- 
 cup, drop therein a few drops of vitriolic a- 
 cid, or oil of vitriol ; if this causes an effer- 
 vescence, or seeming fermentation in the ley, 
 the fixed air is not fully extracted ; but, if 
 
47 
 
 no such appearance ensue upon the combi- 
 nation of the acid and alkali, the ley is fit 
 for innmediate use, being arrived at the state 
 of a proper caustic soap-ley. 
 
 A soap-ley, by being long exposed in 
 open vessels, will lose the whole of its cau- 
 sticity, and seem entirely restored to the 
 state of an ordinary fixed alkali. The keep- 
 ing them as close as possible, therefore, ap- 
 pears exceedingly necessary. 
 
 By means of the acid may be discovered 
 also the comparative strength between one 
 ley and another^ and so ascertain which of 
 the two contains the greatest quantity of 
 fixed alkaline salt. Thus, take a specific 
 quantity of each; a wine glassful, for in- 
 stance ; drop therein a dozen drops, or so, 
 of acid ; stir with a bit stick, and apply a 
 slip of the test-paper. If it appear green, 
 more acid must be added, and stirred again. 
 Applying the test a second time, if still 
 
48 
 
 green, a few more drops must be added; 
 and so continue, until you find the paper is 
 by no means altered in the colour, neither 
 green nor red. The ley is then neither an 
 acid nor an alkali, but neutral, or a com- 
 bination of both, brought to the point of 
 saturation. A few drops more of the acid, 
 would occasion the test-paper to take a red, 
 instead of a green colour, which Would dis- 
 tinctly show the power of the acid to pre- 
 vail. 
 
 Treating in this manner the different leys, 
 then counting the number of drops taken to 
 neutralize them, the strongest ley will be 
 discovered to be that which have required 
 the greatest quantity of acid, to overcome 
 the power of the alkali. 
 
 Soap-leys are also judged of by their spe- 
 cific gravity, or weight, comparative to wa- 
 ter. 
 
49 
 
 An English pint of spring water 
 
 weighs about . . . . ....... .15 3 IS 
 
 A strong soap-ley, the Enghsh 
 
 pint, weighs about.. ... ......... 17 6 9i4 
 
 The difference between the two is, . 2 3 :12 
 — and supposed to be the quantity of fixed 
 alkaline salt contained in one pint of .such 
 ley. 
 
 A most accurate and easy method Jor a- 
 scertaining the strength of soap-leys for im- 
 mediate use, is as follows, viz. 
 
 Take a small bottle, and having filled it 
 with water, put it into on€ 5cale, and as 
 many small lead-shot into the other will 
 exactly balance it. Suppose J2S is requi- 
 site for that purpose. Suppose, again, that 
 the bottle and water just weighs 4 ounces.; 
 this is throwing it into 128 parts; half 
 of that is tt\, or 2 ounces ; half it again, 
 E 
 
50 
 
 IS parts, or 1 ounce ; again, is J^*^ parts, 
 or 8 drams; then into xls parts, or 4 
 drams; -rh parts, or 2 drams; parts, 
 or 1 dram ; and part, or half a dram, 
 which is bringing it to the lowest denomi- 
 nation. 
 
 Get proper weights made for each of these 
 divisions ; and when the strength of the ley 
 at any time is required to be ascertained, 
 fill the bottle, and put it into the scale : 
 into the opposite one, the balance of water, 
 or the 128 shot, is placed; and as ley is al- 
 ways heavier than water, some one or other 
 of the divisions will be wanted to balance 
 the ley : theirefore, whatever division may 
 answer for that purpose, must be called the 
 weight of the leys ; the surplus weight a- 
 , ;bove that of water being only reckoned, 
 and not the whole quantity : For instance, 
 if the bottle of ley take the division weight 
 
51 
 
 No 16, in that case the ley is -^^^ parts 
 heavier than water, or S drams, reasonably 
 supposed to be alkaline salt. 
 
 Notwithstanding that various sorts of al- 
 kali are enumerated, it is supposed that 
 there is but one alkaline principle in na- 
 ture, which, by being variously combined 
 with sundry substances, assumes various 
 particular properties. However, an alkali 
 is never found pure in nature, but it is al- 
 ways combined with other substances, from 
 which it must be separated by art, in order 
 to obtain it sufficiently pure. The fixed 
 alkali is obtained either from sea-salt, or 
 from vegetables ; hence it is called ^xed 
 mineral alkali in the first case, and Jixed ve^ 
 getable alkali in the second. 
 
 Having in the foregoing pages endeavoured 
 to furnish the attentive reader with a tolerable 
 idea of the preliminaries of soap-making, we 
 shall now proceed to what I consider the 
 
 2 
 
m 
 
 easiest and most simple part of the business^ 
 the boiling ; although by the ignorant and: 
 unwary conceived to be the principal re- 
 quisite, and containing the whole mystery 
 of the trade. As a proof of which, I take- 
 the liberty to mention, that it is within the 
 ■compass of my knowledge, of several in^. 
 stances having occurred, where common ex- 
 cisemen, from their mere observations taken 
 while attending, in the line of their duty, 
 upon a soapwork, have had the- daring pre- 
 sumption to pretend a complete knowledge^ 
 of soap-making ; in consequence of which, 
 have had the address to induce several in- 
 dividuals of fortune to risk their money in 
 an unknown and dangerous undertaking, 
 confidently relying upon the false skill of 
 those self-taught gangers as conductors* and 
 managers. 
 
 A short time, however, was always suffi- 
 clent to convince, by woeful experience,. 
 
53 
 
 such unfortunate gentlemen of their own 
 error and their managers ignorance. 
 
 The leys being novv ready, we shall com- 
 mence with a boiling of brozmi or yellow 
 soap. For this purpose, let there be weigh- 
 ed 10 cwt. of tallow, and about 3 cwt. of 
 rosin ; the rosin to be broke in small lumps. 
 In the first place, put into the boiler about 
 1 50 or 200 gallons of leys (about the weight 
 of l6 oz. 4 dr. 48 gr. the English pint, 
 which will nearly answer to NO 32 of the 
 forementioned divisions), and set the fire ; 
 then add the tallow and rosin. This done, 
 the pan is said to be charged. 
 
 A good fire may be kept up until all is 
 thoroughly melted, and the pan brought to 
 boil ; during which time there ought to 
 be constant stirring with the peddle, to pre- 
 vent the rosin settling to the bottom. If 
 tlie goods or materials in the pan appear t(» 
 
54 
 
 swell up, damp the fire, which is done hy 
 opening the furnace door, and throwing 
 ashes thereon (some have proper dampers), 
 when the whole will boil at leisure. As the 
 caustic alkah immediately grips to the tal- 
 low, there is no occasion for long boiling ; 
 about two or three hours wall be long e- 
 nough : the fire may then be drawn, and- 
 the pan allowed to stand for four or six 
 hours, when the weak leys may be pumped 
 off, and fresh ones added for second boiL. 
 It may be necessary to mention, that when 
 ^he pan is wished to be cranned, or pumped- 
 ofF sooner, a few pails of cold ley must be 
 thrown in, a little after the lire is drawn. 
 
 Set the fire again for second boil, and 
 when properly a-boil, two or three hours 
 may be sufficient at any one time to conti^ 
 ime the boil : the strength of the leys are 
 uften gone before that period arrives. A 
 
55 
 
 sSoit experience, however, with attentiofi, 
 will perfectly inform any sagacious person 
 with regard to this particular. 
 
 The boiUngs to be thus continued day 
 after day, until the soap becomes thick, and 
 a strong consistence. Take then a little 
 upon the forefinger, and after letting it cool 
 a few seconds, press it with the thumb. 
 If it squeezes into a thin^ hard scale, the 
 soap is fit, or ready, for finishing : if other- 
 wise it appear greasy, and stick to the 
 finger, and of a soft consistence, more leys 
 must be added, and if that does not harden 
 it, another boil must be given. But, in 
 consequence of the former scaly-like appear- 
 ance, give the pan a good hearty boil, and 
 draw the fire. Cool down with two or three 
 pailsc of leys, and in about two hours there- 
 after pump off the leys; which should be 
 done at all times as clean as possible. This 
 done,, put in six or eight pails of water to the- 
 
56 
 
 boiler (no leys at finishing being used), set a 
 brisk fire, and keep constantly stirring with 
 hand-stirrer and paddle alternately, until all 
 is melted, and begin to shew an appearance 
 something like thin honey. Take now a 
 little from a boiling part, upon the hand- 
 board, and observe, when held up, if any 
 leys run clearly from it : if they do, more wa- 
 ter must be put in, and the boil continued. 
 When, upon the other hand, naleys run from 
 the soap when held up slanting-ways upon the 
 board ; in that case, too much water have al- 
 ready been given. A little strong salt ley 
 must now be added to open it, technically 
 termed cutthig up ; or, instead of salt ley, a 
 little strong common salt and w^ater ; about 
 half a pailful may do. I should prefer this last 
 to the ley, wishing now to exclude as much 
 as possible all alkali from entering the pan. 
 We come now to the most critical part of 
 boiling, that is, the grand criterion ob- 
 
57 
 
 served' in finishing soap : and it ought to lie- 
 particularly attended to, that the soap be 
 brought to that state, so as, when held up 
 upon the hand-board, the leys do not mn 
 down, from the soap, but are seen, as it 
 w^ere, just starting from it. The fire may 
 then be drawn away, and the soap declared 
 finished : or, if palm-oil is wished for mak- 
 ing it of a beautiful colour, about 20 lib., 
 may be put into the boiler, after you disco, 
 ver, as above, the soap to be finished ; and 
 in about half an hour after the oil is put in, 
 the fire may be drawn, and the whole al- 
 lowed to stand for 48 hours, when it may 
 b cast into the frames. 
 In about three days (supposing the framesv 
 30 inches deep), the whole will cut up into 
 bars. 
 
58 
 
 A Charge for pure White Soap, 
 
 \ 
 
 The boiler being made perfectly clean, 
 put in iO cwt, of best home melted tallow 
 (no rosin is used in white soap), with 200 
 gallons leys, NO 22 ; melt down with a 
 moderate fire, as the goods now in hand- 
 are something similar to milk, exceeding 
 apt to boil over. 
 
 Close attention, therefore, is absolutely 
 needful upon this first boil ; which may be 
 continued about two hours, with a moderate 
 fire, when it may be drawn away, and the 
 pan allowed to settle about two hours, when 
 the leys may be drawn off. The process to 
 be observed in this soap is exactly similar 
 to the last operation. Two or three boils 
 a-day to white soap may be given with 
 great ease ; the leys sooner subsiding in the 
 
59 
 
 boiler than with yellow soap^ and can be 
 cleaner pumped off. 
 
 When sufficient boils have been given, 
 ''and the soap arrived at perfection, it will 
 assume an appearance something like a curdy 
 mass. Take then a little upon your fore- 
 finger, (as before directed) ; and if the same 
 effect seems to attend it, that is, when 
 pressed with the thumb it squeezes into a 
 thin, hard, clear scale, and parts freely with 
 the finger, the soap is ready for finishings 
 Draw the fire cool down with a few pails of 
 ley, and in a short time thereafter pump 
 clean off. 
 
 Set the fire, and add to the soap eight or 
 ten pails of water, (the pail I suppose to 
 contain about nine or ten English gallons). 
 When this is melted, and properly incorpo- 
 rated with the soap, try, as formerly di- 
 rected, if the leys run from it when held up 
 upon the hand-board. If they do, more 
 
60 
 
 water must be put in. If they do not run, 
 or any appearance of them, continue boil- 
 ing for a short while longer, and then add 
 a pail of salt and water pretty strong, mix- 
 ed together ; about one-third salt, and two- 
 thirds water. This will have the effect to 
 cut up the pan, or separate the soap and 
 water completely from one another. When 
 this is apparent, draw the fire ; let it stand 
 -for half an hour, when the water will pump 
 .off, bringing therewith most of the remain- 
 ing alkaline leys of the former boil. 
 
 This I call the first washing ; and if kelp- 
 ley has been used in the operation, the pro- 
 priety of this must be conspicuous, for the 
 water pumped off will be of an exceeding 
 dark bottle green colour. The finishing of 
 white soap without this precaution, is the 
 sole cause of that blueness so frequently ob. 
 served in that article when made and brought 
 to market. 
 
61 
 
 The blue ley being pumped clean off, 
 set again the fire, and put into the boiler 
 six or eight pails of water ; and when tho- 
 roughly incorporated and boiled some time, 
 try if the w^ater runs from the soap : if it 
 does, add water in small quantities at a 
 time, until it is observed not to run, but, as 
 formerly mentioned for yellow soap, to ap- 
 pear as just starting from the soap ; in that 
 case, after giving a good boil, and swelling 
 the soap up in the pan to near the brim, 
 draw away all the fire, and spread it about 
 to die away. The pan is now finished, and 
 may stand about twelve or fourteen hours ; 
 and if the quantity is large, that is, two, 
 three, or four ton, double this time to stand 
 will be much in favour of the soap, pro- 
 viding always that it can be kept very close 
 and warm in the boiler. If any blueness still 
 appear, repeat the washing. 
 
 Before casting, I would recommend the 
 F 
 
6£ 
 
 tmes to have a bottom and lining of coarse 
 
 ^oth, for white soap only. After all is 
 ast into the frames, let it be well stirred, 
 or crutched ; and it is very proper that it 
 also be covered close up with old sheets, 
 bass mats, &c. upon the top of the frame 
 and soap, and allowed to cool gradually, 
 and all together. 
 
 In about three or four days (supposing, 
 as formerly, the dip 30 inches), the cover- 
 ings and frames may be taken off, and 
 the whole cut up into such size of bars as 
 may best suit the customers. 
 
 Having in the foregoing pages endea- 
 voured to give a clear and distinct illustra- 
 tion of the proceedings necessarily attend- 
 ing the manufacturing of yellow and white 
 soap, I have only to add, that frequent 
 trials, and diligent observation, can alone 
 direct to further improvement. 
 
63 
 
 We come next to explain how this white 
 soap, at a moderate expence, may be per- 
 fumed or scented, in order to make it ap- 
 pear in the character of what is generally- 
 denominated Windsor Soap. 
 
 This perfume must be prepared by the 
 manufacturer himself ; for to purchase it 
 from perfumers would be attended with too 
 enormous an expence. I have acquired this 
 perfume in the following manner, viz. Pro- 
 cure a small still, about 20 English gallons, 
 with a proportionate worm of six or eight 
 turns, the placing of which properly any 
 mason can instruct. Put into the still a-- 
 bout 14 or 16 libs, of good fresh caraway 
 seeds, and fill up with water about two- 
 thirds full : let the head and body of the 
 still be luted together, as also the pipe 
 where it enters the worm. Set a pretty 
 brisk fire, and as the still boils, the essen- 
 tial oil will run off, which may be received 
 
 2 
 
64 
 
 into bottles, having a filler in the mouth. 
 When all the oil seems to appearance to be 
 extracted, the operation is finished, and 
 nothing remains but to separate the oil from 
 the water that has accompanied it. This 
 must be accomplished by a separating-glass, 
 or, if that cannot be had, prepare a few 
 worsted threads ; put one end of them into 
 the bottle having the essential oil and water 
 in it, and the other ends into an empty 
 bottle along side : by this means, the whole 
 of the essential oil will make its escape from 
 the bottle of oil and water, by ascending the 
 worsted threads, and drop into the empty 
 bottle. 
 
 The oil being prepared and collected, w^e 
 now proceed to get it ready for introducing 
 into the soap. In its present state it is not 
 fit, but must be, according to the common 
 term, kUIed^ or deprived of its oily nature. 
 This is accomplished by mixing it with a 
 
65 
 
 small quantity of spirit of wine, or alcohol 
 stirring them together until the oil is ob- 
 served to lose its oily quality, and to be- 
 come, as it were, one body with the mix- 
 ing spirit. The proper time for incorpo- 
 rating this perfume with the soap, is during 
 the casting into the frames, and should be 
 put in at two or three different periods. 
 When all is in, finish as formerly directed, 
 by stirring and covering close up. 
 
 This essential oil of caraway is esteemed 
 an exceeding strong perfume, asserted by 
 some chemists to be about twenty times 
 stronger than anise- seed. As a proof of the 
 amazing volatility of this perfume, the di- 
 stiller will find some difliculty, for several 
 days after the operation, to wash himself 
 clear of the scent, even suppose he strip 
 to the skin, and change every article of 
 dress. The quantity, therefore, to be used 
 by the soap-maker, for his certain purpose, 
 
 3 
 
66 
 
 must be left to his own experience and dis- 
 cretion, to correspond with the quantity of 
 soap intended to be perfumed. 
 
 Having in the preceding pages exhibited 
 a clear and comprehensive view of the whole 
 proceedings attending the charging, boiling, 
 and finishing of yellow^ white^ and perfumed^ 
 soap, I shall endeavour, in the 92exf place, 
 to present the reader with an account of the 
 making of a different quality of soap, and 
 shew, by a few specimens from real opera- 
 tions, the method, materials, and propor- 
 tions, used in the manufacturing of blacky 
 green, or soft, soap. 
 
 The peculiar method pursued in making 
 this soap, differs considerably from that of 
 hard soap. The hard has the whole leys 
 extracted totally before finishing : Soft 
 
67 
 
 soap, on the ^contrary, retains the whoie 
 leys used in the making thereof ; becoming, 
 with the other materials employed, one 
 compound body, called, soft soap. A few 
 examples will clearly explain the nature 
 and practical means made use of in pro- 
 ducing this very useful soap. 
 
 The fundamental principle upon which 
 the proper management, or manufacturing, 
 of soft soap depends, as we have before 
 stated for hard soap, is a certain knowledge 
 of the quality and strength of the leys ; 
 for however necessary that knowledge may 
 be in hard soap-making, it is peculiarly 
 more so in soft. 
 
 The using of leys below the proper 
 strength alloted, will materially spoil the 
 whole boiling, and occasion much addition- 
 al trouble to the manufacturer, with a con- 
 siderable loss of time, before a proper ar- 
 rangement afterwards can be eftected, and 
 
68 
 
 things again put to rights. To avoid any 
 inconveniencies of that nature, the work- 
 man must be very particular in ascertaining 
 the exact strength of his boihng ley. When 
 English ashes are used, the^ strength of a 
 boiling ley (according to the former calcu- 
 lation), is, ; when foreign ashes, 
 parts, or, as they are commonly desigaed, 
 carats. We shall here set down the former 
 calculation of the different degrees of strength 
 of the leys, for the greater convenience of 
 the operator, in the form of a table. 
 
 128 parts, or 4 ounces. 
 
 ditto - 2 ounces — 1st division. 
 
 ditto - 1 ounce — 2d division. 
 
 ditto - 8 drams — 3d division, 
 
 xl^ ditto - 4 drams — 4th division. 
 
 T-lg ditto - 2 drams — oth division.^ 
 
 -r|^ ditto - 1 dram — 6th division, 
 
 •ri^ ditto - half a dram — 7th division. 
 
69 
 
 After the proper weights for each of the 
 divisions are got ready, it will be easy to 
 pick out such as may serve for the weight 
 of any ley : For instance, NO 15 and 
 No 2, is IS carats ; or, 16, 4, and 2, is 22 
 carats ; the boiling ley for English and fo- 
 reign ashes. 
 
 The weights and measures which I have 
 had occasion to mention, in the course of 
 the preceding pages, are those used in the 
 dispensaries, viz. 
 
 IFine Measure. 
 
 A gallon 
 The pint 
 The ounce 
 
 f Eight pints. 
 > contains^ Sixteen ounces. 
 [.Eight drams. 
 
 The pound 
 The ounce 
 The dram 
 The scruple J 
 
 >contams< 
 
 r Twelve ounces. 
 Eight drams. 
 Three scruples. 
 l-Twenty grains. 
 
to 
 
 oz. dr.gr. 
 
 The weight of an English pint 
 
 measure of strong soap-ley is, .17 6 24 
 
 Distilled water, 15 \ 50 
 
 Rain water, \6 2 40 
 
 Spring ditto, \5 3 12 
 
 Sea ditto, . 15 5 20 
 
 Oil of vitriol 58 6 20 
 
 A good boiling ley, , ... 1 6 4 48 
 
71 
 
 Soap Frame, 45 Inches long, by 15 Inches 
 broad, Inside. 
 
 DIP. 
 
 Inch 
 
 4 
 0 
 
 6 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 ? 
 
 30 
 4i) 
 50 
 100 
 
 HOT AREA, 24.10. 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 0 
 0 
 
 1 
 1 
 I 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 4 
 6 
 8 
 10 
 -^0 
 
 s, d» qrs, pts. 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 16 
 0 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 16 
 
 0 
 I 
 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 4 
 5 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 0 8 
 
 1 4 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 6 
 
 3 .21 
 
 2 .42 
 
 1 .6,^ 
 
 0 .84 
 0.05 
 
 3 .26 
 
 2 .47 
 
 1 .68 
 0.89 
 0 .10 
 O.iU 
 0.30 
 0.40 
 
 0 .50 
 
 1 .00 
 
 Inch, 
 
 3 
 4 
 5 
 6 
 7 
 
 8 
 9 
 
 } 
 
 20 
 
 30 
 4' 
 50 
 lOo 
 
 COLD AREA, 24.87. 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 0 
 0 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 4 
 
 6 
 8 
 
 !0 
 
 20 
 
 i. grs. fit. 
 
 4 
 8 
 12 
 16 
 
 9 
 13 
 17 
 
 5 
 7 
 9 
 19 
 
 2 
 4 
 7 
 9 
 
 0 11 
 
 5 2 
 
 4 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 1 11 
 
 3 11 
 
 10 
 10 
 lO 
 8 
 
 1 .447 
 
 2 .894 
 0,341 
 1 .788 
 
 3 .235 
 
 0 .682 
 52 .129 
 3 .576 
 
 1 023 
 2.470 
 
 0 .940 
 
 3 .410 
 } .8S0 
 0 .350 
 
 0 .700 
 
72 
 
 Examples. 
 
 Suppose 6 inches dip, by hot area. 
 
 24.1 area. 
 5 inches. 
 
 If 0.5 
 
 Discount one-tenth 120.5 
 
 108.45 neat libs. wt. 
 Duty - 9.25 or 2|d. per lib. 
 
 54225 
 21690 
 21690 
 
 12)244.0125 
 
 4 
 
 s. d. 
 
 20 4.05,00, or, 
 
 L. 1 : 0 : 4 : 0.05. See Table. 
 
73 
 
 Example, 
 
 Suppose 6 inches dip, by cold area, 
 
 24.87 area. 
 5 inches. 
 
 12435 
 
 Discount one-tenth 19435 
 
 111.915 neat libs. wt. 
 Duty - 2.25 or 2^d. per lib. 
 
 559575 
 223830 
 223830 
 
 12)251.80875 
 4 
 
 s, d, 
 
 20 11 3.23500, or, 
 i:. 1 : 0 : 1 1 : 3 .235. See Table. 
 
74 
 
 In casting the dip of a soap frame, both 
 areas are used by the Exciseman. For in- 
 stance, suppose 6 inches of warm soap be 
 allowed to cool in the frame, it may be dis- 
 covered to have decreased 3, 4, or^-lOths; 
 consequently, the soap must be cast up by 
 the hot area for the five inches of original 
 dip, and by the cold area for the real dip 
 after cooling, say 4 inches 7-lOths, or 4, 6, 
 or 4, 6, &c. ; and whichever of these dips 
 turn out highest, the trader is charged with 
 for duty. 
 
 It might be equally correct, and full more 
 convenient and expeditious, to use, for the 
 weighing, or ascertaining the strength of the 
 leys, a glass hydrometer, marked inside of 
 the tube with figures. These can be had 
 from any weatherglass-maker. This hy- 
 drometer may easily be adjusted to all the 
 divisions in the foregoing table, as also to 
 I'ain. liver, and distilled water, sea water, &c. - 
 
75 
 
 To use the above hydrometer, a glass or 
 crystal cylender will be wanted, the depth 
 of which ought to be fully the length of 
 the ' hydrometer, and of a diameter suffi- 
 ciently large to admit the same freely. 
 
 When the leys are to be tried, fill the 
 cylender, and introduce therein the hydro- 
 meter : it will then be seen which division, 
 or number, the hydrometer sinks to ; con- 
 sequently must exactly ascertain, without 
 farther trouble, the strength of such leys. 
 
 A proper boiling ley for soft soap, ought 
 to weigh about 10 or 11 drams, which 
 makes a very good medium. Seven pounds 
 ten ounces tallow, avoirdupois weight, is 
 supposed equal to a wine gallon nearly ; 
 and pump water, the English gallon, should 
 weigh about 8 lib. 2 oz. 10 dr. avoirdupois 
 weight. 
 
 Upon these principles, we establish the 
 proper standard weight for English leys to 
 
 2 
 
76 
 
 be (agreeable to the Table), parts, or, 
 as they are generally termed, carats^ and 
 for foreign ashes' lees, tVh» or 22 carats. 
 We shall now commence an operation with 
 a charge for what is called 
 
 i-IRST CROWN SOFT SOAP, 18 BARRELS. 
 
 The quantity of leys requisite for com^ 
 ^ pletion of this charge, will be about 400 
 gallons, the weight of which to be about 
 
 1 U drams ; about one-third of which must 
 be put into the boiler previous to any of 
 the other materials : afterwards add, 2 cwt. 
 
 2 qrs. tallow, 2 cwt. 2 qrs. hogs-lard, and 
 70 gallons olive oil. The leys herein to be 
 used, are supposed to be from Hungarian 
 and English (Essex) ashes. The proportion 
 is, one of the English to eight of the Hun- 
 garian. The particular mode of proceed- 
 
77 
 
 ing is thus : After the leys are put in, add 
 the tallow, and light the fire. When all 
 the tallow is melted, put in the oil, and 
 [ draw the fire a little afterwards, and allow 
 the pan to stand about two hours. Light 
 . again the fire, and add about 20 gallons 
 ' more of the leys. After the pan begins to 
 boil, add now and then a little more leys, 
 to the purpose of preventing the soap from 
 boiling over : and this adding of lees to be 
 continued until the soap is supposed to be 
 about half boiled ; when it will be time to 
 try, whether the soap has got too much, or 
 too little leys. 
 
 This trial is called proving^ and is neces- 
 sary to i)e done several times during the o- 
 peration, and previous to the finishing. 
 The method of performing it is this : Pro- 
 vide a piece of glazed Dutch delft, and al- 
 so a clear clean knife : with the knife take 
 
 3 
 
78 
 
 up a piece of the soap from the pan, and if 
 it turn whitish thereon, and falls from it in 
 short pieces upon the delft, it is then con- 
 cluded too much leys have been put in ; to 
 rectify which, a little more oil must be add- 
 ed. On the contrary, if the soap wants 
 leys, it will fall from the knife in long, 
 ropy-like pieces ; in consequence whereof, 
 add some more ley. When, however, it 
 happens to be brought to perfection, nei- 
 ther wanting more leys nor oil, but just in 
 a right state : it will then be observed, that 
 when taken upon the knife, to stand the 
 proper colour, not ropy, nor too white, 
 but transparent. The fire may now be 
 drawn, the soap being properly finished, 
 and ought immediately to be cast into the 
 barrels, firkins, &c. 
 
 Remember alwayS;> that after the second 
 lime the fire is liglited, to keep the soap 
 
79 
 
 boiling briskly, till the pan is nearly ready, 
 when it ought to boil slow, until finishing, 
 and ready to cast. 
 
 We have now gone through, and finished, 
 the first pan. The second shall be an ac- 
 tual operation, noting the time spent there- 
 on, and quantity of soap produced. 
 
 SECOND CHARGE FOR FIRST CRQWN SOFT SOAP, 
 
 The materials to be used for this purpose 
 are the following : 
 
 2!5!4 libs, tallow, 
 
 166 libs, hogs-lard, 
 55 gallons rape-seed, or olive oil, 
 
 180 gallons leys, weight m drams, from 
 pearl ashes.^ 
 
80 
 
 The Process. In the first place, put into 
 the boiler 1 40 gallons of leys, with the tal- 
 low ; set the fire, and when the tallow is 
 all melted, put in the oil, and draw the 
 fire. Let all stand for two hours, when the 
 fire may again be lighted, and immediately 
 20 gallons of leys put in : the other 20 gal- 
 lons was added at different times, as before 
 directed, in the course of the boiling. This 
 boiling commenced at M. past 8, and was 
 finished at E. past 7, and produced 33 firkins 
 0f good soap. 
 
 A CHARGE FOR SECOND CROWN SOFT SOAP. 
 
 280 libs, tallow, 
 
 140 gallons leys, weight \ \\ drams^ 
 82 gallons whale oil. 
 
81 
 
 Put in 100 gallons of leys, with the tal- 
 low, and light the fire. When the tallow 
 is melted, add the oil, and draw the fire. 
 Let all stand for two hours. Again light 
 the fire, and add 20 gallons of leys. With 
 this the boiling is continued until the soap 
 is about half finished, when 10 gallons more 
 leys is added. During the remainder of the 
 boiling, add, at different periods, the other 
 10 gallons leys, which will completely finish 
 the soap. 
 
 A CHARGE FOR BEST COMMON SOFT SOAP, 
 
 with Old Soap returned. 
 
 f 54 lib. tallow, 
 
 S3 gallons train oil, 
 200 gallons leys, weight 11 drams, blue 
 pearl ashes. 
 
82 
 
 At M. 6, charged with 1 40 gallons leys, 
 and all the tallow, with 239 lib. of old 
 soap. Set the fire. At 8, the oil put in, 
 and fire drawn. At 10, the fire again light- 
 ed, and 40 gallons of leys added. From 
 this time till E. 2, at different times, add 
 about 15 gallons leys. From this to .5, add 
 at different periods, 6 gallons. At 6, the 
 five may be draw^n, and shortly thereafter 
 the soap may be cast into the firkins. 
 
 From these examples, founded upon real 
 operations, the making of soap may be per- 
 formed by any person, although never be- 
 fore acquainted with the business; at the 
 same time it may be proper to inform such, 
 of the necessity there is, on their part, of 
 strict attention during the operation : the 
 person ought continually to be poring into 
 
83 
 
 the pan, every boil should particularly be 
 observed, and the difference noted between 
 the boil when the soap is right, and when 
 it is wrong ; how it boils when half made, 
 when three-fourths made, and in an espe- 
 cial manner at the finishing. These ob- 
 servations made with precaution, will, with 
 a short practice, render the operation fami- 
 liar, and the workman complete master of 
 his trade. 
 
 We shall add a few more general observ- 
 ations, necessary to be well studied, and 
 rendered familiar to the operator. 
 
 To know when the soap wants, or has 
 got too much leys, observe the following 
 directions. Take about the size of a pi- 
 geon-egg of the soap, while hot, and put 
 it upon the delft. Observe if whitish streaks 
 and specks plainly appear, and continues so 
 after the soap grows pretty cold. When 
 this happens, the soap has got enough of 
 
84 
 
 leys. If these appearances are not evident, 
 in that event^ the soap must have more 
 leys. Or, to know if the soap have got 
 enough of leys, dip the blade of the knife into 
 the soap ; and when coldish, stroak the soap 
 off the knife upon your forefinger ; observe 
 if any streaks appear in the soap : if any, 
 then the soap is plentifully supplied with 
 leys ; but if none, more leys must be add- 
 ed. It is always a good sign that soft soap 
 is enough boiled, when, upon trial as above, 
 with the soap on the finger, that it stands 
 up, and appears with a thin roundish back ; 
 and when right, it will appear upon the 
 finger of a grayish colour at the top of the 
 outer edge. 
 
 When different leys are used, that is, 
 some strong, and others weak, particular 
 attention must be paid to the proportioning 
 the one with the other, or, the weak with 
 the strong, in order that a proper strength^ 
 
85 
 
 or boiling ley, be had from the composition^ 
 If too weak leys are used, there is a danger 
 incurred of spoiling the whole soap, which 
 is hardly to be righted again. 
 
 To guard against this great evil, observe 
 the following rule : Suppose there is three 
 leys of different qualities to be boiled with, 
 two of them is over weak, one is too strong j 
 try their strength mixed together, thus : 
 
 drams. drams. 
 3 pails, or couls, at 16 each, is 48 
 3 ditto, ditto, at 10 ditto, is 30 
 3 ditto, ditto, at 8 ditto, is 24 
 
 9 102 
 
 9)102(1 1|, or I, the standard for boiling ley* 
 9 
 
 12 
 9 
 
 H 
 
86 
 
 We now find, that an equal proportion 
 of these leys mixed together, produce, upon 
 an average, a medium weight, equal to the 
 standard for proper boiling lee. Weak 
 leys take always a larger quantity, and 
 much longer boiling. On the other hand, 
 strong leys take a less quantity to do the 
 same work, and considerable less boiling ; 
 consequently, in using a proper ley, both 
 time and fuel is saved. 
 
 That soap-boiling is so bad and unprofit- 
 able a trade, as many represent it, I cannot 
 see. Such ought always to give some rea- 
 son for their assertion. If that was the 
 case, it is strongly impressed upon my mind, 
 that the ignorance of the principles of soap- 
 making, will be found to be the sole cause 
 of numbers failing, that have imprudently 
 entered into an unknown, and, conse- 
 quently, critical and unprofitable manufac- 
 tory. 
 
87 
 
 I shall here give an experiment, made 
 with great precision, to ascertain with re- 
 gard to the expence attending the making 
 of white soap. The only materials used, 
 of the alkali kind, was the second sort of 
 American pot-ash, but of a quality very su- 
 perior to what commonly is sold under that 
 denomination. 
 
 I broke down pretty small a quarter 
 cwt. of the above American pot ; and, with 
 a proportionate quantity of good lime- 
 shells, mixed therewith, set them in a small 
 yetlin cave. I added w^ater just sufficient 
 to saturate the mixture. In this state, hav- 
 ing stood for about 19 or 14 hours, I let it 
 run, and drew off 4 English gallons of ley, 
 which I ascertained, by my hydrometer, to 
 be i4i strong. I filled up my cave with 
 water, and continued the running slowly 
 until I had 28 gallons more, of strength by 
 hydrometer 18 strong. I then stopped up 
 
 2 
 
m 
 
 my cave from running, and proceeded 
 to calculate the value of my ley, as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 In the first place, I find that l-4th cwt. 
 of American pot, at 56s. per cwt. (their 
 real price at the time) is 13s. 9d. which 
 must be the value also of my 32 gallons of 
 leys, drawn from the ashes. At that rate, 
 the English pint is worth about two far- 
 things and one half farthing, I now pro- 
 ceeded further to complete my experiment, 
 and satisfy myself at what expence white 
 soap could be made. For this purpose, I 
 charged a small boiler, which holds about 
 li gallons, with 4 libs, of good rhinded tal- 
 low, and with 10 pints of the ley of the 
 weaker sort, or second running, which had 
 been kept separate. The pan boiled very 
 close, that is, the leys and tallow became one 
 mass of seemingly thin soap, without any 
 appearance of separation betwixt the leys 
 
89 
 
 and tallow. In this state of the pan, I was 
 I obliged to add a little salt and water, which 
 brought about a separation in a short time. 
 I then let my pan stand off the fire for half 
 an hour, when the weak leys cranned freely 
 I off. I now added 6 pints of same leys, for 
 second boil. This had the effect totally to 
 kill the tallow, and bring the soap to a 
 I pretty strong consistence, and the leys cran- 
 ned off without salt in half an hour. I then 
 prepared for third boil, by adding 7 pints 
 more of same leys, 18 strong, and boiled 
 half an hour. The soap appeared now 
 strong, but rather close ; and this closeness 
 L attributed to too much salt ; to rectify 
 which, I added between one and two pints 
 of water. This, in a short time, had the 
 effect to bring on a separation. The pan 
 was taken off the fire, and allowed to stand 
 about an hour and a half, when it parted 
 freely with all the leys. Nothing remained 
 
 3 
 
90 
 
 now to be done but finishing, which I com- 
 pleted with between 3 and 4 pints of water 
 (some salt also was used), in the course 
 of an hour and quarter. The pan was now 
 taken off the fire, and allowed to cool for 
 24 hours, when I found, upon weighing, I 
 had lOi libs, of good white soap. Upon 
 looking oyer my jottings, taken during the 
 operation, I found that there had been used 
 about 23 pints of leys, and about 3 libs, of 
 salt* 
 
 The expence of the whole will be evi- 
 dent, by the following correct statement 
 viz. 
 
91 
 
 X. s. d. 
 
 To tallow, 4 libs, at 7id. per lib. . 0 2 6 
 „ Leys, 23 pints, at 2i farthings 
 
 per pint, 0 1 2^ 
 
 „ Salt, 3 libs, at id.jwer lib. ... 0 0 1| 
 „ Duty charged on lOilib. soap, 
 
 at 2id. per lib, — say ..... 0 1 9 
 
 „ Fire, &c. about 0 0 2| 
 
 Total expence, . . L. 0 5 9 
 By XOi libs, soap, at 9d. per lib. 
 (white soap was at that time 
 selling in the shops at lOd.) . . 0 7 10^ 
 
 Neat profit, L. 0 2 
 
 i 
 
92 
 
 It seems now very plain, that if 23 pints 
 of leys, as above, produce of neat profit 
 2s. lid. ; that 256 pints, the whole produce 
 of the quarter hundred of ashes, will be 
 23s. 2^d. or at the rate of L. 4, 12s, 9d. 
 per cwt. ; and as more of the weak leys were 
 still to run, the profit, of course, must have 
 been something more. I proceeded in this 
 experiment no further with the remainder 
 of the leys, which must, if used, have also 
 necessarily been productive, as above men- 
 tioned, of more profit. Upon the whole, 
 I find by calculation, that the cwt, of soap, 
 including materials, duty, fire, &c. will cost 
 the manufacturer L. 3, Is. 4d., or L. 61, 6s. 
 8d. per tun of 20 cwt. for white soap, which 
 will appear evident by the following state- 
 ment : 
 
 4 
 
93 
 
 lii. soap t, 3, lib. 
 
 If lOf cost 5 9, what will 1 12 cost? 
 2 12 2 
 
 21 69 224 half libs. 
 
 69 
 
 2016 
 1344 
 
 12) 
 
 21)15456;(736( 
 
 147 
 
 6 is, 4d. Or, 
 
 75 
 
 63 
 
 126 
 126 
 
 L. 3 : 1 : 4 per cwt. Or, 
 61:6:8 per ton, 
 
 L, vs. d. 
 
 One ton soap, at 9d. per lib. comes 
 
 to 84 0 0 
 
 Deduct expences ... 6 1 6 8 
 
 Neat profit ... L. 22 13 4 
 
94 
 
 It will be proper to observe, that the a- 
 tove experiment was made with the best 
 home melted tallow. If foreign tallow, ac- 
 cording to the general run of such, had 
 been used, the produce would have been 
 far from being so beneficially productive. 
 However, a much smaller profit would be 
 convincing, that the trade was not that 
 losing one, which many ignorant and un- 
 fortunate adventurers have taught us, from 
 their experience, to imagine. 
 
 Another experiment with the same quan- 
 tity of tallow (4 lib.), but foreign, and a- 
 bove six years old, was tried with Peters- 
 burg pearl ash-ley. The operation was 
 completed at three boils, and there was 
 used 1 4 Enghsh pints of the ley ; and the 
 produce of the soap turned out to be seven 
 and one half pounds. 
 
95 
 
 The calculation may stand thus, viz. 
 
 To 4 lib. tallow, at 7d. per lib. .024 
 „ 14 pints ley, at 2f farthings 
 
 per pint 0 0 8-| 
 
 „ 2 lib. salt O 0 1 
 
 Duty on 71^ lib. soap, at 2|d. per 
 
 lib. — 10 per cent, off 0 1 4 
 
 Fire, about 0 0 2 
 
 L. 0 4 7| 
 
 7\ lib. soap, at 9d. per lib 0 5 7^ 
 
 L. 0 0 11| 
 
 The neat profit here may be called one 
 shilling. 
 
 Upon a calculation of working even with 
 these coarse and improper materials, judi- 
 ciously managed, there is an evident gain of 
 above iOs, 6d. per cwt. or L. 10: 10s. per 
 ton. 
 
96 
 
 As mistakes by Excise-officers are not at 
 all improbable, in casting up gauges of soap, 
 it is proper that every soap-maker should 
 cast up his own, after the dip of the frame 
 is ascertained by the ofRcer, supervisor, &c. 
 And as many of the trade may not be ac- 
 quainted with the precise mode of doing so, 
 a specimen of the work may be acceptable, 
 and proper here to be added. For that pur- 
 pose, it may be supposed that the dip of 
 the soap in the frame, as taken by the offi- 
 cer, is 30 inches and 9-lOths. The areas, 
 by which the Excise-officers make their 
 calculations, are established by law to be 
 24 lib. and 1-1 0th of a lib. upon every 
 inch of the dip of the frame. This is call- 
 ed the hot dip^ and will generally carry the 
 gauge, providing no cold dip is got, or that 
 
97 
 
 be less. The area for the cold dip is 24.87. 
 The Excise always takes the highest amount. 
 
 Example of the above supposed Dip. 
 
 30.y 
 24.1 
 
 . yo.9 
 
 1236 
 6lS 
 
 744.69 
 74469 
 
 070.221 
 1340 
 
 167| qrs. rem. 
 12)1507 
 
 20)125 :7d. rem. 
 
 L. 6 : 5 : 7|d. the neat duty for 30 inches 
 9- 1 Oths, exclusive of the 
 fraction. 
 
 And for -working bj the Cold Area, see p. 7;3. 
 
 I 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 NO I. 
 
 A 
 
 SHORT DISSERTATION 
 
 ON 
 
 SPOILED HARD SOAP. 
 
 IN^ the preceding pages, we have supposed 
 every thing to go right, with regard to the 
 noanufacturing of the different soaps. It 
 may be proper, however, to mention, that 
 a boiling of hard soap sometimes may mis- 
 give, or go wrong. It is then said to be a 
 
ioo 
 
 spoiled pan. In this state, much trouble 
 and expence, to an inexperienced boiler, 
 is the consequence, before such soap can 
 again be brought right. By attending, how- 
 ever, to the rules already laid down, cir- 
 cumstances such as this will seldom happen. 
 For the benefit and instruction of the reader, 
 a case of the kind which once occurred to 
 the certain knowledge of the author, may 
 here be inserted, together Vvith its unfortu- 
 nate issue. 
 
 Indeed, instances of what are called spoiled 
 pans of soap, or, soap, from inexperience, in 
 the course of making, converted into an 
 uncommon mass, so as to baffle the utmost 
 skill of the manufacturer to redeem, or set 
 to rights again, have frequently happen- 
 ed ; though, with the experienced and well- 
 informed soap-maker, such disasterous fail- 
 ures will seldom or never occur, the causes 
 to him being evident. To illustrate these 
 
101 
 
 observations, the circumstances of the case 
 ^ alluded to are the following, viz. 
 
 One evening, accidentally meeting witli 
 an intimate acquaintance belonging to the 
 Excise, he mentioned, that one of his traders 
 (in the soap line) had been working with a 
 pan of soap these three or four wrecks, and 
 had brought it into such a state that he 
 seemed completely bewildered, and unable 
 further to proceed. He begged I w^ould 
 step along with him, take a look at it, 
 and give the poor man my advice, so as 
 to help him on, if possible. This man's pe- 
 
 p cuniary circumstances were such, that, as 
 represented by my friend, the failure of 
 this pan of soap w^ould ultimately \vork his 
 
 i ruin. Sympathy, therefore, for the poor 
 man, induced me to comply with this re-^ 
 quest, and take a look of the soap in the 
 boiler : but such a sight, in fact, I never 
 
102 
 
 before witnessed. I found the pan almost 
 brimful ; and, upon dipping in my finger, 
 and applying it to the tonguC;, I discovered 
 the pan to be completely choked or poi- 
 soned with salt. On inquiry I learned, that 
 he had expended more materials upon this 
 single pan of soap, than, with proper ma- 
 nagement;^ might have completed three 
 such boilings. Leys had been added in 
 their mild state, W'hich always have the 
 tendency to run the materials into a kind 
 \^f entire mass, and preventing the possi- 
 bility of extracting the leys therefrom, the 
 whole being converted into a kind of thin 
 soap. In this state of a soap pan, it is usual 
 to add some common salt, to facilitate the 
 separation of the leys from the other ma- 
 terials, which generally has that effect, (pro- 
 vided the leys boiled with were weak cau- 
 stic ley) : But, if the leys were mild, the 
 fixed air not having been properly extracted, 
 
i03 
 
 the common salt, in that case, fails of the 
 desu'ed effect, and rather confirms the dis- 
 order. This m.an had added salt in abun- 
 dance, then strong mild ley, then salt again, 
 and more strong ley, until his boiler was so 
 filled, that want of room only prevented 
 him from putting in more. He told me, he 
 thought a fresh cave of strong ley would be 
 necessary to cut her up. My opinion to 
 him was, that too much of that had already 
 been applied ; but that, if he w^ould submit 
 to my advice, I thought his pan, in a day 
 or two, might be again brought to rights. 
 What is to be done, then ? says he. In the 
 first place, I told him to put in immediately 
 two or three pails of water. This surprised 
 him much ; and Vv^ith a kind of seeming re- 
 luctance, consented that L should have my 
 own way. As there v/as but little room in 
 the pan for boiling, a very gentle fire coukl 
 only be kept up. This, however, had the 
 
104 
 
 wished-for effect:, of opening the pan, or 
 causing a small separation of the leys in a 
 short time, which was all that could at pre- 
 sent be done. I intended next day to have 
 drawn off as much of this salt ley as pos- 
 sible ; consequently, procure a little more 
 room to work in ; and afterwards, by add- 
 ing more water, the salt leys would by de- 
 grees be perfectly extracted, the pan sweet- 
 ened, and brought into a fit trim for finish- 
 ing. When I observed the above appear- 
 ance of opening, I left him, with instruc- 
 tions to keep a slow fire for about an hour 
 or so longer, when it might 'be drawn away ; 
 and to-morrow morning I should call, and 
 inform him what further was to be done. 
 Instead, however, of paying proper atten- 
 tion to my directions, which was, to avoid 
 using *any more ley, he, as soon as my 
 back was turned, prepared more strong 
 mild leys, and put them into the boiler; by 
 
105 
 
 which the soap was set back to its original 
 close state. Upon my being informed of a 
 conduct so preposterous and stupid, I de^ 
 clined my intended visit next morning, and 
 allowed this infatuated man to exercise the 
 freedom of his own will. The consequence 
 was, that the pan never afterwards could, 
 by any expedient he possibly might con- 
 trive, be again brought to rights ; he at 
 last gave it up ; and the spoiled stufF was, 
 with his utensils, &c. afterwards sold by the 
 Excise for arrears. 
 
 The unfortunate issue of this pan of soap, 
 plainly demonstrates the serious effects of 
 inexperience and ignorance in the know- 
 ledge of the original materials. For had 
 this man allowed the salt leys to have been 
 washed off his soap, and then given a boil 
 of a weak caustic ley, his soap might have 
 been finished Vv^ith propriety, and turned 
 
106 
 
 out well. The extracted salt leys, by being 
 run through a lime cave, might have been 
 converted into a good caustic ley, and used 
 over again with advantage. , 
 
 Soap-makers will do well to consider this 
 case with attention. By so doing, disagree- 
 able circumstances of a similar nature may 
 be avoided \ and, consequently, much time, 
 expences, and an infinite quantity of trou»* 
 ble, saved. . No soap-ley at any time ought 
 to be used, but such as, by experiment, is 
 proved to be a caustic ley, entirely freed 
 from its fixed air. And it is with much sa- 
 tisfaction we present the reader, in the fol- 
 lowing Number, with the experiments of 
 an able and justly celebrated chemist, 
 made expressly with the view of ascertain- 
 ing this important and fundamental requi- 
 site in soap-making, and therefore can with 
 confidence be recommended to the practicQ 
 of the manufacturer. 
 
107 
 
 No IL 
 
 PkEPARATION for a SOAP-^LEY. 
 By Dr. Joseph Black, Professor of Che- 
 mistry in the Univeisity of Edinburgh.^ 
 (Referred to, p. 45. of this Work. J 
 
 THE celebrated Dn Joseph Black, professor 
 of chemistry in the University of Edinburgh, 
 in an experiment made with a view to in- 
 vestigate the nature and properties of the 
 caustic alkali, proceeds thus * : 
 
 ^ I made a caustic or soap-ley in the fol- 
 lowing manner : 
 
 * Sec his Experiments upon Magnesia Alba, Quick- 
 lime, and other Alkaline Substances, 
 
108 
 
 Twenty-six ounces of very strong quick- 
 lime, made of chalk, were slaked, or reduced 
 to a sort of fluid paste, with eleven pounds 
 of boiling water, and then mixed in a glass 
 vessel with eighteen ounces of a pure fixed 
 alkaline salt, which had been first dissolved 
 in libs of water. This mixture was sha- 
 ken frequently for two hours, when the ac- 
 tion of the lime upon the alkali was sup- 
 posed to be over, and nothing remained but 
 to separate them again from one another. 
 I therefore added 12 hbs. of water, stirred 
 up the hme, and, after allowing it to settle 
 again, poured off as much of the clear ley 
 as possible." 
 
 Another method of the same professor is, 
 One part of a pure fixed alkaline salt to 
 three parts of common limestone, fresh 
 slaked and sifted, for a common or ordinary 
 soap-ley. He then proceeds thus : 
 
109 
 
 " The lime and alkali were mixed toge- 
 ther, under the form of a very thick milky 
 liquor, or fluid paste ; because they are thus 
 kept in perpetual contact and equal mix- 
 ture, until they have acted sufficiently upon 
 one another : whereas, in the common way, 
 of using a larger quantity of water, the lime 
 lies for the most part at bottom ; and, 
 though stirred up ever so often, cannot 
 exert its influence so fully upon the alkali, 
 which is uniformly diffused through every 
 part of the liquor. 
 
 The above ley was found, upon trial, 
 to be saturated by acids, without the least 
 effervescence, or diminution of weight." 
 
 K 
 
110 
 
 The author, in the preceding parts of this 
 treatise, has endeavoured to furnish the at- 
 tentive reader with, what he trusts, an ac- 
 curate and comprehensive idea, both of the 
 materials proper for, and the process neces- 
 sary to, the successful manufacturing of 
 Hard and Soft Soap. One necessary piece 
 of knowledge, however, to every soap-maker, 
 and intimately connected with the present 
 wwk, still remains to be taken notice of, 
 viz. The Revenue Lan s^ by which every soap 
 manufactory must be strictly regulated. The 
 want of such knowledge might frequently 
 hazard mistakes, and ultimately incur pe- 
 nalties altogether undeserved. To guard 
 him, therefore, against such serious conse- 
 quences, the utility of annexing to this 
 
Ill 
 
 work a view of the principal of these laws, 
 peculiar to hard and soft soap-makers, must 
 appear highly proper : and moreover, it is 
 also presumed, will be singularly acceptable 
 to such traders as may not formerly have had 
 an opportvmity of supplying themselves with 
 the statutes thereanent made and provided ; 
 and, by being concisely collected and brought 
 under immediate review, every person inte- 
 rested may upon all occasions have it in his 
 power to refer with greater facility and ease 
 than to the printed detached acts them- 
 selves. What follows, therefore, are ab- 
 stracts of these statutes, chiefly taken from 
 an Abridgment of the Excise Laws. But as 
 the act 24th Geo. III. Jor the better securing 
 the duties on soap^ is amongst the last gene- 
 ral statutes upon the subject, containing 
 much useful information to the soap maker, 
 and the more worthy of his attention, as 
 comprehending the substance of most oC 
 
 2 
 
J 12 
 
 the former laws with regard to the manu- 
 facturing, 8cc. of soap, it has therefore been 
 thought essential to subjoin, from the act 
 itself, the v/hole of the clauses of that sta. 
 tute, in so far only as they are particularly 
 connected with the soap-maker. (See se- 
 giiei, p. 121.) 
 
113 
 
 NO m. 
 
 ABSTRACT of the principal EXCISE 
 LAWS, peculiar to Hard and Soft 
 Soap-Makers. 
 
 Allowances for Spoiled Soap, Cuttings, ^-c. 
 
 10th Ann, C. 19, Sect. 28. Vol. II, p. 299. 
 And 1 1th Geo. I. G. 30, Sect. 36, 37, 
 38. Vol. Ill, p. 510. 
 
 Whenever stale, or rotten soap, or cuttings, 
 for which the duties have been charged, 
 shall be, in presence of the officer, put 
 
 3 
 
114 
 
 again into the copper or pan to be renewed, 
 he shall make an allowance of the duty of 
 the same, and certify every such allowance 
 upon his report of charges to be returned : 
 But if previous notice, in writing, — of twelve 
 hours in the mortality-bill limits — twenty- 
 four hours elsewhere — of the time intended 
 for such putting thereof into any making of 
 soap, be not given to the proper officer, he 
 shall not certify such putting in. — A false 
 certificate by him incurs a penalty of 10s. 
 per lib. and the maker the like sum, for 
 what quantity he claims any benefit for. 
 
115 
 
 The aforesaid Allowance repealed. 
 
 4th Geo. III. Sect. 16. 20. P. 44- 53. 
 
 The aforesaid allowance, with respect to 
 hard soap only, repealed; and in lieu there- 
 of, the makers of hard soap shall be allow- 
 ed, in the officer's returns or reports of the 
 charges of hard soap made upon them, one 
 lib. in every 10 lib. thereof, in full compen- 
 sation for all waste, losses, or damages what- 
 ever : And if any hard soap (whether per- 
 fectly made or not), after being cleansed 
 or framed, shall be put again, on any pre- 
 tence, into the copper or other utensil for 
 boiling or reworking the same, shall be 
 again charged with the duty. 
 
116 
 
 Legal Frames for Hard Soap^ and also to be 
 entered* 
 
 Act 5th Geo. III. C. 43, Sect. 19. P. 51. 
 
 No maker of hard soap shall use any other 
 kind of vessel for cleansing, or putting his 
 hard soap (whether perfectly made or not) 
 into, when taken out of the copper or other 
 utensil wherein boiled or prepared, than re- 
 gular square or oblong frames only ; and of 
 each such frame, the bottom, sides, and ends, 
 shall respectively be at least two inches 
 thick, and the length shall not exceed 45 
 in<:hes, nor the breadth 15 inches : Nor 
 shall he use any such frame, till he give no- 
 
117 
 
 tice thereof in writing at the office next to 
 the place where such soap shall be made, 
 nor before it be marked and numbered by 
 direction of the surveyor or supervisor, at 
 such maker's expence ; under the penalty 
 of L. 20 for every such respective offence. 
 
 Legal Casks for Soft Soap* 
 
 Act 10th Ann, C. 19. Sect. 8- and C. 26. 
 Sect. III. V. 11. P. 274. 398. 
 
 All soft soap (only), upon the making 
 thereof, shall be put by the maker into 
 casks of the following respective contents 
 only, viz, barrels to contain 256 lib ; half 
 barrels, 1 28 lib. ; firkins, 64 lib. ; and half 
 firkins 32 lib. all avoirdupois, besides the 
 weight or tare of the cask, on pain of for-- 
 
118 
 
 feiting L. 5 for every offence or neglect 
 therein. 
 
 And by 12th Ann, St. 2. C. 9. Sect. 19. 
 V. II. P. 439, To prevent the fraudulent 
 practices of making soap in secret places, 
 and sending it out in smai/ casks ; all soft 
 soap that shall be filled in any other cask 
 less than barrels, half-barrels, firkins, and 
 half-firkins, shall be forfeited, and also L. 5 
 by the maker of it ; half thereof to the 
 seizer or informer, and half to the poor of 
 the parish where such ojffence shall be com- 
 mitted. 
 
119 
 
 JVho are not qualified to be Makers of Soap^ 
 though making Entry. 
 
 Notwithstanding the laws already made 
 for securing the soap-duties, and protecting 
 the fair trader, many gross frauds are daily 
 practised by evil-minded and indigent per- 
 sons, who make soap, and abscond before the 
 duties can be recovered, and by other methods 
 have evaded the duty ; and having been en- 
 couraged thereto from the great length of 
 time allowed by 1 0th Ann, c. 19. sect. 9- II. 
 (Vol. II, p. §75. 278.) for making entry of 
 their soap, and payment of the duty, and for 
 want of further regulations ; the said recited 
 two clauses are hereby repealed, and no per- 
 son whatever shall be permitted to make 
 
120 
 
 any soap,— if residing within the limits of the 
 head Excise-office in London, unless occu* 
 pying a tenement or tenements of the yearly 
 value of at least L. 10, and for which assess- 
 ed in his own name, and paying to the parish 
 rates ; in any other part of Great Britain 
 where there are rates to church and poor, 
 unless assessed and paying to church and 
 poor in the parish or place wherein resid- 
 ing ; — and no entry already, or hereafter 
 made, of any soap-house, workhouse, or 
 place for making soap, shall be of any avail 
 to any person or persons not so qualified, 
 or for longer time than so qualified : And 
 every person making soap, and not so qua- 
 lified, shall, notwithstanding any entry by 
 him or them made, be deemed and taken 
 to be persons making soap without entry, 
 and shall be subject to the like penalties 
 and forfeitures, by the former statutes, as 
 persons making soap without entry. 
 
121 
 
 jFbr better securing the Duties on Soap. 
 
 Act 24th Geo. III. Sect. 7th— 14th, in- 
 clusive. 
 
 And whereas, notwithstanding the laws 
 now in force for securing the duties on soap, 
 many frauds are still frequently practised, 
 to the great loss of the revenue, and to the 
 injury of the fair trader, and some better 
 regulations in the manner of carrying on 
 the soap-making business are still wanting ; 
 for remedy thereof, be it enacted, by the 
 authority aforesaid, That from and after the 
 20th day of September 1784^ all and every 
 the officers of Excise shall at all times, by 
 day or by night, and without waiting for 
 
 L 
 
122 
 
 the presence of a constable or peace-officer/ 
 be permitted, upon his or their request, to 
 enter into the house, boihng-house, ware- 
 house, or other place whatsoever, belonging 
 to or used by any maker or makers of 
 any soap whatsoever, and, by gauging or 
 weighing of the soap, or otherwise, as to 
 such officer shall seem most proper and con- 
 venient, to take an account of the just 
 quantity of the soap v/hich shall have been 
 made by such maker or makers of soap from 
 time to time ; and also to take an account 
 of all materials for the making of soap, in 
 the possession or custody of such maker or 
 makers of soap ; and all and every the offi- 
 cers of Excise shall be permitted to stay 
 and remain in such house, boiling-house, 
 warehouse, or other place, belonging to or 
 used by such maker or makers of soap, or 
 in any of such places, so long as such officer 
 or officers shall think lit. 
 
12a 
 
 And, for the better preventing the frauds 
 frequently committed by divers makers of 
 soap, be it further enacted, by the autho- 
 rity aforesaid, That from and after the said 
 20th day of September 1784, no maker of 
 soap shall have or keep any pipe or other 
 conveyance from or to any copper or pan 
 made use of in the boiling or making of 
 soap, save and except one moveable pump 
 for taking out salt or spent leys, which 
 pump shall be taken out of such copper or 
 pan before the copper or pan shall be locked 
 down by the ofHcer ; and that no maker .of 
 soap shall have any cock, or perforation, or 
 hole, in the side or curb, or bottom or co- 
 ver of his or her boiler or copper, nor shall 
 have any part of the curb moveable, nor 
 shall use any syphon, crane, or trinket, but 
 shall take out all leys, soap, or other in- 
 gredients, contained in the said copper or 
 boiler, by a pump, or by a ladle only ; on 
 
 2 
 
124 
 
 pain that any maker of soap, having or 
 keeping any pipe or other conveyance from 
 or to any copper or pan made use of in the 
 boiling or making of soap, save and except 
 such pump as aforesaid, or having any cock, 
 or perforation, or hole, in the side or curb, 
 or bottom or cover, of his or her boiler or 
 copper, or having any part of the curb 
 moveable, or using any syphon, crane, or 
 trinket, shall forfeit and lose, for every 
 such offence, the sum of L. 500 : Provided 
 always. That it shall be lawful for every 
 maker of soap to have, in the cover of his 
 or her copper or boiler, small holes, not ex- 
 ceeding one-eighth of an inch in diameter, 
 for the steam to escape through the same. 
 
 And be it further enacted, by the au- 
 thority aforesaid, That from and after the 
 said 20th day of September 1784, the cover 
 and furnace door, and ash-hole door of every 
 copper, pan, or other utensil used by any 
 
125 
 
 maker of hard soap for the boihng or mak'- 
 ing of soap, shall, and they are hereby re- 
 quired, to be securely locked, fastened, and 
 sealed down, by the officer or officers of 
 Excise who survey such trader, at all times, 
 except when such copper, pan, or other u- 
 tensils, shall be at work, or shall be opened 
 for repairing the same, or for the inspection 
 of an officer or officers of Excise ; and pro- 
 per locks and keys, and all other necessary 
 fastenings, for securing and sealing the said 
 covers and furnace and ash-hole doors of 
 every such copper, pan,' or other utensil, 
 shall be provided by the respective surveyors 
 and supervisors of Excise of the respective 
 districts or divisions in w^hich such makers 
 of soap shall respectively reside, at the ex- 
 pence of the respective makers in each di- 
 vision or district ; and whenever such maker 
 of soap shall be desirous of opening such ' 
 
126 
 
 eopper, pan, or other utensil, or the furnace 
 or ash-hole door thereof, and shall have gi- 
 ven to the officer of Excise of the division 
 or district twelve hours notice thereof, if 
 such maker of soap shall reside within the 
 limits of the chief office of Excise in Lon- 
 don, or tw^enty-four hours notice thereof, 
 if such maker of soap shall reside in any 
 other part of Great Britain, then the officer 
 of Excise shall attend to open such copper, 
 pan, or other utensil, or the furnace or ash- 
 hole door thereof ; and if, by any means, 
 art, device, or contrivance whatsoever, any 
 person shall open any such copper, pan, or 
 other utensil, or the furnace or ash-hole 
 door thereof, after the same shall have been 
 locked and secured as aforesaid, before the 
 same shall have been unlocked and opened 
 by the officer of Excise, or shall wilfully 
 damage or hurt any such lock or other fast- 
 
127 
 
 ening, every such person shall, for every 
 such offence respectively, forfeit and lose 
 the sum of L. 100. 
 
 And be it further enacted, by the au- 
 thority aforesaid, That from and after the 
 said 20th day of September 1784, if any 
 maker or makers of soap shall obstruct or 
 hinder any officer of Excise in the execu- 
 tion of the powers or authorities given to 
 him or them by this or any other act for the 
 ascertaining or securing the duties upon 
 soap, the person or persons offending there- 
 in shall, for every such offence, forfeit and 
 ' lose the sum of L. 50. 
 
 And for the better preventing the elan- 
 destine making of soap, without payment 
 of the duties for the same ; be it fur- 
 ther enacted, by the authority aforesaid, 
 That from and after the said §Oth day of 
 September 1784^ it shall be lawful for any 
 officer or officers of Excise to take an ac- 
 
128 
 
 count from time to time, as often as he or 
 they shall think fit, by gauging, weighing, 
 or otherwise, as to him or them shall seem 
 most proper and convenient, of all tallow; 
 oil, rosin, and grease of every kind, and of 
 all materials for making soap, which any 
 maker of soap shall at any time have in his 
 possession ; and such maker of soap shall 
 provide proper scales and weights, and assist 
 the officer in weighing and taking such ac- 
 count, on pain of forfeiting L. 20 : And in 
 case such officer shall find any decrease of 
 any such materials for making soap, and 
 shall not receive a satisfactory account there- 
 of, such officer shall charge such maker of 
 soap v/ith duties for such decrease, accord- 
 ing to the rates and proportions following, 
 (that is to say) ; 
 
 For every fourteen hundred weight, or 
 two hundred and ten gallons of oil, so miss- 
 ing, such officer shall charge any maker of 
 
129 
 
 hard soap with the duties on twenty hun- 
 dred weight of hard soap : 
 
 For every thirteen hundred weight of ren- 
 dered tallow so missing, such officer shall 
 charge any maker of hard soap with the du- 
 ties on twenty hundred weight of such soap : 
 
 For every thirteen hundred weight and 
 two quarters of kitchen-stuff and tallow so 
 missing, such officer shall charge any maker 
 of hard soap with the duties on twenty 
 hundred weight of such soap ; 
 
 For every fourteen hundred weight of 
 tallow, rosin, and oil, so missing, such offi- 
 cer shall charge any maker of yellow, brown, 
 or rosin soap, with the duties on twenty 
 hundred weight of such soap. 
 
 And be it further enacted, by the au- 
 thority aforesaid. That every maker and 
 makers of soap, before he, she, or they shall 
 charge his, her, or their copper or boiler 
 with any materials for making of soap, shall 
 
130 
 
 give to the officer of the division or place 
 where such soap is intended to be made, 
 notice in writing of the particular time and 
 hour when such maker of soap intends to 
 charge his or their copper or boiler, as 
 herein-^after mentioned ; (that is to say) If 
 such soap is intended to be made, at any 
 place within the limits of the head office of 
 Excise in London, then such notice shall 
 be by the space of twelve hours next before 
 the time of charging such copper or boiler ; 
 and if such soap is intended to be made at 
 any other place, cut of the limits aforesaid, 
 then such notice shall be by the space of 
 twenty-four hours next before the tim^e of 
 charging such copper or boiler ; on pain of 
 forfeiting and losing the sum of L. 100 at 
 every time when any maker of soap shall 
 begin to charge his or her copper or boiler 
 without first giving such notice as aforesaid : 
 And if such maker of soap shall not begin 
 
131 
 
 to charge his or her copper or boiler within 
 the space of three hours next after the par- 
 ticular titne or hour mentioned in such no- 
 tice, then such notice shall be void ; and 
 every maker of soap who, after the expira- 
 tion of the said time, shall begin to charge 
 his or her copper or boiler, without having 
 first given a new or other like notice as a- 
 foresaid, shall forfeit and lose the sum of 
 L, WO. 
 
 And be it further enacted, by the autho- 
 rity aforesaid, Tliat every maker of soap 
 shall, before charging his or her copper 
 or boiler with any materials for making 
 of soap, weigh, in the presence of the offi- 
 cer, all the rosin, tallow, grease, or other 
 materials, with which such maker of soap 
 inlends to charge his or her copper or boiler, 
 and all such rosin, tallow, grease, or other 
 materials, shall be put into the copper or 
 boiler in the presence of the officer; and 
 
132 
 
 in case the quantity of hard soap, after- 
 wards produced therefrom, shall be found 
 by the gauge in the frames to be less than 
 ought to have been produced according to 
 the rates and proportions herein before men- 
 tioned, then the deficiency therein shall be 
 charged with the duties thereupon, accord- 
 ing to the rates and proportions herein be- 
 fore mentioned : Provided always. That if 
 any maker of soap shall have charged the 
 copper or boiler with rough fat or rough 
 kitchen grease, then eight pounds of rough 
 fat shall be deemed equal to seven pounds 
 of tallow, and five pounds of rough kitchen 
 grease shall be deemed equal to four pounds 
 of clean kitchen grease. 
 
 And be it further enacted, by the au- 
 thority aforesaid, That no maker or makers 
 of hard soap shall, after the 20th day of 
 September 1734, sell any hard soap but in 
 the shape or form of cakes or bars, or what 
 
133 
 
 is commonly called or known by the name 
 of ball-soap ; and that all scraps and parings 
 of hard soap shall be returned into the cop- 
 per or boiler, in the presence of the officer, 
 immediately after the soap that has been 
 put into the frames from any one boiling 
 shall have been cut up for sale; on pain 
 that every maker of hard soap, selHng any 
 such hard soap in any other form than as 
 aforesaid, or not returning all scraps or 
 parings of hard soap into the copper or 
 boiler, in the presence of the officer, im- 
 mediately, as aforesaid, shall forfeit the sujn 
 of I/, 100 for each offence. 
 
 FINIS, 
 
S O A P M A K I N G. 
 
 It is customary with house k^.epers as well 
 as professed soap-boilers, to mix lime with 
 their ashes previous to drawing of the ley. 
 The consideration of the office .^hich is pei^l 
 formed by the hme, viz. that of abstr^fcting; 
 the fixed air, which Would otherwise prevent 
 the union of flu and leyi has sui^gested the 
 following experiment, which has proved satis- 
 factory. 
 
 To a large kettle of ley, while on the fire, 
 was added a quaner of a peck of quick h'me ; 
 this was stirred until the whole was near boil- 
 inp;, and then poured into tubs to settle. The 
 fat being now set over tlie fire and melted, 
 the clear ley was gTadually added, when an 
 almost instantaneous union took place : the 
 result of which was a soap of the finest qua- 
 lity.. The whole process occupied «bout two 
 hours. 
 
 N. B^'^l^yj^upposed that soa[ny«|^le with 
 the J^reatesWfc^^s the 
 moon. A 'muTtlfcj^ipiej] authentiqited 
 
 facts renders it ^^^^^at the inCuence of 
 
 le sinking; of 
 Doe's not 
 'ifivestiga- 
 
■% 
 
1 
 
THE GETTY CEr4Tt.% 
 LiBRARY 
 
{t ilt ill t til 
 
 ,, 'i'iL,i,i,i,i,i,it»i'i'i'rM'j'i'i'f*i'i-- I t'l' t^r'^r^i'r' 
 
 I f f f 1 r I r 1 
 
 1 Ir 
 
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