[Fig. 642 enlarged] (193 kB)

[Figs. 642], [643], [644.] represent the celebrated antimonial liquation furnaces of Malbosc, in the department of Ardèche, in France. [Fig. 642.] is a ground plan taken at the level of the draught holes g g, [fig. 643.], and of the dotted line E F; [fig. 643.] is a vertical section through the dotted line A B, of [fig. 642.]; and [fig. 644.] is a vertical section through the dotted line C D of [fig. 642.] In the three figures, the same letters denote like objects, a b c are three grates upon the same level above the floor of the works, 41⁄2 feet long, by 101⁄2 inches broad; between which are two rectangular galleries, d e, which pass transversely through the whole furnace, and lie at a level of 12 inches above the ground. They are separated by two walls from the three fire places. The walls have three openings, f g h, alternately placed for the flames to play through. The ends of these galleries are shut in with iron doors i i, containing peep holes. In each gallery are two conical cast-iron crucibles k k, into which the eliquating sulphuret of antimony drops. Their height is from 12 to 14 inches, the width of the mouth is 10 inches, that of the bottom is 6, and the thickness four-tenths of an inch. They are coated over with fire clay, to prevent the sulphuret from acting upon them; and they stand upon cast-iron pedestals with projecting ears, to facilitate their removal from the gallery or platform. Both of these galleries are lined with tiles of fire-clay l l, which also serve as supports to the vertical liquation tubes m m, made of the same clay. The tiles are somewhat curved towards the middle, for the purpose of receiving the lower ends of these tubes, and have a small hole at n, through which the liquid sulphuret flows down into the crucible.

The liquation tubes are conical, the internal diameter at top being 10 inches, at bottom 8; the length fully 40 inches, and the thickness six-tenths of an inch. They have at their lower ends notches or slits o, [fig. 644.], from 3 to 5 inches long, which look outwards, to make them accessible from the front and back part of the furnaces through small conical openings p p, in the walls. These are closed during the operation with clay stoppers, and are opened only when the gangue, rubbish, and cinders are to be raked out. The liquation tubes pass across the arch of the furnace q q, the space of the arch being wider than the tubes; they are shut in at top with fire-covers r r. s s, the middle part of the arch, immediately under the middle grate, is barrel-shaped, so that both arches are abutted together. The flames, after playing round about the sides of the liquation tubes, pass off through three openings and flues into the chimney t, about 13 feet high; u being the one opening, and v the two others, which are provided with register plates. In front of the furnace is a smoke flue w, to carry off the sulphureous vapours exhaled during the clearing out of the rubbish and slag; another x, begins over y y, at the top of the tubes; a wall z, separates the smoke flue into halves, so that the workmen upon the one side may not be incommoded by the fumes of the other. This wall connects at the same time the front flue w with the chimney t. a′ a′ and b′ b′ are iron and wooden bearer beams and rods for strengthening the smoke-flue, c′ c′ are arches upon both sides of the furnace, which become narrower from without inwards, and are closed with well-fitted plates d′ d′. They serve, in particular circumstances, to allow the interior to be inspected, and to see if either of the liquation furnaces be out of order.

Each tube being charged with about 500 lbs. of the antimonial ore, previously warmed upon the roof of the furnace, in a short time the sulphuret of a blue colour begins to flow out. Whenever the liquation ceases, the cinders are raked out by the side openings, and the tubes are charged afresh. The luted iron crucibles are suffered to become three-fourths full, are then drawn out from the galleries, left to cool, and emptied. The ingots weigh about 85 pounds. The charging is renewed every three hours, and, when the process is in good train, 100 lbs. of sulphuret of antimony are obtained every hour. The average duration of the tubes is 3 weeks, though in some cases it may be 40 days. The product from the ore is from 40 to 50 per cent. The above plan of operation is remarkable for the small consumption of fuel, the economy of labour, and the complete exhaustion of the ore.

LIQUEURS, LIQUORISTE; names given by the French to liquors compounded of alcohol, water, sugar, and different aromatic substances; and to the person who compounds them. I shall insert here a few of their most approved recipes.

Infusion of the peels of fruits.—The outer skin pared off with a sharp knife, is to be dropped into a hard glazed jar, containing alcohol of 34° B., diluted with half its bulk of water, and the whole is to be transferred into well-corked carboys. After an infusion of six weeks, with occasional agitation, the aromatized spirit is to be distilled off. In this way are prepared the liquors of cedrat, lemons, oranges, limettes (a sort of sweet lemon), poncires (the large citron), bergamots, &c.

Infusion of aromatic seeds.—These must be pounded, put into a carboy, along with alcohol diluted as above, infused with agitation for six weeks, and then distilled.

Infusions of aromatic woods are made in the same way.