where a new process, discovered by Mr. Dubranfaut, was carried on,
every part of which was fully explained, Mr. Dubranfaut's laboratory
is connected with these works, and having inspected the working part
of the establishment Mr. G. then took me there, and introduced me to
that gentleman, with whom I passed the remainder of the afternoon,
receiving a full explanation of his new process, which is this:--a
solution of hydrate of barytes is made in boiling water--the
saccharine solution to be treated is heated to the same degree, and
the two mixed together in the proportions of 46 parts of hydrate of
barytes to every 100 parts of sugar contained in the solution, which
has previously been ascertained by polariscopic examination. A
saccharate of barytes is immediately formed in the shape of a
copious precipitate; this, after being thoroughly washed and thus
freed from all soluble impurities, is transferred into large, deep
vats, and a stream of carbonic acid gas forced into it, which
decomposes the saccharate of barytes, forming carbonate of barytes,
and liberating the sugar in the shape of a perfectly pure solution
of sugar in water, of the density of 20 to 23 degrees Baume; the
carbonate of barytes being thoroughly washed is again converted into
caustic barytes by burning, so that there is little loss in the
operation. The whole process is certainly very beautiful, and its
economic working has been tried for a year, on a sufficiently large
scale to leave no doubt as to the economy of the process in refining
molasses, which is the only purpose it has yet been applied to.

The Messrs. Grar were so thoroughly satisfied with it, that when I
was there they had taken down their original apparatus, and were
re-erecting it on such a scale as to work up all the molasses by it,
equal to almost five tons of sugar daily. Owing to this
circumstance, I had not an opportunity of seeing the process on a
working scale, but was shown the whole proceedings in the
laboratory.

The only difficulties I see in applying this process at once to the
cane juice, are the large quantity of barytes required, the expense
of re-burning it and the entire change in works that would be
necessary before it could be introduced. The advantage would be, the
obtaining the whole sugar contained in the juice, free from all