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this was produced not by any admixture of quicksilver but by the bronze containing a considerable percentage of lead in consequence of which the bronze was soft. After the vase, or other bronze ornament, was finished, the outside was strongly heated, and when on the point of liquefaction it underwent a rapid oxydation and thus a dark uniform coat closely adherent to the rest of the metal was formed. For the particulars of this process he would refer the society to the careful analysis of Japanese bronze, made some months back by M. Morin and communicated by that gentleman to the French Academy.
Mr. Syle mentioned the New Almaden mines, near San José in California, as furnishing a large supply of quicksilver.
A Paper, contributed by Mr. Gribble of Nagasaki, on the Production and Manufacture of Vegetable Wax in Japan, was read by Mr. W. H. Smith, who exhibited specimens and diagrams illustrative of the subject.
Mr. Syle remarked on the similarity of the process employed to that used in China for the extraction of oil from the bean. As to the employment of the wedge rather than the screw, it was noteworthy that although the Chinese were acquainted with the latter and used it for some purposes, they never seemed to employ it as a mechanical power. The experiment made at Newchwang for obtaining the bean-oil by foreign machinery had not been successful.
Professor W. E. Ayrton said, he could see why the wedge was used in preference to the screw both in China and Japan for extracting oil as stated by Mr. Syle, since theory showed that in the absence of very great power a greater crushing effect could be produced by sudden blows on a wedge than by the continued pressure of a screw. He thought that probably the considerable initial expense necessary to be incurred in the purchase of a hydraulic press might be the reason why they were so rarely used in this country for the extraction of wax; since as far as he could judge from the diagrams lying on the table the apparatus at present employed was of the rudest description and therefore cost but very little. He would be glad if Mr. Smith could inform them in what way Japanese vegetable wax differed from Chinese wax.
Mr. W. H. Smith expressed his surprise that the hydraulic press was not more used; and read the following remarks of Sir H. Parkes from a note written on the subject of the paper:
“I am sorry to see that the wax cannot be produced at a paying price, but this must be partly attributable to the very high charges of manufacture. I cannot help thinking that it might be produced at a much less cost with more industry and real hard work on the part of the Japanese. I was told in England that it could be largely used in the process of printing manufactures (cottons) if a large and steady supply could be reckoned on, but as it came to market only by fits and starts and in unreliable quantities, manufacturers were obliged to use other material. I am sorry if this industry should fail, for the Japanese have but few available products for export, and they must work harder before they increase them.