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The allusion in the foregoing letter to the pyrolignous acid,procured in distilling the charcoal employed in the governmentmanufactory of gunpowder at Waltham Abbey, leads to theconsideration, at this point of the present narrative, of an inven-tion of Mr. Macintosh’s, by means of which he applied this im-pure pyrolignous acid in the manufacture of sugar of lead,having previously obtained a contract with the board for theproduct in question. The nature of this invention is not ex-plained in Mr. Macintosh’s papers, although direct allusion isfrequently made to it, as well as to the illiberal and vexatiousproceedings of the board, in impeding his exertions for the publicbenefit in this instance ; in support of which statement, the fol-lowing memorial may in particular be quoted:—
“ In consequence of your honours having been pleased to enter into anagreement and contract for a term of years with me, for the acid of woodto be collected at the cylinder works in Sussex, I have been at the expenseof erecting the necessary works for carrying the same into effect. I, how-ever, think it a duty I owe to your honours and myself, to inform you I havemet with perfectly unexpected obstructions at Waltham Abbey, to carryingthe said contract into full force, and reaping the benefit I had a right toexpect from it. I have been informed that the storekeeper at WalthamAbbey has, in contravention of our agreement, caused some of the distilledacid of wood to be sent to a pin-maker there, to try experiments with it;and that he has also ordered the foreman at Fenhurst, whom I employ incarrying on my process, to send him some of my prepared materials.
“ I must beg to represent to your honours the great injury I sustain frommy property being thus made free with; and I presume you will not thinkit an unreasonable request, that a compensation shall be made to me, notonly for the value of the acid and materials taken away, but also for thevery great injury I may sustain from other persons discovering my inventionin consequence of the steps the storekeeper has taken.
“ I have to request likewise, that your honours may be pleased to giveorders which may prevent a repetition of such practices in future; and thatyou would confirm and support the directions I have given to those whocarry on my process, not to admit any person whatever into the buildingswhich tlie honourable board have given me leave to erect in the ordnancepremises, in the several cylinder works, excepting such persons as produceto the foreman written orders signed by me.