Pohl states that in a subsequent trial, after lifting the top pan at the end nearest the fires to a height of 6 in., and lowering the other end to within 3 in. of the surface of the brine in the bottom pan, he obtained, as an average result of a eeries of boilings, 3 tons of salt for 1 ton of slack, the gases paseing off at a still lower temperature ; while in the top pan, 93°-98° (200°-208° F.) was the temperature attained in front, 82° (180° F.) in the middle, and 71° (160° F.) at the far end.
Fig. 1225 will serve to convey an idea of the usual arrangement of a salt-works, and will easily be understood from the foregoing descriptions. One of the flshery-salt pans a shows the disposi tion of the flues beneath, the outer flue on each side being called the " dead " flues. The spaces r throughout the building are path ways for the service of the pans and the " hurdles ' on to which the salt is drawn. The fine salt pans d have etovee c behind them, through which the flues oirculate, and abut upon the chimneys s.
Two of the fine-salt pans are shown with the dead flues on each side.
At each end of the shed, and on cach side of these flue-salt pane, are recesses in which the equarc and conical tubs used for moulding and draining the fine salt are kept ready to hand. The butter-salt pane b and fishery-salt pane c are heated respectively by the waste steam and waste heat of the fire gases from boiler and engine n o ; k are the stoking pits of all the pans ; f is the coal-store ; h, the workshops for repairs; g, the salt-store ; i, a railroad for the service of the works ; m the offices.
The profits on salt manufacture in England axe extremely small, owing to severe competition. Iu France, the saltmakers of each great region of production have constituted syndicates, by which the prices of salt and the scale of manufacture of each works are regulated, while they are protected from external competition by the peculiar conditions of the heavy excise duty, and the difficult formalities of the customs respecting imports of foreign salt. According to evidence given before the late Parliamentary commission, already referred to, the cost price of manufacturing common salt in the Winsford and Northwich district is about as follows :—Brine, 6d. a ton ; labour, 10d. 1s. ; coal (slack), 3s. ; rent, interest on capital, &c., Is. ; total, 5s. 4d.-5s. 6d. a ton. These prices aro subjeot to important variations. The cost of brine is always rated at so much per ton on the salt produced, and it varies for different works : at Northwich, for instance, 4-9d. per ton of salt is charged for brino ; but 6d. may very well be adopted as a fair average price. The cost of coal likewise varies continually. The " burgey " used in making the boiled salts was, in the beginning of 1870, at 68. 5d. a ton, rising to 9s. in 1872, and to 16s. and even 20s. in 1873. High prices con
tinued till 1875, when they again began to recede, and, in 1878, ranged from 7s. to 8s., falling in 1879 to 7s. 2d.-7s. 4d., and in 1880 to 7s.-7s. 2d, The cost of the slack used in making common salt may be rated at about ls.-1s. 6d. a ton below the prices of burgey. It is commonly admitted in Cheshire that an advance of 6d. a ton on slack means about 3(d. a ton on common salt ; and 6d. a ton on hurgey, 4/d. a ton on boiled salts. The c,ost of carriage from the works to the canal on the banks of the Weaver also varies at the different works from nothing to ld. and up to 4d. a ton.
It is thus difficult to fix any exact figure for the cost price of manufacture of salt iu Cheshire, but the above may be taken as a near approximation in most cases. The carriage of the salt to Liver pool is performed in barges or " flats " on the Weaver ; the selling price in the Liverpool market is 9s., of which the works pric,e is considered to be 5s. 6d., and the official price of carriage 3s. 6d. To Runcorn, the carriage is 2s. 6d. The salt manufacturers may all be said to do their own lighterage, so that, as a matter of fact, any profits realized may be considered to be the 18.-1s. 6d. gained on this score. The selling (i. e. the works) prices of salt in Liverpool (salt is rated there at present. at the works prices), have been as follows :-The minimum price in 1871 was 6s. a ton ; in 1872, prices varied from 78., 7s. 6d., 10s. 6d., to Ns., and up to 20s.; in 1873, they were 14s., 15s., and down to 12s. ; in 1874, they fell from 12s. to 8s. ; iu 1875, they kept nearly steady at about 9s., falling however suddenly during one month of that year ; in 1876, prices fluctuated from 8s. down to 5s. ; in 1877, they even fell to 4s., rising again to 7s. ; 1878, they were at 7s., and fell to 5s. 6d. ; in 1879, they again went as low as ls. 6d., running on into 1880 through 4s. 6d., 4s. 9d., to 6s. 6d., and back to 6s. In the spring of the present year (1881), the works price was rated at Liverpool at 5s. 6d. for common salt. The salt manufacturers have repeatedly attempted to syndicate them selves after the manner of their Continental brethren, but as often their associations have been dissolved by disagreements springing up amongst them, at once entailing ruinous competition, and precluding all possible profits. The " Pool scheme," at one time in vogue in Liverpool, seemed to work satisfactorily for a short period. Under this plan, the works price was rated to the syndicate at 5s. 3d., but the selling price was fixed and maintained at 8s. 3d., 3s. being paid into a pool for the general pro rata profits of all. The plan, however, soon broke down through dissensions, and prices fell to ruinous rates. At the present moment, no saltmakers' association exists in England.