in the manner here recommended, is to leave a paf-
fage for the fteam generated in the procefs of bak
ing to efcape. This may be done either by con-
ftructing a fteam-chimney for that purpofe, fur-
nifhed with a damper ; or fimply by making a
regifter in the door of the Oven.
As this is not the proper place to enlarge on this
fubjeft, 1 mall leave it for the prefent ; but I can
not help exprefling a wifli, that what I have here
advanced may induce others, efpecially Bakers*
who
and the Economy of Fuel. 1 77
who may find their own advantage in the profecu-
tion of thefe interefting and important inveftiga-
tions, to turn their attention to them.
How exceedingly ufeful would my Roafters be,
and Ovens conftructed on the principles here rec
ommended, on fhipboard ! Having ferved a cam
paign (as a volunteer) in a large fleet, (that com
manded by Admiral Sir Charles Hardy in the year
1779) and having made feveral long fea voyages,
I have had frequent opportunities of feeing how
difficult it is in bad weather to cook at fea ; and it
is eafy to imagine how much it would contribute to
the comfort of feafaring people, efpecially at times
when they are expofed to the greateft fatigues and
hardfhips, to enable them to have their tables well
fupplied with warm victuals.
In order that the motion of the veflel might not
derange any part of the apparatus ufed in the pro-
cefs of cooking at fea in my Roafters, the form of
the Roafter mould be that of a perfect cylinder,
and the dripping-pan in which the meat is placed
Ihould be a longitudinal fection of another cylinder,
lefs in diameter than the Roafter by about an inch,
and fufpended on two pivots in the axis of the
Roafter, in fuch a manner that the dripping-pan
may fwing freely in the Roafter, without touching
its fides. The Roafter mould be placed in the
brick-work, with its axis in the direction of the
length of the fliip ; and to prevent the gravy from
being thrown out of the dripping-pan when the
veffel pitches, its hollow cavity mould be divided
VOL. II. Z into
178 Of the Management of Fire,
into a number of compartments, by partitions ruu-
ning acrofs it from iide to fide.
It remains for me to give fome account of the
Kitchen which I fitted up in the Houfe of the Dub-
Jin Society, as a model for private families ; and
alfo of a Cottage Fire-place, and a Lime-kiln, which
I constructed, as models for imitation, in the court
yard of that public building.
With regard to the Kitchen, it is necefiary that I
mould remark atfetting out,that it was not intended
fo much to ferve as a complete model of a convenient
Kitchen for a private family, as to difplay a variety
of ufeful inventions, all or any of which may at
pleafure be eafily adopted, in Kitchens of all kinds
and of all dimenfions. I thought this would be
more ufeful than any fimple model of a Kitchen I
could contrive.
It is however a very complete Kitchen ; and
though there are fome contrivances belonging to
it which might have been omitted, yet they will
all, I am confident, be found ufeful for the different
purpofes for which they were particularly defigned ;
and, in a Kitchen for a large family, would often
come into ufe.
The general difpofition of the various parts of
this Kitchen I confider as being quite perfect. It
is the fame as that of the Hofpital of la Pleia at
Verona ; and of a very complete private Kitchen
which was built about two years ago at Munich,
under my direction, in the houfe of BARON LER-
CHENFELD, Steward of the Houfehold to His
MOST
and the Economy of Fuel. 179
MOST SERENE HIGHNESS THE ELECTOR. In my
next Eflay , which will treat exclufively of the Con-
ftruclion of Kitchen Fire-places, and of Kitchen
Utenfils, I fhall give a particular detailed account
of the manner in which the various Boilers, Steam-
boilers,-r-Saucepans, Oven, Roafters, &c. are
difpofed and connected in the mafs of brick- work
in thefe Kitchens ; and fliall accompany thefe de-
fcriptions with a fufHcient number of Plates to ren
der them perfectly intelligible^
Cottage Fire-place, and Iron Pot, for Cooking for
the Poor.
THE Cottage Fire-place which I fitted up as a
model, in the court-yard of the Houfe of the Dublia
Society, was not quite finifhed when I left Ireland ;
but an idea may be formed from what was done of
the general principles on which fuch Fire-places may
be conftructed. On each fide of the open chimney
Fire-place, (which being fmall, was built in the
middle of one much larger, which was conftrucled
to reprefent a large open Fire-place, fuch as are now
general in Cottages) I fitted up an Iron Pot on a
peculiar conftruclion, caft by Mr. Jackfon of Dub
lin, and defigned for the ufe of a poor family in
cooking their victuals. This Pot is nearly of a
cylindrical form, about fixteen inches in diameter,
and eight inches deep ; and under its bottom, which
is quite flat, there is a thin fpiral projection, which
was caft with the Pot, and ferves inftead of feet to
i So Of the Management of Fire,
it, the turns of which, when the Pot is fet dowu
on a flat furface, form a fpiral flue in which the
flame circulates under the bottom of the Pot, This
projection, which is near half an inch thick where
it is united with the bottom of the Pot, and lefs,
than a quarter of an inch below where its lower
edge refts on the grouncb is about four inches wide,
or rathei deep. This projection was made taper-,
ing, in order to its being more eafily caft. To de
fend the outfide of this Pot from the cold air, the
Pot is inclofed in a cylinder of thin meet-iron, equal
in diameter to, the extreme width of the Pot at its,
brim, juft as high as the depth of the Pot and of
its fpiral flues taken together. The Pot is fattened
to this cylindrical cafe by being driven into it with
force, a rim in the form of a flat hoop, about an
inch and a half deep and a little tapering, being
caft on the outfide of the Pot at its brim, the exter
nal furface of which was fitted exactly into the topi
of this cylinder, This projection is ufeful, not only
in uniting the Pot to its cylindrical cafe, but alfa
to keep this cylindrical cafe at fome fmall diftance
from the fides of the Pot, by ^hich means the heat
is more effectually confined.
To be able to move about this Pot from place tq
place, it has two handles which are riveted to the
outfide of its cylindrical cafe ; and it is provided
with a wooden coven
I am fenfible that I often expofe myfelf to crit-
icifm by anticipating what would mor.e naturally
its place elfewhere. But what I have here
faid
and the Economy of Fuel. 1 8 j
laid in regard to this Iron Pot is intended merely as
hints to awaken the curioiity and excite the atten
tion of ingenious men, of- fuch as take pleafure
in exerciiing their ingenuity in contriving and per
fecting ufeful inventions, and who delight in con-
templ^ting the progrefs of human induftry.
Model of a perpetual Lime-kiln.
THE particular objects principally had in view
in the construction of this Lime-kiln (which ftands,
in the court-yard of the Dublin Society) were,
Firft, to caufe the Fuel to burn in fuch a manner
as to confume the fmoke, which was done by oblig*
ing the fmoke to defcend and pafs through the Fire,
in order that as much heat as poffible might be gen
erated. Secondly, to caufe the Same and hot
vapour which rife from the Fire to come into con
tact with the lime-ftone by a, very larg;e furface, in
order to economize the heat, and prevent its going
off into the atmofphere ; which was done by mak*
ing the b.ody of the Kiln in the form of a hollow
truncated cone, and very high in proportion to iu
diameter ; and by filling it quite up to the top with
lime-ftone, the Fire being made to enter near the
bottom of the cone.
Thirdly, to, make the procefs of burn ing lime per-
petual^ in order to prevent the wafte of heat which
unavoidably attends the cooling of the Kiln in
emptying and filling it, when, to perform that ope
ration, it is neceffary to put out the Fire.
And s
1 82 Of the Management of Firt y
And, fourthly, to contrive matters fo that the
lime in which the procefs of burning is juftjinijhed,
and which of courfe is ftill intenfely hot, may, in cool
ing be made to give off its heat in fuch a manner as
to aflift in heating the frefh quantity of cold lime-,
ftone with which the Kiln is replenifhed as often as
a portion of lime is taken out of it.
To effectuate thefe purpofes, the Fuel is not
mixed with the lime-ftone, but is burned in a clofed
fire-place, which opens into one fide of the Kiln,
fome diftance above the bottom of it. For large
Lime-kilns on thefe principles there may be feveral
fire-places, all opening into the fame cone, and
fituated on different fides of it j which fire-places
may be conftructed and regulated like the fire
places of the furnaces ufed for burning porce-
laine.
At the bottom of the Kiln there is a door, which
is occafionally opened to take out the lime.
When, in confequence of a portion of lime be
ing drawn out of the Kiln, its contents fettle down
or fubfide, the empty fpace in the upper part of the
Kiln, which is occafioned by this fubftracHon of the
burned lime, is immediately filled up with frefh
Hme-flone.
As foon as a portion of lime is taken away, the
door by which it is removed muft be immediately
fhut, and the joinings well clofed with moift clay,
to prevent a draught of cold air through the Kiln.
A fmall opening however muft be left, for reafons
which I mall prefcntly explain.
and the Economy of Fuel* 183
As the Fire enters the Kiln at fome diftance from
the bottom of it, and as the flame rlfes as foon as
it comes into this cavity, the lower part of the Kiln
(that below the level of the bottom of the fire-place)
is occupied by lime already burned, and as this
lime is intenfely hot, when, on a portion of lime
from below being removed, it defcends into this
part of the Kiln, and as the air in the Kiln, to
which it communicates its heat, rnuft rife upwards
in confequence of its being heated, and pafs off
through the top of the Kiln, this lime in cooling is,
by this contrivance, made to afiift in heating the
frefli portion of cold lime^flone with which the
Kiln is charged. To facilitate this communication
of heat from the red-hot lime juft burned to the
lime-ftone above in the upper part of the Kiln, a
gentle draught of air through the Kiln from the bot
tom to the top of it muft be eftablifhed by leaving
an opening in the door below, by which the cold
air from without may be fuffered to enter the Kiln.
This opening (which mould be furnifhed with fome
kind of a regifter) muft be very fmall, otherwifc
it will occafion too ftronga draught of cold air into
the Kiln, and do more harm than good ; and it
will probably be found to be beft to clofe it en
tirely, after the lime in the lower part of the Kiln
has parted with a certain proportion of its heat.
Conceiving the improvement of Lime-kilns to be
a matter of very great national importance, efpe-
cially fmce the ufe of lime as manure has become
fo general, I intend to devote the firft leifure time
I can
184 Of the Management of fire*
I can fpare to a thorough inveftigation of that fub*
jeft j in the mean time, I have here thrown out
the loofe ideas I have formed refpe&ing it, in order
that they may be examined, corrected, and im
proved upon by others who may be engaged in the
fame purfuits.
The model I caufed to be conftruded in the
court-yard of the Dublin Society, is, I am fenfible,
very imperfect. It was built in a great hurry,
being begun and iinimed the fame day, -the day
but one before I left Ireland ; 'but I am now en
gaged in conftru&ing a Lime-kiln on the fame prin
ciples, (for the ufe of the farm in the Englifh Gar-
den at Munich) which I fliall take pains to make
as perfect as poffible ; and fhould it be found to
anfwer as well as I have reafon to hope it will,
I mall not fail to give a particular account of it to
the Public, accompanied with drawings, and all the
details which fhall be neceffary in order to give the
moft fatisfa&ory account of the refult of the Expe
riment.
Thefe inveftigations will be the more interefting,
and their refults more generally ufeful, as the dif-
covery of a mine of pit-coal in the neighbourhood
of Munich, which is now worked with fuccefs,
has put it in my power to ufe coal as Fuel, as well
as wood and turf, in the Experiments I ihall make
in burning lime in this Kiln.
For the information of thofe who may be dif-
pofed to engage in thefe purfuits, I have publifhed
the annexed fketch of the Lime-kiln in queftion,
which
and ike Economy of Fuel. 185
which is now aftually building (fee Plate VI.)
I thought it right to do this, that we might ftart
fair ; and I can allure my competitors in this race,
that I fhall feel no ill will on feeing them get before
me.
If I do not deceive myfelf, the laudable exertions
of others afford me almoft as much pleafure as
my own purfuits ; at leaft I am quite certain thai
when I can flatter myfelf that I have had any,
even the fmalleft mare, in exciting thofe exertions,
the fatisfaclion I feel in contemplating them is in-
sxpreilihle*
A a. DESCRIPTION
Ptatr. 1.
Fig 3.
6.
Boston Yublished by D.\Vest, A? 36 Cornhid .
( 187
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES.
PLATE L
pIG. i. A view of a double cover for a boiler or
faucepan. In this defign the rim is feen which
enters the boiler, and the tube by which the fteam
goes off is feen in part (above) and is in part in
dicated by dotted lines. (See page 18.)
Fig. 2 ihows this cover placed on its boiler.
Part of the fide of the cover is reprefented as want
ing, in order that the fteam tube might be better
feen. The height of this cover is reprefented as
being equal to one-half its diameter ; but I have
found one-third of its diameter quite fufficient for
its height,
Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are views of my circular
difhing-grates for clofed kitchen fire-places. They
may be made of any fize, from 5 inches to 18
inches in diameter, according to the fize of the
boiler. The rules I have in general followed, in
determining the fize proper for the grate for any
(circular) boiler, has been to make its diameter
equal to half the diameter of the boiler at the brim.
(See page 4 1.)
Fig. 5 is an inverted hollow cone of thin flieeU
iron, which is placed immediately under the grate,
its
1 88 Defer If t ton of the Plates.
its brim being made to receive the circular rim of
the grate. When the fire-place is large, this in
verted cone may be made of fire-Hone, or con-
ftructed of bricks and mortar. For fmall fire
places it may be made of earthen ware, which is
perhaps the very beft material for it that can be
found. (See page 43.)
Fig, 6, Fig. 7, and Fig. 8, are views and fecrions
of a perforated tile, with its ftopper, fuch as arc
nfed for doling the entrance by which the Fuel is
introduced into clofed kitchen fire-places. The
diameter of the circular opening, or hole in the
tile, may be from 6 to 7 inches. (See page 30.)
PLATE II.
f he various Figures, from No. 9 to No. 1 6 of
{his Plate, fliow the conftrucHon of an afh-pit door,
with its regiiler. (See page 31.)
Fig. 9 is a front view of the door with its re
giiler. The whole is conftructed of flieet-iron,
except the four narrow pieces at the four corners,
which hold down in its place the circular plate of
the regifter \ and the fmall circular plate (as large
as an half-crown) in the centre of the regifter,
which are made of brafs, on account of that metal
not being fo liable to ruft as iron.
Fig. i o is a fide view of the back-fide of the door
fixed in its frame, in which the manner of its be
ing fhut in its frame is feen, and the iron ftraps,
fl*f*.
Bottom Publi,Hir<t hv I>. U'ert. A"? S6 Cornktlt .
Defer ipt ion of the Plates. 189
4y by Cy dy are feen, by which the frame is fattened
in the brick-work.
Fig. j i is a horizontal feclion through the
fniddle of the door and its frame, and through the
button which ferv^s for {hutting the door.
Fig. 1 2 is a fecblon pf this button, on an en
larged fcale, mowing the manner in which it is
conflructed.
Fig. 13 is the plate of meet-iron which forms the
front of the door, with the holes in it, by which the
other parts of the machinery are fixed to it.
Fig. 1 4 is the circular plate which forms the re-
gifter to this plate is fixed a projecting knob, or
button, (reprefented in the Figure) by which it is
turned about,
Fig. 1 5 and Fig. 1 6 mow, on an enlarged fcale,
one of the four pieces of brafs by which the circular
plate of the regifter is kept down in its place.
In conftrucling thefe regifter doors, and in gen
eral all iron doors for fire-places, great and fmall,
the door mould never fhut in a rabbet, or groove,
in the frame, but mould merely Jhut down on the
front edge of 'the frame ', which edge, by grinding it
on the flat furface of a large flat ftone, mould be
made quite level to receive it. If this be done,
and if the plate of iron which conftitutes the door
be made quite flat, and if it be properly fixed on its
tinges, the door will always ihut with facility and
clofe the opening with precifion, notwithftanding
the
190 Defcriptlon of the Plates.
the effects of the expanfion of the metal by heat .;
but this cannot be the cafe when the doors of fire
places are fitted in grooves and rabbets.
Where the heat is very intenfe, the frame of the
door ihould be made of fire^ftone ; and that part of
the door which is expofecl naked to the fire Ihould
be covered either with a fit piece of fire-ftone, faft-
ened to it wjth clamps of iron, or a fufficient num
ber of flrong nails, with long necks and flat heads,
or of ftaples, being driven into that fide of the plate
of iron which forms the door which is expofed,
fhould be covered with a body about 2 inches thick
of ftrong clay mixed with a due portion of coarfe
powder of broken crucibles, which mafs will be
held in its place by the heads of the nails and by
the projecting ftaples. This mafs being put on wet,
and gently dried, the cracks being carefully filled
up as they appear, and the whole well beaten to
gether into a foiid mafs, will, when properly burn
ed on by the heat of the fire, form a covering for
the door which will effectually defend it from all
injury from the fire ; and the door fo defended
will raft ten times longer than it would laft with
out this defence.
The mfide doors of the two Brew-houfe Fire
places which I have fitted up at Munich are both
defended from the heat in this manner ; and the
contrivance, which has anfwered perfectly all that
was expected from it, has not been found to be
attended with any inconvenience whatever.
PLATE
Plate 3.
Boston Published by J). D>,fA N? tti Cornhtll
Defcription of the Plates* 19!
PLATE III.
Fig. 17 is a front view of the new boiler of the
brew-houfe called Neuheufel, or rather of its fire*
place and cover (the boiler being concealed in the
brick-work.) The infide door of the fireplace is
here reprefented fliut ; and, in order that it might
appear, the outfide door is taken off its hinges, and
is not fhown. The two vaulted galleries, A, B, in
the folid mafs of the brick-work, on the right and
left of the fire-place (which were made to fave
bricks) ferve for holding fire-wood. The partition
Walls of the fire-place and the different flues, as
alfo a fe&ion of the boiler, are reprefented by dot
ted lines. The fmall circular hole on the left of
the fire-place door is the window opening into the
fire-place, by which the burning Fuel may be feen*
#, by is the wooden curb of the boiler : c^ d^ a
platform on which the men ftand when they work
in emptying the boiler, &c. : e, /, is a platform
which ferves as a pafTage from one fide of the
boiler to the other. This platform, which is about
1 8 inches wide, is 12 inches higher than the other
platforms, in order that the openings g and h, into
the flues, may remain free, Thefe openings, which
are opened only occafionally, that is to fay, when
the flues want cleaning, are kept clofed by double
brick-walls. Thefe walls are expreffed in the fol
lowing Figure.
Fig. 1 8. This is a horizontal feclion of the fire
place at a level with the bottom of the boiler.
Defer iption of the Plates.
# 3 a, #, ?, are four openings by which the flues,
which, in the firft arrangement of this fire-place*
went round the outfide of the boiler,, was occafion-
ally cleaned : b is the canal by which the fmoke
went off into the chimney,
The entrance into the fire-place, and the conical
perforation iri the wall of the fire-place which fcrves
as a window for obfcrving the fire, are marked by
dotted lines. The pofition of the outfide door of
the fire-place is marked by a dotted line, , d.
The circular difhing-grate is feen iri its place ; and
the walls of the flues under the boiler are all feen.
The crooked arrows in the flues fhow the direc
tion of the flame. (See page 100.)
PLATE IV.
Fig. 1 9 is a vertical fection of the boiler repre*
fented in the foregoing Plate (Fig. 17.) This fee-
tion is taken through the middle of the boiler, of
the fire-place, and of the cover of the boiler. A is
the afli-pit, with a fection of its regifler door. B is
the fire-place, and its circular difhing-grate. C is
the entrance by which the Fuel is introduced, with
feclions of its two doors- D is a fpace left void to
fave bricks* is the boiler, and F its wooden
cover. 772 is the fleam chimney, which is furnifhed
with a damper. R, R, is the vertical wall of the
houfe againft which the brick-work in which the
boiler is fixed is placed.
<?, &, is the curb of timber in which the boiler
Is fet.
The
Ptatc.k-
,->*t,,,i 1'nf'ti.,-!,, r/ //! // ll'c.rf. .\' jtf CornkilL
P. 103.
Plate 5.
Ft 'a. 22.
J ^W*f*^-~^-'\ 1 - ; - - '"^>^ '""
m9^ .t.-\ -
Fig.Ql
/'\ /).H r ert, A r f 56 Cornhill.
Defer iption of the Plates* 193
The manner in which the cover of the boiler is
conftructed, as well as its form, and the door and
windows which belong to it, are all feen diftinctly
in this Figure.
Fig. 20 is a horizontal fection of this fire-place
taken on a level with the bottom of the flue which
goes round the outfide of the boiler, in which flue,
before the fire-place was altered, the flame circu
lated. The flues under the boiler are, in this
Figure, indicated by dotted lines.
PLATE V.
Fig. 2 1 is a horizontal feclion of the fire-place
of the brew-houfe boiler, at a level with the top
of the flues under the boiler, after the flue round the
outfide cfthe boiler had been flopped up, or rather the
flame prevented from circulating in it. This Fig
ure mows the actual (late of the fire-place at the
prefent time. (See page 126.)
The crooked arrows mow the direction of the 1
flame in the flues. , b, are the two canals (each
of which is furnimed with a damper) by which the
fmoke goes off into the chimney ; and c, c^ c,
c, c, c, are fix final! openings communicating with
the flues, by which the flame and hot vapour can
pafs up into the cavity on the outfide of the boiler
which formerly ferved as a flue.
Fig. 22 is a front view of the afh-pit door of
this brew-houfe fire-place, with its regifter. This
door is clofed by means of a latch of a particular
conftruction, which is mown in the Figure.
VOL. IT. B b .
Defcription of tic Plates.
Fig. 23 is the door without its regifter ; and
Fig. 24 the circular plate of the regifter repre-
fented alone.
This afh-pit door {huts againft the front edge of
its frame, and not into it ; the reafons for pre
ferring this method of fitting the door to its frame
have already been explained. (See defcriptions of
the Plate II.)
PLATE VI.
Fig. 25 is a feftion of a fmall lime-kiln, built,
or rather now building, at Munich, for the purpofe
of making experiments. The height of the kiln is
1 5 feet , its internal diameter below, 2 feet, and
above, 9 inches. In order more effectually to con
fine the heat, its walls, which are of bricks and very
thin, are double, and the cavity between them is
filled with dry wood afhes. To give greater
ftrength to the fabric, thefe two walls are con
nected in different places by horizontal layers of
bricks which unite them firmly.
#, is the opening by which the fuel is put into
the fire-place. Through this opening the air de-
fccnds which feeds the fire. The fire-place is rep-
refented nearly full of coals, and the flame palling