The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

280
THE BOY TRAVELLERS.
The Doctor took from his pocket some of the coin which was in circu-
lation, and with which the boys had by this time become thoroughly
familiar. They had I'emarked that it was as neatly made as any coin of
Europe or America, and, as a matter of curiosity, they were desirous of
seeing the machine by which each of the different pieces was stamped.
The director kindly point-
ed out the various ma-
chines, and the boys ob-
served that, with a single
exception, they were all of
Japanese make. Then they
were shown through a fac-
tory for the manufacture
of sulphuric acid that is
attached to the mint, and
is run on government ac-
count. They were some-
what astonished to learn
that all the sulphuric acid
nsed in the mint was made
there, and that in the pre-
vious year thirteen thou-
sand cases were exported
to China. For the benefit of his professor of chemistry, Fred made the
following memorandum concerning the branch of business he was inves-
tigating :
VIGNDTTE FRCJM THE NATIONAL BANK-NOTES.
" The sulphur comes from the provinces of Satsuma and Bungo—the
most from the latter, and the best from the former ; and the product is
partly for the use of the mint, and partly for general commerce. The
acid is packed in earthen jars which are glazed on the inside, and not in
the earboj'S that are in use with us. Two jars, holding about eight quarts
each, are packed in a wooden case ; they rest on a bed of lime about three
inches tliick, and the remainder of the space is filled with coarse ashes and
coal cinders. This manner of packing is considered preferable to the old
one, and, besides, it enables the Japanese to make their own jars, instead
of importing the carboys. The director tells me that thus far the factor}-
has not been able to supply the Chinese demand for acid, and therefore
uu shipments have been made to other countries. With an increased
production, it is quite possible that shipments may be made to America
at no very distant day.