tea, and each received a box of chocolates. We spent a little time exploring Birmingham, and very nearly missed the train to Euston !
The next visit was not so far afield, being to Messrs. Bourne and Hilliers' Bakery at Chatham.
We were first shown the original bakery, housed in one room, which was started by Mr. Bourne.
The flour, yeast, etc.,"is mechanically kneaded in huge machines, and then allowed to stand in troughs for " proving," or the necessary action of the yeast.
The dough is mechanically weighed and rolled, is "proved" again, and then drops on to a machine which can be adjusted to cut one-third off, for cottage loaves.
The loaves are rolled again and taken to the ovens, which have sliding floors. They are left here for about thirty-five minutes, steam being admitted just before their removal, in order to make them glossy.
We saw the " fancy " department next; and here, as at Bourneville, little twirls of icing and almonds, etc., were being placed on cakes.
We saw the experts at work on the wedding cakes; here the twirls were continued all the way round, there being hardly any perceptible difference in symmetry.
We were then shown the storehouses, garages and stables, all being in fine order. Our guide was their Mr. Williams.
The last visit was to the Agricultural Show at Maidstone, where we saw the various farming implements, tractors driving reaping machines, small pumps for out-of-the-wav places, hay-stacking machines, heavy duty lorries, etc., and in the display ring the 2nd Dragoons and others giving displays of horsemanship.
P. HlXTOX.
CHIMNEYS.
A towering mass of bricks-clouds of smoke pouring from the top of them. Perhaps it is ninety feet high, or even two hundred feet. It serves just the same purpose, that of clearing the smoke from the ground. A chimney is not an easily constructed piece of work, for in its construction a great amount of skill and science is needed. Getting the slope of the chimney is a thing in which a workman must have good judgment and be skilled at his trade. This slope is made by having a piece of perfectly straight wood with the top at right angles to one side. The other side is made to slope. This slope is made to correspond to that of the chimney to be made. The workman holds the straight side horizontal, and in so doing gets the required building slope.
The thickness of the foot of the chimney is surprising; it may vary from eighteen to thirty-six inches thick, according to the height of the chimney. Most chimneys are built in ten-foot section, the bottom section being lined with firebricks. These sections can be seen from the inside, for the top of each section makes a ridge of approximately three-inches. One would think that a chimney varying from sixty to two hundred and fifty feet would require sweeping after a certain period, because of the enormous clouds of smoke which pour from them, but this is not so, for these massive "stacks" arc never swept.
In rough weather a ninety-foot chimney sways as much as one foot six inches. The amount of draught required to send the smoke to the top of these chimneys is enormous. For this purpose large "dampers" are used. The smoke on leaving the furnaces has to travel from one tube to another. These tubes or tunnels are as large as five feet, so that it is quite possible for a man to travel through them. After travelling along these tubes the smoke proceeds through some smaller ones, and then through the " dampers," and so into the chimney. In this way the required draught is gained.
With a new stack it is necessary for a man to travel along the tunnels with a flaming torch, so as to clear a passage through the air for the smoke. If this is not done, the smoke will be blocked. It is possible to see the wall of smoke which is at a standstill, simply because it cannot find a passage through the air.
F. VIDLER.
IN DEFENCE OF PRESENT-DAY CIVILIZATION.
The usual things argued against present-day civilization are : Noise and gases of propulsion, causing neurotic diseases; the economic crisis, and the general antagonism of one country to another.
The noises of propulsion are greatly exaggerated, engines of cars are now almost silent, the only noise being that of tyres on the road. When there are many of them, as in a large city, the resulting noise is a subdued roar. This roar might be likened to a waterfall, but I have never heard of cave men, etc..,. having- neurotic diseases through being in the proximity of a waterfall.