Part 1

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Transcriber’s Note: This old text is preserved as printed apart from the correction of the following apparent printing errors:

Page 13 “Extroardinary” changed to “Extraordinary”

Page 20 “luberous” changed to “tuberous”

Page 26 “perpencular” changed to “perpendicular”

Page 34 “Veiws” changed to “Views”

Page 35 “cheifest” changed to “chiefest”

Text printed in an “Irish” typeface is denoted ~like this~.

A METHOD OF _TANNING_ WITHOUT BARK.

_DUBLIN_: Printed by A. RHAMES, MDCCXXIX

TO

HIS EXCELLENCY

_William Conolly_, Esq;

SPEAKER

OF THE

House of Commons of _Ireland_.

And to the Rest of the

_Members of That HOUSE_.

THIS

METHOD

OF

TANNING without BARK

_Is humbly inscribed_

_By Their most_

_Obedient Servant_,

William Maple.

THE

Method of Tanning

WITHOUT

BARK.

In Political Computations, the following Principles are universally allowed.

That the Riches of every Country arise from the Natural Produce of the Earth; and the Labour and Art, imployed in improving the same.

That the Quantity of Native Commodities, the Source of Riches, is in Proportion to the Number of People, fully and usefully employed.

That every industrious Person adds to the Wealth, and Support of a Nation; and every Idler, detracts from both, by living on the Labour of Others.

That it is the best Policy in any Government, to encourage, and provide for the full Imployment of the People; since thereby, the Number, Wealth, Strength, and Quiet of the Inhabitants are increased.

That the Gain, or Loss of any Nation by Trade, is known, and determined by the Proportion, which the Exports bear in Value to the Imports. On this depends the absolute Quantity of Money in a Nation; the Relative Quantity of the several Species, that composeth this Money, being ascertained by the Value imposed on those Species; either as it agrees with, or differs from the Value set thereon by other Nations.

A Nation certainly loses by a Trade, whose Exports are not compleatly manufactured, and whole Imports are fully wrought.

A few Manufactures will serve to exchange for great Quantities of the simple Produce of the Earth. The Value of Manufactures, being principally owing to Labour and Art.

If upon these Principles, we examine the State of the Trade of _Ireland_; I fear we shall find it, in a very declining, and ruinous Condition.

Our Exportations are made up of Wool, Woorsted, Linnen, Yarn, Beef, Butter, Cheese, Tallow, Hydes, Skins, and a few other Articles.

We are not allowed to export our Wool and Woorsted, but to a few Ports in _England_, and are prohibited from sending thither, or any where else, any other of our Woollen Manufacture. Linnen, and some tanned Hides are the only Commodities we export, compleatly Manufactured; Yarn and Woorsted may be accounted but as half-wrought; Almost all the other Articles are but little removed from the State, Nature has given them to us, and have little or no Labour or Art employed about them.

At the same Time, we export so liberally the Growth of our Country, and so little of our Manufactures, we may observe all our Importations are of such Commodities, as are not capable of farther Improvement; such as _East-Indian_ and _West-Indian_ Goods, Druggs, Wines, Spirits, Manufactures of Wool, Silk, Linnen, Iron, Brass, Glass, _&c._ Nay, the common Produce of almost all Countries, as Corn, Timber, and Fireing, are imported in great Quantities to supply our Necessities.

By this Management of our Trade, we maintain many Thousands in foreign Countries, and drive Numbers of our own People from us, or leave them to starve at home, for Want of Imployment.

If to this View, we add that mighty Drain of our Bullion, made by those Gentlemen, who, having great Estates in this Kingdom, choose to spend them any where, rather than at home: We can not be at a Loss, how to account for the Ballance of Trade, running against us, for so many Years past.

The most certain Way left to retrieve our Affairs, is to lessen our Imports, and to encrease our Exports, especially of Manufactures.

The Commissioners of the Linnen Manufacture, by an unwearied Application and uncommon Skill, have contributed greatly to the Value of our Exports, by the Advancement of the Linnen Manufactury. And I don’t doubt but that in several other Articles, divers Expedients and Means, may be thought of, for promoting a greater Consumption of our Own, and lessening that or foreign Commodities; and as one Instance, I shall beg Leave to propose an Improvement in our Tannage, by which I apprehend, we shall be enabled to Tan with the Produce of our own Country all the Hydes that now are Exported Raw; and thereby increase the Value of our Exports, employ many Thousands of our People, and avoid the Necessity of Importing Bark.

To set this Matter in a clear Light, I shall lay down, in the first Place, the Export of Green Hydes, and the Import of Bark, in the seven following Years, for the Whole Kingdom, as the same has been extracted out of the Custom-House Books.

_Years._ _Gr. Hydes._ _Bark B’s._

1721 46,847 46,556 1722 86,004 45,794½ 1723 123,514 47,824½ 1724 103,477 60,740½ 1725 69,858 48,407 1726 60,441 45,279 1727 57,373 50,598

In the next Place it is to be observ’d,

That Bark, according to its Goodness, is sold from 6 to 10, and in some Years, 11 Shillings, the Barrel.

That Cow-Hydes weigh from 56, to 84 Pounds each; Bullock Hydes, weigh from 84 to 140 Pounds each, and both are sold from 15 to 21 Shillings, the hundred Weight.

That Soles, are generally sold from 8 to 8 Pence half-penny the Pound.

That Hydes generally lose about half their Weight, in Tanning.

From these Principles, when thrown into mean Proportionate Quantities, it is evident:

That the Quantity of Bark, annually imported, is 50,000 Barrels, and the Value 21,000 Pounds.

That the Number of Green Hydes, annually exported, are 80,000, and their Value 57,000 Pounds.

That if these Green Hydes were tanned before Exportation, their Value would be 123,000 Pounds.

That the Difference, arising from the Different State of these Hydes, on Exportation, is 66,000 Pounds, which Sum added to the 21,000 Pounds, the Value of the imported Bark, making in the whole 87,000 Pounds, must be accounted, as so much gained to the Kingdom, should our Tannage be effected by our own Produce and Labour.

The Nations, that demand this Export of those Green Hydes, are those, whose black Cattle are not bred, in such Numbers, as to supply their indispensable Demands; Nor will their dry Hydes, which they receive from their Settlements abroad, admit a thorough Tannage; They, in hopes of putting their Neighbours, who have a Redundancy of Hydes, under a Necessity, of parting with them unmanufactured, have prohibited, by the severest Penalties, the sending us any Bark. While we, on the other Part, have not only complied with this detrimental Export; but also have been so regardless of our own Interest, as to permit several Tanners, some from this City, to go, and instruct them in an Art, they almost were Strangers to.

The _English_, from a true Sense of the Disadvantage of such a Trade, have subjected the Exporter of a Green Hyde, to the Penalties of 500 Pounds, and a Disability to trade in Leather, ever after. _Ann._ 14. _Car._ II.

Such an Act, even in our present Circumstances, may, by some, be thought adviseable for us; Because, such Nations, as now gladly receive our Green Hydes, finding a Stop, put to their usual Supplies, would be under a Necessity of receiving our tanned Hydes, and selling us their Bark. Leather being a Commodity, that does not depend on the Fancy; but, is absolutely requisite, not only to the Luxuries, but also, to the Necessities of Mankind.

At present, Our Tanners find a great Scarcity of Bark, except those residing in some considerable Sea-Port-Town, and are under just Apprehensions of a greater. Several in the Country have been obliged to lay aside their Pits, and take to other Imployments; the usual Supplies failing. Our Neighbours who will permit any Bark, to be sent us, are in a Manner exhausted. Our _American_ Plantations are too remote to find their Account, in sending any great Quantity. The Produce of our Country is scarce a twentieth Part of what is used in Tanning. This renders our Tannage dear, and often imperfect, so as not to serve a foreign Market, to Advantage, and Reputation.

But if we had Materials, of our own Growth, easy of Acquisition, and Propagation, that would tan, in every Respect, as well as Bark; were these Materials, as to their Powers, well ascertain’d, and confirm’d by a general Experience, the making an Act, to prohibit the Exportation of Green Hydes, would be judged by all to be Adviseable, and Useful to the Kingdom.

When the apparent Qualities of Bark, are considered; and that by it’s insinuating into the Pores, and incorporating with the Substance of the Hyde, it produces a Firmness, Strength, and Consolidation of the Parts; It is very surprizing, that other Materials, of the same Apparent Qualities, have so long remained neglected, and unapplied to the same Uses; when the Consequence is of such Moment.

_Tormentil_, and _Cinquefoil_ Roots, are ranged in the same Medical Class; have the same apparent Qualities, especially the first, in a more eminent, and evident Degree, than Bark, it self.

On Tryal, they have answered beyond Expectation: The _Cinquefoil_ did not give so good a Colour, as the _Tormentil_, which in all Respects, as to Colour, Bloom, Substance, Solidity, and Weight, in the Tanned Hyde, compleatly answered, and in much less Time, than when Bark, (even of the best Kind, or Growth) is used.

Tho’, what is here asserted, is grounded on several Years Experience, and confirmed by the Opinion and Testimony of Mr. _Philip Cooley_, Tanner, who from the Beginning hath been concerned in the several Tryals, and to whose Skill and Industry a Part of the Subsequent is owing. Yet to give the utmost Satisfaction, and as I think my self in the strongest Manner bound by the Encouragement, hitherto given me, by the _House of Commons_, to render the best Information I am able, in an Affair of some Consequence to the Public, I shall give a most faithful Account of the Progress that has been made, and the Success that hath attended this Way of Tanning with relation to the Goodness of the Leather, the Time, and Charge of Tanning, and other Circumstances; and shall add several Observations, with Directions for finding, and propagating these Roots, in great Plenty, that all Persons may be encouraged to carry this Method of Tanning, into a general Practice, which as it will be for their private Advantage, so it will not fail to promote the Public Benefit.

In Order to this, I shall in the first Place beg Leave to place this Affair in the Light it appeared in before the _Committee_ of the _House of Commons_ of _Ireland_, to whom my Petition was referred by the _House_, in which Petition it was alledged, that I had established a Method of Tanning, without the Use of any Barks, to as great Perfection, cheaper, and in less Time, than with Bark, by Vegetables of our Natural Produce, and of easy Culture.

The _Committee_, were pleased, for their greater Satisfaction, to summon a Great Number of Tanners, Curriers, Shoemakers, and others, to attend, to give their Testimony in relation to the several Specimens, and Proofs, that were to be laid before them.

In respect to the Goodness of the Leather, so tanned, the following Specimens were exhibited.

Nᵒ. 1. A Calve’s Skin from the Ooze.

Nᵒ. 2. A Calve’s Skin, uncurryed.

Nᵒ. 3. A Calve’s Skin, curried: each of these, when tann’d and dry’d, weighing about three Pounds.

Nᵒ. 4. A Calve’s Skin, very strong and large, when tanned and dryed, weighing about Six Pounds.

Nᵒ. 5. Seven or Eight Pair of Soles, of a Calve’s Skin, rais’d.

Nᵒ. 6. A Bend of a Bullock’s Hyde for Harness.

These were all proved by _Thomas Cooley_ and _Patrick Shale_ to be tanned without Bark, and with the Roots.

Mr. _Henderson_, Master of the Tanners, said he was diffident of the Goodness of the Specimens, that he should have been thoroughly satisfyed: had he known, how the Leathers had proved, if worn, by some Porters, or Chairmen. That the Colour of Number 2, or 3, was not so good as some tanned with Bark, producing a Calve’s Skin curried, to compare with them, but did own, all the Specimens were thoroughly struck, and well tanned: That if they were in a Shop, intermixt with Skins, tanned by Bark, he could not distinguish them; and that, what tanned Numb. 5 and 6, would tann, Time and Quantity allowed, the thickest Bullock’s Hyde.

Mr. _Dobson_, Tanner, affirmed the Specimens were not well tanned, because they did not come up to the Colour of the Skin produced by Mr. _Henderson_, but in other Respects, the Leathers appeared, to be as good in their respective Kinds, as any tanned with Bark.

Mr. _Nicholas Gibson_, Master of the Curriers, affirmed that the Skin produced by Mr. _Henderson_, was of an Extraordinary Colour; That there were not ten such in _Dublin_; That the Difference in Colour was but very small, and in regard even to Colour, would choose those tanned by the Vegetables, as soon as Mr. _Henderson_’s Skin; That all the Specimens appeared to be very well tanned, and that he could in no wise distinguish them from Bark-Tannage.

Mr. _Devereux_, Currier, being sent out, returned, producing two Calves Skins tanned by Bark, which he took indifferently, and without choosing, from the next Currier’s Shop. They were allowed by all, to be of a general or common Colour; and being compared were much exceeded by the Specimens, and particularly, as to Colour.

Mr. _Edmund Sheild_, Currier, said he never saw better tanned Leather, than the Specimens, that their Colour was very good and, that what tanned Numb. 5. would tann any Hyde, whatsoever.

Mr. _Brookfield_, Tanner, reported the Specimens exhibited, were well tanned and thoroughly struck; that neither He, or any other could distinguish them, from Bark Tannage; and that what tanned Numb. 5, could not fail in any Tannage.

Mr. _Veckers_, Tanner, allowed the Specimens to be very well tanned; and gave it, as his Opinion, that what tanned Numb. 5 and 6, would tann the thickest Sole Leather.

Mr. _John Gades_, Shoemaker, after giving his Testimony, that all the Specimens appeared to be exceedingly well tanned, produced a Shoe, made by him, of the Leather of this Tannage, affirming the Leather, wrought very well, and that the Soles exhibited, under the Hammer, all the Signs of extraordinary Leather.

Mr. _Ellis_, Shoemaker, reported the Specimens were very well tanned: That, Leather either dead, or highly tanned, would never carry so beautiful a Colour as Leather otherwise tanned. That, the Sole Leather appeared to be very well tanned; and that in his Opinion this Tannage, would in every respect, answer the same End, or Intentions, as Bark Tannage.

Mr. _James King_, Shoemaker, said all the Specimens, were effectually tanned.

Mr. _Richard Norris_, Shoemaker, produced a Sole of this Tannage, beaten; asserting he never saw so good a Sole of rais’d Calve’s Skin, that it beat firm, solid, and without spreading, or Fuzziness: which are the distinguishing Characters of good Sole Leather, he desired it might be cut in several Places, that the Closeness, and Firmness might be view’d, which accordingly was done, and answering Expectation was approved.

There were a great many other Tanners, Curriers, and Shoemakers, who were of the same Opinion. But considering, their Testimonies, would be but so many Repititions; I shall not recite them.

Dr. _Richard Helsham_, Professor of Natural Philosophy in _Trinity College_, said I had communicated to him, what was used in this Tannage, which appeared to be well adapted to tanning, and would not fail to give a sufficient Strength, and Rigidity to the Fibres. Adding he wore a pair of Shoes, the Upper Leathers of this Tannage, daily for four Months, and being willing to try the utmost of the Leather, had new Soles put to them; that since he had worn them about a Month: showing them, without any Cracks, or Defect.

_Patrick Carrol_, produced two Slips of curried Calf Skin; the one tanned by Bark, the other by the Roots, each three tenths of an Inch broad, and ten Inches long, the first was the thickest, and weighed, a tenth Part more than the other. He said, he was present with several others, when it broke, by a Weight of 129 Pounds being hung to it; That the Slip of this new Tannage, being tryed with the same Circumstances, bore 29 Pounds more than the 129 Pounds, before it either yielded, or broke.

In respect to Time.

That the Specimens, Nᵒ. 1, 2 and 3 were tanned in five Weeks, Nᵒ. 4 in nine Weeks, Nᵒ. 5 in four Months, without any Hurry, extraordinary, or illegal Methods: was proved by Mr. _Thomas Cooley_, and _Patrick Shale_; on the other Side, it appeared, that in tanning with Bark, from three to five Months were required for Calves Skins, from seven to nine were requisite for Soles of rais’d Calves Skins, and from ten to thirteen Months for Bullocks Hydes, which by this Tannage, may be effected in nine or ten.

In regard to Cheapness.

Mr. _Philip Cooley_, affirmed that six Pounds of the Dry Roots, added to some old expended Ooze, tanned Six Calves Skins, three of which were produced under the Nᵒ. 1, 2, and 3; and that he believed sixteen Pounds would have done as much from the first, or without any old Ooze.

In relation to the Cheapness.

Part of the Roots, I have used, I purchased at three Farthings, the Pound; but of late Years, and being willing to engage the Privacy of the Gatherer; I have given a Penny; they lose about a third in Drying: Allowing these as Facts and taking it at the dearest, less than five Shillings worth of Roots, will go farther, than a Barrel of the best Bark.

As to their Plenty and Propagation, Dr. _Helsham_ testified, they grew in great Plenty as he had observed, in several Counties of this Kingdom, and were very easily propagated.

Dr. _William Stephens_, Botanic Professor in _Trinity College, Dublin_, in his Examination declared, that they grew in great Plenty about _Dublin_, and in several Counties he had observed great Quantities, chiefly on Mountains, and barren Places: That, they were easily to be propagated, in almost any kind of Soil, and that he had some flourishing in the Physick Garden, belonging to the University.

The Resolutions, that the House entred into _January 10_, might very well have sufficed to have recommended a General Practice. But to remove some Prejudices and to obviate some false Representations, I have impartially recited the several Facts and Testimonies, on which they were founded.

That all People may easily know and find out these Plants, I shall here give a Description; which though tedious, I hope will be excused.

_Cinquefoil_, in _Latin_, _Pentaphyllum vulgare_, in _Irish_, ~Tuigbeag~ (_Tuigbeag_) ~Tuigvear Muirre~ (_Tuigvear Muirre_) and in some Counties, ~Meagigh~, (_Meagigh_) is a Plant, whose Roots are very long, about a Finger’s Thickness, of a dark brown or reddish Colour, and very astringent in Taste; the Leaves are born at the Extremity of a small Stem, five together, deeply indented on their Edges, of an oblong Form and hairy; on the Grand Stem, at the Nodes, shoot forth several smaller, terminating with a small Yellow Flower, composed of six small Leaves surrounding a Number of Threads, from whence ariseth a Cluster of Seeds.

It flourishes in every Hedge, sandy, loose and deep Soil: the Roots which are to be preferred, are the thick, long, and of the darkest Colour.

_Tormentil_, or _Septfoil_, in _West Meath_, called ~Neauhnadis~ (_Neauhnadis_) in _Ulster_, ~Menedin~ (_Menedin_) or ~Neauhnid~ (_Neauhnid_) in _Connaught_, ~Levenet~ (_Levenet_) in the County of _Mayo_, ~Fenede na Muc~ (_Fenede na Muc_) this Plant, hath a thick, tuberous Root, of a reddish brown Colour, sometimes covered with a black Skin, of a very astringent Taste, and shooting out many Fibres; the Leaves are generally seven, set on the Extremity of a Foot Stalk, of a dark Green Colour, deeply indented on the Edges and hairy, from amidst them ariseth several small weak Stalks, of a reddish Colour, and hairy, about 12 or 18 Inches in Height, knotted; at every Knot, or Joint, is a Foliage, and two or three Foot Stalks, some bearing Leaves, and one longer than the rest the Flowers consisting of four Leaves, of a light Yellow Colour, to which succeeds the Seeds; the flower Cup, hath Eight Leaves, four large and four small, the Root when Vigorous sends forth several Runners, the Stalks of which are of a reddish Colour, and hairy that spread over the Ground; at every Joynt, from one Part ariseth two or three Stems, each bearing at the Extremity five Leaves, from the other Part, descend several Fibres that become Roots.

It grows almost every where, but chiefly delights in mountainy, barren and shallow Soils; the Roots seldom striking four or five Inches deep. It hath been observed by Dr. _Stephens_, to grow all along the Banks of the _Doder_, from _Donore-Brook_ to _Old Baun_, upon Roch Town Hills; it grows on the Borders of a great Bog for several Miles, by _Rathmullian_ in the County of _Meath_. In the County of _Wicklow_, Thousands of Cart-Loads might be with Ease collected; Nor do I know a Mountain or Bog without Plenty of it.

In the Figure, (_a_) denotes the Root, (_b_) the Flower in the Bud, (_c_) the Flower expanded, (_d_) the Knob of Seeds, (_e_) the Runners, (_f_) the Flower Cup. I have exhibited but few of the Leaves, Stems, and Runners to avoid Confusion.

It is observable, that from the Bark of the Stalk of this Plant, at its breaking forth from the Root, excrementitious Tubercles or Knots, resembling Oak-Galls have been often discovered, and like them are subservient to the Propagation of Insects; which, considering the extream nice, and distinguishing Taste of those Animalculas, may well be allowed as a Proof, that their Juices are similar.

The Roots growing on Mountains are small, strong, and often have a black Coat; those that grow on the Sides of Loughs, and in Bogs, are large, of a lighter Colour; some I have had of the Latter, that have weighed each above half a Pound.

When you chose the Roots, prefer the large, knotty Roots, that when broken exhibit a blood red Tincture intermixt with the Brown, and those that when cut, leaves on the Knife a strong purple Colour.

The best Time for collecting these Roots is in the Winter Season, or early in the Spring, and tho’ the Seed-bearing Stalks, and Foliage are decayed, yet there are several Foot Leaves, that remain and direct the Inquirer.

And tho’ these Plants grow wild all over the Country, in such Plenty, as to be more than sufficient to tann all the Hydes, and Skins of the Kingdom; and little Apprehension of a Deficiency, for in digging up the Roots, there will be left some broken Parts, some Fibres, which will Vegetate and give a Supply. A common Root, on a moderate Computation will produce 8 or 10 hundred Seeds, these shedding, and dispersed by Winds, and other Accidents, some will take Root, and carry on a Succession.