Britain at Work
A Pictorial Description of Our National Industries

104 BRITAIN AT WORK. The popular biscuit known as the “ Colonial ”—a long, straight biscuit, grooved on top—differs somewhat from other biscuits in the process of manufacture. In this in- stance the clough is forced through numerous apertures, in which are a number of metal protuberances, and these form the grooves as the dough passes through. The latter comes through in long strips, and is subse- quently cut into shorter lengths, and laid upon trays in the manner already described. The trays, on which are the raw biscuits, are taken off the machine and straightway placed in the oven. The latter is fitted ^BAKING BISCUITS : TAKING THEM FROM THE OVEN. with enclless chains, upon which the trays repose, passing slowly through the oven, and being baked on the way. By the time they have arrived at the exit door they are baked to a nicety. The trays are taken from the oven, the biscuits removed into wooden receptacles, and placed on racks to cool. It is one continuous operation. The progress of the biscuits through the oven is exactly timed, the period varying, of course, with different biscuits. This method of baking is almost universally adopted, although there are different types of oven. One consists of a roomy chamber, in which is a kind of huge paddle-wheel, the biscuit trays being carried round the circum- ference, the process of feeding and relieving constantly going on through a long, narrow aperture in front. The wheel is timed to pause at the opening sufficiently long to allow of so many trays being taken off and so many put on. Then on its way again. One revolution of the wheel bakes the biscuits. There are also hand ovens and hand-made biscuits. This form of labour becomes necessary on account of the delicate composition of. the biscuit, which would be entirely spoiled if dealt with by machinery. The work looks childishly simple, yet is very difficult, taking several years in which to attain proficiency. Any inexperienced person attempting the task would be doomed to complete failure. An interesting process is the making of the small cakes known as Fairy cakes. A large tray, fitted with metal cups, passes under a series of feeders, which auto- matically drop the wet ingredients, in the form of “ dabs,” into the cups. The tray then passes on to the oven. The cleaning of the metal cups, prior to receiv- ing the ingredients, is done automatically, and is also interesting-. A number of circular “rubbers,” which exactly fit the cups, are kept constantly and rapidly revolving. A tray of cups is held against the rubbers— one rubber to each cup—and in a trice the whole have been thoroughly cleansed. It is a wonderful time-saving contrivance. We now come to the wafer making, which is a very interesting branch of the industry. A large circular chamber, heated by gas, is fitted with a series of large metal moulds. The liquid is poured into the latter, stamped with the name and pattern, and cooked in one revolution of the chamber. Twenty-four wafers are made in one operation, the sheet being subsequently divided up into single wafers, either by hand or by a cutting machine, also in one