Britain at Work
A Pictorial Description of Our National Industries

WORK. BRITAIN AT of land, and in many other ways. In fact, salt in one form or other assists the metal refiner, the soap maker, the glass manu- LOADING SALT. away to the bleaching powder chambers. Rock salt mining is not an expanding industry, and fewer mines are in full' working; but there facturer, and the calico printer, fixing the colouring. It is absolutely necessary for a variety of purposes in chemical manufacture, notably in the preparation of hydrochloric acid, soda crystals, caustic soda, carbonate of soda, and bleaching powder. In and around North wich are extensive works which employ a large number of hands in the alkali industry. The Salt Union and other firms provide work in brine pit, rock salt mine, and in the pro- duction of chemical compounds ; and on the new premises of the Electrolytic Alkali Company, at Middlewich, Leblanc’s sulphur process has been superseded by electricity. The current, as it passes through the brine - filled cells, separates the sodium from the chlorine, the former yielding soda crystals, the latter passing automatically is practically no limit to the demand for salt from brine, or for the chemicals of which it forms a component part, and gigantic loads are sent by boat from the river Weaver, by sea, canal, and train to our great cities, and to nearly every part of the world, including Iceland and the Faroe Islands. The weight of white and rock salt exported from and coasted in Britain exceeds 1,000,000 tons per year, Liverpool, Runcorn, Weston, the Manchester Ship Canal, Fleet- wood, Middlesbrough, Stockton, and West Hartlepool handling the largest consignments. At both British and foreign dinner table the superstition obtains that it is “ unlucky to spill the salt,” but with such an abundant supply you surely may, without wastefulness, checkmate misfortune by flinging a liberal pinch over your left shoulder. John Pendleton. {The illustrations accompanying this article are from photographs by Mr. T. Ernest Leigh, Winsford.)