has long been realized. As long ago as 1625, a patent for such a process
was taken out in England, but the old inventors labored under the
disadvantage of being ignorant of the chemical and physical qualities of
wood. But the time is now ripe for a successful invention of that kind.
The difficulty is to get rid of the combustible gases in the wood
without at the same time destroying the cells. This difficulty could
probably be overcome by placing the wood in a vacuum, admitting steam,
and thus, vaporizing the moisture of the wood, drawing off the product
of the vapor. Then, if the wood should be saturated with certain salts,
it would doubtless be found that the combustible gases would be
destroyed, and the carbonization of the wood under high heat prevented.
If the process should be successful, the demand for the wood would be
enormous, as it would be immediately required for all vessels, and
indeed, for all buildings. The possibilities of wealth from such an
invention almost surpass the limit of the imagination.