144 pounds would press but one pound on each inch, and the pound of water would have the whole of its weight on the one inch of the tube, they would therefore balance each other. But instead of pouring in the water, let a piston be fitted to the tube; a man with his hand can easily exert 100 pounds pressure on this, and the result would be that he would raise 14,400 pounds or nearly six-and-a-half tons, and if to this small piston a handle and valves be fixed so as to make a pump of it he can easily pump in water at a pressure of two or three hundred pounds to the square inch; and if instead of the large piston containing one foot area it has three or four feet, then the weight raised would be very great; indeed there is no limit to the power of this instrument but the strength of the material used. It must however be observed that when the piston descends, say six inches, it does not raise the six-and-a-half tons six inches, but only a hundred-and-forty-fourth part of that distance, so that the piston would have to be raised and depressed six inches 144 times in order to raise the six-and-a-half tons six inches. But this is such a saving and concentration of labour that the application of the hydraulic press is becoming more in demand every day. STILLS. Illustration: FIG. 1. (‡ RETORT.) Illustration: FIG. 2. (‡ COMMON STILL.) Illustration: FIG. 3. (‡ SMALL PORTABLE CONDENSER.) These are vessels of different kinds used in distilling, that is, when any volatile product has to be converted into vapour and afterwards condensed, for the purpose of separating it from various matters not otherwise separable. One of the oldest forms of still is that even yet used in most chemical operations, called the “retort” (fig. 1). It is blown out of glass in one piece, is easily made of all sizes, not exceeding a few gallons; it is chiefly used for distilling small quantities of fluids, and those which act on metals, as the acids. For some purposes, chiefly those requiring a very high temperature, earthenware retorts are used, and in other cases retorts made of platinum; the retort is often “tubulated,” a name given to those with an orifice in the upper part having a stopper fitted to it, this opening is useful to introduce any substance while the body of the retort is already partly filled with its contents, or to add more of anything from time to time as it distils over. An indispensable adjunct to the retort is a “receiver” for condensing the liquid distilled; this is generally of a globular form, with an opening to receive the spout of the retort, which is also frequently “tubulated” that it may be attached by a bent tube to a second or third receiver. The receiver is to be kept cool, and this is generally done by a stream of cold water being poured on it, or a cloth dipped in cold water being spread over it, &c. The stills properly so called, such as are used in the manufacture of