APPARATUS FOR THE ANALYSTS OF GASSES. 



99 



The difference, in this example, between experiment and 

 calculation is not greater, than, in such delicate processes, 

 may always be expected. A part of the deficiency in the 

 oxigen actually consumed, may be ascribed, also, to a small 

 portion of the inflammable gas being already in the state of 

 carbonic oxide. 



Without repeating the particulars of a similar calculation 

 made on gas of an inferior quality, I shall annex a compa- 

 rative statement of the specific gravities and composition of 

 the good and inferior gasses* 



Source of* the Gas. 



Newcastle coal 

 Ditto, last product 



Weight of 



a Cubic 



Foot. 



333*5 gr 

 169-3 



A Cubic 

 Foot consists 



of 

 Carb | Huh. 



99'8 



57*8 



2337 

 111-5 



Oxig'*n 



Gas 

 consum- 

 ed by a 

 Cub. Ft 



ill0 : 3 



560- 



Gives 



Difference be- 

 tween the best 

 and inferior 



817'3|G21 

 400 384-9 



The inferior gas, also, probably contains carbonic oxide; 

 and the quantity of oxigen gas, actually consumed, will be 

 found, on calculation, less than it ought to be, if the car- 

 bon were not already combined with a portion of oxigen. 



The quantity of water, which was venerated by combus- . 



,i, ., . °. , . . The water e3- 



tion, was not determined experimentally, but is merely es- timated. 



timated. It must be acknowledged, that the decomposition . 

 of the inflammable gasses cannot lead to unquestionable 

 results, until the proportion of water, produced by their 

 combustion, is also accurately ascertained. With the view 

 of effecting this, I have already spent much time, and em- 

 ployed many contrivances, none of which have satisfactorily 

 answered the purpose for which they were intended. 



7. There appears to be a considerable difference in the 

 specific gravity and combustibility of gas from various spe- 

 cimens of coal, even when taken at similar periods of the 

 distillation. The coal from Merthyr in South Wales, which Gas f roin c0 ^ 

 burns without flame or smoke, yields a gas, which contains, burning with- 

 in an equal volume, scarcely half as much combustible out P 11 ™ 6 or 

 matter as the gas from Wigan cannel. This will probably 

 be found to be the case with respect to all coal of similar 

 H 2 quality, 



