1898] NA TUBAL GAS IX SUSSEX 1 1 3 



of the gas (a feature which appears to be not uncommon in the 

 Natural Gas of the United States, though I believe not quite to the 

 same extent). I myself and others have seen the gas burning at 

 many times and at different periods, but this non-luminous phase 

 has not presented itself to me or to anyone with whom I have yet 

 met. 



I will therefore confine my remarks to the gas in what, out of 

 respect for Dr Hewitt, I will call its normal or luminous phase. 



Under these conditions the gas has been carefully analysed by 

 Mr S. A. Woodhead, B.Sc. (Public Analyst for Sussex and Professor 

 of Chemistry at the Agricultural College, Uckfield), and I here beg 

 to reet nil my thanks to him for the time and trouble he has taken 

 to secure the accuracy of his determinations. He constructed his 

 laboratory on the spot at Heathfield, an unlimited supply of gas 

 being supplied to him direct from the bore-hole by means of tubes, 

 and he has taken care to check his results. 



The analysis, which is shortly to be published in the Quarter!// 

 Journal of the Geological Society, speaking roughly, agrees fairly well 

 with that of Dr Hewitt, so far as the presence of Methane (or Marsh 

 gas) is concerned, but Mr Woodhead's analysis reveals the presence 

 of certain hydro-carbons which may make all the difference in ac- 

 counting for the undoubted illuminating power of the gas. Other 

 important differences between the analyses are outside of the scope 

 of the present paper. 



I may remark in general that the Natural Gas, in common with 

 the American Natural Gas, so frequently discovered in association 

 with petroleum springs, is chiefly remarkable for its great heating 

 power when mixed with a large proportion of air. Its main useful- 

 ness may thus be said to lie in the direction of lighting by 

 incandescent burners, fuel in manufacturing-engines, and general 

 household purposes. 



Tested by Messrs Thorpe & Tasker's photometer, the illuminating 

 power approximates 9 J standard candles. Mr C. E. Masterman, 

 secretary of the Denayrouze Light Syndicate, has kindly tested the 

 gas (forwarded to him in an india-rubber bag). He says (report 3rd, 

 June 1898), he obtained very fine results, and that with a special 

 burner on the Bandsept principle and a C.X. Welsbach mantle, he 

 has obtained 72 candles with a consumption of 2\ cubic feet of gas, 

 at a pressure of 2i inches, which thus works out to 29'6 candles per 

 ■cubic foot. This is 15 to 20 per cent, better than London coal-gas. 



In using Bunsen burners for heating purposes, it is found best 

 to use about 8 to 10 parts of air to one of Natural Gas. These gases 

 only reach their maximum heating power when a due amount of air 

 is mixed with them, to insure complete combustion. 



The Waldron gases are exceptionally fortunate in containing no 



