PRODUCED BY DISTILLATION OF TAR AISTD WATER. 249 



the latter no combination whatever takes place between the 

 elements of resin and of water. This 1 have always main- 

 tained, and consider the proof now to be complete. 



It may be said, that it matters little whether tlie combina^. 

 tion here treated of, between the elements of water and of 

 resinous or tarry matters, takes place or not; but it originally 

 formed the whole question, for it was distinctly maintained, 

 when the matter was first introduced into Manchester, that 

 the great advantage of the process consisted in the fact, that 

 such union did take place, and that therefore a quantity of 

 defiant gas was, as it were, created by this union, and hence 

 it was called hydro-carbon gas, the name being intended to 

 imply this union. I wish it distinctly to be understood, 

 that I have considered this question simply as a scientific 

 one — simply in its chemical bearings, without any reference 

 to the cost of manufacturing resin gas, tar gas, &c. 



2 K 



