3?821.] of illuminating hy Gas from Oil and from Coal, 21$- 



ing the use of oil preferable, there can be no doubt of ther 

 propriety of considering this as au additional motive for prefer-* 

 ring oil gas. 



ft has been suggested by some intelligent gentlemen, whethei^ 

 if the use of oil gas should become very general, the supply of 

 oil would be adequate to the demand ; and whether, from the 

 increased demand, the price would not be considerably enhanced^ 

 When coal gas was introduced, the demand for oil was dimi<^ 

 iiished ; and the capital employed in that trade was diverted 

 into other channels for the supply of the coal gas. It is very 

 clear that should oil gas become generally adopted, part of this 

 capital will again revert to its former employment as far as it 

 supersedes coal gas ; but where it only displaces lamps, nd 

 change will ensue ; and where it is substituted for candles, tfase 

 use of tallow will be exchanged for that of oil. 



After perusing the foregoing observations upon the compara*- 

 live advantages of oil and coal gas, and which I have endea- 

 voured fairly to state, I think it will be generally inferred that 

 the former is greatly preferable to the latter; that on every point 

 in which I have examined them, it has the advantage ; that it is 

 much purer and better adapted for every purpose of lighting; 

 that it is prepared with much greater facility; that it requires 

 much less capital to establish works ; that it may be produced 

 more economically ; and that it is also more advantageous in a 

 national point of view. 



1 feel some reluctance in offering this paper to you for inser- 

 tion in the Aruials of Philosophy^ as the subject of it cannot be 

 considered as purely scientific ; but as the object of science ia 

 to add to and improve our comforts and enjoyments, it may not 

 be wholly foreign to your object to point out what scientific 

 improvements are most likely to effect this. From the same motive 

 I might also be deterred from subscribing my name, but the bare 

 supposition that you, or your readers, should, for a moment, con- 

 ceive that the writer of this was influenced by interested motive* 

 in seeking publicity to it, would induce me to overcome every 

 feeling of reluctance on that head. I trust my name will be a 

 sufficient guarantee that I have no other motive for publishing 

 this than that which every one interested in scientific improve- 

 ments, and their adaptation to the uses and comforts of society^ 

 must feel. 



M. RicAim©*^ ^ 





