433 Oil Oil and Coal Gas. [June, 



not be willing to allow this point* However, certain it is, that 

 several Gas Light Companies have advantages which the Char- 

 tered Company has not, or they could not make greater dividends, 

 and sell their gas for a less price, I admit that it is one great 

 advantage to a Gas Light Company to have the greatest number 

 of lights in the smallest compass ; but I have been informed by 

 an able and experienced engineer j that the expense of the main 

 pipes in London is as great upon the average, for the same num- 

 oer of lights upon them, as in most of the large country towns. 

 In calculating the price of gas from the rate cards of the differ- 

 ent towns, Mr. R. assumes that all burners denominated No. 3, 

 Argand, are of the same size, and consume the same quantity 

 of gas. From this supposition arises, in a great measure, the 

 erroneous statement in his last paper respecting the price of 

 gas in Sheffield. The No. 1, Argand, used in Sheffield, con- 

 sumes three cubic feet per hour, by Mr. Cleg's, meter ; the 

 No. 2 consumes 4-i- cubic feet per hour ; and the No. 3 consumes 

 six cubic feet per hour. 1 have seen a No. 3, Argand, from 

 Birmingham, tried by the same meter against a No. 2, Argand, 

 such as are used in Sheffield, and the difference in the quantity 

 of gas consumed by the two burners was only half a cubic foot 

 per hour. I likewise, by the same meter, have seen a No. 3, 

 Argand, with 24 jets, consume seven feet per hour. Very few 

 No. 3, Argand burners, are used in Sheffield, owing to the 

 No. 2 being considered nearly equal to the No. 3, in other 

 places. The average time of hghting through the year cannot 

 be calculated at a later hour than six o'clock, as that is the 

 average time of the setting of the sun ; and we may frequently 

 see the shops lighted up in winter an hour before the time of 

 sunset. Mr. R. only calculates 3^ hours' burning, till 10 o'clock, 

 which is certainly half an hour at least too little. The Sheffield 

 card is calculated from six o'clock upon the average ; and as 

 the No. 3, Argand, consumes six feet per hour ; in 313 evenings 

 till eight o'clock it will consume 3756 cubic feet of gas, which 

 at \28.per 1000 /ee^ amounts to 21. 5s. O^d. : the charge in the 

 rate card is 21. 5s. per annum, and yet Mr. R. by his ingenious 

 mode of calculation, says, that the cost price of gas in Sheffield 

 is 17s. per 1000 feet. The charge for the same burner till nine 

 o'clock is 3/. 9s. and till 10 o'clock, 41. 13s.; the last two 

 charges are rather more than at the rate of 12s. per 1000 feet; 

 but if the rental amount to 20/. a discount of 20 per cent, is 

 allowed, which reduces the gas to less than 10s. per 1000 feet. 

 In manufactories where the meter is used, the regular charge is 

 12s. per 1000 feet, with a discount of from 5 to 20 per cent, in 

 proportion to the rental, but all rentals of or above 20/. are 

 allowed 20 per cent. I am informed that the annual rentals for 

 gas in several of the silver-plated manufactories are 50/. and 

 upwards. Gas is found to be so much superior to oil for solder- 



