424 M'HALE-FISHEllV. 



that obtaiiicd from coal, are as fallow : " The mate- 

 rial from \\ hich it is produced, containing no sulphur 

 or other matter by which the gas is contaminated, 

 there are no objections to its use on account of the 

 suffocating smell in close rooms. It does no sort of 

 injury to furniture, books, plate, pictures, paint, &c." 

 all of which are liable to be damaged by coal-gas. 

 *' AH the costly and offensive operation of purifying 

 the gas by lime, &c., is totally avoided when it is 

 obtained from oil. Nothing is contained in oil-gas, 

 which can possibly injure the metal of which the 

 conveyance pipes are made*." 



* Quarterly Journal, vol. vii. p. 315. — It is also mentioned 

 in this publication (p. 312.), in reference to the defects and in- 

 convenience of coal-gas, that coals contain a large proportion of 

 sulphur, which is volatilised with the gas; and it has hitherto been 

 found impossible to purify it sufficiently for lighting close rooms. 

 The suffocating smell, and the property it has, of tarnishing 

 every thing metallic, exclude its use from dAvelling-houses, on 

 account of the injury it would do to our health, our furniture, 

 books, pictures, plate, paint, &c. Besides (p. 313.) " the ap- 

 paratus necessary for the production of coal-gas is very large, 

 expensive, and unmanageable ; the purification, imperfect as it 

 18, very troublesome ; and the residual matter is peculiarly of- 

 fensive. This confines its adoption to public companies or large 

 establishments, thereby materially limiting its utility, and pro- 

 ducing an injurious monopoly. And the employment of coal 

 instead of oil, for the purpose of illumination, has an injurious 

 effect on one of the most important branches of trade a mari- 

 time country can possess ; and in proportion as coal-gas is used, 

 .our fisheries are injured." 



