40 Retnarks on mi Article entitled " A few Facts 



betrays the object of the whole paper, and the secret spring from 

 W'hich its objectionable passages liave arisen ; that we have only 

 to quote the author's own words, to inform us, that, being him- 

 self either an interested or an enthusiastic admirer of oil gas, he 

 is determined to add fictitious brilliancy to its brightness from 

 the shorn beams of poor coal gas. " The employing," he says, 

 *' of coal instead of oil for the purpose of illumination, has an 

 injurious effect on one of the most important branches of trade 

 a maritime country can possess ; and in proportion as coal gas 

 is used, our fisheries are injured." We may truly call this a 

 far-fetched objection to bear down the merits of coal gas. How- 

 ever, let us examine the validity of the objection as it is intended 

 to apply to us as a maritime nation. What reduction in the 

 price of either oil or candles has taken place, in consequence of 

 the present introduction of coal gas ? Scarcely any, notwith- 

 standing the almost unexampled imports of foreign tallow : and 

 we have certainly yet to learn, that the perilous Greenland fish- 

 eries are to be compared, as a nursery for our fleets, with our 

 Newcastle coal-trade, our coasting trade, and the Newfoundland 

 fisheries. The fact is, that where the Greenland fisheries rear 

 one sailor, the Newcastle coal trade/ the coasting trade, and the 

 Newfoundland fisheries rear fifty. 



Let us now proceed to his statement of " the oeconomy of 

 light from various sources." — Tliis however we shall find is rather 

 difficult to understand, owing to the extraordinary discrepancies 

 that it presents, and to the prime cost of oil not being mentioned 

 even. We are merely told that one gallon of whale oil '^ v/\\\ 

 yield 90 cubic feet of gas." Mr. De Ville, we are told, is inclined 

 to average it at SO cubic feet. But for even reckoning we will 

 suppose that a gallon (which with us, from a very large dealer, 

 costs three shillings,) produces 100 cubic feet. Three shillings 

 then is the price of one hundred cubic feet of oil gas, exclusive 

 of the fire under the retort. 



Now, what is the cost price with us of its equivalent in coal 

 gas ? One ton of excellent soft coal, which answers to Dr. 

 Thomson's cherry coal, costs, when laid down in our yard, nine 

 shillings; but the small coal or cobbles answer very well, and cost 

 only five shillings a ton*. This I am aware is very cheap in 

 comparison to wh it it is in some counties : we will therefore 

 begin with the double of it, and call the ton of coals ten shillings, 

 or three-pence for half a hundred weight, which quantity will, in 

 four hours time, readily furnish (if judiciously carbonized and 



* Of this (lcscri])tion is the refuse small coal which is iisiially left in the 

 coal-pit, and whicli, it is evident, will be to the mutual advantage of the col- 

 liery and gab manufactoricb to bring into use. 



the 



