Oil Gas in France. 147 



OIL GAS IN FRANCE. 



Mr. Taylor's invention for producing gas fi-om oil offers 

 to all countries the means of enjoying the adA'antages of gas- 

 light, without injuring the oil trade, or accelerating the con- 

 sumption of coals. The following amusing discussion in the 

 Chamber of Deputies informs us that our Pai'isian neighbours 

 are attending to the subject. In our own country, Messrs. 

 Taylor and Martineau ai'e employed to erect their oil-gas ap- 

 paratus in Dublin, Liverpool, Bristol, and several other large 

 towns. 



The following debate took place in the Chamber of Depu- 

 ties on the 22d instant: " M. Demailly, a landed gentleman at 

 LUle, required that the usage of hydrogen gas should be pro- 

 hibited in France [laughter'], in consequence of the distress its 

 use occasioned to the merchants, manufacturers of oil, and cul- 

 tivators of oleaginous seeds and plants [voice on the left, ' Re- 

 fer that to the literati^]. M. Banine — The cultivation of olea- 

 ginous plants has increased within a few years very much in 

 our country; but the use of gas has also extended itself, and 

 the manufacturers of oil seem to dread the progress of this new 

 light \laughter']. A wise Government ought equally to protect 

 every species of industry, on the value of which experience and 

 individual interest can alone decide. M. Lecronex Duchate- 

 LET — Lighting by gas tends to augment the consumption of coal, 

 which is already not sufficiently plentiful for the various uses 

 for which it is required, while our markets are crowded with 

 oils which find no purchasers. It seems to me, that by placing 

 limits to the employment of gas, we should procure a greater 

 quantity of combustibles for our own manufactories, and a 

 surer sale for the oleaginous productions of our soil. I move 

 that the petition be reterred to the Ministers. M. de Laborde 

 — The Chamber ought not to enter into questions of private 

 interest. It is veiy natural that oil merchants should be jea- 

 lous of the employment of gas ; just as we might expect the 

 wax dealer should petition against the use of tallow, the small- 

 beer brewers should desire the suppression of all ale making, 

 and the whole tribe of beer makers and sellers should recjuest 

 us to shut up coffee-houses, and forbid the use of ail other 

 drink but what is made from malt and hops [Juiig/itcr']. M. 

 DE Bourrienne — I think it necessary to intonn those who cul- 

 tivate plants from which oil is niade, that gas is now not only 

 extracted from coals, but also from several oleaginous sub- 

 stances. The Company just established in Paris only em- 

 ploys oleaginous substances to jirodute gas; and the result 

 will be, that in phice of employing cuai, nothing else will be 

 used to supply gas, but the oleaginous produce of our own soil." 

 T 2 Jlcsults 



