92 Account of an Explosion of Oil Gas, fyc. 



boons, which she has conferred upon the species, must be ac- 

 cepted alike by all. No vulgar fears, no intrigues of faction, 

 no exercise of power, can stem that tide already set in upon the 

 world, which is bearing on its wave to the remotest lands, the 

 treasures of intellectual wisdom. We do not allude to that vain 

 and speculative knowledge which raises practical men out of 

 their sphere, and which inflames the ambition, while it para- 

 lyses the hand of industry, but to that useful and applied wis- 

 dom, which ripens its fruit where it displays its foliage, and 

 ameliorates the condition of its possessor in his professional, 

 his domestic, his social, and his political relations. 



This general principle is in no case more applicable than to 

 the great discovery of gas illumination. Those who are afraid 

 to avail themselves of its benefits, are placed in circumstances 

 of as great danger as those who enjoy them ; and it is a sin- 

 gular fact, that the greater number of accidents have happen- 

 ed from the leakage of gas into houses where it was not used, 

 and where the inhabitants could not have taken any precau- 

 tions against its approach. 



Although we cannot doubt that the dread of gas explosions 

 will disappear as quickly as the dread of explosions on board 

 steam-vessels, yet it is right that those who patronize and re- 

 commend the use of this light, should strive to remove even un- 

 reasonable apprehensions, by providing securities against the 

 most improbable contingencies. With this view, we shall con- 

 clude this article, by enumerating several safety contrivances, 

 some of which will, we think, go far to remove all suspicions 

 of danger even from the most timorous minds. 



1. The safety, or self-closing; burner of Mr Jennings, de- 

 scribed in our last Number, p. 344., offers the most perfect 

 protection against the escape of gas. If the gas flame is 

 blown out, or put out with an extinguisher, or if the cock is 

 left entirely open, this burner closes itself, and prevents the 

 escape of gas. We are not aware to what extent this burner 

 has been used ; but whether it answers its purpose or not, 

 which, however, we do not doubt, it is very obvious, that a 

 self-closing burner may be constructed in various ways, and 

 made quite effective for all practical purposes. 



2. Another protection against the escape of gas may be ob- 



