220 Mr. Ricardo on the Advantages [March, 



expences. At the Brighton Coal Gas Works upwards of 30,000/. 

 have been expended ; and, I believe, without a material increase 

 to their works, they would find it difficult to supply gas for 3000 

 lights. 



The report from the gas-maker of the quantity of gas produced 

 from a given quantity of oil, is equally satisfactory. This depends 

 in a great degree on the nature of an oil ; for an equal quantity 

 of gas cannot be procured from the very inferior sorts as from 

 those of a better quality. Whale oil is found to be the best for 

 the purpose ; cod oil somewhat inferior ; yet from eight tons of 

 the latter containing 2016 gallons, 201500 cubic feet of gas 

 were obtained, which is within a trifle of 100 feet per gallon. 

 This is a large production from that description of oil ; but I see 

 no reason, why, with good management, the same quantity 

 should not always be produced ; much certainly depends upon 

 this, but it is soon acquired by practice and observation. The 

 regulation of the heat of the retorts, and supplying them pro- 

 perly with oil, is of the greatest importance in gas making. 

 The Oldford establishment has been fortunate in obtaining an 

 operator who has equalled their most sanguine expectations. 

 There are inferior oils which it may be the interest of a Company 

 to purchase from lowness of price ; these of course are not 

 expected to produce so much gas ; and lowness of price is not 

 always a recommendation, as there are other circumstances 

 besides variation of product which render some oils less eligible 

 than others. It has been observed that the advocates for oil gas 

 do not make any allowance for waste arising from leakage of 

 pipes, 8cc. This, at the Oldford Works, is very small indeed. 

 The valve leading from the mains has been opened during 

 the day, and kept so for some time with the smallest percep- 

 tible fall in the gasometer. This loss in the coal gas works, 

 if what is stated be correct, is so great that it is difficult to 

 account for it, and it would seem almost impossible it should 

 arise from escape only. It is well known that coal gas injures 

 the pipes it passes through ; which, in no degree, occurs with 

 oil gas : may not this fact account for the difference of loss ? 



The foregoing statements, I think, clearly prove the advan- 

 tages which an oil gas concern is likely to yield in point of 

 profit to those who embark in such an undertaking. To the 

 consumer of gas, the advantages are equally palpable. An indi- 

 vidual in the vicinity of the Works, has his premises lighted up 

 with oil gas, and the following is the result of one year's obser- 

 vation ; it is somewhat more than a year, but I will not consider 

 the extra time. He has in his shop five large argand burners 

 burning from sun-set till nine o'clock, and on Saturdays till 

 eleven o'clock. In his counting-house, he has two burners, and 

 in his warehouse one ; these last are not constantly lighted, and 

 he estimates them at one and a half, so that the number of lights 



