INTRODUCTORY. 5 



the situation was improved by the introduction of the 

 Welsbach burner. There are many small undertakings 

 charging 6s. or so, but their sales are under 2,000,000 cubic 

 feet per annum. If they had any prospect of reducing the 

 price, the sales would probably increase, as cookers or gas 

 fires do not find much acceptance with a price greatly 

 exceeding 45. per thousand cubic feet. In accordance with 

 the prevailing commercial spirit, which may be defined as 

 " Get business ; honestly if you can, but get business ! " 

 concerns selling at 55. or more will do well to consider the 

 desirability of offering substantial rebates on day con- 

 sumption. 



There is the more reason for entertaining this consider- 

 ation in the case of a very small concern doing less than 

 2,000,000 cubic feet per annum, because even a substantial 

 loading on each thousand cubic feet will scarcely represent 

 a profit worth having. One shilling per thousand cubic 

 feet amounts to only .100, and this is as much as can be 

 expected under modern conditions of working. But it is 

 quite possible that the sales could be increased to 3,000,000, 

 or even 4,000,000, without much addition to the working 

 expenses beyond the cost of coal. Under such circumstances 

 a substantial rebate may be offered as a means of obtaining 

 business that cannot otherwise be secured, and such a step 

 would be as much in the interest of the users as of the 

 sellers, as being likely to facilitate progress in the direction of 

 an all round reduction in price. No one is anxious to offer a 

 rebate if business can be had at the full price, or to let 

 appliances on hire if they can be sold outright at 25 per 

 cent, profit. But the general experience is that little 

 cooking or heating business can be obtained on a price of 

 55. or more, in the absence of a special rebate, and of a 

 plan for hiring out appliances. There is not much ready 



