\VIU.I.\M .S//-M/A.V.S, /-;A'..V. 135 



the object was defeated by the existing Gas Companies, who 

 opposed their bill in Parliament, upon the ground that it would 

 interfere with vested interests. I am still satis6ed, however, that 

 such a plan could be carried out with great advantage to the 

 public ; and although I am no longer specifically interested in the 

 matter, I would gladly lend my aid to those who might be willing 

 to realise the same. 



Fuel also occurs naturally in the liquid state, and if mineral 

 oils could be obtained in quantities at all comparable to those of 

 solid fuel, liquid fuel would possess the advantages of great purity 

 and high calorific value ; but, considering its rare occurrence, and 

 comparatively high price, even in the oil districts of Pennsylvania 

 and Canada, its use, for smelting purposes, need not be here 

 considered. 



According to the general definition of fuel given above, we have 

 to include the evaporative effect of the sun's rays, by which sea- 

 water is raised to elevated mountain levels, whence it descends 

 towards the sea, and in so doing is capable of imparting motion 

 to machinery. 



This form of fuel, which takes the place of the coal otherwise 

 expended in raising steam, has been resorted to in all countries 

 since the dawn of civilization, and it is owing to this circumstance 

 that the industries of the world were formerly very much scattered 

 over the valleys and gorges of mountainous districts, where the 

 mountain stream gave motion to the saw-mill or flour-mill, to the 

 trompe of the iron-smelter, and to the helve of the iron and steel 

 manufacturer. 



The introduction of the steam engine, towards the end of last 

 century, changed the industrial aspect of the world in causing 

 manufactories to be massed together in great centres, and this 

 tendency has been still further augmented in consequence of the 

 construction of canals and railways, which enable us to bring 

 together the raw material, and to disperse the manufactured pro- 

 duct at a comparatively low cost. It is not unreasonable, however, 

 to expect that a certain reaction in this process of centralization 

 will gradually take place, because, in consequence of ever- 

 increasing competition, the advantage of utilising natural forces, 

 which we could afford to neglect during a period of general 

 prosperity, becomes again an essential element in determining the 



