CARBON AND THE HYDROCARBONS 375 



oily substance, universally used for lighting, called kerosene or photo- 

 gen or photonaphthalene, and by other names. The specific gravity 

 of kerosene is from 0-78 to 0-84, and it smells like naphtha. Those 

 products of the distillation of naphtha which pass off below 130 and 

 have a specific gravity below O75, enler into the composition of light 

 petroleum (benzoline, ligroin, petroleum spirit, &c.) ; which is used as 

 a solvent for india-rubber, for removing grease spots, &c. Those por- 

 tions of naphtha (which can only be distilled without change by means 

 of superheated steam, otherwise they are largely decomposed) which 

 boil above 275 and up to 300 and have a specific gravity higher 

 than 0-85, form an excellent oil, 53 safe as regards inflammability 

 (which is very important as diminishing the risks of tire), and may be 

 used in lamps as an effective substitute for kerosene. 54 Those portions 

 of naphtha which pass over at a still higher temperature and have a 

 higher specific gravity than 0'9, which are found in abundance (about 

 30 p.c.) in the Baku naphtha, make excellent lubricating or machine 

 oils. Naphtha has many important applications, and the naphtha 

 industry is now of great commercial importance, especially as naphtha 



53 This is asp-called intermediate oil (between kerosene and lubricating oils), solar oil, 

 or pyronaphtha. Lamps are already being manufactured for burning it but still require 

 improvement. Above all, however, it requires a more extended market, and this at 

 present is wanting, owing to the two following reasons : (1) Those products of the American 

 petroleum which are the most widely spread and almost universally consumed contain 

 but little of this intermediate oil, and what there is is divided between the kerosene 

 and the lubricating oils ; (2) the Baku naphtha, which is capable of yielding a great 

 deal (up to 30 p.c) of intermediate oil, is produced in enormous quantities, about 

 800 million poods, but has no regular markets abroad, and for the consumption in 

 Russia (about 25 million poods of kerosene per annum) and for the limited export 

 (60 million poods per annum) into Western Europe (by the Trans- Caucasian Railway) 

 those volatile and more dangerous parts of the naphtha which enter into the composition 

 of the American petroleum are sufficient, although Baku naphtha yields about 25 p.c. of 

 such kerosene. For this reason pyronaphtha is not manufactured in sufficient quantities, 

 and the whole world is consuming the unsafe kerosene. When a pipe line has been laid 

 from Baku to the Black Sea (in America there are many which carry the raw naphtha to 

 the sea- shore, where it is made into kerosene and other products) then the whole mass of 

 the Baku naphtha will furnish safe illuminating oils, which without doubt will find an 

 immense application. A mixture of the intermediate oil with kerosene or Baku oil (spe- 

 cific gravity 0'84 to 0'85) may be considered (on removing the benzoline) to be the best 

 illuminating oil, because it is safe (flashing point from 40 to 60), cheaper (Baku naphtha 

 gives as much as 60 p.c. of Baku oil), and burns perfectly well in lamps differing 

 but little from those made for burning American kerosene (unsafe, flashing point 

 20 to 30). 



54 The substitution of Baku pyronaphtha, or intermediate oil, or Baku oil (see Note 

 68), would not only be a great advantage as regards safety from fire, but would also 

 be highly economical. A ton (62 poods) of American crude petroleum costs at the 

 coast considerably more than 24s. (12 roubles), and yields two-thirds of a ton of 

 kerosene suitable for ordinary lamps* A ton of raw naphtha in Baku costs less than 

 4s. (1 rouble 80 copecks), and with a pipe line to the shore of the Black Sea would not 

 cost more than 8 roubles, or 16s. Moreover, a -ton of Baku naphtha will yield as much as 

 two-thirda of a ton of kerosene, Baku oil, and pyronaphtha suitable or illuminating 

 purposes. 



