672 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION G. 



great distances (extending in the case of natural gas to 200 miles) with marked 

 success, and further projects of the kind are under way. 



In this country, in the absence of natural gas, either a fuel gas, such as 

 Mond gas or water gas, or coal gas of reduced illuminating power might be used. 

 The latter could probably be sold in London at something like Is. per thousand 

 cubic feet, at which price it would displace the greater part of the coal now 

 used for heating and power purposes. The larger cities and towns in Lancashire 

 and Yorkshire, and other districts within easy reach of coal-fields, might also 

 with advantage lay down pipe-lines of their own, but smaller and more remote 

 places could only do so in combination — preferably through a board formed on 

 the model of the Metropolitan Water Board — of representatives of the_various 

 Corporations and companies interested. 



The inauguration of a general supply of cheap gas would have far-reaching 

 consequences. The smoke nuisance, with its appalling death-roll, would be done 

 away with, and the annoyance and damage to property from smoky fogs brought 

 to an end. A cheap and abundant supply of sulphate of ammonia would come 

 to the aid of our distressed agricultural interests. The most far-reaching eifect 

 of cheap gas, however, would probably be in stimulating the establishment of 

 manufacturing plants in rural districts, thus helping to relieve the congestion in 

 our overcrowded towns. No single factor has played so great a part in deter- 

 mining the distribution of industries as the existence of natural sources of power, 

 and with gas at such prices as it could be supplied at from the collieries, gas 

 power would be even cheaper than water power. 



Last, but in the long, run not least, in importance is the part which the sub- 

 stitution of gas for raw coal would play in postponing the exhaustion of our 

 coal-fields. 



TUESDAY, AUGUST 7. 



The following Papers were read : — 



1. Experiments illustrating the Balancing of Engines.^ 

 By Professor W. E. Dalby, D.Sc, M.Inst.C.E. 



2. Recent Advances in Steam Turbines, Land and Marine."^ 

 By G. Gerald Stoney, M.Inst.C.E. 



The author dealt first with the development in the use of steam turbines for 

 driving dynamos and alternators, from the first one made in 1884 by the Hon. 

 Charles A. Parsons, C.B., F.R.S., of 10 horse-power to the great ones of up to 

 8,000 horse-power used in the great power stations of Carville, Neasden, Chelsea, 

 Paris, &c. 



He then described the further development of the steam turbine for driving 

 rotary air-compressors of the turbine tjpe now largely used for blowing blast 

 furnaces and other work, and pointed out the advantages gained of light weight, 

 small foundations, small consumption of oil, and, above all, high economy of steam, 

 These are generally for about 20,000 cubic feet free air per minute and a pressure 

 of 10 to 15 lb. per square inch. A slightly difl'erent type is also made for about 

 30,000 cubic feet air per minute at about 1 lb. per square inch pressure, which are 

 used in several large ironworks and elsewhere for dealing with the waste gases 

 from furnaces and driving these gases through the recoveriug plant, &c., an 

 important point being that they do not clog with tar and other matters. 



Since it is almost, if not quite, impossible to utilise economically low-pressure 

 steam at about atmospheric pressure in a reciprocating engine, the exhaust steam 

 turbine becomes of importance in many cases where there are non-condensing 



' Published in Enyinceriiui, August, 17, 190G. 



^ Published in the Electrical Review, August lU and 17, lOOC, 



