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XVI. 



IMPEOVEMENTS IN LIGHTHOUSE LIGHTS, WITH AN 

 EXHIBITION OF THE PEOPOSED NEW BUENEES 

 AND THEIE FLAMES. By J. E. WIGHAM. 



[Eead Apkil 15, 1891.] 



The gas used at present in liglitliouses is made from cannel coal, 

 and necessitates the use at eacli station of three kinds of coal, 

 Cannel, Slacldng-coal, and House-coal. It is evident that if gas mad e 

 from common Newcastle or Wigan coal could be used it would 

 save much trouble and expense ; one kind of coal would then 

 suffice both for gasmaking and house use, the coke produced in the 

 manufacture of the gas being available for heating the retorts. 



We are all aware that cannel gas has higher illuminating 

 power than gas made from ordinary coal, and unless the light 

 from the latter could be increased so as to equal that from cannel, 

 the economy and convenience above referred to would be too dearly 

 purchased, for I need hardly say that for lighthouse purposes the 

 maintenance of the highest possible illuminating power is of 

 supreme importance. But upon this vital point my mind wag 

 soon at rest, for being aware, first, that gas made from common 

 coal lends itself to what is termed the regenerative process, with 

 better result as to increased illuminating power than cannel gas 

 (the process consisting in using the heat produced by the burner 

 for the purpose of supplying to it an atmosphere of very hot air 

 to assist the effective combustion of the gas which is also itself 

 intensely heated) ; and second, that the application of hydro-carbons 

 to the flame of common gas produces in combination with it a 

 greater amount of light than is obtainable from the richest cannel. 

 I devised a novel method of burning common gas in which I com- 

 bined both these methods of procedure, the hydro- carbon which I 

 used being solid naphthaline, a p'erfectly safe and inexpensive 



SCIEN. PROC. R.D.S. VOL. VII. PAKT III. 



