18 BULLETIIST 102, VOL. 1, Ul^ITED STATES NATIOi^AL MUSEUM. 



present hand- firing. For industrial purposes, gas offers conspicuous 

 advantages, as evidenced by the varied industrial use of natural gas 

 in all regions where abundance of supply creates a low price. 



In general, gaseous fuel is bound to increase in importance as 

 compared to solid fuel, especially in the industries. While solid fuel 

 lends itself to conversion into power only through the agency of the 

 wasteful steam engine, gas may be used in the internal combustion 

 engine, which for the same equivalent consumption delivers in general 

 over twice the power; while for purposes of producing heat, gas 

 presents an ease of control and a mobihty of apphcation that place 

 it beyond comparison. Moreover, and most important of all, solid 

 fuel has already reached a far fuller measure of development than 

 has gas, whose utihzation is still in a relatively undeveloped state. 

 Improvements in the internal combustion engine, the gas turbine, 

 the utilization of gas under pressure, and the apphcation of the 

 so-called surface method of combustion offer Hnes of advance that 

 will add a growing weight of superiority to the use of gas. 



For domestic purposes, however, the advantages of sohd and 

 gaseous fuel are somewhat complementary, rather than opposing, 

 so that advances toward perfecting the two types of fuel may well be 

 simultaneous. The successful operation of an artificial anthracite 

 plant will demand increased utilization of gas, involving the employ- 

 ment of the latest advances in its application; while the operation of 

 an enlarged municipal gas-plant, with adequate by-product recovery, 

 however effective in the way of economical gas supply, can not be 

 expected to replace fuUy, at least f op some time, the need for a smoke- 

 less sohd fuel. In either event, therefore, the tendency will lead 

 toward an increased r61e for fuel gas, a trend in line with the in- 

 evitable necessity for a more mobile and more efficient source of 

 heat and power than is afforded by solid carbon.^ 



The successful instigation and operation of either of the two plans 

 proposed will depend upon public initiative and stimulus. Neither 

 plan may be expected to come into action under the influence of 

 private industrial enterprise; a private organization would have no 

 means of getting adequate returns upon the development expenditure 

 since the benefits contemplated would accrue alike to all industrial 

 activities as well as to the public. The first move, therefore, de- 

 volves upon the public; or at least, upon organizations representative 

 of the pubhc interest. The accomphshment, however, will call for a 

 more effective administration of pubhc utilities than has obtained in 

 American cities in the past, and this will come only after full public 

 realization that technical affairs must be directed by technical 

 knowledge.' 



1 It is scarcely necessary to point out that both solid and gaseous fuel are adapted to the generation of 

 electricity. 



2 See also pages 155-158. 



