6 Mr. A. M'l. Ckland on 



first experimented with by a Dean of Kildare, the Rev. John Clay- 

 ton, who produced inflammable air or spirit. It was reserved, 

 however, for an Ayrshire Scotsman, William Murdoch, to use gas 

 in a practical way in 1792 at Redruth, Cornwall. The premier 

 company of the world for gas manufacturing purposes celebrated 

 its centenary this year, and in the last working year it used 

 1,800,000 tons of coal, the output being 25,500 millions of cubic 

 feet, representing 232 millions of pennies, which if placed side by 

 side would reach from Belfast to Bombay, a distance of over 4,000 

 miles. Mr. Cleland went on to describe the gradually increasing 

 rate of the use of gas as an illuminant, illustrating his remarks 

 with practical illustrations. From i candle per cubic foot they 

 had now reached 60 candles per cubic foot In 1880 they 

 entered the era of incandescence. The discoveries of Argand, 

 Bunsen, and Welsbach were next referred to in a most interesting 

 way, demonstrations being given of Professor Welbach's experi- 

 ments with mantles made of various constituents. The result of 

 his invention was that he had established entirely new industries. 

 The output of mantles to-day was 400,000,000 per year, and the 

 work was carried on almost entirely by women and young girls, 



A number of lantern views were then thrown upon the screen 

 showing examples of Greek and Roman lamps, candle holders, 

 rush-light holders found in Ulster, where native iron work attained 

 a high degree of efficiency. Several splendid photographs taken 

 at night by ordinary gaslight were shown, including the City Hall, 

 Donegall Quay, different factories, the Great Northern Railway 

 Station, spinning mills, and a ward in the Workhouse. In all 

 these there was scarcely if any shadow. 



Proceeding, the lecturer said the rate of cost in Belfast ran to 

 something like |^d. per 1,000 lighting hours per candle. Electric 

 filament lamps cost 2|d., and flat flame lighting yd. per 1,000 

 lighting hours, so that for all purposes they believed there was 

 no light so economical as the present light, to be obtained from 

 the use of ordinary coal gas with a gd. incandescent mantle. 



