APPLICATION OF THE GAS FROM COAT.. g$ 



the comparative trials I had in view, as is perhaps hkely to 

 be ever obtained in general practice. And the experiments 

 being made upon so large a scale, and for a considerable 

 period of time, may, I think, be assumed as a sufficiently 

 accurate standard for determining the advaatages to be ex- 

 pected from the use of the gas lights under favourable cir- 

 cumstances. 



It Is not my intention, in the present paper, to enter into Method }a 

 ft particular description of the apparatus employed for pro- ^o'btai'nedawl 

 ducing the gas: but I may observe generally, that the coal applied, 

 18 distilled in large iron retorts, which during the winter 

 season are kept constantly at work, except during the in- 

 tervals of charging; and that the gas, as it rises from them, 

 is conveyed by iron pipes into large reservoirs, or gasome- 

 ters, where it is washed and purified, previous to its being 

 conveyed through other pipes, called mains, to the mill. 

 These mains branch off into a variety of ramifications (form- 

 ing a total length of several miles), and diminish in size, as 

 the quantity of gas required to be passed through them be- 

 comes less. The burners, where the gas is consumed, are 

 connected with the above mains, by short tubes, each of 

 which is furnished with a cock to regulate the admission of 

 the gas to each burner, and to shut it totally off wheii re- 

 quisite. This latter operation may likewise be instantane- 

 ously performed, throughout the whole of the burners in 

 each room, by turning a cock, with which each main is pro- 

 vided, near its entrance into the room. 



The burners are of two kinds : the one is upon the prin- Tmto kinds of 

 ciple of the Argand lamp, nnd resembles it in appearance ; ^"™«"' 

 the other is a small curved tube with a conical end, having 

 three circular apertures or perfoi-ations, of about a thirtieth 

 of an inch in diameter, one at the point of the cone, and 

 two lateral ones, through which the gas issues, forming 

 three divergent jets of flame, somewhat like a tieur-de-lis. 

 The shape and general appearance of this tube, has pro- 

 cured it among the workmen the name of the 'cockspur 

 burner. 



The number of burners employed in all the buildings 904 burner*, 

 amounts to 271 Argands, and 633 cockspurs ; each of the 

 former giving a light equal to that of four candles of the 



description 



