100 APPLICATION OF THE GAS FROM COAL. 



an apparatus upon a larger scale, which during many suc- 

 cessive nights was applied to the lighting of their principal 

 building, and various new methods were practised of wash- 

 ing and purifying the gas. 

 Illumination These experiments were continued with some interrup- 

 tions, until the peace of 180-2, when a public display of this 

 light was made by me in the illumination of Mr. Boulton's 

 manufactory at Soho, upon that occasion. 

 Since regularly Since that period, I have, under the sanction of Messrs. 

 Soho^foundrv -^°"^^^"' Watt, and. Co. extended the apparatus at Soho 

 foundry, so as to give light to all the pr'mcipal shops, where 

 it is in regular use, to the exclusion of other artificial light; 

 but I have preferred giving the results from Messrs. Philips 

 and Lee's apparatus, both on account of its greater extent, 

 and the greater uniformity of the lights, which rendered the 

 comparison with candles less difficult. 

 Theinflamma- At the time I commenced my experiments, I was cer- 

 ble nature of . , • i • i i • r- i 



the gas long tainly unacquamted with the circumstance ot the gas from 



Jcnown, QQ'^i\ liaving been observed by others to be capable of com- 



bustion ; but I am since informed, that the current of gas 

 escaping from Lord Dundonald's tar ovens had been fre- 

 quently fired; and I find that Dr. Clayton, in a paper in 

 volume XLI of the Transactions of the Roj^al Society, so 

 long ago as the year 1739, gave an account of some obser- 

 vations and experiments made by him, which clearly mani- 

 fest his knowledge of the inflammable property of the gas, 



but first applied which he denominates " the spirit of coals;" but the idea 



to economical ^ applying it as an economical substitute for oils and tal- 



purposes by rf j fc> 



Mr. Murdoch, low does not appear to have occurred to this gentleman, and 

 I believe I may, without presuming too much, claim both 

 the first idea of applying, and the first actual application of 

 this gas to economical purposes. 



REMARK, 



Intnntion of As an attempt to light the streets of the metropolis by 



applving coal jjjga(^g ^^f ^oal gas has made much noise, and is meant, as 



gas to light the ° 



neets of the it is said, to be brought before parliament next session, 



meiropohs. whatever tends to elucidate the subject cannot be uninte- 

 resting. The account here given by Mr. Murdoch, whose 



experiments 



