THE SMOKE ABATEMENT EXHIBITION. 
241 
Messrs. Crossley Bros., of Manchester, exhibited their well- 
known gas-engine, which was being worked by Messrs. Dowson’s 
water gas ; and there was also the exhibit of Messrs. Thomson 
& Sterne’s gas-engine. As these have only a remote connection 
with the abatement of the smoke nuisance, I shall not more 
particularly refer to them. 
One of the principal features of the Exhibition was the 
regenerative gas burner of F. Siemens, of Dresden. The 
principle of this burner is that the waste gases from the gas 
flame are caused to heat the gas and air which supply the light 
by their combustion. By this means a much greater illuminating 
power is obtained from the same quantity of gas. These burners 
are used and may be seen in Holborn Viaduct. The results 
obtained with them are better than with any other form known, 
being 7 candle-power for each cubic foot of gas burned per hour. 
The description which I have now given of the Smoke Abate- 
ment Exhibition will shew you that the exhibits were generally 
of a very interesting character, displaying a large amount of 
ingenuity and skill. But T am afraid that we must be reluctantly 
compelled to admit, notwithstanding, that there was no grate 
which perfectly consumed its own smoke except those that 
burned smokeless coal. 
There was no one which had such a marked pre-eminence 
above its fellows for economy, simplicity, durability, and success 
in consuming smoke as to cause it to be universally adopted. 
A practical remedy for the terrible smoke nuisance is therefore 
still to seek. That some steps will liave to be taken sooner or 
later to abate this terrible and growing evil there can be no 
doubt. A week of fog can raise the death-rate in London to a 
point greater by more than 54 per cent, than the average, as 
was the case, for instance, in the second week of February of 
this year. 
The mortality, unlike that of cold, afflicts all persons alike, 
