New Process of Gas-making.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 156, 15 October 1872, Page 7

New Process of Gas-making.

The Nelson Examiner publishes the following letter, received by a firm in Nelson from a gentleman in London, giving some interesting information regarding a new process of making gas : —"We are, I believe, on the eve of a great change in the manufacture of gas, which threatens an entire revolution in that and the coal trade. I have lately wit-> nessed the working of Kromschroder's patent, ' a perfectly new invention', and as yet s'ca'rdely before t=S world. By this process, gas of very sup-., ior quality can be produced at a far lower rate than by that at present in Use, and its illuminating power compared with ordinary coal gas is as 24 to 14. It is produced without coal or the application, of heat by a, simple and inexpensive apparatus, which I regard as a wonderful discoverv. lam not sufficiently scientific or mechanical to describe it accurately, and can only do so roughly; but it appears to be a cylinder, say about five feet in diameter and three feet high, containing an apparatus moved by something like clockwork, which draws in the atmosphere through a valve, and passes it through any mineral oil (kerosene, paraffin, or any other), and it comes out on the other side as mineral oil gas, being then conducted into the gasometer. The apparatus for producing a supply for the city of Nelson would not cost more than £IOO, and the old expensive machinery, retorts, &c, for its manufacture are entirely done away with. I have been endeavouring to arrange with the patentees for working it in Nelson, as all .there is to do would be to get the apparatus and the kerosene, and fiir the gasometer at so much per 1000 feet. I cannot, however, come to anything definite with them for some little time, as they are in treaty with a company for the sale of their patent, so far as regards the Australian colonies, for £120,000, and I don't know yet whether New Zealand is included in that offer. They will not sell their patent as regards the United Kingdom, but license companies or individuals to work it, subject to a royalty of 4d. or 6d. per 1000 feet. As soon as I find out with whom to treat for working it in Nelson, I propose, if the terms are reasonable, forming a small company, consisting j ».»f gentlemen interested in Nelson. If we can supply the Nelson Government at 7s. 6d. or ss. per 1000 feet, and save them the cost of manufacture, they could not do better : than come to us, and. all they would have to j do would be to erect their gasometer and lay down their pipes. You recollect, some years since, fears were entertained of a falling-off in the supply of coal, or rather that it would be exhausted ; and it was then predicted that other means would be discovered of generating heat, which in this gas appears to be verified, as it produces an intense heat, and j a smaller apparatus than that described would suffice to drive a large steamer, and save car-1 rying coals. Tins matter is only, at present, ! in its infancy, and in time you will hear more of it from a better pen."