CHEAP GAS.

Evening Star, Issue 3435, 24 February 1874, Page 3

CHEAP GAS.

The Lyme patent has been tried in Melbourne with considerable success. A machine was erected in the back yard of au hotel in Collies street, and consisted of a gasometer capablo of holding 400 ft of gas, a small stove containing two retorts, each twenty-six inches in length and six inches in diameter, with other machinery. “The whole apparatus,” says the ‘ Argus,’ “worked without a hitch, and no difficulty was experienced in filling the gasometer. When the hotel was lighted up at night, the opinion expressed of the illuminating power of the gas produced was very favorable. The brilliancy of the light was certainly superior to that usually obtained from gas supplied by the Melbourne companies.” And the * Age,’ reporting on the same date, remarked that the hotel alluded to “is now brilliantly lighted up with a purer, whiter light than our companies have yet been able to supply.” The light is said to be exceedingly steady, mellow, and pleasant to read by. “ The whole apparatus now employed to light the hotel is contained in a small space some fifteen feet square. No smell nor any inconvenience whatever from the machine could be noticed, and all worked with perfect quiet and ease. A boy is suffident to attend to the apparatus; and it is so simple that no special aptitude whatever is required. No less than seventy-eight gaslights are r, quired in the hotel, and yet all this quantity of gas is made by a machine occupying enly a portion of a small back The apparatus is described as a machine by whiph gas for both illuminating and cookipg pprpqses is made at “ a cost; of less than a third of that charged by the gas companies.’? Messrs tyfufray and Rumble, gas pngin,eers of atapdjng in Lpnclpn, report that the cpst qf gas produced by Symes’s apparatus Jies between one shilljnjg spd two shillings and twopence per thousand cubic feet, according as the gas is made from a more or less expensive material. It from slack, Mr Ramble estimates the cost at one shilling per thousand cubic feet; if made from coal, the price of the gas would be two shillings and twopence, whilst the quality was found by him to be equal to 184 Candles when tested by Lowe’s jet photometer. Mr Mprray estimates thp illuminating power as equal tp 10 papdles, apd the cpst, if' made from ppal, at pbqut tpm shillings ppr thousand cubic feet; if from slack, at about'one shilling and twopence peir thousand cubic feet. Having, Mr Rumble says in his report, devoted some time to the inspection of the apparatus, "I am pleased to testify as to its economy and effectiveness in working, durability, and fitness for country mansions, manufactories, farm buildings, and for warming houses.” Should any renovation be required after wear, it can be readily done by an ordinary gasfitter. And no technical skill is required to work the apparatus. After it is once erected, “ a few hours’ instruction is sufficient to enable any person to perform the work without difficulty. The machine is so carefully constructed to provide for this necessity, that whilst no special knowledge is required, yet, on the other band, even the utmost carelessness and neglect on the part of the person in charge, can only result in the producing a less or worse quality of gas, but cannot be productive in any way of any other harm whatever.” No unpleasant smell arises from the process of gas generation. This is an important point, for the smaller machines—capable of supplying twenty-five lights-form, if „ desired, part of the ordinary cooking range, “ being, in fact, merely a retort placed jjbeye the usual tire between the evens, thus

utilising the heat of the fire which is commonly wasted, while at the same time the convenience of the stove is not interfered with.” Again, it is stated that “the airangemeUt for charging the retort is such that no_ inconvenience would be felt in so placing it within the kitchen range, for there is no smell nor dirt connected with "it, and the operation of placing or withdrawing a charge is as simple as that of feeding the ordinary fire.” The gas, we are further told, can be made from any material such as coal, lignite, shale, wood, leather, bones, •tc. Coal and shale are considered by far the most satisfactory when obtainable at an equal cost, but when this is not the case the lignite can be used with great advantage.

Three or four neighboring shopkeepers, for instance, might combine in the purchase, erection, and working of a machine that would give them an ample supply of gas—taking an outside estimate—five shillings per thousand cubic feet; while the smaller machines, capable of producing gas to supply from ten to twenty-five burners, can befitted up and worked without discomfort or danger in any private house. The price of the machines, it should be stated, ranges from L 65 upwards, according to the number of burners. It is evident that if this invention proves on experien -e to be as efficient, adaptable, and economical as we are told it is, the gas companies will have to make terms with large consumers, and to serve them more efficiently.