GAS.—HIGHLY IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1438, 25 September 1872, Page 2

GAS.—HIGHLY IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.

We (Nelson Examiner) have the permis* sion of Messrs Morrison, Sclanders, and Co,, to publish the following extract from a letter just received by that firm from a gentleman in London who formerly re« sided in Nelson. It has an important bearing on the erection of Gas-works ia Nelson about to be undertaken :--

London, June 27, 1872. We are, I believe, upon the eve of a great change in the manufacture of gas, which threatens an entire revolution ia that and the coal trade, I have lately witnessed the working of Komschrbiler's patent, a perfectly new invention, ana as yet scarcely before the world. By this process gas of a very superior quality can be produced at a far lowef rate than by that at present in use, ana its illuminating power compared wiw ordinary coal gas is as 24 to 14. It is produced without coal or the application of heat, by a simple aud »»«**

pensive apparatus which I regard as a wonderful discovery. lam not sufficient' ly scientific or mechanical to describe it accurately, and can only do so roughly, bnt it appears to be a cylinder, say about 5 feet in diameter and 3 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 (kerosine, paraffine, or any other) and it comes out on the other side as mineral oil gas, being then conducted iuto the gasometer. The apparatus for producing a supply for the City of Nelson would not cost more than £IOO, and the old expensive machinery, retort, &c, for its manufacture are entirely done away with. I have been endeavoring to arrange with the patentees for working it in Nelson, as all there is to do would be to get the apparatus and kerosine, and fill the gasometers at so much per 1,000 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 yet yet know whether New Zealand is included in that offer. They will not sell the patent as regards the United Kingdom, but license companies or individuals to work it subject to a royalty of 4d or 6d per 1,000 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 of gentlemen interested in Nelson.

If we can supply the Nelson Government at 7s 6d or 5s per 1,000 feet, and save them the cost of manufacture, they could not do better than come to us, and all they would have to 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 a smaller apparatus than that described would suffice to drive a large steamer and save carrying coals. This matter is only at present in its infancy, and in time you will hear more of it from & better pen.