THE DIXON GAS BUBBLE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 217, 12 September 1881, Page 4

THE DIXON GAS BUBBLE.

Mr Dixon, of New Zealand, who lias come over to Melbourne for the parpoße of introducing a new method of making gaß iB not meeting with much favor. At first he succeeded in securing a certain amount of support, and had little difficulty in obtaining a patent, but the thing is now almost exploded. Mr Cosmo Newbery and the Royal Society have fallen loul of the Dixon " patent gas" with a vengeance. Mr Newbery last night delivered a paper dealing pretty minntely with the specification for the patent, and ridiculed the whole thing most effectually. Thereafter followed a discussion, during which very strong epithets were applied to the thing The specification was called a "jumble of chemical formula), designed to hoodwink and deceive the unscientific public." "Simple nonsense/' "rot," '■ farrago of nonsense," were amongst the choice terms used by the scientists towards Mr Dixon's patent gag. The Solicitor- General (Dr Dobson), who was present at the meeting, and who had granted the patent, said in effect that the patent had been issued in ignorance, and added that if it was a swindle the inventor would gain nothing by the patent, as the expression of opinion by the Koyal Society wo.ula* prick the bubble before much harm waa done, It was stated during the meeting that the gas had, also been patented in Sydney and Adelaide, that a clergyman and a bank elerk had been admitted into the secret and a share of the business with Mr Dixon, and that the three had made a large sum of money. Some funny things were said at the meeting, the scientific gentlemen present treating the whole affair with great levity. Mr Cosmo Newbery, by way of a farcical conclusion to the meeting, related how he had been present at one of the experiments, which waa carried on -with great mystery, everyone gathering round and staring into the mixture. One who waa smoking spat very nearly into the jug, and Dixon and the paraon, jumping back, declared that if the spittle had gone into the jug they would all have been blown into eternity. When both these gentlemen had retired to prepare a small extra dose, Mr Newbery and another gentleman spat into the jug, bat nothing dreadful occurred. This little anecdote was greeted with boisterous laughter — Melbourne correspondent of the Southern News.