CHAPTER XIX.

A SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE OF MR. GEORGE

LOWE ON THE OIl-gas bill, &C.

BIRMINGHAM

Perhaps a considerable portion of the evidence hitherto adduced may seem to have a tendency rather to obscure than to elucidate the subjects of inquiry; but from the language which the advocates of oil gas had used to describe its properties, it was naturally to be expected that numerous experiments, and various well-authenticated facts, would be detailed to confirm the statements and support the character heretofore given of it. However, its defectiveness in this respect was remarkable, and excited surprise as well as produced disappointment; this circumstance, indeed, occasioned doubts to be entertained whether these descriptions were not rather the creations of fancy than the deductions of reason from the observation of facts; for those who had emblazoned the excellence of oil gas, evinced either an unwillingness or inability to point out the steps by which it had attained its highly

applauded degree of perfection in the course of a few years. The pictures exhibited to the publie view were indeed brilliantly coloured and highly ornamented, but their want of correctness awakened suspicions in the minds of some persons of their having been copied from an original, painted by some skilful artist, whom interest had, perhaps, stimulated to the exercise of his powers. But whatever impression such illusive representations might produce in some cases, the intellectual eye was not to be dazzled by the glaring of meretricious ornaments, however artfully arranged or confidently displayed. The diffusion of useful knowledge had given rise to a bold and scrutinizing spirit of investigation, on philosophical subjects; and, therefore, that class of men who engaged in such speculations were not to be deluded by the mere statement of opinions and inferences, when demonstration could be easily obtained by an appeal to experiments which would probably produce satisfaction; and such, it is presumed, will be found to characterize the subsequent detail.

If opinions, formed by careful and dispassionate inquiry, and accompanied, at the same time, with the ability to assign cogent reasons for adopting them, entitle the testimony of any individual to attention, the examination of Mr. George Lowe

must be deemed interesting from the information it displays with every part of the subject of discussion, whether it relate to its scientific principles or its practical details. Indeed, the improvement of gas-lighting had long been the object of his ardent pursuit; and as he had been the earliest to point out the incorrect and delusive representations of the peculiar advantages of oil gas, his evidence excited curiosity, because it was the result of acute observation, from the varied opportunities afforded him by extensive experience. He was therefore interrogated on this occasion more rigidly and minutely than any other person, and began by stating that he had been conversant with the nature of coal gas for eight years, about five of them on a small scale at Derby, but for the last three or four on the largest possible, as the superintendant at two of the Chartered Company's stations, viz. Brick Lane and Curtain Road.

In the year 1819, the inhabitants of Derby (of which he was a native) contemplated the lighting of their town with gas; and several of them who were likely to take the lead in its management, requested him to visit London, with the view of making himself acquainted with the state of the science of gas-lighting at that period. He visited all the coal-gas establishments in the metropolis, and also the manufactory of the Patent Appara

tus for Oil Gas, where every facility was given him by the Patentees for seeing Oil-Gas Apparatus in perfection. From his opportunities of observation, and the information he was enabled to obtain, he felt satisfied that oil gas would in no way compete, as to profit and general circumstances, with coal gas. He also visited Norwich at a subsequent period, where he had the best opportunities afforded him of witnessing the effects of oil-gas illumination; and, indeed, he had made every exertion to acquire all the information he could, which had any reference to the subject. He observed, that during the last two years he had made a number of experiments with the sole object of arriving at truth, and getting at the bottom of the long-contested point on the comparative advantages of oil and coal gas; that nine-tenths of those experiments had been made in the presence of Mr. Cooper, the chemist; some of them Dr. Fyffe had witnessed; and some, on the heating and lighting power, by Professor Leslie, who had gone over the whole apparatus.

The real composition of oil or coal gas, Mr. Lowe observed, as a chemical compound, is at present unknown; it is carbon and hydrogen in some combination or other; and he entertained very little doubt but that the illuminating power of both oil and coal gas will be found to consist of that peculiar compound of carbon and hydro

gen at present known as naphthaline.* For in making oil gas, this peculiar resplendent crystallization of the naphthaline was found, but whether these gases may turn out to be naphthaline in solution with hydrogen, or a definite compound of carbon and hydrogen, must yet be determined by the experiments of philosophers and chemists.

With respect to oil gas, he stated, that not only more carbon, but more hydrogen, entered into its composition; for though both contained olefiant gas, this latter was in the greater ratio in oil gas. It was well known that in the hydrogen and carbon forming olefiant gas, a condensation of volume takes place; two volumes of carbon with two of hydrogen, constituting one of olefiant gas; consequently that gas which possesses most olefiant gas, must contain more hydrogen, in equal volumes, though in a condensed state. As a proof that naphthaline exists to a

*By the great pressure which the Portable Gas Company apply to condense their gas, nearly a gallon of highly volatile oil is stated to be produced from the gas by the operation. Dr. Henry pointed out some of the properties of this fluid in his paper in the Phil. Trans. 1820; and Mr. Lowe also noticed it in his letter to the Phil. Mag., 1821, where he stated it to possess the property of adding greatly to the illuminating power of the gas as well as to its specific gravity. Mr. Faraday gave an analysis of it in Phil. Transactions, 1825.