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thus producing a regular scale, about twelve inches in length, and equal to the pressure of a column of water of 13 inch. To a guide-rod on the top of this gasometer a pencil-holder is attached with a small spring to give the pencil a slight bearing upon the paper, which is properly prepared for registering the pressure. This paper is divided horizontally by division lines adapted toth of an inch of pressure through the whole extent of the rise of the gasometer; and it is also divided vertically by hour lines in order to point out the time. The paper thus prepared is folded round and attached to a cylinder, which is connected with and moved by a time piece; hence the line described by the pencil as the cylinder moves the paper, shews at once the degree of pressure, and denotes the time. This admirable contrivance was first used by Mr. Lowe in 1824, at the Chartered Gas Works.

During the interval which took place from the termination of the last session of Parliament to the commencement of another in 1825, each party was actively employed in preparations for renewing the contest. The projectors of the oil-gas scheme sought a number of individuals to give evidence in support of their plan, and the Committee being re-appointed soon after the meeting of Parliament, the proceedings on the Oil-Gas Bill

were resumed. The first person brought forward in favour of the bill was Mr. John Pollock, the Secretary to the Oil-Gas Company at Dublin, who said that he was no chemist; and the purport of his evidence, therefore, related chiefly to the extent to which oil-gas lighting had been carried by that Company. He stated the number of lights to be 2496; the capital employed about £35,000 or £36,000; but whether it was profitable or otherwise were circumstances which could not be deduced from his statements. Persons were also brought from Liverpool and Bristol, but their evidence did not afford any information that was either new or striking relative to the subject of discussion, and it consisted chiefly of reports about the corrosion of pipes, the inconvenient heat produced by the burning of coal gas, and some few other trivial matters unworthy of notice. And this character may not improperly be applied to the evidence of every other individual afterwards examined on this side of the question, excepting that of Mr. Richard Martineau from Messrs. Whitbread and Co.'s brewery. According to his statement, previous to 1820, coal gas was burnt at that establishment when they had twenty-two lights; but in that year they had a Patent Oil-Gas Apparatus erected, which cost £1055, and subsequent to that period they had paid large

sums for additions, improvements, alterations, and repairs; that the number of lights had been increased from twenty to upwards of ninety; and the expense had been continually increasing. In short, though introduced in favour of the plan, the facts which he was under the necessity of stating presented rather an unfavourable picture of lighting a private establishment in the metropolis by oil gas. These were the only facts of any consequence, because he stated that he was unable to give any particulars from which an inference might be made with regard to its advantages or disadvantages in comparison with coal gas.-But we shall now turn to evidence of a different character, and from which both pleasure and instruction may be derived, because the persons who were brought forward to elucidate the subject, were not only well informed upon all the points involved in the inquiry, but also possessed the capability of explaining to others what they knew.

CHAPTER XIX.

A SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE OF MR. GEORGE

LOWE ON THE OIL-GAS BILL, &C.

AND STAFFORDSHIRE GAS COMPANY.

COMBE'S PATENT.

BIRMINGHAM

MR. LUS

MR. J. T. DANIEL'S DITTO.

CON

MR. CROSLEY'S IMPURE GAS-DETECTtor.

CLUSION.

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 those 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

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