An historical sketch of the origin, progress, & present state, of gas-lighting

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Page 287 - Lee, are lighted with the gas from coal. The total quantity of light used during the hours of burning, has been ascertained, by a comparison of shadows, to be about equal to the light which...
Page 16 - I observed that it catched flame, and continued burning at the end of the pipe-, though you could not discern what fed the flame. I then blew it out, and lighted it again several times; after which I fixed a bladder, squeezed and void of air, to the pipe of the receiver. The oil and phlegm descended into the receiver, but the spirit still ascending blew up the bladder.
Page 233 - I was induced by some observations I had previously made upon the burning of coal, to try the combustible property of the gases produced from it, as well as from peat, wood, and other inflammable substances ; and being struck with the great quantities of gas which they afforded, as well as...
Page xx - The objects for improvement shall be Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Drawing, Geography, Natural and Civil History, and Morals, or in short, whatever may be generally useful to a manufacturer, or as furnishing principles for active benevolence and integrity.1 This was a scheme more extensive than teaching the poor to read.
Page 47 - ... applied to any useful purpose, I may omit further notice of it in this statement. The interest of the capital expended in the necessary apparatus and buildings, together with what is considered as an ample allowance for wear and tear, is stated by Mr. LEE at about £550. per annum : in which some allowance is made for this apparatus being made...
Page 16 - I then filled a good many bladders therewith, and might have filled an inconceivable number more ; for the spirit continued to rise for several hours, and filled the bladders almost as fast as a man could have blown them with his mouth ; and yet the quantity of coals I distilled were inconsiderable.
Page 383 - ... that shall be from time to time made by the directors. Application is intended to be made to parliament for an act to enable the company to sue and be sued in the name of one of its officers: and the said deed of settlement, when settled and approved by the standing counsel and solicitors, and the act of parliament, when passed, shall be the deed of settlement and act of parliament for managing the affairs of this...
Page 16 - At first there came over only phlegm, afterwards a black oil, and then likewise a spirit arose, which I could no ways condense; but it forced my lute, or broke my glasses. Once when it had forced my lute, coming close thereto in order to try to repair it, I observed that the spirit which issued out, caught fire at the flame of the candle, and continued burning with violence as it issued out in a stream, which I blew out and lighted again alternately, for several times. I then had a mind to try if...
Page 259 - WHOSE delicate hands and noses would have shrunk with horror from my numerous dirty and laborious experiments in kitchens, and wash-houses, where my own labourers complained of being suffocated, and often refused to assist me, until I shamed them by the example of stripping to perform what they thought was too dirty work for them. Animated by the -life and example of Peter the Great, emperor of all the Russias, who performed the most abject labours to teach his ministers and generals how to civilize...
Page 15 - ... scarcely burn at all. It was after a long-continued season of rain that I came to see the place and make some experiments, and found accordingly that a lighted paper though it were waved all over the ditch the water would not take fire. I then hired a person to make a dam in the ditch and fling out the water in order to try whether the steam which arose out of the ditch would then take fire, but found it would not. I still, however, pursued my...

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