Transcriber’s notes
Italics in the original work are transcribed between _underscores_;
small-capitals have been transcribed as all capitals.
More transcriber’s notes and a list of corrections made may be found at
the end of this text.
[Illustration: FIG. 1]
A
PRACTICAL TREATISE
ON
GAS-LIGHT;
EXHIBITING
A SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
OF THE
APPARATUS AND MACHINERY
BEST CALCULATED FOR
ILLUMINATING
STREETS, HOUSES, AND MANUFACTORIES,
WITH
CARBURETTED HYDROGEN, OR COAL-GAS,
WITH REMARKS
ON THE
UTILITY, SAFETY, AND GENERAL NATURE OF THIS NEW BRANCH
OF CIVIL ECONOMY.
BY FREDRICK ACCUM,
_OPERATIVE CHEMIST_,
LECTURER ON PRACTICAL CHEMISTRY, ON MINERALOGY, AND ON CHEMISTRY
APPLIED TO THE ARTS AND MANUFACTURES; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL
IRISH ACADEMY, FELLOW OF THE LINNÆN SOCIETY, MEMBER
OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF BERLIN, &c. &c.
WITH SEVEN COLOURED PLATES.
London:
PRINTED BY G. HAYDEN, BRYDGES-STREET, COVENT GARDEN;
FOR R. ACKERMANN, 101, STRAND;
_LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN; AND SHERWOOD, NEELY, AND
JONES, PATERNOSTER ROW; AND J. HATCHARD, PICCADILLY_.
_Price--Twelve Shillings in Boards._
1815.
EX FUMO DARE LUCEM.
HOR.
PREFACE.
_11, Compton Street Soho._
The following pages are intended to exhibit a summary view of the new
art of procuring light, by means of carburetted hydrogen gas obtained
from pit-coal, and which of late has been employed with unparalelled
success, as a substitute for candles and lamps, and is known by the name
of GAS-LIGHT.
To accomplish this object, I have given, in the first part of this
Essay, a concise and popular view of the chemical theory and production
of artificial light--I have explained the action of candles and lamps--I
have shown the methods of measuring the comparative illuminating power
of artificial light of different kinds, so as to appreciate their
economical value--I have stated the proportions of combustible materials
requisite for producing a light of a certain strength; with such other
preliminary facts and observations as were deemed necessary to enable
the reader to understand fully the nature of the new art of
illumination, which it is the object of this Essay to describe.
These positions are followed by a chemical view of the general nature
and composition of coal--the chemical changes which this substance
suffers, when employed in the production of gas-light--the different
products it furnishes--the modes of obtaining them--their properties and
applications in the various arts of life.
I have given a description of the apparatus and machinery by means of
which the coal-gas is prepared, and the methods employed for
distributing and applying it as a substitute for candles and lamps to
illuminate houses, streets and manufactories;--I have furnished the data
for calculating the expense that must attend the application of this
species of light under different circumstances, so as to determine the
relative cost or value of gas-lights, when compared with the lights now
in use--together with such other practical directions and facts as will
enable the reader to form a proper estimate of the gas-light
illumination, and to put this art into practice.
I have stated the leading objects of public and private utility to which
the new system of lighting may be successfully applied, candidly
pointing out those in which it cannot be made use of to advantage.
I have detailed the most obvious effects which the discovery of lighting
with coal-gas must inevitably produce upon the arts and upon domestic
economy; its primary advantages--its views--its limits, and the
resources it presents to industry and public economy. I have endeavoured
to show how far its application is safe, and in what respect it is
entitled to public approbation and national encouragement.
It may not be improper, before concluding, to inform the reader, that my
qualifications for the task I have undertaken are founded upon many
years experience, during which time, I possessed peculiar opportunities
to witness and verify the most extended series of operations that ever
have been made for the purpose of ascertaining the practicability,
safety, and general nature of the art of applying coal-gas as a
substitute for tallow and oil; and which have, as it were, fixed the
fate of this art. The numerous experiments I instituted, upon a large
scale, by desire of the Gas-Light Company, for the purpose of adducing
them in my evidence before the House of Commons, and House of Lords, on
a former occasion, have enabled me to collect such information as could
not have been obtained by other means. The substance of these results
(which are printed by order of Government,) are incorporated in this
Treatise, together with such other facts and observations as have
presented themselves in the routine of my profession elsewhere.
To generalize the results of my observations, and to make them
practically useful to the public, is the aim of the present publication,
and I need scarcely add, that their suffrages to the zeal and industry,
at least, with which I have endeavoured to attain my object, will be a
source of infinite satisfaction.
FREDRICK ACCUM
Contents.
INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATION. Page 1.
Progress of the arts.--Influence of it upon the morals and condition
of man.--Beneficial tendency of chemical and mechanical improvements.
--State of pre-eminence of people with regard to civilization.--How to
be estimated.--Flourishing state of those nations which have shown the
greatest activity in cultivating the useful arts, and establishing
useful enterprises.--General observations on this subject.--Extra-
ordinary discoveries of modern times.--New art of procuring light.--
Object of the treatise.
PART I.
PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT, &c. 8.
Production of the flame generated during the combustion of certain
bodies.--Characters of flame when perfect.--Most luminous flame, how
produced with the least consumption of combustible matter.--Conditions
necessary for that purpose.--Importance of this subject, with regard
to the production and supply of artificial light.--The flame of bodies
may be tinged.--Blue flame, red flame, green flame, &c.--Opinion
concerning the origin of light emitted by bodies burning with flame.--
Philosophy of the subject.--Theory of the action of the instruments of
illumination.--Rude method of procuring light employed in some
countries.--Chemical action of candles, and lamps.--Agency of the
tallow, oil, &c.--Office of the wick.--Reason why tallow candles
require snuffing, and wax candles snuff themselves--Further
observations on the subject.
METHOD OF ASCERTAINING THE ILLUMINATING POWER OF CANDLES, LAMPS, AND
OTHER LUMINOUS BODIES. 22.
Optical principle assumed as law for determining the relative strength
of lights of different kinds.--Admeasurement of the intensities of
light.--Quantity of wax, tallow, oil, &c. requisite for producing a
light of a certain strength.--Method of increasing the light of tallow
candles, and to obviate the necessity of snuffing them.--A tallow
candle placed in an inclined position gives more light than when
placed perpendicularly and snuffed with an instrument.--Explanation of
the fact.--Further observations on this subject.--Comparative cost of
the light obtained by burning tallow candles of different sorts and
sizes.