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multiplied by the number of working days, gives 168 tons per annum, which valued as before, amounts to

And 60 tons common coal for burning

under the retorts, will amount to

£188.

30

218

140

Deduct 105 tons of coak at 26s. 8d.

Leaving the expenditure in coal, after

deduction of the coak, and without al-
lowance for the tar, at

78

Adding to which the interest and wear and tear of apparatus, as before, the total annual cost will not be more than £650. whilst that of tallow, rated as before, will be £3000.

It will readily occur, that the greater number of hours the gas is burnt, the greater will be its comparative economy; although in extending it beyond three hours, an increase of some parts of the apparatus would be necessary.

If the economical comparison were made with oils, the advantages would be less than with tallow.

The introduction of this species of light into the esta blishment of Messrs. Philips and Lee, has been gradual; beginning in the year 1805, with two rooms of the mill, the counting-houses, and Mr. Lee's dwelling-house. After which, it was extended through the whole manufactory, as expeditiously as the apparatus could be prepared.

At first, some inconvenience was experienced from the smell of the unconsumed, or imperfectly purified gas, which may in a great measure be attributed to the introduction of successive improvements in the construc

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tion of the apparatus, as the work proceeded. But since its completion, and since the persons to whose care it is confided, have become familiar with its management, this inconvenience has been obviated, not only in the mill, but also in Mr. Lee's house, which is most brilliantly illuminated with it, to the exclusion of every other species of artificial light.

The peculiar softness and clearness of this light, with its almost unvarying intensity, have brought it into great favour with the work people. And its being freefrom the inconvenience and danger, resulting from the sparks and frequent snuffing of candles, is a circumstance of material importance, as tending to diminish the hazard of fire, to which cotton mills are known to be much exposed.

The above particulars, it is conceived, contain such information as may tend to illustrate the general advantages attending the use of the gas light; but nevertheless the Royal Society may perhaps not deem it uninteresting to be apprized of the circumstances which originally gave rise in my mind to its application, as an economical substitute for oils and tallow.

pre

It is now nearly sixteen years, since, in a course of experiments I was making at Redruth in Cornwall, upon the quantities and qualities of the gases produced by distillation from different mineral and vegetable substances, I was induced by some observations I had viously made upon the burning of coal, to try the coinbustible 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 with the brilliancy of the light, and the facility of its production, I instituted several experiments

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experiments with a view of ascertaining the cost at which it might be obtained, compared with that of equal quantities of light yielded by oils and tallow.

My apparatus consisted of an iron retort, with tinned copper and iron tubes through which the gas was condueted to a considerable distance; and there, as well as at intermediate points, was burned through apertures of varied forms and dimensions. The experiments were made upon coal of different qualities, which I procured from distant parts of the kingdom, for the purpose of ascertaining which would give the most economical results. The gas was also washed with water, and other means were employed to purify it.

In the year 1798, I removed from Cornwall to Messrs. Boulton, Watt, and Co's works for the manufactory of steam engines at the Soho Foundry, and there I constructed an apparatus upon a larger scale, which during many successive nights was applied to the lighting of their principal building, and various new methods were practised, of washing and purifying the

gas.

These experiments were continued with some interruptions, until the peace of 1802, when a public display of this light was made by me in the illumination of Mr. Boulton's manufactory at Soho, upon that occasion. Since that period, I have, under the sanction of Messrs. Boulton, Watt, and Co. extended the apparatus at Soho Foundry, so as to give light to all the principal shops, where it is in regular use, to the exclusion of other artificial light; but I have preferred giving the results from Messrs. Philips' and Lee's apparatus, bith on account of its greater extent, and the greater uniformity of the lights, which rendered the comparison with candles less difficult.

At

At the time I commenced my experiments, I was certainly unacquainted with the circumstance of the gas from coal having been observed by others to be capable of combustion; but I am since informed, that the current of gas escaping from Lord Dundonald's tar ovens had been frequently fired; and I find that Dr. Clayton, in a paper in volume XLI. of the Transactions of the Royal Society, so long ago as the year 1739, gave an account of some observations and experiments made by him, which clearly manifest his knowledge of the inflammable property of the gas, which he denominates. "the spirit of coals;" but the idea of applying it as an economical substitute for oils and tallow, does not appear to have occurred to this gentleman, and I believe I may, without presuming too much, claim both the first idea of applying, and the first actual application of this gas to economical purposes.

On the Cultivation of the Common Flax, (Linum Usitatissimum of Linné,) as an ornamental Plant in the Flower-Garden. By Mr. JOHN DUNBAR, Gardener to THOMAS FAIRFAX, Esq.

From the TRANSACTIONS of the HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY of LONDON.

THE Horticultural Society will perhaps honour with their attention a short paper, the object of which is to bring into cultivation the common Flar, as an ornament of the Flower-garden, not merely as such, but with a view to the profit it will afford, at least to the servant, if not to the master; and the interest of the former can seldom be promoted in an honest way, without some

benefit

benefit accruing to the latter. This plant when so cultivated, like wax and honey, forms part of the natural riches of a country, and if it could supplant the cumbersome yellow Lupine in our Flower borders, the annual revenue arising from it would amount to several thousand pounds.

If gardening were in its infant state among us, a comé plete treatise on the culture of this plant might be necessary; but as this is not the case, only what is especially material will be noticed, with some directions how to prepare the plant after it is gathered. They are the result of several years experience, and by which a family consisting of five persons has been supplied with all the linen they required.

LINUM USITATISSIMUM.

Common Annual Flax.

L. calycibus capsulisque mucronatis, petalis crenatis, foliis lanceolatis alternis, caule subsolitario. Hall. Helv. n. 836. Linn. Matt. Med. 90.

115. Mill. Dict. n. 1. Scop. Carn. 2.

Gmel. Sib. 4. p.

n. 381. Kniph.

Cent. 9. n. 57. Knorr, del. 2. t. L. 9. Ludw. ect. t. 144. Hoffm. Germ. III. Roth. Germ. I. 139. II. 370.

L. ramis foliisque alternis lineari-lanceolatis, radice annua. Hort. Cliff. 113. Roy. Lugdb. 433. Phil. Bott. 261*.

L. foliis alternis lanceolatis integerrimis, calycibus acuminatis, capsulis mucronatis angulatis. Hort. Ups. 71. L. sylvestre. Matth. 406. sativum plane referens. Baugh, Hist. 3. p. 492.

L. arvense. Baugh. Pin. 214. Ray. Hist. 1073. Neck, Gallob. 159,

B. Linum

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