The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-04-11 00:00:00

A NEW ARTIFICIAL LIGHT.

The following article is from The Times The subject-
matter is well worth attention at this particular period :

Underlying the greater portion of the coast, and it
is believed of the whole county of Dorset, is a rich oil-
bearing shale known as Kimmeridge coal or clay.
Deposits of a similar character are met with in
other parts of England, notably in Norfolk, where
recent Is winlpi have proved the shale to extend down-
wards for at least 600 feet. So far back as 1830 and at
intervals subsequently various attempts have been
made to utilize this shale for the pun.ses of produc-
ing light and heat. In its normal condition it is ap-
plicable to and is even used for both these purposes.
But it carries with it one great drawback which is
fatal to its general use in that state. Burnt in an
open stove, or even in a close stove from which the
pr.slucts of combustion escape into the atmosphere, it
emits a most unbearable and offensive odour. Use,
however, becomes second nature, and thus it happens
that. in several villages in Dorsetshire the poorer classes
. . . .

;1Z -this shale both as a fuel and for giving light. It
is burnt in the ordinary stoves or on the hearths, and
such is the nature of the mineral that heat and light
are produced at one and the same time, the flame of
the fire /wing sufficient for the modest porpose of
cottage illrmination. That the cottagers have to
exist in an atmosphere which, to those unused to it,
is nothing less than an unbearable stench is simply a
fact.

Observing the use to which the Kimmeridge clay
was thus put, it occurred to the Rev. Henry Motile,
to whom society is indebted for one of the most im-
portant sanitary improvements of modern times,—the
earth closet, --that it might be possible to use it as a
fuel and at the same time to get rid of the offensive
smell produced in its ordinary combustion. A series
of experiments commenced some twenty years since,
and made in such spare moments as he could snatch
from the active duties of a large parish, led in course
of time to his attaining the desired end. This only
gave Mr. Mollie a thirst for further discoveries in this
direction, and the conviction that a serviceable gas
could be obtained from the shsle graduaUy forced
itself upon him. A few months since, having thought
out his plans, he set to work to solve the problem.
Disregarding all that had previously been done in the
matter, he started with definite notions as to the
direction in which success would he found to lie. Step
by step he pursued his theory, until from a small
laboratory experiment with a few ounces of material
he reached the first stage of practice. This was the
erection of apparatus of sufficient capacity to demon-
strate the fact that a good useful gas could be produced
from the hitherto neglected and comparatively worth-
less Kimmeridge clay._
. .
"

-
The manner in which the gas is produced by Mr.
Moule is exceedingly simple, and the apparatus by
which it is at present generated is no lens so. But,
notwithstanding the crudeness of the manufacture, a
clear, soft light is obtained, not of the highest order
of illuminating power, it is true, but certainly no whit
inferior to some coal gas we have seen produced from
ordinary working on a large scale. 'Die new ~as is
produced by the destructive distillation of the shale,
the gaseous products being submitted to purification
before use. In this latter process, as also at other
stages of the manufacture, chalk is used. In fact, to
the peculiar qualities of this mineral the success of
Mr. I%loule's invention is mainly due. The gas itself,
although not odourless, is by no means so pungent nor
so unpleasant to the olfactory nerves as coal gas. At
the same time it gives sufficient indication of its
presence by smell to warn against accident in the case
of an escape under all ordinary conditions. During
combustion no odour is perceptible, and so far as can
at present he ascertained the products of combustion
contain no noxious gases. Besides the gas, a pungent
oil is produced, which Mr. Moyle believes can be ren-
dered comparatively odourless, and may with advantage
be applied to various purposes.
. . . . . .

' Having pushed the investigation to the point at
which it stands at the present time, or, in other words,
having demonstrated that a useful gas can be economi-
cally produced from the Kimmeridge clay, Mr. Monica
intention was to give his invention to the world in
order that those directly interested in the production
of artificial light, and through them the public, should
have the benefit of it. Having, however, submitted
the process of manufacture to some scientific friends,
they strongly advised its inventor against such a
course. Under these circumstances, we are asked to
withhold a description of the apparatus used in the
production of this gas, but which was courteously
shown by Mr. Monte to our representative on a recent
visit to Dorchester. There, in a small blacksmith's
shop, in a by-street of the town, is an ordinary gas-
burner, furnishing a light which, considering its crude
origin, compares well with a jet of ordinary coal gas
near it. To trace the new gas to its source, the visitor
descends a rough flight of steps formed in the earth
and leading to a small apartment under the smithy,
more or less subterranean in its character. There he
sees a furnace with sundry pipes leading from it to
various vessels, the whole group being ultimately con-
nected with a gasholder. The primitive character of
the arrangement may be inferred from the fact that
the final receiver or gasholder is simply an iron bucket
inverted in a tub of water. The pressure is obtained
by scraps of iron placed on the bucket, while, to pre-
vent hack pressure, a man has to retain his hold of a
weighted ciird attached to the bottom of the bucket so
Ith to equalize the pressure in the inlet as well as in the
mtlet pipes. If, then, such results as have been de-
scribed are clearly *hewn to ha attainable from such
crude apparatus, it is not too much to expect that,
other things tieing equal, a sound mechanical arrange-
ment will be found to develop the invention into a
practical success. It is not alone to the production of
gas for illuminating purposes that Mr. Moule proposes
to apply the principles of his discovery. He also
purposes to utilize the heat-giving properties of shall
and chalk for heating both by means of gas and in a
direct manner, hit plans haying been matured in this
reqiset.

Before quitting the preset subject, it may be RA
well to indicate what Mr. Motile has been able to effect
in the way f economizing fuel by the all IS chalk.
That the application f chalk as fuel has been at-
tended with satisfactory results Mr. Motile has proved
by figures. In his parish church he has under the
tower a furnace measuring 14 inches wide, 22 inches
long, and 16 inches deep, from which a flue of peculiar
construction is carried under the central aisle to the
chanccl, terminating In a pipe outside the edifice.
With this arraageuxent for heath-4g, the cost of fuel
during the winter 1871-2, with scrvides two days in the
week, was £3 19s. 6d., common coal being used. With
a judicious intermixture f chalk, and notwithstanding
that the cost of coal had become exactly doubled, the
fuel bill for the winter of 1872-3 was only £3 158.,
showing that an economy of 50 per cent, had been
effected , Another fact is that ordinarily the furnace
does not now burn itself out under about thirty hours,
while on a recent occasion it was found still mean.

descent eixty-six hours after lighting. The fire was
not touched after the first f ur or live hours.

In eonneotion with the above subject, 7'he Tsmes has
also published the following letter
• '

Sir,—lt is always is pleasure to bear testtmoty to indomit-
able energy and practical resource, and the sucoesa of the
Rev Henry Moth t in carrying out and at last, making popular
his great sanitary innovation has been equally deserved and
appreciated The same energy thrown into his experiments
upon Kimmeridge clay has, no doubt, fairly led to sanguine
expectations, which, from ycur account of Thursday last,
create considerable public Lserest I fear, however, that
disappointments may arise from causes scarcely apparent
until the experiments are worked upon a full commercial
scale.

,
The stratification of Kimmeridge clay. an shown on the
sea cliff nearest to the village of Kinimeridge, consists of
thin shale, rock, "short-joint coal," nine other seams of
shale, cement rock, and dirt then coal, rock, and coal. Of
these the seams of shale are very thin, and so poor in heat.
giving and illuminating constituents an to be almost worth
less but they are easily worked, breaking up readily under
the pick. Their best averages of volatile matters and carbon
barely reach 19 per cent. each, and the ash forms no leas than
60 per cent, of the whole. The short-joint coal '' is from
gin, to Our. In thickness, and barely pays to uncover, while
the two lower strata of coal, together with the intermediate
rock, form seams Vt. in the aggregate but these require to
be blasted out, The analysts of this coal shows 50 i) per cent.
of volatile matter, 106 of carbon, and SI b of ash_
According. to Mr H. W. Bristow, 11,5001 t. of 20-candle gas
can be produced out of a tun of Kinirneridge mineral but.
I must observe, ills of the most sulphurous and abominable
odour. Good coal, such as Boghead, with which Kimmerldge
has been compared. yields 16,4861 t of 52-candle gas, leaving
228 per cent of ash—a quantity sufficient to render the coke
of very little value, and Lesamahago gives 11,661 ft of 44 12
candle gas, with only 6'58 of ash In the coke.

From this comparison it will be seen that Kimmeridge clay
hardly contains elements of much promise, and the results of
working it by many successive private proprietors and com-
panies at Wareham abundantly prove ex nihilo nihil fit.
The attempts to utilize this mineral have not failed for want
of perseverance, as from 1847 to 1864 one owner became
Insane from loss and anxiety, a French company sank
£20,000 iii continuing the effort, and another management
lost half as much before it was abandoned.

Su much for Kimmeridge clay now as to chalk, either in
the retort or as a purifier. There is certainly nothing new
In making such an application: in fact, for many years past,
patents for these purposes have been frequently taken out
by fresh aspirants, all apparentl7 in the dark about the
many previous failures. Mr Mont a experiments have been
Made with old and abandoned materials. and It is of hut
little use to mention Kimmeridge clay and chalk unless we
are informed wherein consists the novelty of the proposed
process. If his endeavours have been actually crowned with
success, that success must be due to the mode of working,
and when that is clearly explained. and not before, we shall
be able to form some estimate of its prospects.

My object Is not to deny Mr. 11;urs'enterprise ; on the
contrary, I shall heartily welcome any proofs of his attaining
his very desirable object, and I. for one, do not believe that
pointing out inherent, but not, perhaps, insuperable, diffl•
cultlea, will tend to frustrate any sound, bond-fide scheme. -
I am, faithfully puma, B. C. BARTLETT.
7, Routh-sou:lre, Gray's-inn, London, April 6.