The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-27 00:00:00

be undertaken sooner or later ; and, if no stroke
of intrigue should be suffered to stop our hand,
our Indian policy may prove a blessing to Europe,
as well as a Godsend to the oppressed millions
of the Oriental world. The Persian Expedition
is but a trifle in itself, but it may lead to great
and marvellous results, Its true moral aims
only require to be freely ventilated to gain for us
the good opinion of Christendom, and turn the
current of political prejudice still stronger against
Russia, than it is at present,—which is an event
not much to be desired by the CZAR in the
civilised world, or by his troops, when opposed
to the easily-aroused fanaticism of our Indian
soldiery and population.

'FIIE anti-smoke nuisance movement is spread-
ing through the manufacturing districts with
great rapidity, and we have reason to believe
that it will be followed by very remarkable econo-
mic results. The attention we have devoted to
the subject may be attributed to the fact that the
most successful attempt at the prevention of
smoke and saving of fuel took place in Liverpool.
Mr. CHARLES WYE WILLIAms, a gentleman
whose name has been associated with the steam
enterprise of the Mersey for more than a genera-
tion, is the father of the agitation which has led
to all that has been done to improve the public
health, and economise the substance of the steam
employer. Those who have come after him, and
brought great mechanical knowledge with them
into the field, have done much in keening the
discussion alive. Amongst these Mr. O'REGAN'S
name occupies a prominent place, and as
his proficiency dates from Liverpool, we have
advocated his invention on its merits. The claim
made by Mr. CHARLES WYE WILLIAMS to
originality—as regards the discovery of the true
chemical principles, and laying down the me-
chanical method to be observed in their applica-
tion—cannot be disputed ; but whether the
inventions which have been founded on Mr.
WILLIAMS'S laborious researches and long and
costly experiments, are innovations on his expired
patents (as he says Mr. REGAN'S are) we cannot
pretend to say. This is a matter for lawyers to

decide.
But both of these inventions date from Liver-
pool. They have between them relieved the
atmosphere of this densely-populated town of
countless millions of cubic feet of poisonous
vapours in the year. Notwitstanding that, their
smoke-prevention furnaces have been but very
partially adopted. Where their arrangements
have been tried, the tall chimney still remains as
the landmark of untiring industry; but it is no
longer the air-polluting pest it was only a very
few months since. The atmosphere in the imme-
diate vicinity of our chemical works, and estab-
lishments where large steam-engines are kept in
constant use, are almost as free from disagreeable
and unwholesome vapours as the streets in many
country villages. Those alone who live in the
large manufacturing towns of the north will know
how to appreciate these glad tidings. Where
health is preserved property will improve, and a
population of a higher order will be found where
none but the poorest classes can be brought to
reside. This will be a great advantage to large
towns, the best portions of which are but too often
avoided by respectable tradesmen as so many
plague spots. The erection of one chimney in
one of the best thoroughfares for shopkeepers has
been known to drive away large numbers of this
class to other places, leaving the neighbourhood
to become a nuisance in its turn. A remedy has
now been found for this once-growing deteriora-
tion in the value of town property. Its advan-
tages do not, however, end here. The economy
of fuel, and increase obtained in the generation
of steam where perfect combustion is secured, are
matters of the greatest national importance. Our
exports of coals go on augmenting in a ratio
which must speedily make a very marked im-
pression on the present range of prices of fuel
and on our coal beds, let them be ever so exten-
sive. It is something, then, to hear that, in
addition to protecting the public health, render-
ing all localities equally healthy, as far as smoke
is concerned, and improving the value of property
in thronged thoroughfares, that a saving of fully
twenty per cent. in fuel is guaranteed to those
who use. the Liverpool smoke-prevention
furnaces.

To extensive steam employers a greater saving
could be offered, and when perfect combustion
can be relied on, fuel will be economised to a
still greater extent; and by this simple and
comparatively inexpensive alteration of the fur-
nace, we shall have something to set off against
the increasing demand for coal abroad, and to
keep the price of fuel at home at a fair level. It
therefore becomes a public duty of paramount
importance towards the manufacturers and steam
employers generally, as well as to the rest of the
community, to enforce obedience to the Act for
the Prevention of Smoke. While there was no
practical remedy for the evils complained of, it
would have been most unjust and improper to
have enforced penalties against smoke ; but now
that we have gentlemen of science like Mr. WIL-
LIAMS volunteering his services, and practical
men ready to d;) all that is required at a trifling
cost, health and property ought not to be longer
sacrificed to gratify empty prejudices and mis-
taken policy. When we first noticed the subject
little progress had been made in the prevention of
the smole nuisance; but now time has given a fair
practical test of what can be done. Liverpool is
comparatively free from smoke, and is working
steam at leas cost than any other town in the

kingdom at an equal distance from the mouth of
a coalpit; and as this can be proved it becomes
the duty of the Government to enforce the law
against a nuisance in which so many public evils
are embodied. The claims of individuals should
not be suffered to stand in the way of the con-
summation of any national good, and should they
throw any legal obstacles in the way of the
general adoption of their inventions, they ought
to be at once inquired into, and the public set
right as to whiell is the best smoke-prevention