The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-16 00:00:00

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that and the neighbouring districts. And according to the
report in the American Cyclopedia, 74—1 understand the
best 74—were producing daily 1,165 barrels, each barrel
holding about 32 English gallons, making the large ount
of 37,280 gallons a day. The chief town in this district is
Titusville, and when we got there we could see there was
something very strange going on. Nothing was heard of
but oil, the very children were making erections by the
roadside and playing at boring for oil. Although at this
time the whole out-put of the district was, as far as I could
make out, under 60 casks a day. I may mention that this
district is really in the backwoods. The day I left Titus-
ville I drove along many miles of what was called a road,
which was nothing more than the trees cut down and rolled
to one side. The wells vary greatly—some give oil at tho
depth of 60, others are over 500 feet. The oil boring is
like other mining operations, not certain of success. Two
bores may be near each other, the one giving oil, the other
none. Salt water commonly comes up with the oil ; it is
separated by standing in vessels, the oil floating on the top
of the watrr, and the water being drawn off from below.
Sometimes when oil is struck it comes rushing out with
' great violence, as if it was thrown up by compressed gas.
In ono well near Tideoute, it is said that a workman was
knocked over by the jet of oil, which was thrown through
the derrick and into the tree around ; and in one case the
whole matter caught fire, producing very serious conse-
quences. Other parts of America have produced oil, such
as Ohio, Western Virginia. A considerable quantity has
been found in Canada, and from the excitable nature of the
business, and the success that has attended it, we may rest
assured that our American friends will look carefully after
it. The exports were—for 1861, 1,112,470 gallons ; for
1862, 10,887,000 ; for 1863, 28,000,000. The total product
for 1863 is estimated at 80,000,000 gallons. During the
time my' petroleum work was going on, I started an
investigation with the prospect of procuring petroleum,
or a substance equivalent to it, from coal ; and after some
time succeeded. The process which I discovered
is exceedingly simple, and consists in the distillation of
coal, at the lowest temperature, at which it can be decom-
posed. By this process we obtain a mixture of several
liquids with paraffins dissolved in them. This liquid I
named paraffin° oil. In distilling coal at a high tempera-
ture, such as a bright red heat, we procure a heavy liquid
called coal tar, and a permanent gas--conamon coal gas. In
my process, Isget no proper tar, but the greater part of the
illuminating portion of the gas in a liquid state. In fact,
paraffine oil is the substance that would have become illu-
minating gas had the temperature to which the coal was
subjected been a bright red heat. With regard to lamps,
the earliest lamp that I am acquainted with for the burning
of hydro-carbon oils, and which performs that duty well
is the lamp patented by a Mr. Young, which he named the
camphine lamp, and was used to burn purified oil of tur-
pentine, under the name of camphine. This lamp was pro-
duced in the argand and flat wick form; and the lamps
still in use are but modifications of this lamp. The flat wick
gives from 20 to 30 per cent. more light from the same
quantity of oil than the argand round wick. The great
thing to be accomplished is to throw a current of air
againstthe flame, so that the oil may b 3 completely burned.
With regard to light-giving qualities, this parffine oil is
by far the best substance yet known, onegallon of paraffins
oil giving as much light as 23 lb. of sperm candles, or 40
lb. of tallow candles, although a gallon of paraffin° only
weighs st lb. The difference of light-giving power seems
great, but chemistry can explain this matter so far. In
animal or vegetable oils or fats, there is a considerable quan-
tity of oxygen. This is equivalent to so much of the sub-
stance being already burned, as it is already combined with
oxygen. Now, if we consider that the oxygen in the sub-
stance is combined with the hydrogen, we have water to
evaporate, keeping down the temperature of the flame; and
as it is understood that a light-giving flame is particles of
carbon heated to a high temperature, it is evident thatany-
thing, such as water, reduces the temperature of the flame,
must reduce the intensity of the light. On the other hand,
if we consider the oxygen to be combined with the carbon,
the product is carbonic acid. This substance, as is well
known, when mixed with gas, reduces greatly its illumi-
nating power. That paraffin candles do not give the light
that oil does seems impossible. A good deal has been said
in the public prints about the hydro-carbon oil, and this is
a subject deserving the greatest attention. The whole
matter seems to me to be very, simple. Oils that give off
vapours at low temperatures should not be used for burn-
ing in ordinary lamps. If they were so, accidents, if they
can be called accidents, must certainly be the consequence;
no oil should be sold for common use that give off an ex-
plosive vapour under a temperature of 130 deg. Fahr. This
has, been my rule, and the result is that in all my 15 or 16
years' experience, no one, as far as I know, has been in-
jured by an explosion of my oil. In several cases dange-
rous oils have been used under the name of "Young's Pa-
tent Paraffins Oil," which occasioned accidents, and led to
investigation, but in each case the investigation showed
that other explosive compounds, and not Young's oil, was
the cause. The other day a fatal accident occurred. In
this case the inquest was held before we knew anything
about it, so we had no one there to look after the matter,
and cannot tell whether the oil was ours or not. But from
what I see from the newspapers, it was proved at the in-
quest that the woman had the lamp at the fire, inside or
on the fender, and how the thing occurred seems not to be
known, as no one but herself was in the room, and no noise
or explosion was heard. An act was passed two years ago
to prevent the storing of more than 40 gallons of petro-
leum, or any product thereof that gave off explosive vapours
under a temperature of 100 deg. Fahr. This act is a dead
letter. It is well known that shiploads of such petroleum
are continually in our best harbours, and it is being sent
over the country in all directions and sold without com-
punction. I now propose that coals should be distilled
at a low temperature, and that the gaseous products
Should be supplied at a very cheap rate for giving light
and heat, and supplying gas engines, and that the coke
should be used, as 'it is now, for making smokeless
fires, and that the paraffins oil be used for the fuel of
steamships—being liquid, it can be stored into out-of-the
way places, where nothing else can be put, and pumped
into the fire-place by the engine. By this means, the
whole staff of coal-trimmers, firemen, and their accommo-
dation on board the ship would be saved, and the space
occupied by the coal made available for cabins or cargo.
(Applause.) A steamship in crossing the Atlantic con-
sumes 1,600 tons of coal in a ten days' voyage. The Ad-
miralty allowance for a ton of coal was 48 cubic feet ; and
a ton of paraffin° oil would go as far as a ton and a-half of
coal, and would only occupy 36 cubic feet, as against the 72
cubic feet required for a ton and a-half of coal. .The fire
would be regulated by merely turning a tap. I need not
enlarge hero on the immense advantage it would be to our
cities to have smokeless fires, nor need I insist on th ,
convenience of having a cheap light and a cheap heat
for cooking purposes, and a cheap power by means of
the gas-engine always at hand, and consuming nothing
when not in use, and which can instantly be put into
full operation, exciting more or less power as required,
by merely turning a handle ; and as there is no boiler
to burst, that danger would be done away with.
(Applause.)
a
Mr. Young illustratedit hininseincatensel/2ting and paperparaffi
bynesplcs,i-
mens of the paraffine, pthe candles being lighted, and the oils burning in a num-
ber of lamps.

"And then ho drew a dial from his poke,
And looking on it with lack lustre eye,
Says very wisely, ' It is ton o'clock :
Thus we may see,' quoth he, "11.0 W the world wags.' "
SHAKSPEARE.
Benson's Pocket Dials are artistic, accurate time
markers, made in every size, suitable for everybody, and
are sent to every part of the kingdom, safe by post, at 5,6,
7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,
24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 guineas in
gold cases ; and at 2,3, 4,5, 6,7, 8,9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 guineas in silver
cases. A descriptive pamphlet post free for two stamps.
W. Benson, Ludgate-hill, watch and clock maker to
H.R.H. the Prince of Wales.
PRINCE ALFRED A SCOTTISH KNIGHT.-Her
Majesty having been pleased to create Prince Alfred an
extra Knight of the Most Ancient Order of the Thistle,
the recognitions of his royal highness have now been cora-
pleted. Excepting the Sovereign, the Prince is the only
who has been admitted to the
s distinctionf of he
the royal ygal fareenmriilbyand and St. Andrew badge. We
have nodoubt this appointment will be regarded with great
f
satisfaction by the people of Scotland, who will doubtless
recognise the youthful and gallant Prince as a worthy sue-
COSSOT to the late Prince Consort in the roll of Scottish
chivalry. It may also be recognised as an addition to the
many tokens of warm affection which her Majesty has ever
shown for the northern kingdom.-Seetsman.
[ADVERTISEMENT.] - Holloway's Pills.-Liver Com-
plaints and Disorders of the Bowels.-It is impossible to
exaggerate the extraordinary virtues of this medicine in
the treatment of all affections of the liver or irregularities
of the bowels. In cases of depraved or superabundant
bile, these pills, taken freely, have • never been known to
fail. In bowel complaints they aro equally efficacious, but
they should then be taken rather more sparingly, for every
medicine in the form of an aperient requires caution when
the bowels are disordered, though a gentler or more genial
aperient than these pills, in moderate doses h
been discovered. If taken a, as never yet
ccor (1* ing to the printed in-
structions, they not only cure the complaint, but improve
the whole system.

BREAKFAST BEY
RA.C/E.—nomoyipathic practitioners,
and the medical profession
trine of homceopathy generally, recommend cocci
as being the most healthful of all beverages. When the doe-
was first introduced into this country
there were t be obt fined no Ireparations of cocoa either at-
tractive to the taste or acceptable to the stomach ; the nut
1143 either supplied in the crude state, or so unskilfully
manufactured as to obtain little notice. J. Epps, of London,
Homocopatbie Chemist, was induced in the year Mit to turn
his atfention to this subject, and at length succeeded, with
the assistance of elaborate machinery, in being the first
to produce an article ein its composition. and so refined
by the perfect tiituration it receives in the processit passes
thro•fgh, as to be most acceptable to the delicate stomach.
For general use Epps's Cocoa is distinguished as an invigo-
rating, grateful breakfast beverage, possessing a Most deli-
cious aroma. Dr. "Jesse'', in his work, "Food and its
Adulteratio s," says -" Cocoa contains a great Variety of .)im-
portant nutritive princiPles—every ingredient necessary to
the growth and sustenance of the body." &gain; "As a
nutritive, cocoa stands very much higher thin either coffee
or tea." Direztions—Two teaspoonfuls of the powder in a
• breakfast cup, filled up with boiling water or milk. Secured
in tin-lined alb., ilb., and 11b. labelled packets, and sold by
all grood-9, ‘onleotionere, and chemists. -[Rom]