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

ie 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 GO 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 the
depth of GO, 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 paraffino dissolved in them. This liquid I
named paraffins oil. In distilling coal at a high tempera-
ture, such as a bright red heat, we pr'bcure a heavy liquid
called coal tar, and a permanent gas—common coal as. In
my process, I get no proper tar, but the greater part of the
illuminating portion of the gas in a liquid state. In fact,
paraffin° oil is the substance that would have become illu-
mining gas had theTimperatttre- Ala the coal
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
against the 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, one gallon of paraffine
oil giving as much light as 231 lb. of sperm candles, or 40
lb. of tallow candles, although a gallon of paraffin° only
weighs al 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 isa considerablequan-
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 iu 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 bo
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. Fehr. 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 paraffins 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. Tho 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.)
Mr. Young illustrated his interesting paper by speci-
mens of the paraffine, paraffine candles, and paraffin oils,
the candles being lighted, and the oils burning in a num-
ber of lamps.

"And then he drew a dial from his poke,
And looking on it with lack lustre eye,
Says very wisely, It is ten o'clock :
Thus we may see,' quoth he, " how the world wags."
SILAXSPEARE.
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.
-.T. 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 com-
pleted. Excepting the Sovereign, the Prince is the only
member of the royal family who has been admitted to the
distinction of the green riband and St. Andrew badge. We
have no doubt this appointment will be regarded with great
satisfaction by the people of Scotland, who will doubtless
recognise the youthful and gallant Prince as a worthy suc-
cessor 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.-Scotsman.
[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 are equally efficacious, but
n of o ses
theo hasr more
e never
printede
r
t
aperient genial
e
they should then be taken rather more sparingly, for every
y
medicine in the form of an aperient requires caution when
btcndwiseclotshvaaeurree disordered,d. fpitfalsk,einnthoacu coghrda gentler
moderate
i
g
in-
structions, they not only cure the complaint, but improve
the whole system.
BREAKFAST BEVERAGE.-Homoeopathic practitioners,
and the medical profession generally, recommend cocoa
as being the most healthful of all beverages. When the doc-
trine of homoeopathy was first introduced into this country
there were to be obt tined no preparations of cocoa either at.
tractive to the taste or acceptable to the stomach ; the nut
was either supplied is the crude state, or so unskilfully
manufactured as to obtain little notice. J. Epps, of London,
Ilorneeopathie Chemist, was induced in the year 190 to turn
his attention to this subject, and at len At la succeeded, with
tie assistance of elaborate machinery, in being the fir it
to produce an article pure in its composition. and so refined
by the perfect trituration it receives in the process it passes
through, 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. Basal', in his "Food and its
Adulterations," says -"Cocoa contains a great variety of im-
portant nutritive principles-every ingredient necessary to
the growth and sustenance of the body." Again: "As a
nutritive, cocoa stands very much higher than either coffee
or tea." Directions-Two teaspoonfuls of the powder in a
breakfast cup, filled up with boiling water or milk. Secured
in tin-lined alb.. ilb., and lib. labelled packets, and sold by
all grocers, confectioners, and chemists.- [lt:orr•]