The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-08 00:00:00

St. Of
St. 1101

GAS FROM PEAT.

In th© chemical section of the British Association
at Dublin, Mr. R. L. Johnson read a paper on
" Peat Gas," of which the subjoined is an abstract:
It is now about half a century since a Parliamen-
tary commission, appointed to report on Irish peat,
named the town of Sligo and the Hill of Howth, as
two extreme points of a straight line, and Galway
and Wicklow Head as two extreme points of ano-
ther straight line, between which two right lines
lay 6-7ths of all the peat in Ireland, the remaining
1-7th being distributed through counties on either
side of these lines. The extent of peat in Ireland is
little short of the enormous quantity of 30 million
acres, or 1-7th of the superficial area of the country,
varying in depth from one to 40, and sometimes 50
end 60 feet. The valley of the Lough Neah, from
Ban to Ban, is filled with peat ; Cavan has no fewer
.han 90 peatlets, or small bogs. There are peatlets,
too, in Fermanagh and Donegal, and turning south-
ward we find that the old Kingdom of Kerry con-
tained little less than 150,000 acres of peat surface.
One patch in the jutland of Clare covers 20,000
acres. Tipperary may boast of several thodsand
acres, and the peat of Desmond extends over an
area of more than 400,000 acres. Mr. Johnson
then read statistics prepared by Mr. O'Grady, which
went to show the relative value of peat and coal at
the several poor-law union workhouses of Ireland,
and continued—A substance so very abundant
in Ireland, and so distributed throughout Europe
should demand consideration, especially as it is re-
garded in Ireland as a stain on the country—a
mourning wax bearing the impress of a frowning
Providence. I confidently trust, therefore, that a
recountment of my experience tending to show the
possibilty of peat being capable of affording suffi-
cient "light ' for scieni::.fic investigation may prove
interesting to the section. In making laboratory.
experiments I was induced to try the effect of de-
structive distillation on peat. This I did by placing
a quantity of pulverised peat in an ordinary flask,
luting it tightly, and then subjecting the flask to
the calorific action of an ignited spirit lamp, the
result was simply lacrimosus fumus. I next did
as on the former occasion, and having increased
the calorific action of the flask, obtained as the re-
sult impure hydrogen gas. next got a piece of
piping, about fifteen inched' in length and eight
inches in diameter, stopped off one end of it, fixed
a moveable stopper to the other end, heated it to
redness, and filled in about two-thirds with peat.
From this arrangement was yielded a large quan-
tity of gas, principally hydrogen, some )iquor, and
tars, and oils, which I shall for shortness designate
oleaginous matter. I repeated the last experiment.
and then determined on measuring the quantity of
gas ; the result surprised me. I found that for
every pound weight of peat distilled, there was
yielded in gag from 3i to 4i cubic feet ; also a
quantity of this liquor and oleaginous matter,
and from 25 to 45 per cent. of a residue in the
distilling vessel. This residue, I need not say, was
charcoal. I now determined on getting up a little
distilling apparatus complete, and in my own fa-
shion. My distilling vessel, or retort, was of iron,
15 inches long and 3 diameter. My receivers for
oleaginous matter, condensable matter, and impu-
rities, were tin boxes, 10 inches by 6 inches. Tho
pipes I connected them by were three-quarter and
half-inch bore. My holder for gas was capable of
containing one cubic foot of gas. My object was to
ascertain if an illuminating gas could possibly be
obtained from peat. This little "sity gas works,"
which altogether occupied a space of four feet by
two feet, operated very perfectly in producing a
gas wanting luminity. I got oleaginous matter,
liquor, and charcoal, but no illuminating gas. It
is quite unnecessary for nie to enter into a de-
tailed account of my experiments with this little
apparatus, of my many little difficulties—difficul-
ties which I presume every experimentalist may
well imagine, and of the great length of time it was
before I had much prospect of perfect success. It
is sufficient for me to say that I succeeded in ob-
taining a highly luminous gas from common peat,
and that works for its production are erected- in
two distinct portions of this kingdom. Mr. Cas-
sidy, who has used peat since March last, writes
to say that " from what I have seen it fully an-
swers my expectations. The gas is good, and the
quantity of fuel used appears small." Mr. Wilson,
of Westmeath, says, " the gas supplied from it (peat)
is superior to coal gas. The process is very simple
and much cheaper than coal. I look' upon Mr.
Johnson's invention as a very important one for
Ireland." In the former place there has been gene-
rated over 430 cubic feet of gas from sixpence-half-
penny worth of peat, and a residue of charcoal left
30 feet of the peat distilled. In the latter place a
fact come under my observation worthy the atten-
tion of the section ; it is this—that a distilling ves-
sel 5 feet 8 inches long, and weighing 15 cwt.
24 lbs., has been heated to redness in 31 hours by
2 cwt. of peat. This fact has surprised many per-
sons who have paid attention to the comparative
calorific powers of both peat and coals. I stated
that Littu.nantiati in producing a brilliant gas from
peat ; it remains for me to state the mode by which
I obtained that desirable result. I believe the ex-
perimentalist who is not an observer seldom suc-
ceeds. I believe it is by looking at visible things,
touching tangible things, computing measurable
things, and by making legitimate use of all things
which the glorious field of nature places within the
reach of sensible aservation, that generally in-
sures success to the experimentalist. From obser-
vation I became impressed with the idea that if I
could possibly decompose the oleaginous matter
which the peat gave off previous to its leaving the
distillery vessel, and combined it with the crude
gos, a good illuminating gas would be the re-
sult. I was also of opinion that could I expel
or decompose the aqueous vapour of common peat,
previous to its injurious action on the gas,
I certainly should benefit it. I attempted to
do those things and succeeded, and the result
was a very brilliant illuminating gas, and it is a
modification of my first arrangement for the double
decomposition of the constituents of peat that I
employ, and that I think only possible to be em-
ployed, in economically producing illuminating gas
from common peat. Here he entered into a. de-
tailed description of the mode by which the gas
may ba produced (which served to excite much in-
terest in the section) and continued—And if from
one sod of peat, weighing 16 on, an hour's light.,
equal to many sperm or wax candles, may be ob-
tamed, and which I have obtained, and that the
sum total of the cost of this light fcr 300 hours be
not more than 25., as deciared by my friend Mr.
Cassidy, surely the section will bear with me when
I reiterate the language of an eminent chemist,
that " Our bogs may become, under the influence
of an enlightened energy, sources of wealth and
industry, eminently productive."

GREAT COURSING MEETING.—A great coursing
match, extending over three days (says the Carlisle
Patriot) is to come off at Brougham and Whinfell early
in the ensuing month. It is intended to match the dogs
of England and Ireland against those of Scotland, and
perhaps a better field for competition could not be
selected. The family at Broughain Hall are taking great
interest in the matter. The stewards are to be Lord
Bective, Mr. W. Sharp (Hoddam Castle), Mr. A.
Graham (Limekilne), Capt-in Spencer, Mr. John
Hutchinson, and Mr. William Brougham.
THE "LONDON Jornmer.."—The sale of the London
Journal, the penny weekly rriodical, has not been com-
pleted. The purchasers have inioked the aid of the
Court of Chancery to compel the proprietor to hand the
property over to them, but he demands that the annuity
of 7501. per annum, which he was to receive in addition
to the purchele money of 20,0001,
shall be first of all
secured to him by a charge on the copyright of the
publication. This the purchasers demur to, and hence
the appeal to the Vice-Chancellor in his rural retire-
ment.
COM3IISSARIAT INQUIRY.—A few weeks since, as
stated by us at the time, a court of inquiry was held at
the Commissariat Office, Portsmouth, touching a or
p -
le'nt made by the sub-oonteactor, Mr. James Danni-
oof Mile End Mille, Poitsea. of unjust treatment
towardsen by the Government in having sus' ended him as
sub-contractor, on the ground that he had supplied the
troops with bread made of flour of an inferior quality.
Mr. Dennison, in defence, asserted that the bread had
been rejected by the commissary subordinates because
he would not gave them consideration money. The
evidence wa3 forvrardci to the War Office, and after
due consideration the result has been made known
to the parties. interested as follows :—"The court
are of opin.on that, although the bread exhibited an
excess of moisture, yet it was free from any substance
of an adulterating nature (the loaf in question bad been
kept in the s' ores of the South Western Railway for
upwards of a week, in the month of December, 1856) ;
and the court felt bound to declare that Mr. Dennison
had done justice to the troops as well as to Mr. Gillett ;
' and that at times he (Mr. Dennison) had purchased flour
and wheat whereof to make the bread superior to the
terms of the contract ; and although some of the boards
had thought fit to condemn some of the loaves supplied
which may have been underbaked, yet when the court
take into consideration that only 4,000 loaves were so
rejected out of 4,000,000 supplied to the troops during
the six months of Mr .Dennison's contract, they did
consider that Mr. Dennison had faithfully and honour-
ably performed his engagement with the Government.
With reference to the charges against the subordinates of
accepting bribes,' the court could not consider those
charges proved, the evidence being of a very conflicting
character."
Tho first division of the sth Dragoons have com-
menced their march from Hamilton, Lanarkshire,
for Carlisle, which they will reach. to-morrow
(Tuesday.) The second division of the s uno regi-
ment left Piershill barracks, Edinburgh, and will
reach Carlisle on Wednesday, being four days'
marches of about 25 miles each. The head-quar-
ters and main body of the regiment await marchinc,
orders at Piershill. The first division of the 16th
Lancers were expected at Hamilton bars
racks on Saturday from Belfast. The re:3t of the
regimout will proovea from Bolfmt to Poir4iill,