New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-09-30
NEW INVENTIONS.

wooD GAs.-In 1881 Professors Pettenkoier and
Rutland of Bavaria invented and patented process
for the manufacture of illamlnatve gas from wood.
Since that time the new gas has been introduced and
brought into general use in the cities of 8sse, um.
Darmstsdt, Cobourg, Baireuth. Atenburg, and
Heilbronn. Mr. Emil Breisech, Chemist, OF Bavaria,
has recently introduced the process into the Ucted
States and has demonstrated It's utility and practical
bily by extensive and successful experiments at the
Gas Works in Philadelphia and also at the Manhattan
Gas Works in this City. The process is exceedingly
simple, differing from the method employed in the
manufacture of coal gas only in the means used for
the dsintegraon of the gas from the other properties
of the yspor evolved from the wood the former
being achieved within the retort at slight increase
of temperature; the latter passing from the resot
into long shallow chamber above, where becomes
more heated, and passing thence into similar but
sbalower and wider chamber beneath the retcrt,
where It's heat becomes still more intense. From this
chamber IL is conducted through large tube into
hydraulic main, where, bong cooled, II leaves
much Of its tar aud pyrogenous acid behind, and
passes through another tube into vessel through
which fresh water is constantly flowing, where il Is
cleanstd still further and thence through long tube
into the purifier There, by being brought into con-
tact with lime the gas is freed from its remaining
tar acid vapor and other non-uminous properties,
and is forced into the gasometer, ready for use.
By this process a single retort produces from 5000
to 1000 cubic feet Of gas per "a hours, at an expend
ture of no more fuel than is required for the same
time in the production Of coal gas, while tho product
of the latter is only 5000 cubic feet. This new gas
burns freely, with q clear, sharp, steady dame.
brighter than coal gas and produces but little any
SCOT. It's smell resembles ether, old and mellow
cider is BY no means unpleasant, and possesses not
particle of affinity TO that Of coal gas. With gas
from coal il readily a.simiaes and is said to improve
the light Of the latter.
That il Will ever come uto general use in cities OF
any magnitude is unlikely, owing to the greater bulk
of wood compared with coal, and the difficulty at
terdng the getting of such quantities would be re-
ouir,d TO supply city like New-York with Light
though as an accessory il would be valuablei but for
country towns where wood may be had almost foe
the asking. this invention must prove valuable.
The heating process chars bat does not consusne
the wood. leaving an excellent article Of charcoal,
while the tar Is worth more than double that which
is obtained from coal and tho pyrOligneous acid Is
for many purposes in itself Of great value
EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIMENTS WITH IHE ELEc-
TRIO TELEGRAPH.-SOme experiments have Within
the post fortnight been made at Portsmouth with re-
this science, OF n most linpOrhnt hnA
able character and which would appear to open up
and promise to lead to further triumPhs in electricity
canal In Importance TO any that have already been
achieved Tho experiments in question were for the
purpose of ascertainiDg the possibility OF sending
electric telegraph communications across Dohy of
water without the ard of electric wires. The space
selected for the experiment was tho Mildam "a piece
Of water forming portion of the fortications, ut
its widest part where il is something near 500 feet
across The operating battery placed on ono side
Of the DAM aud the corresponding dial on the other
side An electric wire from each was submerged
on their respective sides Of the .er and terminating
in plate constructed for the purpose, and several
me Stages were accurately conveyed across the entire
width of the mill dam, with accuracy and instanta
necus rspidity The apparatus employed in the ex-
perimehts is not pretended TO be here explained In
even cursory manner; this IL of course the exclusive
secret af the inventor But there IL no doubt OF the
fact that communications were actually sent dis
tance of nearly 500 feet through the water without
the aid of wires, CT other conductors, and that there
appeared yery possibility that this could DO done az
easily with regard To the British Cha1nel as with the
midam Tho inventor is gentleman Of great sell
entfc attainments residing in Ednburg, and lays
claim-and we believe with some justlce-to being the
original inventor Of the electric telegraph but from
circumstances, he was unable to carry out the nyen-
ton to his own advantage. The experiments at tho
ml.dam we're of stricty private character although
tley were carried out by Capt Beatty and other eng
neering officers belonging to the garrison
English Paper