The New York herald., 1868-06-26
THE OXYGEN GAS LIGHT.

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Frssress In the Production Of Artificial Lisht-
uluuinative (;ases-Private Experiments ON
the Density and Intensity In Light Between
Carburetted hydrogen, Oxygen In Combina-
don with street Gas and the English Standard
Candle on the Photometer.
In the progress and development Of science there
sas been no branch OF chemical demonstration which
has marked the advance Of human knowledge 30
poIntedIy as the production of artificial light.
Indeed 30 silently and rapidly have discoveries OF
the most profound character been thrown upon the
world and made necessities almost on the moment,
that few have stopped TO Inquire by whom, when or
where they were made objects Of commerce, or con-
yenences indispensable to the dwelling the factory
the workshop and the street.
There are persons living in this city who have not
forgotten when gas was introduced and burned In
the house No Cherry street. less than half century
ago. and there are many living in London and Paris
who distinctly remember when the brightest artificial
hght-preceding the Introduction Of the carburet.ed
hydrogen or common street gas-known was OBJ
iained from Oil, or the taow, the sperm the wax
candle. A century ago even the candle was miser-
able oogy for sunlight, and preceding its general
use was the smoky nambeau, the torch In city and
mansion, while the rush dipped in melted fat was the
hest the peasant in his cherries cot could command.
with the introduction OF carburetted ny drogen as
illuminator-a discovery quite as wonderful in
its way many which have since astonished the
world not even excepting the electric telegraph or
the steam engne-a new start in the unending, ever
opening highway of knowledge, and consequent
civilization was TAKEN The discovery OF iluminat t.
ing gas surprising IN brancy the choicest lig hit
Then known many times, astonshed the world :
'The light OF the sun is almost rivalled" exclaimed
an English writer, in his enthusiasm ''Lp this de-
pariment, at least science further 60. Chem.
istTy has reached its ultima thule IL has be slowed
30 nestimable boon on mankind and for this it
should he reverenced. 1t has given light it has
turned night into day."
The body OF the people were doub:l ess pleased
with the introduction Of the carburetted hydrogen
gas into their streets, dwellings and stores b ut
those curious persons who are forever quesu oning,
torturing and coaxing nature out Of h er secrets
were not They demanded from her something
more They desired light brilliant as that OF day
r II were possible.
Many brave attempts, II must be confessed, have
been made to put the great central Ill uminator Of
system cut Of countenance: but al tho ugh much
has been done toward solving the probl EN- as tc
whether the sun or chemistry com bning and burn
ing certain Of its gases can produce the most light
thus far old Sol yields the neapest, the ost desra
bic and the brightest. The calcium lime ligh
grand discovery, but it could not be safe ly,
generally and cheaply used. Next to it, but man y,
many times more brilliant. Is the electric light "a
light which almost seems to be iuminative as the
sun The electric light is, how ever, unce rtain; II
bnks and winks, and at inopportune mo ments puts
itself out, and is very costly. Next to these, and,
perhaps, more agreeable, as it certainly Is cheaper
than every other kind in use, is the oxygen light.
This light, the intensity OF which was measur ed on
Tuesday evening in the photome trio department OF
The College Of the City Of New York by Professor
Doremus, is the invention OF French 50 wants, and
must OF necessity. from its purity, brilliancy, ayr
sbenese and cheapnese aim ost Immediately suppant
every other form OF gas light, whether mad from
oil, COAL tar or any substance known in which ca r
bon preponderates. In the OF the profes
experiments it was shown that, VIII lie the intensity
Of a jet Of carburetted hydrogen gas manufactured
BY the Manhattan Company was only as tested
sy an oiled disc placed the photometer, tn irteen
and half times greater than was the luminative
properties Of the English standard candle, which
oil light is measured, the oxygen light consuming
about one-thrd the number Of cubic feet in the
hour, was more than six times stronger: to make
the matter palmer, while jet OF common gas p os =
sessed an nlumnative property thirteen and a hall
times that OF the candle the Jet OF oxygen and car
buretted hydrogen gases, compar ed with the car
burettef hydrogen and air. was approximately as
nineteen TO one, and with the English standard
candle as two hundred and fty-six times to one IN
ether words, TO equal jet OF oxygen with coal gas
IN IT. light giving property two hundred and nftysx
candles OF the English standard would have to be
burned, in their place. thirteen jets Of street gas,
consuming each five cubic feet TO the JET for oxygen
gas burning two cubic feet within the hour.
This is wonderful; and had we not been present
ana closely followed the professor while conducting
his experiments, Ii Is question II We could readily
accept the final statement.
This II not all. The commercial value must be
taken INTO consideration II Is OF little use 10 offer
a "a nrh NJ ia NOT in
nance with our ideas OF economy. II the oxygen gas,
with nineteen times the intensity OF carburetted
hydrogen were proportionaby expensive (the street
gas costing So 80 per one thousand cubic feeu it
could never be brought into common use; but as 1t
can be obtained at a comparatively moderate figure
actually at lower rate than the carburetted hydro
gen with which In equal parts II Is made 10 combine
me question OF general use need not be taken into
approach the cost OF the gases In this wise:-
by burning one-third the amount OF street gas
We produce six times the quantity OF light for the
came number OF cubic feet OF street gas, consumed
with pure oxygen, we should have eighteen times
Of hght we would require only one-eghteenth the
Huahniy OF street gas. Instead therefore, OF pur.
chasing - 20 worth, or one thousand cubic feet of
ttrcct gas, we need only one-eghteenth, or about
twenty cents worth. nftysix cubic feet, for the
tame light. This coal gas needs an equal volume of
pu!e oxygen Tor It's complete combustion, hence we
Inust have one-eghteenth Of one thousand cubic
feei. Suppose oxygen should be sold for $40 per
one thousand cubic feet, we would only require
81 II worth, or one-eighteenth OF 500 70 consume
me coal gas. Hence TO have light equal to s3 so
worm ol coal gas as ordinarily burned, we would
only want twenty cents worth OF coal gas and 81 ii
worm Oi pure oxygen, or 81 81 worth OF the TWO
gases' II, however, the light should he only ten
iiines as brilliant we would then require one tenth
me quantity or coal gas, thirtynve cents worth,
snd Gf pure oxygen one.tenth Of thousand, or one
hundred cubic feet. This. at $40 a thousand, would
be = hence, cost OF street gas thirty-fve cents;
cost OF pure oxygen s2-tota cost s2 35, for light
equal 10 g. so OF coal gas as ordinai iy consumed
with all the other advantages Of purity OF color,
tteadness, dimlnution OF heat and OF impurities.
me French experiments % give an increase In iilumi;
hating power OF sixteen and hail times that OF
standard burner. The ordinary ground glass shade
reduces the light one-haf in brilliancy, though II
makes IL more volumtnous.
Like every other discovery, there are many things
About II Of q mechanical nature that must be i'm
proved. The perfect oxygen light is made by
burning. in combination, nfty OF oxygen with an
eqnal number OF parts OF carburetted hydrogen. ON
that no improvement can be made; but In the mode
" burning there ought 20 be. The crayon. composed
o' magnesia, on which the united gases play, when
igniied, requires to be renewed weekly; but this we