The New York herald., 1870-12-09
0Dl GASLGlTS.


SteinWay Hall was well filed last evening BY the
friends Of science. who had assembled on the invita-
tion OF the "Soclely OF Tradesmen and Mechanics"
TO listen to a lecture from Professor Chandler. DR..
Ferris, the Chancellor OF the University, and many
other dtsttil3ues were also present. The lecturer
first described the principles OF combustion ana the
deposits made bg eo during the process OF burning
There we're numerous kinds or coal from which gas
could be produced, bull some kinds yielded much
larger quantity than others among the first Of which
canne coal was considered the best for the retorts
nnmber OF specimens OF the coal were tie
platform. Alter describing the exact quantity OF
gases contained In the coal--carbon, nitrogen,
oxygen ami sulphur In proportions ascerlalned
by scientific EXPERIMENTS, he explained in q lucid
manner the process OF the manufacture OF gas from
the time the placed tn The retort un II the
gas hid passed .hrough The exhauster. purifiers and
pasometers ready for use. The exnauster was smp
relon ant the puriher: 1t drew gas rom
the retor O. fast as IL was generated and forced 1t
through INTO the purlIer. IDere was common
fallacy prevalent among consumers or gas tha This
eXhAl ter extracted Iarge quantity OF the
retort WIN tne gas ana consequently THAT TINS aIr
was | reed through into tue purifiers and served
CUT 10 The consumer as genuine gas, but The fact
was tnar gas companies found the more air there
was me less was the Illuminating power OF the as
u there was one per cent OF air the illuminating
power decreased five per cents If twenty per cent or
air We're introduced the Ill., Int would cease aItOge
Gas WAS cassed under bh -ea disllncC neads, VIZ
Lunincnts, dlluents AMI Impurities Each or these
classes o gases were OF different specific gravity
tile highest and, consequently. the worst was In q
Latter lhe heavier the gas manufactured the bet
Ter u was for the consumer, so that what prevented
the aereunaut from rising In his balloon because of
its density. was really tue best gas the consumer
cond have. The Professor nexe exhibited the vari-
Gus processes employed TO purify the gas describ-
inI nrst In graphic style. The method and
general modas ope1 dndi, commenting upon
the extremely unpleasant olor tnat ema-
naied IRON the lime after 1T bad been
used for that purpose; and, secondly, gave his
audience a PRACTICAL realizato on Of the nuisance by
letting INTO the atmosphere in the hail a most OBJ
noxous oior from bottle OF Di,upnurate Of carbon
This was not exactly appreciated by me audience
all of wnom sson applet their pocket han&ercnieis
a. means OF excluding the Intrusive perfume.
sort relief manifested whel he said that this
most unpleasant process was abandoned ana thaG
Instead or limo iron trnings and bOfings, or iron
caips from engineers factories, were now employed
A. further pracfca hut. n any person wished 10
test the purity OF the gas he was about to consume,
IL was only necessary to dip d Gee Of paper into
acetate lead hold II In the meter pipe, anu
Whenever any impurities existed the paper would at
once turn black. He described The uses and con-
yenIences OF the gasometers rs at present con-
stueted, being greatly preferable 10 he old sys-
TEN Oi portable gasoDetels as formerly employed
To- iightng theatres in England France and Prus Ia