The invention of M. Gillard has been introduced into Manchester by Mr. Kurz, whose chemical works are at Cornbrook, Huhn°, England.
The following is a plan adopted in the new process :—An inch pipe is connect ed with the steam-boiler used in the general manufacturing process carried on at the works ; and thence runs back to the retort furnace, passing underneath the fire bars, and passing up the front of the furnace, to the level of the bottom of a common D retort, about a foot inter nal diameter. A inch pipe is then carried the whole length of the interior of the retort ; the underside of the pipe is perforated with three rows of fine and closely-arranged holes, those of the cen tre row being perpendicular, and the others slanting outwards. The retort having been brought to a white heat, its bottom being covered with broken char coal, the steam being admitted, the gas is freely produced. From the retort, the water gas is passed along through ordi nary purifiers (the same in fact that have been long used at the works), and the effects are, that the water remains per fectly sweet and clear, but slightly car bonated, and the lime is converted into chalk. The gas is not yet generally used in Mr. Kurtz's works ; but in a cellar about 26 yards long and eight or ten broad, three ordinary argund burners (with an addition, to which we shall re fer) give considerably more light, of a more pleasing character, than would or dinarily be required in such a place for mercantile purposes, or would be pro duced by a dozen batswing lights with gas. A newspaper could be read with ease, at a distance of 40 ft. to 45 ft. by the light from a single burner, with a reflector. The fact of the possi bility of producing a gas from a decom position of water has been known to sci entific men for 50 or 60 years ; the ques tion has been, how to render it available for the purposes of illumination. M. Gillard's invention, for this purpose, consists of a small circular cage of very fine platina wire, worked in a similar manner to the material for a fancy basket. This cage of wire is attached to a small brass frame, fitting on to the burner, so that the lower edge of the cage is brought immediately over, and at a small distance from the perforations in the burner.
Without the wire-work, the gas burns similar to a large spirit-lamp, emitting a great heat, hut perfectly useless as a means of illumination. But instantly on the 'addition being made, the flame appa rently changes into a column of intensely white light over the whole surface of the wire-work, with a slight appearance of an inner flame rising rather above it. The latter, however, disappears when a glass is added, and there is then not a particle of smell or smoke emitted. One burner in the counting-house has been found, by a rough calculation, to con sume from 74 to 81 cubic feet of gas per hour ; and with the consumption a pho tometer shows that its light is about 12 times as powerful as that given by one of the largest kind of composite candles. With regard to the injury to the platina wire-frame, M. Gillard states that there are some at Paris which have been al most continually used for five years, without having suffered in the slightest degree ; and his conviction is, that with pure water gas, the wire would remain uninjured for an indefinite period. If one of the platina frames be placed over a common gas light, it is very soon de stroyed ; the frames used are about in. deep and in. in diameter. The heat thrown out by the gas is very great, but it is wholly devoid of smoke or smell ; and on the hand being held over one of the flames, the sensation is rather that produced by steam, or hot vapor, than the dry, scorching feeling, caused by common gas. An experiment has been tried, of burning a large jet inside a shade on the hearth-atone, and the heat diffused was most pleasant and genial, the effect being felt in every part of the room almost instantly on the gas being lighted. A large pan of water was made to boil by the flame from this burner in a minute and a half; and an intention has been mentioned of attaching to the pipe a flexible tube, and by this means boiling water on the breakfast, tea, or supper table. It is intended by Mr. Kurtz to have the whole of his house warmed by the gas, and stoves fitted up for all culinary purposes ; N. Gillard stating, positively, as the result of ex periments, that he can by means of his gas roast a fowl in five minutes, or a leg of mutton in fifteen minutes.