Modern Gasworks Practice

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION The gas industry in this country, in spite of its magnitude, is particularly ill-fur-nished with. anything in the nature of a general work of reference dealing with really modem practice. The deficiency, however, can be readily understood when con-sideration is given to the immensity of the task with which the intending author is faced, the sacrifice of time involved, and, above all, the difficulty of keeping pace with. principles and ideas which. are in a perpetual state of development. Such pros-pects, in faet, may well be calculated to damp the enthusiasm of the most determined aspirant. The author entered with. a light heart upon the task of endeavouring to remedy the deficiency, but after twelve months of contimious work, with no prospect of the end in view, “ a change came o’er the spirit of my dream,” for the enormity of the subject was such that there seemed little hope of ever winning through. However, a piunge into the struggle for another few months brought matters to a con-clusion, and the present volume, whatever its merits or shorteomings, is put forward in the hope that it may prove of some assistance and, perhaps, enjoyment to the highly trained gas engineer of to-day. It must be realized at the outset that so far as the principles and practice of modern gasmaking are concerned no single individual can lay claim to omniscience, and on no account would the author pre-sume to be especially fitted for the task he has undertaken. No pains have, however, been spared to develop the book essentially on the ideas of the practical man, whilst every precaution has been taken to avoid inaccuracies. In the latter Connection the author has taken. advantage (perhaps, at so busy a time, too mueh. advan-tage) of the help of his many friends in the industry, with the result that nearly every chapter has been submitted for suggestions to an expert in the particular branch with which it deals. This assistance, involving as it has in many cases some considerable labour, has been most generously given, and acknowledgment to the füll is due to the following gentlemen for their services:— Mr. G. F. Handel Beard, Mr. F. J. Bradfield, Mr. A. F. Browne, Mr. F. J. Bywater, Professor J. W. Cobb, Dr. H. G. Colman, Mr. E. V. Evans, Mr. G. M. Giil, Mr. Thos. Glover, Mr. W. R. Herring, Mr. Charles Hunt, Mr. Frank H. Jones, Dr. R. Lessing, the late Professor Lewes, Mr. R. J. Milbourne, Mr. Jas. Stelfox, Mr. J. W. Scott, Mr. B. B. Waller, Mr. P. E. Williams, and Mr. Henry Woodall. In addition, my thanks are due to Mr. Geo. Evetts, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E., who has read through a large portion of my manuscript, and from whom I have received many vi i