The Romance of Modern Chemistry

PRODUCTION OF LIGHT AND HEAT up in the combustion of the glowing fuel at the bottom of the grate, but the carbon dioxide which is produced there, and which ascends through the freshly-added fuel, makes it impossible to get perfect combustion of the latter. Hence it comes that quite a respectable fraction of our best household coal simply goes up the chimney unbumt, to become subsequently a nuisance to ourselves and our neighbours. The abolition of smoke is a consummation devoutly to be hoped for, and considerable advance has already been made in that direction. Improvement has been effected chiefly in the diminution of smoke emitted from factory chimneys. For this we are indebted, partly at least, to the introduction of mechanical stokers, which feed coal into factory famaces so that the fresh fuel is put where it has an excellent supply of oxygen. The mechanical stoker subsequently moves the coal on to other and hotter parts of the furnace, and it has the further advan- tage that it obviates the necessity of opening the furnace doors—an operation which involves the admission of a draught of cold air. Appliances have been devised for securing more perfect combustion in house fires by introducing the coal from below, but none of these have come into general use. The adoption of such a plan would involve the recon- struction of all our fireplaces. Another method of getting rid of the smoke nuisance is to subject the coal to destructive heating in a gas- works, and to use the gas so obtained for heating pur- poses instead of coal. This is the plan that will probably be adopted in the long run. A gas stove is, however, much less fascinating than a coal fire ; sentiment clings round the old fireside, and the institution will die hard.