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14
1st.—The character of the Sulphur Impurity in Coal
Gas.
2nd. The insignificance of its amount even when
abnormally high.
3rd The undue importance, and the mistaken idea
in the public mind respecting the amount of the
evil done by its means
1st. The Sulphur impurity in Coal Gas is of a two-fold
nature, each kind having fundamental and characteristic
differences.
Sulphuretted Hydrogen, Bisulphide of Carbon.
Sulphuretted Hydrogen, an exceedingly poisonous and
offensive gas.
Bisulphide of Carbon (forming the residual sulphur),
the vapour of a highly volatile liquid, neither so injurious
or offensive as sulphuretted hydrogen.
The removal from the coal gas of the more noxious
sulphuretted hydrogen, is comparatively easy, and invariably
accomplished, by the Companies before its supply to the
public.
Much greater difficulty in removing the bisulphide of
carbon {i.e. the matter now under discussion) ; it is in some
cases, at present impossible, without considerable expense
and space, and also at the risk of creating a nuisance.
The subject of the purification of gas from bisulphide of
carbon, one that is being at the present time investigated,
and upon which many experiments are being made, hence,
until something satisfactory has been arrived at, it would
be manifestly injudicious and unwise for any Company to
incur any considerable expense, in the matter of plant or
space, in the present uncertainty and without some addition
to their present knowledge. The bisulphide of carbon
present in the gas is inflammable, and is burnt with the
gas, the products of its combustion being carbonic acid gas
and sulphurous acid gas; this latter substance contains the
whole of the present in the bisulphide. Under no
circumstances whatever can the bisulphide of carbon, cither