LIGHTENING OUR DARKNESS [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—With
regard to your interesting article " Lightening Our Darkness," dealing with Low Temperature Carbonization, February 16th, 1929, in the first place I would point out that by an obvious printer's error you have given °F, instead of °C. High Temperature Carbonization in towns' gas and coke oven practice is carried out at approximately 2000-2200° F. (1095- 1205° C.), whereas Low Temperature Carbonization—using this term in a very broad general sense—is usually operated between say 900° F. and 1200° F. (480-650° C.). Perhaps you would allow me to point out also that the low temperature carbonization of coal, whether for the maximum yield Of high grade tar or for the production of hard smokeless fuel, dates back in this and many other co' untries for over a century,' and is not some entirely new idea that only originated say twenty years ago, according to the popular impression.
Referring to the boom that is coming in low temperature carbonization, I would like also to state that at the present time there are in Great Britain forty-three different procesSes. under active consideration, while the total share capital involved is over £8,000,000, and has often been more than £12,000,000 according to Stock Exchange quotations. In connexion with the South Metropolitan Gas Company there are two processes of low temperature carbonization in erection at the present time, that is to say the " K.S.G." and the " Coalite," while as regards the Gas Light and Coke Company, in addition to the " E " retort installations of the Fuel Research Board at Richmond there is also a number of retorts according to the _" Hird " process, while also this company has an experimental " Salermo " plant at the Fulham Gas Works.
Further, in connexion with gas works, it ought to be pointed out that the " Maclaurin " plant has now been operating with great success at the Nuneaton Gas Works since the early part of 1928, and to-day the whole town of Nuneaton is supplied entirely by low temperature carbonization gas, the only example in the world, due primarily to the genius and the revolutionary work of Mr. George Helps, engineer and manager of the Nuneaton Gas Company, using high-pressure loW-grade gas of 200 B.Th.U. per cubic foot in about thirty-six miles of mains; supplying 6,000 consumers. Further, the " Maclaurin" plant at the Dalmarnock Gas Works in Glasgow continues in operation, and there is also the important " Iffingworth " process at the Treforest Gas Works, Pontypridd.
Some of us for over twenty years past have been pointing out insistently the necessity of elementary scientific methods . in connexion with the utilization of our coal resources, and it would look at last as if this country is beginning to wake up, although one can only view with the most serious misgivings the present financial position with regard to some low temPer7 ature carbonization companies in different parts of the world, in spite of the bitter lessons in the past in this connexion. Finally it may interest you to know that I have in My possess- ion details of over 500 different low temperature carbonization processes, most of which have been operated experimentally or otherwise on a fairly large scale.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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