The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (December 1902)

AND PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGIR. 34 being delivered. Claim for value of wits lost, £1 2s. Gd. Paid withoat demur November 4th, 1902. In 1901 the London aud orth Western Railway Company had to pay us £4 15s. Gl. fur claims, the Midland Railway Company, 4s 9d, and the Great Western Railway Company, nothing. The value of our traftie to the Railway Compaiies is hetween £4,000 and £5,000 per annum, so you will see what au absurd action they are taking and low far the companies are justified in saying that the amounts of the claims have become so large that they are obliged to deal more strictly with them. ‘Their officials are good enough to inform us that we are not one of those firms whom they have ever fonnd making unjust claims, and although the whole of the class of trallic which we hand to the railway companies is handed to them by practically two firms only inthis country, yet they take this action. Chambers of Commerce and other Corporations which should look: after traders’ interests, seem to be asleep, or, perhaps itis that many of their members are themselves heavily interested in railway computes. The canals are under the control of the railway companies, wand for the bulk of ordinary trattic, do not attempt to compete in any way. Lf, however, a fraction of the statements made by the manufacturers of heavy motor wagons can be relicd upon, il appears to me tht traders have it in their own hands to create competition absolutely independent of the railways by forming a carrying company to carry traffic such as ours by road. For instance, our trathe during the past twelve months was roughly, 3,000 tons from the works, and 2,500 tons returned lo the w orks, nearly the whole within fifty miles of Birmingham, Individual traders, like ourselves, cannot very well obtain suflicient facilities for prompt delivery by the use of motor wagons, tut there must be many other firms in Birmingham similarly requiring their crathe carried within a short distance of the town and a combination would enable a daily service to le formed throughout the Midland district. A. KE. KNow is, Manager. Birmingham Oxygen Company, Saltley Works, November 8th. STHER SATURATORS. Vo the editor. “ Dear Sir.—In your November issue you invite correspondence on the above matter. I will relate a personal experience that occured years ago. Tt may answer the question: ‘ Willa saturator explode if a flame reaches it?’ While exhibiting in a large hall in Bolton, one of the popularly-named “pops * oceured at the conclusion of the lecture, while the lights (taps) were being turned off. The light instantly passed backwards, and the sauturator mumediately fired. At first the flame issued through the two narrow outlets of the saturator, but soon asserted its further power. The saturator barrels reddened with heat, were melted in portions of their length, and the flame then (heing unconfined) mounted two or more feet in the air. There was no explosion, not the slightest noise, and the flame soon died out, but the saturator was, of course, a poor burnt-out wreck. ‘The incident was rather exciting, hut to me (who was operating the lantern), it seemed to decide that a saturator may burn but won’t exploile. It was one of the older types, Uo shaped, and hy ‘Cox of Shellicld. Inside was packed with flannel, no safety valves were used. As to the cause, it was probably owiug to turning off the wrong tap first. Very likely there was no ether in the barrels in a liquid state. Had there heen, it may then have meant an explosion, but they were well drained to commence with. What the bore of the jet nipple was, I do not remember. With saturators, the pops’ seem to be the most unpleasant feature in their nse; indeed these alone seem to he sufficient to make people hesitate in reference to their veneral use. OF ‘pops’? I have endured quite a large muuher. Another experience was as followx (same type of saturater being used). lt occurred while exhibiting at Colne, Lancashire, and some little time before the lecture commenced. From some cause (shortly after lighting up), the uipple of jet and a small portion of the jet tubing was discovered simply absent from their remaining parts— apparently burnt off | The noise, roar and flame caused attention to the lantern. However, the taps were turned off and not even a pop occurred. No safety valves were used. A spare jet was then brought into use and all went well. Saturator, of course, was well charged. Probably the gasses first fired in the mixing chamber of the jet. So far as my own experience goes, it seems to me that there is an clement of uncertainty in the use of saturators. I have given the ahove facts carefully. Oi such incidents, however unpleasant, are to refleciive minds very educative. Yours truly, SO Lomax. HEREFORD, November 7th, 1902. V0 the HNditor, «DEAR Stk ,—My experience with Ether Saturators has heen confined toa Sinvle Lantern and I therefore cannot speak for their qualities in dissolving. During the winter of 1895-6 I commenced to lecture for our County Council on Veterinary Science and found the subject fall flat without a few pictures, so decided to get a Jantern. My first illuminant was oil, but as I also had to learn photography and slide making, and then prepare my subject—take the photos a and make the slides, you will easily see that my success was not striking, and | desired a stronger light. My next attempt was with Acetylene and it was certainly much better, but ola! so messy. After struggling along in this way during the winters of 1895-6Tand 8, I finally gave up all for the Ether Saturator. I had, in the meantime been experimenting with one with varying success. The light being sometimes all one could desire, and again at other times, alas, a dismal failure. First I purchased a second-hand one of a recounised maker and have now no doubt it was a good article, but either from my ignorance or, what | now believe to be the fault of the maker in common with all others, I could not depend on the regular supply of light—sometimes too much flame with discharge of liquid Ether—at other times nothing but a hissing and no incandescence of the lime—consequently no light. Having an offer to pnrchase at the same price it cost me I sold that Saturator and bought a new one of another make. The first has since been doing good work in its owner’s hands. Tam sorry to say the new one was nearly if not quite as bad as the first, so being determined not to be beaten I took it to pieces to get a knowledge of its construction, and to my disgust I found it the very essence of simplicity—no complicated parts whatever—only two chambers stuffed with cotton wool, through which a streain of oxygen had to pass and take with it sufficient Ether to form a flame, and an additional current of pure oxygen through a separate pipe going to join the Ether anid ¢ oxygen in a small chamber just under the nipple.