Page 2 - Demo

Historic Gas Times%u2022 Issue 101 %u2022 December 2019 %u2022pagepage22From Calcutta Maurice Graham took a steamer to Rangoon, arriving two or three days later. He found no gas works there but enjoyed a 10-day cruise on the Irrawaddy, marvelling at the river%u2019s traffic. %u201cAlthough far from England, the writer was surprised to recognise Mr. William King (Chief Engineer of the Liverpool United Gas Company) who was taking a pleasure trip through Burma%u201d. Mandalay was a disappointment as, since its capture by the British in 1885, the Army had rebuilt all the public buildings %u201cto look like huge barracks, ready for emergencies%u201d. Burma was %u201cthe land of peaceful people, beautiful climate, lovely scenery but not of gas undertakings%u201d. There were oil lamps everywhere and Rangoon had awarded an electric light company a ten-year contract. Crude oil was being distilled by the Burma Oil Company so our traveller had to be content with inspecting their works, which he enjoyed.The voyage to Madras took four days. That city had %u201cnothing in it approaching a busy, thriving place (although) the commencement of prosperity is hoped for%u201d. The journey continued by rail via Trichinopoli and Tuticorin, whence a 12-hour sea passage to the great port of the island of Ceylon, Columbo. %u201cEverywhere was bustle and hurry; tea and rubber were the great topics of conversation. The streets present a wonderfully varied cosmopolitan scene, with rickshaws, gharries, waggonettes and bullock carts%u201d.The Columbo Gas and Water Company was established in 1872 and now had over 1,200 consumers, as well as most of the street lighting for a population of about 160,000. The Engineer & Manager was H. Gage Edwards, formerly Assistant Engineer under A.F. Phillips at the St. Albans gas works, %u201cso he was brought up in a good sound school of gas engineering%u201d. This fairly small Columbo works had been in need of attention prior to Edwards%u2019 arrival.The retort house held 60 stop-end retorts nine ft long by 21 ft by 15 in, all beds regenerative and hand-charged by Tamils who earned 10d. per day. Carbonising costs totalled 1/6d per ton. The coal was mostly Indian Sanctoria which arrived from the port in bags on double bullock carts. Trouble on the Indian railways had given Mr. Edwards great anxiety, as cargoes of coal did not turn up when expected. There was a good local market for coke.The condensers consisted of 20 annular pipes, also water cooled and, with the washer and scrubber, shaded by a galvanised iron roof. Two exhausters, one Donkin the other Waller, fed by two Cornish boilers fired with breeze. The tower scrubber was 48 ft high by five ft diameter. All five purifier boxes were filled with oxide; only one had dry sealed. Not trusting the centre-valve, Edwards had installed a bypass to the purifiers. The 12,000cfh station meter was %u201can old friend but true%u201d. The three holders totalled 300,000 cubic ft capacity and the maximum productive capacity was 250,000 cubic ft per day. The works was well laid out but left little room for extensions.Columbo%u2019s general street lighting was %u201creally magnificent, and does the Manager every credit%u201d, with 2,230 incandescent gaslamps... especially fine is Galle Face Round the World - and some Gas WorksPART 5The Engineer and Manager, Mr. H. Gage Edwards, Colombo Gas-Works.A group of Columbo Stokers.