Very similar
remarks apply to paraffin, and, in certain countries, to denatured
alcohol. Since those latter illuminants are also available in rural
places where coal-gas is not laid on, luminous acetylene is a less
advantageous means of procuring artificial light than paraffin (and on
occasion than coal-gas and alcohol when the latter fuels are burnt under
the mantle), if the pecuniary aspect of the question is the only one
considered. Such a comparison, however, is by no means fair; for if coal-
gas, paraffin, and alcohol can be consumed on the incandescent system, so
can acetylene; and if acetylene is hygienically equal to incandescent
coal-gas, it is superior thereto when also burnt under the mantle.
Nevertheless there should be one minor but perfectly irremediable defect
in incandescent acetylene, viz., a sacrifice of that characteristic
property of the luminous gas to emit a light closely resembling that of
the sun in tint, which was mentioned in Chapter 1. Self-luminous
acetylene gives the whitest light hitherto procurable without special
correction of the rays, because its light is derived from glowing
particles of carbon which happen to be heated (because of the high flame
temperature) to the best possible temperature for the emission of pure
white light.
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