Ɛpsilon

From J. A. Ransome-Marriott   1 September 1876

Oakleigh | Timperley | Cheshire

Sept: 1: 1876

Sir,

It has occurred to me, that the following fact may be useful to you in your investigations.

About a fortnight ago a considerable escape of gas was observed in one stable, a plumber was sent for to ascertain the cause and made the following remarkable discovery; the escape proceeded from three holes about 34 of an inch apart wh: had been gnawed by rats in an ordinary lead gas-pipe, running between the ceiling of the stable & the board of the Hay-loft above.1 The fact is entirely new to me but the plumber had known cases where rats has gnawed holes in lead gas & water-pipes, but the interest of the present case is increased by the circumstance that in gnawing the 2nd. & 3rd. holes the rat must have been subjected to the smell &c of the gas escaping from the first,2 Since the communication with the main pipe is constant.

I am, Sir, | Yrs. Faithfully | J. A. Ransome-Marriott.

1
CD had received an earlier report of rats gnawing at pipes in letters from Arthur Nicols, [before 10 November 1875] and 10 November 1875 (Correspondence vol 23).
2
At this time, the gas supplied to a residence would have been a form of manufactured gas, such as coal gas; the smell would have been from various impurities resulting from the manufacturing process (Chandler and Lacey 1949, pp. 60–7).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-10586,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-10586