84 



DB. R. ANGUS SMITH ON ANCIENT AND 



occurs by moisture, partly the natural moisture of the atmo- 

 sphere, sometimes the removable moisture of the ground, or 

 the accumulated moisture from works and private houses. 

 The 100 tons of coal would give out, at a low estimate, 24> tons 

 of moisture or water ; with 1,000 tons this would rise of course 

 to 240 tons of water. 



I am sorry I cannot say how this evil is to be dealt with. 

 It has been gradually decreasing on one side, whilst it has 

 been increasing on the other; the amount of coal used for the 

 same work is much less every year, from the improvements in 

 boilers and engines, but the actual consumption is increasing 

 from the amount of work being so much more increased. 

 No doubt the burning of the smoke would greatly improve 

 the atmosphere. I mean the burning of the black portion ; 

 and this should be more attended to. I fear it is becoming 

 less thought of than it was. The air would then be clear, and 

 the gases would rise more readily. But the removal of the 

 sulphurous gases will not by this means be effected properly. 

 Good drainage of the country around will improve the air 

 and remove many fogs; we must look to this as another 

 means, and perhaps the time may arrive when man^ persons 

 may be induced to use coke instead of coal, and especially 

 purified coke, such as, I am informed, Mr. Grace Calvert has 

 been successful in making. 



The minimum of evil will then be gained, as far as the 

 burning is concerned, and another minimum must be sought 

 for as far as the mode of using the heat is concerned. The 

 most complete mode, however, of using coal, would be to 

 take out its power without combustion, quietly oxidizing 

 it, if possible, in a galvanic battery, and at a low tempera- 

 ture ; taking the power from it, as Mr. Joule shews the power 

 to be taken from zinc treated in this way, instead of by burn- 

 ing. This, however, is beyond our present means, at least 

 at a cheap rate. Some different mode of burning coal is cer- 

 tainly desirable, from the enormous quantity of solid material 



