THE PROVIDENT USE OF COAL^ 



During my four months' stay on the American continent last 

 year, the topic which came most prominently under my notice 

 as of consequence was that of the Conservation of Natural 

 Resources. It will some day be admitted, I think, that Mr. 

 Roosevelt's most abiding claim to the gratitude of the world is 

 that he has made this the subject of burning controversy in his 

 country. To what extent are we alive to the fact that we have 

 natural resources to conserve? Is the question ever asked here 

 in Sheffield — in connexion with coal, for example? 



I assume that it will be admitted by all who are capable of 

 judging that we are improvident in our use of coal ; only here 

 and there are engineers and manufacturers being forced to 

 economise on account of the constant advance in the cost of 

 fuel. In far too many cases, coal is being consumed most 

 wastefully — without any attention being paid to economy. 



I do not propose to deal with the use of coal for industrial 

 purposes generally. I shall confine my remarks to its consump- 

 tion for domestic purposes and in the gas industry. And I shall 

 be very brief, as my one object is to call public attention to a 

 very simple issue. 



In burning coal as we do in open grates, we not only burn 

 it in the most wasteful manner possible but in such a way that 

 we are a nuisance to ourselves and to our neighbours ; the evil 

 consequences are too apparent to need description. How are 

 we to avoid them ? Probably they are unavoidable as long as 

 we burn bituminous coal. 



But in burning bituminous coal we not only create a nuisance, 

 we also waste much that is valuable : can we both save this and 

 avoid creating a nuisance? The answer is, I believe, that we 

 can — that in effecting the saving we shall also be taking the steps 

 that will enable us to avoid creating the nuisance which now 

 attends the use of bituminous coal as a domestic fuel. 



During the early stages of combustion a variety of volatile, 



' A communication read before Section B (Chemistry) of the British Association 

 at Sheffield, September 1910. 



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