INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 241 



Mine Harbor, Ilerendeen Bay. — Our fuel being uearly expended, we 

 returned to Herendeen Bay July 23 for another sui)ply. This bay has 

 a large area with several arms, and to distinguish the shipping-point 

 more definitely we have called it Mine Harbor. 



AVork had progressed favorably during our absence, and we found 

 over 100 tons of coal on the beach awaiting our arrival. The method 

 of transporting it to the ship may be described as follows: A single 

 lighter, having a maximum capacity of 40 tons, was moored near the 

 shore at high tide and the coal wheeled on board in barrows over a 

 gang-plank supported on trestles. As the tide fell it would be left high 

 and dry, the work proceeding nntil the next high tide, when we would 

 tow it alongside with the steam cutter, discharge the coal as soon as 

 possible, and moor it again near the beach, when the process would be 

 repeated. The mine is about 1| miles from the landing, the coal being- 

 transported by a small steam motor over a light tramway. As the 

 opening of this mine is an event of no little importance to all vessels 

 visiting Bering Sea, the following report of Passed Assistant Engineer 

 C. K. Eoelker, U. S. ^N^., chief engineer of this vessel, on the results ob- 

 tained liy the consumption of 80 tons of this coal, will be read with more 

 than usual interest. It is dated July 24, 1890: 



Tlie following statement regarding the coal received from the mine recently 

 opeued at Herendeen Bay is based on the results obtained with some 80 tons of this 

 coal consumed while this vessel was engaged in her usual work at sea, under aver- 

 age couditions. The quantities of coal consumed, and of reftise matter, wei"e care- 

 fully measured, the behavior of the coal in the furnaces was closely observed, and 

 the results obtained have been deduced from the entries in the steam log. 



The average consumption of tlie coal was at the rate of 25 pounds per square foot 

 of grate per hour. The boilers furnislied the same amount of steam as when we 

 have been using a fair quality of Wellington coal; but to obtain this result we 

 had to burn from 20 to 25 per cent more of the Herendeen Bay coal. The coal 

 ignites readily and burns with considerable flame, forming a closely cohering coke, 

 which easily breaks up into small pieces; thus a considerable amount of small parti- 

 cles of coal is lost through the grates. There was a large proportion of fine stuff in 

 the coal, which burned well, but contained an excessive amount of refuse matter. 



The refuse amounted to 26 per cent of the total Aveight of fuel consumed; it con- 

 sists of ash and cinders, no glassy clinkers being formed. The smoke produced is 

 lighter in color than that of Wellington coal, and less soot is formed. 



To form a correct estimate of the value of this coal for steaming purjioses from the 

 foregoing statement, the following facts should be taken into consideration, viz : 

 The coal received by us was the first lot taken out from the newly opened mine; 

 it came from one of the smaller veins, through which a tunnel had been driven then 

 a distance of 200 feet in order to get access to the main veins ; no proper facilities for 

 screening the coal existed, and in order to supply the quantity re([uircd by us, a large 

 amount of fine coal containing much dirt was delivered. It may be reasonably ex- 

 pected that as the mine becomes further developed and proper screening fac^ilities 

 are provided, the anu>unt of refuse matter in the coal will be greatly diminished, and 

 its steam-generating power correspondingly increased. It will be, however, abso- 

 lutely necessary to store this coal under slielter, as it appears to absorb moisture 

 readily, and tlie constant rains which have prevailed in this region during the pres- 

 ent season would soon saturate it to such an extent as to greatly diminish its value 

 as a fuel. 



H. Mis. 113 10 



