56 I'KESIDI^XTIAL ADPKl-.SS — SIXTJO.X A. 



factors, sucli a^ installation, running and maintenance costs, 

 have to be taken into consideration, and, probably due to the 

 fact that cheap coal can be burned in mechanical stokers, the 

 powdered fuel system, apart from the Bettington boiler, does 

 not appear to be making much ])rogress. lUit it is used in the 

 United States for locomotive firing, and a trial of tb.e sy.-tem 

 in South Africa is worthy of consideration. 



Considerable progress has been made in the utilisation of 

 other solid fuels. For example, enormous quantities of peat are 

 available as fuel. In Europe the peat area is esimated at 140 

 million a^^.res, in the United Kingdom 2 million acres, Canada 

 30 millioix acres, wliile Ireland has peat equivalent to 2,500 

 million tons of coal. It may be l)urned directly after air 

 drying, converted into peat charcoal, l)ri(iuetted by a new process 

 after semi-carbonisation, and its use in gas producers has now 

 passed tbc experimental stage; it may be used successfully in 

 suction gas producers or in pressure producers with ammonia 

 recovery. Unfortunately, ])eat generally occurs in inaccessible 

 districts, but, al! the same, it is beginning to tal<e an important 

 part in fuel economw 



Lignite, or brown coal, is principally converted into bri- 

 quettes ; sometimes it is distilled merely for the tar products, 

 but I have seen it used in gas producers in Cermany for the 

 working of gas engines, and this is a use which is rapidly 

 extending. 



Wood was undoubtedly the first sulistance used as a fuel, 

 and is still the only fuel in many ])arts. In the form of char- 

 coal it is ])robabl)' the main fuel for suction gas producers in 

 South Africa, especially in Rhodesia, at the ])resent day. but 

 imj^rovemcnts in gas producer i)ractice are such that wood waste 

 and sawdust are now being directly utilised. In view of the 

 depletion of the world's forests and the increasing price of wood 

 for industrial purposes, it seems a i)it}- to u>e it as a fuel, except 

 in the waste form. It has been urged *hat wliere a tree is cut 

 down, three should be planted, and we nutst welcome the 

 assurance of the ?\Iinister of .\griculture, at the close of last 

 session, that the afforestation of South Africa has his cordial 

 support, and tliat tree-planting will be carried out witli Govern- 

 ment funds. From the fuel and jiower production ]X)int of 

 view, however, it would be impossible for firewood to sup])ly 

 our needs in a " coal-less age." 



lAquid Fuel has been in use for many years for locomotives 

 and in the mercantile marine, more particularly in oil-carrying 

 steamers. The obvious advantages, not the least important of 

 which are the higher calorific value and greater density, which 

 combined make i lb. of fuel oil the ecjuivalent of \ .j lbs. of 



