288 Chronicles of Science. | April, 
which has never been regarded as an authority, by those who had 
paid any attention to the important question of coal production. 
The errors in this book of Reports presented to both Houses of 
Parliament are curious and serious. We are gravely told that “an 
eminent geologist estimates the average thickness of the workable 
coal of Great Britain at thirty-five fect, and the total quantity of 
workable coal at 190,000,000 tons.” This is bad news for us. 
Seeing that we are now obtaining from our collieries about 
95,000,000 tons per annum, we have but two years’ supply. Of 
Russia it is said, “There is, perhaps, no country in Europe where 
such darge coal districts exist as in Russia.” The truth is, there is 
no country in Europe, of such large extent, where such small coal 
districts exist. 
As the Reports are intended for English readers, it is to be 
regretted that some uniform weight has not been adopted. Instead 
of this we have the weight in use in each country given, and in 
many instances without any explanatory note. We have Zoll- 
verein cwts., centners, metrical quintals, Prussian tonnen, Swiss 
“colliers” and half-mudden, continually perplexing us. Much 
valuable matter is to be gleaned out of the mass; and if the Secre- 
taries of Legation are properly instructed as to the kind of return 
which they will be expected to make in future years, these Reports 
on coal may have a permanent commercial value. 
Mr. St. John V. Day, of Glasgow, reports that the Rankinstone 
shale yields of crude paraffin oil thirty gallons, and of ammoniacal 
liquor twelve gallons, from the ton of shale. Several other shales 
in Fifeshire—the West Calder district and other places—have been 
examined with similar results. In Northamptonshire it has been 
found that the cannel coal of Hucknal Forehard Colliery gives forty- 
three gallons of crude oil to the ton. Extensive works are, in con- 
sequence, being erected. 
We learn from the Australian newspapers that a substance 
resembling cannel coal has been found at Hartley and Wollongong, 
in New South Wales, and that a company has been formed for the 
manufacture of oil from it. It is stated that this cannel coal yields 
147 gallons of oil to the ton; but we are not informed whether this 
is crude or refined oil. We of course infer the former. The ques- 
tion then arises, What is the value of this crude material for 
refined oil? 
While writing this a report comes to our hands from Julius W. 
Adams, Engineer, Broadway, New York, on the principles and 
methods used by Mr. Simon Stevens for burning petroleum and 
other hydrocarbons in combination with jets of steam. The result, 
as given, is that 29°33 pounds weight of water at a temperature of 
60° will be converted into steam by the combustion of one pound of 
oil; whereas it is said 8°16 pounds only of water at 60° can be 
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