208 Fuel Economy. (April, 
ance from the bog to.the machine much of the “ free 
water” is pressed from the raw peat by a simple and easy 
means. From the trucks the peat is discharged into the 
machine, which, in its a¢tion, continuously cuts up minutely 
the fibrous portions of the peat, and produces a perfect ad- 
mixture of the cut up fibre and rooty matter with the pulpous 
portion, thereby utilising the whole mass of the bog and 
entirely destroying its original character and natural spongy 
nature. In its travel through the machine the material 
further undergoes a moderate amount of pressure, and 
acquires a density and form permitting it to be discharged 
and deposited upon portable trays in blocks or briquettes of 
convenient size, and thence conveyed by a simple and 
labour-saving contrivance to the drying-sheds, where, after 
three weeks’ drying (during average weather), the prepared 
peat becomes hard, compact, marketable fuel. A trial of 
condensed peat was made some time since for railway 
engines on the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway, with 
a view of testing its qualities as a fuel for locomotives. The 
engineers who made the trial say: “In order carefully to 
watch the power of the fuel in the generation of steam, we 
rode on the engine from Carrick Junction to Ballymena, a 
distance of twenty-seven miles. The pressure at starting was 
too lbs. on the square inch; the commencement of the 
journey was up an incline of about I in 80, 4 miles long, and 
with double curves. While going up the incline the pres- 
sure rose to I10 lbs., and afterwards to 120; the speed, 
whenever this was permitted, was 40 miles per hour.” 
Particulars of the above Locomotive Trial of Condensed 
Peat Fuel. 
Total quantity of fuelused . . 14 cwts. Iqr. 14 lbs. 
Weight of train, peice Spear and 
LENIGEr -. 5) “ys 70 tons. 
Number of ‘catnages .':- 5 “.\..) a. mevele 
MISS runs Sn 5. seinem eeye sb oe wanes 
Time running . . 3 hrs. 9g mins. 
Weight per mile used of peat fuel. 21°47 lbs. 
Average pounds per mile for the last 
three months, using Welsh and 
Scotch coals at a ratio of 2 of 
Welsh tot ‘of Scoteh <2; 4.)%. =: @5°a5unner 
Average for the month of May last . 26°29 lbs. 
The engineers conclude their report by saying :—“ Having 
carefully noted all these faéts, we have no hesitation in 
Saying that we consider the condensed peat in every way 
well adapted as fuel for locomotive purposes.” 
