210 Fuel Economy. (April, 
method of preparing peat charcoal. The cost of this peat 
coal at the manufactories may be taken at 8s. per ton for 
small quantities, and 6s. to 6s. 6d. for large quantities. 
1} tons of peat coal made by this process is reckoned to be 
equal to r ton of best English coal; for stowage it will only ~ 
take, on an average, 20 per cent more room than ordinary 
coal. This Company intend to establish their first manu- 
factory on the borders of North Wales and Shropshire. 
The peat on this land is of the best quality, averaging in 
depth about 12 feet. A trial of this peat was made on the 
Thames, on board the paddle-steamer Times, in the presence 
of the Duke of Sutherland and a distinguished company. 
The steamer ran from Beckton gas works to Greenwich in 
twenty-five minutes with a strong head wind, slack water at 
top of tide; and the quantity of uncompressed peat fuel 
consumed in this twenty-five minutes’ run was about 210 lbs., 
maintaining a steady steam pressure of 50 lbs., without 
smoke, and at all times a good clear fire. The experi- 
menters state that for the generation of steam it requires 
but a very moderate current of air, is absolutely smokeless, 
and gets up steam equally quick as coal, and maintains it 
with a less expenditure of fuel, does not injure the fire-bars, 
and is in every respect much cleaner than coal or coke. 
The South of Scotland Peat Fuel Company exhibit fine 
samples of peat, which have been analysed and reported 
upon by Mr. Heddle, Professor of Chemistry in the University 
of St. Andrews. The composition of the dried fuel, on 
analysis by combustion, is— 
Gas sen st 6s Ska Pegs 
Carbon Aree. a0 2) 2th ga ona! 
PUSH op aj ce UAE em See ota 
In its ordinary condition, however, it contains— 
Wratertoat .- #4) «tet Hee 
Gas No 60 oc okies ee ues 
Carbon 2 act BL) as Ae ee: 
ASD gS Seay aro ak coe 
It was found that a sample kept for some days under 
cover contained 16°4 per cent of moisture, and that samples 
artificially dried regained upon exposure nearly the above 
amount, so that it may be held to be impracticable to 
improve the fuel in this respect; the fuel yields gas at the 
rate of 7984 cubic feet per ton. When examined by Lewis 
Thompson’s fuel test-apparatus, the calorific power of the 
fuel was found to be— 
In itsiusualstatess. <9 <) ap675 
When dried .°°. 4:4 5940 
