ManufaBure of Ptg-Iron with Pit-Coal. 43 



"X 1000 tons of pigs = 3000 tons of cokes, which at the 

 higheft price ftated, lis. per ton, amounts to 1,650/. or lefs 

 than the charcoal, 1,150/. 6000 tons of fplint-coals will be 

 eafily procured from one acre of meafiirement where the feam 

 meafures 4^ to 5 feet thick. An obfervation ftrikes us forci- 

 bly here, that, great as the confumption of wood is, a fuffi- 

 cient extent of country can from time to time replace -any 

 given quantity. No fafts, however, which have hitherto 

 come under our obfervation, warrant us to fuppofe the re- 

 formation of pit-coal. 



I cannot clofe this paper without bringing forward to notice 

 a fubftance which has hitherto remained in a comparatively 

 ufelefs ftate to fociety. We have feen how many extenfive 

 forefts of excellent land have been cleared of their natural 

 timber; how many thoufand acres refi:ored to agricultural 

 purpofes, to fupply the wants of the increafing population of 

 our country by the immediate neceffities of the iron-works; 

 while at the fame time individuals received ample recompenfe 

 for their neceflary labour. May we not again look forward 

 and truft, that the rapid ftrides which fcience in our times is 

 making towards the perfeftion of manufaftures, will devife a 

 method which will enable the manufafturer of iron to ufe 

 peat and turf in his manipulations, either alone or as a mix- 

 ture? Many fchemes have been tried to Introduce thefe cheap 

 fuels to advantage. Mixtures of charcoal and well dried peats 

 fmelt and carbonate a confiderable portion of metal. The 

 weekly produce, however, feldom exceeded eight or ten tons ; 

 the extreme inflammabllily of the peat rendered It imprac- 

 ticable to ufe a blaft fufficiently comprefled to produce a 

 quantity without rifklng the furnace. When peats were ufed 

 alone, the produce dimlniflied fo much as not to defray the 

 labour. But the quality of the metal was always fuperior, 

 and nothing was wanting but a preparation of the fuel ia 

 fuch a manner as to (land a heavier dlfcharge of air. 



Peats have alfo been ufed for the refining of cafl; into bar- 

 iron with various degrees of fuccefs, none of them fufficiently 

 important in their advantages to conftltute a permanent fub- 

 flitute for pit coal or the charcoal of wood. The qualities 

 of peat-ground, or rather of the mofs from which peats are 

 G a cut. 



