various other useful Articles, from Pit-Coal. 333 
which was used in making the varnish with which the 
waiter sent was japanned. 
No. 2.—Is the same oil or spirit, a little more rectified. 
No. 3.—The same, still further rectified, and of course 
more clear, and freer from smell; but I find that the spe- 
cimen, No. 1, answers quite as well for varnish. 
Tar-spirit is now about 8s. per gallon, and turpentine- 
spirit about 15s. This latter bas been, within the last two 
vears, as high as 48s. per gallon, and the tar-spirit will 
answer equally well for varnish, on using the coal-tar-spirit, 
instead of the turpentine-spirit. 
{ requested Mr. Le Resche to use the tar-spirit just in 
the same way he would the foreign spirit, and then give the 
varnish to his work-people to use, without making any re- 
mark to them, which was done: he making the varnish 
himself, found it mixed, and made the varnish as good in 
appearance as that prepared with the foreign spirit. He 
then gave the varnish to his work-people to use; and when 
they had finished their work with it, he found from their 
report, that it answered perfectly, and dried sooner; and 
when the waiter done, with it was given to the polisher, it 
was found to polish much smoother under the hand, and 
take a more beautiful gloss than their former varnish, as 
the article now sent will show on inspection. 
{ am of opinion that the production of these articles will 
he of great public service. Permit me to add, that the 
timber of ships paid with this tar is not nearly so liable to 
be worm-eaten as those done with common tar. 
I remain, sir, 
Your humble servant, 
Birmingham, Jan, 12,1810. B. Cook. 
To C. Taylor, M.D. Sec. 
Reference to Mr. Cook’s Apparatus for preparing Gas ard 
other Products from Pit-Coal, Pl. 3. 
A, Fig. 1, Pl. VIII, is a common fire-place, a stove built, 
with brick, having cast-iron bars to put the fire in at, and, 
a flue that goes into achimney; A is the cast-iron pot, 
(which holds from twenty-five pound to one hundred pound, 
of coal, according to the size of the premises to be lighted) 
which bangs by the bewels or ears on a hook, suspended 
by a chain in this stove or furnace, about three inches above 
the bars of the grate, and three inches distant from the sides 
of the stove; the fire then flames all round this pot, and as 
it does not rest on the burning: fuel, it is the flame oniv 
that 
