Voyage of Discovery. 235 



coal. It is all taken out in large masses, and when broken 

 up, which is necessary to prepare it for the grate, it does not 

 pulverise, but separates into small pieces of curved or prismatic 

 forms. It ignites with perfect facility ; burns with a small 

 flame, but with a most vivid and intense heat, leaving an 

 ash small in quantity and white like that of hickory wood. 

 It has no sulphur and no smell. Having no bitumen, it 

 creates no smoke or soot. The permanence and durability 

 of this coal is as astonishing as the strength and vehe- 

 mence of its heat, which circumstances render it the most 

 economical and cheap fire that can possibly be found. These 

 peculiar qualities of this coal are not only established by the 

 general voice of Philadelphia and the counties on the Schuyl- 

 kill, but are attested by the published statements of the Board 

 of Direction of the Schuylkill Canal Company, composed of 

 gentlemen of the highest distinction and character. — They 

 state, that from " repeated experiments," it is found that "one 

 bushel of Schuylkill coal goes as far as three of Liverpool ; 

 and that ten bushels are equal to a cord of the best oak 

 wood." The purity of this coal is without example or parallel, 

 being 97 parts out of a 1 00 pure carbon. Hence it is perfectly 

 and admirably fitted for certain valuable purposes, to which 

 the common coal cannot be applied without a tedious and ex- 

 pensive process of preparation, as in smelting and air furnaces, 

 in breweries, and in kitchens, where it is used for cooking, 

 and answers admirably. In melting iron ore and iron, besides 

 requiring but half the quantity of coal, and saving much time, it 

 improves the quality of the iron — a matter of the highest im- 

 portance — renders it more closely textured, tougher and mere 

 malleable. 



VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 



Accounts dated in May last have just been received in 

 Paris from the French maritime expedition of discovery com- 

 manded by Captain Duperrey. They contain some interest- 

 ing details on nautical and magnetical observations, and an- 

 nounce the discovery of four islands in what the French call 

 the Dangerous Archipelago, to which they have given the 

 names of Clermont- Tonnere, Lostanges, Angier, and Frennct. 

 The inhabitants could not be induced to have any intercourse 

 with the voyagers. Driven thence by stress of weather, they 

 proceeded to Otaheite, where they witnessed the happy change 

 that has taken place in the morals of the natives since the in- 

 troduction of Christianity. Idolatry, human sacrifices, poly- 

 gamy, and child-murder, are now unknown among them ; and 

 many exhibit great fervour in the profession of Christianity. 



(1 «>• 2 The 



