Anthracite Coal of Rhode-[sland. $3 
water, emitted no air at all, as far as could be perceived, only 
at the end of half an hour, there were innumerable very mi- 
nute air bubbles adhering to this anthracite, but none of them 
rose through the water ; there was no hissing, and they might 
perhaps have been evolved from the water itself. 
: immersed, for a given time, portions of 
he dry Rhode-Island anthracite ; 
a=: Of that which was looser in its texture ; 
After being immersed about half an hour, the pieces were 
withdrawn and dried externally, by being pressed repeatedly 
ina silk handkerchief: they were then weighed ;—the result, 
reduced to the centesimal nn (for the pieces were of 
various anes was as follow 
very dry, 100 grains gained 64.7 = 164.7 
Mae. looser variety,* oe - 16.6 = 116.6 
Do. do. — compact,* 100 gr. - 00.7 = 100.7 
Lehigh anthra 100 gr. - 00.0 = 100. 
The results fully | establish what-has been stated respecting 
the imbibition of water by the Rhode-Island anthracite, and 
render it prebable that no part of from the a 
coal is attributable a that cause. i 
When the pieces of R. Island senthiraeite; which had im- 
bibed most water, were placed in the stove, upon other por- 
tions of the very dry anthracite, which were burning with in- 
tense ignition, but without much flame—there was an active 
decrepitation, occasioned by the sudden production of aque- 
ous vapour, and as soon as the coal was i re was 
ar evident augmentation of the flame, arising, without doubt, 
from the ition of the water. _ fei is cObviOws, that the 
gas from the Rhode sland 
the’ 5 deciaptia of imbibed water, and that there cant “be 
very little combined water, or hydrogen, i in that anthracite. 
On the contrary, most of the water, or hydrogen, in the an- 
thracite of Pennsylvania, appears to be combined. There- 
fore the quantity of inflammable gas, obtained in the chemi- 
cal processes, agrees with the actual flame while the coal is’ 
“Recent specimens, only a few days from the mine. 
