Anthracite Coal of Rhode-Island. 85 
In the same manner, when a little water is thrown into a 
rhemical furnace, burning with great energy,—the byte 
gas is liberated in such abundance » that the flame ot only 
roars with a loud noise, as it ine with increased i. ence, 
and in augmented quantity, up the throat of the chimney, but 
this vent, being often insufficient to let it all off, as fast as it 
forms, it darts downward through the grate, and spouts out 
at the ash pit, forming a jet of fire inthe room. This effect 
was very strikingly exhibited, by the dry Rhode-Island an- 
thracite, which, when powerfully ignited in the furnace, ae 
Th i 
trated by Mr. Samuel Morey, in the various papers of his ¢ on 
this subject, printed in preceding volumes of this Journal. 
My experience with the Rhode-Island coal has been limit- © 
ed to a short period, but it seems hardly possible, that there 
should be any mistake on the main points, most interesting in 
dete 
. This anthracite is ignited without difficulty, by the 
same eeingetenes which is usual with the Pennsylvania coal, 
and it appears to be Me say no more) gard combustible.* 
I have never attempted to burn it in an open grate, and my 
impressions are ned, that this is not the best method 
of burning the anthracites, although it is understood, that, by 
good management, they are made to burn in this manner > 
but many persons hecome dissatisfied * disuse their grates. 
2. The best method of burning this coal is in the tron fur- 
nace, or stove lined with fire bricks.t 
In this manner the fire is entirely at command, and can be 
made. to produce, at pleasure, a mild or an intense 
coal, unless previously dried, burns with an abun- 
saenaiie ; within 15 or 20 minutes it is very conspicuous, 
and in double that time it fills the furnace, and continues, al- 
though, after a certain — diminishing, till the coal is al- 
most consumed. In this in which it-was 
considered as deficient, it excels. tthe coal has been long 
out of the mine, and has been a dry situation, it 
be well to sprinkle it occasi occasionally witha litte water: it should 
pril 24. I must now say that it it appenri-to meio o be more €asily ignited. 
eer, A cylinder of cast iron has been, recently, substituted e Eee 
