514 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



where the savmg of kiudliug wood, usually employed in starting 

 the anthracite, came to more than the cost of patent fuel. The 

 Pacific Mail Steamship Company had offered them one of their 

 steamers for a trial trip to sea, and in a few days he would send 

 invitations to the members of the Institute to accompany it. The 

 fuel is thus composed : sixty to sixty-five per cent of peat, about 

 twenty per cent of anthracite dust, ten per cent coal tar, five per 

 cent asphaltum, but varying in proportion for different purposes, 

 whether metallurgical, domestic or other. The peat, dug in the 

 usual manner, is laid in the air to dry ; and when dry enough to 

 be mixed with the other materials, it is put into a press, and with 

 one blow compressed. Next day it is ready for use. It can be 

 prepared by any farmer. 



Dr. R. P. Stevens objected, that since the value of fuel was 

 reckoned by the quantity of carbon it contained, and since peat 

 possessed much less carbon than anthracite, he could not see how 

 peat and anthracite together should produce greater heat than 

 anthracite alone. 



After some further discussion of the subject of cheap fuel the 

 Association adjourned. 



American Institute Polytechnic Association, ? 



October 11, 1866. ] 

 Prof. S. D. Tillman in the chair; T. D. Stetson, Esq., Sec'y. 



Asbestos Gloves. 

 Dr. D. D. Parmelee exhibited a glove of Hungarian make, which 

 it was said would enable the wearer to hold a heated crucible. It 

 was made of asbestos, a fibrous mineral, and such gloves cost $20 

 a pair. 



MiSPIKEL. 



Dr. Feuchtwanger exhil)ited some specimens of arsenical iron, 

 known as mispikel. We import 100 tons of arsenic a year at four 

 cents a pound, while we can make it here from our numerous ores 

 for one cent per pound. All that is required is a common furnace 

 about 100 yards long with a wooden chimney, which would make 

 as much as we import. 



The Chairman presented the following notes on scientific pro- 

 gress : 



New USE or Chrome Compounds for Coloring. 



Mr. I. H. Chaudet of Rouen, France, by means of the action of 

 sulphurous acid on chromates produces sulphates and sulphites 



