82 THE ADDRESSES, LECTURES, ETC., OF 



of 30,000,000 per annum, a sura equal to nearly one-half the 

 national income. Nor does this enormous amount of waste indicate 

 all the advantages that might be realised by strict attention to 

 appliances for saving fuel, which are, generally speaking, also 

 appliances for improving the quality of the work produced ; in a 

 national point of view it is of great importance that our coal 

 deposits should be made to last as long as possible ; and regarding 

 public health and comfort, the smoke nuisance is the bane of our 

 towns and the chief source of our discomfort in travelling by 

 steamboat or railway, yet smoke emission is only another name for 

 waste of fuel, smoke being nothing more or less than unconsurned 

 coal. I am ready to admit, however, that the introduction of all 

 coal-saving appliances involves a considerable expenditure, an ex- 

 penditure which has to be conducted carefully, under the guidance 

 of the mechanical engineer, but which, if properly directed, yields 

 immediate and very ample returns. 



In reverting to the important branch of the general subject 

 which will be prominently brought before us, we shall find that 

 our best marine engines consume to-day rather less than one-half 

 the amount of fuel which was thought practically indispensable 

 nine years ago, when our former meeting was held in Liverpool, 

 showing that one section of our fraternity have at any rate not 

 been idle in the interim. If nine years hence my successor in this 

 chair be able to announce a similar step in advance, which may 

 be looked for, I rather think, in the mode of producing the steam 

 than in extending its expansive action to a still greater degree, we 

 shall have the satisfaction of knowing that our further discussions 

 of the subject have not resulted in " lost energy." 



Another kindred paper on our list deals with the economic 

 getting of coal and recommends the substitution of a well- 

 considered mechanical process instead of human labour with the 

 pick, which latter constitutes in my opinion a reproach to our age 

 of professed humanity and mechanical resource, forming as it does 

 part of a system of coal-getting that is susceptible of great im- 

 provements which will tend to cheapen production and to ensure 

 increased safety and comfort to the men. 



Another paper deals with interesting applications of hydraulic 

 force to the working of shop tools, being a branch of the same im- 

 portant question of the substitution of machine for hand labour, 



