574 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



years ago in a stove. Keeping the doors open, assists it in burn- 

 ing. Pea coal requires to be burned on a broad surface. My 

 whole bill for coal that winter was $7.50. Pea coal at that time 

 was only $2 per ton, while all other coal was $11 a ton. The 

 only disadvantage in using it is that the ashes may collect at the 

 top and prove a non-conductor. A good draft from the bottom 

 would obviate this. 



Mr. Haskell said there was a patent granted in this country 

 for sticking fine coal together with pine pitch and tar. 



Mr. Johnson said his brother had burned pea coal under his 

 engine, which was a ten horse power. The cost of the pea coal 

 was only $1.25 a ton, and caused a saving to him of $9 per week. 



Mr. Dibben. — I would not recommend fine coal to be brought 

 to sea, as it would occupy too much space, and firemen did not 

 like it either, because it is more difiicult to keep the fire going 

 with the fine coal than it is with large coal. When you see the 

 blue flame at the top of the funnel of our anthracite burning 

 boats, then the admission of air at the boiler or any other place, 

 would be an advantage. These boats might burn a great deal 

 less coal if they had more boiler room. Some of the Pall River 

 boats burn nearly forty tons of coal going from here to there. 



Mr. Babcock. — Is it going, during the trip there and back, or 

 only going there ? 



Mr. Dibben. — Only going there. 



Mr. Vedder. — They consume on the Hudson river boats about 

 forty tons of coal. They have found a great economy in keeping 

 up a moderate fire and leaving their doors open. I think it would 

 be advisable for the operator to have perfect control over the ad- 

 mission of air ; quick combustion is very costly. No material 

 that we consume will let ofi" more smoke than coal oils ; but if 

 it is put under a reflector, this is obviated. On the western 

 boats they have coal in such quantities that they consume it 

 very extravagantly, and the great volume of smoke that is con- 

 tinually going off, is composed of small particles of coal. The 

 greatest difiiculty consists in the introduction of oxygen. 



Dr. Vander Weyde stated that an apparatus has been invented 

 by which the smoke is nearly dispensed Avith. All smoke is par- 

 ticles of carbon not consumed. If we burn gas we cannot have 

 too much air. The influx of air will not prevent it from burn- 

 ing. 



Mr. Garbanati said the people of London had nearly obviated 



