Oct. 19, 1877. | 215 (Cresson. 
when several years ago I asked the accomplished Chief of the Hydro- 
graphic Office, Bureau of Navigation, how many vessels he supposed they 
had saved, he responded: ‘‘ Not many, I think.’’ It gives me pleasure to 
state that the same gentleman has lately recommended my work for use 
in the Navy, saying, ‘‘that his experience bears it out.’’ 
The fate of the Huron is but another of the many victims to the Moloch 
of erroneous meteorological theory ; it is too much to hope that it will be 
the last one, but let us trust that such terrible events will grow less and 
less frequent until the time comes when there may be none fairly charge- 
able to a lack of a knowledge of the true nature of storms. 
Bituminous Material from Pulaski County, Virginia, U.S. 
By Dr. CHARLES M. CRESSON. 
(Read before the American Philosophical Society, October 19, 1877.) 
The locality from which the sample was taken, is four and a half miles 
north of the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad property of W. T. 
Hart, said to be from a vein averaging 32 feet in thickness. Dip variable 
from 30° to 50° ; is covered by 2 feet of fire clay. Footwall, soft gray slate. 
Sample from 45 feet below water level. 
Results of laboratory examination as follows : 
COO OTe att Sh eo eee ha ae whe ole eat Prgrsle bla wie alen oes Black 
RSL CHG tererttsterc ai ort Se areswh oie huni wpe wien hi acekere lee coucterere Oheae te Brown 
SPU CHULC MET aoe eco wee eatcad Seine sets Lamellar and Friable 
PUPP Tibles Cy eR VNC VS «Sool Sets, fararct | sate) oPaiane aici ete et mbpsereim(elel ahah 1.566, 
Moisture'and Volatile Matter.:.:.............. 7.50 per cent. 
IDE de Canrpoleies cere e aetela ctactie oles cise or wel ole stsce 65.52 at 
INCAS Oko Sty AGO CHAR OD AG CLOCREe cn OCC EDL Beoerer 26.98 “ 
There was no clinker got in the laboratory experiments, although the 
ash was subjected to a high degree of heat. 
SUID INU eararseretc Seve lettua cheers Clelsievarsterers.eterciere lars 0.165 per cent. 
One pound of material burned in Oxygen evaporated 10.12 pounds of 
water from 212° Fahrenheit. 
After deducting the average losses, by heat absorbed by ash, products of 
combustion and radiation, there remains as the result of the combustion of 
one pound of fuel, 7.59 pounds of water evaporated, or about the same 
amount as is evaporated by burning one pound of the best coke from bitu- 
minous coals. 
Experimental trials made in locomotive and stationary tubular boilers, 
with samples supposed to represent an average of the vein, produced some- 
what different results from those obtained from the selected samples sent to 
the Laboratory for analysis. Upon the large scale, this fuel gave at first an 
exceeding hot and lively fire, but as soon as the bituminous matter was 
burned off, the fire became dull and required stirring. When the draft was 
insufficient to carry off the ash, there was gradually formed a spongy, lava- 
