224 REPOBT— 1880. 



as seriously to check the passage of air through a furnace in which 

 anthracite is used for fuel, even when the air is impelled by a blast engine. 

 It is a property belonging to Welsh anthracite, and to some varieties of it 

 to an extraordinaiy degree, but not, I am informed, to the anthracite of 

 the United States of America.' However this may be, we know that 

 anthracite does not possess the opening or swelling qualities of the Welsh 

 steam coal, nor the binding or caking properties of the bituniinons coal. 

 And thus we have occasion for the introduction of appliances for securing 

 perfect and more rapid combustion ; to which, in alluding to the history 

 of anthracite, in respect of the various purposes to which it is applied, or 

 sought to be applied, I shall venture to direct your attention. 



This history is replete with the recoi'ds of attempts made to extend 

 the use of this fuel. Imbued with the knowledge of its inherent strength, 

 its purity and admitted advantages, persons have come forward through 

 a series of years — some actuated by personal interest, combined with a 

 desire to promote the public good, others through the latter incentive 

 alone, and have spent money, time, thought, and labour upon this object, 

 but unfortunately with but little success. 



To this day, the use of anthracite in this country is practically 

 confined to malting, hop-drying, and lime-burning, and consequently the 

 resources of this fine coal-field remain practically iindeveloped. 



As early as the year 1-595 attention seems to have been drawn to the 

 valuable qualities of anthracite coal. Writing in that year a history of 

 Pembrokeshire, George Owen, Esq., of Henllys, says, after speaking of 

 certain woods that had existed in times past, but were then destroyed : 

 ' But, for the most part, those that dwell neere the cole, or that may have 

 it carried by water with ease, use most cole fii-es in their kitchings, and 

 some in their halles, because it is a ready fiere, and very good and sweete 

 to rost and boyle meate, and voyde of smoake where yet chymnies are.' 

 It is, he adds, ' called stone cole for the hardness thereof,' ' and being once 

 kindled giveth a greater heat than light, and delighteth to burn in darke 

 places.' ' Is not noysome for the smoake nor nothing soe lothsome for the 

 smell as the ring cole is, whose smoake annoyeth all things neare it, as 

 fyne linen, men's handes that warm themselves by it ; but this stone cole 

 yieldeth in a manner noe smoake after it is kindled, and is soe pure that 

 fine camerick and laune is usually dried by it without any stayne or 

 blemish, and is a most proved good dryer of malt — therein passing wood, 

 feme, or strawe. This cole for the rare properties thereof was carried out 

 of this country to the citie of London, to the late Lord Tresurer Burley, 

 by a gentleman of experience, to shewe how farr the same excelled that 

 of Neucastell wherewith the citie of London is servid, and I think if the 

 passage were not soe tedious there would be greate use made of it.' Such 

 is the tribute to the excellent quality of stone coal afforded by this inte- 

 resting old geologist. Two hundred and fifty years later, Taylor, in his 

 ' Statistics of Coal,' writes of Welsh anthracite, after alluding to the 

 slight use made of it : ' Yet, if we mistake not greatly, the day will arrive 

 when this great metropolis (London) will seek from the mountains of 

 Wales her supplies of a mineral fael far preferable to that which from 

 custom she now considers so valuable, and which, from its imperfect 

 combustion, among other cau.ses, now darkens the air with smoke, and 

 pervades a vast and densely inhabited area with its sooty and noxious 

 particles.' This prophecy is still unfulfilled — but in the presence of fogs 

 hanging with increasing frequency like a funereal pall over the city — 



