226 REPORT— 1880. 



1847 for a water grate to efiFect the object in view, but after a series of 

 experiments it was not found practically to do so. 



In the years 1853-54 Messrs. McLarty and Co. employed anthracite 

 in their steamers the Livorna and Geneva, trading between Liverpool and 

 the Mediterranean ports, and apparently with great success. In this 

 case no artificial draught was used, and they reported thus : ' The an- 

 thi'acite has proved to be a twofold saving — in regard to economy of space, 

 and to a very large saving in the consumption. In the former, the average 

 saving of stowage is 20 per cent., and in the latter, the reduction in con- 

 sumption is from 40 to 50 per cent., according to the quality of the coal. 



' Its great cleanliness and entire freedom from smoke we look upon as 

 not the least of the benefits its use confers upon us.' 



The general business of this firm was not, I believe, profitable, and 

 consequently this successful exposition of the use of anthracite ceased to 

 exist. Prior to this period Dr. Frankland had reported to Mr. Watney 

 the result of his experiments with the ' Pump Quart ' vein coal of the 

 Gwendraeth Valley. He states ' that the coal possessed an evaporating 

 power considerably greater than any other fuel yet examined, 1 lb. eva- 

 porating, under favourable circumstances, in this boiler, 12'43 lbs. of 

 water.' He adds that the space occupied by a ton of this anthracite, as 

 used for fuel, is less than that taken up by any other coal, and he fur- 

 nishes a table showing the number of lbs. of water evaporated by 1 cubic 

 foot of various coals as under : — 



' Duffryn,' Welsh Steam Coal 565-02 



Graigola „ 581-20 



Nixon's Merthyr „ 514-93 



James and Aubrey's (Anthracite) 66502 



Sliverdagh „ 618-58 



Watney's „ 742-30 



Anthracite was also introduced and for some time used on board her 

 Majesty's yachts Fairy and the Victoria and Albert. 



The ' Times' of July 7, 1853, under the head of naval intelligence, and 

 referring to the sailing of the Victoria and Alhert, from Holyhead to 

 Dublin, contains the following paragraph : ' Her Majesty and the Court, 

 as well as the oflBcers of the yacht, will have a more comfortable voyage 

 this ti-ip than hitherto, owing to the use of the anthracite fuel with 

 Colonel Coffin's steam jets fitted to her furnaces, by which no smoke or 

 ashes issue from the funnel, thus abolishing the nuisances of smuts in the 

 eyes and on the clothes of all on deck, and covering the decks with the 

 dust from the flues, which the ordinary coal throws upon them.' The 

 Great Britain steamship, the Boyal Charter, the Faith and other vessels 

 were also at this time using anthracite with much success ; but these 

 vessels, I am informed by Mr. Vickerman, of Hean Castle, Pembrokeshire 

 (alluding to the two first), ' passed into other hands, who were interested 

 in steam coal colleries.' He adds, ' The royal yacht also used anthracite 

 from these collieries in her Majesty's yachting days, and she was so 

 charmed with the cleanliness that she forbade the use of any other fuel 

 when herself aboai'd.' In no single case, however, has the use of this 

 fuel continued, and the opinion long since entertained and expressed, 

 that without artificial draught it will not be a permanent success, has 

 been fully confirmed. Economy in consumption, saving in space, and 

 other advantages are no doubt readily obtained, but not so rapidity in 

 evaporation ; and, further, it has been demonstrated that the fierce fire 



