OOAL ANALYSES. 



83 



Analyses of coal from the Portsmouth mine, Portsmouth, Rhode Island.' 

 [Analysts, Dr. F. A. Gooch and Mr. B. T. Putnam.] 



Water 5. 12 



Volatile combustible 6.49 



Carbon : 71.04 



Ash ! 17.35 



II. 



0.52 

 6.31 

 76.23 

 16.94 



3. 18 2. 25 



4.43 I 6.46 



75. 97 I 79. 5.) 



16.42 j 11.70 



100.00 j 100. 00 



Sulphur 0.216 0.224 



Ash Red. I Bed 



100.00 jlOO.OO 

 0.258' 0.643 

 Red. I Red 



7.62 

 5. 42 



74.40 

 12.56 



100. 00 

 0.28 



Fuilratio ( Vol ° co mb . ) ; 



10. 94 12. 08 : 17. 14 ! 12. 32 i 13. 72 



TI. 



7.96 



4.95 

 76.22 

 10.87 



100.00 



Red. 

 15.39 



VII. 



8.76 

 7.23 

 70. 24 

 13.77 



Km.iiii 



Red. 



9.71 



VIII. 



10.27 

 5.99 

 67.50 

 10. 24 



mo.oo 



10.47 

 5.83 

 66.95 

 17.05 



100.00 



I. Bottom of shaft, north side; thickness of seam, 3 feet 11 inches. 

 II. Bottom of shaft, south side; thickness of seam, 2 feet 7 inches. 



III. South side, 50 feet from bottom; thickness of seam, 6 feet. 



IV. South gallery, 370 feet from bottom; upper three-fourths of 6-foot seam. 



(Aualj'ses I, II, III, and IV are from samples taken across the width of the seam.) 

 V. The average of seven analyses made from samples taken at intervals along the length of a 



6-foot drill core, cut out of what is known as the "back seam," at about 90 feet below the 



month of the Portsmouth miue. 

 VI and VII. The single analyses of this series showing the maximum and minimum percentages of 



carbon and ash. 

 VIII and IX. Samples taken from two lots, of several tons each, of freshly mined coal used in other 



experiments. 



Although it is probable that if the coal can be mined in the undisturbed 

 central parts of the shallower synclines it will there be found to contain less 

 vein matter, and hence will be lower in ash, its high percentage of the latter 

 and its other objectionable peculiarities may have to be reckoned as insu- 

 perable. It is therefore very doubtful whether it can ever be brought into 

 service for ordinary uses. The experiments heretofore referred to appear 

 to show that it can not be given a fair place for steaming purposes. The 

 fact that while the Portsmouth mine was working, the people of the neigh- 

 borhood were not willing to pay more than two-thirds of the cost of Penn- 

 sylvania anthracite for its product, shows that it is not well suited for house- 

 hold use. There remain, however, as before remarked, certain fields in 

 which this fuel may well find a place. These are ore smelting, the manu- 

 facture of water gas, and the process of burning brick when the powdered 

 coal is placed between the layers of the kiln. 



'Notes on the Rhode Island and Massachusetts coals, by A. B. Emmons: Trans. Am. Inst. Jlin. 

 Vol. XIII, 1885, p. 511. 



