110 Combustible Mineral of the Mersey River. 



cubic feet of gas per ton, and the Boghead coal nearly 

 14,000 cubic feet. 



The following Table exhibits the results obtained by 

 analyzing this mineral, according to the method generally 

 employed in the analysis of gas coal ; and I have added, for 

 the purpose of comparison, a statement of similar results 

 from Lesmahago and Boghead coals : — 



Ingredients. 



Mineral from 



Mersey River, 



Tasmania. 



Lesmahago 

 Gas Coal. 



Boghead 

 Gas Coal. 



Volatile Matters 



20-41 

 5-50 



71-20 



•73 



2-16 



55-23 

 36-72 



4-35 

 •55 



3-15 



67.11 



( Fixed Carbon ... 

 Coke-^ 



(Ash 



Sulphur 



10-52 



21-00 



•32 



Water 



1-05 





100 



100 



100 



The results in the above Table are replete with informa- 

 tion. The actual quantity of gas that any coal will afford 

 may in general be fairly estimated from the proportion of 

 " volatile matters " that it gives when analyzed according 

 to the foregoing method. The larger the proportion of 

 these matters, (which consists of gases and volatile liquid 

 substances), the greater will be the quantity of gas pro- 

 curable from the coal by distillation in the usual way. On 

 reference to the Table, it will be at once seen that the 

 amount of these ingredients (volatile matters) in the Van 

 Diemen's Land mineral is comparatively small : and accord- 



