144 hughes: wardha valley coal-field. 



against the bosh, and the accumulated ashes and cinders raked out (two 

 or three cart-loads at a time, three or four times a week). In this way 

 the manager kept his furnace from gobbing. The quality of the iron 

 suffered by this coal, and the yield was less. The coal of which he had 

 been speaking was that known as the Mealy Grey, or the bottom coal 

 seam of Staffordshire. 



With the Indian coal, it was thought to be impossible to smelt the 

 rich Indian ore in other than small quantities without an abundance of 

 fluxing materials. A due admixture of the strongly silicious with the 

 rich metallic ores of India would, it was assumed, contribute to this end. 

 Even the majority of the coals of Staffordshire were too weak to carry a 

 heavy burden of iron stone, and some of the members believed that Mr. 

 Ness would best succeed by beginning his experiments with smaller 

 furnaces. 



Other members, however, thought that the height of the furnace might 

 Possible advantage of ^e increased with advantage. It was also pointed 

 heightening furnace. ut that though Mr. Ness had spoken of having 



well-aired his furnace, and of putting in blank charges, yet that it had 

 been found well in Staffordshire to consume a whole month in such work 

 before a new furnace was charged with its full burden. {Mining Journal, 

 5th February 1876.) 



The chief cause of failure in the attempt to produce iron by the blast 

 furnace system is by Mr. Ness attributed to the unsuitableness of the 

 coal for the purpose. Mr. William Molineux, the President of the Associa- 

 tion, agrees with him that the Warora coal contains a large amount of 

 inorganic matter, and says that to deal with such coal, considerable skill 

 and experience is required. He also thinks that the position of the 

 tuyeres in the furnace might be improved. 



It appears, from observations made by Mr. Ness, that the coal did not 



Coal not adapted for re ^ a i n more than one-third of the fixed carbon it 



had when charged by the time it reached the zone 



of fusion ; and this feature of its behaviour, together with its tendency to 



( 144 ) 



