116 Mr. F. Forster's Observations on the South Welsh Coal Basin. 



of furnaces ; their appearance, in approaching to Merthyr, by night, from the hills with which 

 it is surrounded, presents a scene which is probably without a parallel. 



The following table exhibits the results of an examination of several 

 varieties of Welsh Coal. The 1st column shews the proportion of vola- 

 tile matter, including Gas, Bitumen or Coal Tar, and Ammoniacal Li- 

 quor, passing over in distillation. The 2d column, the quantity of Coke 

 left by distillation, mimes the proportion of earthy residuum, remain- 

 ing after the combustion of the Coal in a strong red heat, which is 

 shewn in the 3d. column. 



Seams of Coal in the line of Sec- 

 tion, proceedinff from north to south. 



Volalilt 

 Matter, 

 ^cent. 



Carbon 

 Fcent 



Incombustible Earthy Residuum, 

 ^ cent, leaving in combustion. 



Specific 

 gravity 

 oJ'Coal. 





Stone Coal. 

 Seam on Mynydd Bach Llanedi, 



Free-burning Coal. 



8-65 



14- 



14-5 



16-8 



19- 



27-5 



89-85 



79-0 

 82 



80-6 



78-5 

 70-2 



Pale Yellow Ashes, ... 1-5 



Heavy Reddish Ashes, 7-0 

 White Ashes, 3-5 



Red Ashes 2-6 



1-388 



1-388 

 1-304 



1-336 

 1-315 

 1-292 



■ 





Bituminous Coal. 

 Gelle Gile Seam 



Llwchor ColHery 5-Feet Seam, 



Globraisc Seam, Adair Colliery, 



2-5 

 Yellow Ashes, 2-3 



Seams in different parts of the 



Coal Basin. 

 Cox's Stone Coal Cwm Twrch, 



7-5 

 19-8 

 15-9 



91-5 



77-8 

 81-6 



Yellow Ashes 1-0 



Reddish Ashes, 2-4 



1-389 

 1-285 

 1-303 

 1-291 



/ 



Pool Coal W. of Llanelly, 



Bushy Seam Llanelly, 



Ditto Ditto 2-5 



Great Seam at Merthyr 



13-4 



85-6 



White Ashes, 1-0 



ff- 



f. This Coal is very bright and pure, and more free from earthy matter than any Welsh 

 Coal that I have seen, with the exception of the Great Seam at Merthyr. The Bushey 

 Seam is Free-burning Coal, and barely comes within that class. The seams above it in the 

 north-crop (see the diagram, page 104), are more decidedly Free-burning Coal. 



g. This is the seam from which a great proportion of the Coke for the blast furnaces is 

 procured. It is coked in heaps in the open air, and produces a close-grained Coke of a 

 silvery lustre, and very free from Sulphur. It is a singular coincidence, especially when the 

 difference in the quality of the Coals is considered, that the Coke left by this Coal when dis- 

 tilled in a retort, resembles the Garesfield Coke, one of the best on the river Tyne. 



Newcastle, June 12, 1830. 



