320 DR. ANGUS SMITH ON PEAT. 



six firemen being employed to feed the furnaces. To 

 generate the same amount of steam with peat of the 

 quality experimented with would require the force of fire- 

 men to be greatly increased. Again, it would be necessary 

 to lay in, under cover, a large stock of fuel during the 

 summer, for use in winter, when peat cannot be raised. 

 Since a barrel of this peat w r eighed less than ioolbs., the 

 short ton would occupy the volume of 20 barrels ; as is 

 well known, a ton of anthracite can be put into 8 barrels. 

 A given weight of peat, therefore, requires 2f times as 

 much storage room as the same weight of coal. As i\ 

 tons of peat, in the case we are considering, are equivalent 

 to but one ton of coal in heating-effect, the winter's supply of 

 peat fuel would occupy 5|- times the bulk of the same supply 

 in coal, admitting that the unoccupied or air-space in a 

 pile of peat is the same as in a heap of coal. In fact, the 

 calculation would really turn out still more to the disad- 

 vantage of peat, because the air-space in a bin of peat is 

 greater than in one of coal, and coal can be excavated for 

 at least two months more of the year than peat. 



" It is asserted by some, that, because peat can be con- 

 densed so as to approach anthracite in specific gravity, it 

 must, in the same ratio, approach the latter in heating- 

 power. Its effective heating-power is indeed considerably 

 augmented by condensation; but no mechanical treat- 

 ment can increase its percentage of carbon, or otherwise 

 alter its chemical composition ; hence it must for ever 

 remain inferior to anthracite. 



" The composition and density of the best condensed peat 

 is compared with that of hard wood and anthracite in the 

 following statement : — 



In 100 parts 



Carbon. 



Hydrogen. 



Oxygen and 

 Nitrogen. 



Ash. 



Water. 



Specific 



gravity. 



Wood 

 Condensed J 

 peat ... J 

 Anthracite... 



396 

 47-2 

 915 



4-8 



4'9 



2-9 



34-8 



22'9 



28 



o-8 

 5-0 

 3'c 



20'0 

 20 - O 



075 

 I'20 



I '40 



