i873-] Peat' ' 467 



proximity to peat bogs, and where the carriage of that fuel 

 would, therefore, not bear too high a proportion to its 

 economic value. 



According to Berthier and Regnault, peat gives from 

 28 to 30 per cent in weight of coke ; lignite, 40 to 50 

 per cent ; bituminous coal, 60 to 80 per cent ; anthracite, 

 80 to 90 per cent ; and graphite, 92 to 94 per cent of its 

 weight. From a view of this table, it appears not at all 

 improbable that we have in the above-mentioned substances 

 a regular gradation of the action of nature in the produc- 

 tion of pure carbon from vegetable substances. If we go a 

 little further back, and take vegetable matter in the form of 

 wood, we find that the amount of charcoal obtained from 

 different kinds of wood varies from 16*4 per cent from 

 Scottish pine to 26*0 per cent from lignum vitae ; the pro- 

 portion of charcoal from the latter being therefore nearly 

 equal to that from peat. 



The following table of calorific values of combustibles, 

 compiled chiefly upon the authority of experiments made by 

 M. Peclet, is taken from M. Bosc's valuable work, " Traite 

 Complet de la Tourbe," a book which affords more valuable 

 information on the subject of peat generally than any book 

 hitherto published : — 



Calorific value of one kilogramme. 



/■■ ? % 



Combustibles. Dried Containing' 



25 per cent of water. 

 Calorific units. Calorific units. 



Wood dried at ioo° .... 3600 2750 



With 10 per cent 

 of water. 



Anthracite 8000 7150 



Pure carbon 7800 7000 



Wood charcoal 73°o 6500 



Coke from moulded peat . . 7400 6500 



Coal (first quality) .... 6000 5350 



Ditto (second quality) . . . 5500 4850 



Coke from coal 6500 5800 



Ditto from ordinary peat . . 5500 4900 



Purified moulded peat . . . 4500 3900 



Ordinary peat 3200 2800 



Experiments undertaken by the Chemin de Fer de l'Est, 

 with stationary engines and locomotives, at their depot at 

 Epinal, both with coal and with peat obtained from the 

 manufactory of M. Laroche and Co., at Sautaures, in the 

 Vosges, gave the following results : — 



Stationary Engine. — Peat consumed as fuel from the 1st 



