202 NEW SOUTH WALES COALS. 
w English aga ee coking coal contains 
pate 0:79 to 2-49 per cent. ash (see Percy’s Metallurgy, vol. i, 
p- 99), and averages 168, The Nottinghamshire contains 34 
Staffordshire coal varies from 1:55 to 6-44, and South Wales 
from 1:20 to 7-18 ; Scotch coals from - a to 6°75; so ese as far 
as the sfetinies of ash is concerned, some of our erm 
ual to the Welsh and Scotch coals, sik but: little 
ns ata the English Newcastle coal. 
A matter to which it is necessary Ne pay careful attention is 
the proportion of sulphur present in a coal. The presence of a 
large amount of this element not only lila the use of the coal 
unpleasant for domestic purposes, but makes it useless for most 
manufacturing and metallurgical operations. 
The quantity of sulphur soar: in the New South Wales coals 
is by no means excessive, and they will in this respect compare 
not unfavourably with those of aie countries. 
Percentage of Sulphur. 
Minimum. Mean. Maximum. | 
Northern Coal-fields... ... ‘34 1:18 Leg 
8 Eee RCT Regen a ey 1°42 157 
Southern me cog ‘91 1°28 | 
vant co (England)! ; ‘BD 97 151 
Playfair and De la Beche found during their investigation for 
the English Government, that the mean pereentage of sulphur 
was as follow: 
wai coal wid site ... 1°42 per cent. sulphur 
Derbyshire 3 bes ae DOL. Heh ie 
cashire _ ne ie ES, oe ” 
Newcastle a ei ti OBR gps a 
Scotland ... i ae ” 
hand, 
i sie id 
Most of the secondary and tertiary coals, on 
contain a larger onary of enn om ily two or three 
sometimes as much as even 5-0 or 6° : 
Composition of the Ashes.—In the table showing the Peat 
composition of the ashes it will be noticeable there are : 
ferences in the amounts of silica, alumina, and of iro 
Some of the ashes, however, in the different groups see 
fairly well together, and although the samples came 
districts, yet it may be that they are from an exte 
(! Vide Percy’s “ Metallurgy,” vol. 1.) 
