78 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



burning up readily, actually deadened it, and by slow degrees was 

 putting it out. He saw at once the utter uselessness of cold anthracite 

 in the furnace, and proposed to heat it preparatory to using it in the 

 blast. Fortunately for the district, he was entirely successful j and 

 thus opened up a fresh portion of South Wales to commercial enter- 

 prise. There is, however, one drawback still about it, and that is, 

 the slowness with which the iron is turned out, in comparison with 

 the iron of the bituminous works j a cause which operates somewhat 

 detrimentally, when we consider the great extent of competition in 

 the trade. 



The chemical features of anthracite may be summed up in a very few 

 words. As compared with bituminous coal, its great difference is in 

 containing much more carbon and less volatile matters. I add an 

 analysis made by Dr. Schafhaeutl, which was published in the 

 " Transactions of the Royal Institute of South Wales" for 1840. It 

 is as follows : — 



Carbon 92.79 



Hydrogen ,3.14 



Oxygen 1.64 



Azote 0.89 



Silica 1.13 



Alumina . 0.32 



Sulphur with traces of Iron .... 0.09 



100.00 



Density 1.349 



In the following tabulated columns I have appended a short 

 analysis * of the coals in their westward course along the north crop, 

 showing the gradual increase of the anthracitous matter. 



Tabular Columns showing the Increase of Anthracite to the Westward. 



In 100 parts. 



Bitu- 

 Carbon. minous 



1. Blanafou — Matter. 



Three Quarter Coal . 65.63 31.25 



Droydeg 65.55 28.95 



Meadow Vein . . . 72.00 26.00 



Old Coal 75.21 22.29 



2. Clydach — 



EUid Coal .... 76.58 20.80 



Big Vein .... 73.42 24.58 



Three Quarter. . . 72.70 25.30 



Bydellog or Droydeg. 72.13 21.87 



Yard Vein .... 78.68 19.32 



Old Coal 77.55 18.95 



[n 100 parts. 



Bitu- 



3. Nantyglo — 



EUid . . . . 

 Tlu-ee Quarter , 

 Bydellog . . . 

 Old Coal. . . 



4. Ehhwvale — 



EUid . . . . 

 Three Quarter. 

 Big Vein . . 

 BydeUog. . . 

 Yard Vein . . 

 Old Coal. . . 



Carbon. 



81.87 

 82.65 

 77.14 



78.75 



minous 

 Matter. 



17.13 

 15.10 

 17.86 

 18.75 



82.32 16.30 

 17.00 

 17.00 



80.25 

 81.37 



72.88 16.87 



81.04 15.83 



79.28 18.22 



Selected from tliose made by Mr. Mushet. 



