358 
Utilisation of Waste Suhsiances and 
may be done " anyhow," or which is the right way or the 
wrong way to do the work in, the poor stoker too often is at a 
loss utterly to determine. Left to himself, then, he goes blun- 
dering on, wasting coals in abundance, for which no proper 
return or working value is obtained. Happy is his experience 
should he only stop at this side of waste, and avoid some fearful 
accident, which may imperil his own life and that of others, 
and waste much valuable property. 
Accidents arising from careless working of Steam-engine- 
Furnaces and Boilers. — Nor need one wonder at the frequency 
with which accidents of this kind occur, nor at the intensity of 
the suffering and the greatness of the loss which they sometimes 
entail. One has but to give a moment's intelligent glance 
at a steam-engine with its boiler to see what powerful elements 
of destruction and disorganisation they contain within them- 
selves ; — elements which may be brought into existence and 
let loose at any unexpected moment to work their wild will, 
through no wilful neglect, but through sheer ignorance of the 
forces thus put into too often incompetent hands. 
Comj)ctcncy of ordinary Farm-labourers to he quickly taught to 
take charge of Steam-engines, and to work them economically and 
safely. — And yet, with all its power, nothing is so easy of 
control as a steam-engine ; and it is quite competent for ordi- 
nary farm-managers to impart such an amount of knowledge to 
even an uneducated labourer as will enable him to manage a 
steam-engine and its boiler not only safely but economically. 
The most careful stoker and best engine-driver I have ever 
known had been but a farm day-labourer. 
With all our improvements in steam machinery, there is yet 
a vast deal to do in the way of working it economically. It 
may be sent out by the maker in perfect order, and calculated to 
give the maximum of power with the minimum of fuel-consump- 
tion. But all the circumstances of working are changed from 
the period when the " maker's man in charge " leaves his charge 
to the ordinary routine of farm-labour. 
Then the engine-driver or stoker finds his difficulties begin ; 
and it will be well for him, well also for the future character 
of the work to be done, if at this stage the young or inexpe- 
rienced engine-driver has some one to give him now and then a 
look after, now and then a word of encouragement, which goes 
often very far in inciting a man to do his duty well. Not 
always, howevei-, I regret to have to remark, will it act power- 
fully for good. Next to this, or rather superior to it in efficacy, is 
trusting him, letting him know that he is trusted. This, of course, 
implies a previous teaching as to what his duties are, and in 
which and for what he is to be trusted. 
