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coal for heating purposes ; notwithstanding that we have not 
much less than three millions of acres of peat in Ireland, 
and probably not less than half-a-million of acres in England 
and Scotland. Some years since, Sir R. Kane estimated, 
from the very imperfect data then in his possession, that 
three tons of peat were equal to one ton of coal — a suppo- 
sition that was considered by many at the time, as far too 
high ; and statements have been made, in which five tons of 
peat are considered as the equivalent for one ton of coal. 
My own limited researches on this subject lead me to place 
a higher estimate on the value of peat as fuel than even that 
assumed by Sir R. Kane. Fortunately, we have lately been 
put in possession of the results of some apparently most 
trustworthy experiments on the value of peat for fuel, 
carried on under the auspices of the " Society for the En- 
couragement of Industry in Prussia," by Dr. Brix. As these 
experiments were conducted under the immediate direction 
of Professors Karstea and Schubarth, considerable reliance 
may be placed upon the results. According to these experi- 
ments, the relative value of peat compared with coal, is very 
much higher than has been usually assumed, good black peat 
having very nearly half the value of average bituminous coals. 
Even still more to the purpose are the practical results 
obtained by Messrs. Guinness and Co., the eminent brewers 
of Dublin. Remembering that whilst inspecting their exten- 
sive establishment in the year 1849, I had seen large quanti- 
ties of peat used there as fuel, I took the liberty of writing 
to those gentlemen for information on the subject. To my 
enquiry they kindly returned answer : " Our estimate of the 
value of peat is about one ton of coal to two tons of peat ; 
but the relative value will, of course, greatly vary according 
to the goodness and dryness of the peat, and the quality of 
the coal. We think larger furnaces requisite for the burn- 
ing of peat than for coals." 
