35G 
APPLICATION OF PEAT CHARCOAL TO THE MANUFACTURE 
OF IRON. 
It was suggested long ago by Berthier, that peat charcoal 
might be used with advantage in the extraction of iron from 
its ores ; and he also hinted at the advantage that micdit be 
gained, by mixing the pounded ore with the charcoal, com- 
pressing the whole into the size and form of bricks, and thus 
placing them in the furnace ; the iron ore and the carbona- 
ceous matter would thus be brought into a degree of prox- 
imity, that would probably much facilitate the reduction and 
fusion of the metal, at the same time that a fuel was employed, 
incapable of producing upon the iron any injurious effect. 
In the manufacture of charcoal iron, especially that used 
for making tin-plates, some of the leading manufacturers have 
expressed a most favourable opinion of peat charcoal. They 
state that the peat charcoal has been proved to be satisfactory 
both as regards quality and yield of iron. 4< We find a con- 
siderable saving on the whole as compared with wood char- 
coal." — " We prefer the tin-plates made with peat charcoal 
iron, from the great additional softness which they show in all 
our processes, to those made in the ordinary manner." — " We 
are satisfied that peat charcoal makes iron equal to any pro- 
duced by charred oak. The yield is about the same as we 
experience with good wood charcoal. The iron produced by 
the peat is also very ductile." Messrs. Thorneycroft, of 
Shrubbery Iron Works, W'olverhampton, state, " We are glad 
to be able to confirm the good opinion before given by us of 
peat charcoal From a further use of it, we find it produces 
a quality quite equal, (if not superior,) to wood charcoal." 
On this point nothing can be more satisfactory. (Dates 
1851-52-53. Letters to " Whixall Peat Charcoal Co.") 
Again, in the manufacture of marine boilers, and particu- 
larly for boilers made on the Cornish plan, many of the plates 
of iron, forming the internal flues, have^to be brought to a red 
