L 470 3 
COAL GAS. 
It is now ascertained in England, that manufactories can b& 
lighted cheaper, more conveniently, more neatly and more safely, 
by means of the inflammable gas from pit coal than by any other 
means. I do not believe that the act of extracting and burning 
this gas, is in a state sufficiently advanced as yet, to render it 
eligible for lighting dwelling houses. But the manufactories of 
New -England, of Philadelphia, of Pittsburgh, may use it With 
profit — it may be used for theatres- — ^and (as I am persuaded) 
for a great deal of the kitchen-cookery of large taverns in sum* 
mer time. It has not yet been applied in lieu of steam, as a 
moving power in fire-engines, but I think it will be. 
In this country, every suggestion that brings forward the im* 
portance of coal to the public view, is of moment: we know lit- 
tle of its value in Pennsylvania as yet. All , ally the superior 
wealth, power, and energy of Great Britain, is founded on 
coal mines. Coal mines produce manufactories ; manufactories 
produce canals, turnpike roads and rail ways ; these produce 
communication of interest, knowledge, and improvement all over 
the kingdom. Where coal mines are, there, and there only will 
manufactories flourish. Manufactories produce division of la- 
bour, corporal and mental energy ; they banish idleness ; they pro- 
duce perpetual demand for, and bring into play chemical science, 
and the science of machinery. They have produced a class of 
men almost peculiar to England, the civil engineers , to Whom 
the country has been more indebted than to any other class of 
citizens, dependant on their talents for their living. All rests 
upon coal. 
Coal may be classed under two great divisions : the coal that 
burns with smoke and flame, bituminous coal : and the coal that 
does not burn with smoke and flame : stone coal, glance coal, 
anthracite, graphite coal. All the coal to the west of the west 
branch of the Susquehanna, is bituminous coal; this will yield 
abundance of carburetted hydrogen gas, and will charr or coke. 
The coal east of the north east branch of Susquehanna, burns 
without smoke, with little flame, contains no bitumen, abounds in 
carbon, and is an anthracite. 
I present the reader with the two most approved methods of 
Obtaining the inflammable carburetted hydrogen from pit coal. 
