98 
TRANSACTIONS OF THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
the shape of briquettes just as well as they have been used in Europe for 
more than forty years, or why they should not be used in gaseous form 
likewise, as they are used in Europe. 
The lignite of Solenau, in the province of Austria, with 13.5 of ashes 
and 35.00 of moisture, resulting in only 2400 caloric units, is used for 
domestic and manufacturing purposes; in Bohemia the lignites of Brun- 
nersdorf, with 12.00 ashes and 21.00 moisture, resulting in 3333 caloric 
units, and the brown coal of Raudnitz of 3842 caloric units, are used very 
advantageously under steam boilers and in stoves. 
For the same and similar purposes are used the lignites and brown coal 
of Moravia, Styria-Gallicia, Carinthia, Tyrol, Hungary, in short of nearly 
all the Austrian provinces. So, to mention only some, the lignites of 
Dubnian and Ratisch-Kowitz in Moravia, with 13 and 15 per cent of ashes 
and caloric effects of 2500 and 2685 units. The lignites of Rein in Styria 
result in 2836 caloric units; an Eocene brown coal of Sonnberg in Carin¬ 
thia 3834 calories. The lignites of Welkagoriza in Croatia result in 
3285 caloric units, and these, as well as at least 150 more lignites and 
brown coals, are burned to heat dwelling house and kitchen stoves, to 
raise steam, to make glass, pottery, and chinaware. They are also used 
for many metallurgical operations, for instance to roast ores, and to heat 
puddling furnaces. 
The best of these European lignites or brown coals reach a caloric effect 
of perhaps 5000 heat units. Many of our Texas lignites (and not the 
best ones) contain from 50 to 60 per cent of carbon, which, if we neglect 
the heating effects of the available hydrogen (the hydrogen in excess of 
the amount that combines with the oxygen present to water), is equal to 
respectively 3900 and 4680 caloric units. 
Specimens of better sorts of Texas brown coal, which I analyzed, re¬ 
sulted as much as 65 carbon and 25 available hydrogen, equal to 5655 
heat units. My own analyses and observations, carried on since 1883, 
are continued by the analyses made in the laboratory of the Geological 
Section of our State Agricultural Department, of which, to mention only 
a few, four typical specimens from different localities produce respectively 
5030, 4933, 4831, 4070 caloric units. 
Experiments which I made eight years ago towards coking Texas lig¬ 
nites gave negative results, except under such a high pressure as would 
make coking for practical purposes very expensive, and at the same time 
too dangerous. But powdered and mixed with bituminous Pittsburg 
coal I got with 5 per cent of bituminous coal coherent coke; with 10 per 
cent of bituminous coal a ringing coke of sufficient coherence to adapt it 
for blast furnace use. 
It might be objected that these were laboratory experiments, and that 
practical tests on a larger scale were not made, or if made, that they were 
