64 
made in the United States by eminent chemists, that it is unnecessary to repeat 
them here, it being presumed they are well known at home ; I will only remark 
that Mr. Mushet’s results are strikingly coincident with them, Mr. Mushet is con¬ 
sidered as amongst the very highest authorities in all matters relating to coal and 
iron. “ The specimen of coal sent is the very best bituminous coal I ever saw. 
I should consider it well adapted to iron making. It contains, and will form as 
much weight of coke, from a given quantity, as the best South Wales furnace 
coals. Composed of gas, 18.400 ; pure coal, 79.968 ; fawn colored ashes, 1.632 
= 100 . 000 .” 
[After the above notes were entered in my journal, I was enabled to procure the 
following additional analyses, which I have thought it proper to incorporate in this 
paper, viz: 
Names. 
Species. 
Carbon. 
olatile Matter. 
Ashes. 
Llanedi 
Anthracite 
89.85 
8.67 
1.50 
Merthyr Tydvil 
Bituminous 
85.60 
13.40 
1 . 
Cannel 
Do. 
75.2 
21.7 
3.1 
Pool coal of Llanelli 
Do. 
77.8 
19.8 
2.4 
Clyde Glasgow 
Do. 
64.4- 
31. 
4.6] 
The Welsh coals have always been preferred for working the celebrated Cornwall 
steam engines, and it has been suggested that their superiority and extraordinary 
performances may be attributed, in no small degree, to tj^e nature of the fuel. I 
shall, however, touch but lightly on this matter at present, reserving the whole 
subject of British coals for a future paper, if I should find the leisure to enter on so 
important an investigation. 
December 13 th. —Left Pontypool at 10 o’clock in the morning for Newport, 
on my return to Bristol. Newport is a fine large town, the rival of Cardiff, and 
the port of Monmouthshire. It is from this place a large portion of the railway iron 
for the United States is shipped. They are building a large dock and basin that 
will greatly facilitate trade when finished. The roadstead is very good for this part 
of the coast. 
After leaving Newport, passed through Chepston, a very interesting old town, 
the Episcopal capital of the see of Llandaff. A very elegant cast iron bridge spans 
the river, over which we passed immediately after leaving Cheston. The ride 
from Pontypool to Bristol is through a truly beautiful country; crossed the 
river Severn in a steamboat about 10 miles from Bristol, which reached at 7 o’clock 
in the evening. 
I 
December 14 th. —Devoted this day to looking through Bristol, and visiting, 
among other matters of interest, the mammoth iron steam-ship , now on the stocks, 
intended for the New York trade. She is 280 feet long on the keel; 330 on the 
upper deck, and is calculated for 3,009 tons burden. Her engines 1,000 horse 
power, and she is to be propelled by the Archimedean screw, placed on the keel 
in the stern. The screw’ is composed of three helices, is 12 feet long, and about 
4 feet diameter. 
The advantages of this arrangement are supposed to be very great, and to con- 
