180 The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [May 
propagation in the experimental mine. In the Sixth Report of the (British) 
Explosives in Mines Committee, 1914, page 6, it is stated that “ From the 
American experiments which were made with artificially prepared dust 
from a bituminous coal containing about 35 per cent, of volatile matter 
and about 5 per cent, of ash, it was concluded that the total moisture- 
content of the dust must approach 30 per cent, to ensure that it should be 
incapable of propagating flame. We have repeated these experiments, 
using not only coal-dust containing merely its natural ash, but mixtures 
of coal and incombustible dust, and have determined quantities of water 
that it was necessary to mix intimately (by atomizer) with the dust in order 
to render them incapable of ignition by a stemmed charge of 24 oz. of 
blasting-powder. Our results are in accordance with those obtained in 
America.” 
Industrial Alcohol in New Zealand. 
By J. S. Maclaurin, D.Sc. F.C.S., Dominion Analyst. 
There is undoubtedly a great future for alcohol as a source of power and 
heat. This is clearly shown by the following figures giving the approximate 
amount of alcohol produced in Germany for the year 1913-14, and the 
quantities of the various substances from which it was manufactured. 
Owing to the absence of returns for East Prussia for August-September, 
1914, the figures are somewhat below the true values. 
Total alcohol produced 
. 81,000,000 
gallons. 
Substances used in the production of this 
alcohol— 
Tons. 
Percentage 
cf Total. 
Potatoes 
2.600.000 
85-90 
Cereals and other meals 
320.000 
10-60 
Molasses, beets, and beet-juice 
57,800 
1-90 
Brewery-refuse 
710 
0-02 
Core-fruit and residues 
10.000 
0-33 
Stone-fruit 
18.000 
0-60 
Fruit and grape wines 
4.200 
0-12 
Wine-yeast and grape-marcs 
15.000 
0-50 
Other materials .■. 
2,000 
0.-06 
3,027,710 
It is very questionable, however, whether alcohol could be produced in New 
Zealand at the present time or in the near future at a payable price. 
The pre-war wholesale price of petrol in Wellington was about Is. 8d. 
per gallon. One gallon of petrol is equal to approximately 1 gallon of 
absolute alcohol, when each is used in an engine designed for that class 
of fuel. To compete with petrol as a fuel for motors, &c., alcohol would 
therefore require to be sold at not more than, say, Is. 3d. to Is. 6d. per 
gallon. 
The principal materials from which alcohol may be produced on a 
commercial scale are starch, sugar, wood, and calcium carbide. Of starch¬ 
bearing substances the most largely grown in New Zealand are wheat, 
barley, maize, and potatoes. 
