The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-31 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 31, 1864.

HOW TO SUBDUE SMOKE.

In our last article under this head we stated
that means exist to improve the steam-production
of boilers, peculiarly applicable to river and other
steam-boats, which, united with the Lee Stevens'
smoke-preventing system, would get over the dif-
ficulties in respect of inefficient steam-boilers, and
still more diminutively disproportionate furnaces;
but having then omitted a description of the plan,
we now supply that deficiency. It consists in an
arrangement of pipes placed in the smoke-chambers
or flues of boilers, through which the feed-water
of the boiler is passed. It is so contrived as to
absorb the waste-heat from the furnace and boiler
that would otherwise uselessly ascend the chimney;
it supplies the boiler with boiling water and steam,
instead of cold water ; and is, in effect, a very
perfect heat economiser. Green, the inventor,
calls it with equal propriety his "Patent Fuel
Economiser ;" for to prevent the waste of heat is,
undoubtedly, to save fuel. It may be seen in
operation at the City Flour Mills, where, in addi-
tion to their patented machinery for obtaining
the finest flour in the utmost qualitity from wheat
or other grain, which makes these mills as famous
in the scientific world as iu the ..couarnercial,
Swayne and Bovill have brought Green's inven-
tion so successfully in use that the undetermined
question remaining is not how much less, but
how much more, than 20 per cent. is the actual
economy of fuel. Judging by the very high tem-
perature at which we have noted the contents of
the economiser flowing into the boiler, we shall not
be surprised to learn that a saving of 25 per
cent. has been ascertained.

To show that smoke-preventing plans should be
modified when used with fuel of dissimilar kinds,
we must first define in what such dissimilarities
consist. Although a much nicer distinction might
be drawn by further division, it will be enough
for our purpose to separate the qualities of coals
into four classes :anthracite, from which com-
paratively no "carbonaceous or smoke-producing
gases escape ; semi-anthracite, such as Duffrein,
Llangenneck, and Merthyr ; semi-bituminous
steam-coal, such as West Hartley and some of the
Midland Counties ; and the more essentially bitu-
minous that are properly preferred for household
purposes. Anthracite as ono extreme, and house-
hold coal as another, can.only be used to the best
advantage for steam-boilers in furnaces specially
constructed for the purpose ; it being admitted
that where either sort can alone be obtained in a
given district, it will be used simply because none
better for the particular appliance can be brought
into competition with it. This still further nar-
rows our inquiry. We have mentioned the Mer-
thyr With the other two semi-anthracite coals, but
we should not withhold our opinion to be that it
is even less bituminous than the Duffrein or
the Llang,enneck. Taking, then, the Duffrein
from \Vales, and the West Hartley from the north,
by way of comparison, the former will be found
to contain scarcely half as much of the carbona-
ceous gases—carburetted hydrogen for instance—
as the West Hartley ; and willcousequently require
considerably less oxygen in the process of combus-
tion ; so that, reverting to the use of the Lee Stevens'
furnaces, the fireman, by heaping a little ashes
together at the back, may nearly close the air
apertures in the ash-pit, and the current of air
thus lessened in volume he finds to be adequate
to the combustion of the gases arising from that
semi-anthracite coal ; but when West Hartley
coals are used he rakes the ashes out, and the air
is admitted in full force, and with the hest-desired
effect. To perform that operation by any system
of valves would be to introduce needless com-
plexity, and much less certainty in the result ;
whilst no provision is attempted to be made for
any such contingency in the continuous or inter-
mitting machinery furnaces. Here it will become
clear to our readers that the greater the quantity
of carbonaceous gases, the larger the flame passing
out of the furnace, and the more regular the diffu-
sion of heat over the boiler surface ; and we shall
be readily understood when we add, that the main-
objection to anthracite coal is the intense con:-
densation of heat within a comparatively confined
space---lie peculieir advantage of such coal as. the
West Hipxtleybeing that the ilim) is carried firther
through the boiler flues, and is more advantage-
ously distributed. These two descriptions of coal
require also different manipulation. With Welch
the furnaces should be fed heavily, and be scarcely
meddled with afterwards (one reason why firemen
prefer that description) ; but the North Country
steam coal should be supplied lightly, and occa-
sionally stoked, or stirred up; and bituminous
coal infinitely more so, to prevent the formation
of clinkers. When small coal, or " slack,"
constitutes the fuel, it is in consequence very
material to know the quality, of which
size forms no possible indication ; but,
unfortunately, besides being-small, and therefore
less capable of generating steam, than if the coal
were large and small together, as raised from the
pit, such pulverised fuel may be of Welch, North
Country, Midland Counties, or any other produc-
tion—anthracite, semi-anthracite, semi-bitumi-
nous, or bituminous in the highest degree ; so
that the results must always be variable, and
most frequently discouraging, unless a perfect un-
derstanding should subsist between the seller and
the consumer. How erroneous, then, must many
decisions be, on the merits of smoke-preventing
inventions, tested by a process so uncertain as the
combustion of small coal, ranging between the two
extremes of absolute dissimilarity of quality ?
Before we conclude, we should name one class of
manufacturers in Bermondsey and elsewhere, pe-
culiarly indebted to the new law—tire tanners.
It has been discovered that bark, or spent tan,
can be substituted very largely for coal, by having
the furnace made about one-third larger than if
constructed for the use of coal alone ; of which
discovery, assitted by the only smoke-preventing
system we are aware of having been so applied—
that of the patentee already named—and of which
P. and J. Margetson, and other leather manufac-
turers have availed themselves.

And believing that we have already adduced
ample means to enable our readers to understand
" how to subdue smoke," and to save fuel into
the bargain, we quit the subject for the present,
with the intention of enlarging it, both in the way
of proposition and proof, a few weeks hence, when
we anticip do
our experiences.
we shall have added somewhat to

announcett
.et
rh ea dsehnonrste
illness
RI es
DEATH OF THE REV. C. C. RoBERTIL—We regret to
Rsvenvi.ieChoanralesviCsiotleabty Robert
the s,
He was one of the masters of St. Paul's
School, and curate of the united parishes of St. Olave,
Old Jewry, and St. Martin's, Pomeroy, where he was
universally beloved and respected.
The Bishop of Ely has instituted the Rev. Lewis Fur-
nell Clarkson, M.A., late curate of Stanford Rivers,
near Romferd, Essex, to the rectory of Molesworth,
near Kingbolton, Huntingdonshire, rendered vacant by
the death of the Rev. J. Oxlee, M.A., on the nomina-
tion of the Archbishop of York.
THE STE,A3I-SHIP MISTLE.—This fine vessel, which
went on the rocks inside'of Sanda a few days since, has
gone to pieces. Nothing but the most culpable negli-
gence can explain the loss of the Myrtle, and we trust
that the most searching investigation will be made into
the whore circumstances. The underwriters of Glasgow
are mulcted by the loss of this steamer to the amount of
from 14,000/. to 15, 0001.—Glasgow Herald.
TEA.—Yesterday a return to the House of Commons
was printed of tea warehoused and tea delivered for
home consumption. The aggregate quantity of tea de-
livered from the bonded warehouses of the United King-
dom for home consumption, in the year ended the sth
April last, was 55,540,4541 b. ; and the duty received
thereon was 5,181,908/.
RATEPAYERS.--Yesterday a Parliamentary document
was printed of the number of persons rated to the poor
at the sums of 501., 40/.' 301., 201., and 101., and up.
wards, respectively in each county or division, exclusive
of the represented cities and towns in England and,
Wales. The number in England and Wales rated at
101. and under 201., is 177,397 ; at 20/. and under 301.,
82,375 ; at 30/. and under 40/., 48,973 ; at 40/. and
under 50/., 34,043 • and at. 50/. and upwards, 182,677.
MEETANG OF THE WORKERS IN THE GOLD LACE TRADE
—Last evening a public meeting of the workers in the
gold lace trade, about to be affected by the alteration of
the military uniforms of the British service, was held at
their rooms, New-street, Covent-garden ; Mr. Mont-
gomery in the chair. Mr. Dalcho, Mr. Bias, and othe.s
addressed the meeting, and complained that Prince Al.
Bert, in adopting the present uniforms, bad not looked
to the interests of the workin, man. Through such in-
difference on the part of his Royal Highness, upwards of
a thousand workmen were now out of employment, and
200 women were also similarly circumstanced. A reso-
lution, pledging the trade to a respectful agitation upon
the einestion, was also ogee(' to, after which the meeting
Separated. : '