The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-12 00:00:00

COALS IN THE NEW WORLD.

The following is a report from the Museum of Prac-
tical Geology, on specimens of coal from Sandy Bay,
Talcahuano Bay, near Concepcion, Chili, and from Van-
couver's Island, brought to England in her Majesty's
steam-frigate Sampson, Captain Henderson, C. 8., re-
cently paid off from the Pacific :
" Museum of Practical Geology, Jan. 30.
" Sir,—With reference to the fossil fuel from Sandy
Bay, Patagonia, Talcahuano Bay, and Colcurra Bay,
Chili, and from Vancouver's Island, forwarded to the
Museum of Practical Geology from the Admiralty for
examination, and brought home by her Majesty's
steamer Sampson, I have the honour herewith to for-
ward a statement of analyses conducted under the su-
perintendence of Dr. Lyon Playfair, from which it re-
sults that the two specimens from Sandy Bay come
under the head of that variety of fossil fuels, called
brown coal, or lignite. They are, however, good va-
rieties of that fuel, although containing a large quan-
tity of ash. Lignites, though not so good as real coal
for steam purposes, may yet be often advantageously
employed when the latter is not to be procured.
" The locality of this lignite would appear to render it
particularly worthy of attention, more especially as to its
abundance and easy access.
" The specimens from Talcahuano Bay and Colcurra
Bay, Chili, are of real coals, and, so far as can be in-
ferred from the portions sent, would appear to be of that
variety known as cannel or candle coal. That from
Talcahuano Bay is a very fair average coal, that from
Colcurra Bay is equal in evaporative value to good New-
castle coal, judging at least from the analysis.
"The specimen from Vancouver's Island is also one of
a true coal, of the kind found at Newcastle. It, how-
ever, contains much earthy matter. This specimen
may be from the cap, or portions exposed to the wea-
ther, and indeed may be but from one of the several
beds supposed to exist in Vancouver's Island, which
may not give a fair estimate of the quality .of its coals
generally.
"The lignites and coals, of which specimens were sent,
may all be made applicable to steam navigation, espe-
cially the coals, if they can be obtained in sufficient quan-
tity, and with the requisite facility.—l have the honour
to be, Sir, your very obedient servant,
" H. T. DE LA BECHE.
"Captain Hamilton, R.N."

" Museum of Practical Geology, Jan. 30, 1849.
" Sir,--I have now the honour to state the results of
my examination of the coals sent to this Museum for
analysis, and described as Specimens of coal from Sandy
Bay, Straits of Magellan, and Chili, brought by her Ma-
jesty's ship Sampson.'
" SPECIMEN I.—Coal from Sandy Bay, Patagonia.
" This coal is brown, having the appearance of a lig-
nite; it does not soil the fingers. It is easily broken in
any direction, and the interior presents a black mass, in-
terspersed at intervals with light brown specks, which
are due to some resinous matter. In some parts a yellow
resin, probably amber, is found.
Carbon ...
Hydrogen ...
Sulphur ...
Nitrogen ...
Ash
Oxygen

... 62.25

5.05

... 1.13
... 0.63
... 13.40
... 17.54

100.00
" This coal burns without swelling, gives a little flame,
and a very pungent smoke, ash grey.
" SPECIMEN ll.—Sandy Bay.
"Is perfectly identical in appearance with the for-
mer specimen, and presents the same phenomena on ig-
nition.

Carbon ...
Hydrogen ...
Sulphur ...
Nitrogen ...
Ash ...
Oxygen ...

... 59.63
... 5.63
... 0.96
... 0.64
... 15.64
... 17.45

100.00
" Coal from Talcahuano Bay, near Concepcion, Chili.
" This coal does not soil the fingers, is very hard—
has something of a conchoidal fracture. The interior is
perfectly and uniformly black, while almost the entire
exterior surface is covered with a grey film, as if the
coal had decayed under the influence of the atmosphere.
It burns without swelling, giving considerable smoke and
flame, and yields a greyish ash.
Carbon
Hydrogen ...
Sulphur
Nitrogen
Ash ...
Oxygen

... 70.71
... 6.44
... 0.90
... 1.08
... 6.92
... 13.95

100.00
" Coal from Vancouver's Island:
" Resembles much in appearance Newcastle coal; has
a black, glossy surface, it breaks easily, earthy matter
is found running in lines through it. It burns with a
considerable amount of smoke and flame, and leaves a
grey ash.

Carbon ...
Hydrogen ...
Sulphur ...
Nitrogen ...
Ash ...
Oxygen ...

... 66.93
... 5.32
... 2.20

... 1.02
... 15.82
... 8.71

100.00

" Coal from Colcurra Bay, near Concepcion, Chili.
" Very closely resembles the coal from Talcahuano
Bay, but there is an appearance of decomposition even in
the interior. It burns with considerable smoke and
flame, leaving a reddish yellow asb.
Carbon ...
Hydrogen ...
Sulphur ...
Nitrogen ...
Ash
Oxygen

... 78,305
... 5,506
... 1,060
... 1,090
... 5,670
.. 8,369

100.000

" You will remark that the specimens from Sandy
Bay are not coals but lignites; that the coals from Chili
resemble the cannel coal of this country, so far as may
be judged from the small specimen sent; and that the
coal from Vancouver's Island resembles ordinary New-
castle coal, except that it contains much more earthy
matter than good coal from the Newcastle field.
" I have the honour to be, Sir,
"Your faithful and obedient servant,
" LYON ?LAMM.
" Sir Henry T. de In Beche, FAS., L.S."

EXTRAORDINARY RECOVERY OF
THREE HUNDRED POUNDS.
Mark Hough, warehouseman to Mr. Walker, cotton
spinner, Chorley, long and confidently trusted by his
master, was on Friday, the 2d inst., sent to the Briton
bank for 5101. to pay the workers' wages. He received
there 310/. in sovereigns and half-sovereigns, and 2)0/.
in silver. On arriving, at eleven o'clock at night, at
the railway station, ho asked permission to leave the
letter-bag with the silver, as he wanted to follow t'vo
navigators who had robbed him. In two hours after
this Hough went back to the bank and said he had been
robbed of the 310/. in gold near the railway station. Ile
had then a black eye and was bleeding at the nose. It-
formation was given to the police, and Hough was takes
to Manchester. All search for the navigators was va',n,
and Hough was the same night taken back to Bolton,
where he was locked up on suspicion of having stolen tit
money. The police were satisfied that his tale was it-
brieated, and Sergeant Beech undertook to learn tie
truth by stratagem. He dressed himself in plain clothes,
and being thrust into the same cell at the station house
with Hough, affected to be much afflicted at his situa,
tion. Hough asked what he was put in for? Beech re- .....m.1.M.............••M.Nm.•
plied that he was a rate collector, and had embezzled GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENTS,_
money, J. T. Ing-
money, but he was determined to escape, and asked ham, of the Northern Circuit, is selected to succeed Mr.
Hough to help him. Hough, however, lay quiet on his Ballantine, who is about to retire from the magistracy
mattress. Beech then spoke of several robberies he had of the Thames Police-court. Mr. Thomas Brown is
been concerned in, and Hough atlength became comma- appointed a member of the Legislative Council of the
nicative, but refused to attempt an escape, saying he was Gambia.—Observer.

SALE OF THE STOWE LIBRARY.
The sale of this library, after having extended over
twenty-four days, was brought to a close on Saturday,
the catalogue for the day including a very large collec-
tion of books illustrative of the history and antiquities
of Ireland. The following were the receipts of each
day's sale:—

s. d.
First day
Second day
Third day 360 8 6
Fourth day
Fifth day 414 13 0
Sixth day 546 0 0
Seventh day 389 14 0
Eighth day
Ninth day 357 13 0
Tenth day.... .
Eleventh day 390 1 0
Twelfth day...—. 258 8 6
Thirteenth day .1,006 17 0
The total amount realised
The important and celebra
will be sold in the course of

sFourteenthixteenth d da
ya y 4
. 36f69 7
Fifteenth day 571 4 6
14 66
s. d.
Seventeenth day. 779 9 6
Eighteenth day . 252 18 6
Nineteenth day . 490 15 6
Twentieth day 4297 9 6
Twenty-first day 442 16 6
Twenty - second
day
Twenty-third day 140 11 0
Twenty - fourth
519 3 0
day
I was thus 10,3554 7s. 6d.
Ited collection of manuscripts
the ensuing month.