Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-13
COAL AND ITS SUBSTITUTES,
No Satisfactory Material Has Bee
Found TO Take Its Place.

From the Illustrated London News.
Wise men Of science are beating their
brains in the search for something to de-
liver US from the tyranny Of coal That
fuel has warmed US and cooked our food
for ages. Newcastle was famous for IT 600
years ago. In these latter days II has
turned the wheels Of our machines and has
given us light from gas. 1t IL difficult to
realize what coal does in giving heat IL
Elimination and driving power. let alone the
beautiful dyes which the chemist has drawn
from the refuse OF gasworks.
After having been q servant coal has
become our master. without whose aid
cities would be left In darkness, our meat
would be raw. the railways would be use
less tracks Of rusty iron. the industry of
our factories would cease, and our fleets
would be no more able to carry merchan-
disc or to fight the enemy at sea- Now,
men of philosophic mind who watch the
haste and waste with which we spend our
stores Of coal have begun to prophesy an
inconceivable disaster. There is only so
much coal left. they say, for the use Of fu-
ture generations.
What, then. are the substitutes for coal
In the processes of giving heat, light and
driving power? Take heat first An Irish.
man might suggest the use of coke. but he
would do better IL he pointed to the beds of
peat which I'LL the middle of his island. IL
may be asked whether We sufficiently re-
alize its presence elsewhere The Thames.
FOR example, which is banked far down its
course, was once for ages bordered with
marshes, now inviting a search for peat
beneath the soil. Why should not peat
mines be dug near London? The supply of
IL Is 1ncalculable; there are means of re-
ducing its bulk by pressure, to simplify its
carriage and economic its use
So IL would be more valuable than where.
as In Ireland, it is merely cut from the bog
ana driea In the stack. The digging OF
peat, by the way, would create a new in
dustry. and find work for some of our Lon
don unemployed. But the commonest sub
stitnte for coal is wood. This is. indeed.
partly coal Itself, In the first stage of its
srowth; but few people seem to know how
IL should be burnt Its ashes. except when
inconveniently superintendent, should new
er be cleared away, but left to form a bed,
and heats" again and again, as fresh
WOOD Is put upon IL and consumed.
The dogs" used to support the logs in
some wood heartbs do more harm than
good. as they hinder the new fuel from rest
ing upon the relics Of the old, and SO in
creasing the amount OF warmth to be OBJ
tained from the fire or course. the suppiy
or wood Is limited, but We might make IL
go as far as We can. The chief thing is TO
burn IL on the floor Of the hearth and to
let its ashes remain. Crates constructed
of wood by having their bottoms entirely
covered with plate OF tile or iron.
This provides for that accumulation Of
ash which gives its value to a wood fire
But II is best to have no dogs or crate at
all. 1t should be remarked that in several
parts Of England there is a far greater sup
ply OF wood fuel than many might suspect.
Countless hedge rows are filled with wholly
worthless trees, which might be gradually
burned, their places being taken by such
as produce apples. pears. cherries, plums
and other wholesome fruit. The present
waste Of food-growing soil is incalcula BILE
All foreign housewives know the cooking
power of a charcoal fire indoors. A friend
OF mine had once wonderful Soudanese
chef, who made him quite at home in the
desert by cooking dinners with what SEEM
ed to be battered old tea tray, a bag OF
charcoal and a pair of lungs. windy and
tough enough to have challenged any bel
lows in creation. The fire was a small one.
His performances. however, would have
surprised civilized English cook, who
wants a half scuttleful of coal before she
can boil the Kettle OF poach an egg