The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-30
An Expert on Coal Saving.

Practical opportunities for saving
coal are receiving the attention of
experts who are in the best position
to know the various problems, that
Is. by the managers of gas companies,
factories and great industries. Their
opinions are now available in the
British Gas Journal. which considers
the subject from all sides.
The results are not so simple rs
the public, and even many manu-
facturers, might suppose. If it be
granted that ton of coal, when con-
verted into gas or into heat and light
as electric illumination, will yield
certain number Of mathematical units
of heat, Il seems by no means TO be
agreed that these units can be as
exactly calculated as q sum in mathe-
MATES. Some manufacturers, basing
their plans of economy, on the esti-
! mated value Of coal, have reasoned
that ton represents $4,000 cubic
| feet of gas or 500 units of electricity,
and that, these being the official fig
ures. IT is evidently cheaper to Use
the coal in their furnaces and stoves
than TO employ gas or electricity. AS
matter Of fact. expert knowledge
and investigation have led to differ
ent conclusion. AS the Gas journal
points out. "the 5000 feet of gas
and the 800 units of electricity are
more or less arbitrary allowances
made per ton of crude coal" In
other words, the quality of the coal,
and OF the machinery consuming it,
are factors in the problem that must
be calculated on the basis Of actual
experience.
1t is a matter of common knowl-
edge among technical experts that
the machinery and different devices
for saving coal in mills and factories
are the subjects OF anxious study
wherever there is an adequate con-
ceptiOn of the Importance of this
economy. The coal situation Is seri-
GUS. But II will do no practical good
to experiment with theoretical meth
DDS of saving. One of the errors for
which theory is mainly responsible
| Is that the use of coal In kitchen
ranges and fires Is cheaper than gas
or electricity. Figures are now given
which show that, in England at least.
gas and electricity are cheaper cook
ing methods than coal. Whether
these estimates hold good for this
country IS not stated, but 1t may be
inferred that with ordinary prudence
on the part Of the housewives they
may be applicable here.
The great problem is said to be
the methods Of distribution. In Eng
land these have not met with the en-
tire approval of experts. Distrlbu-
ton under system Of control has
worked out badly in many cases, as
allowances threaten to cut down the
supplies of the gas and electric COM
panies. AS the by-products of the
manufacture of Illuminating gas fur
nish materials for explosives there is
the danger, in depriving these COM
panies Of coal, of depriving the NUM-
ton plants of phenol. Intensified
war is called for, yet reduction of
coal supplies is contemplated, and of
the means of distributing them. That,
in brief, Is the essence of the prob
lem. The remedy Is to see that i'm
provements are made TO increase out
put and the power of distribution.
The methods of control have been of
a mistaken order, because they have
not provided for an increased pro-
duction of coal as the war intensified,