COAL AND WOOD FUEL OF NEW ZEALAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 10, 15 March 1851, Page 6

COAL AND WOOD FUEL OF NEW ZEALAND.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, Feb. 14th, 1851. The Lieutenant-Governor has been pleased to direct the publication of the following reports on the Coal and Wood Fuel of the New Zealaucl Islands, forwarded to His Excellency by Captain J. Lort Stokes, R.N., of Her Majesty's Steam Ship " Acheron." By His Excellency's command, Alfred Domett, Colonial Secretary. H.M. Steam Ship " Ancheron,') Dec. 21st, ISSO. Sir, —I have the honour, in compliance with your Excellency's request, to enclose herewith a Report on the Coal and Wood Fuel of these Islands, experimented upon in Her Majesty's Steam Ship under my command. I regret that the result is not more satisfactory. However, the coal we procured was from surface seams, and probably a better quality lies beneath. I earnestly hope so, for on this success depends the question of Steam Navigation for New Zealand, and the attainment of commercial greatness, which, without it, is beyond her reach. But independently of steam purposes, certainly the first consideration, your Excellency is well aware that an ample supply of cheap fuel will be requisite for that large community by which the vast and almost treeless plains of the Middle Island will soon be overspread. I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, J. Lort Stokes, Captain. To His Excellency the LieutenantGovernor, Wellington. REPORT On the Coal and Wood Fuel of New Zealand in reference to their adaptation for steam purposes, derived from Dr. Forbes's analysis; with an extract from the "Acheron's" Engine-room Register, kept by Mr. Thompson, Chief Engineer:—

The several quantities given in the Table were taken from I 1. A heap of 30 tons. 2. A hand specimen. 3. A heap of 5 tons. 4. A hand specimen. 5. The Government Depot at Wellington, 500 tons. Portions of each were burned under the same conditions, as nearly as possible, in order to test their individual and relative qualities. Massacre Bay Coal is a species of anthracite, and when burned in a crucible under the reducing flame of the blowpipe, gives the following results : —lgnition slow and difficult; „ flame feeble, yellowish not persistent, much smoke and strong sulphurous odour : no traces of bituminous matter, or inflamable volatile gases observed. Waikato Coal ignites more readily than the preceding, burns with a clearer flame and less smoke, and leaves a cinder of better, quality. No traces of sulphur were observed, neither were there any of bituminous matter, but in neither case was t 'the heat given out apparently very great. Saddle Hill, Otago. This coal is a variety of lignite, or brown coal, which ignites more readily than the preceding specimens, burning with a rather feeble, yellowish red flame, and greyish smoke, which soon ceases, leaving a charcoal-like cinder, which disappears under the continued action of the blowpipe, leaving a white ash mixed with, a coarse powdery charcoal ; no traces of bituminous matter, but a slight sulphurous odour was observed. Motunau Coal, Canterbury Plains, resembles that of Massacre Bay in its general characters, but ignites more readily, and burns with less smoke ; it contains a great quantity of sulphur, but no traces of bituminous matter; its residue is composed of hard clinkers of brownish red colour, and of powdery charcoal-like substance. Newcastle Coal, New South Wales. A portion of this coal was tried under the same conditions as the preceding specimens, for the sake of comparison, with the following results: —Rapid ignition, clear flame, extrication of highly inflammable gases and of bituminous matter, the coal forming a cakey mass, and leaving a cinder capable of further combustion. STEAM BEPOB.T Of Fuel tried in H.M. Steam Ship " Acheron," on the New Zealand Coast;, in the years 1841-50 :—

These results were obtained after the fires had been some time lighted with Australian coal, and well burnt through. They shew a saving of 6 cwt. in Newcastle~co.al when combined with one kind of wood, and 4 cwt. with another species. Two tons and a half of Manuka being equal to one ton of Newcastle coal, the saving amounts to 12 percent. In all the experiments it was found necessary to first raise steam by Australian Coal. J. Lout Stokes, Captain. H.M. Steam Ship " Acheron," Otago, N. Z., Dec. 1850.

locality of Coal. £" a f cs =j C la Quantity and Description of Residue. Grains. Grains. 1 Massacre Bay 210 12 Semi-Carbonaceous "whitish powder. i32 Cinder. 2 Waikato River 3 Saddle Hill, Otago 210 210 4 Motunau 210 28 White Ash, with coarse powdery charcoal. 77 Hard Clinkers, ditto, ditto. 5 Newcastle, N. S. Wales. .220 126 Good Cinder.

Table of Results from Dr. Forbes's experiments.

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