BAY OF ISLANDS COAL COMPANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9082, 16 June 1888, Page 6

BAY OF ISLANDS COAL COMPANY.

GAS IN THE MINE. Our Kawakawa correspondent writes ■ t reference to my former communication t inflammable gas having been discovered" X? T rki ? g f ° f the mine, and the m ana ge £ (Mr. Moody report thereon, I now -? i a letter from Mr. Moody, with fTir thp d planation and particulars of the dUnn, ,' gas:-"Kawakawa, 9th June. The IT* made by me as to the discovery of the istence of a gas rarely encountered in'a" mines, I wish further to remark, the ,»i phuretted hydrogen or hydro - eulphure??» acid, the gas lately met with in our m c £ undoubtedly due to the decomposition of ti pyrites, which are known to be largely in ti green-sands which form the roof or covL «? the coal seam. This gas is also found arm,™ the product from coal, in which it i 8 for tI S most part combined with ammonia former! t the same time; also, forms of destructive distillation of organic substances contain in sulphur, producing hydro-sulphate of am monia. In the laboratory, it may be tr duced by the direct union of hydrogen with' sulphur vapour at a high temperature or bv passing a mixture of sulphur vapour and steam through a tube filled with red hot pumice stone (the latter encouraging tV action of the porosity). Hydro - sulphuri! acid is more readily formed by heating damp mixture of sulphur and charcoal and may be obtained in large quantity by heating a mixture of equal weights of sulphur ami tallow, the latter furnishing the hydrogen __ I am, &c, T. P. Moody, M.G.A., Mining Engineer. ° In relation to the concrete dam that I described, the trouble in connection with the tapping of so large a flow of water i= happily for the present at an end, the object of this construction being to' keen back the press of water on the machinery of the pumping gear. This dam was at the spot as previously mentioned, that the inflammable gas was discovered. It was afterwards found that the first structure was insufficient It was therefore decided to build a second one. This was completed on Saturday last and after the level workings were vacated by the workmen, to avoid any chance of accident from explosion of gas, Mr. Moody and his officials opened and connected the second dam with very satisfactory results. There was, on this occasion, as before, some of the sulphuretted hydrogen gas met with, but from the precautions taken, and a ventilating fan erected, and safety lamps being only in use, no danger was apprehended or occurred. The air pipe fixed near the top of the dam was found very efficient, and carried off the confined air with the noise of a steam-escape pipe. Th pressure was about 501b to the square inch. I may add that previous to the erection oi these dams the pumping engine and appli ances were notable to sufficiently cope with the flow of water that had risen in the shaft; but since the opening of the dams has been clear and able to work well. From Saturday even' ing to Wednesday morning last week the water had been reduced seven feet, proving clearly the efficiency of the dams, and the certain prevention of any .further mishap or danger from any press or overflow of water.