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Coal in China
152
.Editorial.
as this is formed it is taken from the water by means of an endless chain of buckets, which load it directly on the railway trucks.
Purifying Irons.--Experiments made with pig irons of poor quality at Thale-in-the-Hartz, by puddling them in contact with a small (1,)) per ct. of fiuor spar, with the view of removing the phos~ phorus therein contained, are stated to have been very successful. The product is stated to have been the production of a fibrous bar iron, not at all coldshort--a result which was somewhat remarkable, since the pig iron employed (Ilseder)is known to be amongst the poorest brands of German irons, containing a notable proportion ot phosphorus. Coal i n C h i n a . - - T h e presence of enormous coal beds in China seems to have been proven, by Richthofen and others, beyond doubt, and affords an interesting field for speculation as to the influence which possession of this civilizer must sooner or later exercise upon the future destiny of this exclusive nation. According to the most accurate estimates thus far pronounced, the Chinese coal fields extend over an area of 400,000 square miles. In the province of Hunan there is a coal field of 21,000 square miles ; consisting of two distinct beds, one of them being bituminous and the other anthracite. The last named of these is readily available, con~ veniently located for transportation by water, and equals in area the anthracite fields of Pennsylvania. In quality it is stated to compare favorably with the best anthracite known. Another province (Shausi), the coal area reaches the enormous figure of 31,000 square miles, and at the present rate of consumption could itself supply the world for thousands of years. The veins are from 12 to 30 feet in thickness, and are most favorably located for mining. Besides these highly favorable natural facilities, the province is stated to possess, in imme~ diate proximity to the coal beds, exhaustless supplies of iron ore.
Experiments o n B u i l d i n g M a t e r i a l s . - - S o m e interesting experiments upon the influence which the acids existing in the atmospheres of cities exert upon building stone of various kinds, have been recently made by Dr. Angus Smith. This deteriorating influenc6 was found to be particularly noticeable in cities using bituminous coal largely for domestic and industrial purposes. It was found that even the most siliceous stone was seriously affected. The experiments were suggested by an observation of the rapid
.Editorial.
as this is formed it is taken from the water by means of an endless chain of buckets, which load it directly on the railway trucks.
Purifying Irons.--Experiments made with pig irons of poor quality at Thale-in-the-Hartz, by puddling them in contact with a small (1,)) per ct. of fiuor spar, with the view of removing the phos~ phorus therein contained, are stated to have been very successful. The product is stated to have been the production of a fibrous bar iron, not at all coldshort--a result which was somewhat remarkable, since the pig iron employed (Ilseder)is known to be amongst the poorest brands of German irons, containing a notable proportion ot phosphorus. Coal i n C h i n a . - - T h e presence of enormous coal beds in China seems to have been proven, by Richthofen and others, beyond doubt, and affords an interesting field for speculation as to the influence which possession of this civilizer must sooner or later exercise upon the future destiny of this exclusive nation. According to the most accurate estimates thus far pronounced, the Chinese coal fields extend over an area of 400,000 square miles. In the province of Hunan there is a coal field of 21,000 square miles ; consisting of two distinct beds, one of them being bituminous and the other anthracite. The last named of these is readily available, con~ veniently located for transportation by water, and equals in area the anthracite fields of Pennsylvania. In quality it is stated to compare favorably with the best anthracite known. Another province (Shausi), the coal area reaches the enormous figure of 31,000 square miles, and at the present rate of consumption could itself supply the world for thousands of years. The veins are from 12 to 30 feet in thickness, and are most favorably located for mining. Besides these highly favorable natural facilities, the province is stated to possess, in imme~ diate proximity to the coal beds, exhaustless supplies of iron ore.
Experiments o n B u i l d i n g M a t e r i a l s . - - S o m e interesting experiments upon the influence which the acids existing in the atmospheres of cities exert upon building stone of various kinds, have been recently made by Dr. Angus Smith. This deteriorating influenc6 was found to be particularly noticeable in cities using bituminous coal largely for domestic and industrial purposes. It was found that even the most siliceous stone was seriously affected. The experiments were suggested by an observation of the rapid