3

H.—35

The following analyses have been made by Mr. Skey of the samples of coal which I collected :— 1. Anthracites, — Acheron. Ayers's thin seam. Fixed carbon... ... ... ... ... 6580 5201 Hydro-carbon ... ... ... ... 538 369 Water ... ... ... ... ... 4*57 4'89 Ash ... ... ... ... ... 2425 39-41 100 00 100*00 Evaporative power: Acheron, 8*50; Ayers, 6'76. . 2. Altered Brown Coals in which percentage of water is not high, — Brockley, Brockley, Ayers's per Mr. Cox. per Mr. McMillan. thick seam. Fixed carbon ... ... ... 49 99 53*29 62-21 Hydro-carbon ... ... ... 35'42 3304 1899 Water ... ... ... 11-79 12-65 5-20 Ash ... ... ... 280 202 1360 10000 10000 10000 Evaporative power: Brockley (Cox), 6-49 ; Brockley (McMillan), 6'77 ; Ayers's thick seam, 8-08* 3. Altered Brown Coals with high percentage ofivater, — Rakaia Mine. outcr0 P ? f 9°*. in Cliff Rakaia Mine. on Rakaia River. Upper Seam. T No-„ 1 ' TT No- 2 > rr Lower beam. Upper Seam. Fixed Carbon ... 4606 4670 4143 45-30 35 30 Hydro-carbon ... 2880 2499 26-08 25-95 27'42 Water ... 1818 1842 1953 26T5 18*28 Ash ... 686 9-89 9-96 260 1900 10000 100 00 10000 10000 10000 Evaporative power: Rakaia Mine (1), 5-98; Rakaia Mine (2), 607; Rakaia Mine, upper seam, 577; lower seam on cliff, which has been worked to small extent, 5'88; upper seam on cliff, also worked to small extent, 4'59. It will be of interest to reproduce here a report by the Railway Department on the comparative work done by Westport, Shag Point, and Brockley coals, from which it will be seen that the tonnage per train-mile for lib. of coal consumed, which is the best test of the comparative value of the coals, is as follows: Westport, 8'22 ; Brockley, 5'63 ; Shag Point, 3'74. The evaporative powers of the different coals being: Westport, B'2 ; Brockley, 6 5 ; Shag Point, 5'4. I have, &c, The Director of the Geological Survey. S. Heebeet Cox.

Hurunui-Bluff Section (New Zealand Railways). Comparative Statement of Brockley, Shag Point, and Westport Coals used on Locomotives.

By Authority : Geoege Didsbuey, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB2.

Date. Eng. No. Mileage. Coal consumed. Rate per ton. Value. j Average I consump- ! tion petmile. Cost in pence per Enginemile. Cost in ; Average pence per tonnage Ton-mile. ; per Trainmile. [Class. I Brock ■ley. £ s. d. 22 0 0 lb.-41-00 4-83 ■025 230-82 1881. ) _pril 18 to [ 84 J. April 30 ) J. 1,093 1,093 cwt. j £ s. d. 400 1 2 0 cwt. 400 lb.-41-00 4-83 •025 230-82 Shag 1 i -'oint. 1880. ) j Sept. 20 to Z 84 J. Oct. 10 ) j J. 2,167 1,070 0 13 0 34 15 6 5530 385 •022 207-11 Westj oort. 1881. ) _pril 11 to \ 86 J. April 30 j 1,649 420 14 0 25 16 0 2920 3.75 •020 24010