LECTURE ON COAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5768, 24 September 1879, Page 2

LECTURE ON COAL.

At the Athenamm Hall last night S. H. Cox Esq., F.C.S., F.G.S., &c., delivered a lecture (one of the aeries under the auspices of the Young Men’s Christian Association) on “Coal —its origin and uses.” Owing to the extremely inclement weather, the attendance was not so, large as is usual at these lectures. W. J. Knowles, Esq., occupied the chair. The Lectoeer said from the immense extent of his subject, it would be impossible in a single lecture to do more than touch briefly on a few of the most important features. This he would try to do in a manner that would be readily understood by his hearers, and ho hoped thus to place his audience in possession of much information that the great majority of peonle did not take the trouble to acquire, though it was on an article that was one of the most potent factors in the world’s progress and civilisation. Mr, Cox then described the vegetable origin of all coals, and the natural forces and conditions incident to the process, and enumerated the different classes of the mineral. He then proceeded to describe the geological changes which resulted in the formation of a number of seams _ of coal one above the other, a case of this kind occurring in Green Island, near Dunedin, where there were no less than five successive layers. The lecturer divided coals into two classes—those containing much water, and those in which the percentage of moisture was small. Having dealt with the former, and shown the special uses to which from its peculiar nature it could alone be put, Mr, Cox subdivided the anyhydrous, or dry, coal into anthracite (non-bitnminons),_ cannel (highly bituminous), and household (little bituminous), and stated that neither of the two first had yet been discovered in New Zealand and from "eoiomcal circumstances their existence here was improbable ; while the third class was only found on the West Coast of the South Island ; while hvdrou-, or brown and pitch coals are found' at Preservation Inlet, the Nightcaps, Tokomairiro, Kaitangata, Green Island, Shag Point, Oamaru, _ Malvern Hill, Mount Somers, West Wanganui, Mokau, Wangarei, Waikato, and Kawakawa. Mr. Cox then alluded to the vast periods that scientists have proved to have elapsed since the older beds were formed—over 250.000 years m some cases. The lecturer then described the difference between coal-hearing conditions in New Zealand and England, owing to varied geological circumstances, and then passed to the historical part of the subject, giving the dates at which the different uses of coal had been developed, and _ alluding_ to the early prejudices against it. The importance of coal to the mining and iron trades in England was .dwelt upon, there being 34,000.000 tons used yearly by the iron and rteel makers in Britain. Mr. Cox then detailed at length, but in an interesting and lucid manner, the processes of making coke and gas, and the extraction of the many beautiful dyes (specimens of which were shown) and chemical substances derivable from coal. The subject of gasoline was also briefly adverted to, and the smelting of iron and the manufacture of steel was described ; and Mr. Cox then drew a picture of the state England would be in if coal was wholly absent from the country. This was followed by some statistics, which showed that in England 7 there yet remain 90 000.000 060 000 of tons of coal at a less depth than 4000 feetThe annual British output is 120,000,000 tons, and the supplv is expected to last 350 years lonnev France produces 17,000,000 tons a year 1 ■ i'iv, 50,000,600; New South Wab'-. i.- ■ • ; America (where there are 0300 }' ; .re miles of coal measures), 41 000,000. In New Zealand there are supposed to be about 1,000,900,000 tons, less than enough for England for ten years. The annual consumption hers is about 340,000 tons, of which over half is imported ; and at this rate of use, New Zealand may be expected to have

coal as long as England's stock lasts. The lecturer concluded with some remarks on what would be the probable substitutes for coal when the world's stores of the mineral had been exhausted. Mr. Cox, who had been frequentiy loudly applauded during his lecture, resumed his seat amidst much cheering. A vote of thanks to the lecturer having been carried unanimously, the proceedings terminated.