THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1861.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 433, 17 December 1861, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1861.

Many plain common sense people think that it is an old chagrined candidate for the soperintendency who spitefully patronises and partly scribbles trashy stuff to the Nelson •citizens,' published on the 14th instant in the Examiner. He calls himself ' Inquirer,' and gets the most modest of reporters to copy his election composition of nonsense and bad feeling, to save appearances. But his slime betrays his creeping. After sevetal contributions about gold and so forth, he now finds out coal. Be it so; that is good and clean it is said; at least it will not make a true man blacker than he makes himself; and will give real shine and viarmth too, and something better than smoke and vile smell of sulphur. Well now this coal really is a good thing, thanks to Robinson's government and its successful exertions in finding and bringing the treasure to light—just to dazzle 'Inquirer's' eyes—just at this particular moment! Poor thing! How vicious he is, because good news come so fully and convincingly during the fortunate reign of our Superintendent. He kicks hard to make a pother, but the pricks are too sharp for him. Propitious fate would have it so. Coal, excellent coal, gas coal, steam coal, coal ' clean from cinder or clinker,' coal that surpasses the New South Wales and even English coal,' * the best coal' (if one engineer can be relied on) ' ever used on board the Tasmanian Maid, inexhaustible coal from a seam sixteen (?) feet thick and of the easiest access, coal ' the richest of. Nelson's products; this wonderful coal, after fairest and sufficient trial, is no longer a myth, but an * all-important' certainty, ■ Verily, this

is a land of * dreams!' But the best of all is, no one can dream the fact away—even between the nomination and the polling.' Hugely does our contemporary-swagger, because, like a pert child, one of its 'minions elicited such tidings from a Mr. Naiicarrow, and undoubtedly helped him to the second paragraph, if not the whole, of his; written statement —a statement which, in all decency, should have been promptly forwarded to the Government who furnished the coals to the steamer. Now, as this experimental supply was directed by the Superintendent, would it naturally be done for the specific object of proving its utility generally in steaming, as the commonest sea boy in the steamer could not but know, without any intelligible understanding that either the captain or some other responsible officer, under the greatly interested owners, would report fairly to the Nelson authorities? Ihe singularity is, that the eventful 'results' were not unhesitatingly and speedily forwarded to head-quarters instead of to the office of an electioneering partisan of the enemies to the still existing administration.

This false scribe and his set sham stoutly as to the deferring of the truth of this rousing event until this political crisis; but they certainly do so in a sore travail—' the struggling pangs of conscious truth to hide.' Having intercepted a proper tool for their purpose, they resolve to employ a practised midwife, and not improbably a supernumerary M.D., to accomplish a noisy accouchement where they would be most able to suit their shameful policy to their wishes. If the black child was not lively, they were crafty. If it cried, as it did lustily, they could reserve it for a convenient department of their own —{hat is, if its advent did not publicly transpire and occasion an English rescue of the heir of an Ethiopian complexion and endless royalties of wealth. But the affair was too strong and promising for much foul play "or party servitude. According to the lame tale of the weak instrument of these people, what passes for his letter was penned for, and by a side wind wafted to, the Examiner, not to the Provincial Secretary, as was proper—lest the 'result should remain generally unknown.' A remark replete with unblushing, barefaced impudence, but quite in keeping with the mean vulgarity of the clique that prompted it. However, this worthless manoeuvre enables somebody to boast of being the creditable organ of the interesting gossip in its rather dirty but naked freshness: they have really been accomplished enough to tell news about the Ta&manian Maid's testing experiment, and the great value of the coal!

It might have been reasonably concluded that one of graver years and quite patent airs of pretended better breeding, in the conduct of his journal at any rate, would have preserved our more senile contemporary within the limits of ordinary discernment, so as not to have demeaned himself by such a shallow misleading leader as his last. Had a bouncing, yet fawning, underling, without decency, or anything to lose but what the pandering to some Inquirer ' may have gained, wanted ever.jr.kind of sense to furnish his rubbishy upper chamber, the literary principal of the publication ought to have furnished something more useful than cobwebs, and stale morsels, and leavings of sottish inconsideration. He should have known better than to foist on his readers soiled and damaged information, not approved by authority, and considerably rejected as very imperfect intelligence. But it is not uncommon for speculators in despicable political jobtfork, to huckster the refuse of new or of old wares, glutting the mart with worthless articles, and thus, by the reaction of a popular demand, creating disgust and lasting prejudice against even superior goods of genuine excellence. Already has the public been unnecessarily mortified by disappointment in the character of coal both near and distant. Now the Examiner prematurely announces most incomplete * results' by way of resenting the awful evil of a national good occurring during the provincial sway of the wrong man. But our fellow-settlers will soon be set right for all that,

With regard to any seeming delays of the Executive, we have no doubt most justifying explanations will be given at the fittest period. But we do hope our officials will never rely on the unsafe statements of any underhand meddlers, in a matter promising general benefits, and least of all on such inconsiderate and catspaw judges.

Immediately after the arrival of the Tasrnanian Maid we and others heard from the best source all which is now bruited, and much more. At the same time we learnt that the evidence respecting the coal, however encouraging, was felt to be altogether insufficient for a formal notice. The. Government, quite active in the business, as it properly felt it should be, was actually doing its best for the thorough satisfaction of all but some stupid Inquirer. Coal has been variously distributed judiciously for experiment. To different brewers, to ironfounders, to chemists, to domestic and oiher similar establishments several Quantities had

been sent, for obtaining in every way a satisfactory test. Some ten tons for the same purpose are now working the engines of the Lord Worsley in order to a more extended approval. Reports' from all these and other quarters will soon yield us all necessary information—something infinitely more deserving of trust than party statement; amongst them we point with pleasure to the report of the Provincial Engineer, which speaks for itself.

After all the frothy bosh about getting best samples from the Grey any half-wit may see no less than our sages that it is most proper to obtain at present what is better than ' the best'—even a regular, unsorted average which will not deceive the often-gulled public. The schemers and the turncoats might probably, by tact and energy, have done the marvellous more tellingly for an election, feut we sue sure

the Superintendent has aplenty of recom* mendationsto men of plain sense, without seeking help from any trickery.

The rapid strictures and remarks of our correspondent on the flippant letters which have appeared in the columns of our contemporary have perhaps rather exposed the silliness of people who talk as if a Superintendent should not only do the work of many officers, but be a species of animal of burden. At all events he should bray immoderately and skip about like asses' colts. They suppose where there is great noise or fuss there must be notable, doings for the public benefit. It is needless to say how foreign this is to real usefulness. A quietness in steady sensible action, resembling that of the Superintendent during late years, is of infinitely greater value in the estimation of sane, temperate, and reflecting individuals. Speaking of the becoming operations of state power, the great Selden appositely represents it a 9 noiseless. ' They that govern malse the least noise. You see when they row in a barge, that they who do the drudgery, work, slash, and puff and sweat.' Such are those who raise a hubbub about pushing forward, particularly in works of dubious benefit, and in expedients of noisy adventure. 'But he that governs,' saya Selden, • sits quietly at the stem, and scarce is seen to stir" Yet does he not. stir, and so as to rule the vessel and fulfil his important duty in the wisest mode ?

This, so contrary to vulgar methods of popular control, is a fair emblem of the self-collected methodical progress of Robinson's government. It has been a regular and silent energy, acting in its prescribed orbit without confusion. It has fitly attended to opposing interests and gently balanced them with fairness. In weak-and' wordy governors, as in pragmatic and loquacious judges who can hardly tolerate in either counsel or witness any talk but their own, there is too often a disposition lto show quickness of conceit in cutting off evidence or counsel too short.* This rude interference, so reprehended by Bacon, should never be perpetrated by a sensible Superintendent; and it has often been observed that Mr. Robinson in such investigations as business brought before him, patiently and without any obtrusive attempts of eloquent meddling, moved to his conclusions without astonishing the province by officiousness. Herein he was at once the manly ruler and true gentleman. This is mentioned here, inasmuch as very contrary behavior is apt to breed disturbance in a young province chiefly formed of those whose limited advantages formerly may not have disciplined the mind fully as yet to the quieter efforts of true vigor—that healthy state of society which all admire, and which all alike should seek.

Of those who seem to have a notion that a Superintendent should cause a great stir, J. S. Jacobsen, worthy man, now rises to notice, with provincial grievances in formidable array. A better worker, or one more victimised by a hard bargain in regard to. the Nelson College, will not be easily found. But was it, if the question be a fair one, one of the Governors of that institution who induced him to copy or sign the letter bearing his German name? At ail events, it seems quite natural that, partly from crushed hopes under the weight of the collegiate buildings, and some infatuation of the Provincial Council, this, enterprising builder Tias been prompted, tempted—too possibly by hints of future encouragement —to hurl some eleven paragraphs, full of rotten bridges, rotten projects, a wet powder magazine, Board of Works' expenditure on •clever mischief,' the failure of the culvert of saltwater bndge {semper eadem), the road to the new cemetery (odious rival), the •useless Motueka jetty,' the bridge at the Moutere, &c; to hurl all these at the unfortunats head of our 'chief overseer.'. Haply, many heads, and thick ones too' come between that gentleman and these ponderous missives. Although Mr. Robinson will safely escape, it is to be hoped others will be, frightened at least into something like sensible attention to enlightened designs and their execution.

We believe the Superintendent has fought many a battle to lessen evils like those complained of. If we had more men of Jacobsen's pluck, but men who would rally round our really well-tried, chief— particularly as to the choice of Provincial members, much improvement would be the inevitable result. Let all our manful work-ing-men open their eyes to see the dignity of labor, and free themselves, now and for ever from a dominant handful of schemers who at this crisis secretly threaten to fix the lot of themselves and offspring as dependent menials and drudges for ages. Then, but not till then, may we expect neglects and nuisances, and extravagant absurdities in public undertakings, to be remedied. What can one man, unless effectually joined by a heaity constituency, successfully perform while hundreds of the people's enemies are pulling against him ? We call upon the honest men of Nelson to rouse themselves to aid the cause peculiarly their own.

We have great pleasure in giving the following official report on the Grey Coal. To His Honok the Superintendent. Nelson, December 13,1861. Sir—ln accordance with instructions received from you, I proceeded to Coltingwood on Wednesday evening on board the Tasmanian Maid, steamer, for the purpose of observing and reportiug upon the qualities and capabilities of the coal from the Grey River. No other kind of coal was used on board, either in going or returning, so that we had a fair opportunity of testing it. We left Nelson about nine p.m., passed Separation Point at half past one, aud arrived in Collingwood at four next morning, having Reamed slowly during the latter part of the rua, purposely, as we could not get into Collingwood 6uQiier, on account of the tide. The nigltf waa

almost calm, sea smooth, and no sails were used. - ■■■■:■ '■'•■■ ■'■'■■ .'. ■■ ■--■ "v ■

We started on our return from CoHnigVood about half-past four p.m. on Thursday, arrived off Motupipi at Bix,':Btopped there an hour and alialf to land goods arid pasßengers, and ar« rived iv Nelson about one next moruiug, sea smooth, and with a light head wind. The engineer of the vessel, Mr. Nancarrow, kindly offered every facility for a proper ex. amination of the qualities of the coal, and I therefore inspected the fire 3at frequent intervals, made notes at the same time of the speed of engines, force of steam and vacuum, &c, endeavoring to keep these as uniform as possible (in which there was uo difficulty), and the fires of an average and usual thickness.

Having ascertained from the engineer the usual rate of consumption of Sydney coal ptr hour, I proceeded, in conjunction with him, to compare this with the: Grey coal on board, and for this purpose made two separate and diatiact experiments.

A quantity previously weighed was placed ia the stoke-hole, and the time required to consume it was carefully noted. The state 5f the fires at the commencement of the trial being observed and sustained as equally as poasible during the experiment.

The result of both these experiments was the same, viz., that 4 owt. of Grey Coal lasted as loug and did the same amount of work as 5 owt. of Sydney coal.

This of itself is a most important fact, but another valuable quality of this coal is that it does not appear to have the slightest disposition to form • blinkers,' not i a trace of them being observable at the end of the run either way, and the fires never having been ' pricked 'or cleaned duriiig the whole time.

All that passes through the bars is a small quantity of grey ash and clean ciuders, \yhich latter would be consumed more thoroughly, were the fire bars closer together! It would appear in fact that the operation of cleaning the fires, and removing the clinkers so frequently needed with other coals, will never be required in using the Grey coal; which will be an immense saving of very disagreeable labor to the firemen.

The tubes in the boiler also keep much cleaner than with Sydney coal, no soot being formed in them, as is the case with the latter. A deposit of fine sherp dust is all that is to be observed, most of which is carried right through the tubes—thus diminishing the necessity of cleaning them out, and being a direct saving of labor and tools; of this fact an increased economy of fuel is also the certain result.

The coal burns clear and bright, cakes nuf. ficiently well to keep the fire open and lively, emits no unpleasant odour, and is apparently quite free from sulphur, as indeed from any impurity whatever, as the fires if left to themselves born right down and leave the bars quite clean. The wefght of this sample of coal appears to be rather less than that of Sydney coal, in the proportion of 180 to 183, but it is quite probable and fair to assume that it will weigh heavier when the seam is worked further in.

In conclusion, I have great satisfaction in recording my most unqualified approval of the Grey coal for steam purposes, and doubt not that it will when .better known come into general repute and use, and be the means of makiog Nelson the futur9 rendezvous for all steamers in the southern seas for coaling purposes.

Whatever means may be taken to bring it into notice, such an amount of capital should be employed for the purpose as- would ensure its being worked on a large scale, so that the market might be kept always well supplied with an article so valuable and desirable in every way. I have &c, JOHN BLACKETT. Provincial Engineer.