THE MIRANDA COAL.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 51, 5 December 1871, Page 3

THE MIRANDA COAL.

We insert the following report on a trial of the coal lately found at the Miranda, by Mr Foot,which was made atMrGrove’s crushing machine llape Creek Battery, December 4,1871. “ Mr James Foot, “ Dear Sir, —Mr Unthank, of the Moana taiari, requested me lust Saturday to testa sample of coal sent to him by you from the Miranda district. This morning I did so with the follow ing results: “ 1. Got up steam with your coal and endeavored to keep it up; but after running three fourths of an hour, the steam gauge went down gradually against every effort I could make. “ 2. I then put into the firebox one proportion of Bay of Island coal equal to two of yours. The effect was immediately to stop the reduction of steam referred to and the battery worked on about ten minutes without any perceptible change. I then put equal proportions of your and Bay of Island coal, and easily maintained the necessary speed of my batterj'. “ 3. Your coal burns much longer than Bay of Islands coal, but gives less heat. No clinkers whatever, and, Avhen evenly mixed with the other coal (so for as my trial extends), produced no appearance of our steam or stokers’ enemy—clinkers. “ 4. The smoke from your coal evidently contains no sulphur. “5. Your coal is good for household consumption, and also for steam machinery, where there is plenty of boiler room, and when used with Bay of Islands coal, for high-pressure engines, such as mine, a material saving in labor and firebars can be made. “ I am not aware what price you can deliver your coal for ; but from the appearance of it, you have evidently got a large seam, and, if so, a valuable auxiliary to the development of the goldfields. “ I am, &c., “ D. Grove.”