will, at some future period, find it necessary to pay more

attention.

"For the supply of the steam engine, and in general, for every species of furnace but the reverbatory, this Coal is well qualified, provided the grates are so constructed as to give a sufficient draft of air, without which it cannot be properly ignited. This, however, with the knowledge which we possess here of the principles of combustion, is a matter of little difficulty; and the circumstance of its never caking, or adhering in cohesive masses, as well as its affording so little ashes to choke the grates, renders it extremely convenient and economical: when once it is perfectly ignited, the fire is more durable than any other coal, and it requires less attention.

"With these qualities, it is obvious that it is well calculated for breweries and distilleries; for the purpose of drying and preparing malt, no other species of coal will answer so well, as almost all others contain so much sulphur, or other volatile substances, that they cannot be used without destroying its flavour. This fact is so well understood, that the maltsters, even of America, have hitherto found it necessary to import Kilkenny Coal, at a prodigious expense, for no other purpose but the use of the malt kiln. "The smith will find considerable saving when he becomes accustomed to the use of Rhode-Island Coal. I am perfectly aware that it is not calculated for every purpose of the forge, and that, as it cannot be brought to cake or adhere, it will not answer on those occasions, where, what is called by the smith, a hollow fire is required; but still, for small work, and all the common purposes of the forge, it will be found sufficiently well adapted, and it has already been used with success by many of the smiths in the neighbourhood. I cannot at the same time omit stating, that the brazier, the bell-founder, and those who are engaged in the casting of metals, will perceive the great superiority which this Coal has over others. The intense and durable heat

which it affords, renders it an article peculiarly valuable to artists of this description.

For the burning of bricks, and the manufacture of earthen-ware, and all sorts of pottery, such Coal as this is particularly convenient. The total absence of all smoke or vapour, renders it an article of consequence, in particular for the finer kind of ware.

But the same circumstances that make it most eligible for such manufactures, render it unfit for the reverbatory furnace, which is used in refining a variety of metals, as well as for other purposes. No fuel being adapted for such furnaces, but those which produce considerable flame and smoke, such as the Virginia Coal, or wood, as the principle upon which these furnaces are erected, requires that the flame only should traverse the surface of the metal, without any part of the fuel being in contact with it."

Lastly-Some directions are given relative to the proper method of using the coal.

"Well-informed and enlightened men will easily understand, that such coal as this, when properly ignited, must possess all the qualities of carbon. To such persons I cannot always appeal, and as the difficulty of igniting this substance is much greater than that of charcoal, many are disposed to doubt that it has any advantage; all, however, that is required, is, that the furnace or grate should have a strong draft, and that a little more patience is bestowed in kindling the fire, than is usually afforded by those who are accustomed to the burning of wood. The coal should be broke into small pieces, and a proportion of charcoal placed under it; when this is set fire to, the draft of the flue should be increased by proper management of the door or register of the furnace, or by blowers applied to the chimney. In a short time the whole is ignited; it never requires stirring, and no further trouble is necessary but to keep the lower bars of the grate free from ashes, or any substance that would interrupt the free circulation of air. A fire made inthis manner, will continue to produce considerable heat for

six or eight hours without a renewal of fuel, and with only an occasional attention to keep up the draft of the flue."

We have ourselves had an opportunity of comparing this coal with the description which has been here given of it, and have also seen it used; and it is with much satisfaction we state that it promises very great advantages to the manufacturing interest of the country; and we have no doubt, when its qualities are more generally known, that it will become a valuable acquisition to the artist.

An Account of Experiments made on Palladium, found in combination with pure gold, by Joseph Cloud, an officer in the mint of the United States. [Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. Vol. vi.]

A FEW years since, a metal, under the name of Palladi

um, or new Silver, was sold in London by the Mineral Dealers, with the following printed account of the properties it possessed, without mentioning the discoverer's name, or the source from whence it had been derived.

"1. It dissolves in pure Spirit of Nitre, and makes a dark red solution. 2. Green Vitriol throws it down in the state of a regulus from this solution, as it always does Gold from Aqua Regia. 3. If you evaporate the solution you get a red calx that dissolves in Spirit of Salt or other acids. 4. It is thrown down by quicksilver, and by all the metals but Gold, Platina, and Silver. 5. Its specific Gravity by hammering was 11.3, but by flatting as much as 11.8. 6. In a common fire the face of it tarnishes a little and turns blue, but comes bright again, like other noble metals, on being stronger heated. 7. The greatest heat of a blacksmith's fire would hardly melt it. 8. But if you touch it while hot with a small bit of Sulphur, it runs as easily as Zinc.”

The appearance of a new metal in so questionable a shape, induced several chemists to examine it, and among others Mr. Chenevix, who, after a series of experiments, supposed

num;

it to be a compound of Platinum and Mercury. This was denied by Dr. Wollaston, who proved to be the discoverer, and asserted that it was a new metal obtained from Platiand it was from this source alone that this metal had been procured, until Mr. Cloud discovered it combined with gold in some ingots from the Brazils, which, with a number of others, had been deposited in the mint of the United States.

The ingots, containing the Palladium, differing so much in colour from the others, induced him to submit one to several experiments, "by which," says Mr. Cloud, "I disco vered that the alloy was a compound of gold, and a metal that would resist the cupel, and was soluble in nitric and nitromuriatic acids. I therefore adopted the following mode of analysis, as the easiest, and at the same time a satisfactory evidence of the existence of a metal possessing the properties of palladium.

"Process 1st. The whole ingot was combined with double its weight of fine silver, and cupeled with a quantity of lead, equal to the weight of the compound.

"Pro. 2d. The cupeled metals were reduced to thin plates, and submitted to the action of boiling nitric acid, until the silver and palladium were dissolved. The solution, which was of a high brownish-red colour, was decanted, and the residual gold washed with pure water, which was added to the decanted solution.

"Pro. 3d. Pure muriatic acid was added to the metallic solution of process 2d, until no further precipitation took place, and the acid was in excess. The silver being completely precipitated, the fluid, which retained its red colour, was decanted, and the precipitate washed with pure water: the washings were added to the decanted fluid, now holding nothing but palladium in solution.

"Pro. 4th. A saturated solution of pure potash (carbo nate of potash did not succeed so well, part of the palladium being held in solution by the carbonic acid) was added to the metallic solution from process 3d, until the whole

F

of the palladium was thrown down in form of a flocculent orange-coloured precipitate. The precipitate was collected on a filtre; was well washed with pure water, and dried.

"Pro. 5th. A portion of the precipitate from the last process was put into a crucible, without addition, and subjected to a heat of about 60° of Wedgewood; and thus, a metallic button of palladium was obtained.

"Pro. 6th. Another portion of the precipitate from process 4th was combined with black flux, and submitted to a degree of heat equal to that excited in process 5th, and similar results were obtained.

"Having thus obtained a metal, which I supposed to be palladium, from a source heretofore unknown; in order still farther to satisfy myself, I separated that metal from crude platinum, and subjected them both to a number of comparative experiments, with prussiate of mercury, recent muriate of tin, and other re-agents, without discovering the least shade of difference."

According to Mr. Cloud, " Palladium is of a greyishwhite colour; so closely resembling that of platinum, that they cannot be distinguished by their complexion. It is malleable, and very ductile; so that by the rolling-mill it can be reduced into thin plates. In hardness it is nearly equal to wrought iron. Its specific gravity, at 64° Fahrenheit, is 11. It may be alloyed with a number of the metals. With gold, silver, and platinum, it forms ductile alloys, and very much debases the colour of the two former."

The above experiments of Mr. Cloud satisfactorily confirm the existence of Palladium as a substance possessing properties which entitle it to a place among the noble metals. We are also indebted to him for having pointed out this new metal in combination with gold, without the sence of platinum.

pre

. Since the discovery of Palladium by Dr. Wollaston, other new metals have been obtained from the ore of Platinum; and we are happy to learn that Mr. Cloud has been