1879.]

[Platt.

1. That the Bernice coal as mined from the Big Bed, called bed B, is a semi-anthracite coal, of the usual chemical composition of anthracites, but differing from them in appearance and fracture.

2. That the coal bed lying sixty feet below the coal bed B is a semi-bituminous coal, of curious structure; holding much water in combination; and not coking.

3. That in a coal bed opened only one and a half miles east of Bernice, the upper bench is semi-bituminous coal, and the lower bench an anthracite, or more nearly semi-anthracite; with only a six inch black slate parting between these two benches; the semi-bituminous coal bench not coking, and holding a very large percentage of water in combination.

4. That the Forksville coals are semi-anthracites of unusual appearance and structure.

5. That the Laporte coal is really bituminous coal, of very curious structure, holding much water in combination.

In order that the main features of the character of these coals may be more forcibly presented, they are grouped together thus :

1. Bernice, Sullivan County. Run of mine. Bed B.

8. Pigeon Creek, 4 miles east of Bernice. Bed B.

9. 1 miles east of Bernice.

Top bench.

Lower bench.

11. 3 miles S. W. of Forksville. Lip. & Mercer mine. Top bench. 12.

66

13. 1 mile south of Laporte. S. Hall's Coal.

Lower

Color of Ash......

Gray. Cream. Gray. | Cream. | Cream. Gray.

Color of Ash. Gray. Cream. Cream. Cream. Gray. Gray. Red.

There is no peculiarity about the chemical composition of the coal from the Bernice Big Bed, or B. The analysis closely resembles that of the Lykens Valley coal; it is burned exactly like any of the other anthracites, and differs from them only in appearance and structure. For all purposes it is classed among the anthracite coals, and is sold for exactly the same purposes.

The coal sixty feet below Bed B introduces at once an interesting inquiry, from the fact that although a semi-bituminous coal it does not coke, and reabsorbs moisture rapidly on cooling after being heated to 225°.

In his report upon the analyses of coals from Ohio, Prof. Wormley has noted the characteristic feature of their re-absorbing moisture when allowed to coal after being heated to 212° F.

In his report on the analyses of the coals of Pennsylvania,* Mr. Andrew S. McCreath, the chemist of the survey, reports that the Pennsylvania coals have no such characteristics; and out of many hundreds of coals analyzed by him only four so far have possessed the power of re absorbing moisture rapidly after it has been expelled at 225° F.†

Under such circumstances it is desirable to note particularly the appearance, behavior and composition of these peculiar coals.

Three of them are from Sullivan county, and one from the New Red Sandstone in York county.

No. 1. B. Gross coal, from York county, Pennsylvania, on B. Gross farm, on Liverpool road, three-fourths of a mile north of Liverpool, on the Little Conewago creek. Specimen collected by P. Frazer, Jr. The coal is from the Mesozoic rocks.

"The coal has generally a deep black color, with somewhat pitchy appearance. It is very brittle, breaking with conchoidal fracture.

Water at 225°.

Volatile Hydrocarbons.

Fixed Carbon....

Sulphur.

Ash...

* Report of Progress in the Laboratory of the Survey, M. p. 28, 1875.

† MSS. Report of Progress MM. 1878, now in press.

4.310

18.482

74.358

.528

2.322

100.000

1879.]

[Platt.

"The coal yields a bulky ash of a reddish brown color. It has not the slightest tendency to form a coherent coke, and yields volatile matters burning with a non-luminous flame. The water was estimated at 225°, and upon withdrawal of the heat the coal begins to absorb water with great avidity. So that in two hours it has re-absorbed sixty-three per cent. of the amount of water originally present."

Throwing out the water, sulphur and ash, the proportion stands :

Fixed Carbon....

Volatile Hydrocarbons.

Volatile Hydrocarbons to Fixed Carbon, as 1 to 4.023.

80.093

19.907

100.000

No. 2. Coal sixty feet below bottom of Bed B, at Bernice, Sullivan county, Pennsylvania.

The coal is for the most part coated with iron oxide and infiltrated silt. It has a dull dead lustre, and is compact and brittle, with very irregular fracture. The coal does not have the slightest tendency to coke and yields gases which burn with a very feebly luminous flame. After cooling (water estimation) the coal immediately begins to absorb water and in two hours has re-absorbed about sixty per cent. of the water originally present.

Leaving out the accidental impurities, and counting only the ignitible constituents, the proportion stands :

It should be noted that this coal specimen was necessarily taken from near the outcrop, which accounts for the oxide of iron coating, the infil. trated silt, and in part for the high percentage of ash.

A second specimen of this same coal (sixty feet below bed B at Bernice) taken from under better cover, was also analyzed by Mr. McCreath.

"The coal does not coke, and the gases burn with a very feebly luminous flame. The coal, after being dried, begins to absorb water rapidly, and in two hours has re-absorbed sixty per cent. of the water originally present. This amount is not increased by longer exposure.

Platt.]

Water.

Volatile Matter

Fixed Carbon.

[Feb. 7,

4.130

15.270

67.362

But in all these experiments the water re-absorbed is about the same; that is, the coal re-absorbs 2.48 parts of water. Irrespective, therefore, of the amount of water, &c., driven off by heat, the portion re-absorbed is practically constant ; and this property is not destroyed, even after all the volatile matter is driven off."

No. 3. Coal from opening one and a half miles east of Bernice, Sullivan county, Pennsylvania. Top bench of coal.

"The coal has a dull dead lustre; it is very soft and crumbling, and has a somewhat shaly appearance with laminated structure. The gases burn with a feebly luminous flame, but the coal does not coke.

No. 4. Sullivan county, one mile south of Laporte. From S. Hall's drift.

"The coal has a deep black dull lustre ; it is rather friable; contains some slate. It does not show the slightest tendency to form a coherent coke; the volatile matter burns with a feebly luminous flame. The coal acts generally in the same way as that from the Bernice lower coal bed.

1879.]

[Platt.

Throwing out the sulphur,, water and ash, and counting the ignitible constituents only, these coals show the following proportions:

And the proportions of Volatile Matter and Fixed Carbon, are for No. 3, as 1 to 2.527; and for No. 4, as 1 to 2.527.

There are several points touching these coals which are noteworthy: 1. They range in proportion of Volatile Matters to Fixed Carbon from bituminous to semi-bituminous coals; these proportions being 1 to 4.022; 1 to 4.132; 1 to 2.527; 1 to 2.527.

2. They carry an unusual percentage of water; these percentages being 4.310; 5.815; 7.930; 6.830.

3. The gases driven off burn with a non-luminous flame.

4. None of the coals coke.

5. All of the four coals re-absorb in a short time fully 60 % of the water which has been expelled by raising their temperature to 225° F., in this respect differing from all the other Pennsylvania coals hitherto examined.

Notes upon the Collection of Coins and Medals now upon Exhibition at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art, Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.

BY HENRY PHILLIPS, JR, A. M.

(Read before the American Philosophical Society, Feb. 7, 1879.)

"Quem non moveat clarissimis monumentis testata consignataque vetustas?” SPANHEIM.

The object of this display is to present Art as typified upon coins and medals, from the earliest known period until the present time, so as to show the student the nature and character of the development of æsthetic culture as exhibited by the aid of Numismatic science.

The change and advance presented by the inspection of coins and medals is a vast chain of ever closely joining links. From the very beginning of coinage, from the rudest of all arcient coins, the Persian daric or the tortoise of Ægina, to the majestic medallions of Syracuse, step by step every inch of the onward march of Art may readily be traced. The earliest of all known coins exhibit on the reverse only a shapeless punch mark, are the work of unskilled hands, are defective in type, in shape, in inscription, while the latest (or most modern), present complicated and intricate devices of all kinds and natures.