An Account of Coal-Balls Made at Liege, by William Hanbury, Esq; F. R. S.

to be touched, though he died with near 40 Ulcers upon him. Dear SIR, Plymouth, Oct. 16 1739. Your humble Servant, John Huxham. In another Letter dated at Plymouth, Nov. 30. 1739. Dr. Huxham says, "We have had a very tempestuous Season for several Days past, though now fair; the Mercury lower [28.1 Inches] than I have known it for some Years, and the Tides excessively high." III. An Account of Coal-balls made at Liege, by William Hanbury, Esq; F. R. S. In pursuance of the Orders of the Society, I shall endeavour to give an Account of the factious Coal made at Liege. But first I shall quote Two Authors, who mention it in their Accounts of the Town of Liege. The First is, Le Curieux Antiquaire, ou Recueil geographique & historique, par le Sr P. L. Berkenmeyer à Leide 1729. p. 182. Where he says, "This Bishoprick (Liege) has rich Mines of Houille or Stone-coal*, which the Inhabitants sell in the Ne- * The common People call their Pit-coal, del Hey or de la Houille; and the Mixture of Coal and Clay de Houchy. C. M. therlands, "therlands, and by the Sale of it they get above 100,000 Ducats per Annum." "This Coal lights easily, and gives a great Heat: It is not therefore to be wondered, that Fire is reckoned amongst other Advantages the Liegeois boast of: They say, they have the best Bread, the hardest Iron, and the hottest Fire: By this last they mean, de la bouille, which, being once well lighted, casts the greater Heat, if it be wetted with Water." The Second Book I shall mention is, Les Delices des Pais Bas, Vol. III. p. 243. where I find that this Town Liege is said to be "the Hell of Women, because they are obliged to work more here than in any other Country. They draw the Boats, and carry on their Backs, like Slaves, les boilles, and other Things; and these Women are called des Botresses." In the Year 1628. by a printed Paper produced be- fore you, it appears, that this Fuel was known in England at that Time; and if you will believe the Author of that Paper, it was discovered by Hugh Plat in 1594. There is an Account of it printed in the Essays for the Month of December 1716. where it is proposed to be made with the black Ouse of the Thames, and for Four Pence per Bushel. I have used this Coal and Clay mixed upwards of Ten Years, and by Experience I find it to answer very well. It is a most excellent Fire for Roasting, for heating of Irons, or warming a Room: I use it in my Kitchen, Laundry, Parlour, and Library. The Method in which it is made at Liege, where I first saw it, and made some myself, is as follows: Take $\frac{1}{3}$ of unctuous Clay, (such as Brewers use to bong their Vessels, in it there must be neither Sand, Gravel, or Stone) And $\frac{2}{3}$ of Coal-dust: Mix, and make them incorporate well together; cast them into round Balls, or Bricks; and you may put them on a Coal-fire, and they will burn directly. But if they are made in Summer-time, and laid to dry for Use in Winter, they will light sooner. Thus you have an hot, clean, lasting Fire, not at all offensive to the Smell. The Dust is there the Refuse of the Mine, and may be here of the Coal-merchant's Yard, so that this Fuel comes exceeding cheap. Nor is it necessary to put so much Coal-dust; for some Clay (particularly what I use myself in the Country) will do, if mixed $\frac{2}{3}$ Clay, $\frac{1}{3}$ Coal-dust; and the true Proportion of the Mixture must be found by Experience; but it is always better to put in too much than too little Coal-dust at first, because Men are too apt to be discouraged in making Experiments. This Fuel is not only to be had at an easier Price, but it is likewise more durable. How far it may be useful in Glass-houses, Brewhouses, Salt-works, &c. I must leave to the Consideration of the several Persons concerned in them. I have heard, that at Liege they burn both Lime and Brick with it; but, as I never saw it done, I cannot affirm it.