ABSTRACT
Certain mineral combustibles may fairly claim attention in a work treating of the discoveries of the nineteenth century, not because these bodies have been known and used only in recent times, but for other reasons. The true nature of coal—that most important of all combustibles—its relation to the past history of the earth, and to the present and future interests of mankind; the work it will do; the extent of supply still existing in bowels of earth; the innumerable chemical products which it yields—are subjects on which knowledge gained during the present century forms body of discovery of most interesting and important kind. Deposits of liquid hydro-carbons, perhaps formed by kind of natural subterranean distillation from coal or other fossil organic matter, exist in various localities. These deposits have long been known and utilized at Rangoon, in Burmah, and on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
