1 AUGUST 1925, Page 15

UNEMPLOYMENT AND COAL.

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] am interested in Mr. Gee's statement in his letter on Unemployment and Coal" that "one particular quality of coal, very carefully selected because it was known to be the most suitable," is what is used for experimental purposes and would like to refer him to an article in the Times of May 9th, 1925 -(possibly in the Engineering Supplement of that

date), on the process referred to in your footnote to his letter as the Nielson process.

The article is by Dr. G. S. Haslam, who has had the process under observation for some time and who specially mentions a Yorkshire slack which "did not command a market price which was profitable to the colliery," but which after dis- tillation became a valuable fuel, not to mention the by- products. Brown coal and lignite were also successfully treated, and the same process transformed sewage sludge into a valuable oil and a solid residue of lime and phosphates. I enclose the article for your perusal.

I have been a subscriber to your paper for a great many years and should like to take this opportunity of expressing to you my gratitude for the many pioneer schemes you have initiated or supported, but especially for the fairness with which you always allow both sides of a question to be repre- sented.—I am, Sir, _&c.,

ALICE L. HAMILTON.

47a George Street, Edinburgh.