Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 29.djvu/248

236 away until they fall through the grid as a fine powder. This allows the fire to burn clearly all day long almost without poking. When the fire is low, and new coal is added, the reserve of heat in the hot chamber is such that the addition of cold fresh fuel does not temporarily quench the embers, and the fire is very quickly in a blaze after being mended.

Having made the discovery by the observation of a grate supplied to me with an "Economizer," the value of which, I suspect, was hardly appreciated by the makers, I applied "Economizers" one by one to all my grates, kitchen included. The result surpassed my expectations. There was a saving of at least a fourth of my coal. The experience of many friends, who, at my advice, adopted the system, confirmed my own results. It was, therefore, clear to me that I was bound to make widely known a discovery which was fraught with such benefit to myself, and was likely to prove a great boon to the public.

My chief aim hitherto has been to persuade the public to apply the "Economizer" to existing fireplaces. After steady exertions for four years, some impression has been made on the inertia of the public, and extensive trials of the "Economizer" are taking place in many parts of the country. To-day, however, my aims are more complete. It is my wish to advocate not one principle alone, although that is the cardinal one, but to urge all the best principles which enter into the construction of a really effective fireplace, and to induce those whom it may concern to replace bad by an entirely new construction, right in every point.

The rules of construction which I shall lay down have been arrived at entirely by my own observation of what appeared to be the best points in various fireplaces. It was, therefore, no less a satisfaction to me than a surprise to discover, on reading Rumford's work in preparation for this lecture, that nothing which I have to advocate is new, but that every principle, and the "Economizer" is hardly an exception, was advocated no less enthusiastically by him at the very commencement of this century.

Having considered the principles that should guide us, we are now prepared to lay down strict rules which should be acted upon in the construction of fireplaces. I trust that what I have said has so far commended itself to your judgment that the fourteen rules here drawn up will command your hearty assent, and in due time will win their way into the confidence of our architects, our builders, and the public:

. "As little iron as possible."—The only parts of a fireplace that are necessarily made of iron are the grid on which the coal rests, and the bars in front. The "Economizer," though usually made of iron, from convenience in construction, might be of earthenware, and so would be more perfectly in harmony with this rule. On this point Rumford speaks most emphatically: "Those (grates) whose