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26 1/2 200 30m 212 45m Potatoes done。
GENERAL RESULTS of the EXPERIMENT。
The fuel used was Whitehaven coal： the quantity 17 pecks； weighing 450 1/2 lbs。
The potatoes being mashed； （without peeling them；） and the greens chopped fine with a sharp shovel； they were mixed together； and 98 lbs of butter； 14 lbs。 of onions boiled and chopped fine； 40 lbs。 of salt； 1 lb。 of black pepper in powder； and 1/2 lb。 of ginger； being added； and the whole well mixed together； this food was served out in portions of 1 quart； or about 2 lbs。 each； in wooden noggins； holding each 1 quart when full。
Each of these portions of Calecannon （as this food is called in Ireland） served one person for dinner and supper； and each portion cost about 2 1/14 pence； Irish money； or it cost something less than ONE PENNY sterling per pound。
Twelve pence sterling； make thirteen pence Irish。
The expence （reckoned in Irish money） of preparing this food； was as follows： viz。 L。 s。 d。 Potatoes； 19 cwt。 at 3s。 6d。 per cwt。 3 6 6 （N。B。 They weighed no more than 1615 lbs。 when picked and washed。） Greens； 26 flaskets； at 10d。 each； 1 1 10 Butter； 98 lbs。 at 72s。 per cwt。 3 3 0 Onions； 14 lbs。 at 2s。 per stone； 0 2 0 Ginger； 1/2 lbs。 0 1 3 Salt； 40 lbs。 0 1 1 Pepper； 1 lb。 0 1 1 … L。 7 16 9
Expence for fuel； 17 pecks of coal； at 1L。 3s。 3d。 per ton； 0 3 2 1/2 … Total L。 7 19 11 1/2
With this kind of food there is no allowance of bread； nor is any necessary。
It would be hardly possible to invent a more nourishing or more palatable kind of food； than Calecannon； as it is made in Ireland； but the expence of it might be considerably diminished； by using less butter in preparing it。
Salted herrings （which do not in general cost much more than a penny the pound） might be used with great advantage to give it a relish； particularly when a small proportion of butter is used。
In this experiment； 273 gallons of water； weighing about 2224 lbs。 avoirdupois； and being at the temperature of 55 degrees； was made to boil； （in two hours and 32 minutes；） with the combustion of 346 1/2 lbs。 of coal； which gives rather less than 6 1/2 lbs。 of water； to each pound of coal consumed； the water being heated 157 degrees； or from 55 to 212 degrees。
According to my experiments； 20 lbs。 of water may be heated 180 degrees； （namely from 32 degrees the freezing point； to 212 degrees the temperature of boiling water；） with the heat generated in the combustion of 1 lb。 of pine…wood； consequently； the same quantity of wood （1 lb。） would heat 23 lb。 of water 157 degrees； or from 55 to 212 degrees。
But M。 Lavoisier has shown us by his experiments； that the quantity of heat generated in the combustion of any given weight of coal； is greater than that generated in the combustion of the same weight of dry wood； in the proportion of 1089 to 600； consequently； 1 lb。 of coal ought to make 40 3/4 lbs。 of water； at the temperature 55 degrees； boil。
But in the foregoing experiment； 1 lb。 of coal was consumed in making 6 1/2 lbs。 of water boil； consequently； more than 5/6 of the heat generated； or which might with proper management have been generated in the combustion of the coal； was lost； owing to the bad construction of the boiler and of the fire…place。
Had the construction of the boiler and of the fire…place been as perfect as they were in my experiments； a quantity of fuel would have been sufficient； smaller than that actually used； in the proportion of 6 1/2 to 40 3/4； or instead of 450 1/2 lbs。 of coal； 71 3/4 lbs。 would have done the business； and； instead of costing 3s。 2 1/2d。； they would have cost less than 6 1/4 Irish money； or 5 3/4d。 sterling； which is only about 1/3 per cent。 of the cost of the ingredients used in preparing the food； for the expence of fuel for cooking it。
These computations may serve to show； that I did not exaggerate； when I gave it as my opinion； （in my Essay on Food；） that the expence for the fuel necessary to be employed in cooking ought never to exceed； even in this country； TWO PER CENT。 of the value of the ingredients of which the food is composed； that is to say； when kitchen fire…places are well constructed。
Had the ingredients used in this experiment； viz。
2234 lbs。 of water 1615 lbs。 of potatoes； 98 lbs。 of butter； 14 lbs。 of onions； 40 lbs。 of salt； 1 lb。 of pepper； and 0 1/2 lb。 of ginger； making in all 3992 1/2 lbs。； been made into a soup； instead of being made into Calecannon； this； at 1 1/4 lb。 （equal to one pint and a quarter）； the portion would have served to feed 3210 persons。
But if I can show； that in Ireland； where all the coals they burn are imported from England； a good and sufficient meal of victuals for 3210 persons may be provided with the expence of only 5 3/4d。 for the fuel necessary to cook it； I trust that the account I ventured to publish in my first Essay； of the expence for fuel in the kitchen of the Military Workhouse at Munich； namely； that it did not amount to so much as 4 1/2d。 a day； when 1000 persons were fed； will no longer appear quite so incredible； as it certainly must appear to those who are not aware of the enormous waste which is made of fuel in the various processes in which it is employed。
I shall think myself very fortunate； if what I have done in the prosecution of these my favourite studies； should induce ingenious men to turn their attention to the investigation of a science； hitherto much neglected； and where every new improvement must tend directly and powerfully to increase the comforts and enjoyments of mankind。
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME。
Footnotes for Essay V。
＇1＇ The number of horses in Bavaria alone amount to above 160；000
＇2＇ A particular account of these military posts is given in the Second Chapter of the First Essay。
＇3＇ Suffice it to mention one among numberless facts； which might be brought to prove these assertions： The Beggars of our capital carry on an increasing and very lucrative trade； with confessional and communion testimonials； which they sell to people who daringly transgress the holy ecclesiastical laws； by neglecting to confess and receive the holy sacrament of the Lord's Supper at Easter。 Some of these impious wretches receive the sacrament； at least twice in a day； in order not to lose their customers； if the demands for communion testimonials are great； or come late。Ye priests and preachers of the gospel； can you still forbear raising your voices against Beggars？
＇4＇ To these the President of the Chamber of Finances has since been added。
＇5＇ Since the year 1792 the Elector； to relieve the Institution from that burden； has ordered the police guards to be paid out of the Public Treasury of the Chamber of Finances。
＇6＇ The Bavarian pound which was used in these experiments； and which is divided into 32 loths； is to the pound Avoirdupois as 12；384 is to 10；000；or nearly as 5 to 4。
End of Essays； Vol。 1