RE: Coal

From: donald_at_...
Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2005 14:10:37 GMT

In message <20050302072931.EFWC9818.aamta03-winn.mailhost.ntl.com_at_master> "Jane Williams" writes:
>
>> How often was coal used prior to the industrial revolution?
>> While coal can make a good fuel, especially for metal
>> working, you need a good chimney if used for heating as most
>> coal has some nasty impurities.
>
>Ooh, that's a nasty thought. Never mind saving the fuel for cooking.
>Save it for the red-smith. We need our weapons and armour mended -
>there's a war on!

He can't use timber or peat but will claim all the charcoal. Actually charcoal will be easier to smuggle into WW than peat or even timber. Smaller volume, takes less time to prepare than peat and instead of being in relatively open bogland the charcoal burners work inside the forest completly out of sight.

This is assuming that the redsmiths are working within WW. I guess some will be to repair weapons and armour, but I think the majority will remain on their clan's tula. Why? because they're valuable specialists, they've got a lot of equipment and their raw materials (charcoal, ore) are bulky and heavy. By comparison the finished items are small and fairly light.

-- 
Donald Oddy
http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/