thing done is to uncover the chimney top; then the
steam is turned on to the spray injector, and next a small quantity of
petroleum is admitted, but without opening the ash-pan doors, a small fire
being rendered possible by the entrance of air around the spray injector,
as well as by possible leakage past the ash-pan doors. The spray
immediately coming in contact with the hot chamber ignites without any
audible explosion; and the ash-pan doors are finally opened, when
considerable power is required, or when the air otherwise admitted is not
sufficient to support complete combustion. By looking at the fire through
the sight hole it can always be seen at night whether the fire is white or
dusky; in fact, with altogether inexperienced men it was found that after
a few trips they could become quite expert in firing with petroleum. The
better men contrive to burn less fuel than others, simply by greater care
in attending to all the points essential to success. At present
seventy-two locomotives are running with petroleum firing; ten of them are
passenger engines, seventeen are eight-wheel coupled goods engines, and
forty-five are six-wheel coupled. As might be expected, several points
have arisen which must be dealt with in order to insure success. For
instance, the distance ring between the plates around the firing door is
apt to leak, in consequence of the intense heat driven against it, and the
absence of water circulation; it is therefore either protected by having
the brick arch built up against it, or, better still, it is taken out
altogether when the engines are in for repairs, and a flange joint is
substituted, similar to what is now used in the engines of the London and
Northwestern Railway. This arrangement gives better results, and occasions
no trouble whatever.

_Storage of petroleum._--The length of line now worked with petroleum is
from Tsaritsin to Burnack, 291 miles. There is a main iron reservoir for
petroleum at each of the four engine sheds, namely at Tsaritsin, Archeda,
Filonoff, and Borisoglebsk. Each reservoir is 66 ft. internal diameter and
24 ft. high, and when full holds about 2,050 tons. The method of charging
the reservoir, which stands a good way from the line, and is situated at a
convenient distance from all dwelling houses and buildings, is as follows:
On a siding specially prepared for the purpose are placed ten cistern cars
full of oil, the capacity of each being about ten tons. From each of t