50 DR. Irvine's EXE^ouNT. 



XT. 



Letter of Inquiri/ refpedjj}g th^.lats Dr. likVitJEh. fundajuenlal 

 Experiment on the' relative Capacities for Heat of Ice and 

 IVatcr, With an Jnfci'er hj/ Mr. iKviHE, . . 



Rcqueft that A CORRESPONDENT would be much indebted to Mr. 

 Mr. Irvine Nicholfon if he would convey by publication in his Journal, 



would defcribe -r i ,• ,, . ' J i •> 



his father's ex- ^^ otherwile, the following requeilto Mr. Irvine. That gen- 

 pcrlmenton the tleman in his paper in the Journal ot" laft month * mentions his 

 and* water." '^ having in his pofleffion the experiments oi Dr. Irvine on the. 

 capacities of bodies. It has always been a wifii with thefc 

 chemifts who have attended particularly to this fubject to know 

 in wliat manner Dr. Irvine made the experiment to afcertain 

 Change of fornn the comparative capacities of ice and water. If either of the 

 th*'^^^"l^'^^"'^ bodies during the experiment change its form, if the ice were 

 melted, or the water congealed, it becomes lets decilive, as 

 it may be objeded by thofe who maintain the opinion that 

 latent caloric exifts in bodies either in whole or in part in a 

 ftate of chemical combination, that the refult might arife from 

 fuch a combination, and not from a change of capacity. But 

 if the experiment were made in fuch a manner that no change 

 of form tqo]^ place, which though difficult is poffible. Dr. 

 Irvine's theory, which is fo much fuperior to the other, is un- 

 equlvocajly eftabliihed. It would be conferring a favour on 

 the chemical world, if Mr. Irvine would take the trouble of 

 f^ipg in what manner the experiment was conduced, pro- 

 viding fuch a notice would not interfere with the intention he 

 has announced of giving a more full account of his father's in- 

 veftigations, an account which would be eagerly received by 

 chemifts. 



Septcfuber 2Uh, 1803. 



Reply by Mr. Irvi'ne. 

 Tfce cxpcrimentf WITH regard to the enquiry of Mr. Nicholfon's corref- 

 "^^h^^^' pondent, it would give me pleafure to inform him of any cir- 

 liaoic to the cumflance within the fphere of my own knowledge that ftiould 

 •bjieaioiu before jgnd to add to the illuftration or proof of my father's theory. 



♦ Sept. 1803. See our Addrefs to Correfpondents of laft month. 



.; Tfaere 



