344 On the Chemical Evidence 



Observations. — I am aware that a volatile oil may be dis- 

 tilled from whale-oil at 500° ; but I was not aware that an oil 

 could be separated from it, that in the month of April would 

 become solid by exposure to the cold of the common atmo- 

 sphere. From oil that had been increased in its specific gravity 

 by a continual heating for 28 days, from 0.922 to 0.963. I pro- 

 cured a volatile oil by common distillation, that was only of 

 the specific gravity of 0.865 ; but this seems to have no ten- 

 dency to become solid, and I have examined it several times 

 since it was distilled. As to this gentleman's procuring in- 

 flammable vapour from oil at 400°, I can only say, that I could 

 not procure it at that temperature ; but as to the production 

 of inflammable gas from whale oil at 460°, that is certainly a 

 mistake, as I have, since the trial, proved by unequivocal ex- 

 periments, that it cannot be obtained but at a temperature 

 much beyond what our thermometers will measure. Mr. Phil- 

 lips' assertion, that if the oil at the sugar-house, heated to 

 360°, had been urged by a strong fire, it would in twenty mi- 

 nutes have arisen to 460°, and that the oil would then have 

 spouted out at the end of the tube, and would have run into 

 the fire-place, and taken fire, has very much surprised me ; as 

 I know he is a man of great discrimination, and not apt to 

 make assertions, without due consideration. The statement of 

 such an opinion, which might have done the plaintiffs in this 

 action great injury, was made, no doubt, without considering 

 the different capacity of the two vessels, and the quantities of 

 oil put into them. In the one case, the vessel was so nearly 

 filled with oil, that when the usual expansion* took place, the 

 ^ vessel could not contain it ; whereas, in the other case, there 

 was a vessel of the capacity of 300 gallons, with only 100 

 gallons of oil in it, and a tube of safety in the cover, which 

 was sixteen feet long, and terminated in a brick tunnel, com- 

 municating with the common atmosphere. In the experiment- 



• I have found by experiment, that whale-oil expands in heating from 

 58° to 430°, mure than one-fifth of its original volume. 



