Bi Mr H. H. Blackadder 07i the Combustion of 



oil was of the inferior quality that is sold under the name of 

 whale oil. When a greater degree of illumination is required, 

 the number of burners, and capacity of the reservoir, must be 

 increased in proportion. It will be found, that a lamp of this 

 description is as readily lighted as a candle, or lamp with a 

 wick ; and the burner may be such as to produce a flame that is 

 a mere luminous point in a dark apartment, or only a blue speck, 

 that is invisible at a short distance ; or such as to give a flame 

 similar to that of an argand lamp with a wick. This last may 

 be effected, either by two short and wide tubes, having an ar- 

 rangement similar to the metallic wick-holder of an argand lamp, 

 or by means of small short tubes, placed nearly in contact, and 

 in the form of a circle. 



A convenient small hand-lamp, for occasional purposes, and 

 either for burning oil or alcoholic fluids, is made, by fixing a 

 long tube in the mouth of a small bag, formed of caoutchouc, or 

 other impervious substance ; the burner being supplied by the 

 pressure of the hand. 



When a thin narrow collar of metal is attached to the mouth 

 of a burner, so as to project in the form of a small cup, the re- 

 semblance of the flame then produced, to that of a gas-lamp, is 

 so complete as readily to deceive those who are not aware of the 

 presence of oil. If the collar be made of impure silver, and the 

 lamp has not recently been used, the flame, when first lighted, 

 has a green colour ; but this adventitious colour disappears in 

 the course of a few seconds, when the metal acquires a red heat. 

 In the practical line this modification of the wickless lamp is par- 

 ticularly deserving of attention. 



Various attempts were made to take advantage of the capillary 

 attraction of tubes, for maintaining a constant supply of oil to 

 the burner, which at first proved unsuccessful ; and the want of 

 success was attributed to the well known fact, that, however high 

 a fluid may rise in a tube, by capillary attraction, it will in no 

 instance rise, so as to flow from its upper orifice. This, how- 

 ever, was found to be incorrect ; for a small perforated disk of 

 mica, having a small tube cemented into the perforation at its 

 centre, will constitute a burner of this description. When such 

 a burner is placed, so as to float on the surface of oil, the oil 

 rises by capillary attraction, and fills the tube. If a lighted 



