Alcoholic Fluids, Oils, fSfc. in Lamps. b^ 



and a bent glass-tube, supported on a metallic stand or frame. The 

 tube is of the size used for thermometers ; its interior diameter 

 being aboiit one-fortieth of an inch. It is passed through an elastic 

 piece of cork, which is cemented into the lower part of the glass- 

 globe, and surroimded by a cx)llar of metal : in this way the tube 

 may be readily slid up or down, without allowing any of the 

 fluid to escape between it and the cork. When the extremity 

 of the tube is above the surface of the fluid, none of the latter 

 can escape through it ; and when the lamp is to be used, the 

 tube is drawn down, as represented in Fig. 5. ; the degree 

 of its depression being regulated by the size of the flame that is 

 wished to be produced. When a low flame is required, the ho- 

 rizontal part of the tube is cemented to a low flat stand ; and 

 when the lamp is to be lighted, the fluid is made to flow, by 

 drawing up the reservoir, instead of, as in the former case, draw- 

 ing down the tube. For occasional purposes, a tube bent, so as 

 to form a syphon, and passed through a cork in the neck of a 

 phial containing the fluid, constitutes a very convenient lamp. 

 When, with a lamp of any form, it is wished to produce a large 

 flame, it is only necessary to increase the number of the burners ;* 

 and in this way the degree of heat can be regulated at pleasure, 

 and with great accuracy. The advantages, &c. resulting from 

 the combustion of alcoholic fluids in a lamp without a wick, will 

 afterwards be considered. 



A lamp for burning oils, for the purpose of illumination, is 

 constructed on the same principle as that for burning alcoholic 

 fluids. The reservoir may be made of metal, or of plain, cut, 

 or coloured glass, so as to produce a beautiful effect. And a 

 fine green, red, or yellow colour, can easily be communicated to 

 spermaceti oil, producing the same effect as coloured glass. The* 

 form represented. Fig. 6., which may be modified according to 

 taste, having additional branches, &c. may, perhaps, be found 

 as suitable as any other. One that contains from one to two 

 ounces of oil, and whose burner is not larger than an ordinary 

 bugle bead, burns for eight or ten hours ; and will enable most 

 persons to read or write. A lamp of this description has conti- 

 nued burning three days and a half, or eighty-four hours, with- 

 out having been touched; and the small conical crust, which 

 formed on the burner, did not amount to two grains, though the' 



