242 Sir Frederick Abel on Accidental Explosions, &c. [March 13, 



j)revent the transmission of fire from the lamp flame to the air-space 

 of the reservoir. 



Some of the more prominent points elicited by the inquiry in 

 progress, as to the causes of explosions in petroleum lamps, and the 

 conditions which regulate their efficiency and safety, having now 

 been noticed, it remains to otfer a few simple suggestions, the atten- 

 tion to which cannot but serve to reduce the risks of accident which 

 attend the use of petroleum and paraffin oil. 



1. It is desirable that the reservoir of the lamp should be of 

 metal. It should have no opening or feeding place in the reservoir, 

 nor should there be any opening or channel of communication to the 

 reservoir at or near the burner, unless protected by fine wire gauze, 

 or packed with wire, or unless it is of a diameter not exceeding • 04 

 inch. 



2. The wick used should be of soft texture and loosely plaited ; 

 it should fill the entire space of the wick-holder, and should not be 

 so broad as to be compressed within the latter ; it should always 

 be thoroughly dried before the fire, when required for use. The 

 fresh wick or wicks should be but little longer than sufficient to 

 reach to the bottom of the reservoir, and should never be immersed to 

 a less depth than about one-third the total depth of the reservoir. 



3. The reservoir or lamp should always be almost filled before use. 



4. If it be desired to lower the flame of the lamp for a time, this 

 should be carefully done, so as not to lower it beneath the metal- 

 work deeper than is absolutely necessary ; but it should be borne in 

 mind that even then the combustion of the oil will be imperfect, and 

 that vapour of unconsumed petroleum will escape, and render the 

 lamp very unpleasant in a room. 



5. When the lamp is to be extinguished, and is not provided with 

 an extinguishing arrangement (of which many excellent forms are 

 now applied to lamps) the flame should be lowered until there is only a 

 flicker ; the mouth should then be brought to a level with the top of the 

 chimney, and a sharp puff of breath should be projected across the 

 opening. The lamp should remain on a firm support when it is being 

 extinguished. 



The lecturer hopes that, pending the more thorough treatment of 

 this subject by Mr. Redwood and himself when these investigations 

 are completed, the points dealt with in this discourse which relate to 

 accidents with petroleum lamps may, on the one hand, tend to 

 dispel groundless alarm as to the dangerous nature of petroleum and 

 paraffin oil as illuminants, and may, on the other hand, serve to convey 

 some useful information resi)ecting the causes which lead to accidents 

 with lamps and the readiness with which they may be avoided. 



[F. A. A.] 



