818 Professor Dewar [April 1 



1*2 part of helium per 1000 volumes, so that it seemed admirably- 

 adapted for such experiments. By the kind permission of the 

 Corporation of Bath, an abundant supply of this Gas was obtained 

 for experimental purposes. 



In a paper read before the Eoyal Society on December 19, 1833,* 

 by Dr. Daubeny, Professor of Chemistry at Oxford University, on the 

 ' Quantity and Quality of the Thermal Springs of the King's Well in 

 the City of Bath,' there are some interesting details. Dr. Daubeny's 

 experiments extended over a month, and he estimated the volume 

 of gas given off as from 80 to 530 cubic inches per minute 

 (average 264). The temperature of the water of the King's Well 

 was 115° Fahr., and the amount of water per minute was equal to 

 126 gallons. The average volume of gas was 240 cubic inches per 

 minute. The gas was collected from an area of 20 feet in the centre 

 of the bath ; the maximum amount of gas obtained was 300 cubic 

 inches, while the minimum quantity was 194 cubic inches per minute. 

 Calculated at the rate of evolution of 250 cubic feet per day for 

 50*^0 years, then the whole gas given off amounts to 456 million cubic 

 feet. 



Thirty-two years after Daubeny's experiment Professor Williamson 

 made a more elaborate examination of the Gases of the King's Well. 

 In B.A. Reports, 1865, he gives the following as the volume com- 

 position of the gas : — 



Carbonic Acid. Oxyofeii. Marsh Gas. Nitrogen, 

 2-948 0-54 0-18 9G-33 



3-056 0-617 0-216 96-11 



Williamson used a funnel 8 ft. 9 in. in diameter to collect the gas, 

 and obtained a quantity equal to a rate of 112 cubic feet per day. 

 This is only about half the amount Daubeny collected, and may be 

 exj^lained by the great alterations made in the bath itself between 

 the dates of the observations. 



In passing, it is interesting to note the general character of the 

 saline constituents of the spring, as the most probable hypothesis is 

 that the argon and helium come from the rocks traversed by tlie 

 water. The following analysis was made by Dr. Attiield. 



Grs. per Gallon. 



Carbonate of calcium 7-8402 



Sulphate ot calcium 94-1080 



Nitrate of calcium •56'i3 



Carbonate of niagnesiura * 561 1 



Chloride of magnesium 15-2433 



Chloride of sodium 15-1555 



Sulphate of sodium 23-1400 



Sulphate of potas>ium 6-7020 



Nitrate of potassium 1-0540 



Carbonate of iron 1-2173 



Silica 2-7061 



168-2898 



■^ iioyal Soe. Proc., vol. iii. p, 254. 



