DESCRIPTIOX OF WHAI.E-OIL. 094 



the temperature of 60® ; consequently tlic ton \vill 

 weigli 1933 lb. 12 oz. 14 (b., or 17 c^vt. 1 qr. 1 lb. 

 12 oz. 14 dr. * 



The value of Avhale-oil, like that of every other 

 similar article, is subject to continual variations. In 

 the year 1742, oil sold in England for 18/. 13.?. 

 JUT toil', in 1743, for 14/. S.?. ; in 1744, for 10/. 

 l,y. ; in 1754, for 29/. ; in 1801, for 50/. ; in 1807, 

 for 21/. ; and in 1S13, when the price was 



* It is remarkable, that 7^ pounds of whale oil should have 

 been generally admitted by the dealers in this article, as an 

 equivalent for a gallon by measure, when the real equivalent 

 is greater by 2 oz. 12.5 drams. The buyers have indeed ge- 

 nerally, of late, objected to the purchase of oil by weight, be- 

 cause they have found it deficient of the London gauge ; which 

 deficiency the sellers have been in the habit of attributing to 

 the inaccuracy of the process ; but the true cause has not, that 

 I know of, been before explained. The error of 2 oz. 12.5 

 drams per gallon, makes a deficiency of 5.| gallons in the ton, 

 at the temperature of 60", and at lower temperatures, a deficien- 

 cy still greater. As the practice of selling oil by weight is per- 

 fectly fair, under all circumstances of temperature, or form of 

 the containing vessels ; whereas the quantity by measure varies 

 with every change of temperature, and is liable to error from 

 the inaccuracies of the process of guaging, — it would be more 

 satisfactory for persons concerned in the oil trade, to adopt the 

 method of weighing. For the advancement of such a mea- 

 sure, some farther remarks on this subject, and the result of 

 some experiments for ascertaining the expansion of oil by heat, 

 .ire included in the Appendix to this X'olume, N" VII. 



