Of FREEZ ING WATER. 27 



Such was the refuk of thefe experiments, from which I leave 

 it to you to draw conclufions. I intend to purfue them again 

 this winter ; and, if you can fuggeft any ideas on the fubjefl 

 that can reach Canada before March 1786, I fliall be glad to 

 avail myfelf of them. 



Ed. Williams. 



RE M ARKS on the preceding ExtraSi by Cha. Hutton, LL. D. 



From thefe ingenious experiments, we may draw feveral 

 conclufions. As, 



Firji^ We hence obferve the amazing force of the expanfion 

 of the ice, or the water, in the ad of freezing ; which is fuffi- 

 cient to overcome perhaps any refiflance whatever ; and the con- 

 fequence feems to be, either that the water will freeze, and, by 

 expanding, burfl the containing body, be it ever fo thick and 

 ftrong ; or elfe, if the refiftance of the containing body exceed 

 the expanfive force of the ice, or of water in the adl of freez- 

 ing, then, by preventing the expanfion, it will prevent the 

 freezing, and the water will remain fluid, whatever the degree 

 of cold may be. 



The amazing force of congelation is alfo obvious from the 

 diftance to which the iron plugs were projeded. For, if we 

 confider the very fmall time that the force of expanfion adts on 

 the plug in puthing it out, and that the plug, of 2| lb. weight, 

 was projected with a velocity of more than 20 feet in a fecond 



d 2 of 



