ON THE MEANS 



OF 



PRODUCING AN INTENSE HEAT, 



BT THE 



COMBUSTION OF OXYGEN, 



AND 



HYDROGEN GASES. 



BY T, R. ROBINSON, F. T. C. D. M. R. I. A. 



Read, Jan. 12, 1818. 



About fifteen years ago, Mr. Hare, an American, described an 

 apparatus for burning a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases, 

 but his observations were not much attended to ; since that time 

 several refractory metals have been discovered, and it is surprising, 

 that no one thought of using this powerful instrument to accom- 

 plish their fusion. Dr. Marcet's spirit lamp blown by oxygen, 

 and even the immense voltaic batteries of Mr. Children, (a) are 

 inferior to it for these purposes, and the expence of procuring 

 and using it is but trifling. However, it was neglected till the 

 brilliant researches of Davy, on the combustion of gases, led him 



(a J Tungsten and Iridinm were not perfectly fused in their flam;. 



