On the Fufihllity of taHow. D'lfcovery of America. ^j 



appear to be altered. 4. Benzoin bubbled without much fwelling, was fufcd, and emitted 

 fumes of an agreeable fmell, though not refembling the flowers of benzoin. A flight or 

 partial folution feemed to take place. The benzoin wjs fofter and of a darker colour than 

 before, and the tallow lefs confident. 5. Common refin unites very readily with melted 

 tallow, and forms a more fufible compound than the tallow itfelf. 6. Camphor melts 

 eafily in tallow, without altering its appearance. When the tallow is near boiling, cam- 

 phoric fumes fly off. The compound appeared more fufible than tallow. 7. The acid or 

 flowers of benzoin diflblves in great quantities without any ebullition or commotion. 

 Much fmoke arifes from the compound, which does not fmell like the acid of benzoin. 

 Tallow alone does not fume at a low heat, though it emits a fmell fomething like that 

 of oil-olive. When the proportion of the acid was confiderable, fmall needled cryftals 

 appeared as the temperature diminifhed. The appearances of feparation are di.Terent ac- 

 cording to the quantity of acid. The compound has the hardnefs and confiftence of firm 

 foap, and is partially tranfparent. 8. Vitriolated tartar, nitre, white fugar, cream of tartar, 

 cryftallized borax, and the fait fold in the markets under the name of fait of lemons, but 

 which is fuppofed to be the eflential fait of forrel, or vegetable alkali fuperfaturated with 

 acid of fugar, were refpeftively tried without any obvious mutual adlion or change of pro- 

 perties in the tallow. 9. Calcined magnefia rendered tallow opake and turbid, but did not 

 feem to diflblve. Its efFe£l refembled that of lime. 



It is propofed to try the oxigenated acetous acid, or radical vinegar ; the acid of ants, of 

 fugar, of borax, of galls, the tanning principle, the ferous and gelatinous animal matter, 

 the fecula of vegetables, vegetable gluten, bird-lime, and other principles, either by direft 

 orindiredl application. The objeft, in a commercial point of view, is entitled to an extenfivc 

 and affiduous invefligation. Chemills in general fuppofe the hardnefs or lefs fufibility of wax 

 to arife from oxigen, and to this objeft it may perhaps be advantageous to direft a certain 

 portion of the enquiry. The metallic falts and calces are the combinations from which 

 this principle is moft commonly obtained ; but the combinations of thefe with fat oils have 

 hitherto afforded little promife of the improvement here fought. The fuble£l is how- 

 ever fo little known, that experiments of the loofeft and moft conjeftural kind are by no 

 means to be defpifed. 



IV. 



A Memoir upon the Difcovery of America *. By M, OtTO. 

 IT has always been looked upon as a piece of injuflice, not to have given the name of 

 Columbus to that valuable part of the world which he difcovered ; and that Amerlcanu* 

 Vefpucius, who did nothing but follow Ills footfteps, has had the good fortune of having 

 Lis name handed down to tlie mofl dlftant pofterity, to the prejudice of his predecellbr. 

 What then will be faid, if it fliall be proved that neither of thofc celebrated navigator* 

 was the firfl difcovcrer of this immcnfe country j and that this honour belongs to a man 

 fcarccly known in the republic of letters ? This, however, is what I fiiall attempt in the 

 following paper ; and if the obfcurity of cotemporary writers, and the diftaiice of time, do 

 not afford arguments fuflicicnt for an abfolute demonflration, there will, however, be 

 enough to call in queftion the pretcnfions of Cliriilopher Columbus. 



• From the American Tranlielions, Vcl. II. in French and Snglifli. The former »|>pcar« to be tlic original; 

 for which reafnn I have coni|)arcJ liui v,\iU it, and correftcd fevcral jialTagc!. 



Vol. I.-Mat 1797. L ' Ifl,jH 



