3C4 Powerful Furnace. — New Volcano. 



POWERFUL FURNACli. 



To Mr. Tilloch. 



SIR, 



Having a desire to know \vli;it is the greatest heat that can 

 be produced by a close fire, I constructed a tmnace, which 

 i buried in poumkd charcoal to prevent the escape ot heat. 



The furnace opens in the middle into a cupel, \^ supplied 

 with fuel at the top, and at the bottom with oxygen air im- 

 pelled into it by forcing;- pumps. 



The furnace being only recently finished, I have not had 

 time to try many experiments: — Exp. Jst, A seven-shilling 

 piece disappeared in ten minutes, ed, Platina was melted, 

 but I am not certain that it was pure. 3d, Charcoal buried in 

 sand, and exposed to the heat for a quarter of an hour, be- 

 caaie so hard as to resist the action o> the knife. 



T. A.Z. 



Fenrjth, Aug. ISOS, 



NEW VOLCANO. 



A Letter from John B. Dabney, Esq., Cotisid of the UmUd 

 States of America, to a Friend at St. Michael's, 



" Fayal (Azores^ June 25, 1808. 



" Dear Sir, — A phaenomenon has occurred here not un- 

 usual in former ages, but of which there has been no exam- 

 ple of late years ; it was well calculated to inspire terror, 

 and has been attended with the destruction of lives and pro- 

 perty. On Sunday, the 1st of May, at one p. m., walking 

 in the balcony of my house at St. Anlhonio, I heard noises 

 like the report of heavy cannon at a distance, and concluded 

 there Was some sea-engagement in the vicinity of the island. 

 But soon after, casting my eyes towards the island of St. 

 George's, ten leagues distant, I perceived a dense column of 

 smoke rising to an immense height: it was soon judged 

 that a volcano had burst out about the centre of that island ; 

 and this was rendered certain when night came on, the fire 

 exhibiting an awful appearance. Being desirous of viewing 

 this wonderful exertion of Nature, I embarked on the 3d of 

 May, accompanied by the British consul, and ten other 

 gentlemen, for St. George's — we ran over in five hours, and 



arrived 



