Waier Spouts. 313 



made to act on quicklime, either in a dry state, or combined with 

 water in particular vessels, so constructed as to bring a large sur- 

 face of the lime into contact with the gas. This method must 

 naturally be very imperfect, on account of the feeble action of 

 sulphuretted hydrogen upon lime. In proof of this statement, 

 the gas supplied to this metropolis, need only be examined in the 

 following manner. Collect a four-ounce phial full of the gas, in 

 a wash-hand bason, or other vessel full of water, in the usual 

 manner, and then plunge into it a slip of paper moistened with 

 a solution of nitrate of silver, or super-acetate of lead. The paper 

 will instantly acquire a brown colour. 



A new method of getting rid of the sulphuretted hydrogen gas 

 has been lately resorted to with success ; and the facility, cheap- 

 ness, and expedition with which this process may be employed in 

 the large way, give reason to believe that it will be highly bene- 

 ficial to the manufacturer of coal-gas in general. The process con- 

 sists in passing crude coal-gas, as it is disengaged from coal, 

 through a heated iron cylinder, or other vessel, containing frag- 

 ments of metallic iron, (the waste clippings of tinned iron will do 

 very well) or any oxide of iron at a minimum of oxidation j for 

 example, clay iron-stone, so disposed as to present as large a 

 surface as possible : by this means the sulphuretted hydrogen be- 

 comes decomposed by the metallic iron, and the gas is obtained 

 in a pure state. This iron, if in a state of a metal, acquires by 

 this process a crystalline structure, and affords abundance of sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen by the affusion of dilute sulphuric or muriatic 

 acid, a proof that it is converted into a sulphuret ; — a quantity of 

 sulphuric and sulphureous aeid is likewise collected at the extre- 

 mity of the vessel. The gas thus treated affords no disagreeable 

 odour during combustion, and its purity is attested by its not act- 

 ing upon the solutions of lead, silver, or any of the white metals. 



WATER-spoirrs. 



The following observations of Capt. Thomas Lynn, commander 

 of the E. I. Company's ship Barkworth, afford a striking corro- 

 boration of the statement of the ingenious writer in our last num- 

 ber, Mr. J.H. viz. that the particles of water ascend upward from 

 the sea, in the phaenomenon called a water-spout. 



"Barkworth, Dec. 11, 1816, in lat. 4" N. long. 129^ E. (hav- 

 ing passed through the Siao channel yesterday) at 1 1 A.M. the 

 officer of the watch, Mr. Dudman, came down and informed mo 

 there had been a whale hloivin^ close to the ship for several mi- 

 nutes, and that it was continuing to do so. I then, from curio- 

 sity, went upon deck, and was surprised to find it was the vortex 

 of a water-spout, within one hundred yards of the ship, on the 

 windward quarter : — ordered a gun to be got ready, hy which 



time 



