215 On certain Products obtained 



could it serve any purpose. A similar subsfance from Bovey 

 gave similar results. 



The oil which was distilled from jet was of a greater specific 

 gravity than anv of the prececliiij^-, and sinelleH •^tront^ly of petro- 

 leum. It seemed to be soluble in na; h'ha a*^ reacfilv as the speci- 

 men of petroleimi with which 1 comparetl it. Indeed, had it not 

 been that a g; cater quantity of acid .was given over in this process 

 than from any of the varieties of coal, I know not that anv che- 

 mical distinction between the two would have exi'^ted. The 

 mineralcgical one is still considerable. -The ; fveral specimens 

 above enumerated, yielded each a large portion of acetic acid, 

 marking as clcailv as the peculiar sort of oil did, the remains of 

 unchanged vegetable matter. 



Examining therefore the alteration produced bv water on com- 

 mon tmf, or submerged wood, we have all the evidence of de- 

 monstration that its action is sufficient to convert ihem into 

 substances capable of yielding bitumen, on distillation. 



That the same action having operated tb.rough a longer period 

 has produced the change in the brown coal of Bovey, is rendered' 

 extremely probable by the geognostic relations of that coal. 

 From this to the harder ligliites, surturbrand and jet, the transi- 

 tion is so gradual, that tliere seems no reason to limit the pcwer of 

 water to produce the effect of bitumini::;aticn in all these varieties ; 

 nor is there aught in this change so dissonant from other che- 

 mical actions, as to njake us hesitate in adopting this cause. In 

 the ordinary process of vegetable jjutrefaction and destruction, a 

 variety of compound gases are formed by the reaction of their 

 elements, and carbon alone, or rather carbon united to a portion 

 of -hydrogen, remains behind. Here the oxygen is completely 

 dissipated, together with the azote, and the greater portion of 

 the hydrogen. Analogous circumstances determine the putre- 

 faction of animal matter; but in this case the play of affinities is 

 so intricate, that a large jjovtion of the carbon is volatihzed in 

 the gaseous form. By the constant affusion of water, however, 

 this process may be so modified, that the greater part of the hy- 

 drogen and carbon v/ill be retained, and enter, together with 

 minute portion;;; of other gases, into a new compound resem.bling 

 fat, v.'hich has obtained the name of adipocire. The analogy is 

 strong, and the gradual deoxydation of the v.'ood in this process 

 is visible in the different stages of bituminization. 



Such, as far as observations have yet gone, is 'Our l.nowledge 

 of this process, and of the power of water in producing it. To re- 

 peat such an experiment in the laboratory seems impossible, since 

 the necessarv ekmcnt of time must be wanting to complete it. 

 But the action of fire being of shorter duration, and affording us 



also 



