326 On the Dry-Rui in Timber. 



to appreciate his merit, rejected this attraction of matter, of 

 particles to particles, and admitted it only between the heavenly 

 bodies ; but under this latter view he rendered to the discoveries 

 of Newton that justice which was due to them. In short, uni- 

 versal gravitation had not attained, for the contemporaries of 

 Newton, or for Newton himself, all the certainty which the pro- 

 gress of the mathematical sciences, which are chiefly due to him, 

 and the subsequent observations, have produced ; and we may 

 truly apply to this discovery, which is the greatest ever effected 

 by the human mind, these words of Cicero: Opinionum co?n- 

 menta delet dies, valurce judicia confiunat. 



L. On the Dry-Rot in Timber. By T. H. Pasley, Etq.* 



A HE following principles, it is presumable, will elucidate wherein 

 the cause and possible ])reventive of dry-rot in timber exist, in a 

 more rational point of view than has hitherto appeared on this 

 highly interestin"g subject. The millions which this species of 

 expenditure dravvs from the public purse annually, make it an 

 object of serious concern to all ranks in societv, to assist in un- 

 dermining the conmTon enemy; and there is every prospect that 

 much may yet be effected : the inquiry as hitherto, not being con- 

 fined to mechanics, who have done but little towards removing 

 the evil (the best constructed ships not being impervious to dry- 

 rot), and less in discovering wherein the cause of the evil con- 

 sists; as the subject, although not the most inviting of philosophy, 

 is now acknowledged to be worthy the attention of the most en- 

 lightened chemists of the day. 



First then, as respects the physical constitution of timber, it 

 is the fact, that timber and all other ponderable bodies contain 

 the element of flame in them, in cjuantity equal to the weight of 

 each. Hence it is, that flame is obtained from all kinds of fuel. 

 Chemical elements which are imponderable, and flame, which 

 constitutes their ponderable base, are the only constituents of 

 which all manner of terrestrial bodies are formed. As bodies part 

 with the former, they suffer no change of weight ; but flame is 

 never evolved but what the bodv parting with it becomes lighter. 

 As then the ponderable base of bodies consists of flame, all bodies 

 without exception contain it, although it is not obtained from all 

 with equal facility. As the ponderable base of wood, flame exists 

 in that species of compound matter in as harmless a state as in 

 inflammable gas, which may have been obtained from ice, or, 

 which amounts to the same as thing, from the decomposed water 

 of melted ice. In consequence of the attractive powers ofjlame 



• Communicated by the Author. 



it 



