on the lale Tried of an Insurance Qiieslion. 7 



fire-place proportionably less, with a depth of oil nearly twice 

 that which the large one contained, oil in twenty minutes, with a 

 moderate fire, was heated from a safe to a highly dangerous point. 

 Now, Sir, where two parties are e(]ually entitled to c-redibility, we 

 should certainly say that one positive assertion was worth a hun- 

 dred negative, and that the detail of absolute facts must take 

 place of mere conjecture. 



What was said concerning a leakage in the boiler was hardly 

 worthy the consideration of a chemist. A cook -maid could have 

 answered that question equally well ; and if she were asked whe- 

 ther a hole in her frying-pan, and the consequent leakage of her 

 dripping, would have any eflfect in raising or extinguishing the 

 flatne, she would tell you proverbially that " all the fat was ill 

 the fire," and leave you to draw your own conclusions. 



The nest subject for consideration is the production of Dip- 

 pel's oil, which Dr. Thomson asserted could not be obtained from 

 whale oil in a similar boiler to that used by the plaintiffs, and 

 that passing it three times through a red hot tube would not pro- 

 duce it. Whether the latter mode would produce it, or not, I am 

 unable to say; Dippel's oil is stated to be highly inflammable, very 

 volatile, considerably lighter than common oil, and its boiling 

 point is 180 degrees. A sample of oil was produced in court by 

 Mr. P. Taylor which had all the properties above enumerated. 

 It mav be denied that this was Dippel's oil, because it is not pro- 

 duced' from a solid an\ma.\ substance ; but it clearly possesses all 

 its properties, and it is needless to cavil about names. This was 

 procured by the redistillation of a portion that had been distilled 

 from the boiler in which the experiment was tried. The inference 

 to be drawn from Dr. Thomson's statement was, that it required 

 great difficulty to produce this highly inflammable oil. But it is 

 clear, that if the vapour at 600 is condensed and falls back again, 

 it must contain this inflammable matter disengaged in it, which 

 may be driven over at a heat nmch below 360. The maximum 

 of heat is here given ; but a set of experiments vvill be tried, to 

 prove among other things at how low a heat this oil may be in 

 tlie first and second instance produced. 



The next point for consideration is the inflammability of sugar. 

 The assertion which Dr. T. made, that sugar next to gunpowder 

 was the most combustible substance in nature, must be consi- 

 dered, as well as the fire of twenty miles extent, as one of those 

 strong declarations ujade without thought, and without consider- 

 ing the extent of their meaning, and which is intended to convey 

 an opinion as strongly as it can be conveyed. Had the same opi- 

 nion been given in a less forcil)le manner, coming from such a 

 ♦source, it would have been open to the same criticism. Hyper- 

 bole is not wanted to give force or authority to any thing that 



Dr. 



