274 On the Volatility and Inflavimalilily 



in the experiments of chemist^;. It was alleged that sugar was 

 liable to boil over in an inflammable state, and that, as there was 

 no fire into which it could overflow, the danger was diminished 

 by this new process. This statement had at first view an ap- 

 pearance ot" plausibilitv; but on reflection it would be found per- 

 fectly puerile, for it reduced the wiiole danger to the overboiling 

 of the sugar-pan — an accident which no sugar-boiler ever dreaded. 

 On the danger arising; from the boiling of oil he was completely at 

 issue with his learned friend. It was important to consider the 

 variations in the evidence on this subject. Mr. Wilson proved 

 roundly that oil of whatever age, and however long used, exhi- 

 bited no difference in heat. Mr. Accnm stated, that when he 

 tried old oil it produced the same effects at 460 as new oil at 

 600; and Mr. Parkes found the same eflfccts produced at 5S6 

 that Mr. Wilson found at 600. He thought the jury would be 

 satisfied from the evidence of Mr. Accum, which was clear and 

 distinct, that Mr. Wilson's theory of oil was not so ))erfect as he 

 supposed. All those who were accustomed to work in oil knew, 

 that the longer it had been used, and the more frequently it had 

 been heated, the more inflammable it became. The variety was 

 endless; at 310 old oil would produce effects of combustion, 

 which new oil at 600 would not produce. Those who extracted 

 oil from blubber never attained a greater heat than 210; because, 

 beyond that degree it became uncontrollable. It was a substance 

 which was very reluctant to part with its heat, and in a certain 

 state, even some minutes after it had been taken off the fire, it 

 produced destructive effects. The learned counsel then exhibited 

 a phial containing a liquid which had been distilled from new oil. 

 If he were to take out the cork, and apply, a light at a small di- 

 stance, the vapour would flame ; but 'if the light were applied 

 nearer, it would explode, though without noise. He refrained 

 from making the experiment at present, from the disagreeable 

 smell which it would produce in the court ; but the results which 

 he had stated would be mentioned in evidence. He particularly 

 directed the attention of the jurv to the fact that the explosion 

 was not attended with noise. This distillation had been made 

 from new oil at the heat of 600 ; but if the oil had been used for 

 twenty-four days, the same effect would have been produced at 

 410. Those who were engaged in extracting gas from oil were 

 aware of the extreme danger attending the heating of that sub- 

 stance ; and that it required a greater degree of skill and caution 

 than ;inv other combustible matter. The company, understand- 

 ing that this was the case, employed scientific men to make ex- 

 periments on the subject; and the results of these experiments 

 would be submitted to the jury. They would hear the details of 

 a series of experiments, continued for twelve successive days, on 



twenty- 



