28G On ike Volatilily and Iiiflammahility 



had deposed, that they had got gas from oil at a temperature 

 not much above 300 ; but, then, how was this done ? The oil 

 was got from Mr. Taylor's^ and the evidence of Mr. Faraday 

 showed, that in refining oil some sulphuric acid was used, and this 

 would cause gas at a lower temperature than if the oil was un- 

 mixed with any foreign ingredients. Would not this account for 

 the low temperature which was produced ? and would it be ask- 

 ing too much, after having heard Mr. Faraday's evidence, to 

 suppose that some foreign ingredient was mixed with the oil on 

 which the experiments had been made, and from which gas had 

 been produced ? If this were the case, it would reconcile the 

 apparently conflicting testimony on both sides. According to the 

 evidence for the plaintiffs, the oil was at a temperature of 34 1 ; 

 and, when the engine was set in motion, it went down 100, be- 

 cause it was cooled by passing through the pipes between the 

 sugar. Was it probable that it would take fire at such a tempera- 

 ture ? But suppose the oil had gone through several processes, 

 and been used many times before, what would happen ? Why, it 

 would have been thick and black, and would have been almost 

 solid in the cold air : but on examining this oil — and it was taken 

 out for the purpose six or seven days before — it was found to be 

 good, only that it was a little blacker. Was it probable that the 

 plaintiffs would have used oil of so unmanageable a quality as this 

 would be in such a case ? Why, it would cool in the pipes at the- 

 extremity, and could not be worked. What, then, was the deduc- 

 tion from this ? Was it not that the oil used by the plaintiffs 

 had not gone through such processes as to make it give out gas at 

 350 J and that in the oil used in making the experiments there 

 must have been some foreign ingredients ? It was stated for the 

 defendants, that the oil used gave out gas at a temperature of 

 350, and in some instances as low as 310. Why, this was less 

 than the temperature at which the oil used by the plaintiffs 

 was generally kept ; and if, as was meant to be inferred on the 

 other side, the gas was coming down and accumulating day after 

 day, it should have exploded in August or September, and not 

 in November. The defendants then, in this instance, proved too 

 much ; for, if there was any foundation in the analogy they wished 

 to show between the oil used in the experiments and that used 

 by the plaintiffs, it must have had the effect of causing an ex- 

 plosion long before the time at which the fire took place. The 

 only fair inference that could be drawn from this part of 

 the evidence was that which he had mentioned — that some 

 foreign ingredients must have been in the oil which was used in 

 making the experiments. It was not necessary for him to meet 

 every |part of the defendants' case. It would l?e sufficient to 



throw 



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